Getting My Creativity Back

Port-a-Potties at Best Buy

Wrote two new pieces. I must admit I had inspiration--Black Friday happenstance and a comment from 18 year old Joshua whom I substituted for in September. Ideas take time to jell, but not this Black Friday ditty below.

I am not a Black Friday shopper, but it turned out I was hanging out with Sally and Jake on Black Friday. My car was getting new tires (actually received Black Friday discount) and we went to Best Buy so they could buy a certain item for their granddaughter.

Found out that Best Buy had people camped out Thanksgiving night (Gray Thursday) and they provided potties for their customers! I had to take a picture! I had to write new lyrics to Rocking Around the Christmas Tree. 

Waiting in line on Gray Thursday 

And is it ever cold! 

All I want is in the display 

Get it before it’s sold. 

Waiting in line on Gray Thursday

Let the big discounts be mine 

Later I’ll have some pumpkin pie 

My day off has been so fine.  

You might get a jealous feeling 

When ’er you hear 

All I got for my money 

To deck my halls to be so pretty. 

Waiting in line on Gray Thursday 

Sleeping in on Black Friday 

If I missed some big discount 

I’ll get it Cyber Monday. (Music) 

Waiting in line on Gray Thursday 

And is it ever cold 

All I want is in the display 

Get it before it’s sold. 

Waiting in line on Gray Thursday 

Let the big discounts be mine 

Later I’ll have some pumpkin pie 

My day off has been so fine.  

You seem to have some special feeling 

You say that I’ve been missing? 

Gratefulness for what makes me jolly 

Ingratitude yes ‘tis my folly.  

Thinking about what I’ve been missing 

With all these new traditions 

Ingratitude for faith and family 

Three new days of acquisitions 

Three new days of getting stuff.

I guess I am commenting on how materialistic we are becoming, so to get the bargain we sacrifice family time to wait in line for stuff.  I will share this ditty at Toastmasters like I did my snow birds piece two years ago. See HERE for Summer Wonderland that goes to the music for Winter Wonderland. That post shows celebrating my husband's 75th birthday--so glad we did that.

The occasion for the new rap topic came from Joshua, an 18 year old who said, Mrs. Johnson, write a rap about children having children. I did and it might not be politically correct as adults point out to me, but all the students I have tried it out on like it.

Think, think, think 

You think you're entitled

       Your passions are unbridled 

           You’re barely out of toys

And you’re into boys

You think you’ll be a bride 

But he took you for a ride 

‘Cause he’s given you a distortion 

Of love that’s really hormones

And you’ll have a child 

While you’re still one yourself 

That daddy’s gonna hide 

But we’ll be by your side 

And don’t get an abortion 

Think about adoption

Yes, the diapers start to stink 

All because you didn’t 

Think, think, think 

You don’t have a job 

You can’t go out and rob 

Laundry will be piled 

Welfare will be filed 

‘Cause you didn’t abstain 

And there’s little to gain 

You didn’t think think think 

Yes, it’s time to refrain 

Don’t have a child

While you’re still one yourself.

I also am enjoying rapping for strangers--for example young people who offer to take my groceries to the car. Saturday I saw the latest Hunger Games movie (students I sub for will see it) and I shared my Boredom Games rap with the young woman selling me my movie ticket. She giggled at this 70 year old rapper and I told her about my YouTube channel for MC AC The Rap Lady that is scheduled to have ten more raps up soon.

PUT A SMILE ON 
SOMEONE'S FACE 

WITH HUMOR! 

Getting My Momentum Back

Tuesday I had a lovely breakfast with Kristi who understands grieving from her own path of suffering. She is giving back however. She and her husband have taken in the husband's disabled sister and twenty-something Kristi is making the best of the situation, gradually getting her momentum back. Kristi shared Scripture with me that has helped her and suggested after discipline (doing things she didn't have the momentum to do) the feelings of wanting to take care of her home and sister-in-law came back. Here we were two women almost fifty years in age difference relishing how the LORD is helping us.

Even though it is hard, it is time I get my momentum back after being a caregiver and becoming a widow. Thankful I am able-bodied. START and the spunk will come back.

Here are my 15 momentum starter strategies and things I am thankful for: 

1. Rejoining Weight Watchers. Food still can be fun. I am in no way perfect with my diet, but enjoy the 7 am Weight Watcher group I am in. 
2. Studying my sleep patterns with the Weight Watchers Active Link.Planning 30 minute naps. See HERE. 
3. Having a week off to get things done (November 24-28) and to be there for Sally whose car is in the shop. 
4. Getting on the treadmill. Walked on the cruise and three miles at the Alzheimer's Association WALK TO END ALZHEIMER'S.
   
5. Having yard sales and very conscious of what still needs to leave the house to be able to downside for a move maybe sometime in the next ten years. Meanwhile trying to take care of business at the house including home repairs. 
6. Writing raps again. After a year of not writing raps, finally wrote one and am testing it out when I substitute teach. The topic, "children having children", was a suggestion from an 18-year-old high school boy. He wanted someone to speak up on this topic.  The students so far like it. Meanwhile very shortly ten of my recorded raps will be on YouTube to add to the other three videos. 
7. Taking the anti-depressant Paxil every three days now instead of daily as at the start. In December I will not take this anti-depressant. 
8. Giving back. I daily email other caregivers. I am tutoring Esteban. 
9. Taking time for others. Went to a movie with another widow recently. 
10. Making a list of what I am thankful for and telling people. Went out and thanked my mail lady Connie. 
11. Planning ahead for Christmas. 
12. Keeping a ridged budget and attempting to refinance the house so I can pay off credit cards.  
13. Arranging my workspace for the dissertation on caregiving. Started working on it again after months of doing nothing on it. 
14. Being able to clean the floors. (My husband used to do this for the first years of our marriage and it has been hard for me emotionally to do it.)
15. Making progress with managing grief and being thankful.