Every shiny thing that comes our way

JB, my partner-in-wishing lives of course on the other side of the planet. AWA. A World Apart as you know. We are different in many ways, and similar…

Every shiny thing that comes our way

No one’s life is perfect. No one life is perfect.

You know me and how much I love those early mornings between wake and sleep when wisdom visits me for such a short time.  Once I stir so much as a finger the thought dissipates like a fart in the wind. (Sorry I can think of no quicker dissipation to compare it to).  Except for this one occasion it seems to be the only time actual purity  and brilliance present themselves to me.

This morning’s thought was accompanied by a wave of compassion.  I like those  best.  I am pretty sure the thought was clearly, ‘No one’s life is perfect. Be Compassionate’.  But then I got waylaid wondering if the thought should have been or actually was, ‘No one life is perfect.’

What a silly self argument.  Is there really a difference?  I suppose the second statement might indicate that if No ONE life is perfect there may exist perfection in more than one life. Good grief Chris, (I say to myself), STOP already.

The point is that the immediate thought brought a feeling I can only describe as compassion and warmth.  Now again I had to ask myself why is this pertinent?

It didn’t take long to see how we misrepresent our lives on social media AND how much we as the public buy into it.  Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and many many more, all smiles, all perfection, all joy.

Now please don’t think for one moment I believe people should post THE TRUTH.  No chance in hell.  There is sufficient whining, sniveling, and pain driven expression in this world.  Much of it is educational and needs to be out there. But no one needs to know every worry and angst I have.  My point is that perfect joy and perfect families and perfect whatever looks nice for the moment and the cycle of life means there is no static perfection.  There is a time for everything under heaven…oops a song is coming on…

from They Byrds which came out in 1965

The Byrds – Turn! Turn! Turn! Lyrics

To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to be born, a time to die.
A time to plant, a time to reap.
A time to kill, a time to heal.
A time to laugh, a time to weep.To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to build up, a time to break down.
A time to dance, a time to mourn.
A time to cast away stones.
A time to gather stones together.

To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time of love, a time of hate.
A time of war, a time of peace.
A time you may embrace.
A time to refrain from embracing.

To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to gain, a time to lose.

Yes millennials there was a 1965, and wisdom in music, and a time for everything.

I don’t mean to imply that every youth believes everyone is happy, is photo touch up perfect but there are enough people who take what they see as fact and this leads to a whole bunch of feelings; of inadequacy about ‘why isn’t my life perfect, why I can post the same kind of photos but they aren’t true to my life so I feel like an impostor, a liar.  People are buying into big lies about perfection that make the olden days concerns about young girls feeling inadequate in comparing themselves to magazine models.

Trump may be master of ‘alternative facts’, but social media has taken alternative facts about our very selves and created a falsehood about who we actually are, who we appear to be and who we think everyone else is.

We need to give ourselves a universal head shake, because our reality is what we make it and oh my there is a public force out there making us believe a new reality based on inadequacy.

OH! Back to the original point.  Be compassionate with others.  You have no idea the crosses……… A little kindness goes a long way.

Oh The Plots We Weave: Freedom of Speech – I support Google

Today we are digressing from our usual look at real life news items that could be story lines.

This morning I was awakened to a discussion on the radio about Google and Free Speech. The issue was that google decided to follow the high road and ban certain URLs related to an extremist situation.  The discussion is that in banning something regardless of content we are giving up our right to Free Speech and that is a horrible thing to do.

You know there are wiser people out there with a great deal of clout who remain silent on this.

Societies built on some kind of moral fiber thrive.  There has to be a right or a wrong to things.  Morals go out the window and society goes into decline when our foundations are cast aside

Good for you Google.  Time someone took a stand!

 

That Search Engine Google

First..apologies to those who hate iPad presentations…please click in the bottom where it says ‘standard site’ or whatever it says there. Because you see, I missed my window of sleep. You know..the window..where I could drift off to the land of Nod but did not.
Secondly, I seem to be fighting..well actually struggling with a cold..you know, a few sneezes perhaps a little sinus congestion…geez.

I have watched in wonder and awe as folk have described their search terms. Those googled by who knows who receive all these hits based on misinformation.

