Category: LIFE AS IT HAPPENS

~*~Resolutions / Goals & Epiphanies~*~

Last year I did an extensive list and find it is now time to review and revise while I put into writing a more extensive GOALS list for myself in 2009.

I like the idea of having even one Epiphany, especially as the New Year begins. Epiphanies can lead to resolutions that help us reach our goals and one of my goals is the follow through it takes to bring those Epiphanies to life.

Here’s a very incomplete, but great beginning to the list of resolutions/epiphanies/ultimate goals I want to address in 2009:

  • 2008 DONE & 2009 STARTED TODAY!! Make most, if not all of next year’s Christmas gifts by hand and tailored to each person’s likes/dislikes


  • 2008 DONE!! Get my kitchen in order ~ I used to (before the nightmare of this house came to life) make my menus a month in advance. This was really helpful to our budget also. If a recipe called for half of an onion on Monday, I’d make sure to follow it with a recipe on Tuesday that called for the other half. During that time we tried at least 1 new recipe per week so I could try to empty the shoebox (my husband just reminded me that there 3, not “1” of these) FULL of recipes that I’d cut out from newspapers, magazines and such. That never worked because I always filled it right back up, but now it’s overflowing and desperately needs thinning out!!!!!!


  • 2008 DONE & 2009 IN PROGRESS ~ Limit my craft & fabric purchases to ONLY the items I need to make things using mostly materials that I already own


  • 2008 NOT WHAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUT A 2009 PLAN OF ATTACK IS IN THE SCHEDULE ~ Take a walk daily (weather permitting or not) OR AT LEAST use the treadmill, it’s already here after all!


  • 2008 SUCCESS ~ MY DIABETES IS UNDER CONTROL ForceD myself to eat breakfast! And I managed to lose weight too!


  • 2008 WAS MINIMAL due to the continued house issues, but 2009 LOOKS MORE PROMISING ~ Continue my volunteering monthly, even if it’s just a home project for something I already support


  • 2008 WAS A BUST due to the continued house issues, but 2009 LOOKS PROMISING ~ Write some freelance newspaper/magazine articles


  • 2008 WAS A BUST due to the continued house issues, but 2009 LOOKS A LOT MORE PROMISING ~ (Here’s the big scary one I’ve avoided for more years than I care to admit) I will write the novel(s) that have been swirling in my head for years. I have the plots, characters, synopsis and the settings. I’ve conversed with the characters like they are old friends and family, I’ve developed the towns, supporting characters and walked through the houses and buildings like I built them myself. I know everyone’s likes, dislikes, personality traits and idiosyncrasies. I know all the dogs in town and who rides their bike to work or walks. I know how deep and blue the lakes are and how clear the night sky is so much so that all the stars sparkle bright and appear as if you can reach up and pull them down. All I need to do now is capture it all on the blank pages between the colorfully bound covers that I can see so vividly


  • 2008 WAS A BUST but THERE’S ALWAYS 2009 ~ Try to sell my screenplay (inquiry letters are written and the 1st couple dozen, 2ND COUPLE DOZEN rejection letters are making for a great book).


  • 2008 WAS A BUST but THERE’S ALWAYS 2009 ~ Find a publisher for the cookbooks I’ve written

So… I scared myself a little (okay ~ a lot and I mean A LOT) with this list. But the age-old question truly is ~ “How do you eat an elephant?” And the answer will always be ~ “One bite at a time!” Some bites will be smaller than others, but that’s okay too!

Happy New Year, one and all, and may you too see the light to your epiphany!

final blog signature. ♥

TRAVEL and the ART of Tipping

Traveling is stressful enough in today’s world without enduring delays, crowds, lines, security check points, etc… So, why add to it? One of the easiest things you can do is to prepare in ADVANCE by making reservations for flights, hotels, rental cars, etc… DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE! In today’s world there is a ton of competition for your business as well as many discount business available to you.

Remember one thing though, many times you get what you pay for, so don’t be bashful when making reservations. Ask for names and confirmation numbers. TAKE NOTES! If you have a problem don’t accept a NO answer from a clerk who doesn’t have the authority to give you the YES answer to begin with. Ask for a supervisor. But do this in a pleasant and business like manner. Always be polite! I have a nephew who recently purchased first class airline tickets for his family of four. He purchased the tickets online with a credit card. When they were checking in at the airport he was informed that they had sold 3 of his First class tickets and that 3 of his party would be in coach. Besides himself, it was his wife, a toddler and a nursing baby. They had purchased the first class tickets to allow for the extra space and ease of traveling with the children. He was informed by the counter clerk that an online ticket is NOT guaranteed even when paid for immediately by credit card and in advance. Long story short, he asked for her supervisor and escalated the issue to the appropriate level. He did NOT fly off the handle (I’m so proud of you Ryan), but dealt with the issue in a business like and professional manner all the while being polite to the employees. He told me he was trying to set a good example for the toddler too which is sooooo important to remember. How many times have we all seen that person making a scene? Do they get their way? Probably NOT!

