Have you ever felt that way? Been in a room full of people, and felt like you were in a glass box… watching everyone else laugh, while you feel like a ghost? Or maybe you’ve felt forgotten… by everyone. No calls, no texts, no messages… no emails. Even I, the social media queen, have felt this stuff… Forgotten… alone.

See, I think the real problem, is that of miscommunication. Or rather, none at all. We feel forgotten… as if no one has thought of us. The fact is, that is simply not the case. The problem is, we don’t have time… correction: don’t take the time, to let people know we are thinking of them.

I’ve decided this needs to change in my own life… and I challenge you to do the same. If something reminds me of someone, I am going to let them know. I will tell people I am thinking of them… no matter how well I know them. It doesn’t need to be a long, drawn out speech… A simple, “I was thinking of you, how are you?” … It doesn’t need to be a long conversation. Even just a quick note.

This is about loving those around me… whether I see them daily, or haven’t seen them in a decade. I am not going to let people think that I’ve forgotten the smile they’ve put on my face – today, yesterday, or 20 years ago. Will you do the same?

But there are people who struggle all year, without any luxuries. There are people who struggle to pay their bills, let alone buy gifts for their family for Christmas. Many children don’t get the joy of opening a gift on Christmas morning, because the family needs food and heat in their house first. Can you imagine being the parent of one of these children? How painful it would be to see the hurt in my child’s eyes when they go to school, seeing the things other kids unwrapped for Christmas, their hands being empty. I don’t wish this for any child, nor their parents.

Now, I know that gifts are not the meaning of Christmas. I believe in Jesus, and He is the reason we celebrate Christmas. But I also believe in what He taught us: serving others before ourselves. You will be surprised how good it feels to give. I challenge you this Christmas to give a gift to a child or family less fortunate than yourself.

Whether you do this for someone you know, or go through a local or national charity, please give up your small luxuries for a few days or a couple weeks, and give to someone else. There are local charities from which you can get the needs of an entire family, “adopt” that family for Christmas, and buy gifts for them. My youth group adopted 3 families one year, and we did the shopping for them all. It was so much fun! Beyond that, you’d be surprised what they asked for. Their lists contained things like new socks and mittens… Such basic things! You may never meet the child or family who receives your gift(s), but I promise you, they will be thankful for you.

Here are some national charities I have found. On these websites you can find out how to give to families who have applied for Christmas gift assistance.

Toys for Tots – On this one, click on the “Toy Drop-Offs” tab. Follow the instructions from there.

Operation Christmas Child – This is a great idea!

The Angel Tree – I had a hard time finding information on their website, but under the FAQs, there was this: Please call us at 800-55-ANGEL to speak with a Representative and learn more about Angel Tree in your area.

And if these don’t suit you, I am sure you know how to use Google to find a charity in your area. Please, please, please – give this year. Thank you!

I’ve made a Facebook event for this: Giving Up – To Give To Others

**Feel free to ‘like’ the Munkie Babble Facebook page, join the event, and invite your friends to help in putting a smile on someone’s face this year!**

How did this happen? The adults in our lives made sure we felt special. Yes, parents, I blame you. Now, before you start getting hurt because I am blaming you for the way your teenager misbehaves; if you don’t already know, I am a parent. I can 100% empathize with you. It kills me to see my little boy disappointed, especially in himself. Do I think my little boy is special? Yes, he is special to me. He is the most important person in my life. Do I tell him I am proud of him, even if he didn’t win? Of course I do.

Participation ribbons. What a waste of money, and a contribution to the “feel good” era. You show up, you get a participation ribbon. Isn’t the point of getting a ribbon to show that you WON a competition? Giving out participation ribbons makes the first, second and third place ribbons less special. If everyone gets a ribbon, if everyone is given the impression that they are good at whatever they are competing in, isn’t that the same as lying? Giving participation ribbons when there are 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place ribbons, is almost like giving undue credit.

Don’t get me wrong. I love how excited my son gets when he shows me his trophy from his baseball season. However, it’s a participation trophy. When I was a kid, I never got a trophy for playing baseball. Yes, I played baseball. Not-so-girly-Munkie. The winners of tournaments got trophies. When I was in Speech, I never got a ribbon for showing up to a Speech Meet. I got ribbons for doing well in my category. Incredibly-geeky-Munkie.

We are living in a world of “me”s. Not people just like me. That would be terrifying. People whose favorite word is “me.” “I need…”; “I want…”; “My day…”; “My feelings…” — some of the ways we start 75% of our sentences.

