Daily Mood Quotes - January 30, 2012

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 249 – January 30, 2012

"I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do."

~Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Courage in not standing and yelling in a crowd, it's standing up for what is right long after the crowd is gone.

What will you stand up for today?

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Daily Mood Quotes - January 27, 2012

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 248 – January 27, 2012

Hope – Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope! In the end, that is God's greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation. A belief in things not seen. A belief that there are better days ahead.

~Barack Obama, speech, 2004 DNC Convention

I still believe in a place called Hope, a place called America.

~Bill Clinton, speech at Democratic National Convention, August 29, 1996

A man begins to die when he ceases to expect anything from tomorrow.

~Abraham Miller, Unmoral Maxims

Without the hope for better days ahead, where will the future lead us?

How will you embrace “Hope” today?

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Thank you for reading, have a hopeful day.

Daily Mood Quotes - January 26, 2012

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 247 – January 26, 2012

You can never change the past nor control the future, but you can change the mood of the day by touching someone's heart with your smile.

~Unknown author

Help make a better day for someone through a smile, a helping hand or a kind word. 

Be the difference.

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Daily Mood Quotes - January 25, 2012

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 246 – January 25, 2012

Today I choose life. Every morning when I wake up I can choose joy, happiness, negativity, pain...To feel the freedom that comes from being able to continue to make mistakes and choices – today I choose to feel life, not to deny my humanity but embrace it.

~Kevyn Aucoin

Erma Bombeck wrote a book titled, “If life is a bowl of cherries: What am I doing in the pits.” I say, negativity doesn't choose us, we choose it. In an earlier blog I mentioned that I raised my girls to believe that, “PMS is not an excuse for bad behavior. Bad behavior is bad behavior, it's a choice.” Being negative, choosing to be angry, choosing to let the negativity of others bring you down, make you quit; that's a choice. You must ask yourself the question, who is in control of your life...you or those around you?

Don't let negativity affect your vision. A lot of people have said harsh things, but I don't let it affect me. If anything it gives me more enthusiasm and pushes me to do better in my career, so I can prove them wrong.

~Nicole Polizzi

I just don't deal with the negativity. I can't get involved in that side of it. I don't understand it, and you can't let it take away from your life and what you are trying to do.

~Rick Pitino

How will you "push past" the negativtiy of others today?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote

Thank you for reading and have a positive day.

Daily Mood Quotes - January 24, 2012

 

Daily Mood Quotes

Day 245 – January 24, 2012

Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change – this is the rhythm of living. Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress.

~Bruce Burton

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

And never forget what Dean Acheson said, “Always remember that the future comes one day at a time."

How will you approach today?

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Daily Mood Quotes - January 23, 2012

Daily Mood Quote
Day 244 – January 23, 2012

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is far worse than the suffering itself, and no heart has ever suffered when it's gone in search of its dream.”
~Paulo Coelho from The Alchemist

It's no secret that the past several months have been very difficult for me and my family, 2011 ended with a goodbye and 2012 has begun with a very rough start. The one thing I keep in mind is my husband's saying, “things that start out rough end up great” lately that's been more of a wish than a proven axiom, I have to believe, I just have to believe.

I Ching (hexagram 3) says (I paraphrase), “Difficulty at the beginning works supreme success...” One interpretation is “Times of growth are beset with difficulties. They resemble a first birth. But these difficulties arise from the very profusion of all that is struggling to attain form. Everything is in motion: therefore if one perseveres, there is a prospect of great success, in spite of the existing danger.” Like a plant springing from the soil, and so this year may yet yield great success, but not if I give up and quit (I've got to tell you, I thought about it), so this leads me to my next quote. John F. Kennedy said in his September 1962 Rice Stadium Moon Speech, “If this capsule history of our progress teaches us anything, it is that man, in his quest for knowledge and progress, is determined and cannot be deterred.” Determination is the key, it is the “don't stop,” plow ahead, never stop innovating, never stop adapting, never stop period, mind set that helps us to achieve, individually, together and as a country.

Now, it is my time to achieve, I enjoy writing the Daily Mood Quote, it is who I am. But I must pare back some, because it is time for my Master's capstone project and this project is massive in its size and scope. It requires a lot of hours, interviews, research, analysis and writing to prepare for the presentation to experts in my field of study that will determine my grade and acceptance into the PhD program. Yes, I have decided (that's what I have been doing over the past several days, making a decision) to pursue a PhD in the study of leadership and its principles. The study of leaders and leadership has become a passion of mine, it's a mindset of “can do” and positive perseverance. That said, here's how I plan to manage my time for Daily Mood Quotes; I will post a quote every morning to the daily mood quotes blog, and occasionally some commentary, as time permits, along with a movie reference, if it applies. The commentary and movie quotes won't be everyday, but I'll put them in when I can. It takes a lot of time to make sure they're right. I have not made it a secret how important my education is to me. I believe, education is the cornerstone of success, successful communications and successful relationships. I love learning and my end goal is to someday write books on leadership and teach leadership principles. That goal requires me to buckle down to work and focus right now, not tomorrow.

I want to thank everyone in the 100 plus countries who read daily mood quotes and I hope you will continue to read, while I pursue an even higher education. I'll keep you posted. Have a great day.

Are you achieving your dreams? If not now, then when?

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Thank you for reading

Daily Mood Quotes - January 18, 2012

Daily Mood Quote

Day 243 – January 18, 2012

But just as they did in Philadelphia when they were writing the constitution, sooner or later, you've got to compromise. You've got to start making the compromises that arrive at a consensus and move the country forward.

~Colin Powell

Albert Einstein said, “In a healthy nation there is a kind of dramatic balance between the will of the people and the government, which prevents its degeneration into tyranny.” What do we consider to be a healthy nation today? Last night on the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley, I listened to a story about a Philadelphia area school district that did not have enough money to make it to the end of the school year. The State Department of Education has promised enough money to make payroll for a month. Then they are right back in the same situation. My husband has a favorite saying for this kind of behavior that is becoming an epidemic, “it's a band-aid on a bullet wound!” and if they are willing to “bail” on one school district, how many others will follow? Also, this position sets precedence and exposes the fundamental problem with the “No Child Left Behind Act.” It takes the most money from the districts that need it most. So, instead of leaving one child behind, thousands are being left behind; about 6000 in this particular case... Brilliant!

So, "now to the crux of the biscuit." Why are school districts underfunded? It's really simple, we have abandoned the fundamental premise that our children come first, always. Partisan politics, “what's in it for me” legislation, the fundamental neglect of the very basics of society, have left us crumbling roads, falling bridges and non-competitive and dilapidated schools; who may have tremendous athletic programs, but no money for arts, math and sciences. What's wrong with this picture? There is no easy answer and I'll admit that: It's all wrapped up in a big messy ball of entitlements, tax loop holes, abatements, and a struggling economy. There is not one clear string you can hold onto that isn't connected to something else. Now, it is kind of like a game of pick-up sticks, you can't move one without affecting another. A house doesn’t crumble in a day, it comes apart with time and neglect and that is what we have done to our children's future. While the past two generations enjoyed credit fueled vacations at Disney World and gorged on cheap imported goods, we have let our house, the place where our children spend there time attempting to learn and grow, fall apart board by board member. We only have ourselves to blame for this. Politicians may rattle on about how our government's budget overages will be paid for by our children, while continuing to approve wasteful self-serving projects, congressional junkets and pork barrels; none of which have anything to do with educating our future generations. Then we let them give themselves raises, again and again and again! To quote the cartoon Pogo “I have seen the enemy and he is us.” A generation that has had the advantage of higher education, forged on the sweat of a determined post-depression generation, has chosen to not pass the torch of American ingenuity and community centered drive to our children; but to leave that flame to flicker and die in a heap of Happy Meal boxes and video games.

I realize that it's hard to put down our own self interests of low taxes and easy patches, that don't solve the problems just cover them up; to turn a blind eye to the future of our nation and hope that some new technology will suddenly “pop up” and fix everything. It won't; especially if we aren't putting in a real effort to “teach our children well” (Thanks Crosby Stills, Nash and Young). Its hard to say; yes I'll put down the remote and think before I vote. It's hard to spend time researching our representative's activities, wade through the rhetoric and attack ads, and let them know we disapprove. It's hard to stand up and say “No more!” (thanks Jim Belushi from The Principal). But, as the late John F. Kennedy, in a voice that powered America into space and helped create all the great innovations we now accept as normal, once said. “...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...” Have we forgotten so soon? None of our best future happens without educating our young people, for they will become what we show them today. Tune in tomorrow for “the rest of the story” (a special thanks and “tip of the hat” to the late Paul Harvey).

How will you view “tomorrow” today?

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Thank you for reading

Daily Mood Quotes - January 17, 2012

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 242 – January 17, 2012

“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.”

~Flora Whitemore

First let me begin by explaining why I did not post yesterday. I realized that there were so many quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., flying about the Internet yesterday, that my little effort may have appeared disingenuous. I have quoted him often and respect his legacy too much to try and leverage his day of remembrance with obligatory quotes. It's that simple. It was also a day that I really had a tough time being even remotely positive, for other, personal reasons.

So, yesterday I closed a door or two in my personal life. Sometimes you have to do that. Its not a reflection on character, or experience to say “enough, I'm done with this.” Everyone has a line. I found mine yesterday. I dealt with a situation which I had invested much time and love and genuine sacrifice, but I realized it was to no avail. That was a profoundly emotionally painful experience and it stopped me in my tracks for a while. What is done is done and a door to the past which had caused me much pain must close. I really am not ready to discuss it further at this point. Like Forrest Gump said, in the movie Forrest Gump (played by Tom Hanks), “That's all I've got to say 'bout that.” It's time to open the door to the future. That door is one of limitless possibilities, even if that means starting back at the bottom again. But then again, what is a climber without a mountain? Just a person with a bunch of expensive, useless toys....

The big question is which new door to choose and which to forgo? I feel like I'm on Let's Make a Deal! I'l take door number..... Better think a bit before I answer. I'll try and leverage my experience and choose better this time. That's the thing about life that I really appreciate, no matter where you are no matter when you are in life  (15, 35, 45 or in my case 47) you can choose a new direction, plot a new course, open a new door. It just takes a bit of courage, a bit of hope and the wisdom to weigh the risks and the responsibilities and consequences of stepping through. The more you learn the better your chances. Then, to quote the old NIKE ad “Just do it!” Although, my personal favorite, the old Navy saying, “It's not just a job, it's an adventure!!!” The same applies to closing old and now useless doorways that you have passed through. If you aren't going back, just close it. Onward, upward and ever forward...here we go again.

What door will you choose today?

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Thank you for reading.

Daily Mood Quote - January 15, 2012

Daily Mood Quote

Day 241 – January 15, 2012

“When you undervalue who you are, the world will undervalue what you do and vice versa.”

