Category Archives: Honest

Monday Gets Political—or Not

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There are so many things happening in our country that seem to tax one’s political side to the max.  The Presidential Election!  Wow!  There’s a lot to take into consideration.  It would be great if we had two really outstanding candidates; but unfortunately, it just seems we are voting for the lesser of two evils.  I know that just “raised the hair on the back of your neck” for some; but I just think everyone is trying to rationalize and stretch the positive points.

What happened to the truth in politics….or was that ever a possibility?   Why does everyone have to skirt the issues?  Why can’t they just ‘say it like it is’?!!

MONDAY GETS POLITICAL….or NOT

Don’t you think it would be wonderful to have someone stand up in front of the nation and say….”Hey, I’m not perfect and I don’t have all the answers, but I am going to try my very best to get the job done.  I’ve got a great team behind me and if I don’t know something, you can be assured my staff is going to work to find all the details to inform me about the issue so I can make the very best decision.”  And…then actually do that!!  Instead…they skirt the issues, lie when they feel it might slip by and rarely just say “I don’t know!”

There’s so much diversity in all areas in our country right now.  There are people who will fight to the end to honor and protect our country….and there are those who find it appropriate to picket a funeral of a family who have just lost a son or husband fighting for our nation.  There is complete destruction on the East Coast from Hurricane Sandy and then there are areas that seem almost immune to anything except blue skies and balmy breezes today.  Gas prices dropping by at least a dollar a gallon in California….and little gas available in New York/New Jersey.  But, everyone, no matter what their circumstances, is looking for some balance, some certainty, some kept promises…..some hope.  Wouldn’t it be great if tomorrow’s election provided that?!!

Some people that read this Blog aren’t from the United States.  I wonder what they think about all the debates that have gone on between the candidates.  I wonder if it seems very appropriate and common or rather sounds like a bunch of whining kids who are trying to get their way!!

I guess it could always be worse.  We could have no freedom, no choices, no right to vote.  We could be living in war zones and fearing for our lives every moment of the day.  I just think we sometimes take what we have for granted and some take advantage of the freedoms we are given.

So for this new reign of the elected officials of our country….whomever it might be….

I wish for some forward movement of resolving some of the issues of healthcare and national debt and unemployment and an overall struggling nation.

I wish for the citizens of this country to be able to feel they are being represented and supported by candidates who are sincere in their efforts and follow through on all their promises.

I wish the candidates that are elected are true to their word and can see the struggles of many and fight to make changes, so some of the suffering can end.

And….I wish for this Monday to indeed be the start of something new and exciting.  Wouldn’t it be nice to get back that American spirit and everyone be able to feel proud to be an American.  I think we have lost a little of that.

So remember to vote tomorrow

and choose your candidates wisely.

Let’s hope brighter days and good times are just around the corner.

Onward and Forward!

Smiles,  Nancy

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Monday Gets on the Scale

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OK….I have a question.  If you have a driver’s license that lists your weight and height, are they accurate?  If not, are they off by 10%, 20%, Yikes! 30% or more???  If so, join the club.  Supposedly, most women lie about their weight and men lie about their height.  Not all states require the weight part, but I wonder why we have such an important document that we feel the need to avoid the truth?!!  Do you think that when other people look at our license that they check the weight or height and then snicker to themselves?  Obviously, it’s not important to DMV because I’ve never had to “weigh in” for them.  Have you?  Oh the horror, right?!!

What I find interesting about the weight part is that we know we need to lose weight, but feel the need to avoid dealing with it even when it comes to being a responsible and honest, license-carrying citizen.  I wonder if we had to weigh in at the DMV when we renewed our license if we would even avoid renewing it….kind of like we do when we need to go to the doctor.  How many of you have tried to make great effort to lose a pound or more the week or two before your doctor’s appointment?  I’m raising my hand because I’ve sure been there.  I even try to find the very lightest weight clothing sometimes….no heavy jeans or boots are on my body when I step on that scale!!  Let’s get honest…..