We have all become people consumed with ourselves. We have this fear of being slightly uncomfortable (“I don’t like standing up for what I believe, it makes me uncomfortable.”); having to wait a little while for something is unbearable; WE WANT IT NOOOOW. Okay, Veruca. — Please tell me you got that reference. If not, stop reading this and go watch the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Gene Wilder > Johnny Depp. In this film. I doubt Gene Wilder would make a very good Jack Sparrow. Just my opinion. Ugh. I can’t stay on topic to save my life today. Maybe that’s a good thing; you need entertainment, right?

Being told you aren’t the greatest — can be very beneficial.

As far as participation trophies and ribbons, what child is going to work hard to become better, if he gets a reward at the end for being average? They want to be “good enough” NOW… Not after they do the work to become the best. I’d rather children not get a trophy and feel bad for a little while. It gives them the motivation to become better at whatever it is, to get that trophy next year.

They also need to be taught how to be a graceful loser. I pointed that out in a Facebook post after the election. I was incredibly disappointed to see some incredibly rude posts, name calling, and racist remarks. The rude posts weren’t just from the Romney fans. This is never okay, and showing your children that it is okay to speak this way, is shameful. I am truly embarrassed by the things that my friends and members of my family were saying. Teach children that it’s okay to lose, and whether you win or lose, being graceful about it awards a lot more respect than any foul words ever will.

Participation trophies end when real life begins. You don’t get participation awards for just participating in anything, once you are an adult. So why are we giving our children the impression that participation is enough? We need to be teaching children that if you work hard, practice, and perfect your style, you will do well. Again, please don’t begin telling children they aren’t special, and that you are proud of them. They need to know that you love them and see their progress. But in the real world, participation isn’t enough, and the sooner we show them that, the better.

Just a thought from my head. Have a good day. ❤

Christians: Jesus loved ALL people, /even/ those who denied Him. Who are we to be any different?

And for those of you who do not believe in Him, you don’t want to be attacked because of your beliefs, why attack others?

No matter what beliefs stand, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and love all, always. ♥

101. Despite yelling “squirrel!” in my posts, I am actually quite afraid of squirrels. This is not a joke, I am legitimately afraid of them. Except the black ones I saw in Canada.

102. If I had to be a vegetarian, I’d be okay with that. I’ll always eat more veggies than meat on my plate.

103. When I was pregnant, MiniMunkie didn’t let me eat sugar. It made me sick. My stomach /still/ doesn’t care for it.

104. When I was 4, I was the dairy princess at the county fair. My family got a lot of free dairy products. As a result, though I love it, I cannot eat more than a bite or two of cottage cheese. I ate too much of it when we always had it.

105. Horror movies affect me for months, sometimes years. I saw 5 seconds of The Ring, shortly after it came out on DVD. What I saw still haunts me.

106. If I am with my aunt, I can watch horror movies without being affected. Strange but true.

107. I always. Always. ALWAYS. Have a hair tie on my wrist.

108. I would never be able to go into space. Small spaces scare me. You’d never get me in a rocket with the door shut.

109. You will also never get me into a cave. Or down a mine. Or in the trunk of a car. Please don’t try.

110. The ocean scares me because of what I can’t see.

111. This number satisfies my OCD, and makes me far too happy. Haha.

112. I consider my mom’s hometown, my own hometown. I moved too much to have a real hometown. It’s a small town. I know everyone there. I like it that way.

113. I can talk to anyone. I will find something we have in common just by looking at them, their words and actions.

114. I smile at a stranger every day, hoping to make a difference in their day.

115. I like cheesy upbeat songs. They put me in a better mood. My friends hate traveling with me.

116. There are few things I love more, than crawling into freshly washed sheets.

117. My phone is usually close to dead by noon on Mondays. Those whose cell phone numbers I have, know why.

118. I’d rather have my hair up, jeans on, and hands in a hoodie pocket, than to be dressed up with my hair perfectly in place.

119. At work, if someone calls and I know of them, before I let them say a word, I ask how they are doing. It’s the little things.

120. I am a social media queen. (As if you needed me to tell you that.)

121. I try to learn something about everyone I speak to, each time we talk.

122. Favorite Disney Movie: Alice in Wonderland. The imagination behind the story intrigues me… (Yes, I know how twisted his mind was — does it surprise you that it interests me? It shouldn’t.) After that, Beauty and the Beast.

123. If someone puts the toilet paper on backwards, I *will* fix it.

124. I have the heart of a 17 year old girl.

125. I have the imagination of a 7 year old.

126. I am almost 30, but I don’t and won’t ever feel “old.”

127. I was incredibly close to my dad’s mom.

128. I don’t like to stir up trouble, and will likely keep my mouth shut instead of prove someone wrong. Sometimes, it makes people think I’m an idiot.

