Daily Mood Quote - June 30, 2011

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 57 – June 30, 2011

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. 

~Mark Twain

Today's Daily Mood Quote is a thank you. I want to say thank you to all who read Daily Mood Quotes regularly. I would also like to thank everyone for passing the link along, that is very kind of you and I appreciate it. Daily Mood Quotes is currently being read in 30 countries with good reviews.

It seems in today's world, despite all the advanced education and technology available to us, the simple courtesies of life have gotten lost. I would say a lost art, but that implies it requires talent. It doesn't. It requires respecting other people, no matter their station in life, their ethnicity, or cultural differences. Anyone can do that. So why don't we? I see this absence of respect and courtesy everyday, whether I am on the phone, online or in public. Self-involvement, without regard to others, seems to be running rampant. It sometimes feels as if people believe, because they have money, technology or both, they don't need anyone or anything else, including manners.

Image if these manner-less people went to a supermarket and no one was there to stock the shelves, or to provide the multitude of other services we use everyday. Suddenly, they would need them, wouldn't they? People often take too much for granted, including other people. It is amazing how a simple sincere “thank you” can lift the spirits of the people who receive it and the people who give it. It's a win-win. So, why don't we all do it? I don't pretend to know the answer to that.

No one achieves any kind of success without the help of others, somewhere along the line, no matter who you are or where you are, someone has helped you or provided a service that assisted you. It would seem that a simple thank you would be more than worth the time and effort. William Arthur Ward said (I am paraphrasing here), “We are given a gift of 86,400 seconds a day. Have you used one to say “thank you?”

I have looked diligently for a movie that spoke directly about saying thank you and being thankful and couldn't find one that seemed to fit the simple "thank you" I'm referring too. A lot of movies made reference to it: like, It's a Wonderful Life, when George Bailey (played by James Stewart) who was thankful to Clarence (played by Henry Travers) for showing him just how wonderful his life really was. So, no movie quote today, just a personal note to say “Thank you” for making Daily Mood Quote a part of your day and for being a part of the Daily Mood Quotes Family.

Which one of the 86,400 seconds today, will you use to say thank you?

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Daily Mood Quote - June 29, 2011

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 56 – June 29, 2011

The car has become the carapace, the protective and aggressive shell, of urban and suburban man.

~Marshall McLuhan

“Automobiles are not ferocious...it is the man (woman too) who is to be feared.”

~Robbins B. Stoeckel

Yesterday, my husband and I were out running errands, minding our own business and enjoying the drive and conversation. I got to tell you, I love where I live because “material presents itself” (thank you Ray Romano in Everybody loves Raymond). Several years back, the phrase “road rage” was big, it played on nearly every programs, many talks show talked about how to deal with road rage and there were many news stories about people being arrested for acts of road rage. Today, we don't see as much of it on TV, nor do we read much about it in print. Maybe that just where I live, I don't know.

Road rage (at least the less dangerous kind) is one of those things that has always made my husband and I laugh. We could never really understand the need someone has to get to the red light first. Daily driving isn't a competition, but it seems many drive as if it is a race. While driving the speed limit yesterday in the slow lane too boot, there was a woman in a silver Cadillac Escalade (she look to be in her sixties) who pulled that aggressive driver routine on my husband, riding his bumper at first, trying to force him to go faster. He smiled looked at me and said quietly, “Get off my a**, I'm saving gas.” Then she attempted to pass him at a high rate of speed. She used the “intimidation” stare, as she slowed her car just enough to pull aside our car, muttering some unfriendly words (that's not nice or civil). Then when she realized that there was a red light ahead, which my husband had spied quite a bit earlier, she had to stop. As we pulled up to the light, we were directly abreast of the Silver Escalade. My husband and I were laughing, because as we were going the speed limit for the road 55 mph, we didn't need to stop, only slow a bit. When the light turned green the woman hit the gas, flipped us the finger (which is considered “road rage” and illegal, but nearly impossible to enforce in this state) and drove past us at a high rate of speed, cutting off several cars ahead of us. Really, the finger, from a woman in her sixties? I don't even want to speculate as to where that's been, yuck. Wow!

