s-a day 4

The secret of self-acceptance is.....

not resenting anyone; for by resentment we only belittle ourselves.

Resentment is defined as a feeling of indignant displeasure or persistent ill will at something regarded as a wrong, insult, or injury.

Although I admit to envy I believe I can say that I don't harbour ill will. I don't believe that I feel resentment towards anyone. I must be on my way to self-acceptance.

heart works

www.heart-works.org.


I remember when Charlie was born in May of 2008. His grandfather, a partner in the accounting office where I work, was very concerned about him. As was everyone in the office. Charlie is 3 years old now and doing well. This charity was inspired by Charlie who was born with a heart defect. His mother makes these heart necklaces and sells them to benefit Heart Works, a charity founded to improve and extend the lives of babies born with heart defects.

It was hard to decide which ones to buy as they came in all colors with varied glass hearts but these are the two I chose.

s-a day 3

The secret of self-acceptance is....

not envying others their talents and accomplishments. It is better even to fail in one's own soul-appointed duty than to succeed in someone else's. Once you succeed in being wholly yourself, you will have achieved the most glorious success possible for any human being.

This is one I have a little trouble with. I don't want to envy others talents and successes but sometimes I find I do. I'm happy for them but sometimes envious. It goes back to the soul-appointed duty thing I guess. It's not that I want to succeed in their talents, it's that I would like to succeed in my own. But what is my soul-appointed duty and how do you find that out before it's too late.

s-a day 2

The secret of self-acceptance is....

accepting others, first, as they are.
Only then will you be able to accept yourself as you are.

I really don't think I have a problem with accepting others.

self-acceptance

Going through a huge stack of unread books today, I came across this tiny volume entitled Self-Acceptance.

The first page says Day One - The secret of self-acceptance is....realizing your uniqueness in the entire universe. No one will ever have your song to sing. Through all eternity it will be yours alone. Your primary task in life is to learn to sing that song to perfection.

Well, I think I realized my uniqueness at an early age much to my chagrin having often felt that I didn't fit in well. Now my job is to learn to sing my song, but first I have to figure out what that song is. What if my song is a long drawn-out boring ballad or maybe a ditsy little ditty? Do I want to learn to sing that song to perfection?

inspiration and admiration

I have been exercising for a lifetime. It's a habit and not one that I want to break. But sometimes it feels so hard, so time consuming and so BORING. I've had people tell me that they can't run. They have actually said to me "It's easy for you". Well, it's not easy. Every time is a chore. Sometimes easier than others but it's never easy. It requires discipline and dedication. I often get down on myself and consider myself to be a lazy person lacking in discipline and dedication. And I really am in some areas of my life. But this is an area where I have some control. Exercise and running are such a part of my life that I forget that these qualities are somewhere within me. And yet it would be so easy to stop....relax on the patio every evening with a good book and a glass of wine instead of going to the gym.

So I was feeling this way a little bit. My favorite exercise instructor for my Total Body Sculpt class is expecting a baby September 1. She stopping teaching a couple weeks ago. I've been floundering around trying out other classes....Boot Camp and Pilates. Even skipping a few nights. Last night I went to my Total Body Sculpt class that is being taught by a substitute, A, until Alex returns in November.

A is a short,heavy girl...dare I say one could call her obese. But I was there so I took the class. To my surprise, A could exercise rings around me. I was amazed and exhausted at the end of the class. But not too exhausted to get my 5K in afterward.

As we were lying on our backs doing our cool down, A related the story of how she became an exercise instructor. Why she does what she does. A few years back A was falling down a lot. Her doctor told her that the muscles around her knees were too weak to support her weight and that she would have to walk with a walker. A is a grade school teacher and she couldn't fathom the picture of herself walking around the classroom with a walker. She went to the BAC to a personal trainer to build the muscles in her knees. Not only did she do that but eventually they hired her as an instructor. After hearing her story I felt such admiration for this lady....such a source of inspiration.

national thrift shop day

black suede Franco Barbieri pumps, red leather Nine West flats, pink suede Naturalizers, gray suede Naturalizer loafers, Eric Michael beige leather flats, Acorn orange slides, Fitflops black sandals, unlabeled but really cute sandals and BCBGirls cowgirl leather mules

On Wednesday I went to my Toastsmaster's Meeting where the theme of the meeting was August Holidays. This is how I found out that August 17th, the day of the meeting, was National Thrift Shop Day. August 15th is National Relaxation Day. The month of August is National Watermelon Month.

The meeting went well. I evaluated a speech for the first time. I was a bit nervous but thought it went well all in all. I was called up to the front of the room and put on the spot during the Table Topics section of our meeting. My question was: You went on Match.com and chatted back and forth with someone. You were getting along just great and asked for a photo. When the photo was posted this person had a big tattoo with a misspelled word across it. What do you do? But to make your answer even more interesting, you had to draw a card that told you something about the way you had to answer the question. My card said that i had to speak in a foreign accent. I know a little story regarding Match.com so I told it in an accent that was a blend of German, English and Slavic. I completely fooled two people who didn't know me well and thought I really talked that way. I won the Table Topics ribbon.


beaded necklaces

But back to the holidays. I couldn't celebrate these holidays until Friday when
I was off work. I happened to be in Rochester with Jay on Friday. When our plan for the day was cancelled I brought up National Thrift Store Day. I used to thrift store shop a lot but not so much anymore. He accompanied me to the Salvation Army where I bought a couple skirts, a brown top and a book thus celebrating National Thrift Store Day. When we got home we both took a two hour nap thus celebrating National Relaxation Day.


Mexican silver earrings

The following day I met Barb for breakfast. We discussed an upcoming trip we are
going to take to Illinois in September. Then Barb asked if I'd like to check out the brand new Savers that had only opened last week. What a goldmine! I found six pairs of shoes, three tops and jewelry. Barb bought a top, necklace and five pairs of shoes. After I left Barb because she had to go to work, I stopped at Goodwill before heading back to Buffalo. Another three pairs of shoes, two skirts, a top and a stack of books.


I'm all celebrated out.

endeavor

created in Seattle Washington 2004


by Lino Tagliapietra (b 1934)



We need a strong spiritual base, a philosophy for the future. Otherwise we operate only in technology. We need something to keep out spirit more human, more connected to natural life. - Lino Tagliapietra

boot camp?

I have often thought how fun it would be to work a different job each day of the week doing things I love to do. For instance on Monday I would have a bookkeeping job where I just reconciled bank accounts and cleaned up general ledgers on Quickbooks because those are my favorite accounting things to do. On Tuesday I'd cook a beautiful meal in a restaurant or make fancy cookies in a bakery. On Wednesday maybe create my own art and sell it. Thursday I'd be a docent at the Darwin Martin house. Friday I'd babysit a sweet baby. Saturday I'd teach an exercise class. Sunday work at a greenhouse. And on and on.

Recently I was looking through the Buffalo News Sunday job section. What a joke! But I saw an ad in there that stated "Get your exercise and get paid for it". Sandy of Bodyshaping by Sandy was looking for exercise instructors. I used to take classes from Sandy before I joined the BAC. I completely wore out two of her Pilates CDS. The ad said to show up at her studio on a Saturday at noon and audition. So that's what I did. Sandy told me that I have a strong body and good form and she thought I'd be good at teaching either Pilates or any of the body sculpt/boot camp classes. So I went to training class and attended a few boot camp classes. Tomorrow is my last training class. I thought Pilates would be best for me to teach because it is slower paced and more serious. But I love the body sculpt class that I have been taking for several years at the BAC. But again you have to be real upbeat, energetic and be able to call out moves before you do them without losing your breath.

Sandy sent out a list of the fall schedule classes that were still in need of a teacher. I was a little hesitant because I've never taught before. But there is a boot camp class held only one night a week (Tuesdays) at a church near my house. I emailed her that I thought I'd like to teach that class. I think I can do it. It's not a sure thing yet. Here so many of my friends who are teachers are retiring and me who has never taught anyone anything is thinking about becoming a teacher.

things i've read

One thing I like so much about reading is finding out that you are so not alone in the world regarding your thoughts and feelings. I have been reading along in a book too many times to ever count and come across a line that makes me think....omg I thought I was only person that ever felt that way, or had that thought or did that. It is a comfort and connection to the rest of the human race to find out that others have shared your thoughts and feelings.

Another thing that I love is when I come across a phrase or some wording that remains in my head the rest of my life. These often are not upbeat phrases and sentences because I am, whether I like it or not, a person who is draw to the oddity, the mysterious, the quirky, to sadness and unhappiness and unsettled endings. But I am not really a sad and unhappy person. I won't share some of my favorite lines here for fear of revealing too much of my dark side. Too much of myself.

Recently I read this line in a book and I thought...how true. "They had time on their hands nowadays, but they did and they didn't. They had more time and they got less done, that was the truth of the matter. And they weren't idle, either".

My weekends are usually fairly open. I could get so much done. And I used to. But now although I feel like I'm busy most of the time, I never seem to get much done and never get around to doing pleasurable things (things I used to find pleasurable and hope to find pleasurable someday again).

I've looked at life from both sides now. From win and lose and still somehow, it's life's illusions I recall. I really don't know life at all.

blu spa

Several weeks ago I attended an ASWA board meeting at Blu Spa. We usually just meet in a meeting room at someone's office but this time we decided to treat ourselves to spa services throughout the meeting. This spa is in West Seneca and is very modern and large. There is literally a maze of hallways that take to you to various meeting rooms, party rooms, massage rooms, hair styling, pedicure and manicure rooms.


this is a hair services room


and from another angle


one of the many little beverage service areas


our president in the middle and two board members in our party area.

