This is amazing ... gives me goosebumps all over!

Make Time for Small Reflections

Stop, look, listen & enjoy!

Lots is happening in my life right now so I've not had much time for posting or blog visits. If you're interested ... I am publishing more frequently at my new self-hosted website. Click to check out Giraffe Journal at WordPress.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I'm happy. I can't figure it out. What am I doing right?
- Charles Schulz

An invitation, inspiration, and my new Website ...

Make Time for Small Reflections

... just because. Lots is happening in my life right now so I've not had much time for posting or blog visits. If you're interested ... check out my new self-hosted website ... Click to check out Giraffe Journals at WordPress.

I hope you'll find the links below as inspiring and life-affirming at I do. They're well worth a look & listen ... seriously!

I invite all to participate
and spread the word far and wide ...

I'm grateful for Peacebook on Facebook
and the uplifting resources people share there.

Nick Vujicic is one
amazingly inspirational fellow!

I love this song
and think I'm going to sing it daily too!

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for today
"When you arise in the morning, I invite you to think of one thing. What is going to change today? And what part will you play in creating that change, in being the conscious cause of it?"
Neale Donald Walsh

2009 in Review ... courtesy of Jib Jab

Make Time for Small Reflections

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Reviving one of my earliest T-13s for the holiday

Make Time for Small Reflections
Still dealing with some
connectivity issues
described yesterday

... doing what I can ;-)

Two You Tube Clips
and Eleven Links to Videoclips
of Performances by Straight No Chaser
(and a few more for good measure)

If you've not heard this group, you'll want to. SNC is an all male A'capella group that creates & shares unique performances. Enjoy!

For slow or choppy online videos,
try the following tips from Melissa:

• Click the "play" button.
• Once the video starts to load, click the "pause" button and let the rest of the video load.
• If you watch the status bar at the bottom of the video, (the bar with the pointer that tells you how far into the video you are) you can see the bar filling up.
• Once the status bar is full and the video is loaded, click "play" again and the video will usually play through much better.

This will work for most online videos regardless of how old or slow a computer is. The key is to wait until the video has fully loaded before attempting to view it. Try it!

1. 12 Days of Christmas


2. Carol of the Bells


3. Hi-De-Ho (the original 1996 group)

4. Any Dream Will Do

5. Stand By Me

6. Love the One You're With

7. Allentown

8. I Don't Want to Be

9. Insomniac

10. Bless the Broken Road

11. Superhero

12. This is How We Do It

13. Sings Africa

And if you haven't had enough yet, here are 6 more followed by general information about the group!

14. at the Cubs

15. I'm Coming Home

16. Worlds Apart

17. Comedic Concert

18. This Love

19. Don't Stop Believin'

About Straight No Chaser
Official Website with Member Lists by year
Photos and Video Montage of the original members
In the Studio recording Last Call

Facts about Straight No Chaser from their My Space Blog:
"In October 1996, SNC began by performing at charity events and sorority functions on the Indiana University campus. In less than two years, they were touring nationally, opening for acts like Lou Rawls and Aretha Franklin, performing at Chicago Cubs and Sox games, the Brickyard 500, and even New York's Carnegie Hall. They have released seven CDs in their ten years together, and have sold over 40,000 albums. You can read more about them at their website."

If you enjoyed these songs ... you might like the rest:

Straight No Chaser Links (Set 2)
Click for others participating in Thursday Thirteen
If it's cold where YOU are, you might also enjoy
13 new Sunsets at the Beach at Sacred Ruminations

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"I don't sing because I'm happy; I'm happy because I sing."
William James

Camera Critters #44 & Economics 101

Make Time for Small Reflections
This is my 44thMisty Dawn started the meme and explains the rules here.

While photographing dramatic skies
at the beach today between rainstorms,
I noticed these two pooches walking with their human.

Click to embiggen for better viewing
and for others participating in Camera Critters.

