Maizie

Before I launch into Christmas via Maizie’s perspective, let me introduce her. Maizie is a 7 year old Golden Lab. Unlike many Golden Labs, she has a brown nose and non-black eyes. This is probably due to the fact that her ancestors were largely chocolate. Thus, I sometimes refer to Maizie as “the orange dog.” She is VERY golden!

Her parents are owned by “farm people,” and thus, in her puppy phase she grew up with kittens. As a result she possesses a few cat-like traits. I sometimes call her “cat dog”, but in a good way. Maizie will turn 8 in March and thus, she is slowing down. But, she still has boisterous puppy moments and her face and body language are very, very expressive.

She’s a Beta dog to the nth degree! She’s grown up alone, so one of her worst faults is she doesn’t handle other dogs’ presence well. She’s rather passive-aggressive about it. However, she’s learning to deal with the holiday invasion of family dogs better than in her younger years.

This might shock you…I want an Apple Watch.

I think.

Since I’ve blogged about loving all things Samsung and only use Apple products for music purposes, this will shock the family and most of my friends. Way back in the dark ages, I used to teach computer skills to preschoolers. We had 2 Apple computers and 2 Windows driven computers. I didn’t really have a bias one way or the other then about which operating system was better. But when the Apple computers constantly had to be rebooted and were pricier in all respects than the Windows computers, I became a huge fan of Microsoft-driven products.

Thus, I was reluctant to even buy my kids iPods when they first came out. But even I have to admit that Apple really developed and marketed that technology well and transferred that success to iPhones. I just have a fundamental problem with waiting in line for more than an hour for anything, except maybe a Harry Potter movie at an IMAX theater.

The price for an Apple Watch also stops me. The cheap version will be $ 349. And I know me. I will want at least the middle of the road model, starting at $ 1,000. If I choose to let my first-world self to have full rein, I could get the full meal deal for a mere $ 17,000. Trust me….this 3/4 Scot will NOT be buying that model.

As someone who religiously tracks her treadmill progress, I have fallen in love with fitness devices that are “intelligent” and fit on my wrist like a watch. However, the devices I’ve encountered so far don’t seem to be able to do everything I wish they would do. One has a wrist band that I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing into my own bathroom. One makes me push buttons to signal when I’m going to sleep, which I usually forget to do. Another does not have great support and the battery is difficult to change out. Le sigh!

The Apple Watch “threatens” to not only handle all of the above, but also allows me to text, email and phone people by speakerphone with its Siri technology. And I can use my favorite apps on it. Why would this be helpful? Because I’m usually fishing around in my voluminous purse for my phones (I carry one for me and one for Compassion Counseling Center) or digging them out of my too-tight jeans (You will hear me whoop and holler if baggy jeans ever become popular again.) only to answer them when the call goes to voicemail. Having something on my wrist that I can easily locate would be a welcome relief.

The geek writers say its GPS functionality doesn’t work well and the battery barely lasts a day before needing recharging, but I’ll lay odds that Apple will improve this over time. Yes, there are Android versions already available, but have you seen much advertising about them? Neither have I. And I don’t really spend time investigating stuff I never see advertised.

The Apple watch also can send your heartbeat to another person. While this might be a cute thing to do, I’d really prefer that it send it to my cardiologist when I’m having my next heart attack. But give Apple time. I’m sure they’ll not only figure this out, but probably figure out how to send them my blood pressure and EKG in another 10 years.

While I write this, Apple is informing those willing to already purchase the Apple Watch that they won’t be released or shipped until June. (I feel a line forming.) Thus, it will probably be quite some time before we common folks can truly evaluate it.

I just have an inkling that this technology is going to evolve into something I just can’t live without. If so, move over, Dick Tracy. Here I come.

Monday’s Post: Did you know the definition of the WOW? 

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Happy New Year!

Good morning, MIP readers! I hope you are having a fantastic Friday!

Today I reveal the two posts you found the most interesting in 2014. Both were generated for the same reason–my brother was diagnosed with one horrific case of esophageal cancer. They “book-ended” the time I spent last year traversing back and forth to his home and the hospital near his home. So, # 2 was my announcement, yet again, that I needed to put writing a blog on hold to take care of him. This post was difficult to write for a whole host of reasons, not the least of which was that I felt compelled to protect my brother’s privacy at this point in my life. Later on my eldest brother told me that the “affected brother” was sad that I had stopped writing on his account. But, I knew something that my brother didn’t–that MIP readers are very “faithful fans” and would come back to my blog when I had the time to write again. One more time, here is “Another Kind of WOW.

Unfortunately, the reason why I was able to return to writing was because my brother made the courageous decision to end treatment and just let nature take its course. He passed away 8 days later, after telling me he was “trying to do this quickly.” I knew exactly why he said that. He never wanted anyone to suffer on his account. And thus, because he hated me giving up the blog, I wrote, for him, “Why I Stopped Writing.” 

Kleenex, anyone??? Thanks for coming back here to read both the fun and not so fun events of my life. I am grateful for each one of you.

Monday’s Post: A Normal Kind of WOW…

You Might Also Like: YOUR Top 10 of MIP 2014: 4 & 3; YOUR Top 10 of MIP 2014: 6 & 5; and YOUR Top 10 of MIP 2014: 8 & 7

Happy New Year!

We have now officially passed the 2nd anniversary of the inaugural MIP post, which just happened to be about inaugurations, because I like irony. It amuses me.

A LOT has happened in 2 short years in this “neck of the woods.” For instance, we just purchased a part of another neck of the woods…literally.

Personally, I am a bit surprised that I’m still writing this blog. How about you? Let’s pause to ponder and appreciate that little fact. (If you seriously think I’m going to pause and reflect about anything having to do with this crazy blog, then we need to have a talk about how well you know me.) Nah…let’s just get to today’s blog post business. You’re really here to learn what your fourth and third favorite MIP posts were last year. Without further adieu…!

If you don’t find # 4 odd, you may want to consider coming to my favorite counseling center.

Happy New Year!

If you like reading or re-reading the “favorite” or “popular” posts here, then today is your day for learning more about what all of you spent time reading at MIP. Number 6 on the list doesn’t surprise me at all. In fact every time some tragedy besets my family or me, that seems to be when most of you read MIP! Have no fear–I get it. In the information age that we live in today, it makes sense to me that you only have time to read truly unusual things and tragedies are unusual in my otherwise very routine life. Number 6 happens to be “Eulogy for a Brother,” which is a modified version of the eulogy I gave at my brother’s memorial service back in March 2014. If you missed the first “go-round,” go here to read it.

Number 5 is another post from the “resolution series” I wrote back a year ago.

Happy New Year!

Since we are having the Compassion Counseling Center Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony today, I am late at sending you this post! So, so sorry! But, I hope you will pray for the success of Compassion even in spite of my tardiness today. As of today, 3000+ people know about Compassion; we have close to 180 Likes on Facebook; and we have scheduled our first 5 appointments! We begin “business” tomorrow! Thanks to all of you who have prayed and supported this endeavor to reach the hurting in my area.

The “Odd Days” series was a pretty popular part of MIP in 2014. What are the Odd Days posts?  I researched the weird holidays in the U.S. that few of us know about and offered some sarcastic and silly thoughts on each month’s bizarre commemorations of various forms of Americana. So, if you’d like to take a look at such strangeness one more time, go here to read the “Odd Days of January 2014.”

Two more of my “Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions” posts made it into your Top 10 for MIP in 2014 and # 7 was the “inaugural post” for that series. So, if you struggle with keeping your resolve to do better in the new year, then perhaps this post will shed a little light on how to do that a little better. But, even if not, know that I’ve struggled with this as well and I “feel your pain!” Go here to read this inaugural post.

Friday’s Post: # 6 and # 5…

You Might Also Like: YOUR Top 10 of MIP 2014: 10 & 9; The 12 Days of MIP 2014: 2 & 1; and The 12 Days of MIP 2014: 4 & 3

Late this month, MIP will mark its 2nd birthday! This poor blog has had its ups and downs, thanks to me having 2 heart attacks and a brother having, and dying from cancer. Add to that a blogger on a mission to start a non-profit counseling center in her little town and MIP has definitely suffered! I’d like to promise my MIP-stalkers that it’s going to improve in 2015, but that’s making too many assumptions of a God with a very weird agenda for an aging woman in central Texas. So, I put this little blog in His hands and hope you will continue to find this blog as needed.

Last month I described my favorite posts from 2014 that didn’t garner the most viewership. But now, I’d like to disclose your favorite posts of 2014, so here goes!

