Attack the Ice Monsters in your life...

Wow, the summer has come and gone since my last post. I don't know why, but lately, the ideas for good posts are still in my head, but I just haven't taken the time to write them down. I suppose that with cooler weather ahead, hibernation mode will hit, and I'll once again have the focus I need to write. I do my best writing for this blog when it is late, late at night. There are less distractions that way. So for now, this post is mainly designed to let you know that I am still alive and kicking.



I do have another idea for reducing the stress in your life. This weekend, I took about a half hour to go through my freezer and toss out anything that was frostbitten, extremely old, or no longer identifiable. It was a very appropriate exercise to perform on Halloween. I had some scary food in there!

As a reward for my efforts, I went to the grocery store yesterday afternoon, and in a more conservative way, I bought a few new frozen food items. Now, instead of an overstuffed pile of freezer burned fish sticks, chicken strips, and sandwich meat surrounded by countless overly icy cobs of corn, the bottom shelf of my freezer contains fresh batches of ready-to-bake biscuits, two apple pies, and some orange juice concentrate. In my refrigerator, I now have a roast and some veggies that I'll use to make at least a dozen servings of my home made heat-and-eat lunches. I also bought some hamburger meat, spaghetti sauce, and curly noodles to make my own frozen meals.

How nice it has been to open my freezer without fear of being pummeled by falling ice cube trays and UFO's (unidentified frozen objects). I think I saved a bit of money at the grocery store as well. Whenever the impulse hit me to purchase an item, say, for example, a new bag of crinkle cut fries or frozen fish, I simply recalled the image of all the old food that I scattered in my yard for the critters.

I'm getting real about the amount of food I can actually eat compared to the amount I think I need. While at the store, I remembered that some of the items purchased on my last grocery run remain unopened. So, if an item in the store did not pass my "Get Real" test, it stayed in the store.

Take a few moments to attack those Ice Monsters in your life. It's annoying to find out how much food and grocery money we unintentionally waste. We usually buy or store more than we actually can use before it goes bad. Face it. Most of us wish we were like the folks we watch on the Food Network, but sadly we are not there yet. Unless you have a lot of people living in your household to help you eat all that food you buy, eat what you have before buying lots more.

This is good to remember, especially since we are now entering into the holiday season. This is the time of year when the excess leftovers from the festive gatherings of today can become the frozen fiends that lurk in the freezers of 2010.

This week:

-Declutter your freezer.

-Eat before going to the grocery store to reduce the number of impulse buys.

-Choose only the items you will actually eat between grocery runs.

-Save money by eating in more often than eating out.

-Make your own frozen dinners. Cook a family sized meal and place in individual freezer containers. Reheat for tasty home cooked meals anywhere anytime.


Best wishes and happy decluttering! :)

Still Flying

Last week as I was walking down by the lake, I saw this dragonfly zooming around by the spillway. It was easy to see that one of his wings had been terribly damaged. Could it have been lost in a fight, eaten by a predator, or caught on something and torn away in the escape? The answer is a mystery, but the sight of this dragonfly was a source of inspiration.

Despite the setback, this dragonfly could not only fly, it soared with the best of them. I watched it zip round and round from the fencepost to the tall grass to the water plants and back again. The only way I could take this picture was to watch long enough to trace the dragonfly's pattern, anticipate landing spots, and take multiple photographs in order to get a good shot. While I took photos, I thought of the many daily dangers the dragonfly faces in order to survive. Instinctively, this little dragonfly was able to carry on with life even after part of its very body had been ripped away. What choice did it have? Try to carry on and thrive or do nothing and become an item on a lunch menu? The dragonfly inspired me to carry on whenever possible.

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Last weekend, I attended my high school reunion. It has been almost 30 years since high school for us. Like that dragonfly, most of us appeared a bit worn around the edges. We all are still relatively young, but we could definitely see the changes in size around our middles, the gray in our hair, and the wrinkles in our faces. Many of us had traded in our cool shades and high heels for bifocals and comfortable shoes. Some of us have grown children and even grandchildren. Others, like myself, have never married, but have fulfilling lives just the same.

As we ate our delicious meal, we focused on happy memories, but we also mentioned dealing with stresses like illness, depression, divorce, and the loss of friends, teachers, and family members. We talked about the lessons learned from surviving those hard times. We talked about learning to get over our unrealistic expectations about ourselves and others. We talked about taking better care of ourselves and putting life into proper perspective.

The common lesson we had learned was to focus on blessings no matter how small and to throw out useless anger and petty drama in our lives. I left the reunion with a renewed sense of respect for my classmates. They were people just like me who had been through some rough patches in their lives. Despite the hardships, we were still trying to do the best we can to survive and thrive.

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As I write this, it is now July 4th, and we in the U.S. will celebrate Independence Day today. All throughout the country, people will attend cookouts, fireworks shows, parades, and family gatherings. I'll probably enjoy a nice day at home watching my neighbor's personal fireworks show from across the lake. I hope they don't set their pants on fire again like they did a few years back. :)

Like the dragonfly in this story, our country is still relatively young, but it has been through a lot of battles, hard times, and dangers throughout the years. We are still strong and generally healthy, but we might appear a bit scarred and scuffed around the edges, especially to those who view us from afar. Economic problems, political issues, world events, and internal societal troubles work to destroy us on both a national and personal level.

Although many of these are beyond our control, we can put things into perspective and work together with others in our communities to make good things happen. There are things we can do to improve our relations with other countries without losing the best qualities of American life. Remember to read history and learn how to repeat our successes and avoid our past mistakes.

So I take this moment to say Happy Birthday to my country. I love to see that the American flag is still flying after all these years!

Pressing the Reset Button...

For the last month and a half, it seems that I have been in a constant swirl of activity. Along the way, I have taken time to both relax a bit as well as do a few chores each day. The weekends have been filled helping with yard sales, teaching classes, going on road trips to attend graduations, and visiting relatives. One weekend, it poured down rain and stormed so much that the urge to nap was overwhelming, so of course, I had to take at least two a day!

During this time, I tried to keep up with the important daily tasks like paying bills, keeping up with laundry and such, but it was obvious that some things were left unattended. For example, my little mini SUV had become a storage unit for all the leftover to-be-donated items from the yard sale. Usually, I drop off items the week after our sale, but the stuff rode around with me for over five weeks. The car needed windshield wiper fluid. I had some, but never seemed to find the 2 minutes time to pop the hood and refill the container. Inside and out of the car was in need of a good bath. It needed an oil change and a good tune-up.

I wasn't doing so well with myself, either. Of course, I bathe and change into clean clothes every day, but if a makeover team happened to walk by, they would probably issue a fashion emergency and take me in for a complete overhaul. Years ago, I went through a stage where my closets were full of trendy, colorful shoes and clothes for every occasion. I had all the hair styling products and accessories, drawers full of makeup, bottles of perfume, and lots of costume jewelry. Now my life has simplified and most of that stuff is gone. My job requires only comfortable clothes and good walking shoes. My social life is now geared toward hanging out with family, a few friends, and of course, all my critters at the lake. There are only few times when I need to dress up these days. Even so, it was time to do a bit of personal maintenance.

So, for the last two weeks, I've been hitting the reset button. Last week, I focused on my car. I have a friend who details vehicles, so I hired him to deep clean mine. This forced me to take EVERYTHING out of the car with the exception of the items in the glove box. After it was once again shined up, I took the car in for an oil change and tune-up. They even refilled the wiper fluid as part of the service. I still have to take the car in to get some work done on the underside(possibly rotors), but right now, it's in such a nice state, I don't even want to eat in it or get dirt on the floorboards.

