PAYDAY AND KARMA!

So guess my friends what happened today?

 

 I went to the mailbox and there were no bills inside! There was this big brown envelope where all the bills usually are. Well you can imagine I had to study it hard and wonder if it had been placed in the correct mailbox. I was puzzled because it was addressed to me but I didn't recognize the sender. Not at first anyways, then it hit me!  Back at the beginning of the A-Z challenge I had entered a competition to define education. I thought, "well ok, why not." Afterall you guys know by now that I am a writing addict and this tickled my keyboard fingers. I almost raced into the house to open my brown envelope winners surprise. Just think, I started blogging and now I was payed for it! Payday! 

Maybe you guys think I am weird, but it was a big deal for me. You are witnessing someone who never wins anything and usually gives away the lottery ticket to the kid selling it. I love presents so usually I leave them in front of me for awhile before I open them. I like the anticipation, do any of you guys do that? I sat and stared at that envelope for probably 5 minutes, then I couldn't take it anymore. Usually I last longer than that. 

Inside this brown paper was the most beautiful handstitched sunflower table runner and a sweet card from a even sweeter woman. I love it! Here is Lindas blog and the competition I entered. So now I am thinking about Karma and trying to figure out what I can give back to the blog world. What do you think? I am as stated before not so keen on prizes and awards. I do however love to give. Hmmmm, got to think on this one. Anyways, thank you Linda I love my Sunflowers!

A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post

Reflecting back on this challenge is another challenge. I do not really know what to say and what I will be forgiven for saying. 

First off,  I am amazed at how many great bloggers and individuals I have met. Take in mind that I have only been blogging since March and didn't even know what a blog was before that. I went into this challenge with a very open mind and was surprised to find this world that I only imagined could exist. I thought before this challenge that all bloggers were mommys, coupon collectors and frustrated housewives. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with these great women, I just had nothing in common with them anymore.

Entering this challenge with an open mind, I was surprised to find that I had actually found a treasure map. This map led me to rich kingdoms of literary knowledge and like minded individuals. This being said, I was also amazed at how many bloggers signed up and dropped out or never even started the challenge. Future referance to anyone who arranges this again. It would be nice if those not participating could take out their links. I have spent alot of time traveling to empty spaces, I guess I am not alone there. I did my best to get to all the blogs but I know I have failed because of all the empty slots I fell into and wasted time. Eventually I gave up. 

I had no plan going into this challenge so it kind of scared me when I heard from many bloggers of this elaborate plan they had to get through this challenge. I thought to myself, is this really going to be so hard? What is everyone talking about? Remember once again I am a baby blogger taking her first steps into a new world. I found many supportive bloggers but at the same time I have run into a fair share of "elitists." I guess I was not worth their time because I am not a published author, publisher, editor or what not. 

Posting everyday has been easy for me, sometimes I have posted several times a day. Having the alphabet to guide my posts has only helped. I tilt my head in confussion when I hear others complain about how hard it has been. Am I the only one who has written out of the seat of my pants? I have been busy too, I have been sick, and yet I need to write and once I start something I finish it. So I guess I now consider myself finished with this challenge. I thank those new friends I have met, I thank those that have worked so hard making this challenge possible and I thank all the family out there that put up with us.

Oh and by the way, just because this challenge is over does not mean that I am going to go quiet. Like I said, I have to write. Expect to hear more from me, but never expect you will like everything I have to say.

ZODIAC KILLER

Well it is the end of the A-Z challenge. Congrats to all of you that managed to complete it. I thought a good way to end this challenge was with another serial killer.
The Zodiac Killer was a serial killer who operated in Northern California in the late 1960s and early 1970's. . He coined the name "Zodiac" in a series of taunting letters sent to the local Bay Area press.

These letters included four cryptograms (or ciphers), three of which have yet to be solved. The Zodiac murdered victims in Benicia, Vallejo, Lake Berryessa, and San Francisco between December 1968 and October 1969. Four men and three women between the ages of 16 and 29 were targeted. In April 2004, the San Francisco Police Department marked the case "inactive", yet re-opened the case at some point prior to March 2007.Although the Zodiac claimed 37 murders in letters to the newspapers, investigators agree on only seven confirmed victims, two that survived.Numerous suspects have been named by law enforcement and amateur investigators but no conclusive evidence has

Surfaced, or has it? Watch this:

Here is a good movie that I recommend 
Another one?

Who was the Zodiac killer, who was Jack the Ripper? Why is it they were never caught and why is it these serial killers continue to fascinate our imaginations?

Thank you for spending time with me during this A-Z challenge. I hope to be seeing you again real soon. What will I be writing about next? Wait and see, I think you will like it.

YOLANA BARD

So we are rounding off the final days of the A-Z challenge. Thanks again for all your well wishes. I am starting to feel better, but mentally I think I could use this lady:
Yolana Bard, was  known as the Queen of Psychics. For over 25 years she worked with politicians,  celebrities, and law enforcement officials. She was even at one time named "New York's Best Psychic." 

I have not read this book but would be curious to hear if anyone else has. She must have been a fascinating woman with alot of stories to tell. Yolana died at age 66, but her spirit in someway most surely live on.Yolana assisted countless numbers of people around the globe find the answers to their questions. Whether they were wondering how to find prosperity, joy in life, or merely wanted to contact a loved one who passed on, Yolana used her amazing gifts to offer guidance and hope. As one of the world’s most highly regarded psychic mediums, Yolana was regularly consulted on high-profile criminal cases, where she helped numerous police departments solve perplexing cold cases, particularly cases involving missing children. Her private client list included major executives, world leaders, and hollywood’s top celebrities.


Do you think that psychics and mediums really do excist in our world?

XANADU

Thank you everyone for your kind get well wishes. Still feeling blah. Here is a nice poem for all you dreamers out there:

Xanadu - Kubla Khan
a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure-dome decree:
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.

So twice five miles of fertile ground
With walls and towers were girdled round:
And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills,
Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree;
And here were forests ancient as the hills,
Enfolding sunny spots of greenery.

But oh! that deep romantic chasm which slanted
Down the green hill athwart a cedarn cover!
A savage place! as holy and enchanted
As e'er beneath a waning moon was haunted
By woman wailing for her demon-lover!
And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething,
As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing,
A mighty fountain momently was forced:
Amid whose swift half-intermitted burst
Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail,
Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher's flail:
And 'mid these dancing rocks at once and ever
It flung up momently the sacred river.
Five miles meandering with a mazy motion
Through wood and dale the sacred river ran,
Then reached the caverns measureless to man,
And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean:
And 'mid this tumult Kubla heard from far
Ancestral voices prophesying war!

The shadow of the dome of pleasure
Floated midway on the waves;
Where was heard the mingled measure
From the fountain and the caves.
It was a miracle of rare device,
A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!

A damsel with a dulcimer
In a vision once I saw:
It was an Abyssinian maid,
And on her dulcimer she played,
Singing of Mount Abora.
Could I revive within me
Her symphony and song,
To such a deep delight 'twould win me
That with music loud and long
I would build that dome in air,
That sunny dome! those caves of ice!
And all who heard should see them there,
And all should cry, Beware! Beware!
His flashing eyes, his floating hair!
Weave a circle round him thrice,
And close your eyes with holy dread,
For he on honey-dew hath fed
And drunk the milk of Paradise.

UGAH

Now you are totally wondering what I am talking about, no not Mythology nor  Norwegian culture.  I just love this word:
Ugah, kind of prehistoric isn't
  it?

UGAH: A form of greeting used by a small number of IRC users. Believed to have originated from a drunken discussion late one April evening. Sounds about right. Who cares anyways, no one seems to be paying attention. Minnies favorite word. By the way, Minnie is bored and I am pretty sure she is leaving us.

UGAH

Minnie-ism for today:
"Ugah, means who gives a sh.. and I am bored, really, look it up!"

HAPPY EASTER.

RUNE NOT JUST A NAME

Rune is my husbands name but Runes are also an ancient Germanic alphabet, used for writing, divination and magick. They were used throughout northern Europe, Scandinavia, the British Isles, and Iceland from about 100 B.C.E. to 1600 C.E. Runic inscriptions of great age have even been found in North America, supporting stories that the Vikings arrived in the Americas long before Columbus.
RUNE

Minnie-ism for today:

"You got a question, ask Rune. He thinks he knows everything"

Runes are an oracle from which one seeks advice. They work best if you detail your current circumstances and then ask a specific question. Rune readings are sometimes obscure. They hint toward answers, but you have to figure out the details. This is when the rune casters intuition becomes paramount. Some times the Runes just "sing", and their meaning becomes instantly clear.
Since ancient times, runes have been used for divination and magic, in addition to writing. The word "rune" actually means mystery, secret or whisper. Each rune has esoteric meanings and properties associated with it, beyond its mundane meaning and phonetic value. Each translates into a word or a phrase signifying concepts important to the early peoples who used them, representing the forces of nature and mind. Each rune has a story attached to it, a relationship to a Norse God.
Odin, the Norse High God of the Aesir, hung from the world tree, Yggdrasil, impaled on his own spear, for nine days and nights in order to gain the knowledge of runes. When the runes appeared below him, he reached down and took them up, and the runic knowledge gave him power . He later passed on this knowledge to the Vanir goddess Freya. She, in turn, taught him the magic of seidr. Heimdall, the god who guarded the Rainbow Bridge, taught the runes to mankind.The Runes are divided into three Aettir or groups of eight. One who aspires to become adept with runes must have some knowledge of the mythology, history, and culture of ancient Europe and Scandinavia.

I first recieved my Runes from a dear friend, who sad to say died fighting a battle against cancer. Runes come in many different forms; stones, gems and wood are often used. My Runes are hand carved on to Carnelian stones and look something like this. I would take a picture but I don't have the equipment yet to do so.

 

Many sources report that Carnelian be a powerful activator to the second Chakra, called the Sacral Chakra, which relates to a sense of Self... along with the five senses, creativity, reproduction, sexuality and self-gratification.

Carnelians were used in Ancient Egyptian magick as protection for both the living and the dead.  A Carnelian in the form of the "tjet," symbol of Mother Isis, was placed on the neck of a mummy to ensure the protection, safe passage, and rebirth of the spirit in the afterlife.  Another Carnelian amulet was the Eye of Horus, which is still believed to offer protection against the evil eye.  In Roman times, Carnelian was engraved with the head of a lion or a great leader.

Magickal uses of Carnelian include using it as a focus for past life work and for finding a "twin soul" or family.  It is good for all love and sex rites, especially to rekindle or increase passion that has begun to fade.  Fire magick is also more effective if you circle a red candle with several Carnelians.

Mentally, Carnelian can improve analytical abilities and can clarify perception.  It removes extraneous thoughts during meditation and sharpens concentration.  Emotionally, this stone is a powerful protector against envy, rage and esentment...yours or other people's.  It calms anger and banishes negativity, replacing it with a love of life.  Anne knew me well enough to know that this was the stone I needed for my Runes.

 Do you find this interesting? If so I can write more about the Runes and the magick of stones later.
On another note: I would like to welcome my new muses, some of you make it hard for me to find you becaue you do not comment and you do  not have a link to your blog or email address. If you have not heard from me that is the case because I do want to learn all I can about my muses :)

QUEEN OF NORWAY

Queen Sonja

Queen Sonja was born in Oslo on 4 July 1937 as the daughter of clothing merchant Karl August Haraldsen  and Dagny Ulrichsen, both of whom are deceased.

Queen Sonja grew up in Oslo.  She received a diploma in dressmaking and tailoring at the Oslo Vocational School, as well as a diploma from École Professionelle des Jeunes Filles in Lausanne, Switzerland. There, she studied accounting, fashion design, and social science. She returned to Norway for further studies and received an undergraduate degree (French, English and Art History) from the University of Oslo.

She became engaged to then Crown Prince Harald in March 1968. They had been dating for nine years, although this had been kept secret because of opposition to her non-royal status. The Crown Prince made it clear to his father, King Olav V, that he would remain unmarried for life unless he could marry her. This would in effect have put an end to the rule of his family and most likely the monarchy in Norway as well; he was the sole heir to the throne. Faced with having to choose one of his relatives from the Danish Royal Family, the Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein or even the Grand Dukes of Oldenburg as his new heir in place of his son, Olav V consulted the government for advice and the result was that the couple were wed on 29 August 1968, at Oslo Domkirke in Oslo. She then acquired the style of Royal Highness and the title of Crown Princess of Norway.