The 'Stimulus' Bill Rhetoric
Economics 101

If you missed it on MSNBC, this video is certainly worth a listen, some serious thought & focused action inclucing letter writing, phone calls, and/or emails to our representatives in Congress NOW!!!

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
“When someone offers you a challenge, don’t think of all the reasons why you can't do it. Instead say, "Yes!" Then figure out how to get it done." Katherine Hudson

Monday Morning Musings and Delurking Day

Make Time for Small Reflections
Click for Unconscious Mutterings or Camera Critters,
Haiku Sky Watch Friday here & here or
Haiku Friday #105

It seems I've not 'mused' in the mornings for more than a month ... so I'm making it a priority to do so today ... just because. It's the 2nd Monday of the month and that means it's ...

'Retired Ladies Lunch'

... so (since time is limited for posting & visiting today), I've decided to pass on Fun Monday again, but I hope to get back into the habit of participating one of these days because it IS fun & the 'weekly challenges' do encourage me to step out of the proverbial 'box' ... venturing into unexplored territory periodically.

It's International Delurking Day! Ya KNOW you want to come out into the open and leave a comment, right???

As this entertaining video illustrates,
Smiles and Kind Words Matter ... seriously!

This clip is a bit longer than usual, but it captivated & held my attention all the way to the end ... and if you take the time to watch, I suspect you'll be glad you did. It's a love story that might even change YOUR life in subtle ways ;--)

Klaus of Virtua Gallery created this as (here I quote)...

"Nothing but an reminder, to get active when you walk in nature and find trash, that people left. I have a bag with me where ever I go and made it a habit to pick up what I can get to. Shaking your head and complain loudly will not bring back those who dropped the trash and have them take it away. In the meantime animals can get hurt by bottles, cans, wires, plastic stuff and what ever people throw away."

I've done this most of my life ... following the example of my Dad who taught us (by example) to leave a place cleaner than we found it.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing." Mother Teresa

Merry Christmas to all ...

Make Time for Small Reflections

Hope Santa visited

while you were sleeping

and left you presents ...

drank 'tea' that was steeping

munching on cookies

you left just for him

(he has all year to

'weigh in' & get thin)

but had a schedule

last night to go
around the world

with 'gifts' don't you know!

This Christmas morning

I hope you'll remember

the reason we celebrate

every December.

Happy Birthday Jesus

I've shared another version of this song
at Happily Retired Gal with precious Anne Geddes baby photos.

Small Reflections, Smile Back!

Thought for Today

"I sometimes think we expect too much of Christmas Day. We try to crowd into it the long arrears of kindliness and humanity of the whole year. As for me, I like to take my Christmas a little at a time, all through the year. And thus I drift along into the holidays - let them overtake me unexpectedly - waking up some fine morning and suddenly saying to myself: 'Why, this is Christmas Day!'" David Grayson

If you need a bit of laughter ...

Take Time for Small Reflections
This has NOTHING to do with the holidays,
but it DID make me laugh!

Found (with a couple of others) at Maithri's

These lovely comments from kids
... were found at Joy's & she graciously
gave me permission to share ... Enjoy!

I only know the names of two angels, Hark and Harold.

-Gregory, 5

Everybody's got it all wrong. Angels don't wear halos anymore. I forget why, but scientists are working on it
-Olive, 9

It's not easy to become an angel! First, you die. Then you go to Heaven, and then there's still the flight training to go through. And then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes.
-Matthew, 9

Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else.
-Mitchell, 7

My guardian angel helps me with math, but he's not much good for science.
-Henry, 8

Angels don't eat, but they drink milk from Holy Cows!!!
-Jack, 6

Angels talk all the way while they're flying you up to heaven. The main subject is where you went wrong before you got dead.
-Daniel, 9

When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten. And when he lets out his breath,
somewhere there's a tornado.
-Reagan, 10

Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy. If you lose a tooth, an angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow. Then when it gets cold, angels go south for the winter.
-Sara, 6

Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his son, who's a very good carpenter.
-Jared, 8

All angels are girls because they gotta wear dresses, and boys didn't go for it.
-Antonio, 9

My angel is my grandma who died last year. She got a big head start on helping me while she was still down here on earth.
-Ashley , 9

Some of the angels are in charge of helping heal sick animals and pets. And if they don't make the animals get better, they help the child get over it.
-Vicki, 8

What I don't get about angels is why, when someone is in love, they shoot arrows at them.
-Sarah, 7

After you leave me a comment, click for
What you miss when you don't attend church!
another brief video guaranteed to make you laugh
shared earlier today at Happily Retired Gal.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"You can't deny laughter; when it comes, it plops down in your favorite chair and stays as long as it wants."
Stephen King, Hearts in Atlantis

For your 'Thanksgiving' viewing pleasure ...

Make Time for Small Reflections
NaBloPoMo-Day24

I'm distracted this morning by many things, but happened upon these links a while back and thought they might be fun to share this week. At first I planned to publish them over the three days before Thanksgiving, but somehow it makes more since right now to put them all here ... just because. Enjoy!

Charlie Brown Thanksgiving - Part 1 of 3

Charlie Brown Thanksgiving - Part 2 of 3

Charlie Brown Thanksgiving - Part 3 of 3

Joyce of Mom's Musings ...

this is especially for you!

Pholph's Scrabble Generator My Scrabble© Score is: 14. What is your score? Get it here.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow." Melody Beattie

Thursday's Thoughts - Some things to consider ...

Make Time for Small Reflections

NaBloPoMo-Day20

If you've not yet read Wednesday's 'humble requests' ...
I hope you'll find time to do so and give them a bit of thought.
I appreciate those of you who have added your support & testimony in comments. It's reassuring to know that Cracker-
jacks & I are not the only ones thinking along these lines.

After receiving email from Ivanhoe indicating that she can't leave comments in the 'embedded' format, I checked Site Meter to see whether visits to my blogs have dropped off commensurate with the recent decline in comments. Noting that the visitation rates have remained stable, I'm wondering if others have had similar problems leaving comments ... so I've changed back to 'pop ups' experimentally. Ivanhoe (and perhaps others) should be able to leave comments again.

If you need a chuckle, I shared a few on Tuesday in Live Simply, Laugh Often ...

Finally ... I found this at Lunar Musings and published it at Blog Rolls, Bling, & Blurbs on November 14th. It touches my heart & conscience and wanted to pass it along here ... just because.
I wish I could be so eloquent and clear in sharing my own beliefs. I hope you'll take time to watch & listen ... and perhaps even share on your blog too. Methinks it’s important to encourage ourselves and others to think about this issue and all its implications calmly, rationally … from a loving place, without fear ... remembering the simplicity & blessings of 'the golden rule.' Thanks …
Hugs and blessings,




Thoughts for Today
"You are a human being. You have rights inherent in that reality. You have dignity and worth that exists prior to law."
Lyn Beth Neylon

"The Framers of the Bill of Rights did not purport to "create" rights. Rather, they designed the Bill of Rights to prohibit our Government from infringing rights and liberties presumed to be preexisting."
Justice William J. Brennan, 1982

"Give to every human being every right that you claim for yourself." Robert Ingersoll

PhotoHunt#29 and more ...

NaBloPoMo-Day8

Note: Haiku Friday #87 is in the next post. If you're looking for Sky Watch #19 or Haiku Friday #88 ... you'll find them at Sacred Ruminations.

This is my 29th

(My 28th- for Blue was at Sacred Ruminations)

This week's theme is Together

I know this isn't an original photo, but when I thought about today's theme earlier this week ... these videos are what came to mind & after the election ... nothing else compared. Whether or not you've seen them before, they're reminders of this moment in history. The first is all the more poignant because it was created in 3 days by Will.i.am after Obama's 'Primary' defeat to Hillary in New Hamshire. I hadn't seen the second one until this morning when I went looking for the code for the first. A new Will.i.am video was featured on the Oprah Show yesterday and is available at iTunes today.

ZeFrank has begun a campaign with Obama supporters reaching out to McCain supporters to work together.

Check out 52 to 48 with love

Click for others participating in Photo Hunt this week.

Look what Kitten shared last week with her friends!

I want to thank her for this lovely award and for the song she shared with it on her blog as I pass this along to all MY friends with the same song below ... just because.

Enjoy ...

If you missed them, click for my Blog Blasts for Peace:
Sacred Ruminations- The Strength of Gentleness
Small Reflections-A Revolution of Music,
Blog Rolls & Bling - What if? (a Colorful Alternative to Bombs)
and shared by me last June:
Thirteen Thoughts on the Topic of Peace
Peace in Every Step

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart." Elisabeth Foley

CC#29, PH#25, SmileySaturday#23

Make Time for Small Reflections
This is my 25th Photo Hunt Theme: Lazy

I suspect I won't be the only one with 'critters' today.

and my 29thMisty Dawn started the meme and explains the rules here.

Click for others participating in Cameral Critters
and Photo Hunt this week.
This is my 23rd

I confess that it's been a bit harder to stay 'upbeat' recently while listening to the 'financial' news and more 'electoral' mud-slinging when what I'm looking for is 'substantive exchanges & ideas' to get us out of this chaotic mess, but I'm choosing to smile today because ...

1. According to Going Like Sixty, it's International Dogs Rule Day and we're advised to 'Smooch Your Pooch' today. Interestingly I devoted this week's T-13 post to 'adorable puppies' in a PSE6 collage.

2. I appreciate reminders from other bloggers of 'beauty' and 'possibility' in the face of challenges like those shared recently by Jen Lemen in A Brave Place to Start ... Karen Maezen Miller (aka Mommy Zen) at Cheerio Road and Yolanda at Perfectly Imperfect.

3. The shared laughter is wonderful too in links like these:

Gattina's Funny Quotes about Politicians
Tamy's Hilarious Animal Photos
Mariposa's Mottos to Work By
Mary's Sometimes Men should just Shut Up
Michelle's Cab Driver goes to Heaven

4. Have you seen this clip of Wanda Sykes on YouTube talking about the financial bailout.


5. I'm thinking about my 1st Blogoversary ... coming up in 11 days ... devoting yesterday's Haiku to that topic. I also created new awards (sharing links in my Whimsical Wednesday post this week) ... and tried to get a 'Natural Highs' meme going again, just because.

Click for others participating in Smiley Saturday this week.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired." Jules Renard

CameraCritters#28 ... SmileySaturday#22

Make Room for Small Reflections
HF#79 is below this post and
Photo Hunt #24 at Sacred Ruminations
This is my 28thMisty Dawn started the meme and explains the rules here:
I've not had time to take many photos of my own lately
so I share this Dolphin Rescue Video today
from You Tube ... lest we forget.

Click for others participating in Camera Critters this weekend.

This is my 22nd

I'm smiling today because ...

1. In case you missed yesterday's Haiku Friday here ... I announce again that Hootin' Anni gave me a 'kewl' Halloween award and shared nifty T-13 Headers with all. She's soooo creative and loves Halloween ... click the links to see what else she's been up to!

2. Even though I was awake for several hours last night (due to noisy next-door 'partying' outside from 11pm through 3:30am or so), my head is clear enough for a Saturday and I plan to call the gal who owns the 'vacation rental' next door today. She's pretty assertive about dealing with such occurrences. My polite requests at 1:15am (and again at 2:15am) didn't make a whole lot of difference in the noise levels ... sigh! I turned on the TV upstairs to 'cover' their noise and did manage to get a little sleep because television ALWAYS puts me to sleep.

