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Posts Tagged ‘life’

Friday’s Fresh Five! (4/1/11)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Entertainment, Health, Holidays, inspiration, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 1, 2011| 4 Comments »

It all started with burning the cookies – then the day proceeded to deteriorate rapidly. Somehow the parchment paper on the cookie sheet caught on fire, which set off the smoke alarm. In an effort to get relief from the loud, high-pitched shrieks coming from the alarm, my freaked-out dog tore out of the house, ripping through the family room screen door in the process! To make matters worse, once outside he spied a squirrel sitting on the bird feeder and decided to give it chase. I had no choice but to leave my smokey house and chase after my four-legged friend. Breathless and without shoes, I found my dog a block away and hauled him back home – just in time to see a fire truck pulling away! As I climbed up my driveway I saw a note taped to my front door which was curiously wide open. The note read: April Fools! None of the incidents you just read about actually occurred (thank goodness!) as they were just a product of my over active April Fool’s Day imagination! Happy April Fool’s Day!

#1 – Extraordinary Things
This is not a matter of imagination. People who believe in miracles see them all the time. Others are blind to the many special or extraordinary moments that fill their everyday lives. Reading 40 Extraordinary Things Happening Right Now reminds the reader that everyday occurrences are really small miracles, that these moments need to be appreciated, and suggests that the potential of mankind is in the small things we do everyday.

#2 – Tennis, Anyone?
I’m the only one in my family who doesn’t play tennis. Well, that’s not completely true – lately I’ve been practicing my tennis skills at my desk! Sometimes when I need a short breather from the computer, I play a quick game of tennis. Beating the computer is my goal, so I practice keeping my eye on the ball and calculating the angles of the bounce! With the crowd cheering me on, how could I lose? Tennis, anyone?

#3 – Reuse It!
The next time you go out for a scoop of gelato, don’t throw away the colorful plastic cup it was served in – reuse it! I find these small cups make perfect scoops for dog food, bird seed, flour, rice, and so on. Not only are they a good size to use for scoops, they are also durable and cute!

#4 – Salt Warning
After eating a sodium-heavy meal, I can usually see the effects on my body the next day: the scale reports a 1-2 pound gain; the pants won’t button; the wedding ring won’t come off. But what I can’t see is even more disturbing. From the latest issue of Nutrition Action Newsletter, published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, come these scary tidbits of information:

“A high-salt meal can stiffen your arteries within 30 minutes. Arteries that lose their ability to expand when they need to can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and cognitive decline.”

In the same issue, but in a different article, the nutritional breakdown for a Wendy’s Baconator Double and a Burger King’s Triple Whopper with Cheese is mentioned. With 1,590 mg and 1,550 mg of sodium, respectively, these burgers provide a full day’s supply of sodium in just one sandwich. Like I always tell my kids, “Choose wisely!”

#5 – Two on Strength
“Anyone can give up, it’s the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that’s true strength.”
Unknown

“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”
Mahatma Gandhi

Enjoy the sunshine and your weekend!!

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Excuse My Dust!

Posted in About me, inspiration, Kids, Parenting, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 29, 2011| 1 Comment »

Cleaning and scrubbing

can wait till tomorrow . . .

for babies grow up

we’ve learned to

our sorrow . . .

So quiet down cobwebs . . .

dust go to sleep . . .

I’m rocking my baby

and

Babies don’t keep!!

Over thirty years ago, when my eyesight was keener and my fingers more nimble, I meticulously stitched those words into a wall hanging for my sister who was awaiting the birth of her first child. A few years passed and I had children of my own. And even though I didn’t have a little wall hanging to remind me of the sentiment, I never forgot the message behind those few simple words.

As each of my children entered the world and grew up in what seems like a nanosecond, I experienced first hand how “babies don’t keep.” Being mindful of the words I once stitched, I set my priorities early on and quit my job to care for my children. My goal was to raise bright, responsible, and caring individuals in the relatively short amount of time I had them at home. Moments, like watching their first wobbly steps, saying goodbye to them at the kindergarten gate, feigning calm during their frightening driving lessons, and dropping them off at college, etc., were bittersweet ones. Recognizing fully that each milestone reached was just another step towards my goal, I also acknowledged that it was another step towards their independence. I knew we would never pass this way again and nothing was more important to me than them.

