Focus, focus, focus

That’s my theme for 2016.

I finally heard about the supervisor position I applied for…

I was told that I was at the top of the list of candidates but the job posting was incorrect and should have included a degree requirement.
Basically, I`m the person for the job but since I don`t have a degree, I`m out. They are reposting a corrected job posting which will include the degree requirement.
I get it. A mistake was made and needed to be corrected but did it really take 6 months to get the cajones to admit it.

:/

That means that I won`t get, as my friend Ann calls it, a “grown-up schedule”.
But that also means I have every other Monday off and my goal this year is to spend those Mondays focusing on my writing and photography. Two hobbies I really enjoy but don`t do enough of to be considered good.
So, here we go.

Filed under: Careers, Change, Goals, Life, Photography

Well Hello 2016!

I’m actually looking forward to this year.

Focus is my theme for 2016.

I had very little of it in 2015 and felt very scattered and unproductive in all aspects of my life.

Just like last year, this year I’m not going to write a long and winding post about goals and resolutions.

I’m just going to focus on life and happiness, and then sit back and go with the flow.

Happy New Year to all my family, friends, and anyone else  who happens to read this, I hope you have a great 2016.

Filed under: Life Tagged: 2016, Goals, Happiness

2015. Another Year In Review

Last year I set a goal to clean up my pictures and repost them to Flickr in a more organized fashion.

Well, that didn’t happen.

I also started a 365 Questions Challenge. I was supposed to answer a different question each day of the year.

I think I made it to the end of the year.

I resolved to be more focused on family, friends, health, and happiness.

Waivered a little in this area as well.

2014 was a pretty unfocused for me. I had a few blows to my confidence at work this year that sort of left me off balance.

I applied for a supervisor position only to be told that I was not qualified (no degree). A similar position at another location was announced and the posting mentioned nothing about a degree so I applied for it. It closed on June 29th.

The position is still open and no interviews have been conducted, not just with me, I mean no one has been interviewed. 6 months without a word. My mind has been reeling with all kinds of speculation and my moods have been swinging all over the place and this has not really allowed me to be focused at all.

But here is what went well in 2015….

I managed to write 84 blog posts and read 47 books.

Evelyn and I just celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary. I’m still amazed she puts up with me.

We spent a week in Puerto Rico. It was our first time and I’m determined to make sure it is not our last. What an amazing place. A truly beautiful place with amazing food and wonderful people. I wanted to look for a place to live.

 

We had a new furnace and air conditioner install at the house.

We bought a new car.

No one  spent a night in the hospital.

No one lost their job.

All was well in 2014.

Filed under: Life Tagged: 2014, Books, Goals, Life, Puerto Rico, Resolutions

QOTD–Did you work hard today?

Yes I did.

I mowed the front and back yards including the shared strips between us and the neighbors.

Spread some grass seed.

Planted some zinnia seeds.

Turned the automatic sprinklers back on. They didn’t work. Managed to soak myself from head to toe. They still don’t work.

Took a shower (you’re welcome).

Napped

Been writing furiously to catch up on a month’s worth of “Question of the Day”.

Still typing.

Going grocery shopping later.

Still typing.

 

 

 

While writing this, I was listening to Red Cadillac and a Black Moustache by Brian Setzer from Rockabilly Riot, Vol. 1: A Tribute to Sun Records.

QOTD–What Did You Find Inspiring Today?

Man, I was tired today so I guess I wasn’t really paying attention.

It wasn’t an uninspired day but I just can’t think of one specific thing.

Lent 2015

Wednesday, February 18th through Thursday, April 2nd

As I’ve said in the past, not Catholic, don’t attend Christian services, kind of agnostic, but feel there is some larger power than us.

I recently saw the movie “Wish I Was Here’ written, directed, and starring Zach Braff.

There was a scene where he talks to a Rabbi about God and the Rabbi’s explanation is about a close as you can get to how I picture God.

God is what ever you need him to be.

Wish I Was Here–God As Infinity

As a kid, I had trouble visualizing an endless universe so I imagined we were in a glass jar sitting on a bookshelf in the house of some “higher” being. Maybe some science fair project. If you could travel far enough, you would eventually run into the glass.

As an adult, I have trouble believing in a vengeful God. One who is waiting to strike me down or turn his back on me whenever I’ve committed that one sin too many.

Let me clarify that this was not the teachings of my parents, they did a wonderful job of explaining things to me and by being an example in how they lived.

