Always tell the truth. Even if you have to make it up. ~Author Unknown

This is me giving myself advice. I mean for this to go along with my last blog.

Truth is the most valuable thing we have, so I try to conserve it.
Mark Twain

“Gossip needn't be false to be evil - there's a lot of truth that shouldn't be passed around.”
Frank A. Clark

If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything.
Mark Twain

"Gossip and slander are not victimless crimes. Words do not just dissipate into midair. . . . Words can injure and damage, maim and destroy - forcefully, painfully, lastingly. . . . Plans have been disrupted, deals have been lost, companies have fallen, because of idle gossip or malicious slander. Reputations have been sullied, careers have been ruined, lives have been devastated, because of cruel lies or vicious rumors. . . . Your words have such power to do good or evil that they must be chosen carefully, wisely, and well."
Wayne Dosick

A half truth is a whole lie.
Yiddish Proverb

"I will follow my logic, no matter where it goes, after it has consulted with my heart. If you ever come to a conclusion without calling the heart in, you will come to a bad conclusion."
Robert Ingersoll

Reality is bad enough. Why should I tell the truth?
Patrick Sky

Speak the truth, but leave immediately after.
Slovenian Proverb

"A more peaceful way to live is to decide consciously which battles are worth fighting and which are better left alone. . . . Is it really important . . . that you confront someone simply because . . . he or she has made a minor mistake? . . . Does a small scratch on your car really warrant a suit in small claims court? . . . These and thousands of other small things are what many people spend their lives fighting about. . . . If you don't want to 'sweat the small stuff,' it's critical that you choose your battles wisely."
Richard Carlson

The cruelest lies are often told in silence.
Adlai Stevenson

"Wink at small faults; remember thou hast great ones."
Benjamin Franklin

Today I bent the truth to be kind, and I have no regret, for I am far surer of what is kind than I am of what is true.
Robert Brault

A little candor never leaves me. It is what protects me.
Antonio Porchia

Respect for the truth is an acquired taste.
Mark Van Doren

People who are brutally honest get more satisfaction out of the brutality than out of the honesty.
Richard J. Needham

There are only two ways of telling the complete truth - anonymously and posthumously. Thomas Sowell

“The only gossip I'm interested in is things from the Weekly World News - 'Woman's bra bursts, 11 injured'. That kind of thing.”
Johnny Depp

Cue the Truth Police

One of my greatest character flaws in running my mouth. When I get angry, I quickly spout off to whoever happens to be nearby. People who know me really well just let it go--they know that I will chill once the catharsis is complete. A good friend of mine recently reminded me that I need to be more careful who I choose as listener for my venting because he/she may not understand that no matter what I am saying, I am likely only momentarily upset.

This made me think about 'talking behind someone's back' and I realized that I probably do this far too often. Granted, most of it is harmless, 'ugggh' kinds of things--passing annoyances easily dismissed. Nevertheless, I decided that I should tell my friends/family directly when I am upset about something. I try to delineate between passing irritation and true issues that are getting in the way of my relationship with him/her. I recently made my first attempt at telling someone about what was bothering me, only to have it blow up in my face.

So, what now? I don't want to be cynical and just say, 'well, back to sh*t talking,' but seriously? Is this why so many people gossip and avoid honesty from the get-go? I realize that sometimes I could use more tact--who couldn't? But I want to feel as though I can speak candidly with the people in my life without fear of an nuclear meltdown in the relationship. I simply cannot tiptoe around on eggshells sugarcoating everything--it's hard on my back and sticky as all hell.

Maybe I just overestimate the openness of my relationships. Maybe I am just a jerk. Maybe most people just 'can't handle the truth!' But maybe, just maybe, I did what was true to me--and I won't apologize for that.

Lisa 'veritas vos liberabit' C

My Two Funny Girls

I have two friends that regularly crack me up. Here are some things these two ladies (and I use that term loosely) have said via MySpace, text message, or in conversation in the recent past:

Viva La Santa... wait a minute... that doesn't sound right. Give me a break. I've only lived here for six months. I'm practicing the language.

I like to think of our tezts as "delightfully tacky," much like the Hooter's slogan!
I love that I typed tezts. Wow...have another!

Over the holiday weekend a rattler wounded my dog Scooter. I ended up paying a pretty penny on anti-venom and care provided at the vet. I've gotten several, "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?" looks from co-workers regarding the pricey bill. The best though, is when a co-worker informed me I wasted money and Benadryl would've sufficed. Okay Ace Ventura, the snake bit my dog… he didn't sneeze on him.

Why would someone have texted you? Why would they have seen 'The Gooch' in my phone book and been like, yeah, I'll text that one?

Apparently he was half blind before we got him glasses. You should have heard him read the other night! He did so good!

If anyone asks, 'ho, ho, ho' is just what Santa says and has nothing to do with our picture.

Lisa 'giggling' C

Christmas Movie Faves

I love Christmas movies, and so I compiled the following list of my favorites. These are mostly sentimental faves--most are the ones we would watch on TV as kids. And even in the instant gratification buy the holiday DVD set age, I still like to catch most of these on TV:

1. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Who hasn't felt like a Misfit Toy at some point in their life?

2. A Charlie Brown Christmas: She may be a b**ch, but I really love Lucy.

3. Miracle on 34th Street: I think I established my love of Santa in the last blog, so it's not a stretch to see why I love this movie.

4. Elf: First, I adore Will Ferrell. Second, I cry whenever Santa's sleigh flies over the cynical New Yorkers' heads. I really love this movie.

5. It's a Wonderful Life: Classic.

Lisa 'in the holiday spirit' C