Monday Gets on the Scale

I went through years of professing my weight (the one of my choosing) to DMV or anyone else that asked, knowing that it was a huge exaggeration.  I knew I needed to lose weight and get healthy, but I continued to live in the fiction world.  Why did I wait so long to do anything about it??  I still can’t answer that question.   I guess we all have to “hit that wall” that makes us “look in the mirror” to make changes in our lives.  I am very thankful that I found info about the Paleo lifestyle this year.  I can say honestly that I am finally at the weight that I have proclaimed for years and less than I have weighed in at least 15 years or more.  What ‘clicked’ I wonder?  What makes us throw those bad habits out the window?

It is really intriguing to me to see someone seem to change, literally, overnight.  They do all the things that are wrong for them and then suddenly, one day, all the “lessons” they have been given miraculously make sense.  I wonder if it is something cosmic-like…..if all the stars are aligned in a certain manner and we “receive” information…that info suddenly will get absorbed??!!   Any scientist out there that can answer that question?  I have a bunch of other issues to work on too, so maybe I could start planning for that cosmic-alignment moment now.

What would you like to change about yourself?

How close are you to your DMV weight?

And, yes, what do you have on your “list” that you have not ever checked off?

I wonder what is going to have to happen in your life to get you to “look in the mirror” and see the reality.

Are you ready to change?

Well, whatever you would like to happen, be sure to stop saying:  “Oh, I could never give that up”, or “I just don’t have time” or even “I’ll work on that next year.”

How about changing your mantra to “I Matter” or “I care about myself” or even “I love myself”.  It is amazing to me to talk to people who are not able to say this to themselves…..AND they don’t know that others care about them either.

So today…..I’m saying it for you.  I’m going to tell you the truth because I care.

YOU MATTER…..YOU ARE A GOOD PERSON…..YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY BEING THE BEST PERSON YOU CAN BE!!

Did you hear me???!!

Are you ready to start?  Repeat after me….

I Matter.  I Matter.  I Matter.

Now, take the next step and make changes.  What do you see in the mirror?

Pretend the planets are in alignment and you can

do anything you want to do…..starting today…now!!

You can do it.

Smiles,

Nancy

Monday Gets Confident

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I have been recently evaluating my work related skill level and trying to assess how many things I can attach the word “Proficient” in my Resume.   It is a funny word to me as I think it has many boundaries that are defined personally by each person who uses it.  Defined by Webster, it means well advanced in an art, occupation, or branch of knowledge.  Synonyms include: accomplished, ace, adept, complete, crackerjack, educated, experienced, expert, good, great, master, practiced, professed, skilled, versed…..which kind of adds to more confusion of how to determine the measurement of someone’s skills that has included the word.  It seems if I say I am proficient in typing that I could be anywhere from just a good typist to a master typist….pretty big gap I think.

What I realized in trying to determine my own skill level as well as determine its meaning is that when it is used, it is really about someone trying to feel and project confidence about what they do.  Let’s talk about what we can do to feel “Proficient” in all the things we do and also helps others feel the same.

Monday Gets Confident

I think our confidence level rules so many things about us.  Our feelings can be elevated to new heights of accomplishment or we can sink to such pits that we don’t feel we are competent at anything.  Sometimes, it even fluctuates in a matter of moments.  We can be feeling really good about a job we completed at work; and suddenly, a co-worker or manager comes in and points out all the negative points and our confidence goes flying out the window!  Words are powerful tools and can sometimes be harmful.  I guess it is one of those human nature things that we sometimes open our mouths without thinking through what we allow to pour out.  I know that constructive criticism is needed at times, but it is important to give an unbiased judgment by indicating all the good stuff too.  It will go a long way in helping a person feel really great about what they contributed to the task at hand.  It also encourages us to make improvements and increase our level of “Proficiency”.

