What Blogging Means To Me ~ Back To Blogging Day 5

I'm participating in the SITS Back to Blogging Challenge, which is sponsored by Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builders Appliances.

Today's assignment is to write about what blogging means to you. Why do you blog? What purpose does it serve you and how have you benefited from sharing a piece of yourself online this way?

Whew, that's a big one for me.  As a person with bi-polar, social anxiety disorder & gastroparesis, I don't have that many IRL friends.  Those that I do have I have trouble seeing often (although I am getting better!)

Blogging has meant long lasting friendships, people out there who I know honestly care about me & who I honestly care about.

It means meeting some of the kindest, funniest people who inspire me and make me laugh.

It means a place to be me, free from fear or self doubt.

It means a place to chronicle my life, the good, the bad and the ugly.

It means saying prayers for strangers and knowing they are doing the same for me.

In short, blogging, helped to open up my world, when it had become very, very small.  For that I thank all of my blogging friends. 

Fire Safety

My friend Kat at Inspiration Can Be Found Anywhere posted about this really cool fire safety quiz that could earn your local fire department $10,000!

Take the Liberty Mutual Fire Safety Quiz, select your local fire department and maybe learn a thing or two in the process.  I know it was a good reminder fo me to check my fire detectors.

Fire Mimi says, "Be Safe!"

Pedigree "Write A Blog and Feed A Dog" Event!

For each blog that posts about the PEDIGREE® Adoption Drive through September 19th, PEDIGREE® will donate a bag of their new Healthy Longevity Food for Dogs to shelters nationwide.

It’s simple: Write a short blog and feed a dog!

•Each year, more than 4 million dogs end up in shelters and breed rescue organizations. Pedigree created The PEDIGREE Adoption Drive to help shine a spotlight on the plight of these homeless dogs.

•This year the PEDIGREE Adoption Drive is raising awareness for homeless dogs by donating a bowl of food to shelter dogs for everyone who becomes a “Fan” or “Likes” The PEDIGREE Adoption Drive on Facebook. So far more than 1 million bowls have been donated.

•Special for BlogPaws West: For each blog that posts about the PEDIGREE® Adoption Drive through September 19th, PEDIGREE® will donate a bag of their new Healthy Longevity Food for Dogs to shelters nationwide. It’s simple: Write a post, help a dog.

•Thursday, September 16 through Sunday, September 19, the Pedigree BlogPaws bloggers will host a Blog Hop, to help raise awareness for the “Write a post, help a dog” effort.

Write a post and then go to LIFE WITH DOGS Thursday through, Sunday, 9/19 to leave a link to your post so Pedigree can find it and count it! It's just that simple!

If you can, take 5 minutes to write a post like this & you'll know that a pup will go to bed with a full belly because of you!

I May Have To Change Grocery Stores, But I Still Have My Panties! ~ Back To Blogging Day 3

I'm participating in the SITS Back to Blogging Challenge, which is sponsored by Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builders Appliances.

Today's challenge is to re-publish a post that has a title that you are particularly proud of, again this one speaks for itself!

I May Have To Change Grocery Stores, But I Still Have My Panties!
How many people do you know who can say they lost their underwear at the grocery store? Yep, underpants lost at my local Kroger. Now before you start to think that I was getting hinky with the frozen foods guy, let me explain.

I had errands to run so I had to put on real clothes. For those of you who don't know me in person this means actual pants (not sweats or jammie type pants), shirts with no holes & the appropriate undergarments. If I'm at home all day, I cannot vouch for what you will see if you come knocking on my door unexpectedly, but I can assure you that it isn't pretty.

I was at Target looking for some of those new empire-waisted baby doll type tops that are in style right now & flatter my type of figure. You know the body type with extra rolls of fat around the middle & rear, (sorry to have to leave that image in your head.) When I was reaching in my jeans pocket to get out my car keys I thought I felt something in there besides my keys. I dug around & alas, nothing but keys. I hopped in my Mom-mobile (teal colored Ford Windstar mini-van) & ran off to the grocery store.

I got some lettuce from the produce department, started to move on & realized that I needed some fruit so I circled back. Then I saw them. Laying on the tile in the produce department was a pair of my underwear. You may wonder how I knew they were mine, but I knew it as well as I know my name. Those were my underpants...laying on the floor...in the middle of the produce department...at my local Kroger. They must have been stuck inside my jeans from the dryer. I quickly walked over to the bread aisle & weighed my choices. These were a favorite pair of mine. The kind that don't wedge into inappropriate places, don't droop, sag or show visible panty lines. I needed to get these underwear back!

I casually walked back to produce noticed that there were several people around, but none of them were near my unders. Luckily I was able to kick them into the organic food department & pick them up without anyone noticing. I hope.

*Update - I now have a new mini-van, but the same Kroger & the same panties!

Back 2 Blogging: Day 2 - Will You Be My Friend?

I'm participating in the SITS Back to Blogging Challenge, which is sponsored by Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builders Appliances.

Today's challenge is to re-publish a post that you wish more readers had seen.  I know that Mimi readers may have already seen this one, but if you're new here, your advice would be welcomed!  I think that the post is self-explanitory as to why it's important to me :-)

Since I suffer from bi-polar and social anxiety, I don't have too many real-life friends that I do things with. Now I'm in the position of wanting to make new friends and unsure how to go about it without coming off as a stalker!

When I worked outside of the house, I could make friends organically at work. You get to know someone, have lunch, share stories and it can move on easily from there. Since that's not an option I have to just approach people who I am only acquaintances with, to try and pursue a friendship.

There's a cashier at my local Kroger who I really like. We've talked for years while I'm checking out about family, life, our boys. She's seen the boys grow over the past few years and I really like talking to her. Also, the receptionist at my boys orthodontic office is really great to talk to. We have kids the same ages and face a lot of the same challenges and questioning when it comes to raising teenagers who may not follow the path we want for them.

The awkward part is taking these to the next level. Do I just ask if they'd like to go out for coffee sometime? What if I'm just rejected & then have to face these people on a regular basis afterwards, that could be weird.

Any advice Mimi-readers? I would love to hear from you.

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*Update, I did give my phone number to the cashier at Kroger, but havn't heard from her.  Our conversations are still fine when I stop in there, though.

I wish I lived closer to some of my dear bloggie friends!

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Great Giveaway At Kat's Place!

My beautiful friend Kat over at Inspiration Can Be Found Everywhere, is hosting her first giveaway.

She's giving away some awesome True Lemon, True Lime, & True Orange products along with 2 Rubbermaid Refill/Reuse BPA free bottles - one is 14 oz. and the other is the 20 oz. size.

I have tried the True Lemon & loved it, so head on over to Kat's & tell her Mimi sent ya!  And make sure to look around while you're there, she's got some great posts about all sorts of stuff.

SITS Back To Blogging Event Day 1

Here is my first ever blog post.  I'm participating in a Back to Blogging event this week to try & win Thelma & Louise, check them out!

You're drooling right?  This contest is sponsored by the awesome girls at the Secret To Success Is In Support, Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builders Appliances.

Today's Back To Blogging assignment is to re-post my very first post, so without further ado, here it is.

OK Now What...

I used to write in a journal. I still have about 5 or 6 pretty blank books, their pages filled for a few weeks & then abandoned. Sometimes when I try to start writing, my thoughts come faster than my hand can record them, so I give up.

I know that there are too many thoughts swirling around in my head, seemingly on an endless loop. Maybe if I write some of them down, my brain will be more quiet. Don't worry, all the voices that I hear are my own (o.k., sometimes they belong to my mother). Actually a different voice in my head might be a nice change of pace (unless it's my mothers).

Whe I wrote that post, I never, ever could have imagined that calibur of the friends I would be lucky enough to meet through this blog.  It's been an amazing journey so far.

Tomorrows assignment is to re-upload a post you wish more people had read and explain why it was important to you, so play along!