My Mind Is Parked, But The Chocolate Is Kicking In

6/2/1977…I read this in my junior high school yearbook and smiled.

6/2/2019….When he was put in a critical thinking scenario, the whistling began as a coping mechanism. The subject was unpleasant so he was attempting to birdcall it off.

Light Coming Through

Hiding Behind the Façade. Have Wig Will Travel!

Alone. Searching for the words to say something. Anything. To Who? Radio on. No need to talk. Driving from the mall on my way home, my eyes are blinded by the sun. Visor down to help, but it still does not block the intensity of the sun beaming down on the windshield. The only answer is to slow the car to a crawl and put my hand up to the sun coming in. Finally I can see to drive. Light still coming through though.
Giving up. I am home. Sitting in my car. Alone. Waiting for the garage door to open. Driving in. Engine off. Searching for something to say. Why? No one around to talk to. Still searching for something to say. No reason to. Getting out of the car. Door opened by my gloved hand and my dog to greet me. Thank God a familiar face. Happiness. Tail wagging.
No pressure now to say anything. Alone. Going to the back of the house. Light is shining through the window. No need to block it anymore. Enjoying the light coming through now. Searching for words to say. None comes. See only the light. No ghosts to worry about. Just me. Tiny body pressing against my lower legs reminding me I am worth something.

Passionate Post Where Art Thou?

Enjoying Nature and God’s Creation

While sipping my morning java and taking my Ibuprofen, misty thoughts run through my head as collectively I weigh the day’s needs. Summer times typically bring joy and fun. This summer has been a fruit bowl of mixed emotions. In all my lessons of life who would have thought writing would bring that moment of solace. It is like time stands still as composing my words come to life. Yes. Words have a life all their own.

While studying from scripture as a young teenager at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, I am reminded of how we were taught the Words of God were God Himself coming to life for us. It is a metaphor I embrace. Lately sitting in my backyard pondering what it is this life is all about, the birds remind me of how gentle life can be as the little finches eat from my feeders. At times you will see a nasty crow try to come in and cause a raucous. He is soon gone as I shoo him away. Blue Jays come out next usually in pairs. They spend a lot of time enjoying my backyard typically as many as four pairs. It is great to see them playing. Yet they are loud when they chirp.

Birds of the air can teach us so much. The biggest lesson is how birds will learn to adapt to any given environment to survive. It is a lesson to take to heart. Developing in my mindset the ability to adapt to changes in my life come rushing into my consciousness as I sit in my backyard gazing at these amazing birds.

Come Now. Let’s Settle The Matter

Remembrances of my past came with strong waves of emotion this week. It was as if an avalanche had hit me and I was buried alive. My son had lost his best friend and memories of this past year came crushing down. How many things does it take in my life to die before I will wake up? I was reminded of long ago of my dad’s death, then the loss of my precious childhood dog of 16 years, and more recently a truly beautiful friendship. How do we deal with life’s blows?
In the beginning of this year I began a study on renewing my life to those things that matter most. It hit me that as I saw the simpler things in life beginning to bless me, my heart was becoming wonderstruck. The wonder of nature brought me closer to God. The wonder of expectation opened doors for me. The wonder of prayer is rejuvenating me. Now this week the wonder of friendship is my focus. As I began this study a couple of months ago on the purpose of wonder, I invited five other women on this journey with me. We have been meeting every two weeks and opening our hearts to lead more intentional lives with each other and those around us.
Have you ever thought about how important relationships are in our lives? God made us to be in fellowship with each other for the good and the bad. In fact, friendships have been an important and integral part of my life. I realized how my son who lost his best friend through death has no choice but to move on without him. I have choices in my friendships. As this study began this week in the context of my life’s struggles, I could hear a calling in my heart–Come Now, Let Us Settle The Matter. Stop holding people at arm’s length.
The wonder of friendship and my study of it over the next two weeks I believe will be pivotal as I help my son and myself grow in this area. Reminding myself that no two friendships are the same is important. It is also vital to realize no two people are alike and we must accept people where they are at. If a friendship is not meant to go deeper than do not. Start adjusting your expectations and choose to love people right where they are at. Learning to love people unconditionally should be a pattern worth pursuing. It sure seems worth the effort.
One thing we can remember is that friendships do not happen over night. It takes time to cultivate just as a gardener plants her field, she must nurture it daily so how friendship must be also. I have a lot to learn from a gardener. Today though I wanted to share a few important thoughts on the human mind/soul/spirit that have begun growing in my heart and I hope it resonates with you today:
1. Be You.
2. Don’t Hide.
3. Be Honest.
4. Don’t Procrastinate.
5. Be Intentional.
6. Don’t lie.
7. Be Appreciative.
8. Don’t Do Nothing.
9. Be Alive.
As you think upon these ideas and especially the last one–No One gets out of this world alive so while you have a chance live your life on this earth to the fullest. Come Now, Let’s Settle The Matter and saturate those around you now with your friendship and love.

Thank You!

Hello from my computer room to yours!

Statistics can be a cool thing. I just wanted to mention a few tonight about my blog. This blog has went over 10,000 views in over 60 countries since its inception last year. I have had just about 1500 comments also. My first 5000 views came from May-December of last year. The last 5000 came in the first 8 weeks of this year. When I receive an award from my writing-it feels me with joy and I am pinching myself. Be assured I am reading through many of your blog posts and I hope in some small way my success would encourage you to keep writing. I am not at all tech savvy, but in time I have been able to figure out different things on WordPress to make my page more user-friendly. For example, I have on the right side of my page my top 8 posts that you can see highlighted by a grid of 8 photos. These are the ones you all liked the best or viewed the most. Now March is almost here. I can not wait to see what is around the corner with spring on its way!!

I Did It My Way

Photo taken of the Cascade Mountains reveals the majesty of our world around us.

I am not into reblogging, but this one from a peer of mine who is speaking from her experiences with the dying just about choked me up beyond words. She interviewed the dying and asked what regrets they had in their lives. As a cancer survivor on more than one occasion, I truly get this list. Most with good health will not, but you do have a chance to. Review this now and see what you can do to change your ways:
http://www.alternet.org/5-top-regrets-people-have-end-their-lives

Pina Colada

I was definitely a product of the music of my times.

I love Sirius Radio and listening to the hits from American Top 40. Today I really got a kick out of the songs from this week for 1980. Each song took me away to the oblivion of love gone wrong. With Valentines around the corner, it is time to think of doing something special for your loved one. Sometimes we take our partner in life for granted. It should not be so. After finally hearing one particular song, I realized how we are not so different from the songs of 33 years ago. Rupert Holmes wrote Escape (The Pina Colada Song) which is an eclectic song about a man reading a news ad that a woman placed looking for a new lover just to find out the ad in the paper was placed by his own partner. It reminds me of how we try to find someone else to love us when we have that love right next to us.
I decided to look up more information about Rupert, the songwriter and singer, and found out how much our home lives were similar. He has an autistic son and he had a daughter who died at the age of 10 of a brain tumor. It was strange reading the similarities in his life to my own as I was drawn to this silly song. Rupert has gone on to writing some magnificent Broadway plays that are full of heart and soul ( http://www.rupertholmes.com/index.php ). In fact his play’s recordings of Edwin DROOD is number one for 2013 on Amazon.
Finally do not forget to do something special for your loved one. Maybe it will be as Rupert sang his song that you too realize how lucky you have it with the guy or gal sleeping right next to you. Here are a few of the lyrics that just put a smile on my face just like it did 33 years ago when I did not care the least for boys:
If you like pina colada,
And getting caught in the rain,
If your not into yoga,
If you have half a brain,
If you like making love at midnight,
In the dunes on the cape,
Then I’m the love that you’ve looked for,
Write to me and escape.

Happy Valentine to my Man as I hear him snoring right next to me.

The Letter Part 2

After Roy retired from the military, he became the Director of Veteran Affairs under Governor George Wallace of Alabama

My teenage son wrote the following post in honor of his grandpa by describing what this picture meant to him.

Roy and his cousin Melda meeting for the first time.

Today we are celebrating my step dad Roy’s 90th birthday. He was a WWII VET and a POW in STALAG 17. I shared briefly his story yesterday and so many of you commented and sent Roy birthday wishes that he asked me to thank each and every one of you for your kind words. Here is a link if you are interested in seeing that story and some of the most powerful comments and even poems I have ever seen: https://alesiablogs.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/the-letter/ .

Today I thought appropriate to put together a collage of photos of Roy.

KIDS!

Growing up in Hawaii offered kids interesting opportunities like BIRDS on your head!

Blogging is still a very new way of expressing myself. Sharing and reaching out to others for affirmation or showing my unique way of looking at life seemed to bring an audience into my world. I am grateful for each of you. A couple of weeks ago I was nominated for The Beautiful Blogger Award ( http://scvincent.com/awards/ ) and asked to share seven things about myself. I thought I would confess some of my childhood mishaps. Now remember these were the early 70’s!!!! I hope it brings a smile to your face and you see a little of yourself in my answers. After all you were a kid once:
1. I thought I was a great singer at the age of eight in 1971. I sang to the same Donny Osmond album night after night. Mom told me I may have actually sang Puppy Love more than Donny Osmond and Paul Anka combined. It seemed Mom was not too impressed with my singing. It was soon after that I had to give up my musical career. I actually auditioned for the neighborhood band and was “promoted” to manager as the band said I hit a few too many sour notes.
2. I loved playing softball. One year while on the ALL STAR team, I hurt my knee and it was swelling pretty bad. There was some guy at the game who said he could “take the pain away” by hypnotizing me. I let him do that right there with the players around me watching. Before I knew it all the pain was gone. I pitched the game and never felt pain. Later I got home and my knee hurt like hell. My mother was not too impressed.
3. I have gone number one in the pool while I was growing up. I could not help it because I just wanted to keep swimming. Now that Michael Phelps confessed that he has done this, I felt it was OK to share. Mother would not have been too impressed so I did not tell her.
4. I studied best with my dog Rascal growing up. I still love being around animals. I played with him more than studying. Mom was not impressed.
5. I was baptised at the YMCA. It was not a real spiritual experience as I froze my butt off when I got out of that water and my tittys could be seen frozen to death! I wonder if I gave anyone a cheap thrill that day? My mother would not have been impressed.
6. I once spit out food right in front of my grandma while eating breakfast she made me. I was eating eggs with something in them when I said, “Gramma this is good, but what’s in these eggs?” She said in her Kentucky accent, “Child that is pig’s brains. They are good for you.” I proceeded to barf. Mom was not impressed.
7. I was once in a tornado. My daddy and I were going down a road when the weather proceeded to change rapidly. Our car was actually lifted off the road. It was clearly an outer body experience. I remember not even being scared. I was like cool looking at dad thinking come on car do that again! OMG was I nuts or what? I never told my mom this story until a couple of weeks ago. She finally seemed impressed. LOVE YOU MOM! I know you are reading this….

New York City’s HIGH LINE On Tour: A Unique Perspective

When I was in New York with my dear friend Stacy, we chose to tour one of the top tourist attractions of the country which was the High Line. I had no idea what it was all about until we experienced it ourselves. The High Line is a one mile linear park built on old historic railroad tracks. It lies on Manhatten’s west side and was opened to the public in 2011. It is really one of the most unique experiences you can imagine walking along what was where a train ran for many years. The park was built there by a community based nonprofit supported organization’s effort at preserving history ( http://www.thehighline.org/ ).