Shucks I wish mine was that exciting.

Soft Kitty Warm Kitty took top honors and why not. My G2 seems to have outgrown the stage where he snuggles down at the very start of the song but I have to tell you..three versions into the song he is gone..hmm could it be aversion therapy? Funny thing though..it comforts me….sigh
If Snowflakes Fell in Flavours took second…I don’t care where you are from this is the best children’s record ever. I MEAN EVER!

Marie Bottrell and the Memphis Cats website was next.

My search terms are pretty tame I guess although ‘grandma dressed in blue sitting on the loo’ is a little strange.

So I’m thinking this is about right.

Making It Look Easy

I’ve been thinking a lot this week which may or may not account for my absence in the daily post club. I prefer to think that thinking indeed was the reason. And what was I thinking? So glad you asked.
A lot of this great cerebral tickling of the grey cells centered around old family movies, Betty White and avoiding curses.

Twice now I watched Betty White’s 90th Birthday party and have been wanting to post something, but not the usual something. I wanted to avoid listing her accomplishments as they can be located, in depth, easily enough through our fav Google search engine. Lord knows the list is long. Nope there is something more. What is the key to her successes? At first I considered her primary characteristic to be resilience. you know what I mean. Her ability to endure life, the sad, the mad, the glad of it all, with grace and even joy. Then I thought it was her energy – the lady started in the business in 1939 right out of high school and when you look at every project she has had little down time doing multiples in any given year with multiple awards to reflect her efforts. Then I considered passion and she is passionate about her career, her work in animal preservation, and still active in her church.
What amazed me about her party was the sincerity of the folk present. It wasn’t one of those gatherings where people say nice things about the star and you can feel something just isn’t right. Maybe it is her lack of hoopla stardom. She has been the star, the back up support role and does it without the woohoohoo of ‘look at me’. She just is. She has talked a bit about her routine: up every morning between 6 and 6:30, shower, put on her face then on with the day.

The old family movies from the sixties and seventies also gave me pause to think a lot. Watching all who have passed, living and laughing brought warmth and comfort and stirred admiration for their accomplishments, none of which were ever broadcast, but we’re considerable in their own way.

I thought a lot about people and how we view others: the ones who make it look easy, the ones who make it look hard, and decided I want to be the former. My thoughts inspired me to start taking those walks instead of just thinking about it. My thoughts this week inspired me To Do rather than Just Be and I made some progress. The outcome of this week also made me realize that I will try posting just once a week as I expect to do more of this active thinking stuff. I may do more but will not do less.

And the curse? This too has occupied my mind. Not in receiving but in giving. I believe in The Golden Rule and Karma. To curse someone is a dangerous thing but when someone goes out of her way to hurt someone I love the desire is great, but the kick back is worse. I guess I will consider the implications for some time yet.
I hope your week was great and am off now to catch up on your wonderful blogs!!

I Asked For Wisdom

I asked for wisdom and got it and found it is painful to be so wise.

I asked for strength then decided I could never have the strength I needed, so I left it to God and the Universe to be my strength.

I asked for patience and realized that all things flow in their own time and patient or not changes nothing.

I asked for independence and found value in interdependence as no one is just one.

I have gotten everything I have ever asked for and found there is truth in  ‘Be careful for what you wish’.   I wonder when it was I realized I wished for the wrong things?

And knowing the power of The Wish I hesitate in the doorway of another year afraid to get it wrong but needing to get it right.  I wonder if that indeed is wisdom?

If Snowflakes Fell in Flavours

If Snowflakes Fell in Flavours
 
One or two years ago, thirty odd to be almost exact, I took my children to the Haliburton Highlands each summer to a cottage. It was a delightful little rustic dwelling with a wood stove and screened in porch right on Lake Haliburton with a shallow beach ideal for wee ones and a diving platform further out. When the odd storm came up we would wrap ourselves in blankets and sit on the porch and enjoy nature’s fury as the wind blew horizontal rain and thunder clapped and lightning provided a better show than man could ever construe.

 
Most times the weather was ideal with sun and gentle breezes rustling the leaves of mighty oaks, elms and maples that sheltered us in a world far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. No TV or Internet just games, running, laughing and splashing ourselves into deep untroubled sleeps at night. The only goal was relaxation and community with other cottagers.
 
We met many people over the years but one family in particular remains a frequent memory. When we first met they were just ordinary folk on holiday and then they told us about their lives. Family singers and musicians were very popular then and this whole family sang and produced records.
 
I don’t remember if we bought the most recent LP (long playing record) or if they just gave it to us but ‘If Snowflakes Fell in Flavours’ quickly became a favourite often played once we returned home. Shortly after that holiday I flew out west to Vancouver Island to visit friends with two young children and took a copy to them.
 
The family of singers have no idea how much pleasure they brought to us and I have no idea what happened to them but for one summer the very thought of flavoured snowflakes brought smiles and happiness to a few of us across the country.

**Thanks to Google again.  A search shows the song  was by Sandy Offenheim and all my favs are there including Let’s Play a Statue Game.  The bio says that Sandy Offenheim is a Canadian teacher, children’s song writer and performer, who recorded four albums of her original kids’ songs with her husband Harold and their children, Nadine and Stephen while they were growing up.

Well I am glad I had that memory today and want to thank Sandy and her family for providing such wonderful entertainment.

A Backwards 5 Minute Friday for Gypsy Mama

5 Minute Friday for The Gypsy Mama

5 Minutes on a sunny day!

Today’s 5 Minute Friday challenge is:

 Backwards

What does ‘Backwards’ bring to your mind?

 This could make for a very uncomfortable five minutes because nothing comes to mind except perhaps moving backwards from my goals, which I consistently do a lot.  I would count my life much more successful if I had always moved forward but then I might not have so many amusing tales to tell.  My life might have been made up of controlled chuckles rather than silly outrageous laughter had I stayed on course.  It is my backwardness that keeps my life interesting.

 Driving backwards comes to mind but I don’t do that well.  I can tell you that from experience with the odd crunch here and there.

 One step forward and two back comes to mind and thank goodness I love to dance because at least then I can make my life’s struggles look like an original dance staggering here and there to my own drummer.

 So now that I think of it…backwards isn’t so bad at all!  There are not enough ‘google maps’ in the world to keep me moving forward!

 Time’s up!

 

 

Breaking Fashion Rules for Mama Kat and the Keyword Here is ‘Breaking’

Mama Kat

The prompt I chose for today’s Writer’s Workshop is:

4.) In honor of the “white” after Memorial Day rule, name a fashion rule that you either break or enforce.

 It was surprisingly difficult to find an adequate definition of ‘fashion rules’ and I have never been able to actually pinpoint just who determines fashion.   Google never lets me down, nor does Wikipedia but today the search took a little longer.  Or it would have if I had been in the mood to look.  I can’t say I have ever been ‘out of fashion’ but that is because of friends who are just a little too enthusiastic about fashion rules.  It just isn’t a biggie with me.

 Ask.com had some good information.  The question was, ‘What is your number one fashion rule’? 

And the answer was,  ‘Underwear almost always goes on the inside’.  It made sense to me, but then I have seen that particular rule broken more than once.  I guess that is why the word ‘almost’ is there.

 I tried to think of a fashion icon and unfortunately remembered on the news the other day; Lady Gaga was presented with an award for her fashion sense. I swear!

 I went to facebook to look at pics posted by friends to see what they were wearing.  It’s all very casual these days.  I must admit I did not see anyone with underwear on the outside so that is a good thing.

 I used to like the fashions of the sixties.  It was neat, feminine and I happily embraced the rules then and everything matched.

 My sister-in-law keeps up on fashion and frankly I cannot wrap my mind around some of it.  For instance, did you know that your purse should no longer match anything?  And your shoes shouldn’t match anything? In fact the latest thing is that you should wear a neutral color shoe with a black dress?

 White before or after Memorial Day does not matter to me at all.  It depends strictly on the weather.

 There is only one fashion rule I adhere to and that one was made by my niece.

“Never ever dress like an old lady.”  Unfortunately I came across a morning fashion advice show that showed clothing that no one over forty should wear AND there before me on public TV was my entire wardrobe.  It’s a darn good thing I don’t really care!