Okay, so this week I really didn’t know what to write about and had been thinking of playfully bemoaning that in one hour of my fab new job I earn the equivalent of selling roughly thirty books. And then I took a look at what’s been happening in the world and didn’t feel like I had the right.

With four year olds fleeing gunmen at their local shops, mothers and soon to be mothers lying dead nearby. With landslides engulfing homes of people who didn’t have much else and fires destroying others… yeah, who has the right to whinge over something so fickle?

And so, instead, I’m going to try and reflect on the world in general and see the best of it I can. You see, I am one of those cynical people who – when seeing the woes of the world – tend to take it personally and wish I could make it all better immediately. And sometimes I find it so overwhelming, when I can’t, that I can’t even make my own little dust mote part of the world okay. I feel that’s one of the reason I am obsessed with ironing, as it’s one place I’m in control of taking all the mess and chaos and can let my mind wander through good thoughts while I smooth it all into crisp neatness.

Now that I’ve established that I am a neurotic loony, I’ll try and get to the point of why quotes are so useful when cheering myself up. And, no, I’m not one of those inspirational quotes junkies. In fact, I find them terribly annoying and tend to want to stick them up some part of the anatomy of the person who is sharing it with me. I mean just your basic everyday quotes. And now it’s time to share some of them with you so either sit back, read and relax or off you go. Space Chimp 2 is on the TV if you want to go join the hordes. 😉

So – speaking of the Hordes (my children) – the first quote I will explain why I use so much is: “Be Excellent to each other”. Yes, that’s right, it is from a movie about a couple of goofy air brained guys (Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure) who’s life quote to be excellent to each other changed the world and the future becomes an almost Gene Roddenberry type utopia because of it. No, I am not trying to create this fictional future by enforcing this life philosophy on my kids. But I do feel it is a nice thing to try and teach them. Just… Be Excellent To Each Other. Yes I’m usually trying to calmly enforce it upon them when they’re at each other’s throat but hey! I find it calms me to be saying it rather than joining in the screaming and yelling. See – it’s working!

But seriously, I’m raising my kids to never judge a person by their nationality, religion, political leanings, fashion sense, gender, sexual orientation or the colour of their hair, eyes, skin or teeth. Judge them by their actions to others as that is how they (said hordes) will be judged. And if their actions are to be excellent to each other… geez I hope you can see where I’m trying to go with this as I’m going to start going in circles shortly. But still, it works! I’ve had nearly twenty years in customer service and excel at it by treating people how I myself would like to be treated. And my kids are known for doing the same. Go team Littleton!

Another quote that may come across as a little cheesy, but is another I try and abide by is: “Always look on the bright side of life” (whistle if you feel the need). Not, I am not a glass half full happy go lucky, everyone is wonderful sort of fluffy bunny. In fact I don’t believe in the glass half anything. I’m an all or nothing type so if there is a glass containing a liquid and it’s not full or empty, it is obviously not my glass so stop asking me stupid questions. Yes, this is also known as being a cynical bitch. I don’t have a badge for that, I have the t-shirt instead. 😀

What I try and gain from this Monty Python quote is this – yes life is indeed a piece of shit when you look at it… but if you keep looking at it like that, all you’re left with is manure city. Every time something crappy happens to me, or someone does something crappy – of course I’m going to have a whinge about it! But I then try and see a positive, try and see the bright side of it. Basically accept it for what it is and move on. Actually, that’s a quote I learnt in one of my former jobs – “Accept and move on” as it too is a good motto to have. Things change, not always for the good and more often for the bad. Accept these changes and just move on. Sometimes it is hard, so very hard… and it hurts and you are damaged (maybe mentally or physically). It happens. But the only way to get better is to just accept this crap, look for positives in your life and move on. Occasionally suffering bouts of depression and having low self-esteem means I have an inner voice that is a bigger bitch than me. These two quotes are my biggest weapons against it. I use them to get the right mind set going and hope for the best. It’s working so far. 😉

Another of my favourite quotes, especially as I enjoy playing the dumb blonde years after I stopped being a true blonde, and that is: “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt”. Or something like that. Abraham Lincoln wasn’t it? Yeah, this one can go hand in hand with “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all” as, quite frankly, anyone who feels it’s better to attack people with nasty words than try and talk things out… well, they’re most often an idiot. And, from experience, if you find yourself being a silent participant in friend and family outings as you’re following either of these quotes… well, it’s time to sit down and think over exactly why it is you feel you’re an idiot by opening your mouth, or why you need to be rude when you do break the silence. Your bitchy, self-hating inner self has no right to do all the talking you know.

On the flipside to this if you do have a friend who is always silent; sometimes it’s better to brace yourself for stupid, nasty words just to ask “Are you okay?” This is a good quote and shouldn’t be restricted to just something you say when it’s Are you Okay day once a year. Sometimes the silence and rudeness is hiding something that can be cured by someone taking an interest and just being a friend, nothing more or less. Think about it, do you know anyone like this? It’s possible they can’t find that bright side of life without help and by being excellent to them may just be the ray of sunshine they need to penetrate their darkness.

Last quote I will share is one I don’t agree with and needs to be modified. That is: “Survival of the fittest” and this is because it should really be “Survival of the most stubborn” as seriously… cockroaches and rats – not the fittest and riddled with disease. They survive as they’re stubborn little buggers. If you want to be positive and use this quote to show this is why you must strive to survive, realise it’s sheer stubbornness getting you through. You want it, go get it and don’t let anyone stop you. I sort of instil this in my children too… but the Pagan in me makes me add “As long as intentionally harm none in the process”. Oh look, another quote.

Okay, so if you’ve managed to read through to the end of this blog, you’re either rather bored or used to my lite level of insanity. 😉 I could add many others like “Look before you leap, act before you think” and so on. But I feel I’ve bared my soul enough for one post.

It really does come down to – Be Excellent to Each Other. We share this world, not own it. What happens in one place can affect us all. And those of us with excess really do need to look at our international neighbours who have very little and see what we can do to help.

Heh, consider yourself given my best Mummy pep talk. Now go out there and be the best you that you can be!

Until next time,

Janis XXOO