Living it up!

I heard this song today that's called "I Lived" by the band OneRepublic and I couldn't help dancing. It reaffirms my belief that I must live life to the fullest! Plus I saw the music video for the song which featured a boy who had cystic fibrosis and how he lives life to the fullest despite the obstacles he might face. It all shows me if I'm to live my life then I'm going to live it up!

Something tender

It's the singer Norah Jones' birthday. I like her music because I feel at peace when I listen to it.  I find I especially like her version of the song "Love Me Tender." I like it because love is something that to me is tender and soft and sweet. I think this song reflects that.

Anniversaries

It's my roommate Caroline's one year anniversary of being in relationship with her boyfriend Chris. I dedicate this post to them because they make a great couple and they both stand as yet another example of the good things love can do and somehow feel that their love for each other spreads and it makes me feel so happy when I see them together. I think that's as it should be and I'm so happy for them! Love should always be celebrated so I take today to celebrate Caroline and Chris! Congratulations! I'm so happy for them and for everyone who has an anniversary today!

Born this way...

I was thinking of the song Born This Way by Lady Gaga today not realizing that today is her birthday. Anyway, I was thinking about it because I was invited to attend a conference for young women with disabilities. The even comes at the end of a mentoring program known as the THRIVE program that Easter Seals of Massachusetts has held for 3 years thus far. The program is all about empowering women who have disabilities. Somehow when I think of the women at the conference (and people in general, for that matter) it reminds me of part of the lyrics from "Born This Way": "My Mama told me when I was young, we're all born superstars." To me the women in the THRIVE program are superstars. They're people I admire for their strength, humor, drive, intelligence, and style! (One woman in a motorized wheelchair wore the most amazing high heeled shoes!) I was a mentor last year and it was really fun. If you want information about the program follow this link: http://www.easterseals.com/thrive/.  I love THRIVE because THRIVE mentors and mentees rock!

This is a picture from last year's conference. For more pictures from this year's event check back on the website mentioned above.

Spontaneous dancing!

Spontaneous dancing at its best!

Life in 3 words

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on!"-Robert Frost

I like this quote because no matter what happens life does go on and somehow to me that's very comforting.  In life going on it means there are better things to come. And somehow all this makes me think of a Beatles song which is very cheerful and all about life going on :)

Counting Blessings Day!

Since I don't know who gets to decide what holidays exist and when holidays are so I'm taking the opportunity to declare today Counting Blessings Day! (Just because I feel the need for a holiday even if it is one of my own creation.) To celebrate this day I (as the name suggests) am counting things I think are blessings. Why? 1) Because I want to 2) because I can! 3) because doing so makes me feel good inside.  So here are some things that I consider blessings.

I feel blessed that:

• I have a lovely family and friends who I love ever so much.
• I believe in God because it's very comforting to think that there is a higher power who is looking out for me. 
• I have a job I love and my work involves helping to empower people with disabilities and ensure that their needs are met. 
• I can write this blog.
• I learn and love and be happy!

So all in all, taking these blessings into account, life is good!

My hope for you

I hope

I hope you can always find

A reason to smile or laugh each day

Or maybe do something a bit zany 

Like dance in some random place

 I feel better when I  let loose like that

I hope you always have someone to love

And someone who loves you back

Because like The Beatles say

Love is all you really need

So I hope there's a lot of love in your life!

I hope you see the good in each day

And even when a day isn't so great

You can still find a way to be happy

After all there is always another day

That can be better than the one before

Finally I hope that no matter what

Whatever it is you want to do in life 

That you really live it up

I hope you refuse to quit or give up

Most of all I hope you have fun!

I feel good!

As James Brown was born today in 1933 and because I'm Feelin' Good today too, I thought I'd share the song below with you!

Whistling Down the Wind

It's Andrew Lloyd Webber's birthday and it got me thinking about a song he composed called Whistle Down the Wind. That song and its lyrics make me think of my family because the song to me is all about taking care of people and supporting them. Plus it's pretty!

If I could choose I'd want a heart full of flowers....