~Suze Orman

I admire someone who speaks their mind, especially if he/she knows what they are talking about. Suze Orman speaks her mind and calls it like she sees it. In a recent report by CNN News, she states that, “1 in 3 Americans are living in poverty,” during a George Washington University speaking engagement (see following web link for news story:

http://newsroom.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/13/suze-orman-middle-class-will-not-exist/ ).

She also said, “the middle class callers she once had, are now living in poverty.” How in world is this possible?

One in three Americans living in poverty, I have to repeat it to make sure that I heard it correctly, yes, I did. Have we fallen so far down the economic scale, that the possibly of the middle class becoming extinct is on the horizon? She also stated that 28% of children born into the middle class today, will be in poverty by the time they are adults. I guess it might be safe to say, that college is out of the question, because it won't be affordable. Even if a poor person gets a job, will the money be enough to buy food for the table and keep a decent roof over their heads? Or, is that too much to ask (Thank you Jimmy Stewart from It's a Wonderful Life.) It's not a wonderful life anymore.

There is real pain and suffering attached to the fact that the gap between the wealthy and those stricken with poverty, or at least “income challenged” in the new vernacular, is becoming wider and less easily crossed. I know that today I am on a bit of soap box, but I feel that some things need said. The first is, that we all have had a hand in creating this sad financial era. We as a nation have bought into the credit laden, underfunded, economic meltdown in several key areas. And I admit, for a while I bought into it too. Easy credit and the fantastical daydream that income would rise along with prices, cast a spell of consumerism, that helped drive so many families to the brink of disaster; it only took a single downturn to shove us over the edge. At the same time, we became apathetic and abdicated our civil duty to be mindful of who we elected into Congress. That little slip allowed law after law to be passed and the controls to the economy to be slowly and insidiously passed to the financial markets since the Reagan Era. It didn't happen over night. Nobody was accountable and nobody was at the helm and everybody believed that it was okay; as long as we got our new home and a 50” LCD television. We let the “experts” run the show. Kind of like the fox guarding the hen house. Ergo, shipwrecked economy. It wasn't a question of if, it was a question of when. History is cyclic and the Bush (W.'s) administration thought they could avert the oncoming recession by starting a war in the Middle East. That's how we got out of the Great Depression (WWII), but, it cost us millions of lives. And the Cold War spurred financial gains via new technology; soooo......

Unfortunately, we live in a much different world today and economies are intertwined so deeply; to hurt one is to hurt all, including ourselves. Oil prices jumped and the wealth went to the commodities speculators who sat on the cash, unlike those in the past who spread it around by hiring and building economies. The “Technology Boom” in the United States is also fading quickly, as formerly third world nations can build it quicker, faster and most importantly, cheaper. Remember the transistor radio and how it spurred the Japanese economy? No new technology, because NASA (which spurred the new technological breakthroughs, is now a shadow of its former self) cannot come to save the day.

So much for the history lesson and now we are at the bottom of the curve again. So how do we get out of this mess? This is just my humble opinion, from Southwest East Podunkville. Our parents, in some cases our parent's parents, had the right idea. First, get ready for a long haul and then stop digging deeper! Stop spending on credit (personally, I think credit card companies need to fail, as they prey on financially challenged people. Their era is over.). It took a long time to get in this hole, the balance of things means it'll most likely be a long climb out. The key is to not give up and start to vote out the “Bozos” who have “served” (I use that term loosely) more than two terms in Congress and demand that our government work together, or they will be unemployed too. Personally, I believe that last statement is probably a small affront to clowns, because they at least work for a living. Also, demand reform of campaign finance laws to return the balance of power to the people, not the corporate lobbyist. A business that cannot even vote, should not have more power to influence than a single voter. That's the way the framers of our Constitution wanted it (my opinion here). Secondly, The public in general needs to think about how we are spending, and saving. Don't trust your employer to “invest for you,” pension funds and securities backed 401Ks are a fraud. Granted, money is scarce; but instead of the big TV, get the smaller one, (only if you really need it) and put the rest away. Skip the 1000 channels and opt for the package that doesn't break you. Put it in a low yield “safe” savings bond, or in an SNL, skip the big banks, because their fees will make it evaporate. Yes prices will continue to spiral, but resist the urge to cash it in. Buy on sale and buy what you need. When you get a chance stock up a bit on essentials. Nothing kills a budget faster than constantly running out of something, then “running out” to get what you ran out of. When you have enough to invest without digging into savings, invest in companies that make things you like and use and be prepared for slow returns. Like Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko) said in Wall Street Never Sleeps, “The mother of all evil is speculation.” Be patient and never stop saving. Then teach your children the same and make it stick. Also, use the internet for what it is best at, providing information; learn everything you can about that which inspires your heart and about prudent economics.

Somehow, some where along the line, I believe we got lost or caught up in “keeping up with the Joneses” My name isn't Jones, so why should I try to keep up with them? Here is my thought, I have met the Joneses and those keeping up with the Joneses and personally, it's just not worth the effort, life is too short to keep playing catch up. I choose to enjoy life, not worry about the things other's have.

Rule #32, “enjoy the little things.” (thank you Woody Harrelson (Tallahassee) and Jesse Eisenberg (Columbus) from the movie Zombieland).

What kind of future are you leaving for the next generation?

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Thank you for reading

Daily Mood Quotes - January 14, 2012

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 240 – January 14, 2012

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.”

