Saturday, September 27, 2014

AM~Erica Has One More Week

So anyway...

I'm a bit emotional.

I know...I know...for those of you who know me, you may be wondering when I'm NOT emotional about something! But seriously & for reals right now! I am...

In just one week from today, I am participating in an event that is for something near & dear to my heart.
In just one week from today, I am participating in the Out of the Darkness Kansas City walk for suicide prevention.

That's right. This fundraising I've been doing for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is coming up very quickly!!

I cannot fully express how moved I have been from some very supportive individuals. It's because of them that I raised my fundraising goal!



The AFSP of Greater Kansas City is looking to raise $60,000 for research & resources leading to the prevention of suicide, especially by mental illness. The overall goal is still well below what they are hoping for.

I want to do my part. I want to be able to raise funds to support this amazing cause!

If you remember, this near & dear to my own heart...because I suffer. I have suffered. I know many others who have suffered. I know of those who fight. I know of those who have fought & lost.

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States right now. That is a tremendous statistic! This just covers those who have actually died by suicide. This doesn't include the number who have tried & failed. Those of us who are still here because we managed to get out of that current war we were fighting...and might still be.

I thought of it this way earlier today:

~~~~~~~~~~

Mental illness & suicide is like fighting a war. A secret war.

We go in fighting a war not knowing how we will come out of it. We didn't want to be drafted into this war. The ones that make it back alive are damaged. There's the ones that can get passed it for the moment, but most remain haunted by it daily. And, upon their return, it doesn't mean they will never be called back to their own front lines...always with the chance they may not return next time.

Then there's those who fight hard. And sometimes the war wins, taking the life of this loved one who fought so hard for a life to live.

There's those who don't understand this war & wrongly condemn those who are forced to fight it.

Mental illness & suicide is a war being fought every day. It's a war that can be averted if we are honest & open about it happening.

~~~~~~~~~~

Every day, it's a war that's so misunderstood! Such stigma is still attached, and it hurts. Badly.

I've also witnessed the misconception that it's only suicide if there's a note. Nope. Not always. Many times there will be. Not all those who fight will leave their final thoughts. But it doesn't mean they loved those around them any less. They just didn't want to be a burden to those they love. 

Look...those of us who fight do have our own battles. Just because one is different than another's certainly doesn't mean it's lesser by any stretch! Whether someone lost their own battle, or if someone is still battling...it's hard! It's hard to take & hard to accept sometimes. I realize that, especially if you don't understand the battle. But what is being asked is that you talk about it with a willingness to learn...a willingness to try to understand. Making blind judgement on a war you don't understand makes you look foolish.

I am upping my battle warfare. I am in the midst of becoming an advocate for AFSP. It's a really big step to take a bigger role in something I'm very passionate about. Because I know. I've been there. I get it. And others need to know what is being dealt with & how it is planning on being fought as support is being asked for. So I am looking to take on a role that will help move the prevention of suicide forward.

And to help begin this journey is to participate in the Out of the Darkness walk, one week from today. (Remember me bringing that up?)

This particular event is for fundraising to help the AFSP. You can read more about this important organization HERE.

If you also remember, I've been working on raising funds for them. And as I want to help them as much as I can to reach their $60,000 goal, I am $400 away from my current goal. And I would like to be able to reach $1,500 before the walk on Saturday, October 4th.

Click image for my story & to donate


I have a couple of incentives to throw out there:

1. If I reach the $1,500 goal before Saturday, I will streak my hair with purple for the walk. Should look pretty cool in pictures.

2. If I exceed the $1,500 goal before Saturday, I will have all of my hair colored purple for the walk. Should look pretty amazing in pictures.


So, there's a start for you. Because there won't be any purple if the $1,500 cannot be reached. I REALLY want to raise at least that for this organization! It's the least I can do right now while I continue to raise awareness of how real this battle is.

Also, I have had several private conversations with some, in the last several months, who have been in my position. It hurts me to know there's others who have been what I've been thru...but still grateful they are able to talk to someone about it. And, with the stigma still attached to it, they are are afraid to come out of that shadow. I will not be the one to drag them out. I will meet them where they are at until they are ready to speak up. They may never be able to. And we must be understanding of that. But now I want to address those few of you I have spoken with about the struggle:

I want to honor you in this Out of the Darkness walk. I make a solemn promise that I will not share your identity unless you give the OK. But I want you to know that you are being thought of in your struggles (past &/or present) during this healing event. So, I want you to contact me, privately, so I can discuss with you what I want to do. I have some on board already & looking forward to showing there's more of us in this world. You can send me a private message on Facebook or you can email me (erica.williams74@gmail.com). I'm looking forward to honoring the fact that you are still here...like me. I look forward to hearing from you! And, I may track some of you down based on previous conversations. I hope you will allow me to honor you.

I am going to get to hear our Team SOLOS captain, and my friend, Jenn, get to speak to the masses at the walk! I am so proud of her & the message she spreads since losing her mother to suicide. It's been her passion that really moved me to come out of my own darkness to be a voice for mental illness & how it can lead to suicide...and as to who does or does not come out of the secret war alive. And I have also been asked to be a part of the event. I am so overwhelmed by the honor to even be asked! I will be a part of the pre-event. And I'm choked up even thinking about it right now!

And I feel the burn deep down inside to keep going with this passion. I feel like my struggle is part of my calling in this. We will fight this...and want to see an end to it! All of it that leads suicide. To erase the stigma so that talking about it would not bring dark human judgement by our own battles.

Until then, I ask for your support in this event & my advocacy beyond just this coming Saturday as I hope to step up my role for the cause. And if you need reminding of what I've put out there, please check out my "*My Struggles (Depression & Suicide)" tab, above or click HERE.

I'm a bit passionate about it & those who struggle.

Still glad to be a failure. And glad you're still here, too.

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

Friday, September 19, 2014

Cap'n AM~Erica's TLAP is Lost at Sea

So anyway...

Today is it! Th' day I be waiting for!!

ARRRRRR! It be Talkin' Like a Pirate Day!

As I prepared me trusted ship, The Sea-Sick Crocodile, for a grand voyage across the TLAP seas by mappin' a course, me poor ship was gettin' knocked about on th' trip. Arrrgh...

I have been eyein' some treasure fer quite some time now, and today be the day I get me hands on it! I got properly dressed in me best cosTUTUme to head 3 miles into th' day, in near record time, to get th' coveted medallion necklace! And me listened to beloved sea shanties (from "Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag") along th' way to keep me goin'!



Aye...this be th' shirt me made & wore

Arrrgh...was to be a skull & anchor. I be OK this not bein' permanent...




Ahh...it be a beauty! It be on display with me other coveted medallion treasures! ARRRRRRR!!!



By th' way...I got it by doin' me very 1st virtual 5k evarrrrr!!!



And a young scurvy rat, who be waitin' to board th' grand yeller boat, may have been thrown off by me presence & held a tiny machine to snap a portrait o'me! Arrrrr-Har-Har!!

Now that I got me treasure I had me eyes set on, it was time to find me some loot!

Then...Arrrrrgh!

Me place to get me best treasure on TLAP Day may have been pillaged! A fire blazed from the trusty Krispy Kreme, so no doughnuts to loot for me Sea-Sick Crocodile crew. And th' next closest one was out of sailing distance this day. I need to find a way to keep me crew! Thar be no satisfaction of th' sweet, puffy, doughnutty goodness. Sorry, mates.

So, I get on some of me finest t' head back to sea to see what could kindly be plundered...



I took me 1st mate & headed to get some grub after our voyage this mornin'. Aye...our bellies were a wee bit gumbly. We also called for our mornin' grog! Breakin' in th' new scally wag by orderin' some pumpkin flapjacks with some extra protein for our sea legs from th' mornin's venture.

Then off we ventured t' th' terrifying & dangerous World of Wally! Arrrrgh. It be thar that we would gather more grub for th' rest of th' Sea-Sick Crocodile crew for the TLAP feast. We found our favorite Wally-Wench t' move us thru th' port safely, with nary a scratch!

Port o'Costco got a visit from th' heads of the Sea-Sick Crocodile.

It was, then, time to start gatherin' th' crew of the Sea-Sick Crocodile. 'Specially to ready for th' annual TLAP feast! It shall look very much like LAST YEAR'S FEAST:

Planked Lemon-Pepper TiLAPia (recipe HERE)
Chicken Planks
Golden Butter-Lemon Potato Medallions
Seaweed Salad w/ Sea Salt & Lemon Juice
Shells & Cheese


Gonna be enjoyin' me some Cap'n Arnold Palmer's Grog t' go with it. Aye...an' maybe a bit more Pirate's Booty, too. Arrrrr...
Oh...and fresh pineapple t'boot!

Plank-grilled lemon-pepper TiLAPia, Seaweed Salad w/ sea salt n' lemon juice,
Lemon-Butter Gold Potato Medallions,  fresh pineapple


Chicken Planks, shells n' cheese, fresh pineapple


It be a beauty! Cap'n Arnold Palmer


Hushpuppies were t' be in order, but an "incident" happened & it went awry. No hushpuppies!

No time fer hardtack either...

Arrrrgh.

With th' fallin' thru o'th' Long John Silver's & th' burnin' o'th' Krispy Kreme, nary any loot t' plunder fer this day.

Aye...take me at me word that I be mappin' out a course t' have more ports open t' ye in case others jump ship or walk th' plank. ARRRRR!

Now I be wonderin' how yer TLAP Day voyage sailin' has been goin'....
Well then? HOW?

As fer these other ports fer next year...I be scrawlin' a message fer ye & will set it out t'ya in a bottle. Be on th' look out!

ARRRRRRR!!!

Fer now...I be going t' admire me possession of me new medallion while listenin' t'some sea shanteys & consuming another Cap'n Arnold Palmer...

Be stayin' tuned...

God Bless, (Cap'n) AM~Erica
(o' The Sea-Sick Crocodile)

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Cap'n AM~Erica Preppin' Ye Landlubbers

So anyway...

One of my favorite days is coming! One. Of. My. Favorites.

International Talk Like a Pirate Day is less than 2 days away!! Are you ready??

Well, I have shared before how I CELEBRATED TLAP DAY. Remember?

Well, as I am still preparing my own ship to set sail for a grand voyage of adventure!

As usual, Krispy Kreme is offering their free doughnut offer! But, if you dig around, you can find their pirate academy videos! But I'll save you the trouble since I found them! Bwah-hahahaha!!

Be sure to watch the Orientation, how to TALK like a pirate to get 1 free glazed doughnut, and finally how to DRESS like a pirate in order to receive a whole free dozen of glazed Krispy Kreme doughnuts!





But you should take the talkin' like a pirate from the originators of TLAP day, themselves: The Pirate Guys (Ol' Chumbucket & Cap'n Slappy) as they share the "Five A's"!

(as of this posting, YouTube decided right at this moment to be having issues sharing with others, but you can look it up directly HERE)

OK...there you have it. A great start! Got it down? If not, watch it again!

However, in more disappointing news, Long John Silver's, the most PERFECT place to celebrate TLAP Day, has decided to back out of this holiday this year! BOOOO!!!! Not sure if they couldn't handle the madness last year or what, but they will have to walk the plank this year. A big fried fish plank!

In the meantime, we, here at the Seasick Crocodile, are planning our pirate-y meals & outfits.

Also, my hubby & I are getting ready to run a virtual race on Friday, too! It's the Talk Like a Pirate run I've been excited to do! So I got thinking that I could listen to pirate music & sea shanteys on my run. Cuz you know it's how I roll. I'm planning my running cosTUTUme, and I need the music to go with it! I've gotten some ideas (The Jolly Rogers, Alestorm, The Bilge Pumps, and Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag soundtrack) as well as the addition of P!nk's "We've Got Scurvy" (from the Spongebob's 10th anniversary). Other than that, anyone have any suggestions? Let me know!! I'm willing to look into pirate-y songs! And you bet I'll look close to this...

The pirate-inspired cosTUTUme I threw together when I was promoting the DeFeet Hunger 5k at church
(sorry Rob for cropping you out - the orange tutu didn't fit this theme)


In the meantime, start thinking & mapping out your pirate adventure for Friday! Outfit & all!

If you want some help with food, I have been collecting food ideas for myself, and anyone else who wants to get ideas, then here's a board on my PINTREST BOARD OF PIRATE FOOD/DRINK! Hope it helps!

So...are you planning on doing anything? What do you have planned! I'm open to other ideas, people! Let's do this!!

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

**********

UPDATE:
I've discovered that Captain Morgan is also offering up winning some swag for the best raising of a glass of Captain & Colarrrrrr! Of course, this one is for the 21-year-old+ kiddos. I think you have until September 19th...so short time.

I do wish some of these companies would be better at promoting this stuff instead of stumbling upon it...but maybe it's like a great treasure hunt. Hmmmm...

Saturday, September 13, 2014

AM~Erica PR'd

So anyway...

After I've mostly gotten over the BLACKLIGHT RUN DEBACLE, I was not about to give up running.

Well, I've been looking forward to a particular race coming up. Why? I was looking forward to a particular 5k to get a PR! What's a "PR"? It stands for Personal Record.

