Shedding our shells

Something you may not know about yours truly is that I have a minor obsession with cicadas.  I think they are so interesting.  Ugly and interesting.

The thing that I associate with cicadas with is the heat.  In Pennsylvania, cicadas typically come out in late July & early August and only stay around for a about 4 or 5 weeks.  By "come out" I am referring to the surface, to the the top of the soil.  Cicadas spend years growing and feeding on tree and shrub roots before they surface and make their presence.  We all know when they have arrived by their sound!!

Cicadas like the heat and do most of their singing during the hottest parts of the day.  Only the males have the ability to make this familiar noise.  Their sound is often hypnotic and peaceful.
Many different cultures share this same fascination with this awkward looking creature.  Some look at the cicada as a symbol of reincarnation and fertilization. They shed their skin in the growing process; this is looked at as a sort of reaching enlightening and the growth we do ourselves as humans.

You have to admit they have a coolness about them.  They have remained in existence for thousands of years and with little thought from us in the modern United States.  Every year we take these silly looking things for granted while they nourish families in poverty ridden countries.

I first took an interest in cicadas a few years back when it my generations turn for the 17 year cicada.  WOW!  I am dork, but yes it's true.  There was a much bigger turn out in older neighborhood & developments especially up in Northern Pennsylvania. The 17 year cicada frenzy didn't live up to all the hype.  I don't know what I was hoping for, but I was a little let down.  So now, I look forward to the couple of cicadas that I do see and think of the journey that they have taken (sometimes from as far as 9 ft. underground).

After all, life is about the journey, developing & changing...shedding our shells. 

Dance like no one is watching.

This evening, right after I completed two classes at the gym, I made a beeline for Rita's Water Ice.  Today reached 105 degrees in the suburbs, not that it is an excuse, but it was needed after a long busy week at work and a hard workout.

While I was in line, a family was in front of me with a toddler boy.  This little guy was so cute.  He was so excited to be getting custard he was doing this anxious, happy dance.  I couldn't help but giggle at this & think how easy it is to be happy at the simple things when you're young.  This kid was SO happy, SO happy he was dancing.  When was the last time you were that happy by something as simple as custard?

I, myself, love Wawa's Diet Green Iced Tea.  People who know me know that it is my cold beverage of choice (when I'm not drinking water).  It has been referred to as my "crack".  This week I received a surprise Diet Green Ice Tea on my desk.  If I wasn't so busy at work, I would've danced.  Seriously. 

As an adult, it is hard to please people with simplicity, but to me it is the fact that I was thought about, even if only for a second.  Who doesn't love being thought about?  I love doing little things for people.  It makes me so happy to pay-it-forward.  You don't have to spend money to make someone's day. 
This week I received a message on my Facebook from an old friend who used to work with me years ago.  We have very similar personalities and we always got along so well.  She simply said that over the years I have crossed her mind and she reads my blog and can hear me speaking though it.  I am still smiling from this message.  Two huge compliments.  I don't even know if she knew how great it was for me to hear from her.  Well, she knows now. :)  I think more people should be like that. 

Everyone wants to know they're thought of.  It made me wanna dance!

Whatever doesn't kill you, makes you stronger - FOR REAL!

I have said before that I love my YMCA!!  It is so important to my well being; my mental, my spiritual & of course, physical well being.  BUT...this week it is kicking my @ss.  I spend most of my time in group exercise classes.  My YMCA provides Les Mills fitness classes to it's members.  These classes are all choreographed to music and taught by Les Mills certified instructors.  SO, these classes are no joke.

This past weekend there were a couple of new releases.  Les Mills does this every few months.  Holy moley!!  These have been the toughest releases I can remember for a while.  Every ounce of me is sore & they haven't even launched the new Body Flow & Body Combat yet.  UGH!! 

I am not going to let these new releases kick my butt for long!!  I have my Y Crew.  We cheer each other on all the time.  We notice when each other go above & beyond; & we are elated when each of us bust through our personal goals, almost like we did it ourselves.  It's a pretty cool feeling to have so many people have your back.  The Crew will all be kicking butt in no time!!  Every time we get through another class, we are stronger in EVERY sense of the word. 

For now, Advil is my best friend.

Well, not-so-much a city...

