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John Lennon was a wise man! I find that since life is in continuous ebb and flow like the seasons, like the ocean’s waves, our feelings of happiness may be compromised. It is for  this reason that in my spiritual practice I focus more on peace, and getting deeper into that peace, so it becomes the foundation where I respond to life without getting swayed by the highs and lows.  From this place happiness becomes more constant.

There are many ways to this state of peace, but the one I have found helpful is self-inquiry. This involves courage to look within and clear out all that blocks one’s light:  anger, fear, resentments, jealousy, envy, attachments to our stories and dramas.

We are essentially beings of love and peace, but it gets covered up by the  mud and muck that we allow to darken the space of our minds.

I’m continuing to reminisce about this summer. I automatically smile when I think about it. It was one of the best and I miss it completely. It makes me think of the song “When September Ends” from Green Day – “Summer has come and passed. The innocent can never last.”

I’ve been on study lock down for a good portion of this weekend.

Yesterday before the lockdown commenced, I ran my long run as part of marathon training and felt pretty strong throughout, until the very end when it starting pouring rain and I was ready to be finished. My friends are troopers and ran the last six miles in the rain with me. We all proceeded to breakfast afterwards soaking wet. Being wet won’t hurt anyone, right?

Here is what my marathon training plan looks like for the week ahead.

New York City Marathon Training – Week Ten

Monday: 40 minute slow-paced run
Tuesday: group running class – speed training, intervals, etc.
Wednesday: yoga
Thursday: 6 mile run at 8:45 – 8:50 pace
Friday: rest day
Saturday: 10 mile run (4 mile race to incorporate on this day)
Sunday: yoga

Since I began my holistic health course last March, I consciously think of ways to take care of myself and improve my overall health and happiness.

Goal for the day: Write down ideas in which you will gradually improve upon your everyday living, one small change at a time. 

My list:

• Eat more green vegetables. I went to the food store today to stock up on spinach, kale, bok choy, etc.
• Use a tongue scraper. I recently added this to my brushing/flossing routine.
• Begin to take a fish oil supplement.
• Add a hot towel body scrub to my morning routine. 
• Bake a new recipe. 
• Create a list of adventurous activities I would like to embark upon this fall season.
• Schedule an acupuncture session.

Quote of the day:

                                          Source: google.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Enjoy the remainder of your day. I’m getting ready for candlelight yoga at my favorite studio.

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”.

- John Lennon said he did.

This weeks challenge at Smudgy Antics Challenge blog is: DRAGON TALES
Yep, we are back to our regularly scheduled weekly challenges. These should be a breeze after a week of doing a project everyday!

For inspiration, check out the projects from the Smeared Ink DT!!

Tori and Terra, of Smeared and Smudged and Smeared Ink has some wonderful new digis JUST added to the store!!

I have used “Rock Climber” one of the new dragon digis that has just been released!

I have also used a “Skull” and “Chain link” rubber stamp from the “Quoth the Raven” stamp set, now in digi version!!

The Castle digi stamp is from “Ike’s Art”. She also has some of her art work being released TODAY at Smeared Ink!!! You really must check out all the new items there are even Dark Fairy tales, and Alice in Wonderland images too!!!! I am just so excited about all the new digs in the store!! I know you will be too!!

For this weeks project at Smudgy Antics I am going for a journal page theme. With the Dragon guarding the Castle! I used spray inks and a stencil from Dylousions for this effect. I used Prismacolor pencils on my images and baby oil for blending. The key, and gold elements are from Micheal’s. I found the quote by John Lennon on the internet, printed it on SU’s Velum paper and used Mod Podge to adhear it.

Thank you for your visit and for your comments! Stay crafty!

