Tracie's World

The First Presidency has long been encouraging those of us in Utah to get more involved politically, and sent out a letter saying as much.  The letter also stated that both parties have good principles, and encouraged us to attend our local caucuses.  So this week, I attended my local Democratic caucus. A couple of years ago, tired of the CONSTANT phone calls and emails from the Republican party, of which I was then a member, I changed my status to Unaffiliated.  I was also disappointed in how extreme our state legislature has become, to the point of making us look completely ridiculous, not to mention gerrymandering our political districts, just because they don't like that a particular Democratic incumbent candidate keeps defeating them. I figured changing my status was my own way of making a point, but that was about as "political" as I was willing to get.   So it was a big deal for me to attend a caucus at all, let alone a Democratic one.  But I figur...

In thinking about the rough week I had, it seemed appropriate to do a reprint of an old song I wrote about from the 1920's, "Keep Your Sunny Side Up". Keep Your Sunny Side Up There’s one thing to think of when you’re blue There are others much worse off than you. If a load of trouble should arise Just laugh and say it’s great to be alive! Keep your sunny side up, up Hide the side that gets blue. If you can’t buy lobster and cake You’re in luck, your tummy won’t ache! So keep your funny side up, up Let your laughter come through, do If you meet with gloom, Don’t fall down, go boom Keep your sunny side up! Keep your sunny side up, up. Hide the side that gets blue. If you have nine sons in a row Baseball teams make money, you know. Keep your funny side up, up. Let your laughter come through, do. Stand upon your legs. Be like two fried eggs. Keep your sunny side up

I have to say, this last week was a rough one, and I'm glad it is over.  One of those "...guess I'll go eat worms" kind of weeks.  Seems most of my co-workers are no longer speaking to me (none of them will tell me why), and to top it off, I received my worst review score of my entire professional career. To say I was taken aback is an understatement.  Mind you, I've still never received the actual review, just the score, which was below target. I asked for some explanation, and the way I understand it, it was based on some negative feedback from another manager months ago. I was told that I accomplished everything I set out to do last year, but apparently need to work on my personality, which gave me "mixed results". Ouch! Of course, I know I'm not perfect. And it would be really easy to be totally devastated and deflated by it all, and to work my way through an entire carton of ice cream. I've tried not to be, although I confess that in being ...

So my new show that I'm a little obsessed with is one from the Style Network (I know, me watching Style Network, of all things). It's called "Our Big Fat Weight Loss Story", and each episode is about how a family learns to lose weight and get healthy together, sometimes with mixed results.  The cameras and various experts check in with them over a four-month period to see what progress they're making, and to encourage them on their journey.  One of the things I really like is that it encourages them to work towards a fitness challenge of some type.  Something fairly difficult that they have to train for.  And some of them have been doozies.  So this got me to thinking that I should have a fitness goal/challenge of some kind, that I've never done, but that I will work towards and accomplish say in 6 months.  I think it's a fabulous idea, but my only difficulty is in coming up with and deciding on something. So far I've thought about hiking Mount Olympu...

Had to go in for another Doctor appointment the other day, and while visiting with her, she made the comment that I had lost 10 pounds since the last time she saw me. Say hallelujah!  I have been working hard at it, and I've noticed results myself, but it was extra nice to have my doctor to validate it for me. Back in January, as I was considering what goals to set for this year, I decided on a couple of health goals, which were to start eating my vegetables (and no, V8 doesn't count), and to start strength training.  That was basically it.  So I began buying actual produce, and I even bought some resistance bands to help with the strength training.  And a funny thing happened on the way to implementing those goals.  Because I actually started to eat better, work out more, and get healthier, one of the very pleasant side effects of all this is the aforementioned weight loss, which not only has my clothing fitting better, but my skin is clearer, and I'm even wea...

So I go to the Post Office the other morning to mail my nephew's birthday package, which weighed all of maybe 8 ounces total.  Here's the conversation: Postal Lady: Priority Mail, that will be $5.35 Me: Seriously? Postal Lady: Or there's Parcel Post, but that's $5.25 Me: Seriously? Postal Lady: It's because it's so light. Me: Are you kidding me? Postal Lady: Oh let's see...I might have skipped First Class...oh yes, there's First Class for $2.12 Me: That's more like it Seriously? The Post Office is trying to upsell me?  Just a perfect example of why they're $3 billion in the hole...sheesh!

Earlier this week I had me a nasty earache.  Now, I'm not one to get ear infections, so I figured my sinuses were the culprit (what else is new).  I called to make an appointment with my Ear, Nose, and Throat Doctor, but of course, it was going to be several days before I could get in to see him.  I made it through the work day, but finally on the way home, I decided I could not take it anymore, so I stopped off at the Instacare. Thankfully, I was the only one there, so they got me right in to see a Doctor.  So Doogie Howser comes in and looks in my ear, then says "Well, I can't see anything until we get all that wax out."  Ouch!  I know it's a natural thing, but somehow hearing it from someone that young made me feel as if I never bathe properly or something.  But anyhoo...he then sends in an even younger nurse, and after shooting some magic liquid into my ear, and then flushing it with water, the final result was the world's cleanest ear.  Hall...