A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

My world

BWF: Youthful comfort

Comfort foods.

What does it mean for you? What is that item you can turn to on a cold winter day? Or a rainy spring day? Or in a time when we’re all shuttered up, at least to an extent?

What’s that one item?

In situations like this, or times like this … it’s easy for me. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich. And why? Because it can bring me back to childhood. A time when things seemed easier and more innocent. The cares in the world weren’t as bad. You didn’t worry about much and this was often the lunch of choice.

That’s the way to be.

Since this whole thing started a few months ago, I’ve had several PB&Js. And I’ve enjoyed each one.

Believe me — there’s a lot I could eat on a day where it’s eat what you want Pizza. Bacon. Steak. Potatoes. Maybe breakfast.

So much.

But I feel if this is something in a time we’re at … this is the way to go. Good preserves. Usually creamy peanut butter. On white bread.

Need some help? Allow me to give you my recipe!

  • Two slices of white bread
  • Creamy peanut butter
  • Strawberry or blueberry preserves
  • A butter knife

Put the two pieces of bread out. Take the knife and load it up with peanut butter. Put that on one slide of bread. Clean off knife on other side of bread. Put the preserves on the other slice of bread. When done, lick the knife clean. Seriously … you don’t do that? Put the two pieces of bread together and take a big bite.

Serve with a cold glass of milk to really make it perfect.

How about any of you? Meal of the day if you can have anything for one day? Any reason?

Blog With Friends: May 2020
Blog with Friends is a themed collaboration challenge where a group of bloggers get together and publish a project based on a theme. Please see the others who have taken part for this month’s theme carrots. Links to their posts can be found below the image!

Check out what the others did with carrots!

Enjoy blogging challenges? We have several that happen here, and we’d love to have you join us! The Photo Blogging Challenge is one of our main ones and it runs monthly! Starting up is the Food Photo Challenge and the Can of Corn Challenge. We’d love to see you!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

Secret Subject Swap: Matrix moments

This post is for the Secret Subject Swap, a monthly blog challenge. Information about the swap can be viewed at the end of this post, as well as links to all others taking part. Have a peek at some of the other bloggers and see what they had to come up with. If you are a blogger, consider joining up for future months!

My theme is “Have you ever had a glitch in the matrix moment? If so what was it?” and it was submitted by Climaxed.

I had to Google to see what this even means. But from my searching it seems it means “deja vu.”

So my short answer is, yes, I have experienced these moments. Several times. Thing is, once they happen, they leave my mind. I can’t think of an actual moment where it happened.

I know I’ve experienced it and I know it’s always a wild feeling. But outside of that, I have no memory of the actual moment. But that got me thinking about the word “matrix.”

Have you ever seen Ferris Bueller? The scene with the one teacher that has the slow words, and then speeds up a little?

“Anywaaaaaaaay…”

Yeah, when I was first in college at a two-year school, I had a sociology teacher that talked like that. It would put you to sleep. And most of the class wasn’t about sociology.

It was about the learning process. And I’m not kidding.

He had this thing he called a learning matrix. For the life of me, I can’t remember the whole thing behind it (we’re talking 25 or so years ago), but it was all … how to learn.

Every.

Class.

He would start by drawing something on the board and would go over the matrix for 3/4 of class. Then he’d do a quick lesson, assign homework and call it a day.

Rinse. Repeat.

And it was tough to stomach. Think about a whole college semester. A M/W/F class. About the learning matrix. I mean, I guess to a point it got drilled into me because I still remember it all these years later.

Though I don’t remember the actual matrix.

Maybe I’m experiencing a matrix moment every time I think about it? Knowing I’ve seen it before.

When all said and done, I think it was his way of trying to help us find a way to learn. I had another class with him that wasn’t a 101 and he barely even touched on it.

No matter what though, I always think of that when I hear “matrix” and it always brings me back.

Six others have taken part in this challenge, so go check out the other posts and have some fun reading their secret subjects!

Enjoy blogging challenges? We have several that happen at A ‘lil HooHaa, and we’d love to have you join us! The Photo Blogging Challenge is one of our main ones and it runs monthly! We also have the Food Photo Challenge (current theme listed at end of post) and the Can of Corn Challenge. We’d love to see you!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

Living with Diabetes: Managing during a pandemic

For those of you who read my blog, you likely know I’ve been working my rear off to get my diabetes in control. I’ve been doing pretty well with it, too. 

In fact, at my last blood test in February, my A1C dropped .5 points and I’m on the cusp of dropping under a 7 for the first time in a while. 

That has me pumped. 

Living with Diabetes logo

However, then COVID-19 hit, 

The world went into a lockdown. People lost jobs. Others work remotely. Some are afraid to step outside. Being diabetic, I’m told, I’m at a higher risk. 

Just what I needed. 

I’m thankful I didn’t lose my job. I’ve worked remotely for the most part, but I go into the office a couple of times per week. I utilize social distancing. When I’m in a store or in a public area where I might be around people and can’t be 6-10 feet away, I wear a mask. I’m doing the items I’ve been asked to do. Do I like or want to do them all? No. But I’m also in the belief that I am doing many of these things for other people, not just me. 

My work has really amped up, though. I’m having to juggle a lot of things and I know the next two months are going to be high-stress, probably longer hours at time, and definitely a time where I might not always be smart. 

First, let’s take working at home. For me, it’s not the best. You do some Zoom meetings and all and you might snack a bit. I don’t always check my blood numbers as I forget. I’m out of a rhythm. 

Now, I will say I get way more walking in. My morning and afternoon walks are usually a lock. Sometimes there’s a third. When I’m at the office, I tend to try and move more because there’s so few people around and if I don’t move and stare at the computer all day, I’ll go bonkers. 

Sometimes on weekends, I’ve found nature areas and places to hike so I can get a change of scenery. I’ve tried to take photos and videos. When the weather is nice, I’ve tried to take advantage of it. 

But this time for everybody is hard. We’re not doing normal things. We want to, but we can’t. And that takes a toll on somebody’s body. 

The times I’ve checked my blood sugars, there’s some elevation at times. Not always mind you, but sometimes. I know there are times I pick at snacks because of the situation I am in. I don’t think I’ve really packed on pounds as clothes tell me otherwise. I’m trying to be as smart as I can. My portion sizes haven’t increased. 

Still, I know I haven’t been great. 

My next doctor’s appointment is June 30. I am supposed to get blood taken before then, so we’ll see how that goes. I hope I don’t see my numbers go flying back up, though I know that will be possible. 

For now, I need to get back to where I was before all of this started. That means watching what I eat. Moving. Not snacking all the time. Sometimes it can be very hard, as I am sure others will note, too. 

I keep plugging away. The best I can, anyway. It’s also my hope you are all doing well. 

Stay safe and healthy.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

Purge: 2020

The next seven-plus months are going to be rough. 

No matter if you are political in nature or not, this is going to be a long summer. Take the current pandemic and mix it in with the Presidential and other national elections and it’s going to be hard to deal with. 

You can be republican. You can be a democrat. You can be independent or some other party. It won’t matter. It’s going to be everywhere. 

Especially on social media. 

One thing this pandemic has taught me is it doesn’t matter what situation we are in – people’s opinions will not change. They can have a ton of facts on their side and others won’t budge. On the flip side, you can read things you think are factual and argue it until you are blue in the face. 

It doesn’t matter. 

Even in a situation we are currently in, there is no true thing as bipartisan. Each side will claim they want to be, but in the end nobody really is. 

I am not registered to any party. I have been that way since I was 18. I tend to lean one way over the other, but I have voted for both major parties during my lifetime. 

That’s as political as I’m going to get on this blog. I’ve always said politics and religion and things like that are topics I do not want to touch and I will keep it that way. There’s nothing good that comes out of it because let’s face it – I have my opinions and thoughts just as much as the next person. 

With that in mind, I also have a hard time stomaching seeing it on social media. 

My Facebook is pretty guarded. I keep my connections there lower and pretty much to people I know in person. I don’t do a lot outside of family or posting things I’ve actually done (photos/videos etc.) as I like it to be a happier place. My Twitter is a little more open, as is my Instagram. I’ve recently started to try and get my YouTube page a little better, but that will also be pretty light-hearted. 

It’s only April, though, and I’ve already had my fill of politics on social media. 

Purge 2020 is now a thing for me. 

Allow me to say this … I respect that everybody has an opinion. I can disagree. I can wonder why one can believe something that may not be factual. I know people look at me and maybe they’ll think I am not thinking factually. 

That’s fine. 

But I also don’t have to let all of this infiltrate a place I want to be fun and/or relaxing. And if I see a lot of this stuff, I tend to get worked up – much like many other people. I don’t mind a difference of opinions, but when people don’t speak factually, it drives me crazy. 

One quick example – when New York went to the executive order of wearing face masks if you couldn’t maintain social distancing. I saw many, many posts talking about how this was against our rights. This “law” was crap. And why should we have to wear masks in our homes or in our car etc. People didn’t listen or read what was done. They assumed. The order was an executive order. The governor even said there wouldn’t be fines (unless it was ignored by like everybody, in which case civil fines were possible), but it was more an executive order to show respect to those around you. 

By that example, people heard “wear face masks” and felt this was something that was being told you have to do no matter what. Look, I don’t like wearing them. But if I go into a store or the post office or something like that, I put one on. Why? Because it’s respectful to those around me who do think we should wear them. It’s not forever.

Think though, how an order like that with the idea of just protecting the population has turned political. Experts say the masks are a good thing, so why can’t we be bipartisan? 

OK, back to the point at hand. 

Purge 2020. 

I find when I see too many political posts/tweets – from both sides – it becomes overload. I have my opinions and stance and won’t likely alter it. Therefore, from now until November 8, I’m not going to have to listen to one side or the other or the people in between. I don’t need to see hate posts about what this candidate said, or what this spokesperson said. I don’t need to see people posting clickbait stories based on false headlines, or yelling “fake news” because they disagree with CNN or Fox News. 

The media is as much to blame as anybody – and I say that as somebody who used to work in newspapers. We are in a society where people have limited attention spans and need something fast and furious. 

This seems like as good of a time as any to clean up my social media. As the season heats up, I’m going to use all those fun buttons. Unfollow. Unfriend and/or block (in extreme cases). Silence. All the stuff that makes it so I don’t need to see things. 

I looked through my Facebook list the other night. There’s a lot of people who I haven’t been in contact with for a long time. I looked at my Twitter and saw a lot of things where I wondered why I followed that account. Same with Instagram. 

And in the end, I wondered why I am letting a place where I want it to be enjoyable and relaxing to fire me up. 

The Twitterverse, especially, is beautiful to block. Facebook, too. If I see things that fire me up (even if not friends, rather shares and retweets), I can just block and not see anything from that person. 

My goal has been set. 

Purge 2020 is underway to save my social media and make it fun again. 

And yes, I’d rather those delicious posts about your meals. I actually do enjoy those posts!

Come November make sure you vote – no matter the side you choose. It’s your right to do so. 

In the end, though, whoever may read this post, I hope you make it through the summer months healthy and with less stress than most of us are feeling now. 

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

Photo Blogging Challenge: May 2020’s theme is …

Another month and … still restrictions!

Some places are in a harsher situation than others. It’s not so bad in my area of New York. Sure, we have to wear a mask when in stores an all. But I go to work (in the actual office) a few times a week and work from home the others. I still go walking. I can go for a drive. And people, for the most part, are going along with things. I am pretty sure we’ll start easing on things soon enough.

PBC logo

Still, the world is trying to see where we will go. Some leaders are making better decisions than others. But as a people, hopefully we can get over this. No matter where you are in your thoughts, I implore you all to think about others — not just yourself. I wear a mask in stores and such not for me, but for others. I respect other people’s space. I walk around others to give space. You’ll find things are better if you just give that space.

But even with everything going on, we continue with the Photo Blogging Challenge! I hope you’ll join us this month, and maybe even try and convince another blogger or two to join us! I’ll be making the rounds for this past month soon … make sure you go back to the linkup to see if there was any you missed!

The new theme is below!

So with that in mind, let’s look at the monthly “group” challenges:

Challenge 1: Tell others about this photo blogging challenge and get some friends to come join us.  Let’s see if we can get people interested in the challenge again.

Challenge 2: Make friends with your camera and see what you can come up with. Have fun!

Challenge 3 is at the end of this post (the theme!).

Before this, here’s some housekeeping items. For those who might be new to the challenge, here’s how it works.

  • See the theme (first day of the month);
  • Take photos throughout the month (don’t use old ones!);
  • Select five photos and create a blog post;
  • Come back here and link up on the final day of the month;
  • Use the official hashtag — #Photoblogchal — on social media posts;
  • Hopefully go visit and comment on other blogs.

That’s it. There’s no rules on equipment or anything else. Blog posts can be short and to the point, or in-depth. Interpret the themes as you see fit.

The one big rule?

Have fun!

This month’s theme? Keeping busy. This should and could be good. Maybe you’ve started a new hobby? Or worked on an old one? Maybe you’ve found other ways of keeping busy through all of this. Show us! Please make sure your blog post publishes Sunday, May 31. Then come back here and link up.

If you think you are going to take part in this, drop a comment below so we can see who all might be trying to tackle this challenge!

There is also a Facebook group for those who are interested.

If you would like to visit the history of the challenge, which started in 2013, please go to the Photo Blogging Challenge page for more!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!