Tuesday, March 31, 2009



What's Your Passion?

I can admit one of mine....I'm a Read-Aholic. That's the first step right? Admitting it?

I think I was hooked one summer at one of our cottages - a rainy day and nothing to do -I'm sure my mom at her wits end after countless questions of.."what's there to doooo?" Finally suggested: "Read" And I did. I haven't looked back since.

I'd say I got started with comic books. Archie and Richie Rich, and the occasional Spiderman or Superman. After the entertaining yet quick reads of comic books I graduated to Nancy Drew. I read every single one of those and when realizing I had nothing in the house I hadn't read, moved on to my brother's Hardy Boys series. Not quite the same, but hey...I had a habit to supply!! :o)

Both of my parents were veracious readers, my dad especially. I can picture him with a book pretty much since I can remember. My two aunts were also read-aholics (runs in the family) and they were my saving grace over my years growing up. We traded books and talked authors constantly! "Did you read the latest Sue Grafton or Dick Francis?" No? I'll let you have mine when I'm done. And around the family they would go of course writing our initials on the front page so we knew we had already read it. A good rule of thumb of actually. One rarely threw away a book...I mean...its still good! I used to and still do donate old books or those I just didn't like to the library. The library was and is a lifesaver. I remember seeing a paperback I had seen my dad reading in the garbage...I asked..."What, no good?" He was like...no, it was good, i just finished it. What??! I reverently snatched it out of the garbage and actually found a new author I liked! Yikes...threw it out...I was now lamenting how many books had he actually tossed till I knew this!

I lean towards mystery and a good novel...on rare occasion a romance type, but I had my Harlequin Romance stage back one summer and found I needed more substance. I have favorite authors...Dick Francis is pretty much at the top of my list for fiction. Just something about the way you always end up liking his main character, unassuming and clever and wishing you knew him yourself. Not to mention the mystery aspect always got you. So much so, as my aunt and I will both agree to doing- putting his books down and NOT reading it because we never wanted it to end.

I know I am rambling about this subject..I really have only just begun - but I realize this is and always has been a HUGE passion of mine and I'm not afraid to say it. :o) What about you...what makes you forget where you are because you just get lost in it? Everyone has something I hope it's a healthy part of your life.

Friday, March 27, 2009


Treat yourself time!

I am ready for some food changes now that the weather is changing. Lighter meals...trips to the farmer's market soon, new recipes to try. I really do enjoy cooking and experimenting. What can I say..I love to eat!! Even as I type this I am thinking about what I will have for lunch today. As it's Friday I decided to make it a 'treat' day and why the heck not?? Do you do this for yourself? I'm always curious as to what others do that I may not have thought of! For me today it means venturing out of my usual routine and exploring a bit. Feel free to share what works for you!


I'm noticing an abundance of what I assume are California strawberries in the stores. Yay....something different and a sure sign of spring. I did buy a container, cut and washed them and ate the entire pint! No guilt - not to mention delicous! I'm going to really make a weekend out of gathering a few new recipes to try. I mean I love old favorites...what would we do without them? But I'm game for something new as well. So much abundance out there waiting to be experienced. That goes for food too! Have a wonderful Friday! :o)

Sunday, March 22, 2009




What do you want? Do you know? And when you fine tune it a bit in your head or on paper ...Do you ever just ask for some simple clarity? I mean we all talk to ourselves...whether aloud or in our heads. But we all do it. I do it both ways! But lots of times I ask things without really being mindful of actually expecting an answer. I'm getting better at it. I tend to do better when it is something important and I am just getting to the end of my rope with knowing what to do.

Pretty much all of us were taught in order to get, be, or have something we have to DO something. Somewhat accurate. What I have learned over the last 7 yrs or more is that myself and lots of us tend to run around like a hamster on one of those wheels..."gotta be doing something, gotta be doing something" cause if I'm not doing 'something"- what I want will not be able to show up! Not correct. There's doing something and there's 'doing' something...(love that analogy). When you are asking questions...and by asking I mean asking your inner guidance or asking God, the 'Big Guy' upstairs, the Universe, Spirit...(whatever works for you) what the heck would be something I could do to help myself get to where I want to be. And then let go of it. Trust comes in here. And that is usually where most of us waver. We 'know' we should trust...we know pretty much that things can and do happen for us - but because we don't know how, or when exactly, we start doubting - thus starting the 'gotta be doing somethings' all over again.

What I have noticed for me...is lots of times I get these ideas or inspirations of something that feels like 'fun' or kind of exciting because of the possibilities or I may read something or talk to someone who is doing something similar. (I love that!). And lots of times (hate to admit) I sit there and analyze it to death. My recent clarity on the subject is that I tend to worry about failing or looking stupid, or what would people think. etc etc. I've decided to do less of THAT and instead more of what feels good - that means letting mself get excited about something, letting myself TRY some of my inspired ideas and knowing that by my getting out of the way more (playing more when I just get so frustrated or worried) because that just keeps it all at arms length!

