http://distractify.com/people/the-whitest-holiday-photos/
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
My Bucket List (Bucket Book)
Words of Advice
Have fun! The whole idea is to start making steps to do the things you want to do with your life. So don’t stress about it - if you are finding it hard to accomplish a particular goal, work on something else!
You do have some time...but best to start today!
Thank you Sean Ogle for these tips - my "Bucket Book" is in the works! http://www.seanogle.com/
- Don’t try to write it all at once. It is an evolution..a working document.
- Think outside the box. Think random - you have a lifetime to fulfil these goals!
- Target different areas of your life. Travel, hobbies, finances, careers, relationships, activities, these are all great things to consider when building out a lifetime list.
- Break it into two items. I want to learn to Tango - Do the Tango in Argentina! Having a purpose for the locations you want to travel to can make your trip that much more fulfilling when you actually accomplish it.
- Read other people’s lists. (43things, Project 183, Sean Ogle's blog)
- Choose easy, cheaper,goals - it will give you a sense of accomplishment
- Include something you can do TODAY. Don't think "some-day" - think "today" There are plenty of things you can do right now that you have always said you wanted to do, but just never made the time to start. Well now is that time.
- Post it publicly. Do a blog!
- Set goals. i.e. do 5 things per year, or everything by the time you are 50.
- Use both broad and targeted goals.i.e go to NYC - "do something newsworthy"
Have fun! The whole idea is to start making steps to do the things you want to do with your life. So don’t stress about it - if you are finding it hard to accomplish a particular goal, work on something else!
You do have some time...but best to start today!
Thank you Sean Ogle for these tips - my "Bucket Book" is in the works! http://www.seanogle.com/
Monday, October 14, 2013
Between Jupiter and Mars - Season 1, Episode 1 (+playlist)
My old friend Rob Bruner has a new web series out! Watch and share! It's awesome!
Friday, July 5, 2013
Travel Quotes
We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again- to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more... Pico Iyer
"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." Robert Louis Stevenson
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Not all those who wander are lost.” – J. R. R. Tolkien
“The open road is a beckoning, a strangeness, a place where a man can lose himself.” – William Least Heat Moon
“Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone.” – The Dhammapada
"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." Robert Louis Stevenson
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Not all those who wander are lost.” – J. R. R. Tolkien
“The open road is a beckoning, a strangeness, a place where a man can lose himself.” – William Least Heat Moon
“Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone.” – The Dhammapada
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Reminder to those Looters from the UK last year
Just a reminder to all the looters that grabbed electronics in the UK riots last year...your manufacturers warranty runs out at the end of this month...just sayin'
Monday, May 20, 2013
A Lesson Learned
From Melissa M.H. in Angola Indiana.
This story brought tears to my eyes - Although my kids are considerate and thankful most times - I'm sure they would have benefited even more so with a lesson like this...
_____________________________________________________________
About an hour later he went to play with it. I immediately stopped him and explained to him how very, very fortunate he was. And how his comment had hurt my feelings.
As he started to apologize and back pedal-I told him how much I appreciated his apology, however, he would not be getting this gift and that one of two things were going to happen; either he was going to think about all of his classmates/friends/church family etc., and HE could choose whom he thought would not normally get such a gift and give it to them OR I would make the decision-but either way, he was not keeping it.
He threw a fit, cried and carried on, which I completely ignored even though this situation was breaking my heart.
A few hours had gone by, when I noticed my son sitting on the floor carefully re-wrapping the gift.
I sat down next to him and watched as he concentrated on getting it just right. When he was finished he looked up at me and said "Jack's" dad doesn't have a job anymore so they probably didn't get very many toys, can we please take this to him right now?
I privately called "Jack's" mother to explain the situation to make sure it was "ok"- the last thing I wanted to do was offend anybody.
My son was silent the entire ride there and the entire ride back. I started to wonder if I had done the right thing! But as we pulled the car into the garage he said "mom I'm sorry". I gave him the biggest hug you could imagine, kissed his forehead and told him how proud I was of him!
And every Christmas since then he has either picked one of his gifts or saved his money and bought one, to give to someone he chooses!
All parents and parents "to be" should put this in their box of life lessons...
Friday, May 17, 2013
Weekly Photo Challenge: Escape
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Looking forward to escaping winter in Kawartha Lakes
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It's Not All About You....
Change the way you think about adulthood.
An amazing commencement speech by the late, great David Foster Wallace at Kenyon College
http://www.upworthy.com/the-earth-shatteringly-amazing-speech-that-ll-change-the-way-you-think-about-adulthood-4
Enjoy this...
An amazing commencement speech by the late, great David Foster Wallace at Kenyon College
http://www.upworthy.com/the-earth-shatteringly-amazing-speech-that-ll-change-the-way-you-think-about-adulthood-4
Enjoy this...
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Memories For Sale
On a weekend road trip, far away from home, you stumble upon a garage sale in a neighborhood you’re passing through. Astonished, you find an object among the belongings for sale that you recognize.
Tell us about it in the comments!
My story is the first comment...enjoy.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
My Manifesto
I read a friends blog this morning and one of her comments about people that seem to have "arrived" at their weight loss destination made me think of my "most favourite poem in the world" I found this poem in the early 80's and it stuck with me throughout my life...my Manifesto so to speak!
THE STATION R.J. Hastings
Tucked away in our subconscious minds is an idyllic vision. We see ourselves on a long, long trip that almost spans the continent. We're traveling by passenger train, and out the windows we drink in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle grazing on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, of row upon row of corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hillsides, of city skylines and village halls, of biting winter and blazing summer and cavorting spring and docile fall.
But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour we will pull into the station. There will be bands playing and flags waving. And once we get there so many wonderful dreams will come true. So many wishes will be fulfilled and so many pieces of our lives finally will be neatly fitted together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles, damming the minutes for loitering, waiting, waiting, waiting for the station.
However, sooner or later we must realize there is no one station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us.
When we get to the station that will be it!" we cry. Translated it means, "When I'm 18 that will be it! When I buy a new 450 SL Mercedes Benz, that will be it! When I put the last kid through college that will be it! When I have paid off the mortgage that will be it! When I win a promotion that will be it! When I lose that 50 lbs that will be it. When I reach the age of retirement that will be it! I shall live happily ever after!"
Unfortunately, once we get "it," then "it" disappears. The station somehow hides itself at the end of an endless track.
"Relish the moment" is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24: "This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it." It isn't the burdens of today that drive men mad. Rather, it is regret over yesterday or fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who would rob us of today.
So, stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles (or the lbs). Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, (just track it!) go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along.
The station will come soon enough.
Happy to have been reminded of this awesome poem - I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did 30 years ago!
Happy Family Day Weekend!
THE STATION R.J. Hastings
Tucked away in our subconscious minds is an idyllic vision. We see ourselves on a long, long trip that almost spans the continent. We're traveling by passenger train, and out the windows we drink in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle grazing on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, of row upon row of corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hillsides, of city skylines and village halls, of biting winter and blazing summer and cavorting spring and docile fall.
But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour we will pull into the station. There will be bands playing and flags waving. And once we get there so many wonderful dreams will come true. So many wishes will be fulfilled and so many pieces of our lives finally will be neatly fitted together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles, damming the minutes for loitering, waiting, waiting, waiting for the station.
However, sooner or later we must realize there is no one station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us.
When we get to the station that will be it!" we cry. Translated it means, "When I'm 18 that will be it! When I buy a new 450 SL Mercedes Benz, that will be it! When I put the last kid through college that will be it! When I have paid off the mortgage that will be it! When I win a promotion that will be it! When I lose that 50 lbs that will be it. When I reach the age of retirement that will be it! I shall live happily ever after!"
Unfortunately, once we get "it," then "it" disappears. The station somehow hides itself at the end of an endless track.
"Relish the moment" is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24: "This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it." It isn't the burdens of today that drive men mad. Rather, it is regret over yesterday or fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who would rob us of today.
So, stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles (or the lbs). Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, (just track it!) go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along.
The station will come soon enough.
Happy to have been reminded of this awesome poem - I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did 30 years ago!
Happy Family Day Weekend!
Friday, January 4, 2013
Food Dilemma
As most people do, a new year comes and we vow to eat better, exercise more and take care of ourselves. I'm not any different.
I've suffered a few losses in the past few months - Two very dear friends (Ron and Sharon) passed away from cancer in the last 3 months - makes you think twice about your choices in life...in food, in activity, in things you do and people you care about.
I look back at 2012 and see that I had a great many successes too - I lost a bit more weight, I got out walking alot more, travelled to a new island, made a few local trips, took up Yoga and the biggest success of all, I quit smoking. I'm really proud of myself for doing this - 37 years as smoker and I'm done. Happy about that.
Strangest thing is, I think my biggest set back was quitting smoking - all the hard work I put in since August of 2011 to lose excess weight was for naught. Gained it all back - yes, all of it....in 4 measly months, I'm back to where I was in August 2011.
My plan is to haul my ample ass back to Weight Watchers tomorrow (I know it works when you work the plan...) and also make some other changes.
The great book that led me to quit smoking "Allen Carr's Easyway to Quit Smoking" also has a book called "Lose Weight Now"... so I'm reading this and realizing that I need to change alot about the food that goes into my body. And that's ok - i'm over due for this change!
My Food Dilemma however is this...since 2011 I have stopped buying foods / fruits / veggies that have been shipped in from foreign countries... (i.e I recall WalMart selling Strawberries from Mexico in Ontario in June...WTF? Its strawberry season in Ontario and they are importing from Mexico? I let the manager know I was appauled!) This just sends me off the deep end... I digress)
So my dilemma is - how do i get in my required fruits and veggies without buying from Peru, or Mexico or Japan? My morals are going to suffer - my change in purchasing habits will go right back to the way they were before...
In order to cure this overweight problem once and for all, I may have to cave into buying tomatoes and peaches from 8000 km away... I'm not happy about this - but I want to nick this problem in the "butt" literally!
I will come back in a few weeks and update you all on how I try to stick to my morals and stay on plan.
Until next time.
I've suffered a few losses in the past few months - Two very dear friends (Ron and Sharon) passed away from cancer in the last 3 months - makes you think twice about your choices in life...in food, in activity, in things you do and people you care about.
I look back at 2012 and see that I had a great many successes too - I lost a bit more weight, I got out walking alot more, travelled to a new island, made a few local trips, took up Yoga and the biggest success of all, I quit smoking. I'm really proud of myself for doing this - 37 years as smoker and I'm done. Happy about that.
Strangest thing is, I think my biggest set back was quitting smoking - all the hard work I put in since August of 2011 to lose excess weight was for naught. Gained it all back - yes, all of it....in 4 measly months, I'm back to where I was in August 2011.
My plan is to haul my ample ass back to Weight Watchers tomorrow (I know it works when you work the plan...) and also make some other changes.
The great book that led me to quit smoking "Allen Carr's Easyway to Quit Smoking" also has a book called "Lose Weight Now"... so I'm reading this and realizing that I need to change alot about the food that goes into my body. And that's ok - i'm over due for this change!
My Food Dilemma however is this...since 2011 I have stopped buying foods / fruits / veggies that have been shipped in from foreign countries... (i.e I recall WalMart selling Strawberries from Mexico in Ontario in June...WTF? Its strawberry season in Ontario and they are importing from Mexico? I let the manager know I was appauled!) This just sends me off the deep end... I digress)
So my dilemma is - how do i get in my required fruits and veggies without buying from Peru, or Mexico or Japan? My morals are going to suffer - my change in purchasing habits will go right back to the way they were before...
In order to cure this overweight problem once and for all, I may have to cave into buying tomatoes and peaches from 8000 km away... I'm not happy about this - but I want to nick this problem in the "butt" literally!
I will come back in a few weeks and update you all on how I try to stick to my morals and stay on plan.
Until next time.
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