Every once in awhile just about everyone hits a wall conserving what to write about. It happens to me too. I'm dong fine now, but wanted to get some ideas for a new post I'm preparing to write. The post will be about blogging, or post ideas. I'm looking for your input. So what different types of post ideas can you think of? I will add some of your ideas to my new post. So please go ahead and brain storm! ;)
photo credit
My friend Amias is asking prayers for her lovely daughter Mary Elizabeth. Mary is 39, married with 4 grown sons, and a husband. Mary has had reoccurring cancer. She was in surgery yesterday again for cancer, and is now on Chemo. Please pray for her, and her family. To read more click here. I am also asking prayers for Amias, and her husband.
Amias was/is a good friend of Liquid illuzion. Amias has been grieving for her friend who committed suicide. Now her daughter's health is in jeopardy. So please pray for the whole family, but especially for Mary's full recovery. If you feel led please post a prayer request on your blog, and ask for prayers at your church. If your not into prayer please send your good thoughts, and vibes.
Instead of leaving a comment here, please visit Amias's blog to comment- click here.
Thank you,
Awake
"The Journey Home" by Tracy JoI was reading a blog the other day. I know for a fact that the blog owner considered herself to be gay for a good number of years. She was active in the gay community. She went to gay pride parades, and picnics. She slept with women. She was even engaged to a women, (it didn't last).
Now she has a blog, and pretends she is Ms. Straight. Ok, so maybe she had some revelation, and now thinks she is straight. What gets me is that in her blog she boasted about not being prejudice. She goes on, and on about it. Then she turns around, and calls a lesbian some horrible names. They were not gay related names, she is to smart for that. But some other off the wall names, characterising this nice lesbian as some kind of monster. Wow! Talk about gay bashing!
I wonder if she can say out loud to herself, "I was gay, I was gay, I was gay." Not in front of anyone, but just admitting it to herself. Otherwise she is throwing away a decade or so of her life, plus she's treating gay people like crap. Sorry lady, you are homophobic. You are prejudice! And yes, YOU WERE GAY!!!
As most of you who have been reading this blog know, Jeri Suzanne Horne a.k.a. Liquid illuzion passed away. I thought that I'd post a few prayers. Click on the first few words of the pray for the links.There are also more prayers, poems, and also links about grief at the bottom.
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(Poem) Death is nothing at all -
Death is nothing at all. I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I, and you are you. Whatever we were to each other that we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name, speak to me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone, wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was,
let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was; there is unbroken continuity.
[There is absolute and unbroken continuity. What is this death but a negligible accident?]
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner.
The season of mourning,
like spring, summer,
fall and winter,
will also pass.
- Molly Fumia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I found this cute game at Lady Banana's Blog. Test your reaction time by trying to tranquillize the sheep when they leave the line. My score was "Bobbing Bobcat."
Hey, drop on by and say hello to Lady Banana. She's the top banana with me! ;)
Sheep Dash
I received the same award from three people. That's a record! :) I want to thank each of them for thinking of me. Lady Banana, Momma Mia, Mea Culpa and WIXY's Gone Bananas
The honorees of this award are to:
A) first list 10 honest things about yourself - and make it interesting, even if you have to dig deep!
B) pass the award on to 7 bloggers that you feel embody the spirit of the Honest Scrap.
I want to thank my guest for this insightful post. Funny, or serious, she writes from her heart is very sincere. So please make sure to visit. DrowseyMonkey !
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Awake in Rochester and I have been chatting a bit since her post Immersed in Liquid where she spoke of the recent suicide of Suzanne, someone she met through blogging.
In my comment on that post I mentioned that I volunteer on a crisis/help line. I've been doing that for about 6 years now. During that time most people who've called are not in the process of suicide but many do want to talk about it. Sometimes they feel it's an option for them and quite often it's something they've attempted in the past.
Suicide is a very complex issue and I am in no way an expert on the subject. What we do where I volunteer is listen. It may sound easy and rather passive but the reality is listening is not that easy to do especially when you're listening to someone in physical or emotional pain.
