Necessary Solitude

"Often we can help each other most

by leaving each other alone;

at other times we need the hand-grasp

and the word of cheer."

-Elbert Hubbard

American editor, publisher and writer, 1856-1915

You Must Keep Going

"Success is not final,
failure is not fatal;
It is the courage to continue
that counts."
-Winston Churchill
1871-1965

Spring

image courtesy of Chicciola @http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/chiocciola/

"Spring is nature's way of saying,
'Let's Party!'"
-Robin Williams

Is There Another Way of Doing This

“Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels that there really is another way, if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it.”
from “Winnie-The-Pooh” by A. A. Milne

Allow the Wind to Fill Your Sails

Take risks,

you can never discover new oceans

unless you have the courage to lose sight

of the shore.

The Sky Is The Limit

photo by ashtapot

"Only those who will risk going too far
can possibly find out how far one can go."
~ T.S. Elliot

Dressing for Your Dreams

Dress found on Lolita-photo by Patrick Demarchelier

"Be careful what you wear to bed at night,
you never know who you'll meet in your dreams."

Why did Einstein stick out his tongue to the photographer?

Albert Einstein and the Aydelottes were just returning from an event which had taken place in honour of Einstein. Einstein was, though already sitting in the car, still bullied by reporters and photographers. They didn’t let him be and he is said to have shouted: "That’s enough, that’s enough!" However, these words didn’t hinder the photographers from taking some more pictures of Einstein and his companions. And when he still was asked to pose for a birthday picture he really grew tired of the journalists and the photographers and as encouraging words didn’t help any more, he stuck out his tongue to his "prosecutors". The photographer Arthur Sasse pressed the button of his camera in just this moment.
Einstein liked the picture very much. He cut it into shape so only he can still be seen. Then he had made several copies of it and sent the thus "manipulated" picture as a greeting card to friends later on.

Don't You Worry, Some Day Your Ship Will Come In

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavour by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. " - Washington Irving (1783-1859)

The Mayonnaise Jar and Two Cups of Coffee

There's always time for you and a friend.

image via marie claire le maison

You may have heard a version of this before but I think the message serves us all well and is definitely worth a revisit.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.He then asked the students if the jar was full.They agreed that it was.The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.He then asked the students again if the jar was full.They agreed that it was.The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.Of course, the sand filled up everything else.He asked once more if the jar was full.The students responded with a unanimous "yes."The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed."Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.The golf balls are the important things - your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions - and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.The sand is everything else - the small stuff.""If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls."The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you."Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.The professor smiled.

"I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

You Only Need A Few Really Good Ones

"The better part of one's life consists of friendships"
-Abraham Lincoln

Stress Management

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on.When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden. So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow.


Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:

* Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue

* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them

* Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.

* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.

* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.

* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.

* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.

* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

* Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.

* The second mouse gets the cheese.

* When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.

* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.

* We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names,and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.

*A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

It's a Matter of Perspective

Image via the web

Some people look at the glass half empty.

I look at the glass

"half full" !

Night in the City

Moons up

nights up

Taking the town by surprise

Night time

night time

Day left an hour ago

City light time

Must you get ready so slow

There are places to come from

and places to go

Night in the city looks pretty to me

Night in the city looks fine

"Night in the City"-Joanie Mitchell

Music in My Heart

"You are the music, while the music lasts."-T. S. Elliott

The other night I was reminded of a hauntingly, lovely song called "Falling Slowly" written for the movie "Once" (see this film if you haven't already) by Glen Hansen and Marketa Irglova. It received an Oscar for best Original Song. I think this young woman, Marketa (I believe she was 19 when awarded the Oscar) is so sweet. In part of her acceptance speech she says this:

" no matter how far out your dreams are, it's possible. And, you know, fair play to those who dare to dream and don't give up. And this song was written from a perspective of hope, and hope at the end of the day connects us all, no matter how different we are."

ONCE: Falling Slowly

A Nice Film

Let's Find Someplace Beautiful To Get Lost

Lago di Como, Italy

All Lake Como images courtesy of Nancy at "Winelover's Wanderings

http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/nancyhol/

After you lose yourself here, listen to the following post (the voice of Susan Boyle) which will give you another beautiful place to get lost... Enjoy

PS If the YouTube post of Susan Boyle is disabled I hope you can use this site to hear her. She does have an incredibly beautiful voice. Hope you can give her your time. You won't be sorry. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Susan Boyle - Singer - Britains Got Talent 2009 (With Lyrics)

This is really really lovely. I hope you enjoy. The title: "I Dreamed A Dream" . I hope her dreams come true.

Falsi Gioelli Florence Italy

 Via dei Tavolini #5R,

Assistants making jewelry

Here's a fun tip for shopping in Florence. There is a great place to buy colorful and hip jewelry called "Falsi Gioelli" (False Jewels). It's a place that we return to again and again when we are in Bella Firenze. Located in the heart of Florence at two locations: The original shop is steps away from the San Lorenzo Market on Via dei Ginori #34R and a couple of years ago a second shop opened on Via dei Tavolini #5R, midway between Piazza del Duomo and Piazza della Signoria.

Peering into the front window you will be drawn to the modern costume jewelry that comes in a myriad of shapes and a rainbow array of colored plastics. The range is an eye-popping fanciful adventure. Pure fun. Great gifts for you and your friends that like something original and innovative. It's a hard task to choose from the dazzling gem-like plastic jewelry: tantilizing glowing cuff bracelets, beaded necklaces, earrings and more. The best is that the prices won't break the bank and you'll have so much fun just being surrounded by sparkling shapes that call to you, "Pick me, No-oo me..." Oooh the choices you'll be presented with.

Silvia, the innovative creator is the founder, whose dream began with a concept about 21 years ago. She is a self-taught jewelry designer (talk about inspiring) and you will see her and her assistants at the rear of the store busily crafting pieces of jewelry (this makes a visit worthwhile even if you are just browsing.) Silvia's jewelry can take on several themes. Her English garden collection combines silk flowers, colored beads and buttons for a very feminine romantic feel. Some of her other jewelry feels trendy, full fashion and bold and sometimes futuristic. Multi-rowed wire bracelets with jewel -toned and facetted beads shine bright as do her signature plexi-colored cuff bracelets. She has such a unique and innovative way of threading beads & plastic colored shapes into fun necklaces, earrings, hair adornments and more. Can you tell I get excited about this place? Do drop in on your next visit to Florence, Italy. Love Falsi Gioelli!

Here Is Something

Photo collage: Karen Harvey Cox

"The Art of Being Kind is All the World Needs"

Happy Easter

ALL I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE I LEARNED FROM THE EASTER BUNNY

Don't put all of your eggs in one basket.

Walk softly and carry a big carrot.

Everyone needs a friend who is all ears.

There's no such thing as too much candy.

All work and no play can make you a basket case.

A cute little tail attracts a lot of attention.

Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day.

Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.

Some body parts should be floppy.

Keep your paws off other people's jellybeans.

Good things come in small sugarcoated packages.

The grass is always greener in someone else's basket.

An Easter bonnet can tame even the wildest hare.

To show your true colors you have to come out of your shell.

The best things in life are still sweet and gooey !!

Jemima Puddle-Duck on My Mind

I was remembering something that occurred when my oldest daughter was around 3 years old. We spent alot of time reading Beatrix Potter books together. My whole world seemed to be focused on my daughter and the telling of Beatrix Potter stories. We especially liked Jemima Puddle-duck and Peter Rabbit. I wasn't doing alot of adult socializing then. I recall one weekend a good friend of mine had invited us to a cocktail party to view a slide show presentation of "China". The party was very nice although I did not know many of the people there. My friends friend who was presenting the slide show was a young, handsome painter and many of the guests were artists as well. It was a very nice grown up affair. Anyway when it was time for the slide show the lights dimmed and a beautiful series of photographs began. During the showing the young artist would make comments on when and where certain pictures were taken. Others made comments or asked questions. At one point there was a lovely photo of a serene lake with many ducks. Someone commented, "Oh that's so beautiful that reminds me of a story...but I can't think of the name of that book?...what was the name of that book?" All was quiet as though waiting for a response. For some reason these words came out of my mouth really loud, "Jemima Puddle Duck?" ... Immediately I cringed ... Oh my goodness I thought "Why did I say that?" ... Oh dear,

Jemima Puddle-Duck on my mind.

