Health

 Okay, so I know that I CAN NOT talk, really. I've been obese for years (at least according to medical charts, yeah?)   With the help of my team of AWESOME Veterans Administration doctors over the course of the last 7 months, I've REALLY got my act together.

The pharmacist doc had a long conversation with me in December and prescribed me something called "Ozempic" which helps your insulin work better and has the added benefit of a slight appetite suppressant.  Anyway, the fact of the matter is that  (with the NOOM app) and Ozempic, and TINY bit of effort on my part. (I park the furthest way I can from everything, I stop eating when I'm not hungry anymore, I try to make good choices as to the type of fuel I'm putting into my body,etc.)  I have lost a total of 38 pounds since December 10th.

I have noticed several outcomes from this weight loss:

1) I don't mind my face in photographs or the mirror.  I'm conflicted about this one. I hate that I feel prettier with less weight on.  I feel like I ought to be beautiful for my sense of humor, intelligence, and good heart and NOT a skinnier face, etc.  But--the fact of the matter is that I do like my face better with less weight on it.

2) It sure is easier to walk and I have less sciatica pain.

3) I have worn a size 16 jeans my entire adult life.  I tried on a pair of jeans at Walmart a week ago and I fit into a size 8!!!!

4) Pretty much ALL of my lab numbers are BEYOND awesome!   Before the weight loss, my cholesterol was 197, which is just the tiniest pinky finger away from unacceptable.  In my last test from May 26th, my cholesterol was 96!!   My A1C (which is the test that measures how much sugar was floating around in my blood) went from 9.8 about a year ago, to 6.3 now (which, i must brag, is COMPLETELY within ACCEPTABLE, healthy range for a diabetic.  This is REALLY a huge deal, y'all. 

So, I just wanted to do some lectur-ey encouragement for those who are struggling with weight.  IT can be done. It'll just take some patience, hard work, and time.  But you can get rid of that excess weight and MOST IMPORTANTLY, your health will be back on target!   If ***I*** can do it, so can you! :)

Okay, enough of my encouraging rant! Love y'all!!!

Poem: 'Ode to the KK'

 I'm not sure if I have this one on this blog, so...just in case!

ODE TO THE "KK"

30 May 08 Friday

Current mood: full cuz i ate a sample and a spicy kolache, too.


Ode to the "KK"

for Fred and Susan

Rows of donuts

marching two by two.

Once hot, but plain;

now, they shine anew

with melty glaze

afixed atop the rounds

This store never empties

because their fans abound!!



I was inspired last night whilst enjoying a donut at Krispy Kreme. Karen and I had just finished directing the annual Spring Play where we teach drama part time. I thought a Krispy Kreme donut would be a very nice celebratory event.

Have you been to a Krispy Kreme? They have a conveyor belt upon which the donuts ride. They come up from the hot fryer, stand under a glaze shower, of sorts, and then "march" on down the line to a location where they are packed up or put on display. I'd never been inside a Krispy Kreme and thought this idea was really kinda "neat-o".

Raspberry filled donut. It was the kind I was eating when I was inspired to write this classic piece of American literature. Surely it will go down in the history books as one of the finest poems ever written!! ;-P

Bad and Old Mother's Day Poetry!

 Mother's Day 2008

Current mood: thankful
So, this morning, I was at Whataburger having breakfast and preparing a package to send to my mom (for mother's day) and my dad (for his birthday) and I decided that I would write a poem for my mom in her card. It is very very very very very corny, but I think mom's, in general, don't mind those kinds of poems. So, I thought I'd give y'all a good laugh, too. Happy Mother's Day all of my wonderful friends who are mothers!

Here it is:

On this day we celebrate our mothers,
I'll have you know that, to me, there is no other

who can compare to the fabulosity that is you.
Why, on a cold day, no one can make a greater stew!!

And, I"m quite sure that a scrape or two you tended,
and those small teenage broken hearts you mended.

Many life lessons to me, you patiently taught.
(well--you tried anyway. I'm kinda stubborn!!)
Dinners, Claudes, and hotel rooms you bought.

Mostly though, you cheerfully encourage me in all endeavors
even to the point of reading bad poetry on Mother's day-no matter the weather!

