Chasing My Tail

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“The ‘self-image’ is the key to human personality and human behavior.
Change the self-image and you change the personality and the behavior.”
Maxwell Maltz

Two Thousand pound baby elephant enjoying his bath.

Does My Butt Look Big in This Picture?

You have to admit, most questions you ask someone, you already know the answer. When it comes to a women’s body image, she should never ask her significant other if her butt looks big.

Why?

Because nine times out of ten he will lie and the other one time he’s truthful, it’s because he likes big butts on women.

After reading a recent fitness magazine article on women’s self-image, it stated that 64% of women do not like how their body looks. Another 59% would like to lose at least 10 pounds. A whopping 43% of women say their husband or boyfriend is the person most likely to make them feel good about their weight.

Most of women’s insecurity about their bodies is due to the fact for decades the fashion and movie industry showed us thin, skinny women as role models of beauty. Just in the past few years, with the popularity of stars such as, Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian and Coco, some “junk in your trunk” has become fashionable. But, most insecurities begin long before you look at a fashion magazine.

I believe our insecurities about our physical and intellectual capabilities begin at an early age. Some people I have known, carry these insecurities with them to their grave. For me, it wasn’t until I was in my thirties that I really didn’t give a dam what other’s thought and began to believe in myself. It took a while for me to not let the negativity of others influence my self worth.

We just don’t realize how lucky we are with what we have, until we lose it. Whether it be our flaws that only we can see, or people in our life that we take for granted. We must be happy and grateful for each day. If we lived our lives with more gratitude and less envy, I believe we would enjoy more each and every day.

I’m learning to look forward instead of looking back and constantly chasing my tail.

Shine On

Eagleholic Addiction

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“Eagles come in all shapes and sizes,
but you will recognize them
chiefly by their attitudes.”
E. F. Schumacher

Pittsburgh Hays Bald Eagle parents caring for their two eggs. Which are due to hatch in two short weeks.

Last year I discovered the Pittsburgh Hays Bald Eagle cam website. Everyday when I woke up, I would watch the progress of a mother and father nesting and raising three eaglet babies. It was such fun to watch these eagles both taking turns caring for the eaglets up to the day all three eaglets flew away.

My family couldn’t believe how obsessed I had become about these iconic birds. The funniest part about watching them daily was interacting with the other eagle followers. As we chatted online daily about the eaglets and the birds daily activity, we each had names for the three babies. I chose to name them after the Bonanza Cartwright family. The smallest eaglet was Little Joe, the middle one was Adam and the largest eaglet I called Hoss. All the eagle followers finally succumbed to my names, and after the babies were about three weeks old, everyone online was calling them Adam, Little Joe and Hoss. My eaglet claim to fame.

This year, once again, I am watching the eagle parents sitting on their nest in the coldest winter recorded in history. On the news tonight, they had a brief story about the family of eagles in Pittsburgh and how people such as myself are also following them as well.

I’m happy to report that the eagle following has become quite large and the public now has a name for us. I am proud to say we are called Eagleholics. I definitely will not be entering a twelve step program for my Eagleholic addiction.

Shine On

BTW,
I’ve got to warn you upfront, it’s very addictive, but if you are interested in following along, you too can become an Eagleholic by watching at: Pittsburgh Hays Bald Eagle Nest

Beginnings are The Best

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“Nature is infinitely creative.
It is always producing
the possibility of
new beginnings.”
Marianne Williamson

Sailing away on the beginning of daylight savings time.

Everyone loves something new. Something untouched, innocent and beautiful. Who doesn’t love baby animals or a human baby or even new car smell. No one.

Beginnings of new relationships are magical. That sensation of giddiness when you talk or walk with a new lover. The beginning of a book you’ve been wanting to read for months. The beginning of that vacation or long holiday weekend you’ve been looking forward to for years. Beginnings always add excitement, a sense of adventure and magic to ones otherwise humdrum life.

Beginnings are about allowing yourself to start over. It’s about looking, listening, and learning from what you hear and see.

That’s why, beginnings are the best.

Shine On

Whale Watching Tour

Posted on March 8, 2015 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“The Endangered Species Act has been remarkably successful.
Humpback whales, bald eagles, and brown pelicans …
are just a few of the species that are recovering quite nicely.”
Kieran Suckling

Up close and personal with a California Brown Pelican.

On my whale watching trip today, I wasn’t able to capture any images of the whales we saw. But, it was a beautiful sunny day and we saw lots of dolphins and sea lions.

This California brown pelican was happy to let me get a shot of him. He was quite content perched at the pier in Redondo Beach, greeting all the crew and visitors before we launched for our whale watching tour.

Shine On

A State of Zen

Posted on March 7, 2015 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“In every chromosome and gene
Lie all that was, or might have been”
Ray Bradbury

Zen in Writing The other day I finished reading Ray Bradbury’s book, Zen in the Art of Writing. This book confirmed why I feel I must write daily.

Whether it’s writing 200 word daily blogs or working on my novel, I always get lost in time while I write.

Mr. Bradbury states in this book, “First and foremost, writing reminds us that we are alive and that it is a gift and a privilege, not a right. Not to write, for many of us, is to die”.

He also goes on to say that writing similar to being a musician, you must partake in your craft daily. Because if a musician didn’t practice daily his music would suffer. If he goes two days without practice, the critics would know, and the third day of not playing music, his audiences would know.

So, every day I write. And every time I write, it not only helps my confidence, but I find writing allows me to be in a state of zen.

Shine On