Well, most of my friends know, that whirlwind relationship with Rob was just that... a whirlwind. It ended pretty bitterly. However, my heart was not terribly broken, just irritated. I mended pretty quickly and am on to bigger and MUCH BETTER things. Just wanted to get that out there. I gotta say, if it wasn't for my friends, I would be in a pretty deep and dark place in my life. But thanks to them for always keeping me grounded and enabling me to show them how much I appreciate them. God love em and protect em all!
So back to being single, still looking for stable employment (hopefully not for long) and still loving my life back in my hometown with my friends. :)
I have taken on a walking regimen which always takes me back in time to the old days of my youth, walking around the old neighborhoods. It feels good to walk, I know it is good for my health and as long as my back, legs and feet hold out, I will keep doing it! I mostly go out with my son, he rides his bike around me. But on occasion, I will venture out by myself. I do it mostly because I want him to know the area that I grew up in. I want him to be comfortable here, feel safe and feel like this is his hometown too. He is old enough to start hanging out with his friends, without mom around. So my hopes of getting him out riding his bike, is he will run into some friends and go off and explore and have some sort of a social life like I use to.
I'm not saying my childhood was all that great, but I looked so forward to the days of walking around town and hanging with my friends. No one realized how important that really was to me. I had a pretty crappy home life, so being around friends got me thru some tough times. Even to this day, when things get really down for me, I feel like I can still turn to my friends for help, guidance and just someone to listen to me whine about my life. And they know I do the same for them. :)
My son doesn't experience the trauma that I did as a child. He never has and never will. I am so grateful for that. I worked hard to make sure he didn't grow up like I did. And I am PROUD of this!
Now it is time for him to get out and make his own memories with his own friends. I'm both terrified and eager for this to happen. He needs his own set of friends to reflect on him.
Who is the Butterfly?
- MajestikButterfly
- Just a mom trying to make life better for herself and her son. "The most beautiful of stones have been tossed by the wind and crushed by the water and polished to brilliance by life's strongest storms."
Friday, July 15, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Saint Marguerite d’Youville
There is a story I tell sometimes about my special connection to Saint Marguerite d'Youville. Allow me to share.
I was reminiscing last night with my friend who is like my adoptive mom. Her mother, Katie or as we called her Grandma, had given me a prayer card she got from a visit to St. Vincent Hospital during one of her cancer treatments. She thought I would need it some day and when I took it, I noticed that it was Saint Marguerite and told her that was my middle name, how odd was that? She got such a tickle from that, what odd luck!!
This little card performed what I call miracles. I used it to pray when my boyfriend-at-the-time's father was dying. I was never a praying or religious type person back then, so it was very weird to pray and do it in front of people. I prayed to his dad that he go be in peace and there would be no more suffering for him. He expired very shortly after I did that.
The second miracle was when Grandma's great grandson was born at 1 lb. 1 oz., gravely premature. I brought in the card from home and gave it to my friend/sister Jamie. They placed it above her head and when little SaBastien was born, they kept it in the NICU with him. I prayed with Jamie using that card again and I truly believe it saved his life. I allowed the card to stay with the baby and thought he should have it for the rest of his life.
While I was at the hospital tho (The same one, St. V's) I did acquire another Saint Marguerite card. I have kept it with me over the years and when my days were darkest, pulled it out and prayed with it. Most times when I did that, I had a peaceful calmness fall over me and everything always ended up working out for me.
It has been many years since I have seen the card, I still have it somewhere in my junk though. But I happen to find the same image and prayer online. So today, I am writing a blog about it. I want to keep my miracles alive and remember them.
I truly believe that my God, my higher power, has a purpose and reason behind every single thing in my life, and every single experience. Therefore, being as I am in dire straights once again and am feeling the heaviness of life on my shoulders, I want to take this opportunity to not only pray to Saint Marguerite, but to document it and declare my spiritual faith. I do not claim to be Christian or of any other organized affiliation of religion. I just believe in my own God as my higher power.
