What Do You Do on the Weekend?

I'm either enjoying comparing lists from last year with this year or I'm getting really lazy about posting every single day for November NaBloPoMo. Maybe it's a combination. Anyway...

How do y'all spend your weekend? Do you take advantage of the great outdoors? Sit in front of the television? Visit friends and relatives? Make that new recipe? That's what this list was all about- things to do on the weekend. I should probably try this when football season is over since pretty much all I do during football season is watch football. Saturday and Sunday. There are a few other things though...


My weekend list from 2015:

10 Things to do During the Weekend:

1. During football season, plant yourself in front of the television and ENJOY.
2. When football season ends, sit and pout until August when preseason begins.
3. Take the pup down the nature trail to the marsh. Take the camera. 
4. If there's a wedding in the family, do wedding planning related stuff. Do it early in the mornings so you can be back home before the games start (college football on Saturdays you know). IF it's not football season, try to drag your depressed self up and don't worry about when you leave or come back.
5. Do the grocery shopping for the week And some of the cooking. WooHoo. What fun tasks.
6. If it's raining, do the dance of joy and watch some old movies, read a book, take a nap, play with the pup---anything that suits a rainy day.  
7. If it's snowing, I'm jealous and don't want to talk to you.
8. Take the pup over to the beach for a walk or run.
9. Write some blog posts. Work does tend to get in the way of this.
10. Go downtown Charleston and take pictures of the tourists. Which is way more fun than you might think.

And this year's list:

10 Thing to do during the Weekend:

1. Sit down because you've been on your feet all week entertaining your 4-month-old granddaughter which is both exhausting because you're old and wonderful because, granddaughters!
2. Turn on the television and watch football because it's football season and no one bother me until February.
3. Write blog posts because during the week there is no time due to entertaining your 4-month-old granddaughter. Or the exhaustion that follows. But you love it and wouldn't trade it for anything. 
4. Go to the grocery store because you are too tired from entertaining your 4-month-old granddaughter to go during the week because you're old now but it's ok because, granddaughters.
5. Enjoy some take-out. I love take-out while watching hours upon hours of football.
6. Read. When the games are boring (68-0) or you don't really care that much about the games that are on at that time, enjoy a bit of reading. Haha! I don't stop watching football to read a book, I read before the games start on Saturday or Sunday.
7. Take the dog and your camera out for a walk and some picture taking. NOT during the games, though.
8. Get the house cleaned up. There's no time or energy during the week because...well, you know.
9. Go watch football at a pub with loads of televisions so you can watch your team at the same time you watch Matt Ryan, hopefully, lose. 
10. Relax and enjoy the time doing whatever the spirit moves you to do!

Not really that much different from last year except for the granddaughter part. :) The list would be much different when football season is over. I'm serious about my football, y'all. I LOVE watching it and I do not look fondly upon those who schedule things like showers, birthday/anniversary celebrations, and weddings during football season.

Ok, your turn! What makes your weekend list?

This is day 14 of November NaBloPoMo!

Stress? What Stress?

What stresses y'all out more? Work? Family? Everyday life? Taking on new challenges? What?

There are times when I feel that everything stresses me out. Fibromyalgia didn't hit me nearly as hard as it did others but it still lets me know it's here on a daily basis. I'm overly sensitive to EVERYTHING. Bright light, loud noises (and some quieter ones), any odor that contains chemicals, most any touch, strong tastes (which explains my bland palate), chaos, clutter... And then there's the fact that I am a slight germaphobe. You can just imagine how interesting life can be with these characteristics.

Today, I'm talking about the stress of taking on new challenges.

When I took on a job teaching computer to elementary students I was grateful and stressed out. Me? Teaching computers? To kids? They know more than I about this stuff! The stress that came with this job was self-inflicted and I think, with me, this type of stress is the good stuff. It's the type that motivates me to learn more and do more in certain situations. While I did know more than the kiddos, they are fast learners. To stay ahead, I had to be prepared. It was crazy. It was stressful. And I loved it! But then...

At Thanksgiving, 2015, my daughter and her husband surprised the family with news of a BABY! I knew that moment that I would quit teaching and stay home with that sweet child so that my daughter and her wonderful husband could save for their first house. The payoff is off the charts to all of us, especially me since I see Baby M every weekday, and they'll be ready to buy that house in April 2017. WINNING! But that winning didn't come without stress. It was a new endeavor that we all took on but were let down by one who claimed to be on board so...

I decided to try and get creative. Even though I'm not an artist or creative. Smart. Nope. STRESS. When you're committed to people you can't back out and I'm committed. But I had to figure out to bring in some $$. So I used my bird photographs and my lack of artist skills and began making coasters to sell on Etsy. THIS is stressful because I don't like putting myself out there. I like backstage work. I like to be behind the camera. I don't enjoy recognition. But this time, I had to do it. The courage to press the 'open shop' button on Etsy was nonexistent for WEEKS. Ok, months. But I finally did it.

The coasters are not perfect but neither am I. And I'm not going to be though I certainly strive for it. To overkill levels. Which means I have harshly judged my attempts and I have fallen short. I'm leaving them out there anyway.

If you'd like to peruse the shop, just click the link here: CoasterDoodles.

Or here:

Hope y'all are having a wonderful weekend!

Today is day 12 of NaBloPoMo for November!

10 Hashtags about Me

Looking back over past posts (I seriously had no idea that the Grits started in 2014) I found a fun post I wrote about hashtags. It wasn't an original idea and I tried to find the blogger who hosted this but, apparently, she's not blogging anymore. Anyway, we were asked to make a list of 10 hashtags that describe us. I thought I'd do a comparison for day 11 of NaBloPoMo. While I'd keep some of my 2014 hashtags today, I'm changing them all up just for fun. 



Here's 2014's list:

10 Hashtags That Describe Me

1. #momtobestdaughtersever

2. #ilovemydog

3. #iamtoooldforthatsh*t

4. #iseestupidpeople

5. #WTF

6. #itisfootballseasondonotdisturbuntilfebruary

7. #theloveboatsailedwithoutme

8. #doublecuppaontheweekends

9. #textingfool

10. #don'taskifyoudon'twanttoknow

Actually, that's not too bad. I'm still not that great at hashtags but here's 2016's list:

10 Hashtags that Describe Me

1. #firsttimegrandma
2. #passthegeritol
3. #carolinapanthersarekillingme
4. #wheresthedamngeritol
5. #walmarthasgeritol
6. #laughingalltheway
7. #tellinitstraightup
8. #lovemyfriends
9. #suckingdowngeritol
10. #rockingmiddleagelikearock

Hashtags can be fun. And funny. And clever. Or, like mine, only fun. :)

Have a great weekend!

Mean People

This post is the same one I put up on Empty Nest for today which is day 10 of NaBloPoMo. Sharing your thoughts is welcomed but hate-filled comments will be deleted.

Stop it. This is getting ridiculous and you're showing you asses.

The election is over (thank God!) and that's the best news that I've heard. This is not a post about my opinion about the results (some of you already know that anyway and the rest of you don't need to) this post is about what I find more disgusting than the election: the aftermath of hatred.

I have not 'unfriended' one single person during the campaign (though, in all honesty, I have chosen to 'see less' from a few). We all have our own opinions and, while I do not feel that social media is a place to spout those opinions and many friends do, I do not see the logic in 'unfriending' someone over an opinion. You don't have to agree with me to be my friend. I believe that having only friends who share my opinions would be lacking in thought-provoking conversations to say the least. Not to mention I appreciate and enjoy a good debate between friends as long as it's a real debate not a slathering of insults. Sharing thoughts and ideas is healthy, thought provoking and, I think, a learning experience. It can expose you to how others see the world allowing you to be empathetic. It can remind you that people from different walks of life and those who have had different life experiences see things differently from you. It can foster an appreciation and respect for the perspective of other people. I have always appreciated new ideas and sharing thoughts with others. I'm not sure where having differing opinions took a very wrong, very sad, very frightening turn. But it did.

And here we are.

I've heard and read things in just a couple of days that are making my skin crawl. And some of these things have come out of the minds of people I know PERSONALLY. I'm not sure how the spreading of fear and hatred is going to help anyone with anything. I've never seen either of those things help anyone or a situation. I've seen fear and hatred to just the opposite. Is this really the way people want to be? Besides, how can people be this crazy over an election and not have the slightest upset over the course the campaigns took? But that's another post altogether.

Just yesterday I saw a post that referred to the people who said they would leave the US if Trump won and the person who posted told those people, emphatically, to "start packing we don't need you here in this country." And that's one of the mildest posts. I'm not even going to tell y'all about a comment (that was based on an assumption) a teacher friend got. Then there's my friend who commented on a post showing youth protesting (this is what they do, they protest and that's better than sitting down not being heard at all) and my friend commented that these were the people who voted for her and how they were not Americans that she wanted to be associated with. Listen, friend, that's just like me saying that the Americans who voted for Trump are uneducated, white males...white supremacists...and the like. I take offense to anyone who lumps all who voted for one candidate or the other into one category of 'types' of Americans. Get over yourself.

