What is a Tar Heel, anyhow?

Tonight's championship basketball game was amazing. UNC dominated, as they have all year. It was basketball ballet. Bravo Michigan, and any team that makes it to the finals. Tar Heels RULE!

So what exactly is a Tar Heel? Well it seems that somewhere along the way some folks from North Carolina found themselves in a conflict. I am not sure of the nature of the conflict, perhaps a battle in the War Between The States or maybe something less official, IDK. Anyhow, a comment was made by the other side that the North Carolinians would not budge. They held their ground like their heels were stuck to it with tar; Tar Heels. Stubborn, unyielding, tenacious.

I am a recent transplant to North Carolina. We have only been here 3 years, and I have heard people with 20 year residency records called "newcomers". Still, to live here ya gotta be a Tar Heel.

Getting drunk for the cops

Oh this is good! Kristin my beautiful, brilliant, sexy daughter went to Colorado last week to visit her BFF Tamira. They have been friends since toddlerhood and they do bring out the best in each other.

Tam works as a dispatcher for the police department up there in the Rockies. She knows ALL the cops and ALL the perps, and who's doing what to whom in that rarified air. She is exceptional at her job and she loves it. So of course whenever she is asked to help with police training she is happy to oblige.

Well, the stars aligned in such a way that during Kristin's visit Tam had agreed to help the new police recruits learn how to conduct sobriety tests. Kristin, being the BFF (best friend forever), volunteered to join the training. So these two magnificient mommy's got drunk for the cops!

Oh, to have been a fly on the wall watching this take place would have been priceless. Both of these women are "two-drink tip overs" and they get so silly. Kristin was amazed at how impaired she was when the brethalizer test showed her alcohol level at only a moderate reading. Fortunately, a ride home was provided so the Drunken Divas could recover in the privacy of Tam's house in front of only God and family.

Watching Paint Dry, Part II; Just Get 'Er Done

Will this remodeling and moving NEVER end??? I am sorry if my impatience is showing like a black slip under a white eyelet dress but could we just get this wagon train on the trail??? I feel like I have one foot in each house at all times. If I want a cookbook...oops, it's over at the house. Need the vacuum? Well I can just about guarantee that where ever I am, the vacuum is at the other residence. Uncanny, that vacuum.

So, it seemed that all the dust created in this shift of life had settled in the living room carpeting at the new house. It was gross. Since the carpeting is only a year old there was no way I could talk the finance Department (that's Mikey) into tearing it out in favor of hard wood. I vacuumed. Mikey Vacuumed. The vacuum choked and took itself over to the other house! We decided it was time for something a little more in depth.

On my way to rent the Rug Doctor I ran into a couple girlfriends and told them what was up. They freaked out. One said "You can't shampoo your own rug. It's too hard to do. You have to rent that ugly machine and lug it home and push it around. You'll hurt yourself". Another said " You can't shampoo your own rug, you don't have time. Think about how much your time is worth. You should call a professional and have them do it".

All of these things could have been true, and maybe it was their truth and I know they had only the best intentions in mind, but I was on a mission and I had a plan. I pushed on, with their negative comments ringing in my ears, and... $25.00 and 30 minutes later I had a clean carpet, without incurring bodily injury (but I did break a sweat so it counted as cardio for the day)

Sometimes there is nothing more important than just getting the job done. Mikey is magnificient at this. He puts his head down and plows through the day's work until the job is finished. I learn from him everyday about perseverance and achieving goals. Remember, it was he turtoise who won that famous race.

Watching paint dry

There are just times when we need to step back from the intensity of the lives we lead and think about things. Maybe "think" is not the right word. "Think" implies that you will be mentally dwelling on a particular topic or issue with the intent of coming to a solution or conclusion. I am talking about the act of allowing all those thoughts we have had lately to sort of settle into their place of most usefulness, sorting themselves out into coherent patterns and meaningful action steps.

