Some Blogging News x 4!

I've been trying to find more time to work on my novel which I previously posted about here. It seems that the time online gets taken up quickly when I am writing posts, browsing blogs, Googling...and at the end of 4-5 hours most days, it's hard to really give my novel writing the attention that I think it warrants. So, for now, I am reducing my blogging significantly.

Here at  Happy Break, I plan to continue with my "Word of the Week" posts, early each week on Sunday or Monday. I like the idea of having a "word" to focus on, contemplate...during each week and it seems that many readers are enjoying these posts too. So, I will still be sharing some happiness here each week but only one post a week for now. I hope you'll enjoy what's upcoming for WOTW's and I hope they've been helpful and inspiring to you, so far!

At My Real Life Reviews, I will continue to post reviews on a regular basis. I'm planning for 2-3 reviews a week. I have a lot of those in the works already. Response over at MRLR has been great, from readers all over the world and from companies too. It's something I always wanted to do and I'm really enjoying the process of trying out products of all kinds and then sharing my thoughts about them over at MRLR. I hope you'll stop in soon and often.

At Veggies, Yarns & Tails and My Poetic Path, my two WordPress blogs, I am putting posting on hold for now. I'm not deleting these blogs and I may get back to them in the future. And the archives for recipes etc...is rather extensive after all these years. Just a break from both, for now.

As for my novel, it is going very well! I really can't believe the progress I'm making or the fun it's been. I'm going to get to the finish line, this time. I just know it! But it takes time and concentration and it needs to be a priority now. I only wish I could give up sleep and cram some more hours into every day!!!

So that's the plan...Not that I won't be visiting my fav blogs, of course I will! It just won't be quite as often for now.

Happy Autumn and Lots of Hugs, G :<)

Word of the Week: Grace

                         

The picture of grace...

And the power of grace...

"Grace is the effortless flow of existence; love and favor freely bestowed on us.That comes when we are living in harmony with life, when the rhythms of your body-mind are in synch with nature's rhythms. To live in grace is to experience that state of consciousness where things flow and your desires are easily fulfilled. Grace is magical, synchronistic, coincidental, joyful. It's the good-luck factor."

from the book: Power. Freedom and Grace by Deepak Chopra

I recently read this book. This quote truly seemed to be speaking to me. I've read it over again and again.

If I could have just one wish come true for anything, it would be to find and continue to live in a state of grace, as described here. This truly sums up the desires and wishes of my heart.It sounds like pure bliss, doesn't it? Inspiring.

Wishing you a wonderful week, filled with grace.

A Friday Chuckle from the Ched!

                                           

"Just try to move that leg Pawmie. No wait. In a half-hour or so you won't have to try, it's going to be oh, so numbey! Snort..... these humanoids, such fun to toy with!"

PS: One of Ched's fav places for a nap, snuggling up behind Joe's legs.

 I'm glad he doesn't pick me for this! :<)
                                              

Happy Autumn. My favorite season has officially arrived!



PS: Some recent posts at my other blogs you might also enjoy:

                   
Red Cabbage! Don't Ya Just Love It?  at  Veggies,Yarns & Tails
                       
Way of the Peaceful Warrior (book review) at My Real Life Reviews
                                       
Green Leaves and a Classic Poem at My Poetic Path

A LOL Drain Story!

We had some sink/drain problems here this past week.

Before finally waving the "plumber surrender" flag, we attempted to fix it ourselves.

Here's a very funny example of what can go wrong when someone takes the fine art of drain-cleaning in the wrong direction(s). I was laughing so hard watching this, I had tears in my eyes:

YouTube drain laughs!!!

A lot more fun watching this than trying to fix a drain!

Word of the Week: Nurture

"Yes, the grass frequently appears greener on the other side of the fence.
But in reality the grass is greenest where it gets watered the most.”

– Dan Miller

I noted this quote recently; shared over at the Positivity Blog (one of my fav stops online each week) and thought it tied in perfectly with this week's word.

If we don't take the time and make the effort to nurture ourselves and those we care about, we are missing out in so many ways.  Opportunities to grow ourselves, sometimes in unexpected ways. And to feel good about helping others to thrive and evolve too.

 

Wishing You a Wonderful Week.

And one that truly nurtures your mind and spirit. :<)

Another Desktop Dazzler!

          

With summer winding down, I thought it would be nice to feature this marigold, in all it's beautiful detail as a "desktop dazzler".  I haven't been dazzled or posted a DD for a while, it seems. ;<)

 For many years, I was not a fan of marigolds; now I just love them.

I hope you enjoy this orange dazzler; great as a desktop background too!

Hopefully all the brilliant fall colors will be here soon. 

Some much-needed rain would be nice too! Still not a drop here but in the forecast.

I've Been Posting Up a Storm!!!

I've been on a posting "binge" today. Actually wrote 6 posts in total. I think that's my record for one day! LOL

Here are the ones I've already posted:


Down & Dirty (book review) at: My Real Life Reviews (it's a gardening book btw, LOL)

Amber Alert! This time a happy ending at: My Poetic Path

On the Menu Last Night: Easy Vegetable Curry at: Veggies, Yarns & Tails


The others are scheduled for later. Now I'm off to work on my novel.

Speaking of storms, we've got rain on the way today, yippeee!!! We need it so much.

Happy Tuesday  :<)

Word of the Week: Integrity

                            

It's people with true integrity who have always been my heroes. The kind of people who stand by their personal beliefs and ethics, even when it's not the easy or popular route to take.

On a personal note, I think of myself as a person striving to live a life of integrity. Getting it right, not always, but most of the time. I have been challenged several times over the years in this respect. Two employment situations in particular come to mind. I stood up for people when it was not the "popular" or easy choice at the time.

It made for some very tough sailing for me, at one place in particular.. They fired a person who had worked there for years and who had been an exemplary employee but not one who was part of the "in" crowd.

Carol (name changed) ran the main office. She was very conscientious about her work. Not a person to allow all the staff on their own whims to go through personal or financial information (which many of them seemed to think was their right) and ran a tight ship in terms of keeping the books balanced etc....From where I was watching, Carol was the key person who kept this organization viable and progressing.

But as is too often the case, she ended up having the tables turned on her and the majority of staff rallying against her. A gang mentality continued to build. It was frightening to watch.

After several weeks of this internal back-stabbing a board meeting was called. All the other hands went up around the table in favor of firing her, including a "born again Christian" who was supposedly Carol's friend and loved to sing hymns throughout the day. Looking rather sheepish and embarrassed as I remember.

My hand stayed down. My convictions remained unchanged. I was not about to be a part of this nasty and uncalled-for dismissal. And as expected, after Carol was gone, the "guns" turned on me, making it difficult to continue to work there, in spite of the fact that I loved my job and needed it financially too.

But whatever challenges I faced after that episode, I felt good about what was the only choice I could make.

As it turned out, the "excellent" replacement employee who was hired after Carol, went on to bilk this organization out of thousands of dollars and was finally arrested. I saw it on the local TV news, years later. A little smile came to my face as I remember. In the long run, they did not come out ahead by getting rid of an honest, hard-working person. But rather, brought this organization to the brink of closure and cast a bad light on how it's operations were then perceived, throughout the community.

Another example that comes to mind when I think of the word integrity. Sealing a contract/agreement with a handshake.I don't know if that ever happens anymore but when I was very young I often remember my dad shaking hands with someone and it was "a deal" with no paperwork required. It was a given then, that was enough. "My word is my bond". I don't remember any of these transactions falling through either.

 It's not always easy to take the high road, to stand up for what's right, to speak up for the "underdog". But time after time (and sometimes it can take a very long time)  it is "always the right time to do the right thing".

***

To my readers in the U. S. A. 

Your Canadian friends stand with you today.

We will never forget.

                              

                       

in·teg·ri·ty

n.

1. Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.

2. The state of being unimpaired; soundness.

3. The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness.

Definition source: The Free Dictionary

Photo courtesy of: Flickr

The Gifts of All Artists Will Live On

                                                                               
Recently, Cathy from: The Voice Within posted a YouTube video featuring The Carpenters.

It still brings tears to my eyes, seeing the lovely Karen and her dashing brother Richard. Thinking about the circumstances that ended her life much too early and the loss to her family and all the world.

I also thought about the gifts that this brother and sister shared that will live on forever. Their timeless melodies, romantic and thoughtful lyrics and most of all, Karen's hauntingly beautiful voice.

How many married lives began to the strains of this classic: For All We Know

No matter what tragedies that may come into the life of any artist; the gifts that they bring to the world will remain. It's something that makes the sadness a little easier to think about. There will be joy along with the tears. Hope along with the sadness. A legacy that no one can take away.

And for generations to come: the song, the book, the painting,the poem, the words...they will never die. And in the case of Karen Carpenter; a personal, very tragic story that will probably continue to save many young lives, being re-told again and again.

Rest well dear Karen. You will never be forgotten.

Taking the Time to Say: Thank You!

Recently I was having yet another bout of insomnia at around 1 in the morning (that happens quite a bit) and decided to get up and do some browsing on the Web.

While on Google, I "happened" to find my way to a Doctors Review site. It got me thinking about a doctor I had met many years ago when I ended up in the emergency ward at 5 AM with what I thought at the time was either a heart attack or stroke (it was neither, just a lot of stress-related physical symptoms...long story).

