Recently Jason posted a blog featuring some tidbits Erma Bombeck left behind before she passed away from cancer. I have reread her thoughts a number of times. It’s almost as if I can’t read it enough. After I read her words I feel like I’ve found the “golden ticket.” It helps me put things in perspective and gives me permission to make sure I am enjoying each moment. …
Maintain Perspective
Rock, Paper, Scissors and Decisions
Rock. Paper. Scissors. The ultimate conflict resolution game for kids. You pick rock, your buddy picks paper, and you get to climb the fence to get the errant tennis ball. Did you know that there is an actual Rock, Paper, Scissors International World Championship? Believe it. What about using Rock, Paper, Scissors to help make important life decisions? Stephen Shapiro of GoalFree.com shares a technique he learned from a "creative-type" named Russ Schoen: …
Enjoying the Journey
Our recent day in Miami reminded me, once again, that life is more about the journey than the destination. I was very excited about visiting Miami. Jason and I are big fans of CSI Miami and have enjoyed seeing some previews of the city from the show. (We are huge “H” fans! Fellow "H" fans will appreciate this picture.) The plan was to drive from West Palm Beach to Miami taking the A1A Hwy. From the map, it seemed as if this would be a pretty drive, as it’s right along the Atlantic coast. Thinking about it, the drive was my favorite part of the whole day. The sky was a beautiful shade of …
Collect More Grass Stains
Yvonne over at the Lip-Sticking blog posted some thoughts by Erma Bombeck. Here are a few poignant tidbits from If I Had My Life to Live Over: I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good ' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone! wanted to light a fire in the fireplace. …
Why the Rush?
Our lives are busy. Busy, busy, busy! In fact, isn't it true that we use busyness as a badge of honor? As in, "How's it going, Bob?" "Great Stan. I've been really busy." "That's good, Bob." Meanwhile, Stan thinks to himself, "Bob is super successful. He's a real go-getter. Every time I see him, he seems really busy." It seems like whoever can prove they're the busiest wins. (Although I'm not sure what.) It's rare that anyone bothers to ask what someone is busy doing. Annd it's rarer still that anyone would ever admit, "I've haven't been very busy at all. I'm just taking life as it …
Who’s The Idiot in the Rearview Mirror?
Oh, wait, that would be me. Last week I took a day and a half to get away. I ventured west to Milwaukee; just me, myself and I. It was an introvert's dream. I putzed around a few bookstores while drinking caramel apple cider, went on a photo safari downtown (I'll post some photos later), and visited the Eisner Museum of Advertising and Design. The most productive thinking time occurred in my hotel room, a good seven hour chunk of time with pizza and Pepsi at my side. …
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Get Up Faster
Everyday I am faced with opportunities to "get up." I’m sure I’m not the only one. Let me give you some examples. A simple five-minute task turns into a 30-minute task when the printer decides to be crabby. When you finally get to take that short power nap you’ve been looking forward to, you are interrupted by a neighbor playing loud music, which lasts for about as long as your nap. After a long week, you drive across town for a dinner out; only to find out that the place you had your heart set on is not accepting tables because they have a private party for the evening. …
37 Days
Sales Servant Jenna pointed me to a very cool blog called 37days. The author of the blog was led to ask herself, "What would I do if I only had 37 days to live?" after her stepfather was diagnosed with lung cancer and died 37 days later. Why is it so easy to take the time we have for granted? Are we so afraid of death that we avoid thinking about it at all? Or are we so vain that we think we'll be the first one to escape death's inevitable calling? In either case, I can say with almost certain assuredness that you -- yes, you, the person reading this -- probably figures you've got plenty of …
How to Have a Mental Breakdown
Never before has such a thorough, step-by-step guide to your very own mental breakdown been published, be it online or off. If you can master these easy to follow instructions, you too can be the envy of all your friends and find yourself well on your way to a life you've only dreamed of! • Treat traffic jams exactly as they are: carefully planned and sinister conspiracies designed to keep you from your destination. • Pack your day so full that you are not distracted by superficial things like the sunset, the smell of roses, or the toddler smiling at you from across the grocery …
Real Passion
Jason and I are blessed by a growing friendship with a fellow NSA'er, Eliz Greene. (The smiling woman on the right, in the picture.) She has an amazing story, which I highly recommend you read in her book, Passion for Life: Five simple strategies to find the happiness, satisfaction and zest you deserve. She travels the world encouraging people to bring balance and fulfillment to their lives every day. Sneak preview: She survived a heart attack while seven months pregnant with twins! Her passion for life is a gift that is contagious! I love being around her! Eliz is a triathlete and has …