Friday, July 22, 2011

Friday-9:45pm--Seven random things

Round the clock I go--LOL!
****
The temps have now dropped into the upper 70s to upper 80s, but the humidity climbed right back up to 67% today. Karma can take it, tho. She was back out sleeping for hours on the other little table on the porch this morning. Happy camper!
Do these clouds look like they are in kahoots...
...for another storm tonight? That's the rumor.
Got an award on Iggy's blog!
You know I don't normally do awards (just figured out right now how to nab the picture and put it on here), but I thought I could at least try to think of seven random things about myself. I don't pass them on--but I'll challenge any readers who are game to post seven random things about yourself. I'd love to read them!! ;)
****
First of all, I would be hard pressed to think of anything that the people who actually know me don't know already--LOL! But I guess my new and newish blog friends don't know a lot of things about me--so, here goes. I'll start out with some of the more interesting facts from my youth and see where I end up--LOL!
****
1. I love animals and have owned: dogs, cats, parakeets, half moon conure, chattering lori, cockatiels, African Greys, rats, hamsters, mice, guinea pigs, frogs, toads, turtles, skinks, horned toads, geckos, soap dish crabs, salamanders, all kinds of fresh water fish, newts, tree frogs, axolotls, chameleons, African underwater frogs, an iguana, and a skunk. (I'm sure I missed some.) I have rescued: newborn kittens, baby birds, baby red squirrel, mice, toads, pigeon, doves, dogs, cats, and a bat. Dawdled behind on a grade school field trip to Carlos Avery Game Farm and played with a newly captured wolf (she was like a lonely big dog--I'd rub and scruff her neck through the bars and she'd race in a circle and come back for more) until the trembling guide came back and snatched me away from her. Learned that animals are more likely than humans to react to loving intent.

2. Late 60s was an exciting time. Messed up after I was raped, I ran away to Canada to join a commune with a girlfriend, one guy avoiding the draft, and another guy who was home from basic and didn't want to go to Nam. (Who brings an iron and curlers to a hippie commune--a naive Minnesotan.) We never found a commune, us girls couldn't get visas--were home in two weeks. If we hadn't called for money to get home we would have been on the news as missing persons the next day. Learned you cannot run away from your troubles. You just carry them with you, so you might as well deal with them where you stand.

3. After Canada--lived in an apartment in Anoka with four other girls and I took in street people all winter. Back then they were runaways and other teenagers mostly. I fed them big vats of goolash, gave the first arrivals food & what we could spare to lay their heads on, let them sleep on the floor, no alcohol/drugs or paraphernalia allowed (we got busted on occasion), and nobody allowed in after a cut off time (I seem to remember it was 2am and the roomies demanded I change it to midnight). Yup! This flower child would have loved to run a hostel back then or live in a commune. Learned even the rough, scary customers are grateful for kindness. Looks can be very deceiving.

4. Long story, but because I could (with help from GA) quickly ease someone down off a bummer (acid/mescaline), people started showing up at the apartment door delivering me freaked out strangers. My roommates and everybody else would rapidly split to spend the night elsewhere. Well, these strangers were high for 8-10 hours and I'd be right with them into the next day...and there was often screaming, crying...and occasionally things got broken in those first few minutes. I went to work with no sleep if it happened during the week, but it was worth it. Learned that it's a core level thing with me to comfort others and it is good for my soul. Seemed to help them, too. LOL! ;)

5. Rent money stolen. We lost the apartment. I ended up living alone on the streets in Anoka from spring to fall. Sleeping in the park by the river during the day (safer to be awake at night), getting to know the cops by name, and having a lot of the folks I had taken care of all winter helping me out with food and cigarettes when they could. Learned that a lot of things we believe are necessities are really not...people who have almost nothing themselves still give to others...and to never forget what it is like to have a roof over your head, a comfortable bed to sleep in, food in your belly, and a hot shower. I learned how to hug that summer. Became known as "the mad hugger". Learned there's nothing better on earth than to have people smile when they lay eyes on you...and people remember kindness.

6. I have had a lot of jobs: printing company assembling pamphlets and small magazines, factory where I screwed together screen doors, another checking plastic pop tops for dish soap, checking popcorn bag rolls after printing (where I hurt my fingers & arm), three different pet shops (one I worked for him three separate times), a couple of waitress jobs, Walmart jewelry dept, insurance office, two different handicapped schools, day care teacher, drove mentally ill to appointments & ran their rec group, independent senior building (four jobs at once there!), and Concordia Language Villages offices. Learned that I could walk into situations I knew absolutely nothing about and learn on my feet running (no matter if I was always so nervous on first days I was sure I was going to barf)...to do my very best no matter what I was doing...that I loved working with people and animals...and that our society doesn't care much for our non-productive members (children, seniors, disabled, mentally ill).

7. I've come close enough to death to know that my life doesn't flash before my eyes and I am ready to go at a moments notice. Almost drown when around ten (unconscious, CPR, and the whole nine yards). Fridley Tornadoes watching the roof blow off in sections in the cafeteria during the science fair. Raped and beaten and told flat out that they were going to kill me. Learned that your life can be totally turned upsidedown in a matter of seconds...that I have a "safe place" inside of me that nobody can touch...and life is precious and short, so live it proudly and honestly like today is your last. One day it will be. Meanwhile...Enjoy!!...Hug!! Be the best damn person you can be!! Hopefully somebody will smile wide when they lay eyes on you. :):)
****
"The last of the human freedoms is to choose one's attitudes."
Viktor Frankl

12 comments:

Queenie Jeannie said...

