Out of the box

On the Oprah Winfrey show Wednesday the show was about women stepping out of their boxes. Another way of putting it is getting out of their comfort zones. “Four strangers from around the country who are bonded only by their desire to break their routines, overcome their fears and step out of their boxes” came together to take on this challenge.

All of the women had different stories from overcoming the pain of divorce, losing a job, being plagued with personal fears or just feeling as if their cup was empty and they had no more to give. These women did everything from roller derby skating, parachuting out of a plane and finally running naked into the ocean.

I was impressed by everything these women were able to do. I’ve been thinking about whether I could challenge myself to step out of my own box. Now, I know without a doubt I will NEVER jump out of a plane, I’m pretty sure I won’t roller derby, and I will absolutely never run naked on the beach. (So far I’m not stepping out very far) Hmmmm I have a pretty big box.

The Oprah show is now inviting women to write in and tell their stories and sign-up to step out of their box. You have to be up for anything. I haven’t come up with anything myself. Nothing I’m willing to risk life and limb to do. I have many fears but don’t know if I really want to overcome any of them at this point in my life. I have a fear of heights (so I just stay off ladders) I have a fear of public speaking (so I write in a blog instead) and I don’t go naked even in my own house where I live alone. Hmmm now when I was younger that was negotiable.

I've never been a dare devil or a risk taker. For awhile I had thoughts about breaking out of my comfort zone but just never got the courage. When I was young I pushed myself to sing in public but I was always terrified and though I was never booed off the stage I gave it up because it just wasn't fun for me. I loved being part of a chorus but solo performing wasn't for me.

I tried my hand at acting for awhile thinking it would help me overcome my fear of public speaking and it sounded like so much fun. But again, my stage nerves got the best of me and I couldn't project my voice above a whisper. (Not good for those in the back row of the theater)

So, here I am now, safe and snug and sealed up tight in my box.

What box would you like to step out of? Any fears you want to overcome? I’m just curious if I’m the only one content to stay in my box.


AND.... A few Random Thoughts for the Day

I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.　

Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.　

There is great need for a sarcasm font.

How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

Was learning cursive really necessary?

Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.　

I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

Bad decisions make good stories.

You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.　

Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.　

I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

"Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this -- ever.　

I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?　

I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.　

I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.　

My friend's 4-year old son asked him in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How does one respond to that?　

I think the freezer deserves a light as well..

I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Bud Lights than Kay.

In the News

Anyone see the news last night? How leaked copies of an election victory speech written for Sarah Palin reveal she planned to greet her husband as the country's 'first ever Second Dude' if the Republicans won.

And how her concession speech was blocked by running mate Senator John McCain.

"A new book about the former governor, Sarah from Alaska, recounts how her team clashed with that of Senator McCain on stage in his home town of Phoenix, Arizona, over making the speech - with McCain aides resorting to switching off the lights to prevent her from speaking"

Now why didn't someone think of "switching off the lights" a long time ago. I think I knew a long time ago that the lights were on but no one was home!

I've been following the following story for awhile and this is the latest update. I'm anxious to see how this unfolds because clearly the man was being robbed and was definitely defending himself but now finds himself charged with murder. I believe he went way too far but does he deserve to go to jail? Any thoughts?

The pharmacist who fatally shot a robber was ordered Wednesday to face a murder trial.

Nov 4 A judge ordered pharmacist Jerome Ersland to face a murder trial. The ruling came at a preliminary hearing after the judge watched two surveillance camera recordings of the shooting May 19 at the Reliable Discount Pharmacy in south Oklahoma City.

Ersland, 58, of Chickasha, is charged with first-degree murder. He gulped as the judge ruled. He once had expected to be cleared at his preliminary hearing, writing the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation in July that "justice will prevail shortly.”

District Attorney David Prater told the judge Ersland’s actions were "nothing less than an execution.” Defense attorney Irven Box argued Ersland should face trial only for first-degree manslaughter.

Ersland shot robber Antwun "Speedy” Parker once in the head then five times in the chest and abdomen. Parker was 16.

Parker and an accomplice, Jevontai Ingram, then 14, tried to rob the store of drugs and money at the direction of two longtime criminals, prosecutors allege. A pharmacy employee testified Wednesday one yelled at Ersland, "I’m going to shoot your ass.”

