Grace Under Pressure (That's Me)

Wednesday, January 15, 2014
"Courage is grace under pressure" is a famous quotation by Ernest Hemingway. Tell us about a personal moment of your grace under pressure.

Sept 9, 2012 I held my head up high and walked in to my ex husband's visitation/funeral like I belonged there. I went for my kids and my grandkids and I was glad I did. I talked to ex in laws and a lot of Benny sympathizers who hated me after I left (even though HE was the one who had the girlfriend if you recall) and I stayed till the very end. I even pretended I didn't see that little witch girlfriend when she showed up even though by now I realize she did me a favor.(They didn't last of course and I actually LIKED the girlfriend he had when he died. And just because she did me a favor doesn't mean I have to like her anyway).

RIP Benny Combs see ya in the next world

Doing the Un Doable (A Different Kind of Pressure)

Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Marge Piercy said: "A strong woman is a woman determined to do something others are determined not be done." Tell us about a time when you did what couldn't be done.

OK this is one stupid story, lol.

Once upon a time, when I lived in a green house in a cornfield, I took my knitting into town to show the old lady who lived in the green house in the cornfield before me. She took one look at my knitting and exclaimed "You can't do that! You can't mix wool and cotton and acrylic all in one piece!"

I looked at her and said "Mable, I got some news for ya sweetie. There are NO KNITTING POLICE and if I want to mix fibers in this shawl I will"

And I did.

The end.

Now you can do the same. Go gather up all your odds and ends of yarns and for the love of God Make Sure they are DIFFERENT Fibers!

Here's a free pattern to get you going

http://andra-asars.com/free_patterns/art_class_mixed_fiber_c_c_pat.htm

A woman is like a tea bag...(Under Pressure Again)

Monday, January 13, 2014
Eleanor Roosevelt said: "A woman is like a tea bag - you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water."  Tell us about a time you felt your strength.

2001- Hateful year indeed. Found out my husband had a girlfriend in the same week I found out my daughter needed brain surgery. Got rid of the husband and got my daughter through brain surgery only to face the events of Sept 11 and the downfall of my craft business.

Thinking back, I did have a breakdown late that year but I was really strong during the actual brain surgery and medical-everything leading up to it. My daughter and I both look back fondly on the whole ordeal. She's fine, by the way. It wasn't cancer it was an AVM which is evidently genetic as my cousin's daughter had one also. We all toyed with the idea of having our children tested but let's be real. We couldn't afford CT scans or MRIs so until they get symptoms we're just gonna act like it ain't happening again.

Here's a link to a neurosurgery site so you can understand what AVM is

http://neurosurgery.ufl.edu/patient-care/diseases-conditions/arteriovenous-malformation-avm/

Where I Stand Sunday (Avoiding Pressure)

Here she stands getting ready to go to the last quilt guild meeting she got to attend. At least she's wearing her spiffy new apron she just made. I wish my daughter would hurry up and find that black top. I miss it.

Silly Saturday (Another Way to Avoid Pressure)

Those Victorians sure knew how to take some awesome pictures didn't they?

Acupressure (Pressure Points Again)

Friday, January 10, 2014
Have you ever tried acupressure to treat a problem? What was your experience with it?

This makes me think yesterday's question was actually literal.

Yes, I have used acupressure to try to relieve headaches. You push your thumb into the point formed by your other thumb and finger when you make an OKAY sign. Here's a pic:

Here's how you do it:

and a Youtube demonstration. The neck massage looks promising!

I have to honestly admit it doesn't help all that much but hope springs eternal and I keep trying.

Tender Spots (Pressure Points)

Thursday, January 9, 2014
A pressure point translates in Japanese to "tender spot." What are your pressure points?

I'm not quite understanding this question. is it literal as in "Where are the tender spots on your body?" or is it more like "What are your emotional tender spots"?

When in doubt answer both.

My body has one for sure tender spot on my lower left back. It was a sure sign of my impending period. Ugh.

Emotionally there are things from my past that are still "Sore spots". One is the farm I lived on for 13 years out by Cissna Park. I still don't like to drive past it. I don't want to talk about certain subjects either, like my recent divorce. I prefer to live in the here and now not dwelling on these things. But trust me, they still hurt.

Dissecting the Peer Pressure (Pressure THIS)

Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Can peer pressure be positive? Why or why not?

Of course it can be good. One might associate peer pressure with only bad things, smoking, drugs, mob action...but in reality your peers can influence you for good also. If you hang with good people you will get good peer pressure.

I try to hang with good people now that I'm older and wiser.

Are all my friends "good"? No, but I try to limit contact with those. I still love 'em n stuff but I know I will benefit more by "walking with wise persons". Age does have its advantages.

Proverbs 13:20 says it all.

Blizzard Update

We interrupt this Pressure filled blog series to update on the blizzard/arctic pulse. I am fine and well but eating myself silly as a result of some sort of survival instinct. I got some things done though and have been playing my guitar, painting, knitting,reading, semi-organizing stuff and testing the little flowerpot heater (works great!)

Against the Stream (Take THAT Peer Pressure)

Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Tell us about a time when you didn't bend to peer pressure, and you swam against the stream.

Every day now I take a stand against peer pressure. I have made a choice not to celebrate birthdays or holidays and both these things permeate everyday life like the air we breathe.

There are 7 billion or so people on earth and only 365 days in a year. That means every day it is almost 20 million people's birthdays. I feel like I have at least 1 billion friends on facebook (really only 500 but hey) Everyday it's someone's birthday. I don't join the happy throngs of well wishers. I don't make a stink about it either though.

The world also goes from one holiday to the next. New Years, Valentines Day, St Patrick's Day, Easter, so on and so forth. I don't jump on those band wagons either. We just passed Christmas. OMG if you don't celebrate the so called Birthday of Jesus Christ! Fact- Jesus was NOT born on December 25- Look it up. Fact- Jesus would not have celebrated his birthday as he was Jewish born- Look it up.

I believe in Jesus. Yes, he was indeed born lol. Just not on December 25. Try looking into the origins of all popular holidays.You might be surprised.

Again, I don't raise a stink about this. I just want to be left alone in my beliefs. I respect your decisions to spend money and effort on your holy days (holidays). I only want the same respect from you.

Bent (oh that Hateful Peer Pressure)

Monday, January 6, 2014
Tell us about a time you bent to peer pressure.

I really had to search the cobwebs of my mind for this one. I'm still a little foggy on it. I'm not generally a follower I'm that irritating person who walks to the beat of her own drummer.

The overriding reason I am still foggy about it is that there were drugs and alcohol involved. I thought I was being cool but actually I was just being stupid.

Flashback to 1979

After a band gig, probably in Danville IL, we all went to Rusty and Lyndell's house in Rossville. A drug dealer I shall not name here had two packets of drugs that looked similar. He accidentally gave someone the psychedelic drug instead of the cocaine. Yeehaw- He had a bright idea....Let's trick EVERYONE into doing the mescaline! That's when I was pressured into doing it too, but like everyone else, I was lied to. Told it was cocaine. Stupid stupid stupid. I had no business doing any kind of drug, but it was the 70s and we had no clue. There seemingly wasn't anything else to do in small town USA.

So we tripped. I freaked out. Didn't sleep for two days, Got sick. Swore to  never do it again.

So wait...something GOOD came out of this fiasco. I actually learned a lesson! I really did avoid psychedelics after that (Only other time I had a brush with them was when some different "friends" put LSD in a McDonald's Coke and gave it to me...both "friends" dead at a young age I may add). I also developed a deep distrust of drug dealers hahahahahaha! Imagine that.

At 54 years of age I look back on my misguided youth and wonder how I made it this far.

Where I Stand Sunday (No Pressure now)

So let's start something new shall we? Sunday's shall henceforth be known as Where I Stand Sunday, featuring a picture of me standing somewhere. You're thrilled aren't you? I knew you would be. I didn't come up with this on my own, but I have been wanting to do it for quite some time now.

Here I am, Standing with Abe Lincoln. You know you want to be me.

Weekends mean Free Writing (Talk about Pressure!)

It's the weekend already? How did that happen? Am I the only person on earth who dreads the weekend? How am I supposed to know what to blog about without those lovely prompts? Oh the humanity!!!

I could keep on whining about my messy room but no sense in beating a dead horse.

So how 'bout those Cubs?

Procrastination (and Pressure)

Friday, January 3, 2014
Do you have a tendency to procrastinate, or do you like checking things off your to-do list?

Yes.

Both.

I mean they both hold a place in my heart.

Nothing like checking things off your list you procrastinated about till the last possible minute eh?

Here's a little peek at my to do list

1. Finish the purple cabled sweater
2. Finish Smokkee's sweater (for Pete's sake you told her you would just get it done okay?)
3. Clean my room
4. Rent storage locker to keep treasures in
5. Keep blogging in January to prove I can blog under pressure

I am looking forward to checking all these things off my list even if I do procrastinate about them.

Yeah So I Don't Enjoy This (Pressure)

Thursday, January 2, 2014
What are you currently feeling pressure to do that you don't particularly enjoy?

You know the answer don't you?

CLEAN MY ROOM!!!

I don't want to to. I didn't want to yesterday and I still don't want to today.

Here's the problem. I like my stuff. I can't part with my yarn, my fabrics, my beads, my ephemera, my paints, my knitting needles, my antiques.

But another part of me knows I'd be happier in a less cluttered environment hence the PRESSURE to CLEAN MY ROOM!

You know what I'd rather do? I'd rather buy a TV and hook my NES up to it and play mindless video games.