2021 Year In Review

Year In Review

As 2022 picks up I begin to do my yearly reflection. The ups and downs, the changes, struggles and all. It was a pretty good year through it all. Sometimes while in the various situations it might not have looked like it.

I started the year out with Covid. Was out and quarantined for about a month. Thankfully no hospital or medication needed. Other than I’m on an inhaler now for as needed use I’ve recovered fairly well. I don’t know about y’all but I was surprised we entered a second year in the pandemic. I’m even more shocked we are quickly approaching a third year.

I’ve learned that while a lot of things change over time, others stay the same. Each has its own pros and cons.  For the most part I embrace change, especially when it’s for the good. Most of the changes I went through during the great were positive changes. Even the ones that were not so positive I learned a lot from them.

I left a toxic job with Wal-Mart. That’s an entire different topic of discussion.  I did find an awesome work from home job.  I’ve been at my job for about ten months now. Yes, I clown sometimes about how slow some of them are, have a few rough days here and there. Nothing is perfect.

During this time I’ve learned so much and have been able to support a number of companies. There are many advantages and disadvantages you working from home. For me, the pros outweigh the cons.

My circle one friends have gotten smaller. The ones that I’ve retained I’ve grown closer to. We have an understanding and respect the differences of each other. We support each other endeavors, ups and downs and just being there for each other.

Even though my travel was limited because of my new job, I did a number of virtual tours that were amazing. I hate I didn’t go to Utah to see my friends there, but my best friend did make a trip here to pick up a new puppy. Now my question is, do I want a summer visit out or an end of the year visit for New Year’s.

This year will be all about planning a move, planning a visit to see my sister and my best friend. I will be focusing on growing my business and trying to do an encore fashion show for October for Breast Cancer awareness month!

I do have a few challenges in place for this year too. There’s a few I’ll be doing for my business of course. Complete my 365 days of reading on April 20th. I started the year at 256. Whew!

So there you have it. A reflection of 2021 and a look ahead at 2022. What are some of your plans for 2022?

I Want (poem)

I want to be your woman
Not just your girlfriend
I want to build with you
Not just hang out with you
Going nowhere fast
Reminiscing about the yester-years
I want to move towards a future
Something bright and cheerful
Discover who we’ll be tomorrow
Not who we were then
After all we lived that already
Don’t get me wrong
Those were good times
Learned and lived to see another day
Those past experiences
Were a staple in the education of life
Now I want to take the past
And take the present
To create an amazing future
And discover the art of love
I want you
Yet
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.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I won’t wait to step into my future
The question remains
Will you be with me
Or left behind

Quiet Storm ⚡ December 2021

A-Z (Fun)

A-Z

This was originally done to see how much I’ve changed since this was originally done in 2009. I was surprised.

Here we go:

A – Age: 45

B – Bed size: Queen

C – Chore you hate: Ironing

D – Dad’s Name: L****

E – Essential start your day item: Prayer

F – Favorite food: Italian

G – Gold or Silver: Sliver or Gunmetal

H – Height: 5’8″

I – Instruments you play(ed): none, tried learning the drums

J – Job title: CEO, Licensed Insurance Agent

K – Kid(s): none

L – Living arrangements: rent

M – Moms name : E****

N – Nicknames: ‘Shawn, M-Squared, Boss Lady

O – Overnight hospital stay: a few

P – Pet Peeve: Lies and disrespect

Q – Quotes you like: “Show no fear, look directly in the eye” will always be a favorite.

R – Right or left handed: Right

S – Siblings: 2 sisters, 3 if you count my best friend

T – Time you wake up: Depends on what’s going on

V – Vegetable you dislike: peas (really most of them)

W – Ways you run late: sidetracked with business ideas, reading

X-rays you’ve had: Whom, where to start…..

Y – Yummy food you make: Spaghetti is always a favorite. Ranch Crockpot Pork chops or chicken

Z – Zodiac: Sagittarius

The Pandemic Years

Pandemic Years

These 3 years of pandemic have taught me so much about myself and others. We always talk about getting rid of the leaves and dead branches in our lives. I’ve learned that sometimes we have re-plant the entire tree to get better roots and better results. This I’m just realizing. It was a light bulb moment for sure.  The tree was kind of like in a bucket and not growing. Now it’s being planted near other viable plants to help it grow.

