Four You

 

The sky above our pasture and barn. (SOOC- Straight out of camera) Do you see the four? Some say they see two XX's, but the smaller x is only formed by some wispy clouds, not the airplane vapor trails. So it doesn't count. Some say they see an L and an X, which is visible. But this post is labeled Four You because of the numeral in the sky.

 

Many of you know that I spent the last week taking some time to myself to rest, read, knit, recuperate from a cold, and spend time with my family. I fondly referred to this as my own little time to ‘cocoon’. It’s what I like to do at least once every winter, kind of the same way a bear hibernates.

The Polar Bears at The Rio Grande Zoo in Albuquerque.

 

This time I decided to try something different and test the Invitation Only option on my blog, figuring no one would stop by 4 a visit unless they saw a post from me, which I didn’t plan to do while I was ‘cocooning’.

But almost immediately, blogger friends started sending me emails and Facebook messages, wondering if they could be invited to read my blog. I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings and let them think I was leaving them out, so I replied that I was just ‘cocooning’ and taking a rest from blogging. I was still visiting and reading my favorite blogs, but I was enjoying having my blog all to myself, knowing that no one was lurking around reading my blog without permission. Having my blog closed to all visitors reminded me of one of the reasons why I began blogging over 4 years ago……4 me. As a place to journal the bad and the good, and to keep it real. As a place to record my family’s activities, travels, letterboxing, and our experiences and lifestyle on our little ranch.

Somewhere along the way, fellow bloggers discovered my blog and I started to blog 4 them, and not as much 4 me.

A content zebra rolling around at The Rio Grand Zoo. 

I realized that when I did try to blog 4 me and create a journal of my personal experiences, a few very opinionated know-it-alls would feel it was their duty to swoop in and leave behind their comments showcasing how perfect they must believe they are, and how everyone else must know nothing.

I’ve known people like that throughout my life. I call them bullies. They are the type that will pretend to be your friend or will leave you alone, until you stand up 4 yourself and disagree with them. They aren’t happy minding their own business and always have lots of unasked 4 advice to give out. These kinds of people believe they know best and have all the answers, never once admitting to making any mistakes of their own.

Reminds me of one bully I knew in Jr. High School. Her name was Tangee and she was ‘large-and-in-charge’, outspoken, loud, crude and bossy. She kept a small circle of friends around her, whom I prefer to call ‘followers’, mostly through intimidation, and 4 some odd reason she included me in that circle.

One day in Home Economics class, we had all just threaded our sewing machines to complete our home-made shirt projects, when Tangee decided that the class was boring and she wanted to stir up some trouble. She started picking on the quiet, shy girls in our class, telling them how to do their projects, pointing out their mistakes, hovering over them, nitpicking, and then finally releasing their thread and removing the bobbins from the machines. I sat there in shock and disgust. I hated the sound of her snickering, hyena-like voice.

Esmeralda the Emu at the Rio Grande Zoo. I have eyelash envy…...

I didn’t want to get black-listed by this bully girl because I knew the trouble she could cause, so I kept quiet….4 a while. But Tangee wouldn’t stop her harassment of our classmates, and the stupid teacher leant a blind eye to the entire fiasco. So I finally stood up to Tangee and told her to leave everyone alone, and then I went over to each of the girls in our class that she had been terrorizing, and helped them re-thread their sewing machines and clean up their desks.

Well, that made Tangee angry. I think I may have even seen smoke and flames bursting from her ears, but she didn’t say anything, only glared at me, as if she could shoot daggers with her eyes.

                   Ibis? Egret? Heron?

Later that day, while I was in the school bathroom, Tangee shoved her way inside, accidentally/on-purpose bumping into me, and then hissed into my ear, “I’ll be waiting for your ass after school, b*tch!”.

And she was.

I was walking home, taking my short-cut through the church parking lot, and out she jumped from behind the dumpster wall…….along with about 20 of her friends…i.e., followers. They were obviously there to watch a big fight.

And I had no desire to give them that opportunity.

Even when Tangee slammed herself into me several times, trying to block me from leaving, I ignored her. Finally, with all of her followers watching, putting pressure on her to give them an entertaining show, she  threw a full-on fist punch, smack crack into my face.

Yeah, it hurt.

 

Baby Rosie, an elephant at the Rio Grande Zoo.

But I shoved right on past that evil bully, even though I could barely see because my eye was already starting to swell up. I continued walking all the way home. That entire 2 mile walk, I never looked back, while I said silent prayers that no one would decide to follow me.  

But thankfully no one did, and Tangee never bothered me again.

Sometimes you really do have to stand up to bullies. Sometimes it’s even better to walk away. It all depends on the situation.

~~~~~~~

Anyway, I wanted some time to cocoon and to rest last week, and to enjoy some time 4 myself. I needed to question some things and delve a little deeper and make some decisions that are good for me.

Koala at the Rio Grande Zoo in Albuquerque. Mmm! The cloying odor of eucalyptus scented Koala poo envelopes you entirely upon entering their building.

Well, one week was not long enough, but I soon realized that a lot of blogger buddies and long distance friends and family were missing me. Every day I’ve been receiving 5 or more emails or Facebook messages, asking me where I was and asking if we could please keep in touch. My Dad even sent me a message asking how he could get an invitation to my blog. lol!

I was deeply touched knowing some of you care so much.  I figured that you all would be ok with my blog being closed to visitors as long as I still visited you at your blog. I’m impressed that most of you prefer a two-way conversation instead. And I’m honored that many of you have shared with me that you really like my blog, have learned something helpful by reading it, have been inspired by my personal experiences, and also enjoy my animals, my family, and photography. That means a lot to me. Thank you.

Thanks for sticking around through thick and thin with your encouragement, kindness, and friendship.

A handsome peacock at……you guessed it, The Rio Grande Zoo.

                                   

                                       This post is 4 you.

Along with an announcement to come back 4 my next post, because I’ve got something very special 4 you all…..

                                          Another Give-Away!

                                         

                                              

                                                        Four(4) You!