That’s not to say, though, that I never lost perspective. There were times that I turned into an occasional, PMS-possessed, crazed mom! When the weariness of refereeing between bickering kids and when the endless washing, cleaning, cooking and driving devoured my life, I was hard-pressed to remember the words of the poem. But somehow these words would gradually float back into my consciousness and help me adjust my perspective.

The kids are all out of the house now and, thankfully, they still call to chat and ask for recipes. They’re off doing their own things, but I still think about the “Babies Don’t Keep” poem. I’ve taken that poem and transformed it into a message that applies to something broader – life. Life is all about choices and priorities, right? For me, my family and friends are high priorities, but my house, not so much. I’ll never be a tidy housekeeper like my mom or some of my friends, because having a clean house just isn’t important to me. My house isn’t filthy, by any means, but there’s huge room for improvement! But because I’ve learned that kids grow up fast and, more importantly, I’ve learned that life passes by much too quickly, I do the things I want to do and not have to do!

So beware, be prepared, and take caution when you enter my home! But most of all remember these words:

Cleaning and scrubbing

can wait till tomorrow . . .

for dreams disappear

I’ve learned to

my sorrow . . .

so let there be cobwebs . . .

dust bunnies mate . . .

I’m living life fully

’cause

life doesn’t wait!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (3/25/11)

Posted in About me, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 25, 2011| Leave a Comment »


He: What’s this in the freezer?
Me: Oh, it’s a container of hailstones.
He: Hailstones?
Me: Yeah, I saved some for you.
He: Why?
Me: Because I didn’t want you to miss out.
He: Miss out on what?
Me: Miss out on seeing the hail! We had two huge hailstorms pass through and I wanted you to see what you missed!
He: Why?
Me: Because I love you and like to share things with you! Why else?!
He: Can we throw it away now?

It’s obvious from this conversation that I was the only one in my family excited by the powerful weather that passed over us this week. In the midst of thunder cracking and hail flying, I crazily grabbed my camera and ran outside to see if I could capture the event. Photos don’t do the forces of nature justice. Only white streaks can be seen in the photos as the hails stones were hurled to the ground and frankly, without the sound effects of the roaring thunder and the pounding hail, it’s just not the same! That is how I rationalize saving the hailstones for my husband – he had to see them with his own eyes!

#1 – F.Y.I.
Have you ever wondered how hail stones are formed? According to Wikipedia: Unlike ice pellets, hail stones are layered and can be irregular and clumped together. Hail is composed of transparent ice or alternating layers of transparent and translucent ice at least 1 millimetre (0.039 in) thick, which are deposited upon the hail stone as it cycles through the cloud multiple times, suspended aloft by air with strong upward motion until its weight overcomes the updraft and falls to the ground. Now you know!

#2 – Earth From Above
Earth From Above is a collection of incredible photographs taken across six continents by aerial photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand.

#3 – Two Wolves – A Cherokee Parable
I found this parable on Global One TV and thought it worthy of sharing:

An old Cherokee chief was teaching his grandson about life…

“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.
“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.”

“One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, self-doubt, and ego.”

“The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.”

“This same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather,
“Which wolf will win?”

The old chief simply replied,
“The one you feed.”

Author Unknown

#4 – Fitness Tips
I often read articles from the Men’s Health Magazine and found this one full of helpful suggestions. After reading The 100 Best Fitness Tips, I am more motivated than ever to work out! And that’s saying a lot!

#5 – Who Holds You Back?
It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.
-Anonymous

Have a great weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (3/18/11)

Posted in About me, Entertainment, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on March 18, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Get out the umbrellas again! Another weekend of rain is approaching! As I sat at my desk this morning thinking about the rain, my thoughts turned to umbrellas. And while thinking about umbrellas, I happily remembered some umbrellas I photographed while in Italy. The thought of them instantly transported me to a beautiful summer day in Cinque Terre where I snapped photo after photo of these colorful, sun-loving umbrellas from the window of my hotel room. Reliving that moment made me smile and forget about the dismal weather outside. But despite my whining about wet and soggy days, I am ever appreciative of having a roof over my head and a loving family around me. All is put into perspective, when considering the misfortune and struggles of others.

#1 – Before and After
Before and after satellite photos of the areas most hard hit by the earthquake and the ensuing tsunami in Japan tell a horrible story of devastation that words inadequately try to describe. To view the before and after photographs from this New York Times interactive presentation, slide the center bar to the right or left to see entire photographs.

