Category: Random Thoughts

The junk that pops into my brain

Prepare For the Worst

~ JodiLea

You may have heard this saying, “Think positive, but prepare for the worst.” I think it is a practical idea, and it was suggested to me to pack a “Go” bag. In case of a natural disaster or something preventing me from getting home. Do I have one packed yet? No. However, in my defense, I do have a list of things to put in my ‘Go bag.’

I need to get a large box. I don’t have big enough bags. Since the theory is each carries their own load (bag), I probably will not be able to pack clothing and shoes. Besides the oral medications and the diabetic paraphernalia I need to keep me alive, I will not be able to carry much else.

It’s funny how our priorities turn around during an emergency. For example, if I spend a few days visiting my daughter, I pack my skincare, make-up, and hair products. I have a separate bag for craft projects to work on, my journal, Bible, and snacks. A third bag contains my meds, insulin, and pump supplies. I can carry those 3 bags myself, but only to and from the car when there is no urgency.

I decided to get a shoe box and put it in my bedroom. When I got low on skincare items, I would toss them into the said box and replace them in my cupboard. My travel cosmetics bag already has a few items in it. I don’t have to put cosmetics in it. I can use it for alcohol wipes, tweezers, bandaids, antibiotic creams, etc. I can set aside meds and pump supplies, already packed up, and then I would only have to grab insulin out of the fridge and an ice pack from the freezer.

Oh yeah. I need to bring my glucose monitor sensors. They are small, but the applicator they come in is huge. Those are lightweight but will take up a lot of space. Sigh. This is why I can never “pack light” or “go at a moment’s notice.” I am way too high-maintenance to travel well. Maybe I should invest in a pack mule. Another deeper and longer sigh.

I pass along this wisdom to y’all!

Did you know that if you Googled “Go Bag,” you get 3,200,000 results? The ones that pop up first are trying to sell you bags, organizational notebooks to plan for a Go bag and survival kits. Scroll past those ads, and you will get to articles about How to pack one and how long it should last, ad nauseam. Advice from emergency services, State departments, and consumer affairs. After trying to read this information over to check if I was missing something important, I discovered I was…

Now, my Go bag is complete.

Junkyard Days

~ JodiLea

We all have them. Days when we feel useless and broken. We are sad. We want to just stay in our pajamas and read or watch TV. We want to forget how we are not progressing on our “to-do” list and feel guilty.

Like today, for example. The weather is cloudy and cold. The clouds are gray and thick, not allowing the sunshine through. Gloomy. Housework needs to be done, and meals planned. Guess what? I do not care. I only feel like cleaning when it’s sunny. It’s no fun to plan meals that you cannot eat. Who am I kidding? It is NEVER fun to plan meals, especially when the people you cook for answer your question, “What do you want for dinner?” with one of three answers:
1. I don’t know, 2. I don’t care, or 3. Whatever.

Two can play that game. When he comes in from his shop and asks, “What’s for dinner?” I could give him one of the 3 answers and see how he likes it. That would be fun but, at the same time, in bad taste. I am trying hard to be gracious instead of sarcastic, to be kind and not snotty. In a nutshell – this is very difficult for me.

Let Me Introduce You to My Inner Child

Rest assured, long-time readers, that graciousness and kindness only extend to humans and their pets. I will write a sarcastic and snotty letter to the Utility company when warranted. It’s what I love to do. I just can’t help it. It’s not only Utility Companies and Government Agencies that force me to rant. I have been dealing with a situation in the past couple of weeks that you will soon hear about, I am sure.

I am too embroiled in it to take the time to rant today. Even though it is a particularly Junkyardy day.

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Dare I Say it? Bah HumBug

~ JodiLea

Let me explain.

Every year I worked my butt off to make the holidays happy for all. Everyone loves Christmas, yet nobody wants to help decorate the tree, make food, go shopping, clean the house, prepare the bedrooms for visitors, or write Christmas cards.
It is exhausting, thankless, and stress-ridden. I started to dread the holidays. I have enough to do without getting on the holiday hamster wheel. I felt guilty and Scrouge-like. Christmas is in your face starting in October. Even if you don’t go into retail stores, radio stations play Christmas music starting the day after Thanksgiving. Some of them play holiday tunes ONLY for the remainder of the year. You see Christmas displays, sale signs, elves, Santa, and toys everywhere you look.

Television advertising is annoying enough without the jolly jingles and mini-stories geared to tug at your heartstrings and your wallet. Hallmark once produced emotion-provoking ads that entertained. These seemed to have gone to the place where clever Super Bowl ads went.

While studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses, I learned why they do not celebrate Christmas. I won’t go into details here, but there is a good article on JW.org that does *. That year was the best holiday season ever. Why? I was free to not get involved with the holidays at all. No one expected me to do anything. My family still celebrates Christmas, but I don’t have to.

Click HERE to learn why Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas*.