SUNDRY THOUGHTS AND WORDS....

When I was in grade school, they told me to write down what I wanted to be when I grew up.

I wrote down happy.

They told me I didn't understand the assignment,
I told them they didn't understand life

- Unknown



To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter... to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring - these are some of the rewards of the simple life. ~John Burroughs
You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need. ~Vernon Howard
© 2010-2014 (Whimseys, Writings and Thoughts) All Rights Reserved

Friday, December 28, 2012

I promise!

I promise I will get back to this blog and write some more.....life's been busy...in the meantime, check out another blog I am working on to motivate people 50-100 and really of any age to get fit and healthy and to be fit and healthy at 99!  You can read it at http://fitat99.blogspot.com

I'll be back here though I promise....2013 is going to be my year of writing!

Oh and by the way have any of you seen the movie "The Words" The Words movie posterhttp://www.amazon.com/The-Words/dp/B00A95Q7SK/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1356738407&sr=1-1&keywords=the+words  

Such a good movie!

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Slacking Deluxe! But not really

I'm sure you must be thinking that I am slacking deluxe on writing in my blog....but I've just been busy with living :)  Don't know if I've mentioned but I've been spending a lot of time at the gym trying to get healthy and fit....yes even at 63.  It's a lot of hard work that has to be done 5-6 times a week.  But it is so worth it.   I believe I am in the best fitness I've ever been in my whole life. (Well except maybe for 1996 when I lived in San Antonio and landscaped around my home for 90 days in a row!)

The urge to return to my writing has been tickling my mind lately and so I need to try to work that into my schedule.....the fact hasn't changed that "in order to be a successful writer...you have to write!"

I'm still working on my novel "The Magic Teacup" and I'm considering attending a meeting of the San Gabriel Writers because they are having an open mic night to read poetry.

I will write more.  Have a great day!

Sunday, February 12, 2012

BAD GIRL X3

I am a bad bad bad girl (bad girl times 3)!

I missed 3 days in my promise to write something everyday for 30 days.  Dang.  It feels like missing exercise and weight training for 3 days.....Never regret when I do it. Always regret when I don't.

Went to the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo this weekend....wow it's been years since I went to a rodeo.  Not much has changed in the Livestock Show part....but so much has changed on the grounds.  They've turned the Joe Freeman Colisseum into a 2 floor shopping center....booth after booth after booth of outrageously priced baubles and bangles, clothes, hats, belts, trinkets, souveniers.  You name it they had it and tons of new eating places in the food court....of food definitely not on my list of "you can eat these"!!! :)

I'm still shaking my head at the battering the bronco and bull riders take...OMG!  I can't imagine how they do that over and over again.  There's not enough money in the world to ever get me to even think about doing that...even if I was 20.  And did you ever notice that there are never any (or at least not that I've seen) girls doing those events....hmmmmm...let's think about that!

Then Keith Urben was the entertainer....now I like Keith, but really seriously the music was so loud you couldn't understand a word he was singing...and my head was splitting...needless to say we did not stay for the whole show.  (Maybe I'm just getting old because the 3 young girls sitting next to us sang along with every song, could not sit still and literally I think were about to pee their pants everytime the stage turned around and put him in front of us....their squeals were as loud as the music) (Oh to be that young!)  :)

Well this is going to be short, I've been to the gym and have chicken baking in the oven....so time to get cleaned up and finish preparing dinner......and then let's see is tonight "The Voice"???  If not then it's a Farkle tournament with John....let the games begin! :)

Take care and I'll see you back here tomorrow......PROMISE!!!

Here's my new found thought for the day:
  I've decided to be happy because it's good for my health!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Retirement Pleasures --- Life is good!

It's true, it's true, it's true....what they say about retirement.  You wonder how you ever had time to work.

Today our day just flew by.  We had someone come over from the computer club here in our community from 9:00 - 11:30 to work with John on his sick PC, I went to my Lighten Up for Life Program from 9:30 - 11:30, John went to the gym and I had two fitness classes this afternoon....then we rushed home and got ready to go to our country swing dance lessons this evening.

We could stay that busy and busier every single day because there is so much to do in this retirement community.....but we've tried to limit ourselves or else we'd meet ourselves coming and going.