129. Sometimes, I am an idiot.

130. I am human, so I am okay with sometimes being an idiot.

131. I have officially listened to the entire new Justin Bieber album, and don’t think it’s awful. In fact, there are one or two songs that I actually like. Go ahead, judge me.

132. I keep my friends’ secret love for hated musical artists a secret. *wink at particular friend*

133. If I had a million dollars to get rid of, I’d own a coffee shop. I have it all planned out. You’d love it.

134. I am a creature of habit.

135. I care too much.

136. I believe God makes each person the way they are for a reason and a purpose.

137. I shower every single day.

138. Most days, I can’t wipe the smile off my face. Life is amazing.

139. I am obsessed with my skin.

140. If I’m not wearing jeans, I feel uncomfortable.

141. I hug. Everyone. Yep, I’m that girl.

142. One of my favorite activities is meeting new people. Knowing where they’ve been and where they want to go. And then hug them. Go ahead, you can compare me to the girl in the limo on the New Year’s Eve episode of HIMYM, season 1.

143. I met One Direction last weekend. Actually, it was just a bunch of British guys passing through town.

144. I love having lunch with my friend Jackie, because we never run out of things to talk about.

145. If I haven’t seen you in the last 3 days, I miss you.

146. I am deathly afraid of being buried alive. That may have been in my last 100 things post.

147. My favorite dance partner is… myself. I dance in my bedroom. Daily.

148. I cuddle with my son every morning before I get out of bed. Our best conversations have been held in my bed.

149. I wish I could share a picture of my son with you guys… but I do my best to keep him off the internet, because… well, there are creepy people out there, and I’m not going to take a chance at putting him in danger. But, let me tell you… He’s incredibly cute.

150. Odd numbers are more fun. If you tell me to pick a number, it will be an odd number.

151. The day I was born, the stalker’s anthem was #1 on the charts… Coincidence? I think not.

152. I am anything but boring.

153. I like to be outside, on trails.

154. I believe the most attractive trait you can have is confidence.

155. I have friends in nearly every state, and at least 7 countries of the world.

156. In less than 30 years, I have lived more adventures than some people do their entire lives. I intend to continue this trend.

157. Cartoon crush: As a teenager, I had suuuucccchhhhh a crush on Trent from Daria.

158. The way to my heart: Coffee. And cilantro. Not together.

159. I am working on a novel. You probably already knew that.

160. I usually have my phone close to me.

161. When I get excited for something, I get bouncy. Literally.

162. Speaking of bounce, there is usually a bounce in my step.

163. I remember the first music video I watched on a computer.

164. I am a slow reader, because my brain isn’t good at focusing on one thing at a time.

165. My favorite video game on a computer, by far, is Paperboy.

166. I can’t sleep without a blanket.

167. When I was in Kindergarten, I was upset because I didn’t get a sticker on my paper, and another girl did. My ABCs were so much neater than hers. I still hold it against that teacher. Even THEN, my handwriting was a big deal to me.

168. I still use my baby blanket for comfort.

169. I have a mirror on my bedroom wall with munkies on it. My brother made it for me. That’s why it’s special to me.

170. In most of my dreams, I am flying, running, or swimming. When I dream of someone, they are on my mind for most of the next day.

171. One day, I hope to be writing full time.

172. All the people who have been my best friends, hold a very special place in my heart. That won’t ever change. I’ll always stand behind those who have ever been close to me.

173. When I was 14, I had an online friend whom I talked to all the time. We didn’t know the others location or any details about the other… just daily activities and what we went through as teens. I still wonder how Kevin is doing.

174. Every day is an adventure to me.

175. There is no such thing as boring, in my world. I will find a way to make the most dull activities exciting. Ask any of my best friends. They’ve rolled their eyes, raised an eyebrow, and sometimes been embarrassed to claim me, after getting a “yes!!” when they ask if I’m serious.

176. Those friends just thought of a time I’ve suggested something silly. I like being silly.

177. I have no interest in going to Asia.

178. Someday, I’d like to shoot a gun. I’m not ready for that, yet.

179. I am ridiculously romantic.

180. I lovelovelovelovelove doing charity work. I try to show my son the benefits of doing these things, and explain why we do them. I hope that he grows up feeling blessed.

181. My second grade teacher read “Where the Sidewalk Ends” to us every day. To this day, I can recite a few of those poems. In my mind, Shel Silverstein is one of the most imaginative poets ever.

182. I’m a sucker for anything meant for kids. I don’t know how to have the imagination and heart of an adult. I am okay with that.

183. I can crochet. I didn’t say I’m good at it.

184. One of my favorite books is “From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.” If you’ve read it, you can probably guess why.

