Thirty Days of Truths: Day 25

Day 25: The reason you believe you’re still alive today.

I often wonder the reason. I have heard people say it's because they have some big thing planned for their life, or because they haven't lived a full life...

I'm really not sure. But if I had to say there was a reason it would be my soul mate. My love. I stayed alive long enough to meet him, and I hope to share a long life with him. I know how much he needed a strong, resilient, loving woman to be a Mother to his son. He needed a partner that understood and encouraged him, and he needed a soul that matched his to share his life and great love with.

I want to be that couple who's love is so deep they pass into the next within hours of each other. I want to see our children grow up into wonderful people full of life, love and spirit.

Yes, I also want to have my dream of a novel published, read and loved...but as long as my family knows they meant more to me than any pipe dream, I feel like my life is worthy and well lived.

30 Days of Truths: Day 24

Day 24: Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)

Ok. This is all about being true. And even though I grew up in the age of tape cassettes and CDs I wasn't one to make playlists. I have one that I remember making and it was for myself. It was my nighttime music.

Not for anyone else, but for myself. So I'm not really sure if I should go ahead and make one, or just talk about the one I made for myself.

Oh wait. I take that back. I did make our lil guy Shi one when Jon and I first started dating...it was a bunch of soothing nightimey music to help him relax at bedtime. :)

So, I've made a couple.

I'll start one for the Hubs.

1: Landon Pigg: Falling in Love in a Coffee Shop
~We met at our local favorite Coffee Shop, and so naturally this song is one of "Our Songs"

2. Moldy Peaches: Anyone Else But You
~Because you are my full time best friend, and I don't see what anyone can see in anyone else but you, my love.

3. Elton John: Your Song
~You request this at our favorite Piano Bar, and anytime else it is romantic. Life is so wonderful while you're in the world...

4. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros: Home
~Because I've never loved no one more than, nothing is sweeter than, nothing pleases me more than, I've been everywhere with, and Home is when I'm alone with; YOU.

5. Dave Matthews Band: Crash
~The song is just hot and so are you.

6. Colbie Caillat: Bubbly
~You make me feel this way.
7. Michael Buble: Haven't Met You Yet
~I remember watching this video right when we met, and thinking: How many times were we just an aisle in the grocery store or a room in the coffee shop away, while living a block away from each other!?

8. Adele: Someone Like You
~Because I know all the girls that lost you are wishing they just might be lucky to find someone like you. But I got you. Lucky me! <3 <3 <3

9. Stevie Wonder: You Are the Apple of my Eye
~I think of my parents every time I hear this song, and I am reminded of how strong our love is because of those before us that showed us the way. Forever you'll stay in my soul.

10. Ellie Golding: Your Song
~We heard her version on that night. Yeah, you remember. <3


So that's my playlist....for my love. I liked this challenge. Reminders of our love. Those are always good. I am sure he can think of more. ^_^ Sorry if I forgot a few that were more meaningful.

Just a few more days! I think I can, I think I can! 

Thirty Days of Truths: Day 23

Day 23: Something you wish you had done in your life.

Getting towards the end of this challenge...it has been fun, but I really am missing posting some recipes and things I've found. I think next time I blog a challenge it needs to be more along the lines of things I would normally do.. but OK. Here I go!

When someone is talking about something they wish they had done in their life, it reminds me of an older person talking to a young'un reminiscing and encouraging the young person to be sure and follow their dreams. So let's get this straight: I'm not an old person, and I know I have lived quite suitably for a person my age and seen and have done a lot. I am not complaining about what I wish I've done and in any way remorseful of my choices or decisions. They have put me in a wonderful place and I would not want to be anywhere else right now. I love my life.

So I'm not wishing for a different place, or a different experience, no. That would mean I would not be sitting here in my favorite coffee shop with the love of my life and maybe more. It would mean I wouldn't have a sweet child that, while the pains of birth were not my own to know yet, but the joys and challenges of parenting are a wonderful experience I've been given the pleasure of knowing.

