GASLIGHTING - DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?

This is a repost because I continue to run into people who go through this particular experience, which is very unpleasant.

Have you ever fallen in love with someone who made you question your own sanity?  Have you caught your significant other in a compromising position, yet you somehow ended up being the one who is guilty?  Have friends you've had for years suddenly stopped calling because they've been told you're "crazy" or a "psycho bitch"?  You're not alone, and NO, nothing is mentally wrong with you. But you are in an emotionally abusive relationship.  

If you've ever seen the black and white classic movie Gas Light from 1944, you may remember how Charles Boyer did everything he could to make his wife Ingrid Bergman go insane in an attempt to gain her money.  

I watched this movie and was horrified at the things he did. The technical term for gas lighting is someone who repeatedly tricks a person into questioning his or her memory or perception of events with the use of lies, omissions of the actual facts, or falsehoods. 

Your husband told you he would be home to pick you up for dinner, yet when he arrives late, he said he told you he had to work late and you must have misheard him.

You know you heard your lover in the background with another woman in your home while you were on the phone, but you're accused of being delusional.  You're emphatic that you left $35.00 on the bed stand, and now it's mysteriously missing.  Your best friend took a picture of your man driving around town with another woman, but he'll tell you it's his cousin whom you've never heard of. With your own eyes, you've seen another woman walking across the street to get into his truck or car, but he denies your claims. 

Right in front of you he texts at certain periods of the day, and when caught, he yells that you're a nag, then tells you "that's not what I was doing". If you tell his family how he's been acting, no one believes it.  These are some of the stories I hear about all the time.

 

Meanwhile, he tells anyone who will listen that something is wrong with you.  The close friendships you had are now over.  

That's the gist of being emotionally abused. It's a covert tactic to control and manipulate the victim, who just happens to be you. It's difficult to see, so it may be very hard to prove. 

In my opinion, a man who does this has no balls, and it makes me angry.  Instead of being truthful, he gets joy from making you think that you're imagining things. You're put down, degraded, called names, and yelled at for no reason.  Normal conversations are very rare. 

Sharing your own feelings are nonexistent. Nothing you say or do is right.  If something goes wrong in life, you get blamed. When he loses his car keys, it's all your fault. Maybe you've gained weight from the stress, and told that no one will want you anyway. You should be lucky he's even around. There are days the tears are endless, hoping he will treat you with the dignity or respect you deserve. You just want to be loved unconditionally. Sadly, you feel alone. 

Living like this can be a nightmare, but all is not lost.  Some women reach their breaking point and just walk away.  But the thought of having no money or a place to live can be frightening. The fear of what people may think  makes you want to curl into a ball of despair.

Starting today, look in the mirror and believe that you are beautiful and strong because you are.  Keep telling yourself that you deserve to be happy every day. Think about all the things you used to do.

Then document, document, document!  Keep dates, places, situations and names if you can. Be specific. Use a Planner, notebook or a diary.  Even better, send emails to yourself or a family member, and make sure your password is protected. Not only will this make you feel better, but you'll also have a detailed record for legal reasons.

If you have access to cash, send yourself a Moneygram or Western Union. You are the only person who can ever gain access to those funds. Walk around the block to clear your mind every day. Even if it's just for 5 minutes. Look in the mirror to remind yourself how beautiful you are.  Try to make a safety plan.  If you are unable to speak with a pastor or close friend you can trust who supports you, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 

They are experts in all phases, and will provide shelter to those in need. They also have a Chat Line. There are also local places to contact wherever you live.

It's 2018, yet there are literally thousands of people who minimize this type of abuse or think that it's okay. "Words will never hurt me" is a lie. In fact, I hear that "it's not that serious" all the time.  Verbal abuse is still considered a part of domestic violence.  It is what it is.

You deserve the joy that life has to offer. It doesn't matter if you're 18 or 80!

Remember, 2018 is your year to start over!

WHAT DO YOU EAT NOW, THAT YOU HATED AS A KID?

When I was a kid, my parents made sure I ate just about every vegetable known to man, and it was the pits!  As I got older though, Woolworth's (Cheeseburgers/Fries) or Kentucky Fried Chicken became my favorite restaurants of choice.  As a popular and perky social butterfly, I was very much involved in community activities and clubs, causing me to miss out on dinner in many instances, so I wasn't mad about missing all those meals.

Yes, it's much much healthier,  but I'll never be a vegetarian because cheeseburgers call my name all the time. (Sorry all my veggie friends-lol) Still, these days I enjoy broccoli, collard greens, tomatoes and brussel sprouts to ensure I get those vitamins everyone says you're supposed to have.   I've even been known to eat a nice salad - but it must have some steak or chicken in it, please. Oops, I almost forgot about my kimchi.  Yes, yes, I love that stuff!

What about you?  Is your diet entirely different now that you're an adult?  Do you crave certain foods?  Do your kids like vegetables?

APPLE'S SIRI
The other day I read a really good article about a kid's fascination with Siri, and it was really funny.  As the story unfolded, the mother said, "it's not like Siri is real". Well... Susan Bennett, the very famous and probably very tired by now voice that you hear at Delta Airlines, or even for Coca-Cola ads, walks around the neighborhood just like you and I. And nope, she's not a computer. But she had no idea that her voice would be used as the North American Siri, the voice we all know and hear pretty regularly via the iPhone. 

In fact, Apple didn't pay her, other than for the initial US text to voice recording that was completed all the way back in 2005. That's how Apple originally heard her voice.  But sometimes the enunciation of a word or name is not quite right.  Most of us probably live with it, but not Barbra Streisand. Nope - she got irritated enough to call straight to the top to have the way her name was pronounced changed.  Sure enough, during the next update, that correction was made. (lol) Despite that, Ms. Bennett does pretty well, but don't ask her to explain exactly how well! (lol)   Did you also know that there are Siri's all around the world? You'll find a different voice in Japan, Australia, China and more! Isn't that neat?!

2018 OLYMPIC FACT MAY SURPRISE YOU
A new record has been set that's not well known, and no medals will be awarded.  Slightly over 2900 athletes are participating in the Olympics this year, and over 110,000 condoms have been distributed. Wow!

YOU TUBE
While it seems as if YouTube has been around forever, it was actually created in 2005.  Learn how to tie a tie, find out about the latest news, watch a movie, or learn about some new makeup tactics.  The sky's the limit in what you want to find.  Youtube is so popular throughout the world, that it's worth a whopping $75 billion! 

Are you a fan The Antiques Roadshow and have been dying to find out what your old clock is worth?  If you live in Sarasota FL, Louisville KY, San Diego CA, Rochester MI, or Tulsa OK, they're coming to you! Sign up for FREE tickets by visiting http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/ontour/



Sometimes I can't help sharing a recipe strictly based on a catchy name, and this is no exception.

Callie Blount

THE FERTILE BLONDE

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Orange Wedges, divided
• ½ cup lightly toasted shredded coconut
• ½ cup Cubed Pineapple
• 2 oz Fresh Orange Juice
• ½ oz Coconut Syrup
• 2 oz gin

Coconut Syrup

• 1 cup filtered water
• 2 cups coconut sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Scatter most of coconut on to a plate. Rim a martini glass with 1 orange wedge; dip rim of glass in the coconut. Set aside.
2. Muddle pineapple, juice and Coconut Syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add gin and ice; shake 10 seconds. Strain into prepared glass. Garnish with remaining orange wedge and shredded coconut.

COCONUT SYRUP DIRECTIONS

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add coconut sugar. Reduce heat to low; simmer 6-8 minutes or until mixture reduces by one-third. Remove from heat; cool. Transfer mixture to a Mason Jar. Refrigerate up to 3 months.

Clean Cocktails by Beth Ritter Nydick and Tara Roscioli, excerpted in Parade.

RO's Planner

PLANNERS
I use a planner to relax and organize, but some people use them to track budgets,

Inside of RO's Planner

create food diaries, developing art, keeping track of business endeavors, writing and more.  

Even better, they're not just for women these days.

Cool Planners Just for Men

NATIONAL PIZZA DAY

Are you a fan of pizza? Well, today is your day to celebrate with lots of goodies and deals.

If you like sweet treats, head on over to Baskin-Robbins go get a free slice of their brand new Sweetheart Polar Pizza Ice Cream Treat from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on February 9, 2018. It's made with a brownie crust that you're sure to fall in love with.

