If I had to do it all over again and money didn’t matter, the three jobs I would consider doing or pursuing would be NOTHING, NOTHING and NOTHING!
Why would I even bother if money was not a issue. I would spend my days meditating, looking for new places to walk in and living a life of leisure. Stress would be out the window and so would all the creeps who come calling!
It would be boring but who cares! Life would be on an even keel and sipping on lemonade or coffee and looking at the sky to see if it changes any time soon would be a wonderful preoccupation!
Nothing more to add to this question. Next one please……
Daily writing prompt
List three jobs you’d consider pursuing if money didn’t matter.
I’m not too big into cultural heritage. I consider myself a global citizen and as such I embrace all cultures and have made it a point to learn all there is to learn about other cultures.
As you know I spent a lot of my time in Asia and it was there that I learned to embrace the food culture. It was amazing! Each country had a different cuisine and I loved almost all of them. However, learning about what Asian culture entailed took broader thinking. There were things I liked and there were things I didn’t. I loved the friendliness of the people but some customs took getting used to. Especially the ghost month. Everything was based on the spirit world and much was done to welcome them back to earth! I found this to be spooky.
Tennessee is different. It takes getting used to. They have a certain way of talking but not as bad as Kentucky! I love the food, the landscape and the people. I have a love for country music and since Nashville was not too faraway, I loved being there. Tennesseans are usually kind and friendly and throw in good home cooking and it is a culture you can easily embrace.
European cultural heritage is diverse and like any other culture, it is steeped in folklore, art, food, and people. There are certain customs that take getting used to. One is that they are conservatives and breaking into the community is hard to do. However, the cultural heritage is captivating and there is much to learn here as I am finding out.
What aspects of my cultural heritage am I most proud of or interested in? Like I said, I don’t belong to just one, I am a mish-mash of different parts. Parts that I learned about from having experienced different aspects of the world and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I think I did that pretty well without disclosing too much!
Daily writing prompt
What aspects of your cultural heritage are you most proud of or interested in?
Remember the guy I wrote about, the one who walks his dog but is tongue-tied and never says anything and just stares every time we see each other? I had given up on him because the last time I smiled, I mean really flashed my 100 watt smile and he froze completely! So I decided this guy is a lost cause.
I just did my second walk today. Why? Just felt like it and because I love windy days. So I bundled up and headed up the hill again. It was quiet like it was this morning. I walked up to the apple trees and turned around, still no one. Then I made a turnaround and went the other way. Just then a crow let out a loud squawk which startled me. I looked up at the trees but couldn’t see it. I heard a sound behind me and this big black pit bull came walking up to me and sniffed my hand. I don’t like dogs especially pit bulls. Anyway, I looked up and there he was all bundled up against the cold with a big smile plastered on his face.
Hmm….I told myself, BE CALM. He said, “Good morning!” That threw me for a loop. Had he been practicing?!! Anyway, I greeted him back with a smile. He said, ” I see you a lot around here.” I nodded and asked, “Do you live around here?”
He pointed to a big yellow house and said he lived over there. The way this village is set up is that most of the houses are clumped together. However, farmers who owned a big portion of the land before have their houses separated from the rest. These properties usually have the main house and several smaller houses which are rented out. So he was a Little Lord of the Manor.
We talked for a while about nothing much in particular. Just about the weather and he came in with, “It should be this way sometimes don’t you think?” I agreed and told him that I love this weather and he laughed. We waved and he went on his way. That was it!
I will see what the next time brings. If he will be as forthcoming as he was today I don’t know. Perhaps he has a twin who freezes every time a woman greets him. This guy today was friendly and ready to mingle!
The walk this morning brought some surprises. Fall was finally here and it wasn’t taking NO for an answer! There was no mistaking the signs as I trudged along mud-covered pathways with the wind picking up speed. It was a day where people would choose to stay indoors with a cup of hot coffee and or sit on their window sills and watch as nature did its thing.
I needed to be out to clear my mind so there I was alone again with only the fields for company. It suited me just fine. The wind brushed against my face, its almost icy fingers sending chills down my spine. I had a heavier coat on but it was still cold as I pulled it closer around me. The thing is I love days like this. Windy, cold and with not a soul in sight. The animals have taken cover as well and except for the crows, the fields were empty.
Walking with no purpose in mind except to just let nature do the talking for awhile was calming. However, it had plenty to say. The changing of the season was in place and it was marching in with boots on! The fields were looking drab with not a touch a color. It was getting ready for a well-earned rest. The trees were rustling and playing their own kind of music. I love it when they dance with the wind, swaying and moving like dancers caught up in a rhythm of their own. The sound is something between a rush of a waterfall or soft rain as it falls on the rooftops. A beautiful sound that helps to soothe frazzled nerves as mine was today. I listened as I walked taking it all in.
The apples had been harvested with a few remaining on the trees. I did my own apple harvesting yesterday and it was bountiful. I can’t believe that one apple tree could give so much but it did. The apples are a smaller variety but they are crispy and very sweet. Good apples I would say but too much for one person so I have little bags prepared to give away to neighbors. The figs, however, are taking their time. They always do that. It seems they are always late for the party! Nothing different this year. I looked at them this morning and got two ripe figs out of a hundred or so on the fig plant! Will they make it before cold weather moves in? Your guess is as good as mine.
Coming back to my walk, it was beautiful. Interesting how seasons move in on silent feet at first and before you know it, they are full-fledged and ready to go. The colors are not there yet but at my feet are golden-hued leaves rustling in the wind. It won’t be long now as fall puts on its spectacular display of beauty as it is known to do and I will get to take in its glory as I make another walk bundled up against the wind but reveling in a brand new season.