#2 – Donations
As I watched the videos coming out of Japan, I knew I had to help in some way. There are so many legitimate organizations poised to help the Japanese people, but there are many fraudulent ones as well. To make sure my donation reached those in need, I sought out two reputable organizations. Please consider making a donation to assist with the Japanese relief effort. To make it easier for you, here are the links:

The Salvation Army

American Red Cross

After selling lemonade for three and a half hours, a group of nine-year-old children in Northern California raised over $300 dollars to help the Japanese. And out of the mouth of babes, one of them very wisely said, “You can do anything from any place you are.”  Life’s teachers and life’s lessons come in many different forms and sizes.

#3 – Knoword Game
Want to play a fun and challenging game that will expand your vocabulary? Here’s how to play Knoword: When you begin, you will be given one randomly generated dictionary definition along with the first letter of its corresponding word. You must fill in the rest of the word to experience a gain in points and an added time bonus. You will start off with one minute before the game ends, and every word is an opportunity to extend your time. If you’re ever stuck on a word, just hit the skip button and a new puzzle will present itself. If you’re able to string together correct answers, you will notice your Word streak counter increasing. You can accumulate badges and additional points by achieving certain amounts of consecutively correct words… How far can you get?

Even though I’m not very good at this game, I find it addictive!

#4 – Foods That Aid Productivity
Looking for ways to become more productive? Perhaps you have to look no farther than your own diet. This article provides an easy-to-read chart which lists 100 foods and the ways they affect our bodies and ultimately assist our production. Wow, I never knew that pound cake improves digestion and sleep!

#5 – What I Can Do
I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. ~Edward Everett Hale

Stay dry and safe this weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (3/4/11)

Posted in About me, Entertainment, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on March 4, 2011| 1 Comment »

Sometimes life calls for us to be resourceful and to improvise with what we’ve got. The squirrels in my yard do all that and more. Last week when the sky unzipped and let out a torrential downpour, I spied something unusual as I walked across my family room towards the French doors. Moving very slowly across my deck was a squirrel’s tail with seemingly no body attached! “How could just the tail walk?” I murmured to myself as I leaned in for a closer look. Peering through the glass panes, I could make out the rest of the squirrel’s body. While nibbling on sunflower seeds, that had blown down from a feeder during the storm, this clever rodent had flipped his tail over the top of his body to shield himself from the deluge! Despite the fact that I’ve had minor struggles with squirrels in my attic and in my yard, I laughed and gave this guy a thumb’s up!

#1 – Make Lists to Lift Your Spirits
Whenever you need a pick-me-up consider making a list. Demanding Joy is a lovely site where I found an article entitled, “50 Lists to Write to Lift Your Spirits.” The author provides 50 thought-provoking topics which you can personalize. For example, make a list of the things you’re good at or list the ways you have grown since your early 20’s. The author says of these lists, “They’re sort of an inventory of your life and all the good things in it.”

#2 – How Well Do You Multitask?
Considering I’m a mom, I thought I’d mastered the art of multitasking. Well, after playing these multitasking games for a while, I’m apparently not as good at it as I thought! A note of warning: if you play these games at work, turn your computer’s volume down, lest the electronic-sounding music give you away!

#3 – Past and Present
By superimposing photos from the past onto scenes of today, this interesting collection of photographs pulls the past into the present.

#4 – Time to Burn Those Calories!
Here’s a calorie burn calculator that does the opposite of what most calorie counters do. Instead of telling how many calories different activities burn, this calculator tells you how long it will take you to burn “X” number of calories at that activity. For example, for me to burn off 2000 calories, I would need to do high impact aerobics for 5 hours, 1 minute and 53 seconds or I could do computer work for 17 hours, 46 minutes and 40 seconds!

#5 – Apologizing
Apologizing does not always mean that you are wrong and the other person is right. It just means that you value your relationship more than your ego.
Anonymous

No matter what the weather, have a wonderful weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (2/25/11)

Posted in About me, Health, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Jewelry, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on February 25, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Outside there’s nothing but rain. But, metaphorically speaking, rain falls inside too – it falls into each of our lives, sometimes in “drizzles” and sometimes in “downpours.” How we weather our storms depends on our outlook. We can choose to simply drown or we can let the waters cleanse our perspective and refresh our purpose.

#1 – Gift of Hope Update
My friend Laura, whose inspirational story I wrote about in Laura’s Gift of Hope, just received the most wonderful and miraculous news – she is in remission! Thanks to all who sent prayers and positive energy her way! But let’s not forget about the others who continue their fight against cancer. For as little as $25.00 you can spread cheer and give hope by donating a Gift of Hope (a bouquet of daffodils) or a Bear of Hope (a Boyds Bear stuffed animal for pediatric cancer patients), both of which are delivered anonymously to someone undergoing cancer treatment during the American Cancer Society’s Daffodil Days, the week of March 22nd. Mahatma Gandhi once stated, “Be the difference you want to see in the world.” The last day to donate online is Monday, February 28th. To be the difference to someone, click here to donate.

#2 – Words and Images
More photos with food-for-thought quotes – check out the slide show at Pix Placcebo. My favorite slide? It has to be, “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” Mother Teresa

#3 – Oatmeal at McDonald’s?
Since I eat oatmeal every morning and know that it’s been a factor in lowering my blood cholesterol, I was happy to see that McDonald’s is advertising and selling “healthy” oatmeal for breakfast. Then I read this article, How to Make Oatmeal . . . Wrong and was shocked to learn that “. . . the McDonald’s product contains more sugar than a Snickers bar and only 10 fewer calories than a McDonald’s cheeseburger or Egg McMuffin.”

#4 – Baking Soda Is Not Just for Baking!
One of the major ingredients in my Fizzy Bath Bombs recipe is baking soda. It’s the component that softens the water. There are many, many other uses for baking soda – 57 to be exact, according to an article in Everyday Wisdom. For example, entries 1, 2, and 3:

1. One of the most popular uses for baking soda is to deodorize your refrigerator. Just place an open container inside, stir every couple of weeks, replace it every couple of months.

2. After you have used the baking soda in the refrigerator, don’t throw it away! Put it in the sink drain or garbage disposal. Add a cup of vinegar and let it stand overnight. Run hot water through it in the morning; it will help keep drains clean and smelling fresh.

3. One of the more important uses for baking soda: Keep a box of baking soda near the stove. In case of a grease fire, you can sprinkle baking soda on the fire to extinguish the flames. This will not damage counter tops or the pans. It is safe for use on electrical fires.

#5 – Two Quotes That Make a Difference

The purpose of life is not to be happy – but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you have lived at all.
~Leo Rosten

Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.
~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Linnell’s Notes on Her Design Concept for Laura’s Layered Necklace
In order of bottom layer to top:

The Swarovski crystal: Pink represents the color of breast cancer awareness.
The base layer: “Hope is an anchor for the soul.” Hebrews 6:19
The oval ring: Faith is constant and frames our hope.
The heart: Love makes us whole.

Make a difference to someone this weekend!

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Laura’s Gift of Hope

Posted in Helping Others, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on February 16, 2011| 7 Comments »

Can numbers tell a story of courage and inspiration? Consider the staggering numbers in this story and the incredible story in its numbers.

The house is peacefully quiet and broad bands of sunlight stream into the room through large windows as my friend Laura eases herself into a comfortable recliner that is her safe haven for most of the day. An eight-inch scar races down her abdomen and painfully reminds her of her sixth cancer-related surgery. With her aging dog lying at her feet, she shows me colored photos of the cancerous “stalactites” that peppered her peritoneum, the membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity. I am in awe of her while she calmly reminds me about the details of her eleven-year fight against three primary forms of cancer. While most of us would be daunted by the prospect of a single round of chemotherapy, Laura is about to begin her fourth – she has Stage 4 peritoneal cancer. Saying that Laura is one of the most courageous and inspirational people I know is clearly an understatement and is one that I wish I didn’t have to make.

“What do you say to yourself every morning when you wake up? What gives you the strength to get through the hard days?” “What words keep coming back to you as you go on this journey?” A couple of weeks ago I asked Laura to think of several words that answer these questions. Because she is a gift to me, I want to make a gift for her. I want to know what “her words” are so that I can make an indelible version of them for her to wear close to her heart – in a necklace. The words come easily to her: “Faith, Hope, and Love.”

As bright as the sunlight that streams into the room, so is Laura’s hope. The mere fact that Laura is involved in fundraising for three major cancer organizations while in the throes of her own battle is proof. As an eight-year active volunteer for her county’s American Cancer Society’s Daffodil Days Campaign, Laura has an ambitious goal. She hopes that during Daffodil Days as many cancer patients as possible will be able to receive a Gift of Hope. A Gift of Hope is a bouquet of daffodils that is donated anonymously and is delivered to someone undergoing cancer treatment during Daffodil Days. She vividly recalls the day, more than a decade ago and during one of her chemotherapy sessions, when a stranger walked into the room and handed her a bouquet of cheerful yellow daffodils. That person was a cancer survivor and an ACS volunteer. Laura’s eyes light up as she explains to me how much receiving that bouquet meant to her that day. Her emotional words and her dedication to this campaign make it clear just how very much that bouquet means to her even now.

