The Redhead Riter - Witty, Intelligent & Addictive: 2/1/11

Dear Secret Diary, My Orange Recipe

Dear Secret Diary,

As I walked to my car in the pouring rain, my pants got completely soaked. I'm sure that wasn't good for me because there's that almost-got-a-cold feeling inside my body.

It was a long drive, but the vision of a calm respite loomed ahead beckoning me home.

Acting like a woman gone mad, I stripped off my clothes as I walked from the front door to the shower. Turning the knob full blast, I stepped into the steamy heat letting it cascade down my aching muscles. Why does a body get so worn down?

Thoughts of work, people, undone chores, responsibilities began to leave my mind.

The foggy steam began to fill the bathroom.

Overcome with the heat, I was forced to relax as I remembered younger days when energy oozed from every cell of my body. Oh to be that young again and filled with abounding hope and the wisdom I have accumulated.

With the water trickling down my neck, I closed my eyes and willed myself to not be sick and then I sneezed. My will isn't that strong any more. I've lost so much of my oomph and I miss it. Now this overwhelming feeling of "not well" is taking over my body.

The steamy fog was so thick that everything in the bathroom started dripping moisture, so I turned off the shower and dried off with a big fluffy, white towel. Burying my face in the thickness reminded me of Mom and the wonderful mother she has been. My clothes were always ironed, delicious food prepared for each meal and the laundry always smelled clean and slightly like her perfume.

I miss those simpler days where responsibilities were few and far between.

Stepping into my olive green pajamas, thick socks and fluffy slippers I headed for the kitchen. There was only one thing I wanted and that was my Orange Concoction for Sickness.

Fill a microwave safe measuring cup or mug with 1 cup of orange juice.

Add 1- 4 teaspoons of vanilla extract.

Add the juice of 1/2 a lemon.

To cut the sharp twang, add 1- 4 teaspoons of luscious honey.

Stir. Place in a microwave for about 2 minutes or until very hot. Stir well and serve.

Wrapped in a huge blanket, I lounged on the couch sipping my Orange Concoction for Sickness. The warmth permeated from the inside out and the outside in.

Closing my eyes, I vowed only to remain still for just a few more minutes. Languishing in the quiet peacefulness and healing warmth, I contemplated how quickly life is moving and at times, it feels that it is going on without me.

Dear Secret Diary, why does time go by so fast? It seems that with each day I find another part of my body that is aging. Can this really be happening to me? I'm still young inside this flesh and bones. Can't you stop time for just a little while my dear Secret Diary?

The thoughts melded into the warmth that permeated from my body and I drifted into a very sound sleep.

Putting up a new fence around any property is a lot of hard work. It includes measuring, digging, cutting, sanding, hammering, leveling and painting all while sweating profusely. After many hours, days, weeks and sometimes months, the fence is finally completed and looks fresh.

It rains.

The sun beats down on hot summer days.

Winds blow.

Birds sit atop the fence posts.

It snows.

The elements of weather, nature and time begin to show on the fence.

At first, the fence is able to remain standing straight, but eventually it droops and slightly leans. It is during this time that the paint begins to chip, peel and pop off.

A passerby looking at the fence will have thoughts that range from pity, disgust or have the wish for a new and better fence.

The same life cycle happens to people.

We all become weathered, droop, lean and the form that used to cause others to admiringly compliment suddenly only draws quick glances. There are, after all, more beautiful people to admire.

I'm glad that everyone doesn't have that opinion, but the world today is so motivated for new and better that they are often missing the wealth of wisdom held by the older generation.

There were people who lived through the tough times of the Great Depression, the oppression of women, segregation by race, and numerous wars. Even now, I remember vinyl records, eight track tapes, black and white television, the first man walking on the moon, skateboards with wooden wheels and even life before computers.

Age is quickly becoming something that is no longer valued. The mentality is to throw it away and get a new one. With the mind set of the throw away generation, people are also becoming more and more selfish. The mantra of "Do less and get more" is rampant.

Where will it end?

What will become of the aging generation?

How can we change this prevalent attitude?

"Wrinkles should merely indicate
where the smiles have been."
~Mark Twain~

How To Make A Marquee

The word MARQUEE probably brings to mind a huge lighted board that totally grabs your attention with whatever is presented across it. Well, sometimes you need or want to do the same thing on your blog or website or you might just want to conserve space by having words, links or pictures scroll in marquee fashion.

