01/31/2024

"Actions prove who someone is,

words prove who they intend to be."

~Unknown

Need to think about this a bit . . .

Obviously, it is true a great deal

of the time. Still, I tend to see

words as the map we intend to

follow.

In my own case, it all starts with

a thought. Thoughts shift into words,

especially important for those of us

who learn via audio. Then, and only 

then, can I proceed w/action. 

I think what the missive is trying to

remind us, is that the plan is only

part of the equation . . . action must

follow or all is for naught!

Bottom line, a good reminder and

not really negative at all. We all

need to remember to . . .

 . . . follow through!!!

Hey . . . we're only 30 days beyond

our New Year's Resolutions after all!

01/30/2024

"I like living. I have sometimes

been wildly, despairingly, acutely

miserable, racked with sorrow,

but through it all, I still know 

quite certainly that just to be alive

is a grand thing." ~Agatha Christie

Read this piece of wisdom at

o' dark thirty this a.m. Just what

I needed!

I love life! I'm glad to be alive!!

So, why do I sometimes forget

just how lucky I am?! Love my

age; make that 174. Bet next year

is going to be even better.

And, isn't it amazing how many

things one can enjoy even as an

elder?! Methinks one should make

a list and choose something from

it every single day!

Actually, I'm mostly too busy to

read my list, but that's a good thing

I think.

Pray the gods allow me to enjoy

life yet another decade or so! I

would be most gratified . . .

01/29/2024

"Sometimes, ice cream is the

only thing that makes sense."

~Anita Opper Zen to Zany

One of the things I love about

being an olde dame is no guilt,

no contrition, no remorse about 

treating oneself to those naughty

things in life . . .

 . . . Ice cream for breakfast, 

camping in a trailer rather than 

on the ground, eating thirds 

instead of just seconds, breakfast 

in bed almost daily!

Frankly, I quite love growing

older. 'Tis a gift denied to many,

as they say; I try to remember 

to give thanks for this every day.

Perhaps the important thing for

weeeee oldsters would be to do at

least one of these naughties every

single day!!

I'm in for the count . . . already 

had breakfast in bed, now I'm

going for the ice cream!!!

01/28/2024

"I myself am made entirely 

of flaws, stitched together 

with good intentions." 

~Augusten Burroughs

So love it when I run into 

words of wisdom that mirror

my own feelings . . . and then

to find they are penned by one

of my fave authors! 

Wow! Just WOW!!!

But, let's ask the questions . . .

Does this mean I'm supposed

to try and do better? Or is it

simply a task of recognition 

and self-acceptance?

I do recall someone saying

something along the lines of

the truth is always in there

somewhere.

Maybe then, it boils down to

self-acceptance, but still making

the effort to grow a bit each day!

For moi, I'm running at about

a hundred years old and still so

full of flaws . . . I do try . . . 

guess I just don't get it!

Maybe I'll just work on self-

acceptance rather than self-

improvement! Ha!

 - - -

Augusten Xon Burroughs, an

American writer best known

for his New York Times best

selling memoir Running with

Scissors. Wikipedia

01/27/2024

"Don't be a prisoner to the

things you can not change."

~Tony Gaskins 

Read this quote this early 

a.m. and it came to me . . .

Perhaps we spend our time

trying to change that which

cannot be changed because

we don't choose to look at

the things we need to change

within ourselves.

Frankly, I would be one of

the first accused. So much

easier to pick apart the other

rather than admit to having

things that need attending to

in our own lives.

Maybe I should take a look!

-Forget about the unfriendly

neighbor next door and wave

anyway!

-Leave the barking dogs to 

their song and just play the

music a little louder.

-Throw out the burned supper

and order a pizza!

I know! I know! Life isn't that

simple; still, maybe we make

it way too complicated.

Might just be a lesson in there

somewhere . . .

01/26/2024

"Always be on the lookout 

for the presence of wonder.

~E.B. White

Street where I live . . . 

if I'd only look?!

Alas, I fear we often forget

to look on the bright side.

I am promising myself to 

be on the lookout . . .

 -Wolf Moon at o' dark thirty

 -unexpected breakfast in bed

 -fab shower at my son's

 -delish clean sheets

 -wood for the winter

 -Kathy Reichs novels 

 -my fave Tacoma pickup

 -w/wo my Lady Salem

 -Sunday calls from my kids

I'm on a promise to myself.

Keeping my eyes open for

the presence of wonder . . .

 - - -

Elwyn Brooks White was an

American writer, author of

children's books, Stuart Little, 

Charlotte's Web, The Trumpet

of the Swan. Wikipedia

01/25/2024

"Don't walk behind me; 

     I may not lead.

Don't walk in front of me; 

     I may not follow.

Just walk beside me 

     and be my friend."

~Albert Camus

How old must one be to finally 

understand this kind of wisdom?!

Perhaps, rather than beating my-

self up, I should delight in the

fact that I finally understand?!

'Twas only a few years ago,

parties of the many . . . today,

I only see a few. Naught wrong

with either. Methinks must be

an age thing.

As a teacher of 40 years, I lead.

But, I have come to understand

that leading in one's profession

doesn't necessarily mean leading

in other circumstances.

So love these elder years where

bits and pieces of wisdom sneak

through. So enjoy walking side

by side with my dearests and 

bests!

