Monday, September 4, 2017

Oh, NOW I see why

It's now become clear to me why I find Matthew Gray Gubler so attractive. Not sure if you can see why, but... *laughs*


Thursday, July 13, 2017

On hiding my natural Southern accent

"Where You From, Honey?"
http://bittersoutherner.com/folklore-project/where-you-from-honey-southern-accent

Excerpt: "By eighth grade, I made a studied, conscious effort at enunciation, to pronounce the g at the end of going, or fixing, while avoiding 'fixing' when I meant 'about to,' as in, 'I’m fixing to go to the store.' I did not want to sound poor or uneducated. More to the point, I did not want to sound Southern because to me those adjectives – poor, ignorant, racist, Southern – were inextricably linked."

Source: Pixabay free images - skeeze



Oh man, I can relate to this article. I have consciously tried to drown out my natural Southern accent and purposely used my adapted voice for decades. Although Paul will tell you that my Southern often slips out when I get pissed off.

Likewise, If I'm around other Southerners, I'll slip back into 'talking like a hick.' Suddenly, I'll talk like I did when I was ten years old and at the dirt track races with my family and a bucket of fried chicken with all the fixins. Or maybe I'm in the backyard with my cousin Jim, catching grub worms and laughing. Or maybe I'm taken back to the times I camped at Smith Mountain Lake or Philpott Lake with my mom, dad, brothers, and cousins, catching small fish and cooking them up at our campsite.

As much as I can temporarily squelch my Southern accent, I cannot erase that I am Southern by birth (born in Covington, the third-smallest town in the entire state of Old Virginny, just scant miles from West Virginia), or that I was raised in a blue-collar family with so-called traditional (conservative) values.

I still maintain that small-town, blue-collar spirit within me. But thankfully, I have expanded my mind, earned 18 years of formal education, and was able to travel the world, visiting eight foreign countries in addition to 28 states within my own country. All of those things reshaped some of the obsolete, archaic 'values' with which I was raised. For that I am thankful.

I was fortunate to have opportunities while growing up that many others did not. Perhaps if they had they could better understand why I have a love/hate relationship with the South, some Southerners, and my oft-hidden Southern accent. I'm trying to reconcile and make peace with all of it, but it's going to take a while.

Sunday, June 18, 2017

Nocturnal Divination website + store

Check it out! I've redesigned my Etsy shop AND set up a separate website for Nocturnal Divination Magick & Miscellanea.

Now you can order astrology reports, tarot readings, books, and more from http://www.nocturnaldivination.com

Monday, March 27, 2017

Yes, I'm a baby boomer

Factoid: I was born in 1964, so I'm a baby boomer. Most of my high school classmates are NOT baby boomers because the majority of them were born in 1965.

Since I was born in December, I couldn't start school until later than most of my would-have-been classmates. This means I graduated in 1983 instead of 1982. I never attended kindergarten. Started out in the 1st grade.


Saturday, March 18, 2017

Who the hell is Kevin?

Early this morning our dog Loki was barking at something outside, which is a common (and annoying) occurrence. Paul and I were roused awake by his barking and Paul yelled, "Shut up, Kevin!" 

Kevin? Who is Kevin? Did we have a dog named Kevin and I'd forgotten about it?

Seconds after saying that, Paul also wondered who Kevin was and why he'd called Loki by that name. He still doesn't know why, but we got a good laugh out of it.

Who knows? Maybe Paul was dreaming about Kevin (whoever that might be). Or maybe his brain glitched and came up with the name. Hell, it's not like we have anybody close to us named Kevin. 

Ah, the human mind. Who can fully understand its mysteries? I sure don't. 


[Blog] The Red Mist Descends

You may not know this, but I have more than one blog. Mainly because I write about different subjects and not all of them belong on this blog. My other main blog is The Red Mist Descends: Tales of a Reluctant Human. Last night I redesigned the RMD blog and I like it!

If you're looking for rants, raves, and posts about subjects that deal with the more imperfect human aspects of living, go check out The Red Mist Descends. You might find something you'll enjoy there!
http://theredmistdescends.blogspot.com


The closeness of...yogurt?

Took this product survey about yogurt this evening and was asked how 'close' I felt toward various brands of yogurt.

Ummm...I don't feel 'close' to any brand of yogurt. I feel NO personal attachment to yogurt.

Chobani is tasty, but it's not my best friend.

Fage is okay, but I'm not going on a weekend cabin trip with it.

Yoplait is good, but I won't be having lunch with it this week.

Dannon is all right, but I'm not meeting it for a coffee klatch anytime soon.

I dunno...asking me if I feel 'close' to yogurt seems silly.

Now, if you're referring to chocolate and coffee, that's a whole 'nother story. Those two are my BFFs.

Friday, March 17, 2017

From my 7 chromosomes, Happy St. Patrick's Day to you!

From the Irish DNA located on my chromosomes #6,7,8,10,12, 20, and 22, I wish a Happy St. Patrick's Day to those who celebrate it. (Source: My 23andme DNA ancestry report. Want to get yours? Go here.)

Sunday, March 12, 2017

Coming June 10, 2017: Lippy Legs & All – My Life with Lipedema


Scheduled for June 10, 2017 release.
You can pre-order your copy from the publisher here:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/710509

===========================

For years, I watched as my calves legs grew larger, bruised easily, and became more painful. Even bumping against a chair or the corner of a wall would send shockwaves of pain through my calves and leave me with huge bluish-purple bruises.

I knew something was wrong, but what could it be? I thought it was a simple case of edema or general swelling, but keeping my legs elevated and taking diuretic pills had no effect. In fact, they only became worse.

In 2014, after several attempts to locate a physician who would help me figure out what was wrong, I was lucky enough to get a diagnosis. I had Lipedema, a genetic disease I'd never heard of before. It's a mystery disease with no known cure thus far.

Not widely discussed, Lipedema is rare and only affects about 11% of women. Few doctors are able to recognize the symptoms, nor have they been exposed to information about the condition and how it relates to the all-important lymphatic system.

LIPPY LEGS & ALL is the story of my life (thus far) with Lipedema. I'll discuss, in detail, what I've learned about the disease, how it's permanently changed me both physically and mentally, and why I'm determined to bring awareness to this condition so women who may suffer from Lipedema can get the essential diagnosis and treatment they deserve.

Without a proper diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation, a Lipedema sufferer can face a bleak future of wheelchair-bound immobility or, worse yet, amputation of their limbs. No woman deserves either of those things; if I can cast a wider spotlight on Lipedema through the publication of this book, I will.


Saturday, February 25, 2017

Creepy (possibly) past-life stories

Today I read an article about creepy (possibly) past-life stories parents recently shared on an AskReddit feed. Go over and check it out for yourself!

Now lemme add my own creepy kid story. When Britt, my daughter, was three years old, she nonchalantly told me she was a nun in her previous life and she had died in a fire. She's always seemed like an old soul to me. I often go to her for advice and guidance because the way she reasons is way beyond her 24 1/2 years.

Now, at the time Britt told me about her memory, my kids had NEVER been to church, had never been exposed to nuns or knew what they were and what role they played in religion or any of that. Their father was Baptist, but I was firm on having the kids research and explore which path of belief (or non-belief) made sense to them. I wouldn't allow them to be baptized into a religion that they had no idea about simply because one parent wanted it that way. Each person, when he or she is mature and ready enough, should be allowed to decide his or her own structure of belief (or lack thereof).

To this day, I still remember thinking, "Hmmm...that's interesting." She doesn't remember telling me, but I sure as heck remember!

Here's the funny part: when I was a young girl of seven or eight, I wanted to be a nun. I was raised Presbyterian but had always been drawn to the Catholic church. In fact, I had a huge crucifix that hung in my room. It was made out of plaster but painted dark brown so it looked like it was wood. I also believed that nothing should ever sit on top of the bible. And, mind you, after my dad Leo died, our family stopped going to church. My dad was Mormon but then became Presbyterian. I still have his bible from the 1920s.

Many of you know I haven't been Christian since the age of 18 when I became pagan. Yet, to this day, I am drawn to Catholic churches, used to watch the Catholic network on cable, and love to listen to Latin or mass. In addition, I also collect rosaries. None of this makes sense given my belief system that I've followed for nearly 35 years.

I've noticed that lapsed Catholics seem to be drawn to paganism and particularly Wicca. The rituals and such probably appeal to them because of their Catholic background.

I've often wondered if I was Catholic or a nun in a previous life, too. Who knows? Perhaps Britt and I were in the same convent. Life is a huge mystery; so many things are possible.

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Big news!

Paul & I are proud to announce that our daughter, Britt, and her fiance, Trevor (Tack), are expecting their first child around May 27, 2017. We are beyond excited and thrilled! The latest ultrasound showed the baby is a boy. They plan to name him Kane, which is an uncommon, but incredibly cool name.

We are going to be first-time grandparents in a matter of months. And we plan to ROCK those roles, too!  😍

Interesting and entertaining tests available at Psychology Today

Lots of entertaining psych tests at this link. Here's my result for the Emotional Intelligence Test. If you want to find out more about yourself, go check out Psychology Today's offerings. All the tests are free to take: https://www.psychologytoday.com/tests


Monday, January 9, 2017

My Richard Dawkins crush

I informed Paul that since Lalla Ward and Richard Dawkins had split after 24 years of marriage, I now had to end our relationship because I had to pursue Mr. Dawkins, the world-famous atheist and curmudgeon. Just kidding, of course. I am already married to a sexy atheist! But I have had a fangirl crush on Dawkins for quite a while. When it comes to atheists, I'm like a moth to a flame.