Just a Blog
Trying to figure out the whole "blog" thing.
New Year, New You?
Clean Slate It’s cliche. I know it. January 1st and I’m “getting back on track,” “starting fresh.” Okay, now it’s January 23rd. You can see how well getting a fresh start has worked for me. Now, it isn’t that I haven’t gotten anything done in the new year. I have done a lot of work in my basement, getting out all the trash and crap that I just do not need. Between Marie Kondo and Dana K. White, we have mostly decluttered the disaster. We have lived in our current home for 10 years now and the level of stored junk had risen to an epic level. With Marie and…
Stick to Your Guns
If you’ve made up your mind about something, just stick to your guns. You’re an adult. There’s no need for a babysitter. If you have made a plan, thought it through, analyzed, calculated, made a flow chart (yeah, laugh, I’ve done it more than once, I LOVE flow charts.) If after all of that, you still believe that you are right, then stick to it. Know what you know. Do what you do. BE STICKY.
Discipline is Key for a Better Life for You and Me!
Discipline is key for me. Several months ago I was sitting on my back porch, going down a YouTube rabbit hole when I came across Jocko Willink. Jocko wrote a book called Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual. He is a retired Navy Seal, podcaster and author and absolutely nailed it. Being disciplined in life will give you the freedom to do what you want. This phrase resonated with me and I keep seeing it in different places. Discipline Equals Freedom. Wow! We all have goals and dreams. You probably have written them down. You focus on them. Have you identified what is keeping you from achieving these goals and dreams?…
365 DAYS TO GO!
Yep, I’m 49 today so 365 days to go until the big 5-0. I know, I know, I haven’t posted in a while. Life has been beyond hectic lately. I know it’s not an excuse to ignore this project, which is very important to me so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to jump back in with both feet! So where am I in this journey? Really? There are up days and down days. Days where I feel like I can conquer the world and days where I don’t want to get out of bed. Sound familiar? We all have this, right? Right? Please tell me I’m right. First, I…
The Trouble with Tomatoes, The Sequel
Yeah, still having trouble with tomatoes. But I have good news and bad news. Let’s start with the good news. Actually, it’s great news. Despite all my worrying and woes the tomatoes survived their early start and the sunburn they suffered being planted on such a hot week. I was so worried about them while I was in Scotland but when I came home they were getting lots of new growth and were filling out from their earlier spindly frame. It was such a relief! June 3rd, just a few days after we got back, our first tomato appeared! Then day by day, more tomatoes appeared and I thought that…
7 Steps for Trip Planning Success
Trip Planning Made Easy Is trip planning daunting to you? I recently took an amazing trip to Scotland that I planned all by myself. After seeing my posts on Facebook, I had tons of people ask if I planned it myself and how I did it. You asked, so I will use this recent trip to show how I did it. Research, Research, Research Where? So you know where you are going, but where are you going? Why are you going there? Is there a particular place that you want to visit? Is this state/country just on your bucket list? The internet is out there and it is…
I Have a Secret
I have a secret. It’s not a torrid, juicy secret. It’s just something that I have not shared with everyone. I am doing the Whole 30. As a matter of fact, I’m day 25. Less than a week to go. When I first heard about this craziness, I thought, why would anyone subject themselves to this? It sounds like torture! No bread for a month? Are you kidding me? No cheese? Who is this sadist? This was last summer. Since then, I learned that Whole 30 is not a process of organized torture but an elimination diet. A way to determine what may not be compatible with your system. You…
Overcoming Disappointment – Hiking in Scotland
Well, you may remember, I planned to hike Ben Nevis, the highest point in the UK, with my husband while in Scotland. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned and we did not reach the summit. I posted about climbing Ben Nevis for much the same reason that I started a blog. Accountability. If I posted about it, then I would do it. I failed. Not completely, but enough to feel the disappointment. And because of my blogging about it, public disappointment. Should I just hang my head in shame? I could do that. Throw myself a little pity party. Nope. Not doing it. Rather than dwell on what I…
Discovering Cuban Art
It should be no surprise that there has always been art in Cuba. We just weren’t invited to the party. In the past decade as restrictions have been lightened for U.S. citizens as well as some changes in the Cuban leadership so has their opportunity to showcase their creativity. The Fábrica de Arte Cubano is one of those showcases. It’s a multi-story facility that used to be a cooking oil factory. It’s part night club, part art gallery, teeming with artists of all kinds. In addition to paintings, sculptures, photography, there is film, and music. You are surrounded by it. It is truly an experience. My daughter had been in…
