Showing posts with label Daily quotes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daily quotes. Show all posts

Saturday, June 16, 2012



Daily Mood Quote
June 16, 2012

Never trust anyone who says, “Trust me, I'm your friend.” Actions speak louder than words.
~Unknown Author

My husband says this quote is harsh and to a small degree, I agree with him. But, for now this is how I feel and only time will heal the hurt that someone I once looked up too, trusted and admired (more than any member of my own family, the family I grew up with) created. I have forgiven people who have hurt me, or my family if it was an accident; but what this woman did was no accident, it was with malice- it was deliberate, intentional, and shameful. I wonder if theses are the lessons she teaches the children in her religious education program? Lessons like: It's okay to lie, cheat, spread rumors (without knowing the facts, asking the questions, or just simply ignoring the truth) about people, as long as you give money to the church, or go to confession each week. Is that what it takes today? Sorry to say this, but that is hypocrisy. Saying one thing but doing another. People tried to warn my husband and I about her, they tried to tell us she was a hypocrite, a liar, she said one thing but did another, was never a person of her word. They tried to tell us, but oh no, we didn't believe them. In fact we vigorously defended her. She was a friend, a trusted friend. Well, “with friends like that, who needs enemies” right?

Now, back to our discoveries... Upon entry of the home through the front door, we noticed that the house was dirty, walls had been scraped up, carpets had been stained and vinyl in entry way was scraped and torn. There was also a yellow stain on the floor, where the entry way carpet used to be. Who lets a carpet sit that long? This was at first glance. Then we proceed to the laundry room and found no reason for concern (yet). Ran both the washer and the dryer, they seemed to both work for the brief tryout.

The hallway from the entry way has a closet, filled with things that belonged to the previous tenant, our new landlord. This hallway which lead to the kitchen includes a doorway to the laundry room and a doorway to the garage, which has a screen door on it (unusual) but nevertheless both doors work, although latch is rusty and loose on the screen door. There were dirty marks and scratches from the move out on the walls and floors. The vinyl flooring in front of the refrigerator has dark scrapes and tears.

We then moved to the kitchen, and noticed on the counter top there was only one remote for the garage door opener (this is a concern because normally an automatic garage door has two openers). A microwave was also left on the counter, this was be placed in the garage for the landlord, who said she would return for her things. We continued with the inspection and noticed the refrigerator was the same refrigerator we saw several months earlier. When you opened the refrigerator doors (noticed during the viewing of the home several months earlier) the bottom was still torn up, rusting and separating from inside the refrigerator and freezer doors. The bottom of the refrigerator (underneath the drawers) looks as if it had never been cleaned; this one was going to take time to clean (at least three to four hours of serious elbow grease). Then we checked the burners of the stove and they seem to be in good working condition. We are excited about this stove because food cooked by gas stoves seem to taste better than food cooked by electrical stoves (that is just how we feel). We did not run the dishwasher, we had no reason to at the time, no dishes, yet. Anyway the landlord said, she never used it because she lived alone, didn't have a lot of dishes to wash. We believed her and assumed it worked. Why would she lie to us? Then we opened up all the cabinets and discovered many missed items, we boxed them and placed them in the attic for our landlord to pick up. We then turned on the water and got sprayed from the water purifier, which was exciting. The sprayer had to be removed. Upon removing it we noticed it had mold, so we disposed of it, and replaced it with a regular aerator.
Then we opened up the windows in the kitchen and found mold and discoloration on the trim. We took pictures and then checked other windows; they were also discoloring, molding and rotting. We didn't know if this could be fixed; we would have to look it up.The kitchen bay window on the (east) right side had a broken closing mechanism, cannot open the window to full extension, or the mechanism separates from the window. Screen also has multiple holes. Looking at the kitchen floor, we noticed stains, dings, and dents. Along with a few centipedes, and a couple of potato-bugs. Bugs will have to be taken care of right away, because we have a very low tolerance for bugs, especially our youngest daughter. Upon an initial view of the kitchen walls – they seemed fine, no glaring holes or other problems. Although looking at the dining room walls, we asked the question, “who moved her, the CareerBuilder.com monkeys (well, okay, chimps)? They were marked up with dirty pencil marks and small holes.