So please Saint Marguerite, I pray to you that you see I have patience when it comes to the struggles in my life. I pray for mine and my son's safety and sanity. I pray that I get a good job very soon and will be able to continue to stay in my house and pay my bills with ease. I pray that I find that real true love in my life, one without drama, chaos and is filled with love and respect. I pray for my friends and family, that they struggle a little less every day and have their own needs fulfilled. I pray that I can see my sister again and have her in my life on a regular basis, as she is beyond worth it! I pray that I can continue to tell my stories and have them enlighten others and give them hope for their own lives. I pray that I am able to continue to help others, as I have received so much love and support myself from them. I pray for my health, that it becomes a non-issue in my life and that I may have many years pain-free and productive. And finally, I pray to you Saint Marguerite for thanks for all you have ever done for anyone in their lifetime on this planet.
Blessings and Namaste
I was reminiscing last night with my friend who is like my adoptive mom. Her mother, Katie or as we called her Grandma, had given me a prayer card she got from a visit to St. Vincent Hospital during one of her cancer treatments. She thought I would need it some day and when I took it, I noticed that it was Saint Marguerite and told her that was my middle name, how odd was that? She got such a tickle from that, what odd luck!!
On the back of the card was this prayer.
St. Marguerite d'Youville,
During your lifetime, you opened your heart and home
to every type of human misery.
Listen now to my prayer of petition.
I count on you to plead with the God of Love
to grant the favor I seek with confidence and trust.
Gift us as you were gifted; with ever deepening faith,
with firm hope and trust.
Let my life be for all a service of love.
Mother of Universal Charity,
your love for the poor made the impossible possible.
Please make haste to help me.
Amen.
During your lifetime, you opened your heart and home
to every type of human misery.
Listen now to my prayer of petition.
I count on you to plead with the God of Love
to grant the favor I seek with confidence and trust.
Gift us as you were gifted; with ever deepening faith,
with firm hope and trust.
Let my life be for all a service of love.
Mother of Universal Charity,
your love for the poor made the impossible possible.
Please make haste to help me.
Amen.
This little card performed what I call miracles. I used it to pray when my boyfriend-at-the-time's father was dying. I was never a praying or religious type person back then, so it was very weird to pray and do it in front of people. I prayed to his dad that he go be in peace and there would be no more suffering for him. He expired very shortly after I did that.
The second miracle was when Grandma's great grandson was born at 1 lb. 1 oz., gravely premature. I brought in the card from home and gave it to my friend/sister Jamie. They placed it above her head and when little SaBastien was born, they kept it in the NICU with him. I prayed with Jamie using that card again and I truly believe it saved his life. I allowed the card to stay with the baby and thought he should have it for the rest of his life.
While I was at the hospital tho (The same one, St. V's) I did acquire another Saint Marguerite card. I have kept it with me over the years and when my days were darkest, pulled it out and prayed with it. Most times when I did that, I had a peaceful calmness fall over me and everything always ended up working out for me.
It has been many years since I have seen the card, I still have it somewhere in my junk though. But I happen to find the same image and prayer online. So today, I am writing a blog about it. I want to keep my miracles alive and remember them.
I truly believe that my God, my higher power, has a purpose and reason behind every single thing in my life, and every single experience. Therefore, being as I am in dire straights once again and am feeling the heaviness of life on my shoulders, I want to take this opportunity to not only pray to Saint Marguerite, but to document it and declare my spiritual faith. I do not claim to be Christian or of any other organized affiliation of religion. I just believe in my own God as my higher power.
So please Saint Marguerite, I pray to you that you see I have patience when it comes to the struggles in my life. I pray for mine and my son's safety and sanity. I pray that I get a good job very soon and will be able to continue to stay in my house and pay my bills with ease. I pray that I find that real true love in my life, one without drama, chaos and is filled with love and respect. I pray for my friends and family, that they struggle a little less every day and have their own needs fulfilled. I pray that I can see my sister again and have her in my life on a regular basis, as she is beyond worth it! I pray that I can continue to tell my stories and have them enlighten others and give them hope for their own lives. I pray that I am able to continue to help others, as I have received so much love and support myself from them. I pray for my health, that it becomes a non-issue in my life and that I may have many years pain-free and productive. And finally, I pray to you Saint Marguerite for thanks for all you have ever done for anyone in their lifetime on this planet.
