I've learned that I fail miserably at breathing. Yes, breathing. I didn't realize that I did until I went to my pulmonologist who asked, "Why are you holding your breath?" I told him that I WASN'T holding my breath, I was breathing. He said, "You THINK you're breathing but there's hardly any air coming in or going out. So, you decide - are you breathing?" I think it began when I was little. I was an allergic kind of kid. I looked at grass and I grew welts. I wheezed and sniffed and sneezed for months throughout the year. I got used to my chest hurting and to compensate for that hurt, I taught myself how to breathe, my way. So, years later, I'm told that my way is like barely living. I'm killing my lungs and my heart and preventing healthy blood flow, all because of my very own, self taught breathing style. Life has been like that for me too. I sucked at times when things got tough early in my life by just being and not doing. I thought ...

1) Bringing home a date for the first time to meet my kids doesn't break a sweat as much as him meeting my puppies for the first time. I had to warn him to wear thick socks just in case. 2) The most annoying sound in the world is someone popping their gum. The sad thing is that they don't hear themselves. 3) I cried inside when I heard about a three year old walking around in 3 inch tiger heels and callling her mom the B word. What is our world coming to? 4) Spring rain is an oxymoron, right???? 5) I have fat behind my neck that I didn't know that I had. Maybe that's why my head doesn't turn completely around. 6) Slugs are homeless snails.. Does anyone know where they lay their heads? 7) Denny's is celebrating bacon and has a maple bacon ice cream sundae...sounds interesting to me. 8) Kittens love bubbles, and dog food and opening up closets and hiding and putting their tails in your face when you're trying to sleep. Oh, and kittens also like to prete...

Sometimes it's easy to believe that there's no happy ending stories left to share but I've witnessed the love between my twin sister and my brother in law and they are a true inspiration. They've celebrate 26 years of marriage and still can say that they are the best of friends. 1) At what moment did you know that he/she was the one that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with? Syrone- We were just freshmen in high school when Michael and I first met. Within a few days, he gave me a note to that basically said that he liked me, and wanted to know if I would go with him. I thought he was a bit goofy, but after a few late night phone conversations, I agreed to “go with him.” During one of our long conversations, he started talking about how one day we would get married and have kids… I thought he was nuts since we were only 14 years old. We eventually broke up but ended up bumping into each other several years after graduation. I was shocked to see that my little,...

1) Eating yogurt with a fork is like eating jello with a spoon. Note to self, always carry a spare spoon around. 2) Just because guys have wee wees doesn't give them the reason to pull over and pee outside their car (as witnessed by moi) just because they can. 3) Dr. Seuss said, "You'll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut." So true. Do you know how many people and things were meant to be but they were passed by without a thought? I'm keeping my eyes wide open. 4) My favorite tree here in Oregon is the Saucer Magnolia. Gorgeous!! 5) Geese mate for life. Saturday, I saw a long goose walking around by his little lonesome and I actually felt tears well up in my eyes at the thought of him being alone. I decided that I'm looking for a mate for him...a la Goose Bachelor. 6) There's something about my music tastes that must be telling off on me. I know all the words to Taylor Swift's You Belong With Me. 7) I get so grossed out when guys spit....

Growing up, my dad drove quite a few VW bugs. He would drive one until there was so many miles on it, he'd trade it in for another. With a family of 5, and three girls, someone always had to sit on the hump when we went places together. You know, the "hump" where the center of the seat divides the one side of the passener seat from the other. One thing for sure - the hump wasn't the most comfy spot at all. Many times, I remember yelling a different version of "shotgun" just to be guaranteed I got a window seat. Whoever called, "I got the window" usually got one of the window seats. But, on those days when there was an extra person in the back seat, one of us had to sit in the very back - you know, the small, cramped space my sis and I called the "back back". Hard to believe that both my twin and I fit perfectly in the back back. In fact, I think it was a better seat than even the "hump". Life is like that sometimes. You get th...

1) Wearing shoes that are too tight is like being in labor with a 10 pound baby. 2) Dog poop should be used for undercover purposes. I swear that it remains invisible until the footprints are recognized on the carpet, at least 15 minutes later. 3) Peach cobbler is a special way to share my love. 4) I'm easily amused by nightcrawlers when it's raining. They crawl around like rain is the best thing since coffee grounds. 5) The best feeling in the world is to discover my writing voice once again. It's been almost three years since I wrote a poem. I had hit writer's block head on in that area. 6) My favorite word (used often) in - the last few weeks has been "oops". 7) Folks in Oregon are much more comfy in a good pair of jeans. 8) I feel guilty when I have a conversation with someone and I can't understand them because they either have a deep accent or a speech impediment. I spoke to a client in China and we carried on a conversation on the phone for 10 m...

1) I'm not a linear person. It used to be hard for me to admit but I realize that it's actually a good thing. I've learned to draw straight lines but when it comes to life, I'm more of a zigzag, squiggly kind of girl. 2) Windex works better than Raid when it comes to getting rid of ants. 3) Wasabi peas are delicious! There's just something about the spicy mixed with good. 4) You can lose a cobra although I personally think that the cobra was never lost. If it had even ended up in the parking lot, it would've swallowed a VW bug. All's well that ends well. 5) April 1st always reminds me of when my twin sis and I switched classes. We ran through the logistics so good that when it came time for the teacher to "notice", neither of them did. Before the end of class, we both announced, "April Fool's". 6) I have a hard time determining when someone is really homeless and in need of money or is just scamming people willing to hand over a bu...