Once again, in America, we have had two mass shootings.

And like after every one of them, people use it to politicize their ideology. We try to find something to blame in order to make ourselves feel better, feel safer, and try to wrap our minds around the reason why.

We desperately search for a cure but are unwilling to face the disease.

We look for an easy way to understand it all, so we pick something and stick to it. We blame “angry white men,” “anti-American Muslims,” “evil illegal immigrants.” Whoever fits the bill at the time, and then the entire group of like people are blamed.

But are we willing to blame ourselves?

We celebrate violence in movies and music. We put our elderly away in homes so they don’t disturb our fast track lives. We applaud the sexualization of children. We treat people like they are replaceable and that they only have value if they are young, good looking, and thin.

And from the youngest of age, we teach our children that a baby is nothing more than a clump of cells, a disposable choice, instilling in them the idea that life itself has no meaning.

Today I went to lunch with my mom, and as I walked through the booths to pay the bill, I saw table after table of people with their faces in their phones living a virtual reality, trying to escape the real reality right in front of them, practicing escapism in the most modern and acceptable form.

We have done everything we can to disconnect from humanity and each other, and we wonder what the problem is.

So, are you willing to look inward and accept your part in the way the world is going or will you continue to point the finger and try to put the blame on everything else?

How about we start by putting down the phones and letting people know we see them, and that we acknowledge their presence and their value as a human being!! Start by looking people in the eye and saying hi! Start by connecting with your children instead of putting them in front of a tv or computer or putting them in every activity you can pay for, keeping them busy with everything but time with you!

It really does start and end with you and with me. Do your part. Stop passing the blame.

If you want a better world, then be a participant in making it that way and stop expecting everyone else to do it for you.

What will your legacy be?

It has been a looooong year. Well, closer to 18 months. But either way, I am not who I was. And I thought I’ve transformed before. Friends, let me tell you, I am not the me I once was.

So, welcome back!! To me, and to you!

Ok, I know it’s been a long time coming, and I was absent for a long time, but there are reasons for that. One reason is because Nordy’s Garage was HACKED!! I have spent too much money and too much time trying to get it back. And no, it wasn’t being held for ransom. At one point, after $$$$$$$, it was restored only to have it lost again in the transfer. It would have cost another $$$$ to find it all again, but I figured someone was letting me know it was time to let it go and really, truly put the past away. So here we are — the NEW Nordy’s Garage.

Maybe Nordy’s Garage 2.0? Nah…if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

I want to give a heartfelt THANK YOU to all who have continued to support me along the way and those who were wondering where I went. Well, here I am!!

And with that being said…what’s good today, friends??

I received a request that my first post on the new site be about change. Lord knows I’ve been through a lot of it the past 18 months. We all go through things that change us. Sometimes it’s for the better, and sometimes we feel that it’s not. But I firmly believe that if you look hard enough, you can find something useful in any bad. Often it’s a mindset that we have to train our brains to see. And sometimes, even if we look hard, it takes time to see the good that came from what we once thought was all bad.

So, let me tell you some of the things change and time has taught me.

I have found that grief is a tricky devil and very, very unpredictable. Regarding the loss a little over a year ago of those I loved, there are no answers, and I’m still looking for the silver lining, but I know God works for the good for all of those who love Him. So, I’m learning patience.

I have found you CAN run away to save your sanity. But you still have to deal with your stuff.

I have found when people really, truly love you, you will know it, and they will ALWAYS be there. But, if they didn’t love you, well, you will know that too.

I have found that no matter how new, how modern or how simple and small, a home is what you make it and it’s more about who is there than what is there and sometimes your dog is all you need.

Moving to Texas was one of the most significant changes I have made in my life. I packed up everything I owned and left the town I had lived in for over 20 years in hopes of improving my life. It was scary and exciting at the same time. Things fell into place pretty quickly once I got there, and I was able to secure a job and a home with ease. I was excited about the chance to start over and learn some new things in my career so I could continue to grow and make a better life for myself (and Nordy). I was hired on with a large company, and I was ready to show what I was made of.  I certainly got the opportunity to do that. Soon into my new life, reality hit me hard. There was no work-life balance, and when I wasn’t working, I was thinking about or stressed about work. My job owned me. The company was growing and going through changes of its own, and the employees were caught in the middle. Although I learned a lot, even with promise after promise that things would get better, it eventually caught up with me, and the stress became too great for many of us, and several decided to move on.

That got me to where I am now.

Another change.

Me, the workaholic, decided to take an even greater risk and become unemployed…by choice. I’ve referred to this time as my sabbatical. And anyone who knows me understands that it hasn’t been very restful as I’m not sure how to just exist. But I have enjoyed my time. I’ve taken time to do things that I enjoy like painting the interior of a house! To a lot of people that sounds like work but for me, painting (houses or pictures), ironing, and doing yardwork, relax me. They allow me to disconnect from everything else and simply focus at the task at hand. I also love seeing the progress and transformation of those activities. It makes me feel oddly productive.

It’s been about a month and my sabbatical is about to come to an end. I have decided to accept a position with a company in the greater Kansas City area. With the research I have done on the company, it appears to be a great place to work. I will be incredibly busy, but according to what I have read and been told, the company and management put their money where their mouths are to show their appreciation to their employees. I also understand that my new team is more like family and that is one thing I have missed in my work life. I met some great people where I worked in San Antonio. Some will be lifelong friends but the “family” aspect of the job was sorely absent and it is something that made the hard times bearable in my previous job in North Dakota, so I’m looking forward to getting back to that atmosphere. Plus, I will be closer to my family so that is a bonus you can’t put any amount of money on.

But here I am again. I am facing yet another change.

I guess my point is that change is going to happen. You cannot avoid it no matter how much you try. Some change we cause ourselves and some of it happens without our permission, but the one place we have control is in how you react to it. If you feel like your life is changing too much, too fast and things feel out of control, take care of yourself. Only you will know what that means. It might mean finding someone to talk to. It could be surrounding yourself with people who love you. Maybe it means taking a leave of absence and focusing on health and healing. It could be as simple as getting a massage or as big as moving 1000 miles away. But do what it takes to make you ok. And remember, you don’t need to apologize to anyone for doing what you need to make yourself whole. You are worth it. No other reason is required.

Friends, here’s to new beginnings and becoming who we are meant to be.  *CHEERS*

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton