Destiny

When I sit and think about where I am right now, where I thought I would be and where I want to be, I have to also think about what I've learned so far in life.  Here are a few conclusions:

Never regret anything.  If you do, you'll spend your entire life wondering if things would have been different and/or better.  Most likely not so don't dwell on it. Everything happens for a reason and I have a hard time believing otherwise.  Life is filled with too many coincidences to even consider that we are wandering pointlessly through life.  I don't doubt for a minute that right now I am exactly where I am meant to be.  I just wonder where I am going to be.

Forgive quickly.  Life is too short to hold grudges.  Nobody is perfect.  People will let you down.  I've learned the hard way that if I have too high of expectations in others, that I am eventually setting them up to disappoint me.  That's not fair to them and it definitely causes me a lot of unneeded misery. 

Stop trying to plan happiness.  Some of the most wonderful memories I have were totally unplanned and completely random. 

Don't let people who don't matter matter.  It is very hard to not care about what people think.  I know this too well.  But think about it…. Why cry over someone who won't cry over you?  Why care about what people think about you, if what they think about you isn't true?  Why let someone who isn't worth the trouble cause you any?

Look past people's mistakes.  People do change.

All Things Work Together

I'd really like to take the credit for the amazing children in my life, but truth be told, I am likely more responsible for their flaws than anything.  Just like I do (quite often I might add), I know that God must shake His head at me and wonder how it is He created such a thick headed woman.  I am, however, so very grateful He chooses to take my mistakes, attitude, brokenness and pain and manages to use those things to mold some pretty incredible human beings who make me proud to be called "mom".   

I eagerly look forward to what He will do with them in the near future.  In the meantime, I will continue to muddle along as their mom, making mistakes, loving them and doing what I can; knowing that I am confident God will use it to work all things together for good.

Transforming Lives

After a very long, tiring and emotional week, I had the privilege of helping to feed those less fortunate than most of us today.  When most people think about being homeless they immediately think of bums.  That couldn't be further from the truth in a lot of situations.  People base their lack of knowledge strictly on looks.  Granted there are those who may have dropped out of high school, those who may be mentally ill or even those who may be addicted to illicit drugs that are homeless.  But the truth of the matter is that being homeless doesn't mean you have specific traits or attitudes.  You could be sitting right next to someone at work or school who is homeless and you wouldn't even know it. Most people in this country take for granted the fact that they come home to a warm bed and have plenty of food to eat.  If it weren't for the grace and mercy of God, it could be any one of us at any given moment.

For me there is no greater feeling in the world than helping someone in need.  It's most certainly a life changing experience.  Here are a few pics from today.

No gathering is complete without some basketball!  :)

www.sassywolverine.etsy.com @truewolverine68

QA Process Rant

I've worked in development and implementation for almost 15 years now and because of that I am always critiquing products.  I can do that because I have been both a QAT and a QAC so I have the background and knowledge to know what I'm talking about when venting about something that makes no sense.  With my job, sometimes the push back works in my favor and other times it doesn't work in my favor.

Today was one of those days.   I have been leasing vehicles from one of the big three automobile manufacturers for about 5 years now and have told them on more than one occasion that one of these days I will be working in their QA department.

One of the main reasons I lease is because I want a new car every 2 years.  Yes, I will always have a car payment but that's the price you pay when you want a new vehicle every 2 years and I've accepted that fact.  Anyway, the vehicle I have now is only 1 1/2 years old and has less than 25k miles on it.

Today, when taking one of the twins to work a light came on and the following conversation commenced.

Me:  "What in the world is that supposed to mean"? (Image with no words)

His smart little self:  "Mom, it's the check engine light".

Me:  "I know what it is but what part of the engine am I supposed to check? "

He just shook his head after that and then my rant started. 

Me:  "This is the 21st century ya know and I'm not driving a 20 year old vehicle.  My vehicle is smart enough to have features that tell me when I need an oil change, when my coolant is low, when I need washer fluid, can read my text messages to me, tell me when a door is open, blah blah blah.  Yet, when it wants to tell me that something is wrong with the engine all it can say is "Check Engine".   Ummm, really?  What part of the engine would you like me to check?  There are many parts to an engine so if you (my car) are smart enough to detect that something is wrong with the engine you should also be smart enough to tell me WHY you feel I need to check the engine.  Because all I am going to do is open the hood, check the engine out and close the hood.  At that point I did exactly what you told me to do.  I checked the engine. "

I have dealt with the same sales rep for as long as I have been leasing vehicles and every time I go for a new one I always tell him things that they could have done better, features that don't really make sense or don't work the way I (as the end user) feel they should and the features that should replace some of the useless ones.  He is such a cool guy and knows me well so we always joke about it but in the end his response when I say "One of these days I am going to be working in the QA department here" that it's probably going to happen.

For now, I just really wish they would get some 'real' end users in these vehicles when they are testing them.

The End.

Happy 18th Birthday, Candy-Cane!

Today my only daughter turns eighteen. I just can't believe that 18 years have flown by so fast.  She is beautiful, inside and out, and being her mother has been the greatest privilege I have ever had.  This is one of my favorite pics of her when she was younger. Looks like a porcelain doll looking up to heaven.

I have been trying for weeks to decide what I was going to say to her when today rolled around and finally just decided to came up with a list of simple things I've tried to teach her that I pray will carry her throughout her life:

I love you more than you'll ever know.

God knew you long before I did.

Remember that God loves you more than I do and He has a special purpose for you in this world that only you can do.

People will disappoint you.  But it's the ones who disappoint you, own up to it and apologize that are worth keeping around.

Choose your battles wisely.  Life is too short to argue with people all the time about everything.

If it feels wrong, don't do it and if you know it's wrong, don't go along with it.  Be a leader, not a follower.

Don't be in such a hurry to grow up now that you're 18 and officially an adult.  Your education is far more important right now. Be responsible.

Think long-term rather than short-term because the decisions and mistakes you make now can haunt you forever.  You don't want to live with that kind of guilt.

Don't be afraid to ask for help.  Asking for help is not a sign of weakness but is a sign of maturity and shows you know your limits.

Keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have.

Don't allow any man to put you on a pedestal to be worshiped because we all know what happens when valuables fall....they break!

Prince charming isn't a fairy-tale, he's a myth and doesn't exist.  Marry your best friend and don't settle!

Exercise and being in shape is a good thing but make sure you put just as much time and effort into being in shape spiritually.

You are beautiful and never let anyone tell you otherwise!

Always trust your gut instinct.  ALWAYS!

And last but certainly not least......welcome to the real world baby, now you're one of us. Ain't it fun! 

Just Keeping It Real

I've had conversations with my teenage children the past few months about that loathsome word "braggart".  One of them was becoming a braggart and needed a reality check and the other was tired of listening to a fellow classmate brag endlessly while trying to impress everyone around them.

No one likes to listen to people who continuously toot their own horns.  Come on peeps don't act like you don't know anyone who fits the bill.  IF by chance you don't work or go to school with any, all you have to do is scroll through your Facebook news feed or Twitter and you'll find an abundance of them.  We all have plenty of friends who appear to be having the 'best day evah' 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. 

Don't get me wrong.  Good things happen to all of us and there are times we want to share those things with our family and friends via Facebook or other social media venues.  I do it and I'm sure you do it as well.  But that's not what I'm talking about.  I'm not referring to someone who genuinely shares their joy and excitement of an experience, award, relationship, etc.  I'm referring to the people who make it their sole purpose to let everyone know how wonderful their life is in contrast to ours.

People that brag just remind me of the 'boy who cried wolf'.  They brag so much that most people tend to shake their head, roll their eyes or not even read their posts and statuses.  So when they actually do have something significant to say none of us will know because we'll just think "it's just another day in their wonderful existence", IF we haven't already hidden their posts completely.

