My Maine Event : My Journey : My Yellow Brick Road: Welcome!!

Superbowl XLVI February 5, 2012

2012-02-04T16:38:00.000-08:00

The Red, White & Blue Teams are gonna battle it out.....Let the game begin!!!

WOW, I am older than the Superbowl.....well, not by much...I have 3 or so months on this tradition.....but are YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL??

Who are you cheering for? Cheer loud & yelling @ your tv is acceptable!!

What are you game plans? Whether you stay @ home, go to a party @ a friends or go out.....be smart & be safe!!

What food do you like to have, serve, or go out for?

Do you have any superstitions that you believe or do so YOUR team will win?
Do you cross every appendage? Do you do a certain dance? What do you do to insure your team wins....??

I don't like saying "May the best team win" Both teams are @ this game because they are great teams.
NYG has been around forever...do you know....trivia...When did The GNY Giants enter NFL? 1925, if I have my source correct. When did the NE Patriots start? 1959, again, if I have searched correctly.....So.......

"The Giants were one of five teams that joined the NFL in 1925, but the only one admitted that year which still exists. The team ranks third among all NFL franchises with seven NFL titles: four in the pre–Super Bowl era (1927, 1934, 1938, 1956) and three since the advent of the Super Bowl (Super Bowls XXI (1986), XXV (1990), and XLII (2007). Their championship tally is surpassed only by the Green Bay Packers (13) and Chicago Bears (9). During their history, the Giants have featured 15 Hall of Fame players, including NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award winners Mel Hein, Frank Gifford, Charlie Conerly, Y. A. Tittle, and Lawrence Taylor."

"Boston had previously been home to several NFL teams. The first was the Boston Bulldogs, which lasted only one season (1929). They were followed by the Boston Braves/Redskins, from 1932 to 1936. They had played first at Braves Field and then at Fenway Park. The team did not draw well, even in their final season when they reached the NFL Championship Game, and moved to Washington following the 1936 season. The Boston Yanks played from 1944-1948 before moving to New York to become the New York Yanks."

Trivia: What other NFL team was from Boston but changed their name......Boston Redskins = Washington Redskins.....

ENJOY Superbowl XLVI!!!!
GO GO GO New England Patriots!

Flower in the Rain

2012-01-30T17:48:00.000-08:00

I haven't been to Church in awhile & I am missing that part of my life. I have learned some facts in regards to my Church & am searching for another.
In the meantime, I came across this song that @ one point, I sang as a solo in Church.
Why?
Why can't I find this part of my life?
Why is this so difficult?

I am willing to open up & find this new part of my life.
Like a flower needs the rain to grow, to expand, to live & thrive.
I am here.....Lord, I am here....asking for this chance to re-grow, to re-live that part of my life.....but this hole is big. This hole is filling up w/knowledge, experiences, but there is one main & major item that is missing & I plan to find this missing link.

You are the One; there's no one else
Who lifts me up
And gives me water from the well
But there's a hole
That seems to drain it all away
And once again I'm left in fear and doubt
When all my strength is crying out

CHORUS:
So here I am again
Willing to be opened up and broken like a flower in the rain
Tell me what have I to do
To die and then be raised
To reach beyond the pain
Like a flower in the rain

The evil wind, it blows a storm
To rock my world
Just when I think I'm safe and warm
I'm led astray far too easily
It's always hard for me to say I'm wrong
Until I know I can't go on

CHORUS

Lord, You have searched me
And know when I sleep and when I rise
You're familiar with all my ways
Even the darkness will shine
Like the day
When you look into my heart

CHORUS

Helen Reddy - 'I Am Woman' (Live) 1975

2012-01-30T17:36:00.000-08:00

I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an' pretend
'cause I've heard it all before
And I've been down there on the floor
No one's ever gonna keep me down again

CHORUS
Oh yes I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman

You can bend but never break me
'cause it only serves to make me
More determined to achieve my final goal
And I come back even stronger
Not a novice any longer
'cause you've deepened the conviction in my soul

CHORUS

I am woman watch me grow
See me standing toe to toe
As I spread my lovin' arms across the land
But I'm still an embryo
With a long long way to go
Until I make my brother understand

Oh yes I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to I can face anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman
Oh, I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong

FADE
I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
I am woman

What Doesn't Kill you -- Will Me "ME" Stronger

2012-01-29T08:43:00.000-08:00

I now have a new theme...Sorry Jon Bon Jovi.....you are now in 2nd place....

You know the bed feels warmer
Sleeping here alone
You know I dream in colour
And do the things I want

You think you got the best of me
Think you had the last laugh
Bet you think that everything good is gone
Think you left me broken down
Think that I'd come running back
Baby you don't know me, cause you're dead wrong

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger
Just me, myself and I
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

You heard that I was starting over with someone new
They told you I was moving on, over you

You didn't think that I'd come back
I'd come back swinging
You try to break me, but you see

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger
Just me, myself and I
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

Thanks to you I got a new thing started
Thanks to you I'm not the broken-hearted
Thanks to you I'm finally thinking about me
You know in the end the day you left was just my beginning
In the end...

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone

[2x]
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger
Just me, myself and I
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

I am STRONG!!!

My Journey

2012-01-13T09:44:00.000-08:00

My journey will start @ this: Windham Adult Ed & a beginners Zumba class. "Building on Success." I like this, sounds like a good start, a good fit, for my first step.

I am in need of Inspiration: come one come all.
I need & want to do this for me.
No one else, but me.
I am important.
I need & want to feel better.

Friday the 13th....You decide....

2012-01-11T09:26:00.000-08:00

You determine? Good, bad or indifferent?

Doesn't bother me one bit.....fins me your Friday the 13th myth, story, etc...please share...

This article is about the superstition.

Friday the 13th in the calendar Friday the 13th occurs when the thirteenth day of a month falls on a Friday, which superstition holds to be a day of bad luck. In the Gregorian calendar, this day occurs at least once, but at most three times a year. Any month's 13th day will fall on a Friday if the month starts on a Sunday.

The Phobia fear of Friday the 13th is called friggatriskaidekaphobia (Frigga being the name of the Norse goddess for whom "Friday" is named and triskaidekaphobia meaning fear of the number thirteen), or paraskevidekatriaphobia a concatenation of the Greek words Paraskeví (Παρασκευή, meaning "Friday"), and dekatreís (δεκατρείς, meaning "thirteen") attached to phobía (φοβία, from phóbos, φόβος, meaning "fear"). The latter word was derived in 1911[citation needed] and first appeared in a mainstream source in 1953.

History
Rossini by Henri GrevedonAccording to folklorists, there is no written evidence for a "Friday the 13th" superstition before the 19th century. The earliest known documented reference in English occurs in Henry Sutherland Edwards' 1869 biography of Gioachino Rossini:

Rossini was surrounded to the last by admiring and affectionate friends; Why Friday the 13th Is Unlucky

Consequently, several theories have been proposed about the origin of the Friday the 13th superstition.

One theory states that it is a modern amalgamation of two older superstitions: that thirteen is an unlucky number and that Friday is an unlucky day.

In numerology, the number twelve is considered the number of completeness, as reflected in the twelve months of the year, twelve hours of the clock, twelve gods of Olympus, twelve tribes of Israel, twelve Apostles of Jesus, the 12 Descendants of Muhammad Imams, etc., whereas the number thirteen was considered irregular, transgressing this completeness. There is also a superstition, thought by some to derive from the Last Supper or a Norse myth, that having thirteen people seated at a table will result in the death of one of the diners.
Friday has been considered an unlucky day at least since the 14th century's The Canterbury Tales, and many other professions have regarded Friday as an unlucky day to undertake journeys or begin new projects. Black Friday has been associated with stock market crashes and other disasters since the 1800s. It has also been suggested that Friday has been considered an unlucky day because, according to Christian scripture and tradition, Jesus was crucified on a Friday.

One author, noting that references are all but nonexistent before 1907 but frequently seen thereafter, has argued that its popularity derives from the publication that year of Thomas W. Lawson's popular novel Friday, the Thirteenth,[9] in which an unscrupulous broker takes advantage of the superstition to create a Wall Street panic on a Friday the 13th. Records of the superstition are rarely found before the 20th century, when it became extremely common.
The connection between the Friday the 13th superstition and the Knights Templar was popularized in the 2003 novel The Da Vinci Code. However, experts agree that this is a relatively recent correlation, and most likely a modern-day invention.

Tuesday the 13thIn Spanish-speaking countries, instead of Friday, Tuesday the 13th (martes trece) is considered a day of bad luck.[11] The Greeks also consider Tuesday (and especially the 13th) to be an unlucky day. Tuesday is considered to be dominated by the influence of Ares (Mars), the god of war. A connection can be seen in the etymology of the name in some European languages (Mardi in French or Martes in Spanish). The Fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans happened on Tuesday, May 29, 1453, fact that strengthens the superstition about Tuesday. In addition, in Greek the name of the day is Triti (Τρίτη) meaning literally the third (day of the week), adding weight to the superstition, since bad luck is often said to "come in threes".[11] Any month starting on a Thursday will have a Tuesday the 13th. If a 31 day month contains a Tuesday the 13th, the following month will contain a Friday the 13th.

Social impactAccording to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States are affected by a fear of this day. Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed. "It's been estimated that [US]$800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day". Despite this, representatives for both Delta and Continental Airlines say that their airlines do not suffer from any noticeable drop in travel on those Fridays.

Rate of accidentsThere are conflicting studies about the risk of accidents on Friday the 13th. The Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics (CVS) on June 12, 2008, stated that "fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft occur when the 13th of the month falls on a Friday than on other Fridays, because people are preventatively more careful or just stay home. Statistically speaking, driving is slightly safer on Friday the 13th, at least in the Netherlands; in the last two years, Dutch insurers received reports of an average 7,800 traffic accidents each Friday; but the average figure when the 13th fell on a Friday was just 7,500." However, a 1993 study in the British Medical Journal that compared the ratio of traffic accidents between Friday the 6th and Friday the 13th stated that there is a significant increase in traffic-related accidents on Friday the 13th. There are indications that there are more accidents on Fridays than average weekdays (irrespective of the date) probably because of alcohol consumption. Therefore it is less relevant for this purpose to compare Friday the 13th with any other 13th day of another month.

****"Unlucky Number 13
The fear of the number 13 is still common today, and avoided in many different ways. Some buildings still do not have an official 13th floor and many people avoid driving or going anywhere on Friday the 13th.******

2012...Bring the New Year in!

2011-12-31T17:51:00.000-08:00

Though the Chinese New Year won’t start until February 4, 2012, when it does we will be releasing the Year of the White Rabbit and entering the Year of the Black Water Dragon.
The Year of the Rabbit is generally a time for negotiation, security, and diplomacy because it naturally opens waves of communication. It is especially noted for a positive focus on the home and family. The Year of the Rabbit is also considered to be a very lucky time.

On the other hand, the Year of the Dragon is thought to be an unpredictable time period. Because the dragon is such a huge, powerful beast, one cannot see its head and tail at the same time, indicating an element of mystery for the upcoming year. The strength of the dragon empowers us with a large degree of luck, but whether the luck is good or bad will depend on the person. The choice to turn bad luck around to work in your favor, or to improve on the good luck you receive, will require great passion on your part.

Wait, and expect good things - for yourself.

When you wonder what is coming, tell yourself the best is coming, the very best life and love have to offer, the best God and His universe have to send. Then open your hands to receive it. Claim it, and it is yours.

See the best in your mind; envision what it will look like, what it will feel like. Focus, until you can see it clearly. Let your whole being, body and soul, enter into and hold onto the image for a moment.

Then, let it go. Come back into today, the present moment. Do not obsess. Do not become fearful. Become excited. Live today fully, expressing gratitude for all you have been, all you are, and all you will become.

Wait, and expect good things.

Today, when I think abut the year ahead, I will focus on the good that is coming.

HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR!! God Bless!

Storyside B - O Come, O Come Emmanuel

2011-12-31T17:36:00.000-08:00

Last week in Nashville, my Floridian nephew, Jesse, along with his fellow musician Lucio Rubino, who together make up the group Story Side B, performed O' Come, O Come Emmanuel as part of a Christmas Special for the Trinity Broadcast Network on the Praise The Lord program. It will be on again tonight, TBN at 7 pm (EST) so you know where we will be in a few minutes!

Jesse wrote the musical arrangement and played guitar (and a few back up vocals).
(i stole from my sis's blog)

Martina McBride - O Holy Night (Acapella))

2011-12-20T09:40:00.000-08:00

AMAZING & BREATH-TAKING!!!!

Oh holy night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the wise men from Orient land
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend.

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.

Let There be Peace On Earth -- My Wish...Join me....

2011-12-20T09:38:00.000-08:00

Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth
The peace that was meant to be.
With God as our father
Brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother
In perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.
With every step i take
Let this be my solemn vow.
To take each moment
And live each moment
With peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth,
And let it begin with me.

(child)
Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth
The peace that was meant to be.
With god as our father
Brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother
In perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow.
To take each moment
And live each moment
In peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me.

My Thought For My Day

2011-12-20T09:26:00.000-08:00

It is my job to identify my needs, and then determine a balanced way of getting those needs met. I ultimately expect a Higher Power and the Universe - not one particular person - to be my source.

It is unreasonable to expect anyone to be able or willing to meet my every request. I are responsible for asking for what I want and need. It's the other person's responsibility to freely choose whether or not to respond to my request. If I try to coerce or force another to be there for us, that's controlling.

There's a difference between asking and demanding. I want love that is freely given.

It is unreasonable and unhealthy to expect one person to be the source for meeting all my needs.
Ultimately, I will become angry and resentful, maybe even punishing, toward that person for not supporting me as I expected.

It is reasonable to have certain and well defined expectations of our spouse, children, and friends.

If a person cannot or will not be there for me, then I need to take responsibility for myself in that relationship.

I may need to set a boundary, alter my expectations, or change the limits of the relationship to accommodate that person's unavailability. I do this for myself.

It is reasonable to sprinkle my wants and needs around and to be realistic about how much I ask or expect of any particular person. I can trust ourselves to know what's reasonable.

The issue of expectations goes back to knowing that I am responsible for identifying my own needs, believing they deserve to get met, and discover an appropriate, satisfactory way to do that in my life.

Today, I will strive for reasonable expectations about getting my needs met in relationships.

Faith Hill Where Are You Christmas HD

2011-12-14T09:08:00.000-08:00

Where are you Christmas?
Why can't I find you?
Why have you gone away?
Where is the laughter,
you used to bring me?
Why can't I hear music play?

My world is changing.
I'm rearranging.
Does that mean Christmas changes, too?
Oh

Where are you Christmas?
Do you remember,
the one you used to know?
I'm not the same one.
See what the time's done?
Is that why you have let me go?
Oh

Christmas is here.
Everywhere, oh.
Christmas is here.
If you care, oh !

If there is love in your heart and your mind
you will feel like Christmas all the time!
Oh.

I feel you Christmas.
I know I've found you.
You'll never fade away.
Oh
The joy of Christmas
Stays here inside us and
Fills each and every heart,
with love

Where are you Christmas
Fill your heart with love
mmhmmmmm...

If you all see me on facebook, you'll see that I posted this, similar, but I can post more here.....
So, where is your Christmas?
Have your memories faded?
Mine have not. My memories will always be there, stronger & stronger every day.
The hope to have that again, one day.
Traditions.
Family together.
The making of new memories.

To all of you....I wish you the very best through your Holidays & no matter how you celebrate, I respect all........Merry Christmas.

* Angels Among Us *

2011-12-08T09:08:00.000-08:00

An especially THANK YOU & THANKFUL to: Cindy , Lisa M, MK, Laurie H, my son & his gf & more & more & more to Heidi & Carolyn!!!! I Love you all! My drk hours haven't been so dark....you are all lighting my way & assisting in my marvelous JOURNEY!!

I was walking home from school on a cold winter day.
Took a shortcut through the woods, and I lost my way.
It was getting late, and I was scared and alone.
But then a kind old man took my hand and led me home.
Mama couldn't see him, but he was standing there.
And I knew in my heart, he was the answer to my prayers.

Oh I believe there are angels among us.
Sent down to us from somewhere up above.
They come to you and me in our darkest hours.
To show us how to live, to teach us how to give.
To guide us with the light of love.

When life held troubled times, and had me down on my knees.
There's always been someone there to come along and comfort me.
A kind word from a stranger, to lend a helping hand.
A phone call from a friend, just to say I understand.

And ain't it kind of funny that at the dark end of the road.
Someone lights the way with just a single ray of hope.

Oh I believe there are angels among us.
Sent down to us from somewhere up above.
They come to you and me in our darkest hours.
To show us how to live, to teach us how to give.
To guide us with the light of love.

They wear so many faces; show up in the strangest places.
To grace us with their mercy, in our time of need.

Oh I believe there are angels among us.
Sent down to us from somewhere up above.
They come to you and me in our darkest hours.
To show us how to live, to teach us how to give.
To guide us with the light of love.

To guide us with the light of love.

Angels Amoung Us, has always been a favorite, not just for remembering ones who have passed, but those, who are here & now & present!
My world, my own little world has been rocked in such a manner I have never felt, that my right turn ended up as a left.
This is ok.
There is a plan, yes a plan....

Join my in my journey, see my changes, not just here, it's just a title, but I am here, walking, breathing & liviing & WOW, let the living in the present begin!

Again, thanks to all who have been there, more so over the last week, but all, you all are super supportive!

There is a reason to bend my knees, to pray, to rejoice & to livw!

Tim McGraw Performs - The View

2011-12-02T12:19:00.000-08:00

I know how to hold a grudge
I can send a bridge up in smoke
And I can't count the people I've let down, the hearts I've broke
You ain't gotta dig too deep
If you wanna find some dirt on me
I'm learning who you've been
Ain't who you've got to be
It's gonna be an uphill climb
Aww honey I won't lie

I ain't no angel
I still got a still few more dances with the devil
I’m cleanin up my act, little by little
I’m getting there
I can finally stand the man in the mirror I see
I ain’t as good as I’m gonna get
But I’m better than I used to be

I’ve pinned a lot of demons to the ground
I’ve got a few old habits left
There’s one or two I might need you to help me get
Standin in the rain so long has left me with a little rust
But put some faith in me
And someday you’ll see
There’s a diamond under all this dust

I ain't no angel
I still got a still few more dances with the devil
I’m cleanin up my act, little by little
I’m getting there
I can finally stand the man in the mirror I see
I ain’t as good as I’m gonna get
But I’m better than I used to be

I ain't no angel
I still got a still few more dances with the devil
But I’m cleanin up my act, little by little
I’m getting there
I can finally stand the man in the mirror I see
I ain’t as good as I’m gonna get
But I’m better than I used to be

"Crystal Ball" Do I have one? Do I need one? Do I want to know?

2011-11-30T09:55:00.000-08:00

I used to like to walk the straight and narrow line
I used to think that everything was fine
Sometimes I'd like to sit and gaze for days through sleepless dreams
All alone and trapped in time
All alone and trapped in time

I wonder what tomorrow has in mind for me
Or am I even in it's mind at all
Perhaps I'll get a chance to look ahead and see
Soon as I find myself a crystal ball
Soon as I find myself a crystal ball

Tell me, tell me where I'm going
I don't know where I've been
Tell me, tell me, won't you tell me
And then tell me again
My heart is breaking, my body's aching
And I don't know where to go
Tell me, tell me, won't you tell me
I've just got to know

Crystal ball
There's so many things I need to know
Crystal ball
There's so many things I've got to know
Crystal ball

["extra verse" used occasionally live]
If you should see me walking
Through your dreams at night
Would you please direct me
Where I ought to be
I've been looking for a crystal ball
To shed the light
To find a future in me...
To find a future in me...

Crystal ball
There's so many things I need to know
Crystal ball
There's so many things I've got to know
Crystal ball

**Which is your Crystal Ball....??

I have posted this song before, bu now, really now, this has taken on another meaning for me.

I thought all was ok, my life, my family, all in my crystal ball, now dropped, now cracked, now dirty & I am trying to pick up these pieces, my pieces....I wish I could go back, I can't so I walk forward.
Not that I feel alone....
And by no means trapped, but, trapped in my past, trying to figure who I was & now who I am.
I don't think I want to know what's ahead, like in The Wizard Of Oz, when Dorothy first meets the Scarecrow & not knowing which road to take, so I will venture out & go one way, the way I choose, not trapped @ all.....just the water in front of me, free flowing, no beginning & no end, just there finding its wave & going the distance.
My heart is breaking. I have had heartaches before, this is @ a another level. One that I am beginning to understand & grab a hold of, not too too tight, just enough. With this heartache, my body is reacting to pain, my body is finding its own voice & I am learning to follow this path too.
Whether you call this selfish, I call this my time, my awareness. Boy does my body tell me some stories.....I like this.

I can see the light @ the end of my tunnel, however, like that brick wall I often talk about, this wall is not as think & a lite is coming, dim, but there, so maybe, just maybe, I do see my future in my crystal ball.

I can remember my past experiences & wish I can take this back to "then", but that's not how it goes......I am climbing my ladder & growing, learning & just knowing my awareness is truly opening up, I understand me more & more...

So, the ultimate question: Do I want to know what's in my Crystal Ball.....do you want to know yours? AS the song states "I Just Got To Know" REALLY?

Finding "MY" Emotional Vocabulary List

2011-11-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

Your Emotional Vocabulary List
The more I talk to people about emotions, the more I realize how paltry our emotional vocabulary tends to be. This is a problem, because descriptive words help us understand ourselves and the world around us. If we don’t have enough names for our emotions, it’s hard to get a handle on what we’re feeling when an emotion arises.

I’ve been looking at the work of cognitive psychologist who are finding that having a more precise vocabulary (for instance, having specific names for light blues and dark blues, as Russian speakers do) tends to make people quicker at identifying subtle differences. We’ve all seen that having a larger vocabulary makes us more articulate and more able to express nuance and subtlety; what is interesting is that a large vocabulary also helps your brain identify things more quickly.

This can be immensely helpful where emotion are concerned! The sooner you know what you’re feeling, the quicker you can take effective emotional action. I created the following emotional vocabulary lists in three nuanced categories (Lite, Mood State, and Intense) so you can become smarter, quicker, and more articulate with your emotions. Score!

This page contains the vocabulary lists and suggestions for working with each emotion. If you’d like your own streamlined copy of my Emotional Vocabulary List, you can download this PDF. It’s free!
Your Emotional Vocabulary List (PDF)
Now, let’s look at each emotional category and talk about how to work with the different emotions and the three different categories within those emotions.

Let’s Start With Anger

Most of us know anger only in its mood state, and I’d say this is due to the (lame) idea that anger is only negative, and is therefore something to be avoided at all costs. This enforced avoidance and resulting ignorance is not a very good idea, because anger helps you set boundaries, protect your sense of self, and take your stand in the world. Anger helps you protect your position, your voice, your standpoint, and your individuality. If you don’t have enough anger, you’ll tend to give up your position and your sense of self, but if you have too much anger, you’ll continually offend against the rights of others.

Anger is also concerned with justice; not only for yourself, but for others. Your anger can be evoked when you see someone being stripped of their sense of self, their rights, or their position. Anger is a very social emotion; if you can understand its nuances and subtleties, you can function more intelligently in your social world.

In the book, I separate anger into the categories of Anger, Rage, Fury, Hatred, Contempt, Disgust, Resentment, Boredom, and Apathy. In this list, these categories are reorganized under the master category of Anger.

Anger Lite
Annoyed ~ Frustrated ~ Cross ~ Apathetic ~ Peeved ~ Irritated ~ Cranky ~ Crabby ~ Bored ~ Impatient ~ Critical ~ Cold ~ Displeased ~ Rankled ~ Detached ~ Indifferent

Anger in its Mood State
Angry ~ Mad ~ Offended ~ Antagonized ~ Bristling ~ Sarcastic ~ Aggravated ~ Arrogant ~ Indignant ~ Inflamed ~ Affronted ~ Resentful ~ Incensed ~ Exasperated ~ Riled up

Intense Anger
Hostile ~ Aggressive ~ Livid ~ Outraged ~ Furious ~ Belligerent ~ Hateful ~ Appalled ~ Bitter ~ Ranting ~ Raving ~ Contemptuous ~ Disgusted ~ Vengeful ~ Vindictive ~ Violent ~ Irate ~ Menacing ~ Seething ~ Vicious ~ Spiteful

When you know you’re feeling anger, you can make intelligent emotional decisions about what to do with it. In the book, I suggest that you ask the internal questions when your boundaries and self-image (or anyone else’s) are threatened: What must be protected? and What must be restored? Anger brings you a great deal of energy, forcefulness, and focus. Asking the internal questions will help you channel that intensity into healthy action.

A reminder: constant anger — even the lite form — can be a sign of depression, especially in men. If nearly everything in your life evokes impatience, annoyance, irritation, anger, crankiness, indignation, sarcasm, and so forth, it’s time to check in with your doctor or therapist. Your friends and family will thank you!

Good Words for Fear

Because fear is our intuition — it’s the emotion that tells us when change is occurring, when we need to orient to something in our environment, and when we need to take action to avoid harm or injury, it’s really important to understand fear in all its forms.

In the book, I separate fear into Fear, Anxiety, Worry, Panic, Terror, and Confusion. In this list, my categories are reorganized under the master category of Fear.

Remember that fear requires that you check in and figure out what you’re being alerted to. Asking the internal question for fear: What action should be taken? (What should I do?) will help you identify and work with your fear in useful ways. If you can work with your fear, you can understand when it is healthy and appropriate, and when it is repetitive and unhelpful to you.

Fear Lite
Alert ~ Hesitant ~ Pensive ~ Watchful ~ Cautious ~ Curious ~ Leery ~ Uneasy ~ Doubtful ~ Confused ~ Fidgety ~ Apprehensive ~ Shy ~ Concerned ~ Disquieted ~ Timid ~ Edgy ~ Disconcerted ~ Insecure ~ Indecisive ~ Disoriented

Fear in its Mood State
Fearful ~ Afraid ~ Suspicious ~ Startled ~ Unnerved ~ Anxious ~ Nervous ~ Worried ~ Alarmed ~ Shaky ~ Perturbed ~ Aversive ~ Wary ~ Distrustful ~ Rattled ~ Unsettled ~ Jumpy

Intense Fear
Terrorized ~ Shocked ~ Panicked ~ Filled with Dread ~ Horrified ~ Phobic ~ Petrified ~ Paralyzed

If you experience repetitive fears, worries, or anxieties that don’t track reliably to actual dangers — and don’t respond to any actions you can take, it’s important to reach out to your doctor or therapist. Fear is a lifesaving emotion that primes your brain, your muscles, and your adrenal glands for action. If your fear is stuck in a feedback loop, you may become overwhelmed and exhausted by the activation it causes — which will activate more fear and eventually knock you into disarray. It’s important to be able to calm your body so that you can get back into a workable relationship with your fear. Fear has an irreplaceable job to do; therefore, it’s important to be able to work with your fear in healthy ways.

Tracking Happiness Through Your Life

Happiness is a lovely rest stop and a lovely emotion, but it’s not the only emotion you need. Each of your emotions has a specific purpose and a specific place in your life. One of the biggest tricks to learn with happiness is to let it come and go — and to not treat it as better or more important than your other emotions. Every emotion has its place.

If you treat happiness as your go-to emotion, you’ll suffer unnecessarily when your other emotions arise. You need anger, fear, sadness, jealousy, envy, guilt, grief, shame, and even depression (etc.) at times. If all you know and all you want is happiness, you’ll tend to avoid, ignore, suppress, or mistreat your other emotions, and then guess what? You won’t be happy very often.

What I notice in working appropriately with the supposedly “negative” emotions is that when we work with them skillfully, we often feel happy, contented, or pleased afterward. It is as if happiness arises to tell us, “Good job! You’re getting the hang of emotions now, aren’t you?”

In the book, I separate happiness into three categories: Happiness, Contentment, and Joy. In this list, we’ll reorganize them, just as we did with Anger and Fear, above.

Happiness Lite
Smiling ~ Upbeat ~ Peaceful ~ Calm ~ Amused ~ Open ~ Friendly ~ Encouraged ~ Hopeful ~ Inspired ~ Jovial

Happiness in its Mood State
Happy ~ Glad ~ Content ~ Optimistic ~ Cheerful ~ Joyful ~ Satisfied ~ Lively ~ Delighted ~ Rejuvenated ~ Pleased ~ Gratified ~ Excited ~ Gleeful ~ Merry ~ Playful

Intense Happiness
Elated ~ Exhilarated ~ Manic ~ Giddy ~ Euphoric ~ Awe-filled ~ Blissful ~ Enthralled ~ Rapturous ~ Jubilant ~ Ecstatic ~ Overjoyed ~ Radiant

In the area of intense happiness, I included mania to remind us that there can be difficulty in the area of happiness. Intense euphoric experiences are excellent and fleeting, and they can change your entire outlook on life. However, they tend not to mesh well with activities that lead to your everyday happiness and security, such as attending to your relationships, working toward difficult goals, and paying the bills. Intense euphoric happiness is excellent in its place, but part of its beauty is that it is (or should be) comparatively rare.

Looking at Sadness

Sadness is the wonderful emotion that helps you let go of things that aren’t working anyway. Most of us avoid sadness as if it is the thing that created the loss in the first place. It isn’t. In its healthy sate, sadness is evoked by the fact that you need to let go of something. Listening to sadness can help you let go of things that don’t work so that you can make room for things that do.

The internal questions to ask for sadness are: What must be released? and What must be rejuvenated? Remember to ask both questions; sadness is not just about loss. Sadness clears away things that don’t work so that you can make changes in your life and make room for things that do work for you.

Let’s organize some vocabulary to help you welcome the gifts sadness brings you. In the book, I separate sadness into Sadness, Despair, Despondence, Grief, and Depression. These categories are reorganized here under the general category of Sadness.

Sadness Lite
Regretful ~ Disappointed ~ Disconnected ~ Distracted ~ Low ~ Listless ~ Wistful

Sadness in its Mood State
Sad ~ World-weary ~ Down ~ Melancholy ~ Mournful ~ Weepy ~ Grieving ~ Gloomy ~ Dejected ~ Downtrodden ~ Heavy-hearted ~ Forlorn ~ Sorrowful ~ Dispirited ~ Discouraged ~ Drained

Intense Sadness
Despairing ~ Bleak ~ Despondent ~ Depressed ~ Anguished ~ Inconsolable ~ Grief-stricken ~ Hopeless ~ Heartbroken ~ Morose ~ Bereaved

If you’re in intense sadness, or if your mood-state sadness is continuous and repetitive (and doesn’t respond to a good cry), it’s important to check in with your doctor or therapist. Sadness has a powerful physical component that drops you downward; it can interfere with sleep, eating, and your hormonal regulation — which then leads to more sadness and more disregulation. Just as it is with any other emotion, sadness shouldn’t hang around forever. It should do its job and move onward. If it doesn’t, and you’re in a constant sadness feedback loop, please seek help.

Note for the grieving: Though grief is different from sadness, I’m including it here for ease of categorization. However, it is quite normal (and healthy) for grief to last a much longer time than simple sadness. This is because grief arises not merely when you need to let something go — grief arises when you have no choice about letting go, and when you’re losing something over which you have no control. Grieving is a slow and languid process that takes its own time. If you’re grieving, re-read the grief chapter in the book, or contact your local hospice agency for grief support. In both of these places, you’ll find support for your grieving process instead of constantly being told to cheer up. Grieving is really important — it’s not the opposite of happiness — and it takes its own time.

The Single Emotion Called Shame and Guilt

In the book, I take the word guilt out of the equation pretty quickly, because I see it as a weasel word in relation to shame. I know I’m unusual in this respect, but I’m not on a wild-eyed crusade to rid the English language of the word guilt! However, I do want to bring up the subject here so that readers won’t be confused by my inclusion of the word guilt in these lists.

Here’s an excerpt from the book on guilt and shame:

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GUILT AND SHAME

In my early teens, I read a popular self-help book that branded guilt and shame as “useless” emotions. The book presented the idea that we’re all perfect, and therefore shouldn’t ever be guilt-ridden or ashamed of anything we do. That idea seemed very strange to me, so I went to the dictionary and looked up “guiltless” and “shameless” and found that neither state is anything to celebrate. To be guiltless means to be free of mark or experience, as if you’re a blank slate. It’s not a sign of intelligence or growth, because guiltlessness exists only in people who have not yet lived. To be shameless means to be senseless, uncouth, and impudent. It’s a very marked state of being out of control, out of touch, and exceedingly self-absorbed; therefore, shamelessness lives only in people who don’t have any relational skills. Both states – guiltlessness and shamelessness – helped me understand the intrinsic value of guilt and shame.

Fascinatingly, in a dictionary definition, guilt isn’t even an emotional state at all — it’s actually the knowledge and acknowledgment of wrongdoing. Guilt is a state of circumstance: you’re either guilty or not guilty in relation to the legal or moral code you value. You cannot feel guilty, because guilt is a concrete state — not an emotional one! Your feelings are almost irrelevant; if you do something wrong, you’re guilty, and it doesn’t matter if you’re happy, angry, fearful, or depressed about it. When you don’t do something wrong, you’re not guilty. Feelings don’t enter into the equation at all. The only way you could possibly ever feel guilty is if you don’t quite remember committing an offense (“I feel like I might be guilty, but I’m not sure.”). No, what you feel is shame. Guilt is a factual state, while shame is an emotion.

Shame is the natural emotional consequence of guilt and wrongdoing. If we don’t know that and don’t welcome our authentic shame, we’ll be unable to moderate our our own behavior. We’ll continually do things we know are wrong — and we won’t have the strength to stop ourselves. In our never-ending shamelessness, we’ll offend and offend and offend without pause — we’ll always be guilty — because nothing will wake us to our effect on the world.

Guilt is a factual state, not an emotional one. You’re either guilty or not guilty. If you’re not guilty, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. However, if you are guilty, and you want to know what to do about the fact of your guilt, then you’ve got to learn to work with the information shame brings to you.

