Another Sunday

Welcome to another Sunday!

Today we are living on the aftermath of my youngest Jonathan's 5th birthday. I cannot believe that five years has passed! I am sort of sad to see all the time has gone, but what an interesting individual he is becoming!

I hope that you like the new look to the blog..I have kind of spruced it up a bit. This is something I have been meaning to do for a while now and of course just the simple changes were very frustrating!!! GRRRRR!!!

The day is sunny here, though a little cool, but the day looks quite promising! Enjoy your day!

Sweet Sweet Sunday

Good Morning Everyone!

Today is Sunday and boy is it jammed packed! Craft fair preparations, Mom and Sons Bowling with the boys and just normal stuff. In the midst of all of that I just wanted to take a moment to enjoy...

This is digital art done by my daughter Jacki a few years back. She titled this one "Expressing Myself." Like her Mom, there is the artist gene in her! The computer that I am currently using was once hers and this is a left over picture. It might be as much as three years old, but it is interesting and beautiful none-the-less.

So if your Sunday has the promise of insanity similar to mind or if you have something a little more serene planned, enjoy, enjoy! This sweet, sweet Sunday!

good morning. testing out blogger text.

Rest In Peace Alex Chilton

I heard it first at 3:00 am this morning, while I was listening to the radio trying to get back to sleep, singer, songwriter, musician Alex Chilton had passed away at the very young age of 59. My initial reaction was one of brief sadness as I always feel when hearing the passing of anyone.

It was not until Steve and Johnnie (the on air personalities), went to tell explain who Alex Chilton was and why an impact he made on the world.

As a 16 year old, Alex became the lead singer of a group called The Box Tops. In 1967, they released their first hit "The Letter" which went to number one on the charts and stayed there for 4 weeks. They followed up with other songs and hits.

Alex was also the lead singer with a band called Big Star. They did three albums that did real well and left a lasting influence on the music industry. Bands like R.E.M. credit Alex Chilton and Big Star as major influences on their musical careers.

I have not posted about it in a while, about the soundtrack of our lives, but this is the perfect example. Alex Chilton had definitely contributed to mine. Thank You!

It makes me sad on a number of counts...sad that this talented man has passed , one who unknowingly played a part in my life. My regards to his family. I am also sad that I did not know of him sooner..know his name, know his history. Or that of many other cultural influences in my life. I almost take them for granted that they will be there and fill that little space in me that needs them, I am not giving the correct acknowledgment that is deserved. So I am going to work on a better awareness of the things that I love and that influence me and learn from their creators.

So with all that being said, again, Rest In Peace Alex Chilton...Thank you for sharing your gift with the world!

Two videos today..
The Letter by The Box Tops


My favorite R.E.M. song
Losing My Religion



Have a great day everyone...take time to smell the flowers!

Something A Little Different!

Good Morning!

I get to do something very exciting today. An online line friend, Janet Nowlin, The Inspired Dreamer and I have traded blogs for the day to tell you how we became acquainted and what we are working on together. so here's Janet!

Cards4Cancer!

Well hi there! In case you’re wondering what’s with the non-regularly scheduled program, let me introduce myself. My name is Janet, otherwise known as InspiredDreamer over at Out of the Extraordinary. Julie and I only just recently became acquaintances, when she contacted me about a little program called Cards4Cancer, organized by a super-duper organization called Spirit Jump.




Wow, that’s a lot of links! To give you the breakdown: Spirit Jump is an organization that coordinates people to send cards/letters/gifts to people of all ages who are suffering from cancer and other illnesses. The power of a single card is just outstanding, and it really does boost a person’s spirit. Now, the super-exciting thing is that Spirit Jump is coordinating Cards4Cancer on April 10th, 2010, a day when people all over the country (and perhaps even all over the world!) will collect cards from their teams and deliver them to cancer centers, to brighten the spirits of the men, women and children who are in the hospital.



How awesome is this???

I was so excited that I signed up to lead a group without even thinking about how crazy I was for taking on such a big project. But then Julie found my group highlighting Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, and suggested that we join forces so we could also give cards to Children’s Memorial (also in Chicago). What a super idea, Julie!! And here we are, leading team Faith.Hope.Love to (hopefully) gathering hundreds of cards for these two centers!




So… are you in???

We need team members, and we need contributors. It doesn’t cost anything to sign up to be a team member, but by signing up you are promising that you will gather/make/purchase cards!! To sign up, you just have to click on this link here . Make sure that you copy and paste our team name: Faith.Hope.Love into the field where it asks what team you’re joining. Don’t worry about the cancer center names, we’ve already gotten those set up.



