of Hope
Let’s start anew! After 3 years and 10 months of being on this blog, and while suffering from COVID-itis (also known as having extra time and trying to make good use of it), I’ve decided… WHAT THE HECK, let’s go back to the beginning. Something I’ve realized is that our stories get old. They become […]
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It’s official. The world revolves. Or is it evolves? For the last four and one-half months, I can literally use my fingers to count the number of times I’ve left the house to do something fun, interesting, or worthwhile. It wasn’t until the past month or so that the situation started to affect my mental […]
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Image by Patou Ricard from Pixabay I’ve been hemming and hawing for weeks (or months), the pendulum swaying back and forth; from feeling as though it’s my responsibility (as a human being) to talk (or keep talking) about current events—to the polar opposite—thinking that it’s the last thing I should even consider. It’s been harder […]
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Would you believe that tomorrow marks the beginning of WEEK TWELVE of my New Lifestyle, New Me project? Wow! It feels as though I’ve lost part of my life somehow—like my wall calendar has this huge red “X” scratched across the month of April or something. And half of May too! Not to worry. As […]
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I started working on this image during my “time out” yesterday. I feel wonderful today, and very well rested. The beach scene is not quite where I wanted it to be, but it will have to do. For now. Striving for perfection is exhausting, so it’s “good enough.” I’ve come to the conclusion that—even with […]
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Is anyone else asking this question lately? The featured image here is pretty significant, as it struck me in several ways. First, I took the photograph several years ago and—until yesterday—never even knew that the Santa Monica Pier is literally the end of the famous (or maybe not so famous) Route 66. The historic route […]
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This image depicts a good chunk of my life: One Wild Ride. Full of ups and downs, spins and twists, hairpin turns— and (far too many) “hold onto your hat!” moments. Of course, the ride in the photograph is actually pretty tame—hence the bold colors and wild effects that I’ve added. I thought it was […]
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What is this “uneasiness” I’ve been feeling lately? What am I doing differently at the moment, since the (unofficial) quarantine started? What is it that I miss? What do I think I need? Is it possible that this “time out” is stirring something inside of me, causing me to reevaluate my priorities, reassess my goals, […]
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Today was a beautiful day. It felt like summer this morning so I took my walk early. I wanted my energy level to be high. Exercise seems to be the “in” thing right now because there were people everywhere. Walking, jogging, cycling… I was constantly zigzagging across streets, making sure to stay 6 feet away. […]
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Dear Diary, I was going to write about my New Lifestyle, New Me project, but I think the Quarantine is taking the lead. I was convinced that it wasn’t affecting me, but now I’m starting to think I’ve been in denial. I took my walk just before the sun went down, because I wanted to […]
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I watched little leaves, Drifting in the wind.Spinning, twirling, floating.Landing ever so softly,On the ground beneath my feet. On the branch above,One was still hanging on.Quivering in the breeze. And I wondered…Was it shaking from fear,Afraid to let go?Or was it fighting to break free,Hoping to fly? And I wondered…If that were me,What would I do?Would […]
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Journaling through Quarantine An idea on which direction to go with The Quarantine Project finally came to me. It didn’t happen while walking yesterday—as I had hoped—but the light bulb turned on this morning as I sat down to write this. I didn’t take my camera walking with me because I was worried that it […]
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Resurrecting Gratitude When the (unofficial) quarantine began, I was on a mission. Two if you count the New Lifestyle New, New Me project—but that actually started before “everything changed.” What I’m referring to, and what I totally lost sight of, were my Daily Gratitude posts. It completely slipped my mind. How easy it is to […]
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Dear Diary, It’s the 6th of April, the month that I vowed NOT to step on the scale. Why is it so damn hard? When I brought up eternity the other day, there was another definition that I skipped right over and it’s pretty applicable right now: a long period of time that seems endless. […]
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This morning I read a ‘daily email’ on the subject of Eternity. One of the definitions is: A state of existence outside of time, and this particular meaning reminded me of something that happened years back—something that’s perfect for today’s Daily Gratitude. When I was going in and out of sobriety—and making a mess of […]
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I’m back for another “Daily Gratitude!” Before I start, I have to say that my inner rebel is coming out today. I grew up with the American version—COLOR—and I always feel cheated when I spell it that way. It looks so boring! Who would have thought that a simple little U could offer so much […]
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And more thoughts! This morning I woke up tired of thinking. That doesn’t happen very often. In the short time I’ve been awake, I felt droopy, slightly discouraged, and have been questioning some of my own ideas. And then I stumbled on this image and thought that maybe I just need to change the way […]
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If our pain doesn’t destroy us, it might just transform us into truly human beings at last. – Frederick Buechner I’m not very good at finishing books. I’d say that I’m halfway through 4 or 5 at the moment; maybe more. One in particular, A Crazy, Holy Grace: The Healing Power of Pain and Memory, […]
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Before I dig into any New Lifestyle, New Me updates, I thought I’d share some thoughts I’ve had on this COVID-19 dilemma, social distancing, and how it’s helping me come up with some new ideas. Staying away from crowds, as I’ve mentioned, hasn’t been difficult. Dealing with the recent rains, on the other hand, was […]
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Gives you Lemons. Life has definitely thrown a curve ball. A part of me wonders if it’s the perfect opportunity to postpone my New Lifestyle, New Me adventure, but the other part of me—the pushy and persistent side—will just not let that happen. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in this crazy, twisted, and often […]
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Stars and blossoming fruit trees: Utter permanence and extreme fragility give an equal sense of eternity. —Simone Weil What a beautiful quote. I thought it paired well with the plum tree blossoms. I saw them all over our baby tree this afternoon, when the sun was shining bright, and I just knew that I had […]
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Our life is frittered away by detail. An honest man has hardly need to count more than his ten fingers, or in extreme cases he may add his ten toes, and lump the rest. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! henry david thoreau I thought I’d do something different for my new series Going Green. A black and […]
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I wanted to stay up and do something before bed. I am NOT adjusting to the time change at all, and I am not a fan of staring at the ceiling until God knows what time. So, I thought I’d try something more constructive. Earlier this evening I had dinner with a couple of friends. […]
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Step to my Lou Today is the first day of my week two addition: The 10,000 Steps a Day Challenge. Maybe it’s just that I’m an optimist, but after receiving my step tracker I can see how this device will become a motivational tool for me. It’s like a little cheerleader, clinging to my body, […]
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The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. Alan Watts I thought I’d create this composite piece to express how I’m feeling this evening: Empowered. Nothing earthshaking has happened. The scale hasn’t tipped and my willpower crumbled again at the sight of […]
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The shy and the extroverted have this in common—that they both fancy they are the center of attention. Robert Breault I think that quote is excellent. In Developmental Psychology we learned about the imaginary audience in adolescence, which is the belief that others are acutely aware of and attentive to one’s appearance and behavior. This […]
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