by Tish MacWebber | Feb 14, 2018 | Treasure Seeker Tuesdays
Hello Treasure Seekers, this week I am stopping to reflect on what is good in my life right now. I recently got some bad news, and I am discouraged. I am taking a breath, and thinking again about what I have to be grateful for in my life. If I dwell on the negativity, it will not bode well. I have to deal with what happened, and then I need to move on from it. Reflections on what I have that I am grateful for; that is what I am going to dwell on, instead.
I am not going to share the details here, it was not life-altering news, just run of the mill bad news. Something I wanted didn’t work out. It happens. Being on the receiving end of bad news is not something that you can control. But how you react to it and move on after the fact is absolutely in your control. I choose to feel what I need to feel for a few, quiet moments, and then I have to move on.
There is no point in dwelling on it. If I did, I would slip into a deep depression, if I let the negativity win. What you put out into the world is what you get back, and I am trying so hard to stay positive and keep moving forward. Sometimes I slip and catch my footing. Sometimes I fall down. But I get back up. I am trying to look at the big picture, and remember that things happen for a reason. I wish I know what the answer was, so I could just get things to be better than they are now. What they are now is good.
I have a home, with a mortgage. I have a car. I have a loving husband, who supports me in most of my crazy adventures. I have friends and family that cheer me on, both in my real life and in the online world. I have the bills under control. I have food, clean drinking water, heat and electricity. I have cable TV and the internet. I have a medical plan which helps me to maintain my diabetes. I have a brain, and I am able to use it for good. I am writing a book. I have this blog and this website. I have my jewellery business. I have dreams and hopes that reach way farther than anyone can imagine. I have faith.
Sometimes, even I don’t really know what I am truly capable of. I am still learning so many new things that I amaze myself. This is what I am holding on to, that things will get better and if they don’t go the way I want them to, well I am going to keep pushing, and praying and trying different things until I do get something to go in the right direction. I am the woman that picks up and goes in a slightly different direction than the flow because when I make up my mind, ANYTHING and EVERYTHING are possible. I just have to continue working towards my goals, and never give up.
I am seeking my own treasures in this life, and I am going to keep working on my goals until I achieve them. I have to. It is why I am here. To write, and shake things up along the way, while laughing and spreading as much joy and optimism as I can. To create beautiful, quirky, funky, whimsical jewellery, and share my gifts with the world. I am feeling better already. Time to go tackle something while I am in the right frame of mind. I know that I am in charge of what direction I am going in, and sometimes I veer to the left, but I am always on the right path. Mine.
Happy Valentine’s Day, Treasure Seekers. If you are alone, treat yourself to something nice, and count the blessings that you have, whatever they may be. Share them below in the comments, and we will keep the positivity going from our hearts and minds out into the world at large. I believe in myself, and I believe that if we stand together, change can happen, and it can be for the right reasons. Try something new. Surprise yourself. I am glad that I did, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
Share-the-Love-and-Positivity-this-Valentines-DayTogether-we-can-change-the-worldone-heartbeat-at-a-time.
#TreasureSeekerTuesday (on Valentine’s Day)
by Tish MacWebber | Feb 14, 2018 | Weekend Warrior
Weekend Warrior is being written a little late this week. I had some things going on this past week that kept me from writing my regular story on time. So on Saturday, it was all about the go, go, go! And on Sunday, it was totally about the Stop!
I got up early on Saturday. I had to go with my husband as he worked, and I wanted the car. I went out to Chapters with my laptop to meet a friend. She has a Costco Membership, and on my journey into the land of progressive lenses, I am also having fun shopping around for new glasses. I had about 8 pairs that I tried on for pics. I always put a strange pair in, just for fun! The pair that was the most liked in the store was not picked by any of the lovely people that took the time to comment on the pics of me in the different frames. Go figure.
I decided to go to church Saturday afternoon. So I came home, had a really light lunch, and went back out the door again. I came home after church with the intention of getting some chores done here and got distracted by the computer. When you are working on your social platform, that happens. I am continually distracted by this, that and the other thing.
And then it was time to go get my husband after work.
It had been snowing all day. I was all over town, in and out of my home. When it was time to make my last trip for the day, the snowplough had gone by. Winter in Canada involves snow. Sometimes, lots of snow. We didn’t get that much all day. Except at the end of my driveway when I was ready to go. I was a half an hour late. I planned to leave a half an hour early. Then I had a wall of snow in my way.
I prefer the scoop. It moves more snow faster Maybe next winter we will have a snow blower. I hope so. Today was the one year anniversary of the massive 80 cm snowfall in 2017. I am so glad there was no repeat. *knocks on wood*.
Saturday was a full, busy day. Then on Sunday, I did very little. At this time of year, I rest more. I took a nap. I chatted with a friend. I relaxed. I started panicking about not writing Thursday. I knew I would write the stories, but not when. Sometimes the ideas are right there, and other times I need to brew them a little longer.
So this weekend was a balance of energy. That means I call this past weekend a draw.
What did you do this past weekend? Do you have plans for next weekend? Let me know in the comments. 🙂
#WeekendWarrior
by Tish MacWebber | Feb 12, 2018 | Trust Your Gut
Trust Your Gut this week is a review of sorts. It will be a review of what I have learned so far. I wanted to make it a special edition, because of the number it has in the title. I also want to share what this category has done for me.
It is helping me to write Trust Your Gut every week. I know that other people read it, and can relate to some of the things that I write about. Those are both good reasons for me to keep going.
I have challenged myself to lose 50 pounds by July. It is harder than it sounds. I have to really focus if I am going to reach my goal. Getting back on track by going to Zumba tomorrow (I am writing this really late on Sunday, and I can make it to Zumba tomorrow, depending on the weather) is going to be a big help. I am not always able to make it twice a week right now, but I am hoping that will change. Nicer weather means I can start walking. That is why I want to get a dog. It will force me to walk.
I am in my winter slump. It does seem to be a rough winter this year. I have not been able to snap out of it like last year. I know what I have to do, and I just don’t. That makes it hard to get anything done, and hard to stay focused. I am not happy about it. I just have to work through it. It is hard to explain. I know that I don’t like going outside in the winter any more than I have to. I am terrified of falling down on the ice, even with all the extra padding I have built in. I survived 1 fall this winter and was quite sore for a few weeks. I wanted to hibernate.
I did talk to my doctor this past week. My sugars have gone up, and I basically knew that, as I had stopped trying so hard. I read today that the clock moves forward in 4 weeks. That means spring, and it means I will start coming out of the slump. My new doctor was wanting me to understand that I need to get back on schedule for bloodwork every 3 months. I am feeling better about that now that I have found that my new doctor is a really nice person, and wants to know about my life, not just about the health issues I have. She is really working towards building a healthy relationship with me as a person, and I really feel good about it.
She asked about bariatric surgery. I am still in the hell no camp, personally. I know it is not going to be easy to lose weight to become healthier, but I can still move. A friend told me that if I am not able to move anymore it will be too late. To me, it is at that point that I will need help because I am not able to help myself. My friend had a point, but I do not want to take that step.
When I get to the point where I have the excess skin after I have lost the weight, then I will ask for help with surgery. That is something that will make the journey complete, so to speak. It will mean that I need the help at that time. Now I just need to focus and do the work to get me there.
I learned that I need to work harder at committing to becoming healthier. I am roughly back to where I was a year ago. I have changed slightly, in either direction, but I have not lost a significant amount of weight. I have to work harder. I know I can get results if I just work on it. So I know what I have to do, to move forward and to keep writing my story.
#TrustYourGut
by Tish MacWebber | Feb 7, 2018 | Treasure Seeker Tuesdays
Last week I wrote about the book cover design quest I started, in Treasure Seeker Tuesday. This week I can say that I have continued the work and asking for opinions. Which are very helpful in making changes, and getting ready to make a final decision. It is my first book cover, for my first book. It is a big deal.
I have been pushing myself in a few areas since the new year started. I already achieved a personal goal at my workplace. I sent an email, and what I asked for was granted. If I review my list of things that I want to get accomplished in 2018 to make it a SUCCESS, I am making progress. I launched the website. I am continuing to work on it. I am keeping up with my blog, writing consistently three times a week. I am happier at work with the lateral position change. I really needed a change.
I am forgetting something. I do enjoy all of the things I am working on. Yes, I do love writing and telling stories. I love being able to listen to my music lists on Spotify while I am at work. I am pushing my limits and keeping the momentum going. I am forgetting to just stop doing what I have to do every once in a while and just doing something for fun.
I am scared to stop. When I cut myself some slack, I generally go off the rails, and maybe I don’t find my way back. If I stopped writing and working on the website, I might just do what I do and stop. With every intention to get back to it, and never finding the gumption or the time. That would be a real shame.
Writing and being creative are the things that keep me going, with the coffee and vitamins. I enjoy writing and getting comments about what I have written. I don’t want to stop. But in a way, I did, a little. I have put down the book I started writing.
I stopped in December, and have looked at it once. I am in the part of the year where I sometimes do nothing because of the guilt I have about not doing what I think needs to be done instead of what I want to do. So I do nothing. It is not a good place to be stuck in and it certainly isn’t a place I can just walk away from.
It is inside my head. I know I am hard on myself, but it is a part of what makes me tick. I am my own worst critic, and that is not an easy standard to live up to. I strive to be the best at what I do, and when I don’t succeed, I am really hard on myself. Every once in a while, I have a good cry, release the emotions, and I move on. It is also a part of my coping mechanism. In the last year, it has happened a handful of times. It is how I deal. I spring a leak, and then I patch it up until the next time it breaks.
I am working towards finding a balance, and a way to do all of the things that are productive for me to do. In all areas. I think I need to give myself a break. I have accomplished so much in 14 months. I know I am doing well. I know I am finding my way. It all comes down to perspective. And sometimes, a person needs to take a step away from what they are working on, take a break, and think about it in the back of their mind to gain a different perspective before moving forward again. Even me.