Peace,

KristyLee

1.  Happy and Hungover

Book reviewers are often faced with an embarrassment of riches.   They may receive hundreds of books in a short period of time, either directly from publishers or indirectly via book review publications.   This may translate into becoming less excited over the less publicized new releases.   I’m reminded of when I managed a college radio station’s music library…  The record companies sent us records every day, usually multiple copies of each release.   The longer this went on, the more we felt the temptation for the DJs to spend their time listening to the big, mega-releases like the latest from the Rolling Stones or Steve Winwood.   It was hard to pull away to listen to a new album recorded by a promising, virtually unknown and self-proclaimed bar band from San Jose.   (They went on to become wildly successful as The Doobie Brothers.)

It can be like that for the book reviewer.   At first, he or she will jump at reading and reviewing anything that’s sent.   Then the reviewer will find that he becomes pickier as time goes by.   It may be especially hard to read a debut novel by an unknown author when so many releases by major authors – from the major publishers – are whispering, “Read me!” in his ear.   This is but one of the issues that will arise.

Another issue occurs after reading an almost perfect book.   I had this experience recently after finishing the novel You Came Back by Christopher Coake.   I went to my stack of “to be read” books and, no matter how hard I tried to read each of them, they simply felt flat by comparison.   Moreover, I felt as if I could see the stitches in the tales when comparing them in my mind to Coake’s virtually seamless story telling.   I finally came to realize that Coake’s book – labeled a ghost story – is about what sudden loss does to human beings.   I then searched for a book with a somewhat similar theme and found it in the novel Gone by Cathi Hanauer, a story about a writer-mother-housewife whose husband leaves with the young, sexy babysitter and doesn’t return.   Gone and You Came Back are nearly mirror images of each other.   In music, it was like when the Beatles released Let It Be and the Rolling Stones released Let It Bleed.

After reading these two somewhat similar tales, I felt free to experiment with something completely different, which turned out to be an historical novel; fiction based upon a little bit of fact.   But sometimes shaking the grip a great book has on you – a type of literary hangover – takes days to be loosened.   For the book reviewer, this may mean not following through on a commitment that was made earlier; or delaying meeting the commitment.   But that’s the way life is.   As John Lennon was to so wisely state, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”

2.  Comparing A to B

Above, I’ve compared two novels to each other, and this leads me to wondering whether a publishing house or publicist should do the same.   It seems like a potentially risky business.   If the book jacket promises that, “Anyone who loved Milo’s Story will adore spending time with Fluffy’s Tail!” there’s the risk of making the reader who truly loved the former, but doesn’t like the latter – such as a dog lover who can’t abide cats – extremely angry.   I think these types of comparisons have more of a downside than an upside.

A better strategy, in my view, and one that draws me in, is to post a blurb by a respected author who writes in the same genre as the new, relatively unknown author.   I may be quite unsure that I want to spend time reading a book by Bill Unknown, but if there’s a front jacket blurb by David Major (you know, the one whose book was made into a movie starring Anne Hathaway) stating, “Bill’s a truly great find!   Trust me, you must read this!” I’m likely to take the chance.   That’s because David Major has little to gain and a lot to lose by letting his name be used in a less than forthright way.   Let’s just hope that I haven’t received the galley of Unknown’s forthcoming book right after I’ve finished reading You Came Back.

Joseph Arellano

Have I told you that I’m secretly an event planner?!? It seems like every weekend I’m planning our next adventure (whether it’s hanging out with friends, game nights at someone’s house, cooking dinner and a movie, etc). I started this mentality when we got married and all of a sudden, we were sitting in front of the TV watching some random thing on Netflix instead of being out and about like we used to be! Such a sad reality when you realize that life is different when you get married. Haha. So now..starting on Thursday, I’m already planning what we will be doing the next weekend. It’s fun! Frankly, I’d rather be doing things and keeping ourselves entertained than stay home. My sister-in-law told me the other day while I was out and about doing errands, “Melinda, you’re always going somewhere! When I had a baby, I didn’t leave the house for months!” It’s true. I realized that I’m not one to sit still..ever. I enjoy planning events, I can’t help it! Of course, life with a a baby is different now, but I still don’t like staying in all the time. Although, my husband might disagree. He’s always like, “We always have so many events on the weekends!” Yet, when I do plan a weekend of just staying home, he’ll be the first to complain and say, “I’m bored.” Lol.

