Tag Archive for PERSONAL

Coming Apart At the Seams-Depression Kills.

September 6, 2011 / Common Cents Mom / 2 comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfNjxINzPHg&feature=related]

Have you ever felt like your life was coming apart at the seams? I have.

Every year millions here in North America will suffer episodes of depression. The fact is 1 in 5 of us will go through at least one episode of depression in our lives.

Many that struggle with the illness, and yes it is an illness, get help and  many that struggle with it do not. Many decide that suicide is the only way out. This week alone I know of 3 suicides all after struggling with the disabling  depression.

I have struggled with the illness myself, so much so that I asked that question Why Me? and even planned my own death.

I was 33 pregnant with my daughter, and going through a very messy divorce. When I had been married I was step mom to 3 amazing kids, I thought we had a good family thing going and then in a heart beat it was gone. Not only was my marriage in ruins but I was also ripped out of these kids lives. I cried for weeks. Sobbed. Wondered why me? It came to a head that Thanksgiving Day 1997. It was Thanksgiving and I saw nothing to be thankful for. I was house sitting for friends who were away for the holiday. I sat there and thought about it all day. I thought my life was over, and I simply wanted an end to the pain, to the sorrow, to the grief.  I thought about how I could do it. How I would do it. I lied on the sofa thinking it through and then I thought of the unborn child I was carrying. I would be committing murder if I killed myself.

As I thought about my unborn child that gave me the courage to do one of the hardest things I have done and that is make a call asking for help. I went to Mental health clinic in the state where I lived at the time. I was offered meds to help regulate my body but because I was pregnant I refused the drugs, but took advantage of the counselling, of the talking. I need that most of all. I have had depressive episodes since as well but none as bad as that day, and I am thankful for that.

For me what keeps the depression at bay is rest, relaxation, time with God, walking and talking.

Depression is an illness and someone you know could be suffering in silence today.

In this rush rush world are we each taking the time to reach out when we know a friend is going through a rough time, and I mean really reaching out?

If you are suffering from depression let me tell you I know what it feels like, I know what coming apart at the seams is. I have been there and let me tell you help is out there. Please reach out for it.

This week is Suicide Prevention week.Let’s be kind to each other, and reach out. If you need help it is there. Here are some resources if you need them:

• Canadian Mental Health Association
• Mental Health America
• Mental Health Europe
• Mental Health Australia
• World Infant Mental Health
• Sheffield African Caribbean Mental Health Association
• Asian American Pacific Mental Health Association

Category: Opinion / Tags: , , ,

5 Ways to Have a Simple Move

July 19, 2011 / Common Cents Mom / No comments

33495908 6bde08c173 z 5 Ways to Have a Simple MoveWe are on the move again. We found a beautiful new home on the other side of the city. We have signed the paperwork and are almost ready to go. This weekend we will be in the new house.

When planning the move I wanted to keep it as simple and frugal as I could. Here is how one can keep any move simple and frugal.

1. Pre-purge. Get rid of the junk before moving day. This past month my daughter and I got rid of old clothes and items we would not need in the new house. Do not take it with you if you dont need it.

2. Organize. I pack room by room and make sure I have a marker at the ready. Markers are your best friend when it comes to moving. Label your boxes. Really it will help you settle into the new house much easier.

3. Little by little. By scheduling a little packing time each day I will be ready for the move with ease. I have packed for 30 minutes a day for the last week. I have only the kitchen and bathroom left to finish.

4. Moving truck vs Uhaul. Deciding whether we were going to do it ourselves vs a moving truck was our biggest desicion. We decided on the Uhaul. We have the truck booked for 12 hours and that should be more then enough time to finish our move.

5. Get Help. For us I have asked a few friends if they can help us out on moving day. Their reward will be some pizza, and soda on me. A frugal way to move is to ask for a little bit of help.

By following these peices of advice I feel I am ready for the move. My next project will be setting up my new home and I can not wait!

*this post is being shared as part of 5 Minutes for Mom and thier Tueday Tackle.

 

Category: Frugal Tips / Tags: , , , ,

Spheres of Influence and Lists

May 16, 2011 / Common Cents Mom / One comment

224690 10150226235710498 636835497 8898730 7583530 n Spheres of Influence and Lists Yesterday  Zach Bussey posted a list of the 150 Toronto Top Twitter Influencers.  When I first saw this list several thoughts came to mind.

