Category Archives: Day to Day… and Off the Subject!

47 Days of Inspiration!!! 4.20.14

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Inspiration

What I promised to do for Lent: I promised myself to celebrate Lent through inspiration. My plan was to post (via Facebook and Twitter) a daily inspirational quote. Something that means something to me or has touched my heart, in the hopes that I could maybe touch someone else’s heart too.

Did I do it?

Well, here is a list of the daily inspirational quotes I selected:

  1. Wed. March 5th: A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
  2. Thur. March 6th: It is our duty to love the unloved, help the helpless, and bring hope to the hopeless. ~ Anthony Douglas Williams
  3. Fri. March 7th: Things turn out best for the people that make the best of the way things turn out!
  4. Sat. March 8th: You can do anything as long as you can dream it.
  5. Sun. March 9th: You’ve only got three choices in life: Give up, Give in, or Give it all you’ve got!
  6. Mon. March 10th: Books are uniquely portable magic. ~ Stephen King
  7. Tue. March 11th: May your search through nature lead you to yourself.
  8. Wed. March 12th: If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done.
  9. Thur. March 13th: Nobody cares if you can’t dance well, just get up and dance!
  10. Fri. March 14th: Life changes come when we receive life with thanks and ask for nothing to change. ~ Ann Voskamp
  11. Sat. March 15th: Live more, complain less, have more smiles, less stress, less hate, and become more blessed.
  12. Sun. March 16th: Don’t let someone who gave up on their dreams talk you out of yours.
  13. Mon. March 17th: As you waste your breath complaining about life, someone out there is breathing their last. Appreciate what you have.
  14. Tue. March 18th: The scariest moment is always just before you start. ~ Stephen King
  15. Wed. March 19th: Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. ~ Benjamin Franklin
  16. Thur. March 20th: Once you’ve accepted your flaws no one can use them against you.
  17. Fri. March 21st: What we change inwardly will change our reality.
  18. Sat. March 22nd: Be the change you want to see in the world!
  19. Sun. March 23rd: There will always be fear, do it anyway. Let your courage inspire the world around you. ~ Steve Maraboli
  20. Mon. March 24th: At first they’ll ask you why you’re doing it. But, later they’ll ask you how you did it.
  21. Tue. March 25th: Sometimes you fall down, because there is something down there that you are supposed to find.
  22. Wed. March 26th: It always seems impossible until it’s done. ~ Nelson Mandela
  23. Thur. March 27th: If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or objects. ~ Albert Einstein
  24. Fri. March 28th: Trust the process.
  25. Sat. March 29th: Believing in yourself even when others don’t, is how you accomplish great things.
  26. Sun. March 30th: Never look down on anybody, unless you’re helping them up.
  27. Mon. March 31st: When you’re up, your friends know who you are. When you’re down, you know who your friends are.
  28. Tue. April 1st: The key to happiness is to find something you love to do, and then find a way to get paid to do it.
  29. Wed. April 2nd: Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
  30. Thur. April 3rd: When everything is coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane.
  31. Fri. April 4th: Be thankful and count your blessings for what you have, rather than what you want.
  32. Sat. April 5th: Simply be the qualities you seek in others.
  33. Sun. April 6th: Whatever makes you feel bad, leave it. Whatever makes you smile, keep it.
  34. Mon. April 7th: Life is to short to worry about what others say or think about you. So, have fun and give them something to talk about.
  35. Tue. April 8th: I choose happiness, success, and abundance in my life.
  36. Wed. April 9th: Your feelings are your feelings, and you never have to apologize for how you feel!
  37. Thur. April 10th: Take time to do what makes your soul happy.
  38. Fri. April 11th: You are beautiful, talented, amazing and simply the best at being you! Never forget that.
  39. Sat. April 12th: Everything you want is on the other side of fear. ~ Jack Canfield
  40. Sun. April 13th: I would rather die of passion than of boredom. ~ Vincent Van Gogh
  41. Mon. April 14th: Do not get upset with people or situations, both are powerless without your reaction.
  42. Tue. April 15th: Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something is more important than fear. ~ Princess Diaries
  43. Wed. April 16th: Let no one cage who you were born to be.
  44. Thur. April 17th: Birthdays are good for you, the more you have the longer you live.
  45. Fri. April 18th: Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.
  46. Sat. April 19th: A bird in a cage is not even half a bird.
  47. EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 20th: I don’t have time to worry about who doesn’t like me, I’m too busy loving the people who love me.

