Sunday, June 29, 2014

Community Building in a Small Town

I grew up in a small town. I understand them. I know how they work. What I don't know is how to build community in one when you are the one who "isn't from here". 



This isn't like a larger place where I could take a few cooking classes or a class in water color and meet some people. There aren't any book clubs or community bible studies to join. All the things I used to find community last time we moved are not options here. We have visited churches and while they are nice and friendly the people our age are few and far between and the ones who are there have a tight knit group of friends established before kindergarten. 

Understand that I love small towns. We could have moved to a larger place when we moved. I want to be a part of a small community. I just didn't understand how hard it would be to find myself an in. My kids are older so PTA isn't an option. Sadly there are no jobs here so I commute to work so work ins't an option. I am just not sure where to begin. 

I am a very social person and going to the store and not knowing the people I see there about kills me. I am not sure what I am going to do. I can't change the fact that I wasn't raised here. I don't know what my next step is going to be but we have at least 2 years here before moving is even an option so I have to find a way to make this work. If we were able to find a place here we might not even need to move. My wise son says that the reason I want to move is because I haven't found my place here and he is probably right.  

So while I don't know what I am going to do I do know what isn't working for me.....sitting around here feeling sorry for myself because I don't know anyone. That isn't working.


Shell


Monday, June 16, 2014

Cynical Much?


http://izquotes.com/quote/31564

I have always said I am an inherently optimistic person. I am even known to say that I am not just a glass half full person but I am a glass half full and the half I drank was AWESOME kinda person. I have always believed that things work out the way they should so worry is not going to help. I also have always believed that tomorrow holds unlimited potential for all kinds of awesome stuff. 

That is who I was. 

I am not sure when it changed. I didn't even noticed it. But it has changed and today it hit me full force. 

I am no longer so optimistic. I have actually become quite cynical. 

Today I saw the article that has been making its way around Facebook. If you follow social media of any kind I am sure you probably saw it. The article about the little girl who was turned away from KFC because her face had been disfigured in a dog attack. My first thought wasn't sympathy for the little girl or outrage at her treatment or hope that she will recover. No. My first thought was "I bet the grandmother made it up to get money". 

Then I realized that is the way I have been viewing the world for a while now. I have come to view the world through “what is in it for them” colored glasses.

Mostly I think living in a world where everything that happens becomes an opportunity for someone to push a political agenda makes me so tired. 

I am tired of 5 year olds being suspended for making a gun with their hand, the education of our children being a battle ground, mistreated vets, and $15 dollar minimum wage. I am tired of people taking advantage of the few kind hearts that are left in this world with scams. I am tired of this society ignoring the hard issues and going for the easy hot button issue that will get the most headlines. (If spun in a way to support their agenda of course)

I am tired of made up crises or hyped up crises that fit an agenda while we ignore the more important issues like two political parties who can’t get their heads out of their own arses long enough to see that they are acting like two pissed off 2 year olds while the country falls apart around them.

None of this is new. I just reached my limit somewhere. I am not even sure when. But there it is. I am no longer a glass half full person. I am instead pretty sure it is half empty and what is in it isn't worth drinking anyway.


Shell

Sunday, June 15, 2014

My Love/Hate Relationship with the English Language


I love words. I love to read. I love to write. I love to talk. Truth is I love the English language but I have to say ...  I HATE grammar.

What you have to understand is that when I write my blog I write what I am thinking and I pretty much think in one long run-on sentence so that is the way it comes out in my writing I mean come on anyone who has ever heard me talk knows that I only stop when I have to because I absolutely positively have to stop to **gasp** breathe.  Truth be told since I don't have to breathe to keep thinking like I have to in order to keep talking my thought sentences are WAAAAAYY longer than my speaking sentences. That is why I reread the blog and break the REALLY long ones down into a couple (like 4) sentences before I hit publish post. Usually.


But it isn't just run-on sentences. I HATE commas, semicolons, colons, and so on (I do however LOVE ellipses and parentheses in case you haven't noticed). I personally think most punctuation is a waste of time and effort. The rules for when to use them keep changing. They break up run-on sentences and as I said earlier I don’t got time for that. I usually don't bother to use them.  It isn't that I don't know how. I don't know how many people know this and I realize you probably can't tell it from my blog but I actually am a good writer. I have won awards for my writing even. The problem is writing in an award winning way is too much trouble. It requires me to proof read. Who wants to proof read? Not me. I am sure that some of my friends read my blog and feel the need to pull out a red pen. 

I just felt the need just one time to point out that I know how to use all the nifty little marks that you use to make it all correct. I know how to spell (or how to use spell check anyway) I know the difference between to, too, and two and their, there, and they're. I know alot isn't a word. I just don't care.

When I was in school I always got papers returned that said things like great content now make your corrections. I even had one teacher who liked to give us big red Fs if we had a spelling error.

But since I am a grown up and noone is grading my blog I don't have to if I don't want to so ... Take that English teachers of the world. In your face!

Shell