Thought for the day...

READ THIS LET IT REALLY SINK IN - THEN CHOOSE.
John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"
He was a natural motivator.
If an employee! was having a bad day, John was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.
Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"
He replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or ... you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood." Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or... I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.
"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.
"Yes, it is," he said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life."
I reflected on what he said. Soon hereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.
Several years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back. I saw him about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins...Wanna see my scars?"
I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.
"The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter," he replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or...I could choose to die. I chose to live."
"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.
He continued, "..the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I sw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action."
"What did you do?" I asked.
"Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said John. "She asked if I was allegic to anything. 'Yes, I replied.' The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity'." Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."
He lived, thanks to the s killof his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude... I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.
Attitude, after all, is everything.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own! " Matthew 6:34.
After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday

You see the nicest people at...

Today, Bubba and Momma Bear took a little hike down to Shrewsbury! Momma got herself a new hose and Bubba got Princess Bear's frame cut with the help of Truevalueman! It is so lovely to see them around the county! I missed them being here! I am so grateful Momma is finally home!

Dance Camp Photos!

Summertime!

Been pickin' blackberries and got several jars of jam made. I also canned some peach preseverves. They look like jeweled jars in my cupboard!

Out pickin' berries

Today I was out in the woods picking blackberries. I found a huge raspberry bush, but time has pretty much passed for the berries on the that bush. I do have a lot of blackberries ready to ripen. Soon I'll be making jam!!!

My SwimP3

Got my swimp3 to listen to tunes when i swim!!! I am sooo excited to see how it works. The earphones use a different kind of wavelength. If you hold the phones up to your ear outside of water, all you hear is a muffled sound. Once in the water, tho, the music is crystal clear. The earphones lay outside of the ear and not in...echolocation, anyone???

Darlin' Daughter is now an official...

College Student!!!! Today at York College, she was granted an exception and was able to take 2 classes in the fall, instead fo just one. She is enrolled in Calculus 1 and Intermediate Spanish. Woot! These classes are going to be a bit easier for her than most kids...hopefully Spring classes will be more challenging!

Miss Teen of American Pageant

This weekend, in my hometown of Bloomsburg, Darlin' Daughter competed in the Miss Teen of Pennsylvania Pageant. I have noticed a little bit of a change in her already. She is wearing make-up, holding herself a little more confidently and she seems a little more ok with herself. Perhaps the reason whe didn't go to BU was because she needed this weekend more than she needed to be a research assistant!

Recognition!

Just becuase she was not chosen for the honor court, didn't mean she didn't get reconized! Darlin' Daughter was awarded 3rd place for her Ballet Variation. The placing was well deserved, her roomate won first for her rendition of Rahpsody in Blue on the piano. (It was amazing!!) The second place winner did a dance from Don Quixoti.

Opening performance

Wearing pink, white and/or red, the contestants put on a pre-pageant number. Cute, but you could tell who the REAL dancers were!!1

Oh the talent!

Altho it's optional, I made her do her ballet solo. Because she was taken off pointe just before the recital, I thought this was a great opportunity for Darlin' Daughter to have the chance to perform on pointe. She was absolutely elegant! A woman in the audience remarked that she looked like a real ballerina...I told her she was! The biggest surpise of all came on Sunday. They told the girls to bring their items from the talent competition...they would announce who is performing DURING the show!!! Guess who performed during the pageant....HER!!!!

Poise and Personality

A walk across the stage in a formal wear outfit was a small part of the judging criteria. Darlin' Daughter was poised and graceful. I love this green dress on her! You could really tell the difference between the 14 year olds and the 17 year olds! Wow! What a difference those years make as far as comfortability and grace with one's self!

Interview

At Miss Teen, Darlin' Daughter was required to go to an interview. Her dress was to be that of a job interview. We struggled to find the right outfit. For her, the pants and sweater were beautiful. We bought some wicked shoes and jewerly...in the end, they matched even tho they were bought seperately!

Some days it goes your way...

This evening, Darlin' Daughter and I went to our most fav of all places: DSW! While there, we found a kick-ass shoes~Rocket Dog! So, we each get a pair and then I remembe that Samigurl wanted some new zapatos. I found her these cool pirate shoes...I thought she'd love them, instead she told me that I thought she was "Goth!" Ugh! I just cannot win with this kid!