"Your heart is full of fertile seeds, waiting to sprout." Morihei Ueshiba Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/moriheiues183618.html#1O1E7rfhKiL6sr4m.99

Maybe that's why I like flowers so much, I want to have a big heart so it'll keep growing like them. After all if I have a heart it might as well be a big one! 

Happy UN International Day of Happiness!

So the UN declared March 20th International Day of Happiness in 2011! I heard on the news today that the Secretary General of the UN said that the song that makes him happiest is "Signed Sealed Delivered I'm Yours by Stevie Wonder. In that spirit I thought I'd share some songs that make me feel happiest! I hope that your day had a good measure of happiness in it!

• Happy-Pharrell Williams -can't get enough of it! Listen here.
• Superheroes-The Script-Because everyone can be one! Listen here.
• Before the Parade Passes sung by Michael Crawford. I always feel good when I hear it. Listen here, 
• Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing -Stevie Wonder-Like Ban Ki-moon Stevie Wonder makes me happy too! 
• Tiny Bubbles-Sung by American Authors. (OK yes I know the video is a commercial but bubbles make me happy and I loved blowing bubbles as a kid!) Listen here.

To save the day....

It's Bruce Willis' birthday and as he seems to be in a lot of action movies where he usually saves the day, it got me thinking about situations where it might be cool to be the one to save the day.  Just to indulge in a little fantasy here are some situations I'd like to save the day just so at the end of it I can say "Though I may be but little I am tough!"

• I think it would be fun to save someone while skydiving. I guess because it's the closest thing I could get to being a flying superhero!
• I actually wouldn't mind being able to save people by getting them away from horrible danger in a fast car...which of course would drive itself.
• I'd like to save someone in space, I've always wanted to see the world from way up high like that plus the idea saving someone makes it seem even more adventurous. I saw the movie Gravity and I just kept thinking I wish I could go there and prevent the George and Sandra from being stuck in space!

Just keep moving on

It's Queen Latifah's birthday and one performance that she did that I think I'll always remember was at the Oscar's one year when she sang a song called "I Move On" with Catherine Zeta Jones. I like the song most because it sounds classy plus I like the message as I think it says that no matter what happens (for better or worse) I just have to keep going. So I'm going to keep moving on (and singing while I do it!)

I L.O.V. E Nat King Cole

Nat King Cole was born today in 1919. As I really like his singing I felt I had to share the song below which is called L.O.V.E and I also wanted to use it to wish lots of love and a very happy holiday to all who celebrate St. Patrick's Day!

A lovely quote about happiness!

"Happiness always looks small while you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and you learn at once how big and precious it is."-Maxim Gorky 
(Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/maximgorky105587.html#PoyHpJ2ITRRbeKLo.99)

When I first saw this quote I liked it because to me happiness is too good a thing to keep to oneself. So I send loads of happiness to everyone who reads this! 

Happy birthday to my sister

It's my sister's birthday and to celebrate  I thought I'd write about some things that make my sister great!

• Ali is great at baking! I'm thinking one day we should start a bakery since we both kind of have that talent-although she makes better cheesecake!
• She has great fashion sense and has always sought to ensure I went out of the house looking presentable!
• She has an infectious laugh. :)
• She's fun and energetic!
• She's a great friend!

But the thing I like best about my sister is that she is my sister! :)

To be good

"To be good, you need to believe in what you're doing." -Billy Crystal

I feel that as long as I believe I can do something and I believe the thing I want to do is right  then I can do it and for most of my life that idea has been true.  I found the things I'm best at doing because I believed that I could do those things and be good at them. Writing was that something that somehow I always knew I could just do and do it fairly well. What is more, I enjoy writing very much. I hope everyone has something like that. Something they believe in and something that makes them happiest. I believe in people because I believe everyone can do so many great things and that the world is made just that much better if and when people indulge in doing those great things. I think what helped me do things and believe in myself and my abilities is that I had people that believed in me and still continue to believe. As a way of thanking them, I hold a lot of belief in general so that the belief and love people have for me might be spread a bit farther. So I send my love and belief out to everyone.

Accomplish something every day... even if it's getting through the day

"Accomplish something every day of your life."-Walter Annenberg

I feel like every day is worth something because every day is an opportunity to accomplish something even if it's getting through the day. In a way getting through the day and accomplishing that is one of the best things people can do because it means that there's a possibility for a better tomorrow.  I'm just glad there are days to accomplish!

Superheroes!

I feel like everyone has the capacity to be superhero to someone. Maybe we don't fly or climb mountains in one leap or fight off literal monsters but there are really awesome people out there that do really awesome things. So I dedicate this song to everyone.

Things that made me smile today

I figure every day can be a good day as long as I can find things to smile about. At the end of the day no matter what else happened during the day, I find I can feel good when I think of the things that make me smile. I hope whatever type of day you have, you'll always have something to smile about. So today, I was able to smile because

• My mum and sister had come to visit me and we had a lovely dinner together.
• I listened to one of my favorite songs "Hall of Fame" by The Script.
• I got to celebrate my sister's birthday with her.
• It was warm outside!
• I got to laugh and joke with my roommate which was fun!

Happy International Day of Awesome!

Today has been established to celebrate awesomeness! The unofficial holiday was started in 2007 by a guy named Kevin Lawver. (read more about it here: http://dayofawesomeness.com/. ) Anyway the idea inspired me to write about the things I think are awesome!

• My family and friends because I love them.
•  movies
• Volkswagen Beetles
• lava lamps
• ice cream 
• egg rolls
• penguins!
• Minions!
• Blooper reels
• swimming!
• Books 
• Chocolate 
• Zumba
• People I work with
• Love in general

Why I like Daylight Savings Time

So we all turned our clocks forward one hour and I'm rather glad of it because it means one extra hour of sunshine each day! Plus it means warmer weather and flowers are coming so it's just more reasons to be happy! Hooray for Daylight Savings Time!

To know when a day is well spent!

"As long as I'm learning something, I figure I'm OK-it's a decent day." -Hunter S. Thompson

I find that whether I recognize it or not, I do learn something every day which is a comforting thought for me. It means that every day has a purpose, that it matters, and that I need to live it to the full. I figure the day I feel I've stopped learning would be pretty boring and I don't like being bored so much. So I resolve to learn something every day because I feel like knowledge is something people can't take away!

A sunshiney quote!

"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow." Helen Keller

I like sunshine because even if you can't see it you can still feel its presence.  Everyone can feel warmth even in dark places. So I hope that you can think of sunshine and be happy! Particularly because it's Friday!

Love is universal

I saw this video today that I really liked because it shows how love is universal, it has no judgement -which is what makes it beautiful! No bones about it!

Everyone can save someone

I like watching stories about heroes and the things they do and because I like their stories I thought I'd share a few.

This 4-year-old boy called 911 and was able to get help for his mom who had fallen down some stairs.  He was able to sing his address to the emergency dispatcher.

Mail carriers can save lives! This mailman arrived at a house just in time to save a one-year-old baby.

This woman pulled people from burning cars on two occasions and saved their lives.

Hall of Fame

I heard this song today called "Hall of Fame" by The Script featuring will i. am which I like very much. To me it's about how everyone has so much talent and potential and that one day that talent will be recognized. Heck, I think having the ability to live life is a talent to be celebrated! So here's to living life and finding whatever you feel your talent is and using it well!

Oh the Places You'll Go!

The author Dr. Seuss was born today in 1904. I think the book by Dr. Seuss is "Oh The Places You'll Go." I figure that people go a lot of places in their lives sometimes without even knowing it. Even if it's just in a metaphorical sense I hope that you know that there's so many places to go and I hope that wherever it is you want to go in life that you get to that place and enjoy the journey! After all it's the journey that's starts the fun and I hope you find a lot of happiness along life's journey!

Some beautiful music from Chopin

The composer Frederick Chopin was born today in 1810.  I always liked his music because I always thought it's really beautiful and I find I feel better when I listen to it. I like how one man write something that sounds so beautiful on the piano and that it can be shared and loved by so many even today. My favorite piece by him is called Piano Concierto No. 1 opus 11- Romanza Larghetto. To me it just sounds so delicate and beautiful it reminds me of how much beauty there can be in the things people create. It's one of the things I like best about humanity and it gives me hope for the future and the good things that can come from us.