Day 9: Your Feelings on Ageism

Good Sunday to you, dear reader. Thanks for dropping by for tonight's installment of the 30 Day Writing Challenge. Up this week: My Feelings on Ageism. Here we go!

This is actually an interesting time to be answering this question. A video recently came out that asked Millennials what they thought an old person looked like, how they acted, etc. I thought it was really interesting - but I would have done it without the exaggerated bits at the beginning. (Go watch it - it's good!)

I've always had a soft spot for older people. We lived in Yellowknife from the time I was 9 until right before I turned 12, and I volunteered at a senior citizen's complex. To this day I cherish those experiences; the people I met while there were amazing, and had stories that amazed and captivated me. I remember this one lady....she was Inuit, and almost completely blind....I used to read to her, even though her English was spotty at best. Though I didn't understand what was "wrong" with her at the time, I realize now that she was more than likely in the very late stages of dementia. Her name was Althena, and she was 103 years old. I've remembered her and her stories for 30 years. I was fascinated by her. I remember thinking about the things she must have seen in her lifetime.

Here's the thing: We're living to be much older than we once did. With advanced medicines and treatments for diseases, less smoking, more exercise, and general better quality of life on our side, it's more and more common for people to live well into their 70's and 80's. Heck, one of my best friends just celebrated her grandfather's 96th birthday with him! People are living longer, healthier lives, so I think the very notion of ageism is silly. People mature; they gain wisdom. Often in my life, the person I've gone to when it comes to life advice is 30+ years older than me - I don't believe that's a coincidence.

TL;DR: I think it's ridiculous, and that people should be embracing their ages, not being treated poorly because of them. We should be embracing the wisdom and life experience that comes with advanced age, not pretending someone is "too old" to do something.

Day 8: A Book You Loved & One You Didn't

Oooh. This is going to be a difficult post for me! Here we go!

Today's challenge is to tell you about a book I loved, and one I didn't love. There are two reasons this is going to be difficult: I have read a LOT of books I loved, and I haven't read many I didn't. I tend to like each book I read, as I get extremely engrossed in characters, etc. However, for the sake of this challenge, I've given this a LOT of thought, so I've managed to come up with a series, rather than a book.

First, though! Books I've loved, because I can't possibly choose just one:

1. Charlotte's Web: I've read this more times than I can remember. I may read it again, just because I've thought of it.
2. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - entire series: AMAZING story. I love Lisbeth Salander, and Mikael Blomkvist is fantastic. The last book was great too, which I didn't expect, seeing as how the original author didn't write it.
3. The Wheel of Time Series: Just putting this down in the list makes me want to add the entire series to my Kobo and start all over again. Rand wasn't even my favourite character in the series, which is the best part!
4. ANYTHING by Malcolm Gladwell: Literally; anything. The man is amazing.
5. The Thorn Birds: I read it for the first time when I was a teenager, and I've probably read it another 5-6 times. LOVE the story of Meggie and Ralph. 
6. The Great Gatsby: Oh, Gatsby....how wonderful you were.

A series I didn't like: The Sookie Stackhouse books. The worst part? I started off really enjoying them. At some point, though, it's like the author just went, "Mehhhh....I don't wanna." and that was basically the end of all things good and fun in the Sookie Stackhouse world.

What about you? What books did you love? Which did you not? Leave a comment!

Day 7: What Tattoos Do You Have & What Do They Mean?

I've been putting this one off, I'm not going to lie. Why? I have a LOT of tattoos. *sighs* Here we go. Day 7 of the 30 Day Writing Challenge: What Tattoos Do I Have & What Do They Mean?

Here we go, in no particular order:

1. Left arm/Hand: Myriad of Stars/Bats/Cherries/Anchor/Musical Items / What they mean: Nothing. I like them. They're fun. It's a work in progress.
   
   
   
   
2. Right arm/hand: Roses/Skulls/"LOVE" / What they mean: Life/Death. I'm a big believer in keeping things grounded and real. 
   
3. Right arm: "Veritas Aequitas"/ "Be Brazen" / What they mean: "Truth & Justice" - This speaks to me. I'd rather be honest and have integrity than ever lie. Brazen is my sister Lisa's band, and she has the same tattoo in the same place. 
   
4. Right arm: Heartbeat with Treble Clef / What it means: BFF Tattoo with my girl Melody. Hers is on her chest. 
   
5. Right calf, outside: Roses with banner that says "Caleb" / What it means: Pretty obvious - my oldest son Caleb. 
   
6. Right calf, inside: Roses/tribal, "Layne" in a petal that says "Layne" / What it means: Again, pretty obvious - my youngest son Layne. 
   
7. Upper right arm: Fallen angel, unfinished / What it means: I've often felt out of place. Like a fallen angel. 
   
8.  Outer left calf/ankle: Skull & bones in a spider's web/rose growing out of an ankh / What it means: Again, life/death. Also, the rose/ankh symbol were about fertility - I was told at 16 I'd never have kids. (SURPRISE!!) 
   
