The Honeybee's Lifestyle

Tag: 901

  • Spread The Word

    Hello Honeybees,

    Sickle logo

    September is National Sickle Awareness Cell Month

    Why is this important to me and should be important to you?

    Reason one- Sickle Cell disease is inherited and occurs in about 1 out of every 500 Black or African-American births.

    Reason two- I carry the sickle cell trait

    Now carrying the trait (thanks dad) doesn’t really affect my daily life. I’ll probably never be Serena as that kind of intense exercise can be very taxing on my system (Yeah, that’s the reason) & I am anemic but that just means that I need to get enough iron (good thing I love liver & spinach but hate taking iron pills).

    See easy!!

    On the other hand Sickle Cell Disease can and does affect the everyday life of those who inherit it.

    Here is a pic of what a normal red blood cell looks like and one that is sickled.  Because of its shape it decreases the cells ability to effectively carry oxygen and cause other issues.

    Cell pic

    This condition can cause a sickle cell crisis. Sickle cell crisis are episodes of pain that occur with varying frequency and severity. It is usually followed by periods of remission. The risk for a sickle cell crisis increases with any activity that boosts the body’s requirement for oxygen. This may include illness, physical stress, or high altitudes.

    These painful crises can last hours to days. They affect the bones of the back, the long bones, and the chest. The crises can be severe enough to require hospital admission for pain control and IV fluids.

    This is by no means all of the information that we should know about Sickle Cell Disease.  This is just to bring awareness to the disease.  

    What can YOU do to help?

    SPREAD THE WORD

    Visit www.sicklecelldisease.org or  www.sicklecelltn.org or  www.stjude.org and donate your time, talent or treasure.

    You can also donate blood.  Research shows that blood donors with the same ethnic background provide the best match to those with sickle cell disease.

    Let’s be our brothers keeper!!

    Belinda Bee pic

    Beewisdom – We live in challenging times and we need to have each others back.

  • Next Stop? Thrift Shop!

    Hello Honeybees,August Thrift 5Monday was National Thrift Shop Day.

    To honor National Thrift Shop Day  I’m doing my first thrift store post.

    August Thrift 3

    August Thrift 2

    August Thrift 1Have a conversation with me and you will learn quickly of my love for thrifting.  It really amazes me how many people I meet actually like to thrift.  Some for the thrill of the hunt and some for the bargain.

    ME..I do it for both.  

    This very casual outfit cost a total of $10… necklace and shoes included.  All thrifted items purchased at Goodwill (Winchester/Riverdale)

    Chambray Top- Old Navy $3.99

    Floral Skirt-Isaac Mizrahi for Target $4.99

    Shoes-Nike $0 (a gift from my days working at the Swoosh)

    Necklace-Pink $1

    Stay tuned to the blog and you will get a chance to see some of my thrifty finds.

    Belinda Bee pic

    Do you like to thrift?  What are some of your favorite thrift stores? 

    Beewisdom- I’m gonna pop some tags, only got 20 dollars in my pocket- Thrift Shop

    Photo credit:Nikki Gibbs

  • Listen Dear Journal

    I started journaling in middle school and I have never stopped. 

    Journal Collection
    Journal Collection

    As a young woman it was my way of dealing with the death of my father.  My mother ALWAYS encouraged my love for reading and writing. Writing as in journaling.  Two of the many things that I try to pass down to my boys. 

    As I grew older I used journaling as a way to not only release but to also reflect.

    I look back at some of my journals, especially high school, and wonder “What was I thinking?” It’s funny how complaining about school, chores and boys was such a big deal.  In college it shifted to boys, choosing a major and partying. Later in life it was about serious relationships, marriage and kids.

     I use journaling as an adult to help me navigate this thing called life.  Journaling helped me get thru the death of my mother, my divorce and many other circumstances.  I try to start a new journal at the start of the New Year but if it’s been a trying year I’ll start when I run out of pages.

    Having a pretty journal makes me want to write. Whenever I’m in a store I always find myself in the journal section. If you ever want to give me a gift…. A journal is a can’t miss.

    Here is my current journal and yes it was a gift.

    My Current Journal

    Here are some journaling tips that you might find helpful.

    1. Write consistently.Think of journaling as a daily practice that you would incorporate into your routine as you would yoga or running. Aim to write in your journal each day for 20 minutes. The day-to-day expectation of creativity effectively confronts the thoughts and feelings that are keeping us up at night.
    2. Consider starting out each day journaling. A 2012 University of Toronto study published in the journal Emotion has shown that people are more optimistic in the morning. Writing first thing in the morning helps give you a fresh perspective and the chance to start the day off with a clear mind.
    3. Never self-edit.Write freely, without worrying about spelling or grammar, and without the burden of worrying about what others might think about the words you choose. This journal is for you, and you alone. It might take practice, as we are programmed throughout our lives to write for others, but once you get into the habit of writing freely, you will start to get a clearer picture of what your true feelings are and then be able to work through them.
    4. Record it all: the good, the bad, the ugly.It is important to list the happiest moments of your life as well as the lowest moments of your life. This helps give you perspective of the complete picture. In reviewing your journal, you will be able to step back and see the whole story of who you are and how you got to where you are: what defines you, and where you want to go. Further, self-analysis builds self-worth by validating the entirety of your world-view, including your goals and values.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-gail-gross/benefits-journaling_b_5588478.html

    Do you journal?  Why or why not? Leave a comment below to let me know.

    Belinda Bee pic

    Beewisdom- “The nicest part is being able to write down all my thoughts and feelings; otherwise, I might suffocate- Anne Frank, from The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition