Tag: Random questions

Tag: Random questions

JB from It's gonna take more than a hamburger to make me happy tagged my boy LazyKing and I thought it would be fun to answer these 50 random questions. Feel free to tag yourself and let your readers get to know you better.

Tell me when you post your answers.

1. Where were you 3 hours ago?
Same place I am now, at home typing on the computer.

2. Who are you in love with?
I'm in love with my hubby. He requested a new pseudo name, he will now be know as Gambit. I'm not sure how long that will last but I'll give it a try.

3. Have you ever eaten a crayon?
No, but i use to eat toothpicks.

4. Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you?
A mirror and a toe separator...??? (You know for manicures, what is that thing called?)

5. When is the last time you went to the mall?
I don't like the mall, it might have been last year, I'm not sure.

6. Are you wearing socks right now?
No, furry flip-flops. They belong to Cinna, and they're pink too.

7. Do you have a car worth over $2,000?
I'm not sure. If its over, not by much.

8. When was the last time you drove out of town?
My sabbatical a year ago, but technically Gambit drove and dropped me off.

9. Have you been to the movies in the last 5 days?
Nope. I'm pretty lame lately, but I plan to go in five days to finally see Star Trek.

10. Are you hot?
Of course I think I'm hot, but I'm sure that would be open for debate.

11. What was the last thing you had to drink?
Water

12. What are you wearing right now?
A t-shirt and jeans

13. Do you wash your car or let the car wash do it?
Car wash but if I had a house I'd wash my own.

14. Last food that you ate?
Pizza with mushrooms and salad.

15. Where were you last week at this time?
I think at the Doctor with Cinna.

16. Have you bought any clothing items in the last week?
No but I feel inspired to now.

17. When is the last time you ran?
You mean on purpose for a extended amount of time. Maybe 8 years ago?

18. What's the last sporting event you watched?
NBA playoffs

19. What is your favorite animal?
Dogs/cats

20. Your dream vacation?
A private island with servants and a villa just off the beach with crystal blue water.

21. Last person's house you were in?
My mom's apartment. I stayed a my friends house to house sit for a week. That was a nice vacation.

22. Worst injury you've ever had?
I hurt my back when I escaped fought of my kidnapper. Dramatic rights? Read about it; The man that changed my life is on Freaky Friday.

23. Have you been in love?
Yes, a few times. I'm madly deeply in love now. Very cool and profound place to be.

24. Do you miss anyone right now?
My friend , T-dog.

25. Last play you saw?
Wow! I don't go to plays often but I love them. Most of them I don't remember the name. I would guess it would have been on college but I think I'm forgetting a few. Lets guess its been 7 years. I know by now you think I need a life but for 10 years I was never at home. Now I just want to relax and put my feet up is that okay with you! Sorry I did not mean to get so defensive, I don't know what got into me.

26. What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex?
My kiss and my libido ; )

27. What are your plans for tonight?
Plans??? Your suppose to have plan on a Friday night now? What's with all the questions?... I'm sorry again. I forgot that I wanted to this. Its not your fault its mine. I'm just a little touchy lately. Hubby wants us to go out more you know and I'm working through some issues, please don't take it personal.

28. Who is the last person you sent a MySpace message or comment?
~TPoetic~

29. Next trip you are going to take?
Gambit wants to take Cinna to New-York but no plans yet

30. Ever go to camp?
Yes. My middle school owned a camp and so I went two summers. Lots of fun. I was a girl scout one summer, that was funnnnn! We made a coffee can stove and cooked apple pancakes on it; thought that was the coolest thing ever.

31. Were you an honor roll student in school?
Yep, until high school. It was a school of excellence and realized that I had to study to get good grades. I was stubborn for a little while but I eventually got it together.

32. What do you want to know about the future?
I wonder if I will have a child. Things don't look good but I have a lot of hope.

33. Are you wearing any perfume or cologne?
No.

34. Are you due sometime this year for a doctor's visit?
Always. I lost my insurance earlier this year so I'm a little behind on most things.

35. Where is your best friend?
In heaven and everywhere. Second to God, gambit is here with me.

36. How is your best friend?
God is great, as always. Gambit is stressed but good for the most part.

37. Do you have a tan?
Not a tan. I'm already brown but I'm getting darker for the summer.

38. What are you listening to right now?
nothing

39. Do you collect anything?
Not really.

40. Who is the biggest gossiper you know?
I hate to label people. I hate gossip but of course I'm still guilty of it if I'm not paying attention.

41. Last time you got stopped by a cop or pulled over?
In 2007, 50 in a 35. I was tired and now my car insurance is high : ( Tha'ill learn me.

42. Have you ever drank your soda from a straw?
Of course! Who hasn't?

43. What does your last text message say?
Probably, you payment is over due. I don't have a cellphone anymore.

44. Do you like hot sauce?
Franks is the best!

45. Last time you took a shower?
Yesterday afternoon. What time is it anyway?

46. Do you need to do laundry?
Nope, but Cinna does.

47. What is your heritage?


Yeah most African Americans don't really have a specific answer for that question.

48. Are you someone's best friend?
IDK! I need to do some relationship maintenance, but don't hold that against me.

49. Are you rich?
NOOOOOHH, not at all! I never wanted to be rich, but I never want to be broke. Funny thing is my money came through yesterday...Yeah!!!!!! But I have a lot to do with the money... Booooohh!

50. What were you doing at 12am last night?
I was on the computer having a restless night. I did not fall asleep until after 4am. Still you have to be careful asking those questions. I'm obligated to answer and you might get TMI. See answer 26 for reference.

The Look of Love - Romantic Animation

Beauty is only skin deep. So what happens when you can't judge a book by its cover?



Have you ever fallen for someone that is not your type? How much do looks matter in romance?

Getting Caught By Mom

You remember what it was like to sneak as a teen. There were so many new and fun things that I wanted to do as a kid but was not allowed. To bad I did not think about the possibility of getting caught. LMV- part 5 is about the time that I got caught having sex by my mom when I was just 14 years-old. Please read this small excerpt to get an idea of what happened.

"...Now I was all alone with her, having no idea what to do or what to expect I just stood still; I continued avoiding eye contact, and waited for her to make the next move. Her instruction to me were similar to Dean's, she was not sure what she was capable of and that I needed to get out of her sight immediately..."

If you would like to read the entire post visit Freaky Friday and catch up on this 7 part real life story. It was a very bad day that both my mom and I can laugh at now.

Motley Crue - Smokin' In The Boys Room Uploaded by jpdc11

Is there anyone else out there that has been caught by their parents doing something naughty! Am I'm the only one that got caught having sex? Tell us what was the worst thing you were caught you doing as a kid?

#3WordsAfterSex

Twitter is full of strange customs and trends that keep boredom from setting in. One of the latest trends is tweeting three words you would say after having sex. The responses range from sexy to rude but they are mainly LOL. Bellow is a list of a few I liked. To tweet the author click the link and let them know they made you laugh.

#3WordsAfterSex

# beembitch I needed that

# Oh2BeTall I SO faked!

# MissCee that was disappointing

# ChampParker Don't touch me

# vivianvsf You're still here?

# IamMrBloom ..............you were asleep?

# McFrezco You came AGAIN?!

# WestSideGuyAwesome Thanks guys!

# YaGirlLovesMe that doesn't happen

# AjayRamisDope I'm So Sorry

# lordneil Wasn't that illegal?

# TomGriffola What was that?

# MRAnderson12 who are you?

# creolepatra ignore the Cameras!

# JOEBILLZ Soooooooooo you're celibate?

10 Things to Say After Sex

Now it's your turn. Come up with three words to say after having sex?

Stay Motivated

Last week I published the article bellow sharing a few motivation tips. Staying Motivated is the full article on TCB Thursday. In it I share how to use these tips effectively. Please visit the links above and let me know if you find it helpful.

Staying motivated is a skill that ever ones needs but most people don't consciously develop it. Some people have a natural optimistic spirit, believing that you can accomplish anything you focus on, and they except nothing but the best. Still many hard working people get down and feel like life has dealt them a bad hand and they are often tempted to throw in the towel when it looks like they will never get what they are working for.

Discouragement happens to the best of them, so instead of trying to avoid it just learn to plan for it. The antidote for discouragement is encouragement. So before you become overwhelmed by the the feeling that your goals, dreams, desires or needs are unobtainable get together a plan of encouragement, or a staying motivated plan. Here are some helpful tips when you have a goal that you are working towards:

1) Just Do It- Erase the word "try" from your vocab. Instead make a commit to work hard.

