VernetteOutLoud

Do What You Say You’re Going To Do

To Do List, Do What You Say You're Going To Do

I am so ashamed.

Yesterday I published a post that was incomplete, just so that I could say, I hit “publish”. I will admit, I was tired and the day’s errands got the better of me. So by the time I sat down to get my post together, I could barely keep my eyes open.

I sorta started writing it and it wasn’t flowing and I was like eff it I will publish as is and come back later and do some edits. Which I did. But I don’t feel good about it. I think that if you’re going to do anything, you don’t half ass it, you use your whole ass.

For the record I really wanted to substitute the actual cuss words for the word cuss, as I have been doing in my posts lately. But as I have learned while driving in my island paradise home of Trinidad &Tobago, sometimes the only thing to make you feel better after a bad drive, is a loud and very satisfying FFFF!!!

But I digress.

Do What You Say You’re Going To Do

So, I was delinquent with my coffee share post yesterday. To make up for it, I decided to read all of the posts in the #weekendcoffeeshare link-up aaaand leave a meaningful comment on each post.  I’m 19 for 19 at the moment. I feel mighty proud of myself too.

Tough work, this reading 19 blogs and leaving a meaningful comment. I’m having a cuppa while I’m doing it, just to make the “work” lighter. The great thing about sharing over coffee, is the snap shot you get into the lives of other people all around the world. You cannot beat this blogging community for that. And I love it.

Always Follow Through No Matter What

Today’s commitment to reading and commenting on all the blogs in the link-up taught me a little bit about myself. I honestly wanted to give up mid-way. 19 blogs to read and comment on…is a lot of blogs and a lot of comments. And I mean, who would know if I just hit “like” and kept it moving? Who would know about my little commitment to read all the blogs, right?

Follow through. That’s what kept me going. I would know that I made a promise to myself and didn’t keep it. And if I could compromise on this little thing, I’m leaving myself open for bigger compromises. Always follow through. Don’t do it some of the time. Or when it feels good or is convenient. Always.Do.It.

So my friends, do exactly what you say you’re going to do. Every time, without fail. You’ll be happier for it.

Coffee For Two #weekendcoffeeshare

Coffee for two

Coffee For Two

Saturdays..nay weekends on the whole, were made for slow starts and coffee that is crafted to your own special requirements. It’s when you have the time to get the coffee to milk to sugar (if you have those accouterments with your coffee) ratios just right!

Saturday mornings when I get to share coffee over great conversation about nothing and everything all at the same time…now that is heaven. There is a Johnny Cash quote that sums this up perfectly. When asked what his definition of paradise was, he said, “This morning, with her, having coffee.”

Yeah. Exactly That.

Saturdays were made for recreational coffee, as opposed to weekdays where it’s medicinal…I read that somewhere and I wholeheartedly agree with it.

Sharing Over Coffee

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that this week was especially hard for me. I had exams the first couple days, then spent pretty much the rest of the week recovering. When I am in exam mode, everything gets muddled and I had to remind myself over and over to expect good things.

I started this month, with a plan to publish a post every single day and so far, so good. It’s been tough finding the right balance and still managing to keep this commitment to myself. But I press on. I saw Wonder Woman this week and as well, a wonder-woman-in-training myself, you have to go see it.

If we were having coffee…coffee for two today, it would be an intimate affair. I am in a self-care mode and I invite you to tell me about what’s happening in your world. I have found that when I start to feel world-weary and I start questioning my direction, that is the time to go back to basics.

The basics being, get my coffee right, do the things that make me happy and keep my circle small. So come in, have a seat on the sofa of truth with me, and share a little.

Now it’s your turn, how was your weekend? Please feel free to share in the comments below.

#WeekendCoffeeShare is an awesome link-up where coffee is being shared over great conversations. Join in this week’s fun here.

 

The One Where I Expect Good Things

Expect Good Things Poster

Hey you guys, TGIF amiright!!! And it’s time for another Five Minute Friday link-up. I hope this week was productive for you and if it wasn’t, I hope that at least it was well spent. The word prompt this week is EXPECT.

Of course you can join in too. The rules are pretty simple – write for 5 minutes on the word prompt for the week and post to your blog, then add your post to the linky party over at the Five Minute Friday community.

aaaand setting timer now…

GO

Expect Good Things.

When life seems hard.

When you start doubting the path that you’re on.

When the way forward may not seem clear.

When you start thinking that maybe, just maybe, you are doing this whole adulting thing all wrong.

The minute you wake up and realize that you’re still in the land of the living.

Because you stand on His word, and He came so that you can have life and live it to the fullest.

