AND SPEAKING OF CHANGE…

We had great plans for this past weekend … and then Hurricane Sandy hit!  How do you deal with life’s unpredictabilities?

One of my favorite stories about this is attributed to Solomon. According to this tale, King David was going through some tough times and he went to Solomon for advice. David supposedly asked how he could handle all the ups and downs of life. When bad things happened and he was down it felt like it would last forever and when life was good and he was up, he wanted it to last forever.

 

So, the story goes, Solomon made David a ring.  Inscribed into the gold was the expression: “This too shall pass …”

What do ya think?  Anyone need one of those rings… How do you handle life’s constant changes?

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HURRICANE SANDY

SERIOUSLY SPEAKING

What actually is a hurricane?  It’s a type of severe tropical storm typically accompanied by thunderstorms and often a counterclockwise circulation of wind near the earth’s surface. 

The peak season for Atlantic hurricanes is mid-August to late October. 

Looks like we just made it under the wire with Sandy!

HURRICANE SURVIVAL

Ok, we’ve been inundated (forgive me!) with information for hurricane survival – zones, evacuation plans, landfall, emergency kits… Two of my favorites are:  Determine how and where to secure your boat!  And consider building a safe room… Right…

Following are some practical tips from our Blog Buddies:

 If you live outside of the evacuation zone:

1)     Make sure your bathrooms are clean!  You never know who might show up…

2)     Invite your friends first because your enemies who live in zone one are sure to call…

3)     Have a hurricane “Freezer Party”.  Invite everyone you owe a dinner – that food is going to thaw anyhow…

And a few inspirational suggestions:

4)     If you get jostled by a stranger in that crowded last minute run for supplies, think of them as a potential friend who is already driving you crazy!

5)     Stuck with a house full of rambunctious kids?  Remember grandchildren are God’s gifts for not killing your kids!

6)     Finally, once you and yours are safe and sound sit back and appreciate the majesty of nature!

What do ya think?  Please share your hurricane stories with us!

A special shout out to our friends in Southern New Jersey!  We are thinking of you!

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SERIOUSLY SPEAKING

Some of the “stars” whose names are part of the fabric of our lives

began their stories with failure:

Did you know that Bill Gates was a college dropout?  Walt Disney was told he had no talent and Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame didn’t make it till age 65!  J. K. Rowling was penniless, depressed and on welfare and is now one of the richest women in the world and it is said that Thomas Edison failed 10,000 times before his light bulb finally worked!  check out more stories  

DANCE WITH IT!   EXPERIENTIAL APPS
An opportunity to experiment with some fun ideas...

Always wanted to try self hypnosis?  Here’s your chance!

Take a few deep breaths – close your eyes if you want – now let yourself drift backwards in time…

Remember your first bicycle ride?  Training wheels?  You balance on the seat.   It’s wobbly… But you do it!

Feel that excitement – Whoa!  And the first time without those extra wheels?  Was someone helping you balance?  Remember the sensation when you realized you were doing it on your own… Breathe deeply and let that exhilaration move throughout your entire body… You are flying!

Now take a mental snapshot of that moment…. Maybe the image comes with its own wonderful sound – Hear it?  Can you hum it?  Breathe it in!   Imagine putting a beautiful frame around this moment.

Now imagine putting that picture somewhere you can see it every day...  Hang onto that magic - it is always there – available to you – reminding you…

Dance with It and share your ride with us!

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UPSY DAISY

Who said it doesn’t matter how many times you fall down – only how many times you get up?

Keep that rhythm going.  We are designed for movement!  Keep dancing til the last light is turned off!  Feel the beat.  Dance with your feet – your fingers – your tongues.  Dance with your minds.  All movement is evolutionary. 

What do ya say?  Share some of your best moves with us!

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SERIOUSLY SPEAKING

In order to laugh at an experience, sometimes we need to recognize and acknowledge negative feelings attached to it.  Once we acknowledge these feelings – not ignore them – we can move through and past the negative and transform it into something easier to live with.

DANCE WITH IT!   EXPERIENTIAL APPS
An opportunity to experiment with some fun ideas...

Something happen that’s annoying you?  Use your imagination to create transformation!
         
Who and what is ‘renting space in your head’? 

Imagine a dialog where the “bad guy” gets on his knees and begs you for forgiveness…

Play Alice in Wonderland and change the size of your problem…Imagine it so large it takes up the entire world – then so tiny you can barely see it…

The idea of using your imagination this way is to remind you that you do have control over the amount of time and space in your mind these annoyances occupy!

Dance with It - and let us know what you discover!

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LEMONADE

My new home has a slanted floor – not on purpose – just bad craftsmanship.  No problem – I’ve decided to celebrate my built-in treadmill – walking from one room to another certainly constitutes at least a few minutes in the gym – and all day?  Wow – I’ve got it made!

