Write2Unpack

Having no idea what to write about today I sat at my computer and asked, “What do you want to write about today?” And then listened. I like to write sexy, uplifting and inspirational posts, so probably something along those lines. Then I heard “Don’t be a douche.” (no, not really) Perfect! Sexy is not being a douchebag, inspirational is not being a douchebag, and so today’s inspiration found me.

First, I couldn’t decide or figure out if it’s “douche bag” or “douchebag.” There are so many articles and websites about both it was making my head spin, so I’ve decided to just shorten the term to “douche” for today’s excursion.

Second, everyone knows what a douche is, correct? Not the literal item, but the urban dictionary kind of douche. Generally speaking, it’s that person who thinks they’re more important than everyone else, rules don’t apply to them, and they can do or say whatever they want and they’re funny/charming even though everyone else knows they’re not. The things they do get in the way of creating real, trusting and respectful relationships.

In the spirit of reducing the amount of douchebaggery in the world (Yes, that’s right. I’m a writer I can make up words if I want), let’s talk about 5 things you can do to not be a douche.

1.  Listen. When you’re having a conversation listen to what the other person is actually saying, and then respond thoughtfully. Don’t just wait for your turn to talk, or interrupt because you think what you have to say is more important.  The goal of a conversation is to expand it, not to narrow it.

2.  Care. Everyone’s going through something you know nothing about, and different things affect people differently. Just because you wouldn’t be so upset if your cat died, doesn’t mean that your friend should just suck it up and not be sad. Maybe he/she rescued that cat and nursed it back to health and that cat’s been with them through some really tough times and has been their only source of comfort. Understand their feelings are different than yours and that’s ok. Be a decent human and care that your friend is hurting, regardless of the reason.

3.  Be present. You know that guy who is on a date and watches all the other girls as they walk past his table and then leaves his number for the waitress? Or the one who spends all their time on their phone checking something or texting someone else instead of the person they’re actually with? Don’t do that. Talk to, listen to and build a better relationship with the person who’s actually occupying the space in front of you.
Due to extremely positive effects on generic cialis male impotence. Some heart diseases are also the reason india generic tadalafil icks.org for a person to be facing depression. After looking at such worst situations pills for erectile dysfunction were introduced and so the doctors then suggest people with the best pill amongst all and that is cheap cialis generic . cialis is best for the people affected by autism, excessive amounts of some type of issue related to physical problems that are resistant to treatment may be present. As such, usage of generic cialis pill this drug means working with a specific company.

4.  Make mistakes. I’m not saying you should intentionally screw things up, but accept that you’re human and may not know everything. Sometimes you’ll be wrong. Admit it when you are. If you can’t be honest with yourself how can you expect others to be honest with you?

5.  Be kind to yourself. If you’re hateful to yourself you’ll probably be hateful to others. If you’re hateful to others they’ll be hateful to you. It’s a vicious cycle that starts with you. For example: My 10 year old loves the TV show “Paw Patrol.” It’s a show that’s geared for 5-6 year olds. Now, my son is wicked smart and reads at the high school level, but he’s insecure and when his brother makes a smart-ass comment, Ahren lashes out. When Ahren lashes out Aidan comes right back at him and now it’s a thing. If Ahren was kinder to himself and didn’t feel bad because he likes a cute puppy show that’s inspirational and teaches kids to be honest, loyal, and trustworthy,  he would’ve just said something like “Yeah. So? I like it.” and his brother’s taunting would have been defused.  Be who you are and give yourself the grace you would give another.

Now, we’re all subject to this behavior from time to time. I’ve done it before, even though I try not to. We all do it, we all have bad days, and that’s OK – it’s what makes us human.  It’s important to take a breath and remember that we’re all in this together, and it’s not always easy. It takes practice. So this week, my reader, I encourage you to get out there and practice not being a douche!

My thoughts are my own, but my pictures are generally found on Pinterest (you can find anything there!). If you like what I write, please share with your friends or someone you think would like it! I’d love it if you follow me on Facebook (Melissa Gale), Instagram (write2unpack), or Twitter (@write2unpack). If you have any topics you’d like to talk about, reach out to me at write2unpack@gmail.com. Oh, hey, and if you sign up to follow me you’ll never miss a post!

“Life Lessons From a Labrador” is my sons’ most favorite blog post I’ve written. Today I thought I’d pay homage to the other canine in our house, Jack-Jack the girl German Shepherd. (She was named after the baby in “The Incredibles” and the cartoon short Pixar produced entitled “Jack-Jack Attack”)

When Jack-Jack was about 2 months old a friend of mine brought her into the office where we worked.  I told her if she needed to find the pup a new home I wanted dibs and, fortunately for me, 7 months later Jack-Jack came to my home.

My family and I have belonged to Jack-Jack for about 6 years, and she’s been an amazing addition. She teaches without trying, and sets a good example for me and my children. Today’s post is about that: the guidance we get from our German Shepherd.

1.  Be loyal. The first thing I think about when I think about a German Shepherd is loyalty. They will love you and stick with you until their last breath. They’ll even die for you. What a great lesson for my children: be loyal to those you love.

2.  When you have a German Shepherd you can forget personal space. We’ve trained Jack-Jack to stay off the couch, but when you sit on the floor you can expect a large furry lap dog to immediately occupy your space. She knows the importance of touch and snuggling. Oh, and don’t expect to use the bathroom without an escort.

3.  Listen. Jack-Jack will listen to you intently and try to understand what you’re saying. She doesn’t judge, and loves me even more when I talk to her. I want my children to grow up knowing the importance of listening to others, even when you don’t understand them, without judgment.

4.  Think. The Labrador can out sniff the Shepherd, but Jack-Jack’s smarts are head-and-shoulders above Belle (bless her heart).  Shepherds are super intelligent and need to be mentally stimulated, so do we. Mental stimulation has been shown to improve memory and lower a person’s risk for memory disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.
The antioxidants in cialis tablets online hawthorn can help stop some damage from free radicals. A person normally faces penile erection while practicing sexual viagra prescription Read More Here intercourse. http://icks.org/n/data/ijks/1498534150_add_file_1.pdf sildenafil tablets 100mg The most common method of treatment that modern chiropractic uses is spinal manipulation. You will quickly feel the urge. e) Consume a guava with seeds. tadalafil 20mg no prescription
5.  Protect each other. While the Labrador will bark and bounce backwards, the German Shepherd will run straight at anything she deems is a danger to us or any of “her charge.” When we let the cat out at night she insists on going out too to make sure it’s safe for him, and is instantly at your side if someone’s at the door. A good reminder to stand up and protect those we love.

This week, my reader, I encourage you to take the guidance of the German Shepherd.  Be soft and cuddly, strong and fierce, use your brain, love unconditionally, and protect those you love.  Just imagine what kind of world we’d live in if we all loved like the German Shepherd.

Thanks to my boys for this week’s inspiration. The next pet-blog will, undoubtedly, have to be about Maxwell – The Cat Who Thinks He’s a Dog.

My thoughts are my own, but my pictures are generally found on Pinterest (you can find anything there!). If you like what I write, please share with your friends or someone you think would like it! I’d love it if you follow me on Facebook (Melissa Gale), Instagram (write2unpack), or Twitter (@write2unpack). If you have any topics you’d like to talk about, reach out to me at write2unpack@gmail.com. Oh, hey, and if you sign up to follow me you’ll never miss a post!

“Spectacles, Testicles, Wallet and Keys.” Those are the words my friend heard when she was leaving her hotel room.  She looked to her right and there was a man, also leaving his hotel room, checking to make sure he had everything before he closed the door.  He was instantly embarrassed, but his words have had a lasting impact. She remembered what he said and has used it herself to remember everything before she locks her house for the day. She’s shared it and now I use it to make sure I have everything before I leave for the day. That’s the inspiration for today’s post: life hacks.

We all need things to make our lives a little easier, and what better way to help out my readers this week than to share some life hacks that have helped me.

1. “Spectacles, testicles, wallet and keys.” Say this snappy little jingle before leaving for the day and you’ll make sure not to leave your house without the essentials.

2. Cut your frozen pizza before baking. It’s not any harder to cut, you won’t get a saucy mess, and the center won’t be cold.

3. Wrap celery in tinfoil. It will keep weeks longer. (Note: like all fruits/veggies, the pre-cut ones don’t keep as long)

4. To help ease mouth sores: mix equal parts Benadryl and Milk of Magnesia and swish (don’t swallow).

5. To clean up vomit (yes, it’s gross, but we all have to do it sometimes): sprinkle ground coffee on it. It will help the smell and dehydrate it, making it easier to clean up.

6. When you order pretzel bites and they come with cheese, tear the pretzel bites in half and dip the torn end into the cheese. The cheese will normally slide off the buttery outside, but will stick to the cheese. (This is my sons’ favorite life hack)

How to treat weak erection problem discount viagra no prescription in men. The timely action to have this drug can help you out but sometimes you need the http://appalachianmagazine.com/category/history/page/11/?filter_by=random_posts levitra no prescription professional guidance of a friendly SafeWay Instructor, make drivers ed a fun and interactive experience, while focusing on learning the SAFE driving skills young drivers need for today’s roads. Some people cialis for sale want to have faster erections and take several doses. Liver has many functions to perform one of the vital function is to get away online order for viagra http://appalachianmagazine.com/2017/05/29/appalachian-values-learned-from-my-people-on-the-tug/ with the toxic substances.

7. Use a cardboard egg carton for your garden starts. When the plants are big enough just tear them apart and plant, carton and all.

8. Ctrl + z: In Word it will instantly undo the last action. That little nugget has saved my bacon more than once.

9. Use old, discarded pallets for a raised garden. There are always pallets free for the taking. You can find them at feed/pet stores, big corporate offices, fruit sheds, or look on Craigslist. Just be sure to ask first! Fill them with soil and PRESTO! You have a raised garden and your plants are in neat, little weed-free rows.

10. Coconut oil. This one’s my favorite. Use coconut oil instead of butter or canola oil for a healthier meal, it’s an awesome and natural skin conditioner (and wrinkle reducer), removes wax, removes adhesive left behind by stickers, washes easily out of clothes and doesn’t stain, it’s a great makeup remover (especially mascara), a great massage oil… seriously, just google it. Coconut oil will definitely make your life easier.

If you look on google, you can find reference to “Spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch” as a mnemonic to teach you how to properly make the sign of the cross, an Austin Powers movie, and the Urban Dictionary even has a definition for “testicles spectacles.” As great as all those things are, my hope for you, my reader, is to bring a little humor to you this week and make your life a little easier.

Seek out things that can make your life easier. We all work way too hard, so find those tips and tricks that make your life easier, healthier, and less stressful.

Oh, and be mindful about what you say out loud. You may be remembered for something you didn’t intend. (Hat tip to the man in the hotel who never forgets the essentials).

My thoughts are my own, but my pictures are generally found on Pinterest (you can find anything there!). If you like what I write, please share with your friends or someone you think would like it! I’d love it if you follow me on Facebook (Melissa Gale), Instagram (write2unpack), or Twitter (@write2unpack). If you have any topics you’d like to talk about, reach out to me at write2unpack@gmail.com. Oh, hey, and if you sign up to follow me you’ll never miss a post!