First, was oh no not another list. Whenver I see a list thoughts come to mind like who really decides who is on the list. This list is supposed to be based to Klout scores. So it is supposed to be objective.  If you don’t know Klout does-it measures your influence on Twitter, Linked In and Facebook, and gives you a score. I happen to think there method of giving scores is a little off but that is my opinion, after all it is simply one measure and in no way shows a person’s value or real clout.

I have a Klout score of 64 today. That puts me in the top 50 influencers in the city. I am in the top 1/3 of Zach’s list. But there is a huge problem with the list. It is missing several influencers. All who have major Klout scores and clout in real life.

Does this list matter? No in reality it does not. Unless you want something to talk about or want to compare yourself to others. This list could of also been broken down into niches. Many who are on the list work in social media so one would hope by now they know how to play the number games. Several bloggers – especially Mom Bloggers were left off the list. According to Zach’s list I would be in the top 10 of Mom bloggers in the Toronto.  I know I am not. I would also be the number 1 Muslim Twitter personality in the GTA. I know neither of those things are true. I am good just not quite that  good yet. Klout you see measures just part of the picture. It does not measure the whole picture so we really need to take this list with a grain of salt.

Who’s missing from the list? Who has Klout and clout, especially with me. They influence what I read, and talk about and I have learned much from each of the 21 that should of been on the list. Many over my years on Twitter have become personal friends meaning for me there influence matters just a we bit more.They are those that really have an impact and can move me to act, share, talk about.

1. @unmarketing (pictured when I finally met him after Tweeting with him for 2 years). Scott has the highest Klout I can find in the GTA. Scott started on Twitter not as a brand but as a listener and conversationalist.His score is 81 today. (*I have been told that Scott doesn’t qualify for the list because he is a celebrity-meaning he has a verified account with Twitter-although I think it is important to note he does have the highest klout score I can find in the GTA)

2. @ThatEricAlper- Eric Alper leads those I listen to for music tweets and job leads. His score is 73.

3. @YummyMummyClub- Erica leads the great Mom Bloggers that make up the Yummy Mummy Club. Her tweets are all her own. She is a great gatherer of women who rock this city.Her score is 70.

4. @Journeywoman. Evelyn is the CEO of largest online travel resource for women. Her tweets are mostly about travel. Her score is 68.

5.@herbadmother – Catherine is a great Mom blogger who know social media and blogging. I have listened to Catherine for 5 years now. Her score is 67.Yes that means I listened to Catherine before Twitter.

6. @WonderMoms_CA- I have really gotten to know Tamara the last few months as we have met up at events. She is a sweetheart who happens to own a website. Her score is 67.

7. @Clippo- Alexandria is another sweetheart who gives to the Mom blogging community big time showing that she cares on a regular basis. Her score is 66.

8. @ChickyMara- Mara is a great friend who I happened to sell my Blissdom Canada ticket to last year. She is also one of few people in the blogosphere who have met my daughter in person. Her score is 65.

9.@KelliDaisy- Kelli is another mom blogger who gets the social media game as well. Her score is 65.

10. @nummiesbras- Alison is another mom blogger who owns her own biz, and shares great info and insight online as well. Her score is 65.

11. @lovelaughshop- Sarah’s blog is Wall Candy. Just the name makes me want to shop with her.

All the above have higher scores then me and would knock anyone with a score of lower then 59 off Zach’s list.

Let me go on to note there are another 9 that I follow who all  live in the GTA and have Klout scores of  60 0r above.

They are @joannewallace, @moeturner, (both who have scores of 64-the same as mine), @soulwhispers, @marcyberg, @joshmatlow, @partymummy, @aurielacotta, @TeacherMomofTwo, @SandraEMartin, @ivanvector. They are all real people who tweet for themselves. I have been influenced by all of them. Each has a different niche.

Does the list matter or is it comprehensive? No it is not, nor can be as Klout does not keep a geographic locator so we who try and make lists are at the mercy of knowledge. But we all know knowledge is limited. Where I may know alot about saving money, Aspergers, IT support, and being a mom I do not know every Twitter Influencer in Toronto and either does Zach so the list will always have some biases and some who should be on the list will be left off each and every month he decides to do this.

Does any list matter? Yes and No, a list of any sort will always have biases, and there will always be people left off. I think of Globe and Mail’s list of the best Canadian Money bloggers and I think they have not shared enough options to vote for. Many good money bloggers were not on their list. Yet, It does give a blogger an idea though of where they stand in the community. It also can give those who wish to engage influencers an idea of what they can get for their dollar.

