Argh...

So people are always telling me I need to blog again, I need to write again; they love my blog, they love my writing; it's so funny, it's so interesting; I'm so talented...okay, you get it. Of course when I say "people", I actually mean my family/friends/boyfriend, so clearly they are biased and likely just want to read the secret inter-workings of my mind and not my writing at all!

But they are right, and maybe that's why I resent hearing the comments. I *did* enjoy blogging. I *do* appreciate the creativity of writing and of having an outlet to express it. But it's also *so* much pressure when you have a blog! Or at least it is for me, being a perfectionist and all. I like to have a formula: relevant photo, interesting topic, long post, good writing. I like to repeat that formula each time, and I hate when I don't stick to it.

So, who knows if I am back. But I am at least writing this, and considering it....

Shoe Wardrobe

Now that I am between jobs, I'm finding myself with quite a bit of extra time. I am so used to being productive, in the work sense, that it's difficult for me to fill my free time with frivolous activities. Thus, my email boxes have been gone thru, as well as all my drawers, closets, stacks of paperwork, cabinets, etc. There is not a square inch of my home that hasn't been sorted, organized and pared down. Which is where my latest inspiration struck.

I have always been a shoe lover. I don't recall when it began, but I certainly remember having a closet full of shoes by my middle school years. There was a time when I had a huge Chuck Taylor Converse collection, which I some days wish I had held on to! That's a pretty unusual feeling for me though because while I dearly love my shoes, I also don't mind parting with them in order to make way for new ones. I'd say my shoe wardrobe has a pretty high turnover rate. I take that approach with many of my consumer purchases, which I suppose can have an upside and a downside. It satiates my ever-changing and evolving tastes, which I swear is part of my DNA-makeup to never be too attached to "things". However, I also know that some of those closest to me find this behavior appalling and wasteful, at best. And so I suppose I have rationalized it by becoming the ultimate bargain-hunter and deal-finder. When I haven't spent a fortune, it's easy to recycle my goods via Goodwill in search of new goods. But I digress...

I found myself sitting on the floor of my closet the other day wondering how many pairs of shoes I own. I even asked my boyfriend who was sitting at the desk in our room, and he couldn't even venture a guess. Neither could I- I wondered if it had grown too big and needed to be purged. I immediately identified two pairs I wasn't particularly attached to and deposited them into the omni-present Goodwill donation bag on the floor of my closet. Then I got to thinking- I have so many cute pairs of shoes, but often fall into the rut of wearing the same three or four pair day after day. Wouldn't it be fun to challenge myself to a new pair each day (did I mention I have quite a bit of free-time these days?!?). In doing this I might purge the collection a bit and pare down to the those I like most, are most comfortable and go with the most in my wardrobe.

Starting Monday I will begin my challenge! There will obviously be some shoes I won't be able to wear in the chilly December weather (strappy sandals, etc), but I have plenty of shoes to get thru before that becomes an issue. I think I'll start out posting a picture of the shoe and any info I recall on their purchase; maybe I'll even get fancy and include voting buttons so you can help me decide their fate. Stay tuned!!!

to do #7: have fun with shoes.

Happy Feet

Okay, I understand the above "photoe" (hehehe) might be somewhat creepy, but I just had to share how happy my feet are tonight. I "kicked" (ha! okay, I'll stop) off my first of four vacation days with a much needed mani/pedi. These used to be a staple in my life, but the past year my manus and pedes (look it up!) have been sorely neglected.

I decided to try out the place across the street. Not because I'd heard good things about it, or had even peeked through the store window, but simply because it is really close and I was feeling really lazy-- a total stroke of luck on my part! It was a typical nail shop on the inside: a bank of pedicure stations on one side, rows of nail tables on the other and a cadre of cute, skinny Korean women buzzing around. But, these cute, skinny Korean women were all wearing adorable white lab coats! It was such a sweet touch. They stocked a great line of polish, used brand new sealed tools, took forever massaging my feet & legs, softened my cuticles in a plastic baggy with a ton of goop inside a heating pad, used a nice warm towel to wash all the goop off my hands & arms and all for THIRTY DOLLARS! Wow. There is no money better spent, and it was honestly one of the best mani/pedi's I've had.