Now, maybe some people already think in linear, logical "Mr.Spock" methods, but I do not. I have a gazillion thoughts every day that interconnect and follow circuitous pathways and sometimes end up in the Roundhouse of Stored Stuff, never to be encountered again. Some of them were really good thoughts that need to be rescued and that takes meditative activities. (Now there is an oxymoron if I have ever heard one)

There is absolutely nothing better for mining lost thought gems than painting the walls. With Mikey busy on relocating doorways and plumbing, it is obvious that if I want the new kitchen any color other than primer white I should paint the walls. The minute I opened the paint can and started the process the world slowed down. There is no way to rush a paint job, and it will take a second coat, and it has to dry in between. These are laws like gravity. Flaunt them and you will pay a high price. You must surrender to the time it takes.

Now that is "The Grand AHA". Success requires that we surrender to the time it takes.

Oh, there is no "kitchen" in the kitchen yet, but... the kitchen is now purple.

Comments on Slumdog Millionaire

I had the special treat of going to the movies with my 21 year-old grandson, Brandon. We went to see Slumdog Millionaire. Yes, I recommend it; yes, it deserved Best Picture; and yes, I will watch it again.

So much impressed me, and Brandon as well. He's pretty deep for a 21 year old. There is one image, however, that is seared into my brain. It has to do with wanting things. How badly do you want....whatever? A better job, a new home, better income, good health, better relationships...whatever!

My friend and mentor, Art Jonak ( http://www.mlmplayers.com/ ) tells us that we are too comfortable. If we really wanted - REALLY WANTED - something we would go after it. I thought I knew what he meant until I saw the outhouse scene in this movie.

No one has ever wanted anything as much as that little boy wanted an autograph from his favorite movie star. He saw an opportunity and he did whatever he had to do to get what he wanted. It was an amazing scene and now I know what Art Jonak really means when he says "ya gotta really want it".

Now when one of my Vitamark Team Members ( http://www.mjo.vitamark.com/ ) tells me they want to become a Diamond Affiliate I have a new image with which to evaluate their level of want. Oh and that outhouse scene is forever burned into my own vision of what I want.

Thank you Slumdog Millionaire for so many "aha" moments, and thank you Art Jonak for all you do.

The Morganator

Those of you with grandkids will really understand this. Our 11 year old grandson, Morgan, came to spend a week with us. It was his idea, he really wanted to visit even though we have moved out of our spacious house into a small condo during construction. No yard, neighbors, close quarters, but still he wanted to come.

Here's what, as a Grandma you don't get that for too many years so ya gotta enjoy it while you can. Soon he will be way too cool for this ol' Grandma, but for now, I'm "Da' Bomb".

We had a blast doing...nothing! Who knew how much two people could laugh over simple things? We found ourselves in his bed saying goodnight, but instead giggling madly and taking pictures of each others feet with our cell phones and texting the pictures to whoever we thought might still be awake at midnight! Thank Vitamark for Limu Plus www.mjo.limuplus.com giving me the energy to keep up with Morgan.

Well, he had to go home yesterday because we were running out of food (LOL - man, can he eat!). Actually he had plans with a friend back home. I miss his energy and his wacky giggling and I can't wait to see him in Texas in September. It's his Daddy's 50th birthday party at the beach right after Vitamark's Convention (wouldn't miss that)!

WooHoo
c ya
MJo

Head 'em up; move 'em out!

Yes, it's moving time again. This will be our 5th move in 3 years! I did not know I was a nomad. Each move has been with purpose and benefitted us financially, so I am not complaining. This one feels even better.

We found the lot of our dreams. It has the seclusion, Southern exposure and out side the city limits tax assessment that Mike wants; and it is less than 2 miles from the mall...for me! Mike has drawn awesome plans and our new home will be exactly what we want.

One tiny little problem has cropped up. Our present house sold very quickly so we have to shack up in a condo for a few months while the house gets built. This is a good problem to have.

So, I am off to pack boxes and sort through stuff for storage with joy and excitement.

The best part of all this moving is that I can take my Vitamark business with me without missing a beat! Of course, everyone's favorite products, Limu Plus, Crave, Appetizer Diet Cookies, VitaOne Vitamins and everything else, are always available online at www.vitamark.com/846790

Happy Trails

MJo