hi everyone how are we all good i hope MEL so sorry to hear about your loss isnt it strange that some people you take to so quickly when other people wouldnt give them the time of day for whatever reason and to think what they missed and to leave you such a reminder :eek: :lol: im just so glad you made his final years just that wee bit better it must have been nice for him to know you where there you are such a true and loyal freind just remember now his mind is at peace and dont mourn too much :angel: ROSE knowing my craig and the swollen head he has {honestly the kid loves himself} **** probably commision an autobiography to be written about himself by the time hes 20 :goodvibes :censored: :rofl: conner has decieded that he doent need to get dressed anymore so he just keeps his jammies on and puts clean ones on at night before he goes to bed hes in for a big shock hes got less than 2 weeks to go before he goes back to school and he can go in his jammies if he wants but he will be going SHAD maybe oyu should change your cv to say that your thick have an alcohol problem and your an ethnic minority and youll get a job no problem oh and dont forget your divorced i read in our local paper job section they where looking for an oppertunities worker{????} and it stated that the post would be most suitable for someone with a home background of ethnic minoricy or aided living{divorced drug or alcohol addict and jail inmates} and you should have seen the wages 20k+ and that was part time god i nearly choked in my coffee id love to write for a job discription but knowing my luck id probably be unqualified seeing that i dont drink{much} am not divorced{yet}and only take prescription drugs and the only time ive been to jail was on a voulenteer program HAPPY you shoul fit an anti_surge protector to your comp plug and you wouldnt have to worry about the storms and being able to go online might take your mind off the storm i used to be terrified of them well i still am but i hide it better now as dh and the brats take the mickey something terrible so i hid it well even though i dont go near the windows wont touch light sockets and of course our baths and toilets are earthed so i just go to the loo nobodys noticed yet but i have heard them at the doors to try and hear me squeel TEEL how are you doing in the challenge a good or bad will suffice but i dont go into the journls anymore i had to fight the urge to say"for gods sake get a bloody grip"so rather than offend anyone i dont go hope its on the good side did you see the gardeners world program that showed you all of the queens gardens including the ones the public dont get to tour it was great and all the nature studies that go on there really good right ladies i have a question for you all what do you do when not one not two but TWELVE girls turn up at the door for your just turned 15 year old son ????? and to top it all he said"sorry girls i cant come out im reading harry potter" without batting an eyelid :crazy: :rofl: :yikes: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: right ive lost the feeling in my legs so id better get up and ill speak to you all later still feeling crap but i wont bore you with all that again
kirsty

Dear oh Dear Linus, 12 girls at the door. I'll get ds2 to email him and tell him how to go about it. DS2 was known as the boy with 20 girlfriends in his earlier days. I couldn't remember all the names and fortunately more than one was Nicky, Nicola, or Nicole, add a Rachel, a couple of Rebecca's and Beccies, a Helen or two, Lisa, Katrina et al. I gave up and just called them all chook or duckie. Funnily enough, they all seem to still be friends. In fact one of them when getting married insisted that DS2 be the best man!!! So far he has been part of 3 wedding parties, but is not even close to his own. I point him in the direction of 4 wedding and a funeral occasionally but he just laughs at me. :rofl: :lol3: :rofl: :lol3: :rofl: :lol3:

I don't think Meadow posts every day. She hasn't been back to the journals either since she posted here. So lighten up on her. Me thinks she doesn't frighten easily either.

I didn't mean to imply my ex was a nut case. Far from it, he is actually quite intelligent, if he could ever bring himself to get rid of the baggage he carries from 50 years + back. The failures in his life haunt him and he can't move forward. Such a waste. I had an email the other day. We are actually better friends now we are not together - and still he wants to go back to the way we were. I wish he would find himself another woman.

I think Happy and DH have surge protectors throughout the house linus as I have, however some of the particularly vicious storms we have here managed to get past the surge protector on the main power board (which cost me a fortune to install), past a surge protector at the power outlet on the wall and cooked a power box which led to DS2's computer. Fortunately ran out of steam at that point. The electrician was amazed. Never seen it before he said. I have surge protectors on the washing machine, fridge, computers, phones and bedroom plugs. My electronic washing machine would cost about $300 for the top electronics board and anthor $200 for the bottom one. Just not worth playing around with.

Rose, I don't blame you for not going to the funeral. Perhaps you could plant a tree, shrub or bush or something for him. The boys are better off not going as well. Pity the ex wouldn't stay away.