Back to the "thank you" theme of this post. After finding this doctor's name on the review site and reading many glowing (they really were) reviews (and not one negative one!) from patients he had treated and cared for over the years, I decided to try to locate an email address for him. I wanted to send a note of thanks for his kindness and compassion on that very difficult night, so many years ago.



My email:

Many years ago, I ended up at the ..... Hospital emergency room at around 5AM, suffering from what I thought at the time was either a heart attack or stroke (it was neither, just way too much stress in my life). I had the good fortune to have you as the emergency room doctor who attended to me that night.

I was reading some reviews of doctors and came across your name. I vividly remember you and that night. You were so kind, professional and reassuring, I never forgot it. It appears from the reviews I was reading tonight, that I am not the only one who has been impressed by how you conduct yourself as a doctor. If I didn’t thank you that night (Oct. 1998) I just wanted to say that now. My sincere thanks to you for helping me so much on what was probably the most difficult night of my life. I lived to tell the tale though! I’m so glad you were there.

And the Dr.'s reply:

Thank you so much for your kind words! You made my day Geraldine. I will speaking to my Dad later today (both of my folks are well) and I will pass on your greetings.
Take care. R....


I've left out the names for confidentiality. Coincidentally,  I happened to know his parents, wonderful people.

It left me with such a good feeling to have been able to reconnect and to express my sincere appreciation, after all these years. I needed the care of a truly compassionate and professional doctor that night and that's exactly what happened.

If there's someone who you've always wanted to say thanks to and it got forgotten along the way for whatever reason, it really is worth the time and small effort to write a note, email or make a phone call. I'm so glad that I did....

Word of the Week: Weeds

Life’s garden of weeds.
Sometimes the stalks grow high.
The leaves unruly and untamed.
Crowding out our vision, view and desire to renew.

              
On (too) many a day.
So hard to see above and beyond.
But weeds have a lesson to teach;
unique and of themselves.

                               
They remind us that what we see is not always…
what we get.
What we perceive often hides,
the true picture and final story.

                              
Searching for the serenity and beauty to be found.
In the access and opportunities denied.
Perhaps, the road not travelled.


It is there, although at times,
hard to understand.
Often seen as trials.
Some days, impossible to bear.

                   
Life’s garden of weeds.
Futilely, we pull, strain and tug.
Instead of finding the patience required to,
wait out the storm.

                   
Once again,
to bask in the glorious sunshine.
A re-awakening required.

                          
There are no mistakes that cannot be healed.
Soaking up the seeds of growth.
To reappear as the most beautiful of blooms.
Sharing their timely and timeless wisdom.

***

GHH 2008, revised 2011

Also submitted for the OSI prompt: weed

PS: I think weeds (in all forms and senses of the word) can be blessings in disguise. :<)

By Way of (Two) Updates

** Prizes in the Happiness Is...contest:

I have finally got all of the prizes ready to mail. My apologies for the delay in getting these sent. First, I was waiting for quite a while to get all the addresses. Then I had a number of delays here including a two-week heat wave that really left me drained. When the temps rise, my energy levels sag, big time. But cooler temps have returned, I'm even sleeping better, hooray. So, all prizes will be in the mail next week. And do let me know if you don't receive yours in the next few weeks.

It may take a quite a while for mail to the U.S. and Europe which is getting slower and slower and that, I can't control.

** My ??? re: Word 2010:

Remember this post with my question re: Sub-folders/ Chapters?

Well yesterday I made up my mind I was going to figure this out and I finally did. The sub-folders as I had thought of them that show up in the Navigation pane (automatically for Chapter 1) when using the Word 2010 Book Manuscript template are actually considered just headings.

If you type in headings into the Help field, it is explained, kinda sorta....enough that I could figure it out and continue with my Chapters....yipeee! I love when I can figure out a techie question 'cause I am not a techie person.

I've said it a million times, I'll say it again: Microsoft needs some average, non-techie people working for them.

Simplify the basics. Don't get into so much detail about functions that are only used on a limited basis or not at all by a lot of users. And include "mini"help reference guides for a template's specific add-ons. Just 3 of many things, I'd recommend, if I happen to be one of those non-techie MS employees that they really need LOL!!!

I asked a lot of people about this folder/chapter ??? and no one could figure it out either. They tried. I hope in turn that my discovery will help someone else. Bill Gates....are you listening??


PS: And a couple of new posts at my other blogs you might also enjoy:


Veggies, Yarns & Tails: Craving a Trip to Caketown

My Poetic Path: Welcome September!


If you are travelling this long weekend, have a fun and safe journey! :<)

Brain Training CAN Be Fun....

              
....who'd a thunk it?

Read my full review at: My Real Life Reviews: Lumosity.com

It's been such fun and very helpful too!