Back from the Beach

After awhile, I wonder if I will ever learn to be more diligent about the sunscreen. I got some sun burn. I couldn't even sleep with my jammies on last night! I hope tonight will be better. Was it worth it???? YES!!!!

Last minute trip to...

We'll be back on Tuesday!

Someone has a Blog!

Imbecillon couldn't resist the urge to try out her new Razor phone. She now has a mobile blog. She took this photo of her dog, Chip, from her phone at her pool. Click Chip to go to the sight!

Concert

Last night, Truevalueman and I went to see FFH in concert. They were wonderful! I strongly encourge everyont to go to www.ffh.net and check them out! I love the perspective of writing an album from God's voice. It's too cool!

My favorite ice cream

And it truly the only ice cream I will eat. (I am not much of an ice cream girl!) Tonight was a full-pinter! It was sooooo good!

We went...

Bowling! And did poorly, of course. We are not great bowlers~ we dance!

I feel like an old, rare book...

I really do. I am a plethera of old information, irreverant to toady's new notions and dusty! And I don't want to cook or clean, either!

Little Man is going to the game!

My little guy got an invite to go see the O's tonight with his cousin. Heck, I don't even know who they are playing!

What's Bugging Me Today...

Disturbing me today is Glenn Beck's comment that the Palestinians today are like Afican-Americans. The African-Americans and the Palestinians chose negative and dishonest leaders and are confused as to why they are not getting ahead. What????? This guy is making generalizations without true facts to back them up.
First, let me say this: The Palestinians of today are in serious, serious straights. Originally nomads under the Ottoman Empire, these are a people who never really EVER had a home land. (Most African-American ancestors were TAKEN from theirs!) It has only been in recent decades have the Palestinians even needed a homeland. Economics and education play key roles in modern society, making a center of government for any ethnicity not only important, but neccessary.
Secondly, African-Americans can only boast of turmoil (slavery and lack of any civil rights) for less than two centuries on North American soil. Not so true of the Palestinians. The struggle for land is less than 70 years old. Zionism, fueled by guilt-ridden anglos and (my favorite) the United Nations, has propelled this situation to such grotesque depths. African-Americans have struggled and even been forced to violence, but have overcome so much in our country. The Palestinians have not been so lucky.
Are our black leaders in America negative? In a free society, there is bound to be your Farahkahns and Jacksons. But what about Malcom X and Martin Luther King, Jr.? Recently, Barak Obama and Bill Cosby? On college campuses, I see shining examples of black leadership in the form of professors and doctors. These are the TRUE leaders of the African-American society! Why? Because they have a home here, we educate them and we have made sure that discrimination is illegal! What chance does a Palestinian child have in this world? Not a good one! Arafat was an evil man; but we must ask why. Did he start out as a terrorist or was he groomed to fight an unfair battle? (Please don't think I am pro-Arafat.) Why are missionaries walking Palestinian children to school everyday so they are not shot by Israeli soldiers? When is the UN ever going to make it right?
Glenn Beck did not have my respect in the beginning and now he just makes me want to vomit! He is in the same league as Ann Cuntler: Uneducated and brash, with a media spolight! The Devil might wear Prada, but he also wears a mic and has a CNN contract!

Look Ma! No cavities!

Well, at least not for me! Bi-annual dental visits went well...except for Little Man...who, once again, has cavities! We are on a "wait and see" mission becuase these are baby teeth. Anything is better than having your mouth drilled!

Torture!!!

My glasses are here!

Today I picked up my bifocal glasses. I am more woozy from them than I was from the contact lens! At least the line is invisible!

Why flying scares me!

That's just not RIGHT!!!!

I wanna go to the beach!!!!

Perhaps I could get me a man!!! *wink*wink*

Video Premier

Tonight was the big premier of the Spring Show !! Favorite part: Thriller!

Going on a date...

It's been years since I donned a jean jacket and a pair of jeans in the summer to go on a ssswwweeeeetttt motorcycle ride! My true love and I took a nice ride through the roads of SYC to go see a movie. The ride home was a bit chilly, but we warmed up quickly with homemad hot cocoa!

Superman Returns!!!!