Last night I went out to dinner with one of the trainers I worked with at Tradelink (and his wife) We went to the Thai Orchid at Mt Gravat about halfway between his place and mine. Nice meal, good to catch up on the gossip and of course now he is out of work as well. So we agreed to be each others referees as necessary. For dinner I had Thai Fish Cakes - very nice but not very crisp as they usually are, and Duck with Basil. It was tasty, lots of very crisp veges with it but salty, so I will need to drink the water today to move the sodium along. I had a glass of wine and a v&t and drove home to find ds2 with his sore toe sticking up in the air, sprawled out on the couch and in charge of the phone and all the remote controls.
It was good to catch up and commiserate about agencies that don't follow up or even don't bother to answer.

I've been to the gym this morning. Done the weights. Nowhere near as sore or sweaty as last time. Maybe that will come tomorrow. So I had best go have my shower, sort out the priorities and start my day.

Thank you
 

Thank you for your kind welcomes. I should have mentioned that I was going on a little holiday into the mountains for a few days when I posted. Didn't think I would be missed :^: Thank you for noticing :)

Teel-great Meadow pic, thank you. I did choose that name because of the image it conjures up in my mind, my real name is Lorraine. "Landscapes have a language of their own, expressing the soul of the things, lofty or humble, which constitute them, from the mighty peaks to the smallest of the tiny flowers hidden in the meadow's grass"*unknown

Mel-I'm so sorry someone you connected so strongly with has passed away. It hurts to lose people. It was a bright spot that there were so many razors in his legacy to give everyone who received a package a little thought of him, which is how we all live on.

Shad-Have you ever tried using canned fish for energy snacks? I like Kippers and they are only about 250 calories but they really fill you up and give you alot of mouth flavour :) Good vibes for your job search, you might like trying to upgrade your skills, you never know who you will meet and it could be a good step in networking for you.

Linus-hope you are feeling better, I'll have to read back further and get the details but I wish you well.

Happy2bme-I saw a double rainbow while I was away... I've always kind of liked storms because they always have that little chance of turning up something wonderful like that.

Roseblush-sorry to hear about your former brother in law, it is hard when a family breaks up and you have to choose sides and sometimes can't continue being involved with some because of the bad energy from others. I hope you are able to remember him in your own way and keep a piece of his spirit in your heart.

I don't post all the time because I really don't have much to say, my mind is rather frazzled most days from "mommy look" and "mommy I want" which is my daily routine. I let the slimming down a bit on the road with those crackers and cheese combos that the kids like and well, I was hungry too. Had an orange mixed in there too but when you are driving 5 hours you tend to not always make the healthiest choices. I'm home now, we are having fresh corn on the cob and hot dogs for dinner, the corn is so sweet it doesn't need butter, so I'll be okay. Tomorrow is another day! Sleep well and good morning to those on the far side :smug:

This day was so bad I won't even talk about it. I will pretend it did not exist and begin anew tomorrow. One thing that was good is the Wed. trip to the library. I found some great reading and a book by Iyanla Vanzant. Daily Devotions for Spiritual Growth and Peace of Mind. The irony of all this was right after I left there the day turned into a horror story of all old memories and old buttons being pushed. The good news was I had the book in my hot little hands, made it through the day, stuck up for myself once again and didn't care who was or wasn't talking to me by 4PM! :rofl:
I was also filmed getting on the bus and it was shown on our cable TV news! I was a movie star for about 2 minutes.....well mostly my PINK feet! :rofl: the camera man filmed the wheels of the chair and how the chair gets on the bus and there right before my eyes were my pink feet in their newest bright white sandals!!! :rofl: I laughed so hard I almost cried! It was a perfect ending to a crapped up day. But I feel very strong tonite inside. Know what I mean??? the reason I got the book was the first line......"If by chance no one has told you that they love you today, I would be honored to be the first to say, I LOVE YOU TODAY!..." So now I would like to say to you worldly chicks that IF no one has said it to you all today...I LOVE YOU ALL TOO!!! I carried that line in my head all day and it kept me sane. I believe things happen for reasons and today I found that book just before I needed it. Life can be very mysterious don't you think?? OK enough of the philosophical/melancholy Mel.

Thank you all for thoughts on Joe and all your warm wishes for me too. I missed him on the bus yesterday. And Shad is right...no one can hurt him anymore and he is safe. It made me feel so much better today. Sorry not to comment on everything else. Feeling a wee bit drained tonite.

Hope you all have a great day tomorrow and I will try to get back to my "old" self! :rofl:

Admittedly it's been a long time since I chased boys. DH snagged me at the tender age of 18 so I didn't have too many years of honest boy chasing under my belt. Never dated anyone my own age either, they were always at least 2 years older so my first boyfriend - I was just about 15 and he was 17 - we we both in high school so that was considered ok. But 12 year olds chasing 15 year olds? In my time, we would have gotten ridiculed going after an older boy like that at least from the boys point of view, unless of course it was the trashy girls who "put out" and then the boys would come seeking them out and rotating them amongst each other. I think it's hysterical that your son was busy reading - guess you won't have to worry quite yet about him getting in trouble with the ladies ;) - plenty enough time for that. Which son is the chased upon -- the one who has his autobiography written or Mr. I like me jammies just fine thanks?

Loved the job ad Linus, I suppose I could take up drinking again tho it would probably kill me if I drank the way I did in the 80's. Ethnic minority - well, I have some cousins who are lesbians, several in the family have inter-racial marriages - I myself am short, left handed and fiesty - somewhat an odd combination. Drug addict - well I am a recovering nicotine addict (have found that inhaling with an an empty straw takes care of the last of my nagging cravings by the way - yippee) so technically I am a drug addict. I was talking to DH today about the uncertainty of what lies ahead. I feel pressured to find another job quickly, am nervous about falling into a situation as horrid as the one I had prior to this job. Not sure what I want to do but keeping an open mind. Wish me luck and a few prayers and good thoughts tomorrow - not so much for the interview (although appreciated) but moreso that I don't get myself lost or in an accident driving to and from the interview. Seems we drove for a long, long time and I shoulld have made notes about landmarks and turns and distances and mileages. It's terrible to have no sense of direction I tell you. I have never been fond of driving. I even made my DH take a week's holiday when Shad came to visit, just so I wouldn't have to drive :o But as I suspected, he thoroughly enjoyed your visit Shad and he has lots of extra vacation to use up anyway.

... slight pause in the typing to go for a bike ride and then have supper.

When I started this post, it was right after Linus had posted. Now it's a few hours later and a few more of you have checked in. How quickly things stir up.

We do have surge protectors but not the really good expensive ones that you should have for the computers. So when the storms are particularly bad, I just turn the PCs off. Never had a problem but don't want to take the risk either.

Shad, have things slowed down a bit in the training arena recently or is it just the usual hurry up and wait types of things. Sending you a bit of good karma on your search - you've given out alot to the universe, time you got a bit of magic dust back yourself. Perhaps you should join Jason and become a trainer. There was a lady on the boards here from England who was setting up a training business with personal training and classes for those who were overweight. She was asking for suggestions and we told her to move to the States as she could make a very handsome living doing just that in about any city here. Makes you wonder - one of those things you say - nah, I can't do that :no: but maybe you could and you're talking yourself out of something here :yes: my niece started teaching some aerobics classes at the local gym - did not need an advanced degree, just some weekend specialty training.

So what are kippers? Are they like sardines? I cut up some "rock melon" tonight Shad and thought of you. I think I like rock melon better than cantelope. Mangos are piled up here, buy one get one free - about 60 to 70 cents each it comes out to. Lots of nice fruit to pick from so I've not been too enticed to figure out how to cut a mango. Looks like strawberry season is over tho - the ones now are back to sort of hard and not very tasty. I did enjoy my strawberry protein shakes in the morning - will have to find some other flavor - pina colada - hold the rum or not :devil:

Mel, call me a nutter but I think the person showing up at your doorstep with a bag of Joe's razors was Joe's final way of reaching out across to you and greeting a friend. It was just so co-incidental, don't you think? And now we have a celebrity in our midst - Miss Mel and her pretty in pink feet. Good thing you had the nice sandals on eh? Such a great quote about let me be the first to say... I usually run into the people who say, allow me to be the first to turn your day into the dumpster... :lol:

Well I have ridden my bike every day. Today was especially hard. It was quite windy and we were going uphill against a stiff wind. I was huffing and puffing and saying "I think I can, I think I can, I know I can - I'm gonna fall on my "can" and DH is gonna roll right over me if I don't get these feet a movin' soon". :faint: It's amazing how weak you get when you are carrying so much extra weight AND you stop exercising. So Shad, next time you are disappointed in the scale numbers remember that you are very strong and you probably have very durable bones too.