By this time my husband and I were remembering the movie The Money Pit with Tom Hanks (Walter) and Shelley Long (Anna), when Walter said, “Ahh, home crap home!” And we haven't even gotten to the good stuff yet...Want to see why my daughter could never sneak out of her room at night? See more tomorrow.

Here's something novel; writing about this is helping reduce the hatred demon. Like Shrek in the movie Shrek (played by Mike Myers) always says, “Better out than in, I always say.”


Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading


Friday, June 15, 2012

Daily Mood Quote

 
“With friends like that, who needs enemies”
~Unknown Author

I have been seriously considering quitting the daily mood quotes blog. Erasing it, because I am struggling to find the peace and happiness that once came so easy for me. Recent events in my life have caused me to be battling the “hatred demon” that is in all of us. It can not be denied and can only be destroyed when one forgives the awful people they have encountered in their world. There is a saying that states, “With friends like that, who needs enemies” I don't know who said this; but I wonder, did they have “friends” like I have run into? Oops, did I say that out loud? You bet I did and here is why, I am pissed and frankly sick and tired of mean people and “dag nab-it,” why do I keep running into them. Are there any honest people out there anymore? I wonder that, because recently I have been evicted from my home, not because I couldn't make the mortgage, but because I couldn't pay the rent. Why you may ask. My husband and I both had lost our jobs during the recession (that is in earlier blogs). OK short version: My husband's boss took government loans and spent them on himself, then got caught, company closed, goodbye job. I lost mine in an acquisition where 5,300 jobs, including mine, were cut. It was rotten, downright miserable as our reserves were drained and things kept costing more.

So, from the movie Network as Howard Beale played by the late Peter Finch said, “I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel's worth, banks are going bust, shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter. Punks are running wild in the street and there's nobody anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there's no end to it. We know the air is unfit to breathe and our food is unfit to eat, and we sit watching our TV's while some local newscaster tells us that today we had fifteen homicides and sixty-three violent crimes, as if that's the way it's supposed to be. We know things are bad - worse than bad. They're crazy. It's like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don't go out anymore. We sit in the house, and slowly the world we are living in is getting smaller, and all we say is, 'Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials and I won't say anything. Just leave us alone.' Well, I'm not gonna leave you alone. I want you to get mad! I don't want you to protest. I don't want you to riot - I don't want you to write to your congressman because I wouldn't know what to tell you to write. I don't know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the Russians and the crime in the street. All I know is that first you've got to get mad. You've got to say, 'I'm a HUMAN BEING, God damn it! My life has VALUE!' So I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell, 'I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!' I want you to get up right now, sit up, go to your windows, open them and stick your head out and yell - 'I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!' Things have got to change. But first, you've gotta get mad!... You've got to say, 'I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!' Then we'll figure out what to do about the depression and the inflation and the oil crisis. But first get up out of your chairs, open the window, stick your head out, and yell, and say it: "I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!” Glad I got that out; I feel better. How about you?

Funny thing, the landlord knew what was happening, we kept her informed of this. We told her and her response was, “Don't worry about it, look after the kids; I'll just be receiving checks from you well into my retirement.” She changed her mind. Let me be clear about one thing; It doesn’t bother me that she changed her mind, life happens and things change... its the way she handled it that bothered us. Actually, it was deliberately hurtful and vindictive, very, very, hurtful. Back to mad as hell, hurt and frustrated.

Let's back up a little, you see nearly three years ago, my husband and I and our children where living in an apartment. It was nice and we were happy there (however, many of our friends were embarrassed because we “lived” in an apartment). We were also healthy there. But a friend of ours who owned a home was moving, she got a job down south and wanted to rent out her home. She called us and in June nearly three years ago, we went to view the house. It was okay, a three bedroom ranch in what seemed to be a quiet neighborhood. She wanted a little too much money for the place, but we could tighten our belts and make it work. She dangled words like, “you can make it your own” “you can paint it” just take care of my house. There was no rental agreement, no hand-shake, no documentation, no formal walk-through, nothing. Just an amount and her bank deposit slips. We thought it a little weird, but she was no business woman and it showed. (Side note: What a freakin' head fake.) Her puzzling answers and vagueness to simple questions like “do the appliances work?” Left us wondering, but we “trusted” her, she was a friend. We had known her for seven years, she was like one of our family, an old aunt or something. She even babysit our children when they were younger. We had absolutely no reason to distrust her.

