Margaret's Life Story Blog
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Birthdays! A Story Writing Contest
Here is a story telling opportunity for you!
We all have birthdays. The opportunity is to write a birthday story. It can be a story about:
Your birthday
Your child's birthday
A birthday present
Your Mom or Dad's birthday
Your spouse's birthday
A birthday party
A birthday wish
A worst birthday
A best birthday
Or another birthday tale that you have that doesn't fit any of the above
There are so many possibilities. You can submit your birthday story and Dawn and I will provide a $25 Visa gift card to the story that wins us over. Every birthday is so unique, the winning story will be decided based on the story circumstances and contents.
You must submit your story to the TellOurLifeStories.com Story Collection by noon your local time on Tuesday, May 29.
So log on (it's free) and start your birthday story today!
Log on to TellOurLifeStories.com
We all have birthdays. The opportunity is to write a birthday story. It can be a story about:
Your birthday
Your child's birthday
A birthday present
Your Mom or Dad's birthday
Your spouse's birthday
A birthday party
A birthday wish
A worst birthday
A best birthday
Or another birthday tale that you have that doesn't fit any of the above
There are so many possibilities. You can submit your birthday story and Dawn and I will provide a $25 Visa gift card to the story that wins us over. Every birthday is so unique, the winning story will be decided based on the story circumstances and contents.
You must submit your story to the TellOurLifeStories.com Story Collection by noon your local time on Tuesday, May 29.
So log on (it's free) and start your birthday story today!
Log on to TellOurLifeStories.com
The Invitation by Oriah
This is a poem that I ran across some years ago and wanted to share it with you all. It is by Oriah from the book The Invitation 
published by HarperONE, San Francisco.
The Invitation, by Oriah
It doesn’t interest me
what you do for a living.
I want to know
what you ache for
and if you dare to dream
of meeting your heart’s longing.
It doesn’t interest me
how old you are.
I want to know
if you will risk
looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn’t interest me
what planets are
squaring your moon...
I want to know
if you have touched
the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened
by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.
I want to know
if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.
I want to know
if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you
to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations
of being human.
It doesn’t interest me
if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear
the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.
I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.
I want to know
if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”
It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live
or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.
It doesn’t interest me
who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.
It doesn’t interest me
where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know
what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.
I want to know
if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like
the company you keep
in the empty moments.
published by HarperONE, San Francisco.The Invitation, by Oriah
It doesn’t interest me
what you do for a living.
I want to know
what you ache for
and if you dare to dream
of meeting your heart’s longing.
It doesn’t interest me
how old you are.
I want to know
if you will risk
looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn’t interest me
what planets are
squaring your moon...
I want to know
if you have touched
the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened
by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.
I want to know
if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.
I want to know
if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you
to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations
of being human.
It doesn’t interest me
if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear
the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.
I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.
I want to know
if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”
It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live
or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.
It doesn’t interest me
who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.
It doesn’t interest me
where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know
what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.
I want to know
if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like
the company you keep
in the empty moments.
Amazing Things People Are Doing
Lately in the newspaper, I've been coming across what seems like a constant stream of new, ingenious ideas. The incredibly creative things people are doing, following their instincts and putting their training and passion to use in new ways. I've been clipping articles to share.
Here's one that was in the San Francisco Chronicle last month. The title is 'Appily Ever After. It's about the woman dating Mike Krieger, co-founder of Instagram which was sold last month to Facebook for $1 billion. That in itself is an amazing story I am sure, but here is a woman who experiences her boyfriend coming home and talking this computer language she didn't understand. Instead of whining how he was constantly on call with server alerts and technical issues, curiosity took her on a new path to knowledge. She embraced this time as an opportunity to create her own web app that could interact with his. Read the story for the details.
Here's a clever memoir idea by A.J. Jacobs who sets himself up with a series of comic self-improvement books. The first two were "The Know-It-All" followed by "The Year of LIving Biblically." The latest one "Drop Dead Healthy" has as its focus A. J. Jacobs making himself, "the world's healthiest man." In this book he uses his wife and family as foils and partners in his quest. He checks off the parts of the body slated for improvement in 27 short chapters. Clever memoir.
And what about this one from a Swedish couple. They solved a problem of the ugly legs on Ikea beds and sofas. They invented their own colorful legs specifically designed for Ikea furniture. Their colorful appealing designs have turned into a business. Who knew?! Their frustration when they loved the simple design of the Idea brand furniture but hated the legs, turned into opportunity for them.
Then there is a man, Ivan Makarov from San Jose, a photography buff. Over Christmas vacation, he had time on his hands and posted on Google Plus, a question: Who wants to be in a book of photography? Within a day, he had received more than 500 photo submissions from around the globe! Imagine! Within 2 months entirely through the online community he had engaged with a Web designer in Switzerland, an engineer in Germany and a law office in Washington, D.C. all donating services to making the book a reality. He created a non-profit organization and all proceeds go to Kiva, a microlending nonprofit based in San Francisco. A limited-edition hard-bound book was published and copies snapped up for $200 each. It is called "Plus One Collection."
Here's one that was in the San Francisco Chronicle last month. The title is 'Appily Ever After. It's about the woman dating Mike Krieger, co-founder of Instagram which was sold last month to Facebook for $1 billion. That in itself is an amazing story I am sure, but here is a woman who experiences her boyfriend coming home and talking this computer language she didn't understand. Instead of whining how he was constantly on call with server alerts and technical issues, curiosity took her on a new path to knowledge. She embraced this time as an opportunity to create her own web app that could interact with his. Read the story for the details.
Here's a clever memoir idea by A.J. Jacobs who sets himself up with a series of comic self-improvement books. The first two were "The Know-It-All" followed by "The Year of LIving Biblically." The latest one "Drop Dead Healthy"
has as its focus A. J. Jacobs making himself, "the world's healthiest man." In this book he uses his wife and family as foils and partners in his quest. He checks off the parts of the body slated for improvement in 27 short chapters. Clever memoir.And what about this one from a Swedish couple. They solved a problem of the ugly legs on Ikea beds and sofas. They invented their own colorful legs specifically designed for Ikea furniture. Their colorful appealing designs have turned into a business. Who knew?! Their frustration when they loved the simple design of the Idea brand furniture but hated the legs, turned into opportunity for them.
Then there is a man, Ivan Makarov from San Jose, a photography buff. Over Christmas vacation, he had time on his hands and posted on Google Plus, a question: Who wants to be in a book of photography? Within a day, he had received more than 500 photo submissions from around the globe! Imagine! Within 2 months entirely through the online community he had engaged with a Web designer in Switzerland, an engineer in Germany and a law office in Washington, D.C. all donating services to making the book a reality. He created a non-profit organization and all proceeds go to Kiva, a microlending nonprofit based in San Francisco. A limited-edition hard-bound book was published and copies snapped up for $200 each. It is called "Plus One Collection."
Mother's Day Gratitude
As a woman who was not able to have children of my own and wanted to very much, there have been years when Mother's Day was especially difficult for me. I don't feel that way any more.
Looking upon the day as a chance to reflect on what the blessings have been, I am grateful for my home, my family, and my friends. I reflect on my friends who take delight in their children and also my friends who have children who are on a more difficult and worrisome journey where, even though the love of their parents is with them, their journey is taking them to places that worry my friends and cause them heartache even though these children are no longer children.
Certainly, I have had difficult times with my own mother. But as an adult with happiness to be thankful for, I can look upon those years with a new eye. My mother is in assisted living. I am grateful that she has good care. I talk with her still every Sunday and I can hear how she is relaxed, with the anxiety of taking care of her home behind her and her day-to-day needs being met so well. She no longer needs to sort out her pills, they bring her the right ones at the right times. My brothers and sister no longer need to go to her home and try to sort this out for her only to have her undo the sorting of the pills and then wonder if she took the right one when she was supposed to take it.
They no longer need to go over there every single Saturday as they were doing for more than 20 years, mow the lawn or, later when she could no longer drive, to take her to the grocery story and the library. Those times are behind us all and we can sigh knowing that she is in a place where she needs to be and that she is relaxed there and, quite frankly, happier than I've known her to be in many years. I attribute that to relief coming from not having to take care of so many things any more.
As for me, as a widow with work that I enjoy even though it feels relentless and stressful at times, I am grateful to be able to support myself in a way that allows me some flexibility to do things that I love, such as travel or engage in some home projects. I am grateful for my church family and the things that I learn there about community. Getting older and looking forward, I am grateful for the life I am able to have.
As you look at this day and reflect on its meaning for you, and for your family, perhaps you also have thoughts about both the good times and the not-so-good times. Maybe it is the not-so-good times that help us to be more grateful for those good ones though!
Looking upon the day as a chance to reflect on what the blessings have been, I am grateful for my home, my family, and my friends. I reflect on my friends who take delight in their children and also my friends who have children who are on a more difficult and worrisome journey where, even though the love of their parents is with them, their journey is taking them to places that worry my friends and cause them heartache even though these children are no longer children.
Certainly, I have had difficult times with my own mother. But as an adult with happiness to be thankful for, I can look upon those years with a new eye. My mother is in assisted living. I am grateful that she has good care. I talk with her still every Sunday and I can hear how she is relaxed, with the anxiety of taking care of her home behind her and her day-to-day needs being met so well. She no longer needs to sort out her pills, they bring her the right ones at the right times. My brothers and sister no longer need to go to her home and try to sort this out for her only to have her undo the sorting of the pills and then wonder if she took the right one when she was supposed to take it.
They no longer need to go over there every single Saturday as they were doing for more than 20 years, mow the lawn or, later when she could no longer drive, to take her to the grocery story and the library. Those times are behind us all and we can sigh knowing that she is in a place where she needs to be and that she is relaxed there and, quite frankly, happier than I've known her to be in many years. I attribute that to relief coming from not having to take care of so many things any more.
As for me, as a widow with work that I enjoy even though it feels relentless and stressful at times, I am grateful to be able to support myself in a way that allows me some flexibility to do things that I love, such as travel or engage in some home projects. I am grateful for my church family and the things that I learn there about community. Getting older and looking forward, I am grateful for the life I am able to have.
As you look at this day and reflect on its meaning for you, and for your family, perhaps you also have thoughts about both the good times and the not-so-good times. Maybe it is the not-so-good times that help us to be more grateful for those good ones though!
Banana Cake
After dropping my sister off, I stopped and got a New York Times and a few groceries went to Pete's coffee shop and sat down and read most of it right there on the spot. It was a great thing to do on a Sunday morning. It was overcast and so nice to relax after a few days filled with activity.
Going home after that, I unpacked and took a tour around remembering the good time we had while Carol was here, wondering how her flight was going.
In the kitchen there were some rather old-ish bananas sitting in the bowl of fruit. I remembered Carol asking me, "do you ever make banana bread?" I had said that I did not. She said she didn't either because then she would just eat it all.
Well I decided to make the recipe for banana bread at cooks.com.
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 whole eggs
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
3/4 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 1/2 cups all purpose-flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 325°F.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together sugar, oil and eggs. Stir in lemon rind and bananas. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to banana mixture and mix until well blended. Fold in nuts. Pour into a well greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.
Bake in a 325° oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean.
Remove from pan and cool on rack.
