yep-- i'm just about THIS clear headed today
what do you expect when i wake up at 1:30 a.m.?
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what do you expect when i wake up at 1:30 a.m.?
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hi everybody-
re-reading this (yesterdays post)-- maybe i sounded a bit harsh-- but as you can see-- i have been without-- and a lot more than the couple times i mentioned.
really, it just surprises me, that when people need something..and especially to the point of asking for it-- to me it makes me believe that they really need it- and are humbled enough to be asking for help. or so one would think. ya know?
i'm sure many of you know already that i enjoy helping people-- or simply giving or doing for people.
it doesn't have to be a lot-- or even materialistic. but if someone needs something..whether they ask or not-- if i think they need something-- i'll offer it up. most of the time.
maybe i do take this kind of thing a bit too personally sometimes though.. perhaps because i have been so---- SO... without, at times. i think people-- well, a lot of people these days have "high bottoms" sometimes. and they do expect a lot sometimes. many think they need handouts while they still have a nice car, a job, a house, the internet, their jewelry, etc. who knows.
when it has been me-- young , or "old"- and my family. we're talkin , government commodities (back in the day), church food donations, jewelry- or anything else worth a crap sitting in - or lost at pawn shops, food stamps, little to no furniture, dish washing liquid bein used for shampoo and laundry soap as well as dishes. (if not laundry soap! used for these things)- and i'll tell ya the final hair results leavin a person..yup- me- in tears-- real tears. and the rare bottle of actual shampoo brings tears of JOY.
we have pushed freakin grocery carts half a mile -- carless -to freakin laundry mats with eight loads of laundry -once a week. if not longer, and more.... for the hell of laundry day.
any of us who smoked-- we smoked roll your own! ("Bugler"- canned loose leaf tobacco-- mine were no less than laughable--or cryable, i should say. i wasn't a pot smoker-- so that should tell you how well i could roll a cig-- i couldn't roll a joint-- sooo figure the odds ! goo-lawd. it was a train wreck-- but i managed... or had my bro in law --- at the time , roll em for me. he was good at it :))
a ready made generic cigarette,-- yes one, or two, -- on occasion-- was a damn luxury! freakin toilet paper or real shampoo-- or a damn CLEAN, DRY , UNUSED by someone else in the house - towel was like a hundred bucks to me. pure heaven. if i could just get that FIRST use out of it, i was happy-- for a day. that time in my life left me with a lifelong used towel phobia! i hate it. i refuse!
some of y'all know where i'm comin from.. and some of y'all just can't fathom a family of the "age i grew up in" bein that bad off. but it happened. but also-- some of you lived it too.
it was really strange way to grow up. actually to live my life --- until the age of about -- well... i'd guess... 39 or 40-- yep, that's like this last year or two--a few of you watched it all happen :))
it was always feast or famine. either we had-- or we had NOT. i think it makes for a kinda "irresponsible-- responsible ", messed up in the financial department kinda person. if ya know what i mean. :))
but anyhow... it also makes for a person who never wants to see anybody do without. and that is why i would do anything i can for anyone... i've given stuff away that made people think i was insane because i didn't sell it. and i would do it again. and again.
people have really gone out of their way to help me when i was down. i've had people "over-help" me at times. even strangers. people that i've never seen again.
maybe some of these things are why i expect people who claim to be in need-- to be more appreciative of what is offered to them. i don't know. because it just seems to me that some aren't .
maybe i'll never explain my position on this the way that i mean to. at least not in the way that i want it to be understood the way that i want it to be. without sounding that i look down upon people who need things or ask for things. like when i used the word beggin..or whatever. i didn't mean that to sound bad in anyway-- or especially harsh. it's just my terminology. y'all know i'm a bit uncouth at times. in no way was that meant to be disrespectful.
i don't feel above any one of them.. it could be me.. at any time-- it has been me... many times. and i know i am not immune for it to be me again someday-- i pray that it won't be.. but ya just never know. do ya?
the only difference is -- i was there before the signs got popular. i bet i coulda came up with a "good" one. :))
anyhow- like blur said-- in a way--
-- from these times in my life---- spawned my child--- who gets just about everything she asks for -- because i had nothin, for so much of my life. i had and lost so much , so often,l that IF i can give it to her-- it's hers--
i've gotten a ton better these passed few months (maybe even years really) about the "free money, and "stuff", and the never ending flow of cash. and there are now limitations... and she is learning to appreciate and respect things more. that's progress. but it took a long time to get her there. it took a long time to get me there too.
it also took a lot of advice-- wanted-- or not-- from y'all to get me there. and changes, and growth have come from it--
ya know, she was a lot younger when our family had our hardest times, and even then, she came first--and didn't notice--or doesn't remember.
that's the way i think like it. i don't want her to look back on her life and remember "being poor". ya know. i want her to remember "being taken care of", and having a good life".
a few hard times are always good to see your family pull through-- and she saw that a couple years ago in new mexico. she knows that was tough all the way around. it was one year of our lives.. a year that she knows we put her first-- through everything. bad health on my part, little money, high stress, crappy house. all kinds of crap. she saw us pull together as a family and work for each other and especially her-- (in a non materialistic way.) -- and move forward for HER a better life... and we got that for her. if she hasn't learned from any other family experience.. that one was the biggest anyhow-- i think. it took her a while to put it all together, but she does see now, what it all is in the big picture. that's huge. and i do think it changed her views on the strength of family-- and not just ours-- but others too, and even her future family. and i didn't even know that -- until yesterday! (that's a whole nuther post-- but i'll prolly never put it up-- cuz too much can't be said, and smocha will scold me for makin her think :))
(but my girl and i had a quite intense three hour heart to heart yesterday-- a lot was revealed... and i must say--- i have an awesome kid. she scares the shit outta me--- but at the same time-- she is mature, and insightful-- and even though she is stubborn and full of attitude-- she's simply brilliant. if i do say so myself.
(you thinkin yet smocha? :))
anyhow--- my ADD-- is alive and well. i'm beginning to think i need medication. i swear my mind never stops. never. perhaps that is why i woke up at 130 a.m for no damn reason?
now--- since i have literally BLOGGED a reply in my box-- i do believe that i will now move it to the other side, and call it my post o' the day---
happy--- holy crap -- it's FRIDAY!!!! woo hoo !!!
14 comments:
I'm so thankful I can usually sleep till at least 5:30. It sounds like you just took a small nap before you got up.
Your life reads like a book. Like a survivor story. You have survived, and you are strong, even when you don't always feel like it. And, I'm so impressed by your fierce mother love for your daughter. Your life is really unfolding. Wonder what your next 'chapter' holds.
Did you go back to sleep?
The one good thing that came out of your childhood Soul, is your beautiful generous heart. Because you had nothing yourself and knew true need, you have an appreciation for what you now have and an understanding of what it's like to have to do without or do it tough.
I doubt whether anyone thought you were being disrespectful my friend. You express yourself perfectly well and in your own unique way. That's why we all love ya cuz you're Soul :)
Big hugs and kisses from your Aussie mate. xxx
PS Damn...Cheryl just beat me to being first. Hi Cheryl....
Soul, You ROCK! I love you just the way you are. Happy Friday!!
Ha ha ! you forgot about us fighting and crying over the last piece of cinnamon toast. :)
I'm soooo glad we ain't Po no mo.
Yeah ...I'm thinkin...asshole.
You could send me an email ya know:)
Whats yer POD?
Love me
How often do you have to take that muscle relaxer? How long must u be on it? I hope your sleep is getting better.
I have to be honest, I have had a very very very busy and chaotic week. My mind is a total blank right now. I tried hard to understand your this Reply to Yesterday's Post? ... Can't understand. Em... maybe I will have to read it tomorrow to understand this?
Anyhow ... my mind needs to go to sleep now. Just dropping by my favourite site to wish all a happy weekend.
You know, you've raised a good child. Some days she has her tantrums but that's all part of growing up. She cares alot for you and her family, we can see that.
I agree, we all want our kids to remember having good times. I do too. Somehow they feel more secure inside knowing that their parents are doing ok and everything's going to be alright.
Some days when I have my heart to heart talk with my kids, I tell them about those hard times when I had to struggle and they know that things don't come that easy.
But still,they're kids and every now and then, they expect so much, simply because they're behaving their age.
have a good weekend.
Thank you Soul for reminding me of times in my life when things were not as easy as they are now. Damn difficult, if the truth be known. It's been awhile since I have thought about these things. I tend to forget how bad it was back then. It does me good to remember!!!
It sounds like Soulchild is growing up nicely. Yea, for Mother daughter talks at this age that end with admiration and respect. HOORAY for that!
LOLing @ "how long does it take to get over the Captain being home for a week". LOL LOL LOL As you can see, a loooong time! ha!
It's the WEEKEND! Have a good one!
Soul kid is stubborn and full of attitude ? LOL where in the world did she get that from?
Cheryl right it does read like a book, one you should write.
You've really made me think about when my mom was a single mother raising us. I'm gonna have to try and gently ask her how bad it really was. We were always taken care of, and thinking back we lived in what might be considered a crappy rental but it never occured to me. Thanks for getting the wheels in my head turning. I think I owe my Mom a huge thank you.
Have a great weekend Sweets
Soul, this is an awesome post. You are a strong lady. I never experienced the things you have in life, but I did experience being raised by professional parents who were old enough to me my grandparents. Rather I should say I wasn't raised - I just got older and didn't know who I was or how to relate to other people. Frankly I don't know which is worse. Rock hard times with nothing and people who shared it with you or isolated in a grandparent's world with absolutely no contact with peers and little with the outside world.
Now you know why I cling to the family God has given me.
Your life experiences built a wonderful lady who is giving, loving, and gentle (which you don't always admit, but we know).
I'm probably off subject with this comment, but it just came out. I admire you and certainly have a lot of respect for you.
I know most of what you been threw.. went threw stuff too... diffrent but the same... and my kids o.k. the four i have left at home will not no the other side of the stuff your talking about, and thank god for those beggin places and that word does not offend me.. they are true.. and facts are facts... i just thank the good lord they were there for us when they were needed........and for all the people who go to them now....sorry bout the sleeping problems ... count sheep.....count anything sounds stupid but it does work.....
p.s. betcha wish that was you suckin the fishes tonsils...lol
My mom and I were just talking yesterday about how things changed when my dad left. We still had our home and I was taken care of, but it was evidently really traumatic for her.
You live and write with such heart. A person I know crossed my path today who is in dire need. I have been consumed ever since trying to figure out what I can do for him and his wife/GF. nobody seems to think it's a good idea to invite them into our home, although that's the first place i go. I was going to take them some things but hubsand seemed to think some of my choices could be "offensive" which i don't really get. Anyway, after reading your story I am more compelled than ever to do SOMETHING for them. Maybe I will just take them some food tomorrow.
I hope you sleep better tonight!
hi all--- you guys are sooo great. i don't know what to say --
i'm surprised at how "thought provoking" this post was.. it seems to have brought out "something" in each of you.
i think i've noticed that that usually happens (here) when i write at the most ungodly hours. occasionally those posts can be a train wreck too-- but i'm thinkin, maybe this "book" i talk about writin, and never seem to produce-- should be written during periods of insomnia. who knows what might happen.
but i don't know-- maybe that book is just somethin i'll only keep thinkin about.
i'm rambling.
i'm tired .
i did sleep though. from like 12 - 4 i think.
anyhow---
hope your weekends are mahvelous !
Yeah I remember handwashing clothes in a bathtub with water heated on a woodstove. Filling that tub with water heated on a woodstove and everybody jumping in and bathing just as fast as they could cause that damn water was so hard to heat. I would take gym first period so i could shower at school......... yeah I know what you are talking about Soul. I remember really hard days also.
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