The Nitty-Gritty

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“Successful organizing is based on the recognition
that people get organized because
they too have a vision.”
Paul Wellstone

My First PDA, the Palm Pilot circa 1997.

I like to think of myself as a very detail oriented person. Making “TO DO” lists daily helps me to keep on top of everything. I’m proud to say, rarely does anything fall through the cracks. Also, crossing off each accomplishment throughout my day, gives me great satisfaction when I complete a task.

In the past I used a “Day Runner”. Some of you might remember this company from the 1970s. I actually carried around two of these notebooks, one for work and one for personal appointments.

Then in 1997 my thoughtful husband noticed how much these notebooks weighted me down, so he bought me my first PDA, a “Palm Pilot”. This device was basically the forerunner of the Apple iPhone. This little device held all my work and personal information in one hand with a touch of a stylus-pen (the little pointy-thing).

Enter the new millennium where I began using applications on my laptop, my iPhone, and then my iPad to keep me organized. I very rarely use a pen and paper any more as a “TO DO” list. I’ve probably saved a hundred trees by not writing things down.

This brings me to my husband. He seems to have an aversion to writing down his “TO DOs”. He barks his list at me and wants me to “write it down” for him. Sometimes, when we are in the car and he gives me some tasks to take care of, and it doesn’t get added to my digital “TO DOs”, his request goes in one ear and out the other.

I kinda resolved this problem. I handed him a spiral notepad and a pen. He has been starting to write some things down to remind me, but I still have to tell him, “if it ain’t written down, it ain’t gonna get done”. My mind can’t seem to remember all the details of everyday life, unless he writes it down or I input it into one of my digital devices.

Got to run. My husband just phoned and gave me a task to take care of for him, and he asked me to “write it down” for him.

Excuse me while I get down to the nitty-gritty.

Shine On

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

In Harmony with Animals

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“I think of my life’s work as a celebration of all of nature,
an orchestra that plays not the sounds of one musician,
the music of one species, but rather
an expression of all of nature’s songs”.
Gregory Colbert

Elephant with woman by photographer Gregory Colbert.

The other day I read, Larger Than Life, by Jodi Picoult. It’s a wonderfully written novella about a young woman researcher studying the memory in elephants. It’s the first time reading one of her books, but the story made such an impact on me, I will surely read other books by Ms Picoult.

I’ve always been intrigued and in awe by elephants. It saddens me to hear in the news about poaching in Botswana and other African countries. The thought of elephants becoming extinct frightens me. Hopefully, with the help of numerous writers, celebrities as well as photographers raising awareness of the terrible threat to these noble prehistoric pachyderms extinction will not happen.

There is one man, a not so famous celebrity by the name of Gregory Colbert who is making a difference in saving the elephant. He is a Canadian photographer/film maker who created Ashes and Snow, an ongoing traveling exhibition of photographs and films focusing on the exquisite interaction of humans and animals. Better known as the nomadic museum, these images and films are displayed in purposely built temporary structures that travel the world.

Mr. Colbert started this exhibit in 1992 in hopes of exploring the relationship between man and animals from the inside out. Ashes and Snow has been viewed by more than ten million visitors to date, making it the most attended exhibition by any living artist in history.

He is fast become my favorite photographer. Not only for his heart warming images, but for his beliefs. He has discovered the shared language and poetic sensibilities of all animals, and is working towards restoring the common ground that once existed when people lived in harmony with animals.

Shine On