Last September Laura and nine of her friends participated in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Walking thirty-nine miles over a two-day period can be a grueling task, but for Laura, who had just finished her third round of chemotherapy, and her friends, each step gave them another measure of hope. With Laura by their side as an inspirational guide, they all completed their 39-mile journey and raised almost $40,000 to go towards breast cancer screening, support, treatment, and research.

Laura is a gift to all who know her and is a gift of hope for all cancer patients that she tirelessly raises money for in an effort to find cures. If her story inspires you or if you want to bring hope to people facing cancer and help save lives through cancer research, please consider donating a Gift of Hope during the American Cancer Society’s Daffodil Days Campaign. You can access Laura’s Daffodil Days donation page by clicking here. Online orders can be made through February 28th. Laura and I thank you.

“Hope is like a road in the country; there was never a road, but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence.”
Lin Yutang

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (2/11/11)

Posted in About me, Entertainment, Gardening, Holidays, inspiration, Photography, Recipes, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on February 11, 2011| Leave a Comment »

The sun bathes my skin in warmth as I tend to the rose bushes in my garden. The hard work of pruning is finished, but I am far from done with my work. To receive gifts of magnificent blooms, such as the heavenly one in the photo taken last year, the bushes need a little more TLC. What living thing on this earth does not benefit from a little extra love?

#1 – How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
Instead of buying Valentine’s Day cards at the grocery store, try doing this for each special person in your life. In your own imperfect handwriting, make a list of all the reasons you love him/her. At the top of your paper write Twenty Reasons Why I Love You and begin your list. Obviously 20 is just a number used as an example. Don’t stop at 20 if you have more reasons why you love this person. Think about what this person does that makes you smile or laugh. Consider the ways this person allows you to be yourself. Write down how you feel when you are around this person. What does this person bring to your life? You get my drift. What better Valentine’s Day gift than telling your special people what is truly in your heart!

#2 – Kiss Me Pink
Like to sip on cocktails, but, for whatever reason, don’t want the alcohol? DrinkAlternatives.Com has a list of Non-Alcoholic Mocktails Recipes that you’ll want to check out. Here’s a recipe from the list that would be perfect for a Valentine’s Day brunch:

Kiss Me Pink Mocktail
Ingredients:
* 1/4 cup sparkling cider
* 1/4 cup cranberry juice
* 1/4 cup pineapple juice
* whipped cream

Recipe: Mix sparkling cider with pineapple and cranberry juice. Top with whipped cream.

Garnish: Add a small lime slice and a maraschino cherry on top.

Serve: Champagne flute

#3 – Best Movies to Watch on Valentine’s Day
I love watching chick-flicks and all I can say is thank goodness I have sons who like to watch scary or deep, dark, action movies with my husband. Here’s a list of movies more to my liking – Better Homes and Garden’s Editors’ Picks for 30 Top Romantic Movies for Valentines Day:

1. When Harry Met Sally
2. Pride & Prejudice
3. Pretty Woman
4. While You Were Sleeping
5. Sleepless in Seattle
6. An Officer and a Gentleman
7. The Notebook
8. Bridget Jone’s Diary
9. Bull Durham
10. Casablanca
11. The Sound of Music
12. Shakespeare in Love
13. Sense and Sensibility
14. Overboard
15. Dirty Dancing
16. Say Anything
17. Rebecca
18. Breakfast at Tiffany’s
19. Ghost
20. Love Actually
21. Notting Hill
22. Moonstruck
23. Somewhere in Time
24. Emma
25. Room with a View
26. The Fabulous Baker Boys
27. Love Story
28. Dr. Zhivago
29. Always
30. The Thorn Birds

#4 – Romantic Destinations
Want to get away to a romantic destination for Valentine’s Day, but can’t? Take a look at these photos of some of the most romantic travel destinations courtesy of the Global Grasshopper. Oia and Venice are as romantic in person as they seem in the photos. I’m sure, though, they would have been a whole lot more romantic for me and my husband, if we hadn’t taken our kids with us!

#5 – Imagine Love
“It matters not who you love, where you love, why you love, when you love or how you love, it matters only that you love”
— John Lennon

Have a simply lovely weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (2/4/11)

Posted in Creativity, Health, Helping Others, Holidays, inspiration, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 4, 2011| 2 Comments »

Seeing red? The month of February brings this powerful color to the forefront. The Chinese Year of the Rabbit hopped in this week bringing with it an abundance of red. Red is a color of happiness and prosperity in China and is used to attract good luck. Red firecrackers and red lucky envelopes abound. But February also takes a romantic turn as we think of cupids and love. Valentine’s Day is just ten days away and soon we’ll be deluged with red hearts, cupids and candies! And speaking of red hearts . . .

#1 – Wear Something Red Today!
Today is the Go Red for Women “Wear Red” Day. Go Red is the American Heart Association’s campaign that “celebrates the energy, passion, and power we have as women to band together to wipe out heart disease and stroke.” Heart disease is the number one killer of women. To learn more about the warning signs of heart attack, stroke and cardiac arrest click here.

Wear something red today – a red scarf, a red flower, a red pair of shoes,  a red whatever – to proudly show your support for women’s heart disease awareness!

#2 – Carrying Aspirin?
For Christmas my sister gave me a pill tote that attaches to a key chain. The intention is to have aspirin readily available in case of a heart attack. The card that accompanied it states, “Chewing at least two (81mg) baby aspirin or one regular-strength (325 mg) aspirin at the first sign of a suspected heart attack can help save your life.” To verify the validity of the statement and the dose, please consult your doctor.

If you are interested in purchasing a pill tote similar to mine, here is a link. Quantities are limited.

#3 – Street Art
The website Street Art Utopia states “We declare the world as our canvas” and has just posted the 20 Most Loved Street Art Photos. Creative and interesting stuff!

#4 – 360 Virtual Reality Panoramas
Have you ever wondered what the view is like from the top of Mt. Everest? Thanks to some of the best 360 virtual reality panoramic photographers in the world, you can enjoy this view and others, too! At panoramas.dk you can see the breathtaking panoramic view at the summit of Mt. Everest, as well as, many other locations and events such as New Years in Times Squares, Carnival in Rio, or paragliding over France. I highly recommend watching it in fullscreen mode and if you’re prone to motion sickness, take a Dramamine first!

#5 – How Big is Your World?
A person’s world is only as big as their heart.
Tanya A. Moore

Share your world with someone this weekend!

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Vows I Made

Posted in About me, Helping Others, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 2, 2011| 2 Comments »

During our lifetimes we make many vows and take many oaths. Some are official and spoken out loud such as wedding vows and oaths of allegiance. Others are silent vows made to God or vows of love and protection that mothers say to their newborn babies when they are put in their arms for the very first time.

A couple of nights ago, while I was waiting for my computer to install updates, I decided to explore a new “magnetic” poetry application on my iPad. Like on a Ouija board, the words seemed to move and form groups magically by themselves. When all was said and done, I found myself staring at the the screen. No ordinary wordplay transpired here, as I noticed the messages behind the words. Then the impact of the words hit me and I realized that these thoughts were significant and were vows I needed to make to myself. When was the last time you made a vow to your true self? So from the depths of “magnetic” poetry, I share these vows with you.

Create Joy – I must create joy for others, to find joy in myself.

Breathe Hope – Hope is a force inside of me like the air I breathe in out out. As I inhale the power of hope from others, I must also exhale it to share with others.

Grow Imagination – More than ever the world needs people with imagination. I will nurture mine in every way I can.

Accept Love – I give love freely, but also open myself to accept love in all of its forms.

Thank Nature – For all the gifts that nature bestows upon me, I thank her by taking pleasure in them and by taking great care of them.

Applaud Gifts – I gratefully acknowledge my unique gifts and, like a super hero, will find ways to use them to make the world a better place.

Remember Dream – I will keep my dreams in the forefront of my consciousness and will work to make them a reality.

Feel Passion – To really live, I must feel passion or be passionate about something.

Shine – There is a light inside of me that shines through my whole being and is reflected in my thoughts and deeds.

Become Thought – If I am the sum total of my thoughts, then my thoughts must reflect the person I desire to be.

Show Heart – I will show compassion for others. Mother Teresa once said, ” Let us not make a mistake – that the hunger is only for a piece of bread. The hunger of today is so much greater: for love – to be wanted, to be loved, to be cared for, to be somebody.”

Live Life – With only a finite number of breaths in my life, I will breathe deep and live my life to the fullest!

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