The 'right' wrong number

Yesterday was Daddy’s 79th birthday. He wasn’t around to enjoy it with me because he passed from this life on August 5th, 2014. Today, I was getting more ducks in a row for my move to Taiwan when I noticed that I still had Daddy’s phone number in my contacts list. On a whim--knowing no one would answer cos Daddy is gone--I called the number. I freaked out a little when a male voice answered. I said, “You answered!” I sputtered around for a moment and I think I mentioned that I had called Daddy’s number and that I knew he wasn’t Paul Ford and that I was sorry and I hope he had a great night. Then I hung up.


Less than a minute passed when my phone rang and it was the same number. The words ‘Paul Daddy Ford’ showed up on my screen. I took a deep breath and answered. This time, it was a lady’s voice. She sputtered around for a minute, too. I explained the whole thing. How yesterday had been Daddy’s birthday and I was missing my Daddy, etc. and she completely understood. She said she had lost her Daddy, too. Then the man who’d originally answered the phone piped up. “Yeah. I’m a long haul trucker and we needed to clarify that you weren’t really my daughter!” That had me laughing for a minute.


Then, I said “Well, since you are the faux Daddy, can I tell you something?” They said I could and I told Daddy (through them) that I am FINALLY graduating from college next Thursday and that I’m moving overseas to start a brand-new, adventurous career. I know Daddy would be proud of me and I just felt like I wanted to tell the voice on the other end of my Daddy’s phone number that I had finally (kinda) grown up. They WERE really proud of me and said so, in as many words. We talked for twenty minutes, about their kids and other things. It was a really great experience and I loved sorta getting to talk to my Daddy again, for a moment.

Grasping Hope

 Grasping Hope

17FEB2009

I was sitting at the Mickey D's this morning reading a boring textbook and sipping a diet coke. I noticed movement on my right and looked up to see a man--about fifty--walking along, slowly and with a peculiar gait.

It wasn't until he passed me completely that I noticed the reason for his odd walk.  Beside him, on his right, hobbled along an older man whose gnarled hand grasped a wooden cane.  The second man was older--about 22 or 23 years or so--and had the exact same profile as the first man. I imagined that they were father and son.

The son walked in an off-balanced way because his left hand sat on his Daddy's side and his right one grasped a bit of the fabric at the back of his father's jeans. He was like the human version of a pair of training wheels.

Upon seeing this sight of familial cre, my heart filled right up to the brim with sentimentality. I love these moments when the small cynical side of me is reminded of the basic goodness of human beings. I wanted to cry with happiness; and, in the end, I did.

The Road to Taiwan: Lunar New Year--The Year of the Ox

                                                               This gif is from giphy

Today is the first day of the Asian New Year. It is the 'Year of the Ox.'  I think that is so apropos this year, especially with me, personally. I know I have talked all about this plan to many of y’all, but--perhaps--there are some of you who don't know what my plans are for this year.

I'll start by telling a story.  Rachel, Jude, Ezra, and I were all stuck at home due to Covid lockdowns from 20MAR20 through 03May20.  It was during this time that Rachel (my awesome friend of 20 years) kept nagging me (well, reminding me, really) that I only have three classes left to finish my Bachelor's degree.  She encouraged me to think about finishing that task because it could change my world. Then she reminded me of something else. Once the hoops were jumped, this would be easy. All the schools were doing classes online!  It took me a few days to see the wisdom of her words, but I finally agreed and started jumping through what seemed like 80 thousand, 829 quadrillion, 256 hoops. And I did it! I was admitted to Texas State for Summer 1 and completed 2 of my final 3 classes. I got a B in Short Story and an A in film.  Then...I took American Literature from the beginning to Civil War and got an A. I finished all my classes!  One kind of annoying thing here. I didn't realize that I needed to sign up for Graduation by early October, so I wasn't allowed to walk the stage.  It's not too late for a May (probably hot) graduation, though. It is supposed to be May 25th, so anyone who is interested, start planning the journey!! I can't believe how long this journey has taken me!  I began college in Autumn of 1992; however, my first college credits were earned from January to March of 1988 during Air Force Basic Training. They were Physical Training credits!  So, it has taken me from January of 1988 to December of 2020 to take this journey. (even though I won't officially graduate until May of 2021). But this journey was taken! and will be completely complete (LOL) 3 months!!!