~Gail Devers

Seven months ago, I applied for a job as a columnist for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. I saw the advertisement on-line, and since I have decided to chase my dream of becoming a writer, I applied. After four months had past, I figured they gave it to someone with a name, or a relative. So I let it go. Yesterday, I got an e-mail saying I didn't make the cut. No big surprise, it's hard to break into any business, including the writing business unless your a name, or you have a relative in the business. I'm not being cynical, just being honest. I have seen and heard so many stories about how people got their jobs and let me tell you it isn't through education, experience or good luck. I wish the Pittsburgh Post Gazette luck with whomever they hire, because giving quality advice is a tough slot to fill. Especially when the truth is put on the back burner for ratings.

“Every accomplishment starts with a decision to try.”

~Unknown Author

Master Chief use to tell me, “if you don't try, then how will you know.” Between you and me, I hated that statement because it meant I was going to try. Now I find myself saying that to my children and regularly to myself, when I get the notion to quit, or when I feel defeated by life. What's that old saying, “pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.” Back to the drawing board.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.”

~Winston Churchill

I have had successes, I have had failures and I can tell without a doubt, the courage to continue matters. A friend once said to me, “if you quit you die” maybe not literally, but eventually courage, determination, resolve, the strength to move forward and try again fade away. You find yourself asking the questions, “why,” or “what happened” and “is it too late?” Know this, as long as you draw breath, it is never to late to find the courage to continue. Success and failure are a part of everyday living and we have the power to control that. For me and the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, the failure would have been, me not trying. Success will come in its proper time and with continued effort. Onward, upward and ever forward...

“Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow – perhaps it all will.”

~Albert Einstein

Ever heard the saying, “too many irons in the fire?” I have heard that most of my life, it must be a common saying, because everywhere I have ever lived, Minnesota, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Virginia; I've heard it, I wasn't real sure what it meant, until recently. It goes hand-in-hand with the saying, “never put all your eggs in one basket.” There is a balance to be attained. You have to put yourself out there, let the world know who you are and focus on what your heart says is possible. Don't be shy, apply for all those jobs, talk to all those people, let the world know you are here and you can do it. H.H. Swami Tejomayananda said, “Some are destined to succeed, some are determined to succeed.” Go for it!!!

“There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.”

~Ella Wheeler Wilcox

In the movie The Secret of My Succe$$ with Michael J. Fox (Brantley Foster/Carlton Whitfield), a  college graduate who lined up a job in New York, only to be fired the same day he started due to a hostile takeover, suddenly found himself unemployed in a big, hostile, city. Not letting the setback defeat him, he took on New York's business world and ultimately succeeded, his way. It's a movie, but the message stands: Be determined, be resolved and define your destiny. Everyone has one.

How will you define your destiny today?

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Thank you for reading

Daily Mood Quotes - january 13, 2012

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 239 – January 13, 2012

Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well"

~Voltaire

In the movie Heart and Souls with Robert Downey Jr. (Thomas), Kyra Sedgwick (Julia), Elizabeth Shue (Anne), Altre Woodard (Penny), Charles Grodin (Harrison), Tom Sizemore (Milo) and David Paymer (Hal, the bus driver). Thomas said to his girlfriend Anne, “ I've loved people before and they went away. So a long time ago I made a decision that I wasn't gonna need anybody anymore.”

I'm starting with a movie quote because a few days ago, I realized that I have been having some very dark days recently. My moods, my behavior and my attitudes about things have been a bit rough, I haven't even been interested in talking to anyone. I have been told that it's part of the grieving process. I really wouldn't know because its been so many years (1983 to be exact), since I lost someone I actually cared about, loved. In my lifetime, I have been hurt so many times by people who have claimed to “love” me, but that love came with strings attached and always tied into something. I have already stated I grew up in a family that taught the “love with strings” way of life and because of that, I decided to put up walls, so that I could live without feeling hurt, or used and sometimes both. In 1983, I was friends with a Major in the Army... just friends; he was old enough to be my father. We read the same books, discussed them, shared jokes, fun times in our lives and he was a part my “movie going” group. Actually he started the group, a few of us got together once every two weeks went and saw a movie and after the movie went out to eat and shared our thoughts on the movie. The interesting part of this group was the age differences and the different ideas and perspectives each of us had on the movie. I learned a lot about people, especially the older generation - in 1983 I was only 19. Fun times were had by all. Unfortunately, my friendship with the Major was cut short; he was killed in an automobile accident, while at home visiting his family in Alabama. I was devastated and decided at that point in my life, I never wanted to feel hurt like that again. I stopped getting close to anyone, or allowing anyone to be close to me.

As time went by and I aged, a few people (adults and they worked really hard), my husband, my best friend of thirty years, and my dad found their way into that place in my heart where there is love (my children all already reside there). When I was told my dad had cancer, my first thought was; “he can beat this, he is the strongest man I know, he's my dad and he knows I need him, so he'll beat this.” Unfortunately, after a conversation with my dad in November, I knew he wasn't long for the world. I have always considered myself a strong person, a do it on my own kind of girl, tough to a fault. I have even heard people call me “cold-hearted,” “difficult/stubborn” and my favorite “bit#$.” They never bothered me, because as I have always told my children, “people find it easier to judge someone and call them names than it is to take the time to get to know them.” My case is no different, not to mention I don't make it easy for people. My husband, my best friend and my dad knew this. I have very few close friends; I know many people, but very few of them can say they know me. My dad knew me and I knew my dad. But his death has caused me to feel a pain that I haven't felt since I lost my Major friend in 1983, only deeper and more profound. My dark moods are because I miss him very much and I am trying to prevent myself from closing off the world, as I did in 1983. I'm not as closed off as I once was, but the opportunity is there and it's a struggle for me.