A Personal Record can be for several things:
Time
Pace
Distance
Miles Accumulated/(week, month, year)

There's several things you could set a PR for.

Well, I had been running long enough (in my mind) & trying to make some progress in my journey. I felt it was time to try to strive for this PR:

Run 3.1 miles in 30 minutes.

I have been so close a couple of times. I've been close on a training run, and even by guesstimate on the Blacklight Run...but wanted it to be official-official!

So, I've been working on running hills.
I've been working on distance.
I've been working on fartleks.



I've been reaching quick spurts of fast paces.
I've been hitting some pretty big inclines & descents.
I've been working on longer distances.

Though I have a super secret formula to a PR (because it's worked before), I will say the final step of the non-mathical equation is the tutu.

When you get a race shirt with your race packet, there are 2 camps on whether to wear the race shirt during the race or not. I am strongly in the camp that you EARN the shirt, so you do NOT wear it during the race...it comes anytime afterward. So, it stirs my creativity as to how I can stand out in a crowd, and still be part of the theme of the race I'm running. I then get my brainy-brain working to come up with an appropriate cosTUTUme to wear! (like some of these ideas HERE)

This 5k I was looking to PR happened today. It was the De-Feet Hunger 5k Run/Walk. It's a 5k race put on by the Heartland District of the Missouri United Methodist Conference to benefit Harvesters as a part of the conference's set day for SERVE 2014. It's an awesome ministry!! You can check it out HERE!

Well, since we are doing this race to benefit this food pantry, and since I didn't want to wear the amazing race shirt yet...I had to think. But I had to make a very quick decision! I thought our church was going to have some shirts done up for our church folks to reflect a theme we are officially unveiling this week...but we are beginning the sales of the shirts this week. So I couldn't work with that shirt like I originally thought.

So...what could I do?

I settled on soup.

Not to eat while thinking...but to actually create a cosTUTUme around the iconic Campbell's Soup label!

I found some shirts out there that I was hoping to get my hands on. It was a no-go. I also wanted to find a Campbell's Soup costume! Halloween is coming & there are stores with costumes out...so I went looking. Since I've seen them in stores before & have seen some online, imagine my disappointment when I couldn't find ANY! I would have no time to order, either! I only had a day by the time I realized I needed to change gears.

Well, I had to rethink some things...I had to pretend I was crafty.

With the Campbell's label still being so simple to this day, I figured it wouldn't be too difficult to recreate!

So...I set out to find a couple tanks &/or camis, think about what fabric paints I already had, and then work from there.

With a red cami I cut off to be worn over a white tank, this is what I came up with:



I stared at an image of a Campbell's Soup label. I tried really hard to even do the lettering as closely as I possibly could.

The gold seal was just going to be plain since I didn't feel comfortable with recreating the picture on it. So, I left it solid & eventually wrote "SERVE" on the top half of the circle & "2014" on the bottom half of the circle with black Sharpie.

I tried seeing what it would look like with the tutu...


I was actually getting pretty excited!!

I also knew it there was going to be a fabulous fall-like chill in the air during race time, so I pulled out some stirrup running leggings I have, along with a long-sleeve running shirt...both in a dark silver. I thought it might do pretty well representing the can.


Here's how it looked on race day!

Oh...you see the black mark on the back of my top in the picture on your right? I added a barcode....


And I went out with several representing members of my church to run/walk this race! And I ran it!



You know what? I felt GOOD! My pace was faster than expected, but I could talk to other runners who might be running beside at the time, or even cheering other people on that were on the other side of the course, whether in front of or behind where I was at. I could thank those volunteers who were helping to block traffic & yelling encouraging words!

And, a large portion of the race was at an ever-so-slight incline. Thank goodness I've been working on hills! It didn't seem like much to me. But I'm sure others were not doing so well with it.

But, nonetheless, I was shocked with myself! I wondered if I was going PR...

Then, once I figured out I was going to MAJORLY get a PR, I crossed the line like any other tutu'd former ballerina/hardcore dancer should:


That's right. With a grand jete'!

Why? Well maybe in my quest to get a 30 minute 5k, this happened:


Yeah...my official time was finishing in 29:19!! I totally SHATTERED the 30 minute thought! Like...by a lot!

When I did my very first 5k, the Park Trot, I couldn't believe I finished in 31:52.
When I did the Firecracker Flight, I knew I'd have a turtled time with a big hill of 35:30.
When I did the Royals Charities 5k, I felt pretty good about my 31:33!

