Tag: journal

friday’s “secret”: again, don’t wait to pursue your interest – what i did

4 Comments

Picture. Mailbox

Growing up, one of my favorite things to do was to write and receive letters. I would rush to the mailbox every day, looking for mail from my friends.

A few months ago, my friend, Jessica, posted a pic on Facebook of a collection of letters she had stumbled across that I had sent her over 8 years or so. It got me to thinking about the joy of letter writing again – not texting, emailing, etc. but good old-fashioned letter writing. I missed it.

That thought idled in the back of my mind until a Facebook friend posted about the Love Notes Postcard Project: A simple and fun project to spread a little “goodness and joy” throughout the world. I only needed a few things: three postcards, three stamps, and an open heart. I immediately signed up.

I was paired with another participant. Each Sunday, for three weeks, a writing prompt would be sent to my email inbox. I would have to respond to the prompt on a postcard and then drop it in the mail before the next Friday. And then I await a postcard from my matched participant.

This week is our first week. The writing prompt was “Smile Because” and I had so much fun composing my note. Some of it rhymed!!!

If never ceases to amaze me how the little things, like pursuing my letter writing interest, can bring such happiness and enjoyment to my existence!

You can check out The Love Notes Postcard Project and other blogger participants here and catch up with the creator, Jennifer Belhoff here.

enjoy life…

the return

4 Comments

It has taken me far too long to write this post and even longer to publish it! Can you believe my Word document last revised date is May 4th.

I could go into all of the reasons (and there are many and some may even be valid) as to why I disappeared over the past two years. I may over time. But if I am being wholly honest and speaking the absolute truth, the fact of the matter is that I got scared!

I was afraid and I still am!

People I know and people I didn’t know were reading this thing, commenting, and saying how much they enjoyed it! Fortunately, I hadn’t come across anyone who said that it was awful and that would have scared me even more. I began to feel pressure, admitted entirely of my own making, to post something wonderful and witty and funny and insightful all the time.

And in my fear, I didn’t post a thing!

Instead, I read about fear, talked to my friends about fear, and attempted to analyze my fear, and quaking in my boots, I came to some conclusions.

One of my problems was I forgot why I started this blog in the first place: (1) To share my experiences and my thoughts (for what they are worth) on things that make me happy and, I believe, could make you, the reader, happy as well. (2) To make me happy, too!

 This blog did make me happy. Once! And then I became afraid. But, I have decided to write in spite of my fear. And, as it turns out, doing something in spite of fear is essential if you want to…

enjoy life…

what i have learned watching the Tour de France

3 Comments

Le Tour de France 100For the past three weeks, I have watched the 100 edition of the Tour de France: an epic bicycle race of over 180 riders participating in 21 stages all over the country of France.  The stages average over 100 miles each and some feature the mountains of the Pyrenees and the Alps.

Most people in the States know of the Tour because of Lance Armstrong and doping. I was intrigue and for the past three years I have come to appreciate the race despite of its faults.

Below are some of the things that I have learned while watching:

1.  This earth is a truly beautiful place!  As the riders race of 2000 miles all around the french countryside, they past some truly beautiful sites: fields of lavender, hundreds of wine vineyards, the beautiful mountains and crystal clear streams, the beaches with the lovely blue green water, all of it so gorgeous and speaking to the goodness of its Creator!

2.  The mind is a powerful thing!  On stage17 this year, the riders raced up Alpe d’Huez, a mountain that goes up for over 8 miles.  And the riders had to do it twice in one day! And most did! It’s amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it.

3. In life, one should always strive for something.  While in the restaurant Zoe’s Kitchen, I saw that the restaurant was sponsoring a runner named Zoe Romano who was running, that’s right, RUNNING the entire route of the Tour de France, all 2000+ miles for charity!  You’ve got to be kidding me!  Why would anyone do that!?!?! She’s insane but oh so inspirational! Check her out at http://www.zoegoesrunning.wordpress.com

4. It takes getting to know to fully understand. Not only is there a race for the maillot jaune (yellow jersey for the overall winner) in the Tour, but there is a winner for the best sprinter, the king of the mountains, and the youngest rider of the Tour.  These are often four different men. Also during the 21 stages, there are individual winners. And the overall winner of the yellow jersey does not necessarily have to or need to win any stages.  It is only by watching and learning about the Tour did I come to begin to understand it. And it became very interesting.

5. Keep an open mind. I learned this from watching something that in the past I had absolutely no interest or desire to see.  Frankly, I thought the Tour would be boring and mundane. However, it has turned into a truly enlightening, especially culturally, and motivating experience that I have begun to look forward to every year. Check it out next June and online at: http://www.letour.com

And finally…

5. “Cote” means hill and “Col” means mountain pass in French. I think.

Vive le Tour!

enjoy life…