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My sweet corgi girl was born June 25, 2016. She would be 10 years old this year. That is amazing to me. She should still be here and sitting right next to me on my chair sleeping as I write this. I miss her dark eyes looking at me with such love.

I miss her nearly every day. Truly. Instead of focusing on her death anniversary in February, I’m going to focus on better times, like her birthday. I’m going to mark the wonderful days of Tea going forward. I want to think of the happy days. And there were many of them.

I remember the very first photo I saw of her. She was so tiny. I could see her and who she’d grow to be in those early photos. I love looking at those.

I will love you forever, my Tea Tea. Happy Birthday, girl!

The insanity that is my biologcal family continues. And it’s nuttier than before, if that’s even possible. I apologize for more posts about this craziness.

Unbeknown to me, the family house is for sale (or sold) and is complete empty. N0ne of the h0rrid individuals in my biological family chose to let me know. When I reached out to ask where my childh00d items went and where they are, I got their typical silent treatment as they totally ignored me.

I asked where my biological mother was since the house is empty. Continued nasty silence.

I shouldn’t be surprised. These are the same toxic individuals who didn’t let me know my biological dad was being put into memory care. He’d been there for more than a year when I accidentally found out. Making the decision and moving him in takes a lot of time in advance. So they had probably made the decision up to a year prior. That makes it worse when I think of it.

Regarding where my biological mom went, I also reached out to my aunts. They were totally surprised. When my biological dad died, I let my aunts, my biological mom’s sisters, know. If I had not done so, they would not have known. Who does that? My biological mom does.

Also a severe disappointment, my daughter has been ignoring me, too. She must be taking a page out of the nasty silence playbook of my toxic biological sisters. I’m hoping she’s being manipulated, but I’m n0t sure.

Karma happens. If you’ve ignored me, left me out of important information or decisions and treated me like crap, I believe you get what you sow. I hold fast to my boundaries and believe in the golden rule. You treat me one way, I treat you the same. Basically, I will not let you treat me like horribly. Nope. won’t take it.

While I recently wrote a blog about the books I’ve read and my favorite authors. I also have some favorite movies I can watch on repeat.

I’ve always enjoyed the Mummy movies with Brendan Frasier. I know, that’s a bit weird for me. I like the Egyptian element and, for sure the actors.

In terms of actors and one to watch  on repeat is Shawshank. It’s like the saying, “I’ve been Shawshanked.”It almost feels like a historical drama.

Historically, I regularly watch the Band of Brothers series. After visiting the Normandy beaches years ago (I believe I was there after a milestone anniversary), I started watching the series each D-Day anniversary. I have a great uncle who died during the Battle of the Bulge. I think of him, too, when I watch the series. I’m watching it right now.

Other items I watch include documentaries and true crime stories, usually about a moment or person in history. The Hostage four-part series tells the story about the h0stages taken at the embassy in Iran. Also interesting and more history that happened that I remember are the  Challenger and Columbia space shuttle tragedies. Additionally, the history and explosion at Chernobyl is something I remember. There are multiple documentaries about it.

I won’t list all the reality TV guilty pleasures I watch, but I do.

All these movies and documentaries are just examples of what I like to watch when I have time. That and reading.

I’ve seen sweatshirts in the past that say “Lake Life.” They are usually blue and have waves or interesting font. What they represent to me are the beauty and calm of water.

That’s what lakes do for me. They are relaxing and help me recharge. The lake we love is Lake Superior. While the largest of the Great Lakes, it appears more like an ocean it’s so big. You can’t see the other side. The waves role and surge and often hit the shore. It sounds like an ocean.

But it’s typical frigid nature means it’s n0t a lake or ocean to swim in or even put your feet in. Yikes! It sort of reminds me of sitting in a cold plunge pool. I don’t do that and I wouldn’t sit in Lake Superior.

Now, after an unsually warm summer, maybe I’d put my toes into the water. Maybe.

Regardless, it’s one of our sweetest places to be. Sitting in the sun surrounded by the water, especially  when it’s beautifully sparkly waters. That said, even wearing sunscreen, I got pretty sunburnt this past weekend. Yikes!

Even with my sunburn, this place and being by the water never gets old. It’s a true blessing for us. The water is healing in body, mind and soul. It’s why we soak it in as often as possible.

Now maybe I need my own Lake Life sweatshirt to wear when it gets a little chilly or just to cover my skin in the sun! It’s a way to bring the spirit of water with me where ever I go.

Today is Memorial Day. It is a federal holiday for mourning the U.S. military members who died while serving in the U.S.military. It is observed on the last Monday of May. It is also considered to be the unofficial beginning of summer.

Memorial Day is a time for visiting cemeteries and memorials to mourn the military people who died in the line of duty. I plan to go to Fort Snelling to find my grandma’s brother Francis wh0 died in the Battle of the Bulge in WWII. If you’ve seen the HBO series Band of Brothers, the bulge happens in Bastogne in France. I’ll also look for my grandpa wh0 fought in WWII as part of the Navy. Right next to him will be my grandma. I may even try to find the grave of my biological father just because.

