The Graduation Ceremony

Students both love and hate going to their graduation ceremony. They love it because it signifies that they’ve finally completed their school work and are free to go on to continue with schooling or to get a job. They hate it because it’s often a long and boring ceremony. Today is my husband’s graduation day along with many others across the U.S. and maybe even the world. I’ve sat through two of my own graduations now and I think at this point I know how to get through them without finding myself falling asleep during the third or fourth speech that I could have done without. Find out the ways that I have learned to survive graduation ceremonies.

Friends and Photos

When I was at my high school graduation, we were forced to sit alphabetically. Thankfully, during my college graduation you were allowed to pick who you sat next to and hopefully it’s the same way for you. If you can, make sure to sit by some of your friends during the graduation ceremony. They will help to distract you throughout the few hours of speeches and watching others make their way up to the stage in order to get their diplomas. This is also a great opportunity for photo-ops! Some universities don’t allow photography during graduation (I’m not sure why, honestly), but I’m sure you have a phone that you can sneak out and take a few shots.

Mad Libs

This tip came from a friend of mine whose graduation was this past Saturday. You remember Mad-Libs, right? Those are the books where you fill in the blanks with random words to make a funny story. But how are you going to sneak that into gradation? If you haven’t noticed, and I’m sure you have, your gowns have a lot of sleeve space. Before the graduation ceremony begins, hide the book in one of your sleeves along with a pencil or pen and no one will notice. Furthermore, if you have purse you can probably sneak the entire thing in under your gown to make sure you have something to entertain yourself with. You could also probably do this with a tablet, but that may be a big more difficult and you don’t want to risk dropping that.

Cell Phones

Ah, cell phones, a graduate ceremony’s best friend. You can easily bring a cell phone with you to graduation. Remember those sleeves? If you, for some reason, don’t have pockets, you can easily put your cell phone into your sleeve. I generally recommend having a smart phone so you can browse the internet or read a blog like Familial Ramblings, but it’s not necessary. You can play games on most cell phones and of course you can send out text messages to your fellow students and even family members. Just make sure you silence your cell phone! The last thing you want is to get caught with it and have it taken away.

Day Dreaming

When you don’t feel comfortable sneaking something into the graduation ceremony or you’ve already been caught with something else, you can always depend on day dreaming. I have to admit, that day dreaming is what got me through my high school graduation for the most part. You can go anywhere in a day dream and best of all, no one can take it away from you. Just make sure that you check in every now and then to make sure that your row hasn’t been called up to receive their diplomas. You really don’t want to be the only one sitting in your row when everyone else has left.

Those are some basic tips to surviving graduation. These tips can be applied to anyone attending graduation, unless you’re on stage then that cuts out most of these options aside from day dreaming. But at least that’s something!

Happy Graduation to all of those graduating! You finally made it!

Until Next Time!

Let’s Ramble:

How did you survive graduation?

What are your tips and suggestions to getting through a long and painful ceremony?

The post Surviving the Graduation Ceremony appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

This morning I decided to go to Starbucks before work. Something was a bit different today, however, because as I drove away I found myself wondering why I go to that particular Starbucks over any other. There were at least two other Starbucks that I pass on my way into work, or could pass, but every time that I decide to make a stop for a Which Chocolate Mocha (to die for!) I go to the same Starbucks location. What makes things odder about this is that there is a Starbucks on my campus, which would be more convenient for me to go to.

Why this one instead of that one?

The friendly atmosphere is why I go to this particular Starbucks location over any other ones. Of course it doesn’t hurt that they have my Birthday cake, cake pops every time I go unlike other stores, but primarily I find myself at this Starbucks because of how friendly not only the employees are, but also the other customers. Anyone could walk into that store and be greeted with a warm smile and laughter. When they take your order, they ask for your name and if you go often enough, they will know you by name and order. It’s welcoming and you’re more than dollar signs.

You Catch More Flies with Honey

Remember when you were young and your mother would tell you that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar? Guess what…SHE WAS RIGHT! Sometimes it doesn’t always seem as though being friendly gets you far and maybe even sometimes you feel as though it only gets you stepped on and walked all over, but before you jump to conclusions, let’s think about it a bit more.

Look at the Starbucks scenario with me and your scenarios with going to your favorite restaurants, coffee shops and stores. We go to these places not only because they provide us with what we need, but because the people that work at these establishments are friendly and make us feel welcome. You don’t want to go to a place where they’re going to treat you badly, be mean, or rude to you. The same could be said for anywhere you go, a mechanic, a library, a store, or even a blog or forum. I want to go out a limb and say that it’s natural for us to want to be surrounded by those with friendly personalities, which you can see by looking at those you surround yourself with.

Friendly Friendships

Instead of looking at businesses you frequent, look at the friends you surround yourself with. Are they primarily friendly or do they often have a bad attitude? You will probably find that you’re surrounded by friendly people, or at least people that are friendly to you. This isn’t necessarily always the case, but from what I’ve seen, generally this is how it is. You don’t want to be friends with someone who is going to put you down every time they see you or be a negative Nancy whenever they’re around. I know I sure don’t!

On the Job

I’ve heard that in a lot of today’s industries you have to be “ruthless” to get ahead, but I don’t think that’s always the case. In some cases, you may need to be ruthless and cutthroat to get ahead, but I’ve also found that being friendly can get you just as far, if not farther, at your place of employment. It may not seem this way because the jerks always seem to get the better paying positions, but it’s much easier to build relationships when you’re friendly. People don’t want to be around the jerk and the same can be said for bosses and supervisors. Your day will come, just continue being friend and working hard.

Generally, people want to be around friendly people that they are comfortable interacting with. This can be applied not only to friends and family, but at work, at school and in life. Negative people who are rude may get all the money and the higher paying jobs sometimes, but nobody really wants to be around them. Be friendly, be helpful, be genuine and you’ll go farther in life than you could have ever imagined.

Until Next Time!

Let’s Ramble:

What makes you pick your favorite restaurants and other service providers?

How has being friendly helped you?

Who do you prefer to surround yourself with and work with?

The post The Benefits of Being Friendly appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

Crooked teeth and a hereditary gap. In my family, these had been passed down for more generations than could be counted. They had to be corrected. In my case, an uncomfortable wire wrapped around the top row of teeth was the “correction,” and it made speech difficult. I can still remember the drool that dripped every time even a single syllable was muttered. Unfortunately, when I was in the third grade, my only option for straightening my teeth or closing gaps were metal wiring that cut at my gums, a rather uncomfortable option. This seems to have been the case for many people I know. Thankfully, today, there are more options out there to help correct teeth-related problems. Most notably, one such option I learned more about recently seems rather amazing. This product is Invisalign.A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend the SITS Girls Mini Bloggy Boot Camp in Philadelphia. The event was sponsored by Invisalign, which I had heard about before but never looked into. Whenever I think of going to the dentist to correct anything with my teeth, my mind automatically goes back to when I was in the third grade wearing the uncomfortable metal retainer. I should be thankful that I never had to wear braces because, if I remember correctly, they were less attractive of an option than retainers. Even today, after they’ve been changed significantly, from what I’ve been told, braces are often described as uncomfortable and can be difficult to live with—especially when it comes to eating.

The Invisalign product is different. It’s also known as clear braces. And, like braces, Invisalign is used to straighten teeth, but unlike traditional braces, the application, or “aligners”, is removable. Best of all, though, is the total lack of metal or wires used in treatment! The product can be used for treating both teens and adults and it can treat most types of teeth straightening issues. Also, because Invisalign is removable, it makes it easier to eat and maintain healthy dental brushing habits. This all sounds like a good deal to me—especially if you’re a teenager or an adult who may not feel comfortable with people knowing you have braces.

Now that you know more about what Invisalign in, I’m sure you’re wondering about the costs and benefits. When I first heard about Invisalign, I expected that it would be more costly than braces because, well, typically higher quality equates to higher price. However, in most cases, invisible braces cost is comparable to the cost of traditional braces and, furthermore, is covered by most dental insurance plans. Personally, this came as a shock to me. A happy shock, but a shock nonetheless.

To say the least, I have some low self-esteem issues and I’m sure there are others out there that feel the same. Metal braces are not bad, per se, but I like the idea of getting my teeth straightened without people being able to tell. For me, Invisalign would be a better option if I were ever to go back to the dentist to get the remainder of the gap between my two front teeth removed. That’s right, despite having a retainer at a younger age; I still have that hereditary gap. Chances are, if I had the option of using Invisalign as a child, that gap would have been long gone.

To me, Invisalign appears to be a fantastic product for both teens and adults. In most cases, it costs no more than traditional metal braces. It helps to straighten your teeth, reduce overly crowded teeth and widely spread teeth, and it’s invisible, removable, and comfortable. If you are in need, I would highly recommend taking a look at Invisalign’s website and taking the invisalign smile assessment to determine if Invisalign is right for you or your child.

After your assessment, you should talk to your dentist about Invisalign. If you’re told that you or your child isn’t a candidate for Invisalign, consider getting a second opinion. Invisalign makes it easy to find a doctor with the Invisalign Doctor Locator available on their website.

Invisalign may not be for everyone, but I feel as though it’s something to certainly look into if you are looking to fix dental or orthodontic issues.

If you want to learn more about Invisalign and Invisalign Teen, make sure to stop by the Invisalign Website. You can also find Invisalign on Facebook and on Twitter (@Invisalign).

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Let’s Ramble:

What are your thoughts on Invisalign?

Have you or someone you’ve known used Invisalign? And if so, what was their experience?

The post From in Your Face to Invisable: Taking a Look at Invisalign appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

This past Monday, I wrote a post giving tips on how to survive finals week. Specifically this post was written for parents of students and students. After making this post, I received a message from my cousin who asked me an interesting question “What about professors suffering through finals week?” I could not believe that I had forgotten about the teachers and professors that were also suffering through finals week!

When you’re a student, you don’t generally think about how the professors are handling finals week or what happens when you’ve finished writing the last paper and filled in your last bubble. The professor still has work to do once all of the students are gone. They are pressured to get all of their grades in on time so that students know if they passed or failed and if they will be getting a diploma or if they will be forced to re-take a class to graduate. We need to come to the realization that finals week can be a source of horrific torture for everyone involved and we all need some tips to get through it.

For the Professors:

Get ahead of the Game

Professors can be procrastinators too! We’re only human and sometimes it’s just easier to put something off than to get it done right then and there. Don’t put off grading papers and tests. Try to get ahead of the game because you know there is going to be at least one student that gets their final projects and papers turned in late. By having other students’ grades already finished, you won’t have to feel pressure at the last minute when grades are supposed to be submitted.

Limit Distractions

When you are grading, limit the numbers of distractions that you have going on around you. It is so tempting to have the television on or to check your phone every five minutes to see if you’ve got a new email or Facebook message. These are all just distractions though that will keep you from getting ahead with your grading or keeping on schedule when it comes to grading.

Get Plenty of Sleep

Sleep is essential for anyone participating in finals week. Getting a good night’s rest will help you to stay energized during the day and help you with reading the stack of papers sitting on your desk. It’s much easier to read through a stack of papers and tests if you’re well rested.

Make it a Game

I know this may sound silly, but make a game out of grading. This will help keep you motivated when getting through those stacks of papers. See how many papers you can grade an hour and then try to beat that. Of course, you should be careful not to rush to get everything done, but this will add a bit of fun to a tedious task.

Take Breaks

When grading, you can get wrapped up in what you’re doing very easily. Take a break every now and then to get something to eat, something to drink, or just to move around a bit to get the blood flowing again. This may seem like a no-brainer, but some people forget to take breaks and then find themselves burnt out about half-way through grading. It’s better to take a break than to run out of steam when you’re nearly done with grading.

At the end of the day, finals week is no fun for anyone involved with it. It is a stressful time of the year that everyone wishes that they could avoid. If you can just keep yourself motivated, keep hydrated and remember to relax every now and then, you’ll make out just fine in the end.

Until Next Time!

Let’s Ramble:

Are you a professor in finals week? If so, what are your tips for helping get through finals week?

Students: If you could say one nice thing to one of your professors (both current and past) what would you say to them?

The post Surviving Finals Week: The Professor Edition appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

Yes, it is that time of year again for many college students around the United States including myself. Technically, it’s not quite finals week, but it sure does feel like it consider my professors have decided to take the last week as a bit of a celebration of the end of the 2012-2013 school year. Final projects, papers and tests are all being held this week and I, along with most other students, are feeling the pressure to get everything completed.

If you’re a parent, you’ve probably found your student tenser than usual, ready to pounce at you for making a small mistake or on the verge of breaking down from all of the stress. You wonder what there is that you can do to help your student, but you draw a blank, much like they probably are as they stare at their open Word document. But fear not! I have some tips that will give you a hand with helping your student with finals week.

For the Parents:

Finals week is the most intense, most stressful week of any students’ academic year. So here are a couple of things that you can do to help your student get through their week (or two weeks like me):

Chores:

If your student is currently living at home and you have them doing a lot of chores, let them cut back on them. No, you don’t have to tell them not to do any chores, but limit it to one or two instead of three or four. This will give your student a bit of extra time to work on other things and to them right now, time is precious.

Positive Parenting:

During this time, it’s important for you to stay positive. Tell your student that it won’t last much longer and that they will do fine when it comes to their final tests and projects. Keep a smile on your face and be encouraging.

Don’t Call Too Much:

If your student is away at college, I’m sure you call them quite a bit to check in to see how they’re doing. During their finals week, cut back on the amount of time you call. Calling a student is a distraction despite how short the conversation is. Remember, your student’s time is precious and they need it for studying and finishing last minute projects. Not to mention that depending on what you’re calling for, it may increase the amount of stress your student is undergoing. If it’s not important, wait until finals are over.

Advance Travel Plans:

Many students go off to school and if this is your case, make sure to make travel arrangements in advance. The last thing your student wants to think about during finals week is how they are going to get home. Okay, maybe that’s not completely true; however, if they are spending their time stressing about how they will be getting home, they aren’t focusing on studying for their test. It is better to make travel plans prior to finals week so it’s one less thing your student has to think or stress over.

For the Students:

Hello fellow students! How are you hanging in there? Okay I hope! If you’re reading this blog I can only assume that you’re doing okay at least for the time being. The stress hasn’t kicked in for you yet, this is good! If you have a minute, I have some tips to help get you through finals week:

Don’t Procrastinate:

“But Felicia, you procrastinate all the time.” Yes, but do as I say not what I do! Don’t wait until last minute to study or work on final projects. I promise you that it will help to take a lot of stress off of your shoulders.

Eat Breakfast:

You know how they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day? It’s actually true. Breakfast will give you the energy that you need to get through your final classes and push through those classes. Having a healthy breakfast will help your mind to keep moving.

Find Time to Relax:

You’re asking yourself what this thing “relax” is at this point. If you are, it’s time for you to get in touch with this concept again. Being constantly stressed out is not good for you! Find time to relax and do something for yourself. It will keep you refreshed and remind you that once finals week is over that you can have more time to do this wonderful thing that is relaxing.

Stay Hydrated:

It’s important to keep yourself hydrated. The last thing you want to happen at this point in time is to end up in the emergency room. Make sure to drink plenty of water. Drinking water will help to keep you awake while you’re trying to get through these papers and projects.

Avoid Energy Drinks:

Kind of an odd thing that I’m suggesting isn’t it? Energy drinks help you keep energized after all, right? Well, unfortunately, energy drinks aren’t that good for you. If you are really looking to get a burst of energy to push through the last paragraph or page of your paper, then go for a walk or eat something healthy. There are a number of fruits and vegetables that can give you energy such as: bananas, organic dark chocolate, carrots, and blueberries. You can use Google (since you’re probably already on it doing research) to look up some other healthy energy-filled fruits and vegetables.

Whether you’re a parent or a student during finals week there is one important thing that you have to keep in mind. It will all be over soon! Finals only last a week, two tops, but you can get through it no matter how hard it may seem at the time. Stay positive and remind yourself summer will soon be here.

Until Next Time!

Let’s Ramble:

Are you a student currently going through finals week? What tips do you have for others to survive this horrific week?

Are you the parent of a student who’s in the process of getting through finals? How have you helped them?

The post Surviving Finals Week appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

On Saturday, April 27^th, The SITS Girls and Invisalign hosted a Mini Bloggy Boot Camp in Philadelphia. To say the least, I was a nervous wreck considering I’m not the most social of people and I had high expectations of myself when it came to networking. I had spent the morning preparing myself to attend the blogging event, getting things together, deciding on what to wear and tweeting more than I think I’ve ever tweeted before. After the drive to Philly through the traffic and crowds of people that I always forget exist, I made my way into the Hotel Palomar. The hotel was immaculate and I found myself wondering how much a night it was to stay in one of their rooms.

Speaking with the receptionist, I made my way to the elevators where I, admittedly, had no idea where I was to go next. Thankfully, I ran into a couple of other lovely ladies there were also attending the same blogging event that I was. And then the nerves kicked in.

Different Hats

Everyone wears different hats.

No, not always literally; though, I do think that I don’t look half bad in hats! Figuratively speaking we all have different hats, or personalities, for different situations we’re in. Take me for example; I have a personality for work, when I’m spending time with family and friends, when I’m at school and during social events. Now mind you, I had never been to an event like this and my anxiety level was already through the roof after trying to locate my destination, missing a turn and then almost being hit by a couple of regular city-goers who just wanted me out of their way. When it hit me that I didn’t know which hat to wear to this blogging event and that I wasn’t quite sure where I was going, I could feel myself wanting to turn and run. Thankfully I didn’t. You can only imagine how much my heart was pounding when I turned to one of the other women waiting for the elevator to ask if they were also going to Bloggy Boot Camp.