This not only applies in the workplace, but also in our personal lives as well.  Children need lots of guidance in their lives to do things correctly; but they also need to know that they are not doing everything wrong.  Spouses, friends, even our parents need that little bit of applause from time to time for daily routine tasks that might become mundane and also resented if they are not from time to time given at least a few moments of appreciation.

When was the last time you told your child how beautiful they were or maybe how proud you were of them that they could now make their own breakfast or even that you liked the friends they had chosen?  Does your mate make coffee every morning and you stagger to the kitchen to get your caffeine jolt without even acknowledging how delicious it might taste or that it helps you start each day a lot easier?  What about when you go to the grocery store, do you thank the person who bags your groceries?  Many people every day make our lives a little easier and we just become so accustomed to the tasks being done for us that we forget to even thank them.  Wouldn’t it be nice to boost their confidence level and let them know how “proficient” they are at what they do.  It only takes a moment and so little effort to do that!!

Are you ready to make a difference today?

Here’s what you do.

Each person that you come in contact, take a moment to find something about them that you can bestow some praise on them.

It doesn’t have to be anything profound…..and EVERYONE has a special thing about them that deserves some applause.

You will know that you have completed your mission when you see a smile come to their face.  You might even notice a slight change in their posture as the feeling of confidence straightens their spine.

And Hey! Don’t stop with Monday, do it tomorrow and the next day and every day of the rest of your life.

How better to help people during a time of a struggling economy where we are feeling we have somehow done something horrible to be in such difficult times.  We can blame it on the Republicans or the Democrats….whichever party preference you might lean…..but it doesn’t mean we can’t do something to make some changes.

Have a great day!

Let me know what your tally of smiles was today.

Here’s one to start you off.

Thank you for reading my Blog.  It puts a smile on my face every time someone leaves a comment or decides to be added to the list of followers.  I truly appreciate your support.  You Matter!…..and I Matter too!!

Smiles, Nancy

Monday Gets Put on Trial

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The news has been exploding with some monumental legal cases ending with the verdicts of “Guilty”.  The victims in some of these cases are such innocent human beings and are subjected to such abuse by not only the crime itself, but by the media that drags every little detail into a sometimes very skewed exposure of what they believe to be the facts.

Sometimes innocent people are blamed and even punished for a crime that they didn’t even commit. They are “punished” over and over and made to feel they are the guilty ones.  I wish we could exercise our freedom of speech in a much more respectful and protective way.

I wonder how many people have been blamed for a wrong doing when they were, in fact, the victim?!!  We are sometimes quick to judge a situation without knowing all the facts or truly seeing the whole picture.  We create the “story” and fill in the details with hearsay evidence that makes perfect sense at the time.  What happened to our democratic rights that say we are innocent until proven guilty?

In fact, speaking of “Guilty”, how the heck did poor “Monday” get such a bad rep?!!  Years of persecution just because it is the first day of the week.   And is it really the guilty one or actually the victim?  I’d like to present its case to you today…..

Monday Gets Put on Trial.

Fact #1:  Monday’s story began around the 12th century and means Moon Day.  Greeks and Romans considered the Moon a God to worship.  So, nothing wrong with its beginnings….in fact, a sacred beginning that should deserve some respect on those grounds alone.

Fact #2:  Monday has become known as the first day of the week.  However, most calendars show the beginning of the week on either Saturday or Sunday.  So, in fact, Monday is actually the second or third day of the week.  Did someone forget how to count?  Monday is NOT number one.

Fact #3:  Monday is the first day of the work week.  That is a fact….but only for some people.  I know there are many businesses that are closed on Monday (probably out of respect for Monday), some work weekends and have Monday and Tuesday off and some people work seven days a week and it would be difficult to determine what is their “first” day of work.  So, true that it is the first day for some, it doesn’t apply to everyone; so think Monday shouldn’t bear the whole burden of being the ONLY first day of the work week.  Tuesday and Wednesday are witnesses that should accept some of the responsibility for their contribution and stop remaining silent.