I'm trying to find some balance...so that I'm not exercising 2-3 times a day....or every single day for that matter.  The speaker today at our meeting told us that "being fit is not just about eating the proper food and exercising....you have to be balanced in mind, body and spirit. 

This writing in my blog is part of my trying to find that balance. Writing brings me joy and quiets my soul, it makes my mind work and gives me hope.  I used to say that writing was the best diet I could ever be on because when I write I lose all track of time and never even think about food.  Somehow though I got so wrapped up in this losing weight program and exercise, that I lost track of time and never thought about writing.

So now I'm going to try to combine the two....the excitement of losing weight and the joy of writing  and see if I can't wrap them together.  Perhaps the new person I've become (or the old person that was hiding inside and is now out) can create some new characters, some new thoughts, some new stories and double my pleasure in this new era of my life.........

Being retired is good. Being fit is good.  Giving myself time to write is good...... LIFE IS GOOD!

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Sometimes good intentions need a push......

OK.  Day 1 of my commitment to write something in my blog for at least 30 days.  I've been thinking about it all day and for some reason putting it off.  But it's getting close to my bed time so it's time for the putting off to end and the pushing to begin.  Isn't that what it's like for most things that are important.  Right now I can relate it to weight loss and getting fit.  I finally reached the point in my life when it was time to end the putting off and the time to change my mind set, see the reality of how dangerous it was to be overweight and unfit and to start the push to change my life once and for all. 

I've worked really hard....started counting calories, eating healthier, making a commitment to make this a lifelong change and exercising.....lots of exercising.  I've been at it about 7 months and I am truly addicted.  I even had a T-shirt made that says "NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS FIT AND HEALTHY FEEL!"

I truly believe that. It's taken time, but I no longer crave twizzlers (sorry Stacey).  I just can't get over the fact that one (1)....as in uno, as in not two or three...but one twizzler is 53 calories....and beleive me friends I could eat 10 or 12 at a sitting (AND that was just a snack during the day while I was working)...can you do the math!!!???  530 - 636 calories!!! That's almost 1/2 of what I should be eating to lose and keep the weight off to be healthy.  I don't even like to think about how many calories I was eating in a day.  But then I don't have to think about it because I know what I looked like and I know what I weighed.

But "Fitness is a life-long journey....not a 12 week sprint".  I truly believe you have to be determined, dedicated and committed.  No one can do it for you.  You're the only one who can make yourself healthy and fit.  Getting a trainer helps (a lot), eating the right food and the right portions helps (a lot), exercising and burning calories helps (a lot)....but it all begins and has to continue to be a mind set change.  You have to "See the YOU you want to be".  You have to believe.  You have to start with the face in the mirror and know that "You can't cross the ocean until you are ready to lose sight of the shore".  You have to make a decision to change your life and believe you can acheive your goals.

I know you've heard this before....but I'm here to tell you..."If I can do it anyone can do it".  I am "Far from what I once was--But not yet what I'm going to be".

My goal is to die of old age not from being unhealthy and unfit.  I want to be able to be exercising and going to the gym in my 90's!

Like our old friend Nike says "JUST DO IT"

I'm big into slogan T-shirts and I'm getting the words in red (that I've found on other websites) on T-shirt to inspire myself and others. 

OK....time to get off my weightloss soap box.........time to quit putting off taking my nightly shower and time to be pushing myself toward the bed..........got a weigh-in tomorrow and plenty of sleep is important.

Monday, February 6, 2012

DON'T PAY THE RANSOM I'VE ESCAPED!

My beloved mentioned last week that he'd pulled up this blog and I hadn't written anything since last August.....and that's sad but true.

I've been a tad busy trying to get settled into our new home in Texas, but mostly trying to get back in shape, fit and healthy!  It's been a fun and, at the same time, grueling adventure--that knock on wood so far is going extremely well.  I'll talk more about that a little later.

This is just a short note to get in the blog groove again and to let anyone who still follows my blog know that I'm alive and well.

I'm going to try what a blogger friend of mine did last year and that is to make a commitment to write something in my blog for at least the next 30 days.  I've had this dream for a long time to write a novel and I've gotten away from that too....so I need to bring that back into my picture.

Retirement is in one word "FABULOUS".   We love it and we're glad we moved to Texas.  More often than not with the beautiful temperature we look at each other and say  "Another day in paradise"...

See you back here tomorrow....Hold me to it! :)