I've babbled long enough. Hellos to Teel and Meadow, G'night from my part of town...

hello
 

Mel are you giving out autographs at all this evening????? Sorry for you day but mine was not so good either..... these girls won't want to hear from us ...no they willl....... they love us!
MOre bad news my favorite auntie is in a coma with no life support or hope tonight. I made it through my day by doing the best job I could and then coming home to fall apart for a bit. I did get to talk to my oldest so that has helped some... I will keep you informed if I have to leave town....
Thanks you guys for being here.
Love ya,
Nae

Oh lord, the day is going from bad to worse. I'm so sorry Rose about your aunt. Specially as it comes so soon after your Brother in Law. I wish I could just come on over and hug you till you feel better. In the meantime, while I tried to figure a way to get there, consider yourself hugged. :grouphug: :grouphug.

Thank you for the love today, my pink footed, white sandalled NJ friend. Are we still speaking since you have now become a hot foot star on the TV!!!

Happy, I have thought about joining Jason. I'm sure that there is a buck to be made in dealing with those of us who are known as the Baby Boomers. I'm sure that I could be of use to those on their own and wanting to travel (where to go, what to do when you get there all that sort of thing), those who are wondering about exercise, those who need to know things about where to go and how to do it. I just wonder how I should go about sorting it out what it will cost to someone who doesn't have a lot left over anymore etc etc etc. Aaaah well I guess I can do some more planning. I'm tired of not having people respond to mails etc. There is little here in Brisbane at the moment and it seems that the market is now full of trainers - with or without qualifications.

Okay, enough self doubt - back to my favourite poem for inspiration.


If you think you are beaten, you are
If you think you dare not, you don't
If you like to win but you think you can't
It's almost certain you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost
For out of the world we find
Success begins with a fellow's will -
It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you're outclassed, you are
You've got to think high to rise,
You've got to be sure of yourself before,
You can ever win a prize.

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man
But soon or late the person who wins
Is the one WHO THINKS THEY CAN!

Nae, so sorry to hear about your aunt. :cry: Is she far away or can you be near her? None the less, send good thoughts and I'm sure she will receive them - there are some kinds of communications that transcend regular face to face speech. Cry if you must but do not remember them with tears, instead I'm sure they would prefer if you "keep me in your heart for a while... " as the song goes. And as always seems the case when we lose someone dear, it reminds (me at least) to give an extra hug to those who are with us now. So to all of you :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: - big squeezer take the breath out of you hug :eek:

Shad, the person I was thinking of who did the fitness for overweight people - her name is Stef and she posts on the UK Fat Chicks thread. I'm sure Linus and Teel both know her. I had asked her some questions long ago about exercising and she was quick to answer and very warm and inviting. If you were curious about this and wanted more info, I'm sure she'd be glad to share.

I tell you one thing, my trainer was great but I would have felt less intimidated with someone more like me. In fact, my ex-trainer is so popular he works about 12 hours a day - if I wanted to go back to the club, I wouldn't get him. As for the other trainers :no: :no: :no: What I like about you is that you are empathetic and kind hearted when you need to be but no nonsense when it comes to producing the goods :drill: :coach: and those are the best qualities in a personal trainer. Be firm, push but know alternative ways to avoid injury and make workouts fun. I also forgot that you'd have great advice for being fit on the road for those who travel about. My trainer's goal was not to get me to a size 2, but to get me fit and healthy in the size I was in - and perhaps a size or 2 down but mostly to have a healthy heart and muscles and joints. You become the trainer and I'll open the juice bar :strong: :cheers:

Ummmm a gym with no guilt cafe and juice bar??? Interesting thought. Wouldn't probably work here - too many gyms already. Sounds good - too good maybe

