"Today I will live in the moment. Unless the moment is unpleasant, in which case I will eat a cookie." - Unknown
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I would love to claim this bit of wisdom as my own. Alas, I must acknowledge that, in all likelihood, it was said by the Cookie Monster in a Sesame Street episode.
Really, though, does it matter? Whether the wisdom comes from a children's television program or a 2,000 year old book of compiled stories? If it fits the moment and helps me to keep moving forward...doesn't matter to me.
Recently, I've had a few unpleasant moments. Nothing earth-shattering - yet. Definitely unpleasant and uncomfortable.
Today I'm driving home. The last 3 weeks have been spent with my mother who is suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and lung cancer. The arthritis causes her pain in her hands...fingers crooked and locked to her palms, forced to the side by joints that are bent and deformed...and in her wrist, back, and neck. The lung cancer prevents her from getting enough oxygen with each breath...so she tires easily.
She has good days. This might mean we go to the library to stock up on two weeks worth of books for her to read. Then we go to the grocery to stock the pantry and fridge. It could also mean she cooks me breakfast and dinner and in between we talk about current events, laugh, and enjoy being together.
She has bad days. This might mean she slowly makes her way from her bedroom to the family room and lies down on the couch. She may or may not be interested in conversation. And she definitely isn't interested in food. As she curls up on the couch, covering herself with a lightweight fleece blanket, she holds her hands just above her chest, swollen forefinger knuckles touching, light tremors that keep time with her heartbeat. She may or may not drink the half cup of coffee I bring her. If she does talk, it's to remind me to not get old…because it stinks. I smile and assure her that if it were up to me, getting old wouldn't be so difficult.
I have mixed feelings about going home. On the one hand I yearn to spend time with my husband. We're celebrating our wedding anniversary this month - 33 years. When we're together I sleep better, I eat better, I am better. On the other hand I don't want to miss this time with Mom. I've packed a lot of "good moments" in my time with her. Moments of remembering, moments of appreciating her, moments of laughter and good feelings. I've also eaten a lot of cookies while I've been here. And they've been the perfect little treat to lift my spirits.
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A Marketing Tip
Slang is your friend.
Know your ideal buyer and target market so well that you can speak their language. When they feel like you "get them", you'll have a follower who will become a buyer. Here are a few examples and remember, they don't fit every group but I think you’ll get the idea:
Lit
When something is very good, enjoyable, or exciting, you can say it’s “lit”.
Dude, the party last night was lit! Where were you?
Extra
When someone is “extra”, it means they are unnecessarily dramatic, excessive, over the top or a “drama queen”.
She invited the entire school to her birthday. She’s so extra!
Salty
You can say someone is salty when they get upset or angry over something minor.
Nick is so salty since his parents took away his car!
To ghost someone
When you cut off communication with someone you’re no longer interested in.
OMG! Did you hear Cristina ghosted Matt?
To flex
Another way of saying someone is showing off.
Common in social media is the phrase “weird flex but OK” as a snarky and mocking response to someone bragging about something considered questionable, bizarre or unusual.
– Andrew’s trying to flex with that new no-name smartphone of his.
– Yeah. Like weird flex but OK.
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From the Research Files
aka random bits of info you may or may not be able to use in your life
The first cookies, cookie-like hard wafers, have existed for as long as baking is documented. In part because they survive travel very well. And it's thought that cake bakers used them to test oven temperatures. One of the first countries to grow and harvest sugar cane, 7th Century A.D. Persia which is now Iran, is thought to be where the sweet confection was first created.
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Pun of the Day
I tried to start an online bakery. But I accidentally deleted all my cookies.
🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂
If you are at all informed /entertained /amused /educated by today’s edition of Burke’s Bits, here's where you can show your appreciation.
