An empty nester ~ winning Lottery ~ Easter weekend kind

If either of us saw a picture of us right now, we may have decided against one of the best decisions of our life.

I knew that my conversation with my 82/year young mother would keep paying forward in my consciousnesses thoughts.  Interesting how she gave me a zinger that caught my attention big time!  She said that I seemed more caught up in the present, letting go of the past, and no longer fretting with what the future has in mind.

The Hunkster Hubster picked up some groceries, where we share the chores of putting together dinner.  A ritual of sorts for the empty nesting kind.  Except this is the Easter long weekend where we get to spend the whole weekend together.  That is not a big deal in our world.  Even though we both work full time, our hours are lopsided and inconsistent.  To have a four day weekend off at the same time is of the winning-Lottery kind.

For my husband to recognize it as a special occasion makes our goofy get-ups almost forgivable.  Certainly, for sure if no kids were to drop by.  Since that is highly unlikely these days, it is about making sun when the sun shines.

Like the bed pan I found at Goodwill yesterday for $12 at half-price because it was 50% Blue Tag day there.  I've been the luckiest on Blue Tag Day.  Maybe there is a system to group things together as they are being priced?  Now wouldn't that be amazing eh?

I've been reading a lot about Bitcoin from ages ago.  Wanting to extrapolate what the "experts" said back then:  optimistic or pessimistic or skeptical?  One may think that it would be an accurate portrayal of how things unfold online.  However, let's be realistic and recognize that anything that is held online is vulnerable.

Then again Carney (another secret crush, that is no longer a secret) says that it may actually work:  that Blockchain may work across financial and global boundaries.  That WOULD be revolutionary.

Yet even if Carney were to drive up in a Limousine towing a Guelia for me (you know that red commercial?  I'd insert here for a fee.

At some point as a blogger or writer you have to decide that what you write is worthwhile.  Putting the words out there with hopes that someone would really like what you're saying and *POOF* you're a Brand Ambassador!!  Perfecto.  Bellisimo Mon Ami!!

I've supported @SocialFave as it was a launchling and now picking up steam.  Its CEO, Philippe Trebault @MisterFavor and I became connected back when I started in 2010.  March 2010 as a matter of fact.  Linked In was my very first approach to social media.   This group of early adopters I met there are the most important kind.  Somehow, even as I am compelled to go to work to earn my keep, there are those that pop out in front of me when I'm online.  I'd have to say the few that immediately come to mind:

* Sandy Hubbard @sandyhubbard
* Joseph Ruiz @josephyruiz
* Dave Reynolds @therealdavereynolds

Those are the long-timers that were experimenting and discovering a really neat feature nestled among the nest of social media, which was just starting to take flight:  the #hashtag conversation.

We've now graduated to being able to carry on public conversations with remarkable people of every different, race, color and kind.  Joined by intellect, creative minds, gifted wordsmiths, artists, photographers.  Yet as the millions clamber on board, how many are really making money or doing it to pass the time?

I think the most superb thing about starting out 7 years ago, some names were really getting widespread recognition (think Sean Knight + JessicaN + a few more that are at the top in the media's mind ... like the CEO Benoit who became a mutual follower back then.

Make new friends, love the old

one is silver and the other GOLD
as I grow each older, the more appreciative I've become of so many wonderful experiences to be blessed with, never for a moment taking any of it for granted.

working one's self to the core 
doesn't do anyone favors (p.s. in Canadianese the American favors is favored by spell check, but we Canadians taught articulation in the late 60s and the early 70s were blessed with the very big gift of expression. ..... :: anywayyyyyyyyyyyyyys [an 80s term for those yuppies still out there, and the Millennial wannabes ::.... how things have evolved eh?

In the folds of being born of the 60s
like wallflowers to the Baby Boomers, we observed, we absorbed the best parts, we have held our composure, and now we are parents of the gift to our generation:  the gift of the Millennial Bloom.  

We're pretty lucky
even though if you paid attention to statistics and stereotypical behavior, those born in the 60s were pre-packaged to lean towards failure.  If you think stereo-typing is dangerous, especially to mental health, think of the resilience and tenacity of anyone you know, been lucky enough to have met, or heaven help you if you're an offspring.

A beacon of light
to the Millennials is their embrace of the 80s culture.  Is it because there is a soul connection of what those of us in our 20s in the 80s aligned with what our own Millennials are facing.

Where optimism can be restored
when you think of what great things, events, game-changers occurred in the 80s, introduced back then, every day now.  