Even with the importance of today, it’s also the start of summer. Weather is warm, (even with the odd spring and weather so far) daylight lasts into the evening, and days get lazier. In Minnesota, we take full advantage of these days and evenings.

Happy Memorial Day and happy summer!

I’m an avid reader. Depending on the type of book and length, I read various numbers of books each year. I know this because I’ve been tracking the books I read each year in a journal for nearly 30 years.

Most of the books I read are novels. In reviewing my book journal, a few favorite authors emerge: Barbara Kingsolver (Animal Dreams, Poisonwood Bible) , Thomas Hardy (Return of the Native, Tess of the D’Uberbvilles), Jane Austen (Pride and Predjudice, Persuasion).

Huge series are also in my journal including the Lord of the Rings series, Harry Potter, the Twilight books, the Game of Thrones, and the Outlander tomes.

Self-help, spirituality and development books make me a better person. This could include authors like Gabby Bernstein, Brendan Burchard, Nick Ortner or John Gray (Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus). I read about my health as a woman from weight t0 health, like menopause, or mental health or to just understand the world around me.

Regardless of the books I’ve read 0ver the decades, I’ve enjoyed 95% of them. Additionally,I’ve always believed that by reading regularly, I’m a better writer for it. Whether it’s this blog or what I did during my time in corporate America, my love of writing truly is connected to my love of reading.

Writing a strong job posting should be easy. It’s not rocket science. Clear guidelines or steps on how to write an effective job posting are vital. It’s really about making it simple for strong candidates to apply. Write it simple. That’s always more difficult than it sounds.

• First, define the company or organization. Be direct here and don’t belabor it. Perhaps include a link to the company website.
• Next, summarize the role at a very high level. This includes the position title and where it sits in the organization.
• Here’s the most important part: The details or qualifications. It includes education, years of experience and type of experience like people management or writing or design, etc.
• Something that makes a company or organization stand out is to include the pay range. I’ve seen too many not include it. Just do it.
• Finally, feature h0w t0 apply with an easy link.

Benefits could be included or summarized. But, how many companies or organizations don’t have basic benefits like health, dental, retirement, vacation and time off? So, I’d be ok not including it, unless something is unique like unlimited vacation or a huge retirement match. Otherwise, this isn’t necessary.

So, a job posting has three main parts: company description, position summary, the qualification details and pay. It’s too easy, yet so many aren’t effective. It’s not difficult so don’t make it that way. KISSS – Keep it simple stupid.

As a child, like most children, I had special memorable and beloved items that mattered t0 me. It could’ve been a stuffed animal, books or other items that I loved a long time ago.

Even today, memories of these things still trigger an emotional reaction. Two of those special items are my stuffed Grover and my Little House on the Prairie book series.

Books were important to me growing up because they were my escape. For as long as I can remember, my biological mother took an daily afternoon nap for two hours from 1-3 p.m. right in the middle of the day.

That’s why books like this mattered. It was the only thing I could do that was quiet enough for my sleeping mother.

Speaking of her, I’ve asked  my biological mother for these important things to me as a child. She’s fully ignored me and my multiple respectful requests.

I’m not asking for expensive items from the home. I’m asking for items that are probably worth less than $30. These are not items that belonged to either of my biological sisters. They were mine as a child. Mine. I would not ask for something that belonged to one of my biological sisters.

This is just one of the reasons I’m a victim of childhood trauma. An insane and narcissistic biological mother can do this to a child. As an adult, I do not allow her to control me. I have boundaries and I want nothing to do with her.

By ignoring my requests for these important items to me is completely reprehensible and toxic. I believe in karma. By not giving me these innocuous items, my biological mother will never ever have any relationship with me. Period.

I’ve established a new workout schedule. Over the past months it’s become my new normal. After a few months of not feeling well and avoiding the gym, it’s nice to be back.

I feel so powerful when I keep to my routine. It’s actually pretty simple. I walk on a treadmill for an hour and three miles. I’ve also been exploring Japanese walking which is a more HIIT walking workout. Then, I use the weight machines. One day legs, the next day upper body, one day core. I’m getting used to the machines and which ones t0 use. I’m learning more every day.

I’m also going back to the very first club I started working out in years ago in Eagan, Minn. There is new equipment and recovery beds.

After each workout, I work on my balance by walking heal to toe for as long as I can. I also stretch for a few minutes. It’s really a great routine. It takes me between 90 and 100 minutes daily.

And that’s what matters, routine. I enjoy it and that means I’ll continue.

I know when I’ve heard or read a lovely poem. It makes me feel emotional and brings up feelings I don’t normally experience. Shakespeare makes me feel like language and words have power and emotion.

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. He is often called England’s national poet and the “Bard of Avon” or simply “the Bard.” His works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

Recently, I’ve looked up two Shakespeare poems that speak to me. I’ve heard them in movies 0r TV series.