These people are not speaking for me. I want you all here in this country. The people are what make this country great and we are still, because we've never stopped being, great.

Spouting comments like the ones above is a form of bullying. It's like telling someone who has fallen into such despair they feel like suicide is their only way out to go ahead and do it. That's not the way, y'all. That's what bullies do.

So today, I am considering 'unfriending' a few people who are posting bully-like remarks. I'm not going to support that behavior no matter who you are. Spreading hate is a good way to set us back decades and that's awful especially since we aren't there yet. We have a long, hard road to travel but I think it would be easier with the love and support of our fellow human beings.

This is not the first time an election has left people either upset or gloating. I'm pretty sure it happens about every four years. Not everyone gets their way every time there's an election. But this is the first time I recall everyone being so hateful about it. Let's not be sore 'losers' or worse 'winners.' Regardless of whether or not your candidate won, we're in this together so, take the high road.

I do not mean to sit there and let things happen to you. It is of the utmost importance that we pay close attention to what is going on in the form of FACTS. What I am talking about is not dragging others down. Our words carry a lot of weight. Choose them to lift people up instead of trying to destroy them.

My question: What in the actual hell is wrong with people?

Communication

During a usual day, do y'all communicate more with people online or offline?

I definitely communicated more with people offline when I went to school 5 days/week and talked with adults and a school full of elementary students. But now, as then. when I am home, I communicate more with people online. And, to be perfectly honest, with a few people, I prefer to communicate online or not at all. It's just easier and less stressful. You don't get that lull in the conversation and try to wrack your brain for filler and when you find filler you spout it and it sounds like...filler. 

I've never been good with small talk as I feel it is a waste of time and effort. I understand that people feel the need to start somewhere and that small talk can help you begin to know another person but, I just find it uncomfortable and, to a point, dishonest. 

I am not good at hiding my true feelings or faking conversation and it shows on my face. My facial expressions say it all. People can tell that I am bored, or not interested, or lying in an effort to participate in a conversation. Faking it is not my style. I've tried it and I do not like it. 

What works better is if I listen while someone who is quite good at small talk gets things started. That way, I have something with which to work. Of course, there are situations in which making small talk is easier for me. For example, meeting a blogger friend in person for the first time. But that's not really fair because I know enough about them from their blogs to enjoy a conversation with them. Shoot. Ok, when I meet someone who shares similar a lifestyle with me or who is a teacher or former teacher or...wait, that doesn't really count either, does it? Because we share likes already. 

Fine, Let's just boil this thing down to me not being comfortable in a social setting with people I do not know. I've even been known to be uncomfortable in a social situation when I do know the people. 

Right now, my offline communication is with close friends, my daughters, my 4-month-old granddaughter, some relatives who live close enough, and my sweet pup. 

I've gotten so much better in my aging years than I was before but I'm still uncomfortable. I'm simply not a social butterfly. Or maybe it's social anxiety? Sigh.

Are y'all comfortable in social situations? Do y'all make small talk easily? Tips? Tricks?

Driven

What makes y'all get things done- passion or sticktoitiveness? 

Most of the time being passionate about a project is the most important way for me to complete a task. However, if the passion is short-lived or dies out due to lack of interest because the task turned out to be less than I thought or I discovered that I lack the skills needed to see it to completion, then steadfastness comes in handy. As a matter of fact, it probably comes into play most of the time whether I'm passionate about a project or not because I'm stubborn. And dedicated. And a commitment freak. Even though I don't want to be in possession of any of those characteristics.

Passion. When I am passionate about something, I'm on it for life or until it is finished regardless of the degree of difficulty. I've rarely lost my passion for something. It takes a lot to lose my passion for something although my passions do change with age.   

Stubborn. When I make my mind up about something, nothing will hold me back from completion. When something is difficult, nothing will hold me back from defeating it rather than it defeating me. When someone tells me not to do something...I think you see where this is going. I am stubborn. I would rather keep at something until it kills me rather than give up. I'm not a give up kind of gal. However, there are times when I just flat out lose interest. In those cases, I either put it aside until a later time or I do give up and quit. 

Dedicated. If I have agreed to do something or decided to do something or taken on a project, I will stick to it out of sheer determination and dedication even if I've lost or never had the passion.  And yes, I realize this is the same as being stubborn.

Commitment Freak.  Yep. I'm one of THOSE. If I commit, I'm going to do it to completion come hell or high water. Although, this can take the fun out of a project. 

