Tag: dailyprompt

Boosting health and wellness doesn’t necessarily mean just the physical aspects of it but also the emotional well-being part as well. I do a lot to get myself back on track as far as these two things are concerned.

Physically, I do workouts almost everyday. Sometimes 7 days a week and when I do take a day off I feel guilty. My workouts are varied because the same old stuff is boring and doesn’t keep me motivated. I do cardio, weight-lifting, stretches, yoga, pilates and just about anything that is out there now. I’ve stepped back from kickboxing, although I used to love it but my muscles scream, “Bloody Murder!” when I go against the norm. So that is off the list now.

Emotionally, I do a lot there too. Meditation, walks in nature, beauty evenings and a whole host of other stuff that I can’t remember now! I write and that is a good way of releasing emotional stress. Playing with Chachi, the cat, brings everything into focus and I’m a happy camper again. Some days, just taking time-out for myself and shutting the world out is a great way of escaping what bugs me and it usually works for a while anyway!

Those are some of my strategies for staying happy, healthy, and well-tuned to face up to life’s challenges. It works but not all the time. Sometimes I need more drastic measures to get me up there. I’m still working on them, but getting it down pat is not guaranteed. Just like life, I suppose.

I have absolutely nothing in mind as far as future travel plans are concerned. However, it is strange that just a few days ago I was talking with a good friend, a Chilean guy, who suggested that I should take off somewhere and have a nice vacation. He goes home every year and spends winter back in Chile where it is nice and warm.

Nice thought but I can’t see myself doing that. I’m stuck here or rather I think I am. Going somewhere alone doesn’t appeal to me and packing my bags, getting on a plane and going to places unknown even more so.

I’ve come up with a new plan and that is to vacation at home. I can’t think of a nicer place to do that in. No packing, no stress and pure relaxation. Add to that a trip to the beauty salon to get my nails done, a facial and a few other things and that sounds like heaven with very little effort!

Stick-in-the-mud? Absolutely and I can’t see myself changing anytime soon. If by chance, I change my mind I would like to go to the Caribbean where the weather is nice and the scenery breathtaking. Add to that the wonderful seafood selection and I might just consider doing it but the lure of vacationing at home is unbeatable plus I can’t see myself leaving Chachi, the cat, with a cat sitter. He would hate it and I would miss him terribly. What a dilemma! I know, it is one of my own making.

These are things I would like to see more of in our society. We are sorely lacking when it comes to empathy, morality and honesty.

EMPATHY

What is empathy? Barack Obama described it well.

“Learning to stand in somebody else’s shoes, to see through their eyes, that’s how peace begins. And it’s up to you to make that happen. Empathy is a quality of character that can change the world.”

We’ve become a closed door society. Empathy is often nowhere to be seen and we live in a bubble where selfishness reigns supreme. What’s happening out there is none of our business is what we adhere to, but it is. We need to go back to being a kinder and gentler society with caring for our fellowmen front and center.

MORALITY

You know my thoughts on this one, I’ve voiced it often enough! Morality, old-fashioned morality where doing right is a mainstay of a person’s character has flown the coop. These days if they can get away with it, they’re just fine with it. Martin Luther King said:

“The time is always right to do what is right.”

This one holds true even if no one is looking. Unfortunately, modern society is sorely lacking in this aspect. I would like to take morality back in time. I truly feel that going back in time to a more moral society will eradicate a lot of the problems we face today.

HONESTY

“When you walk a life of honesty, you live a life of truth.” Therese Benedict

AND

“Honesty is a very expensive gift. Don’t expect it from cheap people.” Warren Buffett

If you live a honest life, your stories don’t have to keep changing. Unfortunately, this one has flown the coop as well. We live in a world where LIES are aplenty and being paraded as the truth. Just look at the internet. You know as well as I do that there are many out there who hide behind their computers and pretend to be someone they are not. It is easy to do when you are able to hide behind a screen and portray a persona that is far from the truth. Unfortunately, it is what it is in our modern society and I would like to see changes made. Let’s go to the heart of the matter and cut out some of the scamming that is going on in more ways than one.

Those are my top three picks as far as changing modern society. However, I think we are too far gone to reel it back to where we once were. Empathy, morality and honesty needs to make a come back. How? That is the question.

I call it his symphony, a soft soothing and calming influence. The little guy in the fur coat is my constant companion and from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed, he is there, his eyes trained on me singing his own kind of melody.

I love the soft purring, the deep guttural meow when something doesn’t go his way and the sweet soft whispering of a cat in love. I am used to the sounds by now and when I’m working either around the house or at my computer, those sounds are my daily companion. It is akin to a symphony but it carries more weight than that. Coming from my little companion and best buddy, it makes my heart do a dance unlike any I’ve ever known. It also comes from a source that tells me that I’m his world and he isn’t afraid to show it. Add kisses and cuddles to it and it is a magical symphony that takes me to new heights.

Am I waxing lyrical about the Little Macho? I am. He makes and brings music into my life and just a look from Little Einstein has me singing songs as well! Oh well, that’s what I listen to. The pitter-patter of little feet, the chirps and trills, the purring, the chatters and sometimes a growl or two. They all go to make up Chachi’s symphony and it is absolutely beautiful!

If there ever was a comfort food, this is it! It is warm, high caloric, and it makes you feel safe and comforted. This is one dish that does all of those things and more! It is the South’s answer for when you are feeling down in the dumps and need some cheering up.

It also gives a sense of security in stressful situations and it activates dopamine, the feel good chemical in your brain. Its hearty satisfying nature is enveloped in a rich thick broth and together with the fluffy dumplings, it can take you places! This dish has its roots in Southern and Midwestern American cuisine and is hard to beat as far as comfort foods go. The key ingredients are chicken, vegetables, chicken broth and all-purpose flour to thicken the broth. Add heavy cream and butter to make the dumplings and you’ve got a one-pot dish that is not only full of flavor but enough to chase the blues away.

I used to love it but these days I cut out the high calorie content plus the dumplings and go just with the chicken and veggies in a thick broth. It is healthier and does the same job of giving comfort on a cold wintry night or when I am feeling under the weather.

Did I mention it is finger-licking good? IT IS!

Nothing comes to mind! I was never big on card games, board games or video games for that matter. However, I look forward to the Daily Prompt questions because it makes me think and it is a sort of challenge to get something out there. This question had me stumped!

I used to play card games, and my ex and I did play board games with friends. I can’t remember any of those names either, just that they were fun and it was something we did after dinner when we had friends over. That’s about it except that the house was filled with laughter and it was a great way to bond with friends.

Let’s see how the next question goes.

Cats hands down. However, not just any cat but the two that I’ve come to know. The first one was a rescue. I rescued him when he was just a few weeks old. He was cute as a button, orange fur with big dark eyes. His mom was nowhere to be seen and the poor guy was left to fend for himself. I recall it was cold outside and I took to feeding him whenever I got back home.

I named him Tweety because he chirped like a bird. When a friend caught him and brought him in, I was hooked. I became his mommy and we took to each other very quickly. He even took to sleeping on the other side of the bed and whenever I looked over at night, there he was with his head on the pillow and the blanket pulled halfway up his body. There was something about him that pulled me towards him. He was gentle and a beautiful addition to my life. I remember coming home from the university and when I opened the door, he would be right behind it doing the happy dance! We had many years together and when I moved to Europe, I brought him with me! However, he died a few years later and I was devastated. It was like losing a child. I still call him my first baby.

Chachi, the cat, walked in a few years later. I didn’t want another pet because goodbyes were too hard to bear but the friend decided he knew better and walked in with the fluff ball one day and even though I looked at him suspiciously, the little brat walked in, put one paw on my leg to get a closer look and decided he was home! We are everything to each other even though he thinks he runs the roost! This morning, I was working on the computer when Little Macho walked in with a meow and jumped on the back of the chair and curled up against my back. I was a goner! Things like that make my heart go thump and he does that a lot. Make my heart go thump I mean.

I’ve been lucky to experience two beautiful cats. Both gentle in nature, loving and hardly a bother at all. I know that not all cats are that way. A British friend told me that his sister’s cat bites all the time so I’m thankful that I haven’t had that experience. I still think of Tweety but he has moved on to a better place. I’d like to think that he is with the friend who passed away. Chachi, the cat, is my baby, best buddy and a pain in the you know what but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Cats, definitely!

Lots of things bother me but I’m not sure if you want to hear about them. Life is a whole bunch of “bothersome” things! However, it is how you deal with them that makes a difference in the way we lead life.

Let’s see, at the top of the list are people who don’t stand by their word. This bothers me because I’m the total opposite. There is an idiom that goes something like this. “My word is my bond,” and it means that a person’s promise is their guarantee. It also means their spoken word is binding and that they are trustworthy. Unfortunately, I’ve met many who have shown that their word is like the wind, here one day and gone the next.

INTEGRITY, this is as important as your spoken word. Strong moral principles make up who you are.

“Integrity gives you real freedom because you have nothing to fear since you have nothing to hide.” Zig Ziglar

It also means that you are honest and you are uncompromising when it comes to the truth and what you stand for. Here again, there are many who are sorely lacking in this aspect and that bothers me royally.

Punctuality is something I do take seriously and expect from people. Being punctual shows that you care enough to show up on time and if you can’t or are running late, you call to let the person know. There are those who walk to a different drumbeat one of utter carelessness and disrespect. However, I must say that the girlfriend who was used to showing up late, sometimes as much as 30 minutes late, has reeled it in and has been showing up on time or even 10 minutes earlier. Did the leopard change its spots? I don’t know folks but I’m enjoying this new found adherence to what is right and this showing of consideration and respect is going down well with me. Hope it stays that way!

Men who profess love one day and run off the next day are at the top of my list too. It is to be expected if you are on the dating sites and expect to find your one and only there. The problem is, these guys go by the motto, “So many women, so little time!” Still I find it more than bothersome but I’m learning that not all who say those three little words mean them. Take it with a pinch of salt or more appropriately a whole sack! You’ve got to develop a thick skin and a, “I don’t give a flying flip attitude,” to survive online dating, just saying.

So that’s it for now. I’ve got more bothersome things but I’ll leave it as is. Enough said….and on to more positive stuff. It’s going to be a beautiful day here, much cooler with a slight breeze, the kind of day I love.