Happy Friday, RISERS! I hope this week has been good to you. It is unbelievable that we are already here at the first weekend of March. Where has the time gone? I know it’s been a while since the last blog with new content. We had some website glitches that prevented us from posting new content for several weeks, but now we’re back on track. Thank you for your patience and for hanging in there with me. I finally finished the screenplay for my foster care Christmas novel to become a movie. My friend is polishing up the document before I try to get it out for possible selection. Please send happy thoughts my way, as landing a movie was the main reason I began writing almost four years ago. I hope you have a fantastic weekend. Spring is on the way…at least that’s what that groundhog predicted.
Quote of the Week: “Instinct is a marvelous thing. It can neither be explained nor ignored.” –Agatha Christie in The Mysterious Affair at Styles
Movie of the Week: In 1974, a documentary called Animals Are Beautiful People was filmed in Africa to showcase how marvelous and, well, beautiful, animals really can be. Aside from learning about beetles, sidewinder snakes, honey badgers, and other African animals, you get to see firsthand how they depend on survival instincts. Viewable on YouTube, it promises to be an amusing 92 minutes. The parts that is my personal favorite shows how the honey badger and the honeyguide bird work together to feed themselves. I learned so many interesting things, such as that a honey badger is impervious to bee stings, except for the tip of its nose. The other most entertaining part of the documentary is when the animals eat the overly ripened marula fruit and exhibit human signs of having a hangover. Nature is overflowing with beauty and examples of how to use and listen to our instincts.
Joke of the Week: Why must you always follow your instincts when doing trigonometry? Because you might have secant thoughts and go off on a tangent.
Nugget of Wisdom of the Week: You guessed it! This week we are talking about instincts—those nagging gut feelings that sometimes arise when you meet a stranger or go somewhere that may not be safe. Have you ever suddenly decided to change plans, then learned later about a car accident in the area you would have traveled? That is your instinct picking up on vibes and letting you know there could be danger. Not only do instincts warn you of potential dangers, but also they can aid you in relating to people in need. For example, a number of different sensory perceptions can help you pick up on signals that a person may have something wrong with them. You can use this information to offer aid. People fine-tune this skill when they become parents or if they spend a good deal of time around children, either as older siblings or caregivers.
Similarly, instincts can help you make wise decisions on just about anything from what classes to take at school to what career you should pursue. In my work, they help me decide what concepts to talk about each week. Of course, I usually base my tips on something going on in my life that particular week.
One thing to remember about instincts, though, is that sometimes they can be wrong. If you are in immediate danger, it’s always best to listen to your gut. But if your circumstances allow for calm reflection, be sure to use logic to balance out the instinct and make sound decisions. Instinct is meant to be a tool.
Recipe of the Week: Crockpot Baked Potatoes
What you’ll need:
6-8 baking potatoes, washed
Aluminum foil
Butter, sliced
Sea salt
Toppings as desired: sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon bits, chives, chili, etc.
Tear off enough pieces of foil for all the potatoes. Slice the potatoes in half. Take two slices of butter and place them inside the potato. Sprinkle liberally with the sea salt. Wrap up potatoes and place them in the crockpot on high heat for at least four hours, or low heat for six hours. Serve as a meal with sour cream, chives, bacon bits and any other potato topping you desire. Enjoy!
Shout Out of the Week: This week, I want to give a shout out to the people who monitor the weather. In Knoxville this winter, we’ve had tons of rain and really appreciate the many safety reports. This week, we had spring-like weather quickly followed by the cold. How disappointing! To all of the local meteorologists and hurricane hunters and seismologists waiting for tremors, thank you for keeping us safe.
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.