Thursday Thoughts & Memes

I've been (and now nearly the whole family too has) been seeing Susan at the Family Guidance Center. She's a Christian therapist there--I didn't realize it at first because she didn't really share much of her spiritual side until I began talking about my faith. Anyway, that's not the point of my thoughts right now. The point is that even when you've prayed about and seen a therapist for issues you thought you'd conquered years ago they can still come back and bite you in the butt years later. I asked Susan about that and she says one reason why is because issues can come back when you hit a new developmental stage in your life.

Rats. And I thought I'd dealt with all of it. Here we go again. I've been diagnosed with panic attack disorder and chronic depression. Dr. Layne says he believes I have a mood disorder going on too which doesn't surprise me. I'm also not surprised to hear Susan say it's PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). PTSD can affect anyone who's had trauma, not just war veterans. There was a lot of trauma in the house when I was growing up although no one would've ever believed it if they were outside looking in.

Well, so I'm going to roll up my sleeves and work on these issues again with Susan. This time when I pray, I know it's not just me and TB doing it but Susan too. That's comforting.

Memes for today:

Thursday Thunks


This week we will answer some crazy questions brought to you by Berleen, the color Blood red and the number 31.

1. So Halloween is this weekend, if you haven't heard. Are you gonna open your doors up or not? I'm not ... Kristin is. She's going to be home handing out candy while TB and I participate at Truck'n'Treat at our church.

2. You better open 'em cuz I'm coming... what are you putting in my treat bag? Baby Ruths, Butterfingers, Nestle's crunch, or a bag of pretzels

3. Since October is the bestest month for television (well for cable & dish subscribers it is) and there is a horror movie on at any given time of the day - are you sick of them yet? No--I haven't watched any!

4. Which one of those movies can you watch over & over again? Psycho--horror doesn't get any more suspenseful than that!

5. Tell us about a Halloween scare you've had.... Way back in the day of the dinosaur--er, the 60's--we used to go trick-or-treating in my grandma's neighborhood. Sometimes we'd get invited into one of the houses. So my brother and I were invited in and there was a witch (a neighbor in costume) behind the door who cackled at us as she offered a bowl of candy. We took off running and my father had to run like the dickens to catch up with us!

6. Did you watch the old Casper cartoons when you were a youngin? Well, back then they weren't old I suppose, but I'm sure you still understand my question. Of course!

7. Have you ever found a four-leaf clover? Nope

8. Haunted Houses... you know, the kinds you pay to get in and they chase you with chainsaws and severed heads.... do you like 'em? When I was a teenager and young adult, I did

9. Do you use cute cartoon type wrapping paper for Christmas presents or the not cutesy paper? Or are you one of those gift card and/or gift bag people? I use cute cartoon paper for the grandkids. :)

10. How long do boiled eggs need to stay in the boiling water before they become hard boiled eggs? Depends how you're making them. If I make them, 4 minutes (the eggs are in the water from the beginning). Six minutes if TB is making them (the water is already boiling and he gently slips them into the pan).

11. Jason is coming in through your front door... Freddy is coming through your back door... zombies are at every window of the house and Norman Bates is calling to invite you to dinner... what do you do? Pray

12. Did you know that the scariest part of Halloween is giving all of your Reeses Peanut Butter Cups away? Oh absolutely, that's why I'm not handing them out! ;)

13a. If you were to play a part of a haunted house (not the ghosts in the attic kind), what would you want to be? You mean like a person-like thing? I'd be the witch behind the door. You mean a piece of furniture? I'd be the creaky door.

13b. Have you ever played a part in a haunted house? When I was 12 my brother and I made a home-made haunted house. It was soooo lame but a lot of fun!

14. If Thursday Thunks had a Halloween party, what do you think Kimber & Berleen would come dressed as? I'm new to the meme so I have no clue!

15. Do you cook a turkey for Thanksgiving? Yes although my son's taken on that responsibility now thanks to his admiration for Alton Brown. My son makes the best. turkey. ever.

16. Have you ever read a book that scared the pants off of you? Yes!

17. Whats the predicted high temperature for today? 57

18. Have you ever howled at the moon? LOL, not sober!

19.You are in an alley and a werewolf and a vampire are coming at you - one of them has to win. Which one do you want to bite you? Well...I can make a cross with my fingers so I guess it's the werewolf!

ThreeX Thursday

1. Does your mom live close? Have you see her lately? Do you talk to her on a semi-regular basis? Yes, she lives close. She's in the house, living with us! I saw her at lunch time and talked with her then.

2. How about dad? Talked to him lately? How’s your relationship with him? Sadly, my dad died in August. My relationship with him was ... complicated.

3. Are there any other family members that you are close with? If so, who and why? If not, is there at least someone in your life that you can rely on? I feel close with lots of family members and I know I can rely on TB and after him, other members of my family. :)



Something I’ve been thinking about lately: “What words/phrases in a blurb make a book irresistible? What words/phrases will make you put the book back down immediately?”

It's easier for me to explain why I put a book back down immediately. I don't like to read formula books (i.e. detective) or romance stories. As soon as I see the word detective or investigator, the book goes down. The same thing happens if it hints of romance--like, young woman with 3 kids loses husband, moves to a new town, meets obnoxious contractor working on her new house. Bam! Down it goes. Sometimes I'll put the book down as soon as I get a good look at the author's name because of the genre they write in.

Books I'll open up and browse through:

They're "different" in that the hero/heroine is unique or has an unusual problem to handle. One example of a book I browsed further and then read is Stones From the River. Excellent book!

Maybe it's about a time travelling heroine--i.e., Outlander. I'll overlook the romance because there's enough other interesting and thrilling parts of the story.

I usually enjoy historical fiction so sometimes I'm hooked by the time period. Paradise Alley centered on a group of characters experiencing the anti-draft rioting in NYC back in 1863 (or was it 1862, duh!).