Eat Dessert First...

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my
loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've
aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of
myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for
eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for
buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks
so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be
messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before
they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer
until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to
those wonderful tunes of the 60 &70's, and if I, at the same
time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I
will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging
body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose
to, despite the pitying glances from the jet
set.

They, too, will get old.
I know I am sometimes forgetful. But
there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I
eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not
break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or
even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken
hearts are what give us strength and understanding and
compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will
never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair
turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched
into deep grooves on my face.
So many have never laughed, and so
many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about
what other people think. I don't question myself
anymore.I've even earned the right to be
wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I
like the person I have become. I am not going to live
forever,but while I am still here, I will not waste time
lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will
be. And I shall eat dessert every single day(if I feel like
it). In fact eat dessert first ...life is way too short.

Simple Life

From My Dad!

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk..

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you're not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

It's Called Christmas !

Tammy Roginson Downs, an IC friend of mine through Face Book wrote the words to this song! It's mostly awesome.

GOODBYE STRESS

If the heat's been turned up on your life...if you feel overwhelmed...if the pieces of your puzzle just aren't quite fitting together...don't force it! Go along for the ride and keep your arms inside the vehicle at all times! Re-ignite your sense of humor - tell stress you're not interested in his company today and no, you don't want his business card!

TAP SHOES

Put on your tap shoes and dance into this day with wild abandon - don't be afraid to be your own crazy self. You don't have to conform, just move forward with kindness and the beauty that is you. Others will look at you with amazement and wish they could be as free. Tell them - it's easy...take their ...hand and happily teach them the steps you've learned!

THINK WITH YOUR HEART

Did you know that your heart exudes 60% more electrical impulses than your brain? Another fact pointing to the benefits of thinking with our heart! You can pass all of life's little tests by just moving forward from love. After all, it IS the Un...iversal Language is it not? Love from the inside out

COURAGE

If Amelia Earhart, Albert Einstein, Jesus, Ghandi, Mother Teresa & others had not followed their intuition we would have been robbed of their greatest gifts. All brave people who, in spite of being ridiculed by short-sighted people, never lost their passion. Ignore the noise and give peace and streng...th to your creative, loving instincts. It takes courage.

BALANCE

Think balance beam - all it takes is a little wobble to knock you off your game. It's the same with life, but like an athlete, dust yourself off and get back on. All observers cheer when you complete your routine....and are inspired by the person who climbs back up after a fall....but it is you who gains the wisdom o...f the walk, the focus and yes...the practice. Practice being in balance and make it your routine!

LAUGH

Laugh every time you get a chance to on this beautiful Sunday. I'm sure that Creator would be delighted to know that you are having fun and living with light-hearted love. Giggle with the kids....laugh at irony...smile at the mere fact that you are a living miracle that has the ability to nuture a sense of humor and ...share it with others. Laugh away your cares...it's infectious to for those around you!

Everything is Possible

Nothing is impossible when you're a child. What happened? It's not reality, it's learned failure. Is it common sense? Perhaps, but I hope your common sense tells you that, whatever it is, you can figure it out. Today, don't second guess your abilities! Show yourself that your unique perspective can make EVERYTHIN...G possible. Now, go contribute something grand to the day!

All People Have Purpose

All people in our space have a purpose. Some test our patience or give it. Others offer love or take it away. Still others give us purpose or try to make us feel worthless. The thing is...we're always able to choose the lesson. It's not personal...it's Universal! Stop, look and listen to your "teachers" today.......the most challenging or puzzling spirits are the ones that teach us the most!

I am a Piece of Divinity

Someone today may try to shame you - try to make you feel guilty or not as "perfect" as everyone else. Poor souls. They don't realize that they are simply projecting what they see in themselves but are too blind to recognize. Show compassion in the face of adversity....because, after all, you are a piece of the Divine.... Just breathe, bless and move on.

Live in Allowance

Know that other's don't carry the same vision as you...and that's okay....live in allowance. Focus on the intent that everything will be okay and open your heart to all possibilities.

Cool Idea

Cool Idea: Do you have one of those purses that you had to buy but it's so special you never use it because it could get dirty or messed up? I did...and I turned it into what I call a "Peace Purse". Inside it has all the things that bring me back to center lilke photos of my family & favorite places, a mini journal,... something from nature, a treat, etc.

Manifestation IS Real

Manifestation IS real. It's how the entire system works. See it happen. Bring it to life by thinking on it, being passionate about it, praying for it every day. The energy of your commitment is real to all of those around you and, most importantly, to your Source. Whatever you've been wishing for is on it's way......it truly is. The trick is in the patience!

The Tinkerbell Philosophy

The Tinkerbell Philosophy: The Universe sprinkles us with it's own special fairie dust every day, giving us fun imaginations, happiness and compassion! It floats onto those we're around, onto the ground for others to pick up and into our hearts to lighten our load. Stretch out your arms so that you can gather the most ...fairie dust to start your day....so you can give more throughout the day. It's simple, really.

It's Your Life

Make a Smilebox slideshow

This is the moment
It's on the line
Which way you gonna fall?
In the middle between
Wrong and right
But you know after all

It's your life
What you gonna do?
The world is watching you
Every day the choices you make
Say what you are and who
Your heart beats for
It's an open door
It's your life

Are you who you always said you would be
With a sinking feeling in your chest
Always waiting for someone else to fix you
Tell me when did you forget

It's your life
What you gonna do?
The world is watching you
Every day the choices you make
Say what you are and who
Your heart beats for
It's an open door

To live the way that you believe
This is your opportunity
To let your life be one that lights the way

It's your life
What you gonna do?
The world is watching you
Every day the choices you make
Say what you are and who
Your heart beats for
It's an open door

It's your life
What you gonna do?
The world is watching you
Every day the choices you make
Say what you are and who
Your heart beats for
It's an open door
It's your life
It's your life

Francesca Battistelli

Random Thoughts

Random Thoughts for the Day:

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing's worse than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this -- ever.

15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dang it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

18. My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "mom what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How do I respond to that?

19. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

20. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.

Get High

A friend sent me this at a pretty low time in my life...thought you might enjoy it.

Natural Highs
This Does Make You Feel Good, especially the thought at the end of #44 and it is fast to read this.


1. Smiles... even when
things hurt...

2. Laughing so hard your face cries..

3. A hot shower..

4. No lines at the supermarket.

5. Having someone listen to
you until you've said what

you wanted them to hear.

6. Getting mail.

7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.

8. Hearing your favorite
song on the radio.

9. Lying in bed listening

to the rain outside.

10. Hot towels fresh

out of the dryer.

11. Chocolate milkshake

(vanilla or strawberry).

12. A bubble bath.

13.. Giggling.

15. The beach.

16. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your

coat from last winter..

17. Laughing at yourself.

18. Looking into their eyes

and knowing they Love
you no matter what trials
you face

19. Midnight phone calls that
last for hours.

20.. Running through

sprinklers.

21. Laughing for absolutely

no reason at all.

22. Having someone tell you

that you're beautiful.

23. Laughing at an inside

joke with FRIENDS

24. Accidentally overhearing

someone say something

nice about you.

25. Waking up and realizing

you still have a few

hours left to sleep.

26. The sun streaming
through your kitchen
window..

27. Making new friends or

spending time with old ones.

28. Playing with a new puppy.

29. Having someone tell you
your hair looks great.

30. Sweet dreams.

31. Hot chocolate (carob).

32. Road trips with friends..

33. Swinging on swings.

34. Making eye contact with

yourself, giving yourself credit

for all the right and good things you do.

35. Making cookies.

36. Having your friends send

you homemade cookies.

37. Holding hands with a

special little person in your life.

38. Running into an old friend

and realizing that some things

(good or bad) never change.

39. Watching the expression on

someone's face as they open a

much desired present from you.

40. Watching the sunrise.

41. Getting out of bed every

morning and being grateful for
another beautiful day.

42. Knowing that
somebody misses
you.

43. Getting a hug from
someone you care about.

44. Knowing you've done
the right thing, no matter
what other people think.

Candy Sayings and Ideas

Copied the links below from http://www.juliabettencourt.com/favors.html

The favors that are mentioned here are ideas for church ladies group functions but could be used for other type of functions as well. Favors at ladies meetings and banquets add so much. They serve as a keepsake and a memory of your event and also can be used as decorations on your tables for banquets and dinners. Many of these would make great projects for group crafts at ladies meetings and for Retreat Workshops. Also many would be perfect little Secret Sister Gifts. Most of these links will lead to my blog since that's where I've been posting my latest crafty projects:)
Apron Hershey's Nugget Tent
Apron Papercraft Favor
Blessing Baskets
Butterfly Chapstick Holders
Candy Bar Sliders (Mini)
Candy Ideas
Candy Tents/Pouches
Chalkboard Bags
Candy "Vote" Button
Certs Candy Candle
Circle Flowers
Circle Purse
Coffee Cup Papercraft
Easter Story Eggs
Easter Story Eggs #2
Friendship Kit Tag 1
Friendship Kit Tag 2
Garden Pot Favor
Hershey's Nugget Mailbox
Friendship Kit Tag 3
Hogs and Kisses Cello Bag
Jellybean Favor Tag
Lifesavers Tin Purse
Lollipop Favors
Movie Night Favors
"Mint" Poem Tag
"Mint" Poem Tag #2
"Papercraft Keys
"Peppermint Pattie Flowers
Pixie Stix Valetines
Pumpkin Prayer Favor
Punch Flowers (Circles)
Punch Flowers (Round Tab)
Seed Packet
Snowman Candy Tent
Snowman Soup
Spring Bags
Spring Bird's Nest
Spring Kiss Flower
Teabag Covers
Test Tube Candy Favorr
Valentine's Favors
Verse Tags
Yo Yo Favor Idea See the Online Favor Links Page for more ideas, along with lots of links for templates and patterns. Visit My Blog to see my craft projects and my Stampin' Up! Demo Site to shop for craft products...Julia Do you enjoy diecutting your projects? Be sure to check out my projects for the Big Shot Die Cutting Machine. It's an easy and quick way to make your DIY favors. Related Pages:
Main Craft Page
Online Favors
Julia's Papercrafting Blog
Scrapbooking Links
Centerpieces

Highway Sign

This sign is located in Dallas. It changes every 3 minutes. Some of the sayings included are:
Keep using my name in vain and I will make rush hour longer.
Do you have any idea where you are going?
My way is the highway.
I love you and you and you and you...and...
Tell the kids I love them.
Lets meet at my house on Sunday before the game.
We need to talk.
Do you have any idea where you are going?
Big Bang Theory? You've got to be kidding!
Loved the wedding, invite me to the marriage.
Will the road you are on get you to my house?
Have you read my #1 best seller? There will be a test.
What part of "Thy Shalt Not..." don't you understand?
C'mon over and bring the kids.
You think it's hot here?
Need directions?
Follow me.
That "love thy neighbor" thing... I meant it.

