I think that most women take on so much responsibility in their journey through life that sooner or later everything feels like TOO DAMN MUCH PRESSURE. We get up early, stay up late, skip meals, let our personal agenda go for this cause and that cause. We miss out on parties and other social events, let our hair go, our bodies go, forget to pay a bill, remember, too late, to thaw something out for dinner. The laundry piles up, the kid has a cold, the dog needs vaccinations, husband's suit needs to go to the cleaners........

You might feel like screaming, running away and never looking back. A night out with the girls is no more than, LOL for the thought and keep loading that dishwasher. Got to be to work early today to learn that new computer software they just changed over to. It goes on and on and you are sure you're going to snap. Oh yeah, can't snap today because there is something important you have to do at 3 PM. Maybe you can find some time tomorrow to fall apart. Then again, why not ask for a raise to at best, mask the feelings of frustration?

Over the years I have learned to do all kinds of physical labor, most often done in order to survive whatever chaos came crashing through my front door. It was a form of survival and I learned to do most things, damn near as good as the pros. My bag of tricks grew as i passed from one point in my life's journey to the next. Life offered me opportunity to hone my learning and become skillful in my crafts. I developed a reputation amongst friends, family and co-workers that sometimes proceeded me in calling. It is not like I am some kind of Super Woman, Yet pople grew to expect that, "I could, I would, I can and I do"....and "I will".

This is the story of a one eyed minnow.

It is a fishing story.

Fishing for Yellow Perch is one of my favorite ways to spend some time relaxing. A day on the lake can rejuvenate my spirits and rebuild my hope when life seems to be pushing me down. I hit the bait store first and find out where the fish are biting. Then I head to the marina and load up the boat for a day on the lake. I always make sure to have plenty of minnows for the trip. Last thing I want is to run out of bait. By chance I might get in to a school of frantically biting fish and not limit out because there was not enough bait.. Yellow perch are particularly fond of lively minnows.

The fish are biting like crazy and you are down to your last few minnows.... Not a successful situation to be in. There are still quite a few fish to catch before you are at your limit. The last Yellow Perch ripped your minnow so bad that the eye socket is all that is there on the left side of your minnow. The eyeball itself is two inches away from the hook on a lower portion of the fishing line. That damn minnow is a tough one. You have caught two fish with it already. You check to see if there is any life left in it as you dangle it in the water and wait to see the tail flip or the gills open and close.

You peer long and hard and smile with satisfaction as the sorry ass minnow wiggles a bit. You release the bail and lower the minnow baited hook, back in to action. There might just be one more fish caught from that one eyed minnow.

The Pains Of Success

The screaming cramps in her right hand jolted her awake with a pain so intense that she felt there would be no tomorrow. Rubbing her forearm and in to her palm, she sat up in the bed with the speed of a hibernating Grizzly Bear. All of her muscles ached with the same intense pain she was rubbing her arm for. She looked toward the night stand that revealed her a time of 3:AM. The cramp had subsided but left her mind in a state of alert that could only be faced with a trip to the toilet and a cup of stale coffee. She might as well get up and let the dogs out because they had grown accustomed to this nightly ritual.

The old lady went through some sort of rude awakening almost like clock work, most nights. As she clipped the dog to the chain on the wall she envisioned that one eyed minnow.

That was the instant she made up her mind to ask the boss for a raise.

As she walked to the coffee pot to empty the stale remains in to her cup you could hear her mutter.....

"Super Woman, don't you think it is time you give yourself a raise?"