SCUBA diving and fear

SCUBA diving is something I've wanted to do for many years, since I was a teenager. I never took the opportunity to learn, but kept it in the back of my mind of desires for "someday". My new husband (read my posts on planning the wedding and changing my name) learned to SCUBA dive when he was stationed in Hawaii several years ago and has been encouraging me to learn. For my birthday, the wonderful man bought me my first diver certification lessons. I have now completed the classroom portion and the first closed water (swimming pool) dive. First, I must say that the initial going under water while breathing is really scary. The survival instinct is so strong that your brain starts screaming, "you can't breathe under water, stop inhaling". Coupled with the loss of control of being suspended in water, it's a scary experience. Fortunately, my instructor is really patient and let me continue at my pace. I can do all of the required skills and had no problems once I got over the "I'm breathing underwater". The loss of control is ok once you realize that all you have to do is inflate your BC and you'll be above water and remembering that as long as you have air in your tank, you're fine.
I have my open water certification dives in a couple of weeks and am still nervous, but I've almost convinced myself that it'll be ok. Check back for the open water post, but the reason I posted this is to say that if you want to do something, GO FOR IT. Don't let your fear stop you. As adults, we know all of the bad things that can happen, but statistically, it won't. Squash the fear and do it anyway. Once you've done it and survived, the next time won't be so scary. My instructor reminded me of learning to drive. The first few months, I drove with my entire body completely stiff, both hands gripping the wheel, scared to death something would happen. Now, I drive laid back, one hand on the wheel, totally and completely relaxed and enjoying controlling a powerful machine. I'm trying to look at diving the same way. The first dives are gonna be scary, but once I get them over with, the rest will all be fun.
I also think that parents should encourage their children to learn really scary stuff early. Once you're a grown up, you are much more fearful of new experiences. Kids aren't. They don't understand mortality or all of the things that can happen to you so they are much more eager to try new things. Let them, encourage them, get them involved in many different activities. When we have children, I plan to teach them to dive when they are very young so they will never be scared. Don't teach your kids to be scared, and they won't be. My mom was always so afraid that I would be hurt that I have always been fearful of anything dangerous. I don't want my children to be the same way because it's hard to overcome. So, if you want to do something, do it. Teach your kids to do it, too. Squash the fear! :)

volunteer, fundraise, do something

There are innumerable causes with which you may become involved. Pick one that means something to you and help out. The cause will benefit from your time and/or money, and you will benefit from the great feeling of helping others. I don't mean that you need to give all of your money to charity or spend every waking moment volunteering. Pick one cause, helping homeless dogs or walking to raise funds or reading to elderly people, and do it. I have recently re-begun helping a dog rescue organization. For the last two years, I have not been spending any time on charities and began to realize that I was unhappy with myself. After transporting two dogs (all rescue groups need "taxi" service), I felt so good for helping them on their way to a new, happy, loving home. There is something great about helping out that makes you feel wonderful. I think if unhappy people, those people that don't really know why they're unhappy, volunteered for something, they would find their attitudes changing and find themselves becoming happier. For me, volunteering and working for a cause gives me more purpose and direction than the day-to-day obligations. Many people think they don't have the time to volunteer, but they're wrong. You can spend 1 or 2 hr a week on a service and still really help an organization. If you have children, get them involved, too. Children who learn to volunteer and help others become better adults. Let the kids decide what they are interested in and what they want to do. Go to an animal shelter and play with the animals. What kids don't want to play with dogs and cats? There are several websites that will direct you to possible volunteer opportunities. Just Google "volunteer" and your location.
Do Something!

heartworms is preventable, why don't people give their dogs medication?

Heartworms, long, spaghetti like worms that infest the hearts of dogs and, sometimes, cats, are deadly and preventable. Dogs should take a monthly preventative like Heartgard or Tri-heart, and they will not become infested with these deadly worms. Since this medication is easily obtainable through any local vet, why do people refuse to give it to their dogs? I volunteer for a rescue group and picked up two dogs from their owner this last weekend. The owner was turning them into rescue because she could no longer care for them due to family trouble. This is what she told the rescue intake people of our organization. Well, as this may well be true, it is not the whole story. Once we got the dogs to the vet and checked out, we found that they were both heartworm positive. These dogs were strictly outside dogs (another rant I will get on if given the chance) and, as such, are at a higher risk of contracting all kinds of parasites. They should've had a monthly pill to prevent the heartworms. The treatment for heartworms is costly and difficult for the dog. Some dogs are not strong enough to survive it, even young dogs. Would you want long, icky worms living in your HEART??? Of course not, so why do people subject their companions to it when it is completely preventable? If you can not afford the medication, then you can not afford a dog and should not get one!

Always Flowers and Absolutely Flowers in McDonough Georgia

Always Flowers and Gifts, who is owned by Absolutely Flowers, located in McDonough Georgia will rip you off. For my grandmother's funeral, I ordered, online, a bouquet of white roses and white lilies. I paid for a deluxe version. Since I don't live there, they apparently thought I would never see them. Well, I fooled them because I actually attended the viewing and funeral. The bouquet was very small and not at all what it looked to be on the website. Considering how much I paid for it, I complained to the owner. Vanessa Hays, the owner, told me it was my fault because that's what I chose and insinuated that I was too stupid to read the measurements on the website. If the measurements are listed for the base version and you order the deluxe, don't you expect it to be larger? She started reading me some flower recipe, like I had any idea what she was talking about, and kept telling me that I chose it and I should've known that the picture was not what it would be because photography is deceiving. It's their website, their company, so I think they are responsible for how it looks. She repeatedly cut me off when I tried to speak and repeatedly told me "that's what you ordered". Well, no, I ordered what the bouquet looked like on the internet. She kept saying how her customers are always complaining when they order something on the internet. Maybe she should read into that and realize that she has a problem with her website? I tried to explain to her that people who don't do flowers have no idea what the measurements mean or that the picture is not what the arrangement will look like and that she should put the recipe on the website. That, she told me, is too much trouble and they just buy the website from someone else, blah, blah, blah. It is her company and, therefore, her responsibility to maintain a website that is real and true to what you order. I will never order from them again.