Seven years ago, I lost my mom, my aunt and my step-grandmother, all within the same year. There was no real love for any of these woman and therefore their passing meant little to me. I even went to my mom's funeral to make certain she was dead. So much of her life was a lie, I expected her death might also have been a fabrication. My life really began after she died. The reason my life began; because she wasn't around to poo-poo and criticize everything in my life anymore. I could achieve things, I never thought possible when she was alive. Even distance didn't stop her from crushing my hopes, dreams and causing problems in my marriage. She even attempted to put a wedge (she used lying as a tool to cause problems between people) between my dad and me and for many years she did. I was very blessed to have had the past seven years with my dad, even though I lived out of state. We built a great father-daughter relationship over the phone. He sent holiday cards, birthday cards and even a card of inspiration once. I respected and admired my father and recently before he passed, he told me, he respected and admired me. I'm hurting; I don't know how long the grieving process lasts, I just know I have to go with the flow until the hurt diminishes. I know it may never go away completely, but as time goes on, it may become less and less and maybe I can remember my dad with a smile instead of the sadness and the “I miss you” tears when I think of him.

If you have ever lost anyone you love, I hope you understand the dark moods I have had since I started writing again. Everyday I remind myself what a wonderful gift love is, and if you have that gift in your life don't take it for granted, don't ignore it, or don't put it off until tomorrow. Seize the moment, make the memories and enjoy the time. One amazing saying I see everywhere these days is “live, laugh, love,” Yes! “LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE,” it's worth it.

There is a fun saying from the movie Hitch with Will Smith (Hitch) and Eva Mendes (Sara), Hitch says to Sara, “Never lie, steal, cheat, or drink. But if you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, steal away from bad company. If you must cheat, cheat death. And if you must drink, drink in the moments that take your breath away.” Something to think about as the day progresses.

This is the last blog I will do about dad, as I will be working on better days and moving ahead with my life without my dad. I will also ask the readers of Daily Mood Quotes to please understand, I may slip and have a dark day occasionally, I'm not perfect....I'm human.

How will you live, laugh and love today?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote

Thank you for reading

Daily Mood Quotes - January 12, 2012

Daily Mood Quote
Day 238 - January 12, 2012

When you have nothing to say, you should say nothing.
~Unknown Author

That is the day I am having. Be back tomorrow

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Thank you for reading

Daily Mood Quotes - January 11, 2012

Daily Mood Quote

Day 237 – January 11, 2012

“Friendships are discovered rather than made.”

~Harriet Beecher Stowe

What is the difference between friendship and networking? I ask this question because recent events in my life raise the questions of what and why? What are your motives? Why are you talking to me? Why do you want to connect with me? I hate to be so cynical, but these are questions I have to ask. Allow me to give you a little insight into my life. In my family there seemed always to be an ulterior motive, or hook on everything that was done, or said. All favors were conditional and on a “what can you do for me” basis. Nothing was ever from the good of the heart, or just plain ol' love. Consequently, I don't have a great deal of trust for other's motives, when they suddenly pop back into my life after years of distance and want me to friend them on Facebook and invite them into my Linkedin network. “I have questions, queries, posers” that come to mind (thanks Number 5 played by Tim Blaney from the movie Short Circuit with Ally Sheedy and Steve Guttenberg).

These are folks that I once thought of as friends, but now I wonder about that. The era of social networking seems to be becoming less social and more network. I feel that is a loss for all of us. Today people flock to “friend” as many people as possible to build their social profile online. But in the race to hook into the network, we often bypass the basic building blocks of friendship. The first of which is a genuine emotional, not digital, connection to those we know. You just can't get that without an in person experience. The second basic block on which real friendships are built is trust and that takes a while to establish and grow (especially with me, I once had a friend say to me, “you have some very thick walls people need to break through, but once they are through, the friendship is worth it). As in the fable of the bamboo grower, “It takes time.” The third block upon which friendship is built is shared goals, interests, or other emotionally connected experiences; be they positive, or negative. Emotion counts. If there is no emotion, there is no friendship, its that simple. That's how we connect to people and develop friendships. To call it anything else is a lie and I can’t support that and you can't get that from a “digital network.”

If it's just a way to “leverage” an acquaintance, let's be honest about it. Your not looking for a friendship, your developing a means, a way to get what you want, be it a job, a promotion, a status...whatever. Much like my mom, “I'll give that to you, if you do this for me.” I have to wonder if this was Mark Zuckerberg's intention for Facebook. I know I'm being cynical here, but it seems to me that we have taken a great idea and bastardized it into a “what can you do for me opportunity.” Both online and off, and no longer about “genuine friendship.” I have noticed that people's offline behavior is beginning to mimic this online “friending” fraud. Online habits seem to leak into real life. It leaves me wondering does anyone know what friendship is anymore, what it looks like or even how one is suppose to behave in public? Or, is it all about, “hey he/she is in a position that can help me move up, so I think I will friend him/her on Facebook, or Linkedin.” It seems as what was once a wonderful way to stay connected to family and your true friends has become the domain of networking vultures. Always circling, always drifting in search of that next connection to exploit.

To be fair, I know of some people who don't use Facebook for networking, for them it is about keeping in touch with family and sharing those precious moments with loved ones; that is awesome. I have had a friend for thirty years and she will be the first one to tell you, it took a long time for me to trust her and become friends with her. But when we did, we both will tell you, the friendship is worth it. Oh the stories we could tell, unfortunately, we wouldn't be able to stop laughing long enough to tell them. You can't get this through a random Facebook friend, whom you have never really met.