I said all that just to say that I really think some people need to take an extra 30 seconds and question themselves BEFORE posting to social media.  Are they sincere or just seeking approval and boasting?

Grateful

Ever have one of those days or weeks or months? You know the kind I’m talking about. A time period when a whole bunch of little things go wrong and you feel like you can’t catch a break. No one dies. A life altering accident doesn't occur. Nothing like that. But still, if you had to choose between living the day over again or a root canal, you’d consider the root canal for like, a millisecond. That’s the kind of month this has been for me.  No lie.

In an attempt to ease my ‘woe is me’ attitude, I decided it's better to count my blessings than it is to feel sorry for myself. Ultimately, we all deal with circumstances beyond our control so even though I feel alone right now I know there are others who have been through the same things or who have it a lot worse.

Sometimes it just takes hearing someone else's story, seeing a homeless person, a person with a serious illness, people that have been afflicted by natural disaster, children suffering abuse, hunger or all the bad things in the world to make a person appreciate the life that they have.  When I see all the things going on in the world today, I have to praise God for all the wonderful blessings that He has given me.  Sometimes I start feeling sorry for myself because of the struggles that I have had to face and am facing but I soon remember that I am here, alive and healthy.

Therefore big or small, we all need to remember to be grateful for the things that we're blessed with.  Whether it’s good health, an opportunity to have an education, our family, our friends, the roof over our head, or something as simple as an umbrella when it’s raining. Be grateful and thankful for the sounds of laughter coming from the people you love in your life. When you remind yourself what you’re blessed with (rather than what you wish you had), you end up living a more satisfying life.

The Hunger Games - What Now?

I saw the first 'Hunger Games' about a dozen times and have seen Catching Fire 3 times so far.  I never read the books and quite honestly I have no interest in reading them either.  I can honestly say that when I first saw Catching Fire I definitely didn't see that ending coming.  In my opinion though, it was by far way better than the first Hunger Games.

Anyone who is a fan of The Hunger Games has to be wondering what Lions Gate plans to do with Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2 since the tragic death of Philip Seymour, who played the Head Gamemaker (Plutarch Heavensbee) in Catching Fire.  Like I said, I have never read the books and I don't intend to but I have to believe, after seeing Catching Fire, that his character plays a pivotal role in the remaining 2 sequels.  From everything I have read Part 1 was wrapped up but there were 7 remaining days of filming left for Part 2 and one major, emotional scene left to film.  I guess I have to wait til November 2015 to find out how they plan to work around the issue of his absence. Sigh.

Thoughts About the "Biggest Loser" Winner

I'm sure by now you have heard all the controversy surrounding the most recent "Biggest Loser" winner, Rachel Frederickson.  I'm still in shock over how she looks and I believe she went way too far in her weight lose journey.  All for 250k! Ummm, really?  No amount of money is worth risking your health over.

I love the show and have been watching for a few seasons now but am disappointed that NBC is not concerned at all.

When Rachel first walked out on the stage, I thought "You have got to be kidding.  She looks borderline anorexic".   It's like she went from one extreme to another extreme.  She went from being too fat to being too skinny.  I understand that being obese is unhealthy but so is being underweight.

My disbelief of what I was seeing quickly turned to sadness because my seventeen year old daughter was also watching with me and what was the message being sent by NBC to her and all the young girls out there watching who could be struggling with their weight?  My biggest concern is that we are telling young girls that you can be rewarded with 250k for being too thin.  Are you serious???  That is certainly not the message I want my daughter to hear. 

Yes, I am still SMH.  

National Running Day

Happy National Running Day!  

Make it happen people because you can't finish the race if you don't ever start.

Happiest 5K on the Planet

Caitlin, Joshua and myself are now registered for The Color Run in Columbus in July and The Color Run in Toledo in August.  We are super stoked to participate in these fun events.  

Our team names are: 
Dyed For The Run (Columbus)
Colors Make You Krazy (Toledo)

The Color Run Experience

Monday Motivation - I Can

TGIF

The Hunger Games 2: Catching The Fire

Finally........will be in theaters on November 22, 2013.  The trailer is phenomenal.

Motivation Monday - Make The Time

The Color Run

This is a great training program for anyone wanting to do a 5k or the Color Run.  So excited for this one.  We are doing it in July.  It is going to be a blast!

http://thecolorrun.com/columbus/

Our First Official Race

Well, we did it!  I registered myself, my daughter and one of the twins in our first 5k and without enough training (due to lack of time) we actually managed to finish with great time.  The race was on Sunday (April 7th).  The weather was nice (temps in the 50's) but it was a little windy which made it a tad bit tough, especially since we were running into the wind.  

Anyway, both my kids placed 1st in their respective male / female age divisions, which made this mama very proud!  I placed 3rd in my division!  At 45 years old and this being my very first run, I was all but ecstatic at the results.  We were all very sore yesterday but are eager for the next race.  I just registered us for the Color Run in Columbus in July and can't wait for that excitement.  It looks like it will be a blast!  Our team name is 'Dyed For The Run'!  LOL

http://thecolorrun.com/columbus/

Patiently Waiting For Football Season

Yep, that's me! LOL

2013 NCAA Championship Game

Final: Michigan Basketball 76 - Louisville Cardinals 82

I am still proud to be a Wolverine!  

Albrecht was a beast in the first half with those 3's.  

The best part of the game was watching Rick Pitino duck for cover because he thought the Michigan fans were stupid enough to shoot him over the loss.  That was priceless.

http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2013/april/video-rick-pitino-is-scared-for-his-life.html

Now, we only have 145 days until Michigan Football kicks off against Central Michigan University!  Spring game this weekend!  Go Blue!

Confession Time

All the programs out there say that the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.  Basically, admitting you cannot control your addiction or compulsion.  So, here it goes…..

Hi.  My name is Tina and I’m a Starbucks addict.

Do we have a coffee pot at work?  Sure do.  We actually have a coffee pot and a Keurig and it is all FREE.  I also have both a coffee pot and Keurig at home!

However, if I had my choice between a cup of coffee, a k-cup or a Starbucks Venti Non-fat Dirty Chai Latte, I would choose the Chai every time. Not just any Chai, but a venti non-fat dirty Chai (dirty meaning it has 3 shots of espresso) and this girl is happy. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy coffee too, but the Chai is my drug…..I mean drink of choice.

I haven’t always been like this.  There was a time when I would roll my eyes and shake my head at someone who would wait patiently in a long drive-thru line multiple times a day to order drinks with names like Grande No Whip Cinnamon Dolce Crème Frappuccino!  I couldn't even say it let alone want to drink it! LOL

But I have become one of those peeps and the numbers don’t lie folks.  Before I continue, I want to make it clear that I take full responsibility for my problem.  Nobody is forcing me to shell out the kind of money I have on Starbucks and after doing the math of how much I actually spent in 2012, I have definitely quit cold turkey.  I am 11 days clean so far.

In 2012, I spent (with my debit card) $1,887.28 on Starbucks.  The number is more than likely a little higher than that but I don’t track cash purchases so we can probably round that up to an even $2,000.  However, I "drank" a whole lot more than $2,000 worth because my children would also contribute to my addiction but not nearly as much as I did.

How did I spend that much on Chai?  Easy, it started out as being convenient and it tasted good and then was a routine until it turned into me needing it to function.  If I was running late for work, it didn't matter because I was still getting in that long drive-thru line to get my fix.

Anyway, my Starbucks spending spree has come to an end and now it is time to focus on controlling this addiction and spending that money elsewhere in 2013.....but definitely not on another addiction.  An extra $2000 a year towards my mortgage will go a long way in helping to pay this house off.