Pray I am granted yet another

few years in which I may learn

at the feet of true wisdom . . .

 - - -

Albert Camus was a French

philosopher, author, dramatist,

journalist, world federalist, and

political activist. He was the

recipient of the 1957 Nobel Prize

in Literature at the age of 44, the

second youngest recipient in 

history. 1913 - 1960 Wikipedia

01/24/2024

"The most common way people

give up their power is by thinking

they don't have any." ~Alice Walker

My heart actually hurt when I read

this a bit ago. 

I can remember as a young woman,

thinking that I had no power. And 

now, even as the oldster that I am, 

I find I need reminding from time 

to time.

The recognition and acceptance of 

self-power is an amazing attribute 

connected to personal growth. It

allows one to literally sally forth 

and conquer.

Might be a good idea to remind us

that this power is designated to be

over oneself and not others!

Alice Malsenior Tallulah-Kate Walker

is an American novelist, short story

writer, poet, and social activist. In 

1982, she published the novel, The 

Color Purple, for which she won the 

National Book Award for hardcover 

fiction, and the Pulitzer Prize for 

Fiction. 1944 Wikipedia

01/23/2024

"To find magic around you, you

must carry magic inside you.

~Robert Moss

Magic on my mind this early

morn . . .

Seems everywhere I look I see

magic. Life is magic; we are 

magic! Methinks 'tis all a matter

of perspective.

Just think about your children,

how they came to exist, how

they've become who they are

and how you adore them . . .

pure magic!

Not to forget magick with a 'k'!

Endowing magic with a bit of

supernatural. I can't think of it

without thinking of Mother

Nature. Now, she's magick to

the nth degree.

'Tis no matter, a tad of magic

and/or magick added to our

mundane lives, is just like that

bit of special chili seasoning

added to our fave dishes!

 - - -

magic - the power of apparently 

influencing the course of events  

using mysterious or supernatural 

forces 

~Oxford Languages

magick - the science and art 

of causing change to occur 

in conformity with the will

~Aleister Crowley

01/22/2024

"Sometimes I think I am buying

organic vegetables, but when I

get home, I realize they're just

regular donuts." Zen to Zany

I find myself at that glorious 

age where I don't think I have 

to obey the rules any longer!

So many have already passed 

onto that better better life that

I consider all's fair in love and

war at this point!

Four meals a day? Ice cream 

for breakfast! Read 'til 4:00

in the morning . . . compliment

strangers in the street?!

I just love being a100 years 

old . . . sure beats the alternative 

anyway! You do something odd

and people blame it on your age.

Here's thinking I'm going to plan

out my next few oddities . . .

Maybe buy a new hat; I just love

hats! Also need another mini skirt.

A new tat has been calling my name.

After all, I only have about 20 and

I think I should have a couple doz!

Ain't life grand when you're having

fun?! Now, if only I can make it

through this god awful winter!!!

01/21/2024

"With every ending you didn't

think you wanted, comes the

beginning you didn't know 

you needed."  ~Eddie Pinero

Don't know about you, but

endings scare me to death.

Not sure if it's fear of the

unknown, fear of loss or 

fear of what's coming!

'Tis a terrible thing to live

in fear. Sometimes when I'm

feeling particularly brave, I

acknowledge that just might

be the street where I live.

Once I wade in the waters of

the new, I gird up my loins

and conquer, as it were. Still,

methinks not even God knows

the angst I feel until the new

gets somewhat comfortable!

I remember most fondly my

40 years of teaching. I can't

even recall a moment of fear.

I loved every minute of it. 

Does this mean that fear is

an age thing?

Something to think about . . .

rather breaks my heart!

01/20/2024

"Even wolves get broken hearts.

Even warriors cry." ~Melody Lee

Feeling such intense sadness, 

we tend to think we're the only 

souls on earth who've known 

such angst, such sorrow. And

obviously, there are those who

have not.

Still, if we observe those who

wear their hearts on their sleeves,

we would see such pain, broken

lives, that perhaps our empathy

would awaken.

Sorrow is not a competition. 

We have all suffered. We have 

all known pain. Why is it that 

we tend to think we're the only 

souls in the world who have 

known the depths of hell?!

We must be patient with our-

selves. Yet, it is important to

acknowledge the pain existing

in the lives of others. Again,

perhaps 'tis the birth of empathy.

May we all be more cognizant

of that deep sorrow that exists

in the lives of others. Could be

the birth of a kinder world . . .

01/19/2024

"Let your kindness be like the rain,

that cares not upon whom it falls."

~Unknown

Obviously, kindness has its own

issues, as we all know. Some say,

"I'm kind to those who are kind

to me." I've always wondered 

why we aren't each kind first.

As we rush, day in and day out,

to accomplish that which we 

deem necessary, we seem not to 

have the time to be kind.

Is it that we are basically afraid,

or is it that we think kindness is

no big deal . . . maybe just for

children and old ladies. Right! 

Kindness is overly simplistic and

I'm sophisticated.

Wrong! Bottom line, kindness is

important; it matters! Want proof?

Compliment someone in the 

grocery store and watch how their 

entire countenance changes. 

Challenge yourself . . . make an

effort to be kind once an hour

for your entire day. 

Amazement awaits!