HANDBOOK 2010

This list of "directives" for 2010 was sent to me by my friend Margo. There is a lot of wisdom in these 40 little tidbits of advice. Enjoy.

Health:

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.
    
    Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
    
    Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything..
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
    
    Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.
    
    Last but not the least:
40. Please share this to everyone you care about, I just did.

Grandma's Balls*

Having and elderly not-entirely-there parent is a bit like having a pre-schooler, with the exception that the diapers are bigger and there is little hope they'll ever (re)learn the lessons of life.

While visiting Mom one day before Christmas I noticed she had an odd little bulge in her sweater by her waist. I asked what it was and without waiting proceeded to investigate. She was sincerely surprised when I pulled out a large white paper carnation with green St. Paddy day decorations attached. It was someones prized corsage, I am sure and Grandma Lifted It!!

O Good Lord, my mother is a Klepto!!

But wait. It gets better.

While investigating the bulge I had noticed a bit of red ribbon peaking over the top of her waist band. Was it something that became caught in her pants when the staff had assisted her in the bathroom? I better do some more sleuthing...

So I went back in, under the sweater to the top of the pants and located that piece of ribbon that had caught my attention. And then I began to pull.

It came out a little, but was a bit stuck. So I tugged.

It began to emerge, not just a little piece of ribbon as I had thought but a whole long strand!

Mom could feel the tugging of course, and asked, "What's that?"

I began to laugh as a long string of ribbon with jingled bells attached emerged from her pants. I held it up for her to see and she simply looked at me in wonder and said....

"Where did that come from?"

OMGosh, Mom, if you don't know what you have stashed in your pants, I don't think I can tell you...

*Okay, I admit it, I am an attention whore. The title should have been Grandma's Bells but I just liked the sound of balls so much better. So shoot me.

Thought for the Day - 4 Jan 2010

One thing absolutely essential to live my life, a sense of humor!

Avatar in 3D

Just a quick little note tonight.

I took the hubby to see Avatar in 3D this afternoon. What fun!!

He thoroughly enjoyed it. The effects were incredible and the landscape of this alien world was simply brilliant.

Needless to say, I got in a little jab with, "I have to say, if you enjoyed watching this, perhaps you can understand a little now why people love WoW so much."

Hehehe... never miss an opportunity. That's my mantra!

I Didn't Think it Would be so Hard

Silly me.

I've been avoiding this for the longest time, but I chalked it up to my usual procrastination. Then to the busyness of the holidays. But today I started. Just a little bit, but enough to make me realize how hard it really is going to be.

I started going through Harriett's belongings.

Let me set the scene a little. In the last months of her life Harriett moved into the "spare" bedroom on the main floor of our home. It was originally to be Mom's room so a lot of Mom's stuff was already in there. And it was the room that held the cookbook shelf, the candles & candle holders, vases, tablecloths, etc. You get the picture. Since her death the wheel chair and disability equipment has been put in there. Krissy's dresser when she got a new one. Holiday items we were uncertain of using this year. And under it all, Harriett's things from her final days.

The room itself simply needed to be organized and recovered from being a catch all. Then I got to Harriett's belongings and knew it would be a good idea to keep on. One of the first things I picked up was her wig.

Wigs sort of creep me out anyway. Like the trophy of a scalping. But along with the wig were a half dozen or more knit hats that Harriett preferred to wear. It's hard to handle those things and not think of her and miss her. It's hard to even write about it.

I didn't really expect it to be so hard.

Tidbits from an Aging Brain

If you are one of the "lucky" ones who used to follow my blogs on MySpace you may recall that I tend to blog in spurts. It appears that my long absence from blogging has acted as a dam that has suddenly burst and here I am with way too much drivel to share rushing down river.

Irony:
In October I was inspired to purchase a flat screen monitor for my husband's Christmas present - and ecstatic that I had done that shopping so far in advance. The beginning of December our PC bit the dust.

Another "If we can put a man on the moon" question:
...then why can't we make a pair of jeans for fat ladies that doesn't wear out in the thighs?

Hypnotic power of TV:
I can go through our dozens and dozens of DVDs and not find a thing I want to watch but if one of those same movies pops up on TV I will sit and watch it from beginning to end commercials and all.

I think that's enough stress for my old noodle on this first day of 2010.

2010 Has Arrived and Along With it....

Resolutions!

Of course.

Some people prefer to call them goals. Aspirations. The new year check list.

I'll stick with resolutions. A resolution means a commitment and I need commitment in my life. Structure.

1. Healthy Eating. I could go with the old "lose weight" resolution but I am more interested in being healthy than skinny. And eating healthy should promote weight loss whereas, losing weight doesn't necessarily equate to good health if I were to focus on weight loss only.

2. Exercise More. Or exercise at all, really. I think I'll start with walking and work up from there.
3. Learn Something New. I would really like to go back to school, but if I can't do that I'll at least commit to taking some classes.

4. Pay It Forward. Although I am overweight and understamina'd I have so very much to be grateful for. With so many blessings in my life it is only right to pay it forward with charitable acts and kindnesses.

5. Celebrate Life. Remember those I love and care for by showing it more.

I think five is enough. Please share your resolutions, goals, aspirations or whatever you choose to call the priorities you set for the new year.