Okay, now that I’ve made that clear, forget it, because the word guilt will never leave our emotional vocabulary. It’s far simpler for people to use the weasel phrase “I feel guilty” rather than the more honest emotive phrase “I feel ashamed.” Luckily, we’ve got this following list so that we can have a more precise vocabulary for shame!

Lite Shame
Hesitant ~ Flushed ~ Self-conscious ~ Speechless ~ Discomfited ~ Awkward ~ Humble ~ Reticent ~Abashed ~ Flustered ~ Withdrawn

Shame in its Mood State
Ashamed ~ Guilty ~ Embarrassed ~ Intimidated ~ Penitent ~ Regretful ~ Remorseful ~ Chagrined ~ Culpable ~ Reproachful ~ Sheepish ~ Rueful ~ Contrite ~ Humbled

Intense Shame
Humiliated ~ Guilt-ridden ~ Guilt-stricken ~ Disgraced ~ Stigmatized ~ Mortified ~ Demeaned ~ Self-condemning ~ Self-flagellating ~ Degraded ~ Shamefaced ~ Belittled ~ Ostracized

Here is The Gifts of Shame post to help you understand the positive aspects of shame. The practice for shame is to understand it as anger toward yourself, hopefully for something you’ve actually done wrong — which means you can make amends and change your behavior. In the book, I call this kind of shame “appropriate shame,” because it relates to something real and fixable: If your shame is appropriate, it will stop you from doing something you shouldn’t, and it will help you change your behavior and make amends.

However, there is another form of shame that I call “applied shame,” which comes from the shaming messages you pick up from others and incorporate into your life. Applied shame can be pretty toxic (especially if it relates to you not being good enough, smart enough, lovable enough, etc.), and the work in the book helps you identify applied shame and work through it so that you can get yourself into a better relationship with your healthy and authentic shame. Yay!!

The Unique Emotions Called Jealousy and Envy
In the book, I describe jealousy and envy as distinct but related emotional states:

Jealousy and envy are separate emotional states, yet they carry similar information: Jealousy arises in response to unfaithfulness or deceit in an intimate relationship, while envy arises in response to the unfair distribution of resources or recognition. Both contain a mixture of boundary-protecting anger (including hatred – so check your shadow!) and intuitive fear. Both exist to help you set or restore lost boundaries after they’ve assessed an authentic risk to your security or your position. If you can honor these two emotions, they’ll contribute tremendous stability to your personality and your relationships.

If your jealousy flows healthfully, you won’t appear obsessively jealous or possessive — rather, your natural intuition and clear boundaries will help you instinctively choose and retain trustworthy mates and friends. Similarly, if your envy flows freely, you won’t appear openly envious or greedy — instead, your internal security will allow you to celebrate the gains and recognitions of others (even when they’re undeserved) without ignoring your own need for gain and recognition. However, if you suppress your jealousy and envy, you’ll have trouble identifying or relating to reliable companions, and you (and everyone around you) will be disrupted by your disastrous attempts to bolster your self-respect and security by denouncing everyone else’s and grabbing everything you can get your hands on.

I call jealousy and envy the “sociological emotions” because they help us understand and brilliantly navigate our social world. Very few people share this view; our culture pathologizes most difficult emotions, but jealousy and envy seem to be targeted more universally than others. People who express these emotions are rarely honored; they are often called insanely jealous or green-eyed monsters, which throws these emotions into the shadows. That’s never a good idea, especially in regard to emotions that carry intuitive and protective information. Both jealousy and envy arise when you’ve detected a risk to your social and personal security. Shutting them down is like throwing a noisy smoke alarm out the window before finding out why it went off! When you stifle your jealousy and envy, you not only lose your awareness of the situations that brought them forward, but you lose your emotional agility, your instincts, and your ability to navigate through your social world and your relationships.

Okay, we know the difference between jealousy and envy, but most people lump the two together. In most dictionaries envy and jealousy are treated as synonyms for each other. I don’t like to squish them together like this, but the fact is that our vocabulary choices for these two unique emotions are completely intertwined (and tellingly paltry — I’d say that we do not want to name or own up to these emotions!).

Lite Jealousy and Envy
Suspicious ~ Insecure ~ Distrustful ~ Protective

Mood-State Jealousy and Envy
Jealous ~ Envious ~ Covetous ~ Threatened ~ Demanding ~ Desirous

Intense Jealousy and Envy
Greedy ~ Grasping ~ Persistently jealous ~ Possessive ~ Resentful ~ Threatened ~ Gluttonous ~ Green with envy ~ Avaricious

Nothing on me

2011-11-20T15:59:00.000-08:00

Hip Hop......I'll go all the way....

Learning to Live With Me By Gary Allan

2011-11-07T16:56:00.000-08:00

I used to wish that I was
Great as any one
Better than I am
Could do things no one can
And I used to wish that I was cool as I could be
But now I'm learning to live with me

Is anybody satisfied with who they really are
You could be the moon
And still be jealous of the stars
You gotta' learn to swim
If you can't walk upon the sea
So I'm learning to live with me

And I used to wish that I was
Braver than the rest
A hero nothin' less
A big duke in the west
But I know the way I am is who I'm gonna be
So I'm learing to live with me

Is anybody satisfied with who they really are
You could be the moon
And still be jealous of the stars
You gotta' learn to swim
If you can't walk upon the sea
So I'm learning to live

Learning to forgive
Learning to live with me

Inspiration -- We all need to stop & be Inspired

2011-10-25T09:38:00.000-07:00

Words of inspiration lift the spirit, boost morale and nudge you in the direction you want to go. I nudge myself daily. A reminder I am alive, I can do & I can move.

No two people are inspired quite the same way, and what inspires is as unique as the sound of your laughter. These two people also, need to respect the other ones inspiration, too. No two people are inspired quite the same way.

One person’s inspiration may come from reading a book, poem or quote. Another may be inspired by music, the sound of children’s laughter or silence that encourages reflective thinking or even a dream or a memory.

If you feel uninspired and long to rekindle the glowing coals of your life, sit for a moment, have a roaring fire, try & sit & be in that moment & reflect.

Let a few words of inspiration sink in as you ponder the possibilities of living an inspired life.

......says one more day till I'm another year older, I'm still none the wiser, and refusing to age gracefully! I shall fight it all the way!"

2011-10-13T18:30:00.000-07:00

says one more day till I'm another year older, I'm still none the wiser, and refusing to age gracefully! I shall fight it all the way!"

Blowin’ out the candles on another birthday cake
Old enough to look back and laugh at my mistakes
Young enough to look at the future and like what I see
My best days are ahead of me

Life hasn't always been a party but mostly it's been good
There's only one or two things that I'd change if I could
I don’t get lost in the past or get stuck in some sad memory
My best days are ahead of me

Age ain’t nothing but a number
Sometimes I have to wonder what does it really mean
But hey, I’m still putting it together
I keep getting better, if I keep getting better
I can be whatever I wanna be
My best days are ahead of me

Age ain’t nothing but a number
Sometimes I have to wonder what does it really mean
But hey, I’m still putting it together
I keep getting better, if I keep getting better
I can be whatever I wanna be
My best days are ahead of me

I've got sunsets to witness, dreams to dance with
Beaches to walk on and lovers to kiss
There's a whole lot of world out there that I can't wait to see
My best days are ahead of me
My best days are ahead of me

Thought of You Today

2011-10-07T15:30:00.000-07:00

Great philosphy just had to share....true beauty comes from within......

A while back, at the entrance of a gym, there was a picture of a very thin and beautiful woman. The caption was "This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?"

The story goes, a woman (of clothing size unknown) answered the following way:

"Dear people, whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, seals, curious humans), they are sexually active and raise their children with great tenderness.
They entertain like crazy with dolphins and eat lots of prawns. They swim all day and travel to fantastic places like Patagonia, the Barents Sea or the coral reefs of Polynesia.
They sing incredibly well and sometimes even are on cds. They are impressive and dearly loved animals, which everyone defend and admires.

Mermaids do not exist.

But if they existed, they would line up to see a psychologist because of a problem of split personality: woman or fish?
They would have no sex life and could not bear children.
Yes, they would be lovely, but lonely and sad.
And, who wants a girl that smells like fish by his side?

Without a doubt, I'd rather be a whale.

At a time when the media tells us that only thin is beautiful, I prefer to eat ice cream with my kids, to have dinner with my husband, to eat and drink and have fun with my friends.

We women, we gain weight because we accumulate so much wisdom and knowledge that there isn't enough space in our heads, and it spreads all over our bodies.
We are not fat, we are greatly cultivated.
Every time I see my curves in the mirror, I tell myself: "How amazing am I ?! "

(The girl on the picture is French model Tara Lynn)

Buoyancy

2011-09-02T07:37:00.000-07:00

Not just Little Sebago lake, but water.....soothing....calming....peaceful...

During the last 2 years, I have found comfort in counseling. Everyday I stuggle, not just w/day to day functions, but getting to know me, in a way I have never known. My conscience and unconscience have ways of protceting me & my ego(super) is my reality. Well let me tell you....talk about turning my life inside out & upside down.....

I have remembered that my life was good, had 2 parents & pretty much was the spoiled younger little brat of a sister. I see now why.
Having older siblings, I always thought of them as mother-figure too. Nope, not the case....they are my sisters, even tho they are older, sisters they are.

They were left to watch me, play with me, etc....not the best for their childhood either. Our parents had more time for me, attended all my school & outside of school functions....just seems cool...my rose color glasses were on.

Well, my rose colored glasses are off, and a shook it has been.
I am glad I have been in sessions & shortly after is when my world really came crashing down.

I am blessed for what surrounds me, water. Soothing, still, calm, peaceful, I find myself there, drawn.

I now have my explanation. I feel whole in the water. I feel buoyant. I feel free. All that I have needed during my new 2 year & life-time journey.

I embrace. I walk forward. I can look back & learn more now than ever & know I am whole, hurt, but whole.

I am happy to be where I am & am finding the tools to move on.

Water, so eccenticial to my being.

“The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive.”

Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard.
Water is my friend & will help me wear away my rough & sharp edges & spots.
Water hydrates me. Water rinses my soul.

Water is where my heart & home is.....

What the Doctor ordered....

2011-07-27T16:06:00.000-07:00

Stop trying so hard to control things. It is not our job to control people, outcomes, circumstances, and life. Maybe in the past we couldn't trust and let things happen. But we can now. The way life is unfolding is good. Let it unfold.

Stop trying so hard to do better, be better, and be more. Who we are and the way we do things is good enough for today.

Who we were and the way we did things yesterday was good enough for that day.

Ease up on ourselves. Let go. Stop trying so hard.

Today, I will let go. I will stop trying to control everything. I will stop trying to make myself be and do better, and I will let myself be.

I recently had a (well still am) vacation camping w/some girlfriends, and wow, what a time...relaxation & no schedule, no calls, no NOTHING!!!

".....I might not be someone's first choice, but I am a great choice....I don't pretend to be someone I'm not, because I'm good at being me....I might not be proud of some of the things I've done in the past, but I'm proud of who I am today.....I may not be perfect...but I don't need to be....Take me as I am, or watch me as I walk away...."

This is what I have realized during these days of NOTHING, I am me & I like me.....relax & really really , don't sweat the small stuff......Enjoy!

Rocks told me a story this past week.....they are plain & there when not covered in water. In water they sparkle & take on a different look, an amazing view. I couldn't get enough of this......the right time in my journey.
The rocks & their river's current allowed me to let go...............really let go.....

Happy Birthday America

2011-07-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

Background

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.[4][5] After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.[6]

Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.[7]

Historians have long disputed whether Congress actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, even though Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin all later wrote that they had signed it on that day. Most historians have concluded that the Declaration was signed nearly a month after its adoption, on August 2, 1776, and not on July 4 as is commonly believed.[8][9][10][11][12]

In a remarkable coincidence, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as Presidents of the United States, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not a signer of the Declaration of Independence, James Monroe, the Fifth President of the United States, died on July 4, 1831. Calvin Coolidge, the Thirtieth President, was born on July 4, 1872, and thus was the only President to be born on Independence Day.
Observance
An 1825 invitation to an Independence Day celebration

* In 1777, thirteen gunshots were fired, once at morning and again as evening fell, on July 4 in Bristol, Rhode Island. Philadelphia celebrated the first anniversary in a manner a modern American would find quite familiar: an official dinner for the Continental Congress, toasts, 13-gun salutes, speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews, and fireworks. Ships were decked with red, white, and blue bunting.[13]
* In 1778, General George Washington marked July 4 with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute. Across the Atlantic Ocean, ambassadors John Adams and Benjamin Franklin held a dinner for their fellow Americans in Paris, France.[14]
* In 1779, July 4 fell on a Sunday. The holiday was celebrated on Monday, July 5.[14]
* In 1781, the Massachusetts General Court became the first state legislature to recognize July 4 as a state celebration.[14]
* In 1783, Moravians in Salem, North Carolina, held a celebration of July 4 with a challenging music program assembled by Johann Friedrich Peter. This work was titled "The Psalm of Joy".
* In 1791 the first recorded use of the name "Independence Day" occurred.
* In 1820 the first Fourth of July celebration was held in Eastport, Maine which remains the largest in the state.[15]
* In 1870, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees.[16]
* In 1938, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.[17]

Customs
In addition to a fireworks show, Miami lights one of its tallest buildings with the patriotic red, white and blue color scheme on Independence Day
New York City's fireworks display, shown above over the East Village, is sponsored by Macy's and the largest[18] in the country
Independence Day, 1940 Promotion.ogv
Play video
Patriotic trailer shown in theaters prior to the 4th of July 1940

Independence Day is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays. Similar to other summer-themed events, Independence Day celebrations often take place outdoors. Independence Day is a federal holiday, so all non-essential federal institutions (like the postal service and federal courts) are closed on that day. Many politicians make it a point on this day to appear at a public event to praise the nation's heritage, laws, history, society, and people.

Families often celebrate Independence Day by hosting or attending a picnic or barbecue and take advantage of the day off and, in some years, long weekend to gather with relatives. Decorations (e.g., streamers, balloons, and clothing) are generally colored red, white, and blue, the colors of the American flag. Parades are often in the morning, while fireworks displays occur in the evening at such places as parks, fairgrounds, or town squares.

Independence Day fireworks are often accompanied by patriotic songs such as the national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner", "God Bless America", "America the Beautiful", "My Country, 'Tis of Thee", "This Land Is Your Land", "Stars and Stripes Forever", and, regionally, "Yankee Doodle" in northeastern states and "Dixie" in southern states. Some of the lyrics recall images of the Revolutionary War or the War of 1812.

Firework shows are held in many states, and many fireworks are sold for personal use or as an alternative to a public show. Safety concerns have led some states to ban fireworks or limit the sizes and types allowed. Illicit traffic transfers many fireworks from less restrictive states.

A salute of one gun for each state in the United States, called a “salute to the union,” is fired on Independence Day at noon by any capable military base.[19]

In 2009, New York City had the largest fireworks display in the country, with over 22 tons of pyrotechnics exploded.[18] Other major displays are in Chicago on Lake Michigan; in San Diego over Mission Bay; in Boston on the Charles River; in St. Louis on the Mississippi River; in San Francisco over the San Francisco Bay; and on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.. During the annual Windsor-Detroit International Freedom Festival, Detroit, Michigan hosts one of the world's largest fireworks displays, over the Detroit River, to celebrate Independence Day in conjunction with Windsor, Ontario's celebration of Canada Day.

While the official observance always falls on July 4th, participation levels may vary according to which day of the week the 4th falls on. If the holiday falls in the middle of the week, some fireworks displays and celebrations may take place during the weekend for convenience, again, varying by region.

The first week of July is typically one of the busiest American travel periods of the year, as many people utilize the holiday for extended vacation trips.[20]
Unique or historical celebrations
Originally entitled Yankee Doodle, this is one of several versions of a scene painted by A. M. Willard that came to be known as The Spirit of '76. Often imitated or parodied, it is a familiar symbol of American patriotism

* Held since 1785, the Bristol Fourth of July Parade in Bristol, Rhode Island is the oldest continuous Independence Day celebration in the United States.
* Since 1868, Seward, Nebraska has held a celebration on the same town square. In 1979 Seward was designated “America’s Official Fourth of July City-Small Town USA” by resolution of Congress. Seward has also been proclaimed Nebraska’s Official Fourth of July City” by Governor James Exon in proclamation. Seward is a town of 6,000 but swells to 40,000+ during the 4th of July celebrations. [21]
* Since 1912, the Rebild Society, a Danish-American friendship organization, has held a July 4th weekend festival that serves as a homecoming for Danish-Americans in the Rebild section of Denmark.[22]
* Since 1916, Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City supposedly started as a way to settle a dispute among four immigrants as to who was the most patriotic.
* Since 1959, the International Freedom Festival is jointly held in Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario during the last week of June each year as a mutual celebration of Independence Day and Canada Day (July 1). It culminates in a large fireworks display over the Detroit River.
* Numerous major and minor league baseball games are played on Independence Day.
* The famous Macy's fireworks display usually held over the East River in New York City has been televised nationwide on NBC since 1976. In 2009, the fireworks display was returned to the Hudson River for the first time since 2000 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's exploration of that river.[23]
* Since 1970, the annual 10 kilometer Peachtree Road Race is held in Atlanta, Georgia.
* The Boston Pops Orchestra has hosted a music and fireworks show over the Charles River Esplanade called the "Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular" annually since 1973.[24] The event was broadcast nationally from 1987 until 2002 on the A&E Network, and has aired since 2003 on CBS.[25]
* On the Capitol lawn in Washington, D.C., “A Capitol Fourth,” a free concert, precedes the fireworks and attracts over half a million people annually.

Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue -- HAPPY 4TH!!!

2011-07-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

I´ll be okay - Amanda Marshall

2011-06-30T18:22:00.000-07:00

It's time to let you go
It's time to say goodbye
There's no more excuses
No more tears to cry

There's been so many changes
I was so confused
All along you were the one
All the time I never knew

I want you to be happy
You're my best friend
But it's so hard to let you go now
All that could have been
I'll always have the memories
She'll always have you
Fate has a way of changing
Just when you don't want it to

[Chorus]

Throw away the chains
Let love fly away
Till love comes again
I'll be okay

Life passes so quickly
You gotta take the time
Or you'll miss what really matters
You'll miss all the signs
I've spent my life searching
For what was always there
Sometimes it will be too late
Sometimes it won't be fair

[Chorus]

I won't give up
I won't give in
I can't recreate what just might have been
I know that my heart will find love again
Now is the time to begin

[Chorus]

I can't hold on forever baby
I'll be okay

Queensryche - Someone Else? Live

2011-06-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

When i fell from grace i never realized
How deep the flood was around me
A man whose life was toil was like a kettle left to boil
And the water left these scars on me

The chains i wore were mine, dragging me towards my fate
Planned for me long ago

I played by all their rules, went to their right schools

Who was i to question?

They used to say i was nowhere man
Heading down was my destiny
But yesterday i swear that was
Someone else not me

Here i stand at the crossroad's edge
Afraid to reach out for eternity
One step when i look down
I see someone else, not me

I know now who i am, if only for awhile
I recognize the changes
I feel like i did, before the magic wore thin
And the baptism of stains began

Sacrifice, the always say... is a sign of nobility
But where does one draw the line in the face of injury?
I'm just trying to understand

Standing here at the crossroad's edge
Looking down at what i used to be
A drowning man, trying to stay afloat
Heavy with the past, but somehow keeping hope
That there's something more that is seen
But it's somewhere out of reach

So i keep looking back
Looking back and i see someone else

All my life they said i was going down
But i'm still standing stronger proud

And today i know, there's so much more i can be
I think i finally understand

From where i stand at the crossroad's edge
There's a path leading out to sea
And from somewhere deep in my mind
Sirens sing out loud, songs of doubt, as only they know how
But one glance back reminds and i see
Someone else, not me.

I keep looking back at someone else... me?

My Rainbow......

Pink - Crystal Ball -- Pennies in a well...

2011-06-29T19:24:00.000-07:00

Drinking wine and thinking bliss, is on the other side of this
I just need a compass and a willing accomplice
All my doubts that fill my head are skidding up and down again
Up and down and round again, down and up and round again.

Oh, I've had my chances and I've taken them all.
Just to end up right back here on the floor.
To end up right back here in on the floor.

Pennies in a well, a million dollars in the fountain of a hotel.
Fortune teller that says maybe you will go to hell.
But I'm not scared at all... Hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm

The cracks in the crystal, the cracks in the crystal ball.
Sometimes you think everything is wrapped inside a diamond ring
Love just needs a witness and a little forgiveness
And a halo of patience and a less sporadic pace and
I'm learning to be brave in my beautiful mistakes.

Oh I've felt that fire and I've been burned
But I wouldn't trade the pain for what I've learned
I wouldn't trade the pain for what I've learned.

Pennies in a well, a million dollars in the fountain of a hotel.
Fortune teller that says maybe you will go to hell.
But I'm not scared at all... Hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm

Of the cracks in the crystal, the cracks in the crystal ball.

Irony, irony, this hate and love, hate and love
What it does to me, what it's done to me.
What is done... Done

Pennies in a well, a million dollars in the fountain of a hotel.
Broken mirrors and a black cats cold stare,
Walk under ladders on my way to hell, I'll meet you there.

But I'm not scared at all, hmm... I'm not scared at all.

Bout the cracks in the crystal, the cracks in the crystal ball.

Belief

2011-06-27T06:21:00.000-07:00

BELIEF: something believed; an opinion or conviction: confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof: a statement unworthy of belief: confidence; faith; trust

Don't be too confused, belief & believe the same, it's all in how you view these words.

Once again, I haven't spelled out a topic, but to me, the Hhmm....comes to mind, to think, to be aware.

a principle, proposition, idea, etc, accepted as true
opinion; conviction

religious faith

trust or confidence, as in a person or a person's abilities, probity, etc

Random: I had rented a movie "Crash" from 2004. That's where all my thinking has come from on certain topic & word's that I'll show over time.

"Tensions erupt when the tangled lives of a Brentwood housewife, her district attorney husband, a Persian shopkeeper, two cops, a pair of carjackers and a Korean couple converge over a 36-hour period in the diverse metropolis of post-9/11 Los Angeles"

I dare you to watch & see what "belief's" and what you "believe" in comes to mind.....

Believe

2011-06-25T17:23:00.000-07:00

BELIEVE: to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so: Only if one believes in something can one act purposefully.

What is your definition of BELIEVE?

To accept as true
To accept the statement or opinion as true
To be convinced of the truth or existence
To think, assume, or suppose
To think that someone is able to do believed it of him

Do I believe? Do you believe? What to believe in?

I haven't talked about what to believe in, or a subject, person......think that word...very strong word...all by itself, like me, by myself, learning, growing, believing in me......YOU?

Martina McBride - Anyway

2011-06-19T05:59:00.000-07:00

Miss you.....Happy Father's Day.....

You can spend your whole life buildin'
Something from nothin'
One storm can come and blow it all away
Build it anyway

You can chase a dream
That seems so out of reach
And you know it might not ever come your way
Dream it anyway

God is great
But sometimes life ain't good
And when I pray
It doesn't always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
I do it anyway

This world's gone crazy
It's hard to believe
That tomorrow will be better than today
Believe it anyway

You can love someone with all your heart
For all the right reasons
In a moment they can choose to walk away
Love 'em anyway

God is great
But sometimes life ain't good
And when I pray
It doesn't always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
Yeah - I do it anyway

You can pour your soul out singing
A song you believe in
That tomorrow they'll forget you ever sang
Sing it anyway
Yea, sing it anyway
Yeah, yeah!

I sing
I dream
I love
anyway

Brad Paisley - Old Alabama

2011-06-14T18:45:00.000-07:00

Awesome!

"That's What She Said"

2011-06-14T17:49:00.000-07:00

I'm taking this next thought from a dear gf's blog: "That's What She Said."

I struggle w/relationships, not just boyfriend/girlfriend, but family & just plain old good fashion friendships. All is work, no relationship should come easy. I mean yes, fun time, laughter, but that roller-coaster ride of life always gets your way, sometimes.

I too have had my heart-breaks.
I thought I had found my one true love, a man I could trust, confide in, tell anything too, no matter how serious I thought the subject was or even if the subject was as silly as silly could get, he took me seriously & he knew the real me. He was there @ some pretty low times & a lot of medical situations. We went thru it all, we got thru it all......but here I am, so we didn't get thru it all....

He listened, he was smart, handsome, he helped w/my family, helped w/my son & I was there for him too, thru his family, his kids, it was a dream for me & the communication was fantastic! A man that could talk & respond & communicate! (even stop for directions!)

He took care of me...he even had a nic-name from a sister that will always be remembered......but here I am, so we didn't get thru it all....

With this all said, I am single.

As my friend SK stated "But he wasn't real. He pretended to be somebody I wanted him to be, but inside he wasn't & while on the outside he is sweet and charming and handsome and wonderful. And he broke my heart into so many pieces that I couldn't/can't trust a man again."

So I have & am healing, yes many moons later.....I have looked & search within me....I am able now, to accept that I am in love w/being in love, not the actual man, to me this isn't right. I need to look @ the whole entire picture, the man, the person & look @ me for me & trying to be something I am not.

I do thank God for not being in any relationship right now, or even the rest of my life.
I am good.
I am real.
I am true to me.
I was real & true to who I am in these relationships, however, I tried too hard.

Friends, family, co-workers, all tell me the same line...."Oh when you are looking, it'll happen" or "they just weren't meant to be." Argh hate that! (i dislike the word hate, i dislike the word just....)

I have a path. I have a journey. I have faith.
And that's where it'll lay for now.
Prayer is powerful.
Forgiveness is powerful. (i've had some of this last sunday)

Whether I am single or in a relationship, I am me.

I accept me.

The ups & downs & the good & bad of dating.

I did state once, and actually many times to a certain some-one, that that was it for me "if-this-relationship-doesn't-work-no-more"

Dating is too hard.

Meet someone, start chatting, go out once & awhile & then all over again, a huge circle...who wants that.

So I am me. No one else & I don't even want to be anyone else.

So take me or leave me.
Read this blog or not, try & understand my ramblings, I am me.
"It's all Good!"

Living the Four Agreements: A life changing Journey

2011-06-06T18:13:00.000-07:00

The Four Agreements are:

1. Be Impeccable with your Word: Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the Word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your Word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don’t Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don’t Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

Loving Ourselves Unconditionally -- This is a tough one...I am very hard on myself...

2011-05-25T18:27:00.000-07:00

Love yourself into health and a good life of your own.

Love yourself into relationships that work for you and the other person. Love yourself into peace, happiness, joy, success, and contentment.

Love yourself into all that you always wanted. We can stop treating ourselves the way others treated us, if they behaved in a less than healthy, desirable way. If we have learned to see ourselves critically, conditionally, and in a diminishing and punishing way, it's time to stop. Other people treated us that way, but it's even worse to treat ourselves that way now.

Loving ourselves may seem foreign, even foolish at times. People may accuse us of being selfish. We don't have to believe them.

People who love themselves are truly able to love others and let others love them. People who love themselves and hold themselves in high esteem are those who give the most, contribute the most, and love the most.

How do we love ourselves? By forcing it at first. By faking it, if necessary. By acting as if. By working as hard at loving and liking ourselves as we have at not liking ourselves.

Explore what it means to love yourself.

Do things for yourself that reflect compassionate, nurturing, self love.

Embrace and love all of yourself - past, present, and future. Forgive yourself quickly and as often as necessary. Encourage yourself. Tell yourself good things about yourself.

If we think and believe negative ideas, get them out in the open quickly and honestly, so we can replace those beliefs with better ones.

Pat yourself on the back when necessary. Discipline yourself when necessary. Ask for help, for time; ask for what you need.

Sometimes, give yourself treats. Do not treat yourself like a pack mule, always pushing and driving harder. Learn to be good to yourself. Choose behaviors with preferable consequences - treating yourself well is one.

Learn to stop your pain, even when that means making difficult decisions. Do not unnecessarily deprive yourself. Sometimes, give yourself what you want, just because you want it.

Stop explaining and justifying yourself. When you make mistakes, let them go. We learn, we grow, and we learn some more. And through it all, we love ourselves.

We work at it, and then work at it some more. One day we'll wake up, look in the mirror, and find that loving ourselves has become habitual. We're now living with a person who gives and receives love, because that person loves him or herself. Self-love will take hold and become a guiding force in our life.

Today, I will work at loving myself. I will work as hard at loving myself as I have at not liking myself. Help me let go of self-hate and behaviors that reflect not liking myself. Help me replace those with behaviors that reflect self-love. Today, God, help me hold myself in high self-esteem. Help me know I'm lovable and capable of giving and receiving love.

Fireproof

2011-05-23T18:12:00.000-07:00

John Holt: Caleb, if I had to ask you why you're so frustrated with Catherine, what would you say?

Caleb Holt: She's stubborn. She makes everything difficult for me. She's ungrateful. She's constantly griping about something.

John Holt: Has she thanked you for anything you've done in the last 20 days?

Caleb Holt: No! And you'd think after I washed the car, changed the oil, do the dishes, washed the house, that she would try to show me a little bit of gratitude, but she doesn't. In fact, when I come home, she makes me feel like I'm an enemy! I'm not even welcome in my own home, dad! That is what really ticks me off! Dad, for the last three weeks I have bent over backwards for her! I have tried to demonstrate that I still care about this relationship. I bought her flowers, which she threw away. I have taken her insults and her sarcasm, but last night was it. I made dinner for her. I did everything I could to demonstrate that I care about her, to show value for her, and she spat in my face! She does not deserve this, dad! I am not doing it anymore! How am I supposed to show love to somebody over and over and over, who constantly rejects me?

John Holt: [John Holt strokes the wooden cross, and turns to Caleb] That's a good question.

Caleb Holt: Dad, that is not what I'm doing.

John Holt: Is it?

Caleb Holt: No. Dad, that is not what this is about.

John Holt: Son, you just asked me: how can someone show love over and over again when they're constantly rejected? Caleb, the answer is: you can't love her, because you can't give her what you don't have. I couldn't truly love your mother until I understood what love truly was. It's not because I get some reward out of it. I've now made a decision to love your mother whether she deserves it or not. Son, God loves you, even though you don't deserve it. Even though you've rejected Him. Spat in His face. God sent Jesus to die on the cross for your sin, because He loves you. The cross was offensive to me, until I came to it. But when I did, Jesus Christ changed my life. That's when I truly began to love your mom. Son, I can't settle this for you. This is between you and the Lord. But I love you too much not to tell you the truth. Can't you see that you need Him? Can't you see that you need His forgiveness?

Caleb Holt: Yes.

John Holt: Will you trust Him with your life?

[Caleb nods; yes]

Something To Believe In

2011-05-19T18:02:00.000-07:00

You wake up every morning looking for your answer,
You’re waiting for your sign
While Jeremiah’s on his way to tell the people
But you watch him pass you by.

You walk the streets at night still looking for your reason
But you don’t want to try
You swear the world has got you backed into a corner
But no one holds your hand to walk into a fight.

You swear the light is gonna find you
But it can’t find you if you’re waiting all the time.

Chorus:
You say, ‘keep my head from going down’
Just for a little, just for a little
Watch my feet float off the ground
Just for a little, just for a little
A little love if you can hear this sound
Oh just give me something
Something to believe in.

You spend your days alone still hoping for the truth, oh
But all you hear are lies
But no one else is going to tell you what to do now
No one else is going to help you hold the line.

Sometimes it’s hard to keep on living
But you’re the one who’s got to know just when it’s right.

Chorus:
You say, ‘keep my head from going down’
Just for a little, just for a little
Watch my feet float off the ground
Just for a little, just for a little
A little love if you can hear this sound
Oh just give me something
Something to believe in.

Love, come take me now
Love, come take me
Love, come take me now
Love, come take me, take me now
Come take me, take me now
Come take me, take me now
Come take me, take me now.

Chorus:
You say, ‘keep my head from going down’
Just for a little, just for a little
Watch my feet float off the ground
Just for a little, just for a little
A little love if you can hear this sound
Oh just give me something
Something to believe in.

Something to believe in
Love, come take me
(Something to believe in)
Love is gonna take me, take me, take me
(Something to believe in)
Love is gonna come and save me
(Love is gonna save me)

Chorus:
You say, ‘keep my head from going down’
Just for a little, just for a little
Watch my feet float off the ground
Just for a little, just for a little
A little love if you can hear this sound
Oh just give me something
Something to believe in.

I am ready, able & willing to jump & love myself.....yet anotehr song I can find comfort in.
Songs take on different meanings for different people.
I am a beleiver.
I believe in love.
I believe in self-love.
I beleive in something.
I beleive.
I am jumping, arms wide open, accepting, parachute open, all protective, holding me, gliding, free-falling & enjoying my ride, my journey.....w/all...tough, learning, educating, envigerating ride!!
I can do this, even tho I am alone in my journey, mentally I am not....I am open to all...I am open to him.

Closer To The Edge--I will never forget--I will never regret

2011-05-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

I don't remember a moment I tried to forget (I don't remember the moment I tried to forget)
I lost myself, is it better not said
Now I'm closer to the edge

It was a thousand to one and a million to two
Time to go down in flames and I'm taking you
Closer to the edge

No I'm not saying I'm sorry
One day maybe we'll make it (One day maybe we'll meet again)
No I'm not saying I'm sorry
One day maybe we'll meet again
No no no no

Can you imagine a time when the truth ran free
The birth of a sun, the death of a dream
Closer to the edge, my edge!!!!

This never ending story paid for with pride and fate
We all fall short of glory
Lost in our fate

No I'm not saying I'm sorry
One day maybe we'll meet again
No I'm not saying I'm sorry
One day maybe we'll meet again
No no no no

No no no no
I will never forget
No no
I will never regret
No no
I will live my life

No no no no
I will never forget
No no
I will never regret
No no
I will live my life

No I'm not saying I'm sorry
One day maybe we'll meet again
No I'm not saying I'm sorry
One day maybe we'll meet again
No no no no

Closer to the edge
Closer to the edge
No no no no
Closer to the edge
Closer to the edge
No no no no
Closer to the edge

Never forget & never regret -- my new & improved motto -- Why should anyone say they are sorry? have you ever really been sorry? Have you done anything intential towards someone? Really?