Something I do wish I had done...I've lived in another country, I've learned another language and have knowledge of a couple more. I've had good relationships and bad ones. I've had family issues to work through, and I've had the typical experiences I think make us human. Joys and fears, loves and losses, heartache and exuberance, sorrow and lust...I've worked hard and hardly at all. I've studied to ace an exam and learned the perils of failing. I've picked myself up from the depths of despair and learned to create an endless light in my life to keep me going. Romance, longing, travel, hermititude, partying....gosh. The more I think about it the more experienced I feel. So if I were to be at the end of my life and look back on the whole of my experiences...I would feel pretty fulfilled. The one thing I wish I would have done is journal more.

I recently found a few journals from when I was a bit younger. I'm still young. I know that...but it was so interesting to see my thoughts from times when it is hard to remember the daily occurrences. Hearing me talk about my friends and my family, about what made me happy then and my hopes for the future. Seeing a different person in the books of my life altogether.

So that is my one thing I wish. I wish wholeheartedly that I had written more of my memories down. I have a few from when I was in Fourth grade, more from middle school and many from high school. But college, it was rare for me to make time to journal. Maybe I can find my old stuff from myspace and facebook and make some sort of journal from that. I wasn't always as positive as I am now. I wasn't always the optimist, nor the happy-go-lucky gal I feel I am now. But one thing that rings true in my current life experience is that I've always enjoyed writing, poetry and prose. And the other thing that is still true is I think no one is ever really going to read any of my stuff either. Haha. One of my first poems I found written in my 8th grader writing, scratched out, and written in my 9th grader handwriting "Yuk! No one wants to read this!"

haha...Oh old self...current self understands. And loves your honesty. Thanks for the *cough* encouragement. Tee hee.

Thanks for reading- I'd love to see if anyone else is willing to do, or has done this challenge. Leave me a message with your thoughts! <3

<3 <3 <3 Cassie Stone
~Rolling through life to the rhythm of love...share the bliss.

Thirty Days of Truths: Day 22

Day 22: Something You Wish You Hadn’t Done In Your Life

I like to say that everything happens for a reason, and if something terrible does happen there is something to be learned from it. BUT... IF I had a wish and that wish was to take something back in my life I think it would be a moment of weakness on my part.

I had just broken up with my boyfriend of twoish years (he was a big lying, manipulative, controlling, cheating....I should have broken it off at the lying part...ti name a few of his attributes) Well I had just broken it off, and he ended up convincing me to go on one last little trip with him since we had it planned already. It was just for a day and I figured I could at least flirt with some hotties there. I know. Bad.

Well, against my better judgement I went. With a few ground rules. We weren't supposed to hang out with his friends (since they knew he was a scummy guy and helped cover his lies) we weren't there as b/f & g/f, and if we did see any of his friends we were supposed to say hi and move on. Well, of course...we ran into some of his friends and ended up hanging out with them. I was spitting mad, and made him take me home.

As we were leaving this big car show- an idiot driver tried to pull a u-turn in front of us and we tboned his big dual-lie truck going 50 miles an hour.

I ended up with a terrible concussion, a broken nose and many bruised bones (the doctor couldn't believe I didn't have more broken bones)

I missed so much work and it affected my classes quite a bit. I still wish I could take that day back. For months if I over did it I would have a nose bleed and I had such terribly swelling and bruising and cuts that I looked like a Klingon Clown with Down-syndrome for quite a while. Not to mention I couldn't wear a shirt or sweater that had to be pulled over my head for 6 or 7 months unless I wanted a nosebleed.

Of course the one thing I learned from that experience is that anybody who tells you and YES I QUOTE: "Your face is broken, not your arms and legs" in response to you asking for help with some laundry because you are in so much pain you can't even cry or sit up in bed without hyperventilating and having blood spewing grotesquely from your nose...is not somebody you want to waste your time and energy on.

Of course I did get a nice study abroad experience from the settlement from the jerk that hit us. The nice officer/sheriff that was at the scene, and witnessed the whole thing wrote him quite a few hefty tickets that proved his guilt in the matter. Thank goodness. And that trip showed me there were plenty of nicer fish in the sea!

So yea. That is definitely a day/experience/thing I wish I hadn't done in my life. Maybe I should sum it up with that set-up that first introduced me to him. Ugh.

Thirty Days of Truths: Day 21

Day 21: (scenario) Your Best Friend Is In a Car Accident and You Two Got Into a Fight An Hour Before. What Do You Do?

Um...well. As long as they are not dead- I think everything would be ok.

I'm going to be honest here, (that is the point of this Challenge thing, right?) and say that I wish I had read all of the prompts before committing. LOL But anyway...

The drama-I was never really one to play into all that drama stuff. I get enough baby-momma drama and I never really understood people playing petty games at the hopes of making themselves feel better, or whatever other silly reason.

So if there was a fight, it must have been about something serious, but if it is a friend then nothing is more serious than their being okay in a situation like this. So I would get to their side as soon as humanly possible and apologize for whatever stupid thing we fought about and continue being the good friend I should be.

Simple enough.

I need to post a few recipes. I liked those posts better anyway. LOL Maybe I should start a cooking challenge....hmmmmmmm

Okay, well. Nighty nite!

<3 <3 <3 Cassie
~Rolling through life to the rhythm of love...share the bliss.

Thirty Days of Truths: Day 20

Day 20: Your views on Drugs and Alcohol

Okay, so yes....I do agree with this statement:

...mostly. How about this statement: Just about anything can be bad if abused. Alcohol can be bad if abused. Simple as that. But it has benefits too. Same with drugs. Some natural herbs should be used as the beneficial herbs they are. I remember recently having a nice talk with Grandad about how he used to be able to get a certain green herb from the drug store. Yes, as a drug-but it was used medicinally. The History of Cannabis is interesting, to say the least.  I've also read there are many benefits from that particular herb. There must be if it is used in some forms of pharmaceutics-but those have side effects. And I really don't like taking any form of drug that has a side effect that can make a negative impact on my life. I had some extremely bad side effects from a prescription I was on a few years back, and I am quite leery of our medical fields. We workk ourselves sick, and then use that money to pay for medicine that keeps us sick? There is something wrong with that picture.

I choose life.

                                  

I think it is about education. Some people die from legal drugs, others from illegal. For the government  I think it's all about the big dollar...but that's a different discussion. Too deep for now. But yeah...

Just something to think about...

Of course, I'm not about to do something that would get myself thrown in jail (or inflict bodily harm)...so I'll stick to my alcohol. Oh wait....but aren't bath salts legal? Now THAT is messed up. No thank you. 

Yeah, I don't think the side effects are that cute.

Oh and I can't smoke anyway-my stupid asthma. So what was my point? Haha. I've never smoked a cigarette...and I don't ever plan to. I like being able to breathe.

So that's my day 20...

Thirty Days of Truths: Day 19

Day 19 : What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?

It has been quite a long week and to get into either of these topics will take more effort than I have left in me. Our lil guy has been sick for a week now, and I am just worn out. So I will sum up my thought on politics with one image...

okay, maybe two....

Either way we're not going to get the outcome we want. Politicians have too much power and the game is old and drawn out. So I guess we just have to educate ourselves the best we can and choose the lesser of the evils.

I wish it was a more uplifting post for today, but there it is! Gonna go drink some water and get some sleep.

~Cassie

Thirty Days of Truth: Day 18

Day 18: Your views on gay marriage

I know there are a lot of people who would side with me as well as many that would say my opinion is wrong.

This is my opinion, and I am not forcing it on anyone. I knew when I started this blog it was going to make a few people upset- but I cannot go through life worrying about how others feel about my thoughts and words.

So that is my disclaimer for that.

Now, with all that said...my views. They are simple as is most of what I believe. I believe we are all born to be loved. We all deserve happiness, light and love, and how we choose to create it in our own lives is our choice. Until someone's love life interferes with mine I have no say over what makes them happy. Nor do I believe should anyone else.

Now, we could go into the religious reasons, or the studies done about how homosexuality can be explained through natural selection....and the study with the rats....but that's not the issue. The issue I am being asked my opinion of is marriage.