185. When I was young, I had two penpals. I have found both on Facebook.

186. I have an unnatural interest in the story of the Titanic. I can tell you… too much… about it.

187. I used to want thirteen kids. Then I had one.

188. Every summer, I get one incredibly bad sunburn. One of the hottest summers of my life, and I haven’t been burnt. Irony.

189. I have a lot of munkie “stuff.” I love munkies. Before munkies, I collected turtle “stuff.” I kind of miss my turtles.

190. I once choked on an orange. I am still leery about eating oranges.

191. I’ve only seen Niagara Falls from the Canada side.

192. I’m not big on roses. I love daisies.

193. Road trips are the best way to spend days off. I don’t care where we go. We will find something fun.

194. I want to have a hoodie from every university in the United States. Yes, I am serious.

195. I’m awesome at making soup.

196. About 5 years ago, I cut half my nail off while peeling potatoes. Peeling potatoes still scares me.

197. My son is convinced that he’s going to have a son named Casper.

198. I rolled my first car. I was fine. I believe I had angels with me that night. That car… went through all four of my siblings.

199. I used to have a good friend from Canada. His name is Scott. I can’t listen to NKOTB without thinking of him.

200. I am pretty good at judging character… and I can usually see through fake personalities. I may not tell you, but I know what you really think of me.

There ya go… another 100 things about me. I hope you learned something!

<3.

I didn’t come from a wealthy family. In fact, I didn’t grow up with the best of anything. I mean that quite literally.

I didn’t get new clothes every weekend, (or at all.) Pretty much everything I wore was a hand-me-down, from either a cousin or some girl who had outgrown it and added it to a garage sale. This is so true, in fact, that I clearly remember the one time my grandma bought me a shirt from a department store. I think I was 13. I was so excited about it, it’s in one of my school portraits.

The day I got a TV in my room, was the day we got a new one in the livingroom. I didn’t have a a necklace for every outfit (I still don’t,) and I didn’t have rings on all my fingers. Actually, I don’t remember having any necklaces or rings at all.

And honestly, not having all that “stuff” didn’t bother me. Sure, it was a little hard as a teenager to see some of my friends getting “stuff.” I didn’t start having much “stuff” until I got a job and started buying things I wanted. But deep down, even as a teenager, I knew that I had things worth so much more than a room full of stuff.

The reality of my home: I had a mom, a dad, two brothers, and two sisters. All of my siblings were younger than me, and we fought, all the time. When I say that, I mean… there were days that my house was a war zone. There were days it was my brothers and one of my sisters in one room, my other sister and myself in another, and we were plotting against the other “team.” Looking back, it’s funny. My brother who is two years younger than me, was my “enemy” for a very long time. He and I did not get along… ever. “Mooooommm! He’s looking at me!” “Mooooom! She’s breathing on me!” Ohhhh the car rides. Haha…

Since it’s Father’s Day, I want to focus on my dad for a bit.

My dad had to work a lot to provide a home and food for five children, his wife, and himself. I know he worked a lot, but to me, it didn’t seem like it. For one simple reason: Through it all, he never made us feel like we weren’t important to him. When he could, he took us places and did things with us.

I believe he must searched for things to do with his family that were free. Take into consideration that this was without the internet. Not having extra money, we did a lot of trips to the state park to make burgers and roast marshmallows, play on the playgrounds, and just hang out as a family. We did a lot of family walks (miles and miles, with our dogs…) We did our own Easter egg hunts, and had family Bible studies. There was even a large part of my life where Thursday evenings were reserved for family game night. We all sat together and played games. (A huge benefit of having a million siblings.)

What came out of all the time we spent together: My siblings are my best friends. We are now living in three different states, but spend time together as much as we can. When we get together, we stay up late playing Monopoly (Shut it, you four. That’s as far as that will go. Haha!) When we get together, we can have a blast doing anything at all. We find things to do, and I often see us doing things we did as kids (minus the sibling wars.) We roast marshmallows. We sit around a fire. We can sit and make jokes about our childhood for hours. The “Moooooom! He’s LOOKING AT ME!” line is brought up every time.

Two things that stick in my mind that my parents did for us that were a big deal - Birthday parties – Mall of America, Valleyfair… We all had so much fun. That was huge to me, because that wasn’t an everyday thing. Second, we would go to Mankato, and Dad would hand us each $100 to spend in whatever way we chose. That was always the best day of the year, and usually where my new clothes came from. Those two things were everyday things to some kids around me, but coming from such a large family, they were special times to me.

