Facie’s Ramblings

Life just keeps zooming by. Not sure how it happens. Would love to slow it down (except during an awful workday or a painful conversation). But, alas, on we go. And speaking of living life, I have found a way to spend even more time on my phone (the hubby did not think that was possible). I finally replaced my iPhone 4 with an iPhone SE. It is nice to be on an operating system that came out in the current year (My 4 was still on OS 6, which was updated in 2013, just not by me). And to have actual memory on the phone (I went from 8 to 64 GB). I can have more than 12 apps! My desktop computer (on which I am typing this post) is older than a lot of grade schoolers, and I keep clinging to XP, but at least I have made technical progress somewhere! So what else? Hockey season is back. Yeah! Please just no one else hurt Sid (including Sid). The Steelers' football season kind of hit a skid with Big Ben's injury, but it ain't over yet. And Penn State beat then #2 OSU in a specta...

I miss the days of blogging regularly. Unfortunately, life gets in the way, and the little time I have for myself in the evening is often wasted on TV or the stupid smart phone. And it is way too annoying to bang out a post on a phone. I want to blog about my and the kid seeing the big yellow duck at the Point. I want to blog about the Pirates winning season, amazing wildcard win, and decent showing in the playoffs. I want to blog about the good things at work. I want to blog about some interesting bus tales now that I am a regular bus rider. I want to blog about my future career as a badminton player (wink, wink). I want to blog about little things that have made me happy. But despite the many good things in my life, sometimes there are things that just get me down and frustrate me. Things in life that disappoint me. Things that make me sad. Things I analyze and question over and over. Things that really concern me. Things that I wish there were easy or at least obvious answers for....

Do you have something or several things (not people) that you cannot imagine your life without? Or maybe there is just a thing or three that has made your life better? I have a few such things in my world, one which most people would find odd. I have this most wonderful, soft eye mask that I wear to bed every night (if I remember, I will take a picture and post tomorrow). I have thin eyelids, and light finds its way into my eyes when I am sleeping, thanks also in part to mediocre, not-dark blinds. But it goes beyond the sun, which is not even out yet when I am up most days, and includes my ridiculously bright clock. I could not, not have a clock, but at least I can block it out (and easily lift up the mask when necessary). I am not kidding you when I say that most nights, I think to myself how much I love my eye mask. Yep, it does not take much to impress me. I know some of you would say you could not live without (or at least would not like your life without) your iPhone and iPads...

One of my favorite TV lines, from one of my all-time favorite TV shows (Friends), is Ross's whiny but emphatic "But we were on a break!" Blog readers, a break is just what I am going to go on. I have no idea how long this break will last. Chances are good that something (probably Penn State-related) will come up that will lure me back to this place before too long. But my goal is to step away for awhile. This blog has helped me work through some things. This blog has let me capture some of life's events. This blog has also allowed me to get to know people. But lately I have just not been feeling it. I want to be able to say and share more, but I can't, mostly because I keep hearing my mother warning me to stop posting so much about my life. And I am trying so hard not to be negative and judgmental, but blogs seem to bring those very things out. So I bid you adieu for now, on Sidney Crosby's birthday (happy 25th!). And in case I am not back for awhi...

Over the past week or so, I had given a lot of thought as to whom I should send my next thank-you note . Joe Paterno's family crossed my mind, because he did mean something to me, and I wanted to thank his family for sharing him with so many of us. But the family has received thousands of cards, so I don't think my one card is going to mean much to them. I might still send one, but not for awhile. I also thought about sending a note to Amy over at Callapitter. Because of her, I try to treasure the moments I spend with my kid more so than I might have had I never came to know her. But that note does not feel quite right either. If I had lost my kids, I am not sure how much I would appreciate someone with children thanking me for helping her appreciating her children. So I am going to sit on the idea of that note for a bit (or maybe forever) as well. This morning I woke up to the annoyance of a fire whistle followed by several loud fire trucks. I was silently cursing them, si...

So Osama bin Laden (or Usama, if you are Fox News) was apparently taken out by the Navy Seals. I was quite surprised to wake up to that news when I turned on the TV yesterday morning. After I let it sink in for a minute and listened to the news people talk, my eyes welled up with tears. But the thing is I was not sure why I was crying. When I think of the thousands of tears I cried on 9/11 and off and on (mostly on) for weeks after, the few tears that rolled down my cheek seemed to pale in comparison. I am pro life. In pretty much every imaginable way. I know plenty of people who are pro-life when it comes to abortion, but they support capital punishment. I don't fault people for that view. In fact, it seems less contradictory than the views of people who support women's right to choose yet are against capital punishment. But this post is not to argue or even quibble about that. And if you know me at all, then you should realize I really, truly try to respect and even under...

Someone read this poem at a funeral yesterday. I seem to recall hearing it once before, but I thought it was worth sharing. You can read more about the author as well as her poems here . The Dash I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning...to the end. He noted that first came her date of birth and spoke the following date with tears, but he said what mattered most of all was the “dash” between those years. For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth. And now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth. For it matters not, how much we own; the cars...the house...the cash, what matters is how we live and love and how we spend our “dash.” So think about this long and hard... are there things you'd like to change? For you never know how much time is left, that can still be rearranged. If we could just slow down enough to consider what...

I think I am a pretty nice person overall. I don't say that in a full-of-myself sort of way, but more that I just try to be nice to people, even when they are not to me. I do not like to hurt other people's feelings. And rejecting people makes me feel uneasy. That is why I have medical records at approximately seven eye doctors, three dentists, three ob-gyns, and two family practices. I never had the heart to tell any of them that I did not like something about them and was moving on (part of the reason is the Seinfeld syndrome). Even on the few occasions when I was leaving because I or my work location moved, I could not make the call. Recently we "interviewed" two window people, and I liked both of them and their offerings. Since their prices are less than 50 bucks apart, it makes it hard to choose. The second one did show up late for the appointment, but he was very apologetic (and he did have to go through two tunnels). I wanted to get a third quote, but I dread...

In BC (before child) times, weddings were almost always fun. You were typically surrounded by numerous friends or relatives. You "got your groove on" (at least I always did). You imbibed (often over-), ate well, and generally were merry. And the occasion was happy. Two people in love, vowing to spend their life together. On that day, all seemed right. But this weekend, rather than looking forward to witnessing the joining of two people, I am instead watching two people say good-bye to their spouses. If you are keeping score, Grandpa (Brian's grandfather) died at the end of September, and his service was three weeks ago today. This week my uncle's father passed away (my uncle is married to my mom's sister, lest any of you think he is my grandfather). I had seen Glen over the years at family functions, and I know how well loved and respected he was, so I felt the loss, particularly for his family. On the very same day, Aunt Dodo, the oldest of my mom's siblings,...

Today is one of those days that makes you really appreciate the sun and just being alive. Jordan and I went to a local outdoor church festival where I got to stir a giant kettle of apple butter (which was more like applesauce at that point). Jordan sat in a fire truck. We partook in various eats and drinks, including some baked goods, a hot dog, and hot apple cider. And we just got to enjoy the beautiful fall day surrounded by members of our community. Good stuff. (And it came on the heels of a Pens and a Pitt victory, so that helped.)

On a beautiful day like today, I can marvel in/at the sunshine and warmth. I started the day at church, where mass began outside. Feeling the sun on my face and seeing so many parishioners standing around made me smile. A few hours later, I took Jordan to Frick Park, where she was content to slide down the cement slide on a piece of cardboard for over an hour and a half. I got to sit on a bench and do absolutely nothing but watch her laugh or yell out gleefully almost every time she came down. Eventually, a friend I had not seen since December stopped by, and we caught up. Sometimes I need to be reminded of the simple things in life. I get so caught up in my world. A world of worrying about money, a replacement job, and the health of my family. A world where Brian and I nit-pick each other and I let Jordan get away with too much. A world where I still feel as if I don't spend enough time with my kid (or Brian, my mom, and my siblings and their families, for that matter). A world wh...

Sometimes I click on the "Next Blog" link at the top of my blog. In my self-centered existence, I often forget that there are millions of people on this earth who have lives that are as important and meaningful to them as my (pretty boring) life is to me. Usually, when I happen upon a blog, I curse myself for not knowing another language (maybe Obama IS on to something). I have seen blogs written in about a half dozen different languages, and I have little to no idea what they say. I can probably recognize about 30 or 40 French words that have not left my memory from three years of French in high school and maybe 20 or so Spanish words thanks to Dora and Sesame Street, but that is it and that does not help much. It is weird yet cool to me to experience others' lives in this medium. I have read about numerous vacations, babies, moves, art projects, dinners, deaths, etc. My visit to one site was akin to checking out Playgirl magazine. I sometimes feel as if I know these peo...