Boxers who come out of the corner
jumping into the obstacle ahead, head of, crouched in readiness to take the offensive with hardly a sniffle and long before a drop of sweat.  That would define those who lived their 20s in the 80s.  

I graduated from college in the 80s
and it was a great platform to launch a career.  Not limited by the restrictive curriculum, more persevering to land beyond the world of conformity, censorship, polite manners, poise and abloom with everything is impossible, we may as well make the impossible possible.

I notice some really talented folks out there.  Some that mere names crossed paths with me.  What a crazy, crazy CRAZY time, when I think back to it.  With gurgling reflection caught and captured from my conversation with my mother this afternoon.

Being the parent of a Millennial
is a worrisome, full board, attentive preoccupation.  You revel is the brilliance shining from your child born, first in 1989, with the others to follow in the 90s.  

We're lucky so they are lucky
as well.  Like skipping stones across a glass-like lake or quietly lapping ocean shore.  We may have been born in inopportune times, faced some pretty insur-mountable odds.  What we share is that grasp of not expecting anything for free, without commitment, not always sacrifice [ often by choice ] understanding the basic rightful work ethic:  

* work hard
* work honestly
* work with integrity
* be known for your word without all the numerous
* be committed to quality

* whatever you do, do it with pride

* love who you do it with, who you're surrounded by

* do your best always, it always pays off in spades

A dog eat dog world 
began with the Baby Boomers with entitlement mastered by GenX.  Where those born of the 60s, grew in the 80s, parents of the Millennials >> skipped >> over the hay days and landed in the middle of the first recession since the 1929 stock market crash [ if you do not know anything about this historical event, pause this article and go find out about it .... as my commitment to you as a blogger, you read ] we had to survive.  Really not much opportunity to learn as funds dried up and kids had to go leave post-secondary because their was some sort of crisis in their lives, with their family, that took more important measure instead.

Learn from your elders
as much as you can.  No time will be wasted.  I can guarantee that!  Talking to my mother, with so many wise words shared.  I even said to her:  "I hope I remember all of this for when I write later".  The gift of her wisdom was shone brightly upon me, like a face of a flower blooming forward towards the sun.  

I was a sponge in the 80s
that was my greatest gift.  I only had a college diploma, not even a university degree.  It was enough to teach me discipline and that anything worthwhile doesn't come free, without commitment and stick-to-it-ness that is just emerging within the Millennial generation.  

Millennials have faced fear
reflected in their parents eyes.  A strong, tough upper lip, and a straight spine.  We weren't even considering weakness, with goals clearly defined in our line of vision.  

Dedication, optimism ~
contagiously positive attitudes were bestowed upon our offspring.  Whether they grasped those sprinkles of enlightenment and hung on to the best qualities we shared.

Nobody is perfect
and neither is anyone who defines themselves as a Yuppie.  [ Or admits in select company and trusted members ] Who wear it as an emblem of pride, saying "who cares?" if they still have enough hair left to grow a mullet, why not?

As the Millennials groan
and tsk tsk with embarrassment to their very influential peers.  What their peers think of them is more important than their parents, their boyfriend, or their employer slash / boss could ever dream.  A peer sets the benchmark and the height of the peddle stool they are awarded, acclaimed, worshiped or refrained.

Be still thine parental heart
it is just a mutation of your chromosomes, evolved and collided with nature and environment to form an independent being, an individual.  I know it is very hard.  Like a moth does to a butterfly without the loss of the moth, is the butterfly allowed to form.

Be glad, be proud and be boastful
toward anyone who'll listen.  Those are the ones you want to be around.  They can relate, or your words resonate with them.

Unlike my mom's words
this afternoon.  They were so wise, so enlightening ... almost as though I was leaving a cocoon.    While I'd been living these 55 years, I was enclosed in a small outlook, not looking far beyond to where flowers bloom and the sun's flower is warm with a gentle wind, with an iced tea at my elbow.  I'm careful I don't give it a nudge to topple it over as I tap, tap, tap with the rhythm of my 1979 typing class on an electric typewriter.  Graduating exceeding 120 clicks minutes  ::.... now WHAT was it called back in those days when we took our speed tests on a manual typewriter?  Hmmmm I think it was ... nope not characters per second, or any variation of the Times New Roman font that was the only letters to be had, to write a letter, draw up an agreement or a contract.  