It is really quite easy code, so let me show you how to place a marquee scroll on your blog.

1. Login to your DASHBOARD

2. Click DESIGN and PAGE ELEMENTS

3. Click on ADD A GADGET in the sidebar or you can also use this method in a post.

4. Select the blue plus sign next to HTML/JAVASCRIPT and add the code given below, then click SAVE.

That's all there is to it!

Below is an explanation of the MARQUEE HTML code and how it works.

If you want the pictures to scroll up, use the following code:

This is the type of scrolling you will see when you are finished:

You can also scroll left or right. Replace the word "up" in the code above to "left," remove all the br codes at the end of each img line and have the codes all run end to end.

Marquee HTML code

This is the type of scrolling you will get with those changes:

Woo Us To Your Blog

The last "Woo Us To Your Blog" post was about Disclosure Policy and Disclaimer Information so that you can stay out of jail! Do you remember the information and have you added one yet?

As always, attached is the weekly Linky to enter either the main URL to your site or add each post you publish throughout the week. You don't have to do anything special, just drop your link in and get a little extra exposure to your site.

Until next week's wooing post, have fun creating the marquee effect!

Men and women communicate differently especially when it relates to matters of the heart. I'm going to be really blunt ladies...Men do more and say less to express love, so don't hold your breath for those three words that make your heart beat so hard that it breaks the stitches in your bra.

Saying "I love you" is very easy for women because they are usually all wordy anyway. Men on the other hand like to fix and do things to express their love emotions.

I know all women just skimmed through that without hardly a thought and men were saying, "Yeah, this woman has got it right!" That's why I'm going to repeat myself. Men DO stuff for women to show love, devotion and commitment.

I know, I know. You want to HEAR the words. Yeah, those words are nice, but hadn't you rather hear them less frequently, but know that he is REALLY feeling love deep enough to say it?

Ways Men Say "I Love You" Without Words

Men do so many things for women that I think often go unnoticed and unappreciated. On behalf of men everywhere, I would like to list a few of the labors of love that women should take the time to notice.

Day after day, he takes out the trash. No, he doesn't wash the trashcan, but he doesn't even notice the hardened jelly and smeared peanut butter left behind from the bag that split because you over stuffed it.

The clock alarm goes off and he drags himself to a job where he makes money to help support the family.

The lawn is neatly manicured and he puts the cow manure in the flower bed so that you don't mess up your freshly manicured nails.

You crawl into the bed, plant your cold feet on his legs and all he does is suck in a deep breath.

He lets you tell him what to buy you for your birthday, anniversary and Christmas in spite of the fact that you drag him from store to store for eight hours on a Saturday that he doesn't have to work.

The car is filled with gas, the oil changed, windshield wipers smooth against the glass, and the whole car remains clean.

He buys you cards and flowers even though he thinks they are a frivolous waste of money.

Tires on the car are filled with the correct amount of air and the little black caps cover the spot where air is put into the tire.

He checks the house when you are scared of a strange noise that you know must be a burglar.

When you are giving birth to his children, he provides emotional support while you scream, "It is all your fault!"

He always says that you are beautiful. Yes, he says it more when he wants to make passionate love to you, but he wants to make love to YOU. Don't forgot that part.

The next time you feel a little low or unloved because you need to hear the words of emotion, all you have to do is ask him. A man wants to please his spouse, so give him the benefit of the doubt. As long as you don't expect to hear it every hour, he will oblige and say, "Olive you."

Give Me Sugar...Art

Is it possible to think of sugar as art?

Sugar is the crystalline substance that tastes ever so sweet and gives me quite the high when consumed in great amounts. Scientifically, sugar consists of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen which looks something like this...

However, we don't usually think of sugar in molecules. I also don't think of sugar the same way as Brendan Jamison who is an artist that creates sculptures using sugar cubes.

Swee-e-e-et!

I perused his website and discovered that he was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1979. He obtained a BA Honours degree in Fine and Applied Arts in 2002. Shortly thereafter, in 2004, he obtained a Master of Fine Art. His artwork is now world renowned and growing in popularity.