2)What's you motivation- Why do you want what you want; this will bring perseverance.

3)Count the cost- What sacrifices and what resources will you need to get what you want?

4)Support group- Create a environment for success: mentors, cheerleaders,and inspiration.

5)Get a vision- Dreams can take your goals to infinity and beyond; shoot for the stars.

If you have time please what the video bellow. It articulates the problems and solutions of achieving difficult goals. Its analytical in nature but with practical tips that I love.

Motivation Secrets & Tips

Do you have problems staying motivated? If so then why? What do you do, think or say to keep yourself going when you start to feeling hopeless and/or defeated?

If The White Rabbit Wore a Watch and Could Talk...

white rabbit red heart Uploaded by bijoubaby

Written By Lee- The Subconscious Self

He'd say that boredom stalks on the outside of your mind from day in and night out. Eccentially his interpretation of "being bored", is summed up into a desire to have somthing effect the norm or common understanding of an individuals progressive subconscious lay out of the way the day will most likely go. If this is to be understood as a fact or else a simple truth for oneself then we can conclude that the orgin of "having plans" originated from desire. Is this yet another subconscious ploy to assinate boredom? Those boring days when every thing is quiet and your mind is at it's loudest and in some quantum physics machine you think your dimensional self could be having fun right now as you twiddle your thumbs. In a dauntless listless mind where Enzyte commercials can be comical and a piece of chewing gum consistency more and more resembles the character of rubber wraping endlessly around a finger...as a desire creeps from no where? Is it in these moments of "blah" that fantasy modules lift off and shoot through outerspace taking the sticky fingered person with it "WHOOPING" along, or is it just the seed for this blog...or the beginning of the most unique creation you may have ever dreamt...I think he might finish with his whiskers twitching, "Dream on."

Dale Carnegie - inspirational words of wisdom

A little morning inspiration to get you on the right foot.



Share your success. Tell us what have you done lately that you are really proud of. Big or small it doesn't matter, just share your victories it encourages others.

Love The One You're With

I'm fat and I'm beautiful. I never understood why fat was such a dirty word. I grew up with women who were over weight and they are absolutely stunning; not because they were fat, not in spite of it but just because they were beautiful. Then I grew up and grew out and understood that being called fat was not desired. I did not mean to let myself go but life got the best of me and now things that were once easy are now difficult. Instead of doing 200 sit-ups effortlessly I now do 50 with muscle soreness for three days. Instead of eating two or three helpings I now get a small plate once or twice a day without the scale noticing. Yes it's hard but I love my body. Not just because it has gotten me this far, but because it still looks good to me. I still long for the days when my friends would ask me to lift my shirt so they could stare and my abs with awe and I miss finding lots of clothes that flatter my figure but I'm okay with me.

I wish that everyone could just love the body that they have today. You should always strive to be your best, but you should appreciate what you already have. Working with people with all kinds of handicaps and help you to get a better perspective on self esteem and the function of a body.If you can't see your beauty on the outside start with your inner beauty and all its glory.

"If you are overweight or out of shape toning up is beneficial if not necessary for your health. However, learning to love your body unconditionally is a significant step that is often overlooked..."

This is from a post titled Love The One You're With and can be found on Wellness Wednesday.




What role do you think media plays in societal beauty standards? Do you have a love or hate relationship with your body? How have you improve your body image through out the years?

7 Things That Make Me Happy

I won, I won, I won. What did I win? I was nominated for the Kreativ Blogger Award by LazyKing of Bored...Get Unbored. One of the rules of this award is to name seven things that make me happy:

1. Compliments from my husband
2. Blogging
3. Good music
4. Cleaning out the lint trap on a dryer
5. Babies laughing
6. Observing unselfish acts of kindness
7. Eating sushi

To read my acceptance post please visit Talent Tuesday.

REM - Shiny Happy PeopleUploaded by damned78

Do you love Shiny Happy People (the song or people you know) or do you find it/them annoying? Name at least one thing that makes you happy.

The Greatest Prank Call Ever

I heard this prank call originally on the way home from work a few years ago and I was almost in tears. Great prank for anyone who hates getting called by telemarketers.




Are you a prankster? Share your best prank call?