This image with this quote was one of the first things I saw today… It resonated in me and I hope it resonates for years to come… What an awesome goal we should all aspire to achieve. It reminded me of a few childhood incidents that had me coloring inside the lines, because that was the “right” thing to do.

A few hours later I was hiking on one of my favorite waterfall trails with a friend, and we watched a young woman, walking a Black Labrador Retriever, and not letting the young pup do exactly what EVERY SINGLE Black Lab would instinctively want to do… Get wet, and jump in the water of a babbling brook and play…

She was willing to let the dog stand on the edge of the creek, but would not let the cutie touch the water. It seemed like cruel and unusual punishment. After all, why did this woman take on a life with a playful water dog, and bring the beauty to a place with a free flowing stream…

I did however get joy in the moment silently knowing that the dog would get plenty soaked only a few hundred feet up the trail, as the path would cross the creek three times, and lab puppies don’t instinctively rock hop.

If it’s true that John Lennon really said that to a teacher, what a claim to fame that teacher had for years… “I got schooled by a 5 year old John Lennon. I’m so happy he didn’t listen to me.”

Imagine
and Get Wet.

- Quiche Out

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” ~ John Lennon.

Here is the sketch:

Here is my card, I flipped the sketch to change the direction of this cute chick.

The quote is from John Lennon. The last line of the quote is inside the card and reads “never let it disappear.”

This image is by Sugar Creek Hollow and is  colored with SU! watercolor crayons. CS, scalloped border punch, and pearls are also SU!, the patterned paper is not and I do not know who the manufacturer was since it is a piece from my stash.  If you haven’t already, I invite you to check out the specials Stampin’ Up! is offering so you can pick up some new supplies for up to 60% off.

I invite you to make “Love” cards for Operation Write Home to send to our troops so they will have cards to write on to send love and hope back home to their family and friends around the Valentine’s Day time.  The cards need to reach OWH by December 10th.  Please check out their website for all the details including the address for you to ship your cards to.

Attention! This just in! Operation Write Home is in need of some more Love cards.  Can you make one for the troops and uplink it from your blog in the next couple of days?!?  Check this link for the details. 
http://www.owhstarsandstamps.org/2011/11/new-odbd-monthly-challenge-valentines.html

This was passed along to me by a friend and I am sharing it with you!

He smiles as he gets on his feet, offering her his seat, and moves towards the doors. She looks haggard, and gratefully accepts with a smile in return. She puts down the large shopping bags with a tired sigh. He continues to look at her, without meaning to or realising. She gives him the smallest of smiles and looks out the window.

He wonders what she’s thinking. What are all those shopping bags for? Gifts for loved ones or a much needed shopping spree for herself? She would make a good mother, he thinks. He smiles as he has a random thought of her entering multiple shops and walking out with assistants trailing behind with bulks of those obnoxious shopping bags found at the most exclusive ’boutiques’. He stifles a laugh as he can’t imagine this toned-down, ordinary version of her doing that. He stares at his feet, still smiling. She would age well.

She can see his reflection in the tinted window, and wonders why he’s still staring at her, with the same smile glued on his face. She turns and sees him staring at his feet. He has kind eyes, she thinks. She wonders what he’s doing on this train at this time of day. Perhaps going to meet or pick up a loved one? A business meeting? He is certainly dressed smart, it could be either. For some reason she pictures it is her he has come to pick at the station, and when she gets off the train he runs towards her and grabs her tightly, not wanting to let go and they kiss passionately. Not caring who is watching, lost in their own world. She snaps out of her reverie and realises now she has the smile plastered on her face and is staring at him funny. He would age well. She looks out the window to hide further embarrassment of making eye contact.

He can feel her gaze on him, but doesn’t dare to look up and make eye contact, as if confirming the fact that they are both aware of the attraction between them. More curiousity than attraction. He wonders how it would matter anyway, nothing would come of it.

She sees his reflection staring at her again, and this time darts her head quick enough to catch his blue eyes on her. He smiles, unembarrassed and unashamed to be caught staring. She smiles back, a fuller, brighter smile and wishes the journey didn’t take so long. What was she thinking? This wouldn’t matter. Nothing would come of it. She knows this would be one of those ‘what if’ moments she’d store and file away in her memory, and refer to when she was thinking of nothing in particular.

Next stop, the train stops. He hopes this is her stop too, as he gets off as soon as the doors open, without looking back, just in case she saw his disappointment. It would be such a shame to leave it hanging like this.

She hopes it’s his stop too, as she begins to gather her shopping bags, but when has hope ever been enough to change the course of actions of others?

He walks slowly towards the exit barriers at the station, hands in pockets, deep in thought.

She gathers her bags and manages to leave the train just as the doors close, and in her hurry, does not notice he is no longer on the train. She heads towards the barriers.

He hears the rustling of bags, like someone struggling to hold and walk with them at the same time. He turns around…

She bends and picks up the one bag that has decided to elude her clutch and looks up.

He smiles at her. “Hey.”

The sun bathes my skin in warmth as I tend to the rose bushes in my garden. The hard work of pruning is finished, but I am far from done with my work. To receive gifts of magnificent blooms, such as the heavenly one in the photo taken last year, the bushes need a little more TLC. What living thing on this earth does not benefit from a little extra love?

#1 – How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
Instead of buying Valentine’s Day cards at the grocery store, try doing this for each special person in your life. In your own imperfect handwriting, make a list of all the reasons you love him/her. At the top of your paper write Twenty Reasons Why I Love You and begin your list. Obviously 20 is just a number used as an example. Don’t stop at 20 if you have more reasons why you love this person. Think about what this person does that makes you smile or laugh. Consider the ways this person allows you to be yourself. Write down how you feel when you are around this person. What does this person bring to your life? You get my drift. What better Valentine’s Day gift than telling your special people what is truly in your heart!

#2 – Kiss Me Pink
Like to sip on cocktails, but, for whatever reason, don’t want the alcohol? DrinkAlternatives.Com has a list of Non-Alcoholic Mocktails Recipes that you’ll want to check out. Here’s a recipe from the list that would be perfect for a Valentine’s Day brunch:

Kiss Me Pink Mocktail
Ingredients:
* 1/4 cup sparkling cider
* 1/4 cup cranberry juice
* 1/4 cup pineapple juice
* whipped cream

Recipe: Mix sparkling cider with pineapple and cranberry juice. Top with whipped cream.

Garnish: Add a small lime slice and a maraschino cherry on top.

Serve: Champagne flute

#3 – Best Movies to Watch on Valentine’s Day
I love watching chick-flicks and all I can say is thank goodness I have sons who like to watch scary or deep, dark, action movies with my husband. Here’s a list of movies more to my liking – Better Homes and Garden’s Editors’ Picks for 30 Top Romantic Movies for Valentines Day:

1. When Harry Met Sally
2. Pride & Prejudice
3. Pretty Woman
4. While You Were Sleeping
5. Sleepless in Seattle
6. An Officer and a Gentleman
7. The Notebook
8. Bridget Jone’s Diary
9. Bull Durham
10. Casablanca
11. The Sound of Music
12. Shakespeare in Love
13. Sense and Sensibility
14. Overboard
15. Dirty Dancing
16. Say Anything
17. Rebecca
18. Breakfast at Tiffany’s
19. Ghost
20. Love Actually
21. Notting Hill
22. Moonstruck
23. Somewhere in Time
24. Emma
25. Room with a View
26. The Fabulous Baker Boys
27. Love Story
28. Dr. Zhivago
29. Always
30. The Thorn Birds

#4 – Romantic Destinations
Want to get away to a romantic destination for Valentine’s Day, but can’t? Take a look at these photos of some of the most romantic travel destinations courtesy of the Global Grasshopper. Oia and Venice are as romantic in person as they seem in the photos. I’m sure, though, they would have been a whole lot more romantic for me and my husband, if we hadn’t taken our kids with us!

#5 – Imagine Love
“It matters not who you love, where you love, why you love, when you love or how you love, it matters only that you love”
— John Lennon

Have a simply lovely weekend!

 The news this week has been dominated by celebrations concerning the fall of the Berlin Wall and the solemn commemorations of those who lost their lives in past wars.

Brian.
www.bgdtcoaching.com

It’s one of the rules I live by. Never assume. It has served me well. But now and then, I forget that dictum that’s opened doors, helped make wise decisions, and kept me a little more prepared for an unknown future.

After all, the future is always unknown. John Lennon said it: “Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.”

Yes, indeed. I’ve moved my tidy lists and planning documents to the “Pointless File,” the bright red one that stares me down from time to time, peeking out from an impressive stack of other color-coded folders in the corner of the den. It’s a sort of teaser, as if to say: Forget it. You’re long past plans and you know it, so go with the flow!

Choices

Those who preach that everything is about choice, that we can “take control of our lives and succeed” offer a wonderful panacea, part of our “Positive Action Culture” (a term someone mentioned recently). It’s like putting on the perky face when loneliness or isolation is dragging you down. It’s about acting upbeat so you can feel upbeat, and not alienating those who might help.

But that attitude is overly simplistic. It plays well to a crowd, but let’s get real. Some things are genuinely beyond our control – the behavior of others, natural disasters, unexpected illness or injuries – all of which can influence our lives in dramatic ways.

Opportunities

When you’re tired, distracted, or stressed, you make more mistakes. Opportunity may be knocking and you don’t hear it through fatigue or the noise around you. You may not recognize something terrific – or problematic – standing right in front of you. And opportunity to act in a positive way evaporates.

If you miss an opportunity, there will be another. It will be a different opportunity.

Hardship vs. Tragedy

A couple of years ago, my son and I were in a car accident on the way to the neighborhood library. Our car was totaled, I was injured, and not a hair on my teenager’s head was touched. But he was driving the car; he felt guilty – of course.

The year that followed was difficult. We had no real income, no car, and much to process. I had physical healing to work through, and we both had images of the other car barreling down on us at high speed, and of course, the impact. I was all about trying to ease my son’s guilt, and I also had to deal with memories of my father’s death – in a car accident.

I knew we were exceptionally lucky. I was GRATEFUL. This was hardship, not tragedy.

Opportunity, again and again

I had a job interview scheduled for two days after the accident. Needless to say, I wasn’t able to go, and it was a position I was well qualified for. But two months later, something else came up – the result of a seed I’d planted a year prior and a confluence of circumstances that had nothing whatsoever to do with me.

The pay was terrible, the logistics (without car) complicated, and the work itself turned out to be life altering; I couldn’t have imagined how much I would learn from it, love it, or the people who would enter my world as a result. Surprise, surprise. Life was happening, as it always does.

Knock knock. Who’s there?

Even without planning, opportunity knocks. A referral you don’t expect, a chance meeting, an online hello. It may be professional. It may be personal.

Sometimes opportunity knocks when we’re awake and we hear it. Better still – we respond, and give it our best shot. We ask “who’s there,” never assume it won’t be someone interesting, and we open a door. We listen, we talk, we share – that “friend model” that the online world encourages, which can be so powerful in our lives.

Positive after all?

As for planning, I haven’t really stowed it in the “Pointless File.” But I’ve put it in perspective, recognizing that there’s no crystal ball, nor coverage for every contingency. I can take initiative and planning only so far. Then I need to stay attentive and nimble when events hit hard and fast.  If I fumble – and I do – I remind myself that it’s not tragic. It’s human. I try to learn from my mistakes, and that is a choice.

I also look for lessons to pass along to my sons. They’ve come to understand that guts, persistence, and creativity can grow from everything. So maybe I am part of the “Positive Action Culture” in my own way.  Because when life happens, you go with it.

© D A Wolf

Imagine.

John Lennon