Points to live by....

Just a short post, but one that I wanted to record before I forgot.  Ever since I was a little kid I have been fascinated with Native Americans.  If I were to believe in reincarnation, I am sure that in another life I most likely was one.

As I made my daily prowl on Google+, I came across this video.  All great points to remember now, as they were in 1854.

New Year, new ways to resolve

I have to admit it. I'm depressed. 2012 has not been good to me, and it's only 3 days old. I'm not going to waste anyone's time, nor my own, lamenting about things are going my way, that lack, or just a general trials of life.

I'm not going to make any New Year's resolutions. I have decided that in years resolutions are too easily broken. Instead, I'm resolving to make new lifestyle changes for the new year.

I came to this decision after seeing the following video which was posted on my Google+ wall.



In this video the guy worked 70 hours a week, has three sons, is married, several cats, and he still made time in his week to work out and lose a phenomenal amount of weight.

I know what my limitations are. I don't want to make the time. I don't want to plan my meals. I don't want to go shopping for the food that I know fuels my body correctly and not what I like to eat.

Just thinking about how much this guy has accomplished in nine months should inspire me to change my lifestyle. So, I'm going to get started. I'll let you know how it goes.

Merry Christmas to all from me and my pups.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

I've been writing blog posts for the company I work for, and therefore, have let my own blog go by the wayside.  And, the dogs are saying that again, I am keeping them from blogging on their website, so I am in big trouble.

But, today I just finished writing up a short post about how Thanksgiving came to be on the fourth Thursday of November.

I knew that Abraham Lincoln had proclaimed it a national holiday during the Civil War, but I did not know some of the other facts.

The following was originally published here.  If you enjoyed the article, I'd appreciate you "liking" it on original post page on the ParkSleepFly.com post page!
I know I personally have many, many things to be thankful.  I am blessed.

Now, about Thanksgiving......

Some facts regarding Thanksgiving. Did you know that on August 6, 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared a day of thanksgiving after Union victories in Gettysburg and Vicksburg.  After receiving a letter from Sarah Hale, he declared the last Thursday of November as the national holiday.

Sarah Hale (the author of Mary Had a Little Lamb) was the driving force for a unified day of thanksgiving.  The holiday was primarily celebrated in New England, but each state had a different day for its celebration ranging from October to January.  She started campaigning for a national holiday in 1846.  Sarah wrote letters to several presidents, Zachary Taylor, Millard Filmore, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan and Abraham Lincoln.

President Lincoln felt that a unified national holiday would bring the country together after the stress of the Civil War.  Therefore, he declared the last Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day.  Lincoln stated in a proclamation entreating all Americans to ask God to “commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife” and to “heal the wounds of the nation.

Thanksgiving was held on this date until 1939 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving up one week to extend the retail period during the Great Depression.  However, due to massive public outrage, Thanksgiving was moved back to its original time period, the fourth Thursday in November.

These are the times that try men's souls. Or, things are just weird.

For the past few months I have been surrounded by weirdness in direct relationships and those involving people close to me. 

I am not knowledgeable in astrology, other than the passing glance at an occasional horoscope.  But I have heard in the past of "Mars in retrograde." I think this kind of thing is supposed to put fear in the hearts of even the most brave men.

If I knew then what I know now, I most likely would had paid heed to the warning. 

This summer I saw friendships disintegrate before my eyes, like  when one is falling in what seems to be in slow motion and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it.

I felt the pain of a very dear friend's realization her marriage was over.

I experienced a strain on a relationship that is holding on only by the slimmest of threads, and most likely will not last.

I feel the loss of the presence of an online friend, someone I never met in person but whose death is mourned.

But, even though all this grayness has transpired, there's still new relationships that are forming and growing. 

So, if makes me wonder as always, did these old relationships had to end to make room for the new?  An age old question with no answer, but only speculation. 

Whatever the answer is, we do need to celebrate what we had to prepare for what is coming.  Good luck to us all.

An important read...

A long absence from the world of blogging. It's not that I haven't though to post idea, or even started a few. It's more or less my life got in the way. However, today my friend read to me his sister's post. It's about school bullying. It's a heart wrenching post. I urge everyone to read it. Please click here.

Sashimi Tuna Salad - Dr. Weil's Healthy Kitchen

Sashimi Tuna Salad - Dr. Weil's Healthy Kitchen