When I was kid, a relative once told me the elderly people, those who are older, are your role models. That relative has since passed away, but if that's the kind of role modeling going on, I think I'll pass. It's bad enough when we're driving in our cars, we see people in their cars doing strange things, picking their nose (looking for the winners, I assume), playing with their false teeth (that's just disgusting), talking on the phone, while working on a laptop, drinking coffee, with one finger on the wheel. Can anyone say high insurance rates? Yeah, I want to drive behind them. Then, there are the people who actually change their clothes in their cars while driving (not something I wanted to see, seriously saw too much). A little note for these carapace people...We can see you, EVERYONE can see you.

In the movie Driving Miss Daisy, Boolie Werthan (played by Dan Aykroyd) said to his mother Daisy Werthan (played by Jessica Tandy), “Mama, cars don't behave. They are behaved upon.” It is our actions behind the wheel that can turn a pleasurable experience into a nightmare, if we are not careful. There is no place ever that is so important to get too, that you should risk your life, or the lives of others to get there. The roads are big enough (mostly). Yes there's traffic but, I have found the best way to survive is to look around you when you are at red light. Look for the rocker who is bobbing his head to heavy metal music, look for the singer, who sings in their car, where no one can hear them. Thank goodness. Look for the nose picker and wonder if they will ever find a winner there. It's an amusement park on wheels, well at least a side show. I guarantee you, you'll end up at your destination with a smile on your face. “Drive carefully! Remember, it's not only a car that can be recalled by it's maker.” ~Anonymous

What fun will you find in driving today?

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Daily Mood Quote - June 28, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 55 – June 28, 2011

Do not worry if you have built your castles in the air. They are where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.

~Henry David Thoreau

A few days ago my husband made a statement in public that has stuck with me ever since he said it. He said, "You're either fortunate or your not. You can be prepared, you can be educated, you can be intelligent, but things can still go wrong." He continued to say, "Those who believe that their good lives are by there own doing, don't understand that they are fortunate." He went on to say, "you can do everything right and still things can go wrong. Fortune makes the difference and I don't mean money."

If you look at the history of the world, you have intelligent people, working earnestly, with good intent all over the globe and by accident of time, geography, civilization or culture, there are those who are fortunate and those who are not. It has nothing to do with who they are, or whether they are good or bad. It also has nothing to do with their dreams. There is a saying "crap happens" (my husband has a stronger word, I don't want to use that one) and it happens to the educated as well as the uneducated, the intelligent, the prepared, the rich and the poor. The question is, are you fortunate or not? This can change in an instant and without your consent. I had a good job, but another company bought the company I worked for and I lost my job, in one of the toughest job markets around. It happens. There it is, crap happens.

In the new movie Larry Crowne with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, (scheduled to be released this Friday, July 1, 2011), a yet to be identified actress (I have only seen her profile in the trailer) said, "you are never to old to learn." Sometimes that means going back to school like Larry Crowne and "me." Sometimes that means learning from the unfortunate situations that life brings us. We may need to learn empathy, understanding, or even compassion for those to whom we formerly didn't give a second thought. The official movie descriptions says, "sometimes clouds have silver linings” and my husband says, "sometimes the rains those clouds bring, help us to grow." Although that's cold comfort when you are being poured on. Remember the rain too shall pass. Be patient and press onward and don't allow the dissenting opinions of others, who may be fortunate now but lack understanding, to stop you from building your castles in the air. Even if that means starting with only a dream.

What "castle" will you dream of today?

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Daily Mood Quote - June 27, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 54 – June 27, 2011

“Happiness lies first of all in health.”

~George William Curtis

I was once told, “happiness doesn't come from the stuff you have, where you live or the spouse you married. It comes from how well you take care of yourself. You can't be any good for anyone else, if you don't take care of yourself.” Yesterday, I spent the day laying about, because of an old knee injury. When I was 19, I went bike riding with some friends (at night, big mistake) and ran into a rail I did not see. The bike and I flipped over the rail and I severely damaged my knee. It took about 2 months to heal and through exercise it healed pretty well. My knee was strong, however my days as a runner were over and my days of weight gain began.

When I was younger, I was a freak about exercise, somewhere along the way marriage, children, school and life took precedent and exercise took a back burner. I allowed the busyness to cause me to forget how I once felt when I exercised. Yesterday, I remembered what it felt like when I exercised, it was great. So, why did I stop? Living life is not a good enough excuse to put exercise on a back burner. It's an excuse and that's all it is. What a high price to pay, a day of sofa sitting, I have got to tell you, I couldn't help feeling that my tushie was getting bigger, because I stopped moving. I can't have that.

Exercise is more than good physical conditioning, Paul Dudley White said, “A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world.” I am not an unhappy person, but I am unhappy with how my body is handling middle ageness. Anyway how else do you get the endorphins moving? In the movie, Legally Blonde, Elle Woods (played by Reese Witherspoon) said it best, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.” And your approach to all that life is throwing at you will be a different, better attitude, with better problem solving ability and more energy. If I would have never stopped exercising, I believe I would have never re-injured my knee. At least not the level of having to sit around the house for a day. I'm taking back the care of myself, I'll wrap my knee and begin my day by going for a walk. Then I will get my stationary bike out of storage (the garage), dust it off and "ride like the wind" (thank you Sheriff Woody, played by Tom Hanks in Toy Story 2), I'll even call my bike Bullseye. I've got a long way back, and this time I'll put my health above all else.

What will you do to better your health today?

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Daily Mood Quote - June 26, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 53 - June 26, 2011

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”
~Maria Robinson

I wonder how many of us ever wished we had a time machine. Just fire up the old time machine and go. Whenever, where ever, to do what ever needed to be done to “fix things.” For me, I have thought about it. But I wouldn't travel back in time to change anything, because the lessons I have learned in my life were worth learning. If I had changed any of those situations, then I may not know the things I know today, or have had the experiences that were worth having.

We can't predict the future, nor can we change the past despite the premise of the movie Back to the Future with Michael J. Fox. He went back to a time to when his parents were teenagers and in high school. He never guessed that interfering with the past would dramatically alter the future. Well things worked out for Marty McFly, and why wouldn't they? It was a movie and things always work out in the movies. The point is, we all have “woulda, shoulda and coulda's” in our lives, but even if we did those things, made the changes, we would find ourselves to be someone else, with other “woulda, shoulda and coulda's”. We are where we are supposed to be and at the time we are to be there. There is some comfort in that. Abraham Lincoln said in his 1860 letter to George Latham; “ I know not how to aid you, save the assurance of one of mature age, and much severe experience, that you cannot fail if you resolutely determine that you will not.” So experiences, even the bad ones have there place in life. Not that you have to like them, but we can draw a lesson from each.

Like Marty McFly said, “If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.” and the history of your future will change. So, instead of longing for the past, let's learn from it and stop wondering about the “what if's.” Look towards the future by making a positive change today.

What positive change will you start today?

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Daily Mood Quote - June 25, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 52 - June 25, 2011

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.”

~Ashley Smith

Today, while waiting for Chester to attend to doggy business, I stood outside to greet the morning. I noticed the sun shining, beautiful blue skies and the cool breeze. Saturday morning is my favorite part of the week, because there is no bustling sounds, no traffic sounds and no sirens, usually. It's quiet except for the birds who begin their day with song. Imagine if we all started our day with song. Unfortunately, my family would go running for the hills, because I do not have a lovely singing voice.

Today's quote reminds me to stop, look and listen to the songs of life around me and to connect them to my dreams. One of my favorite movies is Flashdance. It is about a girl who had a dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer. But, she was afraid to take a chance. The music moved her from a place deep within and she used that to overcome her artificial boundaries and to rise above her everyday life; to fight for and reach toward her dreams. The song from the movie says, “Feel the rhythm, Wrap around, Take a hold of my heart, What a feeling, Being's believing...” There's the key; you have to believe in order to achieve your dreams. When you hear the music of the morning, feel the rhythm of life all around, take it into your heart and use it as a foundation to stretch for your dreams. It could be the songs of the birds, the wind in the trees or field (depending on where you live), or a favorite song that moves you. Music and rhythm can help us step out of the daily bustle and reconnect with our dreams.

In the movie Flashdance, Nick (played by Michael Nouri, who now has a recurring role on NCIS) said to Alex (Jennifer Beals), “When you give up your dream, you die.” Maybe not physically, but inside our hearts, maybe a bit. “...you feel like you were meant for something better? Something special...” (thanks Captain Pike from Star Trek). When we surrender our dreams, we lose the fight of our lives. I believe we are all meant to reach for our dreams and be the best version of ourselves. To fulfill our best potential.

What will sing to your dreams today?

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Daily Mood Quote - June 24, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 51 – June 24, 2011

It is impossible for you to be angry and laugh at the same time. Anger and laughter are mutually exclusive and you have the power to choose either.

~Wayne Dyer

The past couple of nights at the dinner table, I found myself laughing so hard I got the hiccups. With all that has been going on here, I forgot, or just chose to ignore how important laughter is when dealing with life's situations. Things can overwhelm us and sometimes take control, so much that we forget the phrase, “this too shall pass” by King Solomon and quoted by Abraham Lincoln. I added to this by saying “Yes, this too shall pass, like a kidney stone, but it will pass.” meaning, there will pain and difficulty involved, but it's important to keep perspective, especially when things are tough.

Last night, I had gone to bed early, because I was feeling a bit sorry for myself. I injured my knee many years ago and recently re-injured it, causing swelling, inflammation and pain every time I take a step. But as I sat in bed, I listened to some neighborhood kids playing outside, running after each other, screaming in fun and just having a good time. What an awesome thing it is to be young and have fun. “Somewhere along the course of our lives, we forget to have fun and begin to “audit” our lives (thank you to Terrence Stamp who played the guru Terrence Bundley in the movie, Yes Man). “You can't audit life, my friend.” We try to appear to be something we are not and laughter seems to be the first thing to go. We have serious issues to deal with, but I wonder if those issues would be easier to deal with if we laughed, or smiled?

In the movie Yes Man with Jim Carey (Carl Allen) Allison (played by Zooey Deschanel) said, “The world's a playground. You know that when you are a kid, but somewhere along the way everyone forgets it.” I must admit I have forgotten that occasionally, but not today. Today, I will approach the world with a smile and laughter, no matter how many grumpy people I run into. And around here, that seems to be the majority. Maybe I'll dance in the grocery store aisle today, you never know...

How will you spread joy and laughter today?

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Daily Mood Quote - June 23, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 50 – June 23, 2011

“Hold your head high, stick your chest out. You can make it. It gets dark sometimes, but morning comes. Keep hope alive.”

~Jesse Jackson

I decided on this quote today because this week has been a difficult week for me and my family. Jobs we interviewed for (perfect interviews), decisions we made and every step we took seemed to be for nothing. We work very hard to keep our dreams alive and push forward, but every step we make seems to be greeted with a brick wall and a Monopoly™ card that says, “Move 10 steps back please, no one wants you.” I have been unemployed now for nearly two years. June 27, 2009 was my last day of work. I graduated from college with high honors in December of 2010 and yet, despite good interviews, still cannot get hired. My husband lost his job last August. Fortunately, he has an ability and a career that permits him to work freelance from anywhere. But, still it's hard to keep the attitude “onward, upward and ever forward” when things are tight and life can be very expensive.

My mother had a saying, “If things get any darker, I will need a seeing eye dog.” I wonder if she knew just how accurate that statement would be? I've noticed something, it is so easy to give up, be negative, and allow the behaviors of others to influence your situation and attitude. But, it only takes one person to smile, to believe to keep things moving forward without giving up. Every day is a new day, a new opportunity to hold your head high, keep on pushing past the memories to get to your dreams, to achieve, to succeed.

In the movie Erin Brockovich, (played by Julia Roberts) said to Ed Masry (Albert Finney), “I don't need pity, I need a paycheck. And I've looked. But when you've spent the past six years raising babies its real hard to find somebody who pays worth a damn, are ya getting every word of this down honey or am I talking too fast?” I have spent many years raising children. I also went back to school to get a current education B.S. Business Management (where I live that doesn't matter) and after two years of looking, still no job. I was offered a job by Macy's and told they would send over the paper work via e-mail, several days later, they rescinded the job offer through e-mail, no class there.  I had another job interview with a bank that had previously interviewed my husband and they told me, they have no men working in their marketing department and they like it that way. Isn't that discrimination? Well, at least I understand why my husband didn't get the job, he's a man. We considered suing for EEOC violations, but “two wrongs don't make a right.” Anyway, these are just two of the job interviews I have had. Other interviews got even weirder, with questions like, “Where did you go to high school? The implication was that it should be local. I've been out of high school since 1982, does that really matter? Seriously, these people need a life. Maybe I should take a page out of Erin Brockovich's book and just show up at a place and start...force them to hire me. It's a thought! Jesse Jackson also said:

“Our dreams must be stronger than our memories. We must be pulled by our dreams, rather than pushed by our memories.” There ya' go!

How will you push through to your dreams today?

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Daily Mood Quote - June 22, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 49 – June 22, 2011

“Two wrongs don't make a right”

~first said in 1734 by Markuss Locklan

I have often told my children that “two wrongs don't make a right.” Exacting revenge only leads to more problems. Especially when cooler heads are not given the opportunity to prevail.

Some of my favorite classes in my undergraduate program were communication classes, especially the ones that discussed human behavior (body language) and word choice. I found in these classes that I enjoyed the knowledge so much that I wanted to know more. So, in my free time, I went to the library and took out books on body language and verbal ques in communication. I even bought the books I enjoyed, so I could have the reference. It's amazing what you can learn by watching someone's body language and listening to the words they choose (or in some cases, those who don't think before they speak), even the tone and volume of someone's voice can send a strong message.

I didn't take these classes so that I could catch people in the lies they tell. Although, I am amazed at how many and how easily people actually lie. I took them to give me a better understanding of how people communicate and to learn for myself how to communicate better messages with people. Instead, what I am finding, is that the knowledge I have acquired now provides me with the necessary ability to ward off confrontation with others. So, today I caught someone in a bare face and bold lie, their body language screamed they were lying and uncomfortable with me even being in the room with them. What do you do? Seek revenge ? Call them out and humiliate them? I've got to admit it crossed my mind, I was pretty pissed off at the time. Well, because “two wrongs don't make a right” that's not an option. Me... I just feel sorry for people who are unable to be truthful. What a burden on the spirit that must be.

In the movie Ghandi, Ben Kingsley (as Manatma Ghandi) says, “an eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind.” which I thought was appropriate because, I see more with limited vision than most see with perfect vision.

What message are you sending today?

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Daily Mood Quote - June 21, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 48 – June 21, 2011

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

~Reinhold Niebuhr

I chose this quote today because it speaks directly to how I am feeling. The realization of getting older, carrying a few extra pounds (that are impossible to lose), being considered to old for employers to hire (I blame the current poorly educated state of human resources people for this one) and desperately trying to find the fountain of youth, so you can feel alive and feel a part of society again.

Yesterday, quitting would have been so easy, I'm tired, I'm frustrated, I'm disappointed. Not necessarily in myself, but in the behaviors of others. If I'm not careful, it can cause me to behave just as badly. Not because it seems to be the norm, but because frustration can cause an outburst. Sometimes, I feel that people deliberately try to frustrate people just to get a reaction. They can't be that completely oblivious, can they? How sad is it when one gets satisfaction in another's pain or difficulties. What makes the situation even worse, is the sense of abandonment that happens. Even “friends” bail out on folks going through tough times, as if it's contagious. Is it ignorance, lack of education, or just simple meanness? Is it that it is easier to judge someone from an arbitrary statistical chart or number, than it is to get to know them and give them an opportunity? I don't know, but today I must seek wisdom in order to put things in perspective.

Things I cannot change: getting older, time to accept it with grace and dignity. Forget the few extra pounds and go out and buy some pants that fit, and for all those people who won't hire me because they think I'm too old (I'm only 47, not 97), well you'll have to compete with me. So be prepared to lose business, because I will take your customers. I have the courage, coupled with wisdom and a determination that you can't teach in an undergrad human resource class.