Anxiety

I kept telling myself to just be myself and that everything would be okay, that the other ladies would not bite my head off and that I would eventually make it to my destination. It turns out that asking the other women present wasn’t that bad and as soon as they smiled at me, I could feel my anxiety level slowly starting to slip away. We rode the elevator up together, though, we were puzzled when we reached the 24^th floor when we were supposed to go to the 25^th and ended up walking up the stairs to the last floor, but the point being, everything was fine. Until I walked into the room where the event was being held and I could suddenly feel myself beginning to panic once again.

I followed the group that I had come with while taking a couple of deep breaths. I could do this! Or so I kept telling myself. Going into this, I knew that I would have to network which I don’t believe is one of my stronger traits, but I was determined to do it. Unfortunately for me, I think my anxiety got the best of me when it was time for us to socialize.

Networking

I had spent most of the morning preparing myself to do some major networking during this conference. Me being the procrastinating queen that I am, or maybe I was just being forgetful since I had so much else going on, I had to create my own business cards before the event began. Let me just say this, creating business cards on the fly like I did it not easy and you could avoid the frustration that I experienced by ordering them offline in advance like I should have. The business cards came out just fine though and I planned to pass all seventy of them out while at the event.

Needless to say, that did not happen and after the event was over I felt like a complete and utter failure because my fear got the best of me and I only really interacted with a handful of people. I was so disappointed in myself. I have to admit though that I actually did a lot more than I realized at the time. The thing about networking is that sometimes just being present can go a long way.

The next day, I found myself with more Twitter followers from the event than I thought I would ever get. Even if you leave an event feeling as though you completed failed at everything you had wanted to do just remember that sometimes feelings lie.

How Was Bloggy Boot Camp?

I have to admit, though my anxiety got the best of me and I wish I would have networked more and made more blogging friends, Bloggy Boot Camp was a blast. Yes, despite the fear I felt and feeling as though I didn’t do enough, I still had fun and I did make some new friends. I also learned a lot not only about blogging, but also about Invisalign (@Invisalign) that I hadn’t previously known. I have been able to take the tips that Tiffany (@TiffanyRom) and Francesca (@FranBanducci) of The SITS Girls gave and I have thus far applied them to my About Felicia page, my sidebar and even this post.

If you’ve never gone to a blogging event such as Bloggy Boot Camp, I highly recommend it. I’m not going to lie, it can be frightening—especially if you’re by yourself and you’ve never been to one before, but I promise, you will get through it, you will learn a lot and you will make new friends.

Until Next Time!

Let’s Ramble:

Have you ever attended an event like Bloggy Boot Camp? What was your experience?

If you’ve never attended, do you think you ever will?

What kind of social situations raise your anxiety level?

If you enjoyed this post, you may enjoy others like:

In Session

Staying Calm: How do you do it?

Phobias and Corrals

The post My First Blogging Event: What Hat Should I Wear? appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

It goes without saying that you want to find the best possible facilities that are fully equipped to meet all of your  individual requirements, but it can be difficult to know where to begin. So here are a few things to consider when you begin researching care homes;

Location

As with any other move, location can make or break a decision. Take time to consider what your location priorities are and then check the following; is the home close to the family and friends of the prospective service user to make it easier for them to visit each other? Is it more important to be close to shops and leisure facilities, or for it to be in a more rural setting?

Safety and Security

A feeling of safety is integral to anyone settling into a new home. This can be particularly important if the person you care for has specific issues regarding to safety and security. When you are researching or visiting a residence, ask them what specific arrangements or supervision are in place for the provision of security.

Special Needs

It is essential that a care home should be fully equipped to meet the individual requirements of the person you care for. Ask them to explain their strategy to ensure that they meet individual needs and don’t simply apply a blanket approach to care provision. A care home should be flexible enough to work around the requirements of the person seeking support, rather than expecting individuals to adapt to an existing routine.

Community Contact

Opportunities for social integration can have an enormous impact on self-confidence and personal development, so this is an important area to explore with any potential care homes. Ask them what connections they have in place with different the local community. Is it possible for individuals to engage in a variety of activities and educational ventures such as sports, volunteering or social outings to ensure that they have an opportunity to engage with their surroundings?

Communication

This is a key aspect of your on going relationship with a care home and will have a significant influence over time. How often and in what way does the care home communicate with carers, friends and relatives of the people it supports? Are relevant parties involved in decisions relating to the on-going approach to care, or at least regularly informed of changes? Does the home offer any support to carers and relatives?

Whenever you are considering a care home it is important to check the results of their Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections so that you aware of how the care home is performing. If you are still struggling, social services or your NHS representative can offer further advice and guidance to help you find the best possible solution for your situation.

About the Author:

Written by copywriter Nicky Hand. If you’re looking for a care home that provides individually tailored care to adults with complex needs, Choice Care Group is a good place to start.

The post How to Choose a Care Home appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

Looking at my calendar for the week, I can see that it is going to be a long one. This week, on top of my normal obligations of working, going to class and going to practicum (internship), I am also going to be attending a couple of conferences.

The first conference is actually a graduate symposium. I will be presenting a paper that I wrote during an independent study course on the effects of alcohol on domestic violence. This will be the first presentation that I will be giving by myself. Unless you count class presentations, but I don’t since this is a bit bigger than that, or so I think. I have to admit that I’m extremely nervous about it, but I’m sure it will go just fine. Right?

I will also be attending my first Blogging Boot Camp presented by the SITS Girls. If you haven’t visited or heard of SITS Girls, I highly recommend that you go check them out (if you’re a blogger or thinking of starting a blog). There are so many wonderful resources there for you to check out. Either way, they’re doing a Mini-Bloggy Boot Camp, which I’m attending. Again, I’m nervous. I think it’s because I won’t know anyone there and meeting new people and joining a new event can be scary!

On the bright side, both of these things give me some great posts to share with all of you! Though both of these things terrify me, it’s a wonderful new experience that I hope to share with all of you.

Either way, I hope that you all have a great Monday and a fantastic week!

Let’s Ramble:

Are you going to be doing anything new and exciting this week? If so, what and how are you feeling about it?

