A SpotsBug’s World

all of my blessings

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches I find myself caught up in the neverending chaos of life.  I seem busier than I can remember in recent years.  I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older or if life has just become more stressful than it used to be.  I do seem to recall a time when I actually enjoyed the endless activity life brings.  Always having somewhere to be, something to do, someone to hang out with.  As a teenager and young adult I was never short of friends or invitations or commitments to extracurricular things.  Now I would give anything to sometimes just be able to be still for 10 minutes and catch my breath.  I think that’s why I enjoy writing as much as I do – it allows me a brief opportunity to think about what’s going on and reflect on it in a personal way.

Like today, I passed by a simple sign that said “Be thankful for all of your blessings.”  And while I feel that I often understand what my blessings are, I know I take them all for granted most of the time. 

The American Heritage Dictionary defines “blessing” in several ways, one of which is “something promoting or contributing to happiness, well-being, or prosperity.”  As I’ve given this phrase, really, this word some thought today and allowed myself a moment to be still and reflect, I find that my life is abundantly filled with blessings.  Many of which go unappreciated the majority of the time.  So today, for Thanksgiving and as a grand Spot of Thankfulness, I’d like to mention a few blessings in my life for which I am thankful:

1. A God who forgives.  I go through life making mistake after mistake, turning left when I should turn right along my life journey.  But my Father always understands, He always forgives, and He always loves me.  Without Him nothing in my life would be possible and for this I am simply humbled and grateful.
2. A strong, faithful, lovely mother.  My mother is the most beautiful person I have ever known.  Her inner strength, her faithfulness in our Lord, and her grace through all of life’s hardships continue to inspire me daily.  She cares so deeply about each and every person she knows and meets.  This pure generosity and compassion that fills her heart so completely amazes me.  I am grateful to have been given such a gift in my life.  I have not only the most wonderful mother that God could have given me, but she is truely my most dearest friend.  I cherish the time I share with her.  I love you Mom!  Happy Thanksgiving!
3. A memory of my father.  I loved my father and still do.  I was his little girl.  And though I no longer share my holidays or birthdays, achievements or failures with him in this world, I know he is with in me spirit each and every day.  Through all his parental clumsiness, he won all the adoration and affection my heart could hold.  I miss him more than I could ever share in words, but I am so very thankful for the 26 years I was blessed to have him in my life.  I look forward to being with him once again someday, and until then, his memory will forever be carried in my heart, my mind, and my soul.
4. A courageous grandmother.  My grandmother is one of the most genuine people I have ever had the privilege of knowing.  What you see is what you get and I admire that so much.  Her character has never been a truely affectionate one, but there has never been a doubt in my mind that she loves me.  She has been the rock of her family, the support to keep them together.  She has seen a lot and lost a lot in her lifetime but her courage and strength have never failed.  She is a precious treasure and I am so thankful to have her in my life.
5. A loving boyfriend.  Though we’ve had our share of rough patches, hurt feelings, and stubborn arguments, I don’t know of many other people who would have, and continues to, stand by me the way he has.  For all of our faults, there are equally as many strong qualities in each of us that allow us to be better individuals as a couple together than we would ever be alone.  Most times we bring out the best in each other and to me, this is what a relationship is all about.  Though we are still trying to figure out the whole compromise idea, among other things, I believe that having shared so many challenges over the years has built a sound foundation for our future.  I am grateful to have had him by my side through most of life’s happiness and difficulties in recent years. 
6. Thoughtful friends.  I have the best group of friends I could have ever hoped for.  They are as diverse as the colors of a rainbow, but I love them all so much for continuing to open my eyes to new and different things.  I appreciate their continuous friendships through all of life’s ups and downs.  I know that each of these individuals would be there to help with whatever I may ask of them.  And they all fill my days with much joy and laughter.  They have and continue to enrich and fulfill my life.
7. A healthy mind and body.  I have been blessed with health.  As I think about the less fortunate who are suffering from chronic or terminal illnesses, who are unable to provide for themselves or care for themselves, I cannot help but feel grateful for my ability to live life without the need for medical care or assistance.  The simple fact that I can get out of bed each day and lead a normal and productive life is something I know I too often take for granted.
8. A job.  With current economic conditions the way that they are, I have known many friends and family who have been laid off from work or have had the additional pressure of thinking they were next to go.  Though I sometimes feel the frustration of the daily grind, I am extremely thankful to be employed, and better yet, at a job that I love.  One that challenges me and encourages me to continue to expand my mind.  I am so fortunate.   
9. A handful of furry friends.  As cutesy and corny as this may sound, I am blessed to have several fuzzy creatures in my life.  Currently I’m referring to the four cats that live with my mother but who I still consider to be partly mine and then the two kittens that have taken residence at my home.  They are: Buttons (18), Abby (10), Sammy & Red (8), and Bogey & Audrey (7 months).  These little guys have added so much to mine and my mother’s lives.  Always there to cheer you up, sit in your lap, and of course, demand their food… but how boring life would be without them.  They provide so much companionship, entertainment, and love, and the best part is – they don’t even realize it. 

As I think about this Thanksgiving Day and how bountiful my table is with blessings, I realize that the ones I’ve mentioned here are just the tip of the iceberg – my list is endless.  These few things are only the ones that have been on my heart to share.  I am so fortunate to have so many blessings in my life and they do indeed bring happiness and prosperity to my life.  

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

~Thanksgiving, a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson

CA trip part one: conference

Instead of working my conference experience into all the other sights and activities of my California trip, I have decided to just write a separate post completely dedicated to the conference alone.  I have made it my first because: A.) most of you will find it the most boring, and B.) I haven’t totally gathered all my thoughts about what I would like write about for the rest of the trip.

I attended the Internet Librarian 2008 Conference in Monterey, CA.  And while this does sound like such a geeky event, it really was a wonderful conference.  I met lots of interesting people, attended some really great sessions, and chatted with some vendors about how their products could potentially help our projects here at home. 

Most of the workshops I attended were specifically geared towards web design, web 2.0, and tools & gadgets that can help distribute and use information in much more efficient ways.  Of course, as is the trend, most every speaker hammered in the principles of collaboration, freedom of information, and bridging the technology gap. 

There were a handful though that when I stood up and walked out of the room, I felt fired up and ready to go take on the world – or at least my workplace.  A couple of these speakers really hit home on some issues and presented in a style that made the room electric, the ideas start flowing, and I, along with everyone else, just felt extremely motivated.  It is always refreshing to hear these types of speakers.  It always seems that just at the moment I get a teensy bit burnt out or am just feeling stressed and overworked, someone like this comes along and provides the exact pep talk I need to hear.  It’s just the fuel I need to refill the tank and keep fighting the good fight. 

I also met some really interesting people in my field from all over the world.  One specific individual is a researcher for the president of her country and prepares his information packets on current events, dignitaries, history, etc…  It was fascinating chatting with her over dinner one night and again for lunch the next day.  We discussed politics, our cultures, current events, and sports.  I was very impressed with her knowledge of all these things.  I will be looking forward to keeping in touch with her over time and continuing to compare notes on our profession and the world around us.

So anyway, I am extremely glad for the opportunity to have been able to go.  It was well worth the time – I brought back so many ideas, helpful tools, and motivation.  My boss even told me he almost hates to send me to these things because I always come back full of information to dump on him.  I tell him though, isn’t that why he sends me????  Go figure…  Anyway, as I noted earlier, the actual trip experiences I will share in later posts.  But the conference was great and I really enjoyed it.

to those who wonder

I have gotten a few questions recently regarding the title for this blog so I thought I would take some time and provide some background. 

First off, I was surprised to find out who some of my readers are and, more honestly, that I even have readers.  But it is nice to know that I’m not just sending my thoughts completely into the dark, black void of the internet.  Even if it is only a small handful of people it makes me feel that its not a complete waste of my time.

Back to my inquiry though. 

Growing up I always had a fascination with insects and so my mother and father among others started using the nickname ”Bug” when referring to me, their youngest child.  They didn’t use it all the time, but it did latch on and became an affectionate name that was used in pleasant conversation.  

One of my father’s nicknames, the most popular one, was “Spot.”  I am unclear about the details on how the name was bestowed on him… something I think to do with the family pet, but later in life, I feel most people called him this because of the perfect circle on the very top of his head that had become bald.

When my father passed away in 2006 I found myself in a hurricane of emotions and discovered that writing seemed to help me cope with the grief and loss I felt.  I have always loved to write but never felt that I had enough material for anything purposeful.  But after he died I seemed to have more than I could have ever wanted. 

A job change also coincided with my life transition that year and I moved into a position that required me to use more technology than I had ever had a need for before. 

So on a whim one night I created a personal website and started a blog.  In part to help me become more comfortable with the ever changing facets of my job, but also too, I found it to be a public way of expressing my thoughts and opinions.  For months I had been typing them up in documents and saving them on my private computer where only I had access to them.  Expressing my emotions verbally has never been my strongest asset so I thought too that my family and friends could keep up with what’s going on in my head a little better if they could read it instead of having to try to force it out of me.  Who knows, maybe sharing my feelings about things might help someone else… or maybe not, but regardless I felt this would be a good way for me to continue to write and publish.

When I was trying to come up with a name for the site, I thought of a hundred different possibilities, but finally settled, obviously, on A SpotsBug’s World.  I thought it encompassed everything I needed it to be and would allow me to cover any topic that entered my world and thought was worthy of some text.  And since my father, in a way, inspired me to begin to write about my world I thought it only appropriate to give him credit… I am after all Spot’s Bug.