Friday, December 31, 2010

My Wishes for 2011

Beloved Friend,

I wish you a Brilliant New Year


brimming with all things

wonderous and beautiful!

Thank you for reading.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Polite Addition

I wonder what this is about. These are the kind of comments I get on my blogs:



I've ever liked things like sand clocks, lava lamps and the like, days of yore staring at it as a configuration of catharsis. In an opportunity it helps me with meditation to mitigate emphasis and decent think in the air nothing. That's why since I was a kid, in place of dolls and cars I've eternally sedate more of such pieces like sand clocks, lava lamps, and musical boxes etc. So I was most delighted to find XYZ.



My dogs are also fair out around the laser gyroscope. they each follow the gyroscope as it spins, although at principal they kept barking at the laser slight accompany, and also because it produces music. But after they got worn it, they've stopped barking but virtuous maintain following the gyroscope whenever I start spinning it. Kids are also pretty amused nearby it. On occasion it's proper to possess entertaining toys on all sides the lineage so that you can desert the small on while the kids are being amused or playing with it while you open to prepare viands or fall heir to changed. The gyroscope is a particular such play with with this purpose.



The gyroscope I bought from XYZ has a dragon as a intent plot on it, and produces a dainty indicator with red, obscene, and green colours. Take a look at the pictures...the music produced from the gyroscope is not that great but allowaable adequacy to treat any supplementary visitor to the house. The gyroscope is red and negro, making it look particular cold, and slightly macho with that dragon imprint.



This the funniest part:

I have also acclimatized this gyroscope to their heels of my girlfriend during our anniversary celebration. I did the cheesy thing of decorating the pension elbow-room with roses and when I led her in, I started up the gyroscope as rise so that the laser torchlight expose produces a dreamed-up effect. I also had some battery operated candles so all the sunrise effects created a mawkish atmosphere. She loved it, at near the style, to my relief. I also bought candles from XYZ..



There's more good advice for all the many applications of this incredible gyroscope, which is appropriate for children, pets and especially for your significant other. Also decorating ideas, in case you want to create a mawkish atmosphere.



''This amazing invention can also be a polite addition to the traditional Christmas decorations!



Is this code?



Does someone require help?



I'm sure it is more than just random words and phrases.



I am also sure it was not generated by a person who is familiar with the English language.



What are they actually selling on XYZ? I don't know and I want no part of it. I won't even try to go to the link they liberally sprinkled throughout the "comment." But where do these things come from? How are they generated? Do they really drive traffic to the target site? Or do they think I will post it and get them visitors? This one after careful reading seems to actually make some sense, althought it reminds me of Mad-Libs, where you just insert random adjectives into a paragraph for hilarious effect.



P.S. What is a sand clock? Is it an hourglass?

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Meditation Benefits

There is good news for meditators.



People who have meditated for only 5 years may be physically 5 years younger than their chronological age and long term meditators may be up to 12 years younger based on certain age indicators like blood pressure, near-point vision and auditory discrimination.



The reason for the differences between the chronological age and the "real" age, may be found in the hormone levels. (See RealAge.com to determine your "real" age.)



In as little as 90 days, 20 minutes of daily meditation causes an increase in the hormone, DHEA, which is associated with decreased stress, better memory, sexual function, and weight control. DHEA is associated with anti-aging benefits for this reason. Meditation, breathing exercises or self-hypnosis all have these benefits, because they increase your DHEA level naturally.



A recent article in Time reports that meditators may live longer than non-meditators, because of a higher level of the enzyme, telomerase. This is because in as little as 30 days, the enzyme shows an increase. You can read more about it at healthland.time.com.



I can also recommend an excellent book about meditation, by a colleague of mine, Mark Beck. It's called Personal Empowerment through Meditation and is available at SmashWords:
www.smashwords.com/books/view/35703
This is a practical book which gives you straight-forward advice about how to use meditation to improve your life on a daily basis.



I will also review it in my other blog, Verbal Impact.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Flying Quotations

On Dec 7, 1903, the first powered airplane flight occurred in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. That was almost 110 years ago!

Orville Wright piloted the first flight which lasted 12 seconds. They made 3 more flights that day, and the longest was 59 seconds with Wilbur as pilot.

We considered our experiments a failure. At this time I made
the prediction that man would sometime fly, but that it wouldn't
be in our lifetime.

Wilbur Wright said that in 1901. In 1902, he stated,

Our new machine is a very great improvement over anything
we had built before... Everything is so much more satisfactory
that we now believe that the flying problem is
really nearing its solution.

And at the end of 1903, they did it!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Uncommon Courtesy

"God Bless You." What happened to this simple courtesy of saying this? It shows concern for someone who sneezes, concern for their health. But no one is worried about anyone else's health these days, only about their own. so if someone sneezes they are more likely to say, "Go home if you're sick!" which sounds like concern, or just, "Stay away from ME!" which shows their true concern is only for themselves.

Take care of #1.
Is this a good thing? yes because we can't take care of others unless we take care of ourselves. everything is connected, so when we take care of #1, we benefit the whole world.
Selfishness.
how did selfishness get a bad rap?
How did this article turn out to be a defense of selfishness, when I wanted to defend courtesy?

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Close Encounter with the Fat Man

Rochester NY is known as the Lilac City. Beautiful and fragrant lilac trees throughout the city, making the spring bursting of flowers look like a sunnier continuation of winter snowstorms.

On one wintery day my parents took me for a walk. I remembered the fragrant Lilacs in Spring smelling so sweet. It was in great contrast to what I smelled now, in the depths of winter.

I smelled snow. White, fluffy, fresh snow.

The absence of odor and the blanket over the earth was spooky.

At night there was a glow. Red, green, yellow, blue, white. Red, green, yellow, blue, white. Red green, yellow, blue, white.

We went down the hill on our street named Hilary Drive. Decorated trees, tinsel sparkling, yard art appropriate for the winter and Christmas season. Candle-lined driveways. Grey smoke rising from chimneys.

It was quiet. Peaceful. I felt like a mysterious guest having descended on winter-wonderland. In my five year old mind's eye, I replayed the last night's movie of Rudolph the Red-nosed reindeer. Peacefully parading with proud parents among eager children.

We made a right turn. I had never been down this street before.

Where were the giggles coming from... Who was being amused this late at night? Why were so many children and their parents outside?

I think we were coming up to a barn or farm of some kind. The barn yard noises were here. Braying donkeys, neighing horses, barking dogs, hooting barn owls,

Patience I was told was a virtue. Do you know that means nothing to a youngster standing in line. For what? A petting zoo?

Slowly we inched forward and I heard fewer animals. What I saw was unbelievable: real life Rudolphs!

Harnessed together, we slowly passed all the reindeers of my childhood movies. But this was no movie: I heard the deep rumbles, and round laughter.

Ho Ho Ho.

There he was, on his sleigh: red velvet suited, white bearded Santa.

I saw him. In person. Waiting for me!

Santa! Hello Santa!


This article was written by guest blogger, Lou Polur.

Thanks, Lou!

Memory Fog

Good news about Menopausal Memory Fogginess:

It is temporary!

The John Hopkins Medicine Newsletter reports that

"The brain fogginess that many women complain about during the transition to menopause is real, according to a new study. Fortunately, the study found that women's memories rebound after menopause is complete."

So since stress and tension make memory problems worse, just relax, use self-hypnosis, and don't worry about your memory!