I'm 40 something years old. And you know...I'm really getting tired of being less than I believe I could be. I'm very appreciative of where I am..and how far I've come. And yet I know there's more out there and darn it..I want some too. No more giving a RATS ASS what may or may not go right...time to just enjoy the 'getting there' part of it all too!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009


I've been waiting for this... my first Robin sighting...I pride myself every spring to be one of the first people to see one. I'm sure I'm NOT the first but I like to kid myself to thinking that these springtime birds are flaunting themselves just for me. I saw 2 on my lawn early this morning...still not daylight completely but it was obvious. I felt like they were bouncing along the grass, looking back at me to make sure they were spotted! Sigh...feels good to know that spring has officially landed - on my lawn, mind you!

Monday, March 16, 2009

Yes...Monday - no getting around it.

I remember when I worked weekends and would have Mondays off - a different frame of mind entirely. But Mondays are also considered the beginning of the week and the beginning or fresh start of anything always deserves a positive outlook. Or at least we can try!

The sun is out..the birds are chirping away - the temps are warmer - folks around here wandering without coats, and the other morning someone had their convertable top down on their car! Yikes! I think it was still in the 30s that morning...but in Buffalo anything goes when spring is due.

I got up early and was almost the first person at the gym - so that felt good. Have some leftovers to take to work to eat, so that feels good - got to connect with my wonderful guy this morning and will again, so that feels good, I have the Golden Girls on and that always feels good, I also am off Thurs thru Sunday this week so THAT feels good...gee...I'm on a roll! :o) Guess the bottom line here is there is always something to feel good about and when you find it - MILK it.

Friday, March 13, 2009




Ah yes, it's Friday...and since I don't really work weekends anymore I am very much in appreciation mode! (Our cat Jasmine has it down pat as far as relaxation goes.)

As a natural health practitioner and coach I do work from home alot...but I also have a part time gig as well. I'm slowly making the mental transition to getting ready to quit as it really is not something I feel overly drawn to. It's a 'job' and while I know my skills are appreciated, I am one who needs to feel more productive in general. Over the years I have held MANY positions...and it's really been quite the eye opener. So many opportunities and ways to figure out what we are good at and what we enjoy. I recommend it if you really do not know what your niche is. I did figure out long ago not to 'settle' when it comes to just about anything. Its fine to make peace with where you are and find the positive aspects - but to stay put in a situation that doesn't work for you well...it's draining after a while. Not fun!

So much out there and experiences and people - somethings can start out as a hobby and grow to a job or business. You tend to meet folks who are also jazzed in what they are doing too and that helps immensely!

I'm rambling I know...but as I said..it's Friday, I am happy it's Friday and am going to make it a good day, even if work is involved! :o) You can too, just make the decision to look for what feels good and you'll find more of it.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Hello all...I'm off my part-time gig today...and was hoping for warmer temps to get out walking. Walking is my 'cardio' of choice..I walk fast normally, but turn it up even more for some fat burning. However 20-something degrees makes me whine till I get warmed up so lots of times I pass. Not good, I know. I do use the gym a few blocks down, but after a long winter the outdoors is really calling me these days.

For me, nature is a huge 'pacifier' - routinely improves my mood and uplifts me even if I was already feeling good. Nature is an 'absorber' of energy, while giving energy at the same time. Quite amazing really. When I was studying my herbal studies, one of the exercises we did regularly was to walk outside in nature barefoot...on the beach, the grass, or in the water - what this does is absorb alot of the extra energy we take in daily from TV, computers etc. VERY helpful for calming and improving sleep. Something I need to do more regularly, for sure. Of course I was in California at the time and it's a tad easier to be outside in nature year round there! But I find even in Buffalo there are still opportunities to be out there. For instance a few times this winter I was out late at night shoveling snow. I found this extremely peaceful and soothing...working up a sweat while the silence and new snow was all around me.

Don't take the beauty around you for granted...it really can be healing if you let it in regularly.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Wow...has time flown or what? I'm ready and waiting for spring in good ol' Buffalo NY...warmer temps today but the wind is cooling things off a bit. I'm finding myself into spring mode, regardless and am on a mission of cleaning things out of my house. I tend to do one room at a time but it's very freeing! I'm also looking for and trying new recipes as we tend to get in a rut it seems...and I must say I am BORED with what I've been eating of late. Also a vegetarian for yrs, I tend to experiment quite a bit for that reason alone.

Will share if I find anything good! Feel free to do the same