Today was a bit of a lazy day.  I woke up late, surfed the internet while I drank my coffee, ran a couple of errand, went on a walk with the dog & watched, surprisingly, the Sex and the City movie.  Yes.  You read correctly.  I never watched it when it was on HBO, mostly because I didn't get HBO.  Sometimes, because I am a night owl, I catch it in syndication.

For years people have told me that I remind them of Carrie Bradshaw (the main character &  narrator), on Sex and the City.  Today, for the first time I saw it.  We have similar hair (which I already knew), she sometimes is pretty, and sometimes not-so-much, she is stylish (I try to be...if I only had more occasion to be.) & she writes what she knows.  In most episodes, she is just as confused as I am.  Maybe that is why I didn't turn the channel.  She is single, looking for love and trying to weed out the losers, I'm sorry...the undeserving.  She has her Mr. Big, as did I (not anymore).  Carrie turns to her friends for everything and they teach her so many life lessons.  Carrie & her friends lives make for stories that are relate-able.  We all learn from our friends; the good stuff & bad stuff alike.  Her friends while being beautiful are all very different, strong women who lean on each other.  How many of us have circles like this? 

I know people think that Sex and the City is less than fabulous television & that is OK, but now when someone compares me to Carrie Bradshaw, I don't think I'll just think of her hair.

"Some people are settling down, some people are settling, and some people refuse to settle for anything less than butterflies." ~Carrie Bradshaw

Friends are the family that you choose!!

I just finished having an amazing visit with an old friend & I SO NEED IT!!

Everyone has different groups of friends throughout their life, sometimes throughout their day; school friends, work friends, gym friends, childhood friends, etc.; all special, all important, all there to get us through.  I have honestly been blessed beyond belief with so many very special people that have come in (and some out of) my life.  Yes, I love even those people who were once my friend and now are not.  I just do.  I have grown from the relationships I have had, all of them!  I know that there is a reason why they were put in my life & for whatever reason that is or was, I cherish those moments we spent.

I have different friends I go to for different things.  It sounds weird, but it's true.  I tell my best friend of 30+ years EVERYTHING.  The woman is my sister.  Her family is my family.  BUT there are other people who make me feel just as good, who know exactly what to say.  I have friends who I call when I am down about guy things, I have friends that I talk to about family, I even have friends I discuss spiritual stuff with.  I am gifted with these beautiful people who know exactly what to say to me and know when I need them.

There are others who take me away from reality, who, when I am with them I have such a great time that I actually forget the crappy; people who don't necessarily ask the questions, but are just there for me to listen if I want to talk.  They are the ones who make me laugh, who give my shenanigans right back to me and provide a numerous amount of laughter.

Now, don't get me wrong, we've all had our fights.  Holy moley, do we fight!  We are all very passionate people.  I may be a big personality and sometimes that big personality (along with a big mouth) gets me into some trouble, but my friends will give it right back.  How can you not respect that about someone?!?   Unconditional friendship.

Growth.  Not letting someone who means so much slip away.

I also love bringing all my groups of friends together.  It hasn't happened for a little bit (it happened much more often when my accommodations were bigger), but it needs to happen again soon!  I have known all these people for so long that they all are friends too.  One time one of them said to me, it is crazy how all of your different groups of friends get along so well. That statement is one I think about often.  I even found out a couple of years ago that 2 friends from 2 different circles are distant cousins, who grew up in the same town.

I crave my friends; all of these people who I have nestled in my life.  We have been through tons together.  Good things and bad.  They say that is how you know your friends are true, if they stick around through the tough times.  Well, I am proud to say mine are the truest, realest, bestest people in life.  If I am coming off as being proud right now, it is because I am.

Friends are the family that you choose!

YOU were her BIGGEST NIGHTMARE.

I know as I start to write this post that it is going to be controversial.  I'll take my chances; after all, I started this blog to write my ideas & opinions.  My opinion is just that, my opinion & no one has to agree with me; but as most people know, I am not one to just sit back with my mouth shut.  With that said...

