through the eyes of a scope

This picture is about a small party of my job. I can't tell you where I work, what we do, or even for who we do anything for. If I tell you anything, I'd have to kill you.
It's secret squirrel.
You see and meet some pretty interesting people. I'm around a lot of testosterone and hear lots of "bedside stories". It's an interesting job and it's a fun job. I've met well over 6,000 people from all over these fine United States.
It's "good to go".............

Words are like toothpaste

Words are like toothpaste.
Once you squeeze the toothpaste out, you can't get it back in.

This is the same for words.
Once you say them, you can't take them back and you can't get them back in.

Metaphor - is language that directly compares seemingly unrelated subjects. This according to Wikepedia.

I was having a conversation last night about a person with such little "tact", delivery of the message, etc. that it causes people to somehow not have any respect for them. Being in the actual line of fire of this person, I know exactly how everyone feels.

Yet, he asks what am I doing wrong? I think, he doesn't really want to go there. But again I hear the words, what could I being doing wrong? Okay, you asked.

Long story short, in the end this person probably didn't hear two words I said. During this same conversatoin I said something like it doesn't matter anyway, the damage is done. It's kind of like toothpaste, his actions and words, once they are out, you can't get them back in. My son said that's a good metaphor, Mom. He can stop me dead in my tracks with a sentence like that! He knows that word??!! Not only does he know that word, he is applying correctly. WOW.

Words are like toothpaste could be a good rule to live by and remember.

......My son

God's ultimate gift to me. No one can change that or take that from me or even trade me for it. Nope, my gift - my son.

I love my son more than words can say. More than I can ever tell him and most definitely more than I could ever show him.

He's been a good kid, a good teenager and an now, an even better "young man". I was all ready for the "payback". You know, the payback you get when you aren't such a great kid, teenager or even "young person" yourself. The one your parents ALWAYS tell you, you'll get yours when you have your own children, you'll see. Wagging that finger in your face. I spent many years "waiting" for the axe to fall, when is he going to get bad?? Almost bringing it to myself by wishful thinking, for the love of God.

But alas, I am peaceful knowing he's a good man, he's a decent person with good manners and a good head on his shoulders. He knows right from wrong and he'll usually tell you about it. He's a good mix of his dad and me but more specifically - me. Just because we've always been together, never apart.

We've lived in some hellacious places I tell you. Places that if child custody knew where we lived, they'd have taken him from me. But, the good news is we've never looked back and we've never gotten worse. In fact, our lives has always improved. He reminded me of that just a couple of weeks ago. That no matter what, we've gotten better. Builds character in a person. When you come from nothing, nothing is all you have to compare it all to. When you come from a lot and wind up with nothing, devastation!! Can't say that about us.

Mind, body and soul.

He has always played the drums. Very few actual lessons, just a passion. Currently, he is especially interested in his band. Altered State. I get to listen to them practice every night. Their music is, well, it's music that you either like or hate. I don't really understand what they are saying and that's probably a good thing.

He keeps telling me when he makes it big some day, he's going to buy me a house and anything else I want.

And, I believe him.

song of the day and tomorrow and the next day......

song of the day........

Rare Earth - the band
1970 - the year

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZsppOw2Mxk

I just want to celebrate another day of livin'
I just want to celebrate another day of life
I put my faith in the people
But the people let me down
So I turned the other way
And I carry on, anyhow

That's why I'm telling you
I just want to celebrate, yeah, yeah
I just want to celebrate, yeah, yeah
Another day of living, I just want to celebrate another day of life

Had my hand on the dollar bill
And the dollar bill blew away
But the sun is shining down on me
And it's here to stay
That's why I'm telling you I just want to celebrate, yeah, yeah
Another day of living, yeah
I just want to celebrate another day of living
I just want to celebrate another day of life
Don't let it all get you down,
Don't let it turn you around and around
And around and around

Well, I can't be bothered with sorrow
And I can't be bothered with hate, no, no
I'm using up my time by feeling fine, every day
That's why I'm telling you I just want to celebrate
Aw, yeah
I just want to celebrate yeah yeah
Another day of living, yeah yeah
I just want to celebrate another day of livin', yeah
I just want to celebrate another day of life
Don't let it all get you down, no, no
Don't let it turn you around and around,
And around and around, and around
Around round round 'round and around round round round don't go 'round

why "super" squirrel ?

so I have selected "super" squirrel as my picture for many and various, reasons.

first, I smile when I see this picture. The best reason.

next, the picture reminds me of my old boss; he was always "squirreling" something from someone. his first thought was always "what's in it for me?" you have to both admire and dislike that in a person.

further, it reminds me of some other people i know that could very well be in a first responder field. they are always "squirreling" emergency calls with the object of the game being to either be "first" on every emergency call or the person with the "most" emergency calls to their name. i never could understand this mentality and it makes me re-think my involvement with an emergency call type operation. The reason you might ask? the answer is simple......i could never get myself to believe i'd want to be "first" or "most" on anyone else's emergency situation. mostly because i think if they've called 911, it just can't be "good". makes sense now doesn't it?

in the end, when all else fails see my first reason for this post.

Life perfect Ain't perfect If you don't know what the struggles' for Falling down Ain't falling down If you don't cry when you hit the floor It's called the past cause I'm getting past And I ain't nothing like I was before You ought to see me now
-Alicia Keys: Lessons Learned

maiden name is langley.......

The reason I named this blog "maiden name is langley" is because I just came across a townhouse for sale in the Stafford, VA area that has the street name "langley" and that got me thinking I can hardly pass up anything for sale on a street named langley. Wouldn't that mean I'm a bad "former" langley?? What kind of loyalty does that show for my maiden name and heritage??

At which point I sent an e-mail to my entire immediate family letting them know this townhouse is for sale and it's on a street named langley!! I thought how fun it would be for all of us to buy this townhouse and then use it as a timeshare amongst all of us. I let them know this is my plan.

No response. From any of them.
I'm sure they are just thinking another one of her hair-brained ideas.

Sometimes hair brained ideas make a millionaire.