Monday
Changing
"...I know this would have happened anyway. That what I need to survive is not Gale's fire, kindled with rage and hatred. I have plenty of fire myself. What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how our losses. That it can be good again. And only Peeta can give me that."
The Language of Nature
Watching people fly over my head, I sit on the edge of the world.
I have been granted a spiritual gift, to learn the Language of Nature.
To see what cannot be seen, I must change the way I see.
I will be able to fly over my spiritual web and view the lives of those I'm connected too, to see what can't be seen.
I will guide them on their spiritual journey through this iteration of life.
Next steps...? Learn to read.
It's All About Perspective
You must change the way you see things, to see what can't be seen. A single wide mobile home in a run down park may not be the mansion of your dreams. Compare that to a cardboard box for a roof and suddenly that little mobile home is much more appealing. I look at the blemishes on my face and see ugliness. I look at a little girl covered in 3rd degree acid burns from an 'honor attack', smiling through the bandages, and see nothing but beauty and courage. Why? Perspective.
I must change my thoughts to change my mind, to change my perspective, to change my intentions, to change my actions, to change my life, to change my world. Someone recently told me I have a victim mentality. Though I argued against it, it pricked me, like a verbal slap across my heart. How often have I used excuses, blame and faulted others for my own life, actions and feelings? I must understand that no one can make me feel anything. I control my feelings. I control my thoughts. I control my life. I choose my future. I am living this moment because of the choices I made and path I walked to get here.
We're told to look at the world through the eyes of a child to see the beauty. What if we tried to look at our own world through the eyes of someone with much less than us, to see what we truly have? To find true gratitude, and recognize my blessings, I need to help those who need a hand. I have needed help before and it's time to return the favor.
I must change my thoughts to change my mind, to change my perspective, to change my intentions, to change my actions, to change my life, to change my world. Someone recently told me I have a victim mentality. Though I argued against it, it pricked me, like a verbal slap across my heart. How often have I used excuses, blame and faulted others for my own life, actions and feelings? I must understand that no one can make me feel anything. I control my feelings. I control my thoughts. I control my life. I choose my future. I am living this moment because of the choices I made and path I walked to get here.
We're told to look at the world through the eyes of a child to see the beauty. What if we tried to look at our own world through the eyes of someone with much less than us, to see what we truly have? To find true gratitude, and recognize my blessings, I need to help those who need a hand. I have needed help before and it's time to return the favor.
Monday Meetings
It's Monday. A Monday with 4 meetings on my calendar. 4 one-hour long meetings. That's half of my day spent listening to someone else talk at me. Why is this a good way to spend my workday? Oh yeah, because I'm still getting paid to sit here and listen to someone talk at me. The current meeting is about productivity. I'm enjoying the irony.
What do you call a hooker in a wheelchair?
Roll-Aids!
What do you call a hooker in a wheelchair?
Roll-Aids!
Freewrite
Raze
How is it possible that something so stalwart and seemingly endless can fall? She struggled with the reality of seeing her old school razed to ground, making way for a new mini mall. Those walls in pieces in the back of the dumptruck held the voices and memories of her childhood friends, teachers and youthful life. A small part of her soul jumped with joy at the opportunity and excitement of the new, but it was overridden with the sorrow of loss. Part of her had been torn down with those walls and all that remained was in her mind. How long could that last? A season for all things.
She kept driving past her old stomping grounds, through the town she had lived all her live and now barely recognized. The big box stores brought discounts and 'Going out of Business' signs with every foreign cartload sold. Is there a place in this world not tainted by greed and ease? Where men and women still worked for what they valued and children played outside until dark? She longed for the days of homecooked meals around the table and real chopped wood in the fireplace.
The road ahead with it's dotted yellow lines did not have the speed limit of the interstate, but she was in no hurry. All roads are connected in this land, she'll drive until things make sense again.
How is it possible that something so stalwart and seemingly endless can fall? She struggled with the reality of seeing her old school razed to ground, making way for a new mini mall. Those walls in pieces in the back of the dumptruck held the voices and memories of her childhood friends, teachers and youthful life. A small part of her soul jumped with joy at the opportunity and excitement of the new, but it was overridden with the sorrow of loss. Part of her had been torn down with those walls and all that remained was in her mind. How long could that last? A season for all things.
She kept driving past her old stomping grounds, through the town she had lived all her live and now barely recognized. The big box stores brought discounts and 'Going out of Business' signs with every foreign cartload sold. Is there a place in this world not tainted by greed and ease? Where men and women still worked for what they valued and children played outside until dark? She longed for the days of homecooked meals around the table and real chopped wood in the fireplace.
