Avoid the top 5 Regrets in life!

Posted on April 8, 2014 by dfolstad58

Since is a common theme or topic in my mind, I felt it relevent to reblog. What do you think? What do YOU think?

dfolstad58's avatarLife and Random Thinking

Where do you find inspiration?   I don’t have to look far as I belong to Toastmasters, and each meeting I attend brings for me inspiration, or at least education. Here is what I learned, I hope you find it thoughtful and beneficial. 

Months back, my friend Greg shared at our Toastmasters 641259 meeting the research he had found on what he felt was going to be a tough topic “REGRET“.  I want to share with you what I learned that day, courtesy of Greg, and his source “ Bronnie Ware – Inspiration and Chai ” 

Bronnie Ware worked in palliative care, and in the last twelve or so weeks that she spent with her patients she culled this list of insight into the TOP FIVE REGRETS. When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced…

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Life life aloof

Posted on April 8, 2014 by dfolstad58

Yestflintstoneserday I drove up the valley to Kelowna.  I really notice the difference between the drivers here and in Kelowna.
In Penticton, my usual complaint about my fellow citizens is for them to stop dragging their feet and drive! I am not an aggressive driver, and my daughter would probably say I toddle since I usually drive about the speed limit. The frustration is the number of people in Penticton who drive the BELOW the speed limit EXCEPT on side streets.

stop sign I wish people would just crawl along on side streets but some people in my neighbourhood, pound on the gas pedal regardless of the number of yards to the end of the street, and the requisite semi-full stop.

In Kelowna, the drivers are all in rush, they drive along intent on riding on the bumper of the car in front of them. They drive like they are in a roller rink, swerve, pound on the gas, and then sit idling at the next light, or bumper sniffing the car ahead of them.

The fact is that this is life, and there is always going to be people around me, drivers in front of me, drivers around me that get my goat. It’s not going to bother them. I have to let it go, and relax, breathe deep and keep my sense of humor and perspective.

calvin car trip

 

 

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A Day Unplugged (How I Banned Myself from Facebook and Didn’t Die)

Posted on April 2, 2014 by dfolstad58

This is a neat idea, we are creatures of reflex it seems so we can’t stop ourselves. Like to read and never seem to have the time, hmmm where did the time go?

Taylor Yates's avatarPinstripes&Lipgloss

As I mentioned in my post about End-of-Semester Resolutions, one of the things that’s been bothering me lately has been my growing dependence on my technology. I love Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, and Bloglovin’, but sometimes enough is enough.

I had to use my computer for homework yesterday, so I downloaded this app called Self Control. It’s free for Mac and it blocks your web access to any sites you put on the “blacklist” for a period of time that you choose. With Self Control (due to a lack thereof) and my phone safely tucked away in a desk drawer, I went about my day.

12:02pm – Set Self-Control app blacklist: Facebook, my blog, and Bloglovin’. Set time for six hours.
12:07pm – Already stuck on problem one of homework.
12:08pm – Try to open Facebook as a reflex. Realize how automatic that was. Scary.
12:12pm – Again stuck on…

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Skinny, Rich and Happy

Posted on April 2, 2014 by dfolstad58

Skinny, Rich, and Happy. 

This is the headline of a recent ad, I didn’t even read the ad, but the title caught my eye. I like the idea of all three, a truthful confession however I consider myself happy albeit the skinny and rich do not apply.

doctor_check_up_chart_sm_whtFirstly it struck me that health issues aside,  the idea of being skinny as a goal or requirement to being happy is a sad comment about our society’s lack of self confidence and judgmental nature.  I’d love to fit into the jeans I wore ten years ago, but my self worth doesn’t rely on whether someone else’s critical eye. Who care’s what the anonymous person thinks? I care what my family thinks, and they see the real me, and want me to be skinnier for health reasons.

richSecondly being rich is very subjective.  I have written about this before, a huge proportion of the world works and tries to survive on LESS THAN 2 DOLLARs a day, they lack food, they lack sanitation, they lack medicines, and hope is hard to come by for the future – forget about driving the last model of Ford.  If you compare yourself to the very rich, yes, you may feel disadvantaged, but if you compare yourself to the tens of millions who will go to sleep after only one meal today, and being lying on a dirt floor – maybe you will enjoy a more positive perspective. LINK TO POVERTY STATISTICS

I felt happy today because I met with an acquaintance of mine, Terry. Terry about 16 months ago was struggling, he was close to being on kidney dialysis to survive.  A friend of his wife offered to donate a kidney to him and she was a good match. He’s now had his transplant about 14 months, first time I’ve seen him since his transplant. Terry is happy,  content, and it added to my day to visit with him.