But, how do I do this?

Great question! It’s easy. Just purchase or make uplifting cards for adults and/or children. They asked that we please refrain from “get well soon” or religious wording, but otherwise the cards are totally up to you. I’ve seen a lot of Spring and Joy cards so far. Then sign up as a team member or contact Julie or myself with your interest, and we’ll figure out how to get the cards from you. You don’t have to live in or near Chicago—just mail the cards to us! We’ll give you all the details when you sign up, but don’t think small… think card-making parties, scouring the dollar stores for awesome (and cheap) cards, getting your local girl-scout troop involved, asking people at work… if Julie and I were to get 50 people on our team, and each of those 50 people asked 5 people (plus themselves) to give one card, that’s 300 cards right there! And I don’t know about you, but I plan on making more than one card!!



So… are you in?

Just think, a few minutes (or even hours if you make the cards) of your time will bring a ton of joy to someone with Cancer. If you know or have lost someone with cancer, I’m sure you’ll understand. And chances are, most of us either will know someone, or already have, who has fought cancer. I’m doing this for my grandma, who had breast cancer and a double mastectomy. Who will you do this for?


This has been really fun! Thank you Janet!

Everyone..please joins us!

Happy Valentine's Day...

I am writing briefly to wish all a Happy Valentine's Day.. Wishing you lots of love and happiness on this day and every day.

So, this day brings a lot of grief for some. You might not have the "Right" gift or even a person to share it with.

Remember that this day is about LOVE and love has many definitions. It is more than just a significant other in your life...it is your life. Love of a child, a parent, a good friend and most importantly Yourself!

How can we expect others to love us if we don't love ourselves? I hear often that people do not feel worthy to be loved by others...how did they become not worthy to not love themselves? Remember it all starts with the person in the mirror!

Here is a song that we should sing to ourselves everyday, just listen to the words..."You're just too good to be true, can't take my eyes off of you, you'd be like Heaven to touch, I wanna hold you so much. At long last love has arrived, and I thank God I'm alive, You're just too good to be true, can't take my eyes off of you"...(cue the horns..)

Fall in love with yourself.

In the spirit of the Day and of my song pick, I give you Frankie Valli and the Four Season with the original..



Happy Valentine's Day to One and All!

Our Biggest Fears

I get daily inspiration emails of all sorts, one in particular is from a man named Wes Hopper. His insights are always great. A few days ago, the days insight was titled "The Skinny Kid."

It started out with this quote..
"A musician must make music, an artist
must paint, a poet must write, if they are
to be ultimately at peace with themselves."
Abraham Maslow

It went to tell a brief history of Buddy Holly who tragically died in a plane crash on February 3,1959. While he had such a short career in experience, he was an innovator and a prolific song writer whom cranked out tunes that launched bands like the Rolling Stones and the Beatles.

Wes' whole point was too look at him, Buddy Holly, the skinny kid, would be the most unlikely to have all those accomplishments in his time. The greater message is if Buddy Holly had not shared his gifts, we would not still enjoy his music to this day. We would have been deprived of something wonderful. Great points Wes!

So this spurred on thoughts in my head. What am I not sharing? I have great aspirations, but a follow through issues, so my sharing is mighty sparse at times. But what am I keeping back?

The first quote I gave spoke of being and artist, musician or poet. A lot of people create in various forms but never put the label on themselves because they do not feel worthy to measure up. It is just a definition. While you might not be a professional artist, you are still an artist none the less.

I get it. In the fear of not being worthy to the label we tend to not explore what we are really capable of. In fear we do the very worse, we keep our hearts from expressing and our souls from blossoming. I am very guilty of this and I am working very hard to get past this. What am I not creating? Is it something that will bring joy to myself in the very process? Is it something that will bring joy to another when it is seen? I guess if I never do it I will never know!

We all are afraid of a lot of things, so many they are too many to name. We should have power over our fears but more than likely, our fears have extreme power over us. And now I take a deep breath and say, this is one less fear that will haunt me. I am not afraid that everyone will not like what I do, overall acceptance is really not high on my list of priorities. Never has been. What I fear is that if I do not follow up with this, do not create as my heart's desire, there will be huge pieces of my soul that will exists undiscovered and unexplored.

So on this day, in a first post in a real long time, I leave you with this food for thought to contemplate and I am off to create...

Here is a video I am sure you will enjoy..Buddy Holly Everyday!