Life's Short

January 22, 2015


I've always felt as though I got the short end of the stick when it comes to height---literally.  My mom and dad aren't overly tall, but my brothers are somewhere in the neighborhood of 5' 10".  Both my grandfathers were tall, as is my maternal uncle.   My husband is 6' 4" and my soon to be 18 year old son is 6' something.  I, on the other hand, am 5' 1/4" tall.  And yes, that 1/4" does count!
 
I've spent my entire life looking up to almost everyone--whether I respect them or not.  Let me tell you, scolding your 12 year old son while looking UP at him was not an experience I would recommend.  I don't even both getting in his face now that he is 17. 

 

I am the butt of short jokes.  I spend the majority of my grocery shopping trip asking total strangers to reach stuff off the high shelves.  When I sit on park benches and in booths at restaurants, my feet rarely touch the floor.  Petite pants drag on the floor.  Capris are ankle length.  I have to stand on my tip toes to kiss my husband.

But that's ok.  I am how God made me.  I am fearfully and wonderfully made. My family loves me--even though they make fun of my stature.  Besides....the best things in life come in small packages! ;)

Twitter Schmitter

January 19, 2015

So, I set up a Twitter account a couple of days ago and, so far, I am sorely disappointed.  Thus far, I have only 1 true friend following me...the rest are strangers and/or businesses.  Plus, I can't find any of my friends and had to resort to using Facebook to post a request for friends' Twitter handles.

Then, here is the biggie:  Just like Facebook, where there are so many phoney accounts that are fan pages instead of the real deal, Twitter has a bunch of people pretending to be celebrities.  It is annoying.  If I'm taking time to follow a celebrity at least it would be nice to know it really is that person.  Instead, you can't trust anything on Facebook, Twitter, or the web at large because of all the wanna-be posers. 

Now, why I even care, I don't know.  For the last 20 plus year, I haven't even followed celebrities (well, ok, I do like Norman Reedus) until I started listening to One Direction.  Now I'm a total groupie.  I wasn't even this bad when I was following the Badlees.  Of course, that was before the internet and social media.  In fact, I used to think it was weird how so many people my age are obsessed with celebrities and here I am, acting like a 16 year old.

But facts are facts--people shouldn't be allowed to impersonate someone without being upfront with the fact that they are imposters.  Posing as someone else and trying to convince others that you are that person is morally wrong and should be legally wrong, as well.

Maybe, I'll genuinely learn to like Twitter as I get used to it.  But, thus far, I'm very disappointed.  :(

Believe Me....It is STILL THERE!!!!

January 19, 2015

I've started noticing something very disturbing recently.   It isn't that I never noticed before...I just never realized how widespread this issue was before.  What issue, you ask?  Men adjusting themselves in public. 

I am seeing this EVERYWHERE.  In public places.  In the workplace.  On television. The list goes on and on.  If picking a wedgie in public is taboo, why is it socially acceptable for men to adjust themselves, or just check their "package", in public?   I don't know about you, but I for one do not need to witness this.

If I need to reconfigure "the girls", I go someplace private, or at least make sure no one is around that can see me.  Not men!  Or at least not a lot of men.  They just check themselves where they stand.  And why?  It didn't go anywhere.  I promise!

So men...please think before you tinker. Someone might be watching that really doesn't need that mental image of you.  Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Lonely In A Crowd But Never Alone.

January 18, 2015

Do you ever feel lonely, even when surrounded by people?  I certainly do.  Sometimes, I feel like I will never fit in, no matter where I go.  Other times, I am fine and feel loved and included.  And this can be when I'm with the exact same group of people.  Isn't the mind a strange thing?

I spent today feeling lonely, even though my son and husband were home...just in different rooms.  I felt worthless and unloved.  Stupid, I know.  My family loves me. They were just busy.  But it didn't change how I felt at the time.

I finally made myself get up and do something.  That helped a little.  Later, I messaged a friend and found out she often feels the same way.  Wow...maybe I'm not so different after all.

I guess these feelings are really common.  It is Satan's way of making us hurt and making is susceptible to falling into sin.  God's word tells us we are never alone, that He is always with us.  I need to remember this next time I'm feeling alone and unwanted.  God loves me.  His son DIED for ME.  Amazing.

One Direction: My Guilty Pleasure

January 17, 2015

My name is Tammy Marshall.  I am 44 years old, and I love One Direction.  There I said it.  They are my guilty pleasure.

I never thought my favorite band, at this age, would be a boy band.  But their music has sucked me in. When I listen, I feel young again.  It makes me happy.

The ironic thing is that when I first heard about the 1D hysteria, I thought "Oh, brother.  Who wants to hear a bunch of 13 year olds crooning about love?".  Of course, I knew nothing of their story (they were 16 - 18 when they were on XFactor, not 13) and hadn't heard any of their music.

Then, one day on Facebook, I saw a flashmob/proposal using "One Thing" and thought it was a terrific song.  When I goggled it and learned it was from One Direction, I thought,  "ok, so they have 1 good song" and that was that.  It wasn't until I started hearing "Story of My Life" on the radio, and found out it was 1D, that I decided to give their music a chance.

I checked out the video on YouTube, then clicked on a bunch of their earlier stuff.  Some of it was what I call "bubblegum" music (light, fun, but not too deep), but some of their songs were really, really good.  I loved "You & I" and "Little Things".  And the more I listened to the bubblegum songs, they more I loved them, too.

Then I started clicking on the YouTube clips and learned about their story...how they started out on the XFactor as solo artists, then when they were being booted off the show, Simon Cowell put them together as a group.  I was enthralled with their story.  Imagine, being such a phenomenal group when they didn't even know each other 5 years ago!

I ended up buying all four of their albums.  There is only 1 song, "Little Black Dress", that I'm not crazy about, and even that is growing on me.  I purchased 2 of their books "Who We Are" and "Where We Are", and became more and more impressed with the group.  They are 5 genuinely nice young men.  Yes, I realize the books will give the impression they want portrayed, but I have read so much about them from the people that come in contact with them, saying how respectful, polite, and nice they really are and it makes me love them even more.

If you haven't checked them out, you really should give them a chance.  You'll be glad you did!!

I'm Back......

January 17, 2015

Well, it has been a long time.   I'm embarrassed to admit, but I got locked out of my account and just now found the password.  It isn't like anyone is following me, anyway, so no big deal.  But I missed writing.  I want to make sure to keep writing in 2015.  I really would like to write a book, eventually.  While I'd like to write fiction, I think I might do better writing a biography.  In college, feature writing was my favorite.  I love interviewing people and finding out about they lives, likes, dislikes, beliefs, morals, basically what makes them tick.  People are so complicated and interesting, aren't they?