Bottom line: I will get the job done whether I'm passionate about it or just being stubborn. 

How about y'all?

Time To VOTE!

I'm out voting! See y'all tomorrow!

Guess Who's Here?

It's day 7 of NaBloPoMo and what a wonderful surprise when I went outside to feed the birds/squirrels this morning. Blog fodder! When I stepped out onto the deck, I noticed that I was seeing and feeling, AUTUMN! She's here! Finally! I've waited for so long and I was so thrilled that I nearly cried tears of joy.

When you grow up in an area that blesses you with seasonal changes, you miss it when you move to an area that does not. I remember having more seasonal changes a couple of decades ago but no longer. I've been here for 31 years and I have never stopped missing autumn and winter. I still say that the seasons stopped changing so much around here after hurricane Hugo blew through. Call me crazy all day long but I will never stop believing this. Luckily, the upstate is a mere 3-hour drive. If I ever get the time to go. Oh, and a vehicle.

When I first moved here I liked it just fine. It was nice being this close to the beach (3.1 miles) and the only thing I had to adjust to was the tortoise-like pace of the locals which took me about 15 years. Anyway...

Warning! While true, this rings a bit negative: Somewhere in the last decade, the powers that be jumped into the pockets of big developers and this lovely little town has taken a turn for the worse. The name of the town is Mount Pleasant but it has become known as Mount Plastic. Sadly, the latter is completely appropriate. It speaks clearly of the types of construction and the people who have flocked here like they were fleeing the apocalypse from which, BTW, there is no escape. Little do they know how long time residents feel about their influx.

But this morning, there is fall and seeing her washed away all the facades that make up this town now. At least for a moment. The early morning still is quiet and calm and the sun rises on this cool,
fall morning sending the mad rush of the traffic and the people who have to be somewhere RIGHT NOW but do not feel the need to leave their houses early enough to be careful and safe into oblivion for a minute. The complaining of those who paid to have the wildlife habitats destroyed when that wildlife comes into their yards and destroys something (as if the wildlife do this on purpose) is silenced for a moment. The routine of the day is put on the back burner. All there is at this moment is quiet, peace, autumn.

Ah, autumn. How long I have awaited your arrival. Welcome.

Are you having autumn in your neck of the woods?

Information Overload

It's day 6 of NaBloPoMo. I'll start it with a question: 

Do y'all think future generations will be hit with information overload as more and more people tell their story since we now have blogs instead of a few family stories handed down and told by their elders?

I suppose they will be hit with an overload of information but not simply by reading someone's blog. Reading family stories and history, to me, is fascinating. I loved hearing stories when I was growing up and, now that my grandparents are gone, I wish they had written these tales down so that I could access them anytime I wanted to. The information overload is going to have more to do with the gazillions of information that is available on the web in general. The access is bad enough but discerning truth from fiction is where the overload begins to show it's effect. I think that when bloggers tell their family stories, they are sharing something important and meaningful to those within said family. That won't cause overload at all.

As far as having a handful of family stories vs having entire blogs to read, I think that is a good thing. I would love to have blogs to read that were written by my great grandparents and grandparents as well as aunts and uncles- even the crazy ones. I imagine that would be quite entertaining! As it is now, my children and grandchildren and other family members will only have my blog to read. Unless other family members step up and start writing, that's going to be rather slim pickin' as they say. Although, that's got to better than nothing.

Will they get the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? No. I have my secrets and I plan on keeping them as long as possible. Best case- I take them to my grave. There are only two but I don't want them out. It's not always necessary to blurt out truths that may cause others to be upset or hurt. As long as I am the only one hurt, that's fine. Others who may want a truth out can get over it. 

So, no, I don't think having access to and going through all the available family tales will cause an information overload. I think people will be thrilled that the information is out there for their family to read.

What do y'all think? 

Internet Trolls: A Repost

Today is day 5 of NaBloPoMo for November and I'm reposting because, as a former computer lab teacher, I feel the topic is so important. 

Trolling. It has a whole new meaning these days. I always thought trolling had something to do with fishing boats and trolls were those cute, yet ugly, little dolls with the hair we spent hours braiding. Not these days.

The new dictionary definition of troll is: "make a deliberately offensive or provocative online posting with the aim of upsetting someone or eliciting an angry response from them." (GOOGLE Search)

IN an article in Psychology Today by Jennifer Goldbeck (phd) 

"An internet troll is someone who comes into a discussion and posts comments designed to upset or disrupt the conversation. Often, in fact, it seems like there is no real purpose behind their comments except to upset everyone else involved. Trolls will lie, exaggerate, and offend to get a response." (SOURCE)

Yes, they're out there. And I've seen them. I cannot imagine having that much anger or being that desperate for money or appreciating such dark 'humor' as to purposefully try to upset or offend other people. How?

• they twist words
• they miss the point (or at least, they pretend to)
• they cross the line every time and on purpose
• they use bad language
• they attack you
• they play the victim 
• they are relentless
• they 'one-up' you no matter what you say

I do enjoy joking around and finding a humorous way to make a point. I have been known to express my opinion about situations/products/events that I find displeasing or pleasing. But to deliberately strike out in the hopes of hurting someone? Nah. That's not cool no matter what your reasoning.

The best piece of advice anyone has ever offered on how to deal with them is:
DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS. I see it all the time. A troll comments and someone responds. And there it is. Trolls feed off the stupidity of others. Yes, I said it. Because it is STUPID to respond to anyone, online or in person, who makes statements that are purposefully hateful or offensive. They have researched and they know your weakness. And they will pounce on it knowing you will not be able to stop yourself from commenting back.

I have friends- online and in the real world- with whom I disagree on religion, politics, education, race relations, etc. But I respect their opinions and they respect mine. We do not have to agree on everything under the sun to be friends. I will remain silent before causing a raucous. Trolls do not. Trolls will do everything they can to insult you personally and they are relentless about it.

Trolls will always criticize but never offer constructive criticism. They are criticizing to cause harm and stir up chaos not to offer helpful suggestions to make anything better. Their criticisms are insulting and personal. And, when you respond, you can sense the excitement in their responses to your response. And the cycle goes on and on and on.

It's sickening, really. But what's worse is when I see people falling into the trap. So, again, DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS.

It's this type of internet bullying that makes me worry about the kids I will no longer be teaching at school. When I taught technology I was able to explain all of the internet dangers to every student, 700+ of them, from the ages of 4 to 12. We covered everything from the importance of and how to set good passwords to cyberbullying. I even told them all about people who will try to scam their grandparents. 

Check out this video:

Bottom line: The internet is full of fun and interesting things to do, see, read, and use. But it is also full of hackers, identity thieves, cyberbullies, trolls... You MUST keep up with the bad side so that you can protect yourself and not fall into the traps that are set for you.

OH, and DON'T FEED THE TROLLS.

Have you had an experience with an internet troll?

Fall Television MEHs

Here we go, y'all. It's day 4 of NaBloPoMo. ONLY day 4...

Among other things (like my sugar detox which means my morning coffee is not CRAP) I listed the few shows I've watched this fall season that I love over on EMPTY NEST. Here, I'm going to list the less than few that I've watched that did not strike a cord with me. Why? Because it's day 4 of NaBloPoMo and today's prompt is:

Which fall shows should be canceled already?

I hope sipping coffee without sugar isn't clouding my judgment this morning...Anyway--

1. THE REAL O'NEALS: I accidentally caught this ONE TIME and was not impressed. I find them unbelievable and am not a fan of the mom. Kind of like THE GOLDBERGS. Not a fan.It doesn't help that I am not a fan of the actors either. 
2. MACGYVER: I caught this on on purpose and did not make it through the entire episode. I remember the original series and this time, they are missing the mark.
3. SPEECHLESS: I really tried to give this one a shot but, after watching all of 2 episodes and part of a third, it's just not holding my attention. 
4. THE GOOD PLACE: I know. I really hate it but this one just hasn't grabbed my attention. I tried because I adore Kristen Bell and Ted Danson. Sad.
5. KEVIN CAN WAIT: Again, I just can't stick with it. And I really wanted to. All I can give it is background noise when I want something on just for the noise and not because I want to watch it. 

And that is it. I listed 5 new shows on EMPTY NEST that I have enjoyed although I'm still on the fence with a couple of them. 

There are a few shows that are not new this season but came back and keep coming back (TWO BROKE GIRLS- seriously, the blonde is stupid and the brunette delivers one-liners as if they are conversation; MOM- just, no; THE GOLDBERGS- idiotic mom character and that kid's voice gets on my LAST nerve...) and I'll never understand why these stay on the air and good ones get canceled. Is the viewing public really that stupid? Or is it ME? YIKES!

Thankfully, NETFLIX does pick up some shows I love and between NETFLIX and HULU I do get to watch reruns of my favorite canceled shows. 

Ok, what shows would you cancel from this viewing season?

No Regrets, Honestly

The post for day 3 of NaBloPoMo is: If you could be completely honest with no regrets, what would you say and to whom?