The road ahead with it's dotted yellow lines did not have the speed limit of the interstate, but she was in no hurry. All roads are connected in this land, she'll drive until things make sense again.
Can you please just...
When time seems to stand in the background and the clouds watch you walk by, why not answer the questions in your mind with the answers you already know? What would you say to your best friend if the question was asked? Why not take that advice and live it? Why question the knowledge given to you from the source? Apathy and indifference have never led to happiness. Steel is strengthened by fire, not burned by it. Can you please just...
Friday
Goals
GOALS FOR FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE
SHORT TERM (WITHIN 12 MONTHS)
1. OWN 3 MULTI-FAMILY RENTAL PROPERTIES (DUPLEX, TRIPLEX OR QUADPLEX)
2. OWN 3 SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL PROPERTIES
3. HAVE $25,000 CASH ON HAND
4. COMPLETE THE PURCHASE/ACQUISITION OF 1 PROPERTY EVERY 2 MONTHS
5. BUILD CREDIT PORTFOLIO WITH LOCAL BANKS AND HARD MONEY LENDERS
6. OPEN AND FULLY FUND SELF DIRECTED ROTH IRA OR 401(K) FOR SILVER/COMMODITIES INVESTING
LONG TERM (WITHIN 5 YEARS)
1. CASHFLOW FROM RENTALS PROPERTIES WILL REPLACE MY INCOME & BENEFITS AND ALLOW ME TO QUIT MY JOB, $7,000 PER MONTH.
2. MAINTAIN $25,000 CASH ON HAND
3. HAVE $25,000 EMERGENCY FUND
4. INCREASE CREDIT PORTFOLIO TO $200,000
5. OWN 10 MULTI-FAMILY RENTAL PROPERTIES
6. OWN 10 SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL PROPERTIES
Tuesday
Who, Where, Why?
If you can tell me who lived here, where this house is and why it's SOOOO famous, I will give you a dollar!Thursday
Just Because
Just because you are smarter, taller, prettier, richer, shorter, younger, older, wiser, dumber, poorer, or whatever doesn't mean you are better than the person sitting next to you in this life. We are all on the same tiny piece of rock floating through the vastness of space. Let's try for a minute to be kind, be gentle and be forgiving of those around us. We are fragile. Is that so much to ask?
Monday
Thursday
Welcome Autumn!
I love the Fall, especially Fall in the South. What a gorgeous time of year! The trees explode with fountains of color. Fallen leaves begin to cover the ground, ready to be crunched with each step. The weather turns cool and brisk, getting ready for apple cider and pumpkin pies! Everything seems to be calming down, preparing to nestle in as Winter watches from the horizon. I am so grateful to be in this beautiful part of the country and enjoy the changing seasons around me.
Tuesday
35 Weeks!!
The booty is getting bigger along with the belly. J. says I'm balanced! I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not?
Wednesday
Thursday
Wednesday
Up to Speed
For my 1 1/2 readers, here are some updates to get you up to speed on my life.
- I'm Married! J. and I got married in May. My grandfather walked me down the aisle!
- I'm Pregnant! It's a GIRL!! Our daughter, Nora Ashton, is due on 11/9/11. If I can push my knees together for two days she'll arrive on 11/11/11. Wouldn't that be an awesome birthday!?
- Our mastiff Ben died :,o( He was 11 years old and we buried him in the backyard. Random facts: He and I shared the same birthday. He as adopted by our cat, Minnie Mouse. Ben's mom was also named Minnie Mouse, but we didn't know that at the time we named the cat. We think the cat was Ben's mom, reincarnated to be with him in his last days.
- The cat, Minnie Mouse, whom we also call Momma Cat, is on her second set of kittens. J. brought her home after being abandonded at one of his rental properties, and she was pregnant immediately after arriving. I meant to get her fixed after her first litter, but everthing crazy happened with J. and before we knew it, she was fat again. As of today, we have 8 cats at our house. That is ridiculous. Want a cute grey and white kitten? I have plenty to share.
- J. is past his bout with MRSA, a terrifying and eye-opening experience I tell you. If you think something is bug bite, but it doesn't itch, please don't ignore it. It could put you in the hospital or worse.
- Strange pregnancy cravings: mustard, fried chicken, sliced tomatoes with rice vinegar, cookies at 3am, Golden Delicious apples, carbs of any kind, fruit of any kind.
- Got rear-ended by a teenage boy playing with his iPod. We are fine, car is the shop as I type.
- That's about it for now.
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