Happy Friday, RISERS! I hope this week has been good to you. I hope you had a great week and tons of fun on Halloween. My husband and I watched Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit and Buffy the Vampire Slayer while Jacob handed out candy to our well-dressed guests. Don’t forget to “fall back” tomorrow night by setting your clock back one hour. I always like gaining the extra hour in autumn instead of losing one in spring. Whatever fun you are having this weekend, may you be safe and content.
Quote of the Week: “When you’re different, sometimes you don’t see the millions of people who accept you for who you are. All you notice is the person who doesn’t.” –Jodi Picoult
Joke of the Week: What do you call a pumpkin who works at the beach? A Life-Gourd
Television Show of the Week: This week’s entertainment recommendation is the “Movies” episode of the cartoonBluey. On our way to drama rehearsal for our church Thanksgiving program, Jacob played a recording of it for us. We were introduced to the show after our daughter, Olivia, spent about seven weeks in the Bronx providing childcare for a church pastor. In this episode, Bluey and Bingo go to the movies with their father, Bandit. Bluey seems to have sensitivities to loud noises, so when Bandit asked the worker about the movie’s content, it seemed possible that the family would need to leave before the movie ended. While sitting in their seats, Bluey asked her dad why she wasn’t like everyone else, who could stay and enjoy movies all the way through, no matter what was in them. Bandit explored some possibilities, but in the end, he told her not to feel bad about being herself. It is quite a comical episode. I hope you’ll enjoy it. Incidentally, my very most favorite episode of Bluey is “Granny Mobile.”
Organizational Tip for the Week: Since this weekend is marked by setting our clocks back one hour, it is a great time to take care of a few household things that often get overlooked. First, check all batteries in your smoke detectors and other safety devices, and change out any that are dead. Second, be sure to replace the air filters in your heating and air units. With the change from hot to cooler weather, clean filters help screen out the dust from pets and environmental irritants, such as leaves. Third, if you have a water dispenser in your refrigerator, see if it needs a new filter. By keeping it in top condition, your water will always be clean when you need a drink after exercising or doing yardwork. Speaking of yardwork, now is a great time to see if any broken tools should be discarded or if any lawn chairs need to be folded up and stored for the season.
Nugget of Wisdom of the Week: It is essential to embrace the things that make you different, and for me, one way it shows up is that I love watching the same movie over and over. I’ve heard that watching your favorite movies repeatedly is good for you, because the repetition calms you. Knowing a movie’s outcome helps you feel safe in an unpredictable world, and this brings comfort to you by recapturing lost feelings.
In addition to being a substitute teacher, I also work as the secretary for our church. In the mail came an order form for pens selling for 69 cents each. I sat on the form, debating for weeks before finally ordering one hundred of them. They arrived today. When I showed them to the pastor, he was excited and went on to tell me how he has a thing for pens. It was a tad weird but also rewarding to know that someone else has a love for school and office supplies. It must be in my blood, as I remember being 10 years old and buying staplers and paper clips.
I say all this to illustrate that you are one of a kind. The world needs your kind of you. As the bestselling fiction writer suggested in the quote I shared at the beginning of this blog post, don’t worry about the one person who tells you that you are different. Mesh with the people who accept you for who you are.
Shout Out of the Week: This week, I want to shout out to everyone who is feeling a little self-conscious. You are worthy of friends. You matter. No one else can do you better than you. You’ve got this!
Have a great weekend. Remember, you are most awesome, and YOU ROCK!
Marion Rhines is a foster-turned-adoptive parent. She lives in Knoxville, Tenn., with her husband and five children. She has written and published two children’s books as well as two foster-care-themed novels. She has a Facebook blog, Tips from the FLIP Side, and enjoys working with children of all ages.