Well, if I write about THAT the person will know and so will everyone else I know so...not the best idea. Instead, I'll just talk about the regrets part. Because I have some of those.

I'm not sure that any of gets through life without at least one regret but, if you're like me, you have more than one. In the interest of keeping these posts relatively short, I'll give y'all the short list-

My List of Top 10 Regrets:

1. Poor decisions. I've made quite a few of these and while I've learned to live with most of them, there are a couple that I am still regretting. 
2. Ever being concerned with what other people thought of me. That's one nice thing about being my age, I no longer care about this. I do believe that I would have been more comfortable being myself in my younger years, though, had I not cared what other people thought.
3. Trying to please everyone. I was guilty of this growing up. I always tried to be what I thought my parents and others wanted me to be. How silly. 
4. Being impatient...hasty. I really wish I had taken my time and thought many things through more than I did. I'm working on improving this. 
5. Not listening to my intuition. It took me YEARS to realize I was quite in tune with my intuition and should listen to it. Seriously, I was in my 30s before I finally got it. 
6. Getting involved with THOSE kids in high school. Yikes. Good thing my fear of all things unknown kicked in like it did. 
7. Not being a better daughter/granddaughter. Things just went south in this area once I hit 15. I should have risen above so much but I simply did not. 
8. Letting someone go. Never should have done that. 
9. Having a short fuse. It's still short but not nearly as short as it once was. Thankfully!
10. Not taking better care of my health and fitness level. I know better but I don't do better. 

Ok, what are your regrets?

Are You Brave?

Today's post about being brave is over at Empty Nest. You know those days when you have your 3 month old granddaughter all day long and she's cranky because she is having some tummy issues? Well, what it boils down to is this: you get ONE post completed for ONE blog and SHARE that post on the OTHER blog. And then there's the fact that you already said all you really had to about being brave on THAT post...

So...click below:

Thanks, y'all!

Day 2 is done! Sort of. 

5 Ways to Uplift a Bad Mental Health Day

In an effort to give the Grits a boost, I've decided to participate in the November NaBloPoMo which means I've committed to post every day for the next 30 days. We'll see how that goes since I'm also posting on Empty Nest. Ha!

Today's prompt (yes, they give you prompts in case you can't come up with a topic for 30 days IN A ROW INCLUDING WEEKENDS AND THANKSGIVING) is: When you're having a bad day with your mental health, what do you do to hep yourself?

That all depends on the level of the bad and whether or not I got ahead of it. If I am not lucky enough to get ahead of it, I have to let it run its course which usually involves a good bit of sadness. And, admittedly, a pity party or five.

The level of bad comes into play when I do get ahead of it. Which is most of the time as I try to remember that pity parties are a complete waste of time and effort. So, depending on the level of bad, here are 5 things I do to help myself with my mental health:

• Music. Loud and with earbuds. The genre depends on the level of the bad. 
• Time-out. Yes, giving myself a time-out works wonders and gives me time to regroup. How? Either going to my room for quiet or outside on the deck to deep breathe and listen to nature. It really does help. To be honest with y'all, if I could be by myself all the time with the exception of holidays and special family times, I'm pretty sure I'd never have a bad mental health day again, EVER. 
• Text a friend. If I need a way out with a laugh, I have a friend who is perfect for that. And no explanations are ever needed. We all need a friend like this. 
• Taking the dog for a walk. Walking will take my mind off having a bad mental health day. Because I concentrate on how I don't want to walk. Ha!
• Watching television. But it has to be a sitcom. Unless my mental health day is sad instead of bad. Then it needs to be a tearjerker movie. 

And there you have my first day. 

What do y'all do to help yourself over a bad mental health day?

School Funding

Misappropriation of funds. It's not a new concept. Especially within a school district. It happens and, when it does, the responsible parties take it out on the kids. There is nothing anyone can say that will change my mind about this. I've seen it happen again and again from the viewpoint of a parent of students to the viewpoint of teaching within the district. It's old and they have got to be stopped.

I can't speak for all the schools in our county but, at our school, positions were in danger due to the misspending of county funds. People were losing their jobs and the students were going to be affected in a way that is not conducive to learning. And yet, our stuperintendent (intentional spelling) can find the funds to purchase the tote in the picture for all certified teachers in the county. Our teachers were most unhappy about this. And no one is using their tote. I think most of them were thrown out.   

This is not the first time our school has had to seek funding outside the district for teaching positions. Which is ridiculous. It seems the first place the cuts get made are always, and I mean ALWAYS, at the level that directly affects the students in a negative way. Intervention, class size, special area classes...

