What Type and Gender is YOUR Blog?

Make Time for Small Reflections
I used these tools on 3 blogs
& got different results on each ... so see also
today's posts at Sacred Ruminations and Happily Retired Gal.

I found this 'kewl' Typealyzer and GenderAnalyzer at
Schmutzie's Milkmoney on December 3rd.

The analysis indicates that the author of Small Reflections is of the type:

ESTP - The Doers

The active and play-ful type. They are especially attuned to people and things around them and often full of energy, talking, joking and engaging in physical out-door activities.

The Doers are happiest with action-filled work which craves their full attention and focus. They might be very impulsive and more keen on starting something new than following it through. They might have a problem with sitting still or remaining inactive for any period of time.

GenderAnalyzer Results

We guess http://smallreflections.blogspot.com is written by a woman (57%), however it's quite gender neutral.

Interestingly my other blogs got 'typed' differently.
None of the 'typings' match my 'actual temperament type' ... but they're both fun sites all the same.

Click to check out YOUR blog's type and gender
and to see my results for my other blogs ...
Sacred Ruminations and Happily Retired Gal

If you decide to participate ...
please leave your results in comments
or a link to where I can find them on your blog.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. Dr. Seuss

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

Unconscious Mutterings #22 and more ...

Make Time for Small Reflections

Camera Critters, PhotoHunt, Smiley Saturday, Weekend Whimsies and Awards are is yesterday's post. Sunrise-Sunset #2 (with labeled Photoshop variations) is at Sacred Ruminations and BYBS#18 will be there in a little while.

I'm participating for the 22nd time today.
How about you?

What comes to YOUR mind?

If you'd like to play here, copy and paste the clues in comments along with your responses ... or post on your blog and let me know so I can visit ;--)

Here are MY responses: I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Cut the crap :: focus on 'the issues' and 'what matters' rather than 'distractions' & 'finger-pointing'
   
2. Scent :: of a Woman - wonderful film!
   
3. Vanishing :: act
   
4. Wetness :: puppy kisses came to mind first ... and then we need rain in Southern California ... seriously!
   
5. Cheap :: shots irritate me ... consistently
   
6. Badges :: identification
   
7. Puppy :: cute 'fur-friend'
   
8. Problem solver :: Stephen Covey's methods
   
9. Gambling :: Laughlin, Las Vegas, and Reno
   
10. Sophia :: wisdom
    

Your turn: I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Cut the crap ::
2. Scent ::
3. Vanishing ::
4. Wetness ::
5. Cheap ::
6. Badges ::
7. Puppy ::
8. Problem solver ::
9. Gambling ::
10. Sophia ::

As an 'incentive' ... I offer any of the 'awards' posted yesterday to 'snag' and share with others.

As I mentioned yesterday and in my Haiku Friday #73, after finding 'followers' listed in my 'Dashboard' ... I've added the new 'Follow' widget from Blogger in my sidebar (under my profile) and imported some of my 'daily reads' from Google Reader into this new feature to see how that works. I don't fully understand any of it, but I'm willing to give it a go ... just because. If you'd like to 'follow' any (or all) of my blogs, just click on the link to the right in my sidebar (under My Profile and above the 'avatars' already there) to add yours. This could be fun ;--)

I'm moving S L O W L Y this morning ... didn't sleep well the last few days ... have a nasty headache and feel 'marginal' this weekend, as if I might be coming down with something. That shared ... in talking with my 'writing buddy' on the phone this morning, I realize I'm 'worried unconsciously' about a variety of real issues over which I have no control ... (including but not limited to) the damage & destruction wrought by recent hurricanes ... the 'Metro-Link' disaster in Chatsworth ...and the direction taken by the 'political' campaigns in the last few weeks ... the climate of 'negativity' ... 'distraction' ... 'fear-mongering ... 'devisiveness' rather than 'a respectfully meaningful dialogue' & conversational exchange of ideas without the 'intention' to change one another's opinions, but rather to clarify and refine our own as we each attempt to gain a clearer understanding of the issues challenging our nation now & in the future.

Listening to Dr. Oz on a recent Oprah show reminds me that 'stress' is a major cause of a myriad of health problems ... that we can't really get rid of bad habits until we choose to (and take steps to) replace them with more mindful choices & behaviors. That's why I've opted NOT to use either of my blogs as a 'political forum' ... and I've attempted to avoid getting 'drawn into' political discussions in the Blogosphere, though I do 'lurk' in an attempt to inform myself in balanced ways. Holly (at Anglophile Football Fanatic) expressed herself eloquently (giving voice to some of my own concerns) then created and shared the following logo:

... and I've decided to share it today ... just because. In addition, I plan to put 'regular meditation & journaling' back in my morning routine before turning on the computer because methinks I need to take time to 'center' myself (a practice I used regularly before becoming a blogger) as a way to begin my day again.

And that reminds me ... it seems Mimi Lenox (Queen of Memes) is organizing a 5th Blog Blast for Peace on November 6th.
I plan to participate ... and perhaps I'll take a few minutes after pressing publish to revisit my own 'previous peace posts' here and here ... then visit those created & shared by others too ... just because.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thoughts for Today ...
"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind." Mahatma Gandhi

"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other." Mother Teresa

"Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding." Ralph Waldo Emerson

"The pacifist's task today is to find a method of helping and healing which provides a revolutionary constructive substitute for war." Vera Brittain, 1964

"We look forward to the time when the Power of Love will replace the Love of Power. Then will our world know the blessings of peace." William Ewart Gladstone

HF#63 Some times are harder ...

... than others to get my ducks in a row.
Today is one such day.

Photo from the Flicker Collection of Lisa (Lisa's Chaos)

Make Time for Small Reflections
Frequently morning
gets away from me. Although
I arise early,
distractions capture
my attention and posting
late becomes the norm.
Today McAfee's
automatic 'scan' of my
new laptop delayed
my Blogger access
annoyingly ... I waited
most impatiently.
Photos from Cute Overload Press
Click for Haiku Friday #64 & Sky Watch #6
Sunrise on a Cloudy Day

For others participating in Haiku Friday this week, go to A Mommy Story or Playgroups are no Place for Children. Click to see my previous Haikus here at Small Reflections and at Sacred Ruminations, or click the Haiku Friday link in the About Me section of my sidebar for a Directory to all my Haiku Friday posts with clickable links by topic.

~ ~ ~
Choosing to release
earlier frustrations ... I've
shared these 'duckie' views ...

I hope your Friday
is a most 'fantastic' one
filled with blessings and

everyday moments
celebrated ... savored ... shared ...
making memories.
~ ~ ~
Small Reflections ... Smile Back
FYI
Today is 8-8-08 ...
something that happens once every 100 years.
Did you know that '8' is the luckiest number in Chinese culture?
The 2008 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremonies
are scheduled for 8pm tonight
with good reason!
Michael Phelps is going for is 8th gold medal too ;--)
How 'kewl' is that?

Thought for Today

"Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle." Abraham Lincoln

T-13 #36 - Thoughts on grief ... and letting go

Make Time for Small Reflections

This video was shared recently by Jen Lemen. It's a reminder I needed right now and for which I'm grateful.

Perhaps it's one for you ... or someone you know?

In response ... I offer
13 Thoughts on 'Grief' for Today

1. "Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal." (from a headstone in Ireland)

2. "Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose." (from TV show 'The Wonder Years')

3. "In the night of death, hope sees a star, and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing." Robert Ingersoll

4. "It's so curious: one can resist tears and 'behave' very well in the hardest hours of grief. But then someone makes you a friendly sign behind a window, or one notices that a flower that was in bud only yesterday has suddenly blossomed, or a letter slips from a drawer ... and everything collapses." Colette

5. "You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present." Jan Glidewell

6. "We acquire the strength we have overcome." Ralph Waldo Emerson

7. "When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight." Kahlil Gibran

8. "Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak whispers the o'er-fraught heart and bids it break." William Shakespeare

9. "Sorrow you can hold, however desolating, if nobody speaks to you. If they speak, you break down." Bede Jarrett

10. "If you're going through hell, keep going." Winston Churchill

11. "Even hundredfold grief is divisible by love." Jareb Teague

12. "We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey." Kenji Miyazawa

13. "Every evening I turn my worries over to God. He's going to be up all night anyway." Mary C. Crowley

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

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Small Reflections ... Smile Back

... and 2 more Thoughts for Today for good measure:

"She was no longer wrestling with the grief, but could sit down with it as a lasting companion and make it a sharer in her thoughts." George Eliot

"As long as I can I will look at this world for both of us. As long as I can I will laugh with the birds, I will sing with the flowers, I will pray to the stars, for both of us." Sascha (as posted on motivateus.com)

Natural Highs

Mother of Invention recently passed along this list of "Natural Highs" at Spilling Out! Apparently the list was started by a friend of hers who suggested everyone add something to the list and pass it along, so that's what I'm doing today. I invite you to do likewise if you wish.

1. Falling in love

2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.

3. A hot shower.

4. No lines at the supermarket.

5. A special glance.

6. Getting mail.

7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.

8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.

9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.

10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer

11. Milkshake (any flavor).

12. A bubble bath.

13. Giggling.

15. The beach.

16. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter.

17. Laughing at yourself.

18. Looking into their eyes and knowing they Love you

19. Midnight phone calls that last for hours.

20. Running through sprinklers.

21. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.

22. Having someone tell you that you're beautiful.

23. Laughing at an inside joke with FRIENDS

24. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.

25. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.

26. Your first kiss (either the very first or with a new partner).

27. Making new friends or spending time with old ones.

28. Playing with a new puppy.

29. Having someone play with your hair.

30. Sweet dreams.

31. Hot chocolate.

32. Road trips with friends.

33. Swinging on swings.

34. Making eye contact with a cute stranger.

35. Making chocolate chip cookies.

36. Having your friends send you homemade cookies.

37. Holding hands with someone you care about.

38. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.

39. Watching the expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present from you.

40. Watching the sunrise.

41. Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful day.

42. Knowing that somebody misses you.

43. Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply.

44. Knowing you've done the right thing, no matter what other people think.

45. Hearing a loon’s call!

46. Waking up and seeing your cat's big eyes looking at you.

47. Being at a hockey game and having your team play well and win their game.

48. Walking on the beach barefoot with a canine friend who loves to play fetch.

49. Getting lost in a wonderful book!

50. Sharing a pleasant memory or event with someone.

You're invited to
add one (or more) and pass along these
Natural Highs (or not) as you wish!

Thought for Today
"Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly." Langston Hughes

Thursday Thirteen #11 Healing Affirmations

Thirteen Healing Affirmations

In 1987 I discovered a copy of YOU CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE by Louise Hay. This amazing little book was written and 1st published in 1984 (when she was in her mid-50s) with the following dedication:

"May this offering help you find the place within where you know your own self-worth, the part of you that is pure love and self-acceptance."

She went on to establish a publishing house of her own, and at 84 she looks as young as ever!

I've returned to this book so often in the past 21 years repeatedly ... so often that it's falling apart. Occasionally I think of buying a new copy, but the notes in the margins of this one keep me from giving it up. Every page contains wisdom for living healthily, but time and again I return to "The List" in Chapter 15, arranged in 3 columns labeled ... Problem, Probable Cause, & New Thought Pattern ... whenever I become symptomatic. Here are just thirteen examples to whet your appetite and perhaps try for yourself if you experience any of these symptoms.

1. Allergies - Who are you allergic to? Denying your own power. "The world is safe and friendly. I am safe. I am at peace with life."

2. Bruises - The little bumps in life. Self-punishment. "I love and cherish myself. I am kind and gentle with me. All is well."

3. Cellulite - Getting stuck in early childhood pain. Holding onto the lumps and bumps of the past. Difficulty in moving forward. Fear of choosing your own direction. "I forgive everyone. I forgive myself, I forgive all past experiences. I am free."

4. Dizziness - Flight, scattered thinking. A refusal to look. "I am deeply centered and peaceful in life. It is safe for me to be alive and joyous."

5. Eyes - Represent the capacity to see clearly -- past, present, and future. "I see with love and joy."

6. Fingers - Represent the details of life. "I am peaceful with the details of life."

7. Glands - Represent holding stations. Self-starting activity. "I am the creative power in my world."

8. Hypoglycemia - Overwhelmed by the burdens in life. What's the use? "I now choose to make my life light and easy and joyful."

9. Insomnia - Fear. Not trusting the process of life. Guilt. "I lovingly release the day and slip into peaceful sleep, knowing tomorrow will take care of itself."

10. Knee problems - Stubborn ego and pride. Inability to bend. Fear. Inflexibility. Won't give in. "Forgiveness. Understanding. Compassion. I bend and flow with ease, and all is well."

11. Laryngitis - So mad you can't speak. Fear of speaking up. Resentment of authority. "I am free to ask for what I want. It is safe to express myself. I am at peace."

12. Mouth problems - Set opinions. Closed mind. Incapacity to take in new ideas. "I welcome new ideas and new concepts and prepare them for digestion and assimilation."

13. Neck Problems - Refusing to see other sides of a question. Stubbornness, inflexibility. "It is with flexibility and ease that I see all sides of an issue. There are endless ways of doing things and seeing things. I am safe."

Bonus - When the book is not handy for reference, my favorite affirmation is a generalized one that goes something like this.

"I release the need for this symptom in my body. It is safe for me to be alive. It is safe to be me. I am good enough just as I am and I trust myself."

Note:
Thanks for visiting Small Reflections. If you're a regular reader of T-13, a 1st time visitor, or a "lurker" you're invited to pick up one or both of the following:
--"I'm a good blogging friend" award here (or from my sidebar) to give to everyone who visits your blog.
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If you choose to do either (or both), I hope you'll link back here and introduce me to your friends as I've done here, here, here, and here. I hope you have a delightful day!

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click on Thursday Thirteen in labels below.

Super Tuesday

I voted and hope you did too if you live in one of the states involved. I even let myself get talked into signing up to work at the polls in future elections.

Voting Reference Information from my sidebar

• League of Women Voters
• Project Vote Smart
• Vote 411.org Election Information

Thought for Today
"Yours is not the task of making your way in the world, but the task of remaking the world which you will find before you."
-Franklin Delano Roosevelt

8:20 PM addendum
I've been watching election results on ABC for about an hour. Now that the polls are closed in California we should begin to get results from here. This is the 1st time we've voted so early in this state. Since our primary used to be in June, it seems strange to be voting so early in the year. I'm surprised at how close things are between Obama and Clinton across the Nation, and because Democratic states aren't "winner take all" ... following the delegate count should prove exciting ... so I'm going to sign off for the night.

Wednesday 2-6-08 addendum at 4:30 am
Just woke up a little while and turned on the television to see what happened while I slept. I've also logged on to CNN's Election Center 2008 Primaries and Caucuses and am watching with interest as the page get updated every minute or so as the results come in. As someone born before television existed (and when telephones had "party" re: shared lines), I'm often amazed at what technology can do. Unfortunately, I'm not as technically skilled as some and my attempts to include data here have resulted in frustration ... so methinks I'll give up in that regard (at least for the time being). The two pages I've found most interesting are these with results for Democratic and Republican races.

So Many Blessings -- Counting One by One

The weather here in Southern California had been overcast and gray for a week or so, but today dawned sunny and clear ... perhaps in honor of Thanksgiving?

Here's a partial Gratitude List off the top of my head:
1. The sound of the waves and the salty smell of the ocean in the early mornings when I rise & at night when I'm drifting off to sleep.
2. My "happily retired life" and all the freedom it brings.
3. Family, friends, and neighbors ... I'm blessed to have each one in my life.
4. New "virtual" friends and acquaintances here in the Blogosphere. I'm pleased to meet so many of you this month and enjoy the interactions on your Blogs and mine. Thanks for the time you spend to make your posts interesting and for stopping by to read & comment here.
5. My transformed front yard ... well worth the effort required to make it so.
6. Molly and Ms. Kitty who share my life ... providing opportunities for exercise and laughter.
7. Books and writers everywhere who expand my world exponentially every day. As one of my favorite t-shirts says: "So many books, so little time."
8. Trader Joe's ... just minutes from my home.
9. The smell of coffee in the morning and Starbuck's Christmas Blend (regular & decaf) beans to brew in my Cuisinart "grind & brew" coffeepot with a timer.
10. My trusty Dell Inspiron 9100 laptop -- almost 5 years old but going strong. Fast enough for "streaming data from e-signal" and Blogging all at the same time.
11. My "all-in-one" printer/copier/scanner/fax machine, Casio Exilim digital camera, Palm Life Drive, LG cell phone, tiny but mighty WD external hard drive, Cable TV-Internet- Nationwide phone service connections (all-in-one), and all the other "conveniences" in my life including (but not limited to) my washer & dryer, dishwasher, microwave and conventional ovens, shredders, etc. Who knew such gadgets would become so much a part of everyday life? (And no ... I didn't forget because don't have a GPS, iPod, MP3 player, and lots of other "necessities" ... at least not yet anyway.)
12. Music of all kinds ... (see Thailand Gal's post on this topic)
13. All the experiences in my life thus far (good, bad, & interesting) shaping who I am, and all the experiences yet to come leading me to who I will be ... someday.

A "baker's dozen" seems appropriate, so I'll stop here (though I'm sure more things will come to mind the minute I post this). Such is life. For now ... I offer
Hugs and blessings,

On Mindfulness, Transforming Anger, Practicing Peace, and Making a Difference

This morning, I found a post entitled "Mindfulness and Transforming Anger" at The Dream Life. It started me thinking about what matters and what doesn't. While listening to Ram Dass and Thich Nhat Hanh (two of my favorite people) discuss this topic -- I found the video clip both timely and perfect. I decided immediately to mention the post here, and to add a sidebar link at Sacred Ruminations so I (and others) can return easily to be reminded as needed in the future.

While I was at You Tube I discovered the following related links. I believe each to be well worth the time required to watch and listen whenever time permits. Thich Nhat Hanh speaks on Living in the Present Moment, Mindful Walking, and Peace in Every Step. The first two are a few minutes long. The last video link is more than an hour in length, but resonates so truly with my personal experience and beliefs that I opted to include it for anyone who cares to listen.

My "ex" was drafted in his mid-twenties and spent 13 months in Vietnam ... returning alive, but forever changed. In turn, my own life was altered. He was a social worker and I an educator. We did what we could with what we had to effect change in positive ways, yet we each spent many years frustrated and angry at the recognition that the main thing to be learned from history is that we don't learn from history. In the early 70s, I recall attending a meeting of a group called "Beyond War" based on an Einstein quote to the effect that war is obsolete. A story was shared there (leaving me with a vivid & long-lasting image) in which people were sitting together in a room filled with barrels of gasoline. Each person held a book of matches, but no one was foolish enough to strike one because doing so would destroy themselves along with everyone else. The older I get (and, of course, I'm a dinosaur) the more I realize that carrying anger & frustration doesn't help solve much of anything.

(Hmmmm ... that reminds me of a pink t-shirt I used to wear often that said something like "Never try to teach a pig to sing" on the front and "It wastes your time and annoys the pig" on the back) ... but I digress and my mind wanders easily these days. Forgive an old broad, please? :-)

While listening this morning to Ram Dass and Thich Nhat Hanh, I recalled that a couple of days ago I left a comment elsewhere on a different (but similar) topic and I share an excerpt here because it captures the essence of how I'm changing (with more effort than I care to admit) and articulates my current belief about how to make a difference which could lead to resolution of the difficult issues of our time. I quote myself here ...

"If we could just accept that we're not "alone" but rather "all one" we'd each do what's necessary to resolve the world's problems recognizing "we're all in this together" ... especially since we've seen earth from space and know how "precarious" life can be ... and we've learned that butterflies in Zimbabwe affect weather on California's coast. I have this image in my mind of a giant jigsaw puzzle and each of us is a piece. When we get lost (or fail to show up and get connected) gaps exist that no one else can fill."

One thing I know for sure from personal experience ... change begins with each of us as we gain awareness of what's within ... learn to own, honor, and live as congruently with our convictions as possible ... find ways to understand ourselves and others ... practice compassion & kindness while we pay attention to the results of our thoughts, words, and deeds as reflected in our relationships with others.

There are many paths, tools & habits to assist and/or guide our journey. A COURSE IN MIRACLES states "when the student is ready, the teacher appears" (and vice versa). It also assures us that all it takes is "a little willingness" to be open to the possibility for change. Don Miguel Ruiz offers a simple (if not easy) path through THE FOUR AGREEMENTS. Hundreds of others point to ways to begin ... and practice ... each moment ... to awaken to and embrace truth as we understand it in each moment.

I'm reminded of Thailand Gal's Blog Blast for Peace ... and perhaps this is my version? I offer it here for your consideration and comments.

Lest We Forget ...

With heartfelt thanks to His Girl Friday at Wellied on Life for her latest two posts (discovered belatedly today but well worth sharing with others anyway) Ain True Love and All gave Some, Some gave All ... I offer them here to all who pass this way.

Furthermore, I encourage you to click the links now, check them out for yourselves, and perhaps pass the info on to others in turn ... for I believe you will be enriched .... and, of course, I suspect all of us need such reminders in the midst of our overly busy lives.

The only problem with Google Reader or What a Rich Resource!

I love Google Reader (except for the frustrating fact that I now have more that 450 new posts to peruse because I keep finding new & interesting sites to add as I meander through the Web). It's about as bad as my regular MSN email box that often ends up collecting 500 or more emails because I tend to ignore it for long periods of time. There is an option in GR to "mark all posts as read" but that seems to defeat the point, so I choose not to do that ... yet.

Fortunately, GR allows me to organize Blogs into categories so I can easily check out new posts from my Writers Retreat Friends, Virtual Buddies, and a variety of other "categories" I've created to "sort" these blogs into manageable "chunks". The category called "Blogs to Check out Someday" has 460 or so in it currently, but I'm not letting myself feel pressured by that. I try to check out about 10 each day .. but I know there will be rainy days down the line when I'll sit down by the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate ( & perhaps a few cookies) to scan them quickly ... adding some to categories that "fit" and deleting others I won't feel called to keep.

I realize most of you don't have as much "leisure time" as I do ... so this post is my humble attempt to help expand your virtual horizons while saving time and simplifying the discovery process ... though I'm sure as you venture out you'll find things I've not yet discovered, and I hope you'll share in return. Remember I'm a "newbie" to all this ... starting less than a month ago.

In addition to Google Reader, the "rich resource" I wish to write about here is Patti at 37 Days. I'm sure many of you have already discovered her, but she has my head spinning and reminds me of my friends Holly (from the Writer's Retreat) and Elatia (from my EBB training) who are "strategic thinkers" ... from whom ideas simply flow abundantly. What an amazing gift to share so freely.

I've already mentioned the 37 Day Complaint-Free challenge (and a few other ideas) in a post at Sacred Ruminations, but find myself captivated by so many of Patti's ideas. Her post Listen Fully visually & verbally illustrates the point beautifully that I'm sharing here. In it, after sharing the link to Prospero's Book, she quotes that post within her own as I've done here (to spread the word and get folks thinking and talking ... perhaps even making different choices today and tomorrow).

"In his book A Time before Deception, Thomas W. Cooper writes that native peoples around the world have 'specific moral standards for communication.' Those he lists are provocative standards for all of us who speak or write--that is, all of us:

1. listening fully with the heart, no matter how trivial or wrong the discussion may seem;
2. not interrupting another's communication;
3. not walking between conversants;
4. speaking softly, especially to elders;
5. speaking only by invitation when among a group of elders;
6. avoiding slander and defamation of all kinds;
7. communicating as an individual (contributing independent ideas to the council) first, then communicating in synch with the group (once policies have been set);
8. truth-telling;
9. inner communicating (morning and evening sanctification, periods of guidance) must precede outer communicating, openness to the Great Spirit is essential;
10. communicating with the whole tribe or whole earth in mind so as to honor others."

And adds ...
"I love this. Let's adopt it. Let's make Successories posters of it (or not). More than that, let's just do it."

Like Patti, I'm delighted at the "web-like" ways of this World-Wide Web! The teacher-in-me wants EVERYONE to know, think and talk with others about such rich ideas and possibilities. And so ... this morning, I "touch magic ... and pass it on" hoping others will do likewise.

On Cooper's article I wonder ...
Don't we all deserve such respect? Don't we want our children to learn these practices? To borrow a phrase from Chani's recent Blog Blast for Peace ... "If not now, when?"

If Patti's site isn't enough to capture your imagination and cause YOUR head to spin, check out the following:
-- On Becoming a Tooth Fairy at A Life Outtacontext
-- Lynda and the Alphabet among other things at ELLOUISESTORY
-- see what Lucy's been sharing about Where Spirituality and Creativity Meet where I found links to Abbey of the Arts
-- discover Carla (and her mom's inspiring messages) at zena musings and/or Women at Rest and find links to other bloggers sharing their Sacred Lives, encounter thought provoking posts like Sunrise Sister offers at Mind-Seive and inspirational conversations occuring at Hearth Talks
-- or find Joy's interesting pictures & entertaining life stories at The Joy of Six

You get the idea (and you know why GR is jam-packed with possibilities). Now go explore ... and share your own recommendations as well. It's a community out there! :)

Continuous Problem Solving and/or Keeping up with Comments

Multiple challenges encountered & solved through trial and error by me on Small Reflections and Sacred Ruminations (because I'm a determined sort who doesn't give up easily) along with occasional feedback from fellow bloggers who graciously share their knowledge of how things work, led me to discover today a nifty feature available in setting up Blogger sites (albeit belatedly).

When creating this blog, I left things pretty much "as is" initially ... grateful that the set up procedures seemed "user friendly" and intuitively straight-forward. I've made modifications along the way when I noticed something on someone else's Blog and tried to figure out how it might work on mine. Some of you may have noticed color and font experimentations among other things over these first three weeks checking in ... or not.

Anyway ... I've learned there's a box I can check (in Settings I believe) that causes all comments left on MY Blogs to come to the email address associated with these sites. How handy is that? Now MY comments to "other's comments" won't be so haphazard. Until now, I responded to comments others left here only when I noticed the number of comments increase under posts as I was "scanning" the "look" of things after making changes to the sidebar (not a very precise way to approach things), but for a while now I've consciously tried to release my "perfectionistic" tendencies and simply let things be.

In case anyone else wonders about this, at the bottom of the "Comments" section of the "Settings" page in "Layouts" at the very bottom (one must scroll down to see it) something that says: "Comment Notification Address" with a box to insert your email address.

Now that I've entered my email address in this section on both blogs, however, I'll be notified when a new comment is posted and can respond more consistently (as I've noticed many of you doing all along and wondered how you managed.) Who knew? Certainly not me.

If I'd only known then ...

I've spent many hours (over the past couple of days) trying to clean up and reorganize my Mozilla Bookmarks into a useful format ... a task that might not have been necessary if I'd understood how they work in the first place. Sigh! Such is the story of my life. I jump into new experiences whole-heartedly with a little bit of knowledge and a lot of enthusiasm coupled with self-confidence to figure things out ... often creating messes to be cleaned up later.

I'm trying to become more mindful ... to simplify my life & let go of stuph ... but here I am accumulating Virtual Connections in my usual disorganized way ... then figuring out how to make sense of it all ... after the fact.

About two weeks ago when Kara encouraged me to explore the Blogosphere (with the intention of beginning a Blog of my own & let myself be known ... finally), I started with links (she emailed me) to sites she liked. When I discovered Blogs I wanted to revisit, I clicked Bookmark this Page. I explored links on those sites ... creating more Bookmarks along the way with the intention of revisiting them at my leisure.

In no time at all, the list grew to an unmanageable size ... and I could find nothing. So, when I created Small Reflections, I started a Link List of my own in the right column ... sorted alphabetically. Soon that grew to an unmanageable number so I separated them into categories ... and that helped initially, but I realized I was in trouble and needed to figure out how to manage my Bookmarks some other way when that list grew to a ridiculous size.

I culled the Link Lists at Small Reflections to a few I check regularly and kept the links to my Writers Retreat friends in a separate box, but didn't choose to lose track of other sites I'd found interesting ... so my Bookmarked list remained a chaotic mess (much like my desk often is for I'm an "out of sight, out of mind person" ... when something gets filed, it's forgotten entirely). Eventually I noticed Bookmarks could be Organized in a separate window ...(Duh!)... by creating categories in folders that could be alphabetically arranged. How could I have missed this?

So ... that's what I set out to do several days ago. I created a folder called Blogs to Check Out and another called Favorites. Later I added folders to sort more specifially (Journals, Spiritual Sites, Blogging Resources, Interesting Visuals, etc.) and began to "sort" by category. I made significant progress, but what I didn't realize until this morning is that I can create a new folder at the same time I Bookmark a site rather than after the fact by Organizing them later.

Again ... it's hard to fathom how I missed this feature on Mozilla ... but I did. Perhaps in my eager explorations, my focus landed on content rather than organization. Maybe I needed to create a mess and clean it up? It's possible, in my rush to make up for lost time, I just didn't stop to think at all? And, of course, I've been sick the past few days and my mind doesn't work right when my health is less than good. Enough excuses!

Whatever the cause ... I'm relieved to have figured out how things work ... finally. Now when I find a new site of interest, I know enough to file it where I can find it again easily ... creating new folders as needed on the spot. I'm still cleaning up the mess I made initially in Mozilla, but there's an end in sight and I've learned a valuable lesson ... again!

I'm slowing down ... mindfully attending to each moment ... trusting the process.

Public Television and Inspiration

I don't recall why I turned on the television this morning at 8:04, but it came up on Channel 6 (which is PBS in my area of Southern California), and I found myself listening to Wayne Dyer speak on the topic of INSPIRATION as I checked email. When the phone rang around 9am, I hit "record" on the DVR so I wouldn't miss any of it because I felt captivated. Afterwards, Molly and I took a walk together and I watered the front yard, but with the technology available today ... I can pick up this program where I left off even though it's still recording as I type. I've written more about this program on Sacred Ruminations, but sharing the following information here seemed right today, given yesterday's post.

He introduced an amazing Rwandan woman who survived the genocide there by spending 91 days in a tiny bathroom silently hiding with seven other women ... fearing discovery and death. Immaculee Ilibagiza shares her inspirational story (written with Steve Erwin) in an amazing book entitled Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust. I'm looking forward to reading it soon and perhaps you will too.

Virtual Explorations

Exploring & meeting new people while enjoying the comforts of home. What an idea! Seldom tempted to jump on ANY bandwagon before, I've found this virtual world of Bloggers surprisingly seductive and potentially addictive ... (at least until I've had my fill and/or my friends return from the road) ... enticing me away from the keyboard with real-world activities again. I admit I've been a bit of a "hermit" lately except for this new interest.

Until now, the only thing that could capture & hold my attention for any length of "free time" was a book. I've always been able to lose myself in a captivating story. As a child, I visited the library often and eventually discovered used book stores. I counted school "breaks" one of the unexpected blessings of being a teacher, and have spent many a summers day lost in a good read ... traveling to distant lands ... meeting unique people doing extraordinary things.

Television and films have never held as much fascination for me that words on the page. My imagination creates such vivid images while reading that I'm often disappointed when a favorite read becomes fixed on film.

This feels different, yet somehow familiar. I'm reminded how decades ago when my then hubby bought an Atari computer with video game cartridges. He loved playing those games and encouraged me to join the fun. For about three months I did play a few ... PacMan & Frogger come to mind ... and I admit, I found these experiences interesting for a brief time.

My major take-away was the thought of how nice it would be to have a "Reset Button" in life ... so that when I recognized an error, I could simply start over and get it right. That is how I mastered the few games I played back then ... eventually maxing them out so that they were no longer challenging. Once I'd done so, I lost interest and never played them again ... except for a couple of times there was a PacMan machine in the waiting area of a restaurant and someone handed me a quarter. Am I dating myself? I suspect so. Such is life!

I wonder if Blogging will hold my attention just as briefly before I move on to other things? Perhaps the WORDS on the screen will keep me returning? And, of course, this opportunity to share my own words feels wonderful. I've long been a writer, but not an author. It's a clear distinction in my mind ... though I sometimes wonder if I might have spent my life as an author if someone had suggested I might do so when I was younger.

I've long written in the margins of books as I read them ... as if carrying on conversations with authors. I felt embarrassed about this habit of mine at first, until I met Marianne Williamson after a lecture and asked her to sign my copy of one of her books. After I handed it to her, my friend M told her to look inside ...(much to my chagrin)... yet when she did, I was amazed to learn that seeing my notes in the margins gave HER goosebumps because that's what she'd hoped people might do as they read her words. Who knew? Certainly not me.

Reflections

Success At last!

I've tried to upload this photo ...(taken by me on the grounds of the Henningston Gardens in Taos, NM)... for days without success until now. This lovely pond is located within walking distance of the Mable Dodge Luhan House where I attended a Writers Retreat this past summer. I wrote there a couple of days and was visited periodically by a friendly Chocolate Lab puppy who interrupted my muse occasionally by inviting me to toss his ball & play fetch. I wanted to use this snapshot more prominently on my Small Reflections site as a recurring image, and perhaps I'll figure out how to do that eventually. For the moment, I'm happy to post it here.

I thought this weekend was time to "fall back" on the clocks, and perhaps it is. I'm not quite sure why I awoke so early this morning ...(at 1:45 instead of my usual 4am or so)... but as I made coffee and booted the computer, I wondered how the automatic clocks like the ones in the Cable Box, DVR, PALM, my computer, etc. handle the time change. Seems like it's supposed to occur at 2am ... but nothing reset to 1am when 2am rolled around today. I guess I was mistaken because it's a little after 4am and nothing has changed on the Computer or DVR clocks. I've never been awake to watch this change happen before and I'm not sure it matters ... but since I am awake and thinking about it ... I found my fingers typing those thoughts here. I'm assuming the time doesn't change today after all.

One of the interesting aspects of starting my two Blogs online this past week is that (for the first time ever) ... I've discovered I'm able to "compose" (as in create original text) at the keyboard. Until now, I've ALWAYS written first drafts by hand and typed the text into the computer to print out ... so this is new for me. Although as I share that thought, I realize the one exception to this is "email" for I've composed those messages at the keyboard forever it seems. So ... perhaps it's not so strange to be able to create in this way for posting after all. Actually, I've had lots of practice, but didn't realize it until now. It’s all pretty cool.

Although everything now seems more obvious & easier for me, initially I was confused by the "Preview" ... "Publish" ... and "Save" functions of this editor and my "perfectionist" self ...(who I've been diligently trying to set free and/or ignore for some time now)... caused me to do some fairly stupid things on previous posts. Fortunately I've given up "worries" about such things and am simply grateful to be learning better ways to do this all the time. It's all coming together for me and I'm pleased with my progress.

Molly has decided it's time to eat and won't leave me alone any longer, so I'll post this and get on with my morning activities. I suspect Ms. Kitty is scratching at the windows of the French doors out from ... waiting impatiently for her breakfast as well.

Life with fur-friends

Molly and Ms. Kitty kept me company yesterday as I cleaned up the front yard ... each reminding me to savor the moment as I worked.

When I'm too busy to play with her, Molly chews on the shrinking remnant of what
locals refer to as her "Laker's Ball" (no doubt because of it's color scheme) that was left in our yard months ago by Jake (another yellow Lab who joyfully played fetch with anyone he could find to toss the ball). He and his sister, Jessie, visited this Spring along with their family, residing in the "vacation rental" next door for a month. Similar in age, the three pups had great fun together each day. Apparently everyone overlooked Jake's favorite toy as they packed & moved on.

After their departure, Molly waited patiently by the neighbor's gate hoping the dogs would come out to play ... but left Jake's ball untouched for three days before finally "claiming" it as her own & making it her favorite front-yard "fetch" toy ... perhaps because it reminds her of the fun they had playing together. I wonder if she realizes it's getting smaller each day as she tears off pieces? Will she miss it when it's gone? It's certainly not long for this world. K who lives across the street and thinks Molly's "beautiful" gave her a couple of balls as replacements, but so far ... Molly chooses this toy consistently.

Molly's the neighborhood "greeter" ... visiting with passers-by happily ... inviting them to throw her "ball" so she can retrieve it, but Ms. Kitty tends to be more aloof and prefers to "hide out" when strangers come near. Opposites in color and temperament, these two fur-friends teach me lessons daily and reflect different sides of my own personality.

Independent and wary, Ms. Kitty's a feral cat who lived on her own for years, before M started to give her treats whenever he visited. Back then she'd hang out a couple of doors inland from my house ... relaxing in the the "safety" of the enclosed yard of the tiny beach cabin used only occasionally on weekends ... taking shelter under the large wooden porch in inclement weather. It didn't take her long to visit MY yard looking for handouts. Not being a "cat" person, I resisted until she showed up one day with a festering wound on her neck while M was visiting. He bought a cat carrier and we took the kitty to my vet. I paid for the medical treatment and a 5-day stay to get her back on her feet ... after which she "adopted" me ... and has been living here ever since. She wasn't thrilled when I brought Molly home a couple of years ago, but they've learned to coexist. I doubt they'll ever be "friends" ... but they know we're "family".

Interestingly, in the past few months Molly has developed a "wary" and/or "skittish" side with occasional strangers while Ms. Kitty has learned to trust a few more people ... allowing a some to approach and even touch her these days. These subtle changes remind me of my own evolution.

As a young person I believed the views of friends and family members who perceived me to be an extrovert like Molly, but in my mid-30s (as I started to journal regularly) ... I realized that's what others wanted (even needed?) me to be ... and like a "good girl" ... I complied. Over the next decade or so, I realized I'm quite introverted like Ms. Kitty ... and in the past few years I've come to recognize & appreciate a "continuum" of connectedness within myself. As I've learned to pay as much attention to my inner needs as to the needs of others ... I've experienced balance ... and find it easier all the time to choose when to be alone and when to engage. It seems that the best way to be available to others, is to take care of myself & encourage them to do likewise.