Why? I don't know...

In school we were taught to look for and answer five basic questions when writing or doing some other projects, but those questions were: who, what, where, when and why. I was just thinking about that and if you ever pay attention (or to much in my case) why is always the last one mentioned. Perhaps it's just because it flows better when said in that order. For the purpose of proving my point and being able to write this (and to prove that I pay more attention to things than I should), let's just say that why is the last one listed because it is the most important question that needs to be answered and to often the most difficult to find a definitive answer. Sometimes to get to that answer you have to be willing to search far and wide and even wait years. Isn't it funny how three little letters with a question mark attached to the end can sometimes alter and even halt your life? This isn't to say one should never ask why or any kind of question again because if that was the case I'd be hurting since I'm constantly asking questions and seeking answers. As so often is said, how are you ever going to find out anything if you don't ask? My point, if there is one, is to often we get so focused on searching for the why that we forget every thing else we've learned and it's like we have a pair of cement shoes on and we get stuck and can't move on. I think this is especially true while searching for the answers to the darker side of why, you know those why (insert a bad thing that happened to you or someone you know). That's when if your not careful you get those cement shoes on and you can't move on and can sometimes start sinking. I spent so many years asking why to questions that either aren't the right time to get the answer to or I'll just never truly know and it bothered me for a long time and I did have those shoes on and got stuck. That is until I realized sometimes it's okay for the answer to why to be I don't know. For some reason it never really seems like an acceptable answer by many for a reply to why. All of the other questions (who, what, where, when, and even how) can be answered with I don't know and not much of a fuss is made about it. However, for myself, when I found I could accept I don't know it was easier to move on. Does that mean I won't come back to that particular why at some point, absolutely not, but I'll accept that it isn't the time for me to find out the complete story behind the why and yes I'm even willing to accept that I don't know is the final answer. To be honest sometimes we cut the question short, we ask why when it really should be why not. For example, I may ask 'why should I take a class? I've been out of school to long I don't even know where to start' but instead I should have asked 'why not take a class, it would help add experience to what I would like to do and it would give me something else to do.' Asking to many questions isn't the problem but sometimes how we ask and getting side tracked waiting for an answer that either can be right in front of us or just waiting on the horizon can cause an imaginary problem to hinder us. On a side note it is such a pet peeve of mine when you do ask someone why and the answer is because I said so, there should be some law against that even being allowed as an answer. Well that isn't what I had originally planned on writing about when I started this but that is just way to much to delete so I'll leave it and end by typing never be afraid to ask why even though you may not like or may not ever get the answer.

Recently saw this quote and absolutely loved it: Once you've accepted your flaws no one can use them against you (including yourself but that part is purely my opinion added to the quote)

Jo Dee Messina 'Me' CD

I'm a big fan of music (and reading but that's for another post) and recently received a copy of Jo Dee Messina's new CD 'Me' (was just a bonus to being able to support her Kickstarter campaign). Anyway, this is a phenomenal CD and I'm not just saying it because I am a huge fan. Usually when I get a new CD I'll only listen to maybe 30 seconds of the song before I switch to the next song but not this time. There is a song for no matter what kind of day you are having and you can hear influences from several musical genres in all of the songs. Of course Jo Dee's vocals are amazing and she co-wrote or wrote 7 of the 12 songs. Her current single from the CD is Woman's Rant (so call your local radio station and tell them to play it) and it is a fun song that every woman can relate to. I think my favorite (and hopefully eventually single) song from the CD is Me. This song just tells of how a woman has to be so many different things to people and some times you just don't know how you can be all of that. There was just something that hit a cord with me when I heard the line, 'I wish I was half the woman I got to be. I wish I had all the answers right in front of me. I'm every thing to everyone and I'm scared as I can be cause when I look in the mirror all I can see.' Something about the song is so powerful. I also really love the song Like A Kid Again because any adult can relate to dealing with the stress and responsibilities of being a grown up and some days just wishing you could go back to being like a kid when something as simple as getting dizzy turning in circles could make you laugh. So if you are a fan of JDM or looking for some new music to listen to check this CD out.

Here are a couple of links (hopefully they work)

http://jodeemessina.ras.bustores.com/jo-dee-messina-all-about-me-bundle.html

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HZMRXZG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HZMRXZG&linkCode=as2&tag=jodeemessina-20

Words

You ever hear someone say, 'I hope blah, blah, blah, but I don't know (or doubt) if it'll happen.' I sometimes want to ask why did you go throw that conjunction in there, it totally defeated the I hope... School house Rock once asked, 'Conjunction Junction, what's your function?' to waste a perfectly good I hope sentence is apparently one. Here's an example I'm sure most everyone has heard, been told, or maybe even said: 'I hope you get feeling better but I've heard that's hard to get over.' I'm not even gonna lie I've said it or some variation of it before. It starts out all encouraging with a lot of hope and you totally got this and with one simple conjunction it all just gets knocked down. To often, and this is something I've thought on several occasions over the years, I (and maybe you too) put a question mark or in this case a conjunction and add more doubt and say to much where I just need to put a period and let it go. Funny how it's almost always something negative that's said too. Not to take a turn on to Over thinking Avenue but that's kind of like life people can start out on the right track being positive that things are going to end great but something happens and it takes a turn to the negative and that's to often where it ends. I don't know but it seems like you should end whatever it is, be it a sentence or some event in life, on the positive note. It still might go to the pits, I know that's a very good possibility but I also know it's no fun being around a Debbie Downer all of the time either. There's a song called Words by Hawk Nelson and I like what it says, particularly these parts of the song: They've made me feel like a prisoner, they've made me feel set free. They've made me feel like a criminal, made me feel like a king....words can build you up, words can break you down. Start a fire in your heart or put it out. And that last part is especially true. I don't know why I'm on this big kick on what and how you say something, be it to yourself or others, but I'm just going to roll with it and hope I get whatever I'm supposed to. By the way if you have a friend that says I hope blah, blah, blah (and actually really does just say blah, blah, blah) you have found a friend full of sarcastic wit and wisdom, hang on to that friend!!

Finally because I said conjunction junction what's your function I now have that stuck in my head and I like being random so here is the video to that Schoolhouse Rock, which happens to be one of my absolute favorites. I also don't want to give the impression I'm hating on conjunctions! :)

Thank you...

This may sound rude, selfish, arrogant, or just plain wrong but I think most people will agree that they like to know they are appreciated and people notice the things you do, whether it's something you've done to help someone or just doing your job and doing it well.To me the most I would ever want is nothing more than a simple thank you, I'm definitely not saying I would want material things or something like that because to me a thank you has more value and is more sincere. It's always good to try to encourage yourself but let's be realistic it can be hard to be positive all of the time and sometimes the people and tasks we face day to day can get overwhelming.  I think I'm doing a good job and am a good friend but some days I just have a hard time making myself believe it so it's nice to have someone occasionally remind me that I got this and I am doing good, or to be reminded when I'm not, although that one isn't as fun but as important for sure. It's kind of like when a baby is trying to take it's first steps and he or she may have a bit of hesitation but the more the parent or other person starts encouraging them then you can see the baby become more willing to try to take another step even if it means he or she may end up falling flat on it's bottom. Sometimes I just ain't sure if I'm doing a good job at work or not and feel like I'm struggling to keep up which can spiral quickly into getting discouraged (that I guess is where you have to do your part to keep encouraging yourself even if it doesn't feel like it's helping because you can't put 100% into waiting for the compliments and such from others, they may be to far in between) and although I hadn't gotten to that point I was wondering if I was doing okay with work. In a recent conference call with a couple of my coworkers my boss gave us a compliment and basically thanked us for doing a good job. It was nice to know that she does notice and appreciate it. I don't know maybe I put to much emphasis on something as simple as saying thank you or other ways to just be polite and use some manners but as I stated earlier I think it's a very valuable gift you can give to someone when they do something for you. Therefore, as I end this let me sincerely say thank you for taking the time to read this. Hopefully you didn't have to many 'good grief' and eye roll moments and could actually read all of it!