9. Left foot: Star / What it means: My sister Lacie has the same tattoo in the same place. She's my shining star. <3 
   
10. Left side of chest: Stars / What they mean: Not a thing. It was one of the first pieces Ray did, and is in desperate need of covering, but my chest is a hard place for me to have work done on, especially the left side, due to a car accident back in 2004. So this may be here for good - we shall see. 
    
11. Center of back: Lesbian Pride Penguins/Chinese Symbol for Wife / What they mean: "Wife" matches Ray's "Husband" - it's also apparently a symbol for "Love" in another language, so it works out just fine as far as I'm concerned. The penguins are my matching ink with Jenny Pants; we have the same tattoo in the same place. <3 I love that girl. <3 (Ray's gay penguin helped these come to fruition.) 
    

So there you have it. I'm a work in progress; I have a lot more coming, including one more sister-matching tattoo, as well as a matching tattoo with one of my oldest friends.

I don't believe ever piece you have has to "mean something"; I'm 100% okay with "It's art, and I love it." :)

Day 6: Someone Who Fascinates You & Why

Well HELLO there, dear readers! It is I, back for Day 6 of the 30 Day Writing Challenge! Today's topic: Someone who fascinates me - and WHY!

Now, here's the thing: I'm a people person. I always have been. People in general fascinate me - though admittedly, not always for "good" reasons. *sighs dramatically* There are some very, very....challenging....people out there. Lots of people catch my eye for lots of different reasons, so this challenge is especially difficult for me; how do I narrow it down to ONE person? DO I pick living people, or dead people? Do I pick people I actually know, or not? TOO MANY DECISIONS!! (I don't know why we're yelling!!)

So, because I'm me, I'm changing this one around a little. Here are, in no particular order, FIVE people who fascinate me, and why:

1. Adolf Hitler: Yes, I realize this isn't "PC". Don't care. I am utterly fascinated by him, and have been for as long as I can recall. Maybe it's more the "what he did" than the "who he was" thing, sure, but still. A single man somehow managed to turn an entire people into what amounted to killing machines. That, I'm sorry, is fascinating. Charisma at its' worst? Possibly so.
2. Wyatt Earp: Was he a "good guy"? Some say yes. Was he a "bad guy"? Some say yes. I started reading Encyclopedia Britannica when I was very young, as I'd often run out of books (I steamed through them like mad), and I remember having to read every single thing I could about this man and the shootout at the OK Corral. To this day, "Tombstone" is my favourite movie. "I'm your Huckleberry."
3. Anyone who has spatial thought ability: Canadian vs American Sky Wheel (of Death). I think I've said all that needs saying here, people. (If you don't know what I'm referring to here, just assume I'm an idiot without spatial thought ability and understand that if you ask Eli about this, he'll happily tell you the story, all while laughing himself sick.)
4. The Count of Monte Cristo: Imagine, just for a moment, having that kind of patience. Imagine the pure dedication to the end game. Imagine possessing the ability to live that lie. That is truly fascinating.
5. Me: I'm constantly changing; I am an entirely different person than I was even 5 years ago. I can't wait to see what's next.

Who fascinates you? Why? I want to know!

Day 5: A Place You'd Live But Have Never Visited

Welcome back, readers! Here's today's entry in the 30-Day Writing Challenge.

I had to really think about this one; I wouldn't call myself unadventurous, but the thought of moving somewhere sight-unseen is a little daunting, regardless of who you are! The answer I've come up with? San Francisco.

"But Tab!" you're thinking, "Why San Francisco? That's so....so....random!!" Well, I agree - and disagree. My first thought was New York City, truth be told. I've always wanted to go there, and by Jove, some day I'll get there! However....there's always been something about San Francisco that has somewhat called to me. Maybe it's the climate; maybe it's the culture; maybe it's just that I've watched one too many sitcoms and movies set there. I have no idea why, to tell you the truth. However, I feel like it's close enough to the ocean to satisfy the Nova Scotian in me, yet technology-savvy enough to interest me from a career standpoint. I can picture myself fitting in famously.

So what about you? Where can you imagine moving to, never having visited? Tell me!

Day 4: 10 Interesting Facts About Me

Here we go, into Day 4's post. This is such a completely arbitrary list...what I think is interesting isn't necessarily interesting to someone else, after all. However, I'll attempt to make it interesting for others, not myself. Hope it works!

1. I'm stubborn. Not just a little stubborn; I'm the kind of stubborn that means when I get something in my head, it's going to happen. I don't believe in "luck" (unless by "luck" we mean "working your ass off"), so when I get something - an idea, a goal, etc. - into my head, you can be pretty sure that eventually, it's going to happen.
2. I have very little patience for "victims" of their own life. As I mentioned above, I don't believe in "luck" - good OR bad. I believe that we all know what's best for ourselves, and that if we listen to the universe and what it's telling us, we'll be happy. This isn't to say I don't believe that bad things happen, or that people bring those things on themselves; that would be completely ludicrous to suggest. The type of "victims" I'm talking about are those who do nothing to help themselves and then lament on how "nothing ever works out" or "if it wasn't for bad luck" they'd have none. Sort yourself out, people. Get it together. Make forward movement - which actually requires TRYING. And on that note, trying something once and failing doesn't mean "it doesn't work" - it simply means you haven't found the right way to MAKE it work. Yet.
3. I have Imposter Syndrome. Don't know what that is? That's not a bad thing. Basically, somewhere in my head I feel like people are going to "find out" that I don't know what I'm doing or talking about. Logically I know that's not true - I've worked very hard to get to where I am, and I continue to do so. However....Imposter Syndrome has nothing to do with logic. Google it if you're interested.
4. I used to think I was a "Nurturer" until a very good (and smart) friend said, "Um, no. You're a Fixer." I actually cried, because I knew he was correct. I'm not the person to go to if you want a hug and to be told it'll all be okay; I'm the person who'll listen, hug you, then say, "Okay. Let's fix this!!" 
5. I collect toys. Mostly Pop! Figures, but also Marvel Select figures. I started this years ago, and at first it was only at work - my cubicle was delightful! - but then when I started working more from home, it sort of became a "thing". Also, little oddities that make my heart happy, such as the ones here: 
   
6. I'm very, very close to my family. My mother, one of my Aunts, and my two older sisters are people I cannot possibly imagine my life without - nor would I ever want to. I've been blessed with a life filled with love and support, and without these four women specifically, I'd probably be a much different person.
7. My closest friends are also like family to me. That will never change.
8. I know there's something more for me; I just haven't quite figured it out yet. Which is oddly combative with #3, I understand. Having said that...I'm currently trying to figure out what that "more" is, as I know it's time for me to do so.
9. My Sphynx, Loki Mischief, is my baby. He's wonderful, and I love him. I cannot imagine not having his little bald face wake me up every morning. If you can tell me how this face could be any sweeter, I'd love to hear it, because he just makes me melt: 
   
10. I'm engaged to one of the most amazing people I've ever met in my entire life. He's smart, funny, sweet, thoughtful, romantic, a genuinely good-hearted person, and to top it off...his crazy matches mine. I didn't expect him, and there are days when I'm still completely amazed that he exists. He's sort of awesome. :) (Plus, and I know I may be biased here, but whatever, he's super easy on the eyes. :D )
    

Well, there you go. 10 things about me that I feel are interesting. I hope you enjoyed them!

Day 3: My First Love & First Kiss

So some of you know that I'm doing this whole "30 Day Writing Challenge" thing, and while I'm not doing it daily (I just can't find the discipline!), I AM doing it. Truth be told, I've been putting Day 3 off, because I didn't want to think about it.

So here's my third. Of 30. *sighs* I'll get there. I will.

I'm going to start with my first kiss, because it came WELL before my first love. I was 13. It was at a school dance. It was with a guy who I went to school with. I'd had a crush on him since, well, forever. And I remember that for some reason, he was sitting on my lap - and that was totally okay. Weird....I guess because I was always overweight, I just accepted some things for what they were and left it at that. This was one of those things. Anyway, I remember blushing like crazy afterward, because *gasp* people SAW!! Funny isn't it? At 13, that was a "big deal". So yeah. There you go.

My first love was later. I met him when I was 16, and quite honestly, I didn't even really like him at first. I thought he was obnoxious. (If you know me AT ALL, you'll see the irony and humor here.) I thought he was cute, but remember thinking, "Too bad he's such an idiot." Well, that idiot became my best friend. And then, little by little, I fell in love with him. I'm not naming names here, because the people who read this and knew me then will know exactly who I'm talking about, and well, his identity really doesn't matter anyway.

We had a very odd relationship. I never really knew where I stood. Was I his girlfriend? Was I not? Only he ever really knew for sure - and if I'm honest, I think even that is a stretch. I know that if I showed any sort of interest in anyone else - even saying "I really like him!" because that person was interesting, smart, etc. - MFL (my first love, in case you didn't catch that OVERTLY CLEAR acronym...) was ALL about me. When I eventually decided I'd cried enough tears over him (and I remember using those exact words to my mother...) and moved on, he acted like I betrayed him. He eventually started dating someone else, and has since married her. She's not a fan of mine; I honestly don't know why, as we knew each other from our school years (I grew up in a rural Nova Scotia area - everyone knows everyone), and up until they got together, we got along. We weren't BFFs or anything, but we got along. Anyway...I saw him last spring, for the first time in probably a decade - maybe more. It was....tense. I wanted to hug him, but I didn't; I could tell that would make him uncomfortable. He seems to be well, though, and that's all that matters.

It interests me that someone who was once my entire world is now just a memory. I remember our mothers sitting and talking about our future children. Where one was, the other was; we were each others' shadow. Now? I assume he and his wife are doing well, successful, etc. - and I truly hope they're happy. He deserves to be happy. He's a really nice person. :)