15 June 2016

Wednesday Hodgepodge - 15 June 2016



1. If you could sit beside and/or jump in any lake in the whole wide world today, which lake would you choose and why?

I would choose either Lake Hartwell or Lake Richard B. Russell. Both hold great memories for me.

2. What's your favorite 'fruity' drink?

I like Ocean Spray Cranberry-Grape Juice, the 100% juice, not the cocktail. I don't really like fruit flavored things like candy, cereal, or drinks. I prefer the real thing.

3. I read a list here of thirteen things to do right now to simplify your life. They were-

clean as you go, re-evaluate your relationships (cut toxic ties), unsubscribe (too many blogs and websites), de-clutter, write down your daily goals, reply to emails right away, forget multitasking, create a morning routine, re-evaluate your commitments (which hobbies and responsibilities are most important to you), say no, clean up your computer, and plan your day ahead

Which of the tasks listed do you currently find most helpful in keeping life simple? Which item on the list should you adopt in order to simplify your life this month?

Cleaning as you go and de-cluttering make things easier around the house overall. Cleaning up my computer is something that I am working on, most especially in my genealogy files. Getting all of the surnames into their proper top level folder and into the proper subfolders makes finding the information much easier when I need to call it up. Like May, June will include this cleaning up of my computer files.

4. What did you do the summer after you graduated from high school?

I spent the first part of it crying. I was scared. I've never been good at dealing with changes and this was a significant change for me. Each previous May, I knew what, at least to some degree, was ahead of me. I would be starting school again in the fall and it would be the same notes again just as it had been every year before since I was six years old. That wasn't the case for May 1983.

I was already engaged with hopes of getting married, but you never know what will come along to mess up those plans. I was also planning to start college and trying to figure out how to get there. I started college in January 1984. David and I got married in November 1984.

5. Are you a fan of podcasts? If so what's a favorite?

I don't know that I've ever watched any official podcast. I have watched videos on occasion and I am not entirely sure what the difference is between the two.

6. Do you think today's fathers have it harder, easier, or just different than fathers in the past?

I think that it is just different. There are some ways that fathers of the past had it easier than the fathers of today and the other way around. In some way, fathers of old had it harder. There weren't cell phones available to call and find out where the wayward, late-arriving child was at any given time. Now, most kids are just a phone call away. And, if they are ignoring your call, you can always do that phone finder thing on them and surprise them!

7. Tell us one way you're like your father? Or not at all like your father if that's easier?

I am like my daddy in that he was a very passionate, strong-willed, hot-tempered, determined person. Family meant the world to him.

He was an alcoholic. I do not drink. I won't say that I never have, because I used to drink and for the sole purpose of getting drunk. Vodka was my poison and most of the time it went down straight. I took my first drink as a young teenager, sneaking it from my daddy's bottle that he kept near his bedside. I no longer drink, but inside I do fight the urge. Sometimes when things are hurting and there is no end in sight, that vodka bottle screams loudly to me. But, regardless of any effects the alcohol might have on me, I cannot and will not do that to my children. I won't put that worry on them.

This song always makes me cry. It makes me think of my daddy.


Rest in peace, Daddy. I love you.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

No one is perfect and that includes our daddies. They are flawed humans just like the rest of us. The heart is an amazing thing - it allows us to love even those that have hurt us deeply. The bond between a daddy and a daughter, no matter how imperfect they are, is not one easily broken. Even death can't separate the love of a daddy from his daughter or her love from him.





Please also visit David's Hodgepodge post over at Random Thoughts and Observations. Thanks!

16 comments:

  1. Thank you for stopping over. Yes all juice should be 100% with nothing added! Sorry to hear that you cried after H.S. I can see the point as to why you did. Big step facing the future. Enjoy the rest of your week.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. You're welcome and thank you for stopping by here, too. :)

      I drove my teachers mad that last week of school, I'm sure, because I spent all that week crying, too. Several times I had to leave the classroom because I couldn't keep from crying.

      Have a blessed week!

      Delete
  2. Your random thought is spot on! Yes, Ocean Spray Cranberry-Grape juice is DE-LISH, especially on a hot summer day!

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    1. Thank you, April. :)

      Have you also tried the Cranberry-Pomegranate version? I like it, too. I don't remember if I've tried the Cranberry-Blueberry one yet or not.

      Have a blessed week!

      Delete
  3. I enjoyed your Hodgepodge answers today! My dad taught me to drive and that is my excuse for channeling him when I am behind the wheel! Ha! My temper isn't quite as hot as his though! Thanks for your visit to my posts!! Nice to meet you!

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    1. I think it is cool that your dad taught you to drive. :) I don't think that either one of us would have survived if my daddy had been my driving teacher. haha

      Thank you for visiting here, too! It is nice to meet you as well. Have a blessed week. :)

      Delete
  4. I liked your answers. We are similar in cleanups! I'm glad you are strong in the area of that temptation. And I loved your answer about your dad and fathers. Excellent.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I appreciate your kind comments very much. I plan to read your post when we get back from the doctor's office.

      Thanks for stopping by. Have a blessed week!

      Delete
  5. I think in many ways there are higher expectations placed on dads today than in days gone by. It's all a bit confusing. Mine passed away more than 20 years ago, but we never stop missing our parents.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree we never stop missing them. The same with grandparents. Some people are just such a huge part of your life that letting them go is letting a part of yourself go, too.

      Thanks for stopping by. Have a blessed week. :)

      Delete
  6. I cried at the end of high school as well. I can relate to that feeling of being afraid of change. Thankfully all things will fall into place as time goes on.

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    1. It's just a matter of where that place is into which they fall that is troublesome. I don't do well with the unknown or deviations from plans most of the time.

      Did you end up where you'd planned after high school? Or, are things significantly different in your life than you imagined they would be?

      Thanks for stopping by. Have a blessed week!

      Delete
  7. Replies
    1. Thanks, Denise, for stopping by here. I hope that you have a blessed week. :)

      Delete
  8. Enjoyed your answers to these. #3 especially resonated with me. I try to clean up as I go as much as I can but the clutter seems to always be there. It could be worse I guess, but I know I could be a lot better.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. I often feel like this house has a re-clutterer installed in it somewhere. It can be very frustrating. I think that we could all probably be better in this regard.

      Thanks for stopping by. Have a blessed weekend!

      Delete

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