Blessings and Namaste
Monday, May 16, 2011
Need Job Application Advice
Like many folks in my predicament, I had a darn good job last year, but due to the declining growth and budget cuts in my field, my company terminated my position and I was laid off. I've been on unemployment since and have been trying to find work in my career field and have not been successful. This leads me to look for job positions that I have either never held or haven't done for the better part of 10 years.
Now I know the job market has changed in the past decade, but I find myself treading on new territory and need some advice.
I have filled out many general applications for menial retail/food service jobs in my lifetime. I have sent out countless cover letters and resumes for positions in my career field. I, however, have never applied for a job at large chain stores.
Issue one:
I feel I am qualified for management/supervisor positions, though I have never technically held such a position. When I read the job descriptions for these positions, it seems like work I can do or would like to do even though it is in a different job setting (ie: not an office setting). I find myself wondering how I can change up wording on my resume to sound more relevant to these new job positions. How can I make it sound like being a graphic designer/publication specialist for years equals the qualifications of a retail manager? What points should I pull from my current resume to sound less "creative" and more appropriate to where I am applying?
Issue two:
These online applications for these large chain stores seem to run you through a series of questions to see if you answer to their satisfaction. I get this process and most of the questions are pretty common sense. I strongly agree that it is wrong to steal from a company. I strongly disagree that it is ok to lie and call off work when I am not sick. I strongly agree that I should follow all safety rules and procedures. I strongly disagree that I should bend or break the rules or give less than quality customer service.
Where I get tripped up is when they throw a question at me about choosing to get a supervisors permission first to do a task, or make the decision without the permission if it will improve the task in a shorter time? Another question that confuses me is if I would go out of my way to fulfill a customers needs and put off my own work even if it was urgent I get my task done? Or how about the ones that ask if I should speak with my supervisor about a change first before discussing it with my team? I'm worried my answers aren't going to be correct because I know you should follow protocol and chain of command, but are they searching for applicants who are cookie cutter employees or ones who will actually care about their job to try to improve the company?
I know smaller companies are always looking for improvement and efficiency, but what about these big box chain stores? Any input would be greatly appreciated!!
I never wanted to work in a factory or labor position, am not smart enough for IT/Engineering/Medical and wanted to get away from Retail/Food Service and the thought of B2B Sales gives me chills. I like working in an office environment because of the potential to earn a decent wage with benefits. I never want to do a job because I HAVE to and have no other options. This new realm of industry is actually new to me and I am trying to boost myself into accepting it. This is the hardest concept for me because I fought and struggled so hard to learn and earn in my career field as a Creative Designer. I don't want to give that up, but for now I may have to. Overall, no matter where I work, I maintain strong work ethics, reliability and am genuine with my integrity.
Thoughts and discussions commence.... Namaste
Now I know the job market has changed in the past decade, but I find myself treading on new territory and need some advice.
I have filled out many general applications for menial retail/food service jobs in my lifetime. I have sent out countless cover letters and resumes for positions in my career field. I, however, have never applied for a job at large chain stores.
Issue one:
I feel I am qualified for management/supervisor positions, though I have never technically held such a position. When I read the job descriptions for these positions, it seems like work I can do or would like to do even though it is in a different job setting (ie: not an office setting). I find myself wondering how I can change up wording on my resume to sound more relevant to these new job positions. How can I make it sound like being a graphic designer/publication specialist for years equals the qualifications of a retail manager? What points should I pull from my current resume to sound less "creative" and more appropriate to where I am applying?
Issue two:
These online applications for these large chain stores seem to run you through a series of questions to see if you answer to their satisfaction. I get this process and most of the questions are pretty common sense. I strongly agree that it is wrong to steal from a company. I strongly disagree that it is ok to lie and call off work when I am not sick. I strongly agree that I should follow all safety rules and procedures. I strongly disagree that I should bend or break the rules or give less than quality customer service.
Where I get tripped up is when they throw a question at me about choosing to get a supervisors permission first to do a task, or make the decision without the permission if it will improve the task in a shorter time? Another question that confuses me is if I would go out of my way to fulfill a customers needs and put off my own work even if it was urgent I get my task done? Or how about the ones that ask if I should speak with my supervisor about a change first before discussing it with my team? I'm worried my answers aren't going to be correct because I know you should follow protocol and chain of command, but are they searching for applicants who are cookie cutter employees or ones who will actually care about their job to try to improve the company?
I know smaller companies are always looking for improvement and efficiency, but what about these big box chain stores? Any input would be greatly appreciated!!
I never wanted to work in a factory or labor position, am not smart enough for IT/Engineering/Medical and wanted to get away from Retail/Food Service and the thought of B2B Sales gives me chills. I like working in an office environment because of the potential to earn a decent wage with benefits. I never want to do a job because I HAVE to and have no other options. This new realm of industry is actually new to me and I am trying to boost myself into accepting it. This is the hardest concept for me because I fought and struggled so hard to learn and earn in my career field as a Creative Designer. I don't want to give that up, but for now I may have to. Overall, no matter where I work, I maintain strong work ethics, reliability and am genuine with my integrity.
Thoughts and discussions commence.... Namaste
Monday, May 9, 2011
Sunflower Project Silent Auction
We have some exciting news about the next Sunflower Project!!!
In honor of this past Mother's Day, we are kicking off a special
Silent Auction to wrap up our memorial fundraising efforts for
Brian Walker's mother, Ellen, who passed away. 100% of the proceeds will go to the Leukemia Research Foundation.
We have currently raised $1344 total!
Up for bid:
One red, original Papa's Tavern tshirt supporting Crystal Bowersox, size XL.
Currently signed by: Crystal Bowersox, Frankie May, Ryan Suzuka, Danny "DJ" Jahns, Mr. Bill Bowersox (Crystal's Dad), Ron "Razz" Rasberry, Tim Stahl (owner of Papa's), Bobby May, Terri May, Ross Thompson (11 yo upcoming star from Papa's), Sista Otis, and Howard Glazer. Crystal got these sigs: Brian Walker and Casey James! (More will be added and I hear from her)
Trying to get to sign: Sully (Manager from the Village Idiot) and any one else I can get that is a part of Crystal's life from the Toledo area. Am I missing anyone?????
GOOD NEWS!!! Crystal has asked that I mail the shirt to her and she would have Brian sign it and also "probably get a lot of cool signatures on it" for us!!! Therefore I am extending the auction until May 30th or later, depending on when we get the shirt back from Crystal. :)
*UPDATE*
Just wanted to let everyone know that I am extending the Silent auction again. Crystal has the shirt and I wanted to wait til I got it back and show updated photos of the new sigs. Who knows who will be signing it!!! :) Also, BIG THANKS to Ryan Suzuka for taking it back to have everyone sign it at the Green St Fair in Plymouth. Luv U Ryan!!! :)
The Rules:
Auction has tentatively been extended and will end at 8pm on a date to be announced. Just waiting to get the shirt back from Crystal. The winner will be announced shortly after unless asked to remain anonymous. This will be a silent auction and the shirt will go to the highest bidder.
To submit your bid, please send an email to
Michelle at majestikbutterfly@gmail.com.
Help us spread the word to all of Crystal's fans! Please post a link to this page to promote the auction. Thank you and GOOD LUCK!!!
If you feel like you got outbid or still want to donate to the cause, we are still taking donations!
Please send your donations to our
PayPal address at http://bit.ly/dzLBjM
100% of the proceeds will go directly to LRF with printed statements as proof. If given the option, please send as a gift to defray the PayPal fees that are automatically taken out with each transaction.
Silent Auction to wrap up our memorial fundraising efforts for
Brian Walker's mother, Ellen, who passed away. 100% of the proceeds will go to the Leukemia Research Foundation.
We have currently raised $1344 total!
Up for bid:
One red, original Papa's Tavern tshirt supporting Crystal Bowersox, size XL.
Currently signed by: Crystal Bowersox, Frankie May, Ryan Suzuka, Danny "DJ" Jahns, Mr. Bill Bowersox (Crystal's Dad), Ron "Razz" Rasberry, Tim Stahl (owner of Papa's), Bobby May, Terri May, Ross Thompson (11 yo upcoming star from Papa's), Sista Otis, and Howard Glazer. Crystal got these sigs: Brian Walker and Casey James! (More will be added and I hear from her)
Trying to get to sign: Sully (Manager from the Village Idiot) and any one else I can get that is a part of Crystal's life from the Toledo area. Am I missing anyone?????
GOOD NEWS!!! Crystal has asked that I mail the shirt to her and she would have Brian sign it and also "probably get a lot of cool signatures on it" for us!!! Therefore I am extending the auction until May 30th or later, depending on when we get the shirt back from Crystal. :)
*UPDATE*
Just wanted to let everyone know that I am extending the Silent auction again. Crystal has the shirt and I wanted to wait til I got it back and show updated photos of the new sigs. Who knows who will be signing it!!! :) Also, BIG THANKS to Ryan Suzuka for taking it back to have everyone sign it at the Green St Fair in Plymouth. Luv U Ryan!!! :)
The Rules:
Auction has tentatively been extended and will end at 8pm on a date to be announced. Just waiting to get the shirt back from Crystal. The winner will be announced shortly after unless asked to remain anonymous. This will be a silent auction and the shirt will go to the highest bidder.
To submit your bid, please send an email to
Michelle at majestikbutterfly@gmail.com.
Help us spread the word to all of Crystal's fans! Please post a link to this page to promote the auction. Thank you and GOOD LUCK!!!
CURRENT HIGHEST BID IS $800!!
____________________ If you feel like you got outbid or still want to donate to the cause, we are still taking donations!
Please send your donations to our
PayPal address at http://bit.ly/dzLBjM
100% of the proceeds will go directly to LRF with printed statements as proof. If given the option, please send as a gift to defray the PayPal fees that are automatically taken out with each transaction.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Sunflower Project for LRF
As a big Crystal Bowersox and Brian Walker fan, I am here to announce the sad news that Brian's mother has recently passed away.
In honor of his mother, we are holding a special Sunflower Project Fundraiser to raise money to donate to the Leukemia Research Foundation.
Please send your donations to our PayPal address at http://bit.ly/dzLBjM
100% of the proceeds will go directly to LRF with printed statements as proof. If given the option, please send as a gift to defray the PayPal fees that are automatically taken out with each transaction.
I will update this post with more info and links, so please bookmark this post and revisit often! Thank you.
______________________________
***UPDATES***
An anonymous donor has contacted me with a challenge for all the Village Idiots and Da Nation. If we can raise $400 by the end of April, they will MATCH dollar for dollar to bump us up to $800!! But the condition is, we HAVE to raise $400 first or we don't get it!! So please, if every VI or Nation member just donated $5, we will reach our goal very quickly. It doesn't take but a few seconds to donate. Click the link above and help raise money for Brian Walker's mom who passed away. I will post a separate blog about my encounter with Brian when I met him 4/1in Monroe. It is very sweet and touching. He is very heartbroken and it means the world to him that we are doing this for his mom.
ANOTHER UPDATE!!!
We have a 2 for 1 match deal!!! Another anonymous donor says they will match $400 also. So if we can get to $400, we will instantly have $1200!!!! WOW!!!! Come on folks, spread the word and let's get to $400 soon!!!!
We aren't done yet!!! Let's keep it going!!
______________________________
To read more about the past Sunflower Project fundraisers, visit http://majestikbutterfly.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-i-raised-856-for-jdrf.html
or you can visit our old Facebook event page here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=135226393158563
Please send your donations to our PayPal address at http://bit.ly/dzLBjM
100% of the proceeds will go directly to LRF with printed statements as proof. If given the option, please send as a gift to defray the PayPal fees that are automatically taken out with each transaction.
