Monday, December 29, 2008


My husband and I took this picture while visiting the Harvard campus last summer. This was the philosophy building and I love what it said on the outside. (Emerson Hall)
"WHAT IS MAN THAT THOU ART MINDFUL OF HIM"
Well, were heading to Vegas tomorrow and Im not sure if I will be doing any writing while Im gone. I wanted to wish everyone a safe and happy new year. I believe that 2009 will be a wonderful and exciting new year. Take care and I will be back intouch next year.
Namaste

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Compassion

A compassionate person is the most powerful healer, not only of their own disease or problems, but of those of others.

Lama Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche-

My grandfather once told me the three C's of a relationship. The first being Communication, the second being Commitment and the third being Compassion. I've thought alot about the three C's and the one that always stands out for me is compassion. I know that commitment and communication are extremly important as well, but to beable to stand back and have compassion for another human being that is getting through life the best way they know how takes patience and understanding. I want to strive for a compassionate heart. Its not always easy and it takes much practice, but the journey is well worth it. I know when I've had troubled times Im grateful to have someone in my life that will help guide me through the darkness. Nobody is perfect and we all come with our own set of baggage, but I believe that through compassion it makes the load seem much lighter. I hope that the next time you have the opportunity to show compassion for another person you grasp on to it, because by helping them and guiding them you actually heal yourself. My father always said that life wasn't meant to be easy, but why make it anymore difficult. I hope your day is filled with happiness.

Namaste

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Christmas time in the city


I hope everyone had a great christmas. This is the view out of my office at my new job. I thought it looked so pretty outside. I have to say that I am loving the job. I am so happy that I took a chance and left the security of my den. Im enjoying life so much more now. I feel more productive. The whole thing is so amazing to me and Im so grateful to have found this wonderful job.
Yesterday in Wichita Kansas the weather was a high of 69 degrees and today its snowing. Unbelievable- Kansas weather is so unpredictable.
My family and I are celebrating the new year in Las Vegas. Im so excited to get out of town for a few days. We have some friends that are flying in to join us so it should be alot of fun. We always try and go somewhere for the new year. It just seems like after Christmas you want to get away and have a little vacation from it all.
I' m having a little trouble writing today. I stayed up way to late lastnight and now Im paying for it. We met up with all of our friends that were in for christmas and had some fun. I feel like Im all over the board with my topics. Theres really no structure, but I hadn't written since last weekend so I wanted to touch base. Take care and I think I'm going to go take a nap and relax awhile. Talk to you soon-

Namaste


Sunday, December 21, 2008

Christmas with the Family

Last night we celebrated christmas with my family. Everyone came over to our house and we had the most wonderful time. We listened to christmas music and opened gifts and just enjoyed being together. I absolutly love the holiday season. I love the colors and the lights and I especially enjoy buying gifts for family and friends. I love picking out the perfect gift for someone. It really is that time of the year when we can let others know how much they mean to us. All anybody wants is to know that they are loved and thought of during the holidays.
I also wanted to talk about how my new job is going. I started last wednesday and I have to say, that I love it. I was really nervous about changing my routine, but it has really been great to get out of the house and be around others. I was really starting to struggle with my time and finding something to do with it, but I believe that I have found my nitch. I have felt so much better about myself in just three days. I feel that Im useful and more productive and I actually have more energy. Its crazy how things just happen when they're suppose to. All you have to do is grasp the opportunity when it comes your way.
Well I don't have alot of time today to write, but I just wanted to give an update on whats going on. I hope everyone has a great week and I will talk to you soon.

Namaste-

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Snow Day

Hi everyone. Sorry I've been absent. The holiday season has become very busy. I wanted to share with you that I've been offered a job with Gallery one-nine. Im so excited about the job and also alittle nervous. I haven't worked in nine years. I have so enjoyed being able to stay home and raise our daughter, but now that she is in school full time I think it would be good for me to enter into the outside world. I tend to be quite the home body and I really think this will be very good for me. It will help build some confidence and break me out of my shell. Its always alittle nerve racking when you venture into the unknown, but I know I need to do this for myself, so all I can do is let it happen. Just sit back and see where this takes me. Tomorrow will be my first day on the job. My position will be to find local artists to display there art and hold a reception for them. The Gallery is new and downtown on the nineteenth floor of the SC Telcom building. Its really beautiful up there and Im hoping people will come check out the Gallery. If anyone knows of any artists that would like to have an art show just let me know. They don't have to be local, but I believe the Gallery was hoping to feature local artists for now.
I hope everyone is doing well and surviving the cold. I can't believe how cold it has been. But I do have to say, that the snow is so beautiful. Its really starting to feel like Christmas. Take care and I will speak to you soon.

