by Vera Chidi-Maha
When it comes to the issue concerning a man and a woman, the intrigues involved cannot be overemphasized. Especially when they are both romantically inclined a lot is really involved. They try to impress each other with everything within their reach. They try to look and act good just to get the other party to fall deeper and deeper in love. Then comes a time in the relationship when the man needs or wants to know how old the lady he is involved is really is.
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
-Arthur Ashe (1943-1993); American tennis player, social activist
“Compliments are the helium that fills everyone’s balloon; they elevate the person receiving them so he or she can fly over life’s troubles and land safely on the other side.”
-Bernie S. Siegel M.D.; Author
“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”
― Mother Teresa
“Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.”
― Henry James
Writing is a concentrated form of thinking…a young writer sees that with words he can place himself more clearly into the world. Words on a page, that’s all it takes to help him separate himself from the forces around him, streets and people and pressures and feelings. He learns to think about these things, to ride his own sentences into new perceptions.”
Don Delillo
by Angela Soelzer Ragosa
Yesterday I awoke very early due to the fact I had another attack of insomnia in the middle of the night and never really fell back into a deep sleep or the stage REM as the experts call it. I’ve always thought REM was a comical way of describing a mode of deep sleep due to the fact REM stands for rapid eye movement.
Well, when I’m suffering with insomnia, I have oodles of rapid eye movement, it’s just that my eyes are flung slap open, and appear to be the size of saucers and my mind is racing like the Indianapolis Speedway. Enough about REM—that is not the point of this writer’s blog.
Like I was saying, it was early; my thoughts were leaning towards reflecting upon some issues that have recently come into play within my life. Some conflicts are more pressing than others, that’s a given in any person’s life, but the more pressing the problem appears to be right now, the more I feel panicked, overwhelmed, and unequipped to handle the problem at hand; which brings me to a thought I had “as unrealistic and downright silly as it may sound.
I thought to myself, “Oh, to be Cinderella with her Fairy Godmother for just one day…” How I’d love to yank that wand right out of that Fairy’s hand and run like the wind all the way home. (Of course, I’d plan in advance to promptly return it the following day). Once home, I’d eagerly wave the wand back and forth and wave “bye bye” to all my unresolved issues, kick back, and take a few deep breaths in and out, and for just one day, experience a reprieve from it all, and get some bona fide REM.
What would your perfect day resemble? What would your schedule be like, what would you eat? Would you get dressed and go out for the day to your perfect favorite place, or would you stay in your P.J.s snuggling up in the comfort of your cozy bed? What music would you listen to… or would you have perfect silence all around you or would you be with family & friends or deliciously alone for the day? What would you look like? Would you be just as you are today or would you opt to be 10lb.s thinner or 10lb.s heavier? Would you be in love with someone or happily loving yourself & on your own? Would your home be full of family’s thoughts, feelings & voices or filled solely with thoughts of your own? Would you dance by the light of the moon or enjoy the evening with a favorite read?
I stumbled upon this blog (great blog btw) today while surfing the net and thought you’d enjoy this post…so, Enjoy & Kudos to Eden Eats Everything for this hilarious post!
by: Eden Eats Everything.com
I’ve been browsing my old blog entries. Cringing and with a puke bin beside me. And I realized something:
“Holy Googlesex (my new favorite word)! I am obsessed with lists!!! “
But after a few quick blog readings, I realized that everyone is obsessed with lists. I am unique, just like everyone else. So I thought about why we love lists so much and you guessed it:
I decided to list those reasons:
1) We like simplicity
When I wrote, “Reasons I’m not reading your blog“, my orignal title was: “A Few Annoying Things about Blogs That Are Annoying And Then Some Other Shit I Just Kinda Threw in There Because I Got Distracted By Quinoa and Angry Birds.”
I posted it and only two hits. Both from me, checking why no hits. Obviously, no one likes quinoa or angry birds cause I was sure that was a selling point.
2) Lists Are Versatile
Lists can be both pee-in-your-trousers hilarious or very deep and meaningful. Take for example my list of 10 Things Jews Do On Christmas. That is a way lists can be some what humorous. But want to cry from a list? How about Schindler’s List? Deep, stuff. Coincidentally, both these examples involved Jews. Oy.
3) They Help You Skim
I have a feeling everyone reads a blog they don’t actually love to read. Maybe they know the person and just want to support them, maybe the blogger always comments on their blog so they feel the need to return the favor…Regardless, sometimes, posts can be humdrum and a list can make it simple for us to just skim, get the basic gist, and still manage to write a thoughtful comment.
And if you read through this bit without skimming, congratulations! I will reward you with this valuable piece on information about me:
I have an electric toothbrush, but I prefer my accoustic.
4) They Are Finite
They don’t usually go on and on. And if they do, you can skip to the bottom of the list. And like I said before, sometimes what we read is a drag and the end gives us some hope. Its like in class when its 3:29 and class gets out at 3:30. Or like when a terrible movie finally ends. Cough, Gigli, cough…..It’s a great sigh of relief!
So on that note, I better end it.
http://www.edeneatseverything.com/?p=2935
My intention in sharing my journal is to share with you…
I write, collage and photograph my world…
I have a passionate love affair with the written word…
I say yes to all things real in life… I choose to live outside the box…
I am not easily swayed from my personal truths and belief-system…
I am a freethinker…
Open mindedness is an absolute for me, it is not subjective.
I hope you find something upon these pages that speaks to you personally…
Thanks for reading!
Post written by Leo Babauta.
You’re in a rut, and you can’t get unstuck.
Motivation is a resource that seems harder and harder to come by these days. You’re mired in malaise, you’re unexcited after a slump or a break, you’re in a dull 9-to-5 routine.
Any of these sound familiar?
If so, you’re not alone. I’ve been in these kinds of ruts, often, and sometimes for embarrassingly extended periods. While it doesn’t happen much these days, as I’m excited about everything I do, I’m no stranger to the rut. I was stuck in one for a couple years once, until I felt the rut wasn’t something I was in, but was me.
What is the way out? How do you start along this way if you don’t have motivation to start with?
I’ve found that the best way out of a rut is with the smallest step possible. But that step can result in more than you realize.
What if that smallest step is to announce a major challenge? In my recent past I’ve announced 30 days of yoga, writing a novel in 30 days, and some grueling physical challenges. In years past I’ve announced that I’m going to run a marathon, do a triathlon, start a blog, give up my car, give up meat, and so on.
Here’s the thing: the first step wasn’t to take on a major challenge. It was simply announcing it. And announcing something is really really easy. Doing it is much harder, but once you’ve announced it, you have some momentum, and you’re committed to a direction. Making the announcement only takes the moving of your lips and some hot air, or the typing of your fingers while your email program is open, and let’s face it, you do those things even when you’re in a rut.
“I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way (s)he handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.”
― Maya Angelou
Thank goodness Barbie doesn’t have a strict Mom, otherwise she would be in a lot of trouble. Mattel has unveiled its newest version of the 50-year old doll, which features permanent tattoos on the neck, chest and arm. This has caused some controversy… But really, don’t most Barbies have messy, sharpie-drawn tattoos within the first few weeks anyways?
“The real voyage of discovery consists
not in seeking new landscapes
but in having new eyes.”
by
Marcel Proust
I consider myself to be among the walking wounded (as I believe… we all are)… and if we as a people have never felt the infinite void caused by losing a loved one… perhaps a Sister, Brother, Mother or Father or quite possibly, your Mother and your Father within a span of six months as I recently did…or you’ve not yet felt the sting of personal failure, the humility while asking for financial assistance, or needing a handout of food and/or possibly food stamps in order to feed your belly that’s been empty with an ache which seems like an eternity… or had to ask for help feeding yourself because you’re too sick to lift the fork. We all get a turn if we’re blessed to live long enough and that’s a fact… I
Photograph by Angela Soelzer Ragosa aka OnMyMindWriter
Today is Day #3 of my new life!
So far this week I’ve been able to log 12 ½ miles of my goal, which is 30 miles each week. Somewhere along the way I stopped putting me on the front burner in my life so… Welcome Back to Me! I feel so happy…proud & most importantly peaceful! It is truly amazing what a good workout can do for your psyche… I asked myself today “why did you ever stop doing something that makes you feel so great?” I’ve yet to answer that question probably because there is no sane or logical answer to it. All I know is…today has been an awesome day and I hope I’m blessed with another day tomorrow.
I hope you too, have an awesome day!
Angela
I awoke this morning with you on my mind…
memories of how we met and how someday we’ll part… how I knew you were born for me right from the start. our girls, the miraculous shared, the mundane, the madness, the sadness, our love for one another, the friendship we share… our joy, our sorrow, the tomorrows we’ll share…your hands, your feet, your skin, the way you danced in the rain for me, the memory of you washing my hair, the beach we share, our long walks there, your support when I’ve been ill and loved me still… the way you’ve loved our girls without reservation, your willingness always to do more without hesitation… our intimate moments, the worst of times, and everything in between… our I do’s, our I love you’s… your kindness, your touch, your acceptance, your love, your eyes, your legs your voice, your strength, your compassion, your childhood memories… our walks, our talks, our silence, the places we’ve been, the places we’ve yet to see …because of this and so much more… I’ve found a home in you.
Angela Soelzer Ragosa
Oh my mama told me
‘Cause she say she learned the hard way
She say she wanna spare the children
She say don’t give or sell your soul away
‘Cause all that you have is your soul
Well I was a pretty young girl once
I had dreams I had high hopes
I married a man he stole my heart away
He gave his love but what a high price I paid
All that you have is your soul
So don’t be tempted by the shiny apple
Don’t you eat of a bitter fruit
Hunger only for a taste of justice
Hunger only for a world of truth
‘Cause all that you have is your soul
Why was I such a young fool
Thought I’d make history
Making babies was the best I could do
Thought I’d made something that could be mine forever
Found out the hard way one can’t possess another
And all that you have is your soul
So don’t be tempted by the shiny apple
Don’t you eat of a bitter fruit
Hunger only for a taste of justice
Hunger only for a world of truth
‘Cause all that you have is your soul
I thought, thought that I could find a way
To beat the system
To make a deal and have no debts to pay
I’d take it all, I’d take it all, I’d run away
Me for myself first class and first rate
But all that you have is your soul
So don’t be tempted by the shiny apple
Don’t you eat of a bitter fruit
Hunger only for a taste of justice
Hunger only for a world of truth
‘Cause all that you have is your soul
Here I am, I’m waiting for a better day
A second chance
A little luck to come my way
A hope to dream, a hope that I can sleep again
And wake in the world with a clear conscience and clean hands
‘Cause all that you have is your soul
So don’t be tempted by the shiny apple
Don’t you eat of a bitter fruit
Hunger only for a taste of justice
Hunger only for a world of truth
‘Cause all that you have is your soul
Oh my mama told me
‘Cause she say she learned the hard way
She say she wanna spare the children
She say don’t give or sell your soul away
‘Cause all that you have is your soul
All that you have
All that you have
All that you have
Is your soul
Tracy Chapman
My key to self
expression…
Truth