A Pat On My Back!

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Okay… I don’t usually toot my own horn, but come on – If I don’t, then who is gonna do it?!?!

I have been doing a lot of spring cleaning these last few weeks, and while digging through my office closet last night I came across a series of employment letters of recommendations that were written for me throughout the years. I can’t lie, reading through those letters gave me a sense of pride that I haven’t felt in a long time. They reminded me that I can do anything I set my mind to, something I believe everyone needs to be told from time to time.

The following are just a few of the many quotes that really made me think about myself, my life, and the career path I have taken.

“Nina is, by far, the most responsible, reliable and thorough member of the support staff. I know that I can rely on her to oversee a job and complete it in a timely and exemplary manner…”

“She consistently does outstanding work without regard for whether or not she will receive credit for the achievements.”

“I believe that Nina’s organization, creativity and caring as well as her ability to learn quickly make her an excellent candidate for any job. Her eagerness to develop as a person, attend available training and to go beyond her normal job responsibilities have made her an excellent employee.”

“Nina is both a team player and an independent thinker and is highly self-directed.”

 

FINALLY… MY PERSONAL FAVORITE: 

“From the first day, she demonstrated all of the skills to master the position. From a technical perspective, her computer skills, problem solving approaches, and ability to manage multiple projects are very good. She has excellent organizational skills, and the ability to prioritize projects using sound business judgment. She is very reliable and if she says something will get done, it will get done. She is an excellent team player who is respected and valued by every person here. But, her most valuable characteristics are her intangible traits. From my perspective, these abilities are the hardest to find and the most important to get. Nina possesses the ability to handle difficult situations with a calm professional manner. Everyday she brings a positive attitude and a willingness to do anything necessary to help the team. She is conscientious and demonstrates the unique ability to be professional, enthusiastic, but also has fun at work. This is a difficult balance, but she does it very effectively.”

 

I believe that sometimes we need to take a step back and look at ourselves through someone else’s eyes. Do I believe that everyone sees me in these ways? No, but the fact of the matter is… I do strive for a strong work ethic and I do try to put my best foot forward to work as a team player and get the job done, no matter what that job might be, in the best possible way. Sometimes it is nice to know that those efforts aren’t going unnoticed. I guess that was why reading these letters really touched me… It is probably why I have kept them all these years.

All to often employers fail to show their employees the appreciation they deserve, until it is to late. If you are an employer… I challenge you to take time out each day to tell a handful of employees what they mean to you and to the success of the company. Let them know you appreciate them and their hard work.

That is all…

LENT 2014 – What will you do?

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What is Lent?

Lent is a time for those of Christian belief to prepare for Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday and continues until Easter Sunday. The purpose of lent is to set aside some time for religious reflection. Time to think about Jesus’ suffering, his sacrifice, his life, his death, his burial and of course his resurrection. Many people do this through fasting, repentance, abstaining from things, and through spiritual discipline. Although depriving yourself of the things you love isn’t the only way to observe lent. You don’t have to suffer yourself in order to experience religious reflection.

For many people, even those that don’t attend church on a regular basis, or even at all, lent is still a wonderful time to reflect on life and what we want our lives to be like and mean.

How I plan to celebrate lent? With inspiration. I am going to post via Facebook and Twitter a daily inspirational quote. Something that means something to me or has touched my heart. Maybe I can touch someone else’s heart too. Then at the end of lent I will post all of the daily quotes here on my blog for everyone to see.

Here are a just a few ways you can celebrate the season of lent, and it doesn’t matter if you are religious or just seeking to reflect on the meaning of life in general.