I have taken a break from writing my first book. But you know what? It isn’t going to write itself, and it needs my attention. I am so excited about using my imagination to write this book, and when I share a little, people genuinely react well to what I do share. I am going to scale back on the social media platform and the website just a bit, to make time to finish my book. I have to prioritize it and make the time. That is how I will get it finished. I just needed to give myself space to get a new perspective. It is time to get back to writing the book. Starting tomorrow. It is late, and I still have that day job that pays the bills…
#TreasureSeekerTuesday
by Tish MacWebber | Feb 5, 2018 | Weekend Warrior
Weekend Warrior this week is being written during Superbowl 52. I watch for the commercials and the halftime show, I’m not going to lie. I understand a touchdown if I see it happen, and that’s about it. I am not a football fan. I am a huge fan of comedy and music, so I enjoy the extras that go along with the game.
I usually make something special to eat during the game. This year I made tacos and taco salad. Nachos and wings could be an alternative, and we had chili last week. So I chose to make tacos and taco salad. Guess what’s for lunch tomorrow, and maybe supper, and maybe even lunch on Tuesday? Good thing I enjoy Taco salad.
Yesterday was busy with some errands. Mixed into what had to be done was a trip to the mall to try on glasses. I had a friend with me, and he took pics. When you are as blind as a bat without your glasses on, trying on new glasses is challenging, because either you really trust the person that is picking out the frames that you try on, or you guess. One time I was given disposable contacts to try them on. It was the one and only time I ever had contacts in my eyes, and it was really cool! I got to see what I was trying on!
I have a few more places to go in the next few weeks while we sort out the cost and fit it into the budget. I have coverage, but it has a price limit, and we have to pay up front. So it requires planning and shopping around. When you only get new glasses once every 2 years, it is nice to have fun trying on glasses, picking some just for fun, and then narrowing down the choices until you find the right pair. I have more places to shop, and I am going to see if I can’t find the best ones in the current fashion trends. I want to look smart, and stylish, like an up and coming author, should look.
Earlier today I met a friend for lunch. We went to the Northside Market, and she got me to try something new. I had noodles, with veggie ground meat, and spring rolls. it was a combo, and I skipped the curry flavoured meat. Spices and I do not play nicely together, and even though it was the milder choice, I found a spice in it that set me off. I recovered quickly, and the meal was very good. I wish I knew exactly what that spice is, that cuts off the air in my throat. I would be happier if I could ask if that spice was in the ingredients before trying new foods, and it would make me feel a little better about trying new things.
We met because I am lending my Outlander book to her. I have lent that book to several people since I first read it back in university days. I loved Diana Gabaldon for many years, but I have had a new favourite author take that place in my heart. Jacqueline Carey is now my favourite author. Kushiel’s Dart and the whole sets of the Kushiel and Namah trilogies, two each, are the most amazing books. Her writing was so captivating to me. Some people have joined me in the love for these books, but not everyone. I keep telling people about them because I enjoyed them so much.
With the Outlander books, there is the Scottish history with a little bit of fantasy and romance. With the Kushiel and Naamah books, it is like a whole new world, just left of what the real world is, with mystery, and intrigue that just mesmerized me, as a reader. I couldn’t put them down, and want to make time to reread them. I am reading some new to me Sci-Fi, by Karen Traviss (Ally), and my first Stephen King novel (Bag of Bones) at the moment. I love to read, and that is one reason that I am really working hard to become an author. It is something I can do.
I also write lyrics, and the sad truth is that I am not cut out to be a singer. It makes my love for music all the more appreciative of the artists that are blessed with the ability to sing. I am still waiting for that chapter of my life to move forward. As a dreamer, I want it to happen. As a writer, all I can do is let people know what I can do, and what I am looking for.
I set up to record the Superbowl 52 Halftime show, but I was not impressed. Apparently, I am not alone with that sentiment. It was OK. Meh. I do want to thank Scandal for playing 2 Janet Jackson songs this past week. I really enjoyed hearing some of my favourite Janet songs. Don’t fool yourself, it was timed very well. I appreciate the message I got from enjoying Scandal this week.
In light of all of this, I was quite torn about taking the Superbowl Selfie with Justin Timberlake (on my TV) this year. I thought about it for a few minutes, and I made a decision. I want to relive last year’s fantastic Halftime show and share the selfie that started all of this. So here it is, she is still one of the best artists to have the Halftime show in my opinion.
Matty & I pose with Lady Gaga for the Halftime show of Superbowl 51.
You had better believe I won this weekend! Next year, the Superbowl had better pick someone that doesn’t have to play it safe or tick people off. One last thought, if they let him back, is Janet Jackson next? I would love to see that! If not, it is a double standard that is just wrong, another thing that people just aren’t fixing to make the world a place of truth and equality for everyone. There is a lot of work to do yet, to make changes like this happen.
I am going to get ready to watch This Is Us. It is up after the Superbowl. I may have some more salad before packing it up for the night. I have my kleenex ready and am expecting to be sad, it is advertised as being a sad show. We have waited 2 seasons to find out how the father in the show died. It was hinted at as a fire. I am going to apologize now for being tired tomorrow. I took a nap before. That will help. How do you enjoy the Superbowl? What are your favourite party foods that you make for the event?
#WeekendWarrior
