Current Readings...

The last 4 years, my life has been pretty chaotic.  A year and half spent with my mom suffering from lung cancer.  Two and half years spent dealing with the grief and nonsense at work.  I used to go to one or two concerts a year and read a lot of books.  That had pretty much ended until recently.

I have been reading various types of books on organizing my life and trying to "de-clutter" my home.  This past weekend, I picked up a couple of books on walking using a pedometer and dealing with toxic situations/people at work.  All have been pretty insightful.

Walk Off Weight With Your Pedometer by Jan Small goes through a workout plan where you start walking, but use a pedometer to count your steps.  The idea is to get 10,000 steps in one day.  I have one of those cheap pedometers that is not very accurate, but for a start, it will work.  Right now, I am in the phase of adjusting myself to wearing the pedometer and measuring its accuracy.  Finding the right place to wear it is a little difficult.  I try to clip it to my hip pocket, but I get measured on all sorts of movements, like coughing, sneezing.  I clipped it inside my bra, but when I wear my jacket to keep me warm, it has a tendency to not "click" on my movements.  So, I am working out the logistics for getting adjusted.  I just need to get more walking in place.

Am I the Only Sane One Working Here?:  101 Solutions for Surviving Office Insanity by Albert J. Bernstein goes through tons of scenarios regarding office life.  It has been very insightful for me to identify not only others with similar behaviors, but see where I am going wrong with handling situations.  This was definitely a good book for me to use as I have had a lot of challenges as of late at work.  I always hate having to ask someone for advice on what to do because I just like to do my work and do it to the best of my ability.

Surviving the Toxic Workplace:  Protect Yourself Against Coworkers, Bosses, and Work Environments That Can Ruin Your Day by Linnda Dure.  I am just getting into this book.  I have had it on my wishlist for a long time, so I figured now was the time to get it and perhaps obtain some good advice to make work better.

I  had been reading May Cause Miracles:  A 40 Day Guide for Subtle Changes for Radical Chance and Unlimited Happiness by Gabrielle Bernstein.  I started that journey with a friend, but managed to get through Day 20.  I saw the fear that the author described as well as having to look deep within myself.  I stopped there to do in-depth analysis about what I saw regarding me.  I learned to forgive myself of many things, but there are some things which I cannot get past.  I just felt that those things needed more time to be dealt with and according to her, that is groovy.  LOL

I guess the point in my reading the last book was to help me find some happiness where none has been in quite some time.  There is a lot of talk of gratitude and forgiveness and love.  I would love to be one of those people who you call and always sound so bright and cheery.  I have such a co-worker in Bothell, WA.  Every time I call her about something, you get this very cheery "Greetings!  How are you?"  Outside of Random Cathy, this co-worker has got to be the most cheery person I have ever come across who is truly happy all of the time.  I don't think there has ever been a time when she has come across angry or sullen.  Even when she is frustrated, she just oozes positive vibes.  It is really cool.  I think it has to do with the atmosphere in Washington state.  :-)

Today's Message From God:

Today, we believe God wants you to know that ...

there are only two ways to live your life: One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is.

Don't wait for miracles, your whole life is a miracle.

Well, the majority of people consider life a miracle and it truly is.  Before my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer, she found this magnet with the following saying:

I work hard....I don't work miracles.

She wanted the people to know that I was a hard worker and to quit expecting miracles from me.  That was not what should be expected.  She was funny.