Are you a "look" giver?

I read this article and I had to stop and think. Do I give "the look" to the homeless? I'm trying to think back on the last homeless person I saw....I mean, truly homeless as described in the article. I never have cash or change on me so I usually don't roll down my window and give out cash, but I do try to help in other ways. I try to make regular donations to the North Texas Food Bank so that those who are in need can get the food they need for their families. But I never see those people, so again, it's hard to say if I'm a giver of "the look" or not.

This weekend, I went to Target to get some things and there was a woman standing outside asking for money. She claimed to have four children and no money to feed them. Not having any money in my wallet (cash) I went inside without really thinking twice about the woman standing outside. However, after gathering the few items that I went into the store for, I made my way over to the bread aisle, picked up a loaf and headed to the peanut butter aisle to pick up a jar of peanut butter. When I went back outside she was gone. Presumably, someone complained to management and they had to ask her to leave. I wasn't able to give her the peanut butter and bread that I bought for her so instead I've been driving it around in my car, waiting for an opportunity to give it to someone else who needs it.

I don't know if people standing on the corner are always in need. I can't ever decide if because they have brand new shoes on their feet that means they're not homeless or it means that someone gave them a new pair of shoes. But here's what I do know...I don't want to be a "look" giver. I want to treat them with compassion because it's obvious that they need it. Regardless of whether or not they're living under a bridge, the bottom line is, they're standing on a street corner asking for money. Even if they're not homeless, they're obviously in need of something even if that is a moral compass and not money or food.

~ Each of us in our own way can try to spread compassion into peopleís hearts. Western civilizations these days place great importance on filling the human 'brain' with knowledge, but no one seems to care about filling the human 'heart' with compassion.
Dalai Lama

It's the little things...right?

No big news here, but I did want to share some fun little tidbits. The bff and I have been working on our fitness and our diets by eating healthier and working out. It's been about 3 weeks and the scale has definitely seen some poundage lost, but now there are little things happening too.

I had to put a belt on a pair of jeans out of the dryer.
I had to take a link out of my watch.
Some of my shirts are starting to look way too big.

So, I guess this whole lifestyle change thing is working. That's promising! Here's hoping super skinny Tiffany returns later this year! :)

Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality.
Ralph Marston 

Can I be morally opposed to the Super Bowl??

Ugh. Yesterday's games did not go the way I wanted them to...AT ALL.
I like the Bears. I don't like the Bears when the Cowboys are still playing, but I like them otherwise. I do not like Greenbay. I don't know why, but I don't. And that's a good enough reason for me.
I used to love Ben Rothlisberger. LOVE him. And then he was accused of sexual assault not once, but twice.
I don't mind the Jets. They're okay in my book. It would have been fun for LT to come back to D/FW to practice and play in a super bowl. But it didn't turn out that way.

I'm going to be torn on who to cheer on on Super Bowl Sunday. I have moral confinements that make me want to see Ben lose terribly! I want him to be completely humiliated. I know that he was never convicted of sexual assault, but it's a little strange for two women to accuse him of it. I know that I should be more of an adult and give him the benefit of the doubt considering the law couldn't find just cause to charge him, but I'm not that mature.

So.......go Packers? Ugh. That hurts even just typing it out. At least Aaron Rodgers is cool. At least their "G" looks like my high school's. That makes it a little bit easier to stomach.

everybody was kung fu fighting.......

those cats were fast as lightning!

Okay, just kidding. But guess what blogosphere--- my sis in law is moving in! How fun is that? I think it's going to be a really good time and that we'll probably hardly even notice her. But the exciting stuff is this could be a really good time for us to bond and get to know each other a lot better! I already love her, but it'll be cool to learn more about her! I can't wait!

While I was texting her, hubs' cousin text me and asked if he could come stay with us......I said "Of course"! Mostly because last time he asked, he ended up staying in Indiana, but we'll see! It could be a really crowded house for a while!

We've got to quit giving an audience to the crazies....

Over the past few days, lots and lots of stuff has gone down.

There was a terrible shooting in Arizona.
Sarah Palin compared the media take on her to a 'blood libel'
The right wing extremes have been defending themselves against creating an environment of hate

Here's my thinking on the whole thing -- why are we giving an audience to these people? Okay, let's look at the suspected shooter.....he looks INSANE. And I would imagine that he's getting exactly what he wants right now....attention. He was a loner, right? So that means he didn't get very much attention. And the few stories I've read about his parents make me think that they probably didn't pay very much attention to him either. So...he shoots some people gets an instant national audience. Instead of focusing on the people who lost their lives, we're digging into his. He doesn't deserve it.

