August 19, 2008 at 7:43 pm (Family and Friends)
Tags: exercise, fresh air, fresh garden, fruit, garden, preservatives, vegetables
Don’t you love the summer trip from the garden. The vine ripe tomatoes, fresh crisp green peppers, the cucumbers just big enough to add to that salad, and a few carrots and green onions on the side? The time to steal those new potatoes out from the edges of the hill before they come to full size because they are so delicious – especially mixed with a few fresh green peas and some cream sauce?
When we look back at the life when every family had a garden, worked it together all summer and “put up” the vegetables and fruit for winter we ate much more holsum food. You did not hear so much about cancer, hyperactive children, asthma, and all the other diseases that have become so common recently. Was it the fact we got in the outdoors and worked or played while Mom and Dad worked? Was it because we didn’t have additives put in all our food? Maybe it was because we got out and moved, ate heathy food and breathed fresh air. Even people who lived in town had their own little garden.
Sterile cubes that we call homes, food that comes in sealed packages, jars and frozen with extra preservatives really must be better for us. Why else would we live this life? Exercise in an enclosed gym with recirculated air that runs through filters must be better.
Nope! Just sit on my deck for an hour after a fresh garden salad and vegetables that come fresh from the garden. Watch the neighborhood children running up and down the channel to see what water creatures they can catch their last day before school starts. Can you really tell me being a executive workiing and living in a highrise is the better life?
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August 16, 2008 at 11:53 am (Create with Writing)
Tags: books, western, writer, Zane Gray, Zane Grey, Zaneville Ohio
I came across a great find earlier this week in my attic. A collection of Zane Grey books. The was my husbands favorite author as a kid. He read every Zane Grey book he could get his hands on. They are an easy read, about the west, and pretty much historically accurate. When he became an adult this author had such good memories for him he bought a set of the books to put on a shelf. We moved and forgot about them when we build the addition with all the nice bookshelves. It was a pleasant surprise to find these books in excellent condition – they had never been read!
Zane Grey was a very prolific writer with a rough background. He was born in Zaneville, Ohio but was not named after the town. It was named after one of his maternal ancestors. He was part of a large family but liked to escape to be by himself in books. As an adult he stayed with his love by writing. Most of his books are based on real people and places. He interviewed some of the most notorious people of the west, including outlaws. This is what we tell children yet today – Write about what you know. He is a prime example of this.
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August 11, 2008 at 3:37 pm (Entrepreneurship)
Tags: accountability, evaluation, flylady, over scheduled, projects, time study, timer
Why is it so hard to have enough hours in a day? We inevetably have a list of things to do that far surpasses our time or energy to complete the list. Does everyone have that problem? I don’t think so.
I know people who go to a job, work 8 hours (or whatever they can get away with so it might be less), come home, have supper when they feel like it and sit in front of the TV or video game because they would have nothing else to do. Boy! My mind is always going 100 miles an hour coming up with things I should be, want be, or could be doing. I have so many ideas, want to be in so much social networking, accomplish so many projects I some times get bogged down and spin in circles.
Organization is key. To cover even 1/2 of the things that current projects need done you must be organized. I am now using a timer. I great site came into my life last summer, FlyLady, and helped me to view things a bit at a time. You can do just anything for only 15 minutes. That works for the projects you don’t like to do but that timer also works for keeping me on track. I start reading blog posts, sourcing product, or just shopping on the web and it is so easy to loose track of time. Some projects get the 15 minutes, some are set for 20 or 30 and I even set myself 60 minute blogs of time for work projects. The key is – when the timer goes off you move on. You know that timer is going to ring so you might be pushed to work just a bit faster, too.
I challenge you to try it. It doesn’t take a fancy timer. Just one that was used in the kitchen or a simple alarm on your phone might work to try out the theory. Get moving and get things done. Use that timer.
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July 28, 2008 at 12:29 pm (Giving Back)
Tags: activist, charity, giving, lemonade, randy pausch, Squidoo, squidoo activists
I have started in the most active, energetic group to raise funds for charity. The Squidoo Activists write lenses (web pages) to share information about a topic of interest – or a charity of interest. At times they may build the lens around information on a person. One that is really special at this time is on Dr. Randy Pausch. He was a very giving, brave man who showed others how to live. Another is a Lemonade Stand that can be an inspiration for youth in the community. Children can learn the giving spirit at a young age. There are even free lemonade stands available if you follow the links.