I assure you that there are positions at the Taj Mahal CCSD district office that could be taken away without affecting the students one bit. There are numerous positions that were created in times of budget fatness but those times are gone. And those jobs need to be revisited. And done away with. 

Please don't start talking to me about people losing their jobs. That's the same thing that's happening in the schools. People are losing their jobs and the students are being hurt by it. The unnecessary jobs downtown? People would lose their jobs but the students would not be affected at all.

When these are my choices, I'm going with the choice that does not hurt the students. 

At our school, PTA has always stepped up to the plate. One example is the year my youngest daughter was entering 4th grade. Our classes were going to be HUGE, due to budget cuts, and having thirty, fourth graders in a small classroom is not going to make learning anything other than difficult. PTA stepped up and paid for a fourth-grade teacher. Class sizes went back to manageable and all was well. One thing our PTA has always had is a healthy bottom line at the end of the school year just in case of an emergency. You see, we know how the district works. And we were prepared.
   
The upcoming school year would have been the first time in the school's history that the PTA had dropped the ball should they not have raised the funds. When things got scary, the pres decided to pick on someone and try to get out of paying for that position. Not cool. She lost all her credibility. Luckily, the money was raised, the district 'found' a little money, and there will be a new PTA pres next year. No, I'm not on PTA and it's been many years since the last of my four daughters was in elementary school. But I have been there- as everything from a member to the president and I know that we have always had a buffer to begin the school year. Funny how things change.  

It's great that our PTA steps up to the plate. But what about schools that don't have such generous parents and a supportive community? Sometimes, I have to wonder, does the district feel free to throw a wrench in the middle of student learning because they expect PTAs to step up? And what happens to the Title 1 schools? Not cool CCSD.  

And I'm not even going to start on how badly the people in some positions were treated by the district. But it was, at the very least, unprofessional. Every time the district messes up financially, the schools pay the price. The fat cats downtown still have their jobs as do their helper monkeys. But I am thrilled that I made the decision in November to stay home and take care of my grandlove instead of going back to school. I can't stand the way people are treated when money becomes an issue. The backstabbing alone is enough to sicken you. 

Is it the same in your district?  

Trolling

It has a whole new meaning these days. I always thought trolling had something to do with fishing boats and trolls were those cute, yet ugly, little dolls with the hair we spent hours braiding. Not these days.

The new dictionary definition of troll is: "make a deliberately offensive or provocative online posting with the aim of upsetting someone or eliciting an angry response from them." (GOOGLE Search)

IN an article in Psychology Today by Jennifer Goldbeck (phd) 

"An internet troll is someone who comes into a discussion and posts comments designed to upset or disrupt the conversation. Often, in fact, it seems like there is no real purpose behind their comments except to upset everyone else involved. Trolls will lie, exaggerate, and offend to get a response." (SOURCE)

Yes, they're out there. And I've seen them. I cannot imagine having that much anger or being that desperate for money or appreciating such dark 'humor' as to purposefully try to upset or offend other people. How?

• they twist words
• they miss the point (or at least, they pretend to)
• they cross the line every time and on purpose
• they use bad language
• they attack you
• they play the victim 
• they are relentless
• they 'one-up' you no matter what you say

I do enjoy joking around and finding a humorous way to make a point. I have been known to express my opinion about situations/products/events that I find displeasing or pleasing. But to deliberately strike out in the hopes of hurting someone? Nah. That's not cool no matter what your reasoning.

The best piece of advice anyone has ever offered on how to deal with them is:
DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS. I see it all the time. A troll comments and someone responds. And there it is. Trolls feed off the stupidity of others. Yes, I said it. Because it is STUPID to respond to anyone, online or in person, who makes statements that are purposefully hateful or offensive. They have researched and they know your weakness. And they will pounce on it knowing you will not be able to stop yourself from commenting back.

I have friends- online and in the real world- with whom I disagree on religion, politics, education, race relations, etc. But I respect their opinions and they respect mine. We do not have to agree on everything under the sun to be friends. I will remain silent before causing a raucous. Trolls do not. Trolls will do everything they can to insult you personally and they are relentless about it.

Trolls will always criticize but never offer constructive criticism. They are criticizing to cause harm and stir up chaos not to offer helpful suggestions to make anything better. Their criticisms are insulting and personal. And, when you respond, you can sense the excitement in their responses to your response. And the cycle goes on and on and on.

It's sickening, really. But what's worse is when I see people falling into the trap. So, again, DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS.