Brendan Jamison

commissioned by CAMRON on behalf of NEO Bankside

Sugar Walk commissioned by Fitzrovia Group/Bradkeel Developments

I bet you'll never look at that little white sugar cube the same again.

"A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him I may think aloud. I am arrived at last in the presence of a man so real and equal, that I may drop even those undermost garments of dissimulation, courtesy, and second thought, which men never put off, and may deal with him with the simplicity and wholeness with which one chemical atom meets another."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

Sincerity is honest, pure, earnest, genuine and real while being free of deceit, hypocrisy, or falseness.

That is a tall emotional order for someone to fulfill or is it?

I've had a really good friend for several years and we have supported each other during difficult life experiences. This relationship has been kind, undemanding, easy and filled with sincerity.

How can you be a sincere person?

Be real at all times. Do not wear a false mask meaning be who you really are with everyone. You are not any better than anyone else, so don't act arrogant. Putting on a big act is hard to keep up and it prevents that close bond you could otherwise develop.

Give without expectation of anything returned. I was just talking to Mom about this very thing tonight. She said, "I have been of service to others because I want to and not because I expected anything back from them." That pretty much sums it up.

No blankets. Do not wrap your heart in a huge blanket of protection so that nothing can get in or come out. Be vulnerable. Exposed. Raw. In order to make that sincere connection with another person, you must let your heart be open and risk getting it hurt. There is no short cut and no other way.

No comparisons. You are unique. You are not Elvis Presley. You are not Betty Crocker. You are not Martha Stewart. You are not George Clooney. You are not the neighbor across the street with the perfect tan. You are not the muscular life guard at the pool. Don't compare yourself to anyone else! You are as valued as everyone else and have a list of qualities that makes you as worthy of friendship and love just the same as anyone else.

Goodbye ego. Tell the truth instead of what is pleasing to the ego. This is not something I have a problem doing. As a matter of fact, I have a hard time not saying what is on my mind. If someone gives me a cookie they baked and asks, "Do you like it?" I will honestly tell them my opinion. We are close and sincere with one another right? So if I say, "The cookie tastes like chalk," you will not be offended. On the contrary, you may laugh and tell me my taste buds must have gone on strike or that you are glad I don't like them because it leaves more for everyone else. I'm not offended and you aren't offended either.

See the good. Look for the positive in people and buoy them up. Your belief in them can help them to step outside of their comfort zone and grow. Don't make things up! Be honest and sincere in your compliments.

Encouragement goes a long way. I used to tell my family, "I'm going to Heaven and I'm dragging you all with me even if you don't want to go." A bit dramatic, but I was trying to express that Heaven wouldn't be Heaven without them there to share it with me because I love them that much. Find a way to encourage others to reach their full potential and attain their hopes, goals and dreams without bossing them around (wink).

Sincerity is not selfish. As a matter of fact, sincerity is totally unselfish. Thinking of, being with, exchanging, and listening to another are unselfish acts that are filled with heart felt compassion, care and love.

Friendship. Sincere friendship. Yes, sincere friendship is priceless and void of all blankets around the heart. I hope you all get to experience that emotional kinship felt between sincere friends.

This is the weekly post where I spotlight my Rockin' Friends who are the Top Nine active participants and loyal followers in my community! If you want to be mentioned here next week, then all it takes is to come in and start chatting with everyone in my community.

With a big thank you for their participation and friendship, here are the Rockin' Friends this week in order of most participation, happily smiling next to the names of their blogs..

If you haven't checked in on my community yet, I thought I might try to entice you with a photo of what I call The Daily Chat. It is the place we all meet each day to "lean over the fence and chat" with each other. The mouse in the photo is actually animated, so click on the picture and check it out.

I really enjoy chatting with everyone in my community and think that we all enjoy the friendship and camaraderie found there each day. So I invite you to come on over and enjoy the wild, informative and fun conversations and discussions.

For everyone mentioned in the top nine this week, feel free to grab the Rockin' Friend badge below and thank you for your participation!!

Until the spotlight next week...Happy Chatting Rockin' Friends!

Don't forget to add your blog URL to the Linky at Woo Us To Your Blog and learn blogging tips that will help you have a polished blog and to increase your traffic! This week it is all about not getting sued because of the things you write about on your blog.

Until next week...Kiss your family, hug your friends and don't forget to be the friend you would like to have around.

