I was a bachelor for over thirty-five years so my oven was usually a charcoal grill. Even on days when it poured down rain or it snowed, I would continue to grill. I prefer lamb, veal chops or bone-in fish with a simple side dish as rice or fresh vegetables. I like to marinate my lamb or veal in a storage bag placed in the refrigerator, a cheap Italian Dressing does wonders.

~~ Chili beans on top of scrambled eggs done in a fry pan is excellent.

~~ A grilled cheese sandwich with bean sprouts or sliced tomato

~~ Skllet cornbread cooked in a cast iron, thinner than the bulky size most people bake

~~ Fresh baby spinach with tomato, black forest ham and some swiss cheese spread over the top is delightful

~~ Prefer oatmeal as a hot cereal, raw honey with cut up banana and enough whole milk to cover the top of the cereal.

~~ Raw peanuts, cashews or salted almonds as a snack

~~ Winesap apples that are so firm you may need a knife to cut them into pieces

~~ A good tasting hot sauce, with a bit more body than your common Texas Pete. Chipolte and harbenaro are my favorite peppers to look for when
selecting a sauce for seasoning.

~~ After or during your meal a tall glass of sweet tea or a nice micro-brewed beer will allow the flavor of the meal to kick in much better

To put it quite bluntly the bond between myself and my parents became nothing but an association of happening to bump into one another by accident. Poor health conditions for both of my parents, which would later force them into assisted living by their own choice. Fractic phone calls and broken lines of communication became a bridge for me to connect with them after so long of a period. I took that path across the bridge.
Basically they would give me the same excuses that I could not take to heart any longer, so it was me who would make the effort to iron out as best as I could, our many differences. Time was running out like the sand in an hourglass, so this was most difficult, but I had to erase all regrets before life would cease to be.
I really do not think they understood my situation as a whole but for me it did not matter. Life for them was slipping away but I was looking forward to the days ahead. So with a face soaked with tears, I openly offered to them the gift of my forgiveness holding nothing back. I would give them a one-sided hug and as I walked out of their room, a heavy load of guilt and remorse rolled off my back.
Once I found forgiveness for myself which was not easy; I learned how to forgive others as well.
When you forgive, you discard or dispose of what you carried with you. In doing so there is a void, a gapping hole or a dark abyss which will not remain empty, it will fill up with something good or something bad. I did not always choose to fill up my life with goodness and I had to start all over again. Today without any qualms I can willing fill my empty pockets inside with joy, love and goodness. Each and everyday I must realign myself and be thankful for God’s love and others all around me.

“Do You Know What Your Purpose Is Today?”

Thank you, Peter for making this topic more relevant and personal. All change begins in the ‘present moment’ of our life and that is so very essential for us all to come to grips with. It is so easy to fall into the whirlpool of putting it off until another day. Saying to ourselves I will take action of this another day this week but I CANNOT make a decision today. When if fact we have made a decision, we have chosen to do nothing about it.

We all need to have a purpose, a reason to do what we have chosen to do in life this common need is what makes us all human beings. We need an identity, a connection to others and we need validation along with encouragement and good advice. This is a major hurdle for all teenagers and young adults who bounce from one thing to another based on the current flow of thinking by their peers and TMZ. Becoming an addict to Facebook or heightens the need to be belong or be connected, but in social media you do not have to confront others unless you want to do so. The other hazard to this identity crisis is making poor choices that could quite possibly ruin their life down the road.

My rule of thumb is to do good even when it is not popular. Do good when the rain pours down or the sun is in abundance and dances all around you. Do good even when others take your act of kindness and treat it like garbage. Remember that there is goodness all around you even on dark days and you feel hard pressed to the floor and cannot get up again as quickly as you would like to do so.
“When life knocks you down, learn how to land on your back. Because if you can look UP, you can get UP.” — Les Brown

Probably one of the best lessons I have learned is that I DO NOT have to listen to negative thought patterns. It is my choice to do so but instead I can replace these unwanted messages with something good. Not only is good positive energy good for me, it is of benefit to others. Whether we choose to believe it or not what we have inside of us, we spread onto others we come in contact with. Think of it as the common cold, so I choose to erase negative thoughts and not act upon them by becoming absorbed with the good things in life.

Not only just today but each and every day, I am GRATEFUL for:

1) A quiet but happy mind that remains curious and can create ideas beyond my wildest dreams.

2) The burning desire to make a difference in the lives of others, if just for a moment by my actions I can ease
the pressure of their inner pain and replace it with a smile. Show forgiveness and look for reasons to do an
unexpected good deed or speak a kind word with reckless abandonment.

3) Acknowledge the fact that there are truly good things happening all around us, be able to embrace them and
welcome them into my heart and life. The strength to confront all of my fears and accept my failures and grow
from within.

4) Always be willing to gain a piece of knowledge and use it. Never becoming completely satisified with what I was
able to accomplish yesterday because today is a whole new day. Recognize my faith in God because he will
never leave or forsake me. Always being proud of who I am as an individual and knowing that I AM ENOUGH
and I can reach my dreams.

My enjoyment of music began as a small kid with a transistor radio trying to find a good nights sleep in a violent household. From there I took up playing the trumpet and writing simple tunes to soothe my troubled heart which is still a part of me today. I have a very extensive library of music and my hunger for music knows no barrier other than hip-hop or outrageous rap.

It was not uncommon for me to join in on ‘open mic’ shows and I truly enjoy this.

Classical music is my drive to work inspiration and then from there it is college radio stations that play an assortment of bluegrass, jazz, blues and sounds that have no catalog name assigned for them.

For me music has the audio effect of photo alubums and I am always utterly amazed at how I can remember a moment in time so clearly.

My daughters are expanding their view of music stepping out beyond the local radio stations and finding the music I so enjoy being inserted into the movie soundtrack of popular features today.

Several RED flags of caution have gone up when I read your reply, Alex… After two months of being employed as a bar waitress, a job that requires a good set of people skills and a bubbily personality if you are going to make good tips; the process is still new. In my opinion the development of a personal relationship with a new boss is too much pressure for a young lady such as yourself. BEFORE you even take another step, I recommend you set limits and be honest with yourself about doing so. Talk to your boss and be firm and DIRECT, leave no room for any doubt about your feelings and the limits you have created. Having surges of sexual tension rise up is not uncommon especially when you are a delicate flower. Cherish your purity and make wise choices and never ever allow others to do it for YOU, because they may not have your best interest at heart. Bad choices have a ripple effect that can crush you over a long period of time. “Or should I not even bother since its taboo and doomed from the start?”

It is extremely wise for you to admit that you have troubled feelings, these feelings are warning signs and if you choose to wiz on by them and close your eyes to them difficult hours will be your reality. Know also that you are not a pioneer, others have also been in your shoes and you can learn from them even when they did not choose wisely. Listen carefully to the words and actions of wise people.

I highly recommend that you move the direction of your energy in a better direction and truly enjoy the days of your youth. Enjoy being the Lady Alex because there is only one YOU. Spread your wings soar in the skies above, learn how to uncover the true joys of life, dicover the inner you and have fun doing so.

Be well and life TODAY to the fullness and always dream of good things that are about to happen…!

Anytime you are in a relationship casual or otherwise and there is a breakdown with open honest communication it becomes a game of tug-a-war. Never ever regret telling your bf your deep feelings about trust, do not settle for anything that is not good for YOU. My heart knows how you feel, been there done that and even bought the t-shirt. In my honest opinion your bf is not ready to commit and wants to do as he pleases. YOU must do what is good for YOU and never ever regret it. My very best to you.