Category Archives: All Posts

Jul17

Bit By a Dog

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I have a wonderful dog. My dogs name is Rocky. He is 130 lbs and is a mixed breed of Lab and Rottie. He is smart and strong and loveable.

On Sunday in the early evening we were at the dog park. Since it was so hot my dog was sitting and relaxing. A lady came in with a pit and a shar pei. She stood in front of my dog and took the leash off her shar pei. For whatever reason the shar pei attacked my dog. Rocky was taken by surprise and got up to defend himself. In the meantime she was trying to get her dog under control and I was trying to get my dog under control. As I reached for my dog her dog swooped in to bite my dog but my hand was in the way. Instead he bit me. It hurt. I told her the shar pei bit me and she was genuinely concerned. She said if I needed anything she would pay for it. I was so impressed by her show of responsibility.

I washed off the bite, Rocky was fine and I was the only casualty. On Monday morning I went to the doctors. She said I did not need antibiotics because it was not infected. The pain was a result of the bruising from the bite and I consider myself very lucky it was not worse.

From this event I am reminded how powerful dogs are and how important it is to respect them and be cautious. My dog is so strong that I have to always were sneakers to support my balance. I have fallen many times because he will run after a cat or bird and I am no match for him when he runs. One time I fell and broke a rib. So for a long time now I just put him in the car and drive a mile to the dog park to avoid this kind of problem.

Rocky is a very good boy but he is still a powerful animal. His job is to be a guard dog and is very protective. He knows his job and does it well.

I have no bad feelings toward the dogs or the owner because that’s the risk of owning any dog. Even a little one can do damage.

So I leave you with this: Dogs are super creatures.
They are loyal, kiss a lot, like a child and need us as much as we need them. Great protectors, teach us the cycle of life and great conversation pieces. Are a lot of work but worth it.

Give a your dog a hug today, if you don’t have a dog, hug someones dog, but ask first.

Jul11

Thoughtful Thursdays #24

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I realized that I have no enemies, only teachers. Each perceived enemy, obstacle and unnerving situation is a growth spurt in the timeline of my life. Each seeming bad person, organization or situation is really the wonderful opportunity to participate in having things fall apart right in front of me and participating in pulling them back together again.

We do ourselves a great injustice by not looking at uneasy situations as a teaching. By looking at it as a teaching we will not run away or look for an escape. Instead we can be objective, be in the moment and in an instant the situation comes into perspective and passes in its own time.

Here are some suggestions for dealing with things that are not working:

1. Stop your mind from racing
2. Be objective
3. Don’t look for an escape
4. Even if you are terrified stay in the moment
5. Respect yourself by having the courage to be still
6. Notice your feelings and thoughts but don’t react to them
7. Finally, just let go

Most of the time our days ordinary. On those days we can practice doing the things that make us happy inside of us not outside of us.

Know that everyday is a chance to change, to make choices, and move into a position of personal strength. So when bad things happen you won’t be so derailed. Learning to be calm in the face of adversity takes time. Don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t happen right away. Life will always help you by putting these nasty situations in front of us until we learn not to run away.

If I haven’t convinced you and you still want to run away then start jogging.

You are stronger than you think.

Jul4

Thoughtful Thursdays #23

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July 4th, 2013

Today is the 237th day of Independence of the United States. The greatness of this country is one of hard work and persistence. This country is based on the freedom to be who you are and work as you wish. Yes the US is not perfect but neither is anything in this wonderful world we live in. There is constant change and challenges in governments and humankind. And that is the way it’s supposed to be.

You are free to be happy, to be who you want to be, it is not too late to change.
You are free to move around, turn things upside down, inside out and sideways.
You are free to made a plan, take a stand, hold a hand and swing.

So in celebration of US independence let’s join the party and feel free to dance to our own personal freedom.

Happy Independence.

Jun27

Thoughtful Thursdays #22

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Words – they can make you or break you. Words can uplift and destroy, create goodness and damnation, get you what you want or push it away.

Words are wonder and horror. Withholding words is depressing and dangerous and make you cry and cringe.

Words unexpressed, unsaid, untold, unwritten are a cancerous sore oozing to be placed where they belong.

Words look for a home. In a heart, in an ear, in the air, on paper, on a sidewalk, on the radio, on the TV, in a song, on a billboard, even T-shirts.

Where do your words belong? Are they good? Are they hurtful? Are your words generous with praise? Did you choose your words carefully to unearth a misunderstanding? Did your words help you grow? Did your words help someone else?

Words are as important as water because of the weight they carry. Without words we become dry and brittle and unable to communicate our needs and desires. Words create smoothness. Words create trust, insight, understanding, and clarity. The way a river moves quickly so words quickly move our lives.

Today choose your words carefully because they can change the course of your life forever.

Will your words be wonderful or wicked?

Jun20

Thoughtful Thursdays #21

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I smell liar and backstabber, and sneakiness in the air. When that smell gets on a person it never goes away. Has anyone lied to you and back-stabbed you? They smell really bad, don’t they? Rest easy it happens to everyone at sometime or another. Let’s say the damage is done, this person you trusted pulled the rug right out from under you. Turned others against you. Slam, splat your life has just melted into warm Jell-O. This person will not communicate or answer any questions. Just turned their back on you. Walked away, smug and strangely entertained by your reactions. You didn’t know they were using you. You were honest and helping and trusting. Their motives were hidden. This person has some definite sociopath issues. Unfeeling, unaware of what their actions did to you. What’s the next step?

1.Damage control. Stop all communication with this person and anyone who might be on their side.

2. Assess the damage. Such as, find out what they might be saying or doing that involves you. Take necessary steps to stop it.

3. Take time away from the situation. Go for a walk. Talk it out, write it out. Take care of yourself first.

4. Be as objective as possible. As time goes on clarity will reveal the truth and the next step. Be as unemotional as possible. It’s OK to feel, but too much emotions muddies up clarity.

5. Time will pass and the situation and damage will end.

6. Keep the focus on your own self-improvement. This helps move your life forward by maturing and getting smarter about relationships.

Sorry for the pain. But you are a better person than that bad smelling one. And besides, if someone feels the need to tear you down, best you know you are already above him or her.

Happy improving.

Jun6

Thoughtful Thursdays #19

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20 Reasons to smile about life:

1. Dogs, cats, birds, animals.
2. Breathing, you wouldn’t get very far without it.
3. You woke up, start something new.
4. Sun, moon, stars are free for us to enjoy.
5. Other people, even the good, bad and ugly.
6. Children, all of them even if they are not yours.
7. Walking in any form calms the mind.
8. Trees because they purify the air
9. Internet, the world at your fingertips.
10. Books, stories new worlds to explore.
11. Your mind, it can solve all problems.
12. Money makes life comfortable.
13. Food, chocolate, coffee, tea make the world go around.
14. Inventions are the result of progress.
15. Science unfolds previous mysteries.
16. Art is the expression of the universe.
17. Bodies, exercise, enjoy the physical world.
18. Flowers smell sweet and look breathtaking.
19. Clocks are tick tock-ing time away.
20. Colors are infinite.

OK there are a few more than 20 here because there are many more reasons to smile about life.

Like sewing, amusement parks, cars, sleeping, laughing, honey.

Leave a comment and add to the list.

Happy Smiling.

May30

Thoughtful Thursdays #18

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Decisions

Sometimes it’s easy to make decisions. Like what to wear or cook or movie to see. Sometimes it’s really difficult to decide especially when there is no guarantee in the outcome. For example, getting a new job or opening a business. Getting a new job is easier because it’s predictable, structured and basically secure. Opening a business is risky, unpredictable and not a sure thing.

Some decisions are unavoidable. Like going to the dentist because you have a toothache. You will go to to the dentist to get rid of the pain. Ah ha, Pain, maybe that’s why decisions become difficult because they cause pain/uncertainty. Decisions are easy to avoid when they are uncertain so we ignore decision making until there is so much pain that a decision has to be made.

What is the cure for easier decision making?

Make a decision in any direction because the process of going into a new direction will bring you to your desired destination.

And that’s a good thing.

May23

Thoughful Thursdays #17

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I like 12 Step programs. They are healthy and a place to begin examining many damaging behaviors.

I bet you never heard of A.R.T.S. Anonymous. It is a 12 step program for artists. The word “artist” is used in the broadest sense to include anyone who is struggling with expressing your creativity. It could mean painter, writer, baker, seamstress and anyone who finds their creativity intertwined in their expression. As a creative person the craving for an outlet is always there and never goes away. But many artists avoid doing their work for many reasons. Mostly because of a trauma or fear. When you are not creating you are using something else to kill the aspiration to create.

A.R.T.S Anonymous is actually dealing with something positive. Our own creativity. In their literature I came across “Facing Avoidance: An Inventory of Attitudes and Beliefs About Doing Art”. There are over 70 questions that examine how we feel about doing art. For example: Am I willing to tolerate awkwardness, false starts, dry spells, and mistakes as part of the process? Do I hate myself when I avoid doing my art? Do I realize that inspiration is likely to come after I start working? That what I need will come to me when I need it if I make the effort?

On their website section: “Being Blocked” the very first sentence says “To be blocked is not truly an adult choice but the choice of a traumatized child who is determined to live their adult life safe from all harms. A child’s fears have imprisoned the adult”. These words really struck me as true because of my own experience in struggling with writing and painting. These fears are crippling at times. And quite incognito. Fear, many times, is invisible.

I get irritated when I read statements like: Just Do It, It’s mind over matter, Here’s the only method you will ever need to succeed. Because there is a river of deepness that is in our subconscious that needs a safe place to explore our expression of art.

Explore the A.R.T.S Anonymous website and read Steven Pressfield’s ” The War Of Art”. (I wrote about Pressfield’s book in my original Thoughtful Thursday post). Each venue will be an explosion of information and lead you to heal and express that which is uniquely you.

Happy exploring.

May16

Do It Yourself World

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This is a very DIY (Do It Yourself)world. That’s kind of scary. What do I mean by that. Living and working used to fit into nice, comfy, predictable molds. All you had to do is find where you fit in. A company, a role, a field of interest. But all that has changed. Like it or not life and working has become a DIY project. For example: in today’s world the jobs that provided security are few and difficult to get and are their criteria is ever changing. Life styles are changing so fast that almost anything is acceptable as a new way of co-habitation. Which leads us to find alternate ways of living and working.

But what happens when Doing It Yourself is not clear. There are thousands of books to read and thousands of people who will try to help with their view of any given situation. It’s human nature to find a place to fit in. How about fitting in with a DIY culture. It’s a different and unclear way of finding your way until you have reached a destination just for you.

If you have expressed, in your world, that you want to be an artist, or baker or writer or a doctor or anthropologist or business owner and the reaction you get is negative.

STOP expressing those interests to those who are not willing to support you. FIND those who will support you. MOVE towards what you really want to do. DON’T waste precious time looking for approval from those who have no idea or interest in who you are. That includes family, teachers, bosses, friends or anyone who is clueless about you. Do It Yourself means to Be Yourself Always.

It won’t be easy until you Do Your Own Life. Decide to have your own life and wish well to those who are not on the same path as you. You will end up being an inspiration to the naysayers. You will finally respect yourself and others will respect your for having the courage to create your own life. You will end up making your own kind of security and life style extraordinaire. And be truly happy.

Happy Doing It Yourself and Being Yourself.

May16

Thoughtful Thursdays #16

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Once you decide, really, really decide on what you want synchronicity sets in. Doors will open, opportunities will appear and your decision to decide on what you really want will have become a reality.

Easy to say, easy to understand but so hard to decide. The culprit to deciding is distractions. It’s quite normal to have your attention on what you are doing at any given moment. For example, when driving. If you are not focused on your driving you may have an accident. But what about all those ideas in your head, the things you want to do and say and experience.

Here’s a very simple way of accomplishing those things you want to do and say and experience in three easy steps.

Step 1. Write a list of any and everything you want in any area of your interest. Nothing is off limits. Write everything down. Refer to it frequently.

Step 2. Pick one thing and do it. Just one thing. Do this one thing from start to finish. At this point it’s easy to get carried away categorizing. Resist the urge to do that. Just do one thing in the beginning. As you feel more able to do more then do it. The idea here is to not be overwhelmed by all the stuff you want to do.

Step 3. Give yourself credit for doing just one thing on your list. Check off what you have done and move to the next. At this point you can add more or delete what is not really that important.

Maybe there’s really big stuff you want to do. If it’s seems too much then break it down to steps.

Don’t give up. There will always be distractions and waves of winding paths. But that’s life and its constant changing occurrences. You are in this life to DO, to SAY, to EXPERIENCE.

So Just Do It.

Happy doing.