Insane Courage

Have you seen any movie trailers for "We Bought a Zoo"?  First of all, gotta love Matt Damon and that smile!!!  But he says one line that just blew me away.  It's a quote that grabbed my heart immediately.  All I could think about was, I've GOT to share this with my blog buddies!!  Ready?? 

"All you need is 20 seconds of insane courage and

I promise you something great will come of it." 

Think about that for a minute.  You can plan and dream and wonder and plan and when it gets right down to it, it's the 20 seconds you spend telling yourself you are moving forward with your dream that involves the insane courage.  Everything that follows is just support, whether it's self support or support from others.  I LOVE this quote.  Can't wait to see the movie.

Hope your holiday planning is coming along at a non-stressful pace. 

Dear Online Retailers:

I'm really quite impressed with some of your amazing deals this season.  Really some great pricing.  I can see where you are trying to get your fair share of my Christmas budget.

However, I'm very aware of how much you are charging me for shipping.  And if I think it's unreasonable, you aren't getting my business.

That's the bottom line. 

Sincerely,
A Smart Shopper

The ABC's of Thanksgiving

If the only prayer you said in your whole life
was "thank you", that would suffice. 

- Meister Eckhart

Wishing you a restful day, filled with family and friends and good food and fun.  And here's my ABC's of Thanksgiving.  Since I wasn't able to come up with all of them on my own, I enlisted the help of my grandson, Cormick.  He's quite helpful when it comes to ABC's. 

Abundance & Appreciation
Bread (homemade) & Broccoli Casserole & Butternut Squash & Bailey's
Cranberries & Corn & Celebration
Desserts & Dressing (thinking of my Texas family)
Everyone gathers together & Early June Peas (that's for you, Jerry)
Family & Friends & Feast
Gratitude & Gravy & Green Bean Casserole
Happy Thanksgiving & Healthy Living
Inspiration
Jams & Jellies
Kin & Killing animals for food (thank you for this one, Cormick!)
Living (not just existing)
Mashed Potatoes
Nuts (family and otherwise)
Orange leaves & Orange candles
Pumpkin Pie
Quail (for some, not for me)
Roasted corn
Sweet Potatoes & Stuffing
Thanks & Turkey
Unity
Venison (not in our family, but at the first Thanksgiving, according to Cormick)
Whoopie pies (my new pumpkin favorite) & Wine
Xcited to be with family (don't judge me. I challenge you to come up with something better??)
Yams
Zzzzz (once the L-Tryptophan kicks in)

Thanksgiving day comes, by statute, once a year; 

to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.

- Edward Sandford Martin

Are You Prepared to be Wrong?

Are you familiar with TED?  It's a non-profit that is dedicated to spreading ideas.  (When it first started, the focus was on Technology, Entertainment, and Design).  Their mission is to spread ideas.  It's grown.  It covers just about any subject you are interested in.  Check it out at http://www.ted.com/. Most are very entertaining and usually funny.

Lately, I've been sort of hooked on watching the videos regarding education.  My daughter and I have had a number of discussions on how best to educate her kids.  Although she's an elementary school teacher, she finds that she's exploring ideas on alternative options for her own kids.  I like that she's open minded enough to consider different things. 

Anyway, these TED presenters usually present for 20 mins.  The latest one I found was Sir Ken Robinson. 

In this particular discussion in 2006, he talks about how kids aren't afraid of taking risks.  They aren't afraid of being wrong.  And what he says is, "If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original."  And when we get to adulthood, we have grown to be afraid of being wrong.  So companies are run that way.  And now education is becoming that way.  Largely, in part, due to legislators who decide that certain test scores are required to prove that a school is doing its job.  So teachers and schools teach to tests instead of teaching to interests. 

Sir Ken talks about how having a degree now isn't necessarily what it meant 10, 15, 20 years ago.  It used to mean that if you had a degree, you had a job.  Not anymore.  We know there are plenty of kids who graduate with B.A.'s and M.A's and have to live with the parents because they can't find a job.  And by then, creativity has been taught right out of them. 

Now, I'm not saying that school isn't necessary.  It is.  But what we should never forget is that creativity is necessary, too.  If you have ever interacted with a 4 year old with a crayon in his/her hand, you'll know the discussion about "coloring within the lines".  And no doubt you know and/or pondered the controversy about it.

I am one of those people who cringe whenever I hear the proclamation, "We've always done it that way."  No doubt uttered by those who are just to afraid to be wrong.  How about you?  Are you prepared to be wrong?

A Smile for Today

What's not to love about this smile?  Contagious, isn't it??

So many languages in the world, and a smile speaks them all. 
(Author unknown)

Halloween - Revisited!

Last night, I got to experience Halloween thru the joys of a 4 year old.  THIS is what Halloween is all about.  Mom and kids went door to door with neighbor kids and I stayed back at their place to hand out treats.  Here's a good place to note that everyone who came to the door was dressed in costume, nobody over the age of 15 showed up, and most were very courteous.  Parents waited at the end of the driveway, waved and said thank you as well.  How VERY refreshing to experience this blast from the past!!  SO different from my neighborhood experiences.

Anyway, by the time Spiderman got back from his door to door escapade, Daddy was home.  Daddy and I got to witness the biggest grin (seriously, ear to ear) and the best story about what it was like going out trick or treating.  Oh, to have had the video camera ready.  But that might have ruined the moment.  Thankfully, it's burned in my memory. 

"And Grandma, some people said,
'take one' and some people said,
'take two pieces'". 

Break me off a piece of that
Kit Kat bar.

Even Wonder Woman needs
a little snuggling!

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.  And yes, Peggy, there is a fun part of Halloween.  And I got a glimpse of it again, with my two little super heroes!!

Hello, It's Me...(cue Todd Rundgren)

Yes, I've been quite absent lately.  Too many irons in the fire.  Not that I haven't been busy creating!  I have been.  And as I've said in the past, when I ramp up on one creative thing, another one gets temporarily tossed aside. 
Things like cardmaking (40 shower invitations for my niece's wedding shower).  I like that this doesn't look like your typical wedding shower card.  Thanks to my younger sister, we got these done in a day once they were colored!

And working in my Soulbook that we started at the Scrap Cellar.  This is a book that is good to pick up whenever you start doubting your self worth, or when you lack the courage to take on something totally new.  It has statements in the book that truly speak to your soul.  That truly make you aware of how awesome you really are.  Anyway, the goal was to finish by the next time we got together.  And that time is coming fast!  We used old boxes, lots of masking tape, and acrylic paint to create this baby.  Then added our "speak to the soul" statements.  Here are some of the pages I created. 

And then there was this fun page I did in my soulbook to prove to myself that I really do have some artistic talent.  One of my colleagues at work has this beautiful sweater.  She walked in one day and I asked if I could take a picture of it, because it inspired me so.  Here's the back of the sweater:

And here's what I painted in my soulbook.

And here's just a glimpse of one of the handmade gifts for my niece.  Can't show you the whole thing, though.  Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise.

Oh, and I put together a slide show with music for my girlfriend's husband.  It was his 50th birthday. 

These are some of the things that have kept me busy enough to not be able to have a solid idea of what to blog about.  I figure now that these are done, maybe I can get back to giving you a little piece of my mind occasionally.  (Not that I can afford to give it away!!)

Anyway, this Halloween edition finds me once again proclaiming to you that I'm not a fan.  Not at all.  The only true joy I get from this holiday is that I love to see how my grandkids dress up.  But the candy thing...not so much.  The Cellar Chicks laugh at me because I call it a "beggar holiday".  Seriously folks, here's the scenario:  Adult at my door not dressed in costume, holding a bag out for candy, and when I ask who it's for, they point to the 6-month-old in the stroller.  A 6-month old!!  Yes, I'm serious!!

Monday evening, while my neighbors stay at home and hand out candy to those 6 month old, candy craving infants, I will be headed to my daughter's where I get to party with two SuperHeroes!!  Spiderman and Wonder Woman!  Pictures will follow, to be sure!

Oh, and one more thing before I go...My friend, Leanne over at From Chaos Comes Happiness has opened an Etsy shop with canvasses, prints, bookmarks and greeting cards. Many of the items feature Annalee, a character Leanne has developed.  (I swear this is Leanne's alter-ego.)  She's also got a line called Random Thoughts From Chaos that have beautiful, inspirational thoughts.  Check it out.  Let Leanne know I sent you.  (I LOVE hearing her voice when she calls all excited that someone I know purchased from her shop).

Okay, I'll try to show up a little more often here.  Have a happy Halloween!

An Unexpected Gift

Let me begin by saying I'm not a fan of Oprah.  There's just too many things I don't like about her.  All to do with actions, actually.  Loved her in her very early years.  Not so much now.  However, I was directed to her Oprah.com website by my good friend Leanne over at From Chaos Comes Happiness.  What made me take that trip was the subject:  What I Know For Sure.

And I have to say, Oprah's on target with what she knows for sure!

Lately, it seems that some of my blogging buddies are struggling with a crisis in their lives.  Some are quite angry with what they have to say.  And I know some of it is just venting.  I get that.  We all need to vent.  But if I could stand in front of them, look them in the eye, give them a hug, I'd probably throw some of Oprah's "knows for sure" statements at them.  And hope that they really listen.  Things like, "What you put out comes back all the time, no matter what."  Or "You define your own life.  Don't let other people write your script."

And to that point, I want to share with you a gratitude moment I had.  My PG called me the other day and asked if I saw the rainbow.  Yes, I'm a rainbow freak!!  Take pictures of them all the time.  So I looked to the east and saw the right side of a rainbow.  Full spectrum.  ROYGBIV and beyond!!!  GORGEOUS!! 

10/13/11

So I grabbed the camera and ran outside to get pics.  And that's when I saw it.  The left side. 

10/13/11

Sitting before me was a complete, full spectrum rainbow.  I don't remember ever seeing one this big.  So wide I couldn't capture it in one shot. 

WOW!!  Just what I needed!!  Not sure what I've done to deserve it, but I must be doing something right!  And I know it wasn't there just for me.  But if you aren't grateful enough for things around you, you're likely to miss a gift that just happened to show up for your enjoyment!!

This has been a beautiful autumn this year.  Colors on some trees, others hanging on to their green a bit longer.  Plenty of sunshine to enjoy those colors.  We have truly been blessed in the Midwest. 

With that, I leave you with a quote by Rose Kennedy: 

"Life is not a matter of milestones, but of moments." 

I Feel Like A Millionaire!!

Okay, so if you've ever thought that going to a grade school reunion would be lame, please consider this advice.  It's probably a hundred times better than a high school reunion would be.  And here's why (in my humble opinion, of course):
In high school, you are in a room with kids who may or may not have been in your elementary school.  You spend 45 minutes with them, the bell rings and you go to your next class.  In that next class you may or may not be with the same students as the last class.  But definitely, the demographics changes.

Now in grade school, you are with the same set of kids for the entire day.  You bond with them.  You know their personalities.  They are imprinted on your brain.  So when you get together 45 years later, you have so many memories that surface. 

More pics to follow!!

Needless to say, we had a blast.  It turns out my fear of being an outcast was unfounded.  Or at least the years melted that away. 

And another thing...you know how you think you've changed so much since you were 13?  Got news for you...you still look like you.  At least that's what our experience was.  I can honestly say there was only one of my former classmates that I would not have been able to pick out of a lineup.  They all look like an older version of themselves.  But I knew who was who.

All in all, we had so much fun.

I have one more theory about reunions.  The farther you get from your graduation date, the more you realize what's important in life.  I believe that at the 10th, 20th, 30th reunion, you spend a lot of time talking about what you do and what you've achieved.  But by the time you hit the 45th, your kids have grown and you very likely have grandkids.  And you realize what is really important in life.  Relationships.  With your family, with your friends, with your former classmates, with your God.  Relationships are what make your life rich.  And I walked away from this reunion feeling like I won a million bucks!!

Looking forward to planning the 50th!!

Reunion Time

Today's the day!  It's been in the planning committee's hands for six months already.  All because one classmate decided that it's time we get together. 

Me...not sure which grade

Today, 45 years after we graduated from eighth grade, many of my former classmates are getting together to talk about old times, talk about what has happened in our lives for the last 45 years, talk about our kids and grandkids, talk about those we couldn't find, and those who have passed.

When I was in grade school, I was convinced that I was not a likeable person.  In fact, when we were first approached about getting a committee together, I came right out and admitted that to the girl who started this up.  But seeing what I've seen raising my kids, and seeing how my daughter's 5th grade students act, I now know that it's part of growing up. 

So I'm looking forward to seeing these people who experienced some of the same doubts I did all those years ago.  I'm looking forward to hearing what their memories are.  And I'm excited!!

I'll let you know how it goes!