Have you ever attended a Bloggy Boot Camp presented by SITS Girls? What was your experience?

Until next time!

The post Monday, Monday appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

Thinking about my father having died makes my heart feel heavy. Despite the fact that we didn’t spend a lot of time together, I still cared for him very deeply and loved him very much. He had his flaws like putting me down about my profession and my weight, but that was just the way he was. I knew he would be there for me if I asked him to be.

He walked me down the aisle, he helped me to learn how to bat in softball and try as he might he attempted to teach me all about phonics. I’m glad that I have these sorts of happy memories, even the not so happy ones, with my father. I think if I didn’t, it would be harder to accept that he’s gone. I think that it’s important to think about the good times after someone has passed on.

At first it’s always hard, but then you remember the times that you laughed together, had fun together and just enjoyed one another’s company. I find myself continuously thinking about the last time I went out to eat with my dad, for example, and one interaction between him and my older brother puts a smile on my face.

My brother had brought my father back some Jell-O, which was one of his favorite things to eat (that and McDonalds food). My brother had gotten himself some dessert too and so he put the Jell-O on my father’s plate using his fingers. It was so funny; you should have seen my dad’s face! He wasn’t exactly happy that my brother used his fingers, but you could see that he was just kidding around and he then happily ate his Jell-O.

Sometimes I’m afraid that I’ll forget my dad, but by thinking about the memories, it makes it easy to remember him. He had a great smile that lit up the room, which I think that I inherited. He was funny, hard-working and though he did some not so good things during his life, he cared a lot for people.

I miss my dad and that’s okay. He will always be with me in my heart and I know, or at least I hope, that he’s proud of me.

The post A Year Ago: RIP Dad appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

Still, it is fair to say that we don’t exactly waste our childhood. We might want to forget some parts of our childhood, but we will also have a number of rich memories we carry with us all throughout life. What are the best ones?

Fireworks Displays

Whether it is Guy Fawkes’ Night in the United Kingdom, Fourth of July in the United States, or a fireworks festival anywhere else in the world, these are definitely something that give us excellent memories of growing up.

There is just something about fireworks when you are a child that captivates you and holds your attention, drawing you in so much that few things can match the disappointment we feel when it is time to go home and wait until next year. Every kid has their own favourite firework, too, whether it be a Roman Candle, a Catherine Wheel, or a traditional rocket, which stays with them longer than anything else does.

Sports with Friends

It is great when you’re a footloose and fancy-free child who can go out and do what you want, especially when it involves spending time with friends following some sort of sporting activity.

Whether it is riding around the neighbourhood on a bicycle, running around the local park, or specifically playing a particular sport or game, our active adventures are great childhood memories that we never forget.

Fun Days Out

Whether it was with our parents, grandparents, or on an organized school trip, we all have a particular day out, or a collection of them, that we remember well from when we were children.

The best thing about remembering these is that it isn’t always the best ones that are the most memorable. There might have been a trip to the zoo when it rained all day, or a dodgy coach that broke down on the way home after a long day!

First Day at School

Okay, so people might not necessarily remember their very first day at school, but they will always have an early memory of something related to their early learning days. This might be crying on your first day, seeing a friend upset and thinking how grown up you were because you weren’t, or how you felt when you realized, even at the age of five, that you have at least another thirteen years of this sitting in a classroom, learning.

Our Favourite Toys

Some people loved their toys so much that, even today, when they’re walking around Toys ‘R’ Us they still find themselves stopping to reminisce whenever they come across their favourite doll or action figure.

Some even might continue to collect their favourite toys, or have them secretly stashed away in the attic so no one knows they didn’t really donate them to the church jumble sale.

Still, as long as they aren’t secretly playing with your favourite Avengers figure from time to time, we can let that lie.

About the Author:

Stuart Green is still a child at heart, although he doesn’t have any old toys in the attic from his younger days. He does still enjoy fireworks displays, especially when he sees a roman candle that reminds him of attending similar displays with his parents. Stuart still plays football with friends, too, although it is not the same as it used to be.

The post Top 5 Unforgettable Childhood Memories appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

The Five Letter Word

I have to say that these types of forums don’t come around as often as you may think and even within these close-knit forums, there’s bound to be a bit (or a lot) of drama here and there. Drama is the sort of thing that you would expect to happen though, right? Bringing together people from all over the world, there is bound to be people who don’t agree with what others are saying.

Furthermore, let’s face it, we have big egos and we (generally) think that we’re right. Humans are also very stubborn, don’t like backing down when they think that they’re right and are quick to overreact in some situations. Put all that together into one forum community and everything falls apart. If a forum is lucky, however, they will have an administrator and a team of moderators that can put everything back together so the forum can survive and continue forward.

An additional problem to always thinking that you are correct is that you become even more defensive when you’re wrong, which just causes more trouble in the long run.

For example, I am a moderator and administrator on a couple of different forums. On one forum in particular, I’ve had numerous run-ins with people who think they have done nothing wrong when in reality they have. They may have hurt someone’s feelings or broken a rule without realizing it so they get a friendly reminder saying something along the lines of “please don’t do that again.” Pretty simple and straightforward right?

Wrong!

Despite how nice I try to be and how nice other moderators try to be, there will always be someone who thinks that they were given a reminder or warning without cause and that the moderator that performs said task has a “personal problem” against them. In reality, you’ve problem done something wrong, the moderator is doing their job and at the end of the day, it’s an internet forum. Why spend hours arguing over a reminder or a warning that was rightfully given to you? It is in my opinion that if you are getting so upset about the reminder and/or warning that you feel the need to go to an administrator, that you’re shaking with anger or on the verge of crying, you should turn off the computer, go outside and play.

I’m not saying that moderators and administrators can’t be wrong because they can. Trust me, I’ve been on sites where they accuse me of doing something when they’re rules and regulations say otherwise, but learn to pick your battles and don’t get overly upset by what happens online.

Think Before You Type

Another thing that I’ve noticed about forum drama is that it’s often caused by a misunderstanding. Someone says something and then another person comes along and takes it completely out of context. I want to reiterate what I said previously in saying that this is the internet. You miss a lot by communicating online because you don’t see or hear the person. You can’t tell what kind of tones they’re using and it’s very easy for misunderstanding to happen. That’s why I always tell people to think before they type in order to avoid unnecessary drama.

At the End of the Day

Drama is going to occur online just like it occurs in your physical life, it’s unavoidable I’ve noticed. I have to admit though that a little drama here and there makes life a little bit more interesting. But don’t let drama ruin your friendships or family. What’s important at the end of the day is that you care about one another and that if you work together, you can get through whatever is thrown at you.

Until next time!

Let’s Ramble:

Have you ever been involved with internet drama? If so, how did you handle it?
Are you a forum admin or moderator? How do you deal with drama within the community?

*No, you aren’t dreaming. That was a Barney reference from my childhood.

The post Is Internet Drama Avoidable? appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

Did you watch last night’s episode of Glee? I know I sure did. The episode didn’t start out as it normally does on a weekly basis. Before the show started there was an advisory message that appeared on the screen warning people of what the episode depicted…

School Violence.

If you’ve ever watched even a single episode of Glee then you know it’s generally a pretty up-beat sort of show. Of course it has different types of drama sprinkled in here and there to keep people interested, but primarily it focuses on the glee club and the competitions that they participate in.

The show started off as any other one would. We watch as members of the glee club interact with one another throughout the day. Brittany Pierce, one of the school’s cheerleaders, had “discovered” that the world would soon be coming to an end because of something she saw through her telescope. Everyone decided that whether or not Brittany was correct in her prediction that it was time to let people know how they really felt about one another and share something that they’ve been holding back.

About fifteen minutes into the show no school violence had been depicted, but you could see signs of what was to come particularly in one scene where Brittany and Becky Jackson (another Lima High cheerleader) shared a moment together. In this moment, Becky reached out to Brittany telling her how she was afraid to graduate from high school due to being afraid to be out in the real world. Brittany reassured her that if she was properly prepared that the world wasn’t such a scary place to be.

An Intense 10 Minutes

Approximately half way through the show the glee club began to gather in the choir room to begin rehearsal. Before they could start they heard not one, but two sounds of gunshots coming from within the hall. Mr. Will Schuester (the leader of the group) along with Coach Shannon Beiste quickly closed and barricaded the doors, turning off the lights and instructed the students to stay low, hide and remain quiet. The metronome quietly ticked back and forth making the time seem to stretch on for much longer than what the show’s length was supposed to be. The actors and actresses did a tremendous job during this time, it seemed so real, as if you were watching what really could unfold if a school shooting were to take place.

We soon find out that two members of the glee club are nowhere in sight. Tina Cohen-Chang in addition to Brittany was missing. There is a brief shot of Tina outside with the rest of the students that had been evacuated trying to persuade the principal to let her back into the school to be with her friends. Brittany, we discover, had gone to the lavatory and we later witness what she goes through while on her own, standing on a toilet hoping that no one would find her. You can see the fear in her eyes increase when the door opens and a form enters the room. Relieved to hear Mr. Schuester’s voice, she rushes to him, hugging him tightly before he leaders her and two other students back to the choir room until they are given the all-clear.

The Reality of Things

This episode of Glee was intense and there are no other words that I can think of to describe it. My heart was pounding as we watched time tick by, wondering if any of the glee club members and other students of the school had or would be harmed. Ryan Murphy, executive producer and creator of the show, I think, was very brave in tackling this issue.

School shootings and school violence in general is something that people need to become more aware of. Stop thinking that it can’t happen to them because, truth be told, you don’t know what could or could not happen to you. You need to be aware of the dangerous that lurk and realize that school shootings do happen. In the case of this Glee episode, the shooting was an accident and the reason the gun was brought to school was because a student was scared. In other incidents, we aren’t so lucky and people bring guns to school with the intention of harming others and sometimes themselves.

One thing that really brought me back to reality after this episode ended was that on the news, that was coming on next, they were going to be talking about a shooting that recently happened at a Philadelphia school followed by hearing that recently a four year old shot and killed a six year old after getting a hold of their parents’ gun.

What I’m trying to get at…

What I’m trying to get at here is that you should be aware of your surroundings and aware of the people who are around you. If you think that someone may be planning to bring a gun to school then TELL SOMEONE. Let people you heard about it so that the student can be spoken with and actions that need to be taken can happen. Even if it’s your best friend, you need to let someone know that can do something so that incidents like Columbine and Sandy Hook don’t happen.

If you’re a gun owner, I beg of you, be aware of where you gun and its ammunition are at all times. Keep it locked up and away from your children, teenagers and anyone else who should not be handling a gun.

Let’s Ramble:

Did you watch the episode of Glee? What were your thoughts on it?

What is your opinion on all of the school shootings that have been going on lately and what steps do you think we need to take to prevent them?

Until next time. Stay safe.

The post Glee Tackles a Tough Subject appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

Participate in a survey on couples and alcohol use and enter to win a raffle!

Are you and your spouse legally married and at least 18 years of age?

Have you or your partner consumed alcoholic beverages in the last 6 months?

Is alcohol use an area of disagreement in your marriage?

If you answered yes to the above questions, you and your spouse are eligible to participate in a research survey regarding the relationship between your marriage and your alcohol-related help seeking behaviors. When you both complete the survey, you will each be entered into a raffle for one of four $50 Amazon.com gift cards!

The survey will take each participant approximately 20 minutes, and survey responses will be anonymous.

Please click here to get started: https://surveys.clarku.edu/AlcoholUseSurveyStart.aspx

This study has been approved by the Clark Committee for the Rights of Human Participants in Research and Training Programs (IRB). Any questions about human rights issues should be directed to the IRB Chair, Dr. James P. Elliott, 508-793-7152, jelliott@clarku.edu. The study is being conducted by C.J. Fleming, M.A. and James Cordova, Ph.D. in the Psychology Department at Clark University. Please feel free to contact the researcher ( alcoholusesurveyemail@gmail.com ) or the research supervisor ( jcordova@clarku.edu ) with any questions or concerns.