But...look at that time up there!! I thought I might get down to 30 minutes...but had NO idea I would get this!!

What a day!
Not only did I set out to PR, do my necessary formula to try to insure it, but shattered it. Hardcore.

Not only that, my hubby did amazing by finishing 4th overall & getting 2nd in his age division! He got his own PR, too!

Oh...and most of those pics I have were taken my Teen Girl. Why? She came home from college for the weekend in hopes of helping get some pics of our church folks during the race & meal packing afterward. Well...she was actually approached, WHILE we were there, to be the official photographer for the race!! They gave her a press release & she did what she could to snap some pics along the way. She did GREAT!!

Also...Teen Boy was taking his ACT while we were at the race.

And Lil Guy did an awesome job sticking with his big sis during this race stuff!

So, a treat was called for:




Oh yes! Doughnuts & coffee! Pumpkin doughnuts, pumpkin latte, regular coffee, apple fritter, warm & fresh glazed doughnuts, cinnamon buns...mmmmmm....yeah....

Don't judge. We'll be heading back this coming Friday for their Talk Like a Pirate Day promotion (past promo HERE)

Later on, I could start feeling my PR setting in: soreness, fatigue, tightness, yet elation!

Worth it! Cuz I PR'd! BOOM! *Mic Drop*

And I should bring up the almost 20 folks from our church who did the run/walk, plus several others who volunteered! A couple during the race, and several more to pack meals afterward!
Oh! Our church can also claim the 1st place finisher for F 10-19, 3rd place finisher F 30-39, 1st AND 2nd place finishers M 40-49! So proud of our group!

More to come...

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

AM~Erica Gets Labeled

So anyway...

I have been labeled.

It's something I work hard to not have done. Many of us try not to be placed in any particular category. But somehow society can't get past labeling things & people to try to keep things organized in their own heads...in their own worlds. It's human nature.

Recently, a label was placed on me. I don't mind the label at all, either! But it's still a label.

Not sure if you remember, but I did a race that didn't go so well (read about the Blacklight Run experience HERE). Even though I got a response to my open letter, it wasn't sufficient. It was greater than just MY let down...it was a let down for thousands!

On my way home, the night of the race, I began to ponder sending this issue to Linda Wagar at Problem Solvers, Fox 4 KC. As I backed off of that thought, I began to look thru the disgruntled comments & posts from other disappointed participants on the Blacklight Run - KC event page on Facebook. The same page that got so many, they couldn't keep up with deleting some of the feedback, and just eventually disabled the option to post. Many of the commenters were getting the same reply from "Lori" at the Blacklight Run...possibly of KC. She was offering the same weather statement & offering up 25% off a future race. But I did notice a comment from a participant that said she & her team were planning on sending the experience to Problem Solvers! *DING* That was my sign to get in on it. So...I did. I forwarded my open letter blog post. I got a response. They wanted a little more info & I forwarded Linda Wagar the response I got from "Lori."

Even though it would be a different reporter covering the story, and not under Problem Solvers, I was asked if I would be available for an on-camera interview!! So, Monica Evans came to my house to talk about the experience & she told me they had received a LOT of emails about the disappointment.

So, I got myself together, and I did the interview...






There you have it! I told them MUCH more, but they only have a small window of time to use.

By the way...I did email Mr. Bill Spata. I have yet to hear anything back from him or anyone else. Also, About 45 minutes before Monica came to my house to interview me, Bill Spata took down the Blacklight Run - KC event page. So it's no longer there to read the comments left.

Anyhoo...I told you that story to tell you this:
If you looked at my part in the interview, they gave me a label.


See that up there? Yep! It says "Runner" under my name. Weird!
No...really! Never in a million years would I ever have thought that title would be placed with my name! Because I shunned the whole running thing for YEARS!! But did get started & have kept going since then. (my previous posts about my journey HERE)

It was weird, though. My birthday fell one week after I began the journey, and all of a sudden...I got so much running stuff! I'd only been going a week. I was hoping to stick with it, but it didn't define me. Especially after only ONE week! But there it was...a label slapped onto my very being.

But the deal is...I am a runner. I've been going for over 5 months now & have done 5 races and a made up solidarity race (about that one HERE). I have more coming up. I'm making strides in my progress! But it still does NOT define me!

I'm a wife, a mother, a woman, a sister, a daughter, a cousin, a niece, a granddaughter...

I'm a dancer, a pastor's wife (read about it HERE), a celebrateur (read about my celebrations HERE), recently a foodie, a costumer, a lover of fashion.

