Speaking of Sand, Mirrors, and Beauty

I started on this blog post after hearing an interesting radio interview. A young gal, six months before her wedding decided to eliminate mirrors from her life for a year!  Really a whole year and that includes reflections from store windows, and photographs.  If you interested in why and her thoughts during the year then check out her blog here. A Year without mirrors.for the rules but first read HERE for the INSPIRATION.

Of course it begs the question then whether I could do that, or you possibly?  Would you like to avoid looking in the mirror, are we our worst critics?  Psychology.com has quite a few reasons why a year without mirrors could be very healthy – click here to see what they have to say. 

Have you ever wondered what glass is made of? It is mainly sand, a special type of sand.

Most glass is a mixture of a large amount of silica that comes from fine white sand or pulverized sandstone, combined with smaller amounts of an alkali like soda (sodium bicarbonate) or potash to lower its melting point, and lime (from limestone) to help stabilize the mixture and ultimately make the glass stronger and water-resistant. These elements are naturally occurring throughout North America.

Does that description sound like art? I didn’t think so. I was watching a glass artist recently and he lives in Seattle but his exhibits are many, varied and bee – yoo tea full.  His name is Dale Chihuly, and he has many exhibits. The  ones I think I like the best actually look like underwater coral plantlife. In the video I saw of his  home he had some of his exhibits built under a pool so if you looked into the pool, you saw a magical coral reef that was backlit by lights and glowing to make it even more colorful.  Lots of beautiful art to see of his especially if you live in the Seattle area.

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The Bold Life Blog

Where do you find inspiration? We all need a little inspiration now and then.

I hope you enjoy this inspirational link. This lady has a well known blog and it may be one you will bookmark. I have often heard it said that “Happiness is a choice, and You can’t make another person happy.”

I suspect that we all want to be happy, and live in the moment but we can’t.  We live imperfect lives, we have jobs, family, mortgages, health and who knows what else happening in our lives. The tragedy going on around us we can barely can register because we already have a load on our shoulders.

That’s okay, I can relate. But now and then I remind myself by counting my blessings what is really important to me.  It boils down to those that I really, really care about and then I also realize what a klutz I can be.  I let all that other stuff distract me instead of being really, thankful for all the good stuff.  So now and then, refresh your mind again, spend time counting your blessings, and have a day of Thanksgiving, and enjoy your fresh perspective.

 

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Sorry Lady Gaga

Sorry Lady Gaga, not only do I listen to “old” music but I actually enjoy the music from animated Disney shows.

In fact, one of my daughter’s favorite shows (for a brief time) was “Oliver and Company“.

Thanks Disney for a great movie!

At about the same time the movie was out we bought the video and even went to Disneyland. We enjoyed shopping for more “Oliver” related nick nacks and I watched and (gasp) sang along to the video soundtrack in the car.

The lead song was one from Huey Lewis, and I think you will like it also. ” Once upon a time in New York City!

 Careful, or you might hum along, and get hooked !

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Family vs. Friends

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I started out thinking I was going to do a short post about the value of friends. Priceless I must say. I have been fortunate to have had some wonderful friends.

Gradually as I picked pictures I also saw that family can be friends also. I know they are family but if you can be friends with family that is a real bonus. I know looking back and spending time playing monopoly, riding my bike with Mandy & Dave, sharing laughter, I was thinking of them as family and there was that bond, a permanent bond. I also realize now that my kids have grown up; my role as Dad has to evolve.  I can’t tell them what todo, or to listen and I have to listen, and be flexible also.

I like the evolution, and I love the bond.

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The Year the Dragon Roared – Happy Birthday Dave! 8/09/1988

August 9, 1988 ~ Notice the numeral 8 in that date, almost 8/8/88. The numeral “8” is considered lucky by the Chinese.  Extremely lucky if you were born on a date with an numeral 8 in it, and in 1988 which is the year of the “Dragon”.

On August 9, 1988 – our little family of three, Amanda, Sue and moi, lived in the lower mainland of Richmond. This location, actually Lulu Island, is heavily influenced by Chinese.

Sue was pregnant, and very excited about the imminent birth, as was the whole family including 4 year Mandy who was soon to be a big sister.  David Christopher Folstad took his time arriving this sunny day, unlike his sister, who popped into the world without hesitation. DCF hung back and made us spend the day wondering how long he would make his parents wait.

The doctors found a way to coax him and soon Sue was trundled into the delivery ward. DCF finally arrived, and appeared to be a chip off the Folstad block, big head and all.

23 years have passed but I remember that day etched into my mind. My little family of four, my Christmas day arrived August 9 that year ~ and what a fabulous gift our whole family was given!

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Enquiring minds have the world at their fingers

Front page of The New York Times on Armistice ...

Image via Wikipedia

It amazes me still the amount of information on the internet. All kinds of things, I read my local newspaper, flimsy little rag that it is but it is also on the internet.

It took me two seconds to bring up a Turkish news site, all in English and with color photographs.  I wondered about news in Paris, France – snap snap and there it is.

Of course, there is the ads, yes the bain of our television viewing is also the bain of our internet experience. Thank heavens for the invention of the remote control right guys? We can change channels, mute, or even fast-forward our television programs if we have a PVR.  The ads on the internet are ubiquitous but you can block them out and focus on your real reason for surfing to that site.

We like to complain about the ads but how many of us would like to pay for television, or access to many websites. So the ads are a nuisance most of us have learned to ignore, with zeal.

If you have an enquiring mind, then the Internet lets you have the world at your fingertips, whether you interested locally, nationally, or internationally.

I challenge you to pick a spot somewhere and read their news for awhile, maybe Hawaii, or the Canary Islands. Let your mind travel from the relaxation of your own home.

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