Showing posts with label Quote of the week. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quote of the week. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Getting Started

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and starting on the first one. - Mark Twain

Sounds simple, right? It is and it isn't. We, and I speak from experience, look around at our house, our list of projects and suddenly feel overwhelmed. We may even utter the words "if only..." At this point it may seem easier to battle space aliens than deal with our tasks at hand.

It is easy to let things get out of hand and pile up to the point that we have no idea how it happened or where to begin. It can start by putting off one thing, saying "I'll do that tomorrow". We continue to do this in favor of what we'd rather be doing. After a while we have a backlog of undone tasks. 

These are often things that would have taken only a few minutes had they been done in a timely manner. Now we are faced with tackling a laundry list of tasks, one of which may actually include doing laundry.

As Mr. Twain states, break down your big task into little tasks. We will use a desk as example, and this is particularly apt with more people working from home these days.

First start by putting away everything that doesn't belong there. My desk is a catch-all for everything I don't want to deal with at the moment, and you know how quickly that can get out of hand. 

Next sort out the papers into file, recycle, shred piles. Put the recycles and shreds into their appropriate bins. Now you're left with filing, and that's everyone's favorite thing to do, right? No peeking at my desk now. To make filing easier, sort papers into related piles, e.g. bills, receipts, medical papers, work-related, and miscellaneous (which translates to "I still don't know where that goes".) Hopefully you already have a filing system –⁠ albeit neglected...or we wouldn't be here would we?

Most of us know these things, and once we have gone through the onerous process, we vow that we will never let it get that way again. Let me know how that works for you.

Saturday, July 25, 2020

The Sky Aglow

Never waste any amount of time doing anything important when there is a sunset outside that you should be sitting under! C. JoyBell C.


Original Photo of Roses to Rainbows: St. Pete, FL 2018
It would be a shame to let such beauty go to waste, and as you can see, we did not. This was our view over the Gulf of Mexico a few years ago. My advice, when you see a beautiful sunset, is to drop what you're doing and go enjoy it.

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Are You Really Living?

If you are not living this moment, 
you are not really living. - Eckhart Tolle


I'm not sure that this even needs an explanation, so I'll pose a few questions instead. 

How long has it been since you took a quiet walk in the woods? 

When was the last time you sat outside in the sun's warmth eating an ice cream cone? 

What did you talk about over dinner last night?

These are examples of moments to be lived...fully and completely, and these are times we are more likely to "live in the moment". However, each day is made up of moments that too often pass by without a thought or glance. 

Think about this next time you see the sunset or watch the birds at your feeder or visit with a friend. Cherish the moments. Live life!

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

On the Whole

The years teach much which the days never knew
- Ralph Waldo Emerson


We live our lives day by day, putting one foot in front of the other and taking each day in stride. Yesterday was not so good. Today is better. What will tomorrow bring? Each year however, is the sum total of all the days, and it brings a multitude of experiences and lessons. As each year passes, we have the opportunity to learn far more from the whole than from any one part.

Please share your thoughts.

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Oblivious

People aren't ignoring you. They are busy with their lives. And the way to stop feeling ignored is to get busy with yours. - Robert Brault


Do you feel ignored or unnoticed, like perhaps you're made of cardboard?

Life is busy and many of us go about our day in our own little world of work, family and necessary errands, stopping only when the day is done, the kids are asleep and garbage has been pushed to the curb. Rise and repeat the cycle until everything blurs.  

Sometimes we are oblivious to those around us who may be longing for a bit of human interaction, or just to make a connection and hear "hello, how are you"?


The author suggests to those folks feeling left out or ignored to just get busy with your own life, and you will no longer feel ignored. That is true in part, but then we risk becoming like everyone else who is too busy to pay attention to others.

How about the next time you think "I'm too busy" or "I don't have time right now,"  just change directions and say "Hey, do you have plans tonight?" or "Let's grab a bite and catch up."

I've had this sitting in my draft folder for maybe a couple years or so. I pulled it out and tweaked it a bit. I think it is still just as relevant today. Maybe more so! 

What are your thoughts?

Monday, October 15, 2018

The Wrath of Michael

How dear the woods are! You beautiful trees! I love every one of you as a friend. -Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea, 1909

The handiwork of Tropical Storm Michael as he made his way north, pausing long enough on his journey to topple some trees and take down power lines.


This is the second time this year we have lost an old, beloved Pecan tree. Farewell my friend, you were well loved.


There is something wrong with this picture. That is what's left of the power to the house (thankfully not the one we're currently living in). The rest is a hanging somewhere in another tree.