Stride Into Summer

There's is a new article from Trainer's Corner titled Stride Into Summer. This article gives beginner tips on how to incorporate running into a fitness program. Read the first tip to get a taste of what you will learn:

"1. Just like any exercise program, it is important to set attainable goals. Whether it’s to be able to run for 30 minutes straight or to run at least 3 days a week, set a couple of goals and stick to them...."

You will find the entire article on Wellness Wednesday and don't forget to check out the Homebody Blog for the latest music and interviews with artist.

Free Running Inspiration

Do you routinely run for fitness and if so how has running helped you? Are you been interested in running but too intimidated to give it a go? Do you have any questions regarding your fitness program?

Star Trek Trailer (2009)

I really excited to see Star Trek now that there is convincing hype. I am far from Trekkie but I've learned to appreciate this series through my dad and later my husband. Still I was not planning on going to the theater to see this movie, I thought I'd wait for the DVD but so many people who are not fans of science fiction have raved about this movie that I'm now convinced that I need to see it for myself. So in honor of the apparently brilliant movie there are some cool Space Pictures on Talent Tuesday. That's my safe and easy way "to go where no man has gone before".

New Star Trek Trailer (2009) - Official Channel

If you have already seen the movie please describe the experience in one word (no spoilers please). For all the Star Trek die hard fans proudly share your Trekkie's moment.

Good Morning

Good morning everyone. I'm kind off to a slow start today but I thought Good Morning by Kayne West might get me going. I love songs about waking up and starting your day the right way are cool. They kind of set the tone for the rest of the day. This song is very simple, short and kind of smooth;I also love silly songs, hard hitting and perky morning songs.

Kanye West - Good Morning [Full Version]


What are your favorite songs get you going in the morning? Do you like to wake up to music or does it take an alarm to wake you up? Are you a morning or a night person?

Guided Meditation

Mediation is a great way to achieve clarity. Still it is easy to get caught up in complicated techniques instead of focusing on the purpose of meditation.I practice meditation to gain awareness, to increase moments of mindfulness and all the benefits that come with it. I also meditate to spend time being quiet so that my mind and spirit can relax. It is also a practice to connect spiritually to the world around me. Focusing on the technique is not true mediation; thoughts are still working overtime even though the body is still and quiet.

When I am in a quiet and peaceful environment I find meditation easy, but in my noisy and busy life I'm so easily distracted. Meditation with guided videos is a great way to cut out the distractions of life and to remember to focus on your breathe and being. The is a great way to build up your focus and then you should find that you will be able to consistently meditate on your own through out each day. To see more videos on the meaning of true meditation go to The True Meaning of Meditation or visit Mental Monday here on LL&L.

This video is a short guided meditation designed to teach the some basic key points and enable you to get in touch with your true self so that you can manifest all of your dreams and desires.

Guided Daily Mini Meditation

Do you find it easy to quiet your mind? Do you calm yourself and maintain focus through out the day through other techniques besides meditation?

I Kissed The Lord and I Liked It

They say you can't help who you fall in love with and I would have to admit that I love Katy Perry. Well I don't know her but I love the fun yet bold lyrics of "I Kissed A Girl". I've sung the song many of times but decided to change the words so that it could match something that I have experienced. My rewrite is titled "I Kissed The Lord" and it goes with a story of my own personal miracle. Ask And Ye Shall Be Kissed as Matthew 21:18-22 and I Kissed The Lord are all on Spiritual Sunday. The post are to remind you that God does answer prayers, you don't have to worry about asking the right one just talk to Him and he will work it out.

Freedom For All

"I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free". I love that song and mean every word but I feel somewhat nervous saying that out loud. Americans are not always looked upon with respect. We are know for being obnoxious, inconsiderate, arrogant, ignorant... That not only saddens me but it scares me. America is not what it use to be, but that's probably a good thing. This is a great country that affords many opportunities to many different people, but we should change tolerance to acceptance.

Make Mine Freedom (1948)

Has America earned its bad reputation or are the nasty labels unjustified? What freedoms or justice are we still lacking?

Like A Virgin- LMV part 3

"I know that usually when people talk about losing their virginity they only have one story to tell; I've never been accused of being normal so what can I say. In Losing My Virginity- part 2 I shared about my first two sexual experiences with my boyfriend. It was not a great experience but I felt that I learned a lot from it. The best thing I learned is that he was not worth my time and that I needed to move on so I broke up with him. I think both of us thought good riddance to our loveless relationship.