All I know is if I loved someone and I couldn't be at their side when they were in the hospital or file taxes together or buy a home together and it be ours...it would be wrong. And I am really going to have to stop writing before I go and say something that offends someone...I really don't feel like getting into a debate over it. If you disagree, feel free to leave me a comment with a link to your views. But please don't attack mine.

I believe all you need is love, and love is all you need...and if you truly were living in love you wouldn't want to keep anyone else from sharing the joy.

Oh, and the farce about protecting Biblical Marriage...well...how many biblical heterosexual marriages end in divorce and separation? How many kids are raised with fighting parents that would be happier and would be able to give their children more stability on their own? Just a few thoughts that come to mind when I think of the place our society is in these days.

<3 <3 <3 Cassie Stone
~Rolling through life to the rhythm of love...share the bliss.

Thirty Days of Truths: Day 17

Day 17 : A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.

Oh hands down, Eckhart Tolle. I first read  The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment  it was quite an amazing experience. I already was heading down a better path in life, but his words gave me the reassurance that these thoughts I was feeling were not just thoughts, but reality.

Even tonight as I think of circumstances out of my control and try to find new ways to release the worry and find trust in myself. I am only one soul, one person doing my best. As long as I can look at myself in the mirror and know I am doing more than my best, that I am doing all that I can to take care of my family and to be sure their needs are well met, then I know, in the end, all will be well.

One quote in particular resonates in my mind always 

“The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but thought about it. Be aware of the thoughts you are thinking. Separate them from the situation, which is always neutral. It is as it is.” 

By understanding a situation and separating my thoughts from the situation I find peace, and create the happiness with in. If you give power to that which you cannot control, then misery may take over, but by stepping out of darkness and into the light, joy and peace thrive.

From inside the maze it might be hard to see the path,
but it can be easy to get through!

So this book, and author changed my perspective on happiness. It isn't a destination, but rather the journey. My journey is one of love and light, I hope you, too can find the power of now and join in on this wonderful journey!

<3 <3 <3 Cassie Stone
~Rolling through life to the rhythm of love...share the bliss.

Thirty Days of Truths: Day 16

Day 16: Someone or something you definitely could live without.

Well, let's see. Something I could definitely live without. Or someone....goodness. I didn't realize how hard these would be to think of.

Okay, something I could live without is fast food. If every fast food restaurant closed down today, even though today only has about 15 minutes left in it. I would be so very happy.

In High School it was cool to go grab a bite to eat with my friends, so that was really the only reason I ever went to fast food places then. But if I was left to my own devices I would be happy not going to them. Sure they are easy and convenient, but man. The way I feel after I eat some big greasy burger....just isn't worth it to me.

In college I hated the food at the cafeterias. I mean hated. Yes, loathed and despised. I actually got so sick because I wasn't eating enough food for my active lifestyle. I played lacrosse and worked and ran a few times a week...and a few greens and cereal just wasn't cutting it. Everything there was like walking through a fast food place. I was able to see a nutritionist on campus and prove that I could feed myself well enough to be exempt from the meal plan and that was the best thing that ever happened! I started cooking in the basement and baking and really that's when my love of food started. All because I didn't want to eat the crap that they served in the cafeterias that, to me, was just as bad as a fast food joint.

So if you are craving some fried chicken, or a nice juicy burger-come on over. I love making chicken and gravy....and Jon can grill a mean burger. Oh, and my fries...much better than those other places. And uh-there was a time when the gals at the burger joint I worked at would sing" Her milkshakes bring all the boys to the yard"

And they did. Have you ever had my Double Chocolate Blueberry Malted Peanut Butter Shake? No? I'm sorry. It is sooooooo good. Believe it or not, but this is the thirty days of truths challenge. And that is definitely the truth.

Ok, well....one minute to midnight. Gotta roll on to bed!

<3 <3 <3 Cassie Stone
~Rolling through life to the rhythm of love...share the bliss.

Thirty Days of Truths: Day 15

Day 15: Something or someone you couldn't live without because you've tried living without it

A couple years ago I might say my phone, but after working a few jobs where employers always think they should be able to get a hold of you even when you are off the clock I started to loathe having a cell phone.

I still rarely remember to take it with me-it just isn't quite the important thing it used to be, so that wouldn't be it...I would say my Hubby, but I've never tried living without him, unless you count the time  before we met, and well frankly, I don't think that time counts.

But something I couldn't live without...I would have to say my sight. And yes, I've had to live without it before.

That terrible year I was talking about on Day 13...I forgot to mention I got a staph infection in my eye from the hospital while my grandfather was there. I woke up one day and couldn't see. My left eye was milky white and my Mom wigged out. I had to have these special drops in my eyes every 30 minutes for 48 hours, then every hour for 24 hours and every 2 hours until the bottle was gone. Even in the middle of the night. And I HAD to make sure I didn't miss one dose or I would have been very lucky to get my vision back.

That was the worst thing ever. I couldn't read or write without my vision....so many things I take for granted every day. I know there are many who live without their vision, but if I lost any of my senses I would be in a different realm, and I would sorely miss it.

Vision being number one, probably hearing second, and the others tying for third...yeah. I don't even want to think about that. People who live without one or more senses are stronger than I think I could ever be. Helen Keller for sure....her story is amazing.

So that would be my thing....er things. ^_^ My senses.

Sorry it's short tonight. Need some rest.

<3 <3 <3 Cassie Stone
~Rolling through life to the rhythm of love...share the bliss.

Thirty Days of Truth: Day 14

Day 14: A Hero that has let you down (write a letter)

Okay, I can't really think of a hero hero....but this is the closest I can come to it....

Dearest Oprah,

I grew up watching your show and learning some great tips from you for a life better lived. I've enjoyed books from your club and have been entertained by many of the guests that have graced your stage. The wealth of knowledge you have shared with the world is admirable, and I respect you.

My assignment was to write a letter to a hero that has let me down. I would say you are the closest thing to a hero, other than my Mother, and Father-and they are good in those terms....as far as not being let-downs...so you come to mind.

I recently subscribed to your magazine, and was horrified at the content. While there were a few good stories, I felt the weight of commercialism and consumerism screaming from just about every page. There was even a section about affordable style...that was not affordable. I was so disappointed.

I am a modest person, living a modest life. As I would assume many of the women that read your magazine are. I was horrified at the clothing lines selected for advertising in the magazine! A $700 jacket, and some equally insanely high priced shoes come to mind first. One outfit on a page would cost more than I spend on my wardrobe in well over a year. Actually, this year I doubt I have spent $200 on my wardrobe (including stuff my husband has bought for me).

It is just that sort of message that makes this world such a difficult place for most. People are shown through advertising that they are "worth more" if they spend more on clothing and other things. That was the last thing I expected to see from a woman who tries to help people learn to live better lives through learning and living it to the fullest.

I would love to see your magazine tailored more towards the message of living well, and within your means. Rather than the message that screams "buy this, or you aren't going to be respected!"

I expected more from you and I was sad to have to cancel the magazine...more people could find happiness if they weren't running the rat race just to waste money on brands and labels. And if someone could help people to learn to live more simply-they'd sure be my hero.

Sincerely,
Cassie Stone



So yeah- that would be the gist. I would really want to say more to her. I really did respect her as a person really trying to make a difference. But that's the problem with this world. People say they want to change the world but once they attain the power to be able to, they forget their purpose and fall into the clutches of fame and fashion. A wise woman once said: “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family. Do small things with great love.” That woman is a true Hero to me, Mother Teresa~ Thank you for being the light in the world. I strive to do just that. I try to do everything with love, every small thing with great love.

Do you have a hero, that let you down? Or do you think I'm just silly for getting so worked up about the price of clothing in the magazine? I really thought I'd find something different within those pages....

Thanks for reading, I'd love to see some feedback! And let me know what challenges you are doing, or what you'd like me to do next! I'm almost to the half-way point!


<3 <3 <3 Cassie
~Rolling through life to the rhythm of love...share the bliss.