Number 10 is definitely a favorite of my offspring! Why? Because the chart depicted in the post is so very true of my eldest son, darling daughter and youngest son!  It’s as if they had my 3 in mind when they depicted the characteristics of children based on birth order. In addition my entire family laughed (Okay, so maybe they only chuckled.) when I described how the world would look if my 3 ran the world. Need a smile today? Re-read this.

Number 9 was part of a series I did way back last January regarding trying to keep New Year’s Resolutions. This part featured Backwards Planning…the mantra of my often disorganized life that is the result of some really stubborn behavior on my part. If you, too, have some difficulty in this area, it may help to re-read this one here.

Monday’s Post: Two of you think you know what that WOW means. How about you?

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Happy New Year!

Hey, awesome MIP-stalkers! How are you? I’m a little frightened about 2015, honestly.

In 8 days counseling begins at Compassion Counseling Center and I have many concerns about the “unknown.” But, one thing that I hope you gain from stopping by here is that fear is not a big deal. It’s just a signal that we should plan carefully and pray consistently so that our future steps are thoughtfully carried out and guided by God.

Let’s get this series finished up, okay? My 2nd most favorite post of 2014 is not my favorite because I like how I wrote it, but because it marked a milestone for me. It was my first product review. Some bloggers actually make a living doing this, believe it or not. I doubt that I will ever do so many that I can retire on such posts, but it indicates to me that some of the steps I’m taking to get my blog “out there” are finally taking off. And I want my blog to be helpful and an inspiration to whomever God puts in my path (and I consider you “in my path” if you read this blog!). If you missed this post and care to read it, click here.

Like my product review, I also know, all too well, that many of you only read this blog on Mondays! You have always loved the WOW posts (Word of the Week) and thus, it seems only fitting, that my most favorite 2014 post be a WOW post. Click here to see if you know this WOW!

Friday’s Post: YOUR favorites of 2014…

You Might Also Like: The 12 Days of MIP 2014: 4 and 3; The 12 Days of MIP 2014: 6 and 5; and The 12 Days of MIP 2014: 8 and 7

Happy New Year!

I hope that 2015 is a year in which you find personal success mastering challenges that have proven difficult in the past. Today’s choices for my favorite posts are about taking on the challenge to improve your walk with the Lord and to improve your physical health. Self-improvement, in whatever “realm” is at the heart of why I write this blog. I hope MIP inspires you to take charge of your life, punch fear in the face (in the words of Jon Acuff), and not only improve you, but the world around you. Here’s for a sampling of what I mean.

My 4th most favorite post is about changing one simple thing to improve your health. I asked all of you to wear a pedometer each day. It’s amazing how knowing how many steps you have taken each day causes you to be more active. If I were to issue this challenge today, I’d ask you to purchase an activity tracker that not only counts your steps, but tells you how many calories you have burned and evaluates your sleep patterns. Knowledge is power, folks, and merely knowing how well you’re meeting your fitness goals can spur you on to take control of your health in a relatively easy. But, if you can’t afford an activity tracker, a pedometer is a good alternative. Go here to see what I wrote in 2014.

If you had told me that I would blog about Beth Moore’s latest study when I started MIP, I would have seriously taken your temperature. I am still a little stunned that her organization gave me permission to do this. And many of you enjoyed these posts, particularly some of you who weren’t able to participate in her study because of distance or time constraints. Expect more of this in 2015! And for those of you who didn’t like these posts, I’m praying for you. 🙂 Go here for a sample of what I wrote this past fall and my choice for my 3rd most favorite post this year.

What simple things can you do this year to improve your life and the life of people around you? You are more powerful than you know. 🙂

Monday’s Post: What was your favorite WOW of 2014?

You Might Also Like: The 12 Days of MIP 2014: 6 & 5; The 12 Days of MIP 2014: 8 & 7; and The 12 Days of MIP 2014: 10 & 9

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Sorry that this post is most decidedly late, but the hubby and I have been on a short vacay to an area with sketchy (at best) web signal and those around me needed the connection much more desperately than this ol’ blogger! Today we continue The 12 Days of MIP 2014 with the Number 6 and Number 5 of my favorite posts of the year:

Number 6 is all about living with my hubby and his unusual occupation. While he travels 15 states for his company on a regular basis, he spends most of his time discussing the south end of a northbound cow. Go here to understand what this meant for me.

Number 5 is also about things I’ve learned (or probably NOT learned) from a NEW endeavor in my life: Lumosity.com. Go here to find out just how rapidly my brain is deteriorating.

Friday’s Post: # 4 and # 3…

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