Following the death of King Olav V on 17 January 1991, Sonja became Norway's first queen consort in 53 years. Queen Sonja accompanied King Harald V when he swore his oath to uphold the Constitution in the Parliment building on 21 January 1991. It was the first time in 69 years that a Norwegian queen had been present in theParliment.

In 2005, Queen Sonja became the first queen ever to visit Antarctica. The Queen was there to open the Norwegian Troll research station in the country's Antarctic dependency, Queen Maud Land. The Queen is appointed a Rear Admiral in the Royal Norwegian Navy and a Brigadier in the Norwegian army. She has undergone a basic officer training course and has participated in exercises. Queen Sonja’s children:

Her Highness Princess Märtha Louise, born on 22 September 1971. She married Ari Behn on 24 May 2002. They have 3 daughters:

        Maud Angelica Behn, born 29 April 2003
        Leah Isadora Behn, born 8 April 2005
        Emma Tallulah Behn, born 29 September 2008

 His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon Magnus, born on 20 July 1973. He married Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby on 25 August 2001. She has a son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby.
They have 2 children:

        Her Royal Highness Princess Ingrid Alexandra, born 21 January 2004, Hereditary Princess of Norway
        His Highness Prince Sverre Magnus, born 3 December 2005

 So what do you think? True Cinderella? One thing is for sure, she is one tough Queen, and I bet a wonderful Queen Grandma!

PLAY LAIV

LAIV-LARP (Live Action Roll Playing)
Since I could not find any Norse mythology for todays letter, I thought I would share some Norwegian culture with you instead. What are the youth in Norway up to? Have you heard of LAIV? Live action roll playing (LARP). It is a spontanious play performed by game players. What is the game? A plot with characters and no written diologe. The players make up the story within the script guide lines provided. Here is a group of Laiv performers, my son is the one with the hat.

My next challenge is to write a "screenplay" for this group of "Laiv" performers. I have decided to go with an alien-time travel-wild west theme. Sound interessting? One thing I am sure of, it should be alot of fun. The so called Scripts are stored for future use, making the game playable time and time again. Here is a teaser for my plot:

Earth is running out of resources so scientists start looking for alternative homes. Finding life on the star Carinae looks promising so they start extracting inhabitants to see if they could adjust. It so happens that one of these is the wife of Professor John Henry James.  Professor James holds the key that can change thoughts to action. Using this key he travels to earth, what he did not know is that he would travel back in time to find his wife. His journey brings him back to the Wild West. His new name is Doc. Holiday; Holiday being the code he and his wife had if ever one or the other should be in trouble.

So what are your children up to?

MYSTICAL NUMBER 9

Nine is the number of magic. Nine is a sacred number. Nine is the number of completion and fulfillment. Nine is the number of man. Nine is a symbol of wisdom and good leadership. Nine is the number of heaven. In Hinduism nine is the number of Brahma, the Creator.

When multiplied 9 always reproduces itself. 2 x 9 = 18  1+8 = 9      3 x 9 = 27  2+7 = 9      4 x 9 =36  3+6 = 9      5 x 9 = 45  4+5 = 9
 6 x 9 = 54  5+4 = 9      7 x 9 = 63  6 +3 = 9     8 x 9 =72  7 +2 = 9       and so on forever.

Mystical Number Nine

Minnie-ism for today:

"Was never any good at math, so all numbers are rather mystical to me."

The referance to the number 9 and its mystical properties are to be found all over the globe and through out history as well as religion. The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatians about nine fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22. The nine fruits of the Spirit are:

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control.

Jesus died on the 9th hour, hanging on the cross. The Ninth Hour is the Hour of Prayer. I have heard it said  that the number 9 is the number of man and therefor the number of the beast. 666 (6+6+6=18 1+8=9.)