So I know this was a total fluff piece, but dang I just can't stop staring at my hands & feet tonight!

to do #6: find my new favorite nail spot

p.s.: if any of you are in the Atlanta area, the spot is Hammond Nails & Spa

Chocolat

I've only got a second, but I wanted to show you guys what I've been up to lately! As many of you know I've been working on getting my chocolate business off the ground, and it's going well. I've got a photographer coming this weekend to take photos for my website, so I've been busy making samples all week. I'll be sure to share the photos with you once I have them!

to do #5: make chocolate samples

I'm baaaaaaaaaaack...

Hi all, just a quick post to let ya know I'm back to blogging again!! I'm still trying to figure out my angle & my format this go around; but, I've got lots going on and instead of staying up 'til all hours of the night with random thoughts keeping me awake, I thought it might help to put them out there. So, get ready to get in my headspace!

And p.s., don't forget to show me some love! I want more reader participation this go round---that means You. :)

to do #1: get my blog going again

Happy Birthday To Me

Yours truly just celebrated a certain milestone birthday over the weekend. Due to the thoughtfulness of my many family and friends, it was a great day! Thanks so much for all of your calls and well-wishes. Since a lady would never directly reveal her age, I thought I'd give you a fun little math problem to work out if you're so inclined...

((2x6+3)(9/3)(7-12)) +255 = ???

Did you figure it out?! If not, you can always short-cut it and check my blogger profile. Hahah.

to do #319: celebrate my birthday

#3121

It's my last night in my apartment and while I should be packing a few final things before the movers arrive in a couple hours, instead I find myself compelled to sit at my desk one last time and blog. I've begun to feel quite nostalgic about my apartment in the last few weeks as I started the process of dismantling it and packing it up. In leaving, I realized just how much this place has meant to me over the past two years. And so, I thought, what better way to spend my last night here than taking a little trip down memory lane and paying proper tribute to my beloved 3121. I am going to miss you dear friend...

I've lived in 3121 a few months shy of two years, and while I remember the day I moved in like it was yesterday, I feel like I lived an entire lifetime here. The person who walked through the door the first day is a very different person than the one who will be locking up tomorrow. I came into this apartment absolutely terrified. I was newly separated from my (now ex) husband, I was living on a new side of town where I didn't know anyone, and for the first time in my 28 years, I was living alone. I feigned excitement at the prospect of having my own place and getting a little space from my husband. I reasoned that once we did this he would quickly see what a mistake the separation was, and we'd go back to living happily ever after. Happily, this never happened. I can say that now, but it didn't come easy. The first seven or so months here found me vacillating between despair and hope. As I tried to untangle myself from our marriage I began to realize how far I had strayed from the person I once was. It wasn't until I separated myself from the man I'd spent almost every day of the previous 8 years with, that I started to figure out who I was. And so began my transformation.

I brought little with me into the apartment, which proved to be a wise decision. Although my family and friends thought I was crazy for selling our house and most of the things we had in it, I knew in my heart it was the right thing to do. I suppose maybe I knew even then that things would never work out and I would need a new beginning. I brought the bare minimum from my old life, and thus didn't have many constant reminders of that old life. Instead, I had the opportunity to begin a new life, and one that was mine alone. I took months to find the perfect couch, I sanded and repainted all the furniture I brought with me, and as I found them I bought new things to fill in the spaces. The things felt like me. The more I surrounded myself with the things I loved, and the things that I felt better represented who I was, the more at home I felt.

I also began to make new friends. New friendships can be hard, but mine flourished. I was eager to fill my life with people who didn't know me as part of a couple, but as my own person. I began to realize close friendships were a huge part of my life I had previously sacrificed, but one that I wouldn't be willing to sacrifice any more. My friends are some of the most important people in my life, and I value their companionship a great deal. This would be one of the cornerstones of my new life.

The times I spent here in 3121 with my friends were some of the greatest of my life. We went through good times and bad here. When I was down, my friends brought me back up. When I struggled, they supported me and reminded me of how far I'd come. But mostly, we just had a great time! Proudly, 3121 became the official hang-out spot. Instead of going out, we'd come here. Instead of going to someone else's place, we'd come here. We drank, we ate, we talked, we laughed, we solved all the world's problems, and we created a few new ones. In the company of my friends I felt like I was finally becoming the person who I'd always needed to be.

The memories I have of the times I spent with people here in 3121 are priceless. Whether they were ecstatic or good or mediocre or devastating, they all moved me to where I am now, which is a woman who knows who she is and what she wants and is about to embark on her next great adventure!

