Meet Shermie...

It’s me, Shermie! I hope this day finds you doing well!

I will tell you a little about me…I am 42 years of age, single, and considered by my latest Body Mass Index to be obese. I live a pretty average life, although in my mind I am SO much more and even though I’m over 40, I still feel I am destined for greater things. Sometimes I think I’m still in my 20s with my whole future ahead of me, and that’s the way I act and think. There have to be millions of other people out there of all ages who still think their best days are ahead of them, wouldn’t you agree?

Things here are the usual weirdness and “mellow chaos” that is my life. Of course the car I just bought from those squirrely dudes down at that car dealership is starting to show its true colors. So much for trying to support local small businesses. Luckily I haven’t really needed the air conditioner too much lately, but my driver’s side window is now getting stuck – unfortunately only in the DOWN position!! I can’t believe it. So anyway, I get home from the part-time job the other day (more on that in a minute) and of course my window won’t go up. I know what you’re thinking – why do you keep putting it down? Well, that would be a good question. Let’s just move on from that. Okay – I forget sometimes and automatically hit the switch to lower it. When I do remember, I have tried having the sunroof, passenger side window and back seat windows on both sides rolled down and then I feel stupid because MY window is still rolled up. It looks stupid. I guess I would look more stupid driving home in a downpour with my window down, though, wouldn’t I? Hmm…good thought. I should just get that air conditioning checked out…I say I haven’t needed it, but haven’t I really?

So back to my original story. I was inside working in my office when I thought to myself, “I’d better go try to roll my window up before it gets dark.” If I give it a little time, it will usually work again. So out the door I go, after waddling with my creaky knees and sore hip down my zillion steps. What is this on my front door? Why, it looks legal. My neighbors have one too. We live in a duplex. I’ll get it when I come back up from fixing my car window. Luckily that didn’t give me too much grief…after a little maneuvering of the button, the window reluctantly went back up. So let’s check out this paper.
It looks as though the owners of my building have been slacking on their payments, so some type of measure is being taken – you know I don’t get one little iota of legal-speak. Not one. I did see one word – FORECLOSURE – which sort of jumped out at me…yikes! Wait – they just passed a law protecting renters from landlords who don’t pay their mortgages, so I should be okay. I will call my property manager in the morning to see what’s up, right? She didn’t know. I faxed her the legal looking papers. I am telling myself that I am NOT going to have to try to move 4 cats and myself with no money somewhere within 90 days. I have not heard back from her, but it’s the July 4 holiday, so probably she’s busy. And no news is good news…?

Where would I go? Don’t know. I’ll keep you posted on that.

So back to my part-time job. It is such an interesting place for me to be working. I am definitely in the minority as far as the liberal/conservative opinions go, but it’s not something you can really ask people about. Tracy, the person I work most closely with, is clearly on a different page from me as far as politically and otherwise, but luckily we can laugh it off most of the time if any type of discussion arises. For example, this one that happened the other day…I am sitting at my cubicle working away, focused and basically happy. I hear from her cubicle next to me, “I am going out on a limb and saying that Pooh is gay.” Well, okay. I felt compelled to go see what triggered such an outburst. She is searching for decorations for her new baby’s nursery, which I will go out on a limb and say Winnie the Pooh style is not an option.

She continued on about how much of a wuss (sp?) Pooh is. I said, “How can you hate Pooh? He’s all about peace and love.”

“RIGHT!” was her response. “I just don’t get his world of all sparkles and sunshine.” Oh boy. Even though I have learned her husband is a rootin’ tootin’ member of the NRA and RNC, and knowing that she grew up in Kentucky, a more conservative-leaning state, I was still taken aback by the hostility! She is very funny, and even though I don’t agree with her anti-peace and love attitude, she is really pretty cool. She goes on to tell me the story of taking her 2-year-old junior NRA member son to Disney (I don’t remember which one so I’ll leave it at Disney). She said they had made reservations for breakfast but when they got to the specific restaurant she asked for, they said she was signed up for a different restaurant and they couldn’t accommodate her at this particular venue (I’m thinking it was pirates and stuff like that)… of course she asked where WERE they supposed to be?

Unfortunately, the response had to do something with Winnie the Pooh. She made them acutely aware of her feelings for Pooh, exclaiming to them, “I hate Pooh! Why would I make a reservation there? I’d rather take my son to see princesses and fairies!” Needless to say, they were taken to a table right away. Yikes! I mean, I hate that little toilet paper bear and the little bear from the fabric softener sheets, but they aren’t Winnie the Pooh! I mean, what about “The Tao of Pooh”? It's a book about getting through life as Pooh does, simply and peacefully. I have it (somewhere but can't find it) and I would take it in to show her but I’m afraid that with her world views, book burning is still encouraged. The humor brings us together though. I suggested perhaps she would like Pooh more if she knew that he is an active NRA member? She basically said he’d have to be, but that it still wouldn’t probably work.

Now I am 42 years old and still learning about people and how they tick. I am in a place where I get frustrated with people with opposing views than mine, but I try to keep my mind open enough to understand where they are coming from – does that make sense? It’s a difficult place to exist, but it’s necessary so that I don’t become too closed minded but also to not be a doormat. In this situation, be sure to learn as many proven facts as possible about as many of your passionate topics as possible. Knowledge is power...that is my advice for the day.

Here’s another story along those same lines that confuses me a little. You may or may not know this, but my brother is Catholic. He hasn’t been all of his life, but he is now. So the other day the news about Michael Jackson is just starting to spread like wildfire and he calls to see if I’d heard the news. I said, “Yes!” and he continued on to say that now Michael Jackson has to stand in front of Jesus and answer questions about what he did to those little boys. Whoa...my first thought was to say, “Well it’ll be a while with all those priests lined up in front of him…” but instead of that I went with, “Doesn’t he have to check in with that dude at the gates?” He said, “You mean Peter?” but he said it as if I were a complete ingrate. I said, “Yeah, Peter – I guess I won’t do well on my test.” He said, “No.” I said, “I’m going to ask Peter, didn’t you sing Puff the Magic Dragon?” and then my brother said he had to go and get the groceries inside. He sounded as if he couldn’t believe he had actually called me in the first place, even though we get along just fine when I’m not dogging his religion. I respect my brother's right to believe what he believes, I really do. Anybody who finds strength and peace through whatever means, I'm all for it. Just please don't judge me because I don't believe what you believe.

That’s what I don’t get – why is it when people find religion and talk about Jesus, they usually become exactly the opposite of what Jesus was supposed to represent? My brother generally tries not to become judgmental, but I believe his religion encourages him to. Wasn’t Jesus about love, tolerance, acceptance and turning the other cheek? Why then, when people “accept Jesus into their lives as their Lord and Savior” do they become judge and jury in the trial of life? Anyone who doesn’t believe what they believe or follow their particular faith is a degenerate. I’m not just talking about Baptists, Christians, Catholics or really any particular religion, but just ORGANIZED religion, I guess… any ideas on this topic? I welcome them.

So I am following this weight loss program that I ordered after I heard and read some good things about it. Umm…I just ordered the 2-week plan for a boost to get started on losing weight and giving up my Obese status on the BMI index. I am on day 3. I liked it because it is basically easy – they provide 5 small meals (oatmeal, bars, shakes, etc) and I only have to fix ONE meal. I like that ratio. Except that one meal is becoming a real problem for me. I only have to fix a little piece of meat and something green. It’s hard for me. I am not able to do much in my little kitchen that becomes hotter than hell in the summer. I keep telling myself I would do better if I had more room to move around, but I guess I don’t know if that’s true. I think it is though. So anyway, I’m only on day 3 and this has become a stressor in my life. I just need to start walking again, but between my knee and my hip, I have pain…I just have pain. I am really even sitting here writing this to you with my whiny face on, racked with pain.

Welcome to Shermie's world!