Beatrix Potter

Helen Beatrix Potter (28 July 1866 – 22 December 1943) was an English author, illustrator, mycologist and conservationist who was best known for her many best-selling children's books that featured animal characters, such as Peter Rabbit.
Born into a privileged household, Potter was educated by governesses and grew up isolated from other children. She had numerous pets and, through holidays spent in Scotland and the Lake District, developed a love of landscape, flora and fauna, all of which she closely observed and painted. As a young woman her parents discouraged her intellectual development, but her study and paintings of fungi led her to be widely respected in the field of mycology. In her thirties Potter published the highly successful children's book The Tale of Peter Rabbit, and became secretly engaged to her publisher, Norman Warne, causing a breach with her parents, who disapproved of his social status. Warne died before the wedding could take place.
Potter began writing and illustrating children's books, and, having become financially independent of her parents, was able to buy a farm in the Lake District, which she extended with other purchases over time. In her forties she married a local solicitor, William Heelis. She became a sheep breeder and farmer while continuing to write and illustrate books for children, eventually publishing twenty-three. Potter died in 1943, and left almost all of her property to her husband who, after his death in 1945, left it to The National Trust in order to preserve the beauty of the Lake District as she had known it, protecting it from developers.

Sweet Dreams

"I would stand transfixed before the windows of the confectioners' shops,
fascinated by the luminous sparkle of candied fruits,
the cloudy lustre of jellies,
the kaleidoscope inflorescence of acidulated fruitdrops
-- red, green, orange, violet: I coveted the colours themselves
as much as the pleasure they promised me."

Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986) French Existentialist, writer

The Continental Divide

Image by Paperie

"I was halfway

across America,

at the dividing line

between the East of my Youth

and the West of my Future."

-Jack Kerouac

Smile Life is Good

Someone just sent me the YouTube video that follows: "Do Re Me"
I wanted to share it with all of you because it will make your heart smile and you will feel renewed. At least that's what I hope. It's how I felt when I saw it. If only life could be so easily joyful, people breaking into song and dance at any moment when you least expect it. We all need a dose of this.

I hope this takes you to a very happy place.


"Do not regret having lost yesterday...
do not fear that you
will lose tomorrow.
Enjoy today."
-Robert Ingersoll

Do Re Me

Here's something that I hope will make you feel happy.

Never a Dull Moment

Photo by Akihiro Furuta

The BEATLES at Dodger Stadium

Sunday August 28, 1966

Here is the GOLDEN ticket. We had three of them! One for my sister Jocelyn, one for her friend Susan, a tall lanky blond with hair like Cher, and me. In those days tickets to concerts were cheap. I don't remember how we got these tickets. Maybe Susan's father got them for us. Nevertheless, we had tickets to see the Beatles at Dodger Stadium and we were there that incredible summer night.
It was one of those moments in life that is unforgettable.

This is what it was like. A warm southern California night. A stadium made up of mostly young teenage girls. About 45,000 of them. Everyone was pretty calm when the other acts were singing. There was mostly the normal buzzing sound of conversation but a general disinterest in the entertainment. Everyone was anxiously awaiting the Beatles arrival on stage. I remember the announcer saying the Beatles were coming on. All of a sudden the screaming started and it just seemed to grow into a mass hysteria. I've read reports where the screaming was heard all the way down to Sunset Blvd. I believe it! When the Beatles ran on stage across some area of the field they looked like "ants". We were so high up in the bleachers we could not really see them well and in those days there was not any kind of sophisticated sound system or big screens to help you see or hear the performers. It didn't matter. They started to sing but you could not hear one word. All you could hear was screaming which would ebb and flo from loud to louder. At one point in the beginning I just looked around me. Screaming girls everywhere. Susan was crying and screaming. Everyone around us was screaming so... I started to scream too! Well, I guess you have to be very young to scream that loud for so long. It really didn't matter whether we could hear them or see them. What mattered to us that night and forever after I suppose, is that we were there, and were a part of the phenomenon known at Beatlemania. A once in a lifetime chance, as it turned out ,it was the second to the last performance on tour that they ever made together.

TOUR OF NORTH AMERICA, 1966,

12 August International Amphitheatre, Chicago

13 August Olympia Stadium, Detroit

14 August Municipal Stadium, Cleveland

15 August Washington Stadium, Washington DC

16 August Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia

17 August Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto

18 August Suffolk Downs Racecourse, Boston

19 August Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis

21 August Crosley Field, Cincinnati

21 August Busch Stadium, St Louis

23 August Shea Stadium, New York

25 August Seattle Coliseum, Seattle

28 August Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles

30 August Candlestick Park, San Francisco


*The Beatles first started touring in 1963 and made their first American tour in 1964. In November of 1966 it was announced that the previous concert season that summer was the last tour the Beatles would ever make.




The Beatles 1966 North American Tour program was available at Dodger Stadium during the concert. Of course we bought one.



Warm-up acts included soloist Bobby Hebb and bands "The Remains," "The Cyrkle," and "The Ronettes." But they proved to be no match for The Beatles, who performed 10 of their songs in a 30-minute period.

From the article: "When the Beatles Rocked Dodger Stadium"
"I think when they first announced that The Beatles were coming to Dodger Stadium there were some doubts that they could sell 45,000 tickets. I think promoter Bob Eubanks had to put up some pretty high financing for them to agree to come there. Rumors were that he was concerned before, but then when the tickets finally took off, he was happy about it. As soon as we heard they were coming to the stadium, we started working with the (Los Angeles) Fire Department and a lot of people to see what we could do to keep the crowd from taking over the field, which they had done in a lot of other places." ...

"The flat stage (decorated in blue and white), probably four feet off the ground, was set up at second base. We sold out all of the seats in the stadium, other than the Pavilions. The ends of the stadium were sold for the first time. With a flat stage, they could move around and the people on the far ends of the Reserved Level or Field Level could still see them. The promoters gave tickets to people who were blind to sit in the Pavilions."

*Dodger Stadium operations prepared for months in advance for the expected onslaught of fame and hysteria. But, no Dodger event could have readied them for what was about to unfold that Sunday. The Beatles were winding down their 14-city 1966 North America Concert Tour, as Dodger Stadium was their 13th stop. Other venues had difficulty keeping the over-enthusiastic "Beatlemaniacs" from mobbing the field and stage areas at the concert.

"Sounds of laughter
shades of life
are ringing through my open ears
inciting and inviting me
limitless undying love
which shines around me
like a million suns..."

This Boy - The Beatles

I love the Beatles to this day. The music, the English style of the 60's was so much fun...Mod's and Rockers, Twiggy, the mini skirt...what a fun time! The Beatles turned my world around. Love, Love, Loved them all but John stole my heart!

Early Morning Wake Up Call

If the sky above you

Should turn dark and full of clouds

And that old north wind should begin to blow

Keep your head together and call my name out loud

And soon I will be knocking upon your door.

You just call out my name and you know where ever I am

I'll come running to see you again.

Winter, spring, summer or fall

All you got to do is call

And Ill be there,

Yeah, yeah, yeah...

-James Taylor

You've got a friend - James Taylor (with lyric)

You just call out my name and you know wherever I am I'll come runnin' to see you again.

Say a Prayer for Those In Need

L'Aquila, central Italy, near the quake's center, at least 92 people have been reported dead and tens of thousands have been left homeless. Whenever tragedy strikes, be it in our own lives, near our homes or across the world it affects us all, touches our hearts and leaves us with a sense of great loss and helplessness. Today I feel so sad for the people of L'Aquila. My prayers are with them all.

"The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another. "

“Remember,
if you ever need a helping hand,
it's at the end of your arm,
as you get older,
remember you have another hand:
The first is to help yourself,
the second is to help others.”

A Perfect Ride

Before my husband was my husband, and in fact, before we started even going out we happened to live in the same neighborhood very close to our college campus. At the time, I drove an old model Toyota and he rode a very old and rusty Schwinn bike. (Much like this little mini bike pictured below.) He later told me he liked it that way because he didn't have to worry about anyone wanting to steal it.

One day as I was driving to school I saw him pedaling his bike uphill towards campus. I slowed down and honked my car horn and waved as I drove past him. I noted what an old bike it was. Soon after he arrived in my office on campus. After a few words I said, "I didn't think you'd ride such an old bike." He laughed and without missing a beat he said , "Well, I didn't think you'd drive such an old car!"
And this is sort of the way it all began...

After your first day of cycling, one dream is inevitable. A memory of motion lingers in the muscles of your legs, and round and round they seem to go. You ride through Dreamland on wonderful dream bicycles that change and grow. ~H.G. Wells, The Wheels of Chance