I know that many of you read my blog and never leave comments, but I'd love to ask you to make an exception to that lurking rule and leave me a comment if you've been to 3121 with a memory or a tribute of your own!

to do #122: pay tribute to my beloved apartment.

ps, I want to thank, from the bottom of my heart, three very special people who made my last two nights here so memorable and so special. You know who you are, but please know that it meant the world to me. :)

Moving Chaos

It figures I would time my debut back to the blogging world in the midst of packing up my apartment and moving my things into storage. And did I mention I'm also starting a second job this week? Yes folks, I have a great sense of timing. While I have all manner of stories to relate and things to tell you guys, I am spending most of my waking hours carefully taping together the seams of boxes, meticulously wrapping glassware in unprinted newspaper and trying to fit all my possessions into boxes like a puzzle. Those of you who have moved recently know this is no small chore; those of you that haven't moved in a while, like me, don't realize how quickly we forget how awful packing is! It's only been two years since my last move and I'm just living in an apartment, so I didn't have too much time to really get settled in and comfortable here, but as I started my first night of packing I almost quit on the spot and vowed to stay here forever. Luckily I made it through that night and, relatively speaking, the packing has gone pretty well. The singular thought that is keeping me going is that I'm moving on to bigger and better things. More on that soon, I have packing to get back to!

to do #372: take a quick break from packing

Koi

Hey everyone! I hope that you're still sticking with me- I've been a terrible blogger lately. My brother came for a visit last Wednesday and is still here, then we had the big Thanksgiving bash yesterday which was fantastic, so there hasn't been much free time to write or to read your blogs. I have lots to catch you up on, but for now I just wanted to drop you a line and let you know I'm still alive. Above is a picture from the local Japanese garden we visited today. The koi were gorgeous!

to do #139: feed the local koi

Traffic School

You may recall a few weeks ago I was up against a deadline on traffic school, and decided to go to a concert instead. Lucky for me, the court took pity and gave me an extension. Not wanting to get myself in the same predicament, I buckled down and spent the better part of the afternoon and evening doing online traffic school. The price I paid for speeding is that I've wasted a perfectly nice Sunday evening, and that I am utterly exhausted. Traffic school is boring as hell but with online traffic school you actually have to pay attention because the quizzes can be pretty tough! I'm a fast reader, and it's taken me approximately four hours to complete six sections. I still have four sections to go. Ugh. It has been entertaining though. I started to really like online traffic school in section three where it got very zen-like, saying things like:

Focus on where your power is. Your power lies in your ability to control what you do, not what others do. So, instead, concentrate on being removed from the outside world and move into the inside world of peace and tranquility. Stay in the "eye of the storm." When the hurricane is blowing at its fiercest, the inside center of the storm is calm and serene. Don't go outside, where you have no control. Stay inside in the "eye of the storm," where you have control. Stay in your "center."


It even amused me at times with things like:

Drivers who focus only on the bumper in front of them join the "Stupid Club." The Stupid Club gathers members who do dumb things and have crashes.

And of course there were many 'helpful' suggestions like:

If you tend to be oblivious when driving, one good suggestion is to place an easily seen note on your visor that says, "Am I paying attention?"

Alas, it is still boring and I'm only 60% of the way through. I'm too tired to continue tonight, and the thought of more traffic school tomorrow has me so excited I can hardly wait to go to bed. The lesson in this? Don't break the law. As I learned tonight, the average person breaks 400 traffic laws before they get caught. I suppose after 14 years of driving my number was up.

to do #307: attend online traffic school

UPDATE: I passed my final exam with a 100% score! What can I say, I'm a perfectionist, even in traffic school.

House

I love the show House, which is broadcast Tuesday nights on Fox. For a person that doesn't log much time in front of the television, I try not to miss an episode (though strangely I've missed the last few weeks for one reason or another). I happened to catch it once last year mid-season, and have been hooked ever since. I've also recommended the show to family and friends who've all found themselves instantly hooked as well.

The best way I've found to describe this show is that it's a medical mystery: part CSI and part ER. Each new episode focuses on some odd malady that other doctors, thus far, have been unable to explain. The lead character, Gregory House, is a brilliant doctor with a keen ability to suss out the root cause of the illness over the course of an episode. He uses mostly unconventional, and sometimes borderline unethical, methods, making him simultaneously well-respected and loathed among his patients and peers. On his team are three fairly young doctors who bring their own specialties, personalities and opinions of House. The characters on the show are interesting and well-developed, and the actors do an excellent job, especially Hugh Laurie who plays House.