It's this type of internet bullying that makes me worry about the kids I will no longer be teaching at school. When I taught technology I was able to explain all of the internet dangers to every student, 700+ of them, from the ages of 4 to 12. We covered everything from the importance of and how to set good passwords to cyberbullying. I even told them all about people who will try to scam their grandparents. 

Check out this video:

Bottom line: The internet is full of fun and interesting things to do, see, read, and use. But it is also full of hackers, identity thieves, cyberbullies, trolls... You MUST keep up with the bad side so that you can protect yourself and not fall into the traps that are set for you.

OH, and DON'T FEED THE TROLLS.

Have you had an experience with an internet troll?

Hertz, Hurts

Do y'all rent cars when you travel long distances? We did when we drove to Nashville. Because we don't have a car that I trust to get me there safely. And, it was an 8-hour drive. Each way.

My thought was we would rent a car that I am considering buying. I would certainly get a feel for it after 8 hours on the road and 8 hours back home. Smart, right? Well, just try getting what you want from a car rental place. Talk about a racket. Sheesh.

As with most everything, there is the fine print and that's where they get you. They promise you the exact car you request until you arrive at their den of lies and stupid people and they give you what they consider a reasonable facsimile. Pfft. Hmpf. Pssh.

Lying sacks. All I'd like to have the car rental liars do is be honest. Tell me you don't have that car and then tell me what you REALLY do have so I can make a decision. Seriously, next time, I'm flying.

Oh, and AAA wasn't any better as they assured us the car of our choice WOULD be available. Lies. All lies.

Or I'll use Avis because I heard recently via the news that they have a new REAL TIME app that shows you what is REALLY available. Seriously, why hasn't this been a thing before now? Why can't care rental places give you what they say they will have for you when you arrive to pick up the dang thing? WHY is that so difficult? Of course, Avis will probably do the same thing as Hertz, cool app or not. How nice to show up and get the exact car we requested. At least I know I'll never purchase a Toyota Rav4. Or use Hertz again.

What I'd really love to see is car dealerships start renting cars. I would have gone straight to the Chevrolet dealership, rented an Equinox and, had I liked it, purchased it from them upon my return. Anyway...

The bottom line is this: car rental places (Hertz, anyway) are sneaky and their employees speak liar-rea-ha.  Also, I need to go ahead and buy a car.

Uber Doober Do

The kids have using Uber for years and have liked it just fine. I'd never tried it until our trip to Nashville. Now, I'm a fan!

When in Nashville, TN- UBER is the way to get around. I'm one of those people who get quite nervous when driving in unfamiliar areas. When you couple that fear with a big city with more people than you thought could ever be in one place at one time, Uber is your friend. Your BESTIE.

Before Nashville, I was an Uber virgin. Now? I want to Uber everywhere. I mean it! It was a great experience. I've used taxi services before but I've found the drivers to be hell on wheels and not the most personable. Not to mention EXPENSIVE. Uber is different-

• The vehicles are much nicer than cabs. 
• The drivers are personable but not pushy. 
• If you want to talk, they will. If you don't, they won't bother you. 
• The cost is less than getting a taxi.

I do not care for driving around downtown Charleston either. Mount Pleasant (or Mount Plastic as it is beginning to be called because of all the fake, uber (no pun intended, but nice when it works out) rich folks moving in around here) and now that won't matter. When we have people visiting, I shall get an Uber to take us and deliver us home all without the stress of the traffic, the walking tourists who, apparently, have no idea how to cross a street, and finding a parking spot which takes longer than the time it takes to give your touristy friends a walking tour of the Battery, Rainbow Row, the Market, and grab lunch at Fleet Landing. 

Uber is also great for those folks who like to drink and are smart enough to NOT drive after imbibing. (Seriously, those of you who are not smart enough to NOT drive after drinking, get a brain.) Why in the world would anyone endanger the lives of others instead of taking an affordable alternate mode of transportation? It's beyond me. But, that's not really the point of this post. It's more of a soapbox. Ha!

Yes, we have bus service here. But, especially in this heat, I much prefer being dropped off in my driveway instead of half a mile or more from the neighborhood. Plus, the buses run on their schedule, not mine. And, they don't run at night. 

A couple of family members have told me there is a new service (newish here, anyway) called Lyft. I haven't tried them out and I really don't know whether I will or not. I mean, Uber is fine and, until it isn't, I'll just Uber when I don't care to drive in traffic or stress over parking. And, frankly, I love saying, 'Uber.' 

• I'm going to Uber down there. 
• I'm going to get an Uber. 
• Let's Uber-it! 
• Get an Uber!

What are your experiences with paid rides?