A male perspective... Glass Football

The Arizona Cardinals hired the first woman assistant coach this week.  She has an outstanding resume, and is to be applauded, which I support.  In the homophobic, macho culture of NFL sports, this will be a symbolic gesture unless the culture of the organization gives her the opportunity to succeed.

Random Thoughts

There  are things that make me smile:  the Sparkle Faerie, A 70 degree day with a breeze, Petting C@boy and hugging my loved ones, being at the ocean, caring for my plants, and smart, kind people. (These are in Random order) Then there are the NOT SO MUCH...Brash, belligerent, lying politicians, that my favorite cookies come in a TWO pack, and ONE is a serving! REALLY?! the toe fungus medicine that hurts you for the 48 weeks you are advised to use it! All commercials that have print so small you could never read it! Hint, read a different part each time it is on and you might get it.  Being stuck on Two Dots level 65, I was up to 120 and then lost it and had to start over.  MOST OF ALL, any person who is unkind or unfair for any reason. 

R. I. P.

Cecil!  No-one has the right to do what you did!  Karma is a b***h!  I don't have to wish you ill, you have INVITED it yourself!  If you want to help the cause, send a donation to IFWA.

Australia!

So good to see you!

Let

each day unfold.  I am all for planning, and doing what needs to be done.  But after that, and in the between moments, allow yourself to breathe and relax.  I think we get so caught up in the bus i ness of our lives, we sometimes miss the precious seconds that come between the "doing."  We can't stay healthy mentally or physically if we go non stop.  So, for today, stop and breathe, feel gratitude for who you are and what you have, see the beauty around you.  Celebrate that your brain and body work as well as they do.  Other's are not as fortunate. Live.

True that!

This morning, I was reading some quotes.  I came across one that resonated with me.  It said "get a better idea, not a bigger hammer!"  Wow!  I think sometimes I choose the hammer.  How about you?  When I use the hammer, in a hurry, without thinking, I usually end up with more of a mess than I started.  A better way, and what I am learning to do, is to take the time to think about what I am doing and be creative about it.  I always feel better when I use my creativity!  I guess it takes more time, but the results are worth it.

I'm not 14 anymore...

But I sure remember when I was.  It seemed as if I was in a permanent "snit!" Everyone was wrong but me.  I had it all figured out!  I was mostly cranky when things didn't go my way.  I had no clue or care how to fix things either.  I just knew I was always right.  Hmmm, this reminds me of some other people.  I believe they are called the Republicans.  Hey, I am not dissing them all, there are some really cool moderates., but when the scale tips all one way, out come the 14 year old girls.  I have grown up, now I sure wish they would!

Little Mister

had breakfast in bed this morning.  I am speaking of C@boy.  Now that the weather has moderated, he is feeling better.  Well, except for one thing, the very hot weather made him shed like no one's business.  I was about to re-name this place, "the house of hair."  If you are familiar with felines, when they shed a lot, regardless of endless brushing, they will eat a lot of their fur when they clean.  This results in little slimy gifts on the carpet.  So, C@boy wants to remind you that there is not enough brushing, ever, and that your canine friends might enjoy it also. Little Mister is taking a nap in one of his nests, now because passing the gift and then having breakfast in bed was a lot for a 136.5 year old.

When you are stuck...

ask for help.  For most of my life, when I had a problem, I tried to solve it on my own.  When I was frustrated, and really down, I would finally as for help.  What I have learned, years later, is that I am not meant to know how to climb up out of every hole.  What I know now, is that it is much easier to ask a friend to throw me a line.  What I have found is that when there are two of us, we can come up with a solution because they have been there, done that.  What I know now is that it doesn't make me LESS to ask, it makes me MORE, and it makes them MORE.  Think of the look on someone else's face when they are asked to help you.  Think of the trust they feel for your having done that. Asking someone to help you is BLESSING them.  What a great gift, for BOTH of you!

Welcome Vietnam!