3. It's a BEAUTIFUL sunny Saturday morning (even though it's been foggy the last few days and rain's predicted). Actually I'm HOPING weather predictions are correct because we NEED rain here in So Cal and 'showers' might keep the noisy young people renting the house next door INSIDE tonight so I can sleep.

4. I've completed my 3rd Photoshop Elements class and have continued to USE the the skills and information I've acquired thus far. The next class focuses on the Organizer and I'm hoping to get a handle on the mess of photographs I've accumulated over the years. After that (in the November-December session) I've signed up for a Holiday Projects class with PSE6.

5. As usual ... I encountered some posts that made me laugh this week and I share a few links here in case YOU need a laugh this weekend yourself.

• Gattina's T-13 at Writers Cramps with 'Telephone Answering Messages'
  
• Frivolous Friday at Sassy Mama Bear's Cafe at the End of the Universe
• Angela's Witty Wednesday featured foolish things folks actually said in court ... reminding me of an 'illustrated' post I shared here at Small Reflections a while back entitled Disorder in the Court.
• How Times Have Changed shared by Jo at Teacher Says
• Time for a Giggle or Two at Sylvia's View From Over the Hill
  
• In case you've missed these (by way of review here) ... my Monday Morning Musings contains an 'A-Z meme' & an animated award for friends ... Heads or Tails has 'lots of shaking going on' ... in Whimsical Wednesday I shared a Quiz ... and my T-13 listed Quotes about Writing.
  

Click for others participating in Smiley Saturday this week.

If you've not yet checked it out and/or passed it along, the Five Friends Video (shared at the top of all 3 of my blogs) IS definitely worth watching ... and sharing because time is growing short for those who aren't yet REGISTERED to vote in the next election.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Praise and blame, gain and loss, pleasure and sorrow come and go like the wind. To be happy, rest like a giant tree, in the midst of them all." the Buddha

Ruby Tuesday #1 and HoTs #21 - Talk

Make Time for Small Reflections

If you're looking for Fun Monday, it's just below this one.
Scroll down for Heads or Tails
This is my 1st ...
Click for others participating in Ruby Tuesday today.

Hosted by Skittles at Head or Tails

Click for info about how to play
This week's prompt is:HEADS - Talk
I share a favorite song from the film, South Pacific ...
found on YouTube.

Click for others participating in HoTs today.
I'm at my advanced PSE6 class this morning
so will be visiting later in the day.

Next week's theme/prompt is:
TAILS - List three things from any category

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Dreams are free, so free your dreams." Astrid Alauda

Heads or Tails #19 - Supply ...

Take Time for Small Reflections
If you're looking for Fun Monday, it's just below this one.Hosted by Skittles at Head or Tails

Click for info about how to play

This week's theme/prompt is:

HEADS: Supply

I thought of many options for this week's prompt ...
(including, but not limited to):
1. the seemingly unlimited supply of 'dust bunnies' Molly generates daily
2. endless 'clutter' everywhere I look around me (even though I'm working regularly to get rid of stuph)
3. necessary items like premium coffee beans to grind & brew fresh daily ... along with half & half for 'creamer'
4. unwatched recorded programs on my DVR ... (most of which are Olympic events at the moment)
5. tasks on multiple 'to do' lists requiring my attention ...(even as I sit here blogging)
6. unread emails and blog posts in my 'reader'
7. gratitude that I'm not in the process of gearing up with 'school supplies' and getting a classroom ready for students
8. the incredible music of Air Supply ... like All Out Of Love and Making Love out of Nothing at All.

However what I've decided to go with today is ...
the plentiful supply of phunnie photos
at Cute Overload Press!
A small sampling for your enjoyment ...

Click for others participating in HoTs today.
Note: Since next Tuesday is the
one year anniversary of Heads or Tails ...
next week's theme/prompt is:
HEADS *OR* TAILS - Heads *Or* Tails

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"You can't deny laughter; when it comes, it plops down in your favorite chair and stays as long as it wants."
Stephen King, Hearts in Atlantis