My edge is finding me -- I am getting there -- slowly -- one step @ a time --

To me -- to meet again -- to be that woman I was & loved to do -- getting out of my rut is hard, harder than I ever imagined.
I have been through some pretty crappy stuff, been hurt physically & mentally & I have picked myself up -- gone on -- now -- it's different -- a different level.

The edge is so close -- not to jump -- but to trust -- to be me.
No hidden anything.

I am very close.....so close.....to never forget & never regret!!

It's my edge.
It's what I make of it.
It's empowering to ascend & to move upwards, one step @ a time, by myself, only I can do this, out on the edge, a branch, alone..............

The Language Of Letting Go

2011-05-18T17:41:00.000-07:00

Notes to Myself:

I was speaking with my dear friend about his desire of letting go. I wanted to know what he was letting go of.
I wanted a list.
In fact, I whipped out my journal and made a list of everything I wanted to let go of.
My friend replied I am letting go of the negative energies of all the things I am carrying. He told me I was being too analytical about it, rather than just experiencing it. Yes, that is my Lira nature, think, analyze, balance, more analyzing & thinking.

I was perplexed, if I was carrying around a heavy sharp boulder & I couldn't just set it down...or drop it...or fling it as far as I could, however, I am not carrying a physical object so I wasn't sure of how to let go of what I'm carrying. I spent the week trying to figure out how to let go. In the process I journaled about everything that I need to let go of. I filled over many pages in my journal, I kid you not, because I have the worst hand writing & boy did my right hand ache.

I stared at the filled pages of messy words I had written.
My story.
Everything I had experienced, am experiencing, shaping me into the person I am today. I saw the weight of the pages that lay before me and I knew that I had found my tangible evidence of what I wanted to let go of. I spent only few moments each night writing and then I spent much more time in silence, reading the scribbles of my writings, even tho I knew my story by heart. I just allowed the energy of everything that occurred in my life that shaped me into becoming who I am today to penetrate my being, even all I had forgotten.

Then, out of nowhere, while I was filing and pulling charts @ work on Tuesday, I got it. The energy of what I really wanted to let go of came to me. I realized this is my pattern and I'll be darned if I repeat it! In that moment, w/the pile of charts @ my feet, I stated, just stared into space, thinking about my intentions. I didn't say anything, I whipped out my journal and I wrote it down also! You know, me, not the writer, haha, I like to put notes everywhere....

I felt relief.
Some of the weight of what I had been carrying around had been released.
I had dropped the baggage. I realized there is, in fact, a language of letting go. It is an unspoken language. It doesn't reveal itself in words, or ideas. It is the awareness that we what we are carrying is something that we no longer wish to be burdened with. I think once we have awareness and we follow it up with the willingness to let go that the process begins.

The language of letting go is releasing the energy of what we are carrying within us.
We form attachments to "Our Story", "my Personal Story", "My Journey".
We identify with who or what we think we are or were.
We form our patterns around behaviors and from our environments, we choose not to look at or change.
Letting go means we are willing to change and metamorphosis into the butterfly.
The butterfly being freedom from what no longer serves us.

By letting go we make space within us for the possibilities of the unknown. Many of us fear the unknown and would rather stick with what is familiar. Without taking a risk by letting go of the baggage we are carrying, we aren't leaving space to welcome in all the new and wonderful potentials. In this moment we are creating the possibilities.

I am realizing that the dynamics in my family were that it was not safe to show emotions or express my feelings, even tho I did, in many ways, and got a "label" because of my out-spoken-ness.

I learned how to suppress my feelings and minimize what I was experiencing, even forget.
I am seeing when we hold in our feelings we are blocking the energy of the emotion. I'm not saying we need to hold onto or wallow in it.
I feel we need to be present in the moment of the feeling and actually feel it.

When we block our feelings, they become buried and lodged in our energetic & sometimes overwhelmed bodies. Then, when we are ready to release the feelings, it is much more difficult because we never experienced them at the time of the occurrence.

It is challenging to identify something we've never allowed ourselves to feel, again, burying feelings is no help to me or anyone around me. It causes a mind-body disassociation. I am realizing that in order to let go we need to feel it first, take from the experience what was necessary and then move on.

Through my journaling process, I can see how much of my life I detached from my emotions.
How can you release something that you are not even connected to? Forgotten?

Detachment further distances you from letting go. By gaining the awareness through the experiences, feeling the emotions and identifying where in the body the energy of it resides, aids in making it concrete. It gives you the tangible "bag" that you can set down, drop like a ton of bricks or just plain fling @ the dump!!!

It can & It is a a very freeing experience.

Our planet is going through a major upheaval, cleansing and realignment process. Everything is changing and transforming. We can help the process by allowing ourselves to transmute the old and make space for the new. We may let go of the energy of what no longer serves us and make space for the unlimited possibilities of what we can create.

The only constant anything about change is change & the sooner I am aware & accept this change or any change, the better off I am & will be!

It's time we let go of expectations, and outcomes, w/people, work, even family, for really what is meant for us is a thousand times better than the limited things we would accept.

Letting go is releasing the old fears and patterns. When we are afraid of accepting the gifts presented to us, we are rejecting the potential. If we keep trying to do things the old way, we are not giving ourselves an opportunity to grow and change.

The language of letting go is releasing the energies of the old.
The language of letting go is about giving ourselves permission to experience and express our feelings.
The language of letting go is being present in the moment to receive all the wonderful opportunities that life is bringing to us.
We are the butterflies that have the power to set ourselves free.

Prayer: The Language of Letting Go
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Infinite One,

I accept the blessings of love in my life. I accept myself the way I am. I am good enough. I am whole.

I release the energy of my limits, for I see myself as limitless. I want to experience and feel all there is to experience. I want to fly free, unencumbered by previous limitations.

When opportunity calls, show me how to release the fears of taking a chance. I don't want to hold myself back. I'll risk getting hurt if it means I might have a greater chance of experiencing love and happiness.

I let go of the past and embrace the now. I am light as a feather, as my fears and limiting beliefs are removed. My wings unfurl as I am ready to take flight and soar to new heights.

Thank you for your ever abiding presence. I am so grateful.

And so it is.

Amen.

Awareness

2011-05-16T17:31:00.000-07:00

Have you ever felt like this, dark clouds engulfing you & you are trying to escape, to spread your wings & fly away........

The storms of our lives benefit us like the storms that hit our towns and homes and wash clean the air we breathe. Our storms bring to the surface the issues that plague us. Perhaps we still fear a job with responsibilities. Perhaps we still struggle with the significant other persons in our lives. Possessiveness is a particular storm that often haunts our progress. Storms force us to acknowledge these liabilities that continue to stand in our way, and acknowledgment is the step necessary to letting go.

Recovery is a whole series of storms, storms that help to sprout new growth; storms that flush clean our own clogged drains. The peace that comes after a storm is worth singing about.

Each storm can be likened to a rung on the ladder to wholeness, the ladder to full membership in the healthy human race. The storms make climbing tough, but we get strength with each step. The next storm will be more easily weathered.

If today is a stormy day, let me remember it will freshen the air I breathe.

BE AWARE of all your surroundings, no matter the day.....

Be positive....
Don't fight your feelings, it is what it is.......the Rainbow is there, be aware....

Monday Movie

2011-05-16T17:01:00.001-07:00

I have published two movies I have seen recently & I have been awakened.

Awareness: This is growing within me.
Not only is it Movie Monday, but awareness Monday.

having knowledge; conscious; cognizant:
informed; alert; knowledgeable; sophisticated:

These two movies have awakened my awareness to my unconsciousness and my beliefs & my disbelief's.

What I am learning to do is to sit, quietly, & go within, w/my eyes closed & see the visions & explore this different source of awareness.

In my opinion, unless you have had some experience or guided through w/the help of a professional, it is tough. It's in your breathing, your openness, your awareness that something more powerful is there.

I am struggling, in my way, to life this sharp, heavy rock from my chest, from deep within my cheat, into my stomach, my gut, trying to get it all out.

So for my awareness is & has been heightened & is being helped w/a professional.
Along w/this, these movies bring my eyes wide open.
Another, is journaling. Again, letting my awareness flow through a pen onto the paper, powerful & a lot can be let go there too. To see my beliefs & dibeliefs on paper, astounding! My mind speaks, & it is what is it.

I know to some this makes no sense, but to me, this is my process, my journey, to get through this clogged up system of mine.

All good!
More to come as my journey unwinds...unravels....like that old comfortable shirt, sweater or sweatshirt that you take comfort in, take it off & expand & take the leap of faith!

Would you wait for it to rain & complain or have your garden ready or the rain? Would you see if it was going to rain or hang out the laundry to dry?

What would you do?
Be aware!!

Fireproof

2011-05-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Takeing every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmania.com/while_im_waiting_lyrics_john_waller.html
All about John Waller: http://www.musictory.com/music/John+Waller

Voice of Truth // Facing The Giants

2011-05-16T16:44:00.000-07:00

Why you should never quit in life:

Oh,what I would do to have
the kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown
Where Jesus is,
And he's holding out his hand

But the waves are calling out my name
and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
time and time again
"Boy, you'll never win,
You you'll never win

But the Voice of truth tells me a different story
the Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the Voice of truth says "this is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth

Oh, what I would do
to have the kind of strength it takes
To stand before a giant
with just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound
of a thousand warriors
shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand

But the giant's calling out
my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
time and time again
"Boy you'll never win,
you'll never win."

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the Voice of truth says "this is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth

But the stone was just the right size
to put the giant on the ground
and the waves they don't seem so high
from on top of them looking down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
when I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
singing over me

But the Voice of truth tells me a different story
The Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of truth says "this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)
I will choose to listen and believe (I will choose to listen and believe)
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth

I will listen and believe
I will listen and believe the Voice of truth
I will listen and believe
'Cause Jesus you are the Voice of truth
And I will listen to you.. oh you are the Voice of truth

"Look up, you are in the end-zone"
"You just carried a 140 lb man across this whole field"
"Coach, I weigh 160 lbs"

EMPOWERING!!! A must watch

WAITING

2011-04-21T09:23:00.001-07:00

Wait. If the time is not right, the way is not clear, the answer or decision not consistent, wait.

We may feel a sense of urgency. We may want to resolve the issue by doing something - anything now, but that action is not in our best interest.

Living with confusion or unsolved problems is difficult. It is easier to resolve things. But making a decision too soon, doing something before it's time, means we may have to go back and redo it.

If the time is not right, wait. If the way is not clear, do not plunge forward. If the answer or decision feels muddy, wait.

In this new way of life, there is a Guiding Force. We do not ever have to move too soon or move out of harmony. Waiting is an action - a positive, forceful action.

Often, waiting is a God-guided action, one with as much power as a decision, and more power than an urgent, ill-timed decision.

We do not have to pressure ourselves by insisting that we do or know something before it's time. When it is time, we will know. We will move into that time naturally and harmoniously. We will have peace and consistency. We will feel empowered in a way we do not feel today.

Deal with the panic, the urgency, and the fear; do not let them control or dictate decisions.

Waiting isn't easy. It isn't fun. But waiting is often necessary to get what we want. It is not dead time; it is not downtime. The answer will come. The power will come. The time will come. And it will be right.

Today, I will wait, if waiting is the action I need in order to take care of myself. I will know that I am taking a positive, forceful action by waiting until the time is right. God, help me let go of my fear, urgency, and panic. Help me learn the art of waiting until the time is right. Help me learn timing

SING

2011-04-21T08:02:00.000-07:00

Sing it out
Boy, you got to see what tomorrow brings
Sing it out
Girl, you've got to be what tomorrow needs
For every time that they want to count you out
Use your voice every single time you open up your mouth

Sing it for the boys
Sing it for the girls
Every time that you lose it sing it for the world
Sing it from the heart
Sing it till you're nuts
Sing it out for the ones that'll hate your guts
Sing it for the deaf
Sing it for the blind
Sing about everyone that you left behind
Sing it for the world
Sing it for the world

Sing it out, boy they're gonna sell what tomorrow means
Sing it out, girl before they gonna kill what tomorrow brings
You've got to make a choice
If the music drowns you out
And raise your voice
Every single time they try and shut your mouth

Sing it for the boys
Sing it for the girls
Every time that you lose it sing it for the world
Sing it from the heart
Sing it till you're nuts
Sing it out for the ones that'll hate your guts
Sing it for the deaf
Sing it for the blind
Sing about everyone that you left behind
Sing it for the world
Sing it for the world

Cleaned up, corporation progress
Dying in the process
Children that can talk about it,
living on the railways
People moving sideways
Sell it till your last days
Buy yourself a motivation
Generation Nothing,
Nothing but a dead scene
Product of white dream
I am not the singer that you wanted
But a dancer
I refuse to answer
Talk about the passer
Ruling for the ones who want to get away

Keep running!

Sing it for the boys
Sing it for the girls
Every time that you lose it sing it for the world
Sing it from the heart
Sing it till you're nuts
Sing it out for the ones that'll hate your guts
Sing it for the deaf
Sing it for the blind
Sing about everyone that you left behind
Sing it for the world
Sing it for the world

We've got to see what tomorrow brings
Sing it for the world
Sing it for the world
Girl you got to be what tomorrow needs
Sing it for the world
Sing it for the world

This is a song done by My Chemical Romance.....I am not excited about the video, so I didn't post it.......I am liking this song, melody & lyrics.....music soothes my being & soul.....ENJOY!

Happy Birthday Song -- Happy Birthday CR!!!!!

2011-04-15T07:47:00.000-07:00

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to CR!!!!!
Love & miss ya!! Wish I was there................

Happy Birthday -- TACS

2011-04-15T07:40:00.000-07:00

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sister--TACS!! Enjoy your day!!

Chipmunks - Happy Birthday to You -- ACM!!!

2011-04-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

HAPPY HAPPY Birthday to my sister, Alyson!!

ENJOY YOUR DAY!!

Taking Care of Ourselves

2011-03-09T09:58:00.000-08:00

We cannot simultaneously set a boundary and take care of another person's feelings. It's impossible; the two acts contradict.

What a tremendous asset to have compassion for others! How difficult that same quality can make it to set boundaries!

It's good to care about other people and their feelings; it's essential to care about ourselves too. Sometimes, to take good care of ourselves, we need to make a choice.

Some of us live with a deeply ingrained message from our family, or from church, about never hurting other people's feelings. We can replace that message with a new one; one that says it's not okay to hurt ourselves. Sometimes, when we take care of ourselves, others will react with hurt feelings.

That's okay. We will learn, grow, and benefit by the experience; they will too. The most powerful and positive impact we can have on other people is accomplished by taking responsibility for ourselves, and allows others to be responsible for themselves.

Caring works. Caretaking doesnt. We can learn to walk the line between the two.

Today, I will set the limits I need to set. I will let go of my need to take care of other peoples feelings and instead take care of my own. I will give myself permission to take care of myself, knowing its the best thing I can do for others and myself.

Donnie McClurkin & Kirk Franklin - Ooh Child

2011-02-25T10:26:00.000-08:00

I found this newer version, powerful, in my opinion!

Ooh child things are gonna get easier
Ooh child things will get brighter
Ooh child things are gonna get easier
Ooh child things will get brighter

VERSE 1
some day yes we'll put it together and we'll get all down some day yes
when the world is much brighter some day
yes we'll walk in the rays of the beautiful sun
some day when the world is much brighter

CHORUS
Ooh child things are gonna get easier just you wait
and see things will get brighter
oh my baby boy things are gonna get easier baby girl things will get brighter

VERSE 2
Some day yes we'll put it together and we'll get all down some day yes
when the world is much brighter some day
yes we'll walk in the rays of the beautiful sun
some day when the world is much brighter

Vamp
if you're tired of the crying com'on(com'on)
if you're tired of people dying com'on(com'on)
if you're tired of the fighting com'on(com'on)
no more wars, no lying com'on(com'on)
all the people in the world com'on
every boy every girl com'on(com'on)
if you know it ain't over until God says that it's over com'on,
com'on, comon (lets go)

repeat chours

'til you wake up in the morning child
(repeat until finish)

Wednesday Words: Strength

2011-02-23T09:59:00.000-08:00

We don't always have to be strong. Sometimes, our strength is expressed in being vulnerable. Sometimes, we need to fall apart to regroup and stay on track.

We all have days when we cannot push any harder, cannot hold back self-doubt, cannot stop focusing on fear, cannot be strong.

There are days when we cannot focus on being responsible. Occasionally we don't want to get out of our pajamas. Sometimes, we cry in front of people. We expose our tiredness, irritability, or anger.

Those days are okay. They are just okay.

Part of taking care of ourselves means we give ourselves permission to "fall apart" when we need to. We do not have to be perpetual towers of strength. We are strong. We have proven that. Our strength will continue if we allow ourselves the courage to feel scared, weak, and vulnerable when we need to experience those feelings.

Today, God, help me to know that it is okay to allow myself to be human. Help me not to feel guilty or punish myself when I need to "fall apart."

On My Way

2011-02-23T09:58:00.000-08:00

I am on my way, a slow path & baby steps within my journey.......

"...everybody plays this one right, everybody gets a fresh, hot latte and a scone..."