This week, I had to do a reset on myself. First, I made an appointment with the doctor for a checkup. I also found time to shop for a couple new pairs of work/walking shoes. With the amount of walking I do each day, I have to get the moderately expensive shoes with good foot support, so I tend to wear the same few pairs until they begin to get worn out. I didn't realize others noticed this until I got many comments the first couple days with the new shoes. Several people exclaimed, "Wow, I see you got some new shoes! Nice!" Was it that obvious? Yikes, embarrassing!

On my list for the personal reset is a haircut. It needs a bit of reshaping, but I don't want much length cut off. Usually, that is exactly what happens, though. The stylist oftens tells me that in order to remove all the frizz, they must take the length. I understand that, but maybe that's why I go so long between professional haircuts. It must be that time again, because when I told my sister that I was thinking of getting it done, she immediately said, "Yes, you need one." Also, is it that obvious? I guess so.

My doctor told me that I need to do some deep breathing excercises. Even with the walking I do, I have trouble talking sometimes without running out of breath. I would also get winded if I had to walk quickly up a flight of stairs or climb up a hill. So much for my operatic and/or mountain climbing dreams, but there is still room for improvement. Each day, I plan to take a few minutes several times a day to take deep breaths. I also have a harmonica, and, even though I can only play a few songs, just the action of playing it will help to practice deep breathing.

My eating habits also need a reset. I need to add more fruits, veggies, and fiber into my meals. Even small things like substituting a carrot for a potato chip with a sandwich is a start. For a few months last year, I cut out sodas, drank more water, added at least one fruit, veggie, or fiber item to each meal, and ate heavier foods in moderation. It was amazing how much better I felt. Even when I allowed myself to have sodas, I had them in smaller quantities, over ice, and with food. Lately though, I was back to breaking all my better eating habits. The result-acidic stomach, less energy, and a puffier feeling around the middle. Starting this weekend, I plan to return to my better nutritional habits one meal at a time. First step, drink a glass of water.

Resets are also needed for my house and yard. That is the one I plan to tackle over the next couple weeks. This could be a daunting task, but instead of overwhelming myself, I will try to break the chores down into smaller parts. It is useless to strive for perfection, but it is possible to do at least one thing each day to declutter and beautify my surroundings.

Hopefully, my post today will be a reminder that, with so many things coming at us each day, we sometimes need to step back and take care of a few of the neglected things in our lives. We can't possibly do everything we "need" to do, but if we put off taking care of our general health and surroundings, it could cause trouble in the long run. Doing one reset a day just might make you feel better, and in my case(according to my friends and family), you might even look better, too!

Try doing one of these things this week to reset something in your life:

-Add in one healthier habit to your daily routine.

-Subtract one bad health or personal habit from your daily life.

-Completely clean out something in your house. (Ex. refrigerator, closet, junk drawer, room)

-Practice or start a fun hobby. (Start a garden, play an instrument, take photos, play outside, read, scrapbook, go antiquing, paint, take a class, build a birdhouse, etc.)

-Start a donate box at home. Toss out, sell, or donate items you no longer use that are cluttering your space.

-Do a little personal maintenance this week. (Ex. Get a haircut, trim those unwanted hairs and toenails, add sunscreen or moisturizer to avoid sun damage, update your style without spending too much money by shopping at consignment stores or thrift shops)

-Reset your spirit and soul through prayer, meditation, laughter, and relaxation. Practice deep breathing.

-Reset your financial well being. (Ex. balance your check book, write out a simple budget, save money by finding ways to live frugally, sell stuff you don't use or need anymore, find a part time job to supplement income, stop buying stuff on credit you really don't need or can't afford)

-Look at what you do each day. Is there anything that you would like to weed out to make room for what you really want or need to do? Are there people in your life who drag you down or build you up? Sometimes you have to do personal resets that involve changing how you spend your time and with whom you spend it.

I'm sure there are lots more resets you can think of as well. As for me, I will sign off so that I can work on a few of mine. Best wishes and remember to be grateful for what we have and also, in many cases, for what we don't. Until next time...

Have a wonderful day! :)

A small dose of perspective can bring a moment of peace...

If you listen to just about any news program these days, you will likely hear at least one of the commentators say something like this:

"This is the WORST____________we have EVER witnessed in our lifetimes!"

or

"NOTHING like this has EVER happened before in the history of _________!"

Yeah, right...

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The other day, I was in our staff workroom making copies and checking email. While I was waiting for the copier to finish, I caught a few minutes of the latest "news". In just that brief amount of time, I could feel my muscles tense up. The extra news crawls along the bottom of the screen, the whooshing sounds, and flashy graphics made me dizzy. I could feel the acid in my stomach begin to churn, and yet, I found myself watching the TV screen to see what would happen next.

Up until that point in my day, I had been in a good mood, but now I was suddenly sad for the people on the screen. They were people in a bad situation, and I felt for them, but I could do nothing for them except say a prayer and then go about my day. I thought about the fact that their situation could be my situation, and I left the workroom with more than my copies. I had picked up a small dose of fear and frustration along the way.

After a while, I was back at work, feeling calm and cheery. As I was sitting at my desk, I could hear one of my coworkers say, "Oh, no, did you hear what happened to that child and their family in___________?" Once again, my heart sank. I looked over to see their computer screen showing the sad headlines of the latest tragic story to hit the web.

At the end of the day, I sometimes catch my local news. I mainly want to watch the weather report. Before it comes on, however, we must see the slow mo videos of our local folks gone bad on their way to the jailhouse and find out about the discovery of another meth lab in our county. Combine this with our newpaper's weekly crime blotter report, and you have a recipe for paranoia with a side order of the heebie jeebies!


I'd venture to say that many of us these days try to be informed about our world and our communities. We want to know what's going on so that we can stay safe and help others if possible. Our news reporters have lots of time to fill, and they have many ways to bring us the latest information.

As more and more voices compete for our attention, many resort to the loudest, scariest, and most sensational way to do so. They can be intense, so it can leave us tense and unable to cope with the information overload. For us to remain relaxed, we must put things into a more proper perspective.


Lately, I have been reading many historical non-fiction books and listening to educational podcasts online. The topics have ranged from the history of the Byzantine Empire, of Japan, of the Americas before Christopher Columbus, of Russia, to the biography of the life of Napoleon. I've also read several books about the life of famous pirates and of their infamous exploits at sea.

No matter what the time period, location, or the people involved, I've learned the following:

1. Sadly, in all time periods and locations, bad stuff has happened, and often times, it happens to decent, everyday people. All over the world throughout history, disasters strike, disease wipes out populations, people can be mean to others, corruption and ignorance can be found in any society, and governments grapple with each other and with those they govern.

2. All throughout time and around the world, people have had to deal with stuff like doing chores, paying taxes, earning a living, raising children, trying to stay alive, and fending off dangers.

3. Chances are, the things we see and hear about in today's news have happened before, just not to us.

4. History books, like the news of today, usually tell us about a certain person or group when describing a significant event. We often forget that, while that event was happening, most of the people in the world were having a perfectly good day.

5. All throughout history, good stuff happens, too. People have raised families, discovered great knowledge, created wonderful inventions, art, and music, and made significant contributions to society.

6. By studying history, we can learn from the mistakes of the past. We can also think about our current events in a different way by comparing them to historical events.

7. Just as it would be impossible for one person to learn all the history of the world and read all the history books they could find, it is impossible for a person to keep up with all the news sources and stories that bombard us each day.

For your own sanity and sense of peace, don't even try to keep up with much of it at all! Take your news in small doses from now on. We do well enough to keep up with our everyday problems than to try to take on those of the whole world! Remember to focus on the positive and practical things you can do to help yourself and others around you.

Many of the people in the news these days are there because they snap under the pressure of stresses in their life. They act irrationally. They become desperate, confused, and do things that only make the situation worse.

I think we all need to recognize what triggers our own stresses and learn healthy ways to calm ourselves before things get out of control. Putting things into a historical perspective helps me to do that. Go on a news diet. Limit your viewing to a point where you can be informed without becoming infirmed!

Remember:

Laughter, sprirituality, beauty, and love abound in the world. It is all around you. Just take time to notice it. :)

A Walk in the Rain...With Camera and Galoshes

A cold, light rain was falling as I drove across the lake levee this afternoon. The temperature hovered in the low forties and the ground was soggy, but for some strange reason, I felt like taking a walk. I already had a warm jacket and a raincoat on as I drove in, but before I could take my walk, I thought it best to change my shoes, add my galoshes, and grab my camera. I took along a dish towel to help keep the camera dry.








As I walked down by the lake, ducks flew by in the distance. The sound of the rain falling on the lake was so relaxing. I took some close-up pictures of the moss on the trees, of water droplets on the leaves, and of the earth stars on the ground. I tried to capture good photos of the swallows darting over the surface of the lake and of the ducks as they rounded back over the tops of the trees. The birds proved too fast for me and my camera, but I had fun watching them anyway.








My neighbor's horse was making the rounds as well. I talked to the horse a bit, but he seemed more interested in munching on some tender green grass than saying hello to me. Only a few fish were stirring in the water and I suppose the turtles were also in hiding this evening.










For almost an hour, I tried to become an observer of the sights and sounds around me. I tried to set aside the cares of the day and take joy in finding a few signs of the coming spring. Green things are starting to appear on the ground and in the trees. The purple of the tiny wildflowers in the yard now covers an entire hillside. Much of the landscape is still brown, but if you look closely enough, the other colors are also there.


Eventually, the cold rain began to chill my fingers and toes to the point of discomfort, so I headed back to the house. It took quite some time before I felt warm again, but I am glad I decided to take the walk.

Whether you live in the country, in town, or in a city, take some time to enjoy your next walk in the rain. You might be surprised at the things you will see. Just remember to dress to stay dry and take shelter indoors if lightning is present. Best wishes and enjoy your day! :)

Finding humor in the moment

The other day, I was taking photos of birds on my back porch. I was lucky enough to take many photos as the little birds hopped up and down from the railing to the deck. At one point, the sun was in my eyes and the birds moved so quickly, I really couldn't tell what pictures I was getting. As I browsed through them later, I chuckled as I came upon this one.


It reminds me of the old question and answer of:

"How did you know that?"
"Well, a little bird told me..."

My thought for the day-find humor in the moment. Look for happiness each day. :)

Regarding ants and applesauce...

Yesterday, I cleaned out some of the budding science experiments in the back of my refrigerator. I think there is a zone back there that must utilize some sort of cloak of invisibility. No matter how hard I try, one or two bowls or jars always end up way in the back of the fridge undetected for months.

One of the jars had a little bit of applesauce that still looked OK, but I didn't want to take a chance on it. I decided to share this snack with the ants way out in my yard, so I carefully spooned the applesauce next to the edge of the ant bed.

Almost instantly, the ants scurried out of the ground to see what was up, but to my surprise, the little guys did the opposite of what I expected. Instead of crowding around and crawling all over the applesauce hill, they began a building project. Within moments, they were hauling in bits of grass, balls of dirt, and tiny twigs. They began to create a wall to cover the bottom of the applesauce hillside. Many of the ants carried items that were huge compared to their own size. It made me think that, if we had such strengths, we could walk around carrying around a pickup truck or a fully grown redwood tree with our bare hands.

They worked quickly and with purpose. I pulled up a small chair and watched them for a while. I don't know if they wanted to disguise the food source or keep it from drying out. I noticed today that they made quite a bit of progress, but the applesauce hill is still mostly uncovered. Did they give up, get distracted with another project, or do they now have a covered walkway leading to a tunnel within the the food source? I'm not sure, but I do know that watching them work was fascinating and one of the most restful parts of my day.

If you have time this week, find an anthill, pull up a chair, and see what you might discover. Just watch where you put your hands and feet. :)