Watch this video.
The Belle Brigade - Losers
Here, now read this.
There will always be someone better than you
Even if you're the best
So let's stop the competition now
Or we will both be losers
And I'm ashamed I ever tried to be higher than the rest
But brother I am not alone
We've all tried to be on top of the world somehow
'Cause we have all been losers
I don't wanna be laid down
No I don't wanna die knowing
That I spent so much time when I was young
Just trying to be the winner
So I wanna make it clear now
I wanna make it known
That I don't care about any of that shit no more
Don't care about being a winner
Or being smooth with women
Or going out on Fridays
Being the life of parties
No, no more, no
There will always be someone worse than you
Sister don't let it get to your head
'Cause you won't be on top of the world so long
In constant competition
This ain't about no one in particular
But I could list a few
I'm removing myself from the queue
Don't care about being a winner
Or being smooth with women
Or going out on Fridays
Being the life of parties
Don't care about being harder
Or being Daddy's favorite
Or if you think I'm a mimic
Or if I am a loser
Don't care about being a winner
Or being smooth with women
Or going out on Fridays
Being the life of parties
Don't care about being harder
Or being Daddy's favorite
Or if you think I'm a mimic
Or if I am a loser
No, no more
No more
No more
No more
No more
No more
I heard this in the car on the drive home. Those of you who know me well know how much I LOVE to listen to meaningful and honest music. And where else can music be heard at its best if not in the car at too loud of a volume??
Anyway, enjoy.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Day 12: This Might Be a Cop-Out
Today was a good day, we went to check out 3mile point (my first time there) where there was no swimming allowed today. We then went just to ride the carousel at the Farmer's Museum again, which was Brendan's first trip there since (I believe) high school. Then we stopped by the grocery store for some lunch supplies, came home and had a picnic in bed followed by a very nice soft spring (or is it summer yet?) nap.
Anyway, now, I am in an ultra RUSH to get things done before I can go to bed!
So.
Here is something I've wanted to post. It was sent to me via email by an uncle of mine. I've suspected as much for years, but here some professor has gone and done the research. Gotta love it.
Women, go get your girlfriends and hug 'em close!
Taught at Stanford
Someone reported:
"I just finished taking an evening class at Stanford. The last lecture
was on the mind-body connection - the relationship between stress and
disease. The speaker (head of psychiatry at Stanford) said that one
of the best things that a man could do for his health is to be married
to a woman, whereas for a woman, one of the best things she could do
for her health was to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends.
At first everyone laughed, but he was serious.
Women connect with each other differently and provide support systems
that help each other to deal with stress and difficult life
experiences. Physically this quality “girlfriend time" helps us to
create more serotonin - a neurotransmitter that helps combat
depression and can create a general feeling of well being. Women share
feelings whereas men often form relationships around activities. They
rarely sit down with a buddy and talk about how they feel about
certain things or how their personal lives are going. Jobs? Yes.
Sports? Yes. Cars? Yes. Fishing, hunting, golf? Yes. But their
feelings? Rarely.
Women do it all of the time. We share from our souls with our
sisters/mothers, and evidently that is very good for our health. He
said that spending time with a friend is just as important to our
general health
as jogging or working out at a gym.
There's a tendency to think that when we are "exercising" we are doing
something good for our bodies, but when we are hanging out with
friends, we are wasting our time and should be more productively
engaged - not true. In fact, he said that failure to create and
maintain quality personal relationships with other humans is as
dangerous to our physical health as smoking!
So every time you hang out to schmooze with a gal pal, just pat
yourself on the back and congratulate yourself for doing something
good for your health! We are indeed very, very lucky. Sooooo let's
toast to our friendship with our girlfriends. Evidently it's very good
for our health."
Anyway, now, I am in an ultra RUSH to get things done before I can go to bed!
So.
Here is something I've wanted to post. It was sent to me via email by an uncle of mine. I've suspected as much for years, but here some professor has gone and done the research. Gotta love it.
Women, go get your girlfriends and hug 'em close!
Taught at Stanford
Someone reported:
"I just finished taking an evening class at Stanford. The last lecture
was on the mind-body connection - the relationship between stress and
disease. The speaker (head of psychiatry at Stanford) said that one
of the best things that a man could do for his health is to be married
to a woman, whereas for a woman, one of the best things she could do
for her health was to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends.
At first everyone laughed, but he was serious.
Women connect with each other differently and provide support systems
that help each other to deal with stress and difficult life
experiences. Physically this quality “girlfriend time" helps us to
create more serotonin - a neurotransmitter that helps combat
depression and can create a general feeling of well being. Women share
feelings whereas men often form relationships around activities. They
rarely sit down with a buddy and talk about how they feel about
certain things or how their personal lives are going. Jobs? Yes.
Sports? Yes. Cars? Yes. Fishing, hunting, golf? Yes. But their
feelings? Rarely.
Women do it all of the time. We share from our souls with our
sisters/mothers, and evidently that is very good for our health. He
said that spending time with a friend is just as important to our
general health
as jogging or working out at a gym.
There's a tendency to think that when we are "exercising" we are doing
something good for our bodies, but when we are hanging out with
friends, we are wasting our time and should be more productively
engaged - not true. In fact, he said that failure to create and
maintain quality personal relationships with other humans is as
dangerous to our physical health as smoking!
So every time you hang out to schmooze with a gal pal, just pat
yourself on the back and congratulate yourself for doing something
good for your health! We are indeed very, very lucky. Sooooo let's
toast to our friendship with our girlfriends. Evidently it's very good
for our health."
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Day 11: To the Farm Again, Farm Again, Jiggity Jig
Well, Mira and I had a fun day today, starting with an early rise to a cool day. Mira was sleeping SO hard this morning because the weather was such a comfy "stay wrapped up in the blanket and be cozy" temperature. But I had to wake her up and dress her for a play group outing to the Farmer's Museum! It was so much fun, even though as the day went on (we were only there just over two hours), the air got cooler and wetter. First the mommies and babies just sort of strolled around and talked and stopped and chatted and walked. Then we made it as far as the little petting zoo area where they raise all the baby animals. They had four kids (baby goats), one calf (baby cow), two lambs (baby ewes) and I believe one gosling (baby goose) and one chick (baby chicken) though they could have both been chicks. The human babies were all a mixed reaction whereas some were right up in the lams' business, so the kids were either sort of boring or intimidating. Or both the lambs and the kids were a little on the scary side while everyone really liked the chicks (or the chick and the gosling). And Mira's favorite was by far, the calf. She saw her before anyone else, and gasped! She followed her gasp with a series of points and coo's and goo's. When I mooed she giggled, she really liked the calf.
Then one of our mommy's noticed a little boy peering around the corner at all of us forlornly. When she went to check it out, realized the boy had lost his own mommy! So the search was on, the group leader (founder, really, we are all equal partners) went off in one direction, and the mommy who found him in another. Eventually the boy's mom came hurriedly down one of the walks, obviously looking for her boy while holding a younger sister in her arms. Probably the sweetest moment of the whole week happened then. The boy saw his mommy and RAN, RAN towards her, arms open. So happy to have found her, and ready to attach to her and never let go. And that is how they walked out of the place, him holding on to her leg as she walked, her sweetly reassuring him as they left. She must have been so distraught, but really there is no better place for anything like that to happen than at the Farmer's Museum.
That place is so great. They have a smithy shop, an apothecary's shop, a broom & loom shop, a general store, barns, restored Victorian dwellings, a church, a tavern, more barns, gardens upon gardens, exhibits and last but not least the original New York Fair Carousel. Oh, but that IS mine and Mira's favorite part! I think it was most of the babies' favorite part. We took one ride and as we went round and round, you should have seen those babies' eyes wide with awe and wonder. They were speechless! And this is usually a very vocal group of youngsters! Of the whole Carousel, some how 3 of us sets of Mom and Baby ended up on the same little sitting area. It was sort of an enclosed little space, so it felt very safe and very cozy once we all settled in. It was absolutely precious to watch the faces on these little ones as we went round and round.