I will update this post with more info and links, so please bookmark this post and revisit often! Thank you.
______________________________
***UPDATES***
An anonymous donor has contacted me with a challenge for all the Village Idiots and Da Nation. If we can raise $400 by the end of April, they will MATCH dollar for dollar to bump us up to $800!! But the condition is, we HAVE to raise $400 first or we don't get it!! So please, if every VI or Nation member just donated $5, we will reach our goal very quickly. It doesn't take but a few seconds to donate. Click the link above and help raise money for Brian Walker's mom who passed away. I will post a separate blog about my encounter with Brian when I met him 4/1in Monroe. It is very sweet and touching. He is very heartbroken and it means the world to him that we are doing this for his mom.
ANOTHER UPDATE!!!
We have a 2 for 1 match deal!!! Another anonymous donor says they will match $400 also. So if we can get to $400, we will instantly have $1200!!!! WOW!!!! Come on folks, spread the word and let's get to $400 soon!!!!
THAT IS A GRAND TOTAL OF
$1344 SO FAR!!!
THANK YOU!!!
$1344 SO FAR!!!
THANK YOU!!!
We aren't done yet!!! Let's keep it going!!
______________________________
To read more about the past Sunflower Project fundraisers, visit http://majestikbutterfly.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-i-raised-856-for-jdrf.html
or you can visit our old Facebook event page here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=135226393158563
Monday, March 21, 2011
I got a fever!!! Cabin Fever!!
More cowbell just aint cuttin it!!!
So much has been at a stand still in my life, I yearn to open up my windows and get to working outside, but the weather is just not cooperating with me. I need to clean up my back yard from the destruction of the ice storm.
Just look at this mess!!! I need a chipper/mulcher or something, a lot of this would be good mulch for my flower beds in the front. The rest of it would be great firewood for bonfires this summer.
Either way you look at it, it's gotta be done and only one to really do it is me.
So come on Mother Nature! Can you give me just one week of nice, warm weather so I can clean this up?? I'm tired of having cabin fever!
**UPDATE**
I broke down and walked over to the neighbors house. Spent some time talking with him and what do ya know, he has a mulcher/vacuum he said I could borrow! Hot damn!!! I love my neighbors!!! Thanks Ron!!!
So much has been at a stand still in my life, I yearn to open up my windows and get to working outside, but the weather is just not cooperating with me. I need to clean up my back yard from the destruction of the ice storm.
Either way you look at it, it's gotta be done and only one to really do it is me.
So come on Mother Nature! Can you give me just one week of nice, warm weather so I can clean this up?? I'm tired of having cabin fever!
**UPDATE**
I broke down and walked over to the neighbors house. Spent some time talking with him and what do ya know, he has a mulcher/vacuum he said I could borrow! Hot damn!!! I love my neighbors!!! Thanks Ron!!!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Happy First Month Anniversary!
Wow, just cannot believe a whole month has gone by that I have been seeing Rob. It's truly been a really great month. I haven't been this happy in years, probably a decade!!
I gotta be honest tho, I am really scared that I am falling hard for him. I've always been a hopeless romantic, wear my heart on my sleeve kind of lady. I always end up being hurt, always. I find myself really holding back with him, even tho he isn't.
I feel like I should just close my eyes and lean back and just fall, but so many times, no one is there to catch me. I feel like he would, but do I want him to?
I'll just take it day by day, it's all I can do. In the mean time, I enjoy how he winks at me, kisses the back of my hand, holds me in his arms, sings to me and looks deep in my eyes.
I gotta be honest tho, I am really scared that I am falling hard for him. I've always been a hopeless romantic, wear my heart on my sleeve kind of lady. I always end up being hurt, always. I find myself really holding back with him, even tho he isn't.
I feel like I should just close my eyes and lean back and just fall, but so many times, no one is there to catch me. I feel like he would, but do I want him to?
I'll just take it day by day, it's all I can do. In the mean time, I enjoy how he winks at me, kisses the back of my hand, holds me in his arms, sings to me and looks deep in my eyes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)