Monday, December 30, 2013

New Year's Resolutions!

Here are my New Year's resolutions because I hear they're good things to establish and write down on the 31st of December. I figure if I write them down here they're more concrete so see below.
  • Have someone on every continent read this blog. I figure if I can inspire people to read this blog maybe it will spread even to Antarctica.
  • Post on this blog every day no matter what.
  • Find ways to remain happy under any circumstance.
  • Always be good to people.
  • Learn how to cook new dishes so I can share them on this blog.
  • Always look for ways to improve in all aspects of my life.
  • Be more adventurous.
  • Finish Les Miserables (book)
  • Volunteer more.
  • Worry less and love more!

The power of a warm drink when you can't sleep

It's funny how a warm drink helps you sleep. When I was visiting my family over Christmas, one night I felt restless and went down to my parents' kitchen to find my dad and mum were there as well and we all wound up having warm milk and going back to bed. Somehow little things like warm milk remind me of how much families can love each other. It's nice to feel safe and warm in the knowledge that someone cares and with that knowledge I feel at peace. I hope that everyone finds that same sense of peace and occasionally a warm drink as well! :)

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Smile because it happened

"Don't cry because it's over,smile because it happened."-Dr. Seuss 

like the quote above because it shows how there's always a reason to smile.  For example, even though it's the end of my Christmas holidays I still feel like smiling as I had a lovely time being with my family. The quote above reminds me that I can think of  this time with my family whenever I feel the need. It's nice to know that even if a fun event is finished it can still exist in my memories. I like the fact that I can think of these memories until more happy events happen and In thinking of such things I find I can carry on smiling. Indeed, there'll always be something to smile about! 

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Under the same stars

Now that I'm in Michigan with my family for the holidays I find the stars seem more clear here as my family lives in a farming community with lots of open space. One of the things I like about stars especially the North Star, is that it's always the same everywhere. It's comforting to think that everyone sleeps under the same stars. Somehow stars remind me that people I care about are always with me and how they're bright spots in my life.  To all who read this, since writing this blog to you has been a bright spot in my life, when I look up and see the stars at night, I'll think of you because you matter very much to me too.


Friday, December 27, 2013

Happy Birthday to Peter Pan!

Today in 1904 J.M. Barrie's play "Peter Pan: The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up" opened at the Duke of York's Theater in London, UK. When I think of Peter Pan I think of how I hope there's always a part of everyone's spirit that stays young. A part that wants to explore and try new things and see that life is an adventure which is one of the things that makes life worth living. I find that with this in mind I've no need to fear or worry about getting old and I can even feel excited about it because I know that no matter what happens, a part of me will always be young at heart!

Thursday, December 26, 2013

If I only had a box

Today is Boxing Day! Although I think it started as a day when employees got gifts from their employers for their work, it got me thinking that if I were stranded somewhere and only had one box with stuff to help me carry on living what I'd want in the box. I realize this is a bit of an extreme way to take Boxing Day but nevertheless, below are some things I thought about that I'd want to have in the box.
  • A very compact tent (or something to make a tent out of): If all else failed I could always just dump everything out of the box and try and make a tent out of it. I just think a shelter is a nice thing to have.
  • A good supply of trail mix: I love the stuff (which is why I was extremely excited when my brother gave me a large bag of it for Christmas!) It's nutritious! After all, it usually has dried fruit and nuts and then there's chocolate of course, all essential things for survival!
  • A rain jacket: Being wet and cold is no fun under any circumstances.
  • A flare gun: If movies are anything to go by, flare guns seem very useful for flagging down planes/ships etc to come save you.  Plus I always wondered what it would be like to use one.
  • A  long range CW Transmitter (device used to send messages through Morse code): Granted I'd have to learn how to send out Morse code signals properly but still, if all else failed, at least I'd have some form of communication. I'd just have to make sure that I give a similar transmitter to someone nice who'd be willing to answer my distress signals!
  •  A lighter: Once I've accomplished the miraculous feat of getting a lighter to work, I figure a fire is a very useful thing to have (as long as it's a small one, that is!)I'd just have to be very careful how I go about it!
  • A picture of my family: Just so if I start to feel down I can think of them and feel better.
  • A supply of water: Trusting that I won't be stranded for a long time hopefully a couple of gallon bottles will last me a while. 
  • A small glass bowl and a pot so that if I'm stranded by the sea I can get the salt out of the water and have something to drink.
  • Paper, pens and empty bottles so that even if I don't have any internet connection or a computer for that matter  if I'm by water I can still at least try to send happy messages to people when I feel I need a break from building tents, shooting off flare guns, and trying to figure out how to use lighters and send distress signals by Morse code! 

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Home for Christmas

I think what makes Christmas one of the happiest times of the year is that I've always been with my family for that holiday. I love being home, being able to eat my dad's pancakes and help my mum and sister cook, and hang out with my brother. Yes, of course the presents are nice to receive and give. A lot of thought goes into them and even though they're different things, they still all remind me of how much my family and I love each other.  Regardless of what holidays people celebrate, I believe everyone should have a place where they are loved and can be happy. I've written this blog in the hope that it might be such a place for people. If you celebrate Christmas I hope it was a very happy one!

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Christmas cracker jokes

One family  tradition I really like is Christmas Crackers. Christmas Crackers are packages that two people pull apart and they have small toys, slips of paper with jokes and riddles on them and maybe some hard candies. I think out of all those items I like the paper hats and jokes best. The jokes are silly and fun so I thought I'd share some that I remember and like best.

*What did Adam say to his wife on the day before Christmas? "It's Christmas, Eve!
*What did the stamp say to the Christmas card? Stick with me and we'll go places!
*What goes Ho Ho Whoosh, Ho Ho Whoosh? Santa going through a revolving door
*What do you call a train loaded with toffee? A chew chew train.
*What kind of paper likes music? (W)rapping paper.


Monday, December 23, 2013

Hooray for Disorganization


“One of the advantages of being disorganized is that one is always having surprising discoveries.”- A. A. Milne

I've found being disorganized does have some merits. As A.A. Milne says it can lead to a lot of surprises. For example, if I lose something, I tend to find it again when I least expect it (and when I'm not looking for it of course.) It's true there is something to be said about being very organized and neat but I figure if everything was always orderly, then there wouldn't be as much room for creativity.  So here's one hooray for disorganization. Now that I've done so I'll make my room extremely organized just so I can  (gradually) disorganize it  all over again, and thus my little cycle of creativity continues!

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Happiness in a picture!



Photo from: http://www.sportsgrid.com/media/rugby-player-little-girl-hospital-photo/

I really like this photo just because to me it's another example of how happiness can be found anywhere even in hospitals. The little girl in the picture just looks so ecstatic that a rugby player came to visit her, it's as if her joy could be felt by anyone looking at the photo. It made me smile. Happiness is contagious! 

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Happy National Look at the Bright Side Day

It's the winter solstice (the shortest day of the year) why is it also National Look on the Bright Side day? Because there's always something to feel good about even when things are dark. Even if it's just thinking to myself "it's good that I have 3 meals in me and that this day was  sunny" thinking of the bright side has helped me get through a lot of things. This is why I love looking at the bright side because I know that if I get down and stay that way it's no fun for anyone. So I celebrate looking on the bright side because celebrating something is one more thing to be happy about! Hooray!

 

Friday, December 20, 2013

Things I learned from watching the Hobbit the Desolation of Smaug

I just got back from seeing the Hobbit the Desolation of Smaug which is a movie I highly recommend as I found it very enjoyable and somewhat educational. Here are some things I learned from watching it.
  • Never wake up a dragon. If you do wake it up don't bother talking to it, just run!
  • It's good to make friends with elves since they're good at fighting off nasty creatures and if you get horribly injured they're very good at curing people too.
  • Don't get lost in a thick forest with giant spiders in it (In fact just avoid all thick forests with giant spiders in them at all costs!)
  • If you go on a long trip make sure you have a hobbit with you, they can get you out of very difficult situations.
  • It's good to make friends with people who own boats, it's always good to have a boat handy!
  • It's also a good idea to make friends with smugglers as they can get you somewhere safe (providing you have enough money to pay them of course.)
  • Rolling in a barrel down rapids can be a fairly good method of escaping from a prison.
  • Barrels full of  dead fish or outhouses, while slightly gross and a bit less than sanitary,  are very good hiding places.
  • Rings that can make you invisible are also handy in dire situations even if they are cursed.
  •  It's good to be good at archery-if you're lucky you might even kill a very large dragon and save your entire home town. 
Now go see the movie!

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Joke of the Day!

Here's the joke of the day even if you've already seen em' all!

A woman has identical twins, and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt and is named 'Amal.' The other goes to a family in Spain, they name him Juan. Years later; Juan sends a picture of himself to his mum. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wished she also had a picture of Amal. Her husband responds, ''But they are twins. If you've seen Juan, you've seen Amal.'' 

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

You know you can survive in a cold climate when....

As we've had a record snowfall out here I felt like proving to the world, that despite the cold one can indeed survive! How can you know if you can survive in a cold climate? Read on: You know you can survive in a cold climate when: 

*You can eat ice cream on the 25th of December even when it's below zero outside. 
 *You still go out for a walk in a snowstorm and manage to enjoy how pretty the snow looks. 
 *You don't start thinking it's really cold until the snow crunches like egg shells when you walk on it.
 *You start drinking tea and/or hot chocolate like it's going out of style. 
 *You make sure to watch out for black ice! 
*You buy (and wear) multiple pairs of long underwear!
 *You own a good sturdy pair of snow boots that are water proof.
 *You consider sledding and ice skating arae awesome activities!
 *You think of snowmen and snow angels as art forms.
 *You keep in mind that even though it's cold out at least the sun is shining! :)

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Happy National Underdog Day!

I've always had a soft spot for underdogs and I tend to cheer hardest for them because of this. I like surprises so to me it's wonderful to see underdogs win. I figure if the same people or teams always won then life wouldn't be as fun. Underdogs never stopped showing me how perseverance does pay off. So I celebrate underdogs and even if their efforts seem useless and even if people think they're barking mad I still hope there'll always be underdogs and that they never give up!


Monday, December 16, 2013

The purpose of life

"The purpose of life is to be happy!" - The Dalai Lama

I feel like if there's anything to strive for and work towards, it's to be happy! Everyone has the capacity to be happy,  so everyone's life has a purpose. Furthermore, since happiness is a great thing, everyone has the potential for achieving greatness, which to me is one more reason to be happy. If nothing else, my hope is that you can feel some sense of happiness in the knowledge that to me you'll always be great!

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Don't just get through it! ROAR through it!

If there's anywhere to be fierce and brave it's in hospitals which is why I think it's awesome that various Children's Hospitals (in Connecticuit, New Hampshire, and Virginia) have created their own versions of Katy Perry's "Roar" music video. I like the videos because it shows how even in difficult circumstances whether dealing with health issues or something else, people have a tremendous amount of resilience which is one of the many things I love about people. No matter what happens, I hope you have at least one good ROAR when you're getting through a difficuly as I believe there's a tiger in all of us that helps keep us going and having a good roar (or at least a good fight chant or something) can help lift the spirits!

For your viewing pleasure (and hopefully to give you a sense of encouragement) I've enclosed two videos I found of the Roar videos in Connecticut Children's Hospital and Children's Hospital of Richmond, VA.


Saturday, December 14, 2013

Best gag gifts ever!

Since the holidays are typically times where gag gifts through White Elephant games (gift swaps) at parties. The game usually involves everyone involves people bringing "gifts" (funny ones) wrapped up in pretty paper and putting them in a pile. Everyone takes a number and whoever's number 1 picks a gift from the pile. The next person then has the opportunity to pick another gift or steal person one's gift. (If their gift is stolen, person one takes another gift from the pile.) The game goes on with everyone else either picking or stealing a gift   I've seen/gotten some pretty interesting gifts (especially from the party I just got back from) that I thought I'd share just for the heck of it.  No matter what holidays people celebrate I hope at some point everyone gets to participate in. There's a ton  of laughter involved and you might come out of it with something that's actually nice!.

  • Best gift 1:  A hospital's bedpan. Why is it the best? Once when I was in the hospital a friend came with me. To make me laugh she said something to the effect of: "Maggie, you're going to be billed for so much money for this hospital stay and yet they won't give you a souvenir. I think you should just take one." She picked p a bedpan out of the drawer by my bed and said "I think I'll steal this for you." I started laughing because I didn't think she was serious. Then when I was discharged and she was taking me home she pulled the bedpan out of her bag and said "see, I told you I would!" Fast forward to the next White Elephant gift swap we had and in one of the best wrapped gifts was the bedpan! (Sadly I didn't take a picture but the memory has not left my brain yet!)
  • Best gift 2: A pair of water created boxer shorts. One of the guys in our party tonight got this pair of boxer shorts that were packed in the tiniest vacuum pack bag. When we stuck it in water (as instructed on the package) the shorts expanded to become wearable! 
 
  • Best gift 3: A really cool woven handbag. I actually got this gift at tonight's swap and I like it especially because I was told that the proceeds from buying the bag went to helping refugees. 

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Answers to the Christmas riddles

Here are the answers to yesterday's riddles!

1. A confused snowflake.

2. The letter "D"

3. A Raindeer

4. He left his sleigh in a snow parking zone

5. The letter S.

Christmas Riddles!

I'm in the mood for riddles again! Here's some Christmas themed ones!

1. What's white and goes up?

2. What do you have in December that you don’t have in any other month?

3. What animal is always wet? 

4. Why did Santa get a ticket on Christmas Eve?

5. What's at the end of Christmas?




Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Happy International Mountain Day

It's International Mountain Day ( the UN says so)! Although the day is meant to figure out ways to ensure mountains don't waste away, I'm all for celebrating mountains in general.  My own experience with mountains started when I learned to ski when I was 5 in Michigan. My earliest memory of skiing was after getting to the top of one baby hill I was petrified and refused to go down. Then my Dad said, Maggie, you just have to get down the hill that's all. So  finally, I turned my skis and went straight down the mountain without turning as I figured it was the quickest way to get off it. This strategy unfortunately led me to fall down flat at the bottom but that's how I learned that if you want to slow down and stop on skis turning from side to side is a bit essential. Despite that experience I still ski and I still think of my dad's advice that all I have to do is get down the mountain when I'm high up at the top and scared. Somehow I do get down the mountain. I like mountains both symbolically and in reality because in going down them I learned that as long as I can focus on finding a way to get through the experience, things seem less frightening and even enjoyable. So I celebrate mountains because they are beautiful and if nothing else, I know I can always get down one!


Tuesday, December 10, 2013

The first snow

Today felt like it was the first big snowfall in Boston this year. It got me feeling all nostalgic as I grew up in a place with rather cold winters to me there's always been something nice about the first big snow of the year. Even if it's cold out and I start to feel it's snowing too much, I still think there's a lot to like about snow. Now that I'm thinking about it here are a few things I think are likeable about the flakey white stuff: 
*It's nice to see things blanketed in white Sometimes when there's a lot of snow and the wind used to blow it around my house when I was growing up it seemed like we were surrounded by an ocean which seemed pretty cool to me at the time. 
*I still like a good snowball fight now and then it's one of the few times I feel slightly agressive. 
 *It's fun to make snowmen. When I was little and feeling more artistic than usual I'd go all out and put scarves and hats and sticks for hands in the snowmen. They wound up looking pretty funny.:) *Kids get snowdays! when I was really young and it snowed a lot we'd get a day or two off school. Because I lived in Michigan this happened only when there was quite a bit of snow on the ground and s my sister,brother and I a day to enjoy the snow just a bit more than usual!
*After a while snow goes away long enough that I can still like it when it comes back the next winter-at least for the first snow of the season! 

Monday, December 9, 2013

Favorite Christmas Carols

I'm a big fan of Christmas Carols mostly because singing them is a lot of fun and they make me feel good inside. I thought I'd share some of my favorites just for the heck of it.

1. The Christmas Song sung by Nat King Cole: I like it because it's somewhat jazzy and reminds me of my family especially my dad because he likes jazz. 

2. Let it Snow: Sung by Michael Buble: The first snow of the season is fun for me and I think Michael Buble is very easy on the eyes as well plus he sounds so nice when he sings this!
3. Charlie Brown Christmas O Tannenbaum- Ok I know that no one's singing in it but the music is pretty. Plus I like Charlie Brown.
 
  4.  O Holy Night sung by Jackie Evancho: She just sounds so beautiful singing it.
5. Silent Night sung by Enya: I like it because they sing it in  as well which I think makes it prettier and somehow very soothing, rather like a lullaby.
 

Sunday, December 8, 2013

An appeal to Metallica

One of the things I've wanted for a while now is that someone on every continent would read this blog, just because it would mean a lot to me if something I wrote was read by people all over the place simply because I'm all about spreading the happy. So when a friend told me that the band Mettalica was playing in Antarctica I wrote to the band. I've never written to anyone really famous before so this was a first. Anyway, I respect Metallica because I think their music helps people. I also especially like their song "Nothing Else Matters."  I figure songs are open to interpretation and to me the song "Nothing Else Matters" is about believing in yourself and what you can do and not caring what anyone else thinks about that. Ultimately I like the idea that there's no limit to the good people can do and if nothing else, that's what matters to me. 

To Mettalica: Again, I hope that you have a really awesome time in Antarctica and even if you don't read this in Antarctica or at all, I still wish you the very best, now and in the future. Rock on!

Saturday, December 7, 2013

A letter from Mr. President

I never really thought I'd get a Christmas card from the White House until I got one today. I got it as I believe many people did, for volunteering for the president's election campaign which was something I liked doing because I felt like I was doing something that helped someone. Anyway,  I thought Christmas card was fun because as you can see it's a pop up card. Plus, it's fun to get letters and cards in the mail.  It's like a bright spot when I come home at the end of the day. If I could, I'd send everyone who reads this a letter (providing they want one of course) just so people could have something nice in their mailbox. If I could send such a message this is what I'd send:

Here's a letter from me to you in the hopes your holidays are happy ones and I wish you the very best!




Friday, December 6, 2013

Just because its National Microwave Oven Day

December 6th is National Microwave Day! I'm not sure how it got started but I thought I'd take this opportunity to describe what I like best about microwaves. After all, everything should feel appreciated, even inanimate objects!

Things I love about microwaves:
  • It can cook me dinner in 5 minutes or less!
  • Sometimes when I feel like being fancy but not spend too much time doing it, I can use the microwave to make fancy frozen dinners and pretend I'm in a fancy restaurant when eating them. 
  • It makes great popcorn fast which tastes great and is nice to eat while watching a good movie. 
  • Even if food explodes in it (which I have to admit unfortunately ticks me off) at least the mess is contained to the microwave and is thus relatively easy to clean.
  • It has led me to make new discoveries in the art of cooking as it has helped me cook random things like British custard. (Not that it's that different from custard in the US.) I managed to find a custard mix in the store that is the same type my grandmother made us when we'd visit my grandparents in the UK. After a few attempts (one of leading to a minor explosion of pudding mix) I managed to make custard that was warm, creamy and that tasted good! 
So here's to microwaves, don't know where I'd be without one!

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Until it is done

"It always seems impossible until it is done." -Nelson Mandela.

I like this quote very much and I think it speaks to Mandela's life because he broke down so many barriers despite the tremendous amount of adversity he faced. I think that things seem impossible when one faces them alone. What inspires me most about Mandela was that he believed in his people and that he was able to unite people against all odds. To me this reaffirms my belief that all we have in this life is each other and as long as we can stand united, there is no limit to the great things we can accomplish. 

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

3 things I love about holidays

Since it's exactly 3 weeks to Christmas, below are  things I love about holidays. Even if people don't honor the same days, I still think that they all are causes for celebration and thus a lot of happiness!
  • I love how holidays are days when people make more effort to see each other. I see more relatives and friends on holidays and I love them all very much which is yet another reasons to love holidays. I've found that as long as I'm with people I care about then I'm happy.
  • More often then not, holidays have a few songs involved. This is especially true of Christmas and I particularly like how it's perfectly acceptable to go down the street singing Christmas carols. (Not that anything's really ever stopped me from going down streets singing in the first place but somehow it seems a little less odd to me in December.)
  • Gift giving on holidays is fun. It's nice to get to pick out something special for someone you care about. Being on the receiving end of the gift giving process isn't so bad either! ;)
Whatever holidays you celebrate and whatever it is that you like about them, I hope that holidays are always happy ones for you.


Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Happy International Day of Persons with Disabilities!

The UN established December 3rd as International Day of Persons with Disabilities in 2012. it's meant to promote accessibility and eliminate barriers that prevent people with disabilities from accessing the services they need. What I like best about such a day is that it is meant to encourage people to work together to ensure everyone, including people with disabilities is provided with the same rights and services so that society can make even more progress. 

In some ways I think having a disability is one of the best things about my life. Since I was diagnosed with epilepsy as a teenager, I have found that having this condition has caused me to have even more faith in humanity's goodness. I take medication but if that medication stops working and I have a seizure in some public place, I have to trust that someone, out of the goodness of their heart and mind will be willing to help me. I'm happy that people, even complete strangers have indeed helped me in such cases. I'm also glad to have a disability because it led me to meet people who continue to work hard to help their peers with disabilities to get services and the support they need to be independent and fully functional in society.  In short, I think what I like most about having a disability is that it can be a source of unity on many levels and if enough people unite around a cause like that, they can accomplish so much. Indeed, a lot has already been accomplished in terms of helping people with disabilities have equal access to all aspects of society and daily living. I realize that people with disabilities still struggle with many things and this reminds me of a Swahili quote I heard once that says: "Life has meaning only in the struggle. Triumph or defeat is in the hands of the Gods… So let us celebrate the struggle!"  So I use International Day of Persons with Disabilities to celebrate the struggle because I want to believe that as a result of the struggle one day true equality will be a reality rather than an idea. When that day comes (and hopefully I'll see it!) I'll party like a rock star!


Monday, December 2, 2013

Celebrating a special education!

Today marks the 38th anniversary of the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Act which was signed into law by President Ford in 1975 and as of the law's 30th anniversary in 2005, December 2nd was declared Special Education Day. The IDEA is meant to help ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to education. I've directly benefited from this law and I think I was able to achieve more academic success because of it. 

Although I was never placed in a physical special education class, I did receive services throughout my education. In high school for example, I met once a week with a woman named Mrs. Raad who was a great help to me. Even though she was there to teach me things, the time I spent with her was like spending time with a good friend since as much as we did work, we also laughed and talked a bit too which made my meetings with her a lot of fun. With Mrs. Raad's help I was able to keep my grades up and do well. My experience in special education showed me that as long as I was willing to put forth the effort, there really was no limit to what I could do if I wanted to learn something. I think I'll always have a soft spot for special ed because education and knowledge should be available for everyone and since special education helps make education even more accessible, to me that's something worth celebrating!


Sunday, December 1, 2013

Favorite Holiday Movies

Since it's December I was just thinking of things I liked to watch with my family when I was younger (particularly on days when it was bitterly cold outside.) In the off chance you haven't seen some of them, here's a list of films my family and I especially like. I hope you enjoy them as well!
  • The Snowman-It's a short cartoon movie about a boy who builds a snowman that comes to life and they go on a trip to the North Pole to see Father Christmas. Other than accompanying music and a beautiful song sung by a choir boy called "Walking in the Air" none of the characters actually speak in this movie but it is a rather beautiful film. I always liked it.
  • Miracle on 34th Street (the 1947 version) Father Christmas is hired by Macy's to work in its store over the Christmas holidays. While there, a skeptical little girl questions whether the man in the jolly red suit is really Father Christmas and eventually comes to the conclusion that Santa really does exist after all. I still believe in the idea of Santa since to me he symbolizes faith and love and well, everything that holidays are typically about. 
  • It's a Wonderful Life: Follows the life of George Bailey and the difficulties he faces and how he grows to see that despite his troubles his life still has a lot of value to the people around him  and he learns that he really does have a wonderful life. I like this movie because it shows that even when things see really hard, life is still worth living and wouldn't be the same if we weren't here. Everyone has the capacity to touch so many other lives for the better which is an incredible gift and that to me is one of the many things that make life great.
  • How the Grinch Stole Christmas-A green monster decides to steal Christmas from the Whos in Whoville with the help of his long suffering dog. However, the Grinch's heart grows bigger when he meets a little girl who helps persuade him to bring Christmas back. There's a song in this cartoon that I think is sung by Orson Welles that I liked because when I was in my high school's choir we had a lot of fun singing it!
  • A Christmas Carol: Ebenezer Scrooge-a man obsessed with money learns the errors of his ways through being visited by 3 ghosts who show his past Christmases, what's happening in the current Christmas and what might happen in the future because of his misdeeds. After this he becomes a better man and helps people. I like the 1970s movie version because it's a musical and to me stories seem happier when set to music somehow. 

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Felix!

One of the highlights of coming home for Thanksgiving holiday was my cousin's almost-two-year-old son named Felix. He  just seems to captivate everyone. There's a lot of energy in him, plus he's a pretty happy kid and that rubs off on everyone around him. I think that's one of the things I like about kids in general- there are times when they seem to know exactly what to say and do to make people smile. So to add to the list of things I'm thankful for, I'm grateful for kids in general because to me each one can add a bit of innocence and sweetness in the world. In the case of my cousin's son, his name means happiness and it couldn't be more appropriate!


Friday, November 29, 2013

Thanksgiving joke

Since it is a holiday and holidays can be funny I thought I'd share this joke I found on the web. Especially because laughter is something I'm eternally thankful for!

Turkey farmer joke!

A turkey farmer was always experimenting with breeding the perfect turkey, specifically one with more legs to satisfy his family's preference for dark meat. After many frustrating attempts, the farmer was telling his friends about his recent success.

"Well I finally did it! I bred a turkey that has six legs!"

His friends all asked the farmer how it tasted.

I don't know," said the farmer. "I never could catch the darn thing!"

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Answers to yesterday's riddles! :)

Here are the Answers to yesterday's riddles! Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Answer to Riddle 1: He was traveling on a horse called Friday.

Answer to Riddle 2: A stamp!

Answer to Riddle 3: Your Thumb.You can use your thumb (left hand or right) when hitching (travelling over cobblestone or gravel). Thumbs up is a show of success, thumbs down not so great.

Answer to Riddle 4: You walk across the bridge as you normally would, and after half an hour, you've reached the middle of the bridge, and the guard wakes up. Right before he wakes up, turn around and face the other direction so that the guard will think that you were heading the opposite direction. The guard will automatically carry you back to the side where he thought you came from, which is the side you wanted to go to. 

Answer to Riddle 5: Only the person reciting has explicitly said that he was going to St. Ives. The riddle says nothing about everyone he met along the way.

If you are traveling, here are some riddles to help pass the time! :)

Since holidays seem to be traditionally time for road trips and road trips are typically long, here are some riddles to help you pass the time!

1. A man travels to a town on Friday stays for 2 nights and travels back on Friday,How can this be?

2.What travels around the world but stays in one corner?

3. Used left or right, I get to travel,
Over cobblestone or gravel.
Used up, I vie for sweet success,
Used down, I cause men great duress.

What am I?
 


4.A man wants to cross a bridge to get to the other side of the crevice, but there's a problem. The bridge, which takes an hour to walk across, is guarded in the middle by a guard who wakes up every half hour and carries back anybody crossing the bridge back to where he or she came from. How do you get to the other side? 

5. Apparently this is the oldest riddle in history according to Google (because of course, Google knows all.)  
As I was going to St. Ives
I met a man with seven wives.
Each wife had seven sacks,
Each sack had seven cats,
Each cat had seven kits;
Kits, cats, sacks and wives,
How many were going to St. Ives? 

  

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

When the going get's tough - dance harder!

At the Thrive Mentoring Conference I attended last weekend I had the privilege of being able to meet a woman named Simi Linton who is making a film about how a group of dancers is using their talents on the stage and the general dance floor to raise awareness and advocate for people with disabilities. It got me thinking about how dancing can be really moving and powerful as well as fun. I believe everyone can dance, if it's just your hands or waving your body from side to side, I figure as long as you're having fun that's dancing. I also think that because anyone and everyone can dance it, like many art forms, makes everyone equal. This is why it really is an ideal way to show how despite the challenges people face, there is still so much beauty and talent inside everyone and everyone deserves to have that talent shine. Currently the movie entitled Invitation to Dance isn't quite finished but updates and further details can be found on the movie's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/invitationtodancefilm/info). Whatever your situation in life might be and whatever happens in your life, I hope there's still a lot of dancing in it!


Monday, November 25, 2013

Having simple tastes can be the best!

“My tastes are simple: I am easily satisfied with the best.” -Winston Churchill 

Whatever your tastes might be, I hope that you are able to find the best that life has to offer, in short I wish you the best!


Sunday, November 24, 2013

A weekend with some amazing people!

I had a truly amazing weekend with some really awesome people since I had the privilege of attending the 2nd Annual Thrive Mentoring Program Conference. The event capped off another year of the Thrive mentoring program which as its name suggests is meant to help young women with disabilities to thrive and be empowered! I learned so much from the experience and I met so many really wonderful people. Among these was Kelley Becherer a Paralympic swimmer who won two gold medals and two bronze medals in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Athens, Greece  and another two gold medals in the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, UK. She and all the other women who spoke really inspired me. As a whole, the conference continued to emphasize to me how no matter what difficulties people face, there is really no limit to what people can achieve and we must never let anything hold us back! I'm proud that I've been part of the Thrive program and that I can continue being a mentor. It's one of the best things I've ever done. :)


The women of the Thrive program are Wicked Smaht and Wicked Strong!

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Reading Les Mis

I really like the musical Les Miserables which is interesting since I'm usually all in favor of happy stuff and yet one of my favorite musicals has "miserable" as part of its title. I have to say though that some of the music in the show is pretty. That aside, I found out the musical is based on a book with the same name by Victor Hugo so I got all excited about reading it.   I have found out 2 things since starting the book- 1-that there's not much singing going on in it (except maybe La Marseillaise)  and 2- this book is over 2,000 pages long. Despite these facts I've resolved to stick with it and read it all the way through! I'm up for a challenge! Simply because I like how it feels damn good to reach a goal! I've also resolved to read the book straight through to the end unlike I usually do- beginning, end, and then possibly the middle if the beginning and end aren't sad. ( I figure if the beginning is sad and the end is sad things just start to really go downhill in the middle so why bother reading the middle?) In this case, from watching the musical and given the book's title, I already know it's going to be sad. I've decided to stick with it anyway for the sake of the challenge! As of this moment I'm about 60 pages into it which may not sound like much but it's a start! I'll keep you posted as to how it goes! Vive La Revolution!

Friday, November 22, 2013

I'm so happy I feel like....dancing on impulse!

I just saw Pharrell Williams sing the song "Happy" on the Ellen Show and I have to say there's a lot of joy in that video.  It seemed like Pharrell got the whole room dancing and feeling good. It kind of made me wish people could be so happy that they'd start dancing on impulse like the people in the video, which would be awesome to watch. Anyway, watching the people dance in the video, it seemed like happiness was shooting out of all of them. After hearing this song I resolve to live every day with the intention of feeling happy like a room without a roof  as the song says. I believe everyone has the ability find some happiness. I hope that at the very least, you can find happiness in knowing that someone cares about you and is writing this for you! So, Here's to Happiness and Here's to YOU!


Thursday, November 21, 2013

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Hello World!!!

It's World Hello Day! This holiday actually has a historical background. It would seem like it's just a day to say hello to a bunch of people but it actually started in 1973 as a result of a conflict between Egypt and Israel. In short, the day was meant to bring people a little bit closer together peacefully. Currently 180 countries observe this holiday as an expression of peace. So in honor of Hello Day: Hello, Hola, Bon Jour, Ello Hay!




Tuesday, November 19, 2013

The Story of a Chocolate Cake

This poem is in honor of two of my roommates who somehow all had a really bad day today for different reasons which I won't go into because that's long and complicated and not remotely happy. So anyway, since chocolate cake makes everything better I thought I'd write a poem about it in an attempt to cheer people up!!

The Story of A Chocolate Cake

I went to an event this evening
And as many events do
This meeting included dinner
And pieces of chocolate cake too!

The presence of cake was fortuitous
As I would soon find out
And it was lucky I had the presence of mind
To grab pieces for my roommates on my way out

Upon arriving home I knew something was wrong
Tears were flowing and I didn't know what to say
But suddenly I realized  there was something that could save the day!
After all the happiness power of chocolate cake is mighty strong!

Fear not, I declared! things will eventually be all right!
Especially because I brought home cake tonight!
Just  a little something to make a bad day a little sweeter
Plus chocolate cake is a sadness beater!

Even though it might not solve the problems they had
After eating some cake my roommates didn't feel so bad
And the fact that they were no longer so sad
Caused me to also feel tremendously glad!

Dear reader if your day is cake-less and has also gone sour
I've created this poem as sweet as I can make it be
And have written it to remind you that days end in a few hours
Things will get better,  I promise, just wait and see!




Monday, November 18, 2013

Songs that inspire me!

I was just thinking about how, although I might listen to music for enjoyment, music can also serve to inspire and motivate me to work effectively, be strong, and hopefully help someone. Below are some songs that get me up an' at 'em. ( Haven't decided who the "'em" is that I'm getting at but anyway...) Whoever "em" is to to you, I  hope these songs get you up 'an at 'em too! 

* "World on Fire"- Sarah McLaughlin: It lights a fire in me and makes me want to do something good!
* "World"- Five for Fighting: The song asks "what kind of world do you want?" I want a better world and I'm working on it!
* "Nimrod" from Edward Elgar's "Enigma Variations": As it's a classical piece it doesn't have words but there's something powerful in the music that makes me feel inspired!
* "Before the Parade Passes By" from the musical "The Music Man": I want to lead a parade!
* "With My Own Two Hands"- Jack Johnson: I think everyone has the power to change something for the better. 




Sunday, November 17, 2013

Flowers in the window...that make me feel so happy!

I love flowers so naturally when I heard the song Flowers in the Window by a group called Travis. It just seems to me to be about all things that are good. Listening to it is kind of like medicine for me. If I feel like I just need a pick  me up or something nice to start the day with, I turn it on and listen it and it makes me feel good inside. I hope it has the same effect on others. The lyrics are below, along with a video so everyone can listen!

I hope that wherever you are there are flowers in your life!


Flowers in the Window
  
When I first held you I was cold
A melting snowman I was told
But there was no one there to hold before
I swore that I would be alone forever more

Chorus
Wow look at you now
Flowers in the window
It's such a lovely day
And I'm glad you feel the same
'Cause to stand up, out in the crowd
You are one in a million
And I love you so
Let's watch the flowers grow

There is no reason to feel bad
But there are many seasons to feel glad, sad, mad
It's just a bunch of feelings that we have to hold
But I am here to help you with the load

Repeat chorus

So now we're here and now is fine
So far away from there and there is time, time, time
To plant new seeds and watch them grow
So there'll be flowers in the window when we go

Wow look at us now
Flowers in the window
It's such a lovely day
And I'm glad you feel the same
'Cause to stand up, out out in the crowd
You are one in a million
And I love you so
Let's watch the flowers grow

Saturday, November 16, 2013

A day out with the awesome girl I mentor for!

I'm a mentor for a really great person and today I had an awesome time hanging out and going to see the movie Thor (just so we could watch him save the world and look incredibly handsome while doing so) and having some ice cream beforehand. I became a mentor through a program from Easter Seals which is an organization that provides services (like support groups, summer camps for kids, assistive technology lending programs, as well as advocating for legislation) to help people with disabilities live full and active lives. I have to say that becoming a mentor is one of the best things I've ever done.

I think the thing I like best about being a mentor is that I can actively support someone and we've become good friends as a result of the program. I was really happy to hear today that my friend got a job after searching for one for a while.  I've learned a lot from the experience of being a mentor. Mainly that I really want to help people reach their goals so it means a lot to me to see her succeed and be happy. Plus, it's fun to see the world from the perspective of someone else. Like today the look of delight on her face after the movie and how she talked animatedly about it after we'd left the theater was great. Just to see her get really excited about seeing the movie made the experience more fun for me. 

 I've gained a good friend from being a mentor. I hope everyone has the chance of being a mentor because it is a lot of fun and  it's a great opportunity to help someone which is always an awesome thing to do!

Friday, November 15, 2013

Happy Anniversary to the Epilepsy Foundation of New England!

I just got back from volunteering at a reception celebrating the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Epilepsy Foundation of New England! It was an awesome event with a live band, silent auction, live auction, great food, and really fun people! It was all to raise money for programs that help people with epilepsy live full, happy, and active lives. The Epilepsy Foundation does a great deal for so many people. In some ways, they make me actually feel strangely proud to have epilepsy or at least to see a positive side of having this condition. After all, if I didn't have epilepsy I might not have had the opportunity to meet some of the wonderful people that I have the pleasure of knowing as a result of my interactions with the Foundation, such as participating in art classes and support groups. Plus, I think the Foundation helps people (and has helped me) to see that there is strength in numbers and I've felt stronger knowing that there's a whole community of people like myself who support and care about each other. I can't thank the Foundation enough for giving me the ability to be part of such a community. So you see, there is a bright side to everything, even having something like epilepsy! Congratulations to the Foundation, I'm so happy for them!


 

Thursday, November 14, 2013

A late night dinner I felt I just had to make....

This evening, due to an excessive amount of exuberance for no apparent reason, I decided to make my roommate spaghetti! At 10 PM! Why I'm so excited about this I don't know but there's something about cooking late at night that gets me. I went to Madrid once and at least to my US accustomed eating habits they ate really late at night and as I really enjoyed my time there it was like I was back there. (Despite the fact that I didn't really ever eat spaghetti in Spain.) Anyway, we mixed together some mixed vegetables, a bit of oil, garlic, and cheese and voilà we had lovely spaghetti! I have to admit it was a rather silent process as the rest of the apartment was asleep but still it was fun and a lot of muffled laughter was involved!  It was a really nice end to a good day. After all, good friends, good food and a feeling of exuberance is all I really need to make me feel good inside! 



Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Happy Nurse Practitioner Week!

Apparently, this week is also Nurse Practitioner Week. I have to give a shout out to all the Nurse Practitioners (NPs) as I've been to see quite a few of them in my time. One that I know particularly well is my friend Christine. I think one of the things that makes a great NP is the compassion they show patients. Once when I was ill Christine convinced me to go to the hospital and she was one of the people who stayed with me until I'd been cleared to go home. It may seem like she was just being a good friend but I just know I felt better because she was there. I've been treated by other NPs as well and aside from the physical care they provide,  like Christine, they've all been very compassionate and I think it really helped me feel better. So I salute the NPs of the world as this is a week to celebrate them and I think it's a week well deserved!

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Happy National Young Readers Day!

It's Young Reader's Day  which starts Book Week for kids! Ah, the nostalgia! I remember when I was a young (not that I've ever really grown up but anyways,) when I was younger in elementary school I used to love Book Week where they'd have group reading sessions where one of the teachers would get us all together and read a book or two. It was really fun because they made the characters come to life by reading in the characters' individual voices.  At the end of the week, there was always a Book Fair where one hallway of our school would essentially be turned into a bookstore. Even if you didn't get a book from the Book Fairs, there were still prizes to win if you read a certain amount of books. I think that in many ways I grew to love reading even more because of Book Weeks. I hope every school has something like a Book Week so every kid can hopefully grow to enjoy reading as well.

 I feel like Book Week shouldn't just be for kids, so my challenge for all who read this is to at least start reading a book this week and if you want to write in a comment and talk about how good the book is, I'd really look forward to hearing about it!

Happy reading!

Monday, November 11, 2013

To the Veterans!

I'm really glad there's a day to remember veterans
But If I had my way
There would be no more wars to fight
There's a part of me that hopes someday this day will just be
To remember people who've lived to a ripe old age.

If wars there must be
Then I guess I'll just have to be content
With the knowledge that I'm related
To people who fought and came home again
And be glad I'm part of the new life they created 

So I write this to honor the veterans
Like many I'm proud of the people that serve
And I'm grateful too
Because of the freedom they protected
I'm free  to write this blog to say thank you!



