As we look towards Christmas and New Year’s, we have a tendency to look backwards to review our lives of the past 365 days. Even, the major news networks review our nation politically and economically on the activities of our President and corporate leaders.
On a micro level, I believe my life is I would have pictured or imagined it on year ago. Currently, I have my online closet which I have already donated or sold about 1/4 of my inventory. Plus, I still will work full time which was all part of the long term plan back then.
The only big difference is that I lost someone who I thought was my friend. Since she wasn’t a writer or a blogger, she believed that she wasn’t capable so she discouraged me from it. Thought that I would be sad that we were never truly friends but I am relieved.
As we look forward to 2026, I will be managing my time with working full time, donating my online closet, being here to blog and to read my contemporaries work and, finally, doing projects on UpWork. With God’s nudging to move back up north, I will listen and act.
After having a “spiritual experience,” I have created an account on UpWork to be a freelance content writer for individuals and organizations who need more of a social media presence. It is a learning experience just to create a profile and presence on the site.
Also, from the above mentioned experience, I am learning about the real estate market and the culture of the small town that I left many years ago. The economy is centered around Lake Michigan, Round Lake Harbor and Lake Charlevoix for tourism, fishing, and sustaining three communities. Eventually, I plan to move out of north Texas and back to northern Michigan.
The information that I have learned lately is learning about the real estate market of my future home in a community I once knew years ago and I am learning to create a profile on Upwork to work be a content writer on social media similar to WordPress. Decided to contact the company for advice on how to proceed successfully.
Living out of one’s comfort zone is scary and exciting. Everything is a new skill or lessons learned.
With some life changing experiences happening, I want and need to visit the region of my future home where I lived in during my high school and undergrad school years.
Along with learning my future work, I want to visit the small cities in northern Michigan along the Lake Michigan coastline from Traverse City northwards.
Traverse City is the home of the National Cherry Festival plus has one of the largest maritime academies in the country. Being on the Grand Traverse Bay, water recreation is huge. The city has lots to offer beyond my description. TVC is the FAA code of the local airport reachable by most cities in the country.
About 50 miles north of Traverse City along Lake Michigan and US 31, Charlevoix is a small city located on the Round Lake Harbor, Lake Charlevoix and Lake Michigan. The area was discovered by Pierre D. Charlevoix who also found the one in Quebec along Lake Ontario. The city has a Venetian Festival and others to celebrate the town. Boulder Village within the city has homes built by boulders, massive rocks found along the lakeshore. The town has mainly small businesses to serve the community.
The next city along US 31 and Lake Michigan is Petoskey of the same name of the infamous stones found along the shoreline of Lake Michigan primarily northern regions. It offers a Gas Light Village in Little Traverse Bay. Close to the infamous Boyne Highlands and Nubs Knob ski resorts. Also, it intersects with the highway US-131 that goes all the way south to Indiana and eventually turns into a freeway south of Cadillac.
Finally, Mackinaw City that is on the most northern city of the lower peninsula of Michigan. The area has the Mackinac Bridge which is a huge suspension bridge to travel to the upper peninsula of the State. One can also visit the fort and sample various flavors of homemade fudge.
With Detroit experiencing record amount of sport tourism with the Lions, Tigers, Red Wings and Pistons all making it to playoffs in their respective leagues last year, the “up north” region is the one to be outside and experience the lakes and the forests of the State.
As the commercial says, “come enjoy the beauty and the excitement of Pure Michigan.” Traverse City, Charlevoix, Petoskey and Mackinaw City welcomes you.
Truthfully, I gave up caring about what other people say about me a long time ago.
Being a free spirit who follows my own path typically doesn’t walk behind the crowds of people who believe and act on popular culture.
”Hoping what people say about me” behind my back is gossip. Gossip is listening and believing to someone’s perspective on something what happened. Gossip can be hurtful and harmful to those people who are talking about. Truth with concrete facts are normally not part of the conversation.
Gossip is something that I don’t participate in because I mind my own business and keep my mouth shut. The truth always comes out anyways so gossip is misleading and partial truths.
Congrats to the Detroit Lions on their impressive win over the Dallas Cowboys at the Ford Field in Detroit!
Truthfully, for the past few years, they have lost to them from bad calls from the referees and some bad plays which the league received criticism from.
Oddly enough, Coach Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions who grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex in the town of Glen Rose then attended Texas A&M then played for the Dallas Cowboys. He was later released by the team when he ended up playing for the Detroit Lions. He fell in love with the City of Detroit and the people.