Welcome Vietnam!  We are so glad to see you!  Please come again!

Welcome Argentina!

Welcome Argentina!  Thank you for coming.  Please come back again!

NEWSFLASH!

Donald Trump is not going to be the the Republican nominee.  He is threatening to run as a 3rd party candidate.  You old angry white men need to get over it.  Ronnie is not walking through the door any time soon.  "Bombastic rhetoric, and aggregation of stupidity won't solve anything."  This will guarantee a result you don't necessarily want.  We've said it before, and we'll say it again.  "You can't fix stupid!

FYI

For the next few Friday's, I will be posting "from the male perspective."  The following is post #2.

As seen on a bumper sticker today

NO ONE IS FREE IF ANYONE IS OPPRESSED!

BLAM, POW...

ZOINK!!!  Yesterday, I got knocked down by a couple of life's blows.  It knocked the air out of me and I landed on the ground.  I guess the good news is that I got right back up.  Life doesn't seem fair, sometimes.  But what happens in people's lives is just what happens.  Earlier in my life, this would have set me back a ways, but now I am even more determined to stand back up and handle my business.  We all go through it.  So wrap me in the light, as I do you, every day and we will handle this.

More lessons from

the plants.  What I am noticing is that when I water, fertilize, prune and remove the dead parts, my green friends thrive.  What I ask myself lately is why I don't treat myself the same way.  I do okay on the watering, mostly, not bad on the fertilizing, pruning ?, and worse on removing the dead parts.  So this morning, before Google Chrome stopped working, they wanted me to relate this lesson to you.  I am sorry it has taken so long to get this post on.  The posting day is almost over, but I do the best I can, daily.  Hope the lessons from the plants resonate with you!  They sure do with me!

Be like the...

breeze, today.  I was sitting in the nook, having my morning coffee and staring out the window.  The trees were gently swaying and the leaves waffling in the soft wind.  It made me feel peaceful, and it made me want to be the breeze.  Imagine what it would be like just to go from place to place, experiencing beauty, moving things around for a while, then going somewhere else.  That is what I imagine being a breeze is all about, serenity.  We could all use that, huh!?!  So, today, I am going to be the breeze whenever I get the time.  Join me if you can!

For just one day...

I would like to see all men have to get up and do the routine I do, just to get out the door.  This excludes any care giving or cooking. First, I wash my face and slather it with moisturizer, then I brush my teeth (I don't mind that part) but what comes next is a pain in the butt.  I cover my face with foundation, apply blush, line my eyes, put on eyes shadow, then mascara, Ah, my face is done!  I always wondered what my mother meant when she told me she had to "put her face on."  Now I know.  This is just the beginning.  I stuff myself into a bra, and continue to get dressed.  It is a rare time I wear high heels, but a lot of women do and they are getting tall as stilts.  I wear comfy shoes, at least.  It doesn't take me long to get ready in the morning, and I don't wear "spanx," but I would like to see the day when ALL MEN had to go through this routine.  Maybe I would like to see ALL MEN do this for a  MONTH!  I will bet fashion would change quickly!  So, I salute all the women who do this on a daily basis!  I must admit, I look cute, but I feel cuter in my robe with a clean face!

Make time....

for your "inner" work.  I know we all make lists of what we have to do or get.  Heck, I made one yesterday, and promptly left it on my table as I went about my merry way.  Sometimes, I can keep a mental list of what I need to do.  This works on big projects that take me days to do, but I've started to make a list along side of that for that "inner work," too.  I have not been consistent at it for very long, tho I find when I am, the day is much smoother.  Our spirit needs attention just as much as the rest of us, probably more, as I believe it is the engine that drives us.  So, today, give yourself the gift of spending a little "inner" time.  See what happens.

"The bloom cycle!"

I was trying to come up with a good Saturday (for those of us having a Saturday) post.  Somehow after the 700th one, they are sometimes a little hard to come up with....  But, as usual, I just asked the universe for an idea, and I got one from my plants.  I have told you the story about my violet plant, and how it took so long to bloom.  When it did, it was so magnificent!  Now the blooms are gone, and I am kinda sad, but what I have left is this beautiful plant with soft velvety leaves of the most exquisite green, stretching themselves out in layers and sizes.  It is a joy to look at every day.  The lesson my plants have given me is that we all have our own "bloom cycle." At first, I was sad to see all those beautiful violet violets leave, but there is a promise of them returning when the plant is ready, after it rests and gathers up all it needs to bloom again.  I think we are like that.  We work hard to bloom, revel in our glory, then start again.  The thing my plants taught me is that through all the process, we are beautiful.  We need to know that!

A male's perspective

"Ignore the cover, read the book," ( from a man's experiences, not always successful.)  When I was younger, I formed opinions of women by their outward appearance.  I have learned, through uncomfortable experiences, that I am obliged to look beneath the surface and READ the book. 

A new idea...

I have a good male friend who is full of ideas.  He is smart, with-it, and he has contributed to some really good posts so I have decided to start scattering a few of his ideas throughout the posts from now on.  They will be "from the male perspective."  Tomorrow will be the first one.  I look forward to posting it, and also to add another dimension to our blog.

Look...

for the good, today.  Yesterday, I made the mistake of watching several news programs.  By the time I was done, I just knew we were all going to hell in a hand basket.  Something potentially good happens in the Middle East, and the "ONES WHO ALWAYS DISAGREE" made a big deal of telling all their doom and gloom forecasts.  Geez, can we celebrate that after 37 years, someone is willing to negotiate with us.  Unemployment is almost at an all time low, people are getting insurance, many more people than before are being able to get married, with all the benefits.  I could go on.  And yet, here we are in the muck and mire of obstruction and denial.  REALLY?  There is so much good out there.  I challenge you to come up with 10, yes, I said 10 things to be grateful for today.  Then be grateful and add to the list, EVERY DAY.  Let the nay sayer's "Nay,"  they will get all the mess they continue to sit in.  Too bad, huh, and what a waste of time!

Symbols have meaning.

Symbols help ingrain old, outdated and discriminatory beliefs.  Proponents of the Confederate flag say it symbolizes  Southern pride, heritage, and even states's rights.  Does this mean the states can discriminate, segregate, and enslave human beings, or worse?!  Is this heritage something you are proud of ? Is this is the legacy you want to leave and continue to embrace?  Put your flags in a museum where they will not be forgotten, but don't fly them in the face of human dignity.

C@boy...

was feeling a little disgruntled, today.  What with all the activity around here and the very hot weather, he was getting less than usual "lap time."  The brushing had slowed down, too, because every time I would brush him, the fan would blow all that fur in my face.  Well, it has cooled down, temporarily, and he would like to remind me, and you, as well, that there is joy in lap time.  I know, I know, cats can be, well, very independent on the whole, but when they want affection, they want us to go for it.  I know how I feel when I don't get the affection I need.  So, let's make this "affection day!"  Give your furry friends that extra pet, and give your non-furry friends one, too.

Heavy clouds :)

One of my favorite artists is Sting.  One of my favorite songs is "Heavy Clouds, no Rain!"  Yesterday, we had heavy clouds and rain!  It rained all night and most of the day! ahhhhh  It cleared out the air from so many fires, and the sound and smell were glorious.  My lawn is now a wonderful shade of greenish brown, and my patio garden plants were singing at the top of their lungs.  They wanted to know what this wonderful water was.  It was a great day, just because Mother Nature decided to smile on us.  I hope you get to have a nice rainy day soon.  It soothes the soul.