Attention!Clark Kent and Lois Lane lovers!!! Superman Returns is worth your time! I am impressed (as always) with Bryan Singer's direction~you know, X-Men and the like~and am happy to announce this movie holds up to all Superman hoo-ha. Combining elements from the original DC comics to Superman of the 70's to Smallville, Singer holds true to the fan base. Truevalueman and I enjoyed our date-night movie...definately a "two hammer's up" flick!!!
to see more, click on his logo!

Why do we pledge the Flag?

THE FLAG SPEAKS

I am whatever you make me-nothing more. But always I am all that you hope to be and have the courage to try for. I am song and fear, struggle and panic and ennobling hope. I am the day's work of the weakest man, and the largest dream of the most daring. I am the Constitution and the courts, statutes, and stature makers, soldiers and street sweepers, cooks, counselors, clerks. I am no more than you believe me to be. My stars are your dreams and your labors. For you are the makers of the flag and it is well that you glory in the making.

Francis Bellamy (1855 - 1931), a Baptist minister, wrote the original Pledge in August 1892. He was a Christian Socialist. In his Pledge, he is expressing the ideas of his first cousin, Edward Bellamy, author of the American socialist utopian novels, Looking Backward (1888) and Equality (1897).

Bellamy's granddaughter said he also would have resented this second change. He had been pressured into leaving his church in 1891 because of his socialist sermons. In his retirement in Florida, he stopped attending church because he disliked the racial bigotry he found there.
What follows is Bellamy's own account of some of the thoughts that went through his mind in August, 1892, as he picked the words of his Pledge:


It began as an intensive communing with salient points of our national history, from the Declaration of Independence onwards; with the makings of the Constitution...with the meaning of the Civil War; with the aspiration of the people...


The true reason for allegiance to the Flag is the 'republic for which it stands.' ...And what does that vast thing, the Republic mean? It is the concise political word for the Nation - the One Nation which the Civil War was fought to prove. To make that One Nation idea clear, we must specify that it is indivisible, as Webster and Lincoln used to repeat in their great speeches.

For more info...click the flag!

Why I love Ben Franklin!

Benjamin Franklin was truly America's greatest forefather! In a time when most of the colonies used separate currency, mostly in the form of coin, Ben Franklin suggested the use of paper money. He sold this idea to the colony of Pennsylvania, and by doing such, gained the right to print the currency in his print shop.
As Franklin designs progressed, so did counterfeiters. Soon it became clear to dear old Ben that he must find a way to keep counterfeiting at bay. Franklin was a proliferate botanist and frequently corresponded with like minded fellows in European countries like France. In order to preserve American plants for sailing over the Atlantic, Franklin took to the art of leaf pressing. He noticed every leaf was like the human fingerprint: no two were ever a like.
Mr. Franklin quickly realized using plant castings as backgrounds and borders for money would literally stop the criminals in their tracks. Unlike the rest of Franklin inventions, his use of leaf casting for printing money has basically remained a secret. Historians are still not quite sure how Ben Franklin was able to use plaster and then bronze to create a plate for printing without compromising the delicate nature of both design and materials.
Benjamin Franklin eventually ended up printing currency for Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.

Happy Birthday, America!

Happy 230th!

Our favorite Sunday activity!

We worshipped at St. Slattery's today. Fun in the Sun!

Movie Review

The Family Stone is now my new FAVORITE movie! Truevalueman and I were watching this gem of a flick and decided this will more than likely be our family in 20 years...hopefully without the whole dying thing! I reccomend you keep tissues close-by and pee before viewing! You will laugh until you cry. And then...you will just cry!

So far...first college of choice!

We really enjoyed our trip to Cleveland and Case Western! The campus is gorgeous and we found the entire area surrounding it to be safe and historic. (We even saw a street made of wooden bricks! That was neat!) The English Department has introduced a new approach to college english and writing. It's called the SAGES program. It is a seminar approach to learning and students are placed by ability into small classses with an advisor. I was really impressed with the whole philosphy of the school! The core belief is that all learning should be experiental as well as bookwork. Students are constantly mentored their entire experience....the only set-back? Freshmen dorms have no central air-conditioning! But the pay-off is that by the time they are upper-classmen, they stay in amazing complexes with a convenience store and Starbucks inside!!!!