You can also send questions my way at felicia@familialramblings.com (so that I can send the question(s) to CJ).

Please take the time to fill out the survey, you will be helping someone with their education, which I’m sure you’re all aware is important.

Until next time!

Photo Credit: Chris Gilbert

The post Help a Student by Taking a Survey! appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

Let’s start off with an easy question. Tell everybody a bit about yourself.

Easy question?! This is a hard one. I guess I’ll start by saying that I’m twenty-one years old and that I’m a student in a private university. I hope to become an elementary school teacher someday. While I’m in school, I’m working part time as a computer and tablet salesperson. I have a wonderful partner named Tressy, and we’ve been together for over three years now. I enjoy learning, reading, eating, hugging, and snuggling with stuffed animals (but mostly snuggling with stuffed animals).

What inspired you to create Pluvia Village?

It’s hard to say what exactly inspired me to create Pluvia Village. I’ve run several general discussion forums over the years, and a lot of them ended somewhat badly. I suppose that I wanted to create a forum where friendly people can congregate to be happy together. I also wanted a place where I could easily chat with all my internet buddies.

What is your favorite forum of the site and why?

I like the Press Conference Hall (our interview forum) because I’m a stalker at heart, and I like learning intimate details about other people. It’s just like the FBI except that I’m nicer and not concerned about whether or not you’re a terrorist.

What are some of the best aspects of being a member of Pluvia?

The best aspect of being a member of Pluvia is the ability to post whatever is on your mind without having to worry about people making fun of you or insulting you. This type of behavior that has become commonplace in other communities is not acceptable to us.

How would you describe your community?

I would describe my community as a rainy setting for happiness, friendship, and hugs. Lots of hugs. Furthermore, I would describe it as a place where nobody has to worry about mean people. The problem with online communities is that many tolerate mean people so that they can watch their stats increase. As the administrator of Pluvia Village, my primary goal is to prevent mean people from overtaking the place.

Tell me a bit about your failed run in the 2008 U.S. House. Oh wait! I wasn’t supposed to ask you about that. Uh…tell us how one can go about joining such an awesome community like Pluvia Village.

I’m going to pretend like you didn’t mention my 2008 bid for the U.S. House. Darn those people for putting in that “sixteen year olds can’t run” rule. Anyway, it’s easy! Just go to http://pluviavillage.net/ and click “Register.” The sign-up process is very straightforward, and you’ll be ready to start posting in just a few minutes. Be sure to make a topic introducing yourself in the Arrival Hall, though.

I want to take a moment to thank Snobo for taking the time to conduct this interview with me and furthermore for telling my audience more about Pluvia Village!

Make sure you all stop by and check out this friendly, inviting forum today!

Until next time!

Photo Credits: Pluvia Village

The post Dancing in the Rain: Pluvia Village Interview appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

Something Fruity

If the person you are buying for loves a strawberry cream or orange crunch, something fruity as a gift might be right up their street. Photo shoots with professional photographers can make for great presents as they offer the opportunity to let go a little, be pampered and experience the thrill of posing for the camera in the same way that a celebrity would do.

There are a wide variety of photography session packages available, from those which create beautiful portraits of a family together right through to something a little more daring dependant on how outgoing and willing the person you are buying for is! Either way, this will make for the perfect gift for the lover of a chocolate with a fruity twist.

Something Nutty

For the fan of nuts in their chocolate, something a little crazy and out of the ordinary may be more suited. You can buy practically any exhilarating experience for someone nowadays, so for something a little nutty, how about a sky dive or bungee jump?

This kind of experience will certainly get the adrenaline pumping and heart racing as the receiver of the gift experiences flying through the air at a considerable speed! To reflect the chocolates with nuts in, there are no better gifts than something a little crazy like a bungee jump!

Something Alcoholic

If your friend or loved one immediately goes for the chocolate with liquor inside, a gift with a spot of sophistication and class will be more appropriate. Whilst tables at fine dining or Michelin star restaurants were once reserved purely for the high flyers in the business world, this is no longer the case as great packages are available that allow you to enjoy some of the delights that establishments such as these produce.

It isn’t just posh dining that can fall into this category of gift though as you can celebrate their love of alcohol with wine tasting experiences that enable the gift receiver to work they way through a number of different wines as well as seeing how it is produced at a working vineyard.

Something Sweet

If the person you are buying for loves the sweet flavour of caramel, a suitably sweet gift should be on the agenda. Personalised gifts make the perfect present for a loved one as they come in many different forms and will be completely unique to the person receiving it.

Sweet personalised gifts can include cufflinks for men, bracelets for women or family photographs with a personal message that can be a great gift for mums, dads, grandmas and granddads alike! With something sweet and personal for a gift, you will certainly be reflecting that love of silky sweet caramel in their chocolate.

There you have it, if you are stuck for ideas on what to buy as a gift for someone, consider what their favourite chocolate is and buy one of the gifts outlined above in accordance with this! It makes life easier for you and will lead to a great conversion when they ask you how you got the idea for the gift!!

About the Author:

This post was produced by Oliver Kyle who writes for Gift Cookie; retailers of the sweet personalised gifts for the fan of chocolate with caramel in addition to a number of experience days for those who prefer something a little more nutty!

The post How Gift Buying is Like a Box of Chocolates…. appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

The other day, I was on a wonderful blog called Mom Fever and there I read a post about de-cluttering your keychain. A simple concept if you really think about it, but something I had never really thought a lot about doing. Looking at my keychain that day, I realized that I had A LOT of stuff on my keychain, which was weighing me down, and let’s face it, didn’t look too nice when I put them in my pocket.

That day I set off to clear my keychain of things that I did and did not need. As simple as it sounds, while looking through what I had on my keychain, I realized that I hold onto a lot of things that I really don’t need. That goes not only for physical objects, but also within myself as well.

What was on my keychain?