When Hurricane Florence was heading toward the coast, we were all making preparations. Even those of us who live well inland were cautioned that we could get severe weather. After all the predictions, thankfully she steered away from us, and all we got were a few sticks in the yard and a couple inches of rain.

Then along came Michael who kind of sprang up out of nowhere and quickly became a record-breaking monster, leaving very little time to prepare or leave. What happened here cannot remotely compare to the devastation along the Florida Panhandle, but Michael did leave us with downed trees, widespread power outages and flooding.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all those suffering in Florida and all along the path of the storm.




If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Saturday, October 13, 2018

It's Pumpkin Season


Oh how we love pumpkin season. You did know this gourd-ish squash has it's own season, right? Winter, Spring, Summer, Pumpkin...We anxiously anticipate it every year.  - Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer

I must confess, I am not the biggest fan of pumpkin. My favorite has to be the pumpkin roll, but I think that has more to do with the yummy cream cheese filling than anything pumpkin related.

It seems, though, that pumpkin-fever is here to stay for a while and everyone one is jumping on the pumpkin train. I wrote a post last year for the October writing challenge I was participating in called "Everything Is Coming Up Pumpkins". There you can read all about pumpkin products and trivia.

Now that fall is well underway, I'm hope I can find one of those delicious pumpkin rolls for an upcoming event next weekend. 😋 

Happy Pumpkin-ing y'all!


If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Flag Day 2018

Oh! say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

 Francis Scott Key, The Star-Spangled Banner



I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.




If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.


Monday, June 4, 2018

Just Say When!

I am Summer, come to lure you away from your computer... come dance on my fresh grass, dig your toes into my beaches. - Oriana Green



While it isn't technically summer for another few weeks, the weather in our neck of the woods deems it to be summer, so we are gearing up. Here are our new beach chairs. 😎


Two years ago I got new beach towels and dolphin towel clips, and last year some friends gave us a new umbrella. As you can see this is a process of selection and collection. Now I'm ready! The only question is when???

Let me know in the comments if you are a beach gal (or guy) like me, and where you like to beach best.



If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

The Season of Sunlight


When the sunlight hit the trees, all the beauty and wonder come together. Soul unfolds its petals. Flowering and fruiting of plants starts. The birds song light up the spinal column and harmonize the hippocampal functioning. ― Amit Ray

I think that means we all come alive in the sunlight. We feel the sun on our faces, hear the birds sing and watch with wonder as life starts all over again. These memories will carry us through when we feel the absence of the sun's warmth.

In case you were wondering, the hippocampus is the part of the brain responsible for processing of long term memory and emotional responses.  We should all be grateful to our hippocampus for preserving our memories.

What are some of your favorite sun-related memories?

If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Monday, February 19, 2018

President's Day

The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would hire them away.– Ronald Reagan

Image source: Wikipedia
Today is President's Day, so I thought it was appropriate to pick a presidential quote, and I read through tons of quotes by decades of American leaders. I came across a top ten list, and Ronald Reagan came in at number 2. It was, however, not the one featured above. After each quote, was a little blurb about the president and that's where I found this gem. 

I will leave you to ponder his statement for yourselves. Meanwhile, the quote that earned him the number 2 spot in this list was "Mister Gorbachev, tear down this wall."




If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Monday, January 29, 2018

Just Be

Firelight will not let you read fine stories but it's warm 
and you won't see the dust on the floor. Irish Proverb


Sitting before the warmth of a fire is more of a time for peaceful reflection than the perusal of literature. Don't think about work or to-do lists, take the time to just be. That is something none of us do frequently enough these days. And if you should fall asleep, may your dreams be pleasant until you wake as the flickering flames turn to glowing embers.


If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Tropical Dreams

This is Day 17 of the 2018 edition of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaaPlease join us this month on our writing journey. Today's prompt is Tropical Dreams.


Nothing is rigid. Things change. 
You can change your mind. 
You can change your thinking.
― Liane Moriarty

I'm keeping it simple today. My tropical dream is a place where life is calm, the breeze is warm, the drinks are cold, and you can always change your mind.


If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Monday, November 27, 2017

The Wisdom of the Doughnut


Did you know that you can find wisdom in the oddest of places? Well you can, and this has been around for over 100 years. It was written back in 1904 as this poem which first appeared in a New York newspaper.

Twixt optimist and pessimist
The difference is droll;
The optimist the doughnut sees -
The pessimist the hole

In 1929 a restaurant in Charleston, West Virginia rewrote it in a more contemporary style with a target audience of coffee drinkers...who often ate doughnuts (also called sinkers).

