One of the life lessons I learned from my father was to treat everyone like they matter, whether they are a janitor or the president of a company. Last night I watched the movie Same Kind of Different as Me and I cried like a baby. Respecting others, no matter their station, is just… right!
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Ruth Riley Inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame
Last week I was thrilled to read that Ruth Riley Hunter is part of the 2019 class of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Not only is she a phenomenal athlete, she is a global humanitarian, and a VERY nice person. Oh, and for you Miami Heat fans, Ruth is now a TV studio and radio analyst! At first blush, Ruth is nothing short of intimidating. A hair under 6’ 5”, the veteran center is a powerful force. (I’m only 4’ 10”… you do the math.) She helped Notre Dame win the NCAA championship, and she has two WNBA championship rings. We certainly can’t forget that she also received a gold […]
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TODAY’S QUOTE: This Too Shall Pass
When you are in the middle of a storm, it’s hard to believe it will ever be over. But eventually the rain dissipates, the wind dies down, and the sun comes out to reveal a creation that is fresh again. The same applies to life’s storms. This too shall pass.
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TODAY’S QUOTE: No Regrets
Alexander Graham Bell, the recognized inventor of the telephone, understood that looking back at past failures can hinder one’s future accomplishments. Inventing is all about coming up with new ideas, after all. His forwarding-thinking quote is engraved in the stone wall within the Peace Chapel of the International Peace Garden on the border of Manitoba and North Dakota. “Woulda, coulda, shoulda” thinking will get you nowhere other than in a spiral of regret. We’ve all made mistakes we can learn from, but obsessing about them serves nobody #lookahead
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KISS Rocks
Back in the 70s and 80s I was a huge KISS fan. I mean, who didn’t like to play air guitar to “Rock and Roll All Night” or slow dance to “Beth?” Not only did I love their music, but their vibe and costumes were awesome! When I was a freshman at a small Lutheran school in Northern Minnesota where nothing unsavory was allowed, my besties and I dressed up like our favorite rock band. Whew, did we get some disapproving looks! Now that I’m older and hopefully wiser, I admire KISS for much more than their musical chops and fashion sense (although I still want a pair of […]
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Happy Birthday America!
On July 4, 1776, our forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence to rid the thirteen colonies from the tyranny of British rule. American patriots with rudimentary weaponry fought a powerful foe to forge a new nation: The United States of America. In 1783, the United States formally became a free and independent nation. Official records state that 4,435 soldiers died from wounds suffered during the Revolutionary War. I am grateful.
Read more...Young Dr. Doolittle
I have long been an animal advocate. At Sunny Hollow Elementary school back in the 60s, my friend Carrie and I performed our own rendition of “Born Free” at the annual talent show, she playing the piano and me positioned on top of said piano. The introduction was especially moving. While she tinkled the ivories, I pled my case to the audience: There are animals living in zoos and they are living in cages. That’s just not right, because they were here first! (Or something equally passionate.) Pictures of beautiful wild animals — from Arctic foxes to zebras — flashed behind us in living color (This was long before Powerpoint, so […]
Read more...The Tick Magnet
We adopted our little Fitzgerald a few months ago from Underdog Rescue, a nonprofit pet rescue, rehabilitation, and placement organization. He is one of the best things that ever happened to me (more on that in a subsequent post). We are together pretty much 24×7. I don’t know what it is about him, but he is a real tick magnet – even with preventative meds from our vet. Maybe it has something to do with him being a stud at a puppy mill for two years… get it… chick magnet… Anyhoo, last night I was innocently watching “Shark Tank” and petting Mr. Fitz when lo and behold I found a tick stubbornly […]
Read more...Remember My Voice
The human voice is the organ of the soul~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow On my six-hour drive down to visit my daughter and her family, I listened to a wonderful documentary on Minnesota Public Radio: The Vietnam Tapes: Letters from a Willmar Soldier (http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/04/30/mpr_news_presents). Dan Kleven and his family from Willmar, Minnesota sent cassette tapes back and forth while he was deployed during the war. He drew vivid word pictures about life in combat and they kept him tuned into daily life on the farm. One of Dan’s best friends also sent him audio letters to stay connected. The documentary was fascinating. Not only did the tapes keep a family sane and connected […]
Read more...I Wanna Have More Fun!
I don’t want to sound ghoulish, but I have the feeling I’m not going to make it to be a little old lady with a walker and too much perfume. So, that means I’d better hurry up and have some fun. It is no longer enough to wake up, work, watch TV, go to bed, and start the whole thing all over again. I am bound and determined to have a whole lot more fun in 2015 than I did in 2014. Interestingly, there are scads of other social networkers feeling the same way. So… I am officially throwing out the gauntlet on THE 2015 HAVE MORE FUN CHALLENGE! The […]
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