Birthday 2014 Anchorage

So... my family is big on birthdays. Today was mine. An Aussie friend of mine woke up at God knows what time to call me by 9:30 this morning to say "Happy Birthday, Tru. You are a darling." He probably passed right back out afterwards, but how sweet.

My niece +Gabrielle B got the jump on everyone & sent her birthday wishes (

My niece and sister really went out of their way to make this a special day for me. With everything else they have going on, they made sure I had a lovely party full of family and friends and good times. That was later. First, my sis had dialysis today, so after I dropped her off, I started my errands with a free (birthday) treat from Starbucks:

Espresso Frappe. Venti sized. Yum!

Then I spent time at the house with my sister and niece and DJ. I got to talk and text with all my Stateside brothers, aunts and cousins who wanted to wish me a Happy Birthday. One of my brothers kidded that I was turning 55. I reminded him that he is the older sibling. He backed off and suddenly remembered that I am not yet that old!

I really hope that my Facebook and G+ apps were behaving because I had a lot of people to thank for their kind wishes. My phone started dying before noon. I plugged it in for 2 hours without realizing the charger was not the right one for my phone :-(


DJ and I had a lot of fun today. He's getting so dang big now.

all those toys & he sits in a rubber bin...

he knows how to come in and out of house now...

him and that bin!

Then a longtime friend of mine and my sister's (who had spent the night) hung out and talked about days when we were all about 25 years younger than we are now. My sister was styling half & half on the hair today. She went bald for most of the food prep we did, then she sported one of her wigs for the actual party. I'll have to get all the pics from people who took them. My camera was dead for most of the afternoon.

After this delicious dinner...

Chicken & shrimp Pad Thai

... I got to ride with one of my friends in his rebuilt Mustang. Don't tell anyone, but we hit about a 100 mph three times on some empty boulevards. I haven't had that much fun in the passenger seat of a car since I got my first teenage kiss. My niece got video of us taking off. I'll have to get a copy.

Because I am leaving soon, the fam is going to be gifting me with cards and things I need once I get to "Mayberry". Because they are my family though, they got me this to take with me:

my birthstone

Now, it's getting late. I only had one glass of wine all evening. We have to be up early in the morning for chemo and all that biz.

I have an awesome group of people who love me and make me feel loved when I most need it. I'm so blessed that I don't even know where to start counting. I'm just going to thank God for another year of life & be thankful that I made it to 53.

Good night all.

Peace
--Free

Mayberry of the Midwest

Still here in Alaska, but rushing to get prepped for life in Iowa.  A lot of people who know of my impending move are still a little curious about my reasons. All I can say is that no one can understand why I'm going unless they know where I've been for so many years.

My new town? I'll call it Mayberry of the Midwest. Mayberry. Not because it's small, quaint and country, but because it's everything I'm hoping it will be: small, quaint and country.

I'm looking to Mayberry for some physical, spiritual, social and financial healing. The last several years of living in Arizona, Texas and, back here, in Alaska have broken me in way that only God can fix. Living in a more affordable place is my first step to recovery.

Arizona ruined me financially; Texas broke my heart; and Alaska is too cold and expensive to give me anything I need in my life right now.  I want to be in a new place in my body and in my heart. I want the promises that sometimes a place can only offer a specific type of person at a certain time in their life.

What I've heard about "Mayberry" is that there is plenty of fresh air, a friendly (and sparse) population of church-going people. I've heard of old trees in the yards, unlocked doors on the residences. I envision being welcomed should I approach a neighbor for a borrowed cup of sugar. Okay, that might be pushing the technicolor dreams too hard. Still, I need a break from the harsh glare of the life I've been living.

I am looking forward to making a home for myself. A place to put my few belonging and enjoy them in peace. I want a home that makes me feel safe and calm and ready to go out and re-insert myself in the land of the working. I can't wait to put up family photographs and surround myself with cheap and precious furnishings. I am craving a a space to cook and dine in that is clean, cozy and functional. I want to sleep in comfort and quiet. Waking up in the morning to appreciation of simple blessings is another goal. I can't wait to plant a small garden, nurture potted plants and, maybe, have herbs and spices on my windowsill. This home that I dream of is full of fresh air and light, smelling of flowers (grown or sprayed from a can) and hope.

I suppose I am dreaming of a home and life that can be had anywhere, as long as one can afford it.