  1. Write a letter (not email – a real letter with paper and pen) to a different person in your life, each day during lent, and tell them what they mean to you and how they have been a blessing in your life.
  2. Parents, write in a journal, one for each of your children, each day. Use the journal to tell your kids what they mean to you, how they encourage and inspire you, and all the ways they improve your life. On Easter give the completed journal to your kids to treasure.
  3. Add more prayer to your life.
  4. Give… each day or once a week find someone in need and share what you have in an effort to help improve their life.
  5. Listen more… devote a portion of your day to just listening to others around you; your spouse, your child(ren), your parents, your siblings, etc.
  6. Focus on your body… devote time each day to exercise, meditate, relax…

If you are one of those people who wants to experience suffering, by giving up something you hold dear, here are a few suggestions:

  1. Give up your bed for lent and sleep on the couch or even the floor.
  2. Give up your pillow, if the bed is not an option.
  3. Fasting, eating only one meal a day.
  4. Give up all drinks except water.
  5. Have a sweet tooth? Give up candy, cakes, ice cream… whatever your taste buds desire.

There are so many ways to celebrate Lent. What will you do?

 

 

EPIC FAIL… or ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS?

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Okay, so at the start of the new year I set myself up for either an EPIC FAIL or a huge success. What road have I started down? Not sure yet.

I laid out 6 New Year’s Resolutions for 2014 that I was hoping to stick with. Its March 3rd… lets see how I’m doing so far:

2014 – New Year’s Resolutions:

  1. Run a 5K – SUCCESS!!! I ran my first 5k on February 8th and finished with a time of 28:31. I was so proud of myself and so excited that I have continued to run. I haven’t done another organized 5k again, YET, but I run just about every other day (outside, treadmill, or elliptical depending on the weather and how my knees are holding up) and never less than 5.1 miles (5k). My time keeps getting better, and just the other day I ran it in 28 minutes flat. I will register for another organized 5k again this year… maybe when the weather gets a little better.
  2. Run a 10K – IN PROGRESS!!! I still have time… just not there yet. 🙂
  3. Publish my 3rd book… IN PROGRESS!!! Okay, well the third book is still going through the editing process, so this isn’t done yet, but I do see it coming out in the next couple of months. I have already been told I need to start on book 4, but I’m not really sure if that is in the cards for this series yet. I have to see how book three ends after all the edits/rewrites first.
  4. 6 Week Ab Workout – SUCCESS!!! Yes, I completed it AGAIN… But, I’m only doing it the once this year, or at least this time. I might do it again later, but with all the running I’m doing right now – my abs are looking better than ever. I think the 6 Week Ab Workout is great for those people just beginning to push themselves into a regular workout routine but for me… the running is doing what I need. I’m back down to my pre-baby weight, as in before both kids… before marriage… Heck, I’m back to my college weight. Very proud of that fact, and as I said before my abs haven’t looked better. Gotta keep running!
  5. Join a gym – SUCCESS!!! So, I decided to add going to the gym to my list of New Year’s Resolutions not to keep losing weight, but to tone, feel better about myself, and gain a little extra energy. They say a healthy body makes for a healthier person… I wanted to see if that is true! Well, I haven’t been lifting weights or anything, but I do visit the gym on a regular basis… as in I run every other day… and most of the time it is at the gym. I do want to start doing a bit of the weights, but that will come with time. For now, I am just happy to be on a regular schedule and feeling good about the exercising I’m doing and even better about the body I see in the mirror now.
  6. Blog a little more – FAIL!!! Okay, so this is the one area I have pretty much failed. I first published my New Year’s Resolutions on January 2, 2014 – Since that blog I have only blogged 4 times (not including this one). I think I can do better. I guess this isn’t really a FAIL yet, because there are 12 months in a year, and we are only at the beginning of March. I will continue to try harder to post more regularly… I promise that, to myself!

All in all, I have to say I’m doing pretty good on my 2014 New Year’s Resolutions. I still have work to do… but having a SUCCESS rating in 3 out of 6 areas, an IN PROGRESS rating in 2 out of 6 areas, and only 1 FAIL so far… yeah, I’m proud of myself.