I know this sounds a bit curmudgeonly and I apologize, but when something bugs me I have to get it out. Three weeks ago, my dad died and I thought perhaps my siblings and I might become closer now that our parents are gone. In fact the opposite has happened. I have reached out, but I haven't heard from anyone since my dad passed. Perhaps they are still grieving, but that isn't what history has taught me. I believe I won't hear from them, unless I have something to offer them. Love with strings, friendships with strings (networking). I miss my dad very much, because his love didn't come with strings attached. They're just following an example was set many years ago by mom, “I'll do this for you, if you do this for me.” Much like networking. It's sad.

Can you tell the difference between “friendship” and “networking friendship” today?

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Daily Mood Quotes - January 10, 2012

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 236 - January 10, 2012

“To be afraid is to have more faith in evil than in God.”

~Emmet Fox

"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed -- and hence clamorous to be led to safety -- by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary."

~H.L. Mencken

Okay, today I may touch on a few issues that could rub folks the wrong way. That's alright, because as humans we are all different and have different points of view. In fact, that is the first of two basic issues I want to look at today. I find it curious that somehow we have as a species, failed to embrace the simple fact that we are in fact, a species. There is a range of sizes, shapes, coloration and a host of other variations in almost any globally present species. So too with us. Diversity and adaptability is good and leads to stable systems. It's a simple scientific fact, born out time and again; throughout the history of the planet. Yet, we as people seem to have a hard time accepting this very fundamental species survival mechanism. No matter where you look, you see folks in almost every walk of life pointing out others who are different as a threat. The same holds for occupations, behaviors, religions and just about anything else you can think of. We can't and shouldn't be all exactly the same; that's Species Survival 101.

So, What's my point? It is simple. This morning, I read an article in the Huffington Post and on Reuters that in a Monday speech, Pope Benedict XVI stated his belief that political support of gay marriage undermined the family and “threaten human dignity and the future of humanity itself.” I just want to be clear about a few things. First, I think that, if the quote is accurate (I couldn't find the transcript), the Pope, who has been accused of covering up the indiscretions of gay and pedophile priests, needs to tread lightly here, I don't suffer hypocrites well. And as I understand it, Jesus of Nazareth didn't either. I'm just saying; where is the acceptance, the love and forgiveness; isn't that the foundation of the faith?

That said, I also wonder what was the real motivation behind the piece I read, as it seemed to “cherry pick” facts to paint Catholics in general, in the worst possible light. That's not right either. I believe, its just as hypocritical to point a finger and say see how bad “they” (pick one as we are all “they” to someone else) are for not following Christ's lead, while it's okay to attack them. I just didn’t see the article as fair minded. So, to point two and something we discussed yesterday; Fear. I can't in any way, believe that gay marriage, or lack there of is going to have any negative impact on humanity's survival. That to me is fear mongering to advance the cause of an organization. One that given its 2000 year history should know better by now. There always have been and always will be a distribution of sexual orientations and other behaviors in this and every other species. We may, or may not have souls (depending on one's beliefs, I for one, do believe), but we can be certain, the wiring inside the human brain is always going to include variability. Kind of a no-brainer, please pardon the pun. What disturbs me is that the head of a church would feel it necessary to stoop to that level, in order to lure people “afraid of a changing world,” into the fold.

I really don't recall anywhere in the New Testament that Jesus Christ whom is the real head of the church, condoned being “afraid” of anything on earth. He in fact said on more than one occasion “do not be afraid.” Case in point, Matthew 10:26 says, “So do not be afraid of people.”(NIV) I'm not giving a Bible lessen here, just expressing that what the Pope said really “feels” wrong this time and isn't consistent with the simple facts of life on earth, or Jesus's message. But, we are all human and as I said, how we see things is variable. But, to use the “future of humanity itself ” as a hand tool of fear mongering, really misses the point. I sincerely hope that the Catholic church changes it's hard heart. There are so very many other things that truly are a threat to the survival of our species and the planet we all live on. Lets focus on fixing those first. As President Andrew Shepherd (played by Michael Douglas) in the movie The American President said, “Let's try to keep our eye on the ball, okay?”

I really believe the first, greatest evil is fear. It makes otherwise good people, do horrendous things. That's the real threat to the survival of humanity. To single out any group of people who are just going about their own business, leading their daily lives, as a threat to humanity is a long and slippery slope. That's how leaders have twisted whole populations to do truly unspeakable things to others. George Orwell once pointed out that the first job of a leader is to create an enemy that could strike fear into the hearts of the electorate. Our religious leaders might want to focus on hope, not fear.... we have the Republican Super-PACS for that. They can spread fear, like jam on bread and so, so many eat it up. My point; any organization, or writer that uses fear instead of fact, hate instead of love, deception instead of truth to further itself/themselves, is not working in anyone's interest but their own. Caveat emptor (Let the buyer beware); extends to both politics and religion (whoops, I guess thats a itsy bit of fear mongering too, but I prefer to think of it as common sense). Choose well, read wisely.

How will you view others today?

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Daily Mood Quote - January 9, 2012

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 235 – January 9, 2012

“We don't live in our fears, we live in our hopes.”

~Mike Tomlin – Head Coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers

Yesterday, I watched the playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos and Phil Simms an NFL game announcer commented on his interview with Mike Tomlin about some past decisions that were made regarding Ben Roethlisberger, the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers and whether or not he should have played the last two games of the regular season with his injury. Mike Tomlin commented “we don't live in our fears, we live in our hopes.” My thought after I heard that, “wow, what a profound statement and accurate too.” How many of us live with fears, regrets, the “woulda, shoulda, and coulda's” of our lives?