Dear Lord can we please stop giving a rat's ass about Sarah Palin? Her blatant misuse of words, or stupidity, is starting to get annoying. She opens her mouth and offends someone becuase she doesn't think about what's she's saying, or she really is that dumb. Comparing the media's take on her to a blood libel is just downright disrespectful. The entire idea of a blood libel is disrespectful. And for anyone (including the others who have used that term this week) to use it is a huge disgrace in my opinion. We talk about how we're fair and we appreciate our melting pot, and we respect freedom of religion, but then we blatantly offend a good portion of our population. I imagine she would feel the same way if someone compared her to Pontius Pilate and said that she not only enabled the shooting in Arizona, she ordered it. Is there any other Christian figure that we can even compare this to? Probably not because the Christians haven't been as persecuted as the Jewish people. She's just dumb and if we all quit listening to her, I think we'd get A LOT further in the journey of ridding the nation of her. Let her go back to her small Alaskan home and hide in the woods. Who cares what she does as long as she's not on the national stage anymore!

As for the right wing extremes who do not see that their comments, beliefs, and actions might be creating an environment of hate.....please someone hit them across the face. WAKE UP! A good number of people are easily influenced. Especially guys like Jared Loughner who went out on a rampage and shot at innocent people. Maybe you didn't put the gun in his hand and maybe you didn't pull the trigger, but a lot of times, the ideas that ,people have are nurtured by the people they watch or see in the celebrity world. So sure Glenn Beck, you didn't call for the hit on Rep. Giffords, but your attitude, and your more than obvious distaste for the current government sure isn't helping anything. How about you and all your friends stop talking about how much you hate the current government and start working to finding a solution to some of the problems you see? How about you work to find areas where we can compromise? Standing back and bawking at everything just makes you look stupid. Besides, the liberals aren't doing nearly as much bitching as you are, and we're not exactly happy with the current situation either. But we're WORKING on it, not just bitching about it.

So my trusted blog readers...here's what I leave you with....quit giving an audience to people who are crazy! I think that Sarah Palin and Glen Beck are intelligent people, I just think they're using their intelligence in the wrong way. Quit supporting them until they decide that they're done just standing by and bitching and they're ready to work on the problems facing Americans....like the unemployment rate, China's continued devaluing of the yen...those types of things that we would be much more successful at if we worked together instead of apart.

*steps off soap box and sighs deeply*
clearly these are just my opinions. I'm sure we can still be friends after you read this.

Hey, it's a new year!

I haven't had much to talk about lately, but here goes a shot at filling you in on some things.

1. My hubs is AMAZING. He's been really supportive these past few weeks and just has had a completely different attitude. It's fun! And because he knows that me and the bff are trying to lose weight, he's been super supportive there too and has been eating the same healthy food as me and trying to order healthy things off restaurant menus so that he doesn't tempt me with whatever he orders. It's really sweet. :)
2. The bff is incredible. We're both working to slim down and be healthier together and without her doing this with me I'm not so sure that I would be doing so well. It's a blessing!
3. I just want to take a minute to tell the world how amazing my friend Janet is. There aren't even the right words to describe her, but she is so selfless and caring that I'm constantly in awe of what is going on in her life. Everyone should have someone like her in their life because it makes you realize how much more you could/should be doing for your global community. Her generosity astounds me and I'm so thankful that she's in my life and that I can call her a friend. 
4. Colleen is starting to look preggers and little Poppy Bear will be here before we know it! I'm planning a baby shower with her sister for sometime in April and I'm so excited I just might pee on myself just for typing it out. :)

Sometimes, it helps to just type/say the things that are good in life to help you see that it's not always brussel sprouts and rain clouds. There actually is quite a lot of sunshine and daisy in the world too.

So --- I encourage you to put more sunshine and daisies in the world with me this year.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world"
Gandhi

unique new years resolutions

Because I don't want to type out serious resolutions here (in case they don't come to fruition and I look like a failure) I thought it'd be fun to share some of the weirder things I'm going to try to do/avoid this year.

• Use toilet covers more at work. (Not that the toilets are gross (our bathrooms are insane) but sometimes there's a left over.....odor. Not the poop kind either.)
• Go through closet and review wardrobe/shoes. Mostly the shoes. If they haven't been worn since before last season then I'm chunking them in a box and donating them. 
• Say the f word a whole lot less. Granted, it's completely usable in EVERY sentence ever, but it's just not classy
• Get more pedicures. They say that healthy feet lead to a healthy lifestyle....we'll see
• Do more stuff with my hair besides just pulling it back at the bangs (Today for example, it has big, wavy curls instead of my usual bouncy tight curls)
• drink more water, thus creating more fluids in the body, thus flushing out the gross stuff, thus needing to eat a lot less fiber! :)
• Avoid embarrassing situations (like being plastered at an after work function...not cute) 
• Avoid wearing jeans every day (Day 1 - success!)
• Avoid wearing flats every day (see previous bullet point about shoes. If I'm going to own them, I need to wear them)

This are all things I'm planning on doing this year, but in all seriousness, I do have one new year's resolution that I should tell you because you'll help hold me more accountable.

• Realize the value of a minute, an hour, a day and spend the year living in appreciation for every minute, hour, and day I have with my friends, husband, and family. 

Here's to you 2011! Let's hope you don't suck as bad as 2010 and that all my friends and families are blessed with happiness and health!