Going to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) is not ever a fun excursion, however, this time was a little different for me. Maybe it was because it wasn't Saturday or because I didn't wait for three hours which is usually the norm.

Friday I rushed to get to the DMV and arrived ten minutes before closing. I found an empty seat and watched as the employees S-L-O-W-L-Y helped one person after the next. At 5:00 p.m. three windows closed immediately even though there was still many people left to see and assist. That aggravated me, but I decided that rather than sit and fume, I would try to find something positive or funny in the experience.

After a very short time, I had a hard time containing my laughter. So I am going to share a few of the thoughts that crossed my mind over a forty-five minute wait at the DMV. I was the next to last person helped, so that in itself was an experience!

Does everybody's pants stay in their crack all day with the person oblivious to the fact?

Doesn't all that material in their crack bother them?

How can people not pull all that material out of their crack?!!!?!!!

Obviously, this was quite perplexing to me.

I don't want my eyes to touch that thing you have to read through, so I'm never going to my license expire. I will always order it over the internet.

Too bad I hadn't been as vigilant in getting my registration renewed.

That lady is showing waaaaaaaay too much cleavage. Maybe she is going to be the DMV stripper and I'm so far out of the loop that I didn't know things have changed.

Why doesn't anyone smile?

I'm going to smile at everyone that looks at me.

Does that man realize he is rearranging his manly stuff in front of a whole room of people?

Why is it that the employees are really slow until it hits 5:00 p.m. and then they rush like crazy to get everything done after 5:00 p.m.?

16 stalls for employees to help us and only 8 working. This is as bad as Walmart.

I wonder if that DMV cop has ever had to pull his gun. It's not like someone is going to come in and say, "I'm robbing the DMV!"

It is stupid that people aren't allowed to smile in the driver's license pictures any more. Is this George Orwell's 1984?

Wow! I smiled at those two women and they just stared at me.

There are not any sexy men in this whole room. How can that be?!

I miss the eye candy of Texas men.

I wonder how long it has been since the man that just walked past me has taken a bath or used deodorant. He looks clean, but man, oh man, his odor could sink an aircraft carrier.

That girl is so young and yet her boobs are twice as big as mine. What am I doing wrong?!!!

I think I am boob obsessed.

I wonder if anyone is watching me look at her boobs. They probably think I'm perverted.

The last time I was at the DMV, the same cop had to escort a man out of the building because he was screaming and very angry.

I wish someone would make a scene because it is rather uneventful in here today.

That woman's phone call is quite boring and I know it is her husband. Does she really think that he feels all that inspired to come home to Cruella DeVille? Surely she must know that he had rather cut off his arm than listen to her go on and on about all the chores she has on "his list" for the weekend.

Should I tell the woman on the phone that she is really a witch and doesn't deserve a husband? Maybe not. I think waiting this long is making me mean.

Maybe I should just lean forward and tell her that everyone can hear her conversation and she isn't winning any points with the human race today.

Why do they call the numbers out of order? When did they start putting letters in front of the numbers. Maybe the employees really can't count.

I bet George Clooney never goes to the DMV.

I love the last picture on my post about white decorating stuff.

I'm glad I didn't go to that employee because she is adding her tape to close for the day and her money doesn't balance with her computer screen.

That boy is too young to drive. Surely he can't be 16 years old. Am I really that old now?

I wonder if anyone else in this room still has their Christmas tree up. I have got to take mine down this weekend. The neighbors must think I'm crazy as they drive by and see it lit in my front window.

Am I crazy?

I am not crazy.

What would the DMV cop do if I stood on my chair, waved this number in my hand and said really loudly, "When is it going to be my turn?!"

Okay, that would be crazy.

That man in the brown suit won't stop staring at every woman's butt that walks by or stands at the stalls being helped. I wonder if he does the same thing when his wife is with him.

I'm surprised there aren't any children in this whole room.

I wonder if people will link up to the Woo Us To Your Blog post this week. Should I start putting the words "Woo Us To Your Blog" in the title again?

Do they ever wash down these chairs? I'm glad I'm not wearing my glasses.

How many people have touched that pen today? this week? Ewww...I wish I had brought my purse instead of cramming everything in my pockets because I want to use my own pen.

I wonder what I'm going to make for dinner.

I just want to eat those cookies I baked. The pictures look so good plastered across my blog. Every time I want a cookie I can just go enjoy them in the pictures now.