Squidoo raises money by the ads placed on the pages with the information and from a commission when people reading the lens follow the links and purchase an item – from eBay, Amazon or CafePress as examples. Each little bit helps. When the little bits get added together they make a big bit for Charity.
Try it yourself or just support the causes of other lensmasters. Many charieties are represented from a wide range of interests. Your creativity might be a great contribution.
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July 24, 2008 at 9:21 am (Family and Friends)
Tags: lung transplant, lungs, organ, organs, recycle, reuse, transplant
Recycling is a great thing to do to save resources and to keep the bulk out of the landfills. But, have you ever thought of recycling yourself? There are tens of thousands of people waiting for organs – their life depends on it. I’m not sure if it would fall in the category of reuse or recycle but it is an important thing to do. Many young lives are lost each year – healthy organs are wasted. It is always a rough time for a family to make decisions at the time of an emergency so it is something to think about ahead. The sad part is that many young lives are also lost each year because they don’t get a transplant.
I recently had a young friend die – she was on the transplant list. Visit her website, Rachel Nates.com and a site that she had designs available to promote transplant. Beautiful designs on everything from tee shirts to postage stamps. Keep the cycle of organ transplant going. Discuss it with your loved ones. Let them know that you want to help, and live on in someone else.
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July 16, 2008 at 1:57 pm (Entrepreneurship)
Tags: challenge, change, economy, emotions, opportunity, peace
Peace comes when all is settled and decisions have been made. Anytime we decide there should be change our stomach knots into a little tight ball. Why does this happen? Obviously it is the unknown, the change that we aren’t sure of that brings us opportunity. Even once you have intellectually made that decision to change things the personal emotions tag along and cause havoc.
It is a time of change. Politicians campaign on this promise. The economy demands it for most of us. Just our health and age cause change for many of us. That still doesn’t say we are ready for that ‘opportunity’. If we can look at each challenge – time of change – as an opportunity we have a much better chance of being at peace.
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July 10, 2008 at 6:59 am (Family and Friends)
Tags: Amy Jaffe Barzach, Christopher Reeve, Helen Keller, hero, LAM, Squidoo, Sue Byrnes, super hero, Superhero, Tim Russert
Recently on Squidoo there has been a contest of building a lens for your Super Hero. In looking at the entrants to this contest there are so many heroes featured who truly have made a difference in our world. At what age do we start seeing heroes as those who have truly done something so special with their lives? Most children when asked to name their hero would normally list fictional characters as their heroes. When do we start to see Helen Keller, Tim Russert, Amy Jaffe Barzach, Sue Byrnes, and so many more as heroes? Many of us read about Helen Keller in school but the others are more recent people who have done so much for others. Tim Russert has a public figure and very well known on television, Amy Jaffe Barzach has recently been written about in some woman’s magazines about her Boundless Playgrounds Project, and Sue Byrnes has a niche of worshippers who have a rare dicease called LAM and she has given them hope. A hero can be so many different people from so many walks of life but all inspire others to make a difference. Then there are those special people like Christopher Reeve who hit in both the fictional world and the real life world. He played a super hero in Superman but was so much more as he gave so much to this world after he had a tragic accident.
Super Heroes are those people who are the real life heros to all ages. Heroes are the ones that children see in there innocent eyes as someone spectacular. We just hope there is a balance and the child can have an inspirational hero as they set their sights on higher achievements.
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July 4, 2008 at 12:27 pm (Family and Friends)
Tags: 4th of July, free speech, freedom, United States
It is 4th of July everywhere but Birthday Celebration in the United States! What a proud, happy time it is.
It definately is a time to remember those who have given us our freedoms, support those who are currently defending our freedoms, and think about our selection of those people who guide this nation. Through history we have had many heroes who have laid the groundwork for a great nation. Some of those principles are freedom of religion, freedom of free speech, and opportunity for all.
The simple truth is that in translation some (a minority) feel this should be a freedom FROM religion. They don’t stop to realize that their choice to not believe should not for forced on those of us who do believe and how we believe. Their inititive to put their belief on everyone is against the beginning of this country “One Nation Under God”. We need to go back to basics. There are many other places in this world that don’t share this belief – if you don’t believe, try another country.