Sunday, November 10, 2013

Some rules are worth breaking

I used to set quite a few rules for myself. Some of them I do still keep like eating regular meals and taking care of myself of course. However, I have broken quite a few of my rules and have found I've been quite happy doing it, even if they were a bit risky sometimes. Here are a few of them, just so I have it written down somewhere that I can live a little on the wild side with the best of 'em!
  • Former rule: Don't talking to strangers: Heck, I've blown that out of the water, I hug complete strangers! I have done this frequently and what is more, have enjoyed doing it. 
  • Former rule: Go to bed early (e.g. before midnight): Although I haven't entirely become a night owl, it can be fun to stay out a bit late and have some fun on weekends!
  • Former rule: don't watch horror movies: I've broken this rule and have found that with the exception of slasher movies, some horror movies are actually all right. Ok ok I admit, I do fast forward through quite a bit, but hey I'm broadening my horizons slowly but surely!
  • Former rule: Don't get lost: I get lost frequently but I've always found my way back home somehow. Plus, even though it puts me in a bit of a panic, I do find I see more of the world around me when I'm lost. 
  • Former rule: Don't take things offered by strangers: First let me say I'm very careful about this but there have been some instances where I've accepted things from people I had no connection with at all. Once I was trying to get to some location and I was very lost. A guy stopped and offered me a lift. I knew it was risky but it was also cold and wet out so I got in and he took me where I needed to go safely. I've never done that again (and don't plan to in future) but the experience did make me think that there are a lot of good people out there who will go out of their way to help someone.
Maybe these things are just risks I've taken but still, it's fun to think that there are some rules that can and should be broken. I want to branch out even more and see what good things come of it! I see more rule breaking in my future! :)

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Yippee for Hippies!

 I've developed a soft spot for hippies. Ok, maybe not everything hippie but I do like some aspects of hippiedom such as their their fashion. So today all that led me to go to the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston which has an exhibit called Hippie Chic which had a lot of hippie fashion. I liked the exhibit because it showed how people were influenced by a lot of different fashions from a lot of different time periods. They had dresses that were modeled after Indian fashions and others that were deliberately made to look like they came from the 1800s as well as awesome boots.

Sometimes I feel like a hippie a little bit. No I don't smoke nasty substances (don't plan to ever) and I haven't protested anything as yet (although I might if the situation calls for it!) However, I have embraced a smidgen  of the free love idea. I hugged a homeless guy the other day-well, maybe he wasn't homeless he was just sitting on the curb when I was walking past. He was going on about how he was going to this music festival in California and that he was sad because couldn't understand why people didn't stop and listen to him as he wasn't asking for money and he just wanted to talk to someone. I don't know what gets into me but I thought he looked a tad forlorn so I asked if I could give him a hug, he consented, I hugged him and then he laughed and declared me a modern-day hippie. So I'm a happy hippie!

Anyway, if you're in Boston hurry up and go to the MFA to see the Hippie Chic exhibit because it ends this Monday!!





Friday, November 8, 2013

Things to do once in a lifetime

I always thought it was interesting that people made lists of things they wanted to do once in their lives (or they thought others should do those things once in their lives.) So I thought I'd write my own little list of things I've done once in my life and am not sure I will (or want to) do them again. This is not to say doing the following things wasn't fun (because they were all fun) and I'm not ruling out doing them again completely,  I just don't think I'll be doing them again any time soon. Anyway, I'm writing about the following things because I hope that maybe other people will want to do the following things too and have just as much fun doing them at some point in their lives. 

  • Bike 500 miles: In the summer between my first and second year of high school my mum decided I wasn't getting enough exercise so she signed me up for this bike trip around Michigan. The trip was sponsored by our local YMCA and was actually a lot of fun. I discovered that you see a lot more traveling by bike. I never really thought about how much beauty there is in nature until I went on that trip. We basically followed the Great Lakes Starting in Jackson Michigan, going up almost to the Upper Peninsula and back down to Jackson Michigan again. There were 2 counselors and 4 boys and 4 girls on the trip. The trip was spaced out just over 2 weeks. Each day's ride depended on the distance between campsites. What was nice was that one counselor would ride with us and the other would drive a van ahead of us with all our stuff and tell us where to turn next until we got to the next campsite. That way, everyone could just go at their own pace. After all, we weren't racing, we were just having fun! I think the longest ride we did was 90 miles in one day-which was hard but it was worth it! All in all I'm really glad I did the trip. Although I have ridden my bike since that trip, I haven't biked 500 miles again. If you do go to Michigan in the spring or summer I hope that you do some biking-maybe not 500 miles but just enough to get an idea of how beautiful my home state can be!
  • Eat a Chocolate Chip Cookiewich from Insomnia Cookies in Boston. This evening my friend took me to this ice cream place called Insomnia Cookies that have amazing ice cream sandwiches which consist solely of 2 chocolate chip cookies with ice cream between them. You can pick the ice cream you want inside it so we each got a Cookiewich with vanilla ice cream inside it. They turned out to be much bigger than expected so my friend and I decided to walk back to our respective apartments so we wouldn't feel so top heavy after eating the ice cream cookie wonderfulness. However, because the cookiedwiches were so big and left me feeling like I'd just eaten an entire meal, we both agreed we probably wouldn't get one again anytime soon, despite the fact that the cookiewiches did taste excellent-the cookies were actually warm! If you are near Boston or plan to visit, a Cookiewich is worth a try!
  • Watch 4th of July fireworks on the Espinade on the banks of the Charles River: I did this once during the 3rd year after I moved to Boston. My friends and I decided to stake a spot on the Espinade and wait to watch the fireworks. We basically sat there from about 3pm to 11pm when the fireworks ended. It was fun because we had a big group of people to talk and laugh and have a good time with. The fireworks were also really nice. It's something I'm glad I did but I don't think I want to do it again anytime soon mostly because it is very crowded especially trying to get back home afterwards which was the only drawback for me. However, I hope that doesn't completely deter you from going. It is fun and worth seeing! :)

Thursday, November 7, 2013

International Tongue Twister Day

Today is how many tongues can you tongue twist twist twist day! Ok, that was my feeble attempt at creating my own little tongue twister but anyway, I thought I'd share a few actually good tongue twisters purely for your tongue's enjoyment!
  • Fresh fruit-just try saying it (clearly) really fast-well anyway I think it's hard!
  • She sells sea shells on the sea shore
  • Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, Where's the peck of pickled peppers that Peter Piper picked? (Fun fact: This tongue twister was first written in 1813.)
  • Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is it vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V."  (I know this one was really long and probably impossible to say 3 times really fast but I still like it anyway!)
  •  Denise sees the fleece, Denise sees the fleas. At least Denise could sneeze
    and feed and freeze the fleas!