Servings: 10
Yield: 1 loaf
Nutrition (per serving): 246 calories, 12.1g total fat, 42.3mg cholesterol, 225.1mg sodium, 85.5mg potassium, 30.7g carbohydrates, 1.3g fiber, 15.5g sugar, 4.7g protein, 1.2g saturated fat, less than 1g trans fatty acids, 1.4mg iron, 41.3mcg folate, 73.1mg phosphorus, 49.2IU Vitamin A, less than 1mcg Vitamin B12, less than 1mg Vitamin C, 3.5IU Vitamin D.
It turned out great and I had two warm steamy pieces right off when it came out of the oven. I recommend it!
_______________________________________
TellOurLifeStories.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. So if you have shopping needs here today, this might be convenient for you!
Going home after that, I unpacked and took a tour around remembering the good time we had while Carol was here, wondering how her flight was going.
In the kitchen there were some rather old-ish bananas sitting in the bowl of fruit. I remembered Carol asking me, "do you ever make banana bread?" I had said that I did not. She said she didn't either because then she would just eat it all.
Well I decided to make the recipe for banana bread at cooks.com.
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 whole eggs
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
3/4 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 1/2 cups all purpose-flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 325°F.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together sugar, oil and eggs. Stir in lemon rind and bananas. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to banana mixture and mix until well blended. Fold in nuts. Pour into a well greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.
Bake in a 325° oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean.
Remove from pan and cool on rack.
Servings: 10
Yield: 1 loaf
Nutrition (per serving): 246 calories, 12.1g total fat, 42.3mg cholesterol, 225.1mg sodium, 85.5mg potassium, 30.7g carbohydrates, 1.3g fiber, 15.5g sugar, 4.7g protein, 1.2g saturated fat, less than 1g trans fatty acids, 1.4mg iron, 41.3mcg folate, 73.1mg phosphorus, 49.2IU Vitamin A, less than 1mcg Vitamin B12, less than 1mg Vitamin C, 3.5IU Vitamin D.
It turned out great and I had two warm steamy pieces right off when it came out of the oven. I recommend it!
_______________________________________
TellOurLifeStories.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. So if you have shopping needs here today, this might be convenient for you
!
Carol's Visit
Well, this past weekend, I spent with my sister Carol who came to visit me from Wisconsin. We had a great time. We did things that I rarely do living here. For one thing, we went out to the beach on Friday afternoon. It was beautiful weather for her visit and we enjoyed being out in the garden which was all in bloom with irises showing themselves off. Here's a picture of Carol at the beach. It's not a Southern California beach after all and you still needed a jacket but there were people going in the water up to their legs anyway and some kids playing around out there. It was a dog-friendly beach which Carol loved being the dog-lover that she is.
My sister Carol on a beautiful day at the beach
Wednesday when she got here, later in the early evening after she got settled, we walked into Fairfax for dinner at Fradelicio's Italian Restaurant. And Thursday she spent some time in the garden while I went out and bought my new car that I had to buy because I got into an accident and my other car was totaled. That is another story, but I got the exact same kind of car only a pre-owned, certified Honda CR-V. I'll have to learn to use all the gadgets and navigation system. I may end up being sorry that I got all that stuff, but it seemed like a good idea a the time and the insurance gave me what I thought was a good settlement on it. No one got hurt in the accident either which is the most important thing.
That evening, Carol and I took a longer walk into San Anselmo, meandering through the neighborhoods that evening and ate at Marinitas. That brought us to beach day on Friday, after which we went to Sausalito since it was so close to Muir Beach and toured around. We came home and had steaks that evening and ate in my new dining room, which was a treat for me since I got to use my dishes and set up the table and open a nice bottle of wine for us.
Saturday, she wanted to spend the day in San Francisco and stay overnight and see a show. Friday morning while she was taking a walk at the track nearby at Sir Francis Drake high school, I looked all around for shows we could go to and found a comedy show at Cobb's Comedy Club. I made a reservation there and also at a Kimpton Hotel as I knew they would have reasonable prices. I picked the Prescott Hotel on Post Street for the location and it looked like a good spot for us.
Saturday morning we got ready and left the house just before noontime. We checked in and were actually able to get into our room right away where we stashed our things and went down and had a little lunch. We had a friendly waiter for lunch who told us about the happy hour with the free pizza later at our hotel. Then we walked along to Union Square where they were having a Taiwan festival with live music and booths of Taiwanese food and items. We walked over to Chinatown. I had been thinking that one of those colorful Chinese blouses with the mandarin collar would be fun to have and so we started looking at those.
"You try on, you like," said the saleslady.
"OK," says Carol. "What about this one? Do you have it in another size?"
"I go check," says the saleslady. Sure enough she has them in all sizes and we find two that we like.
We walked through more stores and through Macy's where we found some jewelry on the clearance table that would go with our new outfits.
When we got back to the hotel, we walked through the club room on the fourth floor where they were going to have the pizza and our waiter was already there serving up drinks to other guests. "Hello Margaret, hello Carol!" he called out us. "You come over, have drink," he says. So we go over there and thank him again for the discount card he gave us to Macy's. We take our wine up to the room to get ready for our evening and put on our new outfits. Then we go back downstairs for the pizza. Our generous waiter says, "Oh Margaret, Carol, you look beautiful!"
He brings us pizza treats while we have a little wine and observe the other guests from all over the world. There was a British couple who were on a honeymoon. They had eloped and had just called the people back home to let them know. At the hotel we also met a Scotsman who said that the daffodils were starting to bloom there now.
Well our waiter, knowing we were going to a show at 7 p.m. comes over and says it is time for us to go. So we go downstairs and get a cab right away and are practically the first ones in Cobb's Comedy Club because we end up being so early. The place doesn't fill up either. Maybe not a good sign. When the comedian comes on after the warm-up act which is OK but not great, he turns out to be so raunchy. I am laughing at some of his routines but really, he is not versatile, and the only thing in his repertoire is sex raunch. I am not sorry when the show is over.