Oh what a beautiful night
Couldn't get any clearer
Yeah what a wonderful sight
My old life in the rear view mirror

Hey now I'm travelin' light
Duffel bag and a six string
Yeah but it feels so right
To hear the bells of freedom ring

Gotta get away from
The same old same
Let a new day come
Start over again

Hey I was stuck in a grind
Little fish in a little pond
If I had a criminal mind
I'd have got myself a gun

Had to get away from
The ball and chain
Let a new day come
Or start goin' insane

I'm on my way
Don't know to where
But I'm gonna get there

On my way
Look at the world
With my brand new eyes

I can't believe I feel so high
I'm on my way tonight

Hey I was going to seed
Spreading out like a corn field
I had so much denial to feed
I was full of nothing real

I had to get away from
My old routine
Let a new day come
Start over again

I'm on my way
I don't know to where
But I'm gonna get there

On my way
Look at the world
Through my brand new eyes

I can't believe I get to feel
So good
So high tonight

Starting tonight
There will be
A revival
In my world

Turn on the lights
And you'll see
This one man band
Is now a symphony

And the sun
Is gonna shine
Like a summer time
That has no end

And the love
I will find
I have no doubt
That it will be mine
The love I find
Will all be mine

I had to get away while
I could still be saved
Let a new day come
Stop digging my grave

On my way...
I have faith
The road up ahead
Gonna get much easier

On my way
Look at me now
With a brand new life

I can't believe I feel so high
I'm on my way tonight

"...'scuse me, waitress, latte's and scones for everybody!..."

Styx - Crystal Ball Live 1996

2011-02-23T09:43:00.000-08:00

Who wouldn't like to know........this song just came to me.......Imagine.......

I used to like to walk the straight and narrow line.
I used to think everything was fine.
Sometimes I'd sit and gaze for days through sleepless dreams,
All alone and trapped in time.
All alone and trapped in time.
I wonder what tomorrow has in mind for me?
Or am I even in it's mind at all?
Perhaps I'll get a chance to look ahead and see.
Soon as I find myself a crystal ball.
Soon as I find myself a crystal ball.
But tell me, tell me where I'm going,
I don't know where I've been,
Tell me, tell me, wont you tell me
And then tell me again.
My heart is breaking,
My body's aching,
And I don't know where to go.
So tell me, tell me, wont you tell me
I just gotta know.
Crystal Ball
There's so many things I need to know
Crystal Ball
There's so many things I've gotta know
Crystal Ball
Wont you tell me please before I go.
Crystal Ball

Support system needed.....

2011-02-21T14:45:00.000-08:00

I need//want motivation again

I need//want the energy again

I need//want the tiredness to go away

I need//want the aches & pains to go away

I am going in circles...if I could just didn't have the neck & back pain & then I could get up & move. When I do feel good enough to move then the ache & pains return, especially the horrible headaches.....a vicious circle....

So there I was on facebook, and a high school friend started her blog of her journey, there t is my eyes are open.

I know for me, no scale.
I know for me, seeing the clothes fit differently is my goal.

GOAL: Cruise next yr @ this time w/a bunch of friends.

BIGGER GOAL: My son's future wedding. To look & feel amazing on his day, for him. (yes for me, just a little)

So here start's it, no number's for the outside world, but every Monday nite, well, maybe Monday am......I will let you all know....

To be in balance, again.............a dream........a goal...........

The Five Stairsteps - O-o-h Child

2011-02-17T09:30:00.000-08:00

The oldie.....I love this song, but see the newer version I found.....The Five Stairsteps

Ooh-oo child, things are gonna get easier
Ooh-oo child, things'll get brighter
Ooh-oo child, things are gonna get easier
Ooh-oo child, things'll be brighter

Some day, yeah
We'll put it together and we'll get it all done
Some day
When your head is much lighter
Some day, yeah
We'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun
Some day
When the world is much brighter

Ooh-oo child, things are gonna be easier
Ooh-oo child, things'll be brighter
Ooh-oo child, things are gonna be easier
Ooh-oo child, things'll be brighter

Some day, yeah
We'll put it together and we'll get it all done
Some day
When your head is much lighter
Some day, yeah
We'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun
Some day
When the world is much brighter

Some day, some day, some day
We'll get it together and we'll get it all done
Some day
When your head is much lighter
Some day, some day, some day
We'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun
Some day
When the world is much brighter

Ooh-oo child, things are gonna get easier
Ooh-oo child, things'll be brighter
Ooh-oo child, things are gonna get easier
Ooh-oo child, things'll be brighter

Right now
You just wait and see how things are gonna be
Right now...

Addison's Leukemia Journey 2010

2011-01-31T09:14:00.000-08:00

Loads of Love to my Cuz, Addison, even tho we are many miles apart......you are close in my heart!

ALo my LOVE,
Love, Maine Melissa

Boston - Don't Look Back

2011-01-25T09:35:00.000-08:00

Don't look back
A new day is breakin'
It's been too long since I felt this way
I don't mind where I get taken
The road is callin'
Today is the day

I can see
It took so long just to realize
I'm much too strong
Not to compromiseNow I see what I am is holding me down
I'll turn it around, oh yes I will

I finally see the dawn arrivin'
I see beyond the road I'm drivin'

It's a bright horizon and I'm awakin' now
Oh I see myself in a brand new way
The sun is shinin'
The clouds are breakin'
'Cause I can't lose now, there's no game to play

I can tell
There's no more time left to criticize
I've seen what I could not recognize
Everthing in my life was leading me on
But I can be strong, oh yes i can

I finally see the dawn arrivin'
I see beyond the road I'm drivin'
Far away and left behind, left behind

Oh the sun is shinin' *and I wanna go*

(guitar solo)

Don't look back
A new day is breakin'
It's been too long since I felt this way
I don't mind where I get taken
The road is callin'
Today is the day

I can see
It took so long just to realize
I'm much too strong
Not to compromise
Now I see what I am is holding me down
I'll turn it around, oh yes I will

I finally see the dawn arriving
I see beyond the road I'm driving
Far away and left behind

Don't look back
Don't look back
Don't look back
Don't look back...

Every Monday Matters

2011-01-25T09:30:00.000-08:00

Following up from the recent post from my sister: Wisdom

It's not that hard to change. Very simple to become a "green" person, family, neighbor, real simple. One piece @ a time.

With the help of my son's girlfriend, we now have more recyclying than trash. This is huge!!

From using the last piece of tp & taking that piece of cardboard to milk cartons, stuff that is still in my hand, to walking into my garage & putting these into a seperate container. I get a little excersie too, haha

Be mindful.

Be aware.

It only takes a "first-time" & then you are in the habit.

Words of Wisdom & ways to change--a "stolen" post from my Floridian Sister.....

2011-01-25T09:16:00.000-08:00

go to www.alyzabethan.blogspot.com

Monday, January 24, 2011
Every Monday Matters And Just Do One
I am always thinking of things to do to make a difference; not in a big way; I can't seem to get out of my own way most of the time taking care of daily family & work commitments. Then something comes along that grabs my attention. It's the old saying about taking that first step to make a change.... if you start something today and take a little at a time, you can accomplish much and the same items won't be on your New Year's Resolution list. I have time to do new things (I have tasks I wanted to start years ago that I still carry over on my list each year - how bad is that?!!).

So I have found two inspiring movements going on. Here's the first:
So when I read this I knew it was a way to motivate me into beginning some of the activities/tasks I keep postponing.

Every Monday Matters Video

It started with a piece of trash.

Matthew Emerzian, a successful music industry executive in Los Angeles, was walking back to his office with a co-worker one afternoon in 2004 when he stopped to pick up a plastic fountain drink cover from the sidewalk and put it in a nearby garbage bin.

"My co-worker quickly asked me what I was doing," Emerzian recalled. "I explained what I thought to be the obvious, but apparently I was wrong." To the co-worker, litter simply belonged to the litterer, not to the population as a whole.

"I explained to him that litter and pollution are everyone's problem not just the person who couldn't find the trash can for their cup lid. He profoundly responded with 'Dude, you're weird.'"

Emerzian, now 38, walked back to his office both angry and sad.

"I couldn't believe that someone could remove themselves so far from the greater good of our world."

Matt began to think, 'what if everyone in the country picked up one piece of litter on the same day.' Or 10 pieces! The math was easy, yet so powerful. He then began to think of a few other easy things that 300 million Americans could do to make a difference.

From this, a great idea was born. He called his friend, Kelly Bozza, and told her that he wanted to write a book about how all of us can make a difference with our lives. Within a week, they had over 100 items on their list and were ready to start writing.

Their book, titled Every Monday Matters...52 Ways to Make a Difference, has sold 120,000 copies. The ideas are simple - small acts that collectively add up to an enormous impact for the greater good.

Dr. Martin Luther King said, "Everyone has the power of greatness; not for fame, but greatness. Because greatness is determined by service."

If you view the book, some of the topics are things we may have done in the past, but could easily have a book club, Sunday school class,work team, family activity time.... all get involved with just the encouragement and organization from one of us, take one step towards your goal each Monday. As you can tell I have several things I have wanted to do but never start..... Next Monday....

The second movement is called Just Do One. It is an effort to change one behavior into a "greener" choice.
I was inspired when my sister in Maine, with 40 degree, windy weather was using her outdoor clothes line to dry her clothes (yes, in the winter! It is freezing in Maine!). So here's a link for the clothesline. Your local hardware store probably has retractable clotheslines - they are not expensive and come in a variety of lengths.

So I chose one idea to do from now on. I am into the convenience of the water bottle and drink at least one a day. So at work now I will refill from our filtered water system rather than throw the bottle away each time. I also use travel water bottles (remember the old style thermos; they have come a long way baby)! So I will use travel/exercise/reusable bottles from now on and fill them with our great tasting tap water (we have really good water from our artesian well).
That's my new habit change... no more buying and throwing away plastic water bottles.
What's your green idea or resolution?

Thanks to 5 Minutes for Mom for this topic and many more on the Around the Blogosphere list each week.

Posted by Alyson and Ford at 2:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Rambling, Wisdom

Thought for today: Saturday January 15, 2011

2011-01-15T16:31:00.000-08:00

We learn some behaviors have self-defeating consequences, while others have beneficial consequences. We learn we have choices.
—Beyond Codependency

It is so easy to come to the defense of others. How clear it is when others are being used, controlled, manipulated, or abused. It is so easy to fight their battles, become righteously indignant, rally to their aid, and spur them on to victory.

"You have rights," we tell them. "And those rights are being violated. Stand up for yourself, without guilt."

Why is it so hard, then, for us to rally to our own behalf? Why can't we see when we are being used, victimized, lied to, manipulated, or otherwise violated? Why is it so difficult for us to stand up for ourselves?

There are times in life when we can walk a gentle, loving path. There are times, however, when we need to stand up for ourselves - when walking the gentle, loving path puts us deeper into the hands of those who could mistreat us.

Some days, the lesson we're to be learning and practicing is one of setting boundaries. Some days, the lesson we're learning is that of fighting for our own rights and ourselves.

Sometimes, the lesson won't stop until we do.

Today, I will rally to my own cause. I will remember that it is okay to stand up for myself when that action is appropriate. Help me, God, to let go of my need to be victimized. Help me appropriately, and with confidence, stand up for myself.

Wednesday words

2011-01-05T09:54:00.000-08:00

Accepting Help

Some of us have felt so alienated that we've forgotten we're not alone. We've come to believe that we have to do it ourselves. Some of us have been abandoned. Some have gone without love. Some of us have gotten used to people never being there for us. Some of us have struggled, had hard lessons to learn.

God's there, always ready to help. There is an ample supply of people to care about us too. We will, if we want it, receive love and support, comfort and nurturing. If we take the risk to ask for it, help is there. We can draw on the strength of our recovery group and allow ourselves to be helped and supported by our Higher Power. Friends will come, good friends.

We aren't alone. And we don't have to do it ourselves. We're not doing it ourselves. There is no shortage of love. Not anymore.

Today, God, help me let go of my need to do it alone and my belief that I am alone. Help me tap into Your Divine Power and Presence, and your resources for love, support, and friendship. Open my eyes and heart so I can see the love, help, and support that's there for me. Help me know I am loved.

Simply said

2011-01-05T09:51:00.000-08:00

There are places I remember
All my life, though some have changed.
Some forever, not for better.
And some have gone, and some remain.

All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends I still can’t recall.
Some are dead and some are living.
In my life I love them all.

But of all these friends and lovers,
There is no one compares with you.
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new.

Though I know I’ll never ever lose affection
For people and things that went before,
I know I’ll often stop and think about them.
In my life I love you more.

Though I know I’ll never ever lose affection
For people and things that went before,
I know I’ll often stop and think of them.
But in my life I loved you more.
I love you more.
I love you more.

If God had texted the Ten Commandments to Moses:

2011-01-04T09:42:00.000-08:00

1. nol b4 me. srsly.
2. dnt wrship pix/idols
3. no omg's
4. no wrk on w/end (sat 4 now; sun l8r)
5. pos ok - ur m&d r cool
6. dnt kill ppl
7. :-X only w/m8
8. dnt steal
9. dnt lie re:bf
10. dnt ogle ur bf's m8. or ox or dnkey. myob.

Odd facts

2011-01-02T14:54:00.000-08:00

* Barbie's measurements (if she were life-size): 39-23-33
* Coca-cola was originally green
* Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than for the US Treasury
* Smartest dogs: 1) border collie; 2) poodle; 3) golden retriever. Dumbest dog: 1) afghan
* The Hawaiian alphabet has 12 letters
* First novel ever written on a typewriter was "Tom Sawyer"
* There are more collect calls on Father's Day than any other day of the year
* Heinz Catsup leaving the bottle travels at 25 miles PER YEAR
* It is possible to lead a cow upstairs but not downstairs
* Men get hiccups more often than women
* Men can read smaller print than women; women can hear better
* Chances that an American lives within 50 mi of where he/she grew up: 1 in 2.
* Amount American Airlines saved in 1987 by eliminating one olive from each salad served in first class: $440,000
* City with the most Rolls Royces per capita: Hong Kong
* State with the highest percentage of people who walk to work: Alaska
* Chances of a white Christmas in New York: 1 in 4
* Portion of US annual rainfall that falls in April: 1/12
* Percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28
* Percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38
* Estimated percentage of American adults who go on a diet each year: 44
* Percentage of Americans who say that God has spoken to them: 36
* Percentage of Americans who regularly attend religious services: 43
* City with the highest per capita viewership of TV evangelists: Washington DC
* Percentage of American men who say they would marry the same woman if they had it to do all over again: 80
* Percentage of American women who say they would marry the same man: 50
* Percentage of men who say they are happier after their divorce or separation: 58
* Percentage of women who say they are happier: 85
* Number of different familial relationships for which Hallmark makes cards: 105
* Average number of people airborne over the US any given hour: 61,000
* Percentage of Americans who have visited Disneyland or Disney World: 70
* Average life span of a major league baseball: 7 pitches
* Portion of ice cream sold that is vanilla: 1/3
* Portion of potatoes sold that are French-fried: 1/3
* Percentage of Americans that eat at McDonalds each day: 7
* Percentage of bird species that are monogamous: 90
* Percentage of mammal species that are: 3
* Number of US states that claim test scores in their elementary schools are above national average: 50
* Portion of Harvard students who graduate with honors: 4/5
* Chances that a burglary in the US will be solved: 1 in 7
* Portion of land in the US owned by the government: 1/3
* Only President to remain a bachelor: James Buchanan
* Only first lady to carry a loaded revolver: Eleanor Roosevelt
* Only president to win a Pulitzer: John F. Kennedy, for "Profiles in Courage"
* Only president awarded a patent: Abe Lincoln, for a system of buoying vessels over shoals
* President who discovered a new proof for The Pythagorean Theorem: Jimmy Carter
* Only food that does not spoil: honey
* Only bird that can fly backwards: Hummingbird
* Only continent without reptiles or snakes: Antarctica
* Only animal besides human that can get sunburn: Pig
* Ostriches stick their heads in the sand to look for water
* An eagle can kill a young deer and fly away with it
* In the Caribbean there are oysters that can climb trees
* Polar bears are left-handed
* Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair
* Eskimos never gamble
* The world's youngest parents were 8 and 9 and lived in China in 1910
* The youngest pope was 11 years old
* Mark Twain didn't graduate from elementary school
* Proportional to their weight, men are stronger than horses
* Pilgrims ate popcorn at the first Thanksgiving dinner
* Your nose and ears never stop growing
* Jupiter is bigger than all the other planets combined
* The parachute was invented by Leonardo da Vinci in 1515
* They have square watermelons in Japan ... they stack better
* Iceland consumes more Coca-Cola per capita than any other nation

New Years Eve 2010.....................

2011-01-01T10:34:00.001-08:00

A terrific CELEBRATION!!!

Like old times! To see Dick Clark, AMAZING! After his stroke in 2004, he is back, a little speech impaired, but he made my evening!! 81 yrs young & looks fabulous!

Dick Clark ***TALK ABOUT ACCOMPLISHMENTS!!!!!***

DICK CLARK (Richard Wagstaff Clark). Born in Mt. Vernon, New York, U.S., 30 November 1929. Graduated from Syracuse University, 1951. Married 1) Barbara Mallery, 1952 (divorced, 1961); child: Richard, Jr.; 2) Loretta Martin, 1962 (divorced, 1971); children: Duane and Cindy; 3) Karen Wigton, 1977. Announcer, station WRUN, Utica, New York, summer 1950; staff anouncer, station WOLF, Syracuse, New York, 1950; announcer, WRUN, 1951; announcer, station WKTV, Utica, 1951; announcer, station WFIL, Philadelphia, 1952; host, American Bandstand, 1956-89, 32nd Emmy Awards, 1981, and Daytime Emmy Awards; formed Dick Clark Productions, 1956, producing more than 7,500 hours of television programming, including more than 30 series and 250 specials, and more than 20 movies for theatrical release and television. Founder, Dick Clark Media Archives. Inductee: Hollywood Walk of Fame, 1976; Broadcasting Magazine Hall of Fame, 1992; Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, 1993; Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame, 1993. Recipient: Emmy Awards, 1979, 1983, 1985, 1986, and Daytime Emmy, Lifetime Achievement Award, 1994; MTV Award, 1987; Grammy National Trustees Award, 1990; named International Person of Year, NAPTE, 1990; Distinguished Service Award, National Association of Broadcasting, 1991; American D.J. Association, Lifetime Achievement Award, 1995; Person of the Year, Philadelphia Advertising Club. Address: Dick Clark Productions, 3003 West Olive Avenue, Burbank, California 91510-7811, U.S.

TELEVISION SERIES (selection)

1951 Cactus Dick and the Santa Fe Riders (host)
1956-89 American Bandstand (host, executive producer) 1958-60 The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show (host)
1959 Dick Clark's World of Talent (host)
1959 The Record Years (host, executive producer)
1964 Missing Links (host)
1964 The Object Is (host)
1973-74 Dick Clark Presents the Rock and Roll Years (host, executive producer)
1973-75 In Concert (executive producer)
1973-89 CBS, ABC, Syndication (host)
$10,000 Pyramid
$20,000 Pyramid
$25,000 Pyramid
$50,000 Pyramid
$100,000 Pyramid
1981 The Krypton Factor (host)
1984-86, 1988 TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes (executive producer)
1985-88 Puttin' on the Hits (executive producer)
1988 Live! Dick Clark Presents (host, executive producer)
1990-91 The Challengers (host, executive producer) 1995- Tempestt (executive producer)

MADE-FOR-TELEVISION MOVIES (executive producer)

1979 Elvis
1979 Man in the Santa Claus Suit
1979 Birth of the Beatles
1981 Murder in Texas
1983 The Demon Murder Case
1983 The Woman Who Willed a Miracle
1985 Copacabana
1988 Promised a Miracle
1988 The Town Bully
1988 Liberace
1989 A Cry for Help: The Tracy Thurman Story
1991 Death Dreams
1993 Elvis and the Colonel: The Untold Story
1994 Secret Sins of the Father

TELEVISION SPECIALS(selection, executive producer)

1965-67 Where the Action Is
1966 Swinging Country
1968-69 Happening
1970 Get It Together
1970 Shebang
1972- Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve
1977 Dick Clark's Good Ol' Days
1978 Dick Clark's Live Wednesday
1980 The Sensational, Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's 1981 Whatever Became Of . . .?
1981 I've Had It up to Here
1982 Inside America
1983 Hollywood's Private Home Movies
1983 The 1/2 Hour Comedy Hour
1984 Hollywood Stars Screen Test
1984 You Are the Jury
1985 Reaching for the Stars
1985 Rock 'n' Roll Summer Action
1985 Live Aid--An All-Star Concert for African Relief 1985 American Bandstand's 33 1/3 Celebration
1985 Dick Clark's Nighttime
1986 America Picks the #1 Songs
1986 Alabama . . . My Home's in Alabama
1987 Keep on Cruisin'
1987 Superstars and Their Moms Celebrities! Where Are They Now?
1987 In Person from the Palace
1987 Getting in Touch
1988 Sea World's All-Star Lone Star Celebration
1989 Freedom Festival '89
1991, 1993 Super Bloopers & New Practical Jokes
1992 1992 USA Music Challenge
992 American Bandstand's 40th Anniversary
1992 The World's Biggest Lies
1992 A Busch Gardens/Sea World Summer Safari
1992 Golden Greats
1992 Olympic Flag Jam
1993 The Return of TV Censored Bloopers
1993 The Academy of Country Music's Greatest Hits 1993 The Olsen Twins Mother's Day Special
1993 American Bandstand: One More Time
1993 Caught in the Act
1993, 1994 Sea World/Busch Garden Summer Celebration
1993-95 The Jim Thorpe Pro Sports Awards
1994 Taco Bell's Battle of the Bands
1994 How I Spent My Summer Vacation
1994 Chrysler American Great 18 Golf Championships 1994 American Music Awards 20th Anniversary Special 1994 Golden Globes 50th Anniversary Celebration
1994 Hot Country Jam '94
1994 American Bandstand's Teen Idols
1994 American Bandstand's #1 Hits
1994 Universal Studios Summer Blast
1994, 1995 Will You Marry Me?
1995 We're Having a Baby
1995 The Making of the Adventures of Mary Kate and Ashley 1995 Christmas at Home with the Stars
1995 When Stars Were Kids
1995 Rudy Coby: The Coolest Magician in the World 1995 Sea World/Busch Gardens Party for the Planet 1995 All Star Ultra TV Censored Bloopers
1995 TNN Country Series

FILMS

Actor and Producer: Because They're Young, 1960 (actor); The Young Doctors, 1961 (actor); Wild in the Streets, 1968. Killers Three, 1968; Psych-Out, 1968 (producer); The Savage Seven, 1968 (producer); The Dark, 1970 (producer); Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, 1985 (producer)

RADIO

Dick Clark's Music Machine; Dick Clark's National Music Survey; Dick Clark's Rock, Roll and Remember; Dick Clark's U.S. Music Survey.

PUBLICATIONS

Your Happiest Hears. New York: Rosho Corporation, 1959.

To Goof or Not to Goof. New York: B. Geis Associates, 1963.

Rock, Roll and Remember (with Richard Robinson). New York: Crowell, 1976.

Dick Clark's Program for Success in Your Business and Personal Life. New York: Cornerstone Library, 1980.

Looking Great, Staying Young (with Bill Libby). Indianapolis, Indiana: Bobbs-Merrill, 1980.

Dick Clark's The First 25 Years of Rock 'n' Roll (with Michael Usland). New York: Dell, 1981.

The History of American Bandstand (with Michael Shore). New York: Ballantine, 1985.

Dick Clark's Easygoing Guide to Good Grooming. New York: Dodd, Mead, 1985.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2011-01-01T10:25:00.000-08:00

The New Year

Make New Year's goals. Dig within, and discover what you would like to have happen in your life this year. This helps you do your part. It is an affirmation that you're interested in fully living life in the year to come.

Goals give us direction. They put a powerful force into play on a universal, conscious, and subconscious level.

Goals give our life direction.

What would you like to have happen in your life this year? What would you like to do, to accomplish? What good would you like to attract into your life? What particular areas of growth would you like to have happen to you? What blocks, or character defects, would you like to have removed?

What would you like to attain? Little things and big things? Where would you like to go? What would you like to have happen in friendship and love? What would you like to have happen in your family life?

Remember, we aren't controlling others with our goals - we are trying to give direction to our life.

What problems would you like to see solved? What decisions would you like to make? What would you like to happen in your career?

What would you like to see happen inside and around you?

Write it down. Take a piece of paper, a few hours of your time, and write it all down - as an affirmation of you, your life, and your ability to choose. Then let it go.

Certainly, things happen that are out of our control. Sometimes, these events are pleasant surprises; sometimes, they are of another nature. But they are all part of the chapter that will be this year in our life and will lead us forward in the story.

The New Year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals.

Today, I will remember that there is a powerful force motivated by writing down goals. I will do that now, for the year to come, and regularly as needed. I will do it not to control but to do my part in living my life.

***I HAVE LEARNED TO WRITE DOWN MORE. I journal. Thought, random thoughts. Good & Bad. The truth. All flows & in the evening, this is my time & this writing has helped my inner peace & my sleeping habits. I now can sleep. What a difference.

Good luck to me.
Make goals, reasonable goals. One pound a month. Life time & Life style change. Slow, baby steps are the best for me, not for everyone, but for me!!

ENJOY life!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wednesday's Word

2010-12-22T09:41:00.000-08:00

Good Things Coming

Do not worry about how the good that has been planned for you will come.

It will come.

Do not worry, obsess, and think you have to control it, go out hunting for it, or tangle your mind trying to figure out how and when it will find you.

It will find you.

Surrender to your Higher Power each day. Trust your Higher Power. Then, stay peaceful. Trust and listen to yourself. That is how the good you want will come to you.

Your healing. Your joy. Your relationships. Your solutions. That job. That desired change. That opportunity. It will come to you - naturally, with ease, and in a host of ways.

That answer will come. The direction will come. The money. The idea. The energy. The creativity. The path will open itself to you. Trust that, for it has already been planned.

It is futile, a waste and drain of energy, to worry about how it will come. It is already there. You have it already. It is in place. You just cannot see it!

You will be brought to it, or it will be brought to you.

Today, I will relax and trust that the good I need, will find me. Either through my leadings, or the leadings of others, all I want and need will come to me when the time is right.

Legend Of The Candy Cane

2010-12-19T06:13:00.000-08:00

A candy maker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would be a witness, so he made the Christmas candy cane. He incorporated several symbol for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ.

He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus; and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the church and firmness of the promises of God.

The candy maker made the candy in the form of a “J” to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also represent the staff of the “Good Shepherd” with which he reaches down into the world.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candy maker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ.

In years to come the candy became known only as a candy cane – a meaningless decoration. But the meaning is still there for those who know. I pray that this symbol will again be used to witness TO THE WONDER OF JESUS AND HIS GREAT LOVE that came down at Christmas.

Charlie Brown Christmas

2010-12-19T06:10:00.000-08:00

Sugarland - Little Miss - Today Show

2010-12-18T21:00:00.000-08:00

LITTLE MISS

Little Miss done on love,
Little Miss I give up,
Little Miss I'll get tough, don't you worry 'bout me anymore

Little Miss checkered dress,
Little Miss one big mess,
Little Miss I'll take less when I always knew so much more

It's alright, it's alright, it's alright,
Yeah, sometimes ya gotta lose 'til ya win,
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright,
It'll be alright again, it'll be alright again

I'm okay, It'll be alright again, I'm okay (okay) It'll be alright again, I'm okay

Little Miss do your best,
Little Miss never rest,
Little Miss, be my guest, I'll make more anytime it runs out

Little Miss you'll go far,
Little Miss hide your scars,
Little Miss who you are is so much more than you like to talk about

It's alright, it's alright, it's alright,
Yeah, sometimes ya gotta lose 'til ya win,
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright,
It'll be alright again, it'll be alright again,
I'm okay, It'll be alright again, I'm okay (okay) It'll be alright again, I'm okay

Hold on, hold on, you are loved, are loved

Little Miss brand new start,
Little Miss do your part,
Little Miss big ole heart beats wide open, she's ready now for love

It's alright, it's alright, it's alright,
Yeah, sometimes ya gotta lose 'til ya win,
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright,
It'll be alright again, it'll be alright again
I'm okay, It'll be alright again, I'm okay (okay) It'll be alright again, I'm okay,
It'll be alright again

As always I find myself engulfed w/music & songs & lyrics & meanings.

Kinda ironic, even the title......

All is alright, I am going the path & journey that I need to go on & thru. Moving my brick wall into a small hedge that I can pull thru when I need to & if I don't, it's all right & good & I will move when I need to or when I am ready.

The words, that you must lose to win, how about all the struggles that I need to go thru in order to be strong, healthy, mind & body & spirit. I always try & do my best.
I am always trying to learn & expand my horizons & see & experience all.

My Life.
My Faith.
My Journey.
My Weakness.
My Strength's.
My Willingness to Accept & Forgive.

I have control & power.......and I leave to the Lord too. To assist me in life & my journey.

Here's to "it's alright"

The Night Before Christmas (1946) Live Action Film and Animation

2010-12-16T09:19:00.000-08:00

Politically Correct Night Before X-Mas

2010-12-16T09:14:00.000-08:00

A funny one......

Jeff Foxworthy Redneck 12 Days Of Christmas

2010-12-16T09:11:00.000-08:00

Get 'er done!!!

almost time

2010-12-15T09:49:00.001-08:00

Wednesday, December 15, 2010, Words

2010-12-15T09:44:00.000-08:00

Feelings

It's okay to have and feel our feelings - all of them.

Years into recovery, we may still be battling with ourselves about this issue. Of all the prohibitions we've lived with, this one is potentially the most damaging and the most long-lived.

Many of us needed to shut down the emotional part of ourselves to survive certain situations. We shut down the part of us that feels anger, sadness, fear, joy, and love. We may have turned off our sexual or sensual feelings too. Many of us lived in systems with people who refused to tolerate our emotions. We were shamed or reprimanded for expressing feelings, usually by people who were taught to repress their own.

But times have changed. It is okay now for us to acknowledge and accept our emotions. We don't need to allow our emotions to control us; neither do we need to allow our emotions to control us; neither do we need to rigidly repress our feelings. Our emotional center is a valuable part of us. It's connected to our physical well being, our thinking, and our spirituality.

Our feelings are also connected to that great gift, instinct. They enable us to give and receive love.

We are neither weak nor deficient for indulging in our feelings. It means we're becoming healthy and whole.

Today, I will allow myself to recognize and accept whatever feelings pass through me. Without shame, I will tune in to the emotional part of myself.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Barenaked Ladies

2010-12-15T09:41:00.000-08:00

It's A Wonderful Life

2010-12-13T09:45:00.000-08:00

"Remember-No Man Is A Failure Who Has Friends! Love Clarence"

"Look Daddy, teacher says every time a bell rings, an Angel gets his wings!"

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer "Silver and Gold"

2010-12-10T09:34:00.000-08:00

Silver, silver and gold
Silver and gold, silver and gold
Ev'ryone wishes for silver and gold
How do you measure its worth?
Just by the pleasure it gives here on earth.
Silver and gold, silver and gold
Mean so much more when I see
Silver and gold decorations
On ev'ry Christmas tree.

Silver, silver and gold
Silver, silver and gold
Silver and gold

Silver and gold
Silver and gold
Wise men brought gifts to the mange I'm told
Mary was humble to see
Shepherds and kings there on bended knees
It's silver and gold, silver and gold
Feeling the world with their lives
Silver and gold how they shimmer on ev'ry Christmas night
On ev'ry Christmas night

Silver, silver and gold

Heat Miser Song - The Year Without a Santa Claus 1974

2010-12-09T09:19:00.001-08:00

Snow Miser Song - The Year Without a Santa Claus 1974

2010-12-09T09:19:00.000-08:00

Rudolph - The Island of Misfit Toys

2010-12-09T09:16:00.000-08:00

What is your favorite?????????

Alvin & the Chipmunks Christmas Don't Be Late (original TV)

2010-12-08T08:08:00.000-08:00

(Dave:)Alright you Chipmunks, Ready to sing your song?
(Alvin:)I'd say we are
(Theodore:)Yeah, Lets sing it now!
(Dave:)Okay, Simon?
(Simon:)OK
(Dave:)Okay, Theodore?
(Theodore:)OK
(Dave:)Okay Alvin?...Alvin?...ALVIN!!!
(Alvin:)OKAY!!

(Chipmunks:)
Christmas, Christmas time is near,
Time for toys and time for cheer.
We've been good, but we can't last,
Hurry Christmas, Hurry fast.
Want a plane that loops the loop,
(Alvin:) Me, I want a Hula-Hoop.
(Chipmunks:)
We can hardly stand the wait,
Please Christmas don't be late.

(Dave:) Ok Fellas, Get ready.
That was very good, Simon.
(Simon:)Naturally!
(Dave:)Very Good Theodore
(Theodore:) He He He He
(Dave:)Uh Alvin, You were a little flat
So, watch it, Alvin...Alvin?...ALVIN!!!
(Alvin:)OKAY!!

(Chimpunks:)
Want a plane that loops the loop,
(Alvin:)I still want a Hula-Hoop.
(Chimpunks:)
We can hardly stand the wait,
Please Christmas don't be late.
We can hardly stand the wait,
Please Christmas don't be late.

Where are you Christmas? Faith Hill

2010-12-07T10:06:00.000-08:00

"Where Are You Christmas"

Where are you Christmas
Why can't I find you
Why have you gone away
Where is the laughter
You used to bring me
Why can't I hear music play

My world is changing
I'm rearranging
Does that mean Christmas changes too

Where are you Christmas
Do you remember
The one you used to know
I'm not the same one
See what the time's done
Is that why you have let me go

Christmas is here
Everywhere, oh
Christmas is here
If you care, oh

If there is love in your heart and your mind
You will feel like Christmas all the time

I feel you Christmas
I know I've found you
You never fade away
The joy of Christmas
Stays here inside us
Fills each and every heart with love

Where are you Christmas
Fill your heart with love

MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL--All year around!!!

