Life Gripe: Writer's Block

I'm feeling very anxious and frustrated. My mind won't stay focused and I can't think. I have several blogs I use to write on all the time because I was always needing to get it all out. Now, I have writer's block. I can't think at all. It's been this way for months now and I really don't know what to do about it short of just quit blogging. I use to get in these very creative moods and could write anything, but lately I just draw a blank. I still feel a need to be creative, but it just won't come which is very frustrating to me.

I can hardly even focus to write this let alone the rest of my blogs. I try and concentrate, but all I draw is a blank. And then my mind wanders. I just get so darn frustrated. I don't know what to do to get it back. Writing was really my only hobby and now it seems I don't even have that anymore. I feel like I'm slowly loosing all my creativity. I feel like it's slipping away and there's nothing I can do to stop it. I constantly look at different topics and subjects to see if it will trigger anything in my mind, but still I have no luck. I just can't think. 

This is extremely frustrating, so if anyone has any ideas or suggestions, I am open to them, although I think I have already tried just about everything.  I just hope and pray that I somehow get my creativity back.

Today's Life Quote:

The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium. ~Norbet Platt

Life Hype: I Love My Dog

I love my dog. She brings me joy and happiness even when I'm feeling down. I can be in the worst mood and she will climb upon my chest, lay down and look at me with those loving big puppy dog eyes. I can go out to the store and be gone 10 minutes and when I get back you would think I'd been gone for hours. My dog acts as though she hasn't seen me in forever. She's just so happy to see me. She loves me unconditionally. She doesn't ask for much. All she asks of me is that I play fetch with her, wrestle with her, take her outside and take her walking occasionally and of course feed her, and she's happy as can be.

She's so comical too, she thinks the dogs and cats on tv are real. You should see her when she sees one. Too funny. And not to mention, she loves watching tv.  And she has this thing, the way she lays, she tucks her two little front paws under. And when she's playing, as she barks at you her two little front paws come up off the ground. She's just too cute. Yes, I love my dog and wouldn't trade her for anything in this world. She is family. I love her so much. She is the light of my life. Do you have a dog or cat you love?

Today's Life Quote:

"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace."



- Milan Kundera

Life Hype: Writing Is Good For The Soul

Writing is something everyone can do. You may not consider yourself a writer or be a great writer, but it's something everyone can do. Writing is a great stress reliever and is good for the soul. Writing gives you a place to put all those thoughts and feelings and to get them out. Writing gives you joy and helps share your passion for something you love. Writing helps you to be creative. Some people even make a living at writing. Whether it be a blog, a newspaper or magazine column, a short story or a novel.

Write about a life changing experience, write about your passion, write a journal, letter or a blog. Just be creative. Write using a sense of humor. Write your most inner thoughts and feelings. Write about something you feel strongly about. Write using conviction.

Start with something simple such as a journal or a letter and go from there. And who knows, maybe one day you can make it a profession. Do you love to write? What's stopping you?

 

Today's Life Quote:

There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.

Ernest Hemingway

Life Gripe: Good True Friends Are Hard To Find

I remember the days when you had good true friends, those that called and came over everyday. The ones you just had to talk to everyday or at least talk to frequently and not always about anything in particular. You shared all your inner most thoughts and feelings with them, including your secrets. You could depend on them for anything and they asked for nothing in return. They didn't ask you to be a certain way, look a certain way, act a certain way or have money, they were just simply your friend and they liked you for who you were. They were never to busy for you nor did they replace you with better friends or another person, once they were your friend, they were your friend for life. At least that's how it seemed or how you were treated when you were younger. You were irreplaceable.

Nowadays, friendship is based more on money and status and what you can bring to the table. It's not about the actual friendship. You're only a friend until someone better comes along. Your friendship is only as good as what your worth. You're simply a means to an end. You're there for their convenience and use until your no longer useful. You're tossed aside like yesterdays trash.    That is until when or if your needed again for whatever reason.

What's hard to find is someone that is there when you need them for any reason, whether it be just to talk, to share a cup of coffee or someone to help you when things go wrong. Someone who doesn't care how much money you have or judge you. Someone with whom you can totally be yourself. Someone who doesn't ignore you or is only there when convenient. These things are pretty tough to find in a friend nowadays. I am just heartbroken over the fact that I can honestly say I don't even have one good true friend. Sure I have several "friends", that are more like close acquaintances, but not a good true friend. What has happened to real friendships? Why do they rarely exist anymore? Do you honesly have any good true friends?

Today's Life Quote:

Friendship... is not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything.

Muhammad Ali

Life Gripe: Automobile Maintenance

Today, my Life Gripe is automobile maintenance.  Why?  Because my jeep is breaking me and putting me in the poor house.  If it's not one thing wrong with it, then it's another.  First, I have a cracked windshield, then my battery died, so I replaced that.  Then it would crank, but wouldn't start, so I had to have $400 worth of work done to fix that.  Then my driver's side window came off track, so I had to have a new window regulator which cost me near $160.  Then I was told my wheel bearing may be going bad.  And all the while my airbag light has come on.  So now, I'm having the airbag light problem looked at and they're saying it will cost me anywhere from $40 to $100 just to look at it.  Of course, that money would go towards fixing it, but most likely they're going to tell me it will cost me hundreds of dollars to fix.  That's how these places are, especially when it comes to being a woman.  So I really dread going to my appointment tomorrow. 

All I know is that jeep is breaking me and sending me to the poor house.  I live check to check to begin with and now all this.  Why do automobiles have to be so complicated and such a pain and why do garages have to charge so much and try to cheat you?  I hope tomorrow they don't make me mad, so as I end up giving them a piece of my mind.  This is just so frustrating and depressing, but what can you do?  If you know, tell me, because I'd love to know.

Today's Life Quote:

The right to do something does not mean that doing it is right. ~William Safire

Life Gripe: Disrespecting Others

Today my life gripe is about disrespecting others.  In my particular case, it's the neighbors who are disrespecting everyone in the neighborhood by letting their dog run loose once and twice a week and being a nuisance and possibly a danger to everyone. 

This dog has chased after people walking, chased cars, chased kids on a mopad, came after me on my porch and went after my husband and his kids as they were getting out of the car.  This dog is very agressive barking and growling and his tail is not wagging.  He comes into our yard chasing us and using the bathroom in our yard.  We have called Animal Control several times and have even been told they have already been warned and cited once.  But do they seem to care, no, obviously not, as they're still letting their dog loose once and twice a week to disrespect the neighbors.   

They obviously have no respect for others.  I don't let my dog loose to run wild.  My dog is a house dog and occasionally I put her outside on a 25 foot lead and I also take her for walks.  That's what these people need to do.  They need to respect everyone else.  Not let their dog run wild to chase and scare other people or to relieve themselves in neighbors yards.  I'll never understand people who blantantly disrespect others or their property.

Here is the definition of Respect ...Respect denotes both a positive feeling of esteem for a person or other entity (such as a nation or a religion), and also specific actions and conduct representative of that esteem. Respect can be a specific feeling of regard for the actual qualities of the one respected (e.g., "I have great respect for her judgment"). It can also be conduct in accord with a specific ethic of respect. Rude conduct is usually considered to indicate a lack of respect, disrespect, where as actions that honor somebody or something indicate respect. Specific ethics of respect are of fundamental importance to various cultures. Respect for tradition and legitimate authority is identified by Jonathan Haidt as one of five fundamental moral values shared to a greater or lesser degree by different societies and individuals.[1]

What part of this can't they understand?  Why is it so difficult for them to be respectful.  And to have been warned and cited already and continue to disrespect is just low.  I mean how low can you go?  They're the lowest of low.  So who and how is someone disrespecting you?  This is my story of disrespect.  The current status is I wrote a letter to Animal Control after many phone calls that seemed to go nowhere.  They finally responded and gave me a direct number to call in the future that would take more direct action.  They were also going to go give another warning to the neighbor about letting the dog loose, so hopefully this will put an end to it once and for all.

Today's Life Quote:

“I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me... All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.”



Jackie Robinson quotes

Life Gripe: Why Bother to Tweet

Why do I tweet?  Why do I bother?  Really, what's the reason?  There's rarely any interactions or RT's to speak of.  I think everyone just posts and reads their own tweets and that's about it.  Maybe on occasion someone will actually read your tweet and give you an RT if your lucky.  But that's on a rare occasion.  It seems as though everyone is caught up in themselves, in doing their own thing and they don't communicate.  It's all about me, me, me. 

There are, of course, those popular tweeters who have tons of followers that get many RT's and people love to communicate with them.  But only if you popular.  Sheesh, it makes you feel like your almost back in high school again.  The most popular gets all the attention while everyone else gets left out in the cold.  And everyone wants you to follow them, but they don't want to follow you back.  Once again, they're only interested in themselves.  So for the most part, everyone is out there posting and posting, all the while no one is reading them but themselves.

I think the only reason I'm still tweeting is because it's a way to express myself, to talk, even if no one is listening.  I guess it's also because I secretly hope someone is reading them.  That someone finds them interesting or entertaining.  I also use it to hear about the latest coupon deals and freebies.  There are a few select people on there I do tweet with everyday just to say hello and to tell them to have a good day.  Other than that there's not really any communication or as you call it, mentions. 

I remember, in the beginning, twitter was much more interactive.  In the beginning, people were communicating and RTing more than what they are now.  Somewhere along the line it slowed down to an almost standstill.  And now we're left with everyone just posting about themselves and for themselves.  I don't know what needs to happen to change this, but something needs to give.  All I know is there needs to be more communication...more mentions and more RTing.  There needs to be more interest taken in each other's posts.  Right now it's just all of us peeps in one big twitterverse and no communication is going on.

Today's Life Quote:

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.



Leo Buscaglia