Will it ever stop??

As some of you may know by now, a gunman walked into a coffee shop yesterday (Sunday) morning and executed 4 Lakewood police officers who were going over paperwork prior to starting their shift.  The police are still looking for the suspect, who may have been wounded by return fire from one of the officers.  There was no motive that stands out, although the suspect was out on bail and he showed signs of mental imbalance.

Is there anywhere that we can feel safe anymore??  There were other customers and a barista inside of the coffee shop yesterday morning...How has the world changed so drastically since I was a teenager??  Now, at age 38 (pushing 39) I am more fearful for not only my life as I walk into a convenience store or to get a cup of coffee than I ever was!  What about my family??  Can they feel safe??  What about our freshman son who goes to the local Tully's coffee shop after school as he waits for me to pick him up??  How safe is he going to feel everytime that door opens up?? 

Am I alone in this??  I hope to hell that I'm not! 

My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and those who are left behind to try to pick up the pieces after this senseless act...For those of you in the Tacoma, WA area, please make it a point to visit a Forza coffee shop and donate to the families that will forever have a void left in their lives....here is the link to the suspect at large...look at it...pass it along...let us try and do something to take back our sanity....and safety:

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/78106177.html

things to be thankful for....

Well....here it is...Thanksgiving time again. The door to the holidays slams open like it's your favorite (or in some cases, embarrassing) crazy-ass uncle barging onto the scene! This is a great time of year...a time to spend with family and friends.  Even though this past year has seemed pretty bleak...I think that we all have a lot to be thankful for.

I, personally, have endured a lot of losses this year....too many funerals have I attended (with yet another to go to next weekend).  Thinking about this makes me quite thankful for what I do have.  So...here is a short list for everyone:

I am thankful that I get to spend time with my family...especially my pops...he means the world to me and is to this very day a huge inspiration to me.

I am thankful for the health of my family and friends...to my friends...I apologize for not reaching out to you more...we all need to take the time to pick up the phone and say hi once in a while...that just may be in my new years resolutions.

I am thankful for being employed...too many people close to me have suffered this past year...I know what it is like and I feel your pain.  Please know that you are all in my thoughts daily...

I am thankful for my friends...you know who you are...I wouldn't be me without all of you in my life....

Since this is a short list I will only include one more....

I am thankful for you Michelle...you are my rock...you keep me sane (that may be a debatable point).  I love you more than anything in this world and you make me a better person.  I am so thankful that you are not just a part of my life...but what my world is centered around.  Thank you for loving me!

To all of you out there...please have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!  Be safe...be responsible and be thankful for what you have! 

...ahhhh....the holidays.....

So, what is it with the holidays that makes most people so fricken rude??  I know that some people are rude all of the time but there is just something about the holidays that brings out the worst in people!  It's not like this is the very first year that there have been crowds at the malls and grocery stores once the holidays hit....

Well, here I am yesterday....just trying to get my grocery shopping done for Thanksgiving.  I'm minding my own business...trying to be as polite as possible while working my way through the masses that seem to be pulling what is left of their hair out while trying to finish up their own shopping.  I'm staying off to the side...merging in and out of the aisles and apologizing when interrupting someones view of the best buys on black olives.  I get to the end of the aisle with my shopping cart and I stop to look left....then right....you know...make sure the coast is clear and I don't run anyone over.  All of a sudden....BLAM!  Some lady smashed right into the side of my cart and gives me the stink eye!  She then tells me...in not so friendly terms (unless doing certain things with your mother is acceptable in her family....) to watch where I am going and to get the ($*%&)()#_ out of the way.  I stood there for a second...looked at the lady next to me who had to pick her jaw up off of the ground and said matter of factly," Jeez...you would think we were coming up on a holiday the way people are acting..."

Can't we all just take a second...I don't think I'm asking for much...just a second and take a deep breath?  You may be feeling rushed...anxious...scatter brained...whatever but it is no reason and certainly not a license to be rude!  We are all in the same situation...fighting the same crowds....the last thing we need is to put up with jerk offs who can't control themselves and blame everyone else for whatever chaos is going on around them.....the funny thing is they usually bring it all upon themselves!  Gotta love that karma.....

OMG....is it really November????

Almost gave my self cardiac arrest the other day when I really looked at the calendar and noticed that Thanksgiving is next week!!!! Can you believe it?? It just doesn't feel like the holidays. I don't know if it is because of the economy but I have to believe that it plays a pretty big role in it. My sister and I continually express hope that 2010 has to be better...but will it?? That seems to be a pretty big wish...not sure if Santa can bring that one down the chimney! There are so many people out of work with no jobs in sight...I don't think that unemployment has hit it's lowest point yet...I am still seeing businesses go under...different ones every week...

What really needs to be done to correct the downturn that this nation has fallen in?? I don't have the answers...I have ideas and I can't even say that they are original ones! Am I stupid or does small business have to thrive again?? I know we have our struggles...and each and every one of you do as well...is there really a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel? I fear for my job every day...I have a plan so we can eventually survive without it but I just can't pick the right damn lottery numbers....j/k!!! Unfortunately plans take time to develop but at least I'm working on it.....

Please comment...send me notes...pass this along to your friends who might be interested...I'm going to try and post more often as life allows and I really want to hear your feedback...

I know I'll post again before but Happy Holidays to all.....