Surprise #UseYourWords

Today’s post is June's Use Your Words post. This is how it works: participating bloggers picked four to six words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once and all the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That is the challenge, here is a fun twist; no one who is participating knows who got their words and in what direction the writer will take them. Until now.

My words are:

lately ~ mint ~ sold as is ~ work ~ bumped ~ clasp

It was submitted by: https://climaxedtheblog.blogspot.com (Thank you, Jenniy!!!)

Surprise! Haha! If you have followed my blog for any length of time, and you have seen my UYW posts, you know that they are a mix of random posts. I have done poetry, I have done questions and answers, I have done short blurbs about our life, I have written pieces of a short story series, and plenty of other things. So, I am sure it comes as no surprise, that I decided to revisit one of my past UYW techniques. The good old Q & A. 

I recruited my friend Dee, to ask me random questions based on each word. I told her she could ask me anything. They could be super nosey, or super simple, or even abstract. Just any question that popped into her mind, when she read the words. I even told her she could ask something she knows the answer to, because it is likely the other readers may not know the answer. So, here we go.... 

1 Q (Lately): What has been your favorite thing you have done lately? What has been the least favorite thing you have done lately?

1 A: Well, we have been involved with volunteering for two totally awesome organizations, Second Harvest Food Bank and Agape Villages Foster Care program, for the last several years. Lately, we have been more active with Agape, and have joined the Volunteer Committee Board, and it has been awesome. I am so grateful for all the work they do, and for being able to be a part of it. I am also hoping to become more involved at Second Harvest. We volunteer every chance we get, but I am sure we can do more, or at least maybe I can, once Gigi is in school. 

My least favorite is probably the battling I have done, trying to secure a ride to school for Gigi. The school bus system here, is nothing like what I am used to back East. Here, the kids are assigned a home school, based on where they live, and it is the parent's responsibility to get the kid to school. If a child's home school it full, and the child has to attend a different school, if that school is a certain distance away from their home, there is a bus option. I have spoken to the Principal at my daughter's school, and to someone at the District office, and have made no headway. It was suggested that I let my four year old (who will be five in two weeks) walk to school. I told them there was no way I would allow that, she does not know this area, has never walked anywhere alone, is not well enough versed on road safety (yet), and sadly the area between our home and her school has several registered sex offenders. I was told to buy a second car. Honestly, how could they not realize that if that were an option, we would have done it already. It is not an option for us, so therefore, it is not a suitable/viable solution. It was also suggested that I find a parent of a fellow student, and get them to give her a ride. Once I made it very clear, nobody on this Earth would make me let my child ride with a stranger, that suggestion was dismissed. Then I was told to quickly get to know someone, who has kids going to the same school, or simply lives in my area, and get them to bring her. Well, that is obviously not happening. So, my next step is to call the Superintendent's office, and pray for a solution. So, yes this drama is definitely my least favorite thing lately. My second least favorite thing, would be having at least one or two doctor appointments for the last six to eight weeks. It is definitely not on my lists of favorites. (UPDATE: Since I originally wrote this answer out over the weekend, I have talked to the Superintendent's office, and I am waiting for a return call with a solution. Hopefully a viable solution!)

2 Q (Mint): Tell us a random tidbit about mint in your life.

2 A: Hmmmm.... This one had me genuinely stumped. I thought about saying that mint chocolate chip is one of my very favorite ice cream flavors, but that seemed too simple. So, after some thought, here is my tidbit... Gigi loves gum. I liked gum at her age too. I loved the fruity Bubbalicious and the fruity Fruit Stripes (remember this gum?!) Well, Gigi loves mint gum. She also really loves round peppermints and peppermint candy canes. I tried to buy her fruity flavored candy canes, but she absolutely prefers peppermint, and will eat them over a fruity one, every time. I did not start liking mint gum and mint candy canes, until I was probably twelve or thirteen. Not, Gigi. She is adorable when she chews her gum. She never swallows, always throws it away properly, and is adorable when she fails to blow bubbles (not for lack of practicing). Chad gave her, her first gum last year, when I was not around, and I was a little annoyed at first, because she was so young. I just knew I would be scraping gum off of the floor or wall, or cutting it from her hair. However, she has proven me wrong, and has excellent gum etiquette. 

3 Q (Sold as is): Tell us about a time you regretted buying something sold as is.

3 A: I hate to be lame, but I honestly cannot remember a time I regretted. I am sure there is probably something, but I honestly cannot think of a single example. I know, at some point in the future, hopefully not too long from now, we will be needing to buy a used car, probably sold as is, but hopefully we do not regret it ever. I pray it lasts us long enough, that we can get to a point where we can buy a better second car. We just have to find a car that is in good enough shape to last a few years, is extremely affordable, and hopefully one we can make payments on for a few months, rather than all up front. Fingers crossed.

4 Q (work): If you could work doing anything you want, right this minute, what would you do? I mean exactly now, start today, no degree or anything necessary.

4 A: This is a very good question. I am not sure. I think many jobs do require degrees, at least the ones I would love to do. I guess, to be honest, I would have to say working at the Food Bank. I would absolutely LOVE to have a job there, helping them help those people in need in our community. Not only is it amazing work, and something I love to do, but the entire staff there is AMAZING, and it would be awesome to have such fantastic coworkers. I guess beyond that, I think it would be awesome to get paid to work as a blogger/writer. That would definitely be super.

5 Q (bumped): Did you ever have an embarrassing moment, where you were out in public, and bumped into someone you know?

5 A: This one is a tough one. I am trying to think. I am going to be honest... I am awkward and shy (yes, I am shy. I know I hide it fairly well, but internally I die a lot, from absolute shyness overload), so it could almost be said that anytime I am in public, and bump into folks, I am embarrassed. You know that meme, about leaving the house looking AMAZING and seeing nobody, and then leave the house with a stained shirt and messy hair, and you see literally everyone you know?! I definitely have to situations. Making a fast run to the store for something, dressed in clothes dirty from cleaning/yard work/etc and messy hair, and seeing people I know. I cannot think of any specific times. 

Oh wait!! Okay. I have an answer. When I lived in Buffalo, I struggled to make ends meet. I was in school and just struggling to pay my bills. A local church, within walking distance to my studio apartment, happened to have a food pantry, and would give away food once a month. It definitely helped me stretch my groceries out to last longer. I was so grateful for it. Once, when I was picking up my bag of food, one of the volunteers, was a guy from one of my classes. I was beyond embarrassed. I was so nervous to see him in class again. He was awesome though. He never mentioned it. He was always kind towards me. He would often sit near me in the library, and his friends would join us. I don't think he ever said anything to anyone about seeing me, and he never brought it up. So, the embarrassment definitely faded, but at first it was terrible.

6 Q (clasp): What is the very first thought that comes to mind, when you hear the word clasp?

6 A: When you clasp your hands together to pray. Yep. That is my very first thought. I thought of a person with their hands clasped together in prayer.

A very special thanks to Dee, for creating such great questions!! Thank you, thank you, thank YOU! xo

I hope you enjoyed my usage of my words this month, and the questions Dee created for me!! So, I am curious.... What is the first thing you think of, when you hear the word clasp?!

Don't forget to check out the rest of this month's Use Your Words posts!! I will meet you there!! I just need to get some more coffee. The Bergham's had a long night and an early morning! Must. Have. More. Coffee.

Links to the other “Use Your Words” posts:

Baking In A Tornado

On the Border

Southern Belle Charm

The Blogging 911

Cognitive Script

Part-Time Working Hockey Mom

My Brand of Crazy

Climaxed