After the excitement of the carousel, the cooling effects of the day and the noon whistle most of the Mom's were very ready to go on about their day.
The more I think back on it, the more I want to go back again and again.
I think we will go get a membership tomorrow.
Then one of our mommy's noticed a little boy peering around the corner at all of us forlornly. When she went to check it out, realized the boy had lost his own mommy! So the search was on, the group leader (founder, really, we are all equal partners) went off in one direction, and the mommy who found him in another. Eventually the boy's mom came hurriedly down one of the walks, obviously looking for her boy while holding a younger sister in her arms. Probably the sweetest moment of the whole week happened then. The boy saw his mommy and RAN, RAN towards her, arms open. So happy to have found her, and ready to attach to her and never let go. And that is how they walked out of the place, him holding on to her leg as she walked, her sweetly reassuring him as they left. She must have been so distraught, but really there is no better place for anything like that to happen than at the Farmer's Museum.
That place is so great. They have a smithy shop, an apothecary's shop, a broom & loom shop, a general store, barns, restored Victorian dwellings, a church, a tavern, more barns, gardens upon gardens, exhibits and last but not least the original New York Fair Carousel. Oh, but that IS mine and Mira's favorite part! I think it was most of the babies' favorite part. We took one ride and as we went round and round, you should have seen those babies' eyes wide with awe and wonder. They were speechless! And this is usually a very vocal group of youngsters! Of the whole Carousel, some how 3 of us sets of Mom and Baby ended up on the same little sitting area. It was sort of an enclosed little space, so it felt very safe and very cozy once we all settled in. It was absolutely precious to watch the faces on these little ones as we went round and round.
After the excitement of the carousel, the cooling effects of the day and the noon whistle most of the Mom's were very ready to go on about their day.
The more I think back on it, the more I want to go back again and again.
I think we will go get a membership tomorrow.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Day 10: Apparently I Forgot Yesterday
I don't know what happened, but yep, I just checked and apparently I forgot to post yesterday. I can't even remember right now what I did yesterday or what I was thinking about then.
Oh yeah.
Mira. Good golly this heat really has her in a sour mood! All day yesterday and all day today too! Just cranky and bitter and "whatever you say, I'm going to do the opposite". Poor kid. It can't feel good to feel so bad. She's chasing the kitty around right now with a plastic water bottle. Gotta love it.
Had a very busy day today with cleaning and errands and just general getting all my ducks in a row stuff. It feels good to relax now. I think I'll sign off early to play a game. Command & Conquer: Red Alert. And if ya don't know what that is, I am soooo sorry. Because it is incredibly fun.
One last fact about today: I stepped on the same junebug twice with my bare foot (same foot too) because it grosses me out too much to pick up and throw in the garbage. I'm waiting for Brendan to get home.
Oh yeah.
Mira. Good golly this heat really has her in a sour mood! All day yesterday and all day today too! Just cranky and bitter and "whatever you say, I'm going to do the opposite". Poor kid. It can't feel good to feel so bad. She's chasing the kitty around right now with a plastic water bottle. Gotta love it.
Had a very busy day today with cleaning and errands and just general getting all my ducks in a row stuff. It feels good to relax now. I think I'll sign off early to play a game. Command & Conquer: Red Alert. And if ya don't know what that is, I am soooo sorry. Because it is incredibly fun.
One last fact about today: I stepped on the same junebug twice with my bare foot (same foot too) because it grosses me out too much to pick up and throw in the garbage. I'm waiting for Brendan to get home.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Day 8: Memorial Day to remember
So there we were, all packed up and on our way to make a day for ourselves. What a wonderful way to honor those who have made great sacrifices on our behalf. We were on our way first to a barbeque in Wilber Park, Oneonta, then on to Gilbert Lake for a little swim. Mira's FIRST swim! Some times getting ready and all packed for the day is such a feat that I don't even think we need the rest of the day - all of the day's accomplishments could be justified by that hour or two it takes to just get ready and packed for two 30somethings and one child. But not today, we were on a mission, a mission for fun, sunshine, and thoughtful ambition. And there we were, on the road.
On the road with the sun beating down in the car with no air conditioning, making the thought of swimming seem so much better. Right as I was thinking about how much I love to plan swimming on a nice hot day, I looked to the other side of the road. There was a man there, sitting on his motorcycle. My first thought was "That's odd, men on motorbikes don't usually stop to the side of the road." Odd indeed, and no, they don't. There was obviously something wrong with the bike. Then I realized I knew that man! Thank goodness I was driving, I didn't have to say my urgencies out loud and ask to turn around! I just said "Oh, no, Brendan, I know that guy, we have to turn around and see if he's alright!"
He was alright, but the bike was pooped. Something wrong with the clutch. He and Brendan messed around with some adjustments for a while thanks to some wrenches on loan from the Barnyard Swing. But not before I called AAA to see if they could help us out.
Did you know AAA does not handle motorcycles? I didn't either. Not until today when I needed the help.
Anywhat, There we all were, blazing in the hot sun from around 1:30 til around 4:30 or maybe even as late as 5. Too late to go to a barbeque AND go swimming. Realizing we may not get another chance to go all together for a swimming adventure for the rest of the summer, we decided to grab a bite to eat on the way to the lake. That's what we had packed all that stuff for, anyway! If we didn't just go swimming, we'd have gone through all that work for nothing! And I made home made lemonade, damnit!
So off we went for Mira's first swim. Did you know you cannot use any floatation devices not regulated by the Coast Guard at Gilbert Lake? We didn't either. So the cute little bumper boat we brought for Mira, complete with sun visor sat with the towels while we had a scary (for Mira) but good time. Before we knew it, it was 6:30 and time to pack up again and go. We will have to make another day of it.
As for the motorcycle? Well, after at least 3 hours of messing around with it, our friend pushed himself to a slight decline and popped that clutch into 2nd or 3rd gear and off he went! We don't know what gear he went into, because once that baby went, he was GONE. Beautiful bike too, at least it looked good while it was sitting there on the side of the road.
We called the number of a friend of his whom he had called from our phone to come out to help and made sure he made it home okay. He did.
All is well that ends well.
On the road with the sun beating down in the car with no air conditioning, making the thought of swimming seem so much better. Right as I was thinking about how much I love to plan swimming on a nice hot day, I looked to the other side of the road. There was a man there, sitting on his motorcycle. My first thought was "That's odd, men on motorbikes don't usually stop to the side of the road." Odd indeed, and no, they don't. There was obviously something wrong with the bike. Then I realized I knew that man! Thank goodness I was driving, I didn't have to say my urgencies out loud and ask to turn around! I just said "Oh, no, Brendan, I know that guy, we have to turn around and see if he's alright!"
He was alright, but the bike was pooped. Something wrong with the clutch. He and Brendan messed around with some adjustments for a while thanks to some wrenches on loan from the Barnyard Swing. But not before I called AAA to see if they could help us out.
Did you know AAA does not handle motorcycles? I didn't either. Not until today when I needed the help.
Anywhat, There we all were, blazing in the hot sun from around 1:30 til around 4:30 or maybe even as late as 5. Too late to go to a barbeque AND go swimming. Realizing we may not get another chance to go all together for a swimming adventure for the rest of the summer, we decided to grab a bite to eat on the way to the lake. That's what we had packed all that stuff for, anyway! If we didn't just go swimming, we'd have gone through all that work for nothing! And I made home made lemonade, damnit!
So off we went for Mira's first swim. Did you know you cannot use any floatation devices not regulated by the Coast Guard at Gilbert Lake? We didn't either. So the cute little bumper boat we brought for Mira, complete with sun visor sat with the towels while we had a scary (for Mira) but good time. Before we knew it, it was 6:30 and time to pack up again and go. We will have to make another day of it.
As for the motorcycle? Well, after at least 3 hours of messing around with it, our friend pushed himself to a slight decline and popped that clutch into 2nd or 3rd gear and off he went! We don't know what gear he went into, because once that baby went, he was GONE. Beautiful bike too, at least it looked good while it was sitting there on the side of the road.