I'm an idealist, a thinker, an opinion-giver, a listener, a friend, and trying to be a better philanthropist.

I'm a dreamer, a procrastinator, a semi-perfectionist, creative-not-crafty, a choreographer, a slob, an actor, a director, a writer, a blogger, a semi-painter, baker, amateur photographer, decorator, poet, geeky-girl, bargain shopper.

I'm a lover of autumn, a lover of rain.

I'm emotional, funny, goofy, I will sing if you make me think of a song, I'm a speaker, a semi-singer, an optimistic-realist, and try to be a voice of reason, a semi-adventurist, and a homefaker.

I'm an encourager.
I'm sarcastic.
I'm a shenanigator.

I'm strong-willed & can be stubborn. I can also be wishy-washy.

I'm loud. I am quiet.

I'm a lover AND a fighter.

I'm blessed, I've been thru tragedy.

I enjoy chocolate, coffee & antioxidant-fortified Jesus water.

I'm a tutu-wearing runner.

I'm a Run JunkEe & an Idiot Runner. (notice the "I" is capitalized...for a reason)

I'm a sinner; I'm a saint.

I'm a Christian.

I'm also a failure. (reminder HERE)

Today is World Suicide Awareness Day. It's something I have become a personal advocate for. It's because of my own story & struggle, but also because of the heightened awareness of the rise of this terrible epidemic.




A few years ago, my daughter was asked to do a monologue for her high school's theater department on Elective Night. It's a night when 8th graders & their parents come to find out what is available for them to take as electives when they become freshmen the following school year. It was a big deal for her to be asked. She was one of 3 monologues & a couple of duets asked to encourage 8th graders to consider theater. It was a BIG deal! And the piece she was given spoke about a teenage girl who had attempted suicide. But how my daughter did it was so perfect! She performed it very matter-of-factly. The piece spoke of it just being a part of her, but it didn't define her. I was so proud of how she portrayed it. Because it wasn't over-the-top...but it was real. Very real.

She has not dealt with those thoughts. I'm so glad for that. And, when she was given the piece, she didn't know about my struggles. So we watched her perform it...and I was doubly emotional. This piece my daughter performed could very well have been about me.

I'm at the point where I can discuss it as a part of my story. Just another facet of my life.

And it's the reason, along with my friend Jenn & a couple others, who have brought up me being an advocate for AFSP. So, I'm looking to add this as another piece of my story.

There are folks who will see only one or a small handful of my labels to attach to me. Some will shun some of these facets.

But...like a diamond, the pressure of so many of these positive & negative stresses has created places in me for a light to reflect off of.


I plan to keep going in this life. I still fight my own struggles (HERE), but I try to keep going. I have been called to be a voice for those who feel they can't.

Part of this will be when I walk with Team SOLOS for Out of the Darkness. It's an event put on by the AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) to raise funds & awareness for this very thing. I am, of course, raising funds up to the time I walk on October 4th. You can also help out! At this point, I've upped my goal to $1,500. I am currently $450 away from the goal (at the time of this posting). Today, Suicide Awareness Day, would be a great time to help out with this great cause!


Click on this pic to go to my page for my story
and to make a donation.

OK...here's what I'm saying:
I'm not a one-trick-pony. There is no ONE thing to define me. There's so much more to me than most even know. Heck...I've probably left out some of the things that describe me! Because even all of those things don't cover everything about me!

There's a song that came out several years ago. Sorry for the title, I didn't name it, but it's called "Bitch." In the song, Meredith Brooks talks about how she's a bit of everything & it can become confusing. Trust me...I get that. And my hubby puts up with a whole lot! However, the fabulous Tabitha Coffey came up with a spin on the word:

Beautiful
Intelligent
Tenacious
Creative
Honest


Thru my struggles, my labels, and those who totally don't get me or totally misjudge me, I'm trying my best to make my part of the world a better place. Whether you see it or not. Whether anyone only sees me in a particular way, I may have a deeper reason for doing the things I do. What seems frivolous sometimes actually as a greater meaning. And...if asked...folks may need to be prepared to have a full-blown explanation rather than getting, "Well, I felt like it." It's more than that!

I'm aware of my individuality, and no label can truly define what that is in me.

And, if you've kept up on my blog, you probably already know this. If you haven't kept up, well, take a look around. You'll figure it out.

Until then, as Ellen DeGeneres would say, "Be kind to one another."
Folks are fighting a battle that you cannot see.



Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica