Thinking Out Loud

A new dawn, a new beginning… for the Netherlands and also for me and you!

The Netherlands and my Aruba heritage.  I was born and raised in Aruba. On April 30, 2013, the Netherlands will have its first king in many years. I am going to borrow the words of a former Lagoite, Susanne Gravendijk Wirth, in regard to the royal history:

“Wilhelmina was queen. She had been queen most of my grandparents’ lives, as well. She abdicated for her daughter in 1948. Juliana abdicated for her daughter in 1980. And, now, Beatrix will abdicate, tomorrow, for her son, the first king since 1890. It will seem so very strange, to me…koning, instead of koningin.”

There are only princesses on board for the next generation.. we shall see. I remember seeing Queen Juliana when I was a Brownie Scout standing in formation when her plane landed… I remember when Beatrix married and how I wrote a poem in her honor, but never sent it. Growing up in Aruba was a special privilege. The Aruban people and the Dutch,  are a friendly people. Very down to earth. I remember reading that as Queen, Juliana did not hesitate to ride her bicycle into town.  Here is the Facebook page of the Netherlands. Explore and enjoy!

This was the beginning of the new year. Dark clouds at first, but you can see the sun rising behind.

Acceptance of Life There are a number of people who exist in my arena of life, who have to deal with great difficulties and they do it so very well! We have one student, Shern, who is in a wheelchair, and has many difficulties because of a history of seizures. I asked her today if she has pain. She said she is always has pain!  I was astounded as she is the most up-beat individual I know. I asked how she manages it and her answer was, “you have to adjust to it.” Well, I have been having pain and evidently I have not been able to adjust to it very well at all!  I better get my thoughts in order as of right now, as I have too much I want to accomplish, so many things to do! The main thing I must learn to do is do deep breathing. That makes things bearable.

Then there is a photographer I know only through the web. Her name is Cindy. She spoke today on Facebook how her hubby has to help her up once she gets down on the ground to capture some of her beautiful photographs. She stated she was not above crawling if needed. She has a beautiful dog, Phoebe, and the two of them need surgery now, but they both have to get better in order for it to take place.  Thinking of you both.  Your efforts keep me going!

The Calming Motion of Waves….

I know what I must do and that is to go with the flow. I need to pace myself. This stiff body is not up to sitting hours behind the computer!  I love my writing for BlogMutt, but must realize that to do my best, my body and mind must be in sync. The mind wants to race ahead, but the body starts to stumble as it tries so hard to keep up. Going to use my Chime timer to remind me to stop and do a few yoga moves in the middle of it all. The waves keep going, but they are recharging all the time. Their motion seems endless, there is much back and forth motion… this individual must follow their example. I have to stop and recharge. It is the sound and the motion of the waves that help me recharge. I have an mp3 that I love to listen to when sleep does not want to come. I also have one of gentle rain….

Patiently seeking its prey as I must seek knowledge and patience!!

I will seek knowledge for my posts, looking here and searching there. Then I will find it and take it back to the word processor to be put into the latest and greatest of my posts.  I love research and can often get lost doing it. Must learn to cut it short!  Gather what I need, make notes as to where I can go to find more and just move on.  [edited.. several times!] I also promise myself never to write a blog post again… when I have gotten up out of bed because I cannot sleep! I keep finding typos!!  That is a no-no!

Me with my kayak

This will  be my other form of survival. My muscles have turned into a marshmallow consistency that does not do well when one tries to be active. I have been holding back because of pain and slow mindset that I have in this area. I have been resisting exercise as I have to enjoy what I do and plain old exercises just don’t cut it. Kayaking is fun and when done right, can give you a full body workout.  There is also the asanas of yoga. They are going to become my computer break time activity. I will set my mat up in the living room and get on it every 30 minutes. Whenever I go though a door-frame, I will try to take a moment to do a shoulder stretch for both sides. Have to stay balanced, you know!!

Elliot is making a skeg to put on my kayak. He made a super one for his. It looks like it came from an Erector set, but it sure does what it needs to do!  Elliot and I are partners. We are ready to help each other though this difficult age of being  senior citizens. The strange thing is… it is only our bodies that are senior-aged. Our minds are young and full of laughter and love. We will continue our journey as we have done since 2001…. Side by Side

Side by Side We Can Face the World

I am ready Elliot… is my skeg done yet!!! It is supposed to rain this afternoon so we better get our butts in those kayaks now!!

Wish for Peace… I know, I am just dreaming out loud…

A new day for all of us

I know I should not let the events that have happened like that of the Boston marathon and Newtown get me down, but they do. I just cannot help but wonder about the world that my children and my grandchildren will live in down the road. It is so sad that we, as people cannot learn to live together in Peace. Can you imagine all that could be accomplished if the negative efforts were put toward positive efforts in science, agriculture, education and more.. the wonders that could happen?

I wish that I could see the day

when all the world was free.

When people of any race or creed

could be friends as friends should be.

words of a 14-year-old, written after the Hungarian invasion of 1956 (me)

~~~~~~

Some day after mastering the winds, the waves, the tide and gravity,

we shall harness for God the energies of Love,

and then for the second time in the History of the World, 

Man will have discovered Fire.

Words of Teilhard de Chardin

~~~~~~~~

Words have the power to destroy or heal,

When words are both true and kind,

they can change the world.

From Jack Kornfield’s,  Budda’s Little Instruction Book

~~~~~~~~~

On a lighter note, the words from the song Side by Side.

Oh! We ain’t got a barrel of money;
Maybe we’re ragged and funny.


But we travel along, singing a song,
Side by side.

Don’t know what’s comin’ tomorrow;
Maybe it’s trouble and sorrow,


But we’ll travel along, sharin’ our load,
Side by side.

Through all kinds of weather,
What if the sky should fall?


Just as long as we’re together,
It doesn’t matter at all.

When they’ve all had their quarrels and parted,
We’ll be just the same as we started,


Just traveling along, singin’ a song,
Side by side.

“Side by Side” is a popular song with lyrics by Gus Kahn and music by Harry M. Woods written in 1927, now considered a standard. “Wikipedia“

The song has such simple lyrics, but if we applied the principle to how we lived our lives… working together, through all the troubles that come our way, this world could be such a better place. Unfortunately there is this need for power, dominance, greed that permeates the thoughts of some individuals that prevents it all from happening.  Remember, Peace begins with each of us, as individuals

Side by Side We Can Change the World

Surprises life can bring: the emergence of a different me!

It is absolutely amazing the surprises that life can bring, both good and bad. The one thing that I have learned over time is how to roll with the punches.

In an effort to regain control of my house and home, I attacked the many boxes and bags of ‘stuff’ that have been lurking in the various corners and back shelves of my house. I grew up in a home that was always immaculate and then in my teen years I embarked on a rebellion of such to not follow that example. Well, a person can accumulate only so much ‘stuff’!  My domestic genes decided that it was time for them to emerge and I started to attack the ‘stuff’.

The problem that emerged was that my body was not happy when it came to the explosion of dust that arose from this attack and responded with a ‘delightful’ and strong reaction of my sinuses!  Mega antibiotics and Prednisone have been required to settle my sinuses down. I had to investigate the various masks to wear during my future actions in removing the rest of the ‘stuff’. as the whole transformation is not complete. The salesman and I both become claustrophobic when wearing these masks and he showed me the one he uses that has the small vent!  Of course it was the one with the highest price tag!  So be it!

During this whole process of organization, elimination and sorting, I have found among the many items discovered some treasures that were long forgotten. I am going to share two photos. The left is of my bedroom with all my boxes that have been pulled out along with my abundant sleep apnea apparatus. The image on the right, is an almost finished living room. The stuffed tiger on the couch was not quite up to the job when burglars paid us a visit several years ago, but he is a good conversation starter! There is also a very large green frog around, who was my companion when I underwent Chemo.

Many changes were made.

When I look at all that has taken place, I find there is hope for that long forgotten organized person who has waited so long to emerge from within. This can be something that we all have… a part of us that has been lost, forgotten, and just wondering when it may have the chance to explore life as a reality. I doubt that I will ever equal my dear Mom in my neatness, but I have definitely taken a big step forward. “Thanks Mom”

Ray Bradbury and His Joy of writing

I had the opportunity to hear him speak many years ago as a part of a class I was taking. His message to us was to ‘believe’, to never lose sight of the child that exists in all of us. His joy of writing came through his words, expression and manner of speaking. He spoke of taking flight within one’s life, exploring new ‘worlds’, not letting your life to become stagnant. He left a strong impression on me, not just about writing, but about living life.

His main points during the talk included:

• Keeping Joy of life alive.
• Never losing sight of the child within you.
• Believing in yourself
• Look always to the future
•  Be free, not bound by others beliefs and thoughts

I did two drawings. One was the quick non-stop pen drawing below. It was done at the end of the lecture, as we were in line to go up and meet him. Along the side of the drawing I wrote the words he spoke that touched me the most.  I couldn’t afford to purchase a book for him to autograph, so when I reached him, I nervously handed him the quick sketch. He looked up at me… he looked at the sketch… then proceeded to give me an A+ as well as his autograph.

My sketch that was done in line while waiting to meet him.

My art, drawing and photography, has been of the visual mode. I have done woodcarving, clay sculpture, and photography. The method of expression is different. With the carving and clay sculpture, it took many steps to reach an expression presented through a single form. With photography, one click creates a single image. Of course, with digital software of today, more manipulation can be done, but it is still a single image that speaks for the artist.

With writing, it is the combining of many words in a unique manner that becomes a special expression. A mood, personalities, plot, environment and circumstances are combined to take the reader on a journey.

“And what, you ask, does writing teach us? First and foremost, it reminds us that we are alive and that it is a gift and a privilege, not a right. We must earn life once it has been awarded us. Life asks for rewards back because it has favored us with animation. So while our art cannot, as we wish it could, save us from wars, privation, envy, greed, old age, or death, it can revitalize us amidst it all.”

For Bradbury, writing was something he had to do daily. For him, an hour of writing was like a tonic. “Not to write, for many of us, is to die.” “Every morning I jump out of bed and step on a landmine. The landmine is me.” ”After the explosion, I spend the rest of the day putting the pieces together. Now it’s your turn. Jump!” He said he wrote at least a thousand words a day ‘from the age of 12 on.’

He started to make lists. He first made lists of his loves and hates. Later he began to make lists of titles and nouns. He called these lists the provocations that make it possible for his better work to surface. Down the road came lists that dealt with the night, nightmares, darkness and objects in attics. He states:

Where am I leading you? Well, if you are a writer, or would hope to be one, similar lists, dredged out of the lopside of your brain, might well help you discover you, even as I flopped around and finally found me.

He would choose a noun and start a prosy poem and it would eventually turn into a story! Characters would appear and he would let them finish the rest of the tale for him. He explored the attics of his grandparents as well as their basements. Death, fear, fantasy, graveyards all attracted him. Nouns relating to these subjects started him rapidly writing. Carnivals and his experiences with them were another source of great inspiration for him.

There is so much that I read in the Zen in the Art of Writing that I could go on and on. If you have a chance, pick it up. His vocabulary is so full of description, his thoughts run from one subject to another… showing the relation of thought and feelings. Most of all is the excitement he felt when putting words together to create his vision from within.

I believe one thing holds it all together. Everything I’ve ever done was done with excitement, because I wanted to do it, because I loved doing it.

Afterwards we all had to write a report on his lecture, using any format we wished. I did mine through a colored pencil drawing on plain newsprint, the image shown here. Again you can see the words that reached out to me.

The words I wrote at the bottom say:

In order to motivate your listeners, you the teacher must renew yourself. You must stay in touch with that inner you– the child.  Believe in yourself and enjoy what you do.  Be Free, open to change. Be Joyous!

This was my final report after attending the lecture by Ray Bradbury

The Language of the Hand…

Hands speak a language of their own, not always the same as their owner!

The hand is an extension of the individual. It is most expressive. The language spoken by the hand, its position, or gesture,  can verify if the individual really means what they are saying. Hands can also speak in place of words… in a gentle way… or in a savage way. Touch can be a most healing tool, it can also be quite destructive.

There are specific postures or positions for the hands when an individual is in a state of prayer or meditation. The hands of a loving parent are the extreme opposite of someone fighting. The parents hands have a soft caressing look and feel as they demonstrate the love of the parent for the child. The fighter’s hands are held in a hard and often tight position meant to strike out and inflict pain.

When we see someone in need, their hand may be stretched outward, toward us, asking for help. We, ourselves, will reach out to another when we need help. That outward reach can also be the hand of one willing to give what help they can to one who needs it. There were many hands showing both needs after hurricane Sandy hit and destroyed so much property, upsetting  lives. Those who were left with nothing reached out for help. In response, individuals came from all over answering that need. They reached out their hands with aid… be it food, hammers and wood or with whatever they knew was needed.

There are those who keep their hands in their pockets when they are around others. There are also those whose hands are forever touching everyone they see. Certain cultures are huggers, such as those in the Latin and Mediterranean countries. Other cultures stand back as the Oriental cultures, as a sign of respect. The gestures or movements of the hand in one country, can be an insult. Yet in another country it is a positive sign or gesture. just note, by reading the comments that come with the first linked article, many still cannot agree on the meanings. Perhaps it is because the meanings change over time. For a very intensive listing of gestures, check this article found in Wikipedia.

For some, like the deaf, it is their means for speech. It is not just one position, but often includes a gesture that shows meaning. It is most amazing to me, to see people ‘speaking’ through signing. It demonstrates just how expressive the hands can be… in a very involved and expressive manner.

Know what your hands are saying to others! Are your words saying what you really mean, or do your hands reveal your true sentiments.

Merry Christmas with Peace and Joy to All

Christmas Wishes

It does not matter what your faith is as my wish is for everyone.

We all can use some Peace and Joy in our lives. 

Pelicans on their daily search… against the morning sun

As we search for meaning in our lives, understanding of the tragedies we see or read about in the world of today: we all can dream or believe that there is a better world out there. I know that I do. I start with my love and joy in regard to life and try to share it with those around me.

A mind that is somber does not always see the possibilities that are available. Did you know, that if you just start with a hint of a smile… it will lighten your mood. If just a hint can do so much… let the whole smile come through. When your mind or your mood is lighter it is easier to deal with what is happening in your life. It is important to be mindful of your thoughts and find a way to change them when they start to veer into negativity instead of a positive direction. I am not saying it is easy… sometimes it is very difficult.

Bring some deep breathing into play. I am including a link to breathing exercises that can be found on Dr. Andrew Weil’s site Breathing: Three Exercises. It can be done anywhere at anytime. Then there are the real effects of Positive Thinking. Just like looking at a glass as being half empty rather than half full, how you think makes such a difference in how you respond to life.

How did I end up here after wishing every one Peace and Joy?  Well, we may not be able to see the peace or feel the joy, if our mind is stuck on the wrong channel or stuck in a negative mode thinking level. Go for it and see if what I posted above can even in a small way make a difference in how you feel or see your life at this moment. I know that there are many living in circumstances way out of their own control. Those who survive such circumstances are the ones who can see beyond and remain controlled within themselves. To them, I reach out with all the hope and positive thinking I have. Peace is my dream… Peace for the whole planet. I may be the forever cockeyed optimist as sung by Mitzi Gaynor in the movie South Pacific.

When the skies are brighter canary yellow
I forget ev’ry cloud I’ve ever seen,
So they called me a cockeyed optimist
Immature and incurably green.I have heard people rant and rave and bellow
That we’re done and we might as well be dead,
But I’m only a cockeyed optimist
And I can’t get it into my head.I hear the human race
Is fallin’ on it’s face
And hasn’t very far to go,
But ev’ry whippoorwill
Is sellin’ me a bill,
And tellin’ me it just ain’t so.

I could say life is just a bowl of Jello
And appear more intelligent and smart,
But I’m stuck like a dope
With a thing called hope,
And I can’t get it out of my heart!
Not this heart

Side by Side We Can Change the World

Let Us All Try Something New… Peace

Let Us All Give Peace a Chance

For how many centuries has the world tried war, hatred, dominance and more to gain or prove superiority.

Now it is becoming acceptable to show the extent of our inner demons.

When it comes to the first,  just is not working! Those who end up on the bottom layer of oppression will always seek their freedom from those holding them down. This has been going on for centuries, between religions, cultures and races. In my own country there are those who are still fighting the Civil War. We were once called a melting pot… no more.

Now, if you are upset, angry at another, or feel threatened it seems to be acceptable to grab a gun and ‘take out’ the source of your problem. Why are assault weapons needed by individuals within the regular population? I am not against guns… but the type of guns that are available.

There is also the need for help to be given to those who need mental counseling. In a country as wealthy as ours, programs that give this help are being shut down. There is also a stigma involved. It is no different then when the mentally ill were locked away… now we do it to ourselves rather then admit that we, ourselves, or our child needs help.

First we have to believe that Peace is a real option! It does not have to be perfect as nothing in life is perfect. It will take real effort by all involved. Much will require each individual looking at life, events, feelings with a new perception or outlook. Sometimes when we look at a feeling or event from the opposite viewpoint or a different angle, our own perception changes. Most importantly we need to learn to listen and get to know each other… as individuals not as generalizations.

Next, we need to be persistence in this quest for Peace. It will not come overnight.

I will hand my belief and love of Peace to you… now it is your turn to believe and hand your belief to another. This needs to be done over and over, until it reaches all areas of the world. It does not have to start with just me!  You can start handing off your love of Peace wherever you are and maybe we will accomplish our goal quicker.    As my signature says, “Peace begins with each of us, as individuals”  Pass it on!

New Technology in My Life

Here it is… with many new skills to learn

This is the new tool I have in my life. It is a joint birthday/Christmas present from both myself and my partner, Elliot. I had been interested in the iPad mini, till the price ended up higher than first anticipated  When the new iPad mini was introduced, I learned that there were some bargains to be found within the ranks of the older models. I found on CNet, a good review about the iPad, 3rd generation (refurbished). The price was right and I was ready. Since I have not experienced the technology of the iPhone, iPod or any other iPad, I am most happy with what I have ended up with.

I am learning about Instagram. Lost one and discovered it ended up on Facebook!  I was trying to enhance it and sent it instead. Tried a few apps in different categories, mainly art and photography. The ones I liked, I have kept. A few I got rid of. Luckily an app is not the price of computer software.  So many are free!  I downloaded Art Studio for iPad. It is a keeper. It reminds me of Corel Painter which I have always enjoyed working in. I also downloaded Camera+. It lets me do some enhancing before sending and or saving for later use.

While I was not going to use it for reading, I found that it works very well for that, especially when it comes to more serious reading. I can highlight multiple ways and most importantly… create a comment. While I often highlight hardback books I have never written comments in the margins. The reader program for Sony, now has an app for the iPad. I can re-read all the books I have purchased (no-thinking books) for my Sony reader on the iPad. When I read a no-thinking book, I do not read them word for word and therefore do not remember the whole plot etc. Going back and reading them again several months later is fine with me!  I keep hardback favorites for the same reasons.

What this marvel of technology is supposed to be for me, is a roving digital sketch pad. I cannot say that it was reached that level of use, but it will. I can draw from nature directly or take a photo and open it within Art Studio and work on it from there.

The effect of technology on our lives is being observed and studied in detail. Many negative and some positive aspects are being pointed out. A very humorous yet sad outlook can be found on Our Lighter Side. One of the serious books I am reading on my iPad is Spontaneous Happiness by Andrew Weil. He writes about the nature deficit disorder: the loss of nature in our daily lives and its affect on us, especially in the lives of children. Dr. Weil states:

 We simply are not meant to live as many of us do today: sedentary, alone, staring at glowing screens that keep us on perpetual information overload, eating processed food, and sleep-deprived as artificial light extends the natural day well into the night. Living this way undermines physical and mental health in profound ways.

He does not believe we have to withdraw from the modern world, but we do have to be aware of what is happening and take the means needed to counteract the negative aspects of this overwhelming use of modern technology. One of the strongest medical problems that has developed is depression. People are no longer interactive individuals, but are becoming isolated within their world of technology.

No. For most of us, that’s unrealistic. Instead, we need to realize that we must consciously follow behaviors in the modern world that reflect what our bodies and minds are meant to be doing. We need to move our bodies more; be truly (as opposed to electronically) social; eat whole, unprocessed food; and align our sleep more closely with the sun’s cycles. I also think that ancient spiritual traditions – particularly those that advocate various forms of meditation – can offer valuable opportunities for achieving emotional well-being. So can newer schools of psychotherapy such as “positive psychology,” which provides a wealth of specific techniques to boost emotional health.

As I have become absorbed in the use of my iPad, I can see how this might happen and I only have this one form of modern technology. It is enough for me. My cell phone is for basic communication and emergencies. It is not my main source for communicating. I have never been a big phone talker, ask my children. I prefer to talk face to face. Now that they are not close, I have had to learn to talk longer via the phone, any form of phone.

I have a long way to go before I really know all the iPad can do and will continue do pursue it. I am going to learn chess and play tennis with Roger Federer’s tennis app! No other games. I do play Mahjong on my laptop. That is enough!

Thinking Cap is on… also, taking care of me!

Morning Prayer with Nature

Breathing deeply, stepping back, and looking inward… all this is being done for two reasons. One, I need to get this blog going in the right direction. I still believe in the title “Restoring Your Inner Self” but it is the direction it will go in the future that is changing.

Stepping Back, Looking Forward

My time that has been spent on the A-List Blogging Bootcamp has been great. I check the forum almost daily and see many good points to ponder when approaching the creation or recreation of a blog. My title is OK, as I mentioned. Now I need to study in depth the specifics that I will include. What areas will I link out to? Who will I seek for guest posts? I need to pinpoint my niche when it comes to self restoration. There are many directions, both traditional and alternative. I have studied and do use both.  I hope to include the traditional and alternative so that my blog will have information that many will find informative and helpful. There is also an ebook in there somewhere.

Layout and Content

From CopyBlogger I have received many informative articles. Here is a link to a guest article written by Pamela Wilson. She covers 8 good points and I will just list the headings here. Some may seem obvious, but do follow the link to learn more in depth information about each one.

1. Embrace the line break
2. Break up your content with compelling subheads
3. Use bulleted list
4. Use deep captions
5. Add highly relevant links
6. Use strategic formatting
7. Harness the power of numbers
8. Check your dual readership path

Do Your Research, Know Your Subject

That relative link paragraph means both internal and external. It is most important that your content is worth reading. People search to find information they feel is of value to them. You cannot post just any old topic. Your external links must also go out to sources that you have researched and feel will add to the topic.

Care of Self

Breathing: Back to the breathing, stepping back and looking inward. These are also needed when you are trying to restore your inner self. Yep, that is where I am right now. Why do we always seem to wait until we are almost down and out before we take the action we should have been taking all along? The deep breathing I have down fairly well. I just need to bring it to the forefront more often. A few deep breaths periodically throughout the day can break up the stress that is gathering in your neck and shoulders.. speeding up your mind unnecessarily.

Exercise: I know that the regular gym is not for me. I am lucky in that I can be a member of Silver Sneakers. There are some advantages to getting older besides the senior coffee at various places! I was able to locate a wellness center that is close to me that not only has the Silver Sneaker Program, but also has a pool! To be able to move freely without resistance that the machines like the treadmill have, is what I need. I do use some of the upper body machines because I do not need to stand to use them.

One with Nature

Breakfast at the ocean, lunch along the river, stepping outside at night to view the stars… with a quiet mind so you can hear the sounds of the crickets, the waves, the birds… whatever may be present at that time. Yes, be quiet, watch and listen while taking nice slow and deep breaths.

Brilliant Sun on the River

Seeking Motivation

These waves illustrate the power of the thoughts and physical reactions  I experienced within during my past week, strong and almost overwhelming.

Been one of those weeks when all seems to be on an uphill slant. Need some motivation to keep myself on track. This is when I head to the Readings from the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School.

~~~~~~~~~~

Whether adversity be a stumbling block, or discipline, or blessing depends on the use made of it.
Anonymous

The trick is what one emphasizes.
We either make ourselves miserable
or we make ourselves strong.
The amount of work is the same…
Carlos Castaneda

I love this quote… Makes me think of the words not spoken…

Remember this advice: It is easy to keep your head above water. Empty things float.
Tillie Olsen

I bought two books from Amazon for further reading. I am learning that there are several different approaches to freelance writing and blogging. My job will be to put together the combination that works best for me.

I am enjoying my journey with the A-List Blogging bootcamp. It shows only too well how much there is to learn. While I missed the workshop (still trying to figure that out) I am going full speed ahead with the rest of the program.The amount of experience as well as the joy of learning expressed by all in the program is catching.  Ah.. that is what I need right now, a visit to the site and to let all that enthusiasm flow over me!  Off I go!!

A good day to you all!