In the movie The Associate with Whoopi Goldberg (Laurel Ayres) said, “I have drive and courage and ambition. And if you'll look at the prospectus, you'll notice that I have a very, very sound business mind too.” To all those who made the wrong decision to not hire me, it's your loss. My business, my customers/clients will benefit from my education, my experience and my drive.

To quote George S. Patton, “We herd sheep, we drive cattle, we lead people. Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.”

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Daily Mood Quote - June 20, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 47 – June 20, 2011

Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul.
~Douglas MacArthur

There isn't anything to add to this.

No movie quote today

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Daily Mood Quote - June 19, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 46 – June 19, 2011

“Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad”

~Proverb

My dad is a special person, not because he is my dad, but because he said yes to me more than forty years ago. I was very young when my dad filed the paper work to adopt me. I was raised to believe he was my father and found out at age 16, during a horrific argument between my mother and I, that the man I had called dad my whole life, the man I sought advice from and trusted wasn't my father. That kind of news can devastate a person. All that I believed and trusted was now gone with one statement. The person I thought I was, was now in question. I spent many years of my life feeling betrayed and lied to. The trust that once was, was gone. I needed the truth.

Unfortunately, the truth in this case is a secret. I have searched for my biological father, with my dad's understanding and blessing. But the lies and the stories that exist would make for a great detective novel by Mickey Spillane. I gave up years ago trying to find out the truth. I resolved myself to never knowing where I came from, my heritage and without learning any of the important information that should be passed down from one generation to the next, such as family medical history and origins. In return, whoever the person responsible for me is, has resolved himself to never knowing me, his son-in-law, or his amazing grandchildren.

In the movie, Look Who's Talking, Mikey (played by Bruce Willis) wanted James (played by John Travolta) to be his daddy and that baby in this movie, worked very hard to help make that a reality. If it were only that easy.

I may never know where I came from, but one thing is for sure, the man I call my dad remembers my birthday and holidays every year, along with his grand-children's. He takes my phone calls and listens to me when I need a friendly ear and has taught me that you can love a child, even if your not blood related. I love my dad very much, not because he is my biological father-he isn't, but because my dad is also my friend and I trust him. Happy Father's Day and thank you to my dad, and to the man (biological father) who passed the buck, so that I could have an awesome dad. Today, we will end with a quote: “Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!” ~Lydia M. Child

Happy Father's Day to all those who choose to be a Dad.

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Daily Mood Quote - June 18, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 45 – June 18, 2011

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.

~Walt Disney

...if we think about the possibilities of what might be, “if only” then the sky of optimism becomes the limit.

Sorry I'm late today, we had a get together last night and we're just now starting to get back to normal. I thought, it's great to see the enthusiasm of youth. That's one thing that Walt Disney never lost. His vision of life was full of possibilities and his determination and courage to achieve those dreams not only left a legacy of fun for millions, it created an industry that continues to grow everyday. We can all be thankful for that. He dared to dream and dared to be different. Sometimes we tend to fall into the safe and familiar and some days that's OK. But, we need to continue to strive to reach and dream. That's what brings joy, enthusiasm and new energy to life. Conventional thinking says to stay the steady course, but that course only takes us back to where we were, not to where we can go.

In the movie Mr. Deeds, Longfellow Deeds (played by Adam Sandler) reminds stockholders of a time when they young and full of dreams by saying, “We all had these dreams, and then we got jobs to achieve those dreams. But we wanted more money, and we got rid of our dreams. You know, if your nine-year old self's saw you guys the way you are, you'd get your butts kicked right now! I mean, look what's happened to us!”

Life can come at us fast and furious, if we let it. We tend to forget, who has the power. Today, I choose to remember, I have the power to make my dreams come true. Remember, if you can dream it, you can do it.

What “childhood dreams” do you remember today?

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Daily Mood Quote - June 17, 2011

Daily Mood Quotes

Day 44 – June 17, 2011

“Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you; they're supposed to help you discover who you are.”