Although, these games are played professionally, there’s personal stories behind them. The league is full of them.
As you know, the first day of everything and anything reaches all of us because growing up, we all experience a first day of various things.
The big milestones are first day of school, a first date, first day of a new job, first of becoming a parent and the first day afterwards. Even, the first day of being divorced, being laid off and losing someone.
What do all of them have in common? Fear of the unknown. Fear of failure and even of success. Nervousness is common. What about you?
For myself, my first day after losing my employment in Michigan was scary then moving to Texas to start a new life was terrifying. Now, considering a move back to northern Michigan where I was labeled as a, “free spirit,” where I didn’t make many friends a lot about my attitude and some never meeting anyone like me. After a “spiritual event”, I am planning to move back to make things better that I’m clueless how it will happen. Totally terrified and nervous about how it will play out being there so I’m praying.
In the meantime, we love the first few minutes on a Friday night knowing that it’s the weekend. Or, on vacation, the first minutes of driving to your destination or arriving at the airport or dockside for a cruise.
For my entire life, somehow, I have never given a speech or performed solo on a stage.
The reason why although I have had opportunities is that I can be quite shy in front of people. My confidence levels drop to extremely low levels when it was offered. None of my siblings except one had done public speaking in any forum. In high school, I tried it in the oratory arts team but failed.
For those who are able to stand up in front of an audience to give a speech or to perform solo, you have my admiration and respect.
My two favorite activities that I love to do is ride my bicycle in the warmer months and downhill skiing in the freezing ones.
All of my life, I loved riding my bike because I could travel across the island where I grew up near Detroit and, later, in northern Michigan along Lake Michigan. Riding my bike gave me a sense of freedom while exercising. On the island, I rode through neighborhoods and pass through paths to stay off the busy roads to destinations of friends and one of the few businesses. Up north, I rode the sidewalks until I got off the busy highway and then on the streets along Lake Michigan almost to the cement plant. Biking got me out of house and away from those who were trying to control me. Also, being outside, I felt healthy and alive. My bike is an older Raleigh Technium 12 speed touring bike that rides like a Cadillac. Still have it.
In the winter months in Michigan, I am grateful to have learned to downhill skiing at a young age. My family had a cottage in northern Michigan where we could easily drive to Boyne Country consisting of the Mountain, Highlands, Thunder Mountain and Walloon Hills. These resorts attracted skiers from lower Michigan, Illinois and Indiana. Later, my casual skiing helped me learn to race downhill not far from where I skied on the weekends earlier when I was on the high school ski team. My summer biking experience helped my skiing skills with balance and speed.
While I’m in Texas, walking is my favorite year around activity although I’ve rode the area’s paved trails on my bike during the spring time. Too hot in the summer and too cold in the fall and winter when my bike would slide off the trail. Walking doesn’t require much effort. Comfortable shoes.
The aspect of behavior that others have mastered that I have been working on a life is to have,”Patience.”
Patience involves waiting peacefully for an event, opportunity, money or rewards to occur as my definition.
Being born on December 21st under a Fire sign of Sagittarius, my energy and my mind are to move forward effectively and efficiently while not missing a beat. I’m your person for a problem or project that needs to done correctly and on time.
In addition, driving an automobile in the metro area where I reside tests my patience especially around rush hours. Truthfully, I used to get speeding tickets all the time but now, it’s more assertive in my red car.
About a month ago, I experienced a strong sensation to move back to where I went to high school repeating the same event that I knew that I was moving to Texas. Already, I am getting the feel for the real estate market with a realtor in place. Being a repeat of the past, I am somewhat patient.
In closing, patience is a virtue that many people have while others work for it.
Growing up and after coming home from school, I would watch both, “The Flintstones,” and, “The Jetsons,” both were the same and yet different. Each portrayed family life in different time periods.
The similarities between the two shows are that family relationships amongst its members are the same although one is from the past and the other from the future. Married with children from both of them showed love and kindness while acting as a normal human being full of imperfections.
The difference is the function of the household and transportation of one being using basic tools to live while the other relied on technology which both break down and both need maintenance. Both families functioned well despite challenges in their systems of environments for which they lived. One cooked meals over a fire and the other cooked meals using a microwave oven as an example. One husband drove a vehicle made from wood and stone while the other had a mini space ship.
As a kid, I was taught about the importance of family and of friends from both of them. One was a light interpretation of the past living in the caves and the other was a version of the future of mankind living in space. Two extremes of life.
The Magnificent Modern Mature Woman 