The "I FEEL" Generation

With all the marketing/sociological/demographic buzz terms such as Generation"X" , "Y"and "Me", I want to add my take on the current 20-somethings who flow in and out of my days.

They 'expect' a lot, take much for granted, seem to live in a very cushy bubble and, I fear, have no concept of what's outside that bubble once it bursts when they're handed their diploma and leave the ivy-covered walls of their selected institution of higher learning.

Am I lumping them all into one big pot? Yes, but merely for the sake of this entry. (We all know kids who are born knowing what they want to do and where they want to go from the moment they leave the womb. Many work very hard in the college classroom and many more work simultaneously at jobs to pay for that privilege.)

I just have one question for you: Have you listened to this generation and how they state their opinions? They ALL say the same thing. It's incredible. It's unusual to hear "I think..." or "My opinion is..." , the current catch phrase is "I feel....". Has this been your experience as well?

How are you supposed to react when you are told, in response to your inquiry as to when a certain someone will be arriving at your home for the weekend in order for you to make plans, "I feel I will be coming in on Friday or Saturday." WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN? Talk about gobbledeegook. So does that give me the liberty to be home or not when they knock on my door because I "felt" I didn't have to be?!? (I actually had this conversation last week. I gotta tell ya I was NOT a happy camper. To that person, whom I love dearly and cherish even more, I explained that they needed to figure out the definitive answer for their arrival. Period. And we'd go from there.)

This warm and fuzzy stuff was huge when these kids went through elementary and middle schools. Self-image and self-confidence and fitting in and everyone is special was all the rage. I get all the psychology behind the concepts. I do. But the first time one of these kids says to their boss (who is a member of my generation) something like, "I feel.... that the work day is too long" or "too strenuous" or " this deadline is too soon" or "I won't be able to work overtime because I have plans", I guarantee you they will gain some valuable first-hand on-the-job in-your-face knowledge. Initially they will receive the cold, hard look of incredulous disdain which will be followed immediately by verbiage designed to clearly remove any and all misunderstanding that the aforementioned facial expression did not already convey. (And most certainly, another guarantee, this boss will care less about their employee's tender feelings of self-image!)

Bless their inexperienced hearts. I know how smart they are and how they will adapt quickly as life teaches them lessons. This age bracket will become stronger and more resilient as their resume of situations grows. Just as generations before them have done. I truly really feel very strongly about this. (touche'!)

New Hair, New Glasses...New Me!

Isn't that nice to know we can 'reinvent' ourselves? First I cut 6" off my hair then I changed my hair color just a bit and now I have these very trendy new frames. I feel like a whole new me! (Still scare myself when I walk in front of a mirror ~ who is that staring back at me??!)

I'm pairing the new look with some subtle changes in my attitude. How easy it is to soften a spoken opinion or be able to see both sides of an argument or stand up with someone who is being bad-mouthed by coworkers. With well chosen words and a calm demeanor you can sway those around you easier than you think. Defuse a volatile situation. Re-direct energies in positive directions. By showing your heart and using your head, you will see changes in those around you. I already have.

Best Lip Balm EVER!!!!

My niece has discovered, in my humble but accurate opinion, the greatest lip balm recipe on the planet. Her line is called 'Anne's Garden' after her darling little girl. You have to try her Butter Cream Lip Balm. For only $3.50 (plus $1.00 postage), you will be absolutely amazed. This particular product is fantastic. I tried Chapsticks, Carmex, Blistex, Burt's Bees and all the other wannabes out there on the market. I finally settled on Mentholatum and have been a devotee for years. But not anymore. When I rubbed this on my lips I became an instant fan. It is light. Smooth. Not crusty or waxy. I was surprised how it lasts for hours. Great by itself or under lipstick. Pleasant fragrance. Moisturizes beautifully.

You can find it on her blog site (tidbits365.blogspot.com) or at her Etsy listing (annesgarden.etsy.com). If you have any trouble ordering, just let me know. You must try this product. You will love it just as much as I do!!

Sinks

My obviously antiquated understanding of the main and intended purpose for invention of the sink, be it kitchen, bathroom or basement, was the containment or holding of water, whether it was running 'through' to the pipe below while the drain was open or being held in the ceramic bowl while the drain was closed.

Yet I have discovered in my home that it is So Much more. Did you know it can serve as a wastebasket? Yessirree! Just toss any lint plucked off a shirt, maybe a small pebble that's fallen out of your shoe tread or how about that cough drop or gum wrapper that's been rolled into a tight little ball right down inside there and once you run a little water, hey!, it all disappears!! What do you know?!! Pretty slick, huh??

Funny - Haven't heard from any volunteers who were willing to step up and pay for the plumber when he charged me BIG TIME to snake out the pipes once all these 'contributions' had turned into a big globby-stinky-black-mucky-drippy mess which served as a barricade to the one thing that's supposed to be flowing through those very same pipes. Considering the 20 minute showers a certain person (who shall remain nameless) likes to take, you would think all that liquid would force the accumulating trash to simply wash out to the sewer line. Surely that hazy law or principle in my long-ago-and-far-away Physics class which beckons to me from the dark corners of my mind is trying to validate that assumption to be true.