~Bernice Johnson Reagon

Sometimes, I wish the challenges of life would slow down, so that I can catch up. It's been 8 years and 7 months since I found out just how bad my eyesight was. Ever since, I have been working diligently to accommodate and prove, to some degree, that losing your vision has nothing to do with how intelligent a person is. The brain and the eyes are mutually exclusive. Enough said about that.

Life can throw many curves, whether you are ready or not. It doesn't care if you can hit the ball or even how far the ball can fly if you connect. All it seems to care about is the next challenge it will send. Each pitch that life throws at us is an opportunity to learn, grow and be better prepared for the next one. The point is to keep swinging and learning, because eventually you will connect.

In the movie Rocky, Adrian (played by Talia Shire) speaking to her brother Paulie (played by Burt Young) about Rocky's (Sylvester Stallone) chances against Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) said, “Einstein flunked out of school, twice.” “Beethoven was deaf, Helen Keller was blind, I think Rocky's got a good chance!” Even the best of us have to face the curves and challenges of life. It is one thing to challenge yourself, but something quite different to rise above yourself to meet a challenge. Let's face it the biggest challenge each of us faces is within. It's the attitude you have when faced with a challenge, or life's curve balls. Back then I wanted to give up, because of my eyesight. But by chance, I met a blind attorney, who was at the top of his game. What an inspiration! Maybe it wasn't chance after all... While life may throw curves, it also usually provides a batting coach.

How will you overcome “challenges” today?

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Daily Mood Quote - June 16, 2011

Daily Mood Quotes

Day 43 – June 16, 2011

Do you know the difference between education and experience? Education is when you read the fine print; experience is what you get when you don't.  

~Pete Seeger

So, I watched the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley on Tuesday, and the subject was the high unemployment rate among people over the age of 50. One gentleman said, he had an employer tell him, “You have the experience, the education, the knowledge and skills, if only you were 25 years younger.” Therefore the gentleman did not get the job. Can anyone say EEOC law suit? My husband who is over 50, just shook his head and said, “That's it for me.” This has been sticking in my craw ever since.

I wonder if employers understand that saving the nickel in salary can cost them dollars. The difference between youth and experience is a hard lesson that human resources personnel will have to face when inexperience creeps through the door, all shiny and new and kicks them in the backside. There will be more mistakes, less careful planning, more ticked-off customers... the list goes on and on. I'm not saying don't hire young people, but to overlook older, more experienced people can ultimately cost the company, as it pays the price of gaining experience. Those are statistical facts. We as a nation, have a misconception that younger is brighter, bigger is better and for some of us, that may be the case, but eventually there is a high price to pay. Lets face it, even in sports, where youth supposedly is golden, who would you want coming to bat for you in a tight game Derek Jeeter, (Paul Konerko for you White Sox fans), or some rookie that may have batted .350 in AAA ball? Yes, you need to hire youth and develop talent, but experience is what wins championships. Just ask Kurt Warner (then age 37 + ancient by NFL standards) who took a youthful Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl in 2009. After a series of rookie mistakes on both offense and defense, they were defeated by a very experienced Pittsburgh Steeler team. But, I digress into sports analogies, I apologize. The point is that experience is an ally, not a foe and many companies are suffering from a brain drain they may not be able to recover from.

In the movie Top Gun, Goose played by Anthony Edwards said to Tom Cruise (Maverick), “The defense department regrets to inform you that your sons are dead because they were stupid.” This is a classic example of the value of experience. So, when we turn away an experienced potential employee, because we think they are too old, we are turning away a valuable resource that could help our companies succeed on the business battlefields.

How will you view “experience” today?

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Daily Mood Quote - June 15, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 42 – June 15, 2011

“Blessed are they that have nothing to say, and who cannot be persuaded to say it.”

~James Russell Lowell

“Smile and others will smile back. Smile to show how transparent, how candid you are. Smile if you have nothing to say. Most of all, do not hide the fact you have nothing to say nor your total indifference to others. Let this emptiness, this profound indifference shine out spontaneously in your smile.”