Cleaning...

makes messes.  It is a fact!  Unless we are the type of person who just throws things out or gives them away, regardless of emotional attachment, or has unlimited space to "store stuff," we end up with a pile somewhere else.   :(  It is a rare time of the year when I actually get the cleaning bug, anyway, but this week it started.  You should see my house, well, actually not!  Where there are cleaned out things, it looks great, but where all the things I cleaned out of that place are......well.  I guess it is sort of like cleaning our minds of all the clutter that accumulates in there.  I guess we become "comfortable in our own discomfort."  That is MY quote, by the way, but it sure fits.  So, I will continue to clean out the two things that always come together for me.  Maybe I will find that magic wand I lost and can shrink every bit of clutter down to a pencil dot!  Or maybe I will just have to continue to sort and evaluate what needs to stay and what needs to go. Join me, and we can be frustrated together!

Welcome Bulgaria!

You are our 42nd country.  Please come back again!  We are so glad to see you!~

Here's a thought...

In my reading this morning, I came across something that said, "give water to a thirsty person."  My assignment for the day is to think of as many things as I can (please join me) where I can use that.  @ give a smile to someone who is sad.  Give a hug to someone who needs love.  You get the picture.  I love to find all kinds of meanings in a saying.  I think the world would be a better place if we did this.  It is not time consuming, but it is thoughtful.  Let's see how many times we can do this today., well, every day.

"Silence...

is golden."  This is one of the things my mom used to say to me over and over.  I never quite got it, but as I recall, she worked 50 or more hours a week and I was a precocious child.  I get it now.  My house is finally cooled off to a normal temperature, thanks to a dear friend who hooked me up with an air conditioner.  I guess I had gotten used to the sound of all those fans, but, today, I just turned everything off for a little while, and felt the sigh of relief that only quiet can give us.  It feels so good to just be.  Even the birds have sung their early morning song and gone about their business.  So, today, if you can find a little piece of silence, you will find it is indeed, "golden."  See if you can make that happen, and take a deep breath, ahhhhhh.

Another day...

to live and love and appreciate all we have.  Another day to spread the light of understanding and expectation of goodness.  Thought I'd give you the gift of a nice short post today. Have a good one!

7/7

This is a great day!  It is my 700th post.  Can you believe it!?!  I  have always had issues with follow-through, but things must be changing for the better.  My only desire when I started the post in October, 2013, was to connect with people, to inspire them and allow them to look through a different eye.  I wanted it done with all the passion I feel, and also humor.  My dear cat C@boy has contributed, as have my loving family with so many ideas.  Now we have 41 countries involved and I am so grateful for all of you who have decided to participate in this.  The number 7 is about the higher order of things.  So with that, I will continue to do my best to give you what is in my heart and spread the light as far as it will go.  Please continue to be my family and share this with whoever you can.  Namaste' 

What's been missing

I awoke this morning to a cold bedroom!  I made my bed and padded through the rest of the house.  It was comfortable!  When I looked at my thermostat, I almost passed out!  77 degrees!  I felt as if I was in an igloo!  So I turned off about 1/2 of the fans and went in to make coffee.  I spend most of my early morning sitting in the nook, reading, pondering and having coffee.  It is full of plants, some blooming, others different shades of green.  It has a window where C@boy jumps up and sits in to have his morning brewer's yeast and visit with whoever is on the back porch.  Today, when I turned off the fans, I heard the breeze in the trees, the birds chirping, and all the morning sounds that I have missed with all the constantly whirring sounds around me.  I am thinking that it is time to quit complaining about the heat.  I have fans, and there is weather so much worse in other places.  I think my soul was just bereft missing some of the things that were being drowned out by my thoughts and the fans.  Oh, it will get hot again, but today I will leave the fans off and listen for a while.  I had forgotten how much those sounds meant to me!

