Here goes a MeMe post

I've been tagged with a MeMe post by Helen Ginger. Helen's blog is called Straight From Hel, I love that name. I love her blog because I'm an aspiring writer and Helen knows her stuff.

The rules to play are easy and you should copy them to your blog…

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on the blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag sixish people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know he or she has been tagged.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Here are 6 (secret) things about me

1. I'm a confessed recovering clutterer- I love to collect things, antiques, accessories, old lamps, chairs, religious artifacts, anything that I can rescue and re-do. The problem is that I have too many projects and not enough time. I actually filled 3 storage units...yes you heard right...3. I've admitted that I have a problem, and I'm slowly but surely getting rid of all that I've collected over the years...it's hard, but I have to do it. I want a simpler life!

2. I'm a great cook, so good that I love my own cooking (modest too...lol). Most of the time that I eat out, I'm disappointed because I could've done better. It's difficult to go out and be impressed. Also, when you love to cook, you usually love to eat. I'm working on that one. Check out my diet blog http://mypersonaldietblog.blogspot.com/

3. I'm an empty nester. I miss hearing the pitter patter of little feet. I'm looking forward to the time when my three children (20,24,&25) are set in their careers and ready to have little ones of their own. I'm not thrilled with the idea of being a "grandma" though...I'm too young! I realize that it's a contradiction, but I can't help it.

4. I jumped out of a plane (tandem) for my birthday two years ago. It was the most exciting thing I've ever done! My face hurt from smiling.

5. I have a bucket list...with sky diving crossed off. But, visiting Europe is high on the list. I've traveled all over, but never to Europe...can you believe that? Anyone want to go with me?

6. I want to be a better public speaker...so I'm checking out Toastmasters. Anyone have any advice for me?

My turn.....Tag your it:
Have fun with it! Let's hear some of your secrets.

Laura aka LaLaGirl*Twinfinite Chaos
I love to read what she writes even though I don't have little ones at home anymore. It brings me back... she's funny.

Keith aka Flatbadger
This is a funny blog, and I like to laugh. Besides, he's cute...oops did I say that?

Don @ Beyond Left Field
Don's sarcastic humor cracks me up.

Jenn Thorson The Thrift Shop Romantic
We love the same kind of things, that's why I filled 3 storage units.

Tiffiney aka HippiePrincess
I enjoy her blog. I'm a Hippie Princess at heart!

Ashley Cecil the Painting Activist
This woman is so talented. I love her paintings,they're beautiful!

Choose to Lead a Life that Matters

This was a forwarded e-mail that I received. It was so poignant I had to pass it on. Enjoy!

Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass
to someone else.
Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.
It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally
disappear.
So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won't matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived
on at the end.
It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.
Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.
So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?
What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what
you got, but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success, but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or
sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your
example.
What will matter is not your competence, but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel
a lasting loss when you're gone.
What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in
those who loved you.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for
what.
Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident.
It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.
Choose to lead a life that matters.

Good Chi, Bad Chi

What does the chi in your home say about you and your family? Have you ever walked into a room and felt instantly comfortable?...or the opposite, uneasy? You were feeling the energy in that space. In Chinese culture and the ancient practice of Feng Shui (pronounced Fung shway) it is called Chi or qi (pronounced chee), it describes "the natural energy of the universe". New Age describes it as "subtle energy". I won't go into a complex explanation of Quantum Mechanics, but basically that theory is that everything contains vibrational energy at the atomic level. Whatever you call it, it's undeniable, and real.

I recently walked into a client's house that we just finished building some time ago. It's absolutely beautiful, it has granite counter tops, hammered copper sinks, hand scraped hickory floors, and rough honed beam ceilings, just to mention a few of it's high end amenities. There was no expense spared with furnishing it either, but the feeling that I got when I walked in was not what I had expected. The energy felt stagnant, I felt uneasy, and at first I was puzzled. Well, there is a simple explanation, my client had not fully moved in yet, it didn't have the feeling or presence of "life" or "spirit". There are no clothes in the closet, and no food in the refrigerator. But, above and beyond that, there are no personal effects that make a home cozy, no pictures, books, magazines, etc. It doesn't reflect his interests or passions yet. In essence, my client's energy is not present. The house will remain a shell until he is ready to "live" in the space and make it his. We are now finishing up with the accessory phase, and as an Interior Designer I have my limitations. I can accessorize a room, but it is up to the client to bring a sense of self, and ownership into their surroundings. As a family lives in a home their energy permeates it, good or bad, happy or sad, whatever the case maybe, and it gives an impression to all who enters.

The flow of energy(chi) in a room can be interrupted by the way the furniture is arranged, which can be easily fixed. If there is clutter, Feng Shui describes that as blocked Chi. What are the vibes (vibrational energy) like in your home? If you have a feeling that something isn't right, it probably isn't. A design professional with experience in this area can help diagnose the problem, and put you on the right track.

The Empty Nest

When our children are young, we put so much energy into raising them, and having them grow into healthy, independent, and self-sufficient adults, that it's hard to believe one day they will be leaving home to start a life of their own. Even though we all know that day will eventually happen, it's a bittersweet time in a parent's life. We finally have freedom, and the house to ourselves, but when we have it staring us in the face, we're not sure if we want that at all. My son had the same feelings, he said he was looking forward to living on his own, but he wasn't sure if he really wanted to leave and be that responsible yet. Face it, living at home and having some else cooking and clean for you is a pretty cushy proposition. I knew for a year that my son, who was the last one living at home with me, out of three children, was leaving to go to a university. For that year, every time I thought about it, or someone would ask me about it I would become emotional. Because I prepared myself, when the day actually did arrive I was better able to cope with it. It's never easy. I would think back to the milestones I shared with my children...oops there I go...I'm tearing up...their first words, steps, haircuts, the disappointments, joys and accomplishments,even the first time that they told me they hated me (I knew they didn't mean it). I remember when it felt like such work and I thought, "When will they grow up?" It's all a blur to me, and the work doesn't feel like work to me now. What was I thinking back then? Oh...thank God for hindsight. My ex-husband used to complain about their backpacks at the bottom of the stairs, and I would say, "Some day there won't be any backpacks there, and you'll wish there were." That day is finally here, and I miss the backpacks, their dishes in the sink, and yelling at them to hurry in the morning. Yes, I miss it all! Now the mess is all mine, and there is no one to complain about. (Uh oh, my keyboard is getting all wet) Now, I look forward to every precious minute that I'm able to spend with them. I love having them over for dinner and sharing their life with them. It's no work at all, it's a privilege, and a blessing. And...one that I thank God for everyday. My children are all self-sufficient young adults and I am a proud parent. Mission accomplished! These are tears of joy!

This is my advice to young parents, enjoy every moment with your babies, small children, and teenagers because in a blink of an eye, they will be all grown up.

A Book Tag

I got this from another blog site "Gray days" and I thought it was an interesting thing to do. I followed the instructions, and this is what I came up with from "The Healing Handbook" a beginner's guide and journal to meditation, by Jodi Levy. On page 123, the fifth sentence reads: "Fear is the ultimate stifler of good positive energy". I love that statement, it is so true!

The instructions were as follows:

1. Pick up the nearest book (at least 123 pages).
2. Turn to page 123.
3. Find the 5th sentence.
4. Post the 5th sentence on your blog.
5. Tag 5 people.

Okay, now you do it and see what you come up with. Then pass it on.

Is There Life after a Foreclosure?

Times are currently uncertain, retail sales are low, gas is up, and homes are being repossessed everywhere you look. There are two properties across the street from me that have signs on them, one reads bank owned, and the other, foreclosure. A lot of homeowners either have neg-am loans, second mortgages or equity lines of credit that were taken out when real estate was booming. Now homeowners are faced with the fact that their homes aren't worth as much as they owe. Deciding to let a home go is not an easy one. Let's face it, "letting go" is difficult especially when there is ego involved! There are so many psychological factors, stress, feelings of failure, depression, and lack of motivation for the future are just a few. But, are there any silver linings in the midst of all of the gloom and doom? Actually there can be blessings in disguise. I have a friend that was recently faced with an enormous decision. She lost her job and fell three payments behind on her mortgage. Should she keep trying to hang on to a home that isn't worth what she payed for it, or let the bank take it? She was suffering from stress related illnesses, depression, anxiety, and physical ailments, and had lost her health insurance. Examining her priorities, health (mental and physical) being at the top of the list, she made a courageous decision and decided to "let go". Notice that I didn't say give up. Since making her decision there has been a huge improvement in her outlook on life, and her future. She's now ready to make a fresh start. In hind sight she now realizes that she was never happy in her house or in the town where she lived. She is moving back to her hometown, closer to supportive friends and family, starting a new job, and has had her eyes opened up to new possibilities. It reminds me of how nature takes care of itself, a forest catches on fire, burns to the ground and renews itself, new growth and a rebirth take place. For her, the silver lining is that she has cleared the slate and has a new lease on life. When things look bleak there are always two ways to look at things, positively or negatively. What have you got to lose choosing a positive outlook? Nothing, in fact you have everything to gain.

Divorce, Children, and the Family Home

What happens to the sense of "home" for children when there is a divorce? Some couples choose to have one of the spouses stay in the family home, but in most cases each spouse moves to a new residence. Not all couples can afford to keep the family home, they just don't have the resources to be able to do that. It is not necessary, for the well being of the children, to do so. There are a lot of other factors that come into play when deciding what is best for the children. First of all, we have to define what is it that makes a home? Is it the house itself, the dwelling in which memories were made? Is it the family within the house? What happens then when the family is being torn apart? I believe it is "Love" that makes a family feel at home. It doesn't matter what house they reside in, as long as children feel a sense of love and belonging, they can still feel at home. If each parent lets their child know that they are always welcome, and that they always have a special spot in their heart and in their home, children will feel a sense of home, family, and belonging. Children need to know that they will always be welcomed in whichever home they visit their parent in, or that they themselves live in with their parent. Spouses may remarry or cohabitate with new partners, but children should always be made to feel that they still have a place in the home, if not physical, certainly an emotional space. There is the saying, "Home is where the heart is", that is not just a cliche, there is a lot of wisdom in that statement. The Dean Martin song comes to mind, "Memories are made of this". The song goes like this; With his blessings from above, serve it generously with love, one man, one wife, one love through life, memories are made of this. When there is a divorce the children are the one love through life that endures. As parents, we shape their memories, and it is our duty, to do it generously...through love.