Southern Snow

Yes., I am having a whining, temper tantrum fit. My wheeze is steadily getting worse and I am afraid that I will need to go to the ER when my husband gets home and I do not want to.  They will want to take blood, and do xrays, and all kinds of other stuff.  Then they even might find me a room there and make me stay.  Last time they kept me for six days. 

If stomping my feet right now would not leave me out of breath I would do that too. 

Ok, temper tantrum over.  I will smile again.

I read one person’s blog this morning that had their definition of what a “good neighbor” is.  Cherylann Marois’s, whose blog is Ramble Time – Reinvented , definition of a “good neighbor” is “Someone who helps others out of the goodness of their heart not because they want something in return but because that person is in need.”

She further goes on to state about the only time she sees people being “good neighbors” is when there is a big disaster, like the recent earthquake in Haiti or around Christmas time.  She believes that the reason for this is that most people are too focused on themselves to help others.  She also talks about the things she does in her greater community to be a “good neighbor”.  

While I agree whole heartedly with her definition of what a “good neighbor” is, and how many people are too focused on themselves to offer any type of assistance to their neighbors, I wanted to add my thoughts about being a “good neighbor” to her conversation.  The only thing I am not totally on board with her about is the amount of people who lack “good neighbor” skills.  .

I think there are more people being “good neighbors” than is immediately obvious.  With times being so hard right now, and most everyone having a decline in finances, I believe more people are stepping up to the plate to be a “good neighbor” than did so in the recent past.  They are just doing it closer to home and very quietly so it is difficult to get an accurate idea of how many people are really being “good neighbors”.

I also think that family, not living with you, can be “good neighbors”.  Family does not have to help you.  There is no law that says family members should do anything for each other.  I know that there are many families who choose not to help each other out.  So when family members choose to go out of their way to help another family member, I consider that being a “good neighbor”.

I believe that being a “good neighbor” encompasses more than just physical acts.  Encouraging words are just as valuable as doing good deeds for someone.  Helping someone through a difficult emotional time in their lives is being a “good neighbor”. I am not talking about giving them advice, everyone is good at telling other people what they think, I am talking about being there as emotional support.  

I believe that it is possible for us to be “good neighbors” in our online community.  There are many things we can do for the people we know online that will lift them up and encourage them.  Bloggers have the awards they give out, there are online cards we can send, we can email a thoughtful note, or in the case of bloggers we can leave each other encouraging comments on each other’s blogs. 

I personally have some excellent neighbors in my life.  There is the neighbor across the road that has been down to my house chopping firewood for us, more than once, and he does not even have a fireplace.  There is my sister-in-law, who helped spring me from the loony bin.  My parents have also been excellent neighbors.  Recently, my mother told me how “proud” she was of me and the work I have been doing to get mentally healthy.

What does being a “good neighbor” mean to you?  Do you believe that family can be considered “good neighbors”?  Do you think that people can be “good neighbors” in an online community?  Is giving someone encouragement rather than doing a physical act for them being a “good neighbor”  Finally, do you think people in general are not “good neighbors” now, or that there are many “good neighbors” in our real life communities?

I have been sick since Sunday.  I have caught another cold.  I am coughing constantly and it seems to have affected my breathing like the last one did.  I have a pretty strong wheeze going.  I am going to do what I can so I do not have the same result I did last time, a hospital stay.

I really did spend most of yesterday sleeping.  I would wake up for about twenty minutes or so, sometimes I could do something with the blog, and then after twenty minutes,  I would go back to sleep.  My husband said he was concerned, because when I am sleeping my wheeze can really be heard.  Probably because of breathing deeper when sleeping.

With the way I feel today, slightly better (only because I am not coughing as much), I do still have a wheeze, I will probably sleep a lot today as well.

I really hope that this stuff goes away by Friday.  Friday is my 40th birthyday.

Sugar Filled Emotions has its own chat now.  If you look at the navigation bar, you will find the link to the chat room next to Archives.  The chat is right on the Sugar Filled Emotions Site.  I am looking forward to seeing some of you there.

The UnValentine Grumpy Meme

1. I, Mimi Pencil Skirt Peace Woman, have officially declared war on Valentine’s Day. If I see one more chocolate rose covered in stupid red tin foil paper I’m gonna have a fit. What did you get for Valentine’s Day?

My husband cooked for the day

2. What will you miss most about Valentine’s Day?

my husband cooking

3. What could you have done differently yesterday to make the day sweeter?

nothing


4. How many roses make a dozen?

12

5. You and your love are getting matching tattoos for Valentine’s Day. What will they be?

They would be fake wash off tatoos that are shaped like hearts

6. My kingdom for a man who can spell. I am so tired of getting text messages from college educated 45 yr old men like …..I miss u ….wat up?…. B there by 8… or the ever popular U home? Does your significant other have an annoying cute little habit you’d like to break?

This is not cute, but I want him to break the habit of Farting in public.

7. What did you get someone for Valentine’s Day, if I may ask?
 
nothing

8. No one is looking. I promise.
Write one word on this candy heart you’ve been dying to say to a romantic connection from your past. I will not tell.

rotinhell  


9. Be a poet. Write a 4-line poem starting with Roses are red…. 

Roses are read, 
violets are purple,
I am going to bed,
wearing my pajamas of lurple





10. What song best describes your Valentine’s Day experience this year?

I cannot think of one

11. I, Mimi Grumpy Skirt, am so glad this meme is almost over. This is my final question. I made it eleven questions in honor of the 11 roses I didn’t receive. Aren’t they lovely? This is my final final question, Regis:
Two cupids are in a knock down drag out fight on the floor of the Senate. One is a constituent from Venus, the other from Mars.
What is the name of the legislation are they fighting over? 

OMG I am too sick to think of answer for this one

Some people have been asking about my time in a state run psychiatric hospital.  I had blogged about it months ago, in a series of 11 posts.  Rather than tell each person individually about my stay there, I decided to just repost my original entries.

Please bear in mind, that my own state of mind at the time I wrote those entries was much different than it is now.  However,  I think it will be a good reminder to me how far I have come, sometimes I get frustrated with how far I have to go.

The title for the series is Scariest Time In My Life.

It is very exciting around here today!  We have snow, snow snow!  This is not a usual occurrence here.  We have had snow flurries a couple of times this winter, but not snow like we have now.  I had to go get my dad’s truck from my grandmother’s house and I actually had to use the 4-wheel drive to get home.  The roads are already getting yucky.

• Put the logo on your blog or within your post (right click and save),
• Pass the award on to 12 bloggers,
• Link the nominees within your post,
• Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

Look what Enguardia gave me.  She gave me a Sunshine Award.  She received one as well from bubbleboo. I love these blogging awards people give out.  I might need to create one of my own.

My list of people I have given this award to are:

Conversations With Moms (Maria Melo)
Harriet
Margaret
Really?  (Mee2)
I Think It’s Interesting (asblackasobama)