Fact #4:  Blue Monday title comes from the 3rd Monday in January being known as the most depressing day of the year.  It is a time that we have those post-partum realization pains of Christmas excitement being over, the credit card bills start arriving with testaments to our holiday overspending and often the weather is pretty crummy in most parts of the country.  But even the mathematical formula that was created to prove this pseudoscience by Cliff Arnall falls short of proven this theory.  One of those crimes that made poor Monday suffer yet again as an innocent victim.

Fact #5:  Diet or exercise programs are often started on Monday.  We eat like a bunch of piglets and laz around on the weekend prior to our goal setting day and choose Monday to start our new plan…..probably because we are so sick from over-indulging that we have no other choice.  Someone, in this case Monday, has to step in and put the brakes on our out of control behavior.  Hero in my book.

So there you have it.  For centuries, Poor Monday has been an innocent victim of abuse.  Over and over, taking the punishment from many without ever getting some kind of break from its persecution.  Well, I’m here to protect the poor sweet thing.  I am a witness in its behalf who is standing up proud to align myself with what I think we should hail as a hero.

Headline reads:  Monday Gets Put on Trial….but found innocent of all charges!!

Here’s to you, Monday!!

You’re a brave individual and a good friend to me.

I will make you proud by trying to do my best to make Monday known as the best day of the week!  I will make a difference.

Do I have any followers out there?  Anyone want to join my crusade to “free” Monday from years of neglect and wrongdoing?

Let’s make a difference and turn a victim into a hero.

You Matter, Monday!

Smiles,

Nancy

Monday Gets Reflective

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Have you looked in the mirror lately?  I don’t mean to see if your outfit makes you look fat or not, whether you have anything green between your teeth or perhaps, how handsome you “think” you look.  I mean REALLY looked to see who you are.  Try it….look in the mirror and say out loud “Who am I?”  It’s a little bit eerie, as while you hope for a positive answer, you are also afraid that the reply might be just the opposite.  If you stand there for more than 20 seconds, you start feeling that you want to look away.  I’m not sure if it is just a normal reaction or if you start believing the person in the reflection is starting to become real.  That they might actually start talking and tell you the truth….sometimes, not what you want to hear.  Today, let’s talk about what we see……

Monday Gets Reflective

Do you sincerely like the person that you see in the mirror?  Are you the person you see in the mirror??  Some people seem to think of themselves in a very different way than others see and experience them.  “Ego, narcissism, selfish, self-centered” are all words that come to mind.  I’m sure there’s at least one of those on your list of friends.  Sometimes, the most intelligent and talented people have a “self” about them that makes us not want to deal with them on a personal level.  I always wonder if they realize the annoyance to others that they provide?!!

If you like the person you see, then you get a gold star  because you have learned your life lessons well and you are standing proud.  You may not have always felt that way; but it is so nice to reach a point in life that you can feel certain that you are on the right path.  I remember when my son was younger that people would ask me what I thought he would be when he grew up.  My answer was always “All I want is for him is to feel secure and happy.  I want him to feel confident about himself.”  I think some were expecting me to say something like a doctor, lawyer, rocket scientist, a successful business man or maybe even the president.  But, I never thought of those as dreams or gifts I wanted to project on my child.  Instead, I just wanted him to like the person he was and feel good about himself.  If he had that, then everything else would fall into place.

I think it must be so very difficult to see a different reflection.  I think everyone has experienced it at some time in their lives.  Some, however, never see any picture of ‘self’ that they ever enjoy experiencing.  Their gazing is that of a dark and frightened world.  Sadly, they are often not always the cause of the mirror image.  So many, many children and young adults in this world are never given a boost in their lives to help them grow into flourishing, self-assured adults.  When they become adults, they struggle to make changes to adjust their feelings.  Luckily, there are success stories.  Unfortunately, however, there are also dreadful failures too.  They may even succeed in life on the surface; but they are never without their “masks” and few, if any, people really know what they are experiencing in the deepest part of their soul.

I wish I could “fix” the whole world and every person in it.  I wish everyone could feel great happiness and abounding joy.  I wish everyone could look in the mirror today and like the person they see.  But, yet again, I have discovered that Santa still hasn’t delivered a magic wand!!  I’m not sure of the delay on his part….maybe next year.  Until my SanEx delivery arrives, I think there are some possibilities to make a difference in this regard.  Here’s what I would like you to do today…..

Everyone needs a boost from time to time…..no matter what kind of reflection is in the mirror.  As you go through the day, be very conscious of the people you are interacting with.  Listen…..really listen…..to what they are saying.  Don’t make judgments or give them pre-conceived labels.  Who knows what THEY may have seen in the mirror this morning!!  Instead, compliment them, encourage them, show them that you really care.  Make them feel you are standing up and applauding what they are saying.  You may be just be the inspiration they needed to change a bad path in their current direction of travels.

So, what did you see in the mirror today?

No matter the reflection, you can always change things to make a difference……in your life and in someone else’s life….if you want to, that is…It’s your choice!

What I wish for you is Monday becomes a reflection of Tuesday and Tuesday reflects Wednesday…..and so on and so on!!

By doing so, you have single-handedly changed the world.  It just takes ONE individual to make a difference….will you be counted as one of them today?!!  I’m counting on the answer from you to be “YES”

You Matter!….I’m applauding you LOUDLY today!

Smiles,

Nancy

Monday Gets A Fresh Start

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Today is Monday and if you let it…… it could just be the very best day of your week.

It can be the day you started a new diet (it seems to always be that day for me) or a new job or moved to a new apartment (excitement could be in the air).  Perhaps, it is the day you decided to clean out all the many years of clutter you have in your place (parting with all those boxes that have been taped up since you lived in two or three residences prior).  Perhaps, your office desk could use a little help….how many pens and highlighters do you REALLY need? And, shouldn’t you finally file all those loose papers in the bottom of your desk drawer?  Let’s make today a day of new beginnings……..

Monday Gets a Fresh Start

When we really, wholeheartedly commit to making a change in our lives, we shouldn’t think of it being just another chore or drudgery, but rather an opportunity to ultimately transform our lives for the better.  It can sometimes be an experience like getting ready to embark on a long trip to a place we’ve never been before or perhaps, one we haven’t visited in a long time.  We are a little anxious and may even consider not going; but we force ourselves to continue because we know ‘once we get there,’ it will be great.   That’s how you should think of making a difference in your life and making it a better place to be for yourself.

Perhaps, you thought of “visiting” this place several times; but something always got in the way and you didn’t quite make it to your final destination.  So this time, let’s start small and have a good “itinerary” so we don’t get lost.  If you want to start a new diet, start by just eliminating one of the bad things from your daily intake and replace it with one that is exceptionally good for you.  Then, next Monday do the same thing.  Before you know it, you will be feeling so much better that you look forward to each Monday and the positive changes you need to make.  Food should be something that nourishes our body…..not something that does a demolition job on our organs.

If the clutter in your life is dragging you down, start with just one box, one drawer, one anything!!    I know it doesn’t sound like much; but if you tackle one every Monday; and you start with today, that’s 30 containers you will have de-cluttered by the time 2013 rolls around!!  I think you will be surprised by how much stress it reduces too.  Perhaps, you might even consider donating some of that discarded stuff.   IMAGINE that!!  You de-cluttered, de-stressed AND you made a difference!

Maybe at your office, you decide to come up with one small idea every Monday that might make a difference at your workplace.  Maybe this week, you’ll start with cleaning up your own office workspace area and next week, you’ll organize the kitchen area.  Maybe you’ll think of a way to save some money for your office.  Perhaps, recycling all the cans and bottles from the kitchen or have a board to post coupons for everyone to share.  What changes can you make in the supplies that you use that might save some money?  How much paper do you waste in just one week?  All of these things will be appreciated by your employer, and it’s always fun to create a team of your fellow work mates to be a part of the process AND the success.

What makes us stumble in all the tasks that we swear we will start on Monday?  Is that just a human trait or has it just become a bad  and lazy habit for each of us?  Do we set ourselves up to begin something with great enthusiasm on the outside….but the inside is ready to sabotage the very first step?  I wish I could answer that question because I often suffer greatly in some of the “beginnings” that I plan to start for myself.

 But…..not today!!  Make some changes…make a difference….in yourself and the world around you.

So…..what are YOU going to change today??!!  Anyone have suggestions of how to help others succeed?  I am cheering for you.  Hope you will “cheer” for me too.

But….most importantly……Know from the start that YOU MATTER!  I’m sure you can make some new and exciting changes happen.

Hope you have a great Monday!

Make it the best one yet!…It could become a wonderful and enjoyable habit for you!

Smiles,

                                                                 Nancy

Monday Gets To be A Good Listener

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A blank page in front of you is so daunting……….

You think of all the words you know and somehow you can’t fit them together to make a single sentence.  Is it that we have TOO much to say?!!  Or…nothing at all.   I started feeling like the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz without a brain as I sat here trying to decide what topic Monday would bring.

As I was scratching my head with “nary a thought”, my sweet dog, Tramp, came and laid his head on my lap and I realized how, with only a vocabulary of 25 or so words, he was amazingly able to communicate very clearly.  He is a friend who tells me he loves me without speaking a word.  Perhaps, that is what us two-legged creatures  have lost.  The ability to be gentle in our communication and show others how we feel….without texts or emails or photoshop-ed pictures or a video on YouTube!!

I remember watching my parents, who were married for 55 years before one of them passed.  They would look at each other in a way that you knew without a shadow of a doubt that they loved each other, and their hearts would be together forever.  No words…..just loving looks and smiles.  No fancy gifts….but rather daily demonstrations that they cared about the other.  “Giving and Taking” was an ever revolving cycle that passed from one to the other.  They did it with such ease and loving energy.   You felt if you stood between them that you might be zapped by an invisible ray of love that would emit like an old sci-fi flick might demonstrate with lightning bolts.

I need to practice that kind of demonstration of caring more often.  We all get so anxious to “tell our own stories” that we forget to listen to what others have to say.  And thereby, really showing them that we care about the special person that they are and what they have to share.  It seems Good Listeners are hard to find.  OK….here’s your Monday challenge.

 Monday Gets to be a Good Listener.

When someone is talking to you today…..don’t think about your own stories or moments that you have experienced that match theirs.  Instead….just listen and comment about them.  Let them know, at that very moment, that you care only about them and what they have to say 100%.  Think this sounds easy??!!  Good Luck!  You’re human and you will find your tongue is hurting by the end of the day from biting it to keep from muttering your own exciting tale.  However…what you will find is that you don’t walk away feeling you only got part of their story.  Instead, you will leave knowing them a little better and they will feel that they are very important and that they matter to you.  And….that’s really what it’s all about, right?  If we could live today and every day like that, the world would be a much better place.

So….at day’s end, maybe stop to reflect how you feel.

I hope you feel you have made someone’s day a little brighter just by listening.

Didn’t cost you a dime either!

I hope that you realize that You Matter too.

Your unselfishness and humbleness are gifts that you can share any day…not just Monday.

Make Monday special……just like you!

 Smiles,

Nancy

Monday Gets Historical

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Have you realized that as you are cruising around during each day that you are passing buildings or trees or houses or structures that are filled with history…some are 50+ years old, some 100+ years old….some even more advanced in age.  Don’t you wish they could talk?  I decided to share with a few that I came across today.  They are all part of history and should be given the respect they deserve to have survived so long.

This sign indicates this road area was part of the Route 66 trail (now known as Santa Monica Blvd in Los Angeles).  Route 66 served as a major path for those who migrated west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and it supported the economies of the communities through which the road passed. People doing business along the route became prosperous due to the growing popularity of the highway.  Next to the sign is an old neon sign that has its own history for the early 60s, a well-known donut stop in L.A.