 

What about you? How have you been doing on your New Year’s Resolutions? Have you kept them or thrown them to the curb?

2014 – New Year’s Resolutions!!!

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Yup, like everyone else I am jumping into 2014 with a full list of New Year’s Resolutions. I figure why not make them public… that way maybe one or two will stick. lol Yeah right. Every year I set out on a great new adventure with a list of resolutions and by April I’ve forgotten what they even were. So, this year my resolutions are short-term goals instead of long-term life changing events!

2014 – New Year’s Resolutions:

  1. Run a 5K – Yup, I’ve purchased some new workout clothes, got a brand new pair of running shoes, and have verbally committed to running my first 5K (in 15 years) on February 8th. Now I just need to get into the gym and start running so that come February 8th I can cross the finish line 🙂 I don’t expect to do great – BELIEVE ME!!! I am hoping to finish in 45 minutes. Okay, yeah that is slow, but seriously… it has been 15 years since I have run that far. 15 YEARS!!! Why so long, you ask. Well, many years ago… I ran every day. I actually ran twice a day, once in the early morning hours and once in the mid-late afternoon. I would run anywhere from 5 – 10 miles each time. Yup, I LOVED to run. Then one day I hit a pothole the wrong way – I guess I wasn’t watching what I was doing – and I hurt my knee… I continued to run on it for weeks because I was stubborn and well – my commanding officer told me I had to! Anyway… after a few weeks my knee got worse and worse. After that for years… whenever I would run more than two or three miles my knee would swell and be in pain for a week or two. I gave up running because it wasn’t fun any more. I am hoping that this many years later has given it enough time to heal so that doesn’t happen any more… we shall see!!!
  2. Run a 10K – Yeah right… this is the one I probably won’t do, but I’m putting it on the list anyway because if I do the 5K successfully then I plan to fun a few more and work my way up to the 10K. However, I do recognize that if the 5K doesn’t go well and if my knee doesn’t hold up then the 10K is out of the picture. Maybe at that point I’ll take up bike riding or swimming… maybe not.
  3. Publish my 3rd book… Yup… As you know I’ve already published 2 books and I have a 3rd on the way. Okay, this New Year’s Resolution doesn’t seem to off kilter. I will get it done and probably in the first few months of the year. The book is already written and with the editors. I am just waiting to get it back so that I can make edits and send it back for another round of edits. That cycle goes on for a while… then the book will become public. Want to purchase a copy of my first two books? You can get them on Kindle or in paper back at http://www.amazon.com just follow this link: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=nina%20soden&sprefix=nina+sod%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Anina%20soden
  4. 6 Week Ab Workout – What is the 6 Week Ab Workout? Well, I started it this past Monday so I am on day 4! Basically it is a series of exercises (sit-ups or crunches, flutter-kicks, squats, calf raises, lateral leg lifts, and knee raises) that you do each day. The first week you do 40 every day, the second week you do 55 every day, the third week you do 70 every day, etc. Each week increases by 15 reps until finally during week six you are doing 115 of each of the exercises every day. It is painful… but in the end VERY REWARDING! I did it twice in a row (12 straight weeks) last year (2013)… I would love to be able to say I did it straight through 2014, but I’m not going to get crazy… I’m shooting for 3 times in a row this year. If I could do it twice last year why not shoot for a little more this year?!
  5. Join a gym – Okay so I actually already did this, but I haven’t really used it. So, although I hate the “A New Year – A New Me” attitude I’ve decided to subscribe to it this year. The thing is I think to many people do it for the wrong reason. They do it because they feel like that is what society says they should do. You eat a lot at the holidays… gain a little weight… the new year comes and you feel bad or guilty so you vow to lose all the weight. But, here is the thing – I’m the “Thin Bitch” right? Okay, wait – you might not know that… check out my other blog at http://www.thinbitch.wordpress.com So, I actually weighed myself the other day and I, without knowing it, have finished loosing all the “baby weight” from both of my pregnancies. That’s right… I AM BACK TO MY PRE-PREGNANCY WEIGHT!!! So, I don’t actually want to lose any weight. In fact, if I gained a few pounds (muscle of course) I wouldn’t be upset. So, I’m going to go to the gym – not for society – but for me!!! Not to lose weight but just to tone and feel better about myself and gain a little extra energy. They say a healthy body makes for a healthier person… I want to see if that is true!
  6. Blog a little more – I’m gonna shoot for once a week. Yup… It’s been a while so once a week is going to be hard, but I’m gonna try.

Okay, so there you have it… my 6 New Year’s Resolutions. I’m sure I could think of others I might want to list… but these are my top 6!

What are your New Year’s Resolutions?

Marriotts Orlando World Center – My 2-Star Review

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2star

Let me start by saying that I recognize that everyone’s experiences are different when they travel and what is important to me in a hotel might not be important to everyone else. Therefore, this review is solely a reflection of my experiences at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort and not based on anyone else’s opinions.

The following is a list of areas I chose to cover in this review and my thoughts/comments. Why did I select these particular areas? Simple, because these were the things that most impacted my experience during my stay.

  1. General Appearance (5 Stars) – Although I am giving this hotel a 5-Star rating for general appearance I want to remind everyone that appearance is only skin deep. The look of the hotel both outside and inside the main area was wonderful. The grounds are clean with well manicured lawns and the indoor “public” areas are very nicely decorated with new furnishings and a welcoming feel.
  2. Layout / Floor plan (1 Star) – Yes, I gave this a 1-Star rating. The reason is simple – THE SELF-PARKING parking lot has to be at least a half-mile, if not more, from the main lobby. I get that they want everyone to use their over-priced valet parking, but come on – some of us don’t even want to pay the $14.91/day for the self-parking. There is no way I was going to pay double that to do valet parking. Besides my employer was paying for the hotel so… No, they were not going to approve valet parking. I know you think I am kidding, but I’m not. The walk from the self-parking lot was at least a half mile from the main lobby – then you still had to walk another quarter-mile to get to my hotel room… lets just say I got a lot of exercise this trip.
  3. Customer Service (1 Star) – I’m actually not even sure I want to give the hotel a 1-Star rating for this, but I don’t like to give no stars. The thing is this – the service wasn’t all bad – it was just bad where it mattered to me. The first lack of customer service was the total disrespect they showed when assigning me my first room. Okay, I was there for a conference – and therefore my work was paying for the room, but that doesn’t mean you should give me the worst room in the hotel. I brought my family along, and we planned to make the week-long trip a family vacation (as well as a business trip). So, we walk into the room and what do we find? A note taped to the balcony door saying that it has been locked due to construction and that we are not able to use the balcony. When we look out the window there is PVC piping on the railing, and a ladder/ramp along the outside of the balcony. Therefore all the workers can see straight into our room as they work. Yeah, not happening. They should have known better than to assign that room to anyone. It just showed me that they don’t care about their customers. I was a paying customer – give me a good room! Then when I called down to the front desk to request a new room the gentleman said, “You can come down to the desk at one o’clock and maybe we can get you a better room.” Maybe? Maybe, are you kidding me?! When my husband went to the front desk and expressed our frustration – they quickly gave him a new room (a nice one I might add). You might be thinking that this should improve my customer service rating, but it doesn’t. Why? Because it just made me feel that, as a woman, they didn’t want to service me, but as a man my husband was taken seriously. Yeah, I’m not into the whole treat men and women differently thing. Next on the “customer service” rating – the cleaning crew was rude! I asked for some conditioner (BECAUSE THERE WAS NONE!) and what response did I get? “Call the front desk!” then she walked away! Last item on the “customer service” rating – When we returned to the room after a long day at Epcot the door to our room was open. I called the front desk, who quickly sent me to security. They came up and did a “test” on the lock to see whose card had been used in the lock last, and did they bother to tell me? NO! What does that say to me? Well it tells me one of their employees had been in my room, but they didn’t want to tell me that so they just ignored me!
  4. Room – Okay, the first room received a ZERO STAR rating, but the second room I would give 3 Stars. Why a 3-Star rating you ask… Well, the layout was fine, but there was NO VENTILATION! When you took a shower everything in the bathroom was wet with steam. I couldn’t even keep my clean clothing in there to change because they would end up wet by the end of the shower. That meant that when I got out of the shower and dried off I had to step into the sink area (where there was no door for privacy) naked to get dressed. That is not fun with two children running around. The lack of ventilation didn’t contain itself to the bathroom. At night in the room the air was dry and thick with dust from the air conditioner. After the first night I woke up with a sore throat. After the second night I was congested and had a migraine. By the end of our stay I WAS SICK, as in taking Dayquil and Nyquil. Last on this list – I have to mention the cleaning crew again. When I go to a hotel I expect that when I return to my room after say… lunch… that my room will be clean, but NO, they never arrived until after lunch. They must have been understaffed, but come on – if you have a hotel that big HIRE MORE PEOPLE! Oh, wait… I do have one more thing to add… They had candy, water, etc. just sitting out and a refrigerator full of drinks (alcohol included – without a lock on the refrigerator – EASY ACCESS FOR CHILDREN). Anyway, the selection was great, but the prices were obscene! Seriously, who is going to pay $4-$5 for a bottle of water?!?!?! GIVE ME A BREAK!
  5. Food/Restaurants (1 Star) – I have no idea how the food tasted at the hotel because OMG the price was ridicules. We were going to eat breakfast at the hotel, but for two adults and two children it was going to cost us $80 – $90. HELL NO! Come on, look at the government per diem rates for food in your area when planning your menu rates. You are WAY OVER PRICED!!!
  6. Pool (4.5 Stars) – YES THE POOL WAS AMAZING! I should say pools because they had more than one and all of them were wonderful. My only complaint was about the guy manning the water-slide. My husband took my 7 1/2 year-old daughter up to the top of the water-slide and she was so excited… however, the gentleman at the top wouldn’t let her go down because he said that she was one inch to short. Yet, we saw (numerous times) children smaller than her going down the slide throughout our stay. Yeah, he was in a bad mood that day… I mean his job is sitting at the top of a slide all day… I guess I get it, but come on don’t crush a 7 1/2 year olds only wish for the day!
  7. Business Center (1 Star) – I am only giving this a 1-Star rating because they do offer something, but come on this is the first hotel I have stayed at in a very long time that didn’t offer a free business center at least for minor printing needs. No, they offer a FedEx run business center that over charges for internet time and printing. Thank you, but no thank you!
  8. Miscellaneous – These are just a few other issues I had: fruit-flies in the restrooms and lack of afternoon shuttle busses to the Disney parks.

Okay, overall I have to say that I was VERY DISAPPOINTED with my experience. The only saving grace – my company paid, and they had a Starbucks in the lobby!

So, my final rating is… 2 Stars

Six Things I’ve Learned In Six Years Of Marriage

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I read this and had to share it. I’ve been married longer than 6 years and have learned a lot… maybe I will put together a list one day.

2013 New Year’s Resolutions

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Okay, we are 8 days into the new year and I have finally decided what I want my New Year’s Resolutions to be! NO IT IS NOT TO LATE. Actually I believe that it is never to late to come up with a New Year’s Resolution. The thing is, if I had just made some up on New Years Eve just so that I could start them on January 1st I would never have kept them. I would have picked things like…

  1. Give up Chocolate – GIVE ME A BREAK! There is no way in HELL that would have stuck more than a few hours.
  2. Workout Daily – HELLO? Who has time for a daily workout, unless you count the constant back and forth walking while working.

So, now that we are eight (8) days into the New Year I have come up with a list of resolutions that actually mean something to me, and because of that I think that I will be able to keep them.

  1. Love my husband better!
  2. Spend more one on one time with my children!
  3. Learn to cook – I am taking a once a week cooking lesson with my mother-in-law
  4. Join Hot Yoga! I loved yoga back in college – I’m not going to mention how long ago that was, but I am hoping to enjoy it again.
  5. Read more, just for fun!
  6. Get back into Theatre! I have my first audition (IN YEARS) on January 20th and 21st!
  7. Produce a show – Theatre of course! I have a meeting next week to discuss doing this in the next 6 months at the local university.
  8. WRITE WRITE WRITE! I want to finish book two (2) of the Blood Angel series – If I ever get it back from the editor.
  9. Produce a film – My husband is an AMAZING author, and he wrote this short film… years ago… and I would love to help him tweak it and put it together… maybe get a few hits online…. We shall see.

Okay, that is a pretty long list, and it really is more of a list of goals but I think that is okay. These are my goals/resolutions for 2013. Some are short-term but most of them are long-term.

So, what are your 2013 New Year’s Resolutions/Goals? If you didn’t make any why not do it now?!

Mayonnaise Jar & Two Beers…

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Okay, I didn’t write this and I don’t know who did, but whoever did – thank you. My mom sent this to me and I couldn’t agree with its message any more than I do. I hope anyone now reading it can appreciate it asynchronous as I do!

Mayonnaise Jar & Two Beers…

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 Beers.

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 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 real beers (not Bud or Miller) 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.

Spend time with your children.

Spend time with your parents,
brothers and sisters.

Visit with grandparents.

Take your spouse out to dinner.

Play another 18 holes of golf.

There will always be time to clean the house, fix the disposal or deal with things from your job.

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 beer represented.

The professor smiled and said, ‘I’m glad you asked.’

The beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of beers with a friend!

Dear Grandpa,

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I always regretted that I was so far away when you passed. I never got to say goodbye, and still today that hurts. I wish I had visited more when I had the chance. I wish I had called, just to talk. Just to tell you I love you! Because I did, and I still do.

There hasn’t been a holiday, important moment or event in my life, or just a day that has gone by that you haven’t been with me in my heart. You’re my guardian angel that I talk to when I need guidance and somehow you always help me find the answers.

Last night, for the first time in years I couldn’t shut my eyes without seeing your face. I wish I could say that seeing you in my dreams made me smile, but it didn’t. I ended up quietly crying myself to sleep. No matter how close you got I couldn’t get my arms around you. I couldn’t hug you. You were always just out of reach.

Grandma was there too. Hand-in-hand you both looked just like I remembered you. I know that you’re together now, and happy again after so many years of being apart when she died, but even knowing that you’re happy doesn’t make the pain of missing you both any easier. I’m sorry if that sounds selfish, but you’re my grandpa and grandma and I feel like I can be a little selfish in my feels about you both being gone.

When you were finally close enough that I could reach you, you held out your hand to me. But when I tried to go to you a hand on my shoulder stopped me. “They’re not here for you. They’re here for me.” It was your son, my Uncle. You know he hasn’t been well, not for the last few years. He is back in the hospital again, and he isn’t doing well. Lets just say he is stubborn, like you always were! Like my dad. Like me! Well, honestly I don’t think there is anyone in our family that isn’t at least a little stubborn. I don’t think stubbornness is always a bad thing – it can be a strength, and I thank you for that. However in this case it is a bad thing. He is choosing to be stubborn instead of going to the doctor when he needs to, instead of listening to his doctor’s advice, and instead of eating right and taking care of himself.

His stubbornness is digging his early grave, and Grandpa, I’m not ready to lose him yet. I don’t feel like I’ve had time to say goodbye yet, or to tell him that I love him and always will. Even being home for the holidays wasn’t enough. he seemed so fragile and I was afraid to touch him because I didn’t want to hurt him. it’s silly I know. I should have just taken him in my arms and hugged him, cried, told him he I will always love him, screamed at him to fight to live if not for him but for me – for all of his nieces and nephews that love him.

I guess I’m just asking for a little more time. Instead of taking him home with you, please just be his guardian angel and help him push through this, like you do for me whenever I need help.

I love you grandpa, and I miss you every day. Give grandma a big hug for me and tell her I love and miss her too.

Nina