My dad isn’t a perfect dad. He never has been. He’s made mistakes as a father, and he’s made mistakes as a person. But he’s still my dad, and he raised us the best he could. Some of you know my dad. If you have known him for more than 30 years, you know very well that he’s not perfect. But out of all that bad, came something very good.

The best thing my dad ever said to me: “I can tell you what I’ve done and seen, and you can either learn from my mistakes, or make them yourself.” He never told me that I “can’t drink.” He never said, “You cannot smoke.” He showed me what he did, and said, “Go make your own decisions.” He doesn’t hide from his past, and he’s been willing to share his experiences with his children, in hopes that his mistakes would help us make better decisions. And ya know… I think it worked. All five of his children stayed out of trouble (for the most part.) I can tell you that 50% of the reason kids do things that get them in trouble is curiosity. The other 50% – they are told that they can’t. I can tell you without a doubt, you tell a teenager he or she cannot do something, they are going to say, “wanna bet?”

I fully intend to share everything I’ve been through with my son. I will probably share my dad’s past mistakes, as well. I think it will help him in decision-making. As much as you’d like to, you can’t hide your kids from this world. The truth is, it exists, and eventually, with or without your guidance, they are going to find it. Personally, I’d like to do what my dad did, and prepare my child for what he will see when he gets out there. I think all the bad things my dad has done prepared him to be a great guidance as a father, and in turn, prepared me to guide my own child through his life.

I asked my siblings to share some memories they have of Dad. My youngest brother wrote an entire page. I will share it all.

Youngest Bro:

There are multiple times when Dad and I had great times while I grew up. It would be harder to pick just one than to choose ones that stick in my memory. From the earliest times, I remember Dad was always taking afternoon naps. There is a photo that Mom took of us taking a nap together while I lay on Dad. That was one fond memory I still remember to this day.

When he took us boys to the air show in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, I remember watching the Blue Angels and going inside of a large jet. We spent the whole day outside, and even though we knew we had a long drive back home, we stayed until the very end.

Another memory I have is going to the races while we still lived in Fort Wayne. Dad, me, and Chris went to a day at the races spending time watching cars mangle each other for the lead on the dirt track. While living in South Dakota, we never really had a lot of free time to spend with Dad since he was always on a trip or doing something with the church. But, the times we did spend together, we watched movies, played board games, and talked amongst the family. I wish I could go back and enjoy those moments when times were simple.

These days we try to make time to see the family a handful of days within the year. Now that we are all separated across the Midwest, we have to make sure that the days are scheduled with no outside interruptions. Whether its Dad cracking jokes with “The Game of Things” or him, my wife, and me watching a scary movie, I make sure we enjoy every minute of it. After almost 25 years of Dad’s advice, hellos and goodbyes, and raising me to be the person I am today, I am thankful to have him as a father.

(Thanks for making me cry, lil’ bro!)

My youngest sister wrote me a short text, but I believe her memory was just as important as those my brother wrote.

Youngest Sis:

Only one thing really sticks out in my mind… When Dad took us to the seminary when he filled vending machines. He would let us help get the candy ready.

The brother that is two years younger than me also sent me a text of special memories:

Baseball games (both Twins and our T-Ball stuff,) birthdays to Minneapolis/Valleyfair, legos, cooking help at almost any time, regular/super Nintendo. That’s something I’m sure he will remember and will cross over to others as well.

All of these memories and the way they are written show a lot about our personalities. Truly, only family members understand how the way these were written brings out our personalities. My other sister didn’t get back to me with stuff to add, but I am positive she has memories of Dad that are just as special as ours. Yes, Lil’ Munkie, I will edit it in, if you ever get time to write something for me. I am proud of the way my dad raised his children, and the memories he gave us.

I had the childhood of dreams, and I wouldn’t change a thing. My parents may have not been able to buy us new stuff all the time, but what they did give us: Love. Time. Memories. To me, that’s worth more than anything they ever bought us. I know my siblings agree. If “stuff” is worth more to you, I feel very sad for you.

❤

I care about everyone around me, almost to a fault. Alright, not ‘almost,’ it is a flaw in my personality. I know Jesus said, ‘serve others,’ and I am thankful that my nature allows me to do that. However, recently, I have been absolutely worn out. My many ‘hats’ are getting exhausting, and if I don’t make a change soon, it’s going to do some serious damage.

Please think twice before judging this decision… With every commitment I’ve made, and everything I’ve said I will be able to do, I have had very little down time, and almost no time to and for myself.  As bad as I feel for doing it, I need to start saying ‘no,’ and I need to take a step back from everyone and everything. My time an attention has been pulled in 15,000 different directions, and spreading myself too thinly has taken away from important things in my life, including myself. It’s taken a toll on me, and if I don’t take care of myself, I can’t be helpful at all, and that would be twice as difficult for me.

Another reason for this change is my writing. I have been missing from my website, and no one needs to point that out to me. Living a busy life has prevented me – distracted me – from writing here, and I feel awful about that. I miss writing, but haven’t had the energy to write, after spending all of my time attending to other things. On top of writing for the website, there are six (yes, six) novels rolling around in my head, and without time to myself to do what I enjoy most, those will never make it to paper, and nothing will be posted here. Getting my stories from my imagination to paper has been a dream of mine since I was very young, and I need to focus on that, for myself.

Why am I posting this on munkiebabble.com? Because I need to tell all of the people I know, and I don’t want any of you to take it personally. Please understand how hard it is to write this to all of you. This doesn’t mean I want to stop helping and being ‘there’ for you; nothing could be more untrue. Please be understanding if and when I say ‘no,’ and I will try my best not to push anyone too far away. If you feel I am doing this to you, please don’t hesitate to point it out to me. It’s hard for me to say no, and I am honestly going to need your help and understanding in this. I need to take care of myself.

Now, for the other half of this change…

As many of you know, Munkie Babble isn’t just a blog. MunkieBabble is also on Twitter, to give a little smile to my followers every day. I am only one person, and if I make one person smile every day, I am successful. However, Twitter gives me the opportunity to do this for more than one person. I am determined to make a difference by shining positivity and showing my individual quirkiness.

Last week, something happened that confused a lot of my friends. Let me explain. Sometime last week (my days run together,) I was made aware of some online creepers. Unfortunately, people aren’t all innocent, and not all can be trusted. It scared me, and in a panic of protecting myself, I created a new (locked) Twitter account, switching the names, so only people I approve of and know, can see my tweets. I thought this would fix everything.

However, last night at Bible study, we were discussing the gifts and talents God gave us, and whether or not we are using them to our full potential. I was explaining to the other ladies how Twitter works, and why I use it. While explaining myself, I quickly realized how locking my Twitter account limited my true purpose for using Twitter. I believe I have a gift for spreading positivity and smiles across the world; to those I know, and to those I don’t know. It is not my only gift, but I believe that in those simple tweets, I am making a difference.

So, I’ve decided to go back to the ‘old’ way I used Twitter. The private account for personal things and my friends, and the public account for making a difference in the lives of people I don’t know. I apologize to anyone who has been confused by this recent change. Friends: you don’t need to do anything, go ahead and follow one or both accounts. To those I don’t know personally, please don’t be offended when I don’t accept your follow request. I am doing this simply to protect myself.

I didn’t plan for this post to be this long… I thought it would only be a couple of paragraphs. But as all of you know, I tend to ramble, and I love the way my fingers feel when they are hitting the keys. It’s a writer thing…

Have a wonderful day! ❤

What’s in a year? 365 days. Or in this year’s case, 366. But who really counts leap year? 12 months. 52 weeks. 365 days. 8.760 hours. 525,600 minutes. 31,536,000 seconds. Looking at the big picture of life, that isn’t very long. What can you do in a year? You can do a little, or a lot, depending on your level of motivation.

You have a lot of things on your “to-do” list, a lot of things on your “bucket” list. What are the things you want to do and/or accomplish in your lifetime? Imagine you were told you were going to die in 356 days. You have 356 days to do whatever you want and accomplish all you can. Would you waste a single day? I sure wouldn’t. I’d be running around like a chicken with my head cut off, doing what I needed and wanted to get done.

According to some, the world is going to end in 356 days. I don’t believe this, because I believe the words of Matthew 24:36:

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

But for some, this is a very serious concept. They have probably made lists of things to do before the end of the world.

I live on to-do lists. Though I always thought bucket lists were silly and I don’t believe the world is ending in December, I have made a physical bucket list. Unless I have a physical list (or digital, in this age,) I don’t even know what I want to accomplish before I die. This list is going to change over time. I will cross things off, add things, and I have no doubt that my bucket list will be a very long one the day I die.

It’s 2012. I don’t make resolutions. To me, a new year is nothing but a lot of scribbling on the date on our checks. But after having all of my 2011 “did” and “did not” regrets go through my head, I have finally made a resolution of my own. This year, I will not waste a second of my day. I will be bettering myself each day. I will accomplish the things on my list that say 2012. Some even say, “January 2012.” This won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. At the end of the year, I hope to not regret anything I have done, or left undone.

I urge you to do the same. There are things you should have done in 2011. There are things you shouldn’t have done in 2011. As much as I am not for “It’s a new year, new me” … This is something I need, and you do too. Looking back regretfully will do nothing but hold you back from moving forward. Turn your head around. Look ahead. You have things to accomplish. Let’s face it, someday your life will end. Why wait? 

“We gotta start lookin’ at the hands of the time we’ve been given, if this is all we got, then we gotta start thinkin’, if every second counts on the clock that’s tickin’, gotta live like we’re dyin’… we only got 86-400 seconds in a day to turn it all around or to throw it all away…”

This year, I am taking this seriously. There is no excuse. Not a second wasted.

<3.

A good list of songs for a new start and encouragement:

• Kris Allen – Live Like We’re Dying
• 10th Avenue North – You Are More
• Hyland – Jumping the Gun
• Delta Goodrem – God Laughs
• Five For Fighting – 100 Years
• Toby Mac – Get Back Up
• Mandisa – Stronger

If you have any suggestions for this list, please let me know. I’d like to add them.

1. I have never been to IKEA.

2. I love green. Anything green.

3. I remember names, faces and birthdays of people I haven’t talked to in 15 years.

4. I do not feel old enough to have a 6 year old.

5. I have had an idea for a novel in my head for over a decade. It has yet to make it to paper. But now I have most of it outlined. I am proud of that.

6. I teach Sunday School, and I love it.

7. If I was a school teacher, I would teach middle school. I never thought I’d want to, but there’s something about the mind of a middle school kid that fascinates me.

8. Speaking of fascinations, I am fascinated by true crimes. I could watch documentaries on serial killers, kidnappings and murders every day. I don’t think that makes me a bad person. It’s the psychology of it.

9. My aunt used to sit on me and tickle me until I peed my pants. I am still terrified of being tickled.

10. I have a cross hanging in my kitchen that my grandma made. She passed away years ago, and that is the last thing she gave me. It will be in my kitchen until the day I die. Love you, grandma.

11. I like every genre of music. True talent is true talent, no matter the genre.

12. I am driven by my emotions.

13. I’ve honestly forgotten and have to concentrate when I have to spell munkies the “correct” way.

14. I love feet pajamas. Correction: LOVED. I don’t have any right now.

15. I love fire. I used to sit out in the tree grove and watch our garbage burn. It’s amazing that fire can turn a plastic bottle into bubbly goo.

16. I have OCD when playing Plants vs. Zombies. Each column needs to have the same kind of plants. If it doesn’t, I get frustrated.

17. I have OCD in pretty much every area of my life.

18. I believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.

19. I pray that everyone I know does, too.

20. I am giggly. Very, very giggly.

21. I cry easily at emotional moments on TV. That is the single reason I have never seen The Notebook.

22. I am one of the most social shy people on the face of this planet. Yes, I am shy.

23. My son knows and will remember his great great grandmother. Grandma turned 105 in November, and she’s one of the most wonderful people to have ever walked this earth.

24. I like to think about people who lived a long time ago … I wonder what kind of people they were, what their ideas were, and what they wanted out of life.

25. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I am incredibly interested in the human mind.

26. The mere thought of eating water chestnuts makes me cringe. They are worse than beets.

27. I think beets taste like tires.

28. Coffee. Coffee. Coffee.

29. I don’t mind doing laundry. It’s the folding that I despise.

30. If, when I am writing, I don’t like my handwriting, I will start over.

31. It is so easy to make me laugh.

32. I look for the slightest bit of good in everyone.

33. I love museums, of every kind. I saw a Titanic exhibit. I could have looked through that all day.

34. There isn’t a single person I haven’t forgiven. There’s a difference between “forgiving” and “forgiving and forgetting.”

35. I am on a constant road to bettering myself.

36. I call myself “Southern Canadian,” because I sound more Canadian than American.

37. Australia amazes me. The accent, the kangaroos… I want to live there just so I can pick up the accent and stand “upside down.”

38. I dislike yellow post-its.

39. At work, I print my calendar on bright paper, to help boost my mood each day.

40. I am a people person.

41. I love food, and love trying new food.

42. I fear a lot of things. I am working on getting over them.

43. I hate writing the letter F.

44. I have lived in 25 different houses.

45. Because of the movie, “IT,” which I haven’t seen in years, I am afraid of and will walk around street gutters.

46. I still wish on falling stars…

47. I believe in goals and dreams.

48. I will never know what I want to be when I grow up.

49. I don’t like Twilight for one simple reasons: Real vampires don’t sparkle.

50. I have neither read nor seen anything Harry Potter. I’m told I’m missing out.

51. I tried to watch Lord of the Rings. I failed. SQUIRREL!

52. What comes out of my mouth often sounded much more hilarious in my head.

53. I have a pair of shoes that I’ve worn for years. I doubt I will ever get rid of them. They are so comfy.

54. I used to wear a necklace made out of safety pins.

55. There was a time when I cut things out of magazines and hung things like Natalie’s straw on my wall.

56. I always look at a person’s eyes before anything else.

57. I hate snow. Hate cold. I live in the wrong part of the country.

58. I dislike ordinary, common names.

59. I was pulled out of gym class in second grade because I had a heart murmur.

60. I once got into a fight with my best friend over a quarter machine ring that we found in the grocery store bathroom.

61. I have always wanted to go to Antarctica just so I can cuddle with a polar bear. Yes, I realize there are no polar bears in Antarctica. I was 5 when I made this one of my goals.

62. I have always wanted to own a coffee shop.

63. My hair is longer right now than it’s ever been.

64. I never spend my change. There are probably hundreds of dollars in change in my couch cushions.

65. I have never fired a gun. That will change. Especially if you try to rob my couch cushions.

66. I never paid attention in history class. Now, I watch documentaries for fun.

67. Most often, I read young adult books.

68. I rolled my car when I was 17. I was not injured. I believe there were angels in the car with me.

69. I love to climb trees, and I love sitting in trees. It’s the getting down part that scares me.

70. I don’t have a million pairs of shoes.

71. I dislike December. It’s the month of the zombies.

72. I’ve been debating going back to school to be a dietician.

73. While playing truth or dare when I was 15, my friend made me a drink with everything she could find in her fridge. She made me take 3 drinks of it. I still remember what it tasted like. *gag*

74. I know names of celebrities and I know faces of celebrities. I cannot put them together to save my life.

75. I get excited over the smallest things.

76. I love road trips. I think nothing of driving 3 hours and back in one day.

77. I have never seen the Atlantic ocean.

78. I love movies that are for kids. Sometimes I am more excited than my son to see a kids’ movie.

79. I trust too easily.

80. I look like I am much younger than I am. Every year, I like this a little more.

81. It’s hard for me to drink water without ice.

82. I tend to give an extended back story just to say one thing. I’m sure it gets irritating.

83. I used to be a germaphobe. I used to refuse to touch door handles. I’ve gotten better, but I still dislike touching public ones.

84. I could eat salsa and guacamole every day.

85. I used to have a party every Friday night. A sober party. There were always between 10 and 30 high school kids in my basement. I miss that.

86. I have never done an illegal drug. Nor will I ever.

87. My dad is a pastor. I know I am a writer because I mentally edit his sermons as he speaks.

88. I am a giver. No, not THE giver. AAAA giver. Props to those who “got” that.

89. Go to Youtube. Search Yakko’s World. Watch it. I used to be able to say all of that.

90. I can do the McDonald’s rap.

91. I have an awesome long term memory. But I can’t tell you what I ate yesterday.

92. I have never been to Las Vegas.

93. I’ve done mission work, and loved it.

94. I hate writing in pencil. Always have.

95. I am creative.

96. I love doing crossword puzzles. In pen.

97. Hoodies. Best. Clothing. Item. Ever.

98. Whenever someone I love has a problem, my mind immediately jumps to, “how can I fix this?”

99. I have an unnatural love for walnuts.

100. I have no tail, therefore I cannot really be a munkie. “If it doesn’t have a tail, it’s not a munkie, it’s an ape!” … Apes are ugly. And “Ape Babble” just doesn’t sound like much fun.

There you have it… 100 things about me. Did you learn anything?

<3.

Today is the ultimate wishing day. And I am sure there will be thousands of people watching the clock for it to be 11:11 a.m. and then again being 11:11 p.m., ready to make their ultimate wish. A lot of people make wishes at 11:11 every day. I don’t make wishes anymore — my wishing time used to be 12:34. But this being the “ultimate” wishing day, I have decided to make a wish.

Today is not only 11/11/11, it is also Veteran’s Day. Instead of obsessing over how “cool” this day is, I wish that everyone on my timeline would take the time to thank a veteran for what he or she has done for this country. We all know one. At least one. I have many friends and relatives that have served. My grandpa is a veteran; I am proud of what he did for the US when he was younger. And for that, I thank him. I also wish to thank the vets I don’t know. Past, present and future. There is nothing more honorable in my mind, than to be willing to give up time with one’s family and friends, and if needed, one’s life, so that I can rest peacefully at night.

We, as Americans, think we are entitled to our freedom. If we suddenly lost it, we would whine about how we “deserve” it. NEWS FLASH: Freedom isn’t free.  It may be free to you, but someone… several someones… paid an ultimate price for it. And I can’t think of anything better to wish for on this day.

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” -John 15:13