We had several kinds of subs, two salads and key lime pie and cookies.


a couple board members receiving pedicures


this little baby doll joined us near the end of the meeting


my pedicure....Suzi Loves Cowboys

Last night I left the BAC, hopped into my car, turned the key and instantly set off a loud whirring, whistling noise. I let it run a minute and the noise continued. Then I smelled or imagined I smelled burning rubber. I am always terrified that my car is going to burst into flames whenever something doesn't seem right with it. I started it up again and drove it a ways through the parking lot. Worried that I shouldn't be driving it in it's condition, whatever that may be, I shut it off again and called B. He told me to drive it home and so I did. B took a quick look at it and couldn't tell what was wrong. He told me to take it to the dealership in the morning. I'm off on Fridays so that is what I did.

After two hours of coffee, two Timbit donut holes and two stories in the book that I'm reading, she came out to tell me I needed a new alternator and they wouldn't be able to get one or do the work until Monday. They offered to give me a ride home but I elected to walk so I could spend a little time in Goodwill near the dealership and treat myself to some lunch at Chili's.


At Goodwill I found this cute basket and a Patty Griffin CD


two blouses in shades of cream and black


a white tank top, embroidered black skirt and tunic sweater

Then I had house salad, enchilada soup, chips and salsa and a Margarita at Chili's. After the three mile walk home in the hot sun carrying my purse and bag of goodies, I felt a little sick for awhile. Feeling a little better now. Time to get up and attem. Laundry and cleaning wait for no man.

through the looking glass

Besides a collection of 1000 paperweights that I loved but didn't photograph here are some final things that caught my eye....I know you must be bored to death by now of glass objects.


a forest of trees made with drinking glasses sitting on glass shelves....there were even a few glasses with birds on them


glass dress


glass flower


modern sculptures


another modern aculpture


glass tire


glass curtain


no...it's not the lighting dept at Home Depot


stained glass window


cut glass baseball bat


glass beaded boxes

through a glass darkly

bowl made from fusing thin glass rods


grass bowl made the same way


cube made from thin sheets of glass


hanging knives


exploded torso


cityscape bowl


Roman Catholics vs the Jews chess set


octopus chandelier

no room at the inn

Wrapping up the Finger Lakes trip


Donna Carla Barb and me at the George Eastman Mansion

Donna Carla and I checked out of our hotel on Saturday morning and went to Barb's beautiful house in Webster. Stepping into Barb's house is like stepping into the pages of House Beautiful magazine. The lady has a knack for decorating. Barb offered to drive us around to give me a break from driving and because she knows Rochester better than I do so I took her up on it.

First we toured the George Eastman Mansion. I've toured a number of mansions and I have to say that this is one of the most impressive. George, you know, invented the Kodak camera so everyone (not just professionals) could take photographs. He was an extremely wealthy and generous man. There was also a Norman Rockwell exhibit at the mansion. It was fascinating to see how Norman took tons of photographs of his neighbors and friends and then used bits and pieces (a face here, a hand there) to paint and illustrate his pictures.



sisters Donna and Carla at lunch

We had lunch at a sidewalk cafe.


my grilled shrimp salad

Then we toured the Susan B Anthony house. Susan was quite a lady and I really appreciate all the hard work she did to ensure equal rights for everyone. One of the interesting things about this tour was the passion displayed by our tour guide. She could go on and on about Susan and she did. But it was all interesting and at the end of the tour when she told us about Susan's death, she got all choked up and her eyes teared.

Then Barb drove us up to Lake Ontario and we got out and walked onto the pier. We watched about a dozen swans swimming and listened to the calm lap of the waves.
We drove back to Barb's house after. Thank you Barb for driving. It was such a fun day.

Next I drove Donna and Carla to my son Jay's house. We took a little tour of the house and were entertained by the antics of Tess, his girl cat. Brody, his boy cat, did not make an appearance. We all went to Ruby Tuesday for dinner.

Then Donna, Carla and I drove back to Buffalo. I had made reservations at a Quality Inn by the airport. It was late when we checked in....around 10:30. These rooms were small and not so very nice. Carla called Donna and I into her room and asked us to check out the shower nozzle. It didn't have a spray thing on it. She went to the desk to inquire about getting it fixed or to change rooms. While she was gone Donna picked up the remote to turn on our TV. It didn't come on. Soon some young kid came in to fix the shower and brought us a new remote. It didn't work either. He set to work on the shower while we sat around waiting. We were tired and wanted to go to bed. Finally he was finished. Carla went into her bathroom and heard a loud noise. The whole shower head had popped about a foot out of the wall.

We marched to the desk and said we didn't want to stay there so convincingly that they didn't charge us for the rooms and we walked out.

Now to get a room. Three hotels by the airport were completely booked due to flights being cancelled due to bad weather in the Midwest. They told us that we probably wouldn't find anything in the area. So we went into my village to find that two hotels there were full also. I drove over to the group of hotels by UB.
Donna ran in to check on rooms. I saw her smile at the desk clerk. Success!! The desk clerk was taking a room cancellation over the phone while Donna was waiting to be waited on. The desk clerk told her it was her lucky day and she should buy a lottery ticket.

This room was spacious and nice. I was going to go home to sleep but after a bottle of wine the girls convinced me to stay the night.

Sunday we had breakfast at Milos by my house and drove around the village a bit. Then I drove the girls to the airport. I had a wonderful time with all my friends....Donna, Carla and Barb.