2010 Fall Vacation Pictures of a few of America's National Parks

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.149069025151632.30112.100001456060960&l=d2d4de859b

Movie Suggestion: The Conspirator

Directed by Robert Redford, The Conspirator is a movie based on the true story of a war hero who defends a mother accused of aiding in Lincoln's assassination.  You will leave the movie with more questions than you had when you went in.  I highly recommend.

Movie Suggestion: "African Cats"

"African Cats" a movie must see!  Beautiful cinematography!
MPAA Rating G
Genres:  Action/ Adventure and Documentary

  "An epic true story set against the backdrop of one of the wildest places on Earth, "African Cats" captures the real-life love, humor and determination of the majestic kings of the savanna."

Top Ten Things To Be Grateful About Every Day

Photography by Maxie

The following is by Dennis R. Tesdell

This list seems very basic.  Yet not everyone in this country or in the world has, or will be able to be grateful for, all of these things.  In their life some of these things do not exist now, nor  have they ever existed.

 1.  Waking up alive

George Burns once said a great day for him was waking up and not seeing candles, a church, and his friends all dressed in black.  He was blessed financially and health wise.  Many, in this country and in other countries, are lucky to make it to the age of 10, let alone 100.

 2.  Decent Air To Breath

While everyone has this, in some places in the world, the air is so polluted and foul smelling, the people die of respiratory ailments just from breathing.

 3. A New Day To Learn and To Earn A Livelihood

Most of us live in areas with low - medium unemployment rates.  If we choose and need to work and have a job, we can earn money daily or weekly *somehow*.  Others are in school or educational environments.  They can learn or increase what they already know.  Many people have no jobs and will never have a chance to learn a basic education.

 4.  A Home In Which To Eat, Sleep, Live, and Relax

We are blessed if we are not one of the millions of people whose home consists of a car, an abandoned house or building, cardboard or tin constructed "shelters," or the bare earth or grass.  Think about pictures you may have seen of the homeless when you complain about your home or apartment being too cold or warm, or the utility bill being too high.

 5.  Ample Clean Food To Eat & The Option To Buy As Much As We Need

Most of us never have experienced waiting in line 2-6 hours to buy a loaf of bread, someflour, eggs, etc.  We don't know what it is like to wait for a truck to pull up and hand out boxes or containers of rice or Red Cross rations.  We've never dug in dumpsters behind a grocery store or restaurant to get food that was thrown out to have for our daily meal.  Food is expensive for many.  At least in the U.S. we have no lack of it and it is not rationed out to us or sold at black market prices.

 6.  Friends, Family and Pets

Most all of us have one or more of these three things in our life.  In some parts of the country and the world, people are alone andyoung children are alone.  And the "pet" may have to end up feeding a family or a group of people due to lack of any other food supply.  We spend more money on the food and vet bills for our pets than many people in poor countries Make in income in a period of 1-3 years.

 7.  Living In A Democratic Society

Not talking or pushing politics.  But we are free to pretty much do and say what we wish as covered by the Bill of Rights.  And we don't have tanks and armed soldiers walking the streets 24 hours a doay looking for looters, guerillas and terrorists.  (The terrorists breaching our country's security, on Tuesday, September 11, 2001, in New York, were not Americans!) Life and government isn't at all perfect here.  But it sure beats anything elso I have see or read about in my lifetime.

 8.  Abundant Natural Resources

Yes we need to clean up our water and air, and plant more trees, ect.  But we do have in our towns, water and sewage control that are sanitary to use and maintained better then in many other countries int he world.  We also have ample supplies of electricity, gas, and other resources we need to live and thrive personally and industrially.

 9.  Clothing To Protect Us From The Elements & Enhance Our Appearance

True, there are places in the U.S. where people in poverty lack adequate clothing.  Compared to our population, however, the majority of us have adequate clothes, and many of us have clothing that is both functional and attractive as well.

