Hello everyone! Yes, I know it’s been a very long time since I posted anything. Since early March, actually. Why? Because life sometimes has a way of making me so tired. Things have straightened out a bit since then. I’m at a new ‘normal’ around here.
Quick catch up, then I’ll get to this new post. Most of you will remember the health problems of the husband in the past few years. First colon cancer, got that beat as he is now officially three years cancer free! Then he had a stroke in late October of last year. He’s still getting over that one. There have been a few stays in the hospital for pneumonia here and there but he seems to be stable now. Thank goodness. Time to breath!
Life can be hard but I keep plodding along. As for me, I’ve had a terrible bout of insomnia since May. So yeah, I get kind of tired.
I’m back now. I do hope to stick around too. I don’t know how often I will post, I’m going to try for once a week and go from there. As to what I will post? Who the hell knows. We’ll see what happens.
Now, the reason for this post. Today is my birthday! Yeah, ok, keep the cheering down. I’m sixty-three today. Shit, that seems like such a big number! I hope to see sixty-four. My body feels like it’s ninety-three while my mind feels twenty-three yet. I’m young at heart people with an old woman’s outlook. Ha!
Anyway, my friend Mer had her 44th birthday last month and she came up with a post with 44 things she learned in her 44 years. So, thanks Mer, I’m stealing your idea!
Let’s get this party started!
63 Things I’ve Learned in 63 Years
- No matter how broke you are….treat yourself sometimes
- Age is a state of mind, not a number
- A pet can save your sanity
- Never just settle for a life partner, you won’t be happy and neither will they
- Accept yourself….no other opinion means more
- Drink lots of water
- Life is going to throw you some curve balls….Learn to go with it, it all works out in the end
- Getting hurt is part of life
- Don’t trust someone your dog doesn’t like!
- Life is damn short—-Live it!
- Don’t hold grudges
- If you have a life partner always have some of your own money tucked away, have your own bank account
- If there is something you’ve always wanted to do….Do it! (Unless it hurts you or someone else)
- Don’t be afraid to have your own ideas or beliefs, you don’t need to be the same as everyone else
- Don’t be afraid of growing older, some of it sucks but some of its great.
- It’s necessary for your wellbeing to say NO sometimes
- Trust your gut instinct
- Don’t do something or be someone to just please the family. They don’t live your life. You do!
- If someone lies to you…..they will keep lying to you
- Don’t be peer pressured or family pressured into having kids. If you don’t want them, don’t have them. The world will do just fine.
- Once a cheater, always a cheater. Same goes for a spouse abuser. They won’t change no matter how much you think they will.
- Act silly sometimes
- You can’t herd cats very well
- Always carry extra undies in your purse when traveling. (sorry guys, don’t know what you would do) That way when your luggage is lost you have clean undies for the next day. No one wants to put on the same undies two days in a row.
- Also, when traveling keep extra cash on your person.
- If you’re on a diet, don’t burn vanilla scented candles
- Coffee is the worlds apology for making you get out of bed
- Whoever decided grocery shopping online and delivery service was a good thing should be given an award! I love it!
- Music really does soothe the soul
- Be impulsive sometimes, it can lead to wonderful things
- Tell the people who you love that you do love them. It might be the last chance you get
- You don’t need a lot of friends
- What friends you do have, let them know you appreciate them
- Always use a grammar and spell check when writing…..saves some embarrassment
- Read different things, even if you don’t think you will like the genre, sometimes you will be pleasantly surprised
- Keep a positive attitude, it will bring about positive things in your life
- You don’t need to be religious to be a good person
- Swearing is not unladylike
- Sometimes have a resting bitch face saves you from having to actually BE a bitch
- There is nothing wrong with eating your favorite comfort food sometimes
- I love my attitude
- No matter how much advice you can give a person, they will only take what they think they need and not what they actually need
- People usually don’t want that advice anyway, they just want to vent
- I’ve learned that being unhappy with my life at times was my own fault and only I could change it
- I’m fascinated by dragonflies
- I still believe in that Christmas magic can happen
- I have a young child’s awe of Mother Nature
- I’ve learned that being the ‘quiet one’ is not a personality flaw
- I’ve come to accept that I will never be thin and that’s ok with me
- I know now that my happiness lies in me, not someone or something else
- Making a list this long is damn hard!
- I love challenging my mind. I think that’s what keeps me young
- I prefer silence over noise or talking
- You can learn a lot about someone just by observing them
- I don’t forgive easily
- I never forget either
- People are generally nice given a chance
- There are always exceptions to the rule
- I still prefer animals over people
- Trying to win approval from my mother was a lifelong difficulty and never truly achieved
- I’m hard to love but worth the effort
- If you were looking for deep, inspirational things from me you probably didn’t get it ….hahahaha
- Maybe next year I will be wiser….I’ll be older, so there is that small chance
Don’t count on it!
Well that’s a great list but I’ll warn you that when you are 64, the list will only become longer and you may not be any wiser but hopefully just as childlike so still capable of laughing at the weirdness of life….
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Oh I do hope so, Michael! Being more childlike sounds like fun! 🙂
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Works for me lol
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Happy Birthday, Jackie. Make sure you treat yourself today!!! (I couldn’t resist with that at the top of the list.)
Love the list – and cheers to Christmas magic. Thanks for the update with what you’ve been going through. Cheers to staying positive – and you must be one strong person!
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Thanks, Frank! Well, staying positive actually helps me deal with everything. As for strong….maybe.
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At least you are trying to do the best you can!
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Happy Birthday, Jackie! Here’s wishing you many more good ones! 🙂
–Michael
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Thanks, Michael! I too wish for many more good ones. 😉
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That was an astounding list and I know how hard they are. Tried and didn’t succeed. A couple made me laugh out loud, especially #27. 12 and 21 are great ! I agree with all of these. I hope you had a wonderful birthday and so many many more. You’ve got this handled. Trials are a necessary part of life and growth. I can barely manage every couple of weeks but I don’t write wonderful stories like you do. I’m just going to write mine. You inspire me. Keep it up, Kid. 🙂 Happy Birthday.
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I’m glad I inspire someone! You write pretty damn good stories, Marlene. I love reading them. Thank you! ❤
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Happy birthday! And may your list get longer and longer….
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Thanks! I hope so too…..lol
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Happy Birthday sweet Jackie. Wow, you did great on that list. I would not attempt to start on a list at my age…I would probably repeat myself and not even realize it. lol Hoping all the years ahead brings you much happiness and love. Hugs
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Thank you, Mags. I’m sure you would do just fine doing a list, but it is hard! lol Big hugs.
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So cool that you were inspired by my birthday post! I love what that happens.
Happy birthday again Jackie…some excellent wisdom!! 🙂 ❤
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Thanks, Mer! Glad you liked it 🙂
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This is such a spirited list of what you’ve learnt over the years, Jackie. So agree with the first one that we have to treat ourselves sometimes no matter how down we are…treating ourselves often makes us feel better for a moment, and we can all do with a bit of positivity. Your attitude is your attitude, and you say it so well. Be who you are and make no excuses about it. Wishing you a lovely year ahead, and hope you get over your insomnia 🙂
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Thank you, Mabel. I appreciate the kind words. 🙂
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Happy belated birthday, Jackie ❤ Sorry I have been MIA too, particularly now in September. I have been thinking of you often and 'felt' you had a birthday this month, but bummer I never paused and checked. I so agree that age is just a number, mine changed today but I intend to forget that too 🙂 Much love and many hugs from Dylan and me.
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