It was the teachings of the church I attended as a child that terrified me. I never really thought I would become an adult because God was going to destroy the world before I ever became a teenager.

I prefer to see God in nature, the blooming flowers, freshly fallen snow, rain on a hot summer day, and that infinite night sky full of stars.

I’m not sure how all this relates to Lent but I just needed to get that out.

For Lent, I’ve decided to give up soft drinks. Nothing but water, tea, and coffee for me. Ok, and maybe a beer or two.

I’ve also decided to add something for Lent as well. I am committing to at least one physical activity a day. Something besides walking since I average a couple of miles a day on my job. I‘m thinking some sort of exercise. Pushup, sit ups, going to the gym, etc.

It will do me good to drink less soda and maybe establish a habit of working out on a regular basis.

What are your plans for Lent?

 

 

While writing this I was listening to " You Are In Love" from "Paste Valentine's Day Sampler" by "Shannon Whitworth"

 

Watching you leave
Out the black back door
I know you are sick
I felt that before.
Driving away
No words to never say
What you want me to know
What you want me to say
You are in love with me
You are in love with me
One thing I believe
You are in love with me
Truth can untie me
The locks won't let go
Your skin is all around me
But I'll never get old
If you are here at the end
Or the next life begins
It's eternal bliss
Tragedies never can begin
You are in love with me
You are in love with me
One thing I believe
You are in love with me
This is when my heart drops
Like the ticking of a clock
In the silence of the night
No, you will never ever stop
You are in love with me
You are in love with me
One thing I believe
You are in love with me
You are in love with me
You are in love with me
One thing I believe
You are in love with me
Read more at http://www.songlyrics.com/shannon-whitworth/you-are-in-love-lyrics/#G2m6gM7e7yVE6ic7.99

QOTD–I Wish I Had ________

a little more courage to step outside my comfort zone.

I have missed out on past opportunities because of a fear of the unknown.

There have been times throughout my life that I knew I had the talent, abilities, and qualifications to do things differently but the fear of embarrassing myself or drawing attention to myself or repeating past mistakes has stopped me. 

Oh, woe is me. The life of an introvert.

I marvel at family and friends who can step right out and take risks without constant analyzation of the “what if” scenarios.

You know, what if I fail, what if someone is offended, or laughs, or….

For the past few years, I have been building up the courage to step outside my box a little more. I’ve made big strides, little by little.

Whining, confessing, and bitching on this blog for the past 7 years has helped too.

In the last couple of years, I’ve scooted a little further out on the limb and in the near future I plan on scooting out a little more.

The limb hasn’t broke yet.

 

“Why not go out on a limb? That’s where the fruit is.” –Mark Twain

 

 

While writing this I was listening to " Don't Try So Hard" from "Queen Forever" by "Queen"

 

If you're searching out for something -
Don't try so hard
If you're feeling kinda nothing -
Don't try so hard
When your problems seem like mountains
You feel the need to find some answers
You can leave them for another day
Don't try so hard
But if you fall and take a tumble -
It won't be far
If you fail you mustn't grumble -
Thank your lucky stars
Just savour every mouthful
And treasure every moment
When the storms are raging round you
Stay right where you are
Don't try so hard
Oooh don't take it all to heart
It's only fools they make these rules
Don't try so hard
One day you'll be a sergeant major
Oh you'll be so proud
Screaming out your bloody orders
Hey but not too loud
Polish all your shiny buttons
Dressed as lamb instead of mutton
But you never had to try
To stand out from the crowd
Oh what a beautiful world
Is this the life for me
Oh what a beautiful world
It's the simple life for me
Oh don't try so hard
Oh don't take it all to heart
It's only fools - they make these rules
Don't try so hard
Don't try so hard

QOTD–Tomorrow I Will _______.

drink more water instead of sodas and stay off social media.

It’s amazing how much time I can spend waste on Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

 

While writing this I was listening to " Crazy Days" from "Crazy Days - Single of the Week" by "Adam Gregory"

 

Baby, lets take a drive, top down
Underneath the Carolina sky
We can watch the fireflies
Try to outshine the stars
I wanna lay a blanket down
Find a way back
To where our love was found
Baby, lets go right now
Back to our hearts
Beating wild
In the back of my beat up truck
Back to those butterflies
First time we felt in love
Back to your smiling eyes
Come on, baby, take my hand
Let's find a way back to our crazy days
Don't worry about what to wear
Those faded cut off jeans are my favorite pair
Don't go messing with your hair
Let it all blow around
Move over in the middle by me
Just like you did
When your daddy couldn't see
Why his little girl loved a boy like me
Back to our hearts
Beating wild
In the back of my beat up truck
Back to those butterflies
First time we felt in love
Back to your smiling eyes
Come on, baby, take my hand
Let's find a way back to our crazy days
You remember cutting class
Heading to the creek
Doin' '95 down a two lane street
Staying up all night
Talkin' about forever you and me
I can see that look in your eyes
And if I know you, they don't lie
They're telling me
You're thinking about going back
About getting back
Back to our hearts
Beating wild
In the back of my beat up truck
Back to those butterflies
First time we felt in love
Back to your smiling eyes
Come on, baby, take my hand
Let's find a way back to our crazy days

QOTD–What Is making You Mad?

Mad?

As in crazy. Insane. Angry.

The problem with these questions is some of them have double meanings.

That’s starting to get annoying.

Really, if I had to answer this question 2 years ago, I would have had to answer everything. Whether it be financial or work related, the smallest things were enough to make my angry and act childish.

Today, not so much. I’ve spent a lot of time the last few years reflecting, reading, and learning how to be calmer and happier.

Like the question the other day about change, I have been able to create new habits that make me stop and think instead of reacting. Sure those old habits are still there and if  I’m tired I start to feel the old frustrations resurface. I’ve learned to reroute those frustrations by distracting myself with something that makes me happy such as picking up a book or turning on some music or blogging.

The key is to realize that some people or situations are not going to change so you need to change how you react to them.

 

 

While writing this I was listening to " Slide" from "Whatever: The '90s Pop and Culture Box Disc 7" by "The Goo Goo Dolls"

 

Could you whisper in my ear
The things you wanna feel
I'd give you anythin'
To feel it comin'
Do you wake up on your own
And wonder where you are?
You live with all your faults
I wanna wake up where you are
I won't say anything at all
So why don't you slide
Yeah, I'm gonna let it slide
Don't you love the life you killed?
The priest is on the phone
Your father hit the wall
Your ma disowned you
Don't supposed I'll ever know
What it means to be a man
It's somethin' I can't change
I'll live around it
I wanna wake up where you are
I won't say anything at all
So why don't you slide
Ooh, slide
And I'll do anythin' you ever dreamed to be complete
Little pieces of the nothin' that fall
Oh, May
Put your arms around me
What you feel is what you are
And what you are is beautiful
Oh, May
Do you wanna get married Or run away?
And I'll do anythin' you ever dreamed to be complete
Little pieces of the nothin' that fall
Oh, May
Put your arms around me
What you feel is what you are
And what you are is beautiful
Oh, May
Do you wanna get married
Or run away?
I wanna wake up where you are
I won't say anything
And I'll do anythin' you ever dreamed to be complete
(Yeah, slide)
Little pieces of the nothin' that fall
(yeah slide)
And I'll do anythin' you ever dreamed to be complete
(Yeah slide)
Little pieces of the nothin' that fall
(Oh, oh slide)
Yeah, slide between the sheets of all them beds you never knew
(Yeah slide)
Why don't you slide into my room
Just slide into my room
Oh, we'll run away, run away, run away

Books I Read In 2014

Hit my annual goal of 50.

 

1. ... then just stay fat. by Shannon Sorrels

2. Beginner's Digital SLR Crash Course: Complete guide to mastering digital photography basics, understanding exposure... by Deep Cove Publishing

3. Blockade Billy by Stephen King

4. Breakfast With Buddha by Roland Merullo

5. Bubba and the Dead Woman by C.L. Bevill

6. Cadillac Beach: A Novel (Serge Storms) by Dorsey, Tim

7. Calico Joe by Grisham, John

8. Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast

9. Capture the Magic: Train Your Eye, Improve Your Photographic Composition by Jack Dykinga

10. Chalktown by Melinda Haynes

11. Click: One Novel, Ten Authors by Nick Hornby, David Almond, Eoin Colfer and Roddy Doyle

12. Creative Nature & Outdoor Photography, Revised Edition by Brenda Tharp

13. Drive by Sallis, James

14. Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Truss, Lynne

15. Florida Roadkill: A Novel (Serge Storms) by Tim Dorsey

16. Goodnight Mind: Turn Off Your Noisy Thoughts and Get a Good Night's Sleep by Colleen E. Carney and Rachel Manber

17. How To Disappear Completely by David Bowick

18. How to Change Your Entire Life by Doing Absolutely Nothing: 10 Do-Nothing Relaxation Exercises to Calm You Down Quickly So You Can Speed Forward Faster by Karen Salmansohn

19. How to Write Short: Word Craft for Fast Times by Roy Peter Clark

20. I'm Almost Out of Cha: Woody Paige's Chalk Board Tales by Woody Paige

21. If It Bleeds (Rapid Reads) by Linda Richards

22. If You Ask Me: (And of Course You Won't) by Betty White

23. Joyland (Hard Case Crime) by Stephen King

24. Little Lies by Heather Gudenkauf

25. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children Book 1) by Ransom Riggs

26. Missing Persons (Alan Gregory Series) by Stephen White

27. My Planet: Finding Humor in the Oddest Places by Mary Roach

28. No Safe House by Linwood Barclay

29. Paper Towns by John Green

30. Praying Drunk by Kyle Minor

31. Six-Word Memoirs on Love and Heartbreak by Smith, Larry and Fershleiser, Rachel

32. Talking Pictures by Ransom Riggs

33. The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande

34. The Colorado Kid by King, Stephen

35. The Digital Photography Book, Part 4 by Scott Kelby

36. The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3 by Kelby, Scott

37. The Digital Photography Book: Part 1 (2nd Edition) by Kelby, Scott

38. The Homecoming (Wonderfully Illustrated Short Pieces) by Ray Bradbury and Dave McKean

39. The Hunter and Other Stories by Hammett, Dashiell, Layman, Richard and Rivett, Julie

40. The Inner City Mother Goose by Eve Merriam and David Diaz

41. The Song of the Quarkbeast: The Chronicles of Kazam, Book 2 by Fforde, Jasper

42. The Texas Stories of Nelson Algren by Nelson Algren and Bettina Drew

43. The Unapologetic Fat Girl's Guide to Exercise and Other Incendiary Acts by Blank, Hanne

44. The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why by Ripley, Amanda

45. Thinking Photography by Diane Asseo Griliches

46. This Year I Will...: How to Finally Change a Habit, Keep a Resolution, or Make a Dream Come True by M.J. Ryan

47. To Die For: A Novel (Blair Mallory) by Howard, Linda

48. Torchwood: Another Life by Anghelides, Peter

49. West of Last Chance by Kent Haruf and Peter Brown

50. With My Dog Eyes: A Novel by Hilda Hilst

2015 Goals and Resolution

Ok, here’s another annual ritual that me and everyone else goes through. Usually I expound extensively on how I’m going to change and set all these lofty goals that I stress over for the next year.

This year I’m not really setting goals. Sort of.

I have a few projects that I want to accomplish such as cleaning up my photos and reposting them to Flickr in a more orderly fashion.

I also stumbled across a 365 Questions challenge where you answer a new question about yourself every day so that should help meet my constant goal to write more.

Other than that, my focus for 2015 will be family, friends, health, and happiness.

 

 

Cheers!

May the new year be the beginning of the best of your life.

 

 

 

While writing this I was listening to " The River" from "Had to Cry Today" by "Joe Bonamassa"

 

Down by the river
That's where I broke down and cried
Down by the river
That's where I lay down and died

Going down to the river
For as long as I can stand
Mama told me "Son, "
as she took a hold of my hand

"Water runs so deep,
Deep as all my pain, "
Down by the river, honey
Lord, can I be saved?

I said down by the river
That's where I broke down and cried
I said down by the river
That's where I broke down and cried

I said down by the river
Heartaches soaked in wine
I'm just lookin' for redemption
For that wanderin' soul of mine

Pull me to my knees
As I drown in the pouring rain
Down by the river, honey
I still see your face

Sometimes around midnight
They'd come knocking at my door
I said sometimes around midnight,
Hell hounds found what they're looking for

Well those flashing lights told me
Didn't have to say a word
Someone took my baby
Someone took away my world

All they found was a letter
I should never have let her go
The river's the only witness
The only one who knows

And the wind whispers her name
And all the lonesome years
Water turns to whiskey
I drown in my own tears

Down by the river
I see my life in flames
Down by the river honey
I call out your name

I call out your name

I call out your name