When I look back on the past seven to ten years of my life, I have memories of drudgery and resentment and a lack of cooperation from the people I aimed to please. Until I gained the dreams of Mayberry, my future was a dark cloud of being crowded and forced to go along to get along. I haven't been so much living a life to enjoy than just moving from day to day in survival  mode. Survival is like breathing: an automatic urge. Living is something only those with true hope and contentment can fully enjoy.

I don't wish on stars in the sky or rely on man-made promises. Stars burn out and men are only flawed and human. God, though, is a steady presence. He comes through every time. At the end of every road, in the darkest and loneliest of moods, He comes with hope and strength.  I've walked myself toward many bridges in this life of mine, but I have never been able to cross a single one of them without the Lord holding my hand.

So now, I begin this walk towards Mayberry. The bridge is a little rickety and, despite what I've heard, I'm not really sure what's on the other side. I'm just walking in faith.

Watch this space for stories of what I find on the other side. For now, goodnight.

Peace

--Free

**Quickie Post** Valley Radio News (Shocking. Not.)

This station bills itself as Mat-Su Valley's first news talk station.

1. The Valley has a rep here in Anchorage.
2. This station just added some negative juice to the rep.
3. Maybe I'm being touchy, but: my blog, my views.  I don't have a radio presence.

Never listened to this station before. Only listened by accident earlier today because I bumped the radio knob while plugging in my phone charger.

I tuned in just as the hosts were doing something called the "Hip Hop Review" segment. Apparently, they feel that parents need info on who and what their kids are listening to as far as music. Today the discussion was a highlight of news of some court-bound rappers. I agreed with what they had to say. I was a little put off by how they said it: mimicking the speech and speech patterns/slang of what they think rappers sound like.

Now, I am the biggest anti-thug, anti-violence person in my circle. I literally preach to the young people in my life about the madness of most "thug" music.

So, what's my problem with this segment that I heard? Not much. I'm just wondering if they have a segment on other types of music/artists who are such bad role models for kids. I won't be tuning back in to find out. I won't be tuning back in to that station. Ever.

Like I said, I don't have a radio presence. If I did, I wouldn't dare generalize the Mat-Su residents with the common stereotypes assigned to them. I know that they are not all pot-smoking/growing/dealing, wild-eyed nutcases, "trailer trash", lunatic fringe of the frozen North. I know that, but someone hearing a radio show that talks that talk might not know that.

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** Day by Day Vitamin C Serum

This is the second Vitamin C Serum I have tried. The ingredients (and results) are very similar to the first serum I reviewed. This time, I am using the Vitamin C Serum from Day by Day Beauty.

 Not to be shallow, but the bottle is certainly the prettier one of the two. Also, I find that I like having a pump dispenser rather than the squeeze-dropper type.

The ingredients were so much the same that I had trouble finding the difference. This is good because one of the things I like in any product is simple ingredients:

Deionized Aqua (Water), Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe), Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide (Botanical Hyaluronic Acid), Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel), Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Carbomer, Arginine, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Oil), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Phenoxy- ethanol, Ethyl Hexyl Glycerin, Organic Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola Extract), Organic Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail Plant Extract), Organic Pelagonium Gravoleons (Geranium Extract), Organic Taraxacum Officinale (Dandelion Extract) 

This Vitamin C serum is a little easier to apply because it's remain damp long enough to smooth onto the skin. The smell is almost non-existent - another plus.

Is it working? Well, it's good. Because I went straight from one very similar serum into using this one, I feel that I am getting benefits of continual use. This serum costs around $30 and can be ordered via the Day by Day site or from Amazon. Day by Day's customer services is really good. They offer 3 customer promises that are really appealing:

1. Hassle-free returns
2. Fast shipping
3. Satisfaction guarantee

I can vouch for the fast shipping (and good packaging of the product). Because this one is the more expensive of the two serums, I would have to check for price breaks if I were to buy it. I do notice that I use a little less per application - due to the "wetter" formula. 

Do I like this? Yes. Will I continue using? Yes. Will I purchase in the future? Probably. Depends on price or sales. Like I said, it's a bit pricier than I can easily afford. Will I recommend it to friends? I have already.

Since I've used Vitamin C serums, I'm curious about how many other people have tried them. Unlike makeup and moisturizers, there aren't a lot of Vitamin C serums on the shelves of the well-known retailers I shop at. Of course, I haven't been paying much attention, but I will be now.

Peace
--Free

DISCLOSURE NOTICE:

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Annoyed by Advertising

As I am packing up, I spend lots of time watching shows on either Netflix or Hulu. Netflix is my favorite because I get to watch my shows ad-free. Hulu... Well, I wonder sometimes why I even bother to watch anything on Hulu. For one thing, they have this annoying habit of asking which ad I'd prefer viewing. Seriously? I'd prefer not having to use the Page Reload trick to skip the usual 5 commercials they show.