But that is only half of the story.  Part of the reason that I took the journey anyway is because I finally realized what I want to be when I grow up. I want to be an adventurer! A teacher! A writer! I've always wanted to do each of those things. I was always scared away from pursuing these paths, though. I've always been my own worst enemy and my own biggest detractor! I guess the benefit of becoming old(er) is that you understand life a little better. I'm not as scared anymore.  I can actually do these things I've always thought I couldn't. So, here is what is going on...and WHY the Year of the Ox is so significant for me:

My plan is to finish my TEFL certification (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and move to Taiwan in August to teach English for a living, to travel around Taiwan and other countries during my vacations and to have a blog about all the things I'm experiencing!  Adventure? Check. Teaching? Check. Writing? Check!!

I've chosen Taiwan because it has a pretty low cost of living, so even though I'm adventuring, I can likely save a decent amount of money for when I'm tired of adventuring, teaching, and writing and want to move back home to a small beach town in Texas (or Florida).  However, I have a (different--not Rachel) friend of 20 years who lives there with his Taiwanese wife in the north part of the Island. And, my cousin, Michael, married a Taiwanese girl a year or two ago and she has family in the south part of the Island. I'll have people who already care about me when I get there!  I'm not afraid to move halfway across the world. I've visited countries halfway across the world (England, Kenya, Tanzania)--or a few hours away (Mexico, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago) several times in my life, but I think moving and living there would be easier to do if you already have people who love you where you're going!  

I'm very excited about this plan.  I'm working hard at learning Mandarin and finishing my Tefl courses and working to save enough money to be able to get there safely and live for a month or two before my first check comes along, (along with all the first month’s rent, electric/water/sewage payments, etc.).  I CANNOT wait!  I'll admit that there are times I feel a little anxious about this plan.  (worst enemy, biggest detractor, remember?)  But, in my heart, I know I can do it!  I am the product of Paul & Candy, and of Pattalee, and of Lee Smith Martin, and of Gilbert & Leola, and of Claude & Millie, and of John & Paralee, and of my highly intelligent, strong, and capable sisters and brothers (all six of them!), and of so many of my Christian friends and family. I come from some seriously good stock. (Am I allowed to say that?) I can do this and do it well!

That is why this Year of the Ox is so significant. Oxen are strong and helpful. I am like an ox in this new venture. I'm strong enough to go and accomplish this plan. And, I'm a person who likes helping others. I'm so excited to be helping kids (no matter where they live) become people who live their best lives and have hearts to help others.  I've had a few people who have been negative about my plan.  (You're getting educated in America, but you're going to teach ANOTHER nation's children?)  But children are children. People are people. No matter how they look. No matter what language they speak. We are all God's creations. I am channeling my inner ox and FINALLY going to do something that will make the world a better place, one child at a time.  

So, anyway, y'all...that is what is going on with me! And--to reiterate the felicitations!!--Happy Year of the Ox!  

Youtube is the Devil...sometimes

 Over the course of the past years, I’m sure y'all have heard me say, “Twitter is The Devil” or “Facebook is The Devil.” Obviously, they aren’t literally the Devil, but they are so CONSUMING that I waste time--hours, even--in their enticing pages. Today, I discovered another devil--Youtube.  

I don’t know about y’all, but I can go look up ONE thing and then be there for hours looking at video after video or listening to song after song (or the same song over and over again) for what seems like hours.  Or I might watch soldier after soldier come home to see their wives or mothers or children or dogs and just cry and cry. Or I might watch multiple compilations of some Tik Tok challenge. For some reason, one of my favorite Tik Tok challenges is the “Kiss your best friend” video ( basically, telling them you like them). I’m not sure why I like them, but I do.

Last weekend, I came home from work and got caught up in Youtube again. I can’t remember why I started there, but I eventually clicked on a video of a married daughter telling her parents that she was pregnant. And then I clicked on another one and another one and another one.  And then--suddenly--I was filled with so much grief. I was sitting in my room, crying over things that I’ll never have. I’m never going to be able to come up with some awesome way to tell my parents that they’re going to be grandparents. I’ll never have Mom be so excited over the prospect of me being a mom. I’ll never have my husband be so super excited about being a Dad. I’ll never have someone love me with the same ferocity, appreciation, and longevity as I feel toward my parents.

I’ll say that I know it is good that I never married any of the men who I dated. We wouldn’t have been good. Usually, I am perfectly content with my life, but there are moments--like these ones, where I am in my room sobbing over the loss of what we’re all supposed to experience in this life which I will never have--when I am just beyond overwhelmed, and rendered nearly nonfunctional, by such grief at all the things I’ve missed in life.  

How do I get over this kind of feeling?  I wish I knew.