She is the author of six #1 New York Times bestsellers and is the host of two award-winning podcasts, Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead. The lady has spent two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame and empathy. Her advice for life is, “Don’t let fear stop you.” Here are some of her quotes that will take you on a journey of self-discovery. Enjoy.
“Authencity is not something we have or don’t have. It’s a practice – a conscious choice of how we want to live.”
“Trust is not built in big, sweeping moments. It’s built in tiny moments every day.”
“Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”
“The truth is that falling hurts. The dare is to keep being brave and feel your way back up.”
“Here’s what I think integrity is: It’s choosing courage over comfort, choosing what’s right over what’s fun, fast, or easy, and practicing your values.”
“Empathy has no script. There is not a right way or wrong way to do it. It’s simply listening, holding space, withholding judgment, emotionally connecting, and communicating that incredibly healing message of, “You’re not alone.”
“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.”
“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”
“When we have the courage to walk into our story and own it, we get to write the ending.”
AND
“At the end of day, at the end of the week, at the end of my life, I want to say that I contributed more than I criticized.”
I’m no longer into brands as I used to be. I used to be a Fashion Editor and back then I knew every brand inside and out. These days I go for the simple stuff but two brands that I really love and still stick to are Zara and Massimo Dutti.
Zara, I love for their wearable styles and it fits my lifestyle now. Nothing too fancy but it is stylish and wearable. The lines are simple and clean. Just a pair of Zara pants paired with a cardigan or jacket and a blouse from the same collection is a put-together look that will take you from doing your daily chores such as shopping for your daily essentials to a much fancier meeting later in the day. Add a few pieces of jewelry and you’re set to conquer the day or rather the evening! The style factor is timeless but still trendy and I have many pieces from Zara in my wardrobe.
Massimo Dutti, what can I say? It used to be my go-to for a tailored look. Fashion lovers love this brand for its “quiet luxury aesthetic” but these days it is still an expensive brand and although better quality than Zara, it is mass-produced and considered a “fast-fashion” brand. However, it is of good quality and a few pieces in your wardrobe helps to bolster the look of understated elegance. A white Massimo Dutti blouse paired with a pair of blue jeans and a jacket says classy but still fashionable.
Not that anyone cares over here! This little village moves to a different drumbeat when it comes to fashion and dressing. Most of the women here don’t give a hoot about what you wear. So dressing up or brand names don’t matter much here. People or rather women wear the same stuff day in and day out and it is ok for working in their gardens or for doing their chores. I haven’t given up yet! I still do dress up presentably when I leave the house but indoors is another story altogether! PJs are my pick!
The other day my neighbor, who is blonde, came running up to me in the driveway just jumping for joy. I didn’t know why she was jumping for joy but I thought, what the heck, and I started jumping up and down along with her.
She said, “I have some really great news.”
I said, “Great. Tell me why you’re so happy.”
She stopped jumping and breathing heavily from all the jumping up and down, and told me that she was pregnant.
I knew that she had been trying for awhile and told her I thought it was great and that I couldn’t be happier for her.
She said, “There’s more.”
I asked, “What do you mean?”
She said, “Well we are not having just one baby. We are going to have twins.”
Amazed at how fast she could know that so soon after getting pregnant, I asked her how she knew.
She said, “I went to Walmart and they actually had a home pregnancy test in a twin pack. Both tests came out positive!”
I could do more relaxation and no matter how hard I try, there is always something that keeps me on a hectic rush and relaxation is nowhere to be seen.
Having time on my hands doesn’t always mean that relaxing is easy. There are things that crop up unexpectedly that need taking care of. I could do more of just staying still for a couple of hours with no phone calls, nothing to bug me and my mind backing off from the constant chattering all the time!
Just when I grab a cup of coffee and decide to relax, my mind comes in with a hundred things that I should have done or should check on to make sure that it gets done. I have an unruly mind and that’s where meditation comes in handy. When I first started, 10 minutes of sitting still was way too much. I’ve worked my way to 30 minutes at a time and the “monkey” I call my mind is behaving and even liking it I think! However, I am not where I should be.
This is my goal. I would like to spend 2 to 3 hours just meditating. I think it would be delicious and my mind could use a much deserved break and come back stronger with new ideas that I could put to good use.
So more time for meditating, that’s what I could do more of. Where there’s a will, there’s a way as they say. I made it to 30 minutes so two hours might just be around the corner.
“Oh God, No! ” That’s my “mind” putting up a fight!
My children’s book has been out on the market for about three weeks now and it didn’t look like it was doing anything. I came across this review today and it looks like I was wrong!
The Review
Reviews for the children’s book, The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie by T. J. Mueller are generally positive, describing it as a “fun story,” “cute, lighthearted read,” and having a “magical world of colorful characters” that capture children’s imaginations. The story teaches young readers about the importance of friendship, with reviewers highlighting its creative approach and real messages.
Positive Aspects:
Engaging Story: Reviewers call the story “fun” and “cute” noting its lighthearted nature and ability to capture children’s attention.
Imaginative World: The book is praised for its “magical world of colorful characters” and imaginative storytelling.
Friendship Theme: The book carries a “very real message aimed at young readers” about the importance of friendship.
Good for Young Readers: The story is noted as being suitable for children, with parents confirming their kids enjoyed it.
WHO ARE THESE REVIEWERS?!! I asked but the publisher doesn’t even know. Whoever you are, THANK YOU! 🙏🙏🙏
The book has a global rating of 5 stars with Singapore, South Africa and Germany giving it five stars as well. No idea who the others are.
Get a copy and give me a rating or review please. Be Kind!
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