Here’s the gates of the studio area that is today known as The Lot.  The studios were built in 1920 and in 1928 they were known as the Pickford-Fairbanks Studios where classics like The Thief of Bagdad and Robin Hood were filmed.  In 1933, Lucille Ball played a slave girl in her first movie, Roman Scandals.  Since that time it has had actors like Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, Laurence Olivier, Eddie Murphy, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock and many others stroll thru these gates to create the Hollywood magic of movies, TV and sound recordings.  Sadly, a big section of this amazing walk in history is now just a pile of dirt as it makes room for space to build more technologically-updated space and creates a venue for the next generation of talent of Hollywood.

Can’t come to Hollywood without visiting the infamous Pink’s Hot Dogs.  A landmark on LaBrea since 1939 when it was just a large wheeled push cart and hot dogs sold for 10 cents.  It has changed a bit since the beginning days—hot dogs are now $3.45; but still in the same place and still draws crowds every day.  You can go by here at 10 in the morning or 10 at night and there is ALWAYS a line waiting to partake of their scrumptious hot dogs!

A favorite of mine is the old Charlie Chaplin Studios built around 1917 when the area was nothing but acres and acres of orange groves.  “The Little Tramp” kept his movie crew busy over the next two decades creating classics like Modern Times, City Lights and The Great Dictator.  Now, the lot is the home of another mark in history—Jim Henson Productions, which gave us the beloved Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and the other Muppets.

What an amazing conglomerate of many interesting and groundbreaking moments in history.  As we look back, we wonder what life must have been like in this area in the early 1900s.  Hundreds of orange trees growing everywhere.  Some of the eucalyptus trees in this area look like they are even hundreds of years old.  Amazing times for sure!  Difficult times too! There are a lot of bungalows around these historical landmarks that were built by the studios to house the actors.  Some of the places have nice patios in the back that were once areas where they kept a few horses for the actors to ride to the studios.  How different in a town that now boasts it has more cars registered in the county than people.

It’s important to stop and appreciate these relics that are around us.  I’m sure you have your own historical places in the town where you live. We need to take care of these special places and show them the respect they deserve for withstanding many “battles” in their lifetime.

 So Monday Gets Historical.

Take time to appreciate the old structures and their beauty.

Many amazing craftsman’s art is being preserved for future generations to appreciate and experience.

Look at nature’s creations too that continue to reach to the sky.

Within walking distance, I am sure you can find many treasures.

So take a walk.  See the beauty.   Experience days gone by.  And along the way take time to remember your own history and the “good ole days”

Hope it’s a history-appreciation Monday for you.

Smiles,

Nancy

Monday gets Thankful for the Memories

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When I was walking my dog, Tramp, yesterday, I realized something interesting about myself.  By writing this Blog each week, it makes me stop to reflect about my life and makes me more appreciative of where I am in my journey today.  I know the many thoughts cross my mind daily; but writing them down adds value and nourishment to their existence and gives them a feeling of abundance.

I have always been one to appreciate small things; but somehow, every little thing I encounter now, seems so much more important.  I wonder what would happen if we allowed school-aged children to have a time in their daily lessons to reflect about their day.   No grade to be given or even any kind of judgment or revealing to others….just a moment to acknowledge their difficulties or happiness for the day.  I bet we would have a society of much more well-balanced individuals.

Do you take time to write your thoughts in a journal?  Probably everyone had a diary at some point in their lives.  I wish I had done more of it.  There are things when I was younger that I have just vague memories of that I would like to recall more details.  Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone kept journals?  If my Grandmother had kept a journal, I would love to be able to read it now.  She lived to be 96 and told tales of her life of leaving Virginia in a covered wagon to move to Tennessee.  What an adventure!   What a great treasure it would have been to have something like that to pass onto other generations! Hmmmmm….well, I didn’t take a covered wagon; but I did cross the country to move to California.  Guess that counts for a bit of adventure too…And I have pictures to go along with the documenting of the journey.