Namaste

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Happiness during the Holiday Season

I found this article in one of my magazines and I thought I would share this with everyone. Its titled "Sues five point plan to happiness" by Sue Stone.

*Be grateful for what is good in your life, rather than dwell on what isn't. Write all the good things down and remind yourself of them each morning.

*Spend time thinking about what you DO want out of life, rather than thinking about what you DO NOT want.

*Write down 3-5 personal goals in the present tense as if you have already achieved the goals.

*Visualize and imagine the feeling of achieving these goals, which will act like a magnet to attract what you want in your life. Do this in the morning and just before you go to sleep.

*Try and eliminate negative thoughts, eaiser said than done, but do pay attention to your thoughts, observe them and analyze them. If you're constantly thinking about why you're not good enough or why you can't achieve something-change those thoughts. Think about why you are good enough and why you can achieve something. Practice it and in time it becomes easier.


Take care everyone I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season. Talk to you soon-

Namaste

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving

Hello everyone, I hope everybody had a wonderful day. Im so grateful that I was able to spend the day with family and friends. We didn't eat until 6:00pm and I think for future thansgiving get togethers we will eat much sooner. By the time we ate and got everything put away it was time for everyone to leave. I think you eat earlier let the food digest and lounge around all day. I feel like I was in the kitchen cooking all day. I don't feel like I really got to spend time with my nephews and neices. My mom and sister and sister-in-law spent the whole time preparing everything and then it was time to eat. Next year I need to plan differently. Im not use to having thanksgiving so I think with time and experience you kinda figure out how to do it all. It just takes doing it a couple of times and then you get the hang of it. But besides all of that, it was awesome. The food was wonderful and so was the company. I want to thank my husband for preparing the best turkey ever, and for all of the help from my mother, sister, and sister-in-law. I couldn't of done it without you.
I spoke with my grandfather this morning and we talked about how grateful we were for everything in our lives, but most of all we spoke about missing my father today. I felt so sorry for him, and listening to him cry for his son broke my heart. We had a nice cry this morning and it felt good to let it out. Time eases the pain, but you never stop missing them. I missed my father today, but I know that if he were here he would want me to keep living and enjoying the most out of life. He would smile that beautiful smile and tell me he loved me and my family and that he was proud of us all. He always said that life wasn't meant to be easy, but why make it any more difficult. Just take it easy. I hope everyone was able to take it easy today and remember all that there thankful for.
Goodnight and I hope to be back with the writing. Sorry I have been absent. Im still trying to get the hang of it.

Namaste

Monday, November 17, 2008

Good Afternoon

Hello everyone, I hope you all had a great weekend. I've decided that I'll do most of my writing during the week and spend weekends with my family.
Friday night my husband and I went to dinner at a restaurant called Cibola. We had a nice quiet dinner and after dinner we decided to go check out the Candle Club. A good friend of ours just bought the place and we wanted to show our support and finish off the evening with a night cap. I have to say, that I love the Candle Club. I remember my parents use to go there for dinner and dancing. I think probably everyones parents use to go there back in the day and now its attracting the younger generation. Im happy to see the tradition living on. Anyway, while my husband and I were sitting and having our cocktails I happen to glance over and see someone that looked very familiar. After a moment I realized it was Kim Peek, the man who inspired the movie "Rain Man." People were taking to him and having ther picture taken with him and I told Phil that I wanted a picture with him. We walked over and met Mr. Peek and his father. Earlier when I had noticed him we saw that there was an Oscar on the table, so when we walked over to meet him, his father let us hold the Oscar. Later, when I got home I researched Kim Peek on the internet and read about the most touched Oscar in history. The man who wrote the story of "Rain Man" shares the Oscar with the Peeks and when they travel around the country they let people hold it and check it out. It weights about 8 lbs. So now on Phils phone there is a picture of me holding the Oscar with Kim Peek and his father. I couldn't believe just sitting at the Candle Club one Friday night would lead to holding an Oscar and meeting such an amazing man. Just goes to show you that even in Wichita, Kansas you can be having dinner one minute and holding an Oscar in another.
I hope everyone has a great day and I'll talk to you tomorrow-

Namaste

Friday, November 14, 2008

Brew of the day- Pumpkin spice

Good Morning everyone. I hope everyone is having a great day.
I spoke with my sister lastnight and she and I had an interesting conversation about this holiday season. I have spoke with several others about the same thing and wanted to share it with all of you.
With the economy the way it is and people having some hard times and the future being unknown at this time, we had an idea about Christmas gifts this year. I come from a very large family and every year we buy gifts for everyone on the list. Well, the list just keeps getting bigger and bigger. We came to the conclusion lastnight that maybe this year what we will do for our family Christmas is only give gifts that are homemade. Not only will this cost less, but it will make the gift giving a little more interesting. The more I have thought about this idea the more excited I have become. It seems to me that the time has come that we all need to get back to the basics of what Christmas is all about. When you have to think about creating a homemade gift for someone there is alot of thought that has to go into it. I think its actually going to be much tougher than just going out and buying something. Im really going to have to sit down and think about each person and come up with the perfect homemade gift. Its going to be challenging and I have to say that Im ready for the challenge. What better way to spend time with your loved ones. I also feel that it will teach my daughter some valuable lessons about life as well. She and I both come from a generation of instant gratification and this will teach patience and creativity and that love and togetherness are the real meanings of Christmas.
If anyone has any ideas or feelings about this I would love to hear your feedback.
I hope everyone has a wonderful day and I look forward to your comments.

Namaste

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Good Morning

I want to begin this morning by thanking everyone who posted their comments yesterday. I appreciate the feedback and I encourage others to do the same. I would love for this site to be a place of comfort for people to voice their opinions and to give me ideas of important subjects to discuss in the future. Thanks again.

This morning I wanted to discuss an article I read in the paper this morning. The title reads "Fla. boy abandoned under safe haven law" An 11-year-old Florida boy abandoned at a Nebraska hospital wednesday, just days before lawmakers meet to change the much-critized "safe haven" law. The boy is the 31st child abandoned since the law took effect in July.
As I read this article this morning my heart immediatly sunk for this poor child. Can you imagine the fear this child must be going through? As I sit here at my kitchen table I imagine this poor boy just lost in the world trying to make since of why his family can know longer care for him, and now what will the furture hold. I know they have put this safe haven law in effect to give parents a choice of a safe place to take there children in hopes of someone giving them what they have decided that they could no longer provide. But it still doesn't change the fear and the loss and feeling of abandonment that this child will now have to indure.
When I come across articles such as this one I always take a step back and really examine my own life. Whatever issue or problem I think I have or things that I wish were different, they become non existant. There is a child that woke up this morning and is alone in the world. I want everyone to remember this as they go throughout there day,week,year, and there life. Have compassion in your heart and really take a step back and examine the issues you feel are troubling in your life. I feel stories such as these can become a real wake-up call to the rest of us, to take a step back and really open our eyes and our hearts.

Namaste

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Good Morning

I hope everyone is having a wonderful morning. I can't believe that Thanksgiving is just two weeks away. Im having my family over for the holidays and I can't wait to be cooking in the kitchen and to smell the turkey. I love the smell of Thanksgiving and the sound of football in the background. My sister and my mother and I will be preparing the meal and my husband will be caring for the turkey. Theres nothing better than to have a house full of family and friends and to celebrate being together. Most of you already know that I lost my father in May of 2007. After losing my father I understand why people say that the holidays are the toughest. My father loved the holidays and he always enjoyed cooking the turkey and being with his family. I will miss the sound of his voice this holiday season. He would always call all of his children on thanksging and let us know that he was thankful for all of us and for our family. On this holiday I want the world to know that I am forever thankful for my father and everything that he has given to me and my family. Thanks dad for being the best father a daughter could ask for. I hope everyone this Thanksgiving lets the people in there lives know how thankful they are for each and everyone of them. Give thanks and love, because thats what life is all about. I hope everyone has a wonderful day and most of all I thank all of you for being wonderful friends and I give thanks to all of my family.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Thoughts for the day

A quote from the book "How to be Happy" by Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Live with compassion.
Work with compassion.
Die with compassion.
Meditate with compassion.
Enjoy with compassion.

When problems come,
Experience them with compassion.

cool fall day

Hello everyone. I have just created my first blog. Im very excited to have my morning coffee and beable to communicate my thoughts with the world. Im very new to all of this so it might take me awhile to get comfortable. I welcome everyone, and just remember that life is beautiful.