Think of conversations you've had recently - chances are there was a lot of talking but not a lot of listening. This, of course, is perfectly normal and it's how we interact socially.
Now think of a time someone told you they felt sad or that their life wasn't fulfilling. Chances are you reacted like most of us and you tried to cheer them up, told them about all the positive things in their life. It's a normal response.
What we're taught to do on the crisis line is to listen to a person's pain. Not try and convince them their life is good or that they're over-reacting ... rather we listen respectfully and without judgment.
Listening to someone talk and asking open-ended questions allows them the time to move through their feelings. Suicide has such a stigma in our society that very few of us talk about it. So allowing someone the space to do this can be very helpful for them. Often people realize that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary situation and they are then able to decide for themselves that suicide is not the right choice for them at this time.
Being the listener can seem rather passive at times which is one of the reasons it's so hard for most of us. We want to save people. Tell them how great they are and how great their life is. Of course we do! But when someone is really depressed that kind of conversation may make them feel like you're not listening to them. Which is actually the opposite of how you want them to feel.
When someone does die by suicide I think the hardest thing for everyone left behind is the feeling that they could have done something to make a difference. That if only I had done "this" or "that" the person would still be alive.
There are situations when suicide is a little easier to understand, for example when someone is suffering from a physical illness and their quality of life is deteriorating. It's still a difficult situation but most people empathize with someone in that type of situation. It's more difficult to understand why someone who seems perfectly healthy on the outside chooses suicide.
Someone I knew died by suicide last Fall. It was someone who had attempted before but in the past had reached out for help. This time they chose not to reach out. It was so hard to accept at first but ultimately I came to the realization that it was their choice. They knew where to call for help but chose not to and I have to respect that decision and move forward.
That may sound a bit detached or harsh, but it's not. It certainly hasn't been easy moving on, but with the help of others I'm doing that. Talking about how you feel is always important and I have a great group of people in my life who listen and give support. It works both ways of course because many in my life also knew the person who died and they're grieving as well.
As I said earlier, I'm certainly not an expert ... but there are lots of great places to get more information. One organization I really recommend is Living Works. I hope you check out their website there's so much there plus they also run workshops in many places around the world in the hopes of making communities "suicide-safer".
If you're thinking of suicide reach out to someone. Isolation increases thoughts of suicide. The thoughts are normal so don't be afraid to talk to someone about them. If there's no one you can talk to then call a crisis or suicide hotline, most communities have them. Don't keep your thoughts to yourself. Talking really helps and keeping it inside makes things worse.
If you're grieving the loss of a loved one by suicide ... again reach out and talk to someone. If you don't feel comfortable talking to someone you know call a crisis or help line ... that's what they're there for.
Check your local community for numbers to call, or check Befrienders Worldwide. They have a great list of organizations available around the world.
Reach out. Listen.
Last Photograph
Last poem
Last words
Last post
Last phone call
Last Christmas cards sent
Last kiss
Last words to children
All frozen in time
Forever 42
Bits & pieces, scraps, I try to glean from you
You thoughts on paper try to understand
You photographs I beg for
Why? Why did you have to go?
I try to understand
Your spirit occasionally I can connect
But you can not speak words to me in present
I think it's a crime
Forever frozen in time
"For we see now through a dim window obscurely, but then face to face..." 1 Cor. 13:12
Photo from the blog of Liquid illuzion
Oh, President Bush! One last thing before you leave office. Did you ever answer Pink? Because many of her questions are mine too. And I've been really wondering....
Dear Mr. President by Pink
Dear Mr. President
Come take a walk with me
Let's pretend we're just two people and
You're not better than me
I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly
What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street
Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep
What do you feel when you look in the mirror
Are you proud
How do you sleep while the rest of us cry
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye
How do you walk with your head held high
Can you even look me in the eye
And tell me why
Dear Mr. President
Were you a lonely boy
Are you a lonely boy
Are you a lonely boy
Are you a lonely boy
How can you say
No child is left behind
We're not dumb and we're not blind
They're all sitting in your cells
While you pave the road to hell
What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine
How do you sleep while the rest of us cry
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye
How do you walk with your head held high
Can you even look me in the eye
Let me tell you bout hard work
Minimum wage with a baby on the way
Let me tell you bout hard work
Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away
Let me tell you bout hard work
Building a bed out of a cardboard box
Let me tell you bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
You don't know nothin bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
Ohhh
How do you sleep at night
How do you walk with your head held high
Dear Mr. President
You'd never take a walk with me
would u
Lyrics
Grey's Anatomy - Lesbian Storyline People who have the highest risk of suicide are white men, though women and teens report more suicide attempts. If someone talks about suicide, you should take it seriously. Urge them to get help from their doctor or the emergency room, or call 911. Therapy and medicines can help most people who have suicidal thoughts. Treating mental illnesses and substance abuse can reduce the risk of suicide. From National Institute of Mental Health"
Due to the suicide of Jeri Suzanne Horne (Liquid Illuzion), I have asked someone to guest post about suicide. I'm crossing my fingers that they will. Meanwhile, I am reposting the only post that I have on the subject. I have added some links at the end. Obviously, I'm barely touching on the subject. I'm so glad that Liquid had/has a good sense of humor, because this post is an odd mixture.
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From Sept.19, 2008
Did you see the Grey's Anatomy season final? If you didn't, don't worry, I won't revel a great deal here. Just my favorite, and lest favorite scenes.
My favorite scene was the kiss between Erica Hahn, and Callie Torres. (I'm predictable, ha?) I think Torres is hot!
My least favorite scene was between Meredith, and her shrink. Meredith had a revelation, and realized that when her mother cut her wrist it was to get attention. After all she was a "excellent surgical nurse", and would have cut her -----, if she meant it. I hate that scene for several reasons.
1) If someone tries to commit suicide they are not in a rational state of mind, and they might try to kill themselves by any means. It might not be the most logic means. It should be seen as a serious attempt, and not just an attention getter.
2) They mention a more effective way to commit suicide then cutting wrists. I hate that! I don't want to mention it. Oh, I knew it before, but someone not so familiar with anatomy and who saw the program might not have considered it. It might have given someone who is suicidal a deadly idea. You've heard of copy cat murders? Well, I'm sure that there are copy cat suicides. Well, at least Meredith didn't point to the area.
Did you know that the suicide rate in the U.S. is twice as large as the homicide rate? (There are an estimated 8-25 attempted suicides to one completion.) It is hidden, a stigma is still attached. I mean, when is the last time you read the obits, and saw that someone committed suicide? It's all swept under the rug.
From Medline Plus
"Suicide is the eleventh most common cause of death in the United States. People may consider suicide when they are hopeless and can't see any other solution to their problems. Often it's related to serious depression, alcohol or substance abuse, or a major stressful event.
CDC Suicide Prevention Information.
More from Medline Plus on Suicide
Note: I want to thank Suzanne's family for being open about her suicide so that people can have a conversation, and possibly become more informed.
This joke is a bit dated, but a good one...
Dear Abby,
My husband is a liar and a cheat.
He has cheated on me from the beginning, and, when I confront him, he denies everything.
What's worse, everyone knows that he cheats on me.
It is so humiliating.
Also, since he lost his job six years ago, he hasn't even looked for a new one.
All he does all day is smoke {{{{whatever}}}} while cruising around and "bull shiting" with his buddies,
while I have to work to pay the bills.
Since our daughter went away to college he doesn't even pretend to like me, and even hints that I may be a lesbian.
What should I do?
Signed:
Clueless
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Clueless:
Put on your "Big" girl panites and
Grow up!
Dump him!
Good grief woman!
You don't need him anymore!
{{{DUH}}}
You're a Senator from New York,
AND...
you're running for President of the United States!
It is "HIGH TIME", you begin to act like it!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This joke is from.... I'll give you 3 guesses...the blog of Liquid Illuzion. Please visit her. She has some hilarious posts! "Liquid isn't here right now, but please leave a message at the sound of the beep & she'll get back to you... EVENTUALLY ...Beep!."
The idea for this "Friday Funnies" series has been stolen from Momma Mia, Mea Culpa So please visit her before she sues me. ;)
A reminder to myself & whoever else needs it -
Anna Nalick - Breathe (2AM)
Why didn't you? Why didn't you just breathe? Why?
Liquid loved poems, & wrote many beautiful ones. I'm not good at poetry. I haven't written many since I was a child. I hope that you will look at my heart as I pay tribute to Liquid illuzion, and not my numerous mistakes. To my regular visitors- I know that you have heard a lot about Liquid these past few days, but please hang in there with me as I work this through.
This is for/to YOU Liquid,
Secret Refuge
Hostile Night approaches, demons of the mind.
Anything but sleep. I wander into your liquid blue divine.
Secret refuge from the night. I hid in your wake.
Dark yet decorated in soft light. Liquid blue lake.
A blue feather to dry my tears.
You take away all my of fears.
Photos, laughter, old Bibles, Daisy lab, pearls, fried green tomatoes too.
I sipped slowly from your delicious brew.
Didn't know you well, but feeling was inside.
You want me there. Welcomed me with pride.
Your words I read. Your songs I listen to.
Warm, comforted, safe. The night now ruled by you.
Blue bottles on tree limbs. My demons you cast away.
My torturous night, you magically turn to day.
Your blue liquid washes over me. Took the fear out of my body.
Mistakenly I thought we had time. Get more acquainted, good friends, but I was blind.
For the demons you had too.You just couldn't shake them off of you.
On that horrible day you took your life. My secret refuge floated away.
Now never be the same. Music swept away.
For the greatest gift you took from me was...
YOU
by Awake
(Poem background info - When I had trouble sleeping at nights due to worry I use to visit Liquid's blog. I felt welcomed, safe, warm. As I read her posts, and listened to her playlist sometimes for hours, my worries magically washed away. It's just not the same today.)
Dear Liquid,
As you know, I'm reading your blog. It's apparent to me that you craved that special love between a man & a woman. Unfortunately you were disappointed by your choice in men, (to put it mildly). Now your on the other side. I don't think that type of special love between two people exists there, but if it does I hope that you meet him. I hope that he is all you wanted, dreamed about, and more. If your not allowed that, then I hope that God bathes you in love each and every day. I hope that you finally understand your worth and see your beauty as he bathes you in love... perfect love, unconditional love, forgiving love, everlasting love.
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!..." -1 John 3:1
Missing you
Your friend still stuck here on earth,
~ Awake
Steve Holy-Good Morning Beautiful
MERRY CHRISTMAS!One of Liquid's last posts... 12-18-08
I was running dry of blog ideas and wanted to get inspiration for something funny. So I went to visit LIQUID ILLUZION's blog tonight. One of my favorite new blogs. One of my favorite new people.
I didn't know Liquid well, but felt so comfortable at her blog. I would go and read her blog and listen to the songs on her music playlist, sometimes for hours a night. The playlist gone now, she's gone now. Did she have any idea how much time I spent there? Did she know how comfortable I felt? How welcomed? How safe?
The last time she communicated with me she asked prayers for her friend. She asked that I visit her friends blog and pray for her, which I did. The last thing that she asked of me was something for someone else. That says a lot!
I will miss my new friend. I will miss her blog, her songs, her poems, her essence...Liquid...
Jeri Suzanne Horne a.k.a. Liquid illuzion passed away on December 24, 2008. She took her own life. She was 42.
Please read other tributes to Suzanne, or add yours by clicking here.
For her blog called LIQUID ILLUZION click here.
Meridian Star Guest book for Suzanne. 
Obituary from The Meridian Star
| "Jeri Suzanne Horne | | |
| Jeri Suzanne Horne Services for Jeri Suzanne Horne will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at James F. Webb Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Joseph Hallman, and Dennis Marks officiating. Burial will be in Pine Springs Southern Methodist Church Cemetery. Mrs. Horne, 42, of Meridian, died Wednesday, December 24, 2008, at her residence. She was employed as a hairdresser. Survivors include her parents, Jerry and Betty White of Meridian, daughter, Isabella Horne of Meridian, son, Campbell Horne of Meridian, brother, Greg White and Ronna of Davie, Fla., niece, Madelyn White of Davie. Visitation will be Monday, 5p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Barry Murphy, Mike Grant, David Medlin, Bo Pierce, Richard Daniel, and Bryan Culpepper." | ||
My blog buddy Kim, put a link on Twitter that I want to share with you. It's from the Seattle Times. Kim recently was my guest blogger and wrote a wonderful post called "Snowmageddon" Thanks again Kim!.
Here are some of the highlights of The Seattle Times article. Hopefully the snow has since melted.
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"Seattle refuses to use salt; roads "snow packed" by design
Seattle's strategy for clearing roads relies on sand and de-icer, not salt, which is a more effective method of melting ice and snow.
"Plowed streets" in Seattle actually means "snow-packed," as in there's snow and ice left on major arterials by design.
"We're trying to create a hard-packed surface," said Alex Wiggins, chief of staff for the Seattle Department of Transportation. "It doesn't look like anything you'd find in Chicago or New York."
The city's approach means crews clear the roads enough for all-wheel and four-wheel-drive vehicles, or those with front-wheel drive cars as long as they are using chains, Wiggins said.
The icy streets are the result of Seattle's refusal to use salt, an effective ice-buster used by the state Department of Transportation and cities accustomed to dealing with heavy winter snows.
"If we were using salt, you'd see patches of bare road because salt is very effective," Wiggins said. "We decided not to utilize salt because it's not a healthy addition to Puget Sound."
By ruling out salt and some of the chemicals routinely used by snowbound cities, Seattle has embraced a less-effective strategy for clearing roads, namely sand sprinkled on top of snowpack along major arterials, and a chemical de-icer that is effective when temperatures are below 32 degrees.Seattle also equips its plows with rubber-edged blades. That minimizes the damage to roads and manhole covers, but it doesn't scrape off the ice, Wiggins said.
That leaves many drivers, including Seattle police, pretty much on their own until nature does to the snow what the sand can't: melt it.
The city's patrol cars are rear-wheel drive. And even with tire chains, officers are avoiding hills and responding on foot, according to a West Precinct officer."
Click here to read the entire article.
Sometimes I'm glad that I live in Rochester! ;o)
I don't want to go into details, but over the holidays two negative financial things happen to me. One was devastating. This is on the heals of some other financial crap. It seems like a domino effect is happening. At this point I might have to call a lawyer about this. He/she might mention the "B" word. I HATE the idea! BUT. I own my car, it's payed for. The transportation system in Rochester sucks. You almost need a car. I hope I won't lose it IF...
If you, or someone close to you have filed for bankruptcy was it worth it, or do you/they regret it?
As a follow up to my other post No Work Till Jan. 1st My agency now says that the lost of our main client might be permanent. This means that they might continue to have little work. I'm still awake. I'm having trouble sleeping due to worry. On a positive note, I think I'm relatively depression free which amazes me. Again, I don't want you to feel sorry for me, but I would greatly appreciate your prayers and positive thoughts!
photo
I've been awarded the Fabulous Blog award by the Fabulous LadyBanana.
Thank you very much LB! This is a lovely award, and it's simple to pass on.
The instructions are simple, list 5 addictions and pass the award to 5 other Fabulous bloggers.
Addictions:
(In no particular order)
1) Chocolate
2) Internet
3) Sex (only joking, I wanted to see if you read this) ;o)
4) Twitter (by the way, join me!)
5) T.V.
This is my pick of 5 blogs to pass this on to but anyone can participate!
1) DrowseyMonkey
2) CutieBootyCakes
3) Olga, The Traveling Bra
4) Lilly's Life
5) The Wishful Writer
6) Girl in a Glass House
7) Doctor Shoal
8) The Daily Blonde
9) Beetle's humour - Memories of 50's & 60's
10) ManiaRavings
11) Believe. Act. Achieve! - dcr Blogs dot Com
12) Debo Hobo dot Com
I know, that's more then 5 but I have many Fabulous blogs that I read and it was hard to choose. Hey, if I haven't mentioned you get in on the fun! This is a very easy one!
