Sharry Miller

My Inner Child Deserves a Spanking

Do you ever have those moments when you hear exactly what you need to hear at the time you need to hear it? Sometimes it's a particularly apropos fortune cookie fortune. Other times it's a hokey picture and inspirational saying shared on Facebook. Today, for me, it was a blog post by Dar Hosta. In her weekly post today, Hosta referenced the writings of Leo Babauta of the blog Zen Habits. Most particularly, she talked... Read more →

Panic

Panic: any behavior that is sudden, extreme, and results from fear. (Cambridge Dictionaries Online) Thankfully, I haven't had many reasons to panic in my life. I'm sure my friends and family would attest that I've acted irrationally quite often, but not usually in a panic. One time, however, stands out in my mind. Thirteen years ago. I know this quite certainly because I was six months pregnant with Rowan at the time. Thane and I... Read more →

Giving and Receiving Compliments

Be honest now. The last time you received a compliment, what did you do? I mean a real compliment, one directed at you, not your choice in apparel. The last time someone said you were totally amazing, how did you respond? If I had to guess about it, it's been a while, perhaps a long while, since anyone said you were totally amazing. I know it doesn't happen to me often, nor do I say... Read more →

Lookin' for Friends in All the Wrong Places

(My apologies to Waylon Jennings for bastardizing his lyrics, but this post title was just too right not to use.) Overlooking beautiful Prince William Sound I'm sure I'm not the only one who sees familiar faces in crowds of strangers or in places where people I know would not be. The more exotic the location, the harder I search for something familiar, something to make the situation more normal. A few days ago, I was... Read more →

Power of Imagination

They're coming to take me away...away...away.... Oh, wait, no, that's paranoia, not imagination, although I suspect the two may be closely related. Imagination is a wonderful and terrible thing. It can soar us to the heights of wonderment or plunge us into the depths of terror. Certainly the ability to be entertained by books and movies depends on our capacities to suspend disbelief and use our imaginations, to fall into strange new worlds and live,... Read more →

Internet Friends

"Meeting someone on line is not knowing someone." ~Officer Baczuk, April 16, 2013~ The Valdez Police Department and Valdez City Schools have been offering a five week course in internet safety for middle and high school students. Rowan's attended the first two so far, and last Tuesday I decided I'd hang out for the class and see what the instructor, Valdez Police Officer Baczuk, had to say. His main message was that using the internet... Read more →

Homeless

I hate it when I'm forced to face an ugly truth about myself. Happily, it doesn't happen often. I generally consider myself to be an open-minded, accepting person. I support every individual's right to live the life he or she wants to live provided it doesn't prevent others from doing the same. I don't have any particular prejudices of which I am aware against groups of people based on their ethnicity, sexual preferences, or any... Read more →

What You Think About

Given how much time I spend at work, this one scares me a little. For more journal quote pages, click on quotes or journaling in the topic cloud. You can also get an e-mail whenever I upload a new post by entering your e-mail address and pressing the subscribe button. I promise, I won't know who you are and I'll have no way of giving away your address. Read more →

Compulsions

Complusion psychological force: a psychological and usually irrational force that makes somebody do something, often unwillingly. Synonyms: urge, impulse, desire, craving, force, need (Bing online dictionary) Have you ever felt a compulsion to do something? Come on, you know you have. You ate too much chocolate over Christmas, or stuffed yourself with turkey, or bought a new outfit you didn't really need. We all have times during which we can't seem to control ourselves and... Read more →

One Month of Recovery

Yesterday was exactly four weeks after my rotator cuff surgery, and my first day with my physical terrorist - oops, I mean therapist - M. I thought I'd give you a quick update on my progress. First, let me say that I've decided to spare you a self-portrait of the six-inch scar that is now gracing the top front of my shoulder. It starts just to the inside of my bra strap and curves down... Read more →