say what you mean...and say it in love

I think one of the best pieces of wisdom I've received and worked to apply to my life has been this:

Life is too short and precious to withhold complements when you have them to give....or to cling to your possessions too tightly.

I learned this from a woman named Lynda Schevitz, whom i met while singing in the alto section of the choral society. I learned from the few years of sitting near Lynda, that she often takes hold of opportunities to say what she thinks about people..for the good..for their encouragement!
I noticed that Lynda seems to always makes sure to do so in a fairly discrete manner, not drawing attention to herself. If she likes someone's scarf...she says so. If she notices a certain quality of someone's personality...she lets them know she appreciates it.

She also takes any compliments to her personality or appearance with such grace....that if someone were to say they like her coat..she'd offer to let them use it anytime they want...and she MEANS it! (I say this as fact..because she actually let one of the altos borrow her mink coat for a Chicago vacation a couple of winters ago)

Lynda stands by a standard encouragement and of sharing the gifts with which she's been blessed with others.

I hope to be able to teach this sort of living and loving to those I encounter each day...just like Lynda does.

Can you picture a world in which even just a small percentage of the population began living this way? Lets do it.

shopping spree!

Friday and Saturday Michael and I spent the remainder of our target and walmart gift cards!
(except that we still have to return one item [paper shredder] to target because when we brought it home Saturday....it was broken)

we now are the proud owners of....
a stanley 1 liter thermos (green!)
a 40 gallon 5-day cooler with wheels
a double-high queen sized air mattress with pump
a water and fireproof file safe
a rake
an electric drill/screwdriver
a big maglite flashlight (not as big as the one michael wANTED to buy)
D batteries for flashlight
a diamond knife sharpener
a set of interchangeable dumb bells
a lint roller
2 christmas plush toys (a reindeer and a teddy bear) for Eisley (michael noticed her puppy was beyond hope..and threw it away before we ended up with stuffing everywhere...and we knew it would take 2 stuffed animals to replace him)

and hopefully soon, a paper shredder

ANd i just made and drank my first peppermint mocha of the year!

a running partner found me

As I was taking in my Saturday morning run...a neighborhood dog decided he liked running with me...so he joined up for about a block and a half. When I took a walk break..he even nudged my rear with his nose to make me run again!

As amusing and encouraging as it was to have this large black and tan dog running my route with me, I thought it best to stop at the end of his street and command him to stay...I could probably get in some trouble for dog theft if I let him follow me home.

On the way home, I made sure to check a couple of times over my shoulder to be sure he hadn't decided to follow. I'm a little disappointed that he never showed up again to nudge me back into running. Maybe we'll meet up again, next time I run his street.

ramblings and goals

i realize that with all of the networking and friend-connecting sites we're involved in...few really read plain old blogs anymore....especially when we are told SO much on those other sites...without having to scan our eyes across an entire entry of thought-out text.

i realize this...

but i still love this blog. i refuse to leave it alone for too long..and always feel as though...even if no one reads it...even if its just me pouring out my thoughts in phrases and paragraphs...if that is all....that is enough. i NEED this from time to time. i