Numbers can be very fascinating but they can be dangerous as well. Numbers can become an obsession. A good example of that can be seen in the film "The Number 23" Many people with OCD find safety living in the rituals of numbers. The Beatles White album had a track on it called Revolution 9, when played backwards the song was a disturbing collection of referances to death. So disturbing that to this day I can not listen to the whole thing. Here is a taste of it:

Numerology has been attacked for going against the laws and teachings of God. In fact, just the reverse is true. The Bible, the Talmud, the Koran, even the Egyptian Book of the Dead, have alluded to numbers in ways that require interpretation by people of wisdom.

The Nine Muses in Greek mythology were the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne (Memory). Zeus and Mnemosyne had a love affair that lasted nine nights.Muses were the goddesses who inspired gifted artists, musicians, dancers and authors. Plato built an altar for the Nine Muses in the library of his famous school."Muse" is the source for words like museum, amuse, music and mosaic. The word "museum" means shrine or temple to the Muses.

In Norse mythology there is a time called Ragnarok. Ragnarok is the doom of the gods. Ragnarok is the end of the world. During Ragnarok the god named Thor (the thunder god) fights a horrific battle with the sea serpent named Jormungand, also known as the Midgard serpent. Thor finally manages to kill the serpent.As the serpent dies, Thor walks nine steps. As he takes his ninth step, Thor falls dead to the ground. He died from all the poison the serpent had spit out.

9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 99999999

There is enough subject matter on the number 9 to fill a book. I find it fascinating, you might find it boring. Mathematics is the only universal language. I may not speak it well but I do understand its importance.

I will leave you with this question, why is it said that a cat has 9 lives...not 6 or any other number?...9

JACK THE RIPPER

Jack the Ripper, who was he?

The true Identity of Jack the Ripper has eluded us for over a century. Mass murderers have always fascinated me. The true nature of evil or insanity? What makes them the way they are? None have fascinated me as much as Jack the Ripper. Why was he never caught or revealed, or was he, and like the identity of Kennedys assasin just never made public. The movie From Hell raises an interesting take on Jack the Ripper as do many other works of fiction. One has to wonder what ever happened to him, did he stop killing, did he die, or was he in fact caught?

As the murders were never solved, the legends surrounding them became a combination of genuine historical research,  and folklore. The term "ripperology" was coined to describe the study and analysis of the Ripper cases. There are now over one hundred theories about the Ripper's identity, and the murders have inspired multiple works of fiction. The monster in the man is a spark that can fuel any writers imagination. Don't you agree?

Jack the ripper

Minnie-ism for today

" What is it about the name Jack that makes everyone go so crazy?"

If you think about it, the name Jack has been linked to many crazy things. Jack-ass, Jack a lantern, Jack the knife, Crazy Jack, Cracker Jack, and Jack in the box (always freeked me out) Can you think of any more crazy Jacks?

HEX

A hex is a magical spell, usually with malevolent purposes such as a curse. The term is derived from the German word Hexe for a witch. In Norwegian heks is also the word for witch. The past few years have been loaded with books, TV series, and movies all about witches and witchcraft. We all know that there are good witches and bad witches. Only bad ones or very stupid ones would ever hex someone. (please be advised, the rest of this article may be offensive to some, if you are easily offended for religious reasons, please do not continue reading.)

FACETIOUS AND LIKING IT

Here is a word that makes you buckle your belt and burp. Welcome to my Facetious world, if it were not for my facetious nature and my love of  facetiae I would be too serious and most likely bored to death. So here you go, I know you need a defination:

Facetious, adj. plural noun meaning--Witty or humorous sayings or writings

• not meant to be taken seriously or literally: a facetious remark.
• amusing; humorous.
• lacking serious intent; concerned with something nonessential, amusing, or frivolous: a facetious person. 

Minnie would be my work of facetiae. As usual she has something to say on the matter.

FACETIOUS

Minnie-ism for today:

"Now you have gone and done it! I fa•ce'tious•ly disagree in labels! Color my butt green and sit on a cow!"  

So tell me, Do you have it in you to be facetious and do you like it?

 

ENERGY- Not Wasted On Me

Energy is the ability to do work and it comes in  many different forms: heat, light, motion, electrical,chemical, nuclear energy and gravitational. We use energy for everything we do, from runnig, to baking a cake or for something as amazing as sending astronauts into space.

