Then and Now.....

(No blogging yesterday cause I was painting at my mother-in-laws)

I was looking thru a stack of old National Geographic magazines at work yesterday and came across one from Sept. 1980. The ads were kinda funny. There was one of a Smith-Corona typewriter stating: "The only electric portable that is still actually manufactured by an American company. No one else makes our machines for us." There was one advertising the Standard Oil Company. "There's alot of American oil and natural gas out there just waiting for drill bits like these to come and find them." The Minolta and Cannon cameras looked kinda cool except the people's hairstyles and clothing looked dated.

The 2 stories I found the most interesting were about Saudi Arabia and Islam. I could see how the world has changed in 26 years and how some things haven't changed. King Khalid ruled Saudi and huge airports were just starting to be built there. The Palestinian/Israeli issue was a problem. The Soviets were in Afghanistan. The Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenini was in power. Sections of Beirut were still in devastation following a civil war. There was an Israeli embassy in Egypt with the Star of David flying for the 1st time in an Arab captial. Sadat was still President of Egypt and the world had its fanatics back then too. All very interesting reading. I learned alot, but as so often happens, the more I learn, the more questions I have. I brought the magazine home cause there's several names and places I want to google.....and I'd like to know if S.A. still has the King's camel race?? I can't help but wonder what the world will be like 26 years from today??

"For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

I Feel Good!

I woke up feeling great today. Since I have to get out of bed between 3:45-4:00 in the mornings, I decided going to bed at 10:00 (or later) at night just wasn't getting it. I always hear you're supposed to get 8 hours of sleep, excercise, eat right, blah, blah, blah. Who cares. For an experiment I set my bedtime goal at 8:00 or 8:30. Amazing, I was in bed before the clock said 9:00. I've always been lazy about going to bed. Not that I hvae a good reason not to go to bed.....I just don't do it. Anyway, after getting almost 7 hours of sleep I felt so good this morning, I'm gonna try to do this every night. I even looked better too. Was that really me in the mirror? I hadn't even put my make-up on yet and I didn't look like total crap like usual.

Now about the excercise part.....I have wanted a treadmill for years. I always have an excuse for not walking outside. It's raining, too cold, too hot, too dark, on and on. I do walk outside but I can't get myself to do it on a regular basis. Well, this summer my husband bought me a treadmill. Ok.....he charged it. It's not the best or fanciest one but it does what I want it to do. There's rarely a day I miss walking/jogging between 1-3 miles. I feel great by the time I get off it.

Now about the "eating right" part. If I could hire a full time housekeeper or a cook, it would be the cook. I don't eat alot of junk food but I do like pizza. If I had my own private cook.....like Oprah...well, I guess she's not a good example. Anyway, I do eat an apple every day.....just because I love them, not because they're good for me. Like the saying goes, "an apple a day keeps the dr. away."

I know it's not always easy to do things that are healthy for you. Several of my friends work 2 jobs. There's no way they can get all the sleep they need. And excercising...laying their head on a pillow is all the excercise they'd like to have. But there is one thing you can do, and it will be the hardest one of all. Yep, stop smoking. I know you've heard all the lectures and reasons to quit, but c'mon.....do it for yourself this time.

I'M BACCCCCCCCKKKK!

Starting today I'm back on my other schedule at work. That means I have less to do at work, which means hopefully I'll be blogging more. I've never been a great writer. Not stories, poems, letters, or even e-mails.....as all my friends can tell you. But the main reason I started this blog was to give my friends a glimpse of my country, culture, and my life living in a small town in the United States. Ok...so I live outside of town in the woods.....but it's close enough.

I read a variety of different blogs. Most are just ordinary people (at least I think they are) writing down their thoughts and views. Most of the ones I read are from the Middle East.....maybe that's because most of my on-line friends are from the Middle East. Their lives and cultures are so different than mine, but I find that most people are basically the same inside.....wanting and needing the same things.....no matter where they live or how they live. Some of the blogs I read are anti-American but I find myself reading them anyway. It's interesting to read what they're thinking and the reasons why they hate me and my country. Whether I agree with them or not, we all live together on this planet called Earth and it would be great if we could all get along for the few years we're here.

A few of the blogs I read are written by Americans living in different parts of the U.S. The U.S. is a giantic place and there's a tremendous amount of diversity within our borders. I'm sure I would be correct in assuming we're the most diverse country in the world. Different races, religion, accents.....you name it....we got it. That's just one of the reasons I love my country. People are free to worship the way they want.....or not worship at all. There are at least 4 different denomination of churchs in my small town. In a nearby larger town there are places for Muslims, Jews, and other religions to assemble too.

Yes, I'm proud of my country. Everyone should be proud of their country. Look around and find things to be proud of in your country. Maybe it's the people, or your history or maybe how far your people have advanced. If you can't find anything to be proud of in your country, then it's time to stand up and start changing things. I'm not saying America is perfect.....no country is. But there's lots and lots to be proud of and I hope you can say that about your country too.