Prosecutors say the pharmacist went too far when he fired the last five shots because Parker was unconscious, unarmed and no longer a threat.

Ersland contends he was defending himself and two female employees from a masked robber who was still moving.

Box said he expects Ersland will be acquitted at trial particularly because the recordings show the other robber tried to shoot the pharmacist in the face. "Evidently he’s got no bullets, or it malfunctioned,” Box said, "I still don’t think there’s 12 people in this county that will find he’s guilty. … (Parker) was still a threat.”

Much of the testimony Wednesday focused on whether Parker was moving when he was shot the last five times.

Prosecutors put into evidence crime-scene photos that showed fallen merchandise was on top of Parker’s right arm and against his body and a blood pool beneath his head was undisturbed.

The state’s chief medical examiner, a renowned expert on blood spatter and a police detective testified that and other physical evidence proves he could not have been moving.

The medical examiner, Dr. Collie Trant, testified the five shots to the chest and abdomen were in a tight cluster. The pathologist testified those wounds would have been farther apart if Parker had been conscious because the victim would have moved after the first shot to the torso.

Tom Bevel, the blood spatter expert, testified blood drips would have been on the floor or Parker’s shirt if Parker had tried to get up after the head wound.

The security camera recordings do not show Parker after he is hit in the head. They do show Ersland standing over where Parker fell, firing the final shots.

The recordings also show the pharmacist chased the first robber out of the store after Parker was hit in the head. The pharmacist fired the fatal shots into Parker after returning to the store and getting a second gun.

Police detective David Jacobson said Ersland has given inconsistent statements to police and to news reporters about the shooting. The detective said Ersland told police he shot Parker five more times before chasing the other robber outside because Parker "wouldn’t go down.”

Jacobson also testified that the pharmacist claimed to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder from killing people during combat in the 1991 Gulf War. "He had dreams about it,” the detective testified.

The detective testified Ersland also said he had been injured in combat, that his vertebra had been blasted. The detective said a review of Ersland’s military records show his claims about combat are not true.

Records reviewed by The Oklahoman show Ersland spent the war in 1991 as the pharmacy chief at the military hospital at Altus Air Force Base in southwestern Oklahoma.

Ryan Porter, another police detective on the case, testified the security camera recordings prove Ersland did not consider Parker a threat after Parker fell down.

The detective said Ersland "walks right by ignoring” the robber as he goes to get a second gun and also "has his back to” the fallen robber for several steps.

After the preliminary hearing, the district attorney questioned why Ersland has given repeated statements inconsistent with the facts if Ersland thinks he is in the right. "Why lie? Tell the truth,” Prater told reporters. "I’m not sure what was going through his head.”

Of the shooting, the prosecutor told reporters, "You’ve got someone lying on the floor on their back, unconscious, with their arms out to their side and their palms up, and they’re clearly unarmed, and you walk up and stick a gun about two feet from their chest and you put five bullets into their abdomen, that’s an execution.”

There is a website devoted to caring for abused animals and if you go there and click the purple sign that says "click every day" it helps the organization get free food for abused and neglected animals. They have been having trouble getting enough people to visit their site so if you could pass it on it would really help!

Bursitis....anyone have any experience with this little gem? I've had problems intermittently for several years and it has come back with a vengeance this time. I think my excessive bike riding has set it off. How annoying! I have to stop riding my bike for awhile to try and get the inflammation to subside. Anyone have any home remedies to share? I'm open for suggestions.

I'm so enjoying our good weather. We've been in the 70's for the past several days and it is supposed to last through the weekend. Great time to get those holiday lights on the house and ready for Christmas. I don't have any to put out but if I did I'd get them out now.

It's hard to believe Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away and then it will be Christmas. I love this time of year and the time shared with family and friends. We are only going to have 4 for Thanksgiving this year and we are considering going out for dinner. It would be a first as I always cook the holiday meals but I'm really enjoying the possibility of just being a guest this year and someone else doing the cooking. As we get older it is sometimes necessary to change traditions. This will be the first holiday without my parents and maybe a little change would be good. This is the time of year when I really wish I had grandchildren. Children really make the holidays special.


Here is a link to a great song by Toby Keith. He wrote it in tribute to Wayman Tisdale one of Oklahoma's legendary basketball players and a friend of Toby's. I loved the song!

