The Honeybee's Lifestyle

Tag: Life

  • Live Life NOW!

    Hello Honeybees,

    This last year has really taught me some lessons. Thankfully the lessons were taught lessons instead of bought lessons. Bought lessons can be very expensive both emotionally and financially.  One lesson that I am taking to heart is to enjoy life everyday. For the purpose of this post I’m talking about enjoying material things. I’ll address the other ways I enjoy life outside of the material in future post.



    In July I will celebrate year 54. This year is significant to me because my mom passed when she was 54. I think about where I am in my life vs where she was at the same age. We are both single parents, hers by death and mine by divorce (kind of the same thing…just kidding). We both were homeowners (although I downsized a few years ago). Also, neither one of us at this point had ever lived alone (I’m working on emptying my nest but no real rush).

    I think about how when cleaning out her closet there were clothes that still had tags on them. I think about how she waited until she felt that I was on solid footing before she decided to truly enjoy & embrace life. She was on a Cole Haan binge because I was working at Nike & they owned Coke Hahn at the time (discount!). Our last shopping trip together would be her last shopping trip ever. That night she would suffer the fist of several strokes.

    She took me to JCPenny’s at the Mall of Memphis to buy me maternity clothes. I fussed the whole time, because I could afford to buy my own clothes, until the cashier said “baby let your momma spoil you”. I’m glad that my my well being was so important to her but at the same time I wished that she would’ve been a little bit more selfish and put her happiness first.

    So at this point in my life I’m all about spoiling ME and having some of the things that bring me joy. Of course this is all within reason because like her I want to leave a legacy for my children & grandchildren, but I also don’t want to wait until it’s too late. I deserve to live my life NOW and to enjoy it NOW. This year I will obtain 3 luxury to me items. I haven’t decided on which 3 but one will be a purse and one will be a coffee maker. These might not sound like much to you but to me they have deep meaning. These items will represent me living, embracing and enjoying life. So whatever it is that you keep putting off…STOP and do it NOW!

    Happy Birthday Momma!! Your baby is still listening and learning and enjoying life.

    Beewisdom- What is bad about luxury as long as you can afford it? – Diana Dors

  • Bored In The House

    Bored In The House

    Hello Honeybees,
    Are you bored in the house, cause you’re in the house bored? I know you’ve heard the song and if you are like me you are tired of hearing it, even though it may be absolutely true.
    I asked my sons, one 20 & the other 18 how they were handling the whole shelter in place. My oldest was furloughed from his restaurant job and my youngest had to return home from his freshman year of college. I asked them both the same questions and here is what they shared with me:
    How do you feel about not working/leaving school?
    20 yo: A little worried wondering when/if they will reopen and relieved because I needed a break but since I don’t have vacation time I couldn’t justify taking the time off.
    18 yo: Not happy about having to leave school and NOLA. I miss the end of year plans that I made with my friends. We stay connected thru our group chat and Snapchat
     What do you miss the most?
    20 yo: Working & being outside without worry but relieved that there’s not a lot of people around our building
    18 yo: Being around my friends. Studying with friends, hanging out with friends.

     How do you spend your day?
    20 yo: Playing video games, reading, Netflix, YouTube, writing
    18 yo: Class, laptop, Twitter and video games
    What’s the first thing that you want to do when outside opens up?
    20 yo: Driving lessons (yes he’s an extremely late bloomer)
    18 yo: Go back to school. Hopefully find a summer job if possible
    How are you feeling emotionally?
    20 yo: Doing pretty good, not stressed especially after my unemployment kicked in
    18 yo: Fine. Okay.
    How are you staying mentally grounded?
    20 yo: Playing video games and writing whenever the creative
    mood hits
    18 yo: Talking to people on the internet.

    How has this changed your day to day life?
    20 yo: It hasn’t except for work.
    18 yo: Educational wise I hate online classes because being in class I am very engaged and focused. I get easily distracted at home.
      How has this changed your outlook on your future?
    20 yo: It hasn’t
    18 yo: I’m not surprised by this outcome because of who is the president. Politically & economically nothing will change unless we change the whole governmental system. What we have is not working. I predict a new system for my grandchildren.
    Me:
    As a mother I am watching, talking and asking questions. I hope to guide them through this time with as much ease as I possibly can, all while keeping my sanity in the process. It’s not always easy because they don’t want to always open up. I was very surprised that they even sat down to answer these questions. It’s a good step in the right direction, I’ll take it.

     

    How are your young people doing?

    Beewisdom-“The glory of youth is youthful strength.” – Lailah Gifty Akita

  • Two Weeks

    Hello Honeybees,

     

    Life comes at you fast, sometimes a little too fast.
    Two weeks ago I was in Chicago with my god daughter doing a college tour. I was enjoying the unexpectedly beautiful weather, strolling down Michigan Ave popping into stores looking at things that are definitely not in my budget. I was being cautious with the extra hand washing, using hand sanitizer & wiping down surfaces. This was not new as it is a habit especially when traveling. But oh how things took a turn.

     

    Two weeks!! Who knew that in two weeks life as I & many others know it would be turned upside down.

     

    Getting back into Memphis on a Sunday, resting on Monday, getting back in the work grove on Tuesday, preparing for a big work event scheduled for Thursday and ready for the local school district to go on Spring Break (work would slow down a little). Colleges would start to extend Spring Break. My son who attends Xavier University Of Louisiana had Spring Break a long side Mardi Gras so they were already back in the swing of college life. The school decided to go to online learning but students could stay on campus. He wanted to stay & I wanted him to stay.
    Thursday we had to postpone a big work event and SCS Spring Break was extended for an extra week. Friday we were told to work from home the next week.

     

    By Sunday I was on the road to NOLA to bring my baby home. Monday evening the school decided to close the dorms but we were home safe.

     

     

    Wednesday my oldest son was laid off from his restaurant job.

     

    Thursday the city was officially on lock down.

     

    Two weeks!! In two weeks I went from enjoying the normal things in life to social distancing. No hanging out, no browsing in stores, no nothing. I go to the store for essentials only and back home. The comfort of being able to go downstairs in my building to grab coffee or just to hang out and people watch is on hold. Most places have been forced to temporarily close so there are no people to watch.

     

     

    Unexpected life changes like Covid-19 can really catch us off guard. But it’s how we react to it that matters most. I am optimistic that we will all come out of this as better people. We will learn to be grateful for the people who REALLY keep our world moving. We will be happy to say hello to strangers. We will welcome that hug from a loved one. Hanging out with our family and friends will have a new and deeper meaning.

     

    I think that we have a few more weeks of social distancing before we can start to ease back into “normal” life and I am ready for it.

     

    Hang in there y’all we can do this!! BYE!
    Beewisdom-People change, things go wrong, shit happens, but life goes on- Unknown