As the year ended I reflected on not just this past year but also the past few years. It was like removing toxic blinders. Or better yet, I stopped taking the blue pill. I saw things how they really were. Doing that, you sometimes create an amazing hybrid.

I know some of the events I caused or even allowed to happen. I have this habit of giving people multiple chances thinking they will change, yet knowing they wouldn’t.

There’s no time like the present to make changes and fix the situation. As each year begins I see and hear the same thing. “I’m going to cut them off at me beginning of the year.”

First, why wait? Do it now. Sometimes I understand it maybe fear causing person to wait. My thought on that is, they didn’t wait until the beginning of the year to become toxic. Occasionally you may care just a bit too much or have attachment concerns.

Second do you clean your house once a year? Or do you do it often throughout the year? Negative behavior doesn’t get rewarded with ice cream and candy.

The beginning of the pandemic started right after going back to work following my surgery. I was already fed up by that point and started cutting people off. However, it wasn’t a year in that I realized I needed to make more drastic changes. Crazy that it took me getting focus to see that. Now I see one of my “roots” is deadly and needs to neutered and neutralized before causing more harm.

I love my family and close friends. Still I understand not everyone can continue on the journey with me. You know what? I’m okay with that. After all, everyone isn’t supposed to be there for a lifetime. Just as when someone falls asleep in death, we learn to move forward. This emotional death is no different, I will move forward. New roots are being planted each and everyday.

Virtual Training

Wal-Mart Training (via zoom) vs Work From Home Training

Wal-Mart:
°Knows how to stay muted
°Understands the concept of raising hands
°Understands the concept of not speaking over one another
°Always being interrupted by conversations
°Bosses want you to stay and work AFTER class
°Have to drive home after class

Work From Home:
°Don’t typically have a uniform
°Mostly uninterrupted and quiet training atmosphere
°Once class is done for the day, you’re done
°Don’t have to fight traffic
°Smaller chance of getting covid
°A lot of waiting for others to catchup
°A lot of repeated basic questions
°Many don’t understand basic tech and computer information
°Able to lay in the bed right after clocking out and on breaks
°°°°°°°PRICELESS…….

Post Covid…1 Year Later

It’s been almost two years since we’ve been in the Covid pandemic. I got Covid around Christmas 2020. That’s when I started having symptoms. I went to the urgent care two days later.

Here I am almost one year post Covid. When I say post Covid I’m referring to when I personally had Covid. It’s been an experience recovering from Covid during this year. I have what they call long Covid. While most of effects from Covid went away, there are a few I still dearth l deal with.

One of the biggest things is my respiratory issue. Doctor said my lungs look okay. Still, if I try to walk to fast or too long, or too much cardio exercise, I’m extremely winded. It has gotten a lot better since I try to do more walking cardio at home. What’s crazy is I didn’t exhibit any respiratory issues when I had Covid. It wasn’t until I went back to work. At the time I was working at Wal-Mart in a supervisory role. At first I thought it was because I was out of work for month. It didn’t get better. So my gave me two inhalers.

For those three months I made sure one was on me at all times and was using it fairly regular. I was still able to get 10,000 – 12,000 steps a day. Still this was too much. Now that I work from home and do short walking cardio I feel better. I still need to use or sometimes, but not nearly as much.

The other issue I still get is those powerful migraine like headaches. Those I did have a lot with Covid and the first few months after. Now a year later, I get them, but not as often. I can tell the difference from a regular headache and that Covid headache.

Even with all these issues I’m still grateful it wasn’t worse. With Covid still out there, I try to make I’m protected so I can protect my family. While it’s still possible to Covid, I hope I don’t. Granted I don’t go to many places already, but I don’t want to be forced to quarantine again if I don’t have to.

Have you had Covid? How long ago was it? How are you recovering or recovered? I want to hear from you.

What Not To Do When Using Video Conference

Using video conference for meetings is not new.  It’s been around for a long while.  We know it’s being used now more than ever due to t the Covid pandemic. It has been something that has proved extremely useful.

When using a web conference tool or app,  we can get a little lax. There are some areas you most definitely need not to be too lax. This would include, but not limited to work, school and church.  Today I want to talk about work.

When it comes to work you are expected to be professional no matter what. Right? Even more so if you are a supervisor. While this list is not all inclusive, you’d think some if not all was common sense. Yet, here we are. Here are my top eight list.

• Make the bed if it’s thing to be visible in the camera. I get we are working from home a lot more than ever before and we love our comfort. As a supervisor you are setting an example. I don’t make my bed everyday, but my office isn’t in my bedroom.
• Use the manners you should have been taught.  We hear EVERYTHING when you’re not muted. The constant burping and saying excuse me, unprofessional. Trying to teach while eating, unprofessional. Learn your manners if you were not taught.
• When you’re given instructions, pay attention and follow along. There’s nothing worse than holding 20 plus people up because you were not paying attention.
• Be able to accept constructive criticism. This goes for the leader and the team/class. To learn is to grow.
• Be teachable. You don’t know everything. If you did you’d be perfect. Perfect you are not. Be open to doing better and getting better. Whatever the reason for the video conference, learn something to help you grow.
• Wear the proper attire. Granted most people wear shorts, pajamas, sweats and such for bottoms, that’s fine if you’re not standing with the camera on.
• Don’t sleep. You maybe tied for whatever reason, but DO NOT SLEEP. Not only is that unprofessional, but it shows a lack of respect for the instructor or leader. Stand up, g get something to drink, candy or gum. Just make sure your muted and if possible turn your camera off.
• DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT drink any kind of alcohol or smoke while working and/or while on camera.

There’s a portion of my list with my top eight. What would you add to this list?

When Comfort Is Needed

Inappropriate Responses When Comfort Is Needed

When someone is having a bad day, anxiety attack, extremely anxious, these are things NOT to say or do:

· No response – You don’t care or not important enough to bother.
· Wow – Not interested. Especially when not followed up with questions.
· Change the topic – I didn’t want to deal with this.
· Start saying how YOU deal with it –  because your way is the only way, right?
· Random suggestions – Especially when it makes it clear you don’t know the person as well as you thought.

Instead, this is what you can you do to help comfort your friend, co-worker or family member.

· Listen – Listen to what’s being said. A solution isn’t always necessary. Sometimes just a listening ear.
· Ask questions – If you don’t understand ask for clarification before offering advice.
· What can I do to help? – If you don’t know what to do, ASK. If they don’t know, fall back to listen.
· Keep your word. – If you say you can do something they need doing, DO IT. There’s nothing worse than someone who doesn’t keep their word.
· Offer your assistance in practical ways. – If you’re invited over, take food, take it the trash, cook a dish, fix something broken in the house. Do something practical if you see them.

The key is to not think and act selfishly when someone comes to you or implies they need some sort of comfort. While a lot of people may bounce back quickly, there are many who don’t bounce back fast or at all. I don’t know what goes on in individuals minds, but I do know that I don’t want to be the cause they sink further, or worse case feel there there is no way out but death. So take a moment and consider how you can help them.

F9 The Fast Saga (Review)

ATTENTION: This review will contain spoilers!

Now, disclaimer or if the way. I had been looking forward to this movie since the Superbowl! I would have conversations about this with my niece and nephew offering speculations. For me, this movie didn’t disappoint. I even watched it again to make sure. I was just as entertained.

One of the biggest questions most fans had was, how do you really explain Hahn and the brother nobody knew existed. Both of these were explained very well. Yea, I’m sure if I look deep enough I’ll find some holes in the story. With me, it’s not that serious. It didn’t take away from the movie, in my opinion anyway.

It was good to see our friends Twinkie and Sean from Tokyo Drift too. They didn’t have a lot of screen time, but very timely appearances. I love one Brian refreshes references that keeps him alive in the movies. They really did bring in a lot of people, some we haven’t seen in a while.

The action was flawless I thought. Originally I wasn’t sure what new stuff they could show us in this ninth installment. Yet, those magnets were amazing!!!! Kind of gave me flashbacks to Fast 5.

This was a decent introduction of John Cenea to the Fast and Furious family. I’m not a huge fan of his acting skills just yet. I do think he wasn’t bad and has huge potential for acting. I’m looking forward to seeing him grow.

On the flip side I was underwhelmed by Cardi B’s performance. Again, not awful, just very forgettable. I really did forget she was there until I watched it again.

I was disappointed to not see The Rock. Yes, I already knew he wasn’t going to be in it. Still I would have loved to see Hobbs and Jackob interact. His beef became our disappointment. At least my disappointment.

Overall I give this movie a high ranking. On my personal movie rating scale, this one you can still price to see at the movie theater or get the theater at home version. Dang Covid missing up my scale! This movie was able to keep my attention, not just the first time, but the second time as well. A must see!

OVERALL RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