We called the number of a friend of his whom he had called from our phone to come out to help and made sure he made it home okay. He did.
All is well that ends well.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Day 7 : She drove a fork truck
Also called a forklift, I drive a forklift. And I love it. It's fun, it's adventurous, it's sometimes breezy, challenging, noisy, and even dangerous (which is my least favorite part of it). I have licenses for 3 different machines.
One, we at my warehouse call it a P.E. (short for Power Equipment), is one you stand on at the front and steer with your body out front while the forks (long enough for two pallets, so at least 7-8ft long) trail behind you. This one provides the least amount of protection should you hit anything or anything hit you. You are completely exposed from falling objects as well. This one also seems to go the fastest, or maybe it just feels that way because when you are on it, you can feel the breeze with your full body as nothing obstructs the air you cut through. I believe it's top speed is over 7mph. It has a "normal" setting and a "bunny" setting, the "bunny" setting is just a button with a picture of a bunny on it that when pressed, makes you go much faster than when just on the "normal" setting. This machine is used mainly for moving full pallets from one ground location to another ground location. You can (and I have) drive this machine into trailers. Yep, that's right, those big diesel truck trailers you see flying down the highway - I have driven INSIDE some! It's very exciting and a little feeling of danger pecks at my skin the whole time.
Another machine, we call it the R.R. (short for Reach truck - I'm not sure why the 2nd "R"), is your classic forklift. It is not (and none of the one's we use are) a "sit down" version like you see in some posh warehouses. We remain standing at all times I think mostly because there is need to get up and down off the machinery on a regular basis. Having to get up from sitting and then situate back into sitting position would just complicate the whole thing, taking more time - and I can't blame the company for not wanting any of that. So yeah, this thing pivots on a dime, goes fast (well, the newer ones do anyway), and reaches high. Something most people might not know about forklifts (these in particular) is that the forks can extend out as well as move from side to side. This is so that when you get your forks all the way up in the air (sometimes more than 40ft), if you are a couple of inches off (very easy to do!), you can just maneuver the suckers over this way or that. Also, the forks extend outward so that you don't have to be all the way underneath a pallet in order to get a good forkhold on it (like how I did that?) which is good since you'd have to go through racks to do that.
The last piece of equipment, called a Stock Picker or Picker for short where I work, is the most intriguing in my opinion. With this one, you, yourself are lifted in the air with a pallet while you drive along. You have to be tethered to the machine and wear a harness in case you fall off, because in some cases you are about 40ft in the air, picking freight off a pallet in a rack. It's also the noisiest machine, beeping on the second while your in the air above 10 or 15ft. Some people really don't like this one because at a certain height, it will sway as you pick your freight from the racks. It's really unnerving sometimes, mostly when I'm at the very top of the building or at the end of an aisle where all I can see is floor all the way down there.
The job is pretty demanding, but the more comfortable I get with the machinery and with manually moving the freight, the easier it gets.
Anyway, I just felt like I wanted to document my experience with that. It's not everyday you meet a forklift driver! Or, wait, what's my "Job Title"? Something like Industrial Mechanical Operator or something ridiculous like that. Meh, I drive a forklift.
One, we at my warehouse call it a P.E. (short for Power Equipment), is one you stand on at the front and steer with your body out front while the forks (long enough for two pallets, so at least 7-8ft long) trail behind you. This one provides the least amount of protection should you hit anything or anything hit you. You are completely exposed from falling objects as well. This one also seems to go the fastest, or maybe it just feels that way because when you are on it, you can feel the breeze with your full body as nothing obstructs the air you cut through. I believe it's top speed is over 7mph. It has a "normal" setting and a "bunny" setting, the "bunny" setting is just a button with a picture of a bunny on it that when pressed, makes you go much faster than when just on the "normal" setting. This machine is used mainly for moving full pallets from one ground location to another ground location. You can (and I have) drive this machine into trailers. Yep, that's right, those big diesel truck trailers you see flying down the highway - I have driven INSIDE some! It's very exciting and a little feeling of danger pecks at my skin the whole time.
Another machine, we call it the R.R. (short for Reach truck - I'm not sure why the 2nd "R"), is your classic forklift. It is not (and none of the one's we use are) a "sit down" version like you see in some posh warehouses. We remain standing at all times I think mostly because there is need to get up and down off the machinery on a regular basis. Having to get up from sitting and then situate back into sitting position would just complicate the whole thing, taking more time - and I can't blame the company for not wanting any of that. So yeah, this thing pivots on a dime, goes fast (well, the newer ones do anyway), and reaches high. Something most people might not know about forklifts (these in particular) is that the forks can extend out as well as move from side to side. This is so that when you get your forks all the way up in the air (sometimes more than 40ft), if you are a couple of inches off (very easy to do!), you can just maneuver the suckers over this way or that. Also, the forks extend outward so that you don't have to be all the way underneath a pallet in order to get a good forkhold on it (like how I did that?) which is good since you'd have to go through racks to do that.
The last piece of equipment, called a Stock Picker or Picker for short where I work, is the most intriguing in my opinion. With this one, you, yourself are lifted in the air with a pallet while you drive along. You have to be tethered to the machine and wear a harness in case you fall off, because in some cases you are about 40ft in the air, picking freight off a pallet in a rack. It's also the noisiest machine, beeping on the second while your in the air above 10 or 15ft. Some people really don't like this one because at a certain height, it will sway as you pick your freight from the racks. It's really unnerving sometimes, mostly when I'm at the very top of the building or at the end of an aisle where all I can see is floor all the way down there.
The job is pretty demanding, but the more comfortable I get with the machinery and with manually moving the freight, the easier it gets.
Anyway, I just felt like I wanted to document my experience with that. It's not everyday you meet a forklift driver! Or, wait, what's my "Job Title"? Something like Industrial Mechanical Operator or something ridiculous like that. Meh, I drive a forklift.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Day 6 : Mysterious Key
Ah, eating dinner again while writing. Brendan made dinner tonight and it is yummy! Perogies, baked, pork chops and green beans - yums! I am incredibly hungry too, so it probably tastes extra good because of that.
I found a key outside our apartment door today when I came home from work. Odd, the key doesn't belong to any of us in our house. So now I'm wondering who it DOES belong to! There is a little paper disc attached with writing from what looks like a person in their 70's (don't we all acquire the same penmanship by that age?) that reads "1 bed & Effic" Okay, so it's an efficiency apartment somewhere. Hmm, my mind is making up stories!
I started studying for my doula classes and I have to say that everything I read has me thinking "I am SO meant to DO THIS!" which then leads me to think "Why am I just doing this now?" But the short answer is that I just wouldn't have appreciated it this much before I had Mira. I just wouldn't have. I would have wanted to try, but it would have been forced. Now, though, I have this natural draw towards pregnant women that I really cannot explain. But I can say that I really enjoy it.
Okay, well, I'm only home for about 9.5 hours between shifts at the warehouse, I better go and enjoy my family before bed time.
Love!
I found a key outside our apartment door today when I came home from work. Odd, the key doesn't belong to any of us in our house. So now I'm wondering who it DOES belong to! There is a little paper disc attached with writing from what looks like a person in their 70's (don't we all acquire the same penmanship by that age?) that reads "1 bed & Effic" Okay, so it's an efficiency apartment somewhere. Hmm, my mind is making up stories!
I started studying for my doula classes and I have to say that everything I read has me thinking "I am SO meant to DO THIS!" which then leads me to think "Why am I just doing this now?" But the short answer is that I just wouldn't have appreciated it this much before I had Mira. I just wouldn't have. I would have wanted to try, but it would have been forced. Now, though, I have this natural draw towards pregnant women that I really cannot explain. But I can say that I really enjoy it.
Okay, well, I'm only home for about 9.5 hours between shifts at the warehouse, I better go and enjoy my family before bed time.
Love!
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