Wow! That was some post!! You've been through so many things and come out to tell about it, AND with a great attitude!! You're an inspiration! BIG HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AliceKay said...

I second what Jeannie said. Only adding...your honesty and sensitivity has touched my heart.

Hope you have a great day today. *hugs*

DJan said...

So YOU are the Mad Hugger, eh? I've heard of you (not really the same one, but one of a hearty breed). You have been through so much and come out the better for it. I didn't know so many of these things about you, being a newer follower. You are a survivor, that much I know, and a role model, too. :-)

Toriz said...

LOL! Hey, maybe soon you'll be sleeping at night again? You never know! I hope I haven't just jinxed it, but I've been sleeping at night... 6 to 8 hours too!

Karma may be able to take that kind of humidity, but I can't! The temps, fine, but the humidity... Yeah, I'd so be sat right in front of my fan all day! LOL!

Yeah, animals react well to good intentions andaffection, but humans... Not always!

You've definately had an eventful life, haven't you? At least you have a lot of memories there, and some good lessons learned, I think!

I'd do the award thing, only Iggy gave it to me too, so I did it already. No point doing it twice, right? ;)

Rita said...

Jeannie--I've had a colorful life, I guess you could say--LOL! Thanks so much! :)

AliceKay--Touching someone's heart is a privilege. Thanks! Hope you're having a great weekend. :)

Djan--LOL!! Yes--I am one of that hearty breed. Wasn't born into it, but became a convert. ;) Well, some of these things I've never mentioned on my blog at all, I don't think. Thanks, Lady! :)

Tori--Glad to hear you are back on days! I hope to get there pretty soon. My routine gets thrown off. ;)
I think animals are more sensitive to people's auras or energy or whatever you want to call it. I wish we were as good at that. ;)
I read your seven, too!! Fun to learn things about you! :)
I am always digging about trying to figure out what the lessons are for whatever happens in my life. Has always been my nature, I guess. Always think there is something positive to be learned from anything and everything--even if we aren't able to see it right away--or sometimes for many years. Seek and ye shall find, right? Without darkness we couldn't see the stars. :):)

Sandra said...

Wow Rita, I love that you fulfilled your 7 things about receiving this reward, because there is so much about you I did not know. You have lead such an intense, exciting, tragic, fabulous life. And you are so wise. I loved this post. I love getting to know you.

Toriz said...

Yeah... Doesn't take much to flip my days and nights either. I'm enjoying being able to be up and doing things through the day right now though! :)

I wish people were better with sensativity to auras and such too!

Glad you enjoyed learning about me... I enjoyed learning more about you too! :)

There's always plenty to learn, if you can be open to receiving the lessons. :)

Rita said...

Sandra--Thanks so much! After living such an intense, exciting, tragic, and fabulous life (at times totally exhausting and stressful) you can see why I deeply appreciate the silver lining of peace and calm from the cloud of bad health and being housebound these past six years--ROFL!! ;)

Tori--Yes--yes--yes! :):)

Intense Guy said...

Simply amazing. I read this list of 7 items twice and still can't think of a comment other than I'm really glad I stumbled into your blog and that our paths have crossed. Your journey through life has been a neverending tale of the unexpected... and you've become such a wonderful person (not saying that you weren't before you started - I just mean that in the here and now - I respect and admire you.)

Hugs.

Deanna said...

You are not only a soul comforter, you are a survivor. You are one of those kind souls that I admire. Thanks for sharing seven things about you. What a seven it is!

Anonymous said...

Oh goodness Rita, your post brought tears to my eyes, when I think I have it rough I will definitely remember reading this post and realize it could have been worse, very strong words and Its so good to see and know the strong and nice person you are today HUGS!!!

Rita said...

Iggy--Thanks, Sweetie! It was hard work--ROFL! Seriously...I believe that quote. It is not what happens to you, it is how you live through it, you know? How you live with it and learn from it and who you choose to be. I am honored that I stumbled across you, too. ;)

Deanna--Thanks so much! Landing on one's feet and recovering your smile is an highly underrated skill. ;) We ought to teach that in schools! Much more useful than Algebra--LOL! :):)

Lynn--Whenever I lose gratitude and/or my sense of humor--I know my soul is in deep trouble! (And I most certainly have, believe me--but, oddly, not then.) After I was raped they sent me to a counselor a couple times. I was telling him how very grateful I was that it had been me and not my little sister or my girlfriends from school, because I had been with Alan, my boyfriend senior year, so I knew it could be different and this wasn't my very first time...and he cried. I remember patting his hand across the desk.
I may have lost my laughter for a while, but not my gratitude. It could definitely have been worse. I truly believed the leader when he told me they were going to kill me. I was so grateful to be alive--and that they didn't physically wound me (knife) or dump me out naked someplace (excruciatingly shy--funny the things that go thru your mind). I did learn that there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for--and, as you said, that I would survive. We are tougher than we think we are. ;) *hugs*