As I said, I had a number of things on my keychain:

1. House Key
2. Car Key/Button Lock
3. Husband’s Car Key/Button Lock
4. Work Keys
5. Stewie Keychain (from the hubby)
6. “Felicia” Keychain (from my mom)
7. Anime Keychain (from my friend in the UK)
8. Pepper Spray
9. Gym Membership Cards (mine and my husband’s)
10. A few cards for grocery stores and food places
11. Hair Tie
12. Clips (two of them to clip things onto my keychain or to clip my keychain onto something)

 That’s a lot of stuff, right? Welp, since I was already worrying about changes to come and the changes that were already at my front door step, I figured I might as well go ahead and do some de-cluttering.

You’d be surprised how therapeutic de-cluttering your keychain actually is. After you’re done, it’s like there’s not as much holding you down anymore (physically and mentally). For example, by not carrying around my work keys, I don’t think about work all the time.

My keychain now consists of my home key, my car key and pepper spray, which in my opinion are pretty essential. Some may be questioning the pepper spray, but there are some crazy people out there so I’d rather be safe than sorry.

In the end, I think was a good change for me and if you find yourself feeling a little weighed down by things, take a look at your own keychain and you may be surprised by how much it’s holding you down.

Let’s Ramble:

What’s on your keychain? Is it weighing you down or is it just right?

Until next time!

The post Keychain & Change appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

There ya go! So, today I just wanted to take the time to wish everyone a very Happy Easter from my family to your family! I hope you have a fantastic day spending time with family no matter what it is that you do on this day. Whether you go to church, spend the day cooking or just relaxing on the couch watching a movie. Whatever it is that you do, I hope that you enjoy it!

As for me, I am off to go spend time with my own family. Chowing down on turkey, ham and oh so delicious stuffing. I will see you later this week with some new posts!

Please, if you have not done so already, take a few minutes to take the SURVEY I’m currently conducting! Also, if you’re from a corporation or maybe you’re a blogger like me looking for more exposure, hop on over (haha, “hop” get it? Bunny hop. No? Okay…) to Familial Ramblings’ Ad Page!

Again, I hope you all have a very Happy Easter!

Let’s Ramble:

What are you doing today for Easter?

Until next time!

The post Happy Easter From Familial Ramblings! appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

Please take a few minutes from your day to complete this simple SURVEY. It will literally probably take you about five (5) minutes to complete the survey. There are six (6) multiple choice questions and one (1) question that is looking for you to do a small amount of writing.

Primarily this survey focuses on your reading habits and how you get information from Familial Ramblings (i.e. are you a subscriber or do you just have the site bookmarked). However, at the end I do add two questions about giveaways and giveaway prizes. You see, I’ve been playing with the idea for a couple months as to whether or not to run a giveaway. Before I go forward with creating any sort of giveaway, I want to know how many people are interested and what sort of items they’re interested in winning. Why create a giveaway that no one is going to enter, right? Right!

So, all I’m asking you is to take a few minutes to fill out the SURVEY and let me know what your habits are when it comes to visiting Familial Ramblings in addition to what sort of giveaway prize (if any) you would like to see. Your information will help me to improve Familial Ramblings and your reading experience.

Before I go, I wanted to thank all of you for reading Familial Ramblings and for leaving me awesome comments on my posts all the time! You don’t know how much I truly appreciate it because I put a lot into this site and without all of you Familial Ramblings wouldn’t be here.

If you’ve taken the time to take the survey, let me know by commenting below!

Until next time!

The post Posts & Giveaways appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

Today I expected to feel really sad and maybe even a bit depressed about the loss, but really, I’m not taking it as bad as I thought I would. I can remember her without crying and can actually think about the memories I had with her and smile. Vicki did so much for my and for my family. She was always there for us no matter what we may have needed. She taught me how to play softball, took me on trips and honestly, she was like a second mother to me.

I have to admit that I do miss her tremendously, but I know that she’s in a better place now and that she’s looking down on me. I know she would be proud of me and the things that I have accomplished in my life. Though it breaks my heart that she will not be able to physically be here when I have children and she won’t be able to teach them how to throw a ball or run like hell to get to the base before the ball is thrown toward you, she’ll still be here in spirit. I guess that’s really more than I can ask for and really, I feel if I ask for more I’m just being selfish.

She lived an amazing life, touched a lot of people and did a lot of good. It makes me sad that she won’t be here to touch other people’s lives like she did my own, but I will always have the memories.

So, today I dedicate this post to Vicki and to all of those out there that have lost someone close to them. May they rest in peace.

The post A Year Past: Remembering an Amazing Friend appeared first on Familial Ramblings.

A friend of mine recently came to me in a bit of a rage because of something that had happened on the social networking site, Twitter. Apparently a girl had posted an unnecessary comment that pertained to my friend. It was a snide and rude comment that did not need to be made–especially not on a social networking site.

This single post caused drama that, I swear, lasted throughout most of the night. Not only between the initial poster and my friend, but suddenly their friends started to get involved. Twitter was ablaze with posts going back and forth about how one person should keep their mouth shut, how another needed to mind their own business and so on.

It’s been stated before that social media can be a blessing, but it can also be the cause of a lot of unnecessary drama. What I find most interesting about social networking drama is that is spreads like wildfire. As I said about my friend’s situation, it started out between two people and then suddenly it was as if their entire friendship base was involved. People who didn’t know what the situation was even about started to chime in. People who had nothing to do with what was going on felt the need to make a statement.

It only makes matters worse when these other people join in on the situation at hand. They fuel the fire when it should be squashed. Comments like, “You know she’s jealous” or “Are you going to let her say that about you” only help things to go farther downhill. Things go from bad to worse in a matter of minutes and to imagine it all started with one Twitter comment amazes me.

When you go home, you think that you’re away from the drama that goes on at school or at work. When you leave high school, you never think that you’ll have to deal with “high school” drama again. With the help of social networking sites, you can now continue the drama that happened during your school or work day when you get home. Wonderful, isn’t it? So much for relaxing, I guess.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of the internet and social networking, but sometimes it’s best to just mind your own business and to keep your words to yourself, instead of out there for the world to see.

Let’s Ramble:

How has the internet and social networking affected you and your life? Share your stories.

The post Social Networking Drama appeared first on Familial Ramblings.