How many of life’s lemons can you turn into lemonade?  Or at least a good laugh? 

Please share some of your juiciest with us!

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A NEW BLOG CATEGORY FOR US:
An opportunity to experiment with some fun ideas...

 DANCE WITH IT!   EXPERIENTIAL APPS
Don’t understand your dreams?  You can think of a dream as a night time drama production.  You are the script writer, director and frankly all the actors!  After all, it’s your dream.

1)       Re-write it if you want.  Perhaps it needs a new and different ending?  Some people can actually make ‘script revisions’ while they are still dreaming – others do it once they wake up.  

2)       Play with the characters after you wake up – Describe them to yourself –verbally or in writing – or share your dreams with a friend. ("Dreamsharing")  Give every actor and prop in your dream a voice – Even a tree can talk!  (Ask it what it’s doing in your dream and listen to the answer.)

3)       “Be” the characters and imagine them interacting with each other.

The idea is to explore the rich content that your unconscious mind is serving up to you as a mid-nite snack! 
           

SERIOUSLY SPEAKING

One of our readers asked about these “altered states” in the period between sleeping and waking. 

Why and what causes these “hallucinatory” experiences on the edge of sleep?  This common human experience is often called WST (wakefulness sleep transition).  We still have a lot to learn about this ‘hypnagogic’ state and its corresponding neurology.  

Many people report very pleasant or humorous experiences.  Some say they hear someone calling their name.  Many artists and inventors have credited this state with enhancing their creativity. 

There’s a beautiful quote from Peter Pan referring to this moment in human experience: 

“You know that place between sleep and awake, the place where you can still remember dreaming?  That’s where I’ll always love you.  That’s where I’ll be waiting.”

    J.M. Barrie 

    Peter Pan

HIGHLIGHTS

As I was waking up this morning, I saw the outlines of a birthday card highlighted on the ceiling:

          HAPPY BIRTHDAY

          HAVE A NICE DAY!

Was it really there?  Of course not!  Not surprising since it’s not my birthday – but it sure made me smile and got my day off to a great start?

What do ya think?  Have any good hallucinations to share?

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“IT’S NOT YOU…”

How many times have you used this one?  And in how many outrageously obvious situations?

Please!  After all these years can’t we finally tell the truth?  It is you!  I don’t like you, want to talk to you, go with you – whatever!  Fill in the blanks.

Twist and turn ladies!  Anything not to hurt their feelings, right?  Wrong!  If we can’t stand up and call it like it is after half a century on this planet, when…

This one is big!  Talk to us and share your stories.

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SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT

Or not!  Who cares?  Who is making the rules?  They are definitely NOT over the age of 50!  (check it out)

Be creative!  Who knows how much time any of us have?  Use it well!  Don’t bemoan those middle of the night hiatuses – think of them as stolen time…

Einstein seemed to be telling us that time moves faster as we age – those stolen middle of the night hours can expand our time frame.  Think of them as a gift of age and get creative.  Rock and roll!

 What do you think?  Share some of your best middle of the night adventures with us.

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PROCRASTINATION…

I mean seriously – there should be a song – Oh wait – there is!  Lots of them.  Really!  Check out YouTube!  There’s even a Procrastinators Anonymous!

What does that tell you? 

Maybe, just maybe, this is normal human behavior?  Maybe if we hadn’t spent our lives being scolded for putting things off - we’d have been able to realize that we just plain old weren’t ready!  What do ya think?

Have any good ‘wait until the last minute’ stories to share?

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To create a new thread go to 'Archive' on the right and click on "Dialoging"
Click 'comments' and share your thoughts with us...

One of our friends just commented on the first post - 'Old Ladies Dance' - asking for  creative inspiration from all of you out there - what do ya say?  Check it out...

COUNTING COUP ( WITH APOLOGIES TO THE PLAINS INDIANS)

A fascinating idea and useful tool – a coup stick has a notch for each non-lethal strike.

My imaginary coup stick gets a new notch every time I:

          Get my rear to the gym no matter how long I stay!

          Manage to brush my teeth before I fall asleep

          Take those vitamins!

          Say ‘no’ whenever my heart desires!

          Stick my tongue out at those 16 year old models in Vogue

          Smile at the lady who looks back at me in the mirror

          Count my blessings instead of my losses

Let’s face it ladies if we’ve made it this far we have a lot of coup to count!

OK out there – share your favorite ‘strikes’!  What do ya say, ladies?  Let’s hear from you!

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DIALOGING

One of the things that makes life tasty is the dialogue – Remember those late night junior high school (‘middle school’ to you young-uns) conversations with your best friends?  No matter what happened during the day, sharing made it better! 

Who do you shake-down your day with now?  Our Blog, without any effort has had 200 hits in 3 days!  Does that tell you something or what?  What do ya think, ladies?  Do some dialog-in with us! 

Please share our Blog with your friends – the more the merrier…

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