Stay out of my personal bubble!

A friend stopped by this a.m. and we chatted about work and family. Her youngest, a girl, is growing up quickly but I call her my mini-me as we look alike! Both redheads and both the youngest in the family. Lydia is a spunky young lady who I enjoy whenever I see her!

So my friend was talking about Lydia not liking to do much with her hair. I remember those days! My friend also shared with me how an aunt of Lydia's always comments about Lydia's hair, right  in front of her!

This brought back memories of my aunt, Mary! Aunt Mary was a feisty woman who talked about 100 m.p.h. Her house was always a mess, kitchen counters and table were always piled with things. She was married to my uncle Frank who was a quiet man but would barb right back to my aunt if she would start in on him! These two amused us but going to visit them was one boring trip for me, I was the tag along who could not be left at home alone.

So it was during one of these visits when Mary and Frank were at our house that I had a close encounter that has left a lasting impression on me! I was about Lydia's age and at the time I was growing my bangs out and if you have ever tried to grow your hair out there gets to a point in this growing process that you just want to either have your hair grow already or cut it!! It can drive you nuts some days! Apparently my growing bangs bothered my aunt as at one point during their visit while I was in the room she proceeded to dig in her purse and produce a brownish colored barrette. She then came at me saying we needed to get those bangs back and out of my eyes. My aunt only had two sons and they were adults when I came into the family picture. So where she had any knowledge of dealing with girl-hair, I have no idea. But she clipped my growing bangs back with this barrette, THEN she told me she had found the barrette laying in the street and had picked it up putting it in her purse to use some day. And now had found the ideal moment to use that barrette!!!! Are you kidding me??? I remember my eyes meeting my mom's eyes over my aunt's shoulder and getting that "mom look" from her. I was a quiet kid, but when people go into my personal space or bubble I would get really uncomfortable and literally back away. I tried that in this situation but I was standing in the kitchen and had no way out. But I heeded my mom's look and kept what was running through my mind to myself. (I kept my mouth shut back then!) But as soon as my aunt and uncle were out the door that barrette was out of my hair and I was washing my hair!!!!

As I shared this experience with my friend this a.m. she was laughing at my episode and my reaction as a kid. I still to this day could identify that damn barrette my aunt put in my hair in a police lineup! Yuck!!!

The whole episode of my aunt putting that barrette in my hair brings me to admitting I'm a "stay out of my personal bubble" kind of person. I'm not sure why or where this comes from. I'd rather shy away from an up close experience. Or I guess, to put it bluntly, don't touch me or put barrettes in my hair!

I've lived to tell about the "barrette incident" and my mom also recalled the whole experience with great humor over the years. I must have had the "don't touch me" look in my eyes, but my aunt was oblivious to it all and more concerned with my growing hair. I didn't get lice or cooties or whatever my mind thought could be living on that barrette but I guess one thing I learned was a small lesson on tolerance! And I hope I've learned to convey the message to say out of my personal bubble over the years because one thing is for sure, my aunt sure didn't get it!!

What did you call me?!

Here we are, it's Friday again!!! Yay!! It's been a long, stressful kind of week but we've made it.

The day is winding down and I am heading into my last class of the day. Amen.

My final class started with a senior boy calling my by my first name then realizing what he had just said added my last name very quickly before fixing everything calling me by the name he is supposed to use. It went something like this....Hey, Lynn....Spies....Mrs. Spies! I was trying not to laugh as he was embarrassed by what he had just let slipped. Honestly, I was thankful he had not called me something else!! It could have been a lot worse.

My dance team girls typically call my Lynn or Mom when they think it's funny and at practice! In school, it has to be Mrs. Spies or they get the "eye" from me!

I asked the student who unintentionally called me by my first name "what he heck?". He replied that he didn't want to get me confused by the "other Mrs. Spies!". It was then that I realized that there soon would be another "Mrs. Spies"! Two in fact!!! And it made me smile. 😃  How fun and exciting is that?!

So as this week closes I'm thankful I was not called something else, which I'm sure I've been called before by a student but sometimes kids deserve it the hassle we give them. And if you are going to call me a nasty name, then to me it means I'm doing my job.

It's almost the weekend!!!!

The view from under the bus

Most everyone has heard the term "thrown under the bus". It's a phrase used when someone lets someone else take the fall or blame for something. And the person "under the bus" may or may not have done or been involved with whatever they've been "thrown under" for. And often times you don't know you're being thrown under the "bus" until are are under the bus!

I was "thrown under the bus" yesterday and I felt like I was still laying under "the bus" when today started. And it's not a good feeling. But it is what it is.

And despite that "under the bus" feeling this has made me step back and look at things more closely and from several aspects. It's made me realize that maybe things that I take for granted are just that, taken for granted and not appreciated like they should be. It has also made me realize how passionate I am about some things. How I'm identified by things that I've done for a long time and are routine. It is who I am. What I do, not work for because, for me, it's not work, it's a passion.

The feelings I've had for the past 24+ hours are a whole range of emotions, good, bad and otherwise. Not being informed hurts. The repercussions this will have with kids-hurts. The 20+years of work, my own personal time and money that I've invested-hurts. You see the things I do because I am passionate about it are not for the paycheck or recognition. (I like to fly under the radar). It's because I want to make a difference. I don't want accolades, I want the kids to learn life long skills. What it means to be part of a team. It's all about life. So this bus feeling that could turn into a reality and a life changing event now have me stunned and soul searching. It's also shown me who really cares, big time.

So as today progresses I'm trying to crawl out from under this proverbial bus, dust myself off and straighten my crown. THEN I'm digging my heels in and subtly fighting a good and fair fight but my intent is to let them know that we are small but mighty. That we affect and leave a mark with people we touch. We do things for the good. And that we are tough and a class act that cares about a lot of other people, not just us. Which is more than I can say about other coaches and sports....but I won't get into that because that's not how we do things.

Yesterday is over and the bus has now since pulled away but now we fight a good fight for the future.

Flawsome!!

This would be how I feel most days! A cross between my mistakes, which 99.9% of the time are done by accident (or lack of thinking, aka stupidity) and that feeling of being awesome when I made it through another day without screwing up too badly or hurting anyone! Flawsome!!

Yep, I make mistakes! Several a day! I am human. I'm far from perfect but at least I try. No one is perfect, as much as some people think they are! But I hope I learn from my mistakes and move on. 

For example, a couple of my mistakes from yesterday, remember to always take gloves to a tennis match when it is less than 50-degrees outside and there are gale force winds! Dang, it was cold and it took me a while to warm up when I got home!

Another mistake from yesterday-doing a workout after not eating very much. It was an aerobic workout (because it was too cold and windy outside-see above) with hand-held weights.-lots and lots of lifting!  I was sweating bullets and felt kind of weak halfway through. Well, I realized my calorie intake may have been lacking for the day. But on the awesome side, I have muscles aching and burning today because of my workout! Yes!!

Life is a series of mistakes, live and learn but I don't let that get me down. Just always remember you are awesome...or in order to save time, flawsome!

Positive thought of the day: Have a Awe/Flaw-some day!

They should know!

I have to post this picture for the reason that my three kids will know what it means and why I am posting it!

This is the universal sign in sign language for "I love you". And I used this with my kids all the time when they were younger. I never wanted to be "that" mom. Although there have been those times when, mainly my daughter, has tried to calm me down or reel me in if I was on a tiraid! No one ever calms down when told to calm down, it usually makes things worse!)

But this was our way of saying "I love you" without saying it out loud and embarrassing my kids! I loved it and still do. Now when they leave and I am standing on the sidewalk as they drive down the driveway I am waving but I still do the "I love you" sign. I'm not sure if they see me doing this still as they drive off, but I'm still standing there doing this just like when they were little and heading to school or leaving for whatever reason!

Positive thought of the day (yes another one!): Tell the people you love that you do love them. No one is guaranteed to be here at the end of the day or if we will ever see each other again.  

Appreciate what you've got

I'm on a negative purging rampage! I'm saying that in the most positive way I can! I've taken to blocking, deleting, removing anyone or thing that is a pain in my butt, negative or just BS in my life or on social medias. Social media is supposed to be for entertainment. But it is more like a soap opera and a lot of BS more than anything else. People say things or air their problems or dirty laundry on social media. It seems that hiding behind a keyboard and the screen of your computer or cell phone people say things that they normally would not in public to anyone's face (unless they are idiots). It is an utter waste of time. And I admit I've wasted a lot of time in my life on social media. But last night I cleaned out and got rid of a lot of trash, baggage, negative BS. Goodbye!

And then there are those things or people or happenings that bring life back into focus. I try to always think of this:

I will admit some days I would not wake up with much around me. Sad but true. And then there are other days that I would be surrounded by everything but the kitchen sink!! 

But what brought me back into focus this week is when I heard the news of a friend's daughter  who is dealing with the loss of their first born who was stillborn. My heart aches for this couple and their extended family. I can't help but go back to the memories of losing my first born in a miscarriage. I saw that tiny baby and there are days and times of the year and holidays that I still think about that child. And honestly, until recently the whole issue of losing a child at birth or before was kept pretty hush hush! It's now talked about and there is a lot more support out there. No parent should ever have to bury a child and one of the worse feelings in the world is coming home from the hospital without your baby. 

There is even a month dedicated to the awareness of those who have lost a child in any way before or at birth. But this has made me step back and realize once again how blessed I am for what I have and the people who are around me that love and support me. I'm grateful for the negatives or those who bring nothing but BS into life, they make me stronger and make me appreciate the good and what I do have. 

So today, maybe a little more than normal I am grateful for what I have, what I have had and what I have learned. And for those people around me who love and support me regardless!

Positive thought of the day: Thank you for reading. 

The healing powers of sweat

Whether I realize it or not I've always been about being physically active. As a high schooler while most of my friends were dating and doing whatever else they were doing my two best friends and I would be doing any combination of the following,  playing tennis, going to the movies, going to high school sporting events and/or going out for pizza as our Friday or Saturday night fun. We were pretty harmless and doing nothing illegal! I got pretty good at tennis and I enjoyed it.

I decided about seven years ago to do something about being healthy around the first of the new year. I ordered the Zumba DVDs I'd seen on tv and on Super Bowl Sunday when I was home alone I broke out my first Zumba DVD and worked out. I loved it and was hooked. I've taken to running and walking. I've done a few 5K's too.  In addition, I workout on the treadmill and I've always looking for a way to get a good sweat going. Last night I took off after having one of my favorite meals at a restaurant on a walk/run workout. I felt like I needed to work off the half meal I had eaten! And I did! I've wanted to add to my route another mile or so to push myself and get more of a workout. Well over 3-1/2 miles later and I was sweating and smiling. The stress and BS of the day were gone and I was sweating as I'd ran some of it but mostly power walked the rest. Man that felt good. And afterwards, I ran some errands before heading home to call it a night. I was still sweaty but I felt good.

This morning I was awake at 5 a.m. so I got up, did a few chores and popped a workout DVD in the DVR. I had thought about going back outside for a couple of miles but things need to get changed up every so often. I'm happy to be off of my treadmill. I have a love-hate relationship with the thing! I love the fact that is is right in my house. But on the flipside it seems to mock me and I can't use not being able to get to the treadmill as an excuse, not to workout. I like the opportunity to be able to jump on it for 20 minutes and I'm sweating. I can watch whatever is on TV or call someone to pass the time. But I like to be outside and get the fresh air. How nice is it to enjoy nature, even when I have to bundle up!

So I worked out this a.m. and again I had a good sweat going. It felt good. I've eaten and snacked healthy which I also help me feel good.

So we'll see if I go out for a powerwalk, later on, today, but regardless I've gotten my sweat in for today and I feel good!!! It's amazing how much better you feel after sweating and the pain and burn you have the next day sometimes is always a reminder that you did something and you are doing it for YOU!

Positive thought of the day: do something for YOU!