10 of Life's Simplest Pleasures according to moi (Zepplinlady)

There's a first time for everything and now I'm experiencing my first time being tagged. I'm probably alittle late in my response but I've been somewhat busy lately and have fallen way behind on my travel through the blogesphere but, better late than never, right? So without further adieu, here is my list 10 of life's simplest pleasures......

1. Music - I had to list this first because I have a deep infatuation with it. I was raised around music and I simply can't live without it. Music (in all forms) is one of the best ways for the whole world to communicate with one another.

2. Springtime mornings - My favorite mornings are in the spring season right before the dawn, when you can hear the birds chirping and rustling sounds in the grass from rabbits and raccoons scampering about. I love the sounds of nature and waking up to it is even better.

3. Rainy nights - I enjoy listening to the soft falling rain outside my window in the evening or at night while I'm relaxing. It brings in a nice cool breeze and the smell of clean air. It makes for a good time for me to collect my thoughts and organize my mind.

4. Long walks in the park - I love nature and there's nothing better than picking a nice park to view the beautiful trees and plants while at the same time doing something healthy for me. It's a real spirit "pick-me-up."

5. Fishing - For me, fishing is theruputic. It relaxes me. I'm no Bill Dance but I do enjoy the sport. My favorite way to fish is with a bobber or tightline. My favorite type of fishing is for catfish, bluegill, crappie, and perch.

6. Reading - Oddly enough, I was never an avid reader when I was younger. Now, it's truly enjoyable to me. I like to cuddle up on the couch with a good book or magazine and of course there's always the wonderfully insightful blogesphere.

7. Tuesday and Saturday evenings - I look forward to these days because they are the only two evenings that I know I can stay up late and sleep in the next day. Even though I have to work on Wednesday and Sunday, atleast I don't have to get up at that ungodly 3am hour.

8. Vacations - I love it when vacation time rolls around for me. The fact of knowing that I'll be off from work for a week or two is a good feeling for me. It's an added bonus if I am able to go somewhere during that time but not a necessity.

9. Spending time with friends and family - Although I don't get to do this very often, it's always nice to get together sometimes when time permits.

10. Home - Even though I gripe and moan about doing household chores and yardwork, there's no place like home. I love my house and I hope that I can continue to maintain an income to pay it off one day. It's a nice feeling to come home everyday to a place I can call my own.

And there you have it.

My simple pleasures in life.

Also, I'm assuming that many of you have already been tagged so I guess I won't tag any of you. Oh, what the heck...... I'll just tag a few for fun so Bluez, K, and whoever hasn't been tagged, U R IT!!

Happy Wednesday all! (Hump Day) - Toodles.....

Random Quote :

“Life's greatest treasures are life's simplest pleasures.”

Human Behavior

As you now know, I have a fascination with human behavior in all aspects. Whether it be through communication, or actions, or personalities, habits, or what have you. The simple fact is that people are quite interesting and sometimes, in more ways than one can ever imagine. I can't help but question what makes some people act in certain ways. Sometimes the way in which a person reacts or, their quirky attitude can really stump me.

Here's just a few examples:

When a person asks me for my opinion on something, and I take the time to give them a well -thought out answer, why then do they always go straight to another person asking the same damn question again?? And then, (and only then) do they actually believe the answer--which just so happens to be the same answer I'd given them just moments ago--but now apparently, it seems to sound "right" to them so they believe in and feel rather comfortable with the answer now all of a sudden. I mean, far be it from me to proclaim the fame of being an information specialist but some of the issues brought to me for suggestions and help don't require one to be a rocket scientist to answer, they only require a little common sense and knowledge which I do posses. (even though some of you may think differently. lol)

Did I happen to mention that this only seems to happen to me with men? No offense here to my male counterparts but I can almost hear James Brown in the background singin' "It's a Man's World." **WHATEVAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!* Of course, I'm not speaking of the majority of the male population I'm in contact with, just a general view of a few who I tend to deal with on a daily basis. I suppose that this behavior typically stems from their upbringing which is what they choose to believe and how they see fit to feel "manly." The only thing I wonder is if they ever stop and think of how others perceive their action, not that it matters what others think but it just seems to give off a negative attitude and disrespect especially to their female counterparts. On the other side of the coin, I'm sure that this has happened numerous times with women as well. I'm only speaking of what I've experienced.....Men, hmmmm.....as I've said before, they're funny creatures but I do love 'em. Make no mistake about that girls. mmmmmmm(but enough of that before I get side-tracked)

Also, I've noticed that there seems to be a vast majority of people harboring a lack of communication. Why is it so hard for some people to communicate with others? Communication is a necessity, a main staple in life. In other words, WE NEED IT FOLKS!! So, why then is it such an intangible substance? If you want a certain outcome from someone, you must first communicate to that person to receive it. PURE & SIMPLE. Cut and dry. It's just that easy. So why is this such a problem for some of us? I can only assume that some people are running in fear of that black cloud called "Offensive". Sometimes, some people tend to be afraid of offending others by communicating their needs to them.(which I feel is completely idiotic) but, I guess it's a matter of opinion. These individuals often seem to shy away from any kind of confrontations at all costs....Regardless of the fact that it may be in their best interest to assure a successful outcome or not.

My views on this, you ask???

Well, you can't go through life being a total "WUS" all of the time if you ask me. You've got to get some backbone and tell people what you want or expect from them. Otherwise.....you got nothing coming and will constantly be let down or dissatisfied all the time. There's also the fact that your chances are next to none in gaining respect from people especially if you don't speak your mind to them and let them walk all over you. Be for real. Hiding behind your thoughts will never get you where you want to be or what you want out of a person. I could be wrong but that's just the way I feel. How many times have you wanted a person to react a certain way and they actually do without you ever letting them know what you want? Sure, this can happen on occasion but it's not all that common. There are those of us who seem to naturally have that ability or "gift" to be able to make things go their way. Shall I say, having a manipulative nature or playing those "little mind games" and steering individuals into certain directions that you may want them to go. I'd like to add that if this has happened to any of you in the past, it doesn't mean that you're a weak-minded individual, because some people are just very good at it. It comes natural for them. Anyway, I feel that the best way is the honest and straight - forward approach through good communication. Besides, what else you gonna do with that mouth of yours other than eat and well, whatever else comes to mind.....you naughty people. (always ends up going straight to sex) hmmmmmm.........

.

Some people I've come in contact with can be quite professional. Well, to be more exact, it's really 2 words: "PROFESSIONALLY ANAL." Yea, I'm sure y'all know what I'm talking about here. I mean those of us who seem to get on a certain path and allow ourselves to be drawn, (as magnets) to it, putting on our blinders and staying focused on that one item regardless of whatever may be going on around us. A house could be on fire not 5 feet away and yet we're still engrossed with whatever activity we're involved in at the time. See......that's what I mean by ANALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!! LOL It's like no other thought process can squeeze into their brain because at that precise moment, their head is full of that one single item which must be in so many small pieces of thoughts that it takes up their entire brainwave function. It sorta reminds me of that "B -rated" movie called " Night of the Living Dead", when all of the zombies are zoned out and wandering around with one thing on their minds...."Humans for food." Bizarre, huh...Obviously some people aren't very coordinated in as much as muliple thought patterns. I know this one guy who gets a certain task in his little head and completely runs amock with it. As far as he's concerned, there's nothing else more important on the face of the earth other than whatever it is that he's obsessing at the present time. And if you try to talk to to him about certain repercussions that may be caused by his particular obsession, forget it 'cause he ain't hearin' it. End of story.....'Course if you use a little know-how and strategically place the problems occurring into what he's so anally obsessing on, in such a way that it seems to be beneficial to "His" current project, he may just listen to you. Again, that would require a well honed manipulative person to pull that off. ( I know what you're thinking and the answer is no) I'm not like that but I do know many people who are very manipulative and deceitful. Well, I've severed ties with them now because I found out that you can't always have a genuine friendship with people like that. Sooner or later they try to do you.....and not in the good way either. ROFLMAO

Random Quotes:

"Behavior is the mirror in which everyone shows their image."

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"The 'self image' is the key to human personality and human behavior.

Change the self image and you change the personality and the behavior."

~Maxwell Maltz

"Everybody experiences far more than he understands. Yet it is experience,

rather than understanding, that influences behavior."

~Marshall Mcluhan

OH GAWD!!!!!

HAPPY EASTER ALL!!!!!!!

The Grass is always Greener......

after the first time you mow it....well, not always. I finally mowed my lawn for the first time this year just a few days ago. It has some brown spots but eventually, it will turn a pretty even green. (I hope) As I was mowing, I caught a glimpse of a guy down the block who happened to be mowing a lawn too. I don't believe he lives at the house where he was mowing but the most important thing is that he fit my ad(remember, the one for Hot Hunk needed) perfectly. He looked young, (late twenties to early thirties) was wearing no shirt, and had on some faded bluejeans. --your average Hunk of the mill.....I enjoyed staring at him. ALOT! LOL

Anyway, most of my daffadills and tulips have bloomed. They're beautifully "Perky." My pompass grass is still brown. UGH.... I'm hoping that I didn't damage it or worse yet, kill it since I had to cut it down earlier than I'd planned in order to comply with that silly bogus citation that wasn't even meant for me. I'll have to wait and see what happens with it. If it doesn't start coming back green by next month, I'll know. I also have a mimosa tree that had to be cut down however; a friend cut it down last fall for me and I think he butchered it too far so that's another worry. At the time, the decision was made to cut it down because it was starting to block my satellite dish and mess up the tv and that's not a good thing so, it had to come down.

As for my rosebushes......well, they're not looking as healthy as they normally do at this time of year either. I'm assuming that my gardening woes aren't all together my fault. Some of the problems are due to the very odd weather we've been experiencing over the past six months. I guess I just need to get out there and work on things. I was planning on doing that this afternoon when I came home from work but it looks like rain so I'll have to do it another day.

I do have some good news for those of you waiting to hear something positive! ( dabich & green)

I spoke on the phone with the young man who ran into my truck and we met one day last week and I showed him the estimate for the damage done to my truck. Frankly, it was quite expensive. Originally the estimate total was $834.66. YIKES!!--that's how the poor guy looked when I showed it to him. His eyes got as big as halfdollars. As we went over the itemized listings, I told him that we could just round off the total figure to $800.00. I also showed him the cost of the labor which was $259.20. I suggested that we round that figure up to $300.00 and just take that completely off the estimate. The total is now at $500.00. He seemed to be agreeable to paying that amount although he seemed as though he would've attempted to pay the higher price, but I knew it would have been a hard struggle for him to come up with that amount. Especially since he's going to school and only working part-time at a pizza joint. I do have a heart ya know...

He and I met yesterday and he made his first payment of $200.00 in cash. I wrote him out a reciept for his records as well as one for myself and we've made arrangements to meet in a few weeks for the next payment of $150.00. He seems like a genuine young man with a good head on his shoulders. At first I felt bad for having to make him pay for the damage but then again I thought, the best lessons learned are hard lessons. I feel that this will only make him a better man as time goes on in his life. I'm hoping that once I get the rest of the money for the damage done to my truck, I'll be able to go ahead and get it fixed--that is unless those "unexpected expenses" arise as they always seem to do...

Outside of that, I've been pretty much the merry little worker bee with the Easter holiday coming up this Sunday. I've been working some long hours and coming home passing out for a few hours and then waking up for a couple hours only to go right back to slumberville until the next day begins. My laundry and household chores have been put on hold with the exception of this afternoon. I had to fold some clothes from days gone by. Of course they're all wrinkled now but at least they're clean! Ohhhhhhhhhhh, come on Sundayyyyyyyyyyyyy!! A whole day off! AHHHHHHH!!!!

Random thought:
What to cook for Easter dinner.....
Hmmmmmmmm
Well, there's Ham,
and there's Lamb,
there's turkey breast,
some say brisket's best,

BUT.......

By the time Saturday rolls around,
I'll have been around these items so
much at work that I'll never want to
see them again, at least not for awhile.

Any suggestions???