:( Hello chicks. Roseblush all I can do is send you a load of hugs :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: as I can't do anything else to comfort you with all your trouble. What a worry for you and the rest of the family. Let us have news as soon as you are able, meanwhile thoughts and prayers are with you...I think I had better send you my gaurdian angel for a while! :angel: :angel:
I am afraid I lurked in at about 02:00hrs, but didn't feel focussed enough to :comp: :comp: so here I am now. It is SO hot today, about 27 and 1/2 degrees. Very muggy. :sunny: :sunny: Since I have started back on the Oxycontin pills my sleep pattern seems to have gone from bad to worse. Last night I seemed to wake up almost hourly until 03:00 hrs when I slept till 06:20, go up, took the morning handful of pills and insulin, had an OP breakfast and went back to sleep until the phone rang at 09:15. I had to go into town this morning for a blood test and had lunch with a friend and her now 22 year old daughter who has just handed in her dissitation for her Masters degree. :spin: She is a bit of a brain box I think!!
Happy I'm sorry your strawberry season is almost over...I think we here can still buy imported strawbs from The U.S.A., perhaps you ought to keep some of your own produce! Shall I send you a punnet or two? :T I think I have heard of Stef from the UK site. I don't get time to lurk in their thread anymore...I am too busy blethering over here!!! :doh: :blah: :blah: :gossip: :gossip:
Shad...hello to you my friend. My other gaurdian angel :angel: :angel: is coming over to sit on your shoulder as you continue to search for the job that's just waiting for you to find it. I know it is far easier to say it than done. I found a photo of you in Mr. Colman's shop in Norwich...I'll scan it and send it to you. It isn't as clear as I would have liked it to be.
Mel....Miss MEL...please it is ok for me to still be in the sand box with you?? :^: I promise you can play with all the sand you want...I won't get in your way! Pleeeeese can I have your autograph...or better still, your footprints?! Hee hee, Mel's feet are famous...or is it her pink sandals that are famous?? :lol3: :lol3: I DO hope your day has been better today....[[[[[HUGS]]]]] for you too...When I get one of my angels back I shall send him straight over to you.
I'll go over to journals to post my menu...nearly first weigh day....ho hum...could have done better this week but I think I have made quite a good start...
See you all soon...

Coo 2 posts from me in one day!!
 

I forgot to post this bit of prose so I will rectify that right now by doing so! Hope it helps the psyche and you like it... :D

It is called DON'T QUIT...

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turned inside out,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow'
You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worse,
That you must not quit

I don't know who wrote this but it hangs in a frame in my lounge. I think I should read it a bit more often!!

Teel~ Loved the prose!! Thank god I am a true fighter and always have been. Must be genetic!!! :lol: You sound much more chipper yourself and hope the sleep pattern gets better too! You can play in the sandbox with me anytime! I'll even buy us some new toys to make better castles!! Although I loved Shad's the other day! Thanks for more pics tOOOOOO! YAY!!!

Happy~ I would love to have a male trainer and I am SURE I would improve greatly!!! :rofl: I would be jumping out of bed and leaping into the chair then racing down the street to the gym and the Adonis of trainers! :lol3: Good luck again with the interviews!!!

Nae~ I can hardly believe what I read!!! So sorry about your Aunt! This has been a very strange year for coincidences and weird things. Love and (((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))) to you to get you through it all. By all means keep us posted!!! I am almost afraid to say that today is greatly improved over yesterday's fiasco.:rofl: Take care.

Meadow~ Thanks for the thoughts. things I have been reading or running into seem to keep me grounded. I sometimes wonder were they always there? or am I just NOW seeing and hearing them? LOL Glad we didn't chase you away!!! It looked like after one day here you said WTF!!! and left! :rofl: :rofl: Hope you had a good time away!

Shad~ You are such a multi-faceted person it must be hard to decide what you want to be when you grow up?!?!? :rofl: :rofl:
Everything I read sounded like good ideas. Have you discussed anything with DS!?? Just curious!! Nosey Mel!!! Inquiring minds want to know! :lol3: :lol3:

Well my feet are famous and maybe the toes should do the autographing!!! some people saw the news and it's been the talk on the bus to and from the food store!!! :lol: Maybe I should go to a tanning salon and toast my tootsies to improve their color!!!!
a little pancake make-up??? :rofl: When I saw the dreary skies I almost rolled over but changed my mind and forced myself to get the lazy butt out of bed. So glad I did. Gets too easy to say WTF and go back to sleep!! Hope everyone has a great day. I need to start marinating tuna steaks and make salad! Adios dear friends!

For those of us seeking employment...
 

Just found this perusing the news...

LONDON (Reuters) - WANTED - A court jester to fill a post vacant for 350 years since England executed its king.



English Heritage said in an advertisement in the Times on Thursday applicants for the competition at the weekend should bring their own costumes with bells, but said it would provide a bladder on a stick -- a traditional jester's prop.


Contrary to the image of a buffoon, court jesters had to be highly astute, able to lift the spirits of their monarchs and risked death if they failed -- as many did.


The duties of the last court jester, whose job ended in 1649 when Charles I lost his head, included making him laugh and providing a distraction from politics.


This time, however, English Heritage said the winner would not risk decapitation but would still have to provide trenchant wit. Would-be fools should attend a public audition Saturday at Stoneleigh Park in central England, wearing their costumes.


Shad, are you in with me? I figure double the jesters, double the fun :joker: :joker:

... if my pants get any bigger they could qualify for clown pants. We could room with Teel and Linus, you think? :chin: :chin: What is trenchant wit? Is that gutter talk from the trenches? :censored: Sorry, I don't tell dirty jokes or swear (much) :tape: :tape: Meet you at the park....

evening all i think ive worked out the reason i fit in so well here is that your all mad too our electrical systems must be different over here power surges very rarely get past our circiuit boards so we dont have to worry about power surges and the only protection we have is a 13 amp fuse in the plug :lol: HAPPY she wasnt 12 there were 12 of them and i didnt have any idea what to say to them i really felt old and im only 33 :censored: :yikes: :rofl: MEADOW glad we didnt scare you away we seem to have that effect on people i think we have more lurkers just to see what the nutters are up to :rofl: MEL dont you dare go near a sunbed with your feet knowing your luck youll get sunstroke :rofl: :hot: :hot: :flow2: :flame: glad your feeling a bit better today ROSE so sorry my freind you seem to be going through the mill lately but at least there are no family squabbles to deal with as well as from what i can gather she is an aunt from your side so no squabbeling in-laws to deal with hope things are okay i dont know if this was expected or not so for once i dont know what to say except look after yourself and well be here for you whatever happens TEEL my goodness you sound really chipper and its so lovely to hear sorry about the tablets mucking you up if the doc gets his way ill be going through the same next week as he wants to change my meds to see if we can shift this bloody pain enjoy the feeling while it lasts SHAD i know stef shes really nice and shes not a supermodel stick either and she gets a great response from people and thouroughly enjoy what she does but as she says shes just not very good at taking her own advice {sonds just like me} well they say god loves a tryer and lady your a tryer so god must really love you and will help soon {i hope} :cloud9: :idea: :angel: well oimstill feeling crap must be bad nobody will come near me they stick there head in the door ask if i need soething and then go and to top it all off the bolt on the belt drive has sheared in half so we will have to go and track down another bolt{its a bit weird and not that commen} as i refuse to live without my washing machine right im off speak later
kirsty

How full is your well?
 

I was watching a program last night and found a book I am going to get :) I have just spend $135. at Amazon so it is on the wish list but I thought I would find a bit of info and share it with you. This lady is very positive, has some great stories. She told one about "What do women really want?" and the answer was sovereignty. It is a tale from King Arthur's time and was really neat. I'll try and find it online somewhere because if I give you my condensed version... well you know, it will not be as cool :D

Okay as usual I am late to the boat, this book came out in 2001 and has a CD of relaxing music and all sorts of tag along media attached to it :dizzy: I should surf more thoroughly before I post :lol: I still think it has good thoughts and I am going to get the book, I should see if she was on Oprah, she always knows all the good guru to a wonderful life people ;)
http://borysenko.powersource3.com/tapebook/1561709085.cfm


Inner Peace for Busy People:
Keep Track of Your Energy Reserves
by Joan Borysenko, Ph.D.


One January I went to the Caribbean to teach a relaxing, week-long personal growth program. The waters were a superb shade of aquamarine. The sunsets were magnificent. And I was a crispy critter, exhausted and disheartened. I had traveled more than 200 days the previous year, with too little support on the work and home fronts. Then, over the Christmas holidays, a long-time employee had left under the most difficult circumstances. I had spent my precious time off fielding phone calls, getting my taxes ready, and finally hiring and training a new staff person. Busy to the max, I had failed to keep track of my energy reserves and found that the "well" had run dry.



One afternoon, my husband and I went for a sail with some of the people from the group. A vivacious redhead by the name of Donna and I got to talking. And as women often do, we went straight to the heart of the matter. A corporate trainer and coach, Donna was also used to a heavy travel schedule, but she’d learned to manage it. At one point, she leaned in close to me and took my hand. "Do you know that the life force is almost gone from your eyes?" she said. I could only nod affirmatively and sniffle a little. "Would you let me help you?" she asked.

"Dr. Donna," as she is known, became my friend, corporate consultant, and self-care coach.

One of the most important things she asked was elegant in its power and simplicity: "On a scale of 1 to 10, where one is empty and ten is full, how full is your well?" I knew immediately what she meant. Was I joyful, creative, rejuvenated, and frisky, or was I despondent and dragged out.

I answered immediately, "I’m sucking mud." This, I knew from long training and experience as a mind/body medical researcher and psychologist, was dangerous ground. My immune system was at a low ebb, my muscles were achy, and I felt poised on the brink of physical disaster. I was a poor advertisement for mind/body health and centered living. By failing to pay attention to my energy reserves, I had let myself wander into hazardous territory.

The "well scale" gave me a handle for recovery and a way to stay honest about taking care of myself. Awareness is the prerequisite for change. Realizing that you’re at the bottom is a wake-up call. You have two choices: to rise or to die. I decided on the former. I also committed to staying alert to my energy levels so that I wouldn’t use up my reserves, run on empty, and risk either emotional or physical disaster again.

During the period of extreme stress that had led to sucking mud, I did exactly what most people do when their backs are against the wall. I regressed. Bounding out of bed to deal with the office meltdown, I neglected to eat until late afternoon. Then I grabbed anything that was convenient. As my sons say, I ate a balanced diet from the four food groups: candy, cake, pies, and cookies. Nonetheless, I lost five pounds. This is called the high-stress diet. For a person who normally favors liberal quantities of fruits and vegetables, poor eating was a danger sign. I’d gone into survival mode. Exercise, which above all, fills my well, was a thing of the past. I couldn’t tear myself away from the office. The only positive coping strategy that remained was the support of my husband and the love and counsel of good friends.

If I have a single favorite gripe with God, it’s this: Good habits are so hard to form and sustain, while bad habits are a breeze. Most of us have times when we forget everything we know about taking care of ourselves, and then we have to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps.

So, reform was mandatory. I started exercising again and eating well. Several times a day, I would check the well scale, and once a week I’d report in to "Dr. Donna."

"Hey, I’m a 5, a 7, or even a 10." Over the next several months, it became clear that 7 was the cut-off point for feeling peaceful. Below that, anxiety and obsession kicked in, and creativity was hard to tap in to.

Fancy scales aren’t required to measure your stress level, although many of them exist. The simplest way to find out how you’re coping is to draw a horizontal line on a sheet of paper. Mark the far-left point "1," and the far-right "10." Then put a vertical line wherever you think it belongs to represent your stress level. Research shows that this simple measure is as good as the sophisticated scales. The well scale is really a vertical version of the same thing, but I think it’s even more powerful because it’s such an engaging and positive metaphor.

Your objective is to fill the well and stay aware of exactly where you are. When my well drops below 7, a mental alarm goes off. Energy reserves are getting low. I know that I need to do something rejuvenating or I’ll start a downward slide. Restorative things fall into two categories: (1) things that you can do immediately—such as taking a walk, adjusting your breathing, doing some stretching, getting into a hot shower, having some fun, talking to a friend, cuddling up with your pet, and the like; and (2) developing long-range life strategies.

Some of the long-range strategies that worked for me revolved around two more scales. When deciding what jobs to take, they had to fall below a 7 on the schlep scale, a measure of wear and tear. Going to India is a 10. Having someone drive me the two hours from Boulder to Colorado Springs is a one on the schlep scale. So I learned to make less stressful choices.

Then there was the service scale. Did a particular job match my vision of service? Running a retreat for cancer patients was a 10, consulting on the development of graduate programs was a one on the scale. Administration and evaluation are not my gifts. Developing my vision and realizing what my time was worth led to other changes. I hired more staff and put an end to driving home from the airport late at night, contributing to public safety as well as personal peace.

This week, start keeping track of your energy reserves. Try using the well scale. At least three times a day, determine how full your well is. What is the cut-off point when you start to lose steam and feel overwhelmed? Figure out what raises the water level for you quickly, and take action right away when you need to revive yourself. Taking a ten-minute walk instead of returning the next phone call can change the course of your entire day.