10.  The Gift Of Choice

This is something everyone has no matter where they live.  Even if they live in a poor non-democratic society, we all have the choice to make decisions, to act, and to be however we wish, as adults at least.  This was given us at birth and is never taken away, but is often taken for granted, ignored, or not fully developed or used. 

Dennis R. Tesdell is an experienced personal development and self-care coach as well as an author. 

TEN THINGS I LEARNED FROM MY CAT

Ten Things I Learned From My Cat

1.  When you are happy to see someone, stretch your arms up to them and ask to be picked up.

2.  If the person you love forgets to feed you dinner, don't take it personally.  Instead, run to sit by your plate and look hungry every time they walk by.

3.  Talk to the one you love, incessantly and constantly.  It makes them feel loved, appreciated and important.

4.  Always be ready to play.  Know how to recognize the playful look in the person you love, and immediately start playing.

5.  Don't be afraid to ask to be touched.  Just falling down and looking cute works well.  Otherwise, rubbing up against the person you love will do the trick.

6.  If you keep asking for attention and don't get any, try disappearing suddenly.  Then, don't come back for a little while, even if you are called.  Your loved one will think twice before ignoring you next time.

7.  Show your love and adoration by bring presents.  Make sure to stand by your present and get fully appreciated.

8.  Purr when the person you love is anywhere near you.  It will encourage them to get closer to you and touch you, while at the same time making them feel appreciated.

9.  Encourage the person you love to take naps with you.  When you take naps, make sure to cuddle up under the blanket with them and get as close as you can.

10. Always comfort the person you love, regardless of whether they need emotional or physical comfort.  Cuddling, purring and being sat on are sure cures for almost anything.  

What Dogs Can Teach People

What Dogs Do for Us:

Catch Frisbees.

Keep a night alone from being tryly lonely.

Get us outside on beautiful fall days, rainy days and cold winter days.

Listen to our singing.

Treat us like celebrities when we come home.

Warm up our beds on cold nights.

Make our hearts more vigorous.

Alert us to the arrival of the mail.

Help us live a little longer.

Make us smile.

Agree with everything we say.

Warm our knees with their chins.

Provide a use for old tennis balls.

Signal when a thunderstorm is coming.

Help lower our blood pressure.

Test how fast we can run.

Get jealous when the cat demands attention.

Help in the disposal of left-overs.

Notifies us of a stranger at our door.

Teach us the meaning of unconditional love.

...and so much more!



"My Greatest Spiritual Teacher, My Pet"

Photography by Maxie


My Greatest Spiritual Teacher, My Pet

My greatest spiritual lessons came to me in the one place I least expected, wrapped in one incredibly beautiful ball of fur.  They came from YOU!

My dearest companion and loving pet.

You taught me to feel my way through life,

To keep my senses open and to sniff out each person, place and thing and if it doesn't smell right, to just leave it alone.

You taught me the meaning of compassion and acceptance by allowing me to be exactly who I am and loving me, and kissing me and nuzzling with me anyway.

You taught me forgiveness by never holding onto anything after the moment passed, and in your wise eyes I finally saw there really was nothing to forgive in the first place.

You taught me that life is an adventure and every precious moment is just waiting to be explored, smelled, tasted, savored and delight in.

You taught me the true meaning of the word gratitude and not to be afraid to really show someone how excited and happy they made me.

Your taught me to be fully present in every single moment, and to keep my thoughts focused on what lies right before me on my journey through the day.

You taught me to be open to everything and everyone who crosses my path and to delight in their presence and seek refreshment from it.

You taught me to express myself when I need to and not to keep my feelings bottled up inside, to purr or bark or growl, whatever the moment called for.

You taught me the meaning of unconditional love by giving it to me always, and never holding back any single part of yourself from me.

You taught me the true meaning of the word JOY in your incredible ability to lose yourself each day in gay, passionate abandon over the simplest of pleasures.

I searched for so long, in so many places, for all the answers to the mysteries of life.  How surprised I was to finally find them right there in front of me, in YOU!  My dearest companion and loving pet.

Copyright 2000 by Veronica M. Hay

Veronica Hay is also the publisher ofA Magazine of People & Possibilitiesa FREE, inspirational, holistic publication now
celebrating 18 years in Print and 13 years Online.http:www.peopleandpossibilities.com

Veronica Hay is an inspirational writer and the author of..."In a Dream, You Can Do Anything, A Collection of Words"                         Email:. veronicahay@telus.net

Important Investment

Photography by Maxie


Imagine that there is a bank which credits your account each morning with $86,400.  It carries over no balance from day to day.  Every evening the bank deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day.  What would you do?  Draw out ever cent, of course!

Each of us has such a bank.  Its name it TIME.  Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds.  Every night it writes off, as lost whatever part of this you have failed to invest to good purpose.  It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft.  Each day it opens a new account for you.  Each night it burns the remains of the day.  If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours.  There is no going back.  There is no drawing against the "tomorrow."  You must live in the present on today's deposits.  Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success!  The clock is running...Make the most of today.

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.

To realize the value of ONE MONTH ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of ONE WEEK ask the editor of a weekly publication.

To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers, who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.

To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who has just avoided an accident.

To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Treasure every moment that you have!  And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time with.  Remember that time waits for  no one.

Friends are very rare jewel.  They make you smile and encourage you to succeed.  They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their heart to you.  Yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery and today is a gift.  That is why it's called, THE PRESENT.

Good Grief

Good Grief, You all taught me a lot!  Yes you did!

For 50 years the daily comic strip 'Peanuts' entertained millions of readers.  Every day, the adventures of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus and the whole gang provided many laugh-out loud moments while at the same time offering a daily inspiration and lessons on life.  Many of the lessons they taught us included:

1.  It's okay to be afraid...just don't let your fears control you.

Charlie Brown often sat in bed and spoke of his fears, but no matter how scared he was, he always did the things he wanted to do.

2.  Persistence wins out.

Charlie Brown often lost, failed at much, but he never gave up.  Even though he knew Lucy was going to pull the football away before he could kick it...Even though he knew the tree was going to eat his kite...Even though he knew his team would lose the ball game, he kept on trying.

3.  It's what you think of yourself that counts.

Linus carried a security blanket for years and his friends laughed at him.  They also laughed at him because he believed in the "Great Pumpkin."  Pigpen was a walking cloud of dust and dirt and was often regarded unkindly.  Both characters, however, were always proud of themselves and believed they were as good as anybody else -- and they were right.

4.  Sometimes you need to talk.

One thing the 'Peanuts" gang understood was the importance of talking things out.  Whether leaning up against Schroeder's piano or atop the brick wall, they always had someplace to discuss what was of concern to them.

5.  Sometimes you need to listen.

Even crabby, self-indulged Lucy knew the importance of listening.  She started the famous 'Psychiatry Booth' where any and all could come and be heard.

6.  Do what you love to do.

Through all their adventures, Schroeder remained constant in his appreciation of Beethoven and his love of playing the piano.  He loved to play the piano and that's what he did, regardless of the circumstances.  Charlie Brown flew his kite, played baseball and football, not just to win (he knew he wouldn't), but because he loved to do those things.

7.  It's important to have friends that care.

The 'Peanuts' gang was made up of individual characters, each with their own foibles and talents, but through it all they were always there for each other.

8.  Big dreams lead to big things.

Snoopy was the biggest dreamer of them all, but his wild imagination often led to even wilder, more fantastic adventures in real life.  Snoopy knew that you must have a big dream if you are going to lead a big life.

9.Action creates reality.

As Charlie Brown was reminded time and again after prodding from Linus:  it takes action to bring about change.  Though he often failed, Chuck took action quite regularly...and every now and again things would go his way.

10.  Laugh every day!

While the kids themselves may not have seen the humor in the things they did, Schulz made sure that we did.  Life is only as serious or as humorous as YOU make it.

Lighten up.  Go play softball.  Fly a kite.  Dance with you dog.  Smile...it makes people wonder what you're up to.

Jim Allen is a professional life coach, speaker, and writer.

CoachJim.com
8607 Capistrano Way
Odenton, Maryland, 21113-3412
Phone: (443) 336-0632 or TOLL FREE: (877) 719-8939
Fax: (877) 719-8939
E-Mail: Please use the contact form: Email Coach Jim Here

Thoughts On Being Over 50

When It Comes To Being Over 50:

 Kidnappers are not very interested in you.

In a hostage situation you are likely to be released first.

No one expects you to run....anywhere.

People call at 9:00 pm and ask, "Did I wake you?"

There is nothing left to learn the hard way.

"Things you buy now will, likely, not wear out before you die."

"You can eat dinner at 4:00pm and no one will consider it strange."

"You can live without sex but not your glasses."

"You get into heated arguments about pension plans."

"Speed limits no longer pose a challenge." 

 "You drive slower than everyone in the right hand lane

 because you can't see and you forgot what the speed limit was years ago." 

"You quit trying to hold your stomach in no matter who walks into the room."

"You sing along with elevator music."

"Your eyes won't get much worse."

  You have already had cataract surgery on both eyes."

"Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to payoff."

"Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the national weather service."

"Your secrets are safe with your friends

 because they can't remember them either."

"Your supply of brain cells is finally down to a manageable size."

"You can't remember who sent you this list and truly don't really care."

Author unknown.

On John Burroughs an American Naturalist and Essayist



Photography by Maxie



 

John Burroughs (April 3, 1837 - March 29, 1921)

The complete writings of John Burroughs totals 23 volumes.  He was an American naturalist and essayist and important in the evolution of our countries conservation movement.  Considered, by some, less of a scientific naturalist and more of a literary naturalist.  Burroughs writings reflected his own unique perceptions of the natural world.

The following are some of the quotes of John Burroughs:

"The Kingdom of Heaven is not a place, but a state of mind."

John Burroughs

"The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive.  The great opportunity is where you are."

John Burroughs

"The secret of happiness is something to do."

John Burroughs

"The smallest deed is better than the greatest intention."

John Burroughs

"The spirit of man can endure only so much and when it is broken only a miracle can mend it."

John Burroughs

"There is hardly a man on earth who will take advice unless he is certain that it is positively bad."

John Burroughs

""To learn something new, take the path that you took yesterday."

John Burroughs

"A man can get discouraged many times but his is not a failure until he begins to blame somebody else and stops trying."

John Burroughs

"Blessed is the man who has some congenial work, some occupation in which he can put his heart, and which affords a complete outlet to all the forces there are in him."

John Burroughs

""For anything worth having one must pay the price; and the price is always work, patience, love, self-sacrifice - no paper currency, no promises to pay, but the gold of real service."

John Burroughs

"How beautiful the leaves grow old.  How full of light and color are their last days."

John Burroughs

"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order."

John Burroughs

"I have discovered the secret of happiness - it is work, either with the hands or the head.  The moment I have something to do, the draughts are open and my chimney draws, and I am happy."

John Burroughs

"I seldom go into a natural history museum without feeling as if I were attending a funeral."

John Burroughs

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see."

John Burroughs

"If we take science as our sole guide, if we accept and hold fast that alone which is verifiable, the old theology must go."

John Burroughs

"If you think you can do it, you can."

John Burroughs

"It is always easier to believe than to deny.  Our minds are naturally affirmative."

John Burroughs

"Joy in the universe, and keen curiosity about it all - that has been my religion."

John Burroughs

"Leap, and the net will appear."

John Burroughs

"To me - old age is always ten years older than I am."

John Burroughs

"To treat you facts with imagination is one thing, to imagine you facts is another."

John Burroughs

"A somebody was once a nobody who wanted to and did."

John Burroughs

"Life is a struggle, but not a warfare."

John Burroughs

"Science has done more for the development of western civilization in one hundred years

 than Christianity did in eighteen hundred years."

John Burroughs

GOLDEN RULES FOR EASIER LIVING

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MAXIE

GOLDEN RULES FOR EASIER LIVING

 1.  IF YOU OPEN IT, CLOSE IT.

 2.  IF YOU TURN IT ON, TURN IT OFF.

 3.  IF YOU UNLOCK IT, LOCK IT UP.

 4.  IF YOU BREAK IT, ADMIT IT.

 5.  IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT, CALL IN SOMEONE WHO CAN.

 6.  IF YOU BORROW IT, RETURN IT.

 7.  IF YOU VALUE IT, TAKE CARE OF IT.

 8.  IF YOU MAKE A MESS, CLEAN IT UP.

 9.  IF YOU MOVE IT, PUT IT BACK.

10.  IF IT BELONGS TO SOMEONE ELSE AND YOU WANT TO USE IT, GET PERMISSION.

11.  IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO OPERATE IT, LEAVE IT ALONE.

12.  IF IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, DON'T ASK QUESTIONS.

13.  IF IT ISN'T BROKEN, DON'T FIX IT.

14.  IF IT WILL BRIGHTEN SOME ONE'S DAY...SAY IT !

 



The Story of the Butterfly

A man found the cocoon of a butterfly.

One day a small opening appeared.

The man sat and watched the butterfly for several hours

as it struggled to force its body through the tiny hole.

Then it stopped, as if it could go no further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly.

He took a pair of scissors and

snipped off the remaining bits of cocoon.

The butterfly emerged easily, but

it had a swollen body and shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch it and

expecting that any minute the wings would enlarge

and expand enough to support the body.

Neither happened!

In fact the butterfly spent the rest of its life

crawling around.

It was never able to fly.

What the man in his kindness

and hast had not understood was

that the restricting cocoon and the struggle,

required by the butterfly to get through the opening,

was a way of forcing the fluid from the body

into the wings so that it would be ready

for flight once that freedom was achieved.

So it is with us.

Sometimes struggles are exactly

what we need in our lives.

Going through life with no obstacles

 would robe us of becoming strong and, perhaps, realizing our life's potential.

It's the struggles in life that make us appreciate our successes.

Author Unknown

Why we are so in love with the game of golf.

Golf is a science, the study of a lifetime,

in which you may exhaust yourself but never your subject.

It is a contest, a duel or a melee, calling for skill, courage,

strategy and self control.

It is a test of temper, a trial of honor, a revealer of character.

It affords a chance to play the man and act the gentleman.

It means going into God's out of doors, getting close to nature, fresh air, exercise,

a sweeping away of mental cobwebs, genius recreation of tired tissues.

It is a cure for care, an antidote to worry.

It includes companionship with friends, social intercourse,

 opportunities for courtesy, kindness and generosity to an opponent.

It promotes not only physical health, but moral force.

David R. Forgan 1899

The Golden Years

You know you are growing older when:

You have more gold in your teeth, if you have teeth, than you do in the bank.

Everything hurts, and what doesn't hurt doesn't work.

The gleam in your eyes is from the sun hitting your bifocals.

You feel like the night before and you haven't been anywhere.

Your little black book contains only names ending in M.D.

You get winded waiting for your Netflix DVD to load.

Your nephew begins to gray.

You join a health club every January and then don't go.

You begin to out live enthusiasm.

Your mind makes contracts your body can't meet.

You know all the answers, but nobody ask you the questions.

You start looking forward to a dull evening.

Your favorite part of the newspaper is "25 Years Ago Today"...if you even read a newspaper.

You sit in a rocking chair and can't get it going.

Your knees buckle and your belt won't

Your back goes out more than you do.

A fortuneteller offers to read you face.

You burn the midnight oil after 9:00 p.m.

You sink your teeth into a steak and they stay there.

You're 17 inches around the neck and 42 inches around your waist.

You celebrate you birthday on Ground Hog Day because you have forgotten when it is.

Pushing all the buttons on the unprogramed phone, your kids gave you for Christmas, wears you out.

You turn out the lights for economic reasons rather than romantic ones.

You remember today that yesterday was the last day to renew your license.

You are startled the first time a person addressed you as "Old Timer".

Your pacemaker makes the garage door go up when an attractive woman walks by.

You get your exercise acting as a pallbearer for your friends who have exercised.

You have too much room in your house and not enough room in the medicine cabinet.

You climb into bed for a night of making love and realize you don't have your dentures in.

The best part of your day is over when your alarm clock goes off.

Author Unknown

Look for the lesson and move on.

Photography by Maxie

You simply cannot pay anyone back for something they did to you.  Look for the lesson and move on.  If one man or woman treats you badly, rejects you, abandons you, abuses or disrespects you, you cannot hold all men or women accountable. Look for the lesson and move on.
If your ex-wife or husband took your money, lied to you, neglected your children and your home, it does not mean that all men and women cannot be trusted. Look for the lesson and move on.  If some white people are racist; some black people thieves; some intellectual people condescending; some uneducated people lazy; some light people uppity; some dark people ignorant; it does not give you the right or the authority to treat all people any way you choose, based on your past experiences.  Ask yourself, what can I learn from this situation?  What can I do this time that I did not do before?  If there is nothing, simply move on.

Author Unknown

THE LIGHTER SIDE OF A TREATABLE DISEASE

 1.  If you're really co-dependent, don't worry.  The disease is very patient.  It will wait until you're sick and tired of   being sick and tired.

 2.  Keep doing what you're doing and you'll keep getting what you're getting.  Trust the process.

You'll drop to your knees sooner or later.

 3.  If someone tries to put a label on you as co-dependent, ignore him or her.  Why should you be deprived on the opportunity to find out for yourself?

 4.  If control is your game, then control is your name...out of control, that is.

 5.  If you're in an unhealthy relationship where you find yourself giving and giving and they're taking and taking...hang on.  You haven't seen anything yet.  You'll need to give more just to keep that sick feeling churning in the pit of your stomach.  Remember, you need to feel sick.

 6.  If you keep finding yourself in lose-lose relationships, cheer up.  You'll keep getting the same homework until you get the lesson right.  Get a divorce...get a couple of divorces.  That's a sure way to get the monkey off your back, for the time being.

 7.  A co-dependent's best thinking can screw up a two-car funeral.  Get some help.  Get honest with another human being so you can see yourself.  An interesting thing happens when you get honest with someone else...things get better.

 8.  If you have the gnawing feeling that he or she might straighten up and get off your back so you can get on with your life...well, forget it!  They aren't that powerful to give you peace of mind.


 9.  God must certainly have a sense of humor.  Who else would hide himself in the last place you would look...within yourself.  Happiness is an inside job.  If you are not happy with your own insides, you are in for a long haul looking outside of self to people, place or things in order to get comfortable.


10.  People are attracted to recovery.  No one is going to be able to get by promoting it to you.  It doesn't work that way.  It's sort of like catching spring fever...you catch it or you don't.  If you sit still long enough, you'll catch it.  What comes by you won't go by you.


11.  Know thyself, says a Greek philosopher.  If you don't know yourself, who is going to be able to tell you exactly who you exactly are?  Have the humility (teach ability) to be yourself before yourself and another human being and you will be on the "high road to recovery".


12.  Co-dependents like the softer, easier way.  We want what we what when we want it...NOW!


13.  Ever get the sensation of walking off a cliff backward?  That's the sensation you'll need to have prior to getting on with recovery.


14.  Recovery is for hopeless people.  Only hopeless people are sufficiently motivated enough to take actions that are contrary to the nature of people like them.


15.  Until you become helpless and hopeless, you are never going to do anything about your disease.  Only thoroughly hopeless people will ever take the steps in recovery.


16.  Bottom is not a place...it is a feeling that we can't live like this anymore.


Author unknown.

Photography by Maxie