For me yes being on the list strokes the ego. Does it matter when I go to bed?No. Should it matter to you-I think not. But do let me know what you think.

Category: Social Media / Tags: , , , , ,

My Day At the CBC

April 10, 2011 / Common Cents Mom / 3 comments

A couple of weeks ago I got an email in my inbox, it was the CBC inviting me to be part of a very special day at the CBC. They were bringing Social Media Moms in from across Canada to discuss children programming and the CBC. I was excited to be included in this group of women as we have watched the CBC and are huge supporters in our house.

Well my day at the CBC actually began the day before when I got to meet up with Jody from Mommy Moment who had flown in from Manitoba ( my old stomping grounds in my youth). I was able to show her a few sites like the CN Tower and St. Lawerence Market, and we grabbed a bite to eat and got to know each other.

Then Thursday began bright and early as I headed down to Union Station to meet Shannon from who as she says is GPS challenged. then it was off to the Intercontinental to gather up Jody and Tammy from My Organized Chaos and Lynnette from My Wee View. From there it was off to the CBC. We grabbed a quick coffee and breakfast in the building where we met up with several other bloggers.

My Day At the CBC

On the set of Steven and Chris

First on the agenda. We got to spend some time watching a taping of Steven and Chris. Guess who the guest of honor was? Jillian Michaels from the Biggest Loser. She has written a new book and is currently on a book tour promoting it.  Her new book is called Unlimited How to Build an Exceptional Life. She even answered some questions and one was about a 13 year old girl who was being bullied, sound familiar? What she recommends for girls just like my Rachel: take a stand and use your body language to say NO.  One of the other segment I really enjoyed was about creating a salad bowl ( a mini garden for small spaces-I think my mom would love this for her new small balcony). We came home with Jillian’s book and skincare from Amway.

After that we were whisked to the kids area of the CBC, where they had a wonderful lunch of sweet sandwiches, veggies and fruit, and the cutest cake. We got to mix and mingle with the staff behind Kids CBC. I had a great conversation with Kim Wilson Creative Head for Children and Youth Programming. We talked about the cuts and the lack of after school programming for school age kids.  She shared with me a project they are hoping to get funding for: a 24 hour CBC kids channel! Could it be? At that time school age, age appropriate programming would be available for our older school age kids as well. I really do hope they get the funding.

As well as talking the brains behind Kids CBC we got to mix with other great mom bloggers and some CBC celebs as well. I had a great conversation with Dwight Drummond about bullying.

My Day At the CBC

Me and Dwight Drummond

After lunch we got to see the set of Kids CBC and learn some very interesting facts about the CBC:

Did you know the have a developmental psychologist on staff? As some one who taught daycare for 15 years I was so glad to hear this as you can guarantee age appropriate content.

They have a new series coming up soon called Napkin Man.

The other thing this frugal mom loves the Kids CBC hosts several free events across Canada every year, and you know I love free, right.

As we were in the Kids CBC, Patty Sullivan came in from maternity leave to meet and greet us, as well as Mamma Yamma and her puppeteer Ali Eisner.

My Day At the CBC

Asking Mamma Yamma for her Frugal Tip

As the Tweet Up was coming to an end I got to interview Mamma Yamma and Patty Sullivan, asking then for their frugal tips. Come back tomorrow because I am going to share their tips and I have a give away.

After the Tweet Up, I stopped by Mr. Dress Up’s Treehouse to check and see if Casey or Finnegan were home. They weren’t. Then it was off to watch George Stroumboulopoulos. We got to meet him before the show and we had a brief conversation about the World Food Program, and got to have a picture taken with him.

My Day At the CBC

Me and @Strombo

It truly was a great day at the CBC. I had so much fun, learned alot and even  came home with a giveaway and some frugal tips so please do stop by tomorrow to learn what Mamma Yamma and Patty Sullivan do to stay frugal.

Category: Family, Reviews and Giveaways / Tags: , , , , , ,

Are You Prepared?

March 15, 2011 / Common Cents Mom / One comment

picture 145 Are You Prepared? Are you prepared?

I know I am not.

More and more there are emergencies that come up. Whether it is a job loss or a real emergency that will force you out of your home for days or weeks would you be ready to leave on an instant and how would you survive?

I have lived through both a fire and hurricane so I know a little bit about survival after a disaster. Would you be prepared for a natural disaster at your house?

