I'm baaack (let's hope)

Hello there, remember me? I am the one they call Dottie Lou. She who used to post on this blog. Well, I am hoping to start back up and continue. Lots of stuff to cover. Second term, summer vacation, back issues and starting a new term. So here is to hoping I manage to do what I plan and keep you all in the loop.

End of first term musings...

  Finals are finally over! Finally!! Talk about a stressful week! I probably stressed WAY too much before each test, but hey, whatever works. All the stressing and studying must have been good in someway, I managed good grades on all the tests. I had someone say to me in the middle of the term "You surprise me", about having so many credits/classes and managing good grades as well. My reply to that was "I surprise me"! I don't think that I am a dumb person, per say, but in high school I really didn't give a crap, so my grades showed that at times. I mean really though, how many of us give a crap in high school? Either way, it is a bit of surprise to me how well I am doing and how much I am enjoying school. Even with all the stress and all the hard work required, I can't wait to see what the next term brings. 

  I hope that my going to school will not only be a great thing for me and my family once I am done,  I am also hoping that I am being a good example for my children. I didn't go to college right after high school, and they know that. I haven't ever kept that from them and would try to use it as an example that they should try to go to college. "But you had a job and a business", I would hear. Yes I did, but on the other hand I only had experience in that ONE thing. One thing that I did for 18 years, and did very well, but once it was decided by my back that I was done with my chosen career, I had no other options. I hadn't really ever done anything else, I  had no experience. After many failed interviews, and not answered job applications I decided college was the way.

  Now I am not saying that the experience you get out in the real world/work force isn't worth anything, because it is worth a lot. I had a conversation with a woman in the same field as I not too long ago that really made me want to turn to violence. We were talking about being care givers, bosses and the joy that is finding a decent employee. All was going well until she made the statement "The girls that work for me are great, and they try their hardest. But they only have practical experience, unlike me. I have 4 years in college, that is why I am better at it." This was the point at which I wanted to whoop some ass, but I bit my tongue and kept my mouth shut. I was so proud of me!

  In telling my kids they would do better in the world with a college education, I also try to pass along the idea that hard work in life gets you a long way as well. A combination of both schooling and hands on experience is best, and I hope with all my pushing, that is the point I am getting through to their brains and that it sticks. All we can hope for in teaching our children is that if what we tell them doesn't stick, that they follow the good examples we are or try to be.

Eeek!!

What a crazy busy week this is going to be. My dad is up visiting from California, and it is FINALS WEEK!!!! Ok, deep breath and clam down. Excited to see the father figure, since it has been nearly a year. Plus, he hasn't ever been to this part of Oregon, so I get to show him what it is about this area that makes me love it so. Ill get to drive him crazy, I mean around to show him all the cool spots and let him get the calm relaxing feel for the area that I too have.
   And again, IT'S FINALS WEEK!! (in case you didn't get it the first time) Have already taken one, and did well. Now it is time to get the others out of the way. Today looms upon me with 2 finals, Writing and Computers. It is all a matter of paying attention when I should have (which I did), studying (which I have been doing) and staying calm the day of (oh crap! this isn't going to work!) Fingers crossed, only one set though, otherwise it negates the luck. I will do well, I will do well...

Dottie Lou Who?

So, who is this chatty Cathy of a gal that is filling our blog-o-space with her nonsense? She be me. Born Dortha, dubbed Dot at birth, called many different things through out the years (good and bad), and at this point in my life am Dottie Lou. I am Californian by birth, Okie and Arkie raised, Oregonian by sheer parental power and now by choice, and a dork by nature. I run my mouth at those that will listen, and those that probably would prefer not to. My personality runs on the side of annoyingly Pollyanna-ish and quite possibly Annie-ish as well. Cause you know the sun WILL come out tomorrow and there is ALWAYS something to be glad about, right? I give freely of smiles and belly laughs and hugs where allowed.  I have no personal bubble, life is too short to keep people away. But I will respect yours if you so wish.  In short, I am that shiny happy person across the room who will smile when you look at her and isn't afraid to laugh out loud. :)

To sleep perchance to...sleep

Ah, sleep! A most wonderful thing. It refreshes us after a long day, recharges our batteries after running around like a chicken with our heads cut off and allows for simple relaxation after a hectic day. Well, for most of us it does. Me, not so much. I tend to be a bit of a tweaker when it comes to "sleep". It's not an insomnia thing, I don't think, because I can fall asleep pretty much anywhere. It's the staying asleep and not going all wonky while trying to sleep. What do I do that is so bad you ask (or don't ask, im telling you anyways)? Weeeell, let us see, I go all ninja and pert near jump out of bed at times. I imagine people are standing there watching me. I talk/walk/flip flop in my sleep. Ah, and the "restless Dott syndrome", that's is a fun one too. "But Dott, you should just take something to knock you out", you say? If only it were that easy, grasshopper, that crap only makes it worse. What causes this crud? Who knows, cause I know I don't. So, to all you people who actually get sleep, I bow to you! Oh masters of the sleep cycle, teach me the ways...

Things you realize

Sitting here "doing my homework", and chatting with an aunt when I realized something.   I realized that whenever it comes to seeing, talking to or even just thinking about my aunts and uncles I feel like a kid again. Not in a "they treat me or talk to me like a kid" way, but in a care-free, have the world by the tail way.  I mean really, how many of us actually feel like that any more? We may have a day or so now and again where we might get a glimpse of how we used to be,  and we may strive to maintain a "shiny happy" attitude every day of our lives, but we are not the same. Growing up does that to people. It jades us, changes us. Not necessarily for the bad, but we see the world in a different light. I don't think the optimistic, I can do anything child is gone. I believe it is only hibernating, waiting for the sun to shine within ourselves. Talking to a person that made your life utterly amazing and fun and exciting makes that kid inside wake up, shake off the sleep and live again! Even if it is for a short time, they inhabit your person and feelings again. We all enjoy those small glimpses, and the feelings they bring, always hoping they have a seat and stay a while. Well, for some of us, it's our aunts and uncles that wake that child. So I say, bring on the aunts and uncles! Call them, text them, email them or visit them if you can! Bring them they joy of you and they can bring you the joy of "you" as well.  Bring on the pig-tailed, freckle faced, tree climbin kid!

And so it begins...

 My foray into blogger-ville. This is starting out as extra credit for computer class (Hi Teach!!), but may turn out to be something else entirely. If you know me, and if you don't you will soon find out, I am a talker. So a blog might just be the thing I need. I don't think that this is going to be one of those blogs that is about just one thing in particular, but about whatever pops into my insane membrane. Hope you like it. (If not, there's the back button and don't let the browser hit you in the rump on the way out! ) For those of you sticking around, I thank you.