JK Video Entrance and My Friend, Nancy

Every once in a while, you get a shot of life that shakes you up a bit. I have this friend, Nancy. She has survived a life threatening illness. So, she is one of those. Those people who grab onto life and decide it needs to be lived, it needs to be embraced, rocked and laughed at all at once. She is a great storyteller and comedian of sorts. She is always sharing a laugh, brightening our worlds and making us think.
So, this week, there was something from Nancy in my e-mail box. A YouTube video.
When I watched it, I couldn't’t help laughing and crying all at once. The video might offend some, and if it does, forgive me, but I saw, not only the hilarity of it, but the love, love of friends and family and love of life.
The video reminded me of what Nancy never preaches, but always lives.
Do what scares you.
Go ahead and make a fool of yourself.
Be there for the people you love.
Sometimes just break the rules, spoken and unspoken.
Beauty has many faces.
We regret missed opportunities to stand out on a limb far more than a breaking branch.
All things are possible with love.
Joy is putting yourself out there for the ones you love.

Watch the video here.

Have a laugh and get out there and live your life in this glorious world.

Road Trips and Radio Therapy

Everyone gets stressed out from time to time, or for some of us, daily. Sometimes we need to hash it out to feel better, but sometimes we need to just let it go. Allow me an example.

I just got back from a road trip - with my mom - and the kids - to visit family. Sound like your classic nightmare? It should have been, but instead it was one of those trips waht was pure magic.


I guess part of the payoff was so many generations being together, whether it was playing flashlight tag or my kids doing their pseudo-rap rendition of The Sound of Music's "Do, a deer." Sound awful? Good guess. Imagine tone deaf and rhythm challenged children performing around wall-to-wall wheelchairs in an 80 degree room. But then you can imagine my grandparents faces lighting up at the simple joy of my kids, albeit spastically, jumping around like deer.

From my uncle taking me on a walking tour of the local college, (his life was spared many years ago when a donor gave him a new heart,) to sharing glances with my aunt and cousin as another generation raced around the lawn, it was a perfect trip.

Nice story, but what does that have to do with radio therapy, you might be asking. My daughter had a meltdown today. Big. Her brother didn't treat her fairly regarding the Flarp that went missing. Flarp is a type of playdough that makes gas noises. Really vile. My mom knows this is a greatly desired item for all kids and made sure all the little ones had their supply of Flarp for the reunion. When we got home, my daughter's Flarp was missing and as we got in the car to run errands together, she was MAD. I really didn't care about the missing Flarp(lets face it, one less jar of Flarp is a good thing) and she was in a bad mood. Really bad. Exhausted and coming down from her perfect trip. Who doesn't know that feeling, right?

She was determined to "talk about it," which would mean me listening to this exhausted and non-sensical kid go on and on about Flarp and whatever else she could pull from the recesses of her tired little mind. I insisted we needed to listen to music instead. She was mad. I kept pretend scooping all the angry out of her chest and tossing it out the window. Finally, she cracked a smile. Who wouldn't when, irony of all ironies, the song on the radio was "I can't get no satisfaction?"

Within a minute or so we were laughing and decided to stop and visit her friend. We had a great visit and my daughter wasn't even angry when I forgot my credit card and we couldn't pick up the movie we planned on getting. Mick Jagger saved the day.

My daughter reminded me that sometimes we just need to STOP our thoughts. God knows if we don't they will drive us or someone we care about nuts! If our thoughts aren't moving us in the direction of being in a better place, then try distraction, like turning on the radio. Listen to some good songs or some good talk and distract your way to happiness.

Have a great week and remember to make the moment happen!

Maria

What's your Intention?

What's your intention today?

I just found this great website called intent.com. The tagline is "Share dreams, inspire others and find support."

I love this site because you can really pick up great words of inspiration or share your own.

Check it out and consider sharing your own intentions here!

Who Inspires You?

There is no use trying, said Alice; one can't believe impossible things. I dare say you haven't had much practice, said the Queen. When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.

Lewis Carroll

One of the things I think about the people who have inspired me personally is that they believed in me and what I could accomplish. Sometimes they believed in me before I did myself. It was that believe that spurned me on. My old high school English teacher, Mr. Horne, would look me square in the eye and ask me about college, as if there were no other option for me. For years after he was my teacher, he would run into me and face me off, demanding with his tone that I deliver what he knew I was capable of. People like him gave me the strength to continue when it got hard. I knew he could see I was capable of the future I dreamed of. Mr. Horne, I owe him a lot. As a transfer student in ninth grade, he made sure I was put into Regents classes and pointed toward the college path. And every chance he had, he made sure I knew I could and I was expected to succeed. He knew how to push my performance buttons. I have thought of him many times over the years. He was one of my first career guides. I suspect he is long gone, as he was close to retirement when I was just a kid. But he lives on with me. In my heart and in my lifelong desire to seek knowledge and growth.

Mary Donn is one such person to my daughter. She looks at her and sees what she is capable of, what she can deliver to the team and for herself. She expects it and gives it herself. What a gift.

Who inspires you?

Share in the comments section!

Check out my review of Three Cups here!

Go No Maintenance

Well, I finally did it. I told my hairstylist I need a "wash and wear" cut. In summer, in Florida, I spend a lot of time in the water or in the heat. So, I am either sweating like an animal or floating around in salt water. Either way, you can imagine the charming look that creates for someone who has little time or interest in being married to her blow dryer and hair straightener.

So, I decided to take the plunge. I went in to Magna's thinking "Rosemary's Baby" or Winona Ryder's pixie cut. After talking to Jodi, my hairstylist, and seeing the slightest look of horror on her face, (Some people can't do the pixie cut. Let's put it this way, my head is about twice the size it would need to be for that cut.) I began to lose faith. But alas, Jodi has never steered me wrong. In fact, every time I go in to see her, I think the cut is the best cut I have ever had. Jodi had her plan and I put my faith in her.

Miraculously, she did it! Short, but not to the point of creating a zippy the pin head effect. And guess what! It really is wash and wear. I can comb it after the shower and that is it. Dries adorable. Why I didn't do this a hundred years ago is beyond me.

This no maintenance cut means my hair looks pretty good all the time and with no effort. Wow. So, of course, it got me to thinking, where else can I go "no maintenance?"

Here are a few that make sense.

Pay for a lawn service.

Buy things online.

Buy precut veggies and fruit.

Purchase clothes that are iron free.

Take your items out of the dryer and fold immediately.

What are your no maintenance strategies to keep your life simple?

Add them in the comments section here!