I'm Finally Beginning to Understand.

Now that the holiday season is officially upon us, it's time to get down to business. For the first time in my life, I took advantage of Black Friday. When I heard that Walmart was opening at midnight I decided it would be easier to stay up late than wake up early. I waited on my couch reading a book while watching a movie (not sure why I was doing both) until 11:30. I figured it was close enough, so I headed out.

What a Joke!

Seriously!

I didn't know that many people lived in Utah. The parking lot (which is quite large) was full.

Completely full.

A miracle happened and a car backed out (someone who had decided it wasn't worth it) and I got their spot.

I noticed that the doors to the store must have been opened early, because no lines were gathered outside in the freezing air.

Lucky me. (I thought.)

While walking into the store I passed another woman who was leaving, while muttering under her breath that it was definitely not worth it.

I should have listened. But I was on a mission.

I rounded the corner and immediately I saw what I was searching for. A young woman was holding the very cowboy doll (Woody from Toy Story) I wanted.

I looked around for more.

She had the last one.

I looked down, searching for the companion doll that was even more of a necessity than the first. But there were NO JESSIE DOLLS!

While I searched the young woman standing next to me set the Woody doll down and walked away. Before she'd taken two steps I snatched it up, holding it close to me.

But what about Jessie?

I wandered the store for a half-hour looking for her. It still wasn't even midnight, but lines had formed at the registers, continuing all the way to the back of the store. I looked everywhere. I sqoze between carts, people, racks and shelves. Several times I looked down and saw her in other people's carts.

That's when it hit me. I finally began to understand all the stories about people fighting like crazy animals over silly little toys.

They had what I wanted. No, what I needed. How could I not get it for my sweet little daughter? It's all she's asking for. She can't wait to see Santa, so she can tell him she wants a "Big Jessie". (The one she has now is about two inches tall.)

And I didn't get there soon enough. I failed.

Inside my head I joked to myself about elbowing the woman next to me, grabbing Jessie and making a run for it. Surely I could run faster than her, right? I could blend in with the crowd!

But of course I didn't give into such foolishness. I waited in line for an hour and a half to buy the one I did get. Then I went back again at 7:00 in the morning. Still, no Jessie.

I sent my husband back in the afternoon. And I went again on Saturday.

I still don't have. But I will get her! I'll pay full price for her too, when I do find her. And on Christmas morning I'll see the light come into my daughter's eyes when she sees the Big Jessie popping out of the top of her stocking.

I'm not sure if I'll do Black Friday next year or not. I guess that depends on how bad I want to make my kids happy. If I do, I will certainly be going earlier!

Official Hiatus

Okay people, I'm making it official. I can't keep up, and something's gotta give.

I'll miss you all. I hope a few of you will miss me too.

But I have too many logs on the fire this month.

It's either giving up the blog (only for the month of July) or going completely insane. (Yeah, I bet some of you would love to see that, huh?)

Have a great month, and I'll see you all in August!

Optimistic Mondays – Laugh So You Don't Cry

Lately, I've been surrounded on all sides by things I "Need To Do". I acknowledge the fact that many of them are self imposed, but that doesn't diminish the importance of getting them done. At least not for me.

I've divided my life into four quarters.

1. Home/Family
2. Church Responsibilites
3. Work
4. Writing

Each of those sections has many subsections within it. They swirl around me, each begging for proper attention, none able to get it.

It's very overwhelming, but I've chosen it. I choose to clean my home

. I choose to interact with my children. They demand to be fed, and I choose to quite them by listening.

I've chosen to accept my church calling. It takes more time/thought then I imagined it would.

My work is less of a choice than a necessity, but nonetheless I still choose to do it. Like I said above, my kids like to eat. Who am I kidding, I like to eat.

I don't always choose the story lines that pop into my head and talk to me, but I do choose to write them down. Writing is so much bigger than non-writers think. There's the actual writing. Then the rewriting/editing multiple times. I have to continually learn the craft. I have a critique group that I submit to, and critique for.

Blogging is pretty much a necessity for writers now. This means not only do I need to have my own blog, but I need to read other blogs. To network. To learn from others.

These four main sections of my life each try to take over as "the most important". It's a battle every day. Sometimes I just want to sit down and cry.

So what's a girl to do?

Sometimes, I cry. But the rest of the time I've adopted a new attitude.

When something goes wrong, instead of crying, I try to laugh it off. It doesn't always work, but most of the time it eases the tension just enough to where I can deal with it.

So, my advice to you on this Optimistic Monday?

Laugh, so you don't cry.

Happy Monday.

Optimistic Mondays – One Person

I've read a lot of blog posts lately about people feeling small and insignificant, especially when compared to the achievements of others around them.

As I've read these posts, I've nodded my head in agreement. I have those feelings too.

But with each of these posts, there is usually an uplifting message of how they overcame these feelings of inadequacy. Or at least how they are trying to.

With so many things vying for our attention, it's hard not to let it overwhelm us.

I am just one person. How can I fit it all in?

One day at a time. Sometimes it's one hour or one minute at a time.

Rather than feeling like I'm small and insignificant, I like to relate the following quote:

"To the world you might be one person,

but to one person you might be the world"

There are countless people out there who mean the world to me. Look around you. I'll bet you have that impact on more people than you realize. And one of them just might be me.