Yes, I'm still alive!

It's been awhile since I last blogged, and I have to apologise for that. Sometimes life gets a little hectic, and things seem to just pop up. Just when you have one problem dealt with, you can see another one sneaking up on you out of the corner of your eye.

I just started a new job. I'm a Program Manager at a Group home where 4 Mentally Retarded men live. This is my 9th day, and I am earning my pay! Actually - since I'm salary, the agency is getting quite a deal from me. I've had people injured for weeks (but they promised to get better!), sprained ankles and other issues (including working a 13 hour shift in a house that doesn't have central air or had A/c's in the first floor! (I've since taken care of that).

Then today - at lunch, I spilled something on my shirt. So I had to spot-wash it. It was a white shirt (ladies - you see my problem!), and I thought - Ya just gotta laugh! So I thought - time to update.

Let me know how y'all are doing - I'm love to get to know others better!

And now for something completly different....

My good friend came down to visit me and some friends yesterday, and he gave me a book of 108 Zen poems. The title of the book is What? Here is one of them

MOSQUITO

I've been bitten by a mosquito.

Thanks a million.

Why, I'm really alive.

Scratch, scratch.

That's it. No other comments - read into it what you will, because that's what I think you're supposed to do with them.

Enjoy!

The Contry Mouse and the City Mouse

Did you ever read that story when you were little? About the Country Mouse who went to visit his cousin in the big City and hated it, and then the City Mouse came to the country and hated that? Yesterday, I remembered that I am most definitely the Country Mouse who has no business going to the city.

I had to pick up someone close to me in NJ. Now - you put me on back roads full on animals crossing and coming out without warning and I'm fine with that, and anything past the Thurway (Route 87), and I'm in full-out panic mode. Of course - I don't think it helped that I was short of money (NJ is full of tolls - worse than NY!!), or that it was a holiday weekend.

Well - the panic set in - I could see the city and all the tall building in the distance, the cars were wizzing past (and mad at me for some reason because I wasn't going the speed of light)....I'm trying to read the directions that I printed out and drive all at the same time. I was a nervous wreck!

Well - long story short - I'm very grateful for cell phone. I pulled over, and my adopted brother found me (all in one piece), and I was able to collect the child that I was sent out to get.

Ya know - the city might be great for plays and museums and shops, but I'll take the country any day!

What to do when you're Stressed

Stressed. One of these days, I'm going to figure out how to get this stress out of my life. Job. Money...or lack of money. That really seems to be the most stressful thing in my world. It's like I finally get things to where I can make some progress and BOOM!!! In comes the stress again!
This not being the first time I've had to deal with this nasty stress, I've found a few things to do that help make it a bit more bearable.

1- It's not the end of the world (and if it is the end of the world - it's not going to make a difference any way!)
2- It can be fixed. It might take a bit more time that I want, and I might have to work overtime when I don't want to, but I can make it better...eventually.
3- Do something! Don't just sit there and vacillate over all the difficulties in your life!

Personally - when I'm the most stressed - I make more craft things. Somehow doing that makes me feel better. I think it's because I can see something positive accomplished. And - something that doesn't make any sense thinks - all the world will be better if you just sell one pair of $6.00 fingerless mittens!!