As you ramble through Life, Brother,
Whatever be your goal.
Keep your eye upon the doughnut,
And not upon the hole

This though-provoking poem is often known as the optimist's creed. It is a wonderful life motto which even inspired two presidential candidates who worked it into their campaign speeches. It was also adopted by the Mayflower Doughnut shop chain and appeared on their doughnut boxes. It had a picture depicting two court jesters, one staring contentedly at a fat doughnut with a small hole, and the other looking dejectedly at a skinny doughnut with a large hole.

This was presented during the "time for children" segment at church one Sunday like this:

As you go through life make this your goal.
Keep your eye on the doughnut and not the hole.

It was explained that the doughnut represents the things we have (our blessings), and the hole is what we don't have. The verse instructs us to focus on what we have and not what we don't have or wish we had. 

During this holiday season and throughout the year, let's be thankful for the doughnut and not worry about the hole.



If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Monday, November 20, 2017

Each Moment Counts


These words from Corita Kent reminds us that life is more than just the big events, but the moments that lead us there. Each one is necessary for us to successfully navigate the journey of life.



If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Monday, September 11, 2017

We Can't All Be Butterflies

We know what we are, but know not what we 
may be. - William Shakespeare



Generally we know who and what we are, and we may even know what we aspire to become, but that is not a certainty. Circumstances change, and events beyond our control can alter the outcome.

Unlike this pretty fellow, who will one day become a beautiful Swallowtail butterfly, we don't necessarily know what lies ahead, or just around the corner for that matter. Just because we don't know what we may be doesn't mean we can't always strive to be our best selves.


If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Looking Into Your Mirror

If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?

― Jalaluddin Rumi

Image Source: Wikipedia

Maulana 
Jalaluddin Rumi was many things. He was a Persian poet, a Sufi Mystic, a Sunni Muslim poet, an Islamic scholar and a theologian. He was born in 1207 A.D. and is considered one of the greatest spiritual masters. His poetry has also gained favor in the Western world in recent years.


So what is Rumi saying here? Obviously he is not talking about taking a rag and Windex® to your bathroom mirror. The rub is any little thing that doesn't suit you. It may be something as minor as being asked for the umpteenth time to take out the trash or mow the lawn, to a personal slight, real or perceived, that leaves you with hurt feelings.

Now for the mirror part. You want to be a shining example of humanity, but you can't be that person when every irritation grates at you so much that your finish becomes dull and you are unable to shine. In order to shine again, you must find a way to change how you handle the rubs on the inside so that your surface may be polished and your inner goodness is reflected in your mirror.

How is your mirror looking these days?


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Monday, March 27, 2017

Love It or Hate It?

I hold to the firm belief that letters belong in literature, not mathematics. 
― J. Spredemann

As a kid, I did well enough in school in all subjects except math. That was my Achilles heel. I did okay until the sixth grade and that was the beginning of my downfall with the onset of what they called "new math" whatever that was. They tried to teach me things like Base 8 and Base 10. I still have no idea what those are or who uses them and why...maybe Charlie on Numbers. Anyone watch that?

Who knew numbers could solve so many problems, even crime? What is the statistical probability that the suspect took bus #25 into town on Friday night, picked up the paper at a news stand, then walked 14 blocks to an alley behind the pawn shop on 12th Street to commit his nefarious act and return home by the nightly news? I'm sure there is an app algorithm for that.

And then came Algebra... I never did figure that stuff out. This can cooler is spot on and sums up my thoughts on that subject perfectly.

Available at Dollar Tree...no math required!

Anyway, decades later my math skills consist of the basics, with a few percentages thrown in to calculate savings. I've come clean about my lack of Mathematics skills. What about you? Love it or hate it?



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Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Open That Bottle Night

Drinking good wine with good food in good company is one of life's most civilized pleasures - Michael Broadbent


It seems we are on a wine theme this month. We started with National Drink Wine Day last Saturday. Now we are moving on to Open That Bottle Night on Saturday February 25. This coincides with our Cheers gathering this month. Our group epitomizes today's quote. We have been getting together most months for ten years. We share good wine, good food and most importantly good company. It's a civilized pleasure I hope will continue for many years.

Now a little more about Open That Bottle Night. It is always the last Saturday in February. It was originated by Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher of the Wall Street Journal in 2000 and has been celebrated every year since. 

How will you celebrate?



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Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Believe!

And now, let us believe in a long year that is given to us, new, untouched, full of things that have never been - Rainer Maria Rilke

Each day, each season, each year, is a gift. 

Live it, enjoy it, share it.


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