Validation

#761 - A few years ago I thought- "Maybe the summer always seems to go by so fast because I am not taking advantage of it." So I instituted a swimming policy (from Memorial Day to Labor Day to swim once a week.)

My friend asked me early this summer if I was doing this again. I took her question as a prompt to continue this practice. Today's Impulse to Swim at 8:30am (with the nice bonus of having the area to myself), kept me Right on Target.

#762 - Seeing a K-9 Dog Demonstration at the Farmer's Market. I am not a big pet person. However, I have a huge amount of Respect and Gratitude for Service Dogs of any sort and the Gifts they give.

#763 - As I was considering why I was so touched by a post from my friend Jill, I realized it was because I found it Validating. I have had many Spontaneous, Simple and Joyful Days Alone. Yet I haven't known many other people who take the time to do similarly, so on some level it hasn't felt validated as a worthwhile activity. I didn't even know this, or know I needed validation, until I read her post.

#764 - Then I found this Validating because I think this way too.

"We all get to pondering the coincidences in our lives. I woke up today at 11:11. What does that mean? Just as I was thinking about my friend, she called. What does that mean? In my opinion - It's the universe's way of wanting you to win. It's all of life's way of reminding you that are a great creator in this game and that your participation is necessary. Living in synchronicity with your surroundings is the ultimate suggestion that your thoughts, your speech, your beliefs, your actions, and your attitudes are what is creating THE life experience." Jason Mraz

#765 - Then just for the heck of it I went to another blog I enjoy to see if I could round this out, and presto more Validation.

"Remember the bench in the middle of a countryroad?...yesterday, it was back, in its old place:....

I really like that. You rarely see someone on it, but I like the idea of taking a break and sit with your neighbour in the middle of the road.

So, finally, I sat down there too.
Alone.
In a stillness which catches you by surprise if you've just been driving, talking and taking pictures.
And time doesn't matter.
And other people don't matter.
And you don't matter.

You just sit."

Stephanie

Best Life Cookbook

#751 - Songs Complied by Yohann Anderson - This is the guitar book I've mostly been playing out of which I borrowed from a friend. It has over 950 songs so for a while I would leaf through and only play songs that were familiar. Now I've started trying ones that are not. Some of them have sweet lyrics. Today I Believe In Music by Mac Davis was a favorite (Conie I think you'd like this one).

#752 - The Best Life Diet Cookbook by Bob Greene - currently inspiring me to make new recipes.

#753 - Instead of thinking, "What am I Going Make to Eat?" I am thinking "I Still Have Yummi Leftovers."



#754 - I was debating about a few dresses at the thrift store Tuesday. The One I Almost Didn't Buy I Don't Want to Take Off. (It's easier to take a risk when the cost is $4).

#755 - Requesting K'Naan's Troubadour CD from the Library. (I heard T.I.A. and People Like Me yesterday. The first is way groovy and the second caught me with the lyrics.)


(I took a walk last night later than I usually would. At the end it started feeling long because no one else was walking and it was dark. And then I saw a beautiful moon-rise, which my camera obviously can't capture, but I tried anyway).

Comfy & Casual Thrift Dresses

These Ones are Simple

#731 - Figuring out the Basic Logistics of My Day Yesterday - (bus and preparing a yummi veggie/pasta salad to pack for lunch) so Today just Flowed.

#732 - Wanting to Catch a Bus Downtown the Same Time My Sister-in-Law Needed to Be Downtown (so we drove there together)

#733 - A Friend Being Available to Sub with us in Soccer

#734 - Today in Soccer We Lost 4 to 0 - the Only Words I Heard My Team Yelling to One Another Were Encouraging/Supportive Ones.

#735 - Feeling Hydrated Enough That I Didn't Notice the Heat

Mint

#721 - Smoothie Discovery - I've long known that blended frozen bananas will give a smoothie an ice cream like texture. My brother tried adding Fresh Mint to the frozen banana smoothie. It reminds me of peppermint bon bon ice cream.

#722 - Jill for Following her Impulses to Look at the Website Where a Songwriting Workshop was Listed and Passing it onto Me

#723 - Following Through on the Geyser - When I read the workshop description a couple weeks back, it was as if a geyser went off inside, "Yes!" and yet that feeling passed, logistics needed to be addressed. I imagine inspiration grows weary of giving ideas to people who don't follow through. So, I suspect the more I honor my inspirations the more likely they will come back. Today I signed up.

#724 - Scrambling/Agitated/Unsure I turned to Tolle and for whatever reason this video is where I landed and started to Relax. Then I just went on a Tolle video spree. It was fun to see some more skeptical interviews of him. This video has a brief bio if you are unfamiliar and curious.


(I was just weeding for a while and then I looked up and saw this sky. I don't want to replace any of my other gratitudes, so this will just be a bonus.)

725 - Mason Jennings' reflection- "how horrible is that oil spill...It has made me look around at the world while I have been touring. My question is….isn’t covering the earth with blacktop for roads and parking lots just a slow motion oil spill too? I bet if you add up all the roads they would dwarf the oil spill." June 15, 2010

The Light

#711 - Watching Holly's Gymnastics Practice - Seeing how much she has Improved and how She Enjoys it

#712 - Holly Being Comfortable Practicing with Younger Girls (instead of feeling inadequate because they are at a similar level, just being where she is at and working from there)

#713- My Brother got Ashley to walk 3 1/2 Miles with Him (in flip-flops). I wouldn't even have attempted.

#714 - #713 Saved Driving Back and Forth - 7 Miles

#715 - I told Ashley yesterday this shot wouldn't work very well as she was shooting into the sun. I just looked at the photos and I think she used the opportunity to take someArtistic Photos

Those Cousins Again

#701 - I highly recommend this song. I Played it for My Cousins Hoping that Would Like it too, and They Liked it as Much as I Did. It is such a refreshing and real take on being a teenager.


#702 - Ashley Asking Me To Teach Her to Floss Her Teeth

#703 - Beautiful Setting in Which I Read with Holly

#704 - Seeing an Unfamiliar Large Bird -I thought it was deer at first. I have spent about an hour trying to figure out what it was. I still don't know! (A couple days later...after more research Holly and I think they were juvenile Sandhill Cranes

#705 - Holly Being Interested Enough to Help Me Try to Look Up and Identify the Bird

34 things

#691 - As soon as my friend Jill arrived this afternoon it started to rain a little (which would be ok), then thunder (which would not). So we talked a little and I played her songs on the guitar.... Then we tried to go to the lake, but it started lightning so we turned back.... Then we made a salad and ate dinner...The whole reason Jill came over today was to Kayak, but Not Once Did Jill Complain about the Fact that She Might Not Be Able To. I watched and waited for it to come, but nope she just Enjoyed Herself.

#692 - Which is why I think it worked out and We Were Able to Fit it In Between Two Storms

#693 - Helping Jill Complete one of her List of 34 things to do in her 34th year

#694 - A week or two ago I wrote a song in anger. I was surprised that it didn't come out angry, the writing transformed my emotion. One friend called it melancholy. I've changed the music a little since and today Jill called it relaxing. So now the Song I Wrote in Anger is Closer to a Lullaby

#695 - The opening to The Latehomecomer - A Hmong Family Memoir by Kao Kalia Yang -

"Before Babies are Born They Live in the Sky Where They Fly Among the Clouds. The Sky is a Happy Place and Calling Babies Down to Earth is not an Easy Thing to do. From the Sky, Babies can see the Course of Human Lives..."

After School Special

#681 - Random Coincidence - I wrote a new song yesterday. The first person I played it for said, "Too bad they don't still have after school specials (on TV) I could see that song in the end credits."

Then today - a friend of a friend was telling a story she said was like, "an after school special."

(I don't think I've heard anyone mention an "after school special" for 10 years, 20 years, ever? and then two days in a row.....Simple Mysteries Intrigue Me).

#682 - Being Fully Present for the Story my friend's friend told. It was important and I Felt Honored to Hear it.


#683 - I know I kill things constantly when in cars, but when this moth and my bike tire collided today I thought, "C'mon!" The moth laid flat on the ground and it was depressing. I stopped and turned around and gently touched its wing and then it moved upright (photo). A Bit Later It Flew Away :)

#684 - That I Stopped or I never would have known I didn't kill it

#685 - A Couple Friends Might Read Books I Mentioned (I get excited even at the thought of it)

A Tree in NYC

#671 - My Friend Acknowledging/Thanking Her Sanitation Worker with a Small Gift

#672 - My friend's Enjoyment of this Interaction

#673 - Paul's email to the four of us who were once all housemates - Seeing All Five of Our Names Together and Feeling that Connection

#674 - Someone Reading Paulo Coelho partly from My Enthusiasm (Stephanie)

#675 - In 2008 I submitted a poem that was actually accepted. I was told it would be in an issue sometime in 2010. My friend Lisa said, "2010!" (She thought it seemed so far away.) I said, "It will come fast," (and I was just happy to not have another rejection envelope, so I didn't care when they printed it.) Well, yesterday it came. It is a publication that I have never heard of (Nomad's Choir in NY). The publication is very basic, but it is sweet to start reading and see my poem jump out. And it does jump out because thanks to Laura's suggestion, the text is in the shape of a tree.

This is one of the first poems I wrote. I just realized it was about being grateful for a tree and not only did the Tree help me that day, but it Helped Me Write a Poem that would be Accepted for Publication! Seriously, have you hugged a tree? They not only provide oxygen, they can do other things, like help write poems, (or something more relevant to your own life.)

A Tree
in New York City
I press my palm against the tree,
ask her to save me from ensuing insanity;
slowly, quietly she whispers back to me. Her energy
and mine exchanging through my palm. I begin to listen.
I finally can breathe. I say to her, "Please don't leave,
you just saved me." She says, "Take me with you.
I don't belong here either - anymore."
But of course I cannot for who knows
how many more lives
will be comforted
by her
shade
by her
beauty
by her
oxygen
by her presence.

Government with a Splash of Puppetry

#661 - I haven't done anything political since the guy I wanted to run for governor didn't get the endorsement. Today though I went to a door knocking event he kind of sponsored and there were all the people that worked at his campaign...still at it. So even when I drop out for a while I was reminded.
There are Always People Working to Make Things Better.

#662 - My door-knocking partner telling me about the trip he just took to Guatemala to become Educated about the Human Rights Situation There

#663 - Patricia, who came to Her Door Open, with a Smile

#664 - Making Up Verses to How Can I Keep From Singing as an intro to Ashley's Puppet Show

#665 - Ashley Rehearsing a Puppet Show that She Performed for Us

Yummi Water

DL BD

#641 - Living with People who Aren't Compelled to Use the Air Conditioner All the Time- Air conditioning can certainly be a blessing, sometimes though, I prefer feeling closer to outside.

#642 - Making a Wish for Tanabata a festival celebrated in Japan.

#643 - "You always find so many interesting and unique things to do." Kelly

#644 - Guitar - Being Able to Switch Some Chords Without Looking (G/C, Am/Em, D/A/E7, D7/G)

#645 - Well, apparently I am a day late. However this does not curb my gratitude or enthusiasm for The Dalai Lama's 75th Birthday!

Tired of Being Grateful

#631 - (Inside my head this afternoon) - "What am I going to be grateful for today....?... I'm tired of being grateful all the time." "I'm Tired of Being Grateful All the Time." - Yes I Really Thought This, and Then I Started Laughing

#632 - My Brother and Sister-in-Law Saying they were Going Swimming/Kayaking, I Decided to Go With and Walk or Jog

#633 - I babysat last week for my friend Emily and her husband, while they went for a 6 mile jog. I can't remember the last time I ran six miles. I was so Impressed with Jobs and Young Children that They Made Time for This it is Inspiring

#634 - the previous gratitudes plus the fact that it started to Rain which was Cooling and then Thunder a Little, Which Meant Scott and Mayu would be Getting Off the Lake and Waiting for Me at the Car - all Motivated me to Keep Running. So after Telling Emily a Week Ago, "I Can't Remember the Last Time I Ran Six Miles." Today I Jogged Six Miles.

#635 - Vinnie Read me a little Eckhart Tolle over the phone, and I felt Peace

Holly's Shots

#621 - Being a Witness to Krystal doing Something that Scared Her (in a positive way)

#622 - Swimming in a Beautiful Lake Ashley Suggested, almost no development, and Getting a Good Work-out in the Waves because of the Strong Wind



#623 - Ashley (11 yrs) Dancing with a Pretend Partner and Cracking Me Up with How Convincing Her Facial Expressions Were

#624 - My Brother and Sister-in-Law Performing their Choreographed Tango Dance for my Cousins and I


#625 - Listening to a Section of Eat, Pray, Love in the Car and Feeling Encouraged that this Book is so Popular

Covered Bridge

#611 - Greg Mortensen's Stones Into Schools: Promoting Peace With Books, Not Bombs bringing tears

#612 - Seeing Ashley Catch a Ball at First Base in Softball and Completing the Out

#613 - Geocaching on a Covered Bridge With Family


#614 - Learning that Krystal Really Likes Making Lists (and that one of her gratitudes for the day was that I was grateful to learn this about her.)

#615 - "More Heartland! More Cousins! More Fun!" Holly