Some of us grew up with carbon copy
yet how many know what that material is?  What it is like to try to avoid staining your fingers on the sticky substance on its back with a wrapping-paper thin or thinner-than-onion paper thin [ I'm sure Google can show you what either of those things are .... if not, Wikipedia for sure ].

This is a story for those 
who remember the glory of being a yuppie.  Bringing in the 80s as we all turned 20.  That is a pretty unique identifiable experience, a uniqueness we can own.  A significant contribution to our society came from our decade.  [ you may have to dig back to my other INBETWEENERs blog (before we evolved to be called "YUPPYDOM" ) mere weeks ago I wrote about those who graduated from the 1960s and became icons of our time.  Across borders, beliefs, colors, race or country, the class of the 1960s born are unique with much to boast about.

Keep steady on the present.
Slam the door or gently close the past.  Forget about the future because it isn't anything you can touch right now.  So you may as well be aware of the present and make every moment count!

where everything is impossible, 

we may as well make the 

impossible possible

~Jeannette Marshall

Leadership politics or vision?

Environment politics vision

Two opposing forces
Perhaps it is politicians out of touch with what the people want?  I am starting to think that the difference between good or mediocre politicians and great leaders is their intuitive touch with their public and constituents.

Trump and Obama
Are two complete opposites with some common ground that nobody could disagree with:

• love of family
• love of country
• integrity of words
• charisma
• showmanship
• leadership
• commitment to commitments

Yet two areas they are on opposing views as the north is to the south, east to the west, on their vision for North America.

Whereas Obama's dedication to the environment may be his greatest legacy.  He also had commitment to the safety of people.  Recognizing through his real life experience, that anyone, regardless of genetics, history, paternity, color, race or beliefs, can grow and learn.  Stretch and reach his goals of leading what was once the most powerful nation in the world, to grab the baton of legends like Roosevelt, Kennedy, Lincoln or Washington were born.  Men of courage facing almost insurmountable odds, are reveled by history to which today's children and generations before or after to be learned from.

The commonality among the weakest links are not any less embarrassing for its citizens when it hits them hard, in their pride, love of country, and tenacity to carry on, despite everything.  Those are things that resonate with me when I think of the United States of America.

I wrote about them imploding back a few years ago.  I didn't really comment editorial on goings on in the world, but I have a few times.  Prophecy or deep understanding with perception on how to bundle the facts into predictions or road being traveled.  

My husband and I had this very hearty debate not twenty minutes ago.  These really cool discussions burst out of the folds of our daily living where one of us makes a comment on the state of the world based on current events.   In those brief five minutes, we nourished each out and boosted our viewpoints because we could defend our point of view in the safety of our appreciation and respect for each other.

Both Trump and Obama

clearly demonstrate love and devotion to their families, their wives, their children, their friends. Certainly how they differ on how conjoined the two are between family and office. What is a more obvious distinction is how it is made up.

Obama's love of wife and daughters 

is crystal clear.  His vision and direction were defined by leaving the world a better place for his daughters and the world.  He went after safety with his heart on his sleeve.  You cannot doubt his deep reflection on the devastation guns have self-inflicted among their midst.  Such a contrary to the view that the world perceives them to have:

That they are the world referee, where countries like Canada and England mere peacekeepers when violence erupts.  Upholding the rights of humanity and defending basic human rights by giving out riches in the form of monetary relief, protection, feeding the poor and saving the health of others before themselves.

"Your positiveness is like a beacon toward others, inspiring optimism and faith."

             

                        ~ Jeannette Marshall 

That is another distinct difference between Trump and Obama.  Their approaches are so different.  Obama's legendary empathy was trying to remove nuclear threat in areas that are war torn, corrupt or falling apart.  Obama zeroed in on the most foreseeable threats, and I'm guessing here .....

• The greatest singular figure posing a threat to the United States, North America and the UN was Bin laden.  As Bin Laden faded into the background, martyrdom growing as his survival held on.  Leading the fearful example that you can get away with murder and be acclaimed and praised for it.  The need to snuff it out clear.
• Corruption in the financial nucleus of American financiers was rampant.  Made worse by his powerless capability to inflict any change.  Handcuffed by the political system 

Critical attention 

on the environment versus it being a hoax seems apparent differences between Trump and Obama.  Completely opposing views.  The American citizens clearly confused between who is right, who is wrong, or is anybody right?

Health of the country views

communicated at odds.  Where one says that if you believe, you can accomplish and the other says the country is at the brink of disruption.

Health is a necessity

they both agree.  The journey or road map differing completely.  Causing instability and fear to the ill and the elderly and the poor.  Faith in its country ever brightly filled with optimism that the democracy alone can alleviate their concerns.

Self-destructive causes

appear differently in each others' eyes.  One sees the right to everyone to belong while the other sees it as being a privilege and not a right to live among the community it seeks to destruct.

Our home and native land

even has uncertainty clouding our core.  The questions one must ask is whether we are on a road of redemption and worthiness?  

Is the direction of our politics

in our eyes the vision we want for our future and children?   If it isn't, are we facing the right direction and making the changes needed to survive and flourish?

What comes first? Safety?Security?Air?

Is the debate we hear resonating among everyone:  the politicians, the media, our own voices.  What is our greatest risk immediately is what panic makes us ponder.  Our pocket books, our safety, or ability to breath for generations, not merely years to come?

There lies the difference

Who can make the strongest case in what should be the main focus today will be the winner.  If the lowly citizen is left to deal with the consequences, will it spell optimism, inspiration, activation and execution.

Promise made, promise delivered

Execution is being able to deliver on promises shaped by plans and steps taken.  When the promises are glowing brightly like a beacon as a lighthouse is for lost ships.

Defining your soul purpose

Welcome Spring and month of my birth
I appreciate every person who has taken the time to read a blog of mine, what an investment that is at times.

The real reason for MEANDERINGSabout
was because as I started to write and get some traction and smattering of loyal readers, it was like the uncorking of a bottle of champagne!  I wanted to write about positive things, circled around me, me, ME .... why not?  As our good Mexican friend, Oscar would always say during our visit to The Hilton in three years ago.  The main server at the Lobby bar.  One of the best Lobby Bars I've experienced from across fantasy, all inclusive, 5-star resorts.  It wasn't a Piano Bar, it was a social nucleus of the resort.  Open, spacious, tastefully decorated in the 60s/70s vibe.  Subtle creams, white, with bursts of burnt umber (hey, I remembered that from my oil painting days -- yes, I took lessons off and on over the background years. )  Oscar had a whimsical personality with a genuine heart and a broad smile.  I remember the exchanges each and every time ::... with my awesome older sister, Diana as my wing girl at the time [she complains slightly but really gets a kick out of my theatrics when I decide to unleash that side of my secret character].  She would come across her normal good-natured self, with a keen perception magnet ready to catch a dust of ego, which she just couldn't abide by.  From the times I can remember she loved being the older sister.  Minus any accusation of being snoopy, reframed in positive light of being ever so curious.  Imagine the Millennials gasping at the thought that I am going to share.  You see, back when I was in my teens, we had only one analog phone in our house and it was usually black with a rotary dial.  All six members of our family that included my mother and father, older brother, older sister, and younger brother.  We ALL shared the phone.    Everyone took turns answering the phone, a burdensome task best for someone else, yet the ceaseless ringing because the phone didn't know how to stop, did not go into voicemail, did not have caller ID, nor were there even fax beeps to contend with.  Similar to the battle of who would get up and change the channel?  Where the only way you could watch anything was on one television that was 20 inches and encased in a cabinet with surround sound (a radio in the same cabinet that was not in any way connected to the television, that would have been way way way too out there.  There were no other viewing monitors anywhere else in the house.  We would have to collectively agree on one thing to watch.  There weren't any remote control hogs even because there weren't any.  If you wanted to change the four (you were an early adopter) channels to watch something, you would have to get up and turn the dial directly on the television if you wanted to look through the limited channels.  There would be some hesitation by all simply because if it was your idea for what everyone would watch, you had the responsibility of getting up off your chair or section of the couch likelier with 6 family members and a dog were crowded around, to turn the channel.  Then manners were a BIG thing.  Or you may be getting the point that it was a pretty lazy house by now.  If you got up to go to the bathroom, it was required to take orders for the kitchen that you had to go past to go down the narrow hallway.  That the six of you shared.  Just think about the covert operation nailing down getting up in the morning, having a chance for a shower and any other laboratory needs, like shaving, pooping or peeing, eating breakfast, making lunch, getting off to work the 5 miles to school (substantially less than the 10 miles our parents had to travel in waist deep snow back in their day).  To survive in this household I took up reading.  I didn't know how smart I was at the time.  Everything else seemed too much of a hassle.

I'm watching theWorlds
the Figure Skating Championships and just loving it.  Last night Rob spent 28 minutes (yes, I timed him) while I was thoroughly amused at his thought process and determination to find figure skating that I wanted to watch last night.  I really am lucky.  Life isn't as complicated as we make it by ourselves.  We take on more than we should bear at times, but no more than we are able to bear.  Great people handle great responsibility.

I started thinking about reflecting upon these few questions.  Hoping others might join me.  Either by personal or business perspective, or artistic endeavor, what is its soul purpose?

You have to be able to define your soul purpose.  I don't think you can be on track unless you can define that.  So many fail, hit walls, yet bounce back and try another route.  It helps whittle them down to their soul purpose.

I was thinking while driving home that the more I try to explain the graFX.online website domain I've created, the better the vision becomes and starts to gel as its soul purpose is defined.  Pretty cool.  So if you were to force yourself to answer, what would they be:

* What is your soul purpose? __________________________________________
* Who do you see yourself with? __________________________________________
* How will it help others (or will you...) __________________________________________
* What will it look like? __________________________________________
* What will it do? __________________________________________
* Can you define it in 6 words or less? __________________________________________
* What are those 6 words? __________________________________________
* Where will you be? __________________________________________
* What will you have? (pen, paintbrush, camera)
___________________________________________
* What will it mean when it is done? ___________________________________________
* What sort of recognition will it have? ___________________________________________
* Will it create awards?  Rewards? ___________________________________________
* What is it a stepping stone to? ___________________________________________
* What will you need to learn to do it? ___________________________________________
* What sort of money would you expect to make? ___________________________________________
* Is it a title or a meaning? ___________________________________________

Leave transgenders alone, give it a rest ::...

Too few role models:  SOURCE

A question was posted on QUORA and I felt compelled to respond:

Why don't transgender people use the restrooms corresponding to their genitals to try and end the needless transgender bathroom controversy?

It is none of our business.

This reminds me of things we have to struggle with growing up::…. what IS our identity? What IS our moral standard? Should others have THE right to determine what is best for US?

Almost ALL of us in the age of inBETWEENers (born 1960 to 1965, neither Baby Boomers, Generation X, nor Millennials) must REMEMBER what the biggest questions of our day were? If others forgot, I can share with you: Do you or don’t you circumcise your newborn son?

SOURCE:  "Boys" by William E. Rochfort 

Remember that? I do. Is it necessary or more to do with mental well being our our son: likeness to daddy. It was something I read avidly read about because sometimes reading becomes “PEACE of MIND”. In this instance, we were RESPONSIBLE for making decisions for our children.

However, this topic should be a NONtopic because it is simply none of our business. If it is not us, nor our child, we don’t belong. I, for uniquely one, could not imagine the struggle this mere question asks ~ it is SO very judgMENTAL on so many fronts. Nor is it a practical questions. Why? Girls bathrooms in elementary school have stalls. Even at swimming pools and gym lockers: there are closed stalls.

If we don’t make a BIG deal out of this question, then the persons it affects are free to chose the best way that puts them at PEACE. To imagine what it is like to be DIFFERENT when the word itself claims: “Freak”! That is so far from the truth and requires each of us to delve deep inside our humanity humanitarianism by avoiding an opinion on what is personal and none of our business.

SOURCE:  Follow Will Rochfort on Twitter 

The worst thing you can do is underscore the misconception that there is something wrong with a transgender. Especially when each one of us have our own skeletons we hide.

SOURCE

On the practical, logical side. If a boy that identifies as a girl, looks and acts like a girl, feels more comfortable with girls, rather than boys, goes into a girls washroom, they can simply go into the bathroom stall. To say that everyone bares down to the birthday suits multiple times a day, more likely a month, or more….. there are girls that are shy and will go into the bathroom stall to change into swimsuit or gym clothes. Which one is different than the next, is for each individual to decide, not anyone else’s claim to identification.

SOURCE: Matheus Pinto

There is a solution. Certainly a priority would be to STOP talking, covering, writing, posting, chatting, murmuring about this topic as though there is something wrong with a transgender person. I repeat:  a person.  It wasn’t for them to decide who they are nor is it mine, or ours, to judge.

This viewpoint was in answer to a question posted on QUORA.com ::.. an escape to learn about what matters or what people are talking about.  Originally, I used as a sales blogging tool, now it stimulates interest on topics that one may not have the opportunity to discuss, rationally, online.  It is monitored, it avoids abuse of any kind.  It is healthy.  Good mental health.  A setting that allows you to take a stand on your viewpoint or nudge others to your point of view.  

Best of all:  a safe place to investigate your own perspective, on your own time.