How to Stay Young

HOW TO STAY YOUNG

1. Try everything twice.
On one woman's tombstone she said she wanted this epitaph:
"Tried everything twice.loved it both times!"


2. Keep only cheerful friends.
The grouches pull you down.
(Keep this in mind if you are one of those grouches!)


3. Keep learning:
Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever..
Never let the brain get idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.'

And the devil's name is Alzheimer's!

4. Enjoy the simple things.



5. Laugh often, long and loud.
Laugh until you gasp for breath.
And if you have a friend who makes you laugh,
spend lots and lots of time with HIM/HER.



6. The tears happen:
Endure, grieve, and move on.
The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves.
LIVE while you are alive.



7. Surround yourself with what you love:
Whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever.
Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health:
If it is good, preserve it.
If it is unstable, improve it.
If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips.
Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county,
to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

I love you, my special friend.

11. Forgive now those who made you cry. You might not get a second chance.
Remember! Lost time can never be found.

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Tim ConWay Classic

I’m thinking that “The Carol Burnett Show” is one of the Top 5 TV shows of all time.

All I Need to Know About Life I Learned From a Snowman

Our Librarian had a picture with these words on it. I thought it was so "danged" cute!

All I Need to Know About Life I Learned From a Snowman

Its OK if you're a little bottom heavy.

Hold your ground, even when the heat is on.
Wearing white is always appropriate.

Winter is the best of the four seasons,

It takes a few extra rolls to make a good midsection.

There's nothing better than a foul weather friend.

The key to life is to be a jolly, happy soul.

You know you've made it when they write a song about you.

It's not the size of the carrot, but the placement that counts.

We're all made up of mostly water.

Avoid yellow snow!

Don't get too much sun.

It's embarrassing when you can't look down and see your feet.

It's fun to hang out in your front yard.

There's no stopping you once you're on a roll.

Always put your best foot forward!

SONGS of the Past

Rock Around the Clock - 1955 Bill Haley & The Comets
At the Hop - Danny and the Jrs. 1958
Save the Last Dance For Me - The Drifters 1960
Tossin and Turnin - Bobby Lewis 1961
The Lion Sleeps Tonight - The Tokens 1961
He's So Fine - The Chiffon's 1963
My Guy - Mary Wells 1964
Baby Love - Supremes 1964
Leader of the Pack - The Shangi-Las 1964
Come See About Me - The Supremes 1964
DownTown - Petula Clark 1965
My Girl - The Temptations 1965
I'm Telling You Now - Freddie and the Dreamers 1965
Wild Thing - The Troggs 1966
Stand By Me - Ben E King
Dream Lover - Bobbie Darin
Do You Want To Dance - Bobby Freeman
Chapel of Love - Dixie Cups
This Magic Moment - The Drifters
Let It Be Me - Jerry Butler and Betty Everet
It's In His Kiss - The Shoop Shoop Song -

Ponderisms

I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes.

Garden Rule" When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuabe plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.

Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

Have you noticed since everyone has a camcorder these days no one talks about seeing UFO's anymore?

IN the 60's people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weir and people take Prozac to make it normal.

How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here and drink whatever comes out?"

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?

Why does your OB-GYN leave the room when you get undressed if he's going to look up there anyway?

Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

But Most Of All, Remember!
A good friend is like a good bra. Hard to find. Supportive. Comfortable. And always close to your heart.

Thoughts for the Weekend

Wouldn't it be nice if whenever we messed up our life we could simply press 'Ctr Alt Deleat' and start all over?

If raising children was going to be easy, it never would have started with something called labor!

Brain cells come and brain cells go, but fat cells live forever!

Old is When...

1. Going bra-less pulls all the wrinkles out of your face.
2. You don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go along.
3. Getting a little action means I don't need fiber today.
4. Getting lucky means you find your car in the parking lot.
5. An all-nighter means not getting up to pee!

Signs of Menopause

1. You sell your home heating system at a yard sale.

2. You have to write post-it notes with your kids' names on them.

3. You change your underwear after you sneeze.

Games For When We are Older

1. Sag, you're it.
2. Hide and go pee.
3. 20 questions shouted into your good ear.
4. Kick the bucket.
5. Red Rover, Red Rover, the nurse says Bend Over.
6. Musical recliners.
7. Simon says something incoherent.
8. Pin the toupee on the bald guy.

Teacher's Salary

Teacher's hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months of the year!

It's time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do -- baby sit!

We can get that for less than minimum wage. That's right. Let's give them $3.00 an hour and only the hours they worked, not any of that silly planning time.

That would be $19.50 a day (7:00 AM to3:30 (or so) PM with just 25 min. off for lunch).

EAch parent should pay #19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children.

NOW...
How many do they teach in a class, 30? So that' $19.50X30= $585.00 a day. However, remember they only work 180 days a year!!! We're not going to pay them for any vacations!

LET'S SEE...
That's $585X180=$105,300 per year.

What about those special teachers, and the ones with master's degrees?

Well, we could pay them minimun wage, and just to be fair, round it off to $7.00 an hour. That would be $7X 6 1/2 hours X 30 Children X 180 days = $245,700 per year.

Wait a minute ---- There's something wrong here!

Average teacher salary is $50,000/ 180 days (AFTER 15 YRS... I FINALLY MAKE 48,000) =$277/PER DAY/ 30 STUDENTS = $9.23/6.5 HOURS = $1.42 PER HOUR per student. A very inexpensive baby-sitter and they even try - with your help - to EDUCATE your kids!

WHAT A DEAL... And the parents don't even have to buy us pizza!

WOMEN'S SAFETY

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough use it!

2. If a robber asks for your wallet/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you... chances are that he is more interested in your wallet than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION.

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick out your arm and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc.., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making alist, DON'T DO THIS) The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get into the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF.... repeat.... DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking your car. Your Air Bag with save you. If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out and run.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:
A) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the pessenger side floor, and in the back seat.
B) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while women are attempting to get into their cars.
C) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side... If a mail is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY.

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs.

7. If the preditor has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 out of 100 times; And even then, it is most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ RUN, Preferably in a zig-zag pattern!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP It may get you raped, or killed. Seriel Killers pray on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. Some have even walked with a cane, or a limp and often ask for help into his vehicle or with his vehicle...to abduct his next victim.

9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The plice told her "Whatever you do, DO NOT open the dooor." The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worrked that it would crawl into the street. The policeman said, "We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door." He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside thier doors when they are home alone at night.

Spoiled Under 30 Crowd

When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diabtribes about how hard things were when they were growing up: what with walking twenty-five miles to school every monring ... uphill BOTH ways. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in heck I was toing to lay a bunch of crap like that on kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it!

But, now... that....
I'm over the ripe old age of 30, I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today. You've got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a dang Utopia! And, I hate to say it but you kids today you don't know how good you've got it!

1. When I was a kid, we didn't have the internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the dang library and look it up ourselves... in the card catalog!!! (Do you even know what a card catalog is? Didn't think so!)

2. There was no email!!! We had to actually write somebody a letter... with a pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox and it would take like a week to get there!

3. There were no MP3's or Napsters! If you wanted to steal music, you had to hitchike to the dang record store and shoplift it yourself! Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio and the DJ would usually talk over the beginning and mess it up!

4. We didnt' have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called they got a busy signal, that's it!

5. And we didn't have fancy Caller ID Boxes either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your mom, your boss, your bookie, a collections agent, you just didn't know! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!

6. We didn't have any fancy Sony Playstation Video games with high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like "Space Invaders" and "Asteroids" and the graphics were horrible! Your guy was a little suqre! You actually had to use your imagination! And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen forever! And you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and faster until you died! Just like LIFE!

7. When you went to the movie theater there was not such thing as stadium seating! All the seats were the same height! If a tall guy or some old broad with a hat sat in front of you and you couldn't see, you were just screwed!

8. Sure, we had cable television, but back then that was only like 15 channels and there was no onscreen menu! You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on! And there was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on Saturday morning. Do you hear what I am saying? !!! We had to wait all WEEK for cartoons.

9. And we didn't have microwaves, if we wanted to heat something up, we had to use the stove or go build a fire... imagine that! If we wanted popcorn, we had to use that stupid JiffyPop thing or a pan with HOT oil and Real popcorn kernels and shake it all over the stove forever like an idiot.

10. When we were on the phone with our friends and our parents walked in, we were stuck to the wall with a cord, a 7 foot cord that ran to the phone - not the phone base, the actual phone. We barely had enough length to sit on the floor and still be able to twirl the phone cord in our fingers. If you suddenly had to go to the bathroom - guess what we had to do... Hang up and talk to them later.

That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy. You're spoiled! You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1980.
Regards,
The over 30 Crowd

Happy People - Dance in the Rain

The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

"Live isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain."

Finding Our Grace

phylosophy: the natural aging process causes the soft tissues of our faces and bodies to begin to descend. our eyebrows frown, our lids droop, our eyes appear hollow, our noses and ears are larger, and our jawbone is less defined. as for our breasts, our bellies, and our buttocks, it's no different. we can fight the process or we can yield to losing our bodies, gaining our souls, and finding our grace.
The above quote was on the back of my new lotion: Amazing Grace

Brick in the head

THE
BRICK

A young and successful
executive was traveling down a neighborhood street,
going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was
watching for kids darting out from between parked
cars and slowed down
when he thought he saw
something. As his car passed, no children appeared.
Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door!
He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to
the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry
driver
then jumped out of the
car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up
against
a parked car shouting,
'What was that all about and who are you? Just what
the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that
brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why
did you do it?' The young boy was apologetic.
'Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but I didn't
know what else to do,' He pleaded. 'I threw the
brick because no one else would stop...' With tears
dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth
pointed to a spot just around a parked car. 'It's my
brother, 'he said 'He rolled off the curb and fell
out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him
up.'
Now sobbing, the boy
asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help
me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and
he's too heavy for me.
Moved beyond words,
the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling
lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the
handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took
out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh
scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything
was going to be okay. 'Thank you and may God bless
you,' the grateful child told the stranger. Too
shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy!
push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk
toward their home.
It was a long, slow
walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very
noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair
the dented side door.. He kept the dent there to
remind him of this message: 'Don't go through life
so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to
get your attention!' God whispers in our souls and
speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have
time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's
our choice to listen or
not.





Thought for the
Day:





If God had a
refrigerator, your picture would be on
it.


If He had a wallet,
your photo would be in
it.


He sends you flowers
every spring.


He sends you a sunrise
every morning Face it, friend - He is crazy about
you!


Send this to every
'beautiful person' you wish to
bless.


God didn't promise
days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun
without rain, but He did promise strength for the
day, comfort for the tears, and light for the
way.




Read this line very
slowly and let it sink
in...



If God brings you to
it, He will bring you through
it.

The ShoeBox

SHOEBOX.

A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything. They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about.

For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but one day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover.
In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside.

She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box. When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totaling $95,000.
He asked her about the contents..

'When we were to be married,' she said, ' my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doll.'

The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with happiness.

'Honey,' he said, 'that explains the dolls, but what about all of this money? Where did it come from?'
'Oh,' she said, 'that's the money I made from selling the dolls.'

A Prayer.......

Dear Lord, I pray for Wisdom to understand my man;

Love to forgive him, and Patience for his moods.

Because Lord, if I pray for Strength,

I'll beat him to death, because I don't have time to crochet.

Wedding Entrance Dance.... CUTE!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0

I Feel Good!

My Wish: Great Health !

I’m supposed to pick 12 women who have touched my life and would want to participate in this exercise. I think that if this group of women were ever to be in a room together, there is nothing that would be impossible. I hope I chose the right ones. Hopefully you know how special you are to me and in the world.Make a wish before you read the quotation below. That's all you have to do.There is nothing attached. Just send this to twelve women and let me know what happens on the fourth day. Sorry you have to forward the message, but try not to break this, please.Did you make a wish yet? If you don't make a wish, it won't come true.This is your last chance to make a wish!

"May today there be peace within.


May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.


May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others.


May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.


May you be content with yourself just the way you are.


Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.


Peace. It is there for each and every one of us."

The Importance of Walking

Walking can add minutes to your life.

This enables you at 85 years old To spend an additional 5 months in a nursing Home at $7000 per month.

My grandpa started walking Five miles a day when he was 60.N ow he's 97 years old And we don't know where he is.

I like long walks,Especially when they are taken By people who annoy me.

I have to walk early in the morning,Before my brain figures out what I'm doing.

I joined a health club last year, Spent about 400 bucks. Haven't lost a pound..Apparently you have to go there.

Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise',I wash my mouth out with chocolate.

I do have flabby thighs,But fortunately my stomach covers them.

The advantage of exercising every day Is so when you die, they'll say,'Well, she looks good doesn't she.'

If you are going to try cross-country skiing, Start with a small country.

I know I got a lot of exercise The last few years, just getting over the hill.

We all get heavier as we get older,Because there's a lot more information in our heads.That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

AND Every time I start thinking too much About how I look,I just find a Happy Hour And by the time I leave,I look just fine.

Coffee Cup Drummer

Coffee Cup Drummer @ Yahoo! Video

FatherHood

One Nation Under God

DID YOU KNOW?
As you walk up the steps to the building which houses the U.S Supreme Court you can see near the top of the building a row of the world's law givers and each one is facing one in the middle who is facing forward with a full frontal view ... it is Moses and he is holding the Ten Commandments! .

DID YOU KNOW? As you enter the Supreme Court courtroom, the Two huge oak doors have the Ten Commandments Engraved on each lower portion of each door..

DID YOU KNOW?As you sit inside the courtroom, you can see The wall, right above where the Supreme Court judges sit, a display of the Ten Commandments!

DID YOU KNOW?There are Bible verses etched in stone all over the Federal Buildings and Monuments in Washington , D.C.

DID YOU KNOW?James Madison, the fourth president, known as 'The Father of Our Constitution' made the following statement:' We have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.'

DID YOU KNOW?Every session of Congress begins with a prayer by a paid preacher, whose salary has been paid by the taxpayer since 1777.DID YOU KNOW?Fifty-two of the 55 founders of the Constitution were members of the established orthodox churches in the colonies.

DID YOU KNOW? Thomas Jefferson worried that the Courts would overstep their authority and instead of interpreting the law would begin making lawan oligarchy the rule of few over many.How then, have we gotten to the point that everything we have done for 220 years in this country is now suddenly wrong and unconstitutional? Lets put it around the world and let the world see and remember what this great country was built on. I was asked to send this on if I agreed or delete if I didn't.. Now it is your turn... It is said that 86% of Americans believe in God.Therefore, it is very hard to understand why there is such a mess about having the Ten Commandments on display or 'In God We Trust'on our money and having God in the Pledge of Allegiance. Why don't we just tell the other 14% to Sit Down and SHUT UP!!!