If not I want you to join me as I tackle getting my 72 hour kit together. I have noticed it takes time to get people help. How could you and yours survive? Well I think a 72 hour kit is one of those things that we need to have and know we should have it but often it is something we put off doing. I have had one before but with my moves I had not kept it up to date so I am tackling get it back together again. What needs to go into a 72 hour kit?

What do you need for an emergency?

Your home’s emergency survival kit should have enough supplies to look after your own family’s needs for up to 72 hours. To save time, you may want to prepare an emergency food and water kit, first aid kit, and an emergency car kit as well.

To create your own home emergency survival kit, gather the following items and store them in a duffel bag, backpack or closet shelf until needed:

• AM/FM radio (and extra batteries if not a hand-powered radio)

• Baby supplies, if required (disposable diapers, bottled milk, baby food, toys, crayons, and paper)> Make sure you are checking expiry dates and refilling as needed.

• Blankets or sleeping bags (one per person)

• Candles and matches (waterproofed)

• Cash (include coins/cards for payphones). Make sure you have small bills, and change.

• Clothing and footwear (one change of clothes per person). For kids don’t forget to change this up as they grow.

• Flashlight (and extra batteries if not hand-powered flashlight)

• First-aid kit with over-the-counter medications in the event of a pandemic

• Food(granola bars, tuna, peanut butter, crackers and others to family tastes but think easy to prepare) and bottled water( use 2 drops of bleach per 2L bottle).

• Important papers (copies of personal documents and identification paper

• Prescription medication required by any family member (1 week supply & copy of prescription).

• Pet supplies, if required (food, medications, toys)

• Playing cards, games & books

• Plastic bucket with lid (for latrine)

• Spare set of car keys

• Spare set of glasses and prescription, if required

• Toilet paper and other personal supplies

• Whistle

I would add to this list if you are a person of faith add a small bible or Quran, and if needed a prayer mat, and an extra scarf or two (after the fire on Wellesley here in Toronto these were on short supply).

Do you have an emergency kit? If so when was the last time you updated it?

* I am participating in 5minutesformom’s Tuesday Tackle

Category: Opinion, Uncategorized / Tags: , , , ,

Me and Oprah

March 4, 2011 / Common Cents Mom / No comments

Me and OprahMy twitter friend Erin Bury got retweeted on Twitter by Oprah this week as the OWN Network launched. I was excited for her as I remembered last year when one of my tweets to Oprah was picked up by the New York Times.  I wrote about that last year here.

Erin and I will both admit to a love affair with Oprah. Oprah has been on the air for almost my entire adult life and well most of Erin’s life. I know for me I have been a fan for years. I will be sad to see her go.

I tweeted to Erin yesterday that I almost got to be on the Oprah show after being her buzz kill on Tuesday. She suggested I blog the story so here is  the How I almost came to be on Oprah.

Well it was several years ago. I had just gone through a rather hard and bitter divorce. I ended up in a battered women’s shelter in Carlsbad, NM. That shelter was Rachel’s first home.  Well I made it through 6 months down south and well I brought my baby back home to Canada.

I had to reinvent myself. I went from being married and having 11 homes and a ranch to it being just me and her. I wrote Oprah a letter. This was back in the day when Dr Phil and his common sense approach to helping change lives was just beginning on Oprah. I really wanted to meet Dr Phil as I thought he could help me get things back on track. Little  did I know the show had me in mind for a different show. Gary Zukav ( the author of Seat of the Soul) was just about to make I think like his second or third appearance on the show. The letter I wrote Oprah ( by the way that letter was the very first I had ever written to a show of any kind) caught the eye of one of Oprah’s producers.

I got the call while at work. I had gone to work after coming back to Canada in a call center. I was working for Sitel at the time, the client I was working for at the time was a new ISP that was just launching in the US market. This conversation took place in 2000. When the producer called I was working with a customer so my manager took the call. He then came over to my desk and said you have a message: Oprah called. I looked at him and said “What?”. His reply was well you are to call her producer as soon as you can.

Well the producer and I played phone tag for the afternoon. She later called me at home that evening. We spoke for about 45 minutes about the contents of my letter and what was going on in my life. We talked about the show that she was producing with Gary. She said she would get back to me the next day. She did. They decided to go another direction. She thought I was doing awesome on my own, and suggested I read his book and watch the episode and said my letter might get read on air. It didn’t.

So that is how I almost came to be on Oprah. I have been a fan for all 25 years and I am sure will come to watch a few of the shows she has launched on her OWN Network, after all I do watch her kids Dr Oz and Dr Phil. The reality is though I would of loved to have been on her show, or even to at least sat in the audience just once but as her 25th and final season draws to a close I don’t think that is going to happen.  Unless maybe one of O’s staff is reading, could it be? Or could Dr Phil’s be reading?