So, this is all great information if I were doing a pitch commercial for the show, but where I am going with this, you may be asking yourself. Here's the thing: invariably whilst or shortly after watching House, the self-diagnosing wheels in my brain start turning and suddenly I begin wondering if I too may have the mystery malady featured on the latest episode. This is crazy, I know, and I'm not a hypochondriac, really, but the illnesses on the show and their various symptoms are just vague enough to make you want to connect some imaginary dots. An odd ache or pain, a weird headache, a moment of dizziness or fatigue or nausea or upset stomach all suddenly become possible symptoms and cause for concern. And actually, I have no idea if the conditions on the show are even based in fact--maybe my MD friend can help with this? Oh, who am I kidding; she's too busy saving real lives to be watching this silly show or reading this silly blog!

Since I've never lost (much) sleep or plan on discontinuing watching the show, I've just come to accept this ridiculous temporary hypochondria as the side-effect of a great TV show. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) tonight the baseball finals disrupted the scheduled episode of House, so I narrowly escaped crossing #317 off my list: diagnose myself with disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (I found this on the House site! hehe), or some equally bizarre illness.

Tough Times

It seems that all around me friends and family are going through tough times. Some have expectedly or unexpectedly lost loved ones, others have been sick or in the hospital, in car accidents, going through divorce or break-ups, facing unexpected pregnancies, caring for sick family members, struggling with unemployment or job difficulties or money issues. It's a bit odd that so many of the people I care most about are going through these trials at the same time, and it's hard to watch them struggle knowing there isn't much I can do to ease their burdens.

I've tried to reach out to each of you individually, but I want you to know again that I'm always here for you, and I think of you every day. Life can't stay difficult forever, so just continue to forge ahead and call on me anytime. I love and care for each of you dearly.

As long as I'm able, reaching out to loved ones is something that I'll never cross off my to do list. But for the sake of blog continuity I'll mention that it's pretty high up on my list, say #3.

Bon Voyage

The red suitcase is packed, the boarding pass is printed, and the dramamine has been taken. I'm going on vacation! I'll catch up with you next week when I (begrudgingly, I'm sure) cross off #159: go on summer vacation.

Crying Over Burnt Rice

Lately, I've been making an effort to be more self-aware. I'm already a pretty cognizant person, but I've been trying to learn and appreciate a little more about my strengths and my flaws--to examine the inherent parts of my personality better, and take them less personally. My approach, thus far, has been two-fold: first, I've tried to slow down a bit and really be aware of what is going on around me and my part in it, and second, I've tried to spend more time reflecting on my day and the things that have taken place in it. If I haven't lost you yet, then you are probably thinking that I am spending way too much time thinking. And you are probably right. But nevermind that, it's been interesting, and I've been enjoying it! Which brings me to the subject of this post...

Last night I had the opportunity to cook for friends again. I decided to make kung pao chicken and fried rice. This is a relatively easy dinner, and one that I've cooked a million times. The key to these two dishes is preparation. They cook fast, so it's imperative that you have everything organized and ready to toss into the respective pans at the proper times. Fortunately for me, organization is one of my strengths! I had everything organized: my vegetables were chopped, my ingredients were pre-cooked, measured and mixed. I even had the ingredients separated out, with those for kung pao chicken on the left side of the stove and those for fried rice on the right side. Like I said, organization is one of my strengths.

Things were going well. My friends were keeping me company in the kitchen. We were drinking wine and talking and laughing (they a little more than me, I did have to concentrate on the cooking!). They were commenting on how delicious everything smelled, how effortless I was making it look, and how they felt like they were at one of those restaurants where they cook the food at your table all fancy-like (aren't my friends sweet?!). I was soaking up the compliments, multi-tasking between the two sizzling pans, and all the while insisting this was an easy dinner anyone could whip up. It was about this time that the chicken required more of my attention. I took my eyes off the rice for only a few moments, but in those moments rice began to burn. By the time I got back to the rice and stirred, the bottom of the pan was scorched. I grabbed the pan off the burner and began picking out the burnt bits, but there were too many. I dumped the unstuck rice into another pan, and resumed the cooking.

But in my mind, it was too late. My friends continued to drink and chat and laugh and effuse on the delicious smells, but I was far far away. I was sulking in the corner of my mind, so pissed that I had just ruined a perfectly simple dish to prepare, and that I was going to have to serve the resulting ruined dish to my friends, the friends who were going to be too nice to tell me how disgusting it tasted, because they were already being too nice about how delicious it smelled. Suffice to say, my night was ruined. I was pissed. And all over a little burnt rice. Then something miraculous happened. We sat down to eat with plates full and dug in, me a little less heartily than them, because I was of course anticipating the worst. But the worst didn't come. The rice tasted perfectly delicious. I was shocked, and relieved, and embarrassed. I realized at that moment that my friends had surely noticed my change in mood, and why? Because of a little burnt rice? I also realized at that moment that I am a terrible sport when things don't go my way. As laidback and flexible as I try to be, when I have a well-laid plan, I expect it to work! And so I shared these revelations with my friends. We laughed about them and they commiserated, and then we went on to enjoy a great night.

But they've stuck with me, much like the rice that was still stuck to the pan the next morning after soaking all night in water. Though I can appreciate the side of my personality that is an optimist and has very high hopes and expectations, I know the result can be immediate and overwhelming disappointment at the first perceived flaw in the plan. So I've got something to work on. Fortunately for me, I also love a challenge! I'm going to continue crossing off #119 because I'm enjoying it and learning so much: dissect my personality.

*I have to mention we drank the most excellent bottle of wine. Not sure about the pairing with kung pao chicken & fried rice, but none of us were complaining! The wine was a Louis Jadot Beaujolais, 2003 vintage. I highly recommend you go out now and buy a bottle of this wine, and then come directly to my place to share it with me!

**For the record, I didn't actually cry after burning the rice. I just want to clarify that.

New Identity

I'm a new woman! Or at least the same woman with a new name! For whatever blatant or sub-conscious reason, it's taken me ten months since my divorce was finalized to go get a new driver's license to reflect my name change. I like to think it was out of sheer laziness and the anticipation of huge lines and long waits at the MVD that I put this off for so long. But nevermind that now, I did it, it's official, I'm back to my maiden name, and pretty happy about it too!

With a new identity I cross off #134: change my name on my driver's license.

Who I Am

I discovered something pretty funny about myself the other day. Most days I put on a great game face and BS with the best of 'em. I can be sweet and polite and well-mannered. I can be thoughtful and soft-spoken, and sometimes I can even use big words. I can clean up my act in front of family and colleagues and others who I perceive may not approve, but in the end, I am just a girl with a terrible potty mouth.

I woke up a few nights ago in agony. I had a charley horse in my calf. I hadn't had one in ages, and forget how paralyzing they can be. Since I was alone in bed with no one to massage it out and allay my pain, I knew I had two choices: writhe in pain forever or get my ass up and stretch it out. You're probably thinking, what's the big deal? We've all had charley horses, am I that big of a baby? Well yes, I am that big of a baby, but here's the funny part. I awoke from a deep sleep to this unbearable pain and began yelling *(warning to sensitive readers)* Fuck, Fuck, Fuck, Motherfucker, Fuck, Fuck, Fuck, and on and on- you get the point. The inner dialogue I detailed above took place after I began yelling the obscenities, for they were the FIRST thing to come to my mind, and to my lips. As I was out of bed stretching my leg and still flailing Fuck around, I wondered if any neighbors might have heard me. And then I had to laugh. There's nothing like a crisis situation in the midst of deep sleep to bring out your true colors. And apparently my true colors are peppered with my favorite F word. Sorry mom. I am who I am.

Though I endured some serious, albeit temporary, pain, I am happy to cross off #268 in the process: find out my favorite curse word.

Screw Early Risers

I was 4 or 5 paragraphs into a post I had titled 'Early Risers'. It was all about my foray into waking up early for a change of pace from my typical 8:45 am wake up on a weekday, and my 11:30 am wake up on a weekend. I was cheerful, I was enthused, I was witty--I was doing some great writing! And what happened, you ask? My damn internet browser froze up and then unexpectedly shut down. Had I saved the writing as a draft? Hell no. Do I feel like re-creating all that cheerfulness again for the sake of a good post? Absolutely not. Now I am pissed.

I'm pretty sure I'm a night owl by birth, and I don't think you're supposed to mess with your internal time clock. At least that sounds like good justification to me. Yeah, the sunlight streaming into my room and waking me up felt better than the jolt of an alarm clock beep. Yeah the cool air at 6:00 am felt great. Sure, the 45 minute walk with my ecstatic dog through the quiet neighborhood streets was invigorating. And okay, a bit of the cheerfulness of the fellow early risers I encountered on my walk rubbed off on me and I was feeling rather happy about being up so early. But obviously, my laptop knows best. It wasn't used to being woken up at such an un-godly hour, and it wasn't happy. It humored me for a bit, but in the end it said screw you, I'm going back to sleep. And so I must concur. Screw the early risers, I'll take being a night owl any day of the week.

Grumpy and going on only four hours of sleep, I cross off #139: try waking up at 5:45 am (and fail miserably).

Groceries

Groceries, originally uploaded by carriemcm.

Remember the aversion I had with going to the post office recently? Until tonight I had one going with the grocery store too, but worse, far worse. I hadn't been to the grocery in nearly three weeks. With each passing day the refrigerator and pantry grew more bare, and my food options grew more bleak. There were lots of cherry chocolate chip bread (yes, I still have some!) breakfasts, cereal or cheese quesadilla lunches, and hamburger helper dinners. I ran out of fruit and vegetables, and still, I wouldn't budge.

I set lots of dates with the grocery: we'll do lunch tomorrow, how about Thursday after dinner, I could squeeze you in after drinks tonight. But I broke them all, and without much regret, until it came time to make the 5th quesadilla of the week. I even contemplated the idea of shopping online. I was told a certain local grocery chain offered free delivery on your first order. Sign me up, I said! But online grocery shopping, at least at this particular store, was a pain in the neck. And so I broke that date as well. But tonight on the drive home from work, enough was enough. I couldn't bear the thought of one more pasta dinner, and so I braved the after work grocery crowd, the sweltering grocery carrying heat, the three flights of stairs with grocery bags looped on both arms from wrist to shoulder, and I went grocery shopping. Now, I figure I'm good for another three weeks.

And so, with a fridge and pantry stocked to the rafters, I cross off my tri-weekly #201: go to the damn grocery store already!

Drinks

Drinks, originally uploaded by carriemcm.

Sometimes drinks with a friend are just drinks. And sometimes they're not. Sometimes they take you out of your comfort zone. Sometimes they reveal more than you expect. And sometimes they change your perspective. Sometimes you laugh, and sometimes you cry. And sometimes they make you admire someone for asking a friend to have a drink.

To do #29: have drinks with a friend.

Prayer

Prayer, originally uploaded by carriemcm.

It came to me with good intentions. The best of intentions, actually. And love. Lots of love. It's not the sender I blame; they were just passing on a message, and clearing some clutter off the kitchen table. No, it's the writer. The anonymous writer. Who could this person be? What sort of life and experiences have they had? But most importantly, what were they thinking when they composed 'A Prayer For Those Who Live Alone'?!

At first, it was amusing. Then, insulting. Then assaulting. Who does this guy (likely) think he is?! Has he ever lived alone? If so, what was so terrible about the experience that it required writing a prayer for those in the situation? An informal poll conducted amongst some of my (single) girlfriends revealed a consensus that the prayer should have been written for those that live with someone, not those living alone (surprising?), for their job is far more difficult. There are challenges to both living situations, and as a person who has lived both, I can assure you that living alone isn't a scary situation in need of a special prayer. It's freedom. It's liberation. Or is this just me trying to justify my lonely existence?! Maybe. So in the end, I suppose I will just take the prayer in the spirit it was sent to me: that it's nice to know God is looking out for me (no matter what my living situation may be!).

And so without further ado, I present the (highly anticipated, I'm sure) Prayer For Those Who Live Alone, author unknown...

I live alone, dear Lord, stay by my side. In all my daily needs, be Thou my guide. Grant me good health, for that indeed, I pray, to carry on my work from day to day. Keep pure my mind, my thoughts, my every deed. Let me be kind, unselfish in my neighbor's need. Spare me from fire, from flood, malicious tongues. From thieves, from fear, and evil ones. If sickness or accident befall, then humbly, Lord I pray, hear Thou my call. And when I'm feeling low or in despair, lift up my heart and help me in prayer. I live alone, dear Lord, yet have no fear, because I feel Your presence ever near. Amen

With head bowed and hands clasped in prayer, I cross #167 off my list: debunk the myth living alone requires a special prayer.