So remember to make your travel plans in advance, take notes, names and confirmation numbers. If you have ANY doubts, call and confirm a day or so before the travel date.

Tipping is a very social custom in our society and it is an expression of gratitude for a service provided. This includes bars & restaurants, salons, taxis, delivery personnel, skycaps, doormen, bellboys, hotel maids, valets and any other situation where your gut tells you you should be tipping. Tipping on cruises is a requirement on most cruise lines. The amount you tip will vary depending on your cruise line and the length of your cruise. Cruise lines usually publish a suggested guideline for tipping. If you are new to cruising please be aware that tipping helps the service personnel make a decent wage. Their overall wage is usually a small stipend only. Many times gratuities are automatically charged to your shipboard account. Check with the individual cruiseline to locate their policies.

I worked in the fine dining industry for a number of years and can attest that tipping is truly based on service. It is definitely NOT okay NOT to leave a tip. It is okay to leave a tip compensatory with the level of service. Remember also though that you need to communicate if there is a problem. Slighting your server of a decent tip because there was a problem with the food that the cook prepared is NOT okay. Give your server the opportunity to correct any problem. Tipping in a restaurant depends on several things: the quality of the restaurant (fine dining usually receives a higher amount 20-25% whereas casual dining is 10-15%), the amount of the bill (base your tip on the pre-tax amount), and the quality of service. Remember that your server will be required to report a minimum of 8% to the government on your check so if you stiff them you are basically taking the money right out of their pocket for your meal. Now that is not to say that you MUST tip the full amount for poor service. There are two tips that truly make an impression on servers; the large tip with a penny on top and the tip that is just a penny. The large tip with a penny on top means EXCELLENT service whereas just a penny means that you were NOT satisfied with the server. Remember though it is your responsibility to convey your dissatisfaction and give them the opportunity to make you happy before you do that.

So the thought/question I leave you with for today is, Do you prepare in advance for traveling? Do you communicate well when there is a problem? What can you do to make your travel and tipping easier for you?

Does anyone remember Emily Post? or is common courtesy not so common anymore?

A friend of mine emailed this to me today: “Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about the one’s who don’t. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it. Friends are like balloons; once you let them go, you can’t get them back. So I’m gonna tie you to my heart so I never lose you.”


It really made me tie together several thoughts I’d been having lately.

When I was a little girl I was taught (as most of us were) to say please, thank you, you’re welcome, may I? (which is truly different than can I?), excuse or pardon me, etc… I was forced to sit and write letters and thank you notes to grandparents and aunts and uncles for gifts they had sent because it was the thought that mattered and we needed to let them know that we felt blessed because they wanted to give to us… I was taught children had to be polite and courteous to their elders…

My father once told me as a teenager that it was okay for me to ‘debate’, but not to argue with an elder and that I better have my facts straight before I get too deep into the ‘debate’.

He also taught me that if you have something negative to say, you should always start with a positive so you don’t put the other person on the defensive before they hear what you actually have to say. He was also known for saying, “You can’t have a battle of wits with an unarmed person.” which became one of my personal favorites as I grew up and met more and more people.
So, here’s my question, if we were all taught this, why isn’t it being passed on to the next generation? Or am I just having that battle of wits with unarmed people.

There are a couple of family members (who shall remain nameless) who seem to be under the impression that what they believe, what they want and what they say is more important than anyone else’s thoughts, beliefs, wants & needs. Their ‘silver spoon’ sense of entitlement has been the subject of many a conversation at our house. These family members are the same ones that we never receive a phone call, card, gift or thank you note from for ANY event in our lives. Not to mention they feel it is okay to complain about their gift and or request a certain item in advance for their ‘day’. I have threatened more than once to send them each a copy of Emily Post with the necessary passages highlighted. My hubby always talks me out of it. Thank God for Fedex. At least I can track and know the packages get there. Is it too much to expect that they at least let me know the package arrived or at least appear to appreciate the time, thought and effort it took to pick out the gift that best fits them?

All of this reminds me of a Bill Cosby quote, “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone.” that pretty much says it all!

I believe the next time a ‘gift’ event rolls around that I will send a donation in their name to my favorite charity and ‘kill 2 birds with 1 stone’. At least the charity and I will both be pleased. Does anyone out there agree with me?

~*~*~Resolutions & Epiphanies~*~*~

So I was visiting ‘Yours ’til Niagara Falls’ this morning and have been inspired to actually put into writing a more extensive resolution list for myself in 2008.

I too like the idea of having even one epiphany, especially as the New Year begins. Epiphanies can lead to resolutions and one of my resolutions is the follow through it takes to bring those Epiphanies to life.


Here’s an very incomplete, but great beginning to the list of resolutions/epiphanies/ultimate goals I want to address in 2008:

  • Be ready for book club in time each month


  • Make most, if not all of next year’s Christmas gifts by hand and tailored to each person’s likes/dislikes


  • Get my kitchen in order ~ I used to (before the nightmare of this house came to life) make my menus a month in advance. This was really helpful to our budget also. If a recipe called for half of an onion on Monday, I’d make sure to follow it with a recipe on Tuesday that called for the other half. During that time we tried at least 1 new recipe per week so I could try to empty the shoebox (my husband just reminded me that there 3, not “1” of these) FULL of recipes that I’d cut out from newspapers, magazines and such. That never worked because I always filled it right back up, but now it’s overflowing and desperately needs thinning out!!!!!!


  • Limit my craft & fabric purchases to ONLY the items I need to make things using mostly materials that I already own


  • Take a walk daily (weather permitting or not) OR AT LEAST use the treadmill, it’s already here after all!


  • Force myself to eat breakfast ~ today was a bowl 1/2 Cheerios & 1/2 Special K ~ maybe tomorrow I’ll add bananas


  • Continue my volunteering monthly, even if it’s just a home project for something I already support


  • Write some freelance newspaper/magazine articles


  • (Here’s the big scary one I’ve avoided for more years than I care to admit) I will write the novel(s) that have been swirling in my head for years. I have the plots, characters, synopsis and the settings. I’ve conversed with the characters like they are old friends and family, I’ve developed the towns, supporting characters and walked through the houses and buildings like I built them myself. I know everyone’s likes, dislikes, personality traits and idiosyncrasies. I know all the dogs in town and who rides their bike to work or walks. I know how deep and blue the lakes are and how clear the night sky is so much so that all the stars sparkle bright and appear as if you can reach up and pull them down. All I need to do now is capture it all on the blank pages between the colorfully bound covers that I can see so vividly


  • Try to sell my screenplay (inquiry letters are written and the 1st couple dozen rejection letters are making for a great book)


  • Find a publisher for the cookbooks I’ve written

So… I too scared myself a little (okay ~ a lot and I mean A LOT) with this list. But as she said, the age-old question truly is ~ “How do you eat an elephant?” And the answer will always be ~ “One bite at a time!” Some bites will be smaller than others, but that’s okay too!

Happy New Year, one and all, and may you too see the light to your epiphany!

~*~*~*~HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!~*~*~*~

I’m going to do my traditional list, but I think this year I will be more realistic.


1) Lose weight ~ I know every year EVERYONE says this one. This year I got a head start after the bout of pnuemonia and flu throughout December. I already lost the first 10 pounds.

2) Get organized ~ another one that EVERYONE always says. Once again I got a head start though. Last year was devastating for us with the move, the military red tape, the fraud from the previous owners of this house and probably a few other things. But, I started this past week at putting together the office/studio/workshop and it’s already going well.

A place for everything and everything in its place…


3) Start in January to hand make next years Christmas presents ~ Once again, I started already so the hitch will be to maintain a schedule and actually follow through. Wish me luck. And look for peek-a-boo pictures to come (after all we can’t give away what’s what or who it’s for before next Christmas).

4) Be happy ~ Worry less ~ Smile more ~ Be more productive ~ Spread joy ~ Make a difference

I wish you ALL health, happiness, tranquility, spiritual well being and prosperity in 2008 and may we ALL be able to face our challenges with much strength and grace, and may we receive ALL our blessings with thanksgiving and appreciation.

NICE MATTERS

So I was working on catching up on email this morning and found a blog comment from someone I didn’t know.

Well curiosity killed this cat and I had to go check out her blog to see what she liked. http://yourstilniagarafalls.typepad.com. It’s great. She touches on some great common everyday issues and I left her this comment.

“I SOOOOOOOO agree with you. Where were the parents raising some of these people in the public? Have they ever heard of common courtesy or Emily Post? I was raised to smile and acknowledge everyone politely. I also managed a restaurant hostesses and server staff for many years and ALWAYS taught them that the customer really did come first ~ DO NOT walk by someone without at least saying “hello” or “someone will be right with you”. Some of my servers used to complain about tips not being what they should be and their customers were ‘difficult’ and I always told them that their service probably wasn’t what it should have been to earn a better tip. I’d ask them what they did to make their customers meal a more enjoyable experience so they would be less ‘difficult’. The servers that took that as a challenge and changed their attitudes became better servers and made more money and they (servers AND customers) were happy. I believe in Pay it Forward, starting with a smile and acknowledgment. So today I’m acknowledging you and hoping the next person you encounter smiles and at leasts says hello.”

I repost it on my blog to remind us all that we are all in this together. Be kind and courteous to everyone. Maybe they’re grumpy, but maybe you can make it better for them by just being NICE. Despite the consensus of many today, NICE MATTERS. It will make your day and theirs and you’ll feel a whole lot better!!