Blogger-Droid :-)

I want to apologize, because I haven't been on here for a while. I was very disappointed not to have PC Internet access due to financial issues and not being able to blog. But I have a new Android phone with mobile web and just came across this cool app! I will be blogging on with gusto now! :-)

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Self-Confidence Boosters

I talked to a friend today, and we came across the topic of self-confidence. I used to be very shy and worried about what other people thought of me. Matter of fact, I was so afraid of rejection that I withdrew from people, spoke in a very low tone of voice for fear of mistakes (especially being German and wanting to be able to speak English perfectly), and basically talked myself down, while amplifying my flaws by pointing them out to others. I also have had some weight issues in my time, which didn't exactly help my confidence, either. Today, my confidence is at an all-time high, tho I still struggle from time to time. There are several things that helped me in becoming more personable, outgoing and confident, which I would like to share:

• Find your own BEST features and qualities. Make a list and write them down! Think of your beautiful eyes, the smile everyone adores, the knowledge you possess, the way you care about others, the skills you do have. You may be a great cook, really good at your job or simply a good mom or dad! Create a list of self-affirmations and read them out loud to yourself every day. Have a version of that list handy, wherever you go, just in case you have one of those days when everything seems to fail. Remember, like Zig Ziglar says: “Failure is not a person, only an event!“ If you make a mistake, just LEARN from it, and MOVE ON. Guess what - you just bettered yourself! Great job! Pretty soon you assimilate those great qualities with yourself. They will once again become part of who you portrait yourself !

• Don’t compare yourself to friends and acquaintances who seem to “have it all”. Instead, think of those who are less fortunate, less educated, less skilled, heavier, not as pretty and not as well off financially. Pretty soon you realize that there are people out there who have less, but are still happy. You have every reason to feel good about yourself! Count your blessings!

•  Don't point out your flaws! Chances are that the people around you don't even notice your flaws UNTIL you make them aware of your self-perceived shortcomings. Instead, USE your good qualities and let them shine!

• What are your goals and dreams? Don’t tell yourself and others that you don’t have any! What about that dress you would like to fit into, the new car you would love to own and reuniting with old friends? Would you like a promotion at work or make more money? Write all the goals down that you can possibly think of - and be specific. Write something like “I would like to fit into that cute dark red size 8 dress I saw at Macy’s by next spring.” Start with little goals that are easily reachable within a short amount of time. Then move on to bigger and more long-term goals. Again, be as specific as possible. Finally, be outrageous. Write down goals that are possible, but seem hard to reach at the present time. “I want to write a romance novel within the next 3 years, get published and sell 50,000 copies”, for instance. Goals and dreams refer to a better future self and reaching even the most minute goals on your list will improve your confidence tremendously. The magic word is “SUCCESS“!

• Sometimes low self-confidence is brought on by real life problems. Losing weight, for example, may be a difficult thing to do. You can either just try and accept yourself for who you are the way you are and be happier, or you can make a serious plan on how to resolve that issue, and  feel better within your own skin by eliminating the problem altogether. One of the most prevalent phobias, the fear of public speaking, can be counteracted by taking classes or joining organizations like Toastmasters International and meeting people with similar concerns who are trying to improve their skills and fight stage fright. It’s great to know you are not alone and learn tricks from the professionals while making new friends!

• Go out and TALK to people you don’t know. I like the saying: “Strangers are only friends we haven’t met yet!“ Practice gathering information by asking OPEN-ended questions. Those are questions that cannot be answered with a “yes” or “no“. For instance, ask: “ What type of music do you like?” or “Where are you from?” Inquire about hobbies, sports, favorite food and such. Also tell about yourself by answering the same questions in response. Pretty soon you have a great conversation going on!

• Enjoy yourself where ever go and whatever you do. Smile a lot. Make faces in a mirror and stick out your tongue, if you have to. Eventually you will start laughing, because you realize you are being very silly! Most of all, learn how to laugh at YOURSELF! Once you can laugh about your own flaws and mistakes, no one else’s laugh can affect you in a bad way any longer! Laughing is also one of the best stress relievers!

Goodbyes

There are few things as life-changing as a friend leaving your side to pursue important avenues in a new life in a new far-away location. I can honestly say that friends who left my side either physically or emotionally, have affected me in a greater extent than relationship break-ups, with the exception that I can actually appreciate their leaving when they do it for a good reason. I am the type of friend that will push their selfish reasons for trying too keep friends close by aside, because I believe that when they find their way and success in life, they will be an even greater friend and person when we reunite, or even if we don't. Fact is I had to take steps in my life that meant everything for my future. I left my home country Germany and my family back in '97 at 20 yrs old. Yes, I married a man from the military, but I actually had this intention to leave for the U.S. since I was 11 years old! I just had to do this to satisfy my need to make my dream come true, regardless of the consequences and disregarding how it would happen. Today, I am single, but happy, on my own, but a better person, a "cool" mom in my kids' and their friends' opinion, and someone who has developed from a shy girl to an outgoing, personable and intelligent individual who can survive in almost any situation!
Whatever happened in between, it was all worth it! I wish the same for my friends! I love them so much that I have accepted the fact that I have to let them go and let them make their own luck!
I do hope that I remain part of their life. I hope that they will still consult with me on important decisions close to their heart. I hope that the miles wont let the friendship grow cold. But I know, just like me, they have to discover or re-discover themselves as the person they want to be. It means everything!

Here is some advice:

• Take the risk - you only live once!
• Don't let toxic people talk you out of opportunities that could change your life for the better! That includes closest friends and family members!
• Make a plan and stick to it!
• If you know that someone will try to hold you back, tell them of your decision as late as possible and don't look back!
• Push your negative thoughts aside and focus on all the benefits of the steps you are about to take. Remember, this is a new chapter in your life, no matter how uncertain; one door closes, one door opens -always!
• Don't delay - if you can do it today, do it!! 
• Keep the faith, no matter what happens. Whatever you put your effort and intention into will dictate your results!
• We all make mistakes - just remember to count both the lessons and the blessings, and act accordingly!

 

The Importance Of Teaching Kids Their Parents And Guardians Phone Number and How To Call Collect

I woke up early from an awful dream... I left my daughter at a Verizon store and forgot to pick her back up...then couldnt find her hrs later...we found her purse & her dead Cricket phone in there & signs she had settled down somewhere.

For real life that means for me that it's time to cancel my Verizon phone and make sure kids still know how to call collect and my new Cricket number. Good reminder!

YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOUR KID MIGHT GET LOST OR EVEN ABDUCTED! 

The following is also a good thing in case of other emergencies. These days it's easy to reach authorities for kids to locate their parents or pass on emergency information. 

When I was about 5 years old, my mother collapsed at the kitchen table and fell into a seizure. I was home alone with her. My parents had taken me to to their volunteer German red Cross classes since I was a toddler.  I called my grandma, gave her all the necessary information,  and she called an ambulance. I put my mom into a safety position the best I knew how and removed furniture and objects that could hurt her. My mom was saved, though she was in a coma for a while. But my calling for help was the thing that saved her. It was a life saver to know how to make that call and do some First Aid.

The very least your kids should know is how to call 911 or reach an operator by dialing "0"! Of course, they need to know their parents or guardians full name, too, and if possible, their address! Calling collect is easy, too, with phone numbers like 1-800-Collect.  Kids are the best learners at an early age! teach them every day, keep at it a couple of weeks, and they'll know how to act in an emergency situation!

 

Love Versus Physical And Sexual Attraction

How do you know if it’s really love and not just physical and sexual attraction?
It’s hard enough to answer that question for yourself, but what are the indicators for real emotion?
First off, love at first sight may exist, but you will never know for sure unless you take time to explore what you’re really feeling. Sight is only one of our senses. Obviously, love involves a whole lot more, including devotion, commitment, and the will to look through and accept another’s flaws. There are certain things we see as attractive in another person, including but not limited to physical traits, such as blond hair and blue eyes, for instance, certain body types, someone’s smile, little antics, or the way they talk.
Now admiring their physical traits can make someone really sexually excited, especially in males as I noticed lol. However, that doesn’t need to be the case. Females seem to be more apt to getting the proverbial butterflies in their stomach. Still, this all may be sexual attraction and has not much to do with love. When you get to the point where you’ve known a person for a while and you still feel very warm about them, still admiring things that are less physical in nature, the way they express themselves, their intelligence, their creativity, the way they treat others, the way they handle difficult situations, and the way they show you affection, despite not having been involved in any kind of sexual contact with them, then just maybe you find yourself in love.
I found myself in a dream a few days ago: I said to someone I like a lot:
“…sure, I want to take you home, but not for sex. I want to take you home for the wonderful hugs, to hear you talk about your little projects and your kids. I want you for you!”
That alone proves to me that I am at a point in my life where I want to settle down. I don’t want to sleep around until I find the one who’s really worth it. Maybe that person is already in my life, but hard to say. I want to be sure. Most of all when falling in love, how you can know for sure whether feelings are mutual. Is it when the other person talks about you to others in a non-sexual way, but rather admiring your personal strengths and abilities? That may just be a real good friend for you. Is it when they somehow keep involving you in their life? Is it when they offer to be there for you when you really need them, and listen to you when nobody else will?
It seems like friendship is the main building block in developing real love, no matter what. You can learn to live with someone, but friendship requires many of the same things love does. Friendship doesn’t have to be exclusive, but love needs to be. Neither one of them can involve manipulation of any kind. Don’t abuse benefits that come with the relationship, or else it simply won’t last. And if you are with someone, or want to be, be subtle. Keep the real personal things to yourself. Don’t embarrass the other person by revealing things that should stay between the two of you. Being proud of the one you love is great, but advertising them isn’t the way to go. Or are you in love at all?
Unconditional love is mandatory in love, but also in true friendship. In friendship we are to be like brothers and sisters. In love we are to be like lovers, beyond any family ties.

Storms

 
Man, I love summer storms. The summer heat dissipating and the breeze messing up you hair while driving the clouds across the sky. The cooler air on your skin and cool drops of rain giving pleasant chills… The sun is still trying to peak through the clouds and the grass and the leaves of the trees move back and forth with gusts of wind. Lightning flashes on the distant horizon, before you ever get to hear the thunder. Nature is in a bit of an uproar as it seems. Birds calling each other, wildlife looking for shelter.
And then the wind picks up, the noise of the approaching thunderstorm increases and clouds start covering the sky in shades of grey blue and black. Stray leaves fly all around you. It thunders and you see lightning getting closer. Then the rain really begins. Thick, heavy drops start falling; first a few, then more, faster and faster, building up to a full-blown downpour. Gusts of air whipping rain into your face, wetting you through and through, drenching your clothes as you run for cover. Lightning lights up the sky as static fills the sky. Heavy thunder makes the ground shake. The branches of trees are waving back and forth, trunks creaking trying to resist the forces of nature. The storm reaches it’s peak.
Then the air cools down quickly. It suddenly seems to be so clear, filled with the scents of nature, pure, unpolluted, clean and fresh. The rain diminishes almost as quickly as it started. It almost resembles a mist now. The earth is breathing with new life. Nature has cleansed itself of past abuse, it starts anew.

9/11 We Will NEVER Forget!! 10th Anniversary

9/11
It happened 10 years ago. September 11, 2001. On that fateful day back in 2001, we were all in shock. There is not one person I know that can't tell me what they were doing when the Twin Towers in New York were attacked, burnt and came crashing down.

The World Trade Center Twin Towers in their former beauty.

My story is this:

I was in training for a call center position for the local phone company. It was 8am and our training class was waiting for our trainer to arrive. He was running late, because he got stuck in traffic. One of my co-trainees was always glued to his blue tooth capable phone. All of a sudden he quoted his phone source: "OMG a plane hit one of the Twin Towers in New York!" We were quite startled by this announcement and started questioning him on the details. Right then our trainer arrived, who was quickly informed of the news. I remember thinking: "There isn't any airport close to the World Trade Center....!" We quickly entered the training room and accessed the Internet on our computers. All the major news networks showed live feeds and replays of what had just happened. As they showed the burning tower from all angles suddenly we saw another plane approach. We weren't quite sure if this was another replay. Then we realized that this was a live feed! In disbelief, we watched the second plane strike the other tower! We heard the same horror we felt in the voices of the newscasters as they confirmed what we just saw! It was mind-blowing! Of course, there was no sense in continuing training. Instead, we kept watching as the events unfolded in front of our eyes... News came in of the Pentagon being struck in Pennsylvania and Flight 93 going down with the brave souls that prevented our nation's capital from being struck.
One of the most shocking things I remember from the newscasts was a newscaster broadcasting right as the Twin Towers came down... this person was in the middle of talking when the ground started rumbling noisily and the camera became shaky. A huge cloud of ashes approached from the newscaster's back.... and then he was gone, just like that....and the camera went black and white with static...

The Twin Towers burning right after the 2nd plane struck.

This was a very sad day for our nation, but also one that brought the whole world together as one! People helped each other without second thought. Some even sacrificed their lives to save others. Everybody became more aware that every day could be our last one and that we have to make each day count! We all became stronger in the process. But we will always remember those who lost their lives and their families!

Here are some of the statistics of the terror attack that left the whole world breathless. (Taken from Christruitt.com)
WE WILL NEVER FORGET!!

Totals:
Total Deaths	2996
Confirmed Deaths	2948
Reported Deaths	24
Reported Missing	24

By Location: World Trade Center 2626 AA 11 (North Tower) 87 AA 77 (Pentagon) 59 United 92 (Pennsylvania) 40 United 175 (South Tower) 125

Rescue Workers: Firefighters 319 Police 50