Upside Down Cats

Today is the twelfth of NaBloPoMo. I have vowed to write about things for which I am thankful each day of November.

Today I am thinking about what it means to me to have been born in the United States. When I was ten years old my sister got me a subscription to National Geographic for Kids. It was my first exposure to people who lived in other parts of the world. I remember having a revelation...that I could have just as easily been born in India or Africa as New Jersey. I tried imagining being me on the inside, but looking different and living differently. It kind of blew my mind, because I had very limited experience with diversity. In my house, those who were different from us were known as Protestants.

Continue reading "Lucky To Be Me" »

"You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take." - Wayne Gretzky

Who would ever think I would quote a hockey player...or even know without looking it up that Wayne Gretzky is/was a hockey player!

Anyway...I didn't have anything profound to say about this being my 100th post on Upside Down Cats, but I thought I'd mark the occasion subtly with an inspirational quote which includes "100."

Mr G. is right...if I don't try, I can't score! So here's to taking chances with the hope of racking up some points!

He's pretty wise for a hockey player...

Run a marathon...bike 150 miles...you might as well tell me to cure the common cold! To my mind, it is in the same realm of impossibility!

Yet that's just what my next Bitchin' Broad, Carole Wagner-Grauer has done! She's participated in many amazing feats of athletic prowess!

How did I discover this amazing woman?...well, I usually call her Aunt Carole ...

Aunt Carole was not particularly into fitness until 15 years ago when she won a gym membership as a prize for achieving high production at her company. Prior to that, she says she never enjoyed exercising. She began on her path to physical greatness by taking a few aerobics classes.

In time, Carole started participating in events to benefit charities. These included a two day, 150 mile bike ride to benefit Multiple Sclerosis and a three day, 60 mile walk to benefit Breast Cancer. Carole says the fact that she was raising money to help these causes provided inspiration for her throughout the course of her training and participation in the events.

Personally, I can't help but wonder what kind of person would heap these enormous challenges on herself. Most days are difficult enough for me "as is," without choosing to pile on more...There has got to be a logical reason why an intelligent, busy and highly successful businesswoman as Carole would voluntarily subject herself to such daunting challenges. I am curious to discover what makes her tick. I want to know what could possibly inspire a person not only to dream it, but to actually do it...to accomplish such inconceivable triumphs. So I asked Carole, and here is her inspiring answer...

Continue reading "Bitchin' Broads - Carole Wagner-Grauer" »

The preschoolers in my daycare occasionally have difficulty keeping focused on a task. A 4 1/2-year-old girl in particular constantly asks what we are going to do next. I can get the table loaded with markers, crayons, scissors and pencils, only to have her ask - before she makes a mark on her paper - what we're going to do after art time...

Before she takes a bite of lunch, she's asking what's for afternoon snack...

Half way through a book, she's asking me what I'm going to read next...

Continue reading "What Next?" »

Recently I was reminded about a situation with one of my daycare children I cared for several years ago. I think there's a message to be gleaned from it that I needed to remember...

A little girl in my daycare was a very challenging two-year-old. Not that all two-year-olds are not challenging, but this little one was a heavyweight champion of challenging!!! I never felt that we "clicked," from the time we met when she was 6 months old. Of course I try to bond with every child who comes through my door as best I can. After all these years, I have a fairly extensive arsenal of strategies for creating a good rapport with a child. This girl was a tough nut to crack, though. Sadly, beligerant is the first word that comes to mind, were I playing word association with her name. Surly is another. With the other children she was bossy, rude and ill-tempered. She would lash out like an animal when she didn't get her way, scratching and screaming.

Oh, and she cussed like a sailor!

Continue reading "I Didn't Know You Cared!" »

The first time he hit me was two weeks after we started dating. We had been napping...my head was tucked up under his outstretched arm. When I rolled over, apparently my head caused a piece of the skin under his arm to be pinched...HE WENT BALLISTIC! He accused me of hurting him on purpose and went running into the bathroom to inspect his injury in the mirror. When he emerged from the bathroom, he called me a stupid, careless bitch and punched me on my right upper arm. I told him how sorry I was, how it was purely an accident and that I would be more careful in the future. Then I cried...Once he saw that I was hurt too, he apologized, saying he didn't know what came over him, and that such a thing would never happen again.

Thus began our ten year cycle of abuse...

Continue reading "My Survivor Story" »

Somebody recently told me that Zen practice can be summed up as waking up in the morning and saying “Whatever” and going to bed at night and saying “Oh, well.”

I discovered this quote recently while reading a blog written by Malvina Reynolds' daughter, Nancy Schimmel, called Writing Malvina.

I would love to live this way...to embrace each new day and all its promise, ready and willing to experience anything and everything. It would be so empowering to wake up in the morning feeling that I am at peace with whatever happens and that it is all ok...

I would know I'd truly made strides toward becoming the person I want to be if, at the end of the day, I could shrug off the day's shortcomings and disappointments with, not a flippant, but wise, "Oh well..."

I really am trying to grow toward that sense of peace. I suppose - like any new skill - it's a day by day process of learning and adjusting my mindset. The most important aspect for me to remember is that I am on that journey...

While reading Michael Wade's blog, Execupundit, yesterday, I came across his post about the ninety year old author who has just had his first novel published. And I thought I was a late bloomer!

Talk about inspiration! I have struggled for many years with the feeling that I am leading an incomplete life. The work I do with the daycare children is fulfilling on one level, but I have always known that there should be more to my life than that. I am and have more than I can express through my role as daycare provider. I feel like an untapped well waiting to be brought forth.

Continue reading "What Do I Want To Be When I Grow Up?" »

My Bitchin' Broad for today is Malvina Reynolds. I first heard of Malvina when I looked up information about the theme song from the television show Weeds, titled "Little Boxes," which, it turns out, she wrote and performed. Click the arrow below to hear her perform the song.



What a stroke of serendipity that was for me! Not only did I quench my thirst for obscure television trivia, but I was introduced to a truly inspirational woman! Sometimes my tedious curiosity pays off...It is my pleasure to share with you why Malvina Reynolds meets (and exceeds) my definition of a Bitchin' Broad ...

Continue reading "Bitchin' Broads - Malvina Reynolds" »

"Shit happens. It’s the way we clean it up that matters."

I heard this on the television show Saving Grace recently...I thought it was an excellent mindset to adopt!

I need reminders like this in my life to help me accept that although I can't control everything that happens to me, I can control how I deal with it. So when misfortune comes along, instead of feeling powerless or angry or frustrated over circumstances, it's up to me to use the experience as an opportunity for personal growth. The important thing is to find what can be gained or learned when given what life hands me.

That is what this quote means to me.

Somebody Get Me A Mop!