Just because.

Expect Good Things.

Expect Good Things.

Expect Good Things.

STOP

Today’s post is brought to you by this online timer I just found. Feel free to check it out here. 

It is amazing to me, what comes up when you only have five minutes to write. I’m cheating a bit and adding these extra words, because I wanted to put this week’s response in context.

This has been an especially hard week for me. The minute I read today’s word, the first words that came to me was “expect good things” and I have been repeating it to myself over and over since.

And I will repeat it until I believe it.

‘I have come that they may have life and may have if abundantly.’ ~ John 10:10 

Stand on His word. Expect Good Things.

We Are All Wonder Women

We Are All WonderWomen

We Are All Wonder Women print by Chicago artists and sisters Sarah and Catherine Satrun

Representation Matters

On Monday, I sat in a room of older men – a true old boys club if you will.  And I pretended once again not to hear or care about yet another sexist “slack” joke. Of course as good old boys do, they all had a hearty laugh – oblivious or just don’t care?

In that moment, as the only woman in the room, I was thinking, why the cuss am I here? What the cuss am I trying to prove or fight up with? Who the cuss really cares anyway? Thankfully, it was for a moment. I let their immaturity pass by me and I said to myself, if not me…then who?

On Tuesday, I started seeing reviews for the Wonder Woman movie, pop up on my various timelines. I was going to see the movie anyway, and after reading Amanda Magee’s review, I had to go see this movie!

What’s funny is the one negative review I read before I made it to the cinema, was from a man. A man so bored during the movie, he fell asleep. Uninterested. Unimpressed. Dismissive. Seen one superhero movie…seen ’em all I suppose. Must be nice. 

On Wednesday, I saw the movie.

Today, I write.

Representation Matters

The opening scenes on Themyscira, of the Amazons training and a young Diana shadowing their every move, made my throat tighten and I hoped that my punk cuss self wouldn’t let a tear fall. I thought about all the little girls, watching, shadowing and learning from the wonder women in every day life.  And it made me wonder, if we had more movies like this growing up, what impact would it have had?

Wonder Woman made me think of every woman I know who is kicking cuss in real life. Kicking cuss, in a world that still tells them No, at every turn. Wonder Woman made me think of my mother, who is still my superhero today. Like Wonder Woman – she was flawed, she didn’t have it all together but she kicked cuss every.single.day without a lasso of truth. But cuss…what my mother would have done with that lasso of truth!

I was unprepared for how this movie would make me feel. Representation matters. And while there are flaws – no real character development for the villain Ares and the over the top, third act big finish. I want to get to the point where I’ve seen one female superhero movie…I’ve seen ’em all.

At it’s core, this movie made me appreciate even more the wonder women I admire in every day life. Representation matters. If you’ve seen it, what are your thoughts? Please share below. If you haven’t as yet. Buy a ticket and go.

Walking the Line Between Love And Hate For Social Media

Walking The Line Between Love and Hate For Social Media Apps On Phone

The Social Media Conundrum 

As a blogger, I am constantly walking the line between love and hate for social media. I mentioned to a friend that I deleted the Twitter and Facebook apps from my phone at the start of 2017. And her first question to me was, “But aren’t you a blogger, how does that work?”

It’s been working just fine, thankyouverymuch. For me, being constantly connected all the time, was draining. I truly feel blessed to be living in this information age, but damn! I crave simpler interactions, where I can focus on the person and conversation at hand. And where we don’t look at our phones all the time.

If I’m out with friends, I want to give them my undivided attention because time is precious. And if in this busy world we now live in, with all it’s distraction someone chooses to spend their limited time with you, I feel like we need to honour that.

Don’t get me wrong, social media has it’s place. But this constant checking our various timelines and refreshing your feed over and over…no matter the cost to your pocket – hello data? – or your peace of mind data is concerning. What are we so afraid of missing out on?

The solution

For me, it started with prioritizing my unplugged time. I started with some pretty drastic measures, not only did I delete the apps from my phone, but an hour before I went to bed I would put my phone on airplane mode. Then I wouldn’t switch it back until I was well on the way to work.

Drastic, but it worked. My mornings felt much easier and I got a proper handle on my day before I got bombarded by news,  morning posts and memes. Eventually I got in the habit of disconnecting before bedtime and I didn’t need to put my phone on airplane mode.

I still walk the line between love and hate for social media, only now I’m better at taking care of myself. I know when to disconnect, unfollow and unfriend. And as for FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) – I got over that a loooong time ago.

Has this ever happened to you? Do you feel drained being so connected all the time? Have you ever taken a break from social media? Feel free to leave a comment below.