I know I have even asked the question, “what if I would have done this differently or said this instead of that” figuring the outcome may have been different. But, you know what, it doesn't matter, what is done is done and we need to stop stewing in the past and move ahead with the hope that is waiting for us. Failure to see hope, or believe in hope, takes away the belief that there is a tomorrow, with new possibilities. Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” So why fear something that is already in the past; we cannot touch it, we can not see it, and we can not taste it, because the past no longer exists. It seems foolish to be afraid of something, or allow that something that is no more, to have so much control over us, that it dictates life to us.

Fear is a distressing emotion that has its only purpose in the “now” (as in supplying the rush of adrenalin you might need to escape an onrushing fright train). When allowed to hang around and fester, it can really mess up a day, a week, a month, a year and even a life. Especially, if we allow it to take control of our thoughts and actions. Hope, best described by Dictionary.com as, “the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.” I believe to gain a positive future, we need to suppress our fears, try and have a little hope. I also believe that is what Mr. Tomlin was talking about. You see Ben Roethlisberger has a high ankle sprain and really should have been on the injured list, but Big Ben is tough and chose to play in the “HOPE” of putting the Pittsburgh Steelers in a better position for the playoffs. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. This time it did not pay off, but I admire the Steelers for trying, for having hope. I know many Steeler fans are disappointed about this, but as my father use to say, “there is always next year.” That's the promise that we all share; For the teams who are finished this year and tomorrow for those of us, who have hope.

I know what you may be thinking, “It's easier said than done ” and for many that's true. Anyone who has had a significant, or repeated trauma may need a bit of help separating the tangled mess fear leaves in its wake. Our human minds, however evolved we wish to believe, still have a long way to go in learning how to put old fears in their proper place. That's why hope in the possibilities of tomorrow exists. It is the counterbalance to fear. Some things just take more time than others. However, a caution, our time on earth is not endless, we all only have a certain amount of time to work with and what you do with that time, that hope, those possibilities is up to you.

What hope will you have today?

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Daily Mood Quotes - January 8, 2012

Daily Mood Quote

Day 234 – January 8, 2012

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.

~Anne Frank

Yesterday, I went grocery shopping at a local store and as I passed two men talking on my way to get some milk, I heard one gentlemen tell an acquaintance he had been unemployed for four years and wasn't sure what he was going to do anymore. For a brief moment, I understood and empathized with the gentlemen and I even took a few moments to talk with him and his friend. Maybe, because I didn't want him to feel singled out, or alone because I too have been unemployed for two and a half years and my husband for a year an a half. There is comfort in numbers I guess. Some interesting things I noticed, we were all easily over the age of 45, all experienced (over-experienced in the eyes of today's society), beyond the age where people would want to hire us. This empathy lasted for only a short period of time, because I realized something during a conversation with my husband on our way home. We are/were all looking for the same old stuff. What is the same old stuff, you ask? Well let me explain.

The same old stuff is what we once were, the jobs we once had and what we once enjoyed doing. I suppose that's natural, to want to drop back into our comfort zone where things seemed “good.” Unfortunately, we can't keep living in the past, it's what we do now and tomorrow that counts. It's a basic lesson from Life on Earth 101; failure to evolve will result in extinction, as in people who refuse to adapt and move on, may never be gainfully employed again. That's just the way it is.

Let's face it, if you haven't work in a field in four years, it's well past time to find another field. Julian Michaels said, “Transformation is not five minutes from now; it's a present activity. In this moment you can make a different choice, and it's these small choices and successes that build up over time to help cultivate a healthy self-image and self-esteem.” Now, I know she is the “fitness guru,” and a product of our culture's myopic views on age and beauty (I still believe we need to fix that), but as I have stated. “What is true and good, no matter the source”.... and if we think about this from an attitudinal perspective, it applies. We have to change, grow, transform and evolve all the time, just as the world is changing and failure to do has dire and regretful results.

My husband says that men sometimes have a harder time making that adjustment than women. He isn't being discriminatory, or offering any excuses. It's just the facts. You really never hear songs by women harkening back to the “Glory Days” Thanks Bruce Springsteen or “The Summer of 69” Thanks Bryan Adams. My husband has also had a tough time altering his self-image to catch up to the things he's already doing, analysis and writing. He also concedes that he's not sure if it's culture, or genetics that drive that behavior; it just is. And, it's a nasty little trap that men build for themselves. Maybe women needed to be more adaptable in this area, due to the fact that we (women) needed to be the caregivers and had to continue to tend to the children, after the men had been mowed down by a woolly mammoth; so it makes sense in a species survival kind of way. I'm not sure, but the evidence seems to be there.

Anyway, we all need to adjust our vision of who we are from time to time, to incorporate the realities of where we are in time and space. That includes occupations and avocations. Please understand I am not putting anyone down or belittling anyone. I'm just saying that if your a man, or a woman and you had been doing one thing for years and years and you no longer are doing that, then maybe it's time to reevaluate your skills, update them and seek success elsewhere. Look at me, I have been a mom for 27 years and I love being a mom, it is who I am and what I have loved doing my whole life (since I was 20), in a few short years, all of my children will be off to college, married, chasing a career and living life. I will fall in the category of “empty-nesters.” So, I have now spent nearly 6 years in college to get a current education in the business world, first my Bachelors, now my Master's Degree. When the time comes to go to work full-time outside the home, instead of inside caring for children, I will be ready. Anything's possible!

In the movie 17 Again with Zac Efron and Matthew Perry, the Janitor (played by Brian Doyle-Murray) said to Matthew Perry (Mike O'Donnell) “High school star, never quite lived up to your potential. Sooner or later you all come back to your old school, stand there and look at the picture of the glory days wondering "What might have been." Seems to me you guys are living in the past.” Mike O'Donnell replied with “Well, of course I wanna live in the past. It was better there...” He already achieved what he wanted, or so he thought; He was on top, then life through him a curve ball....good story, great message. Simply put, it's about moving on, not holding on to what once was. Frances Moore Lappé, said, “I am neither an optimist nor a pessimist. I am a dyed-in-the-wool possibilist! I mean with an eco-mind, we see that everything's connected and change is the only constant.” I too am a possibilist and believe if we had it once, we can have it again, we just need to evolve and make it better. Possibilities are endless if only you seek them out and try.

How will you “move-on” today?

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Daily Mood Quotes - January 7, 2012

 

Daily Mood Quotes

Day 233 – January 7, 2012

In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.

~Albert Einstein

Holy crap!! Yesterday is a day I choose not to relive...ever. But, I have to revisit it, at least in part, to understand it. First, my husband and I got an e-mail from an educator informing us about an event that will be occurring at school next week. The event involves a statewide exam and the school's computer systems. The administrators want to test the school's computer servers, so they intend to have all the kids take an online test at the same time (not the actual test) to see if the computer system will crash. Understandable, they are being proactive instead of reactive. That's new and different. We were sent the e-mail because our child requires assistance when taking tests due to a reading difficulty and during the test of the servers, she will not be receiving any help. They told us so we wouldn't be alarmed. Okay fine, I appreciate the heads up. Here's the problem; they are going to lie to the kids, so that they will try their best on the “fake” state wide exam. I wanted to say WHAT THE @#$%!, but instead I will simply ask, “are you kidding me?” The school kids have been taking these tests since the third grade and know what time of year they take this particular test. First, they are several months early for this exam, the kids know this. Children are not stupid, contrary to adults/educators apparent beliefs. Also, if it's a statewide event I promise you, it will get out online and the facts will spread like wildfire. Questions will be raised, if not by the kids then by their parents and trust me when I tell you this, if you lie to the kids and they find out… and they will find out because the truth always comes out, trust will disappear like smoke in a hurricane. Not just the kids trust, but their parents as well. Its a really, really, bad idea...who thinks this crap up? I almost couldn't believe the depths of deception to which they plan to stoop to, just to test a system. To invite more problems in, is in my eyes foolish and patently ill conceived. The treatment is worse than the disease here. But that's the way things seem to be here. Do it the hardest and least efficient way possible and then have to patch it up later.

Why not just tell the children the truth? Why not use this situation as an opportunity for a technology teaching tool? Our state is pushing for a tech savvy work force anyway. It's almost a no brainer, but then.... Since technology is here to stay, teach some to them, by telling them the truth about what is being done. Maybe, it will spark some interest. They can also tell them about the wonderful opportunity this is to review the test format and/or discover what they know and the types of information they don't know, before the actual test. Seriously, what is so freakin' hard about telling the truth? Can't we set a better example for the younger generation? I get so frustrated when I know adults, who should know better, go out of there way and plan to lie to kids. They are people not cattle. No wonder trust and honesty are a rare find in the world. They're teaching distrust and dishonesty right in the school system! Why not just have a class, Lying 101, or for the more advance students Prevarication: Practical uses and applications?

After a lengthy discussion about this issue, my husband and I sent an e-mail to the school administrators informing them that we will not lie to our child about this test. We also told them this was a very bad idea. We also suggested the solution outlined above to the administration. To paraphrase a current GEICO commercial “I don't get it, such a simple word; truth.” It seems the more basic the concept, the harder it is for people to get it, to understand it. It seems as if the more complex and convoluted the concept, the more people will make an effort to understand it. But, if it is plain and obvious like truth and honesty, people ignore it or fail to grasp its value; even if it is in their best interest to pay attention. I suppose that some people only place value on that which takes up the most time and energy, while the really basic stuff that we should be appreciating is passed by. We can always circle back to truth if we need too, right? To quote Gilbert Huph (played by Wallace Shawn) to Bob (Mr. Incredible played by Craig T. Nelson) from the Disney animated movie The Incredibles, “I'm not happy Bob, not happy at all.” Is it the need to get away with something? I really have deep questions and concerns about the intent and quality of the American K-12 education system, if this is any indication of how administrators in these institutions think. It's a small wonder we are being passed by in education by other countries.

In the movie The Breakfast Club, Brain Johnson (Anthony Michael Hall), Andrew Clark (Emilio Estevez), Allison Reynolds (Ally Sheedy), Claire Standish (Molly Ringwald), John Bender (Judd Nelson), said in their report to the Vice Principal Richard Vernon (Paul Gleason) as a group,

Brian Johnson: Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. What we did *was* wrong. But we think you're crazy to make an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us... In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain...

Andrew Clark: ...and an athlete...

Allison Reynolds: ...and a basket case...

Claire Standish: ...a princess...

John Bender: ...and a criminal...

Brian Johnson: Does that answer your question?... Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club.

In my opinion, I think educators and administrators are failing to see the kids as individuals with brains, dignity, self-respect and worthy of honesty and trust. How you treat them is how they are going to act. Have we forgotten who the role model is here? I hope they stop looking at kids as an element of “the job,” children are the job and the reason they have a job.

The rest of the day spiraled downward from there, not a good one but stories for another day; today will be better.

What example will you set today?

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Thank you for reading