The Plan

by Robin Williams

You gotta love Robin Williams......Even if he's nuts! Leave it to Robin Williams to come up with the perfect plan. What we need now is for our UN Ambassador to stand up and repeat this message.

Robin Williams' plan...(Hard to argue with this logic!)

'I see a lot of people yelling for peace but I have not heard of a plan for peace. So, here's one plan.'

1) 'The US will apologize to the world for our 'interference' in their affairs, past & present. You know, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Tojo, Noriega, Milosevic, Hussein, and the rest of those 'good 'ole' boys', we will never 'interfere' again.

2) We will withdraw our troops from all over the world, starting with Germany , South Korea , the Middle East , and the Philippines . They don't want us there. We would station troops at our borders. No one allowed sneaking through holes in the fence.

3) All illegal aliens have 90 days to get their affairs together and leave We'll give them a free trip home. After 90 days the remainder will be gathered up and deported immediately, regardless of whom or where they are. They're illegal!!! France will welcome them.

4) All future visitors will be thoroughly checked and limited to 90 days unless given a special permit!!!! No one from a terrorist nation will be allowed in. If you don't like it there, change it yourself and don't hide here. Asylum would never be available to anyone. We don't need any more cab drivers or 7-11 cashiers.

5) No foreign 'students' over age 21. The older ones are the bombers. If they don't attend classes, they get a 'D' and it's back home baby.

6) The US will make a strong effort to become self-sufficient energy wise. This will include developing nonpolluting sources of energy but will require a temporary drilling of oil in the Alaskan wilderness. The caribou will have to cope for a while

7) Offer Saudi Arabia and other oil producing countries $10 a barrel for their oil. If they don't like it, we go someplace else. They can go somewhere else to sell their production. (About a week of the wells filling up the storage sites would be enough.)

8) If there is a famine or other natural catastrophe in the world, we will not 'interfere.' They can pray to Allah or whomever, for seeds, rain, cement or whatever they need. Besides most of what we give them is stolen or given to the army. The people who need it most get very little, if anything.

9) Ship the UN Headquarters to an isolated island someplace. We don't need the spies and fair weather friends here. Besides, the building would make a good homeless shelter or lockup for illegal aliens.

10) All Americans must go to charm and beauty school. That way, no one can call us 'Ugly Americans' any longer. The Language we speak is ENGLISH..learn it...or LEAVE...Now, isn't that a winner of a plan?

'The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses.' She's got a baseball bat and she's yelling, 'you want a piece of me?' '

The 2nd Coming

Summary of Life!

Summary of Life

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:

1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.
2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don't wear polk a-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap.



GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:

1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree.
2) Wrinkles don't hurt.
3) Families are like fudge....mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.
5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside.
6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy.


GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD

1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down there.
4) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster.
5) It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.
6) Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician.
7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.


THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:

1) You believe in Santa Claus.
2) You don't believe in Santa Claus.
3) You are Santa Claus.
4) You look like Santa Claus.


SUCCESS (aka the cycle of life):

At age 4 s success is . . . Not piddling in your pants.
At age 12 success is . . . Having friends.
At age 17 success is . . Having a driver's license.
At age 35 success is . ... .Having money.
At age 50 success is . .... . Having money.
At age 70 success is . ... . Having a drivers license.
At age 75 success is . . . Having friends.
At age 80 success is . . . Not piddling in your pants.



Pass this on to someone who could use a laugh.

Always remember to forget the troubles that pass your way;
BUT NEVERforget the blessings that come each day.


Have a wonderful day with many ! *smiles*


Take the time to live!!!
Life is too short.

Water Babies

超可愛BB - Roller Babies @ Yahoo! Video

President Monson's Ear's Wiggle!

Gratitude

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." ~Albert Schweitzer

50 Life Lessons

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.

17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.

18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.

38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

45. The best is yet to come.

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

48. If you don't ask, you don't get.

49. Yield.

50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Regina Brett

Random Thoughts from CDC

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."
~ Melody Beattie


Trying to be cool isn't always good, but being good is always cool.
This is "insane!"
I will face trials with increased faith and peace.
Faith replaces fear in the human heart.
I have realized my true potential and recognized my talents as a sister to my Savior.
Dreams do come true with hard work and determination.
Having great character you can inspire others to have great character.
I have learned to appreciate life.
Every minute we are alive is precious.
Keep being yourself, because that's the only thing you can truly be.
I have come to fully realize the importance of following my heart, holding my values close, believing in my dreams, and being myself.
Become a legend of this generation.
Focus on the positives, be grateful, hopeful, and stay true to myself and my beliefs no matter what..
I'm not afraid to chase after my dreams and I know with faith and commitment I can make things happen for me and I can make my dreams come true.
Be yourself.
As long as you're happy and you're doing what you know is right in your heart that the rest just falls into place and we feel the love of the Heavenly Father and can see it in our lives.
I have made life-long friends who I can laugh with. and cry with. and dance with. and sing with. and above all, who I can be myself with.
I have learned to see the world with my heart, rather than just my mind.
I am inspired to see my purpose on this earth.
I un-learned the biases and judgmental attitude I acquired in adulthood, and realized that to have real joy in life, there should be a release from negativities

focus on the positive side of anything in life, to see the preciousness in people, downplay their faults, which in turn made me so much more appreciative of my family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, even strangers, thus making every day like a new, wonderful time to look forward to waking up and living well!

feel alive again!

one person can make a difference in the world.

The love he spreads through his songs and interactions with people in general is so addictingly infectious, and makes me wish I had the luxury to keep basking in it the whole day!

I'm glad to know that good things can happen to good people.

I have learned that you can always do better.

exemplify the greatest commandment of all which is to love :)

I have learned to smile again, and I thought that emotion was gone forever.

we can respect and admire a young person who still has to learn pretty much everything about life, but yet, he can give so much wisdom to the rest without even knowing it.

After many quiet years my heart and soul is full of music again.

just because I don't think I'm good enough for something, I should go out and try it anyway because you never know what may happen.

I look at the world differently, less self absorbed, more willing to embrace reality

"Life isn't fair, but it's still good."

"Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks."

"When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

"Over prepare, then go with the flow."

"Believe in miracles."

"All that truly matters in the end is that you loved".


FATE
Fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing"
It is true, we don't choose when, or to whom we are born, or the gifts we are given. We are placed within our world at the precise time and with the right gifts to do something great. Our call to action might come at an inconvenient time in our life but it is at that very moment that we choose to be all that we were designed to be. Regardless of our physical or emotional state, our upbringing and surrounding, or our confidence level, when the moment arises the choice is ours. We make the choice whether or not to use our gift to its maximum potential.

I hurt alot today.
If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
~Mother Teresa

Going to My Happy Place, See You Later.

The New Surviver SERIES

THE NEW SURVIVER SERIES

Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and

3 kids each for six weeks.

Each kid will play

two sports

and either take music

or dance classes.

There is no fast food.

Each man must

take care of his 3 kids;

keep his assigned house clean ,

correct all homework,

and complete science projects,

cook, do laundry,

and pay a list of 'pretend' bills

with not enough money.

In addition, each man

will have to budget in money

for groceries each week.

Each man

must remember the birthdays

of all their friends and relatives,

and send cards out

on time--no emailing .

Each man must also

take each child to a doctor's appointment,

a dentist appointment

and a haircut appointment.

He must make

one unscheduled and inconvenient

visit per child

to the Urgent Care.

He must also

make cookies or cupcakes

for a social function.

Each man will be responsible for

decorating his own assigned house,

planting flowers outside

and keeping it presentable

at all times.

The men will only

have access to television

when the kids are asleep

and all chores are done.

The men must

shave their legs ,

wear makeup daily,

adorn himself with jewelry,

wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes,

keep fingernails polished

and eyebrows groomed .

During one of the six weeks ,

the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, back aches,

and have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once

complain or slow down from other duties.

They must attend

weekly school meetings,

church, and find time

at least once to spend the afternoon

at the park or a similar setting.

They will need to

read a book to the kids

each night and in the morning,

feed them, dress them ,

brush their teeth and

comb their hair by 7:00 am..

A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each

father will be required to know all of the following information:

each child's birthday,

height, weight,

shoe size, clothes size

and doctor's name.

Also the child's weight at birth,

length, time of birth,

and length of labor,

each child's favorite color,

middle name,

favorite snack,

favorite song,

favorite drink,

favorite toy,

biggest fear and

what they want to be when they grow up.

The kids vote them off the island

based on performance.

The last man wins only if...

he still has enough energy

to be intimate with his spouse

at a moment's notice.

If the last man does win,

he can play the game over and over

and over again for the next 18-25 years

eventually earning the right

To be called Mother!

If the winner also holds down a job outside the home, he earns

the title of Super Mom!! And we need to throw in at least one pet forgood measure..

After you get done laughing,

send this to as many females as you

think will get a kick out of it and

as many men as you think can

handle it.

Just don't send it back to me....

I'm going to bed

Poems Quotes & Sayings Links

http://www.thinkexist.com/

http://www.worldofquotes.com/

http://www.quotationspage.com/

http://www.transcendentalists.com/

http://www.quotesandsayings.com/

http://www.bartleby.com/

http://www.quotegarden.com/

http://www.brainyquote.com/

http://www.dmarie.com/ (click Inspirations then Poem Place)http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/

Armor Of God Talk

Take Upon You My Whole Armor That Ye May...Todd Parker 8/18/97

Life's 4 GuidePosts/ Pres. Monson

Whatever your future pathway may be, may I suggest to you today four guideposts to assist in your respective journeys through school and through life itself.

First: Glance backward.

Second: Look heavenward.

Third: Reach outward.

Fourth: Press onward.

Thomas S Monson

Sisters and Friends

Time passes.

Life happens.

Distance separates.

Children grow up.

Jobs come and go.

Love waxes and wanes.

Men don't do what they're supposed to do.

Hearts break.

Parents die.

Colleagues forget favors.

Careers end.BUT - Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how manymiles are between you.

A girlfriend is never farther away than needing her.

When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end.

Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you, or come in and carry you out. Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, mothers, grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins and extended family all bless our life.When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead, nor did we know how much we would need each other.

Every day, we need each other still.

Self CPR

Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, this article seemed to be in order.

Without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint,has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.

However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously.

A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest.

A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating.The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm.

In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital.

* 45 Lessons of Life

Sent to me by my dad, June 2009

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17.. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Not Busy

I read this on the internet today. I can use these ideas, maybe you can too. Have a "Not Busy" day!

You keep a to-do list, but you can't get through it by the end of the day, and you're frustrated because you feel like you haven't been able to get enough done.

You find that things take longer than you thought they would.

And when people ask how you are, "Fine" has been replaced by "Too busy."

Welcome to the "too busy" club.

In this technology-driven world, we can do more, so we do -- and we love it. We feel effective and powerful as we check items off our lists and use our cell phones, BlackBerrys, and computers, sometimes all at once.

We're multitasking, doing as much as we can in the least amount of time.
We're active, creative, and engaged!
In demand!
Being too busy makes us feel as though we're making an impact.

On the other hand, feeling too busy drives us crazy.

Falling ever further behind as the to-do list relentlessly grows (each item generating many more items almost as fast as we can think of them) is nerve-racking and stressful.

We begin to feel like prisoners of the list, prisoners of our lives and our desires, prisoners of time.

There just aren't enough hours in the day.
It's as if we're doing battle with time -- and losing.
But the point is not how many things we have done or will do in a given amount of time; the point is how we do what we do. If we're rushed and frantic, we're too busy. If we move through our tasks with equanimity, patient and composed, we're not.

In the Zen Buddhist tradition , there's a story that illustrates this point: A monk is sweeping the temple grounds. Another monk comes by and says, "Too busy!" The first monk replies, "You should know there is one who is not too busy."

Our sweeping monk may have been moving quickly, and so he looked "too busy" to his brother monk. But inside -- in his mind -- he wasn't busy. In the midst of his vigorous activity, he was in touch with "the one who is not busy."

Most of us judge how busy we are by how much we have to do. When there are too many things to do, we think we're busy, and when there isn't much to do, it feels like we're not busy at all. But in fact, we can feel busy when there isn't that much to do, and we can feel relaxed even when there's a lot going on.

The states of "busy" and "not busy" aren't defined by how many things there are to do. Contrary to popular opinion, there is no such thing as multitasking; the brain can tend to only one thing at a time.

Being too busy or not being busy is an interpretation of our activity. Busy-ness is a state of mind, not a fact. No matter how much or how little we're doing, we're always just doing what we're doing, simply living this one moment of our lives.

That moment may seem long or short. Time is an internal, not external, reality. Have you noticed that half an hour in the dentist's chair lasts longer than half an hour at a fun dinner party with friends? And five minutes waiting on hold on the phone passes more slowly than five minutes watching a movie.

Time is how we live it, not what's measured by the clock (after all, the watch was invented fairly recently, in the 16th century). To be sure, our world operates on clock time, which is convenient and necessary; how else would we make it to that dentist's appointment or dinner party? But the clock is supposed to be working for us, not the other way around. If we feel too busy, we've mistaken a feeling for an objective reality and are held captive to that reality. It needn't be that way.

Okay, you say, good theory: We think we're busy, but we're not -- we're just doing one thing after another. But the habit of being convinced we're too busy is hard to shake. What can we do about this persistent mania of feeling task- and time-driven?

Understanding something differently is only a beginning. To change the way we live, we have to practice what we've come to understand until it becomes a natural part of us, a habit of thought, feeling, and body.

There are many simple techniques that can help us with this. Take three conscious breaths (try it now, as you're reading). This will change your mind. Whatever you're feeling will become less compulsive, less driven. There's a measure of detachment and equanimity even after the first breath. You become more present to your surroundings, to the basic awareness of being alive. Try it the next time you're feeling overwhelmed; it doesn't take much time, and it will help you remember "the one who is not busy," the part of you that's always right there, even when it looks or feels like you're too busy.

Walking meditation -- intentionally bringing awareness to your body as you move -- can lift you out of a busy-ness-induced, semiconscious funk. If you can become conscious of the way you're moving and the sensation of each movement, you'll feel refreshed instead of rushed. I know what you're thinking: "I'm too busy to go for a walk." But this is something you can do on your way to and from the bathroom. (And if you're really feeling busy, you're probably overdue for a trip there anyway.)

Sometimes just a phrase can help: "Not busy." Remembering our two monks, you can say this softly to yourself when you feel overwhelmed. I do this when I feel crazed; with the repetition of the words, I immediately recognize that it is my feelings and my thoughts that make me feel pressured, not the tasks I have to do. They will get done -- or not, and the world and I will survive. Even if I do have a crucial deadline, I'll have a much better chance of making it if I feel "not busy" and can proceed with a calm mind. Feeling frantic doesn't make me more efficient. Quite the contrary, it makes mistakes and glitches more likely.

It goes without saying that if you've bitten off more than you can chew in a day, or in a lifetime, you'd better step back and change your circumstances, if at all possible. Let go of a few activities: Peace of mind is more important, and healthier, than those few extra accomplishments. But if you can't or don't want to change your circumstances, you need to find the most serene and beautiful way to live the life you have. In the end, if you persistently and unpleasantly feel too busy, remember this: It's not a fact; it's a choice.
There is one who is not busy.
That one is you.