Perhaps, you should consider starting the habit of taking notes of your daily life.  Maybe it will help you realize how many good things come your way.  Or perhaps, it will be something that you can read ten years from now and recall some really special moments.  Or maybe, your children or your grandchildren will read it some day and “get to know you” a little better.  I bet iPhones even have an App for the process!   Whatever you do, don’t let the precious moments get lost.

Let’s see what can we call this Monday??

I know…let’s call it

Monday Gets Thankful for the Memories

Hope you take the time to reflect on some of the special times that have happened in your life.  Maybe call someone that you haven’t talked to in ‘many moons’ to reminisce about some good memories.

It’s another wonderful Monday….Make it a good memory!!

Smiles, Nancy

Monday Gets Honest

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A co-worker was quite surprised this week when I told her it was really difficult for me to commit to writing this Blog each week.  I am so busy with work and just the every-day routine that I am having trouble squeezing it into my schedule.  Last week, there was some kind of technical issues going on with this site.  When I would hit ‘save draft’, it would completely delete my entire post!!  I would have to start from scratch (by the third time, I got smart and copied it somewhere else; so I wouldn’t have to COMPLETELY re-write it AGAIN) and repost it.  This all added to the already time-consuming task.  All of these difficulties made me question why was I adding to the stress in my life by making this weekly commitment; and very honestly, I have had to push myself each week not to give up on it.  I started a list of pros and cons (yes, I have lists everywhere) and for a while I sat and looked at a piece of paper that just had in the “pros” column that ‘I liked when the post was all completed and posted for the week’.  I liked the finish product; but couldn’t come up with any other reasons doing it prior to that final moment of publishing.

It’s supposed to be about the journey along the way…not the finish line, right?  I think I lost sight of what was the finish line and was feeling each week was a hurdle that was the end of the journey……

I'm finished!!

Regroup….Rewind….ReThink.

I started this Blog because I wanted to make a difference.  I wanted to use my weekly happenings to encourage others to make a difference too….in themselves and everyone and everything around them.  I wanted to let you know that You Matter; and what you do is important.   I thought if I could share some of my stories that it would inspire you to do things a little different each day.   I wanted you to realize that if you would “Just Start With Monday” to do something that would make a difference that the days following could be even better and good things would come from your efforts.

I’m not a writer.  I’m not even a very good story-teller.  I took a Creative Writing course in college; but I didn’t do very well in the class….so what was I thinking when I took on this huge weekly commitment with so little knowledge or expertise behind it??!!  Should I just stop with Week 6?  Hmmm. 6 out of 52 is not so good, huh?  I’m not usually a quitter; but 52 weeks from now seems like a long way away from today.  What should I do?

Well, here is what I’ve decided.  I still want to do things to make a difference; but if I make this seem like such a difficult task, why IN THE WORLD would you want to do the same.    I think goodness and kindness and wanting to show you care is a natural part of everyone.  I just need to focus on that important fact and everything else will fall into place.

You won’t find a Pulitzer Prize writer when you read my Blog each week.  You’ll just find an individual who struggles just like you do to sometimes get through Mondays too.  But, you will also find an individual who is committed to fulfilling a commitment and a purpose.  I want to make not only Mondays a good day of the week; but soon Tuesday thru Sunday will be just as important and fulfilling for each of us.

So, you and I are in this together.  We are going to help each other do good things.  I hope my weekly stories will inspire you to try new things and push yourself to accomplish many good things.  I’d love it if you would share your stories too.  That’s what it’s about, right?  Just start with one individual to make a difference and they will inspire others to do the same!  And the whole point is that you don’t need to be GOOD at anything….you just have to do GOOD things!  “Do Good for Dummies” will probably never be published because it just isn’t necessary.  We ALL are capable of easily accomplishing good things.

So here’s a big cheer for MONDAY!!

Go Monday!

I think it is the most important day of the week.

Hope I have your support to help make it special.

Go Monday!   Go Monday!   Go Monday!

Smiles,

Nancy