Several months later, we moved in, but before the first piece of furniture entered the house, my husband and I inspected the house and made a list of our discoveries... it was surprising. To be continued tomorrow, hopefully.

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

A New Beginning - June 3, 2012

"Almost everything comes from nothing."
~Henry F. Amiel~

Everyone needs  a vacation, but this one is not my idea of a vacation. Occasionally, life can suck and for me and my family right now; it does. I have received many e-mails and tweets from many readers of daily mood quotes and was overwhelmed by the volume. Thank you for reading. At this time, my family and I are on the road working towards a better life. We were pretty much driven away from our home because of unemployment. Plenty of education and training just not in anything anyone is looking to hire for in our sad sack, little, rust belt city. It's a sad story for America, but for my family and I, it was a lot more like living in a "Toxic Town."

Before we can build a life again, we must first find work, and at the same time, we must accept what happened to us. Then learn to forgive those, who with ill intent harmed us. That may take some time. It requires a bit more grace than I have at my immediate disposal right now. I have spoken about forgiveness in daily mood quotes before, but I never said it is easy. Anyway, telling the story through quotes might be fun, it may also help to ease the pain as I tell the story. 

From nothing... here we go. Remember the end of one thing is the beginning of another.

Tune in to continue to read daily mood quotes
Thank you for reading

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Daily Mood Quotes - February 26, 2012

Daily Mood Quote
Day 256 - February 26, 2012

"The greatest ignorance is to reject something you know nothing about."
~Unknown Author

"Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn."
 ~Benjamin Franklin

How much and how many are overlooked due to lack of understanding, or the refusal to learn?

I'll be back on March 1, 2012 and I've got a lot to talk about.
Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading
Have a great Daily Mood Quotes day

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Daily Mood Quotes - February 25, 2012

Daily Mood Quote
Day 255 - February 25, 2012

Peace is not something you wish for: It's something you make, Something you do, Something you are, And something you give away."
~Robert Fulghum

So why do we use violence, threats and control tactics to gain peace? Gandhi said, ""Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances."

I'll be back on March 1, 2012 with more in depth daily mood quotes, movie quotes and DMQ insights. 

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading
Have a great Daily Mood Quotes day.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Daily Mood Quotes - February 24, 2012

Daily Mood Quotes
Day 254 - February 24, 2012

Endurance is the crowning quality, And patience all the passion of great hearts.
~James Russell Lowell

Patience is stronger than force.
~Edward Counsel

I'll be back on March 1, 2012.

Thank you for reading
Have a great Daily Mood Quotes day.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Daily Mood Quotes - February 23, 2011

Daily Mood Quotes
Day 253 - February 23, 2012

"Lord make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy."
~St. Francis of Assisi

I will be back on March 1, 2012.

Thank you for reading

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Daily Mood Quotes - February 9, 2012

 
Daily Mood Quote
Day 252 – February 9, 2012

“Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance.”
~Unknown Author

As my husband has recently noted, “I've been dancing my tushy off” the past couple of months, I'm happy to have such a good dance partner to go through life with. You see  “Life's a dance” as John Michael Montgomery says in his song, Life's A Dance, you really do learn as you go. You don't have a choice. Not true, you do have a choice.

To be perfectly upfront, I have struggled to find words to describe the dance life has put in front of me and my husband. Until yesterday, I was trying to remember the recipe for Chicken Noodle Hotdish (or casserole in other parts of the world), and found myself saying things like a dash of parenting, mixed with a few bills, no that's not right, more like; a dollop of teenage attitude and a “double dose” (thanks Robert De Niro as Jack Byrnes in Little Fockers) of grad level homework...Wait a minute! I'm making hotdish here, “Recalculating!” (thank you Allstate Insurance. Those mayhem commercials have to be some of the funniest I've ever seen, so true to life...my life lately) and start over again. Then it hit me, the past several months have been a recipe. A recipe for “overwhelmed.” That's what I've been; overwhelmed. I'm sure I would have figured this out earlier, but when your in the middle of one of life's hurricanes, it's hard to get any perspective, or catch your breath in the heavy winds.

Well, I needed to step out of the storm for a bit and get my bearings. I've been turned and twisted so many ways lately, it took a while to clear my head. Sometimes the best thing we can do, is step back and look at the whole picture (you got to be honest about the picture), make changes as needed and continue on. The last couple months have included two deaths, very intense classes, financial strain (I know President Obama says, our economy is getting stronger and hundreds of thousands of jobs have been created. Let me tell you, not where I live, job creation is an “epic fail” here), parenting, cold weather and planning for the future, everything we call “everyday life.” Can't do much about the deaths but accept and continue on; the intense classes are kicking my hiney, some of the toughest studies I have had to date and my vision is an obstacle. I can understand the material, analyze it, communicate it and write about it, I am struggling to keep up with the reading. My husband reads to me a lot and I spend a lot of time reading the e-books on the computer, font size increased to 185%. Unfortunately, text book publishers don't make audio books for colleges. I'm entering my last couple of months of grad school and it is some of the hardest work I've ever done...at least until I start my PhD program. As far as financial strains, parenting, cold weather and planning for the future: As I said before, everyday life stuff. But, it just all popped up on us at once; like nasty weeds. All we can do is live it, live through it and pick through all the thorns and nettles one by one.

Sooo, we dance on and hope the tune changes for the better, or at least lets us slow dance until we catch our wind...

Hope will you dance through life's mayhem today?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading.





Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Daily Mood Quotes - February 8, 2012

 
Daily Mood Quote
Day 251 – February 8, 2012

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Today I checked my daily mood quotes e-mail and read several that asked me, “what is my mood today?” “when will the daily mood quote return?” and “are you all right?” I have also received many new notifications for followers on Twitter and Facebook.

I have to say, I was very surprised and did not realize how many read and look forward to the Daily Mood Quotes blog. The e-mails brought tears to my eyes. I want to say thank you to everyone who takes the time to read and I hope you have enjoyed the quotes and stories that are shared daily. Beginning tomorrow February 9, 2012, I will begin writing again (it is my passion) and the daily mood quote will again be daily. Thank you, I never realized how many people the Daily Mood Quote reaches.

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Deaily Mood Quotes - February 2, 2012


Daily Mood Quotes
Day 250 – February 2, 2012

“Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means.”
~Albert Einstein

“Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.”
~St. Francis of Assisi

“Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.”
~Mark Twain

“The old begin to complain of the conduct of the young when they themselves are no longer able to set a bad example.”
~Francois de la Rochefoucauld

“If you must hold yourself up to your children as an object lesson, hold yourself up as a warning and not as an example.”
~George Bernard Shaw

The message is, what you choose to put out there, will most likely be returned to you; even though you may not recognize it at the time. As Hogarth Hughes (played by Eli Marienthal) in the movie The Iron Giant said to the Iron Giant (played by Vin Diesel), “ You are who you choose to be.” You get what you choose to give. Our examples are being watched everyday, everywhere, by everyone we interact with.

A mom's question: “So, how would you like it, if someone acted that way toward you?” Sooner or later they will.

What examples are you setting today? Are they worth being returned to you?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading.

Monday, January 30, 2012

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?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading.

Friday, January 27, 2012

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?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading, have a hopeful day.



Thursday, January 26, 2012

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.

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading



Wednesday, January 25, 2012

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.


Tuesday, January 24, 2012

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?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading

Monday, January 23, 2012

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?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

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?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading.



Thursday, January 12, 2012

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

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

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?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading

Monday, January 9, 2012

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?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading