Labels, Everywhere Labels!

If you know me well enough, you know that I have a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology. This makes people watching extra interesting for me. I love to watch how people interact in the everyday life that goes on around all of us.

Recently, I have been thinking about labels and how we all live with labels. We are born and given our first label, our given name. After that, our labels tend to be very varied.

We go through grade school trying to get the “right” kind of label that we can live with. Some are looking for the jock title, but others are looking for the band geek. However, some are just looking for one that won’t get them beat up or teased constantly.

As we continue through our schooling career, our labels could shift. We can continue with the one that we had in grade school, but we could get a new one or additional one. We may be labeled a bookworm, a nerd, or of a negative sexual nature. Some of these are unfortunate, but others are ones that we learn to live with because it’s “not so bad”.

I have recently learned that some labels get help that we might need to get through our schooling, social, or everyday life. These are usually the ones that people start with, “They were diagnosed with…” It might be Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism, Dislexia, Downsyndrome, etc. Some of these labels could be caused by genetics, but they can also be caused by life experiences. For example, I know a young lad that was running through the house with a toothbrush in his mouth. He tripped, which caused the toothbrush to cause trama to his soft palate. This has caused a lot of speech issues, which his mother is usually the only person who can understand him. Because of the slurred speech this has caused, he is often labeled in school class by his peers as “retarded,” but yet he can understand everything, just can’t put a voice to his thoughts very well.

How we get the labels, does not have to define us. These labels can be a platform to be able to teach those around us of the truth and struggles that we deal with daily because of these labels. There are helps that we can access that can get us through those struggles. We can take charge of our life and how we live it if we just understood ourselves and learn to understand others. It is that easy!

As Ellen Degeneres says, “Be kind to one another!”

My Life in 250 Words (or less)

I was born and raised in Washington state. I was 15 years old when my dad lost his job that took us to Michigan a year later. After graduating high school, I moved back to Washington for about 3 months, then went to a small college in Idaho for a semester. Afterwards, I moved back to Washington, got married to my junior high sweetheart. We lived there for 4 years, then moved to Michigan. While living there, I got pregnant. However, a month before my son was due to deliver, my husband (at the time) told me that he was in love with another. Two weeks after I delivered my son, he moved out. A few months later, we were divorced.

A few months later, I met my now husband. However, we dated, were engaged for a bit, but then he broke my heart. After a few months to recover from another heart break, I took my son out to Idaho to finish my University degree. I was a single mother in a small religious town (I don’t recommend unless you are strong willed). A semester before I was to graduate, my hubby contacted me again. We found we were still in love, started to plan a wedding, as I finished my final semester. A few weeks after I graduated, my hubby helped me move from Idaho to Ontario and we were married!

We have been in Ontario since and love life!

Love a Good Auction

What do you get when you have lots of donated stuff, people, and auctioneers? You get what is called, The Donnybrook. Located in Warkworth, Ontario, it is held on the third Saturday in June at the Warkworth Arena, this huge auction sees up to 12 auctioneers, simultaneously auctioning donated goods to Warkworth Community Service Club. This annual event has now been operating over 50 years.

Before coming in to the arena, where all the action happens, there are two barns that contain merchandise that might be of interest that opens at 5 o’clock in the evening. One has clothing and books, the other has toys and videos. These two barns are the reason we, as a family, get to the location an hour early.

I normally don’t look at clothes, I usually go straight for the books. This year, I went for the clothes since my favourite pair of jeans just ripped {tear runs down my cheek}. I was able to fill a whole garbage bag that only cost me $7. What did I find, you might ask. My two guys got some new (to them) shirts, as well as 4 pairs of jeans and a rain jacket for me! Score!

Now, we finished our pre-auction shopping about 5:30 and the main event didn’t start until 7 o’clock! Thank goodness they have a BBQ going (to get your auction nutrition taken care of) and some large items for viewing out back (ie: lawnmowers, patio furniture, doors/windows, etc).

We were able to meet up with some friends that had also made their way to the auction, but we were on a mission to find the shortest line to get inside quickly without getting trampled! We continued on to found our perfect spot to stand to wait to get in. The anticipation got intense as the time got closer.

You may ask, “Why was it so intense?” Because you only get a half hour to search through tons of junk treasures in a huge arena. This is the time that you have to plan out your locations of where you want to be to try to win those treasures that you hope is there! Going up and down the rows, trying not to hit too many people with your purse, as you try to find those things that you can’t live without!

In years past, I have had very specific items I was looking for, like a bike for my son 3 years ago. This year, however, I didn’t have any items in mind, but I was not being close minded to things that I might be able to use. As I start looking through the furniture, I see many items that I could re-purpose. Then I remember that I have plenty at home to re-purpose that I do not need one more!

Off I go to the tables of junk hidden treasures! There is telephone and computer part galore! Pots and pans, dishes, and cutlery too! First thing I saw that I might want was a Jack Lalane Pro-Juicer. Maybe I could get the hubby to go for that one! I found some knick-knack stuff that might be fun to have, but decided that since I didn’t need them, they would have to find a new home somewhere else. Then, I found half of an AeroGarden. {Do I dare try, but where is the rest of it?} There is some canning supplies that catch my attention. Okay, I have to keep that spot in mind! As I continued on, I found a barometer! {Make mental note!} I wondered, then, if I could find a pressure cooker. I found TWO!! And I found one next to more canning supplies! Sweet!

It is 7 o’clock! Time to get in place. I had to hurry from table to table that I had made mental note of to see where the auctioneers were starting. See, there are 12, yes I said TWELVE, auctioneers going all at the same time! They get a table, start at one end, move down the table, and if you are not there when they get to the item you had staked out, you are out of luck!
I went back to the pressure cooker and canning supplies (the two for one spot). As I am watching the auctioneer move down the table, I start chatting with those around me that might be staking out something they want. They got to the canning pot, which I raise my hand for. Bidding started at $1, and I was able to buy it for a whole $4!! When I get it, I find that it is a canning set! AWESOME! Now to get the pressure cooker! Score, $1! I moved on! I ended up getting the AeroGarden and barometer that I had staked out! And I only spent a total of $10!! AWESOME!!

As auctions go, this is the most intense, awesome, exciting one I have ever gone to! I love it! You never know what junk treasures you will find, but, if only for the atmosphere, is a great place to go! Can’t wait for next year!