My life returned to normal until Nancy's... sweet sixteen..."

This is an excerpt from Losing My Virginity- part 3 found on the LL&L blog Freaky Friday. I want you to know why I share my very personal stories. When I can talk about my past I can forgive myself for any past mistakes and feel more confident in the present because I, "... feel like I have nothing to hide". The other reason I share is in the hope that it will help someone else: avoid my mistakes, forgive themselves or follow learn from my victories.

In my LMV series there are a total of 7 parts, at the end I will share a list of things that I believe is important for teens to know about sex. I want parents feel eager to talk to their kids about sex before their kids have to learn bad habits taught my the wrong people. In my own life I noticed that once the lines of communication were open with my mom I become empowered and made better choices for myself. So if this doesn't offended you please read LMV- 1-7 and let me know what you think, please.

Madonna, Like A Virgin - Virgin Tour 1985

If you are interested in submitting a post on this subject, or anything else please contact me and we will work out the details. I don't know how many people are feeling brave but I'd love you to share your own story: when did you lose your virginity, how was the experience, and what did you learn from it?

Funny Commercials

Remember the days when you had to get up and change the channel, no remotes. Thank goodness commercials were more enjoyable in those. When I do watch TV I might not change the channel but I find myself completely tuning out during the breaks, but there is a hilarious blog that has changed my mind. It's called Kiss My Black Ads and is great blog that includes world advertising."KMBA is about the selling of goods & services to diverse audiences for both marketers and creatives. This blog features work for, by & of multicultural people. The purpose of the blog is to learn, teach, as well as inspire marketers & creatives" If you like funny commercials, beautiful artwork, and sincere writing please visit. When I visit I find myself staying awhile, once you drop (in) you can't stop. So if you are into marketing, art or laughing you visit one of the links above.

So in the spirit of KMBA and Fun Friday I would like to present a few funny commercials with a hint of sex for your viewing pleasure.



1) Viagra commercial

2)Banned Commercials - Metal Detector (priceless)

3)Trojan Condom Commercial

4)outrageously funny commercials



Are there any new commercials that make you LOL? Please share.

Walking Workouts

Walking is one of the best and most underrated workouts out there. Now if you run marathons, play professional football or climb mountains you might not find walking enough of challenge. Still walking has so many benefits that it is good to add it to your already structured, or none existent, workout routine. Before starting a new walking routine there are a few tips you should be mindful of in order to keep you workouts safe and effective:

* Walk at least 30-60 minutes a day five or more days a week.
* Find the right pace- you can talk but breathing a little heavy.
* You can split up your workout into 10 minute session 3 times/day.
* Climbing stairs is great for the heart.
* Always warm up and cool down for 5 minutes for each walking session.
* After you warm up and cool down stretch to prevent injury.
*Avoid long strides- roll your foot from you heal to toe to increase speed.



Later to today post title The Benefits of a Walking Workout is on Wellness Wednesday.Let the Proclaimers' video inspire you to put a little pep in your step.

proclaimers - I' m gonna be 500 Miles Uploaded by jesus_lizard

Do you enjoy walking for fitness or just for fun? What are some of your favorite songs to workout to? Please share tips you may have on how to make walking a fun and challenging exercise routine.

A New Guest Blogger

LL&L seems to be ever growing and evolving. Sometimes it seems like an extension of myself, sometimes it seems to have a mind of its on. As I think of what this blog to accomplish the more aware I become that the blog needs more than one voice, so slowly i am asking bloggers that I have great respect for to submit post or guest blog on LL&L.

I am very excited to introduce a new great writer named Lee. Though we have never meet consider him a friend. I found him through his MySpace blog and his words just hit my heart. Poems and short stories that were clever, unique and full of imagery. Not really sweet a sappy but introspective, dark and passionate. Not only did his writing speak to me but I gained a new found appreciate because of the person behind the writing. Spiritual, humble, honest and caring. My new motto is to get to know people on the internet very slowly because it is hard to know the true nature of a man that you can see, but there are some people that I just bond with instantly and can't help but trust. Reading his work has always been a treat for me and I can't wait to see what others will say.

So please look for Lee's post tagged The Subconscious Self
and let me know what you think.

Music- my kind of therapy

In my junior year of college I decided to put three of my favorite things together and make a career out of it: psychology, music and dance. I would study dance and music therapy and try to focus on family therapy and sexually abused kids. I was inspired by the big role that music has played in my own healing. I naturally gravitate towards music to help me: celebrate my victories, express my sadness, push out my anger to the surface, encourage me to forgive, remember that I can overcome any obstacle and feel brave enough to tell everyone in my life how much I love them. I wanted to learn how to do that for other people combined with the confidence that comes with controlling your body to express the feelings that words can't articulate. However I started having financial and academic trouble and have since retired that career dream.

My layman's music therapy came in handy today. I had a hard time getting started today. I worked all day yesterday preparing to blog my brains out today. You see my computers is down, I think for good and I only have limited access on the computer now, so I have to make it count. The computers I use are really slow and I have to remember my passwords, blah blah blah. That's it, I mean I feel blah with a dash of discouraged. Mother's Day was a sad one, and problems are plenty; so instead of pushing through with halfhearted effort I gave myself a mini vacation of music therapy.

One of my favorite feel good songs is My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion. That song gets me on so many levels. Celine's voice sound angelic and pierces my heart with a piece of heaven. The tone a sweet tone but the lyrics reminisce on a hardships of lose. When I going through a difficult period that I have not yet resolves I can't just jump to Shiny Happy People Holding Hands, I must first acknowledge the sadness and hear that I can get through it first... then Don't Worry Be Happy makes since to me. In my YouTube search for the Celine video I stumbled on Susan Boyle. That was chicken soup for my soul. See I guess I have rose colored glasses on because i did not understand why everyone laughed at her when she came on stage, I saw a beautiful woman, I did not know if she could sing but she had the presences that was bold and confident. Still her voice surprised me too, I loved her voice and it was a phenomenal song choice. After hearing that I had to finish with one of my favorites and now I feel like I am the Kin... Queen of the world

7) I Dream The Dream- Susan Boyle

8) My Heart Will Go On- Celine Dion



Do you ever find yourself soothing yourself with music? What is your favorite song that gets you over the emotional hump? Do you think that music therapy can only help music lovers or could there be a measurable medical impact?

Getting To Know You

I believe that meditation is the way to get to know who you truly are. I don't believe that you necessarily need to cross your legs and study formal meditative practices,instead you need to spend quiet time to help unclutter your mind so that you can have a clear picture of the your that lies inside. Most people don't spend enough time with themselves so they built up a false sense of who they are based of of labels, titles and other peoples opinions. It can you leave you feeling lost or desperately attached to the way you think things are supposed to be.

I have many moments were I struggle with anxiety, self doubt and even depression. Then I can go the other extreme and become overly secure, arrogant or spurred on by blind optimism. My answer to maintain my best and stable self is through meditation. Today I posted a response to a terrific article titled Save Me. To read my response or to get the link to the original article please visit Mental Monday.

Guided Meditation - Remembering Your Origin

Do you believe that the practice of psychology and therapy is the means for mental stabilty or is it mostly flawed? What role do you think that mediation plays in self confidence?

The Subconscious Self- by Lee

I am, in a nut shell, an oil and water mix of emotions and character. Never am I certain. My views change with the weather. Maybe it’s the fact that I live in the Midwest, and my mood depicts the seasons. I can not decide for myself if it is a bad thing to be completely without bias. It is either a hindrance or a gift, that I am able to step (as it where) into others shoes on each aspect of every corner on every; debate, social quarrel, environmental discussion, and so on. You will find (dear reader), that I am not bound by one subject in my writing. We will go places, you may not wish to enter. Places where it will be difficult to let go of, but we will visit together none the less. I am not hardened in a belief that it is, “My way, or the highway”. My work belongs to you as much as it holds on to me. A straightforward (chop block guideline), is not how you will be able to interpret the things which I will show. Grasp from it what you can, be it a life altering revelation or simply nothing at all.

I truly wish to only be able to give the joy too others, as I receive from the many things I myself read. We will not go far together if your imagination has been in decline from the rough and hardened edges, life can sometimes whittle down to nothing. If this is the case, give me your patience and I will give it my all to help mend and restore the beautiful childhood gift we all possessed at one point.

If there is one thing I am certain of, it is that nothing in this world could have been done without imagination. People dreamed our towns, cities, countries, and our altered world that surrounds us. People dreamed of one day grasping the stars and walking among them. People dreamed of a weapon more powerful than the world has ever seen before. It is up to people and their imagination, on which their individual and together as a species, path will lead.

My name is Lee, and I believe we are together on this haul.

Related Links:
If The White Rabbit Wore A Watch And Could Really Talk

LL&L Carnival

Hi everybody!

Just a quick post to let everyone know I'm down agian, my computer that is. Lucky for me I just started a new blog called LL&L Carnival. It is a blog that will help to promote other blogs by posting links to most of the post submitted via Blog Carnival. If have not already, check it out. There you will find 2 articles that include all the links your heart could desire. If you would like to be included on the next carnival submit one to three of your articles, I loved to include.

In the mean time there are a couple of new post of LL&L, sorry I did not let you know like usual. My favorite is a Mother's Day Poem on Talent Tuesday.

Britney Spears - Circus Uploaded by Le-Tour-2Lor

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

It's time to start thinking about Mother's Day; is my procrastination showing? It is easy to get stuck in a gift rut and to run out of ideas that will wow mom. If you need a little inspiration watch the videos and see if you can make a unique gift to show mom how much you appreciate her.





What are your Mother's Day Traditions? What was the best Mother's Day gift you have given or received?

Thich Nhat Hanh- Mindful Movements

I was first introduced to the teachings of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh last year. My husband rented a cottage for a week so the I could have a sabbatical that I've been talking about for over 5 years. I preparation I for my vacation I went to the library and took out lot of books and a few CDs on meditation and on mindfulness. I learned a lot from Thich Nhat Hanh; I learned that mindfulness is to be achieved in every activity. By focusing your mind on the what you are doing each moment of the day you will be aware, you enjoy your task and you are efficient. When you wash the dishes, when you cook, when you walk you should be aware. So meditation is not always sitting with crossed legs alone in quite room, but the ultimate goal is to become and maintain mindfulness through out your life. Mindfulness restore you, and you in turn restore peace to the world around you. On this video the renowned teacher of mindfulness meditation guides you through a series of gentle exercises created specifically to cultivate a joyful awareness of the body and breath.

Thich Nhat Hanh- Mindful Movements

Following God is Easy, Sometimes Church is Difficult

I don't go to church anymore. It was time to take a break because church was no longer a placed I received inspiration and support but instead I would leave feeling burdened and sad. My thoughts told me that I needed to do everything that I could to stay in church, get the spiritual counseling that I needed and to help the church grow in areas that I thought it was weak in. However when I considered "taking a break" a surprising feeling of peace and joy came over me. There was a hope of getting back to the basics in my relationship with God and taking time to explore what I believed.

Sometimes I consider returning to the church that I still consider my family, but I know it will not be the same. I am now a stranger, or at least a distant relative. I've tried to attend other churches with my family but it is just weird now. I know that everyone is well intentioned but the strange culture that exists behind the church doors can be a little exclusive: members can seem unworldly and standoffish, and the lessons can make you feel God is exclusive too. Right now church is a distraction from my relationship with God. I would like to find a Church home in the future, but I no longer feel the need to have a church membership to complete me. Leaving church helped me discover the true nature of God and I learned to fully trust him again.

Today's post is called Perfection is Not a Command, Love is all. If you're interested you can read the post on Spiritual Sunday. I think church is a wonderful thing for a lot of people, but it can sometimes trick others into believing that having a relationship with God is too hard. There are all these rules and doctrines you must follow, beliefs that you must maintain, and critical judgments that you must make. Letting someone else dictate what you believe can be a dangerous thing. It is important in all things that you make personal observations with open awareness so that you can see and learn for yourself. I've learned that God does not except us to be perfect but he created us to need love: to receive it and give it. If we love God and we love our neighbors we are following all the commands. So if you stumble upon a church that seems a little odd or makes you feel uncomfortable it's okay, just remember Love is All You Need.

What if Starbucks Marketed Like a Church? A Parable.

Do you have a church home? Why or why not? Have you ever felt distant from God because of a doctrine or a church member?

Your A Mean One

You'd assume that family are the people that you know you can count on. You know "blood is thicker than water" should always hold up. Sometimes that's not the case. When you spend time with certain family members their real colors show and it can be a disappointing or even a hurtful experience.

LazyKing, author of Bored...Get Unbored, submitted a post I titled Mean Uncle George. It is a story from his life about the friction he had with one of his uncles. A compelling tale that made me ask myself do I have to love everyone in my family. What if being around the brings a lot of negativity, do I still owe them phone calls and visits or do they have to earn the right to stay in my good graces. To read this post on Saturday Love and add you thoughts or experciences.



Do you have any bad eggs in your bunch? Is there a family member that just rubs you the wrong way? Or are you the one that seems ostracized from the family?

Losing My Virginity- part 1

When you become a parent you tend to look at your childhood in a different light. The rules that your parents enforced, and once hated, now become the standard in your home. The lessons that you appreciated learning on your own become a terrifying possibility that you want your children to avoid or that you will make sure they avoid. If you don't know I'm not yet a parent, but I help raise my now 17 year-old sister-in-law, Cinna. I've been caring for her since she was 14 but before than it was all about me. I don't think that I'm an overly selfish person but there are lessons that you miss when you believe that your life only impacts yourself. So I feel like I am also planning catch up in parenting, even though Cinna is on will start college soon.

I've had a lot of time to reflect on my life, my childhood and my teen years and I have grown to understand how it has impacted me. In general I'm happy about the experiences that I've had: smart, stupid, silly and scary times. They say hindsight is 20/20 and it is sometimes hard to deal with all the
should haves and what ifs. But I am little more grown up now and because of those experiences I can relate to a lot of real people who have had real struggles and made bad choices and for that I'm grateful. My story is not about romanticizing everything happened, instead it is about getting it all out in the open to forgive faults and learn from my mistakes. I actually made some choices in my life that I am really proud too so LL&L is not all doom and gloom.

LL&L is set-up so that you can go where you want and avoid areas that offend you sensibility. So if Losing My Virginity is not for you no problem, just skip it. But if you are curious, want to travel down your personal memory lane, or have concerns about your kids and sex take a look at the excerpt bellow and/or read the entire post on Freaky Friday:

"My first experience was not the way I imagined it. Now that I think about it I never got a chance to imagine what it would be like. At the time my only experience with being in love was at six years old. His name was Bruce and we were going to get married some day and for practice we played house. I like everything we did except the one time we French kissed; it was kind of gross, but I knew I'd learn to like it. Bruce was my neighbor for about 8 months but then he moved away. We were in Texas at the time and after that my love life slammed to a screeching halt. No more crushes, no more kisses.

Not until I…"

A Dummy in Distress

I hate when people are mean to each. On LL&L you won't see name calling, but you will see me attempt debunk harmful ideologies, starting with my own. For instances the damsel in distress is supposed to be a fantastical story that most people secretly want to live out at least once in their lifetime. You may take turns being the victim or the hero, at least I do, but without even recognizing that you are just playing a role. Is noticing someone who does not have a clue how to save themselves intriguing and romantic or is it just annoying and costly.

This week I had computer troubles once again, and like any good damsel I went running to my husband to fix it. I would like to think of myself as a professional blogger but I don't know that much about computers so I have been comfortable letting my big strong man fix it for me. The problem is he has responsibilities of his own; he is busy, overwhelmed and feels like he needs help with his business. The difference is he knows how to accomplish most of his tasks but doesn't have enough hands to do it all. My blog, while I want it to be larger than life, is actually quite manageable for one person. The problem is I don't know how to get or maintain technical thingies like rss feeds, FavIcons, and computer security. I think somewhere inside I think that it is cute or at least or okay to not know a lot about computers. I'm learning quickly that is not true, the more I don't know the more it will cost me in one way or another.

LL&L is also about giving grace freely. I don't know a lot about computers, blogging or even writing, but now I'm committed to learning. It may take a while to catch up but I'm on the right path, finally. In the meantime I will ask for help (tutoring) and read whatever I can get my hands on, and I will be okay with laughing at myself.

Why mechanics love woman

What do you think about the damsel distress stereotype? Why are woman more susceptible to playing dumb (or are they)? What is something that you have put off learning and why?