Papa John’s is offering a limited-time only $10 Dual Layer Pepperoni pizza special today. Customers can also grab two large or pan pizzas for $20, or use coupon codes 40PIZZA and 25OFF to save 40% or 25% on online orders.

If you can eat lots more than just one slice of pizza, pay just $6 at Cici’s Pizza locations for their buffet. Be sure to join their loyalty program to earn points toward free pizzas in the future.

Call ahead to ensure your local pizzaria is participating.  Don't forget to check around where you live to see if there are other specials being offered.

Enjoy

FUN NEWS & CHEESY GOODNESS

So a few days ago I called out sick to Biscuitville and never ever worked there. (lol) Erika answered the phone promptly, but when I provided my name, she said no such person worked there.  I told her I was just there on Friday at 7am and worked directly with her.  Her response was that she didn't remember that at all.  I told her I was the short lady who helped in the back making the turkey sausage for the biscuit sandwiches. Then she was super quiet.  I said that making all that food really wore me out, so I couldn't come in today.  I think she was on to me then because she said I definitely had called the wrong store, and gave me numbers to other locations. (lol)

THAT'S TOO MUCH
I can't say for sure, but I'm thinking that even if I was wealthy, $2500(or more) for a Superbowl ticket is pretty dang pricey, and that doesn't even include the actual cost of the trip.  Take me back to 1967 when the price was a mere $12-$13.  By the way, if you watch The Price is Right, this is the game I totally suck at every time. (lol)

GAMES
Are you a fan of Bingo?  Now you can play without ever leaving your house and get paid.  Even better - it's all FREE!  Visit  Bingo Zone for more info.

FLIGHT NEWS YOU CAN USE
Being very kind can really pay off when it comes to flying, and here's a tip that's not well known.  When you get to the gate, be super polite and ask the gate agent for a seat in the exit row. These are those seats that will not only cost you more, but are normally available for flight attendants and other pilots who are traveling last minute. If you score one of these coveted seats,  you may often find yourself with just yourself, which is pretty cool on a cramped plane.  Do NOT ask at the check-in counter because they're focused on getting customers through that line very quickly. Matt Meltzer- Thrillest

JUST SAY NO
If you get kicked off a flight because it's been overbooked, the first thing the airline will try to do is offer up a voucher, but don't take it.  They know they're supposed to provide you with a new flight within 2 hours, and when they don't, you're supposed to get a check up to $1350.00 for your trouble - right then.  You're not supposed to wait, have it mailed, or receive it by pony express, according to the Department of Transportation. 

DO YOU STILL USE THIS?
A while ago, I blogged about getting a paperback dictionary on sale for just $.50, and even though more and more people go on line for help with spelling or grammar, I still prefer the book version.  By the way, The Oxford English Dictionary was first published all the way back in 1884 with four volumes.  Now, it's comprised of 20 volumes with over 60 million words!

CHEESE
Even though I put it on just about anything, it's been quite some time since I fixed a good old fashioned grilled cheese sandwich. 

Now there are ways to step it up a notch, and I'm not mad at you for using more cheese just because. (lol)

Perfect Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich
INGREDIENTS
2 Thick Slices Italian Bread
1 Slice Provolone Cheese (Not Processed)
1 Slice Cheddar Cheese    (Not Processed)
5-6 Spinach Leaves
2 Slices Tomato
1 Tablespoon Prepared Pesto Sauce
1 Tablespoon Butter

Directions
Spread one side of a slice of bread with butter, and place it, buttered side down, into a nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Spread the top of the bread slice in the skillet with half the pesto sauce, and place a slice of provolone cheese, the tomato slices, and the slice of Cheddar cheese onto the pesto.

Spread remaining pesto sauce on one side of the second slice of bread, and place the bread slice, pesto side down, onto the sandwich. Butter the top side of the sandwich.

Gently fry the sandwich, flipping once, until both sides of the bread are golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes per side.

DON'T ORDER FOOD FROM THE BANK

In Tampa, Douglas Francisco got quite a wake up call from local police. 

Very drunk, when they were finally able to rouse him from his car which was still running in front of a Bank of America window, he ordered a burrito, believing he was at Taco Bell.  He was quickly taken to jail.

 

Hope your day is pretty amazing