You can never make the same mistake twice because the second time you make it, it's not a mistake, it's a choice.

- Steven Denn

Sometimes, I get “nervous” sharing what I think, as I'm sure a lot of people do. I guess it comes down to being judged – people wondering who I'm talking about or what I'm talking about. And, sometimes, it's better not explaining the whole situation, since some topics are just too personal and better left unsaid. Some topics are from my past that have made me think numerous times. And some, are just from what I see around me.

This one here, is one of the ones that I will not get into too much detail about. It has been in my drafts for a couple of weeks now, since I have been back and forth about posting it. And truth be told, I have been busy with my family and other responsibilities. But Mark always says to just write about what's on my mind, and guess what?

[Source](https://media.giphy.com/media/1xNDVX4DV6B5vo6unw/giphy.gif)

Okay, back to my article – My apologies to the non-subscribers of Coil, but I will be sharing my deeper thoughts in the subscriber section only.

I am hopeful that others recognize that they are not alone in this world. Took me some time to truly understand that, but...

We all have our insecurities.

We all have our demons.

We all have our reasons.

At the end of the day, “Nobody puts baby in the corner”.

We all have our own ways of living.

We all have our own expectations.

If you do not know someone's story, then it's best not to judge. You just don't know what you don't know. Words and actions can both be hurtful and cause a lot of unnecessary drama.

Before we head over to the subscriber section, let me share this poem here below once again (it's my first poem ever, back in the day), for those who have missed it. I read this from time to time as a reminder, and I called it Success.

As you encounter a new phase in your life,

Make sure you take your time.

Know that what you are about to do,

Is what you want to do.

It has to be for yourself, and no one else.

You have to accept things in life,

Whether they are good or bad.

You have to accept yourself,

For who you are, and who you want to be.

Learn from your strengths and weaknesses.

Learn from the people who come and go.

Be strong through it all,

And take one day at a time.

Be proud of yourself when you've accomplished a goal.

A goal you've been working on for your life.

If you have a strong, kind heart through it all,

Then you’ve accomplished the greatest success in life.

You have become the strongest you could be.

You have become wise in the ways you know how.

And most importantly,

You have become the person you have wanted to be.

- Sandra Scala

Subscribe to coil, so that you can read the content below the line, and also from many other amazing creators. $5 per month really isn't all that bad, and well worth the extra content!

Here's a peek as to what it is about...

https://www.cinnamon.video/watch?v=386916310472198113

Thank you for reading, and as always, “Let's untangle our mind, and set it free...”.

The vacation we often need is freedom from our own mind.

– Jack Adam Weber

As many of you know, I am a last minute kind of person! I do things on the spur of the moment because I find it exciting, fun, and refreshing!

My girls were away for two weeks with their dad, so I wanted to surprise them and spend some quality time with them away from home, away from electronics, away from reality.

I just really didn't want to be stuck at home, so I planned a four night fishing trip away on the Spanish River – a place called Vance's Resort! A little mini vacation – west of Sudbury, if you can picture it that way, and a five hour drive for us!

Mark, the girls, my parents and I went. We ventured off and spent a beautiful time in the

It was so nice because there really wasn't anyone around. It was just what I needed! It was something we all needed!

You see, I'm one who tries different things to keep everything at peace – everyone happy, including myself. This whole new norm Covid thing has really thrown a loop, and honestly, we needed a change in scenery. Since we have been fortunate to do luxurious trips, I wanted to do something different. I wanted to go fishing and fry fish, and so that's just what we did! And although we only caught two that we were able to fry, it was still an amazing time!

Sometimes, we all need a break – a little vacation, so that we can refresh our mind, our souls. It gives us an opportunity to recharge and de-stress. And we take that time so that we can experience and appreciate our times together with the ones we love. All it takes sometimes, is to just get away from our daily routine. It helps to bring us closer to the ones we love, you know what I mean?

Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.

- Maya Angelou

I say – even if you aren't able to get out of the country, find a spot where you can go to relax and enjoy a change in scenery. It doesn't have to be expensive. It doesn't have to be far. AND, it doesn't have to be around a ton of people. It just has to be sufficient for you, your loved ones, and what you enjoy!

It honestly cleared my head – listening to the birds chirping, the bullfrogs. The splash of the waves from the boat. Playing cards with my family and having BBQ. We even did a stop on the way home so the girls (and Mimi) could get some swimming in!

Life is so short and precious. Every second counts for something, so try to enjoy as much of it as you can!

Below, are pictures from the trip for subscribers only! Have a beautiful Monday!

“Let's untangle our mind, and set it free...”

In my case, it's all three of my girls that are my treasure ...

There is nothing as powerful as a mother's love and nothing as healing as a child's soul.

- Unknown

This quote above is so true for me, although I can understand it may not be for others. As tough (tough love?) as it can be sometimes raising teenagers, my children do truly help me feel better. I've said it before, and I say it again -

And yep, I'm one of those moms who gets crazy busy at times, and then when my girls go to spend time with their dad, my times alone make me think too much, and get all emotional. It's like a part of me is missing, if that makes sense?

Every summer, the girls spend two weeks in July and two weeks in August with their dad. It's been that way since 2012. And every time I wave to say goodbye to them as he drives them away, a wave of emotions run through me. Worry for them runs through my mind, as I try to untangle the thoughts racing through, and busy myself with other things.

Even though people say it's nice to have a break, I miss my girls this week, and every time, ...

Sometimes, I just don't know what to do with my time. I have been able to get things done this week – some catching up with, but still.

All I can say is, this...

Always cherish your loved ones, and the times you have with them. Try not to dwell on things that are not worth it or out of your control. And more importantly, always let the ones you love know just how much you do love them and care for them. ❤️

It's crazy how time just slips by, and in a fraction of a moment, anything can happen. Then you could find yourself asking, “Why didn't I just do that?” or “Why didn't I just tell them?” or even “Why didn't I just show them?”.

There are so many things we can do, tell, and show the people we love just how much we care by acknowledging the little things that matter to us. Appreciation. Gratitude. It's all the little things because truth be told, we all deserve the loving and appreciation from those we care about, and we should always return that. Just imagine – it only takes a second of our time!!

Here's a video I did – just a short one...

https://www.cinnamon.video/watch?v=360069254273303807

❤️ LOVE THEM!!! ❤️

“Let's untangle our mind, and set it free...”

It's pretty cool when you get on social media, some of the people you meet, isn't it?! In particular, I have had the privilege of meeting (through social media, not in real life) and interviewing Matt Hamilton, a Software Developer and Developer Advocate at IBMDeveloper. He is well known as @HammerToe on Twitter, and just reached 10K Followers – CONGRATS Matt!! And, you can find his articles on Coil, here!

As some may know, I have interviewed Riley Q., Wietse Wind, and Colin the Crypto. I believe it's good to share personal experiences, as you allow your feelings and thoughts to flow, and we get personal in this article, in the Subscriber Only Section - such an inspiring story, from Matt!

First, let's get started with XRP related questions!

SANDRA: Matt, in your opinion, where do you see the price of XRP in one year, five years, and ten years?

MATT: XRP – OK.... so I'm not a great one for price predictions. I've only once done that, and I think I said $10 at the time XRP was about $2. I think over the space of 1 year, is really uncertain as the entire world's economy is so fragile right now, and still regulatory clarity missing from digital assets. As for 5 and 10 years...who knows...no one would have predicted the price Bitcoin rose over 10 years. But ok, what the hell... how about $5 in 5 years, and $20 in 10 years.

S: What are your thoughts on the preallocation theory and/or the Shane Ellis theory?

M: Preallocation and Shane Ellis....to be honest, I think most of those theories are just hopium and random junk statistics. I don't personally give them much weight. The Shane Ellis one talks about how little would be needed to buy up all the first levels of an exchanges order book. The problem with that, is that there is enough arbitrage going on at the moment, that anything like that would be pretty short lived. The price would spike up, followed by massive sales bringing the price back down again.

S: What are your thoughts on the recent PayID and PayPal announcements?

M: PayID: I'm *very* excited about this. It is such as simple protocol, but yet such a needed piece of the payment puzzle. Simple ideas are the best as they can be so widely implemented. I also see it as a chance to unify the cryptocurrency world some more and break down some of the tribal boundaries. I am already working on an idea for the PayID hackathon this next month.

PayPal: well, I'm not sure how much of an effect this will actually have. They have said they will allow purchasing of cryptocurrencies via them. But that doesn't mean they will be using them at all. And with the current state of the economy, does this really matter? Are you going to buy a bit of XRP or BTC when you need to put food on the table? Those that have the financial means to invest at the moment will no doubt already be doing so, it's not like we are short of cryptocurrency buying options or exchanges in most locations.

Now, if those two things combine then that could be cool... I didn't see any mention of Paypal using PayID, but being able to represent a PayPal address in a PayID would be very useful.

S: Do you care to speculate on what Polysign will provide and how it will affect the price of XRP?

As for Polysign.... that is an enigma, isn't it? Clearly they are up to something. For a while I thought it had all stopped as we didn't hear anything. But clearly they are working on something. And the very strong “no comment” from David Schwartz due to NDAs makes it certainly seem that it could be something juicy. My guess is pretty mundane and that it is just very high quality custodial solutions for institutional investment companies to hold cryptocurrencies... but it could be something far more 'left field' than that. Ripple kept PayID quiet until they announced it, and that is pretty revolutionary.

S: This is just so great, thank you for sharing your insight, Matt!!❤️

Let me say no more, as you read on to see how Matt “untangles his mind, and sets it free...” by sharing his personal life experiences and photos in the Subscriber Only section below!

My first question to Matt – Can you tell me a bit about yourself? (Who you are, what you do, your passions, family background).

For $5 a month, you can subscribe to Coil to continue reading, and also to explore the different content from the amazing creators found on this platform! Catch me on Twitter if you'd like to chat!

The meaning to my life, is my family. Without my family, I would be lost. And today, I felt like writing about my sister's special day.

I remember back seven years ago, when I was sitting on the train, on my way home from work.

I started writing a speech to my sister, for her wedding day. I was the Maid of Honor, and so of course, I also had a surprise for her! That, I will share in the Subscriber Only Section below.

But on that day home, I just let my mind roam, and here I am going to share that speech. But before I do, here, is a picture of us on her wedding day...

“Oh boy, here I am. In front of a wonderful crowd of family and friends who are here to share the joy of Josie and Tim's wedding today.

First – Tim, and Meg – on behalf of Mom, Dad, Gae, Yvonne, the girls and myself, we welcome you to our Scala family!

Now, I want to point out the day, the actual day of this special time. June 21st, the first day of Summer, which comes every year...who could pick such a better time?!

It's a time signifying new beginnings...births-signifying life; leaves filling bare trees, bringing them to life; flowers blooming-signifying beauty; the flowing of the oceans and waters-signifying purity; the ground filling with bright green grass-signifying growth and earth; and most importantly, love..love is in the air, don't you think? Not just love, love, which is why we are here today, but love in the circle of life, everything about Summer brings us joy and happiness, and love....

Josie and Tim are brought together within this circle of life...how amazing is that? And now, they will begin their life, as husband and wife, as lovers, as soulmates...they will begin their journey, together, as a couple, with Meaghan under their wings. A trio, a beautiful, astonishing trio, who are all joined together to spend the rest of their lives together...

For those of you who really know us, Jos and I go way back. Borne into this world as twins....inseparable. Same kind of clothes, same friends, heck-even the same campus for college...

But..we have different minds, different personalities, different ways of doing things...and even though we have our differences, we were, and are, always the other half. Together, we are like two peas in a pod. We've had some arguments, of course, but we've always stuck by one another. We've always told each other the truth. We've never let each other down.

We argue about who's more beautiful, and today, I can finally win the argument that she is. We argue about who loves each other more....today, I can answer that. It's not about who loves each other more, it's about the bond we share. There is never a doubt about our love for each other...and today, I look at the love that she is spreading elsewhere – to her husband, and to his little girl...and together, they are now one family. You can't beat that. It's a wonderful feeling to know that you are loved, cared for... and it's also a wonderful feeling to be in love...

Jos, I could go on forever. I could talk about all the little things we've done. But, you know what? Those little things are the things we cherish, and I will always cherish for as long as I'm here...

I want you to enjoy this day, your day. This is your life, and you deserve so much to be happy with Tim and Meg. You deserve the world Jos, and I love you so much.

I am only a bbm away. I will always be your big sister looking down on you, even if it's only 17 minutes!! I will always be here. I am nothing without you, Jos. You are my hero. You're everything I wish I could be. You're a part of my heart. You make me who I am today...

You are an awesome aunt, to my little girls. A great sister, to Gae and Yvonne. A lovely daughter, to mom and dad. An amazing mother, to Meg. An amazing lover, to Tim. And for me, you are the best thing that's ever happened to me, my twin sister. My soulmate...

I have one more surprise for you Jos...Uncle Brian...

And of course, there were many tears – it was a beautiful night indeed!! Tears shed, lots of dancing, great food, and yes, beverages!!

Josie and Tim's wedding song was “Then” by Brad Paisley. Such a beautiful song, for a beautiful couple!

https://youtu.be/81on1ZFE63w

They just celebrated seven years together, and I did a short video for them. If you are a subscriber to Coil and Cinnamon, you can see it here before heading to the section below, where you can also find out what my uncle and I did for her, as well as some extra pictures!

https://www.cinnamon.video/watch?v=351311246059898075

Thank you for reading, have a beautiful weekend!

“Let's untangle our mind, and set it free...”

Header Image

Embrace the unexpected. The things we never saw coming often take us to the places we never imagined we could go.

Wait, what? I can't be...!!

But it was true, and it was a surprise at that...

I ... WAS ... PREGNANT ... AGAIN !!!

On November 10, 2006, my third (and last) daughter, Clarissa, was born. Just eight days shy of Madison's first birthday (almost Irish Twins!!).

We never planned on having another child, it just happened. BUT, I am I SO thankful to have been blessed!! ❤️

If you haven't seen my articles about my two older girls, you can find them here: Julianna (A Birth Story – A doctor or a midwife?) and Madison (My love for my daughter...).

It's funny because now that the girls are older – they say, “MOM, you got pregnant on Valentine's Day!! ... two times in a row??!!!” I just laugh at them .... okay girls, a little TMI here!! 🤨😇

When Clarissa was born, they called her the “miracle” baby. She was an easy delivery, but she came out with two knots in her umbilical cord. TWO!! How the heck she survived, I have no idea, but I call myself one lucky Momma!!

I remember the days when I was working and pregnant, I craved Japanese food. I HAD to get to the food court at lunch so that I could have my Teriyaki, rice, and salad! YUM! And now, today, Clarissa is the one who tries every kind of food – you name it! It's awesome – she likes food that is spicy and unique (even oysters!)!

But you know, even though she was unexpected, I am SO grateful for her, for all the little things she does for me and our family.

*She is beautiful* and I am so proud of who she is becoming! She looks up to her sister, Madison, a lot. I will admit, she and Julianna tend to bump heads at time, but I guess that's the way siblings are, right?! Three girls, one year apart, watch out for the hormones!!!

At a young age, we learned that Clarissa has Tourette's Syndrome. From time to time, she had her tiks, mostly when stressed, and she still gets them from time to time. The sounds, the eye twitching, the head and body movements. I remember one time when a friend of mine made a joke to her about it, and after I asked Clarissa to leave, I explained to my friend that Clarissa has no idea that she's doing those movements. I was not upset at my friend, most people just don't know. I explained it to her, and now she understands.

And Clarissa now, realizes most times when she is involuntarily doing “something”. If I catch it, I will gently nudge her and remind her – and she will help herself to control it.

I was worried about this, because there was some teasing at school, but like I said earlier – Clarissa is a funny one. A comedian I call her! She brushes it off as best as she can, looking the other way...

I do know that deep down, it hurts her feelings. Why wouldn't it?! She has a heart of gold. For example, there have been two comments on my Tik Tok that have upset her, and she was the first to comment back to them!! I can't believe how she just sticks up for me like that, and I was like, WOW!!!! Yet, at the same time, it's not her job to, really...she's a kid! But, it's also in her nature, and I'm not going to tell her not to do it. She doesn't like to see me hurting. Period. Or her sisters, and she will say how she feels. I'm not going to ask her to hide her emotions, because truth is, they need to be expressed.

Clarissa is truly always thinking about others. There was a time when I was single with the three of them – Clarissa must have been about six years old – and we went shopping. She knew about my tunnel vision (I have been as honest as I can be about it with the girls once they were old enough to understand), and she would hide in my blind spot, then would start laughing because she saw me looking around for her like crazy!! But then, what happened was so beautiful .... she grabbed my hand and said, “Come on Mommy, I'm going to guide you so you don't trip”. 😭😭

To this day, if I don't have Mimi by my side, she wants to be the one who holds my hand, so I don't trip or bump into anything. And I'm a mom, so I will take the hand ANYTIME! When ANY of my girls want to!!

But you know what it is? These are my special moments, and the thing is, not every day is perfect. I'm still a parent. I still have the times when I need to repeat myself and ask them all to do things, but that's how it goes. And when Clarissa does things – she does it to perfection – so neat, and “perfect” (yes, OCD runs in our family!)!!

To finish this article off, Clarissa graduated Grade 8 yesterday. Yes, I had tears in my eyes – my baby isn't so little anymore, and she received the Generosity Award!! I am SO proud of her and what she has accomplished thus far, and I can't believe how fast time really flies!

Here are some pictures from last night...

If I had to say something to a new mom, I would say – enjoy EVERY minute of it!! There are going to be ups and downs ... just don't wish for time to speed up, because the early years, the every day – are the days that count!

I've had friends that talk bad about their kids – I've heard them wish things that aren't nice, and it truly does sicken me. It saddens me that people can talk that way. I don't understand it, and so I distance myself from those people...

Cherish the time you do have with your children, and don't beat yourself up over every little thing that you think goes wrong. Kids are kids. They adjust to new surroundings, new challenges – they just need to know and feel how much they are loved. And this, is what I strive to do every day!

I am so grateful for my children, and the times that they have taught me what life is all about – love, family, and memories. I look forward to each and every moment more that I get to spend with them!❤️

here is a video of Clarissa when she was younger – it's one of my favourites!!

https://www.cinnamon.video/watch?v=349157954584314971

Below, I share a family tradition! Thank you so much for reading!

“Let's untangle our mind, and set it free...”