Sunday, December 30, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Gracious me.
I like to practice something I call the "Sanctification of the Quotidian." Literally, praising and expressing graciousness and gratitude toward the everyday processes of life.
The thought occurred to me this morning, that if everyone counted their blessings... there would be less worrying, more kindness, and a shedding of the rigid masks that we tend to wear as people. Now, when I say count your blessings, I know what you just did. You thought about your kids, your mortgage, and just said "yeah, yeah, I know". But you are missing the point here. I mean, really get in there with your blessings and roll around. Go toe to toe with them. Listen to their secrets. Learn their ticklish spots. Only then, will you truly understand what gratitude means.
When I speak of the quotidian, I speak of the mundane. Why? Because if we can learn to lavish in the mundane, than everything else...well that is just extra. When you wake up each morning, appreciate the texture of the sheets beneath you, the blanket, the distant chirping of birds. Wear your favorite scent and put on the radio. Enjoy a cup of your favorite herbal tea...the coos and giggles of little ones, the comfortable mess in your home that sends the message that, well, someone lives there. Smile at a stranger. Hold the door for others, and well just BE at peace.
Replace all negative thoughts with positive ones. You can't control what others do and how others behave, so there is no use trying. As humans, worry happens, but we should only worry about that which we can control. Otherwise, there is no point. None. What we can control however, is our own thoughts, and our own reactions to others. Don't get angry over a driver who sped around you in a blaze. Be thankful that the reckless driver is now away from you, thus preventing any possible accidents. Don't be upset that you don't have your dream job, just be thankful that you have any job. And if you don't, just be thankful that the universe decided that regardless of your employment status, you are precious and whole, and the universe has found a way to feed your belly. You are here. You are alive. You are mingling and buzzing and pulsing with the outside world. Money will come. Money is extra. When we think of our basic needs as humans: Food, water, shelter....we must know that we are thriving if we have all three. That is what matters. That is what is important. Everything else, is extra.
Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like – Will Rogers.
As people, we are told from a young age that we should go to school, get degrees, good jobs, penchants, mortgages, have kids. While all of these things are wonderful, they are not the key elements needed to finding happiness and being at peace. I doubt that we were put here on this earth to obtain MBA's and Stock holdings. The purpose of life is to discover your gift, and the meaning of life is to give it away.- David Viscott. Discovering your gift is your life's work! If you choose to seek that through school, organizations, or whatever else...that is your choice. As long as you don't lose sight of why you are doing it in the first place.
Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is more people who have come alive – Howard Thurman.
Be humble and kind. I can't tell you how many people I know that just cannot be kind. They look for reasons to tear into you. To knock you down. To point out flaws. Be kind to these people too. For they are hurt and angry and have not found their gift. They have lost their way and do not know where to look. They are unhappy and not at peace. They are uncomfortable with the fact that they cannot control others. Be at peace and treat these people with kindness. Whether they admit it or not, they'll remember.
You are not in this world to live up to other people’s expectations, nor should you feel the world must live up to yours – F Perl.
So here's your assignment. Start a gratitude journal.
Every night write in it 3 things that happened that day that you are thankful for. Perhaps you caught a cab right away? Perhaps someone complimented your shoes? Perhaps your daughter drew you a picture? You are NOT allowed to complain in this journal. Only be thankful.Then at the end of every month, write down three BIG things you are grateful for. Whether it's your family, your health, or your mortgage...it's up to you.
The purpose here is to start small and work your way up. From the inside out. That is where true gratitude begins.
Live well.
Tiffany
The thought occurred to me this morning, that if everyone counted their blessings... there would be less worrying, more kindness, and a shedding of the rigid masks that we tend to wear as people. Now, when I say count your blessings, I know what you just did. You thought about your kids, your mortgage, and just said "yeah, yeah, I know". But you are missing the point here. I mean, really get in there with your blessings and roll around. Go toe to toe with them. Listen to their secrets. Learn their ticklish spots. Only then, will you truly understand what gratitude means.
When I speak of the quotidian, I speak of the mundane. Why? Because if we can learn to lavish in the mundane, than everything else...well that is just extra. When you wake up each morning, appreciate the texture of the sheets beneath you, the blanket, the distant chirping of birds. Wear your favorite scent and put on the radio. Enjoy a cup of your favorite herbal tea...the coos and giggles of little ones, the comfortable mess in your home that sends the message that, well, someone lives there. Smile at a stranger. Hold the door for others, and well just BE at peace.
Replace all negative thoughts with positive ones. You can't control what others do and how others behave, so there is no use trying. As humans, worry happens, but we should only worry about that which we can control. Otherwise, there is no point. None. What we can control however, is our own thoughts, and our own reactions to others. Don't get angry over a driver who sped around you in a blaze. Be thankful that the reckless driver is now away from you, thus preventing any possible accidents. Don't be upset that you don't have your dream job, just be thankful that you have any job. And if you don't, just be thankful that the universe decided that regardless of your employment status, you are precious and whole, and the universe has found a way to feed your belly. You are here. You are alive. You are mingling and buzzing and pulsing with the outside world. Money will come. Money is extra. When we think of our basic needs as humans: Food, water, shelter....we must know that we are thriving if we have all three. That is what matters. That is what is important. Everything else, is extra.
Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like – Will Rogers.
As people, we are told from a young age that we should go to school, get degrees, good jobs, penchants, mortgages, have kids. While all of these things are wonderful, they are not the key elements needed to finding happiness and being at peace. I doubt that we were put here on this earth to obtain MBA's and Stock holdings. The purpose of life is to discover your gift, and the meaning of life is to give it away.- David Viscott. Discovering your gift is your life's work! If you choose to seek that through school, organizations, or whatever else...that is your choice. As long as you don't lose sight of why you are doing it in the first place.
Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is more people who have come alive – Howard Thurman.
Be humble and kind. I can't tell you how many people I know that just cannot be kind. They look for reasons to tear into you. To knock you down. To point out flaws. Be kind to these people too. For they are hurt and angry and have not found their gift. They have lost their way and do not know where to look. They are unhappy and not at peace. They are uncomfortable with the fact that they cannot control others. Be at peace and treat these people with kindness. Whether they admit it or not, they'll remember.
You are not in this world to live up to other people’s expectations, nor should you feel the world must live up to yours – F Perl.
So here's your assignment. Start a gratitude journal.
Every night write in it 3 things that happened that day that you are thankful for. Perhaps you caught a cab right away? Perhaps someone complimented your shoes? Perhaps your daughter drew you a picture? You are NOT allowed to complain in this journal. Only be thankful.Then at the end of every month, write down three BIG things you are grateful for. Whether it's your family, your health, or your mortgage...it's up to you.
The purpose here is to start small and work your way up. From the inside out. That is where true gratitude begins.
Live well.
Tiffany
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Orchids in the City
Charlotte MacAleese is a shy, inquisitive girl who always wondered what life would be like in the adventurous shoes of her beautiful and troubled best friend, Kay Vazquez. But as the girls navigate through adolescence in the city of Manhattan, Charlotte struggles with confusing feelings, while a dark secret threatens to tear the girl's worlds apart. Will their friendship survive the secrets of the past?
http://www.wattpad.com/story/1453004-orchids-in-the-city
Read my story!
http://www.wattpad.com/story/1453004-orchids-in-the-city
Read my story!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Call for papers, lecturers, volunteers and more!
The Diversity Alliance at Georgia Perimeter College is planning a women's conference for the Spring of 2013. We feel that the empowerment of women is an instrumental part of our diversity initiatives and would love to bring that kind of inspiration and education to our students.
Georgia Women’s Conference: The Female Perspective in Scholarship, Art, and Politics.
The conference will provide a series of scholarly, presentations, discussion forums, and networking opportunities. Students will have access to the experience and advice of successful Georgia women, and community leaders will have a chance to reach the next generation.
We are looking for the following:
Keynote Speakers
Paper Presentations
Workshop lecturers
Poets
Artists
Photographers
Performers
Ushers and Volunteers
Sponsors
We would like to put together a conference that touches on all topics relevant to women's studies. We would like the focus to be on the empowerment of women specifically and are planning a week long series of events, activities, performances, etc.
If you would like to contribute to these efforts, please send all submissions/abstracts to Michael.hall@gpc.edu by November 21, 2012. Please use subject line "Women's conference at GPC".
All ideas are welcome!
If you know anyone who might be interested, kindly forward this post.
We look forward to hearing from you.
http://depts.gpc.edu/~gpcdiver/
Georgia Women’s Conference: The Female Perspective in Scholarship, Art, and Politics.
The conference will provide a series of scholarly, presentations, discussion forums, and networking opportunities. Students will have access to the experience and advice of successful Georgia women, and community leaders will have a chance to reach the next generation.
We are looking for the following:
Keynote Speakers
Paper Presentations
Workshop lecturers
Poets
Artists
Photographers
Performers
Ushers and Volunteers
Sponsors
We would like to put together a conference that touches on all topics relevant to women's studies. We would like the focus to be on the empowerment of women specifically and are planning a week long series of events, activities, performances, etc.
If you would like to contribute to these efforts, please send all submissions/abstracts to Michael.hall@gpc.edu by November 21, 2012. Please use subject line "Women's conference at GPC".
All ideas are welcome!
If you know anyone who might be interested, kindly forward this post.
We look forward to hearing from you.
http://depts.gpc.edu/~gpcdiver/
Monday, May 21, 2012
Shake it Out
Shake it Out
Let it Go. Start over.
Because you can.
<<< Click here to Shake it Out.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Better Living.
STOP worrying about your five year plan.
Take that vacation.
Buy yourself a small treat.
Your life is happening right NOW. Enjoy it.
Study hard. Work hard. You'll sleep better knowing you are doing the best for yourself.
Drink Water. Lots of it.
Veggies. They go with everything.
Stretch. It helps with a lot of things.
Kiss your child. Call your relatives.
Dance in your underwear.
Take a chance. So you can say that you tried. You might surprise yourself.
Wear a color you would never wear.
Smile at strangers.
Have PATIENCE.
Read my blog.
Take that vacation.
Buy yourself a small treat.
Your life is happening right NOW. Enjoy it.
Study hard. Work hard. You'll sleep better knowing you are doing the best for yourself.
Drink Water. Lots of it.
Veggies. They go with everything.
Stretch. It helps with a lot of things.
Kiss your child. Call your relatives.
Dance in your underwear.
Take a chance. So you can say that you tried. You might surprise yourself.
Wear a color you would never wear.
Smile at strangers.
Have PATIENCE.
Read my blog.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Tip Rant
Tips I found on various websites...
Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.. I didn't know that!
Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!
Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.
To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.
For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting.
Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic, and at the end of the recipe if you want a stronger taste of garlic.
Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. Yummy!
Reheat Pizza Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.
Easy Deviled Eggs: Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.
Expanding Frosting: When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.
Reheating refrigerated bread: To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.
Newspaper weeds away: Plant your plants in the ground, work the nutrients in your soil. Then wet newspapers, put layers around the plants overlapping as you go, cover with mulch, and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.
Broken Glass: Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.
No More Mosquitoes: Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.
To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.
Flexible vacuum: To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip to eliminate static cling. It works; you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and ... Ta DA! ... Static is gone.
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.
De-fog your windshield: Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!
Re-opening envelopes: If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.
Goodbye Fruit Flies: To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2' with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup an d gone forever!
Get Rid of Ants: Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!
Wash your dryer filter: The heating unit went out on my dryer. The gentleman that fixes things around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.) He took the filter over to the sink and ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material and the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn't go through it at all! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that's what burns out the heating unit. You can't SEE the film, but it's there. It's what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free, and smell good. You know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box? Apparently that stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen. This is what causes dryer units to potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a long time (and to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out and wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long!
Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.. I didn't know that!
Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!
Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.
To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.
For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting.
Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic, and at the end of the recipe if you want a stronger taste of garlic.
Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. Yummy!
Reheat Pizza Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.
Easy Deviled Eggs: Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.
Expanding Frosting: When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.
Reheating refrigerated bread: To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.
Newspaper weeds away: Plant your plants in the ground, work the nutrients in your soil. Then wet newspapers, put layers around the plants overlapping as you go, cover with mulch, and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.
Broken Glass: Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.
No More Mosquitoes: Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.
To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.
Flexible vacuum: To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip to eliminate static cling. It works; you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and ... Ta DA! ... Static is gone.
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.
De-fog your windshield: Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!
Re-opening envelopes: If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.
Goodbye Fruit Flies: To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2' with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup an d gone forever!
Get Rid of Ants: Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!
Wash your dryer filter: The heating unit went out on my dryer. The gentleman that fixes things around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.) He took the filter over to the sink and ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material and the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn't go through it at all! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that's what burns out the heating unit. You can't SEE the film, but it's there. It's what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free, and smell good. You know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box? Apparently that stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen. This is what causes dryer units to potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a long time (and to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out and wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long!
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