Monday, November 29, 2010

17 Quit Smoking in Tarpon Springs!

On Wednesday, November 17, 17 elks quit smoking in Tarpon Springs, FL!
Actually, 17 people quit at the Elks Lodge while attending a workshop about how to permanently quit smoking cigarettes by using hypnosis. This Workshop was facilitated by Debbie Lane, a well-known certified hypnotist from Palm Harbor. She donated all the entrance fees to the American Heart Association, and the Elks Lodge matched the amount!

17 people took a leap into unknown territory last week. They bravely decided to take control and stop filling their lives and their lungs with toxic smoke. They disclosed all of their worries to Debbie Lane who dispelled each one like a puff of smoke.

After speaking about the benefits of hypnosis and the health benefits of not smoking, she led 17 people on a journey toward health and clear-headedness. Gloria Constantas and Lynette Graden assisted Debbie with her mission to clear the air. Congratulations to these 17 brave new clean-air breathers!

Monday, November 15, 2010

Smokers and Alzheimers

There are so many reasons to quit smoking. We don't need another one. But I just received this Health Alert by email:

Johns Hopkins Health Alerts:
Memory
Another Reason NOT to Smoke

We have been warned for many decades not to smoke. Now the World Health Organization says that tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the world, surpassing heart disease for the first time. Five million people die of causes linked to tobacco use annually.

Medical research is providing additional warnings to smokers. A study in the publication Neurology reported that older adults who smoke face an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, worse mental health was also more likely in persons who smoke than in non-smokers.

Most people know that smoking cigarettes can cause lung cancer. However, smoking is also a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease -- especially if you have the ApoE4 (apolipoprotein E4) gene. According to recent research presented at the International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease in Chicago, heavy smokers (and heavy drinkers) develop Alzheimer's disease years earlier than people with Alzheimer's who do not drink or smoke heavily.

On top of this bad news comes some more: Smoking in midlife might increase the chance of Alzheimer's in later life among those who already carry this increased genetic risk. Read on ... http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/alerts/memory/
And if you need help stopping the tobacco habit, you can take advantage of this geat opportunity to quit smoking and make a donation to the American Heart Association at the same time!

Great American Smoke Out

On Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010, at 7 PM, Debbie Lane will hold a 2 hour session for those who want to quit smoking at the Elks Lodge, 237 S. Pinellas Ave, Tarpon Springs. The cost is only $49.00 and 100% will be donated to the American Heart Association.

To register, contact Debbie Lane at www.wisdomhypnosis.com.
If you know anyone who still smokes, please pass along this information.

Elks Lodge
237 S. Pinellas Ave.
Tarpon springs, FL
Nov. 17 at 7 PM!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

What are Affirmations?

What are affirmations and what can they do?

Simply put, affirmations are positive statements. But many believe thay are much more than that. A quick survey reveals that:
affirmations can improve your life,
affirmations help you take control of your life,
affirmations program the subconscious mind to attract success,
and an affirmation is a declaration that something is true.

Many authors advocate the use of affirmations: Louise Hay, Sonia Choquette, Shakti Gawain, Wayne Dyer,and many others.

I was surprised when I read a book by Suze Ormond, who advocated the practice of writing affirmations 20 times each morning. She didn't refer to it as an "affirmation," though, she called it a "Truth."

So affirmations are statements that could be true. They might be true now, or could become fact some time in the future. The important thing is persistence. Suze Ormond urges you to write the affirmation 20 times every day until it IS true without any doubt and then move on to a different one.

So it needs to be stated in a certain way and need to be measurable in some way. But Suze also recommends that if you are using numbers, always be sure not to limit yourself. For example:
I am independently wealthy, earning $10,000 every month.
should be stated
I am independently wealthy, earning $10,000 OR MORE every month.


The use of affirmations helps you become more optimistic. Optimists see life in a certain way. The positive perspective is not just more enjoyable, it seems optimistic individuals are more resilient, more healthy, AND more happy than pessimists. It cannot be dismissed as unrealistic, because looking for the silver lining and focusing on it turns out to be good for you.

Remember:

Every cloud has a silver lining.

--American proverb

Friday, November 12, 2010

Walking Craze

Everywhere I look, I am reading about the benefits of walking!

Walking is a great exercise. It's good for body, mind, and spirit. The Chinese believe it helps to balance your yin and yang energies.

It's cheap and easy: no special equipment is required, although I hear walking sticks make it a more demanding exercise, and help tone the arm muscles, not just legs and gluts.

I like to walk in the cool of the morning. That's the best time around here, as it is often too hot in the middle of the afternoon.

If you want to control your weight and decelerate the effects of aging, you only need to walk 30 minutes per day, 4 times per week!

Many of my clients seek hypnosis to stay motivated and establish a walking habit, as well as getting fitter and fitting into tight jeans!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Downsized Again

I got downsized again. From a position in a corporation. I worked there for 2 years, after getting downsized from a nonprofit position 2.5 years ago.

I feel like eating brownies.

OK. Now I'm ready to expand my horizons and serve more clients and students with my own business, Enlightened Hypnosis.

And I have reduced 5 pounds, so downsizing can be advantageous!

Monday, October 25, 2010

Replenish your Reserves

Reduce stress and replenish your spirit, with self-hypnosis. I’m listening to another audiobook where meditation is recommended. Well, self-hypnosis done on a daily basis is just as advantageous as daily meditation. And I think it will help you achieve concrete goals faster. Meditation is great and I use both self-hypnosis and meditation often. But with meditation I quiet the mind, and with self-hypnosis I modify my behavior or beliefs with positive suggestions. So meditation is more subtle and more spiritual, perhaps. Self-hypnosis is more practical. I guess that's why I use both. I can see the advantages of both and choose which one will be more helpful for me today. And some days I do both. Neither one has to take longer than 20 minutes. It just depends on your schedule.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Were they lying?

91% of people report lying on a regular basis. According to a recent survey. This begs the question: Were they lying?

Maybe the 9% were lying, and it's actually 100%!

But I don't think so. I think 91% of people lie on surveys. Even if they tell you it's anonymous, how can anyone be sure?

Who were they surveying?

Lawyers or nuns? statistics are so suspicious. 57, no, 67% of all statistics are made up on the spot! I read that somewhere, I think it was on my blog...

Boomerangs

Love is a boomerang. It comes back to you multiplied. Love expands, seeks new heights. Love expands to fill the container, and extends out thru the confinement by smoothing an escape path and when it makes an opening, the opening stretches and the container sublimates, curls back into itself, creating a flower-like shape out of the vessel.

Who wrote this?

Sounds like some of the new age authors I devour voraciously, but it was me. I must have been in a good mood that morning.

Thank you, Armand and Angelina, for the metaphor, "love is a boomerang."

Friday, October 1, 2010

Top 10 Motivators

There are many theories of motivation. It is a huge field, and a huge endeavor to try to boil down the list to only 10, so I have tried to identify the ones that I have observed in those around me and have experienced in my own life.

10. Money. This is a big motivator. People like to have money. Some even work at jobs in order to get money on a regular basis.

9. Altruism. Many people are motivated to help others, their community and even the world. Think of Mother Theresa and Oprah Winfrey. Some people are so altruistic that they ignore their own needs. The psychological term for this is codependent.

8. Excellence. Many people strive for excellence. Those who wish to be excellent speakers, join Toastmasters International. People who are preoccupied with excellence are called perfectionists.

7. Comfort, familiarity, habit. This can be good or bad, for example, brushing your teeth every morning is good, while overindulging in Chips Ahoy every evening is not.

6. Loyalty. This is also called social incentive. People do things for the team or the company, or their friends. It can also be called Peer Pressure or stupidity, like when a friend has a stupid idea and you go along with it.