It was a great weekend. The weather was perfect and I managed to get a lot of fall clean-up done in the yard.

Last night Ron and I got into one of our many debates. Not really a debate. He thinks I get too loud and too passionate about what ever we are discussing. I'm sure he is right. I came from a loud family and being the youngest if I didn't get loud I didn't get heard.

Ron and I don't see eye-to-eye on anything and no matter how I try to refrain from showing my shock and awe over some of his views I'm not very good at keeping my feelings disguised. I asked a question last night concerning gun control or specifically gun safety. I have always wondered what the resistance is to using safety locks on weapons. I asked Ron if he had ever heard the argument against them. What I think I heard was how it is resistance to being told by the government to use them. My feeling is that if you are of legal age I don't care whether you lock your gun or not. If you shoot yourself in the foot so be it. But....I feel differently if you have children in the house. I think you should be required to keep safety locks on your weapons. I guess I'm not opposed to government getting involved the same way they did with child safety caps on medicine (which don't always work I realize) or laws requiring children be in car seats and buckled in. Ron then said well then why don't we regulate no sharp pointed scissors in the house, no knives, etc. That's probably when my voice got louder. I was immediately frustrated.

I just don't understand anyone's opposition to attempting to protect children. But...maybe I'm missing the big picture.

Unfortunately, Ron's very conservative views and my liberal views collide on a daily basis. I will admit he has more tolerance than I do. I really get frustrated!

Great Costumes

Never Under estimate the power of a good book!

A long time ago in a far away land when I was young and married my young police officer husband worked the night shift and almost every night at the end of his shift he would either stay and talk shop with the other officers or ride around with one of the guys on the next shift. Still being a fairly young bride this soon became annoying. One night at shift change I decided to see if I could entice my husband into coming straight home. Earlier in the day I went to the bookstore and purchased a book titled The Happy Hooker. Then I found the absolute raunchiest parts in the book I could find. After practicing reading it aloud in my sexiest southern drawl I called the police station right at shift change and asked to speak to my husband. When he answered the phone I began to read to him from the Happy Hooker. With sirens blazing and lights a flashin he was home in about 90 seconds.

Well, it was about 3 days later and my husband’s night off when we had only been in bed for the night about an hour when the phone rang. My husband answered the phone and then said, “Yeah, she’s here, just a minute.”

Puzzled over who was calling me at that time of the night I took the phone and said, “Hello.”

On the other end of the receiver came my own voice with it’s lilting southern drawl reading the…Happy Hooker followed by loud laughter in the background.

It seems that all calls to the station were recorded at the time and for 3 days the other officers had been enjoying my reading. I think they all went home on time that week as well! The department also experienced a baby boom 9 months later!

Just goes to show the power of a good book!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Good Day

Good doctor report today. I had lost 10 pounds since Sept. 28th and my blood pressure was normal, kidney function normal....still working on the blood sugar but it is improving. I'll do another A1C3 in January and hopefully that will be down as well.
Sooooo I'm on the right track and definitely feeling a lot better. It's amazing how a few simple changes can make you feel so much better.

Our town has decided that the official trick-or-treat night will be Friday night because of the evening football game on Saturday. It will be safer for the kiddos. I never know how much candy to purchase because I never know if I'll have any trick-or-treaters. One year I had none and the next about 40. What ever candy I don't give away I'll just bring to work.

Halloween reminded me of another story about my ex-husband. We were about 26 at the time and Halloween was approaching and someone gave me an old woman mask. It was a full head mask with long white hair. She was a rough looking old gal with a wart on her chin etc. Our kids were in kindergarten at the time and since my husband worked nights he slept during the day. One day close to Halloween I decided I'd play a joke on him. While the girls were at school I put the old woman mask on my head and stripped naked and crawled into bed and snuggled up close behind Jim. It didn't take long before he began to "stir" so to speak and then he rolled over toward me. He slowly opened his eyes and then started screaming like a girl. He flew himself off the bed and landed on all fours between the bed and the wall. He just kept yelling something like, "Oh God, Oh God". I almost panicked because I immediately thought he was going for his gun. Thank goodness he always kept it in the closet on the top shelf. I didn't know whether to run or freeze. I ripped off the mask and shoved it under the covers. I started yelling louder than Jim saying, "What in the world is wrong with you?" Somehow I was able to convince him that he must have had a nightmare.