Back out in the chilly but mild evening, I think that we should go up to the top of Nob Hill for the view. On our way walking up the street in North Beach, a couple asks us for directions. I tell them where we are and point them toward Chinatown which isn't far. They are on their around-the-world honeymoon. So that's the second honeymooning couple we've come across in the same day.
Carol and I get a cab and go up to the Top of the Mark in the Mark Hopkins Hotel. But there is no view since it is foggy. So I don't want to pay the $15 cover charge for the terrible band that is up there only to look out at a shrouded San Francisco. We walk up the street to the Huntington Hotel and their cozy bar. We have a dessert there. Carol has chocolate cake and I have cherry upside-down-cake, both served with vanilla gelato, yum. Then we get another cab the short ride back to our hotel and get to bed.
In the morning they serve a beautiful breakfast in that fourth floor club area and we get to have a coffee and fresh fruit and pastry before Carol's trip is over and she is going to the airport.
It was a great visit.
_________________________
TellOurLifeStories.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. So if you have shopping needs here today, this might be convenient for you!
My sister Carol on a beautiful day at the beach
Wednesday when she got here, later in the early evening after she got settled, we walked into Fairfax for dinner at Fradelicio's Italian Restaurant. And Thursday she spent some time in the garden while I went out and bought my new car that I had to buy because I got into an accident and my other car was totaled. That is another story, but I got the exact same kind of car only a pre-owned, certified Honda CR-V. I'll have to learn to use all the gadgets and navigation system. I may end up being sorry that I got all that stuff, but it seemed like a good idea a the time and the insurance gave me what I thought was a good settlement on it. No one got hurt in the accident either which is the most important thing.
That evening, Carol and I took a longer walk into San Anselmo, meandering through the neighborhoods that evening and ate at Marinitas. That brought us to beach day on Friday, after which we went to Sausalito since it was so close to Muir Beach and toured around. We came home and had steaks that evening and ate in my new dining room, which was a treat for me since I got to use my dishes and set up the table and open a nice bottle of wine for us.
Saturday, she wanted to spend the day in San Francisco and stay overnight and see a show. Friday morning while she was taking a walk at the track nearby at Sir Francis Drake high school, I looked all around for shows we could go to and found a comedy show at Cobb's Comedy Club. I made a reservation there and also at a Kimpton Hotel as I knew they would have reasonable prices. I picked the Prescott Hotel on Post Street for the location and it looked like a good spot for us.
Saturday morning we got ready and left the house just before noontime. We checked in and were actually able to get into our room right away where we stashed our things and went down and had a little lunch. We had a friendly waiter for lunch who told us about the happy hour with the free pizza later at our hotel. Then we walked along to Union Square where they were having a Taiwan festival with live music and booths of Taiwanese food and items. We walked over to Chinatown. I had been thinking that one of those colorful Chinese blouses with the mandarin collar would be fun to have and so we started looking at those.
"You try on, you like," said the saleslady.
"OK," says Carol. "What about this one? Do you have it in another size?"
"I go check," says the saleslady. Sure enough she has them in all sizes and we find two that we like.
We walked through more stores and through Macy's where we found some jewelry on the clearance table that would go with our new outfits.
When we got back to the hotel, we walked through the club room on the fourth floor where they were going to have the pizza and our waiter was already there serving up drinks to other guests. "Hello Margaret, hello Carol!" he called out us. "You come over, have drink," he says. So we go over there and thank him again for the discount card he gave us to Macy's. We take our wine up to the room to get ready for our evening and put on our new outfits. Then we go back downstairs for the pizza. Our generous waiter says, "Oh Margaret, Carol, you look beautiful!"
He brings us pizza treats while we have a little wine and observe the other guests from all over the world. There was a British couple who were on a honeymoon. They had eloped and had just called the people back home to let them know. At the hotel we also met a Scotsman who said that the daffodils were starting to bloom there now.
Well our waiter, knowing we were going to a show at 7 p.m. comes over and says it is time for us to go. So we go downstairs and get a cab right away and are practically the first ones in Cobb's Comedy Club because we end up being so early. The place doesn't fill up either. Maybe not a good sign. When the comedian comes on after the warm-up act which is OK but not great, he turns out to be so raunchy. I am laughing at some of his routines but really, he is not versatile, and the only thing in his repertoire is sex raunch. I am not sorry when the show is over.
Back out in the chilly but mild evening, I think that we should go up to the top of Nob Hill for the view. On our way walking up the street in North Beach, a couple asks us for directions. I tell them where we are and point them toward Chinatown which isn't far. They are on their around-the-world honeymoon. So that's the second honeymooning couple we've come across in the same day.
Carol and I get a cab and go up to the Top of the Mark in the Mark Hopkins Hotel. But there is no view since it is foggy. So I don't want to pay the $15 cover charge for the terrible band that is up there only to look out at a shrouded San Francisco. We walk up the street to the Huntington Hotel and their cozy bar. We have a dessert there. Carol has chocolate cake and I have cherry upside-down-cake, both served with vanilla gelato, yum. Then we get another cab the short ride back to our hotel and get to bed.
In the morning they serve a beautiful breakfast in that fourth floor club area and we get to have a coffee and fresh fruit and pastry before Carol's trip is over and she is going to the airport.
It was a great visit.
_________________________
TellOurLifeStories.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. So if you have shopping needs here today, this might be convenient for you
!
Milestones and the New Dining Room
Birthdays are always special occasions in my mind. My friend Julie is celebrating her 40th with a dinner cruise from Vancouver to Seattle, inviting friends and family! I"ve known Julie for 15 years and last night we had a chance to get together and catch up. There she is celebrating her 40th and I just celebrated my 60th in December, both milestone birthdays. We all have these milestone birthdays. Some pass without any chatter in our mind, and others stick there calling themselves out frequently and loudly with comments like, "you're having this birthday, you are getting older, what about that?" We might look in the mirror more frequently, happen to see old pictures and remember all that's happened. We can get to comparing ourselves with others and their accomplishments, never a good thing.
One thing that my birthday did for me was push me into doing some remodeling to add some cabinets for my abundance of dishes. Since I enjoy cooking for people and having them over, I do use all these dishes, and there have been some great parties in my dining room. I wanted to spruce it up because the morning sun comes in there and it would be so nice to be able to see it.
The window will come later to let in the sun, for now the cabinets were enough of an expense and project, a closet needed to be knocked down, some sheet rock repair and cutting up the carpeting. I have no idea what to do with the floor and am open to suggestions which have been provided generously by numerous people. "Hardwood is such a hassle," "I love my hardwood," "Tile is so great and easy," "Tile is so hard and cold." It goes on. It won't be till next year that I can tackle anything more, but at this point, Julie was here last night to share with me the first dinner at my new dining room table. It was great because she was also part of all the decisions during the last time I did some remodeling after Mike died and I had to have my home different. At that time, I was driven by creating my new life without him. Tonite she is staying in the guest room I created then with it's own bath. This time, my 60th birthday drove me into this place of knowing that if I have these years of my life before me, how do I want them to look? What are the things I enjoy and don't want to put off.
I had been thinking about the cabinets for nearly 10 years, and the window. But I had always thought of it in the far corner only. Then I had a dinner and Doug and Pete came and, Doug said, "If you want the morning sun to come in, you could put the window right in the middle and then you could see it from the kitchen too." Wow, it was the perfect idea. "Oh yes, he said, if you want to remodel, just ask two gay guys to come over and they'll have all the ideas you need!" His partner Pete had some great ideas about the kitchen too.
Well not two weeks later, I saw a 40% off sale from one of those closet companies and here I am 6 weeks later with a full set of cabinets and a new dining room set. Of course part of the cabinets hasn't arrived yet and the side chairs are missing from the table. But I am happy and the rest of the stuff will arrive next week. My neighbor John took out the closet and did such a neat job it all went very smoothly.
I have the table all set for Easter brunch in two days too. How much fun to have Friday off. Julie left this morning and it was so nice to have breakfast with her and talk some more. Here I am doing a little laundry, enjoying being at home. Later I can take a walk up to the store carrying my colorful bag that Eleanor got me for grocery shopping. The garden is all ready for Sunday brunch, I fluffed it all up last weekend and I can smile as I look out the window as I write.
You can see, right above that shorter middle cabinet where the window is going to go... eventually!
_______________________________________
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So if you have shopping needs here today, this might be convenient for you!
One thing that my birthday did for me was push me into doing some remodeling to add some cabinets for my abundance of dishes. Since I enjoy cooking for people and having them over, I do use all these dishes, and there have been some great parties in my dining room. I wanted to spruce it up because the morning sun comes in there and it would be so nice to be able to see it.
The window will come later to let in the sun, for now the cabinets were enough of an expense and project, a closet needed to be knocked down, some sheet rock repair and cutting up the carpeting. I have no idea what to do with the floor and am open to suggestions which have been provided generously by numerous people. "Hardwood is such a hassle," "I love my hardwood," "Tile is so great and easy," "Tile is so hard and cold." It goes on. It won't be till next year that I can tackle anything more, but at this point, Julie was here last night to share with me the first dinner at my new dining room table. It was great because she was also part of all the decisions during the last time I did some remodeling after Mike died and I had to have my home different. At that time, I was driven by creating my new life without him. Tonite she is staying in the guest room I created then with it's own bath. This time, my 60th birthday drove me into this place of knowing that if I have these years of my life before me, how do I want them to look? What are the things I enjoy and don't want to put off.
I had been thinking about the cabinets for nearly 10 years, and the window. But I had always thought of it in the far corner only. Then I had a dinner and Doug and Pete came and, Doug said, "If you want the morning sun to come in, you could put the window right in the middle and then you could see it from the kitchen too." Wow, it was the perfect idea. "Oh yes, he said, if you want to remodel, just ask two gay guys to come over and they'll have all the ideas you need!" His partner Pete had some great ideas about the kitchen too.
Well not two weeks later, I saw a 40% off sale from one of those closet companies and here I am 6 weeks later with a full set of cabinets and a new dining room set. Of course part of the cabinets hasn't arrived yet and the side chairs are missing from the table. But I am happy and the rest of the stuff will arrive next week. My neighbor John took out the closet and did such a neat job it all went very smoothly.
I have the table all set for Easter brunch in two days too. How much fun to have Friday off. Julie left this morning and it was so nice to have breakfast with her and talk some more. Here I am doing a little laundry, enjoying being at home. Later I can take a walk up to the store carrying my colorful bag that Eleanor got me for grocery shopping. The garden is all ready for Sunday brunch, I fluffed it all up last weekend and I can smile as I look out the window as I write.
You can see, right above that shorter middle cabinet where the window is going to go... eventually!
_______________________________________
TellOurLifeStories.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
So if you have shopping needs here today, this might be convenient for you
!
More Gems
The thing that I like about these gems is that they are actually slices of life. When you read them, you can picture in your mind the people, even the looks on their faces and an image of the situation. Really they are a very short life story right there in a few brief lines.
These below are more from Chronicle columnist Leah Garchik.
He: "She's a Democratic whack-o." She: "Oh, don't you start!" Conversation of elderly couple at spring training overheard in Scottsdale.
Word of Mill Valley Tennis Club's first Artificial Parts Tournament, which organizers hope will be an annual event. Overall winner was a team called Hips, Implants & Left Knees. Nods also went to contestants with Best Limp, Most Artificial Parts, Best Sear, Most Meds, Most Operations and Least Stoic.
Note: Interestingly, on Wed. April 4 there was a story in the Chronicle hailing Marin County, where Mill Valley is situated, as the healthiest county in California according to the third annual report from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
In the local Marin County Independent Journal newspaper, there was this article on Tuesday, April 3 reporting that a man was booked on suspicion of assault with at deadly weapon and possession of a dangerous weapon with bail set at $50,000. Apparently the man accused his brother of eating the last of the frozen shrimp, striking him in the hand with a billy club, then leaving the room to get his stun gun.
Back to Leah:
"He got a job with Google, so I don't want to be friends anymore. No one that young should have so much money." Young woman on cell overheard in Oakland at Jack London Square.
Teenage girl: "So, like, what exactly happened to Marie Antoinette?" Older man: They sent her down to Fresno." Conversation overheard in checkout line of Safeway on Potrero in San Francisco.
"You get back here, or I'll tell all your friends that you have ringworm!" Mother on porch to boy riding bike down driveway, overheard in Berkeley.
"You should not be having any cookies other than Girl Scout cookies. Anything else is unpatriotic." Mother to daughter gazing upon Safeway cookie selection.
Hostess: "How did you like the wine?" Diner: "It went really good with the green thing." Conversation overheard at Spruce restaurant.
"Your baggage, compared to 99 percent of the population, is carry-on, believe me." Woman to man, overheard in Glen Park, San Francisco.
Warning from San Francisco police Capt. in Monday's Bayview District Weekend Recap: "When a multi-alarm fire occurs and displaces multiple victims from their homes, if you pretend to be victims by wearing Red Cross blankets and then burglarize the victims' homes and take their valuables, Bayview officers will arrest you!"
"Mitt Romney has flip-flopped so often," said Will Durst last week at his Tuesday political gig at the Marsh, "I wouldn't be surprised if his ads ended with 'I'm Mitt Romney and I both approve and disapprove of this ad.'"
Woman: "What is H&M?" Other woman: "Hmm, it's like Walmart for the middle class." Conversation overheard on Post Street.
"We have an emergency in the antacid department." Announcement on PA system at Walgreens in Concord.
_______________________________________
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So if you have shopping needs here today, this might be convenient for you!
These below are more from Chronicle columnist Leah Garchik.
He: "She's a Democratic whack-o." She: "Oh, don't you start!" Conversation of elderly couple at spring training overheard in Scottsdale.
Word of Mill Valley Tennis Club's first Artificial Parts Tournament, which organizers hope will be an annual event. Overall winner was a team called Hips, Implants & Left Knees. Nods also went to contestants with Best Limp, Most Artificial Parts, Best Sear, Most Meds, Most Operations and Least Stoic.
Note: Interestingly, on Wed. April 4 there was a story in the Chronicle hailing Marin County, where Mill Valley is situated, as the healthiest county in California according to the third annual report from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
In the local Marin County Independent Journal newspaper, there was this article on Tuesday, April 3 reporting that a man was booked on suspicion of assault with at deadly weapon and possession of a dangerous weapon with bail set at $50,000. Apparently the man accused his brother of eating the last of the frozen shrimp, striking him in the hand with a billy club, then leaving the room to get his stun gun.
Back to Leah:
"He got a job with Google, so I don't want to be friends anymore. No one that young should have so much money." Young woman on cell overheard in Oakland at Jack London Square.
Teenage girl: "So, like, what exactly happened to Marie Antoinette?" Older man: They sent her down to Fresno." Conversation overheard in checkout line of Safeway on Potrero in San Francisco.
"You get back here, or I'll tell all your friends that you have ringworm!" Mother on porch to boy riding bike down driveway, overheard in Berkeley.
"You should not be having any cookies other than Girl Scout cookies. Anything else is unpatriotic." Mother to daughter gazing upon Safeway cookie selection.
Hostess: "How did you like the wine?" Diner: "It went really good with the green thing." Conversation overheard at Spruce restaurant.
"Your baggage, compared to 99 percent of the population, is carry-on, believe me." Woman to man, overheard in Glen Park, San Francisco.
Warning from San Francisco police Capt. in Monday's Bayview District Weekend Recap: "When a multi-alarm fire occurs and displaces multiple victims from their homes, if you pretend to be victims by wearing Red Cross blankets and then burglarize the victims' homes and take their valuables, Bayview officers will arrest you!"
"Mitt Romney has flip-flopped so often," said Will Durst last week at his Tuesday political gig at the Marsh, "I wouldn't be surprised if his ads ended with 'I'm Mitt Romney and I both approve and disapprove of this ad.'"
Woman: "What is H&M?" Other woman: "Hmm, it's like Walmart for the middle class." Conversation overheard on Post Street.
"We have an emergency in the antacid department." Announcement on PA system at Walgreens in Concord.
_______________________________________
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So if you have shopping needs here today, this might be convenient for you
!
Your Inner Introvert is Calling...Shhhhh
This is the title of an article in the February issue of the Oprah magazine. The article is written by Susan Cain who wrote a new book, QUIET: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking.
Those of us who are of the introverted persuasion may sometimes want to run from our world to the comfort of our home nest where we can take a breather and catch up with ourselves. In fact, in the article, it discusses the idea that we may have been encouraged to be more extroverted as we were growing up or we may even feel worried, thinking that we are too introverted. Interesting that, in fact the cover story for Time magazine earlier this month was The Power of Shyness talking all about introversion also.
It is a great thing when you read an article and say to yourself, wow, I guess there is nothing wrong with me if I am not one to come up with the fast answer, if I am not the one who loves to small-talk at parties, if I am more the one who tends to listen rather than jump in to do all the talking. Yes, for those of us who can think better on our own rather than in a committee, this is a great relief, to learn more about the power of introversion.
Matter of fact, the Oprah article outlines some basic characteristics of introversion. Quoting and paraphrasing from the Susan Cain article below:
Talk Deeply: Many introverts find chitchat overstimulating. They seek out deep serious conversations in which they can focus on a single topic of mutual interest. And a study by Matthias Mehl, PhD, found that the happiest people have twice as many substantive conversations as the unhappiest and participate in far less small talk.
Work Alone: Scientists are beginning to recognize that solitude is a catalyst for expert performance. When you're alone says K. Anders Ericsson, PhD, a research psychologist, you can make headway on the tasks that are more challenging to you personally. Another psychologist, Adrian Furnham says, "The evidence from science suggests that businesspeople must be insane to use brainstorming groups."
Read More: Science tells us that social connections make us happier and healthier, and science is right. But there are different kinds of social connection. Reading, for instance, can be a deeply social act, putting you inside other people's minds. The introverted writer Marcel Proust called reading "that fruitful miracle of a communication in the midst of solitude." Studies suggest that reading makes people more empathetic and improves social skills by helping us better understand our fellow humans.
Listen Well: Listening is a key to good leadership. New research by Adam Grant, PhD reveals that introverted leaders often deliver better outcomes than extroverts because they're more likely to consider other people's suggestions.The press, says Grant is full of advice for introverted leaders, to smile more and improve their speaking skills. But in at least one important regard, introverted leaders should keep doing what they do naturally: encouraging subordinates to take the initiative. Extroverted leaders, are you listening?
Get Away, Small Scale: An introverted psychology professor, Professor Brian Little, PhD, who gave brilliant lectures often eliciting a standing ovation would feel so spent after his lecturing success that sometimes he raced for the nearest bathroom stall to recharge. He respected his limits. Extroverts might not crave refuge as strongly, but in an overstimulating world, it's good to find what Little calls "restorative niches" to clear your mind. These minibreaks help you relax to gain acces to deeper feelings and insights.
Use Quiet Commitment to Achieve your Goals: Many introverts use a form of power so subtle that power almost seems the wrong word. Instead of taking strong stands in a loud voice, they make insightful suggestions in a gentle tone. Instead of holding forth at a meeting, they make alliances behind the scenes. Instead of calling attention to a problem, they work at it carefully and doggedly. Foothill College communication studies professor Preston Ni calls this style soft power, contending that even someone who's not outwardly charismatic can lead if she is committed to her cause. The introverted Mother Teresa wielded soft power and so did Gandhi who had been a shy man. "In the long run, says Ni, "if your idea is good and you lead with your heart, it's almost a universal law: You'll attract people who want to share your cause. Soft power is quiet persistence."
____________________________________
TellOurLifeStories.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. So if you have shopping needs here today, this might be convenient for you!
.Those of us who are of the introverted persuasion may sometimes want to run from our world to the comfort of our home nest where we can take a breather and catch up with ourselves. In fact, in the article, it discusses the idea that we may have been encouraged to be more extroverted as we were growing up or we may even feel worried, thinking that we are too introverted. Interesting that, in fact the cover story for Time magazine earlier this month was The Power of Shyness talking all about introversion also.
It is a great thing when you read an article and say to yourself, wow, I guess there is nothing wrong with me if I am not one to come up with the fast answer, if I am not the one who loves to small-talk at parties, if I am more the one who tends to listen rather than jump in to do all the talking. Yes, for those of us who can think better on our own rather than in a committee, this is a great relief, to learn more about the power of introversion.
Matter of fact, the Oprah article outlines some basic characteristics of introversion. Quoting and paraphrasing from the Susan Cain article below:
Talk Deeply: Many introverts find chitchat overstimulating. They seek out deep serious conversations in which they can focus on a single topic of mutual interest. And a study by Matthias Mehl, PhD, found that the happiest people have twice as many substantive conversations as the unhappiest and participate in far less small talk.
Work Alone: Scientists are beginning to recognize that solitude is a catalyst for expert performance. When you're alone says K. Anders Ericsson, PhD, a research psychologist, you can make headway on the tasks that are more challenging to you personally. Another psychologist, Adrian Furnham says, "The evidence from science suggests that businesspeople must be insane to use brainstorming groups."
Read More: Science tells us that social connections make us happier and healthier, and science is right. But there are different kinds of social connection. Reading, for instance, can be a deeply social act, putting you inside other people's minds. The introverted writer Marcel Proust called reading "that fruitful miracle of a communication in the midst of solitude." Studies suggest that reading makes people more empathetic and improves social skills by helping us better understand our fellow humans.
Listen Well: Listening is a key to good leadership. New research by Adam Grant, PhD reveals that introverted leaders often deliver better outcomes than extroverts because they're more likely to consider other people's suggestions.The press, says Grant is full of advice for introverted leaders, to smile more and improve their speaking skills. But in at least one important regard, introverted leaders should keep doing what they do naturally: encouraging subordinates to take the initiative. Extroverted leaders, are you listening?
Get Away, Small Scale: An introverted psychology professor, Professor Brian Little, PhD, who gave brilliant lectures often eliciting a standing ovation would feel so spent after his lecturing success that sometimes he raced for the nearest bathroom stall to recharge. He respected his limits. Extroverts might not crave refuge as strongly, but in an overstimulating world, it's good to find what Little calls "restorative niches" to clear your mind. These minibreaks help you relax to gain acces to deeper feelings and insights.
Use Quiet Commitment to Achieve your Goals: Many introverts use a form of power so subtle that power almost seems the wrong word. Instead of taking strong stands in a loud voice, they make insightful suggestions in a gentle tone. Instead of holding forth at a meeting, they make alliances behind the scenes. Instead of calling attention to a problem, they work at it carefully and doggedly. Foothill College communication studies professor Preston Ni calls this style soft power, contending that even someone who's not outwardly charismatic can lead if she is committed to her cause. The introverted Mother Teresa wielded soft power and so did Gandhi who had been a shy man. "In the long run, says Ni, "if your idea is good and you lead with your heart, it's almost a universal law: You'll attract people who want to share your cause. Soft power is quiet persistence."
____________________________________
TellOurLifeStories.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. So if you have shopping needs here today, this might be convenient for you
!
Notice Emails Lately? Putting Words on a Page
There are those of us who enjoy writing. Have you noticed emails lately? You receive emails from people who seem to be in such a hurry that they can't use spell check or write in complete sentences. It so common because we are so used to the abbreviated forms of instant messaging and texting.
IMing can be fun and really efficient at work. Email then seems so slow and cumbersome. Imagine, people can't get the words out fast enough in the message. Words get misspelled all the time in IMs and I am as guilty as the next person. But I think, oh well, I know they get the gist and we are on to the next question so immediately that it doesn't even seem worth the time to go back and re-spell the word although often I do that.
But then in a non-work personal message from, for example, one of my brothers, I read an actual email letter. It has more than 1 paragraph and it tells me something. In fact, it is telling me a story about something that happened, or something he is concerned about. It is well-written. I find myself relaxing to see all the words spelled right. It is satisfying to read something that is put together so that it can be easily understood. It is not an email that just contains a brief demand or quick question. It is an email that has real contents, it tells a story, there is a beginning, a middle and an end.
Sigh, big sigh.
There are so many good writers out there. If you are reading this, you are one of them.
It can be relaxing to put words on the page. I find that I can assemble my thoughts and think things through when I write it down and work through it on a page. Do you do that too? Some people can call that journaling but when I think of journaling, I think of something done more or less regularly. And I can go for weeks and even months without keeping up a dialog with myself about what is going on in my life. But then something may arise when I need to make a decision and I resort to writing about it and it is satisfying and a relief and it helps me establish some perspective.
I know that there are writers out there like me. The most satisfaction that I've had from my website is seeing the stories in the Collection from writers who never thought that they were writers. But you can see when they write about these memories and weave the family tales or the stories about traveling or other topics, there is so much thought there. The choices of words that are used, the feeling that comes in those stories about what was happening, the selection of topics that demonstrates what families are all about. It is a pleasure to read all those stories.
We write all the time. Showing up and writing a story about something that you care about, reliving a memory so that it lives on a page is satisfying, not only for you as the writer, but also for your family, reading through the stories to see which ones are about them, for example!
I encourage you to put those words on the page, write them down. I encourage you to relax behind those words as they flow into well-written paragraphs. You are not writing an instant message, you are not answering an email question, in this moment, you are not texting. You are taking the time to collect your thoughts about something, a topic that is appealing, a topic that you can warm up to and rest with for awhile, maybe even 30 minutes or an hour. You might rearrange paragraphs, you might strike out a sentence or two. You will get absorbed in the process of writing it down, thinking it through, deciding what you really want to say and how you want to say it.
In the end you'll be satisfied and walk away feeling that you accomplished something.
_____________________________________
TellOurLifeStories.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. So if you have shopping needs here today, this might be convenient for you!
IMing can be fun and really efficient at work. Email then seems so slow and cumbersome. Imagine, people can't get the words out fast enough in the message. Words get misspelled all the time in IMs and I am as guilty as the next person. But I think, oh well, I know they get the gist and we are on to the next question so immediately that it doesn't even seem worth the time to go back and re-spell the word although often I do that.
But then in a non-work personal message from, for example, one of my brothers, I read an actual email letter. It has more than 1 paragraph and it tells me something. In fact, it is telling me a story about something that happened, or something he is concerned about. It is well-written. I find myself relaxing to see all the words spelled right. It is satisfying to read something that is put together so that it can be easily understood. It is not an email that just contains a brief demand or quick question. It is an email that has real contents, it tells a story, there is a beginning, a middle and an end.
Sigh, big sigh.
There are so many good writers out there. If you are reading this, you are one of them.
It can be relaxing to put words on the page. I find that I can assemble my thoughts and think things through when I write it down and work through it on a page. Do you do that too? Some people can call that journaling but when I think of journaling, I think of something done more or less regularly. And I can go for weeks and even months without keeping up a dialog with myself about what is going on in my life. But then something may arise when I need to make a decision and I resort to writing about it and it is satisfying and a relief and it helps me establish some perspective.
I know that there are writers out there like me. The most satisfaction that I've had from my website is seeing the stories in the Collection from writers who never thought that they were writers. But you can see when they write about these memories and weave the family tales or the stories about traveling or other topics, there is so much thought there. The choices of words that are used, the feeling that comes in those stories about what was happening, the selection of topics that demonstrates what families are all about. It is a pleasure to read all those stories.
We write all the time. Showing up and writing a story about something that you care about, reliving a memory so that it lives on a page is satisfying, not only for you as the writer, but also for your family, reading through the stories to see which ones are about them, for example!
I encourage you to put those words on the page, write them down. I encourage you to relax behind those words as they flow into well-written paragraphs. You are not writing an instant message, you are not answering an email question, in this moment, you are not texting. You are taking the time to collect your thoughts about something, a topic that is appealing, a topic that you can warm up to and rest with for awhile, maybe even 30 minutes or an hour. You might rearrange paragraphs, you might strike out a sentence or two. You will get absorbed in the process of writing it down, thinking it through, deciding what you really want to say and how you want to say it.
In the end you'll be satisfied and walk away feeling that you accomplished something.
_____________________________________
TellOurLifeStories.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. So if you have shopping needs here today, this might be convenient for you
!