Freedom of free speech should mean just that. If someone thinks differently than you they still have the right to say something about their beliefs. An individual should not be silenced because he offends a few – those few might consider the source and move on to other concerns. By never being allowed to voice a difference of opinion we do not have freedom of speech. People do get their feeling hurt – don’t we try to teach child that is life. I’m not suggesting out and out humiliation of any group but I do believe voices should not be quieted from stating their feelings and beliefs.
The United States of America was built on the ability of each individual to grow, build, prosper as they wish. We need to be sure people do have those opportunities not necessarily the right to success. The opportunities should be for United States citizens over guest to this country for education assistance, health care and housing assistance. The United States government is quick to help other nations, refugees, disaster victims. There are many citizens of our own nation that are not given the same consideration because they are not in one of the former groups. Single mothers returning to school but not yet a certain age are denied grants that alien students are freely given. Uninsured young adults because they are students living on their own and trying to get through school are denied state funded medical care because they don’t meet income limits – student grants and loans don’t count as income. I could go on but the idea is out there. This should be a land of opportunity for all our citizens.
This is a day of Celebration and reflection – how far have we come? how far do we have to go? What is each of us doing to help the nation grow in the principles on which it was founded?
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July 1, 2008 at 8:57 am (Family and Friends)
Tags: celebration, diversity, freedom, Independence, July 4, melting pot
It’s the almost the 4th of July and in the United States that is a celebration! We celebrate our Independence, we celebrate with barbeques, we celebrate with fireworks. Do we explain the meaning of this celebration to the children in out lives? In this world of being so ‘politically correct’ about everything that is said and done it is often convenient to just not talk about some things. In the process we forget to let children know why we have celebrations and what they really mean. Now the 4th may not be controversial but I am sure someone will be offended if we don’t have our parade banners bilingual, stand as the National Anthem plays and say the pledge at a community ceremony.
This is the United States of America. A land where all have been invited to BECOME a part of a cultural melting pot. The United States is an English speaking country and was founded with the freedom OF religion, not the freedom FROM religion. Lets celebrate the birthday of a Nation where we have freedoms to vote, speak our minds, own our homes and choose how our children are raised.
Happy Birthday United States of America!
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June 25, 2008 at 8:44 pm (Entrepreneurship)
Tags: attitude, positive mind, entreupreneur, passion, OSI Rock Stars, Janelle Elms, success, peace
Friendship – Happiness – Peace – Success – Health
Is that true? Can a positive mind really get you all this? Positive thoughts can direct you, guide you in the best way. As much as you hope or dream about something you must act on it to achieve it. Through a long battle with cancer I have learned that there are many people that try to pull you down. They have all sorts of negative experiences they want to share. They will be your death! It is a choice you have. If you choose to be negative you will get depressed, feel bad, and confine yourself to misery. If you choose to move on, be positive and find the good in what is happening you will achieve your goals.
My dream, goal has been to be a successful entrepreneur for many years. I’ve tried many careers and opportunities intermingled with jobs. I remember about nine years ago, when I became a truck driver, I said that was my last career. I had recently read that a person on the average had eight careers in their lifetime. It sounded good at the time but I am now on my eleventh opportunity. I am an entrepreneur with a store on eBay, a website and have started this blog to try and bring it all together. I am convinced this time that I will succeed.
There are several reasons that this time I will be successful.
- First of all, I have learned that the positive mind has extra problem solving power. That is a quote I found somewhere and had on my desk when I was a Realtor – but I do not think I really believed it. Look at things from a positive perspective and you can find answers. I have found I can make the choice to cut people out of my life who whine and are always negative. I need positive to more on. I can think better when I am positive.
- Second, I have found a mentor this time – not just a book with lots of instructions to follow. I found Janelle Elms and the OSI Rock Stars. She has set up a ‘family’ of Rock Stars. These are all people with a passion for success who are willing to help each other, share their knowledge, and encourage me as I learn. There are more than two hundred hours of recorded training available to me to listen to and learn. If I have questions I have people there who will answer my questions.
- Third, this time I know it will take many hours a day of hard work and that success does not have a magic formula. It may take me a little longer because I am dealing with health issues but I will succeed. I am Positive Attitude Makes a Difference. That just happens to be one my shirt designs at Comfy Cottage @ Cafe Press.
Happiness comes because you are at peace with who you are and what you are doing. Success is achieved when you reach the goals from that positive mind set. Positive people find friendships through the associations they have. Happy people attract happy people. Law of Attraction. Health – well you must be positive to let your body heal and content to know you are doing what you can to be in the healthiest position fate deals you.
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