5. Curiosity. Someone asks a question and you are intrigued, want to find out or figure it out. For example, someone asked me recently, how does Toastmasters International motivate its members? That got me to thinking about it ... and writing (and speaking) about it!

to be continued....

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Across the Universe

These are the lyrics to the Beatles' song:

Words are flying out like
endless rain into a paper cup
They slither while they pass
They slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow waves of joy
are drifting thorough my open mind
Possessing and caressing me

Jai guru deva om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world

Images of broken light which
dance before me like a million eyes
That call me on and on across the universe
Thoughts meander like a
restless wind inside a letter box
they tumble blindly as
they make their way across the universe

Jai guru deva om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world

Sounds of laughter shades of life
are ringing through my open ears
exciting and inviting me
Limitless undying love which
shines around me like a million suns
It calls me on and on across the universe

Jai guru deva om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Jai guru deva
Jai guru deva

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Happy New Year 5771!

Rosh Hashanah only comes once a year!

It's time to dip the apples in honey and wish for a sweet and happy new year!

L'shanah tovah!

According to www.jewfaq.org:

...there is little similarity between Rosh Hashanah, one of the holiest days of the year, and the American midnight drinking bash and daytime football game.

There is, however, one important similarity between the Jewish New Year and the American one: Many Americans use the New Year as a time to plan a better life, making "resolutions." Likewise, the Jewish New Year is a time to begin introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to make in the new year.

No work is permitted on Rosh Hashanah. Much of the day is spent in synagogue, where the regular daily liturgy is somewhat expanded. In fact, there is a special prayerbook called the machzor used for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because of the extensive liturgical changes for these holidays.

Another popular observance during this holiday is eating apples dipped in honey, a symbol of our wish for a sweet new year. This was the second Jewish religious practice I was ever exposed to (the first one: lighting Chanukkah candles), and I highly recommend it. It's yummy. We also dip bread in honey (instead of the usual practice of sprinkling salt on it) at this time of year for the same reason.

Enjoy!

Friday, September 3, 2010

Read, Eat, Pray, Love

I mean read Eat Pray Love, the book. I have!

After I read it I was thinking it has been a long time since I read a novel. But this isn't a novel. It is based on a true story. So is it fiction or non-fiction? It feels more like fiction, because most of the non-fiction I read does not have a story. This one has many vivid characters, and a lot of profound truths. Written as a triad, the author eats her way through Italy, majoring in pizza and gelato, then meditates 16 hours per day, which elevates her kundalini in India, then looks up a medicine man in Bali, who refers her to another healer when her wounded leg becomes infected. She has some interesting experiences in Indonesia, and meets the man of her dreams, even though she has just decided to live a monastic life. The story starts with a divorce, then a torrid love affair, and ends with a friendship which slowly turns to passion. Another triad.

I couldn't put this book down when I picked it up. There are three parts: Italy, India, and Indonesia. It does not go into depth with the author's marriage or divorce, except that it was a very painful, long, drawn-out process. In the first third, Italy was magnificent and the descriptions of food could send you running to your favorite Italian restaurant. The middle is about spirituality and did not translate well to the movie version. And in my opinion, the final third was a little unfocused. Her purpose in Bali was unclear. She set out to eat in Italy, and meditate in India, but went back to Bali to meet a man she met once years earlier, while writing an article. At that time he read her palm, and prophesized that she would come back and stay in Bali. He also promised to teach her everything he knew. I'm not sure he taught it all to her, but he was grateful that she made a permanent copy of all the notes that were given to him by his teachers. Bali looked beautiful. I bet this book, and movie, if nothing else, will at least revitalize the tourism to that island.


This is one woman's voyage of self-discovery in countries beginning with "I."

So another author has written the man's answer to Eat, Pray, Love. It is called Drink, Play, F@#k.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Irish Blessing

May you be blessed in the name of Jesus, who took the cross up the hill so we may be transfigured, in His holy name, may your life be blessed. May deep within you the places of darkness turn towards the light.
When pain comes may you be given a stillness in it. May you be given the wisdom not to resist it, but to let it flow through you.
May you recognize in any suffering that comes to the door of your heart a guest who brings you special gifts and may you have the courage to open that door so that your lovely heart can become larger and more kind and more beautiful.

May you never forget or lose the fruits of light which your own suffering has brought you. May you go back in your mind to recover these lost bright candles of light that you sorely earned and that you now need and may you now be able to gather around you the wonderful shelters that you have received and earned through your own pain.
May you realize that you are sistered to every thing that is alive and that what ever you suffer brings new life to everything that is.
May you never be afraid of suffering because may you know that within the eye of the storm, that there is the stillness of the Divine voice whispering to you that you are safely held within the loving embrace of a great tenderness which will never let anything happen to you.

Though the storms may rage in your heart and all about you, you will never fall out of the tenderness and love and gentle protection of the Divine Embrace.

John O’Donohue

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Superior Aging

Self Magazine has an article this month about 8 health secrets to stay youthful. I went over most of these in my workshop, The Hypnotic Fountain of Youth.


http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-look/video/default.aspx?vid=0f74392c-188c-4add-b45e-6141e7a9126b%26tab=beauty%26ap=today&from=en-us_lifestyle_beauty

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Eat Your Heart Out

That's a weird expression. Eat your heat out. Eat to your heart's content? I have to look into these and find out how they came about.

I'm reading Eat, Pray, Love and it is very funny. And I'm wondering about the eating part. The author is trying to mend her broken heart. She traveled to Italy first to try every kind of food available. The description of pizza in Naples is indescribably delicious!

More to follow.

Friday, August 6, 2010

I have total recall

Marie Antoinette:

There is nothing new except what has been forgotten.


I thought this was relevant since I am doing a workshop about Memory Techniques.

Mnemonic devices do work. I used the Memory Palace technique to memorize my last speech for Toastmasters and it was a success. The first time I did a speech with NO NOTES!

What was the name of my speech? I forgot.

That's the name. "I forgot" was the title!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Reunion of Immaculation Conception School

Since I am a toastmaster and I will be at a reunion in a few weeks, I need a nice Toast for the group. of people I haven't seen in 30 something years. Some of them I don't remember at all. Some I may actually never even have spoken to. I went to Catholic School, Immaculate Conception School. In Stapleton, Staten Island.

What do I remember from those days?

My best friend for almost all 8 years was Lila.
She lived close by. I played with Lila and her sisters, Marla and Cynthia since I was 5 years old.

Monica lived nearby.

Regina lived close.

Jeanne Marie and Debbie lived down the street.

Maryann lived across the street from the church. We actually counted the Sunday collection for a while. That was when we had to go to church. We had to put the little envelopes in numerical order so they could take attendance and see if Sr. Elizabeth had to talk to you about skipping Mass! We did this for maybe a few months. I think we talked too much and thay had to get new recruits.

I remember Sr. Cathleen (eighth) was strict. Mr. Garrett (seventh) was interesting, the first and only male teacher we had. Sr. Eileen (fifth) was a character. She told me I should take cod liver oil. I've never taken cod liver oil, but I can't think of anything that sounds more disgusting (Cod? LIVER?! Yuk!).

Mrs. Moriarity in 4th grade was my favorite teacher. She used to have multiplication table bees. Not spelling, multiplication!

Mrs. O'Callahan. Third.
Mrs. Wranovix. Second.
Sr. Patricia who later changed her name to Sr. Mary.