And reminding everyone to use the wastebaskets available in each and every single room of this house (having been placed there accordingly for the sole purpose of collecting lint and paper and pebbles) along with telling that certain nameless person that they are not only wasting water but also turning the entire bathroom into a sauna, doesn't seem to be changing anything around here.

S0 maybe I just need to get a little craftier...like tuck a little piece of Limburger cheese in a drafty place so when the noses in the house start to pick up on it and complain about the odor, I can wonder out loud if it could be the stench of the yucky stuff in the pipes. Hmmm. That's one possibility. Perhaps a bit extreme yet oh so interesting to contemplate. A little mother's revenge. Sah-weet!!!

Jan Kish - La Petite Fleur

Jan is La Petite Fleur. A creative fireball whose flair for the fabulous, dedication to design and entrepreneurial spirit led her to start a culinary business. Well known in the culinary circles of sugar art after thirty years of dedication, she continues to grace the pages of the country's most outstanding bridal magazines, appear on national television and has now patented her own set of cake pans. Her decorated cakes, mints, almonds, cookies, and cupcakes have found their way to hundreds of discriminating destinations both near and far. All over the state of Ohio. From the east coat to the west. Across the pond as well ~ she has been retained to return to England this fall to create more memories for a wedding celebration.

In print. In person. Always astounding. Never disappointing.

I have had the wonderful opportunity to work for her. And with her. Know her as my boss. And as my friend. Her wheels spin 24/7. Ideas flow out of her pencil point and become sketches on very lucky sheets of paper. I invite you to discover her world at www.jankish.com .

I just wanted to share her. With you. Today. Just cause.

The Elusive Sweet Spot

The extra-loud volume of your clock radio jolts you awake (once again) with the help of your favorite morning DJ team. Your hand, mimicking The Addams Family's 'Thing', frantically searches for the snooze button to press, gaining ten more precious minutes of calm, quiet before facing the cold hard reality of another day. You settle back into your cozy cocoon, nestling under your soft bed covers. Your mind silently whispering "Ahhhhh...."

When the jarring music pops on again (the purpose is good, the timing is always bad) you realize all the stuff on your list to accomplish for the day has just evaporated. ~ POOF ~ What could be more important than your NEW priority? The discovery of the most incredible position in your 'nest' which you are not about to evacuate. You don't have the motivation or the desire. All your bones feel like they've just melted, sinking into the mattress. Your body is cradled in that extremely rare and oh-so-fabulous PERFECT SPOT.

A shower? Forget it. Pack lunches? Not hungry. Breakfast? Get your own. Take the dog out? YOU take the dog out. (Allowing yourself to wallow in The Moment is worth all the self-incrimination which most certainly will come later as you scramble around trying to accomplish all of the above.)

But, oh my, it is so SO worth it.

Inhale...Exhale...Inhale...Exhale

I am blessed with low blood pressure. Not dangerous-to-my-health low. I have an energy level that sets my friends heads to wagging. It's at that perfect level to juggle family (members~in town and beyond), job, going to the gym, volunteering, writing, church, studying, house and yard work, friends, writing, college kid, errands, appointments, reading, laundry, socializing, ironing, checking emails/Facebook, writing, taking classes, researching websites of interest, baking, catching a movie, passing tests, planning some time away, washing cars & car maintanance, cleaning out closets, burning CD's, praying, writing, being neighborly, taking evening walks with hubby, furniture/carpet shopping.......

Heck, this list makes my head spin. But not my blood pressure!! No sirree! The stubbornness this chick was born with is paying off in a big girl way. I am partnering my independent spirit with what is naturally occurring. Some people count to ten when they get upset. Some people scream and shout. I just don't want 'stuff' to overpower my composure. I want to possess that control over my own body. So my secret weapon is one word: Exhale. It's like pressing that rattling gauge on the top of a hot pressure cooker. Or poking a little teeny weeny hole in an inflated balloon. Ever so slowly the tension drops and all is back to normal again. Just three easy steps: close your eyes; inhale; exhale. Repeat. Feel all the angst slip out of your body? Ahhhhhhhhh.

Figure out what works for you. The best part: you will enjoy less lines and wrinkles as well!. With your genes (nothing you can do about them anyway) and gorgeous sunny days (sunscreen helps but sometimes those rays are just calling your name...) and children (your choice, remember? Crazy you!! Ha!) you will have volumes of opportunities to get some of the above without any effort on your part anyway. Absolutely free! At no cost to you!

So here's my challenge to you: stick your hand right in the mix and see what you can do to slow Mother Nature down a bit. And for those of you that all ready know -- Please share your tried-and-true trick below with the rest of us so we can benefit from your experience!