I am saddened.  I am saddened by the death of Caylee Anthony; this beautiful little person is now at rest, but hardly at peace.  Any mother who has an ounce of love for their child has to wonder what this woman was thinking.  I could never raised a hand to my son without the feeling of guilt that lasted for days.  I think I slapped Bryan twice in his short life, after that, all I had to say was, "Do I have to come over there?"  Yes, I just admitted that I slapped my son.  I'll be looking for the lynch mob. 
Murder.  Taking someone one life.  Your own toddler.  Did you take the time to potty train her?  Did you help her learn her ABC's?  Did you kiss her good night, tell her to have sweet dreams when YOU were her biggest nightmare? 

Unfortunately, these thoughts don't play, or shouldn't play into a jury's mind when deciding a person's fate.  I should know.  In February of 2007, I sat as juror #10 on a murder trial.  It was one of the hardest experiences that I can remember.  We had 12 jurors and 2 or three alternates.  We spent everyday, all day together.  We only spoke to each other, but never about the trial, that is only allowed during deliberation, so we got to know each other; we had nothing else to do when we weren't in the court room.  We all had steno notepads which were destroyed after the trial, but with so many witnesses testifying there was no other way to remember.  The notebook was full of facts, not emotion.  I didn't write down how a witness made me feel.  I felt though, believe me, I felt.  Emotions are not what the trial is about.  Was there enough evidence?  Did they have enough proof?  Could there be any doubt?  These are the questions that are discussed during deliberation.

I have seen countless comments via the newspaper or Facebook statuses regarding the jury members of the Casey Anthony trial.  One of the first things that I said to myself at the start of her trial was, I'm glad I'm not on that jury;  knowing how it feels to be in their position, but these peers received national coverage.  Something I knew wasn't going to be easy.  Do you know how it feels to be in their position?  Anyone who has blamed or commented on the jurors, have you EVER sat as a juror on a murder trial?  Like everyone else you are under oath.  Sworn to make your decisions based on the evidence.  If there isn't enough evidence, then there is reasonable doubt.  I am sure that these people weren't willing to risk perjury, not seeing their families because they were serving time to put this crazy woman in jail.  Would you risk your family because it is what everyone thinks you should do?  Because you let your emotions in?  Because you lied under oath?
Yes.  She lied under oath as well, but as a juror I would not be willing to risk everything for a liar.


I believe that Casey Anthony will be in a living hell for the rest of her free existence.  Everything she does is undeserving from here on in.  She should not be allowed to go grocery shopping, watch T.V. or pick up dog poo in my opinion, but she has that option because she was found not guilty by a jury of her peers who didn't have enough evidence to convict her of murder.
My only question now is when she meets God and her baby is sitting next to him, how will she be judged?

Reading is Sexy!

 I love reading!  Maybe not as much as some people who always have their nose in a book, but I really enjoy the time that I get whisked away by a good read.
I also love a reader!  In my humble opinion, reading is like attractive accessory.  Hell, reading is down right SEXY! 

My favorite books are usually historical, mostly in and around the Tudor period, but I also have a darkness to me, so books set in Medieval Europe are alluring.  I just can't get enough: I want to swallow all the images in my mind, all the facts, all the characters.  I need to absorb it all!!  Except in the summer...the summer is when I pick up what I call "fluff".  I think EVERYONE should read & like what they are reading.  If you love reading something that I consider "fluff", I admire you for just picking the book up, because I love it too.  Fluff is what I consider an easy read.  Light & Fluffy.  I don't know about you, but in the summer I like to sit on the beach and read, or try to, because usually I am people watching or eaves dropping on the families next me (creeper, I know, but we are all guilty); with these VERY important tasked I involve myself in, how am I supposed to put my undivided attention into anything that needs undivided attention?  It helps in the summer, to keep the reading light. 

Recently, I won a book.  I selected it from other prizes because a friend had told me about it months ago.  I still had the post-it on my work desk, just so I wouldn't forget to check it out on Amazon.  I forgot, until I saw it as a potential prize.   I am sure many of you have heard of it.  It is now a best-seller.  The book that I won is called, The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  This book is something that I would normally consider "fluff", boy was I absolutely wrong.  This book, this amazing book is set in Jackson, Mississippi in 1963.  It is a book with beautiful, richly written, lovable & loath-able characters & a glorious storyline.  Why, oh why did I wait until the summer to read this?  Yes, it was an easy read, but the depths that Ms. Stockett reached was unparalleled for a novel of this nature.  I didn't want it to be over.  I even read the acknowledgements.  If you haven't read this book.  It is a MUST!!