There are two types of energy, stored and working. For example, the food you eat contains chemical energy, and your body stores this energy until you use it when you work or play.When we think or read or write, we are also doing work. Many times it's really hard work! When we use electricity in our home, the electrical power was probably generated by burning coal or wood, by a nuclear reaction, or by a hydroelectric plant at a dam. Therefore, coal, wood, nuclear and hydro are called energy sources.

Minnie has gone green today!

ENERGY

Minnie-ism for today:

"Energy can be bought and sold, used and wasted; I never waste my energy, although I do prefer it in capsule form as often as I can get it, and if not… then liquid form works well too."

 Energy waste and the greenhouse effect is on everyones mind today. The Ozone layer is being destroyed and global temperatures are increasing. Scary, yet odd enough, not so far from "Chicken Littles" thoughts on the sky falling. 

We recycle, use enery efficient lightbulbs,we are conscience about turning off lights and other electrical things, we leave our thermostats turned low, and we don't waste warm water. Yes believe it or not, I did spend some time as a teacher. What are some of the things you do to save energy? Do you even think about it? Don't let energy be wasted on you. It certainly is not wasted on me.

DAFT and DAFFY

According to the dictionary, Daft is an Old English-derived word for silly, stupid, or mad, depending on context. So I could be Daft for what I say, Daft for what I do, or just plain Daft. Monty Python says it well:

“Listen, lad. I built this kingdom up from nothing. When I started here, all there was was swamp. Other kings said I was Daft to build a castle on a swamp, but I built it all the same, just to show 'em. It sank into the swamp. So, I built a second one. That sank into the swamp. So I built a third one. That burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp. But the fourth one... stayed up! And that's what you're gonna get, lad: the strongest castle in these islands.”

DAFT

Minnie-ism for today:

" Being Daft  is an art-form that very few appreciate, being good at it all depends on the company one keeps."

 ---It was Daft of me to leave those freshly picked wild mushrooms locked in a classroom over the holidays. When the students returned the next monday morning the stench in that classroom was overwelming. 

I think this hat is Daft 

What Daftly deed have you done? Maybe you have seem something you thought was really Daft?

Since I have Daftly made my point, there is nothing Daft about being Daft, and to further prove my point I should like to leave you with a Daffy moment:

CHANGE, Who Me?

So here we are on day 3 of the challenge and on to the letter C. Thank you for all the wonderful comments I have recieved so far. I have really enjoyed reading eveyones posts.  I  comment as much as I can and I think I have done a good job of working my way through the blogs. Over 1200 entries, Isn't that fantastic? I think that the people hosting this have really done a great job and as a new blogger I am grateful to them for opening the door into a whole new world. I was sceptical about blogging and about this challenge, which brings me to todays challenge.

CHANGE

Minnie-ism for today:

---"Change is unavoidable, the more you do it, the more you get used to it, the more you get used to it, the less you care."


Doing the same thing over and over again when it is not working, and expecting different results is a sign of stupidity. I read that some where and it stuck. Sometimes we just have to change our tactics, change our perspective and change our lives. Lets face it, change is not always easy and it can be terrifying at times. We don't even always have the choice.

The scariest change I ever made was my choice, but moving to another country was a hard choice to make. I left most of my family and all of my friends. I left everything I owned and a good job. I came to Norway with two suitcases, and the only  Norwegian words I knew were, "Takk for maten" and "Jeg elsker deg" which means, "Thank you for the food, and I love you."  Since I planned on doing more than eating and falling in love, I knew that I would have to learn another language. My mother did not speak Norwegian to us while growing up, and as you can probably guess by my name, I am Norwegian. While we are on the subject of my name, it is pronounced Seev, like Steve without the T. I stress this because while growing up in the states it really irritated me when everyone always said my name wrong. To this day when I hear people mispronouncing the name of Liv Tyler, or any other Liv, I cringe.

Getting back on track, after my mother got a divorce she moved back to Norway, and after I got a divorce I went on a "vacation" to visit her. After a short trip home again, just long enough to get my affairs in order and pack a bag, I returned to Norway and love has kept me here ever since. I have been happily married to the same wonderful man now for over 20 years. So what is the biggest change you have ever had to make? Was it scary? Did you have a choice? I believe that through all the changes in my life I have become a stronger person and a less frightend one.

Bad and Bad

Minnies groupies are busy running around in circles," I told you, something bad must have happened to Minnie!“ Einar looked at Frida and then turned his attention to Bert. "I told you not to let her out of your sight, you know how crazy Minnie gets this time of year." Frida, worry wart that she is started to sipper, "Ohhh, this has to be bad, bad and bad. I just knew that guy was big trouble!"

Just then, Minnie came strolling towards them with a giant grin on her face. "Well kiddos, I decided today was my day to be bad."

BAD ↓

Minnie-ism “for todays A-Z challenge:

“--The bad things that we do can only be defined by the good things we have done. My guess is that it is a ratio of 10-1. For every 10 good things you do, you can do one bad.”

“--Bad things happen for a reason, sometimes we just need to be reminded how good we really have it. Nah, bad things just happen.”

There are a lot of bad things that happen around the world every day. We can ask ourselves over and over again, why? I am sure there are a lot of different reasons belonging to a lot of different things. But the truth is that bad things just happen. It is the nature of man and the fierceness of Mother Nature.

Have you ever had one of those days where everything goes wrong? One bad thing after another just happens, and all you can do is just stand there, hopelessly staring as your day is going up in smoke. I have had a lot of those days lately. Just a lot of little stupid things keep happening, but they happen so fast, just like dominoes falling at my feet. Standing up on the wrong side of the bed seems to be given a whole new meaning ,and now I am sitting here just laughing at how stupid these things really are. You stub your toe, you lose your phone, your car just dies in the middle of the street, your orders get lost, Appointments get cancelled, you lose your parking space, you burn your dinner and you break a plate…etc…etc…

After all is said and done, I must have done at least 10 good things while trying to cope with the bad things, so now it is my turn to be bad. If the ratio is 10-1 than maybe I can do 2 bad things. The little devil in me is busy making plans and all of a sudden it feels good to be bad and the bad does not bother me so much anymore.

ANGER

Today is the first day of the A-Z challenge and Minnie has been so excited to give you her first "Minnie-ism"

Anger

" Anger is a healthy vitamin that should be taken between meals at least once a day"

(Don't mind these guys, they are just Minnies Groupies.)

THERE IS A FIRE IN MY FOX!

It is official. My computer and I are on unfriendly terms. The other day I was happily blogging away and suddenly Firefox decided it didn't like my pictures and would not download them into my post. All I got was Internal Error code 501. I tried everything I could think of and even turned to Mr. Google for help. No luck, so you know what? Now I have Firefox, Explorer and Chrome. I have 4 email accounts that I am having trouble keeping track of and none of my files are talking to eachother. Explorer and Chrome have no problems with downloading pictures into my blog, but Firefox even after reinstalling it will have nothing to do with my pictures. All this started with that stupid FBI symbol. Maybe that picture started all this and now my computer is just being unreasonable. It seems to have declared war.I have to constantly check where my curser is because it also has a mind of its own and just jumps off to another spot, in another paragraph, or just plain old highlights and eraces in one single finger click. I am getting so frustrated or maybe a better phrase is I AM GOING CRAZY.  How can I blog like this? I just wish I could put out the fire in my fox before I burn down the whole computer.



In it for the fun!

During all of April we will be making posts following the alphabet each day with the exception of Sundays. This should be alot of fun and a great way to meet other bloggers that are up to a challenge and just love to write. Since I have a good deal of time on my hands it is possible for me to visit many of the blogs that are doing this challenge and hopefully I will meet alot of interesting and fun bloggers.

I really do not have a strategy other than to have fun, but do keep in mind that because I am in Europe that some time delays in my responces should be expected. I am really looking forward to this challenge and I am very excited. Not nearly as excited as Minnie is though. I have decided to let her come out and play this month. Minnie as you may recall has a very strong opinion on everything. I like to call these opinions "Minnie-isms." If you have watched the show Ally McBeal, than you should remember "Fish-isms" and Dr. House has his "House-isms." Minnie will be sharing her "Minnie-isms" each day according to the correct letter in the alphabet. Just be warned, Minnie is not the sweetest voice out there so I doubt she will be referring to fashion, gardening, children, crafts and least of all coupons. Consider yourself warned.