I choose happiness each day,  don’t let the ads fool you, you don’t have to be skinny and rich to be happy. Happiness is a decision, and it is up to you.

Thanks for reading! I hope you liked this post, I’m just thinking out loud.

 

 

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The secret life of Elgin Park

Posted on April 2, 2014 by dfolstad58

I recently blogged on Elgin Park also, this blog showcases the pictures very nicely so you can see the photos taken, and then again the same photo from a different perspective.
Perspective changes everything, Perspective and attitude.

hovercraftdoggy's avatarhovercraftdoggy

Michael Paul Smith is the perfect example of an artist with a passion for what he does. For the last 25 years, he has spent some of his spare and much of his professional time making miniature models and photographing them, creating a gallery of vintage car photographs from a fictional 1950s American town called Elgin Park. Michael Paul Smith is the perfect example of an artist with a passion for what he does. For the last 25 years, he has spent some of his spare and much of his professional time making miniature models and photographing them, creating a gallery of vintage car photographs from a fictional 1950s American town called Elgin Park. Michael Paul Smith is the perfect example of an artist with a passion for what he does. For the last 25 years, he has spent some of his spare and much of his professional time making miniature models and photographing them, creating a gallery of vintage car photographs from a fictional 1950s American town called Elgin Park. Michael Paul Smith is the perfect example of an artist with a passion for what he does. For the last 25 years, he has spent some of his spare and much of his professional time making miniature models and photographing them, creating a gallery of vintage car photographs from a fictional 1950s American town called Elgin Park.   Michael Paul Smith is the perfect example of an artist with a passion for what he does. For the last 25 years, he has spent some of his spare and much of his professional time making miniature models and photographing them, creating a gallery of vintage car photographs from a fictional 1950s American town called Elgin Park. Michael Paul Smith is the perfect example of an artist with a passion for what he does. For the last 25 years, he has spent some of his spare and much of his professional time making miniature models and photographing them, creating a gallery of vintage car photographs from a fictional 1950s American town called Elgin Park. Michael Paul Smith is the perfect example of an artist with a passion for what he does. For the last 25 years, he has spent some of his spare and much of his professional time making miniature models and photographing them, creating a gallery of vintage car photographs from a fictional 1950s American town called Elgin Park.   Michael Paul Smith is the perfect example of an artist with a passion for what he does. For the last 25 years, he has spent some of his spare and much of his professional time making miniature models and photographing them, creating a gallery of vintage car photographs from a fictional 1950s American town called Elgin Park.              Michael Paul Smith is the perfect example of an artist with a passion for what he does. For the last 25 years, he has spent some of his spare and much of his professional time making miniature models and photographing them, creating a gallery of vintage car photographs from a fictional 1950s American town called Elgin Park.

Welcome to the City of Elgin Park.

Michael Paul Smith is the perfect example of an artist with a passion for what he does. For the last 25 years, he has spent some of his spare and much of his professional time making miniature models and photographing them, creating a gallery of vintage car photographs from a fictional 1950s American town called Elgin Park.

As a professional model maker, Smith’s models are detailed enough to withstand the scrutiny of close-up photography. Smith places them in miniature dioramas and uses forced perspective to make parts of the real world lend his pictures additional realism. The result is a quirky sort of historical fiction – faithfully and authentically reproduced scenes from a small American town that never actually happened (but could have).

What’s also great about his Elgin Park collection is that the magician is willing to…

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We’re Out’a Here!

Posted on April 1, 2014 by dfolstad58

Is that sarcasm? Sheldon wants to know 🙂

Brian's avatarEverywhere Once

Small European Coffee

We’ve been in Europe for exactly one week and we can’t wait to get back home. We just can’t take it any longer.

Everything is so different from what we’re used to. The television channels are all in some strange language and it’s impossible to get something to eat at a proper dinner hour. Of course when we finally do get served, sometime around 10:00 p.m. (or should I say 22:00 – which is metric, I think) the portions are so small that we have to order three plates each. And don’t get me started on the thimble-like coffee cups. What’s with these tiny little servings? Haven’t they heard of Super Size here?

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