~Jean Baudrillard

Today, I woke up to the morning clouds, chilly winds and a feeling that is indifferent. Not much to say today. SO, that's the mood for the day. I believe it's better to be honest about your feelings, than to force something that's just not there. Too often people write, or speak or make up stuff just to fill a void. Sometimes the void is what is required, the empty vessel. It's been said that only by being empty can we be filled with new knowledge. You can't learn if you “know it all”. Today I'm open to learning. Oh yes, I hate the process of menopause. I have learned this and realize the problem (process of menopause) is not with anyone else, it is within me (Thanks Kung Fu Panda 2). So, I have found inner peace... well sort of, right until the hormones take over again. Ugh!

How will you be open to learning today?

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Daily Mood Quote - June 14, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 41 – June14, 2011

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy. ~Dale Carnegie

A very long time ago, nearly 27 years now, a supervisor said to me, “The worst thing that could happen is they say no” and continued with “so what are you afraid of?”

Everyone has that moment in their life that stops them short, or begins the growth of confidence. This was my moment. I turned to him and ask the question, “What if they say no, then what?” I got a simple answer, “You find another way to get to yes.” “Life doesn't end because someone said no, it just means you have to work harder, find a different direction, change the way you do things.” “Your a smart girl, figure it out.” My first task was to figure out why and what I was afraid of. When you are twenty years old, without an education and many unanswered questions about life, every new experience has something to gain and something to lose. Eleanor Roosevelt said, “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.” I did live through it and gained much confidence and courage. I lost only my self-doubt and fear of rejection lost it's hold on me. Thanks Master Chief.

In the movie, Back to the Future, Marty McFly (played by Michael J. Fox) says in fear and worry, “What if I take the tape in and they don't like it, what if they say I'm no good, what if they say "Get out of here kid. You've got no future." I just don't think I can handle that kind of rejection.” Words like that can sting but, they are just words, the worst thing they could say is no. I understand words can hurt, especially if those words are from someone you respect. However, if we let those words stop us, then we never give confidence or ourselves for that matter, a chance to grow. Confidence is gained by doing, no matter what you are trying to do in life, there will always be naysayers. There will certainly always be that someone who says; “You can't do that” or “what if you fail?” I say; So what if you fail... get up, dust yourself off and find a way to get to yes. The confidence you gain is another building block for life, that lets you see higher and farther. Everybody who has ever attained anything of value and substance has failed at one point or another. Just look at the lives of Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, or Michael Jordan. Confidence gained by trying is the catalyst that propels us forward, after those failures and what ultimately helps us achieve our own success.

What will you do to "build your confidence" today?

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Daily Mood Quote - June 13, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 40 – June 13, 2011

Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell 'em, "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it.

~Theodore Roosevelt

This seems to be a missing theme in today's world. To a large degree you need a “can do” attitude. Everything changes so fast and to stay afloat people need to keep changing just as fast. Sometimes that means committing to something before you know how to do it. This may sound contra-productive and out of vogue, but isn't that exactly how we got to the moon? We committed a nation to getting there and then figured out how to do it. John F. Kennedy said, “We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.” That was a goal for a nation, to put a man on the moon and bring him home safely. It wasn't easy and it took many to say “yes” or “certainly, I can,” or at least “I don't know, but I will figure it out.”

I can remember a time when people accepted challenges, individually, as a group, a committee, a Nation, but now it seems as if we don't want the responsibility if something fails. So, we shrug our shoulders, point the finger and let someone else take on the challenges. My husband asks, “Where have our balls gone?” Funny thing, our goofy dog Chester heard the word “ball” and brought the play ball (one thing he hasn't managed to destroy) to my husband. Chester said “yes” by bringing the ball and got to play a little bit. But in life, in the job market and in day-to-day living, the balls seem to have left the building, because many just don't take chances anymore. It seems we're afraid to hire the best people... because they may leave? We're afraid to hire an older, experienced, educated person, because they might know a bit more than the boss, really? What's wrong with that picture... you think you would want the best person? There is a difference between a “yes, man” and a “yes, I can man.” Can you tell the difference?

In the movie Yes, Man, an average guy named Carl (played by Jim Carey) made the statement, “The era of "yes" has begun,” and thereby changed his life.

How will you say “yes” to life this week?

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