You may notice I skipped sixth.In sixth grade we started the year with a pretty young nun, named Sr. Margaret. She must have left after a few weeks. Then we got Mrs. Benedetto. I don't remember much about her.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Quotations about Graceful Aging

Oprah:
Whether you're 28 or 88, you've probably stamped yourself with a label. Look at the label that comes with your age, then replace it with the one that reflects the reality of your life. I know for sure that every birthday, you decide whether to make it the end of your greatest days or the beginning of your finest hour. Your call.

Katharine Hepburn:
I never lose sight of the fact that just being is fun.

George Sand:
It is a mistake to regard age as a downhill grade toward dissolution. The reverse is true. As one grows older, one climbs with surprising strides.

Carol Channing:
This is the best time in my life -- the first eighty years are definitely the hardest.

Oprah, again:
All these years I've been taking lessons from life experiences and feeling like I was growing into myself. Finally, I feel grown, more like myself than I've ever been. If it's true what Maya Angelou says--that the fifties represent everything you were meant to be--all I can say is WATCH OUT!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Time Heals

Quotation of the Month (July 2010)

Time heals all wounds and wounds all heels.


Who said it?

Most people would attribute this to Chaucer. In Troilus & Criseyde he says (in Old English): "As tyme hem hurt, a tyme doth hem cure"

However some people may argue that someone said this even earlier, Menander (342BC-291BC) in Greek: "Time is the healer of all necessary evils."

My father, Victor J. Dolan said it this way.

But apparently he was combining 2 expressions into one.

"Time heals all wounds" is an American Proverb.

"Time wounds all heels," was a variation attributed to a commedienne who regularly worked on the radio, during its heyday, Jane Sherwood Ace.

Monday, June 28, 2010

June 28

Helen Keller was born June 27,1880.

Gilda Radner was born June 28,1946.

Mel Brooks is 84 today.
Kathy Bates is 62.
John Elway is 50.
John Cusack is 44.

Today I am 47 again. I'm 47 and holding. 47 is my lucky number. And my real age, according to RealAge.com.

If I had to live my life again, I'd make the same mistakes, only sooner.
Tallulah Bankhead (1903 - 1968)
If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you. What we call failure is not the falling down but the staying down.
Mary Pickford (1893 - 1979)
If I had my life to live over... I'd dare to make more mistakes next time.
Nadine Stair

Friday, June 25, 2010

Rainbow

"May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day.

May songbirds serenade you every step along the way.

May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that's always blue.

And may happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through."

- An Irish Blessing

Monday, June 21, 2010

Tuesday Afternoon

Monday is named for the Moon. El Lunes en espanol.

Wednesday is named for Woden, somehow related to Mercury. El Miercoles en espanol.

Saturday is named for Saturn.

But what about Tuesday?

Tuesday is named for Tiw, a Norse god of War and Law. And in many places Tuesday is named for the planet Mars. Mars is the Roman god of war. El Martes en Espanol.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Public Speaking

I hate the spotlight.

And several times in TM, members have said that all the attention should be on YOU. I always used visual aids, because I was more comfortable with the audience looking at them than looking at me.

Time to get over it. That's why I'm in TM. I can speak if I'm allowed to prepare the speech and practice.

I do have a talent for facial expressions!

Also, I think I'm funny. But I'm petrified that no one will laugh. Actually I'm petrified that no one will laugh except me. I have a subtle sense of humor and sometimes people don't get it. I did a workshop in costume 2 years ago and no one realized it. No one except people I had been talking to all weekend. I think I could be funny. I could do that stand up thing. Once people start laughing, they usually keep going..... Because I know ther have been studies done and the only thing that consistently makes people laugh is hearing other people laughing. That's why they have laugh tracks on TV. Still I try to be humorous, but the last time I did a speech at TM they didn't laugh at the first one and I got more nervous.

Laughter is a funny thing. Funny strange, not funny ha-ha. Children laugh more than 100 times per day. Adults average about 17 times per day. What a tragedy. When was the last time you had a good belly laugh?

I Forgot!

I would like to speak about some ways to enhance memory retrieval. But before I do that, let me extol the virtues of Forgetting. Forgetting is a good thing. If we remembered every detail, it would be very distracting, even annoying. First it would take longer to retrieve the data. Even computer with huge databases require more time when there are 500,000 events to search than when there are 5.

Also, there is less virtual memory available to analyze the data. And then there is no way to eliminate the details that are unnecessary.

Forgetting is good.

Have you ever forgotten an appointment or a chore and then realized later, when it was too late, that you forgot? And though you might feel regret for an instant, you realize, I didn't want to go anyway!

Have you ever forgotten a word? Maybe it was on the "tip of your tongue?" Or did you make a bad substitution, or "slip of the tongue?"

I find some of these slips of the tongue to be quite amusing. As when I reminded myself to take an umbrella to work. It wasn't cloudy, I was reaching for a banana. The only thing they have in common is 3 syllables. Weird. Amusing, though.

The worst thing you can do is to let it worry you. Stress is the worst thing for memory. So if you start stressing about not recalling something it will take longer to retrieve it. The best thing to do is to take a deep breath, a few might be necessary, and say to your self, It will come back to me...

It usually does. I mean, it could be the next day, but it WILL come back!

Now where was I?

Some forgetting is normal. We are on input overload every day. Radio, Television, billbords, newspapers, Email, snail mail, work schedule, meeting agendas. It is very hard to filter out the important stuff. Some of this is done for us automatically. But we can only pay attention to so much.

There will be more articles about memory and forgetting, if I don't forget!

Friday, May 28, 2010

Mother Earth is Bleeding

We punctured an artery while drilling for oil in the Gulf. Get a doctor! How can we stop the bleeding?

There are now Billions of TONS of oil in the Gulf of Mexico. Florida is worried about how that will affect tourism. Not worried about how to actually clean and dispose of all the oil, nevermind the plants and animals affected.

This is a tragedy. When will we learn?

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Crawl or Soar

I was thinking about Helen Keller.

She said something like
A person cannot consent to crawl, when she has the urge to soar.

I like that.

Of course, the "she" in that sentence applies to all people, all genders, just like "he" has applied to women, as well as men, for hundreds of years.

Has it been hundreds of years? I have read that "they" is now used as plural or singular, because it does apply to both genders.

What I really admire about Helen Keller, is that she was a professional speaker!

This is what she actually said:
One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.

Of course, she used the singular pronoun "one." You don't hear that very often these days. But it was a wise choice.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Statistics

Someone has asked me a question about statistics, or metrics, for employee evaluations. It is an interesting question. This is my answer:

Stats are useless anyway. Keep your own. Estimate about 10 TCAs (or whatever your work unit is called)finished up every day, so that gives you 50 per week. Make sure you drop that number in every conversation with a supervisor. Actually, 47.5 is more believable. Make a chart with totally incomprehensible data on it. That’s always convincing.

You know 53, I mean, 59% of all stats are made up on the spot.

LOL

Friday, May 14, 2010

How to Change

Change is difficult.

That's the first thing they said, but after a few weeks the students in my class said,
Change is exciting!

There are 6 stages of change:
1. You don't know yet that you have to change.
2. You realize that you have to change.
3. You make a decision to change.
4. You make an action plan.
5. You carry through the action plan, including a contingency plan for relapse.
6. Success.

Something that can make it easier to change, is hypnosis.

Emile Coue (1857-1926), a French pharmacist and pioneering hypnotist who said:
"Always think of what you have to do as easy and it will become so."

Another useful tool is visualization or imagination. It is particularly effective when combined with hypnosis.

And another insightful Coue-ism:
"When the will and the imagination are in conflict, the imagination invariably wins the day."

Change may not be easy, but it is inevitable. So take charge and make the decision to take action now.

I've also heard it said that change is good.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Hypnosis Songs

Days go by, I'm hypnotized. I'm walking on a wire...

From the song Sonny Came Home.

What does it mean? I have no idea.

But it doesn't sound very pleasant. And my clients always tell me it feels very good to be in trance. They come back feeling refreshed and wonderful in every way.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Is Thinking bad?

I used to think that thinking was good and when the head and heart were in conflict, the best chioce would be to go with the head. I used to agree with Einstein, who said "Thinking is difficult, that's why so few do it."

Now, or should I say, in The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle has given me a new perspective on thinking. I'm actually listening to A New Earth by ET, again, or shall I say, "anew." I'm listening to the audiobook and reading The Power of Now in written form.

ET says that most thinking is incessant, repetitious, and meaningless noise in your head. Most of it is completely unnecessary. I have heard that we think 60-70 thousand thoughts per day, and that 90% are the same thoughts as yesterday, so I have to agree with him.

In his book he quotes Shakespeare, "Nothing is bad or good, but thinking makes it so."

I need to think about this...

I'll write more later.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Thank You for the Compliment

Yesterday someone told me I was funny.

Thank you.

I try to be amusing. Sometimes I try to be jocular or waggish, or even facetious (lightly amusing).

The day before someone compared me to Dave Barry.

Yes! Someone told me that Dave Barry is way more funny than I am!

Well, I take it as a compliment. Just to be in the same sentence is flattering!

Monday, April 26, 2010

What does Green mean?

Green is a beautiful color. The color of the heart chakra, the fourth chakra, symbolizing balance, or love.

Green with envy.

You look green! (sick)

Green fruit is immature, unripe.

The meadow is green! lush, verdant.

So many and varied meanings.

Recently, it has come to mean environmentally conscious.

Kermit the frog said, "it's not easy being green."

Friday, April 23, 2010

My Blogs

I am so funny! Like Dave Barry. Check out my post on "Dishabille" in Philog's blog today.

I am even getting comments on my blog posts. Yes I am! I just haven't published them because they are highly personal in nature. For example, I had 5 comments yesterday, that I deleted.

1 was about secret web cams taking photos of dishabille women.
2 was a message for guys worried about their desideratum, so they can order Viagra, cheap.
3 was about gambling on the internet.
4 was about Viagra again.
5 was a rather long invitation to a website for cheap cruises or air travel.

All advertisements. For things I really don't need.

So keep those comments coming! I will publish any that have anything to do with something I've blogged about. Even in poor English. If they seem to be related to my blog, I will post them.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

(Women's) History

“Well-behaved women seldom make history,” wrote historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich in a 1976 article about Puritan women.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Remember where you left your glasses?

I misplaced my glasses, again!

2 things that have to do with aging! (vison and memory)

I definitely need more hypnosis.

Hypnosis enhances your memory. It have heard it can also improve your vision and hearing temporarily. They say this works temporiarily, as it has long been known to affect the circulation and better circulation can improve your sensory perception. But I know hypnotists who have used it to improve vision maybe not permanently, but definitely over the long-term.

And hypnosis affects your beliefs about what is possible. That is what my next workshop will be about. Improving your memory with hypnosis and other techniques.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Scenic Route

We visited relatives in Cyprus last week. While there we went to Hala Sultan Tekke, as the tomb for Mohammed's first cousin, it is the third most holy site for the Moslems.

The tomb is located on the Salt Lake. The view is beautiful. Palm trees and flowers all around. This time of year the citrus trees are blooming and the fragrance is exquisite.

Leaving the tomb, my husband asked me if I wanted to get on the highway or take the "scenic route." I chose the latter. He is from the area and is familiar with the back roads. We started driving through a field of tall weeds. A dirt path seemed to open up, not very wide, it appeared to be a dirt bike trail. The path was serpentine and very uneven. There had been ample rain this winter and the road appeared to be dry brittle mud, with a rut by the side where water had apparently rushed down during the heavier rains. Now this rut was getting wider and crossing the path from one side to the other, creating a deep crevass in the middle of the path. We had rented a Ford Fiesta, which is quite compact, and I feared it would not emerge if it fell into this rut which was now more like a gorge. We traveled on bravely for awhile, sometimes driving in the tall weeds and rocks on the side of the path, but at one point it appeared to be impassable.

This is when I started crying. Did I say yes to the Scenic Route??? I didn't know it was going to be a scenic RUT!!!! The passengers evacuated the car and my husband had to navigate thru the gorge (on 3 wheels, the left rear wheel took flight and didn't land for a minute or 2. This was quite a sight, but better than having the car turn over which was a very strong possibility.

Now when my husband asked if I wanted to take the scenic route, I assumed he was taking about a back road. Never assume while traveling abroad. They don't care about your safety. They will not have warning signs, or cones or workers directing traffic around a hazard. Proceed at your own risk.

Attack of the Alien Elevators

If you go abroad, watch out for the elevators.

If you live in the US, you might expect that the elevator doors have sensors, and will open when they touch one of your limbs. I would like to issue this warning, and I have the bruises to prove it! Get in Quick! The elevator doors will continue to close even if they are crushing both of your arms. It's like being in a trash compactor. They keep squeezing you until they draw blood. Do not extend your hand to delay take off. You will lose it! While being crushed the second time, I took aggressive action and started kicking the doors. This seemed to minimize the damage, the doors did retract, though I do have nice greenish bruises on both my arms at this moment. Souvenirs from my trip to Cyprus.

Also, do not assume the toilets work the same way. Another story for another day.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Larnaca

Larnaca, is a city on the southern coast of Cyprus. It is the island's second largest commercial port and an important tourist resort. The island's largest airport, Larnaca International Airport is located on the outskirts of the city.

Larnaca is the oldest living city of Cyprus and was originally known as Kition, or Kittium. Legend has it that the first settlement at the spot was founded by Noah’s grandson Khittim. Unlike other ancient cities of Cyprus, which were abandoned by their inhabitants, Larnaca from the time of its founding 6000 years ago, has existed and still exists on the same site.

Originally the principal Phoenician colony in Cyprus, it later became a part of the Hellenistic world. The ancient site is at the north end of modern Larnaca. The earliest remains go back to the Mycenean age (ca 1400–1100 BC) and seem to mark an Aegean colony, but in historic times Citium was the chief center of Phoenician influence in Cyprus.

That this was still a recent settlement in the 7th century BC is suggested by an allusion in a list of the allies of Assurbanipal of Assyria in 668 BC to a King Damusu (Damasos) of Karti-hadasti (Phoenician "new city"), where Kitium would be expected. (The same ten kings appear in an earlier list of Esarhaddon's 673/672 BC, which might simply have been copied by Assurbanipal's scribes.)

A Phoenician dedication to Baal, dated also to the 7th century BC, suggests that Kitium may have belonged to Tyre. The discovery here of an official monument of Sargon II suggests that Kitium was the administrative center of Cyprus during the Assyrian protectorate (709–668 BC). During the Ionian Greek revolts of the 4th century BC, Kitium led the side that was loyal to Persia and was besieged by an Athenian force in 449 BC.

The Kition City Kingdom was established by the Mycenean Greeks in the 13th century BC when it enjoyed the dual position of a rich port and a major centre of the copper trade. Remains of that period excavated in recent years can be seen in its Cyclopean walls and a complex of Mycenean temples.

Being in the crossroad of civilization from the early dawn of history, Larnaca has attracted many visitors. Some came as colonizers, others as traders and others as invaders, conquerors or tourists. The Greeks, the Persians, the Egyptians, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Franks, the Venetians, the Turks, the British and today all the annual three million travelers and tourists entering Cyprus from the town' s Airport, Port and the Marina.

The Byzantine period of Larnaca is of great importance. It left many interesting monuments, among them the 9th century AD Basilica of Saint Lazarus. The town regained its standing during Ottoman rule when it became the diplomatic and commercial center of Cyprus.

It was here that the British landed in 1878 to begin their rule of the island that was ended in 1960. The recent history of the town follows the very fast development of all of the country.

In 1973 the population of Larnaca was 22.000. In 1974 Turkey invaded the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Army displaced by force about 200.000 Greek-Cypriots, the inhabitants of its Northern part. Larnaca received and welcomed over 40,000 refugees, thus tripling its population overnight, now at 85,000.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

More Mental Flexibility

A fascinating topic.

Just as you can stretch your body, to become more flexible, you can stretch your mind!

What is Mental Flexibility?

It is an attitude, a skill, a way of thinking.

Mental flexibility allows you to see things in a new way, come up with unusual solutions, and achieve better outcomes.

It you are mentally flexible, you can quickly adapt to feedback and adjust your behavior if necessary in order to get the outcome you intended.

And the good news is, that you can learn to be more flexible.

There are many benefits.

The first characteristic is Perception.

This is influenced by our personality, experiences and expectations. If we look at things in a rigid way, we can only see things that we recognize from past experience and may miss an opportunity for growth.

Your perception is determined by your experiences, expectations, and attitudes. For example, many years ago I went to a restaurant with a friend of mine. She is a nurse. While looking at the menu she became very excited. "What is this -- M.I. Special? OMG, what could be in it? A dozen eggs, a pound of bacon and some extra lard on the side?! I can't believe it! How can they sell something like that?!"
I wasn't sure what she was taking about. I closed the menu briefly and looked at the name of the restaurant. It said, Matthews Inn. I said , "I think M.I. stands for Matthews Inn. What do you think it stands for?" She said M.I. stands for Miocardial Infarction! Then we burst out laughing. As a nurse, M.I. had a different meaning for her than for me. Her experiences colored her perception.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Mental Flexibility

What is Mental Flexiblity?

It is an attitude, a skill, a way of thinking.

It enables you to adapt to new situations, create unusual solutions, and obtain better outcomes.

A mentally flexible person is an effective thinker, and is always willing to learn and grow.

In short, if you are mentally flexible, you are open-minded.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Inspirational Speech

The first meeting of Toastmasters was held in 1929.

Toastmasters became incorporated in 1939

They developed a manual, then a curriculum, several more manuals, published a periodical, and then...

The first woman joined Toastmasters in 1973. Her name was Helen Blanchard.

She joined under the name of Homer.

A few years later, the by-laws were amended to permit women to become members of the club.

I joined Toastmasters in 2009. In just 9 months, I have made 10 speeches, and completed the Competant Communicator manual. The last specch is the inspirational speech.

I'm not sure if I can inspire others, but I have discovered what inspires and motivates me. I need a challenge. A deadline. A goal. Toastmasters provides this.

In just 9 months I have learned a few things about crafting a speech.

1. Preparation. Writing a good speech is not good enough. After writing the speech, you need to read it, edit it, say it out loud and edit some more. You must rehearse it at least 3 times before delivering it. And this is for a speech of any length. The Competant Communicator speeches are all 5-7 minutes long.

2. Enthusiasm. The speech must be delivered with enthusiasm!

3. Confidence. Toastmasters really helps here, because the only way to develop confidence in your communication skills is to practice. You must do it.

"You must do the thing you are afraid to do." Eleanor Roosevelt said this. I don't know if she was referring to Toastmasters.

4. Notes. It is recommended to rehearse the speech often enough that you do not need to bring a copy of the speech with you. I write a few words on an index card. These serve as triggers, just in case I do not remember something, which is wont to happen when I am in front of a thousandr people. It has even happened in front of 5 or 6. But that's okay, as I am now unflappable. See #3.

Thank you Helen Blanchard, who has been the inspiration for this inspirational speech!

Our Greatest Fear

The quotation of the month is a poem by Marianne Williamson, originally published in her book A Return to Love.

Our Greatest Fear

Author: Marianne Williamson

Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,
but that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

Friday, March 12, 2010

It's Women's History Month

Here is a quotation, that I have found to share this year during Women's History month:

If you have any doubts that we live in a society controlled by men, try reading down the index of contributors to a volume of quotations, looking for women's names. - Elaine Gill

I like to use quotations by women, and just recently, looking for inspirational speeches and quotations, I found very few authored by women.

So I wonder why it is often said that women talk more than men...

If it were true, than why isn't anyone recording the words of wisdom?

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Wednesday

why do they call it wednesday?

why do they pronounce it wensday?

Why abbreviate it Wed., when the D is silent?

Wed-na's day??

Whens day?

When?!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

My Greatest Fear

I have a fear of flying...

Not airplane flying, but just getting out there and taking risks without a safety net.

I read a book by Douglas Adams. Several, in fact. I think it is one of the Hitchhiker trilogy. It was a fictional account, but it stated that human beings could fly. But not when they really wanted to. It would have to be when they were completely distrated from whatever they were doing, and if they looked around and said, "Wow! I'm flying!" they would immediately begin to fall. So the trick was to distract yourself again.

I read another book, this time non-fiction, about Meditation. It said that when you realize "Wow! I'm meditating!" then you have lost it.

So my greatest fear is to fall. or fail. I have Fear of Failure. Not Fear of Success. Is there really such a thing? I think it is a misnomer. Why would any fear success unless they think they will lose something or someone.

There is an old song that says: "One small taste of honey is worse than none at all!"

I'm afraid that I will manifest some wonderful things and a steady income of 2000 dollars or better per week, and then when I sit back and say, I'm a great manifestor, it will all disappear. That's my biggest fear.

I see others manifesting some great things. I view them with envy and distrust. Can it really be done? Can it really be so easy?!

I'm not much of a risk taker. Writing this was a risk. No, publishing it will be the risk. For now I will just save it as a draft.

I was given the opportunity to fly on Sunday morning. I shook my head firmly and said no! I wasn't going to go up on stage and sing in front of all thse people! But someone else did. And she did well. She's no Julie Andrews, but she wasn't Lucille Ball, either!

Here goes! We have nothing to fear, but fear itself...

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Happy New Year, Tiger!


For those of us who have already forgotten our New Year's Resolutions, we get another chance to begin again: The Year of the Golden Tiger, has just begun on February 14, 2010, according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar.

The Chinese Zodiac contains 12 different symbols, but they change every year, not every month. They also do not change on the same day every year. So if you were born in January of 1998, you are not a tiger, but an ox. If you are born in January, you have to look to the previous sign. My son will be 12, so he is a Tiger, having been born in 1998. If you are born in February, good luck trying to figure it out!

Are you a Tiger?

According to SpringsGreetingCards.com, you are:
Courageous, active, and self-assured. Optimistic, passionate and independent. Rebellious, dynamic, and unpredictable. Quick tempered but considerate. Affectionate but careless. The Tiger is a natural born leader and symbolizes power, passion and daring.

People born in the Year of the Tiger are generally well liked because of their charming personalities. Often, failing at a given task or being unproductive in his personal or professional life can cause a Tiger to experience a deep depression. Criticism from loved ones can also generate this type of Tiger reaction.

Tigers are fond of competitions. They simply cannot pass up a challenge. They may appear cool and are unpredictable, and it would be unwise to underestimate their reactions. Natural leaders, they have a strong sense of their own dignity. They are intelligent, alert, and farsighted. Good strategists and tacticians, they often have a hidden agenda. As long as they do not risk their luck too often, and keep their restless nature under control, they will enjoy success and happiness.

People born in the Year of the Tiger are straightforward and uninhibited in nature. They will never give up no matter how frustrated they may become. But, they are also full of suspicion and sometimes will take hasty action.

People born in the Year of the Tiger take pride in being different than others, and generally illustrate their originality best in their homes. Their homes are usually filled with exotic treasures. They are fast learners, need challenge and often work alone. Some tend to change careers more often because they get bored easily. They are natural born leaders and perform best if working towards positions of power and influence. They like to spend money, and also to share it. They can be quite impulsive spenders because they know they can always make more.

It is interesting that their two main features are rashness and hesitation, a pair of contradictions. If they know how to relax and do things according to the situation, they can become quite successful.

Tiger Years: 02/08/1902 to 01/28/1903 (Water), 01/26/1914 to 02/13/1915 (Wood), 02/13/1926 to 02/01/1927 (Fire), 01/31/1938 to 02/18/1939 (Earth), 02/17/1950 to 02/05/1951 (Metal), 02/05/1962 to 01/24/1963 (Water), 01/23/1974 to 02/10/1975 (Wood), 02/09/1986 to 01/28/1987 (Fire), 01/28/1998 to 02/15/1999 (Earth), 02/14/2010 to 02/02/2011 (Metal)

Famous Tiger People: Agatha Christie, Crystal Gayle, Cybill Shepherd, Demi Moore, Diana Rigg, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, Hilary Swank, Jodie Foster, Marilyn Monroe, Mary Queen of Scots, Norma Shearer, Penelope Cruz, Queen Elizabeth II, Rosie O'Donnell, and Tom Cruise.

This can be found at http://www.springsgreetingcards.com/catalogs/store.asp?pid=250913

Whether or not you are a Tiger, I would like to wish you Health and Happiness in the New Year!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

What TMI has done for me

I joined ToastMasters International in July 2009.

I have completed 8 speeches so far in the first manual, The Competant Communicator.

When I joined I just wanted to learn to be a more dynamic speaker. I wanted to engage my audience, and be able to think on my feet. I have done presentations for a long time and had mixed reviews. Sometimes I'm up and it goes wonderfully, sometimes I'm mediocre. So I wanted to learn how to make sure I am always at my best in the spotlight.

I think this is the best way to increase confidence as you also improve the effectiveness of your communication skills. I am very encouraged, since after the last 3 speeches, I have been told by different members that I improve each time and this is "the best one yet!"

I love to hear it! The feedback is wonderful. I never enjoyed "evaluations' until ToastMasters. You see, no one is allowed to say anything negative UNLESS they have a suggestion for improvement. And they come up with great suggestions. My second speech was given at a center for Advanced Speakers. I was offered the opportunity to speak before my scheduled workshop at the National Guild of Hypnotists in August 2009. At first I declined in sheer fright, but then realized what a great opportunity it would be. I'm glad I went.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Dr. Pete's Warning

Today I have a guest blogger, Dr. Pete. Dr. Pete is very concerned about the current work environment of today's employees. He has seen an increase in stress, anxiety, and depression, a decrease in life satisfaction, due to incredible pressure at work and the constant fear of losing one's livelihood. Many people are working harder and longer, due to the belief that the employer can lay off as many workers as he wants and still maintain the same level of productivity without giving any compensation. This results in demoralization of the employee, contributes to depression, and has a negative impact on the overall productivity of the corporation. Somehow, employers are not getting the message that harassing the employees will not have the desired effect.

In a changing world where the rich get rich and the poor get poorer it is time for the People to actually join their strengths together, and fight for their dignity, health, sanity, and peace of mind. Thinking individually and selfishly is not going to change anything. Have you ever wondered what would happen if people actually joined together? And said, “No More!” We demand to be treated with dignity and respect.

Has anyone ever thought if we all collectively decide not to got to work tomorrow, what's going to happen? Are we ALL going to get fired? Perhaps, not! What if decide not to go to work for the whole week? We may lose some money, but our employers will lose much more.

Dr. Pete says stop fighting yourself! Stop the rat race! Those employers prey on your compulsary behaviors and they capitalize on your fear. The American Dream as you knew it is DEAD, Create a New One!

Friday, February 5, 2010

Astronomical Controversy

When I was in Elementary School, I was taught that there were 9 planets in our solar system and that the mnemonic: My very elegant mother just served us nine pickles. Every word in that sentence begins with the first letter of the planets in order:
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto!

I would like to to discuss the controversy surrounding Pluto.

Pluto was discovered by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930 at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona. It was the first time an American had discovered a planet. Percival Lowell, who had established the observatory, had postulated that there was a ninth planet, which he referred to as "Planet X." Clyde Tombaugh, a 23 year old from Kansas was hired to look for Planet X. When he found it, he called it "Pluto" which was suggested by an 11 year old girl in England. It was named for the Roman God of the Underworld, not Mickey Mouse's dog, as you may have heard. In actuality, Mickey's pet was named after the planet!

In 2005 the American Planetary Society celebrated the 75th anniversary of the discovery of the planet Pluto.

In 2006, the International Astronomical Union decided that Pluto was not a planet. After much debate, it was decided that a planet must meet 3 criteria.
1. it must orbit the sun. (check)
2. it must be spherical in shape. (check)
3. it must have cleared the neighborhood of all debris.

Pluto was irresponsible with regard to cleaning up its neighborhood. Pluto's neighborhood is the Kuiper Belt which is populated by asteroids, called Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) or sometimes plutinos.

So Pluto has been demoted, demoralized and denigrated. It is no longer a planet, but a "dwarf planet."

The solar sytem now has eight planets. You can remember them by using this mnemonic device: Mooing very eagerly, Mary juggled slimy unicorns nimbly. Or making up your own sentence which creates a very unusual picture that is easy to remember.

This is a tragedy of astronomical proportions. But we can get through it together. I think if Pluto could talk, he would be grateful for his 75 years as a planet.

There are many morals to this story:

No job is safe in this economy.
Change is inevitable, nothing stays the same.
If you want to compete in Are you Smarter than a Fifth Grader, remember the mooing juggler.
and, of course,

Don't litter.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

The History of Pluto

The planet Pluto was named in 1930. Supposedly by a little girl. The astronomer's daughter, perhaps? Supposedly after Mickey Mouse's dog. But I wonder if that child had knowledge of the Roman mythology, since Pluto is the Roman God of the Underworld and Jupiter, the biggest god, equivalent to Zeus. Mercury was the messenger of the gods, equivalent to Hermes. Venus to Aphrodite, Mars to Ares.

But oops, I made a mistake. I referred to Pluto as a planet. One of the 9 planets in our system. Oops, make that 8. Pluto has been demoted. They say it is just a rock, smaller even than our moon, which was considered a planet in ancient times. Planet means wanderer. They noticed that some of the lights in the sky moved together in a pattern, and a few others moved around a bit erratically, like Saturn, Venus and Mars.

Anyway, I feel sorry for Pluto. Pluto is now just Mickey Mouse's dog again. Pluto is a dog in a world where mice, rats, ducks and other animals have jobs, speak English, and wear clothes. But Pluto can't talk, and wears only a collar.... I guess it could've been worse, she could have called it Goofy.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Learning Acceleration

Learning is an essential process to students everywhere. And students need to know the best way to make sure they can learn information quickly and easily.

So, how can we accelerate learning? The secret is to pay attention.

If you didn't hear it or see it, you won't remember it.

So, how can we pay attention?


Lifestyle


In order to perform at you optimum physical and mental ability, you need to pay attention to your lifestyle.

First you must get sufficient sleep. A healthy adult requires 7-8 hours. Recent studies show that 8 hours is significantly better for you.

You must eat healthy, nutritional foods. Your brain can't work on sugar and caffeine alone!

And you must stay active. Physical exercise is good for your body, and it has other benefits as well, emotionally and mentally, too!

Finally, mental exercise. If you don’t use it, you lose it, so do mental exercises as well. The best mental exercise is learning a new language. If you already multi-lingual, solving various puzzles and word problems can help you stay sharp.

Social connections. There are many doctors and scientists who have made the connection between healthy aging and an active family or community life. It turns out friends are good for you!


Toastmasters International, the organization which makes improving communication look fun and easy, provides some ways to pay attention:

At every meeting, someone is selected count every "um," "eh," or "ah" the speaker makes. The “ah-counter” is responsible for counting all the unintelligible utterances that come out of a speakers mouth. It takes a little effort, so you definitely have to pay attention to count them.

Every speech gets evaluated, the evaluator gives feedback on the words, body language and content of the speech. Pretend you are the official evaluator for this speech, lecture or class.

It is recommended to take notes during the speech, as if you might be tested on it later. This helps you perform the evaluation and also helps if you need to review the information later.

Other creative ways to pay attention

I recently heard that doodling is beneficial to listening. You don't need to exert much effort to scribble on a piece of paper, so it doesn't interfere with listening, like daydreaming does. While daydreaming you may be 90 miles away in Orlando, or 4000miles away in Paris (France), so you definitely cannot attend to the speaker or teacher.


Then of course, there's self-hypnosis. This can be used to make sure you are a brilliant student and perform well on tests, but the regular practice also enhances your memory and concentration. And since hypnosis is defined as focused attention, you can even use it during class. There are books that instruct about self-hypnosis techniques, but most people will find it helpful and enjoyable to learn from a Consulting Hypnotist.


Thank you for paying attention. I hope you learned something!

Monday Mourning

Monday is a good day, because I get a newsletter every monday morning, Coffee with Kevin Hogan. But it did not come this week until Tuesday. I guess thats why it wasn't such a good day for me. I wound up wearing black from head to toe, and while that isn't unusual for most people, I rarely wear black. It's not a very flattering color for me, so I usually only wear black skirts or pants. I have a black sweater, but never wore it until this year when it was just too cold at work and I needed several sweaters to keep warm.

When I left the house, I observed that I was wearing all black and felt a little down, so I realized I was in mourning. I guess I was in mourning for my weekend. They seem to go too fast. And the week flies by without my accomplishing anything I really want to accomplish....

Friday, January 8, 2010

The Real Guidelines

I wrote the previous article because I was planning a speech for the ToastMaster's group. Although the previous article contains much good, practical advice, the 10 points are too lenghthy to present in a 5-7 minute speech and frankly, just too boring. I bored myself the first time I ran thru it verbally.

So I decided I should take a risk and be more truthful. And funny.

Here are the real guidelines for 2010:

1. Go Green. It seems that almost every week I find myself in the grocery store, on line for the cashier, putting on my things on the conveyor belt, and as soon as I load the last item, it hits me, I left the reuseable shopping bags in the car! I keep them there for convenience, of course. At this point is is too late to run to the car and get them, so I wind up with 5 or more plastic bags to add to my collection of 7000 bags in the cabinet in the Florida Room. (What I hate the most is when the helpful bagger puts only one or two items in each bag and I get 30 more bags!!)

2. Take a 10 min walk every morning in order to eliminate 10 pounds of excess baggage which has decided to make a permanent home around my waistline. I read recently that the 10 minute walk in the morning is a good way to kick-sttart the calorie burning process, so you burn more all day long!

3. Make Healthier food choices-- for me this means more vegetables. I love vegetables, but I have just gotten out of the habit of preparing a salad or cooking some fresh veggies for dinner. This needs to change. It will help with number 2. Guideline number 2!

4. Indulge in a Creative Outlet Daily--for me this means to write every day. I like to think of myself as a writer and I usually write most days, but I need to write every day and get some more articles published. Also update my blogs more often.

5. Increase Laughs Per Day (LPD). The average adult laughs 15 times per day. The average small child laughs in excess of 400 times per day. Martha Beck recommends at least 30 LPD in her book, The Joy Diet. And I bet you didn't know that if you laugh long and hard enough, it is a cardiovascular exercise!

6. Self-hypnosis-- I recommend this for 2 ten minute periods each day. It is portable,costs nothing, doesn't require any special equipment, and you return refreshed, as if you have taken a mini vacation! Self hypnosis done on a daily basis triggers the "relaxation response," reduces stress, and boosts the immune system.

7. Don't eat snow! There is a 40% chance of snow in my area of Florida tomorrow. So I want to caution you that putting snow in your mouth, letting it melt and then drinking the melted water, causes your body temperature to drop, increasing your risk of hypothermia and death. So please don't eat the snow!

These are my guidelines to reduce stress and improve my health in 2010.

Feel free to use these guidelines if you like them and want to have more laughter, creativity, and vegetables in your new year!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Gloria's Guidelines for 2010

Instead of Resolutions, which nobody keeps, I have come up with some guidelines for the new year that contribute to wellbeing in mind, body, and spirit.

1. Eat Breakfast! You have heard this saying or somthing similar, Eat Breakfast like a Queen, Lunch like a Princess, and dinner like a pauper.
It's true. They find that people who eat breakfast every day live longer than those who do not.
2. Choose fresh fruits and vegetable every day, use olive or canola oil for salads and cooking, consume the mediterranean diet, which includes little red meat and dairy products but lots of fruit, vegetables and olive oil. Red wine too, see #6.
3. Sleep 8 hours per night, this is ideal for most adults, but if you take advantage of the relaxation response, by doing yoga, meditation, tai chi, or self-hypnosis on a daily basis for at least 20 minutes, you can be healthy with just 7 hours of sleep per night. Just 2 10-minute sessions of self-hypnosis per day leaves you more rested and refreshed than an extra hour of sleep!
4. Physical activity--take the stairs if you are going to 4th floor or lower. Take a walk instead or a cart when golfing. Do whatever you like to do. If you resolve to swim every day, but you hate swimming, it's not going to work!
5. Don't smoke.
6. Don't drink, unless it is one glass of red wine per day. Red wine contains resveratrol, which is an anti-oxidant. Grape juice also contains resveratrol, but red wine is more fun!
7. Reduce intake of foods made with refined sugar, like candy, cookies, cake, pie, donuts, etc.
8. Friendship--social connectedness is good for you. Eliminate some of your negative relatives and replace them with positive supportive friends!
9. Do something creative--write, draw, sing, knit, sew, make something!
10. Laugh every day. This can even be counted as exercise if you do it long enough or often enough!
11. Feed you mind. Learn something; challenge yourself.
12. Feed your spirit. Whatever makes you feel connected to something larger than yourself. Express your spirituality in your own way; meditation, prayer, or just walking in nature (see #4).

These are my recommendations for taking care of your body, mind, and spirit.