Category: Living

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you, Retail, Services, and Trade Employees. Since the beginning of this pandemic, it has bothered me the media, social media, and signs concentration and praise healthcare workers and as an afterthought, the police, fire, and EMS. Yes, they deserve praise, but it reinforces the employment/career perception of society. What I do see is the lack of thank you to all of the service industries. Thank you to the people who work at the stores, services like hair, dining, and the people who provide us with the products to sell and deliver services. May miss a couple of titles but truckers, factory workers, housekeepers, tattoo artists, bus drivers, crafters, makers, and all that provide for services that are an integral part of living in today’s culture.

With all the current talks of the needs of the people and everyone needs support. Some financial assistance may be helpful in realistic hourly pay to the job description, taxes, and actual medical. Most, if not all, individuals desire to feel value for the work they do. There are those in the world who find value and skill in serving or creating for others. Over the years, I have noticed that there is a lack of respect or support to those impacted through life situations, skills, and/or desire that choose employment in low paying and low respect service or high pay but low respect trade industries.   

What I am asking for others to consider is your perception of a person who chooses or needs to work a retail, service, or trade job. One type of trade is to drive trucks, do you respect the individual for that choice? Do you look and think oh that is all their good for, with that underthought of no respect for the individual? What about the plumber who you call when there is an emergency. What are your thoughts when you find out your child wants to be a plumber? Pride or concern that they are choosing a menial job.

What are your thoughts or attitudes of the clerk at the meat counter, waitress, factory worker, coffee counter, crafter, tattoo, hairdresser, or supermarket? Do you consider that they have a ‘real’ job, or that was all they could because they do not have the IQ or degree for something better? We see this in ads for colleges.    

American Career College Ads

Supporting and showing pride for those who chose to work in the service industry and allow for full-time hours would go a long way in economic equality. Many workers would not push for the fifteen dollar hours if they were able to find full-time hours with benefits.  

Humans want respect, but when you treated like a lesser person, you are a clerk in a supermarket, waitress, cook, and stock. Factory worker, housekeeper, kitchen prep, electrician, and many more. This lack of respect seen in we have high unemployment, but many people will not apply for retail jobs because the pay is low and considered beneath them for some. Bear in mind that it is a generalization, not a specific person, and on social media comments and a couple of comments I have heard from others. Well, let us consider the fact that supermarkets stayed open with only a small amount of thank you, followed by abuse for mask or supply purchase mandates.

Again thank you to those in all aspects of the service/trade industry. Our country indeed, could not run without us. The media may not acknowledge the daily strife and anxiety of our health and safety. Again thank you for working your twenty to fifty hours of work with no benefits, respect, and buying your masks and other supplies.

Thank you for the truck driver who has to deal with the driver who does not realize that you need a good eighth of a mile to brake but cuts right in front. Additionally, the time away from family and friends. Thank you to the housekeeper that is cleaning up after all variety of people with minimal protective gear. Thank you to the factory worker that has to go in and leave smelling like melting plastic, dead fish, cow, or chicken. Also, for those working in a hot, cold, or freezing processing area. Thank you for the different kinds of beauticians and artisans. Thank you to the construction industry. Thank you for the car mechanic. Thank you to the restaurant staff. Much appreciate all you do. If I have missed your industry, I am sorry, but I am not seeing or all-knowing of all the trade and service jobs.  

Thank you, comes from the heart of a worker of the same industry for twenty years waitress, cook, clerk, coffee, cashier, manager, and cleaner. I tried to leave the industry and go into healthcare. When I spoke with coworkers, they would treat me as an equal until they asked where I had worked last. Responded as a manager in a supermarket that respect was lost. One person mentioned that it was good. I got out of such a dead-end job. Here is the rub, though, and that my anxiety and depression keep going over. I was happy working retail and taking care of others rather than working in a nursing home as a Social Worker; their idea of Customer Service does not even come close to what expected from retail. Trying to shift to that was to difficult on my anxiety and depression with no industry training except what I got through college. So I returned to what made me happy helping others with less daily notes that impacted client (customer) care and minimum face to face care.

It has taken me years to accept that I am happiest working retail and taking care of others and providing care for one of the most basic human needs food. Keep up the great work all those that are the reason our country has not stopped running, our families fed, and we have a car to drive. I am going to wrap up with two pieces.

One is from CBS Sunday Morning news about the current information hitting the restaurant industry. The second piece I found from Mike Rowe reinforcing that we need to show our children that working in the service and trade industry is an honorable profession, not something to be looked down on. Side thought some of the racism this country keeps pushing about also stems from the portion of the black and low income community that the employment can get treated with disrespect as work and financial options are low. For US retail a cashier/stocker is paid $7.00 – 9.00 an hour as a lead it is $9.00 – 11.00 an hour, and management is $11.00 – 14.00 an hour, and store managers salaried, so they average $15.00 an hour because it expected to work forty-five to sixty hours a week. Many companies want to have open availability and are not flexible with scheduling. There is minimal work to home life balance.

Next time you are out and about, try to thank a worker from the service industry. Sincerely, all we ask is that you treat us with respect. We have to follow the rules, and being told how to do our job as we are taking care of you is annoying and disrespectful. Corporate no matter the industry already treats us poorly with low pay, not enough supplies, repairs not done, and no training or training that treats us like children. I heard somewhere that one company thinks that employees do fifty percent of theft. So we are already feeling devalued by corporate. Being treated by the people, we care for as children who fail in life makes that lack of proper value harder.  

Yes, there are poor workers, but if you think about it, every industry has that one or two employees that you celebrate when they leave or let go. No one is perfect, and there are jobs or work that see people striving or struggling to find their place. 

For those that feel this was prideful or selfish to post because I am in retail. This piece was tentatively written since June just struggled with posting it, not wanting to offend. I had a shift that made me want to open my mouth and give a customer a piece of my mind. Retail is a fantastic job that is physically tough and stressful in its way. On an hourly basis, your client or customer base is as diverse as the world. With this diversity comes a plethora of opinions and personalities. There is nothing wrong with working to care for others. Not all of us can pursue a degree either through desire or lack of opportunity. Try to treat those who take care of your fundamental needs with respect for all they do.  

Danny Meyer on reviving the restaurant industry – CBS Sunday Morning

Mike Rowe Testimony – CongessmanGT – Found this one sad and humorous that he called our US Politicians about asking him to come back but nothing changes.

Mike Rowe Works Foundation

Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe on Facebook

The Real Mike Rowe – Facebook

Thank you, for reading.  Reminder you are welcome to comment, but at this time my anxiety and depression make it extremely difficult to read the comments.  

Weekly Review 8/3-7/2020

Weekly Review 8/3-7/2020

I waffled this week on what I was going to do with this post. On the one hand, I did not keep my to-do/goals of uploading researched commentary on videos I liked or found odd or continuing with my anxiety research through the medical field and biblical. Another aspect was I made no progress on accurately determining how to create and upload to YouTube readings of my posts as well as filming my walks of parks in my area and my downsizing. My mind perceives this as a failure; how do I find peace or movement away from my failure?

Realistically looking at my week would be useful, but internally I think these excuses are just that excuses I should have done better. Without further adieu, here are my excuses; sleep apnea, Hypothyroidism, Calorie intake vs. Energy expended and mental health. Let’s start on the first mark and move down the list.

Sleep Apnea is still impacting. The machine is working some, I guess, at least 3 to 4 days a week I still wake up at 3 am. The last two months and one week before the C-Pap machine taking GNC – Herbal Plus Natra Sleep, this seems to help feel slightly more rested and more energetic during the day. Before the Natra Sleep supplement and the machine, I used to get up most nights at 3 am sometimes more than once. Currently, two problems still do not think the device is entirely doing anything except exacerbating my sinuses if I stupidly forget the Ayr nasal gel. The others are I do not see my specialist till mid-September when they could fit me due to my insurance not covering and appointments after a specific date. I will check with GNC the last time the clerk mentioned another supplement that had worked better for prior customers. Those thinking melatonin, cherry juice, or sleep teas even fluid and caffeine intake before certain times of evening; have tried over the years with limited success. I have also been trying Four Sigmatic (Chill) cacao with mushrooms that have limited my 3 am from brief to fully awake that is progress. I have been using that cocoa for two weeks have not seen any impact on my mental health. Enjoy the flavor and the decrease in getting up through the evening. Putting this all down in writing does show that this has been a successful change, not perfect, but life is not perfect no matter how we try. So that is the sleep what is the next one?

Oh yeah, my thorn in my side that began since the late eighties during trade school. Hypothyroidism has been a millstone plain and straightforward. Somedays I think it is worse than mental health. Both are a constant battle. Doctors say my weight, depression, fatigue, and sleep are because of the thyroid. Medication never seems to work except to cause bills for every two-month blood work that insurance does not always cover because, in their mind, it is not all necessary. So I am unsure if this is impacting my mental health or perception. Even given the years I have had this, I am unclear how this disease truly affects me because I feel better off the medication than on. So for me, I have no explicit listing of success on this one except the accept that I will continue to research what works for me. I might add this to my list of things to research, write, and post? Guess the success that is not worse or better. So this was a small piece, but I have no clear goals or journey for this because it frustrates me more than anything. On to the next one, what was that, hmm oh yeah calorie intake and energy expended?

Like the thyroid seems to go hand in hand. By the federal BMI chart, I am obese have been since the early eighties. I strongly feel it goes hand in hand with my thyroid condition. Personal opinion and forties years of never losing weight except for five maybe fifteen pounds. I have always worked jobs that place my step count as 12,000 to 15,000 per day. When I document my food intake, I average 1,200 to 1,300 calories. Mostly eat along the lines of a gluten-free diet and sometimes treat me to toast and fast food once or twice a month. So it is not if I am living off fast food or carbohydrates all day. I also limit my soy due to its being a hormone and the thyroid impacted by foods high in hormones. Another aspect is that I never have an appetite, so I become frustrated when my doctor and dietician’s first go-to is I need to eat healthily. So after posting a question to Athletic Greens private Facebook page about increasing two daily supplements to battle the mid-day slump of energy and napping, I am still struggling. The many posts that I received were that would be a temporary stop-gap, but I needed to concentrate on increasing my calorie intake. So I think that is what I am going to try to work on this week. It is difficult because the reason for the consumption I am now is that it is a struggle even to eat that. I never have an appetite. This weekend, I will research how to pursue protein increase to increase the calorie intake for next week. Successfully I have a goal and plan to prayerfully increase my calorie intake to counter the dip in energy hopefully. Next on the hit parade of the week, or is that year? Mental Health, the bain of all those who live, survive, and succeed.

My mental health this week has been okay and has had some spikes in anxiety. There may be multiple reasons for this aspect of increase. First is that I have completed my first full week of working my second job. My anxiety has hit off and on based on my co-workers’ actions. My mind automatically assumes I have done something wrong, or I am not going fast enough. It took some time to talk me through to acknowledge that I was too harsh on myself it is only my first week I only had two hours of training.

Additionally, my store manager is always offering to let me stay longer if I wanted to, and no one has said anything to me in the way of correction. So the anxiety is something I have created, and looking back in past reviews and my journals this week is always seems to have a spike of fear. The success for me is that I was able to talk myself down from full-blown anxiety and realize the illogical nature of my thought process. I am so thrilled that I did not dwell on this in the past I have spent weeks and months convinced of my failure. What has never happened except once, and based on someone else’s actions, not my own? Hum, where do you go from here this week’s review?

As has always been my time during this review week is was there success or failure. Struggling against my anxiety and depression is hard. Without much effort, I can quickly journey down the path of failure, like a downward run toward the pit of feelings of failure. This pit can be like quicksand for me. So for me, my week I consider a success I did not stay stuck in my quicksand of thoughts. It is accepting that I add thirty hours to a twenty-five hour week; that it is okay that I did not complete my blogging plans. With planning and research in safe calorie intake, I can improve my energy. With increase energy, I can fulfill my planned personal obligations to something I find great enjoyment and improvement of self. Thank you for following me on this successful journey toward escaping this week’s quicksand of negative thoughts toward successful acceptance that not all plans completed as initially put forth. Keep striving one person’s success will look different than another. For my success is I did not allow my anxiety to overwhelm me, and I may have found a solution to my continued decrease in energy. See you next week if I can maybe Monday. Thank you to who read my posts.  

Funny thought for the day, about missing socks.  For me my suggestion is that because we claim that dirty clothes breed that our socks are used as food to breed more clothes.

Ray Stevens – “Where Do My Socks Go?” (Official Audio)

Weekly Review 7/27-31-2020

Weekly Review 7/27-31-2020

Hmm was unsure if I was going to review this past week. The depression slump I have been in does not seem to have eased up. I want this feeling of living in a fog of distraction and feeling tired. So with tentative thought, list this as a good week.  

Good because I have been able to maintain care for the family. Not as much creativity as I would like, but I think that may have to because the Anxiety review that I was working on has hit some aspects of my life that have made a daily living with my depression a challenge. Additionally, weighing to return to retail work while still working as a home health aide has been an intricate decision to make to who I am and caring for my other responsibilities.  

Some would ask why I want to return to such a menial low paying and disrespected work when I am doing so much work by working in the medical field. It has taken me years to accept and even now have difficulty accepting. I enjoy serving others in an anonymous capacity. Serving in retail is different. I am helping others. Giving this help is simple to some, but without the legal and emotional heartache, that other industries bring. I could move from serving in retail to serving in the psychology field. But the problem with that is that the paperwork not helping people is emotionally destructive to me. I like to keep moving physically; I die inside sitting at a desk filling out notes and questionnaires, instead of sitting and speaking to people and seeing their successes in life.  

Thoughts in mind, it took some time to understand that my spike in anxiety and depression was induced by over the last three months of who and where I was the happiest working. Having enjoyment through working as a home health aide is terrific in a service aspect. In my situation, genuinely blessed because I have just one client and company that accepts that is all I want. My thoughts and prayers go to those that need to go to multiple clients. But I am in one spot with one face, and over the months, I have missed the daily interaction of total strangers and the regulars. I missed being stopped and asked a question of where something is. What was a struggle was that to return to retail is going back to being embarrassed about what I find enjoyment in that provides money to pursue my goal of paying off my school debt. Total remodel of our home so my husband I can safely stay there to the end. Where does this leave me this week on mine?. The absolute scale of success or failure?

For the personal pursuit of success or failure, this week was a success emotionally. Accepting that it is okay to work retail, this is what brings me joy. This joy even though I am on my feet for 5-8 hours and dealing with people who are cranky with no filter. Imagine facing the people that post negative or odd opinions on social media on an hourly basis, with the attitude that you did not move fast enough. Even when it is there turn, they want the same care of detail that you gave the customer before them. Yes, there are those in retail that should not be there as workers, but all industries, have people that do not work well. That is the life of employment; some preform the minimum of work and maximum of work. Where am I at home, thou?

Succes on the physical aspect I am still struggling with, but I am improving on accepting limitations. Again eighty to ninety degrees with no central air or window boxes just fans are draining, and I did not realize how much. Writing those words helps, but I still place myself at a standard I should be doing better. Success is repetitious because I am not going further into depression over the subject that my physical projects have stagnated. Hopefully, the meteorologists are correct, and my area is moving toward a cool down so I can go back to my downsizing and cleaning.

May this week find everyone well during this time of chaos on the world, national, and local stage of opinions. Exterior chaos does not mean we cannot still keep working on finding where we fit in the world that leaves us emotionally and spiritually at peace with our place.

Follow up from last week and Athletic Greens. I love it; I take it additional to my vitamin routine. Currently, once in the morning around 6 am, feel energized and clear-headed during the morning. I do dip in the early mid-afternoon, so I will monitor if that is food or mineral interaction. Given my medical deficits, I feel great after taking the Athletic Greens, assisting with energy, edema, and mild headaches. From what I can determine for me, it does not impact my depression and anxiety, maybe positively, because I could add walking and add ten more work hours to a twenty-four-hour workweek of employment that is physically demanding. The web page does market toward the sport and exercises culture, which I am none of these just the exact opposite.

https://athleticgreens.com/

May this day find everyone well. I look forward to striving to posting daily and finding my place again with an expanded work schedule and life observations.

Weekly Review 7/21-25/2020

Weekly Review 7/21-25/2020

Another hot week here in Ohio, which again impacted the downsizing physical aspect, has been my concentration for the last two to three months, which pushed at my anxiety and depression toward feelings of failure and the thoughts of why I should bother. I am never going to succeed; I have not in the past, which proves it. Thinking back over this week, I expected to return my comfortable depression pit. That pit of why bother, I am worthless, I will never succeed, and all those endless recurring thoughts of failure.  

Honestly expected, the old me was going to win this week. In the past, this is always where I give up and shut everything down that I began in my upward swing of positive. With struggle, I honestly had plans to write my goodbye note to the website, Facebook, and store. A summary of I am a failure and not strong enough to continue my creative outlet because why bother. I am just a whiny woman that will never be anything, so why push that on others. Yeah, depression visited severely this week. With success as my morning to evening progressed, I was able to find that strength to keep moving forward by posting and creating daily about miscellaneous topics. Praise God. Over the week still felt that shadow of failure on all my other listed projects.

On Friday, though came across the Desperate for Jesus 2020 Women’s Conference for me, this was a fantastic reminder of the beauty and strength that blessed with even on the wrong hours, days, and weeks. I have worth even when I cannot see it. The individual at the conference that pushed that home was Katherine Wolf.

Katherine had a stroke at twenty-six, has two children, and is a blogger and Author. Here are her Hope Heals – Facebook and Hope Heals Website. What I took from this was we are all made as individuals our battles are our own. We seek comfort from who we are and plan to be. It is perfectly fine to have bad days or weeks; our physical and mental health will impact us. Striving to move on and forward to maintain and be who we meant to be. For me, this helped if a woman who needs to move in a wheelchair daily and looks at it as positive and sees the positive in daily life with physical restrictions, she also acknowledges she has bad days. With those bad days, she questions God’s plan but lovingly accepts that he healed her to what He needs her to do and blessed her with an idea and strength to live it. Having a bad day does not mean positive stops. It just shifts till a positive can be celebrated bad days are okay just striving not to wallow is impressive.

Sunday was watching Hope Church – July 26 Service 9 am, which not surprisingly in my life reinforced this message from the women’s conference of good days and bad days. How we live them is the celebration. The pastor also mentioned another woman of modern times in a wheelchair Joni Eareckson Tada – Joni and Friends Facebook. The message was a fantastic reminder that followed up on Friday evening and Saturday morning women’s conference, much needed for me at least.

So for my weekly review, I am so amazed that I can see a celebration. I did not know at the beginning of the week; I still feel slightly out of place with my depression and downsizing. With great amazement, my week was a success. I may not have accomplished my written goals due to heat and emotional turmoil, but I am not giving up. My progress for the week is next week is another week of working in my goals of downsizing and reevaluating my life for the better. To move forward with my creativity and making my family’s experience better. Self-care is okay every once in a while. Changing the goal line is okay when there are obstacles in the way.  

Thank you all who follow. Still not at a position of reading comments. Thank you to anyone who leaves them. Anxiety and depression are a struggle, but with medicine, professional assistance, and self-care, we can succeed in living life as well as we can. Success is all in how we see it.

Follow up note from last week I physically energy-wise felt some improvement with the Athletic Greens routine. But still not going to post the website because I am unsure if my depression dip was from taking the Athletic Greens, a decrease of Vit-D, or just one of those weeks. So I will take a week off from taking Athletic Greens to see how my depression is. If my physical energy dips and my depression not changed by Wednesday will restart taking them. I enjoyed not falling asleep when I got home from work at noon for an hour. I do not know I did not take it today, and I currently have a headache and no energy, so making it till Wednesday may not happen. We shall see. I Will keep you updated, and I want to move forward with this information cautiously. Have a great day and week.

Turtle at one of the local parks I walk. Slow and steady wins the race.

Nature’s Beauty in Ohio

Nature’s Beauty in Ohio

I took a walk at one of our local parks this Friday afternoon to film and share a small part of the natural beauty of the Cleveland Metroparks, this one being Hinckley Lake.  I learned, though, that my inexpensive camera not designed for walking.  Still want to show the beauty of Hinckley.  Here is from:

2019 New Day Cleveland, just showing all that Hinckley offered.

Hinckley Reservation – Cleveland Metroparks by New Day Cleveland

Ariel view of the lake by Xavier and Jordan in 2017

Hinckley Reservation – Xavier and Jordan

Here are some fall images by Tom Crane. These show some fantastic photos from the perspective of the nature trail around the lake.  Beautiful.

GoPro at Hinckley Lake 2014 –  Photos by Tom Crane

Northeast Ohio Hikes and Bikes filmed Worden’s Ledges, which is just one of the areas one can walk around Hinckley, Ohio. Not where I was, but I look forward to going there.  Enjoy this nature walk.

Hiking Worden’s Ledges | Hinckley Reservation | Cleveland Metroparks | Hinckley, OH – Northeast Ohio Hikes and Bikes

The goal is to film my stuff far into the future.  But at least here is a small piece of what Hinckley, Ohio has to offer.

Link to Cleveland Metroparks: Home

Humorous Consequences of Reading Health Articles

Humorous Consequences of Reading Health Articles

Humorous Consequences of Reading Health Articles came from reading the information below. The material is about whether regular water versus seltzer is equally hydrating.  Is Seltzer Water Just As Hydrating As Regular Water?  Everything you need to know about your favorite fizzy drink. Written for Food Network by Emily Shiffer.  I found this a funny but frustrating article because I had to apologize to my daughter. I am continually asking her to drink more water because she was drinking a lot of seltzer. After all, I thought regular water is better than seltzer.  

Coming to find out from this article is that the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found there is no difference in hydration between the two types of water. In our home, that is great because seltzer is what both my husband and daughter drink in abundance. It has always been a point of worry for me that they were not getting enough water. Knowing there is no difference is terrific since I finally broke down and invested in a Soda Stream System last month. For those interested after Emily’s article is a link and my observations on the Soda Stream.

Another humorous component is that no one has a clear cut idea of how much water we are supposed to drink. The article did mention The Institute of Medicine’s recommended amounts had men at 13 cups and women at 9 cups. One of the reasons for no precise numbers agreed on is what an individual does in a day, and body weight impacts the amount of water a body needs.  

So my chuckle for the day was that I had to apologize to my eighteen-year-old daughter. That drinking the seltzer is okay in place of water. Of course, given her current attitude, I have probably made a mistake that will haunt me until God calls me home to heaven. Live and learn when you are a mom with a teenager that sees all and knows all. I am unsure how that happens since they are only a quarter of the way through life? Will pursue mind-bending thought at another time.  

Enjoy this interesting short article about the benefits and the debunking of perceived information about seltzer water.

Is Seltzer Water Just As Hydrating As Regular Water? by Emily Shiffer

SodaStream Main Site, Our family, has had the Soda Stream since 6/18/2020 and uses it at least eight to ten times a day. I have not changed the CO2 canister yet, did order one as a backup. There are a variety of ways to exchange cartridges. I have not decided if I am going through Bed Bath and Beyond because I am a member and get a discount or use the SodaStream or Amazon auto exchange.  Undecided at this time.

One of the reasons for purchasing and investing in a SodaStream, we go through two sometimes three cases of twelve cans weekly. In this day in age, with shortages and unstable shipping internationally. I thought it might be useful to find an alternative for my family’s seltzer water drinking before it became a family crisis. Also, maybe reduce a little of our contribution to the landfills.

The one we bought Aqua Fizz Premium purchased through Amazon.  Only because, at the time of purchase, they had a better price. The reason for purchasing the most expensive style was I like the glass bottle. Additionally, my thought was they would have a higher chance of not exploding while filling. (Note: have not run across any articles saying that just my anxiety taking me on a trip.)  The dispenser fully encloses the container if there is an actual problem. The company suggests that one should refrigerate the water before carbonating.  Which is a benefit with the glass because the water is colder and the glasses bottles are pretty. We did buy two extra bottles, which are probably not needed for most people, but I have two heavy seltzer water drinkers.

We do not purchase the syrups; they drink it plain, make syrup, or buy a cheap syrup. My daughter enjoyed a peach syrup we had initially bought for putting on ice cream or pancakes. Another reasonable syrup idea is a Koolaid packet stirred into a sugar syrup. Sugar syrup is 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar heat till sugar dissolved, turn off the heat empty Koolaid (any brand is excellent) into water sugar mix and stir till fully dissolved. Needs to be cooled then put in a jar use as desired cannot tell you how long this lasts because we end up remaking a new flavor within five to six days. Fruit juice is another excellent alternative for flavoring, have found my daughter drinks more fruit juice with the seltzer then before.

So I have to confess I did lie about not using the SodaStream I have a couple of times used to make myself a wine spritzer. For me, a wine spritzer is just one to two ounces of wine, and six to eight ounces of seltzer water add ice and fresh fruit. There you have a light, refreshing mom drink. Do not do this often because I try not to keep the wine in the house due to family history and personal battles when super stressed. But I hate to waste stuff, so when a recipe calls for wine, I purchased the smallest bottle I can find. Then try to finish it by making a spritzer each night till wine is gone.

Aqua Fizz Premium

As you can see, it has been an exciting day in the family home. May the information about the SodaStream help someone. It took me about a year to decide to buy and wish I had made the decision earlier would have in the long haul saved a lot of money. I figure the initial investment will pay off in three to four months. Before the machine, I was spending ten to twenty dollars a week on seltzer cans.

Just a reminder terrible at reading comments due to anxiety. Do feel people have a right to express their views and ideas though so the comments section is open.

Side note our family has no connection to SodaStream, Amazon, or Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Just companies we have purchased from. Figured I would offer my personal opinions, observations, and reasons.

Have a great day.

Nature’s Beauty

Nature’s Beauty

I came across this video, presenting the beauty of nature. I wanted to share these two different styles of filming, showing a piece of life that is inspiring.

Tennessee fireflies: A summertime light show – CBS Sunday Morning

Love the beauty and innocence of nature.

Fireflies Put on a Spectacular Mating Dance | Short Film Showcase – National Geographic

These videos brought me back to the fun of my childhood in the country and watching the fireflies at night. Nothing like Tennessee but brought back nights with Girl Scout camping nights.

Thank you for reading.

Why Didn’t I Think of That?

Why Didn’t I Think of That?

Several days ago, Channel 5 in my home area ran a fun article. Got such a chuckle, which then moved to why didn’t I think of that? Surprise, there is not a franchise chain of these, takes recycling to a whole new level. Recycling could use or sell the products they cannot recycle to these places.

Enjoyed a new idea? Maybe some of these all over the world is one now in the Mogadore, OH area. 

You bought it; you break it at Rage Room Ohio – News 5 Cleveland

Of course, this got my mental health side thinking. What if this would be a partial therapy option for those who have difficulty controlling their rage or had an outlet to vent before it got too much for them to control in most situations? Just a thought to think about to all those highly educated professionals to research? Could this be something that would allow an individual that is prone to rage work through it easier? Have them use a room like this than after or during a session. Have a professional talk with the individual about what they imagine during smashing/venting. Help them work through what the triggers are and optional thoughts to consider, so not get to that rage point faster.

Have a great day, everyone. I hope everyone is well during this time of change for everyone.  

Now I am off to collect all my breakable I don’t want in the garage to use later for my rage. LOL. Since the police in my neighborhood would probably be called. I guess I will stay police visit free and just set up an appointment in Mogadore.

Pondering Defunding the Police again…

Pondering Defunding the Police again…

Media got me thinking about the topic of defunding the police that had been the battle cry back at the beginning of June. The media has not been covering it a lot. Unsure if the groups that began the call are still pushing for it. Another there might be a topic the Cleveland, OH area is not currently covering. (I realize the COVID numbers have increased.)

Two write-ups that gave for me a satisfying balance to the sunject. The Washington Post is an opinion piece from Editorial Board on July 16 and the Washington Examiner by Kaylee McGhee, Commentary Writer on July 10.  

‘Defund the police’ is as much about re-imagining public safety as it is about money

This opinion piece seems to present the re-imagined departments and that each state would look different. I guess my concern with all this is we have City Councils throughout our country and probably the world that cannot agree on road repair and government building staffing. How are they going to re-imagine a world that has always had police and a need for them? How are they going to re-imagine also a department that is already short-staffed and not solving the crime?  

It is mention that school disputes get a well-trained counselor instead of a police officer. I do not know about anyone else, but our school has slowly removed counselors due to money. Personally, in the case of our family, my daughter was bullied, and having counselors and teachers monitoring made it worse. Remember, in a parent-teacher/counselor conference, was told my daughter’s bullying would not happen as much if she was not as emotional. This thinking from the professionals they want to replace our police? 

What if we gave police officers better hours, more counseling support, and more vacation days. Maybe sabbaticals like teachers get so they can de-stress.  The counseling industry would require a change in training if you want them to replace the police. Are we going to teach them disarming techniques when they cannot talk down a drug addict who has mental health? Are we going to address why this addict may have chosen drugs, indeed? Their situation could be they began treating mental health with alcohol and then street drugs instead of pharmaceuticals due to not knowing? Now they cannot afford the medicines or doctor’s appointments or family history of not accepting mental health? These are my thoughts on this one, let’s see what the other one has for ideas.

People don’t want to defund the police. Can you blame them? by Kaylee McGhee, Commentary Writer | | July 10, 2020, 03:21 PM

What I found fascinating is the articles in a broad stroke mirror each other. Did find an example of a citizen who found a homeless person on his front step call a community service person who is supposed to handle the homeless and got no answer but called the police, and it was processed quickly. That is one example of the over hall that a segment of our society is calling for needs to look at what is already in place and why it is not working. What if we looked at training police officers that due to injury can no longer be on the force, Train them as counselors make use of the training maybe change their uniform, so those going on soft calls do not look as threatening. Another aspect is how police are perceived. Do people even know who to call for what problems? Personally, our car and house egged many years ago my husband called the police. Where we supposed to call someone different, I do not know?

This writer also spoke about the consequences of Minneapolis neighborhood residents had agreed to not rely on law enforcement, and crime has increased, which on a human perspective that makes sense. On a simple example, you see that mom and dad leave the children at home, and they have friends over that destroy the house.  

What got me on this track again is a news clip from our local news station that got me thinking that I do not know if it is like this everywhere. The detective staffing levels are lower than they are supposed to be by federal standards. Even before all this current hoopla. If our police are understaffed, why?. What is life going to look like if the loudmouths get their way on instant defunding? We need to look at retraining, and supporting have clear cut policies in place for the police and the support units. No matter how that looks in the future, but it will not be instant.

Cleveland leaders to hold hearings on homicide detective staffing level concerns.

For me, I’m rather proud of myself that after a little bit of research and reading, my anxiety is minimal. Again I cannot change this except at the voting booth. Also, be aware of where and who to call when there is a problem. Which at the current plan is the town hall main number or web page. Suppose worse comes to worst the general police number, not the 911 and ask them. At least for the noncritical things. Critical being physical attacks, robbery, and etc.  Media, life, and people can present an oversaturation of information or opinions. Trying to find a balance between worry and anxiety is the trick of survival. Oh, maybe that is the meaning of life finding peace between concern and panic.

Have a great day. I am considering creating what I find in the media as a daily post since it is becoming rather crowded at the end of my weekly review. I will see how this works for me. When I watch the news, I find myself wanting to comment but find I want to research multiple facets of information.