Category: Family, Opinion / Tags: , , , , ,

Reflections on 9/11

September 11, 2010 / Common Cents Mom / No comments

Today will be a date we all remember for our life times I think. I know it is for me. We all remember where we were when we heard that airplanes where crashing in New York City, Washington and in Pennesylvina. I was standing in the kitchen having just moved the day before. I was listening to the radio. I had been stressing about my father who had just been diagnosed with lung cancer a few days before, and unpacking boxes.

I ran and turned on my tv and was glued to the news. I was paying little attention to my 3 year old daughter who was playing close by. I was praying for everyone there and fretting about a cousin well who worked across the street. As the day progressed and things seemed just more horrid I was held captive to the tv as many of us were. It was then that Rachel found a toonie( a $2 Canadian coin). She swallowed the thing! She began to choke. The coin became lodged in her windpipe, and was blocking her airway and there was no way it was coming out.

We rushed her to the hospital sirens blaring as she was turning blue. I then spent the next 7 hours with her in the cardiac care unit of the emergency department with a nurse at her bedside. We were waiting on a pediatric surgeon and an operating room. At 4:30 am we were finally prepping her for surgery. Twenty five minutes later the surgeon came out and she was on the way back to being the out of the box angel that she is.She came out a few minutes later with a bag of stickers and a popsicle. I was lucky I got my daughter back, so many families lost a loved one on 9/11 in a horrific way, they didn’t have the happy ending I got.

In the days after 9/11 there was a call for tolerance and peace and mutual respect. For awhile that seemed like a possibility especially here in the lands of freedom. Now, that is not the case. It seems that more and more the media outlets are not only reporting hate crimes but almost encouraging it by giving those that hate a national podium. Do you think that maybe without the podium and the limelight stirring people into a frenzy we might actually get back to the kind of place North America was meant to be. One that many came to to escape persecution and injustice, so they could practice their faiths.

I also do remember times in the American history books when if a faith was misunderstood,or not part and parcel of the mainstream it was unwanted and driven out and people ended up dying because of it. But that is not what the original settlers wanted. They wanted peace and tolerance. Many years ago many of our grandfathers, and great-grandfathers fought hard when one religion was being destroyed. Why did they fight? So all might be free to worship and live in peace. What happened to those ideals? My own grandfather who was a POW in World War 2 would be rolling in his grave. He and many like him gave everything they had and more so we could be that place where one could worship how they say fit.

My suggestion is this before you cast that first stone, or burn a Quran, or plan a protest how about sitting down and breaking bread and really getting to know your neighbour. You might just find out they aren’t the devil in disguise. What are you reflecting on this day?

Category: Opinion, Uncategorized / Tags: , , , ,

Back in the Writing Saddle

August 9, 2010 / Common Cents Mom / 2 comments

I am back in the saddle to speak. I have been taking a blogging break for the last 3 months..

Much has gone on. There have been some radical changes in my life and that of my tween daughter.

Some who follow me know I got ill and went bankrupt all in the same month. I will say this having 2 battles on your plate well is energy draining so it was time for this mom to take some time for me and well get my head,heart and body working together. I went into cocoon mode for the most part.I think every mom may need cocoon mode once is a while. For me I think there were many emotions tied up deep inside me. My body, heart and mind needed down time: recovery time. There were battles inside my head that needed to be won. I think that when it comes time to actually declare bankruptcy there is this guilt that goes with it. I think the stress came out in my body. I know there were voices in my head saying “How could you not of done better”. The lies one mind can perpetuate!

For me there was nothing really of done any different: I had felt this weight for many years too long. Since my days of owning 11 homes and a ranch with my now exhusband, I have often felt why did I walk away from wealth and into a world of debt and struggle. I had to battle my own head and realize the strength I did and do have as woman, mom and friend.Have any of you ever thought this is simply not good enough?

It is a tape that played in the back ground of my mind for way to long.

There is no sin in messing up. Can I say that again? There is no sin in messing up. It is what you do after the fact that matters most. What are you going to do with your life right now in this moment that makes you smile. What can you do?

So what am I doing:

  • For me I had to make some radical moves this included a move back to Toronto my hometown. This was a practical choice for me as I want to access the best Aspergers care for my tween and network with other parents of Aspie kids.
  • As for my bankruptcy I am keeping a budget journal. In less than a year I hope to be free and clear, and really given that second chance.
  • I am taking time every day to pray more than once and connect with God..for me I need that peace that simply comes from falling on my knees in prayer.
  • I am writing a private journal of gratitude that I keep each night.
  • I am looking for way to help in my community as I find when you help someone else up your problems always seem to diminish in size.
  • I am coming back to writing. I will be posting regularly as writing is something I love to do.

When life hits those bumps what do you do?

For me I am doing some reinventing and some strengthening both are good things. If any of this hits home perhaps we can encourage each other.

Category: Uncategorized / Tags: , , ,

What a Successful Weekend!

February 1, 2010 / Common Cents Mom / No comments

This weekend it was finally Bustamove time here in Halifax and what a weekend! What a success! For Me the weekend started on Friday as I volunteered for the set up. I got there Friday morning at 8 am and found I was one of only 3 volunteers who made it through the snow and wind. We got working on setting up tables, and by noon there were about 15 of us work placing the 800 registration bags, getting the signs in place, lines were created and then there were 800 towels to fold. sany0005 What a Successful Weekend!

Here is a shot I got of the bags that each participant was to get. It was there swag bag. For us volunteers we got some left over swag.

sany0008 What a Successful Weekend!

One of the last tasks I worked on was the folding on the towels on Friday night. There was some 800 to fold! and here is what you were welcomed to when everyone was arriving Saturday morning.

sany0001 2 What a Successful Weekend!

Think each of those towels represents someone who raised $1,000 or more simply to be there to sweat for 6 hours of exersice!

On Saturday I was again volunteering but this time I was back stage as part of the production crew. I acted as one of the Production Assistants for the day. What does a production assistant do? I wrangled the talent and made sure they were ready to go on stage for their time cues.

Being backstage I  met all of the talented people who took to the stage. I had great conversations with Maria, Neville, Bill and the bands. I learned all kinds of fitness tips from the instructors who lead all day long. I was able to watch all the action from a great location.

sany0004 2 What a Successful Weekend!

One of my favorite parts of the day was when the crowd set 2 world records. One for the most people holding a 10  second hug and the longest massage chain. It was awesome!

My final highlight of the day was when Richard Simmons, the zany wonderful fitness guru hit the backstage area before he went on stage. I was able to meet him and even got a hug and a kiss. My purple volunteer shirt now wears his signature.

For me it was wonderful to be part of this great event that raised over 1 million dollars for a new state of the art mammography machine. I am thankful for the chance to give back in the community just a little and am thankful for all those from the #halifaxchicks who worked hard to reach their goal of over $10,000. Those gals made it look easy. Maybe next time I will do much better at fundrasing.

Category: 1 / Tags: , , ,

A Decade In Review

December 30, 2009 / Common Cents Mom / No comments

It’s hard to believe that the first decade of the millennium will soon draw to a close. I remember 10 years ago I was 35 and had a toddler in tow. I was just getting used to being a single mom.

Now 10 years later so much has changed and some things have remained the same..

What did 10 years bring my way?

I lived in 5 different locales! Toronto. Montreal, Hamilton, New Glasgow and now Halifax and not in that order.

I started the decade out of work. I went to school. Got Microsoft certified in all the Office programs and got a job that first year. I was a working single mom till Rachel turned 5.

Well working did not last long because midway through this decade my daughter was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome.

I became a welfare mom who was there for my daughter when she needed her mom the most. I spent 3 years getting her an IEP at school and the support she needed while learning as much as I could about the illness. It was one of the best things I ever did.

I survived a fire that destroyed the 30 unit complex next door and left my apartment unsafe for me and Roo. Great friends helped me pick up the pieces.

I survived a bout with cervical cancer.

I did not work a full time job for about 4 years. I did have 2 part time ones and did plenty of volunteer work at my daughter’s school and at the local food bank.

I learned how to be frugal. I learned how to budget. I learned how to use coupons. I learned how to make use of things like freebies and contests. I learned how to live simply and I am loving it!

I re-entered the workforce after becoming an internet tech. I love helping others get and stay connected!

I became a blogger and met many great friends through several of my blogs over the years. I have owned 7 different blogs- all of them mom blogs mostly.

I entered the world of Social Media this year and learned all about Twitter and Facebook. I am loving the new connections they bring.

Really in 10 years many things change..and I wonder what will the next 10 bring?

What do you see in your future?

What was your favorite thing of the last decade?

Category: PERSONAL / Tags: ,
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