What's the Harm in being Nice?

When did people stop being nice? Being nice has somehow become a novelty instead of the norm. Maybe we all need to take a step back and consider this.

Today, I had a doctor's appt. before work at a new office. My doctor, who I had seen for many years, joined a new practice and moved about 15 miles away from her old office, and about 35 miles away from where I live. I like my doctor, so I decided that I would take the extra time to go to her new office.

I got to my 8:30 a.m. appointment about fifteen minutes early. Since it was the first time I was visiting this practice, there was a lot of paperwork to do. After I filled out the paperwork, and provided my insurance card and ID, I thanked the administrator for helping me, and she looked at me with wonder. She said "Are you always this nice? No one ever thanks me for helping them." I just smiled, and then I felt really sorry for her. I know working with the public is never easy. As I sat in the lobby waiting for my appointment, I noticed that the majority of patients in that office did not say "thank you" or even smile.

When they called me into the examining room, I had to answer a long list of questions -- again since it was my first visit to the office. I was happy that they took an interest in my health and wanted to make sure they had my correct medical history. I politely answered the questions, and at the end, the nurse said: "I wish all of my patients were nice like you."

Twice, in about thirty minutes, someone commented on the fact that I was pleasant and polite. Is being nice such a novelty?

Let's all try to be nice. I am sure the world will be a better place.

Funny Blog of the Week

I just found this blog, thanks to nice Laura at A Dozen Eggs (buy their cookies, they are beautiful and extraordinarily delicious!).

Enjoy the laughs. I stopped reading the blog 20 minutes ago, and I am still laughing!

C is for Cat!

For the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #40.
I really like the way this came out!





All products Stampin' Up!

Ink- basic black
stamp set: C is for Cat
5/8" black grosgrain ribbon
3/4" and 1" circle punch

p.s. - You can purchase all of the great Stampin' Up! products from Jacki, here!

Five Minute Halloween Card

You can make this card in five minutes!




Here's the recipe:

basic black card stock
House of Haunts Stamp Set
Only Orange Card Stock

I stamped the house and sentiment on only orange. I layered the house on the "bats" paper from the DSP "Cast a Spell." I punched out the sentiment, and adhered both the sentiment and house to the card with dimensionals. I tied only orange grosgrain ribbon across the top of the card. That's it! Ta da!

Rain, Rain Go Away!

I live in Connecticut -- worst weather state in the country as far as I am concerned. We used to have four seasons in Connecticut, but now we have two - rain and winter. This has been a particularly bad weather year. Summer arrived two months late and only lasted a week, or so it seemed. After that week, the season of rain arrived, and now we flip back and forth between rain and winter. It's almost never a nice day here. Really, what's up? I am not happy about the weather!

Where do you live and how's the weather? I hope it's much nicer where you are!

Christmas Card and Gift Card Holder!

We had a little card making party at my house last night! Here's what we made:




Aren't they beautiful? And they are both so easy to make! I wish I could say that I had the original ideas for these beauties, but the "Dasher" stamped card is a case of this:

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1504217

And the gift card holder was inspired by this tutorial:

http://destampincorner.blogspot.com/2009/09/top-note-gift-card-holder-tutorial.html

Here is the card recipe:

Base - kraft, layered in real red and whisper white
stamp sets: Dasher and Four the Holidays
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories - real red 1/4" ribbon, big shot, petals a plenty embossing folder


Here is the gift card recipe:

base -real red, accents are handsome hunter
stamp set:Christmas Punch (hostess level2)
Ink: handsome hunter
punches: wide oval, scallop oval, modern label
Big Shot: top note die
Ribbon - 1/4 whisper white
sponging technique

If you want to make great cards and fun products like these yourself, then hop on over to Jacki's blog, and you can shop her official Stampin' Up! website!

The Dooce Hate Blog

I try not to complain too much on this blog -- what's the point? I have 15 followers. Who would hear me? And, why would I want to turn-off the few readers I have by complaining all of the time? :o)

However, today, I MUST COMPLAIN. A while back I posted about the Dooce hate blog. Now I must post again. Frankly, I am appalled. Have you read the HATE pages on the Dooce Blog? What's up with all of the hate? I cannot believe people send truly mean-spirited and hateful emails to a woman they have never met. They also say horribly mean things about her innocent children. It's just horrible. Please stop it!

I had never heard about the Dooce blog until another blogger mentioned it. I now realize that it's a blog with a huge following, and that Heather (aka Dooce Blog Owner) has a sort of celebrity status as a mommy blogger. BUT, how on earth does that give people the right to send hateful email to her? I just don't get it. I don't like it. Not one bit!

I think I should start a campaign to wipe out hate. Think about it. A world without hate would be one awesome place.

To all of you haters out there -- go read nienie. She'll teach you a lesson about love, acceptance and kindness. It's a lesson that you obviously need to learn.

Meet Lexi!

I have always wanted a dog. Always. When I was 10, my parents got me a dog for my birthday. The dog was a lot of work and my parents are not animal lovers. The dog didn't last long. It was my only experience with a dog, until this week. This week, I adopted Lexi. She is a rescue from Arkansas, and she is the world's best dog. She is sweet, and curious, and kind. She is so happy to have a family to love her, and we do. It's amazing how much love animals can give. I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to have Lexi. My life was pretty good before Lexi. Now it's even better! :o)

You Are What You Eat

I have mentioned on this blog about a billion times that I struggle with my diet and weight. If you met me, you wouldn't think, "hey, she's a nice fat chick (or Chickadee"), but you wouldn't admire my svelte, fit figure either.

I used to be fat, and I used to be thin. Now, I live in weight purgatory. I am, let's say, average. I am short, and wear size 8 -- barely. When I was thin, I wore size 6, loosely. When I was my heaviest, I was easily a size 16. The fat years seem to be behind me, but I can't seem to summon those thin years back either.

As you know, I have given up dieting completely, and I really intend to stick to that promise. I can't stick to a so-called "diet plan" of any type. I just can't do it. So a while back, I declared that I was done with dieting (and I am!), and that I was going to try to concentrate on healthy eating, and living.

My concentration has waned. I need to refocus.

So, I bought this book:




Which you can buy, here.

Basically, this is an "in your face" book that says "look, stupid "bitch"-- you are what you eat!" And while this book promotes an organic, vegan lifestyle, which I cannot wholly stick to, it's a great "slap in the face." Duh! Yes, we are what we eat, and if we want to live long and well, we should stop eating crap, and stop it now!

I really needed a slap in the face. I have to get on the healthy wagon. I just need to figure out how to hop on and stay on.

I am going to be forty-four years old next Saturday. I need to give myself the birthday gift of good health.