What we don't know.....

might hurt us.  It is in the throes of summer.  We are experiencing terrible mid-August heat since the beginning of June.  I am NOT a fan. (I made a little joke, sort of)  The truth is, that unless a person has central air, one fan is not enough, and 6 fans are not enough!  I did learn something yesterday, that I didn't know.  My dear friend was asked to a Barbecue at 5:30 in the afternoon.  I neglected to remind her to put on sun screen, thinking it was late enough in the day not to use it. WRONG! Luckily, her friend had some and they put it on.  She still came home with a little pink on her face, but take it from me, use sunscreen until the sun goes down!  She did, however, make some good decisions.  One of them was to have just one sugary drink and then water the rest of the time.  I can remember weekends at the lake, thinking hydration consisted of a few icy drinks that were NOT water.  That is not the way to hydrate.  I, myself fell a little short on the water consumption yesterday and was rewarded with two nasty "Charley Horses" in the night.  I had forgotten just how painful those are!!!!!!  So, wear sunscreen, morning to night if you  are going out and about!  You will need to re-apply during the day.  And hydrate with Water, Water, Water!  Have a safe summer!

Independence Day...

Today is July 4th.  It is a big holiday in the U.S. People go to parks and lakes and picnics everywhere to celebrate.  I think being independent is a good thing, but not to the extent some people carry it.  We need each other.  We need to work and play and be spiritual together. None of us exists in a vacuum.  So I am asking that we celebrate our "Independence", by noting that we ARE all One! Enjoy your days off, and feel gratitude for all the freedoms we have and are getting.

Give yourself

manageable goals, then have some down time.  I have not always been a goal oriented person.  Sometimes, though, we can make goals and not beat ourselves up about them.  I started to write a book about C@boy a few months ago, and then quit when it was written.  I felt frustrated because there was so much else to do, I didn't know where to start.  I seem to start a lot of projects in the middle.  I am finding with writing a book,(and I intend to write another book with him) is sort of like photography, you can't just point and shoot to get an excellent picture.  So, I decided to start back at square one and join a couple of writing clubs.  DUH!  While I have been writing all my life, I am still a baby writer.  I expect to become a published author in the near future, but I have to put my ducks in a row.  You know how ducks are!   All I am suggesting is that we maybe not aim for the sky and fail, maybe we could aim for the lowest cloud instead.  Boy could we use a fat, rain-filled cloud right now!

"YOU CAN'T FIX

STUPID!" New laws were enacted yesterday.  In one state, Marijuana is now legal, but you can't buy it yet. In another state, sawed off shotguns are now legal.  Hundreds of thousands of people with Parkinson's, Diabetes, and other debilitating diseases including Cancer, Seizure disorders, and M.S. are unable to access Medical Marijuana. In states where it is legal, these people are getting the relief they need.  I just don't get it.  Why do we need sawed off shot guns?  Why are people being denied medical help that DOES NOT hurt something else in their bodies, like the nasty pharmaceuticals we get hounded about every 4 seconds on T.V?  Like I said, the quote from a friends football coach rings in my ears.  "YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID!"  Wish we could!

Girl Power!

This is soooo cool!  Someone sent the Girl Scouts a check for $100,000 dollars!  Yeah!  Then came the stipulation; they had to disengage from any transgender people.  BOO!  They RETURNED THE CHECK!  At this moment, they have raised over $200,000 and the money keeps coming in for these principled good humans.  You Go WOMEN! and SHAME on anyone who is such a broken human.

Let's

pay attention.  It is very easy to listen to something with numb ears.  We are so used to hearing the same thing, from the same people.  I am afraid that is the reason we many times end up in the trick bag.  We already filter things through our OWN thoughts which skews things, anyway. We hear what we want or expect to hear, not necessarily what is being said.  So for today, and continuing, I am going to listen and really HEAR what is being said to me.  I will use critical thinking to ascertain what is true, and what that means to me.  I think the times of numbing out and letting the "status quo" has passed.  I am waving bye-bye to it and I want you to do the same.  Relationships of any kind suffer if we won't change this.  Think of where we could be in our politics if we just applied critical thinking to our decisions!  We could rule the world and it would be a happy and fair place for all!