Alan Jackson - Let It Be Christmas

2010-12-03T10:22:00.000-08:00

Let it be Christmas everywhere
In the hearts of all people both near and afar
Christmas everywhere
Feel the love of the season wherever you are
On the small country roads lined with green mistletoe
Big city streets where a thousand lights glow

Let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let every heart sing let every bell ring
The story of hope and joy and peace
And let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let anger and fear and hate disappear
Let there be love that lasts through the year
And let it be Christmas
Christmas everywhere

Let it be Christmas everywhere
With the gold and the silver, the green and the red
Christmas everywhere
In the smiles of all children asleep in their beds
In the eyes of young babies their first fallen snow
Elderlys' memories that never grow old

Let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let every heart sing let every bell ring
The story of hope and joy and peace
And let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let anger and fear and hate disappear
Let there be love that lasts through the year
And let it be Christmas
Christmas everywhere

Let it be Christmas everywhere
In the songs that we sing and the gifts that we bring
Christmas everywhere
In what this day means and what we believe
From the sandy white beaches where blue water rolls
Snow covered mountains and valleys below

Let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let every heart sing let every bell ring
The story of hope and joy and peace
And let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let anger and fear and hate disappear
Let there be love that lasts through the year
And let it be Christmas
Christmas everywhere
Christmas everywhere
Christmas everywhere

Lady Antebellum - "Hello World" Music Video

2010-12-03T10:19:00.000-08:00

Traffic crawls, cell phone calls
Talk radio screams at me through my tinted window I see
A little girl, rust red minivan, she’s got chocolate on her face
Got little hands and she waves at me
Yeah, she smiles at me

Chorus
Well, hello world
How you been
Good to see you, my old friend
Sometimes I feel cold as steel
Broken like I’m never gonna heal
And I see a light, a little hope in a little girl
Hello world

Every day I drive by a little white church
It’s got these little white crosses
Like angels in the yard
Maybe I should stop on in, say a prayer
Maybe talk to God like He is there
Oh, I know He’s there
Yeah, I know He’s there

Well hello world
How you been
Good to see you, my old friend
Sometimes I feel as cold as steel
And broken like I’m never gonna heal
And I see a light, a little grace, a little faith unfurls
Well hello world

Sometimes I forget what living’s for
And I hear my life through my front door
And I breathe it in
Oh, I’m home again
And I see my wife
Little boy and little girl
Hello world
Hello world

Well the empty disappears
I remember why I’m here
Just surrender and believe
I fall down on my knees
Well hello world
Hello world
Hello world    

The Dash by Linda Ellis

2010-11-21T07:21:00.000-08:00

The Dash by Linda Ellis

There was a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end

He noted that first came her date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years

For that dash stands for all the time
That she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own;
The cars the house the cash
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what's true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

We'd be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read
With your lifes actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

Cos that dash stands for all the time
That you spent alive on earth
And only those who loved you
Know what that little line is worth

It matters not how much you own
The cars the house the cash
What matters is how you live and love
And how you spend your dash

What matters is how you live and love
And how you spend your dash.

Letting Our Anger Out

2010-11-14T10:24:00.001-08:00

It's okay to be angry, but it isn't healthy to be resentful. Regardless of what we learned as children, no matter what we saw role modeled, we can learn to deal with our anger in ways that are healthy for us and for those around us. We can have our angry feelings. We can connect with them, own them, and feel them, express them, release them, and be done with them. (be aware)

We can learn to listen to what anger is telling us about what we want and need in order to take care of ourselves.

Sometimes we can even indulge in angry feelings that aren't justified. Feelings are just feelings; there is no morality in the feeling, only in our behavior. We can feel angry without hurting or abusing others or ourselves. We can learn to deal with anger in ways that benefit our relationships instead of ways that harm them.

If we don't feel our angry feelings today, we will need to face them tomorrow.

Today, I will let myself feel my anger. I will express my anger appropriately, without guilt. Then I will be done with it.

Accepting Love -- Any Love

2010-11-09T09:36:00.000-08:00

Many of us have worked too hard to make relationships work; sometimes those relationships didn't have a chance because the other person was unavailable or refused to participate.

To compensate for the other person's unavailability, we worked too hard. We may have done all or most of the work. This may mask the situation for a while, but we usually get tired. Then, when we stop doing all the work, we notice there is no relationship, or we're so tired we don't care.

Doing all the work in a relationship is not loving, giving, or caring. It is self-defeating and relationship defeating. It creates the illusion of a relationship when in fact there may be no relationship. It enables the other person to be irresponsible for his or her share. Because that does not meet our needs, we ultimately feel victimized.

In our best relationships, we all have temporary periods where one person participates more than the other. This is normal. But as a permanent way of participating in relationships, it leaves us feeling tired, worn out, needy, and angry.'

We can learn to participate a reasonable amount, and then let the relationship find it's own life. Are we doing all the calling? Are we doing all the initiating? Are we doing all the giving? Are we the one talking about feelings and striving for intimacy?

Are we doing all the waiting, the hoping, and the work?

We can let go. If the relationship is meant to be, it will be, and it will become what it is meant to be. We do not help that process by trying to control it. We do not help the other person, the relationship, or ourselves by trying to force it or by doing all the work.

Let it be. Wait and see. Stop worrying about making it happen. See what happens and strive to understand if that is what you want.

Today, I will stop doing all the work in my relationships. I will give myself and the other person the gift of requiring both people to participate. I will accept the natural level my relationships reach when I do my share and allow the other person to choose what his or her share will be. I can trust my relationships to reach their own level. I do not have to do all the work; I need only do my share.

Wednesday Words Of Wisdom -- Denial

2010-11-03T09:46:00.000-07:00

Denial

Denial is fertile breeding ground for the behaviors we call codependent: controlling, focusing on others, and neglecting ourselves. Illness and compulsive or addictive behaviors can emerge during denial.

Denial can be confusing because it resembles sleeping. We're not really aware we're doing it until we're done doing it. Forcing ourselves - or anyone else - to face the truth usually doesn't help. We won't face the facts until we are ready. Neither, it seems, will anyone else. We may admit to the truth for a moment, but we won't let ourselves know what we know until we feel safe, secure, and prepared enough to deal and cope with it.

Talking to friends who know, love, support, encourage, and affirm us helps.

Being gentle, loving, and affirming with ourselves helps. Asking ourselves, and our Higher Power, to guide us into and through change helps.

The first step toward acceptance is denial. The first step toward moving through denial is accepting that we may be in denial, and then gently allowing ourselves to move through.

*****God, help me feel safe and secure enough today to accept what I need to accept.****

Marcel the Sea Shell with Shoes

2010-10-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON from Dean Fleischer-Camp on Vimeo.

I hope you chuckle as much as I STILL AM!!!!

Wednesday Words

2010-10-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

Detaching With Love:
Sometimes people we love do things we don't like or approve of. WE react. They react. Before long, we're all reacting to each other, and the problem escalates.
When do we detatch? When we're hooked into a reaction of anger, guilt or shame. When we get hooked into a power-play -- an attempt to control or force others to do something they don't want to do. When the way we're reacting isn't helping the other person or solving the problem. When the way we're reacting is hurting us.
Often, it's time to detatch when detachemnt appears to be the least likely, or possible, thing to do.
The first step toward detachment is understanding that reacting & controlling don't help. The next step is getting peaceful -- gettin centered & restoring our balance.
Talk a walk. Leave the room. Go to a meeting. Take a long, hot bath. Call a friend. Call on God. Breathe deeply. Find peace. From that place of peace & centering will emerge an answer, a solution.

***Today I will surrender & trust that the answer is near.

OCTOBER - Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2010-10-20T09:29:00.001-07:00

SMILE!!!

GOOD LUCK to a very dear, beautiful, strong & courageous friend who will be having surgery tomorrow!

You are my hero!!!! ALWAYS!! Thinking of you JJ!!!!!

Taking Care Of Ourselves

2010-10-06T09:29:00.000-07:00

It's healthy, wise & loving to be considerate & responsive to the feelings & needs of others, That's different from care taking. Care taking is a self-defeating & certainly, a relationship-defeating behavior - a behavior that backfires & can cause us to feel resentful & victimized - because ultimatley, what we feel, want & need will come to the surface.

Some people seem to invite emotional care taking. We can learn to refuse the invitation. We can be concerned; we can be loving, when possible; but we can place value on our own needs & feelings too. Part of recovery means learning to pay attention to, & place importance on, wheat we feel, want & need, because to see that there are clear, predictable & usually undesirable consequences when we don't.

Be patient & gentle w/yourself as you learn to do this. Be understanding w/yourself when you slip back into the old behavior of emotional care taking & self-neglect.

But stop the cycle today. We do not have to feel responsible for others. We can learn to let ourselves feel good about taking responsibilities for our needs & feelings.

****TODAY, I WILL EVALUATE WHETHER I'VE SLIPPED INTO MY OLD BEHAVIOR OF TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANOTHER'S FEELINGS & NEEDS, WHILE NEGLECTING MY OWN. I WILL OWN MY POWER, RIGHT & RESPONSIBILITY TO PLACE VALUE ON MYSELF****

John Michael Montgomery 'Life's A Dance'

2010-10-06T09:22:00.000-07:00

Life's A Dance

When I was fourteen I was falling fast
For a blue eyed girl in my homeroom class
Trying to find the courage to ask her out
Was like trying to get oil from a waterspout
What she would have said I can't say
I never did ask and she moved away
But I learned something from my blue eyed girl
Sink or swim you gotta give it a whirl

Life's a dance you learn as you go
Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow
Don't worry about what you don't know
Life's a dance you learn as you go

The longer I live the more I believe
You do have to give if you wanna recieve
There's a time to listen, a time to talk
And you might have to crawl even after you walk
Had sure things blow up in my face
Seen the longshot, win the race
Been knocked down by the slamming door
Picked myself up and came back for more

Life's a dance you learn as you go
Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow
Don't worry about what you don't know
Life's a dance you learn as you go

Life's a dance you learn as you go
Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow
Don't worry about what you don't know
Life's a dance you learn as you go
Life's a dance you learn as you go
Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow
Don't worry about what you don't know
Life's a dance you learn as you go

Life's a dance
Life's a dance
Life's a dance
Take a chance on love
Life's a dance
You learn as you go

**Yuo need to twirl around, get your feet straight from time to time, you need to step on some feet to learn.....enjoy the ride & don't worry, you'll learn as you go, I know I am!

TAKE ME AS I AM

2010-09-23T10:36:00.000-07:00

I find comfort & joy & relaxation in Music.

Take me or leave me, your choice........

Radiator says 95,
But I ain't felt a drop of heat all night,
Here in this motel,
There ain't no tellin' me nothin'.

I come here five nights a week,
To clean the toilets and change these sheets.
My name's Maggie Duran baby ain't that somethin'.
[Chorus]
If you want it,
Come and get it,
If you want it, come and get it,
But understand, You take me as I am.

I know these corners,
I know these streets.
Curb-side prophet there yellin' at me.
He can save my soul for a drink and a dollar.

Yeah he's yellin' about my tattoo's,
We all live with the scars we choose.
Yeah, they might hurt like hell,
But they all make us stronger.

If you want it,
Come and get it,
If you want it, come and get it,
But understand, You take me as I am.

Slow to trust, but I'm quick to love,
I wish too hard, and I give too much,
I ain't sayin' I'm perfect,
But I promise I'm worth it.

Now I'm standin' here in front of you,
Tell me boy, what you gonna do,
My name's Maggie Duran I said ain't that somethin'

[Chorus]

Home Sweet Home...

2010-09-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

Today, Thursday September 23, 2010, is the first full day of fall.....this is what I woke to this morning, about 6 a.m............what a GRAND way to start my day!

Little Sebago Lake

Could I ask for any better place to be and live? Allows anyone to wash troubles away......

WISH: For all to see. For all to enjoy. For all to breathe. For all to stop & rest, at any site! I beleive this makes a difference!

"Wishing"

2010-09-23T09:53:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it’s a pair of old faded denim
I know it’s gonna fit me like a friend
Or some radio song you can’t help but sing along
Wishing they’d spin it over and over again

Could be the windows down on a Sunday drive
Smell of rain on a summer night
Anything that brings a little more comfort my way
But sometimes, there’s those times
It’s gotta be you

CHORUS
I keep telling myself I’m movin’ on
But I’m stumbling
Believin’ my heart was strong enough
And now I’m wanderin’
But every step I take that leads me away
Just circles back to your door
Wishin’ I didn’t love you anymore

I’ve tried turning to the arms of someone new
But I can’t seem to fool this fool
I’ve seen closin’ times with every bottle dry
And I’ve seen days alone in my own room
I’ve asked God and magazines, stacks of books and movie screens
Anything to bring a little more comfort my way
But sometimes, there’s those times
It’s gotta be you

CHORUS
I keep tellin’ myself I’m movin’ on
But I’m stumbling
Believin’ my heart was strong enough
And now I’m wandering
‘Cause every step I take that leads me away
Just circles back to your door
Wishin’ I didn’t love you anymore
Will you give me more?

I’ve done everything I can to forget
If there is a way, I ain’t found it yet

I keep tellin’ myself I’m movin’ on
Believin’ my heart was strong
But every step I take that leads me away
Just circles back to your door
Wishin’ I didn’t love you
What I’d give if I could touch you
Wishin’ I didn’t love you anymore

Lost prophets-rooftops Music Video Lyrics in description

2010-09-19T17:24:00.000-07:00

INSPIRED by a girlfriend that I haven't seen in awhile, THANKS, much love--XXOO--

--STANDING ION THE ROOFTOP--

When our time is up
When our lives are done
Will we say we've had our fun?

Will we make a mark this time?
Will we always say we tried?

Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out.
Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out.
Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out.
This is all we got now
Everybody scream your heart out.

All the love I've met
I have no regrets
If it all ends now, I'm set

Will we make a mark this time?
Will we always say we tried?

Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out.
Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out.
Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out.
This is all we got now
Everybody scream your heart out.

[x2]
Standing on the rooftops
(Wait until the bombs drop)
This is all we got now
(Scream until your heart stops)
Never gonna regret
(Watching every sunset)
We'll listen to your heartbeat
(All the love that we found)

Scream your heart out [x3]
Scream your

Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out.
Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out.
Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out.
This is all we got now
Everybody scream your

Leona Lewis - Happy

2010-09-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

HAPPY

someone once told me
that you have to choose
what you win or lose
you cant have everything
don’t you take chances
you might feel the pain
don’t you love in vain
cause love wont set you free
i could stand by the side
and watch this life pass me by
so unhappy but safe as could be

(Chorus)
so what if it hurts me
so what if i break down
so what if this world just throws me off the edge
my feet run out of ground
i gotta find my place
i wanna hear my sound
don’t care about other pain in front of me
cause i’m just tryna be happy, yea
just wanna be happy, yea

holding on tightly
just cant let it go
just tryna play my roll
slowly disappear, oooh
well all these tears
they feel like they’re the same
just different faces, different names
get me outta here
well i can stand by the side
and watch this life pass me by
pass me by

(Chorus)
so what if it hurts me
so what if i break down
so what if this world just throws me off the edge
my feet run out of ground
i gotta find my place
i wanna hear my sound
don’t care about other pain in front of me
cause i’m just tryna be happy
just wanna be happy
oooh

so any turns that i cant see
ill count a stranger on this road
but don’t say victim
don’t say anything

(Chorus)
so what if it hurts me
so what if i break down
so what if this world just throws me off the edge
my feet run out of ground
i gotta find my place
i wanna hear my sound
don’t care about all the pain in front of me
cause i’m just tryna be happy
just wanna be happy

Sara Bareilles - King Of Anything

2010-08-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

"King Of Anything"

Oh (oh oh oh)
Oh (oh oh oh)
Oh (oh oh oh)
Oh (oh oh oh)

Keep drinkin' coffee
Stare me down across the table
While I look outside

So many things I'd say if only I were able
But I just keep quiet
And count the cars that pass by

You've got opinions, man
We're all entitled to 'em
But I never asked

So let me thank you for time
And try to not waste any more of mine
Get out of here fast

I hate to break it you babe
But I'm not drowning
There's no one here to save

Who cares if you disagree
You are not me
Who made you king of anything
So you dare tell me who to be
Who died
And made you king of anything

Oh (oh oh oh)
Oh (oh oh oh)
Oh (oh oh oh)
Oh (oh oh oh)

You sound so innocent
All full of good intent
You swear you know best

But you expect me to
Jump up on board with you
Right off into your dellusional sunset

I'm not the one who's lost
With no direction oh
But you won't ever see

You're so busy makin' maps
With my name on them in all caps
You got the talkin' down just not the listening

And who cares if you disagree
You are not me
Who made you king of anything
So you dare tell me who to be
Who died
And made you king of anything

All my life
I've tried
To make everybody happy while I
Just hurt
And hide
Waitin' for someone to tell me it's my turn
To decide
Oh (oh oh oh)
Oh (oh oh oh)
Oh (oh oh oh)
Oh (oh oh oh)

Who cares if you disagree
You are not me
Who made you king of anything
So you dare tell me who to be
Who died
And made you king of anything

Who cares if you disagree
You are not me
Who made you king of anything
So you dare tell me who to be
Who died
And made you king of anything

Let me hold your crown, babe
Oh oh
Ah

A real cute song......ENJOY!!!