Are there ads that I don't mind? Sure. I liked the one with the little girl "driving" from the backseat while her dad does donuts in a parking lot. I liked it. The first twenty times I saw it. When I see it now, I find that adorable little girl to be an irritating brat I never want to see again.

I'm not just annoyed with TV ads. I hate almost any kind of advertising.

whatev

The worst advertisements are the ones that so clearly misrepresent the service of whatever company they hype. Capital One? Yeah, I want them in my wallet until I'm two days late with a payment. Bank of America? Well, they might want to sell themselves as a giant of customer service, but I've seen first-hand how lousy they are at employee relations... Such a joke.

Whenever Jennifer Aniston comes on to tell us how Aveeno is her secret weapon of beauty, I want to ask for a notarized statement of truth about the photoshop and makeup artists that are hiding behind the backdrop. Come on now. There's nothing wrong with a little vanity, but when you are lying to your fans about your "natural" beauty, I start seeing visions of Diane Keaton's and Ellen's un-photoshopped pics. Fight the battle of the wrinkles in the front lines next to me, but stop lying about your results.

Then there is the ad for some car. The prospective customer is hesitating over his purchase until he recalls all the good deals he's missed out on his life: dumping some now-famous actress because she was ugly; skipping out on the Twitter start-up because he didn't understand the 140 character idea... So, yeah, he better jump right on buying this new car. That's so stupid, all I can do is shake my head. The girl was an investment in love, the start-up was an investment in finances. The car? That's going to lose value the minute you get your car keys from the dealer.

Is it that ad agencies are lazy? Or do they just realize most of us pay only the most minor attention to anything we see or hear?

Tell you what, I was fascinated when someone took screen shots of all the fine print shown in minuscule font at the bottoms of most ads. I still needed to wear two pairs of glasses to see the enlarged shots of those. Once I saw them, I realized I'd need a top attorney, a linguistics expert and an inside man from Madison Avenue to interpret the fine print.

Why not just advertise what you're selling without all the lies, hoopla and spin? Just tell me that the candy tastes good. I don't need to believe it's going to make me see psychedelic colors or swim across the moon. I just want to know whether it's chocolate or not, does or does not have nuts, and maybe if I can buy it in a multi-pack or singles. If you're selling makeup, I only need to know if it's got sunscreen and what shades it comes in. Laundry soap: with bleach or without?

Car commercials are the most outrageous. Apparently, car companies are selling way more than a machine that goes forward, backwards and stops. I guess it's not a "car" if it doesn't talk to you or entertain you. Oh, and don't forget that any decent car must inspire drivers to play music inspired by Motown or 80's teen movies so that people pulling up alongside in traffic will want to dance and sing along with you and your car. Huh?

And what's with the people in the commercials? Where are all the folks that I can relate to? I've never seen people so happy to do dishes, laundry or other chores as the ones who appear in commercials. If we believe advertising, all our homes are full of light and sunshine and families who are nicely and neatly dressed enough to, well, appear in another ad.

Even the sort-of-cute ads by the popular nighttime cold medicine was a laughable jab at my self-esteem. You know the one - it showed people getting such a good night sleep that they were (supposedly) unconcerned with the way they looked. Yeah. Out of five or six people, there was one seriously real-life looking chick. She must have really had a cold at the time she filmed. The others - hah! - they could have been models for a pin-up calendar called "Sick and Sexy". (I might need to work on that title, but you get what I mean.)

I'm so sick of commercials now that, as I'm packing, I get the most stuff done the minute I hear an advertisement begin.

Maybe when ad agencies realize that they are starting to get stale with their "new and fresh" approach, they will just get back to basics. We really only need to know 3 things about any product: what it is, how much it costs, where we can buy it. Otherwise, it's all "adverse-tising".

I'm dreaming into a worm hole if I think even one advertiser gives a whit what I think. But, um, isn't that the whole point of their existence?

Peace
--Free

What I Learned from Taking Surveys

Survey says...

Because I belong to quite a few blogger/brand "influencer" sites (like SheSpeaks, BzzAgent, etc.), I participate in all kinds of surveys. Sometimes, I catch myself laughing at my own responses.

One survey asked about my health and fitness habits. I'm no stone cold couch potato, but I felt like one after I had to answer this question: "How many hours do you exercise in a week?" My answer choices were: 5-10 hours, 10-15 hours, 15-20 hours, more than 20 hours.

I was a little ashamed that, even if I count stretching the truth, there's no way I can cop to 5 hours per week. If I count the time I spend on the Glider and time spent chasing after DJ, plus any random sit-ups I get in before bedtime, I might be able to claim 3 hours. In a good week. Okay, it's really closer to 2, but chasing DJ should get extra points, right?

What I want to know is, who the heck with a real life and normal brain function has 20 hours a week to exercise?

I don't think I've spent a total of 20 hours in my lifetime even thinking about exercising. 20 hours a week is a part time job. Who has 20 hours a week just for exercise? Okay - who other than a celebrity who is paid to look impossibly fit two weeks after giving birth to a couple of kids? In the real world, there are mommies and daddies who don't get 20 hours of sleep in a week.

So yeah.

Another survey wanted to know about my non-food shopping habits. Apparently, most people (or at least the people who write these surveys) have way more disposable income than I do. My self-esteem crawled into a gutter and died a painful death when I realized I buy so few name-brand, top-label, better-known, coupon-resistant items that my razors are made in a country I had to look up on a map to be sure it was a real place.

Probably the funniest survey I ever took was one to do with travel. I gave up halfway through it when I realized that I was tempted to lie about the last time I took a planned vacation. To be strictly honest, I haven't "planned a vacation" in years. I have planned fleeing a crazy spouse. I have planned family emergencies. I have even planned a fake vacation to avoid a person who wrongly assumes we are friends and that I would want him staying with me for a couple of weeks.  That time I went to Rome. In my imagination. It was lovely. I plan to go back one day - when those plans involve an actual passport and suitcases.

I think I'm going to have to devise my own surveys, if I want to see questions that are more fitting to my life and lifestyle. Maybe I will post some of them on here one day. Just for kicks.

Peace
--Free

Our Hair Obsession

What a bad combo: fire and hair. Right?

Apparently, this is about to become the latest thing in hair care. I'm pretty sure there are going to be people going into business, advertising their choice of candles and methods of burning. You know how it goes: some new thing comes along and everybody has to try it, buy it or sell it. Until the next "new" thing comes around.

When I think of hair and even just a too-hot curling iron, this image pops into my head:

No thank.

All someone has to do is tell us that a celebrity or model - or one of their friends, advisors or acquaintances - is doing something and we all go hop on the bandwagon. We don't care where the wagon is headed, but we're buying tickets to ride...

It's funny that the same news outlet that touts so many of these "trends" is just as quick to badmouth them.

The most bizarre thing that came up in a search or hair treatments is this one:

BULL +      

SEMEN +   

HAIR      

Okay, that sperm pic is more acceptable than a pic of semen, but... Yeah. There is a bull semen treatment for the hair. Apparently.

The $138 price didn't faze me. I was fazed enough by the idea of having semen in my hair. Come on, now!

The average person can come up with using just about anything in hair to treat different issues. Heh heh. Back when my cousins and I were young and wanted to moisturize and tame our styles, we used plain old lotion. I had never heard of using Nivea or Coca Cola. When someone named Jane suggested using a Pritt stick for unwanted curls, I had to look up what the heck a "Pritt stick" is.

This is a Pritt Stick

Also known as a glue stick

Well, there ya go.

If we aren't treating our hair, we are tormenting it. With heat and cold and slime and devices. When I look at some of the hairstyles that have come and gone (and come again), I remember one that I wore back when I was about 13. I'm not sure if the style had a name, but I called it the Unicorn. I pulled my hair, ponytail style, to the very top of my head, secured it with a rubberband. Instead of a "Pony", I twisted the hair so that it stood straight up. I'm sure I can find an image of something similar...

Okay, maybe it was just us crazy country gals doing that particular thing. I couldn't find a pic, but let's go back to passing hairstyles and just imagine this one...

Cool. Unless you have a 9 to 5

... except with just one of those braids sticking straight up into the air.

sigh

Out of all the hair trends and styles I've gone through in my life, I have to admit that I most like being "natural". I don't have to spend so much money on straightening and styling. For me, my naps are my get-up-and-go style. If I have to, I can jump out of the shower, spritz on some curl moisturizer and go start my day.

With relaxed hair, I had to either spend too much time on my hair before bed - curling or tying it up; or too much time on waking - styling or taming it. I don't even want to think about the chemicals used to relax it every six weeks or so. Lye or no-lye, something was doing the work of straightening hair that wanted to curl.

Now that I am moving to a more humid state, I'm hoping that my hair will be even happier. When I lived in England, I wore cornrows almost constantly and never even had to use moisturizer. My hair was in better shape than any other part of my life!

So, I'm working on losing the hair obsession. Though I might try the Pritt stick treatment. Just for kicks.

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** (comparison) Day by Day Vitamin C Serum

I really love getting to try all these products through my brand-blogger memberships. My mailbox has been stuffed lately with different samples and items.

The two latest products arrived today ("today" being June 21st), so let me start with one from my membership with Tomoson. It's Vitamin C Serum from Day by Day Beauty.

Hope so

Only the bottle is blue.
The serum is clear.

Comes with a little screw-in pump top to replace the shipping cap. Also got a freebie code for downloading a guide of "sexy skin secrets".

I blurred the freebie code...

They included a guarantee to "make it right" with the customer who's not 100% satisfied. Period. I like the sound of that.

Now, I have tried one other Vitamin C serum - Nature's Best by Mystelic - and I will have to update that post with photos to show that I actually do have results. My smile lines are definitely diminished.

First thing I did when I got this Vitamin C serum from Day by Day was to do a "touch test" comparing it to the Nature's Best. Results: Day by Day's stayed wet longer, while Nature's Best dried quicker. There wasn't a lot of difference in the feel other than that, so I took a look at the ingredients for both products:

Day by Day
Deionized Aqua (Water), Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe), Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide (Botanical Hyaluronic Acid), Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel), Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Carbomer, Arginine, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Oil), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Phenoxy- ethanol, Ethyl Hexyl Glycerin, Organic Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola Extract), Organic Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail Plant Extract), Organic Pelagonium Gravoleons (Geranium Extract), Organic Taraxacum Officinale (Dandelion Extract).

Nature's Best
Deionized Aqua, Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide (Botanical Hyaluronic Acid), Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel), Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Carbomer, Arginine, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Phenoxyethanol, Ethyl Hexyl Glycerin, Organic Aloe Barbardensis Leaf, Organic Centella Asiatica, Organic Equisetum Arvense, Organic Pelagonium Gravoleons, Organic Taraxacum O cinale

Pretty similar, right? Nature's Best last ingredient is one more than what Day by Day has.

I will start using this in the next week or so - when I am finished with my Nature's Best. I did try it tonight just to see what it felt like on my face and under my nighttime moisturizer. It felt nice and, like I said, just stayed moist a bit longer than the other serum.

When I update the review after using it for a while, I hope to have photos. I have some "before" shots, but I'm lousy about taking selfies. I hate the way I look in most photos, so... Watch this space.

Peace
--Free

DISCLAIMER: I received this product free of charge (in exhange for a review) as a reviewer for Tomoson.com. I did not receive any other compensation.

Weekend Music/Packing and Praying

I'm getting a little overwhelmed with the packing. I wish it would rain like it did yesterday.

This is the way I feel right now - not good, not bad, not happy, not sad. Sort of sleepwalking through what I need to get done.

Peace
--Free

**UPDATE** Name This Plant (So I Can Kill It)

This is a plant I picked up for my sister for Mother's Day.

Mother's Day 2014

I need someone to tell me what kind of plant this is. There was no label on it except for one on the bottom explaining its care: lots of direct sunlight & very little watering. It was a perfect plant for me since my thumb so brown (heh heh) that I once killed a cactus. My sister, on the other hand (heh heh), can grow anything. She almost revived my catcus, but I'd done too much damage! She's been sick and neglecting her plants & this one still looks better than ones I've watered and babied...

This is probably the most interesting plant I've ever seen. The "leaves" are hard and almost woodlike to the touch. I thought it would just stay looking the same as when I bought it but, no, it gets more beautiful and interesting every week.

Here is what the plant looked like today:

June 2014
It's been missing my sister's care

Notice that it's beginning to flower. And this is after not having daily care for about two and a half weeks. Now that my sister is back taking care of it, I can't wait to see what it will look like.

The thing is, now that I am going to be moving and have a shot at living in a house (versus an apartment), I plan to try my hand with some decorative plants and *gasp* maybe a garden...? My sister-in-law has done a wonderful job with her garden.

corn, green beans & taters

look at this!

cucumbers. (YUM)

I feel freaking inspired.

Of course, my garden might not look so good. I have a feeling that my first attempt might look more like this:

probably something poisonous...

Oh well. It will be nice to be able to give it a try.

Peace
--Free