Diabetes stinks.

It's not as bad as other diseases, so I should be thankful.

Is it ever going to be my turn?

That man's hair is cut crooked in the back. Do men ever look at the back of their head to check their haircuts?

I wonder if anyone in the room other than me drives 75 minutes to get their hair cut. Thomas, my hairdresser, is so worth the drive. I can't believe he has been cutting my hair for 11 years.

I can't wait to get my hair cut this weekend because it is feeling too long and hangs in my eyes.

Her heels have never been pumiced, I'm sure. She should read my blog about the importance of keeping one's heels looking good. I wish she would move a little so I could see if she is wearing a wedding ring. Oh my gosh, she is wearing a ring! She crawls in the bed next to a man with THOSE raggedy, hideous heels.

I can't believe it. Not only does she have hideous heels, her knit pants are wadded in her crack. I'm not gong to be able hold this laugh in if she doesn't hurry up and leave.

The woman has no manners at all. She just reached back, pulled all that material out of crack, shook her legs a little, pulled down her shirt, and did it all while standing in front of a room full of people.

I wonder if anyone else sits in the DMV thinking these crazy things.

Maybe I am crazy.

Yeah, I'm a crazy redhead like Lucille Ball.

Sheesh, now I hear Desi Arnez in my head saying, "You crazy redhead!"

When will it be my turn?!!! I hate waiting.

Disclosure Policy and Disclaimer Information in the wild

It is very important that you have two things on your blog to help protect you from being sued and I'm sure you don't want that to happen. Those two crucial elements of your blog would be the Disclosure Policy and the Disclaimer Information.

What is a Disclosure Policy?

Very simply put, a Disclosure Policy "discloses, reveals, imparts, makes known or divulges " that you receive compensation/financial gain or don't receive compensation/financial gain for products and/or services that you recommend or review.

To create your free Disclosure Policy without causing your brain to ache, go to Disclosure.org. The site will request a little information to identify your blog intentions and then generate the policy for you without any pain.

After it is created, download/upload it to your blog and create a link on the home page leading to it.

You can find my Disclosure Policy link at the bottom of my home page.

What is Disclaimer Information?

Since I am not licensed to offer rheumatological, dermatological, gerontological, gynecological, hematological, cardiovascular, psychological, dental, automotive, ornamental horticulture, juris doctorate, pharmacological or any other topic you can dream up in your mind, it is important for me to tell my readers that I am not an authority on anything other than being myself!

Since I am not the only person that writes on my blog, I also need to have a statement that does not hold me responsible for the comments left by my father, mother, sister, brother, daughter, son, grandfather, grandmother, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, cousin, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, ex-husband, best friend, pastor, neighbor, attorney, physician, gynecologist, photographer, accountant, beautician, massage therapist, opthamologist or anyone else that leaves me their words of wisdom.

A disclaimer denies, disowns, repudiates and renounces any claim to or connection with the comments of others plus more.

To create your free Disclaimer simply go to PriorityDigital.com. The site will request a little information to identify your blog intentions and then generate the policy for you without any hassle.

After it is created, download/upload it to your blog and create a link on the home page leading to it.

You can find my Disclaimer link at the bottom of my home page.

The 4 Things You Need On Your Blog

To recount, there are four things you need in place on your blog to protect yourself legally. Make sure you take the time to implement them and avoid being sued for something you do unintentionally. We all know that ignorance is not an excuse for breaking a law.

1. Copyright

2. Privacy Policy

3. Disclosure Policy

4. Disclaimer Information

Woo Us To Your Blog

The last "Woo Us To Your Blog" post was about How To Add A Signature To A Blog Post so that you can add a little personalized flair to the end of each post. Do you remember the information and have you added one yet?

As always, attached is the weekly Linky to enter either the main URL to your site or add each post you publish throughout the week. You don't have to do anything special, just drop your link in and get a little extra exposure to your site. If you have a product you want me to review, please send me an email too.

Until next week's wooing post, have fun creating all that legal jargon!

I've Just Gotta Sometimes

Sometimes
I'm
really,
really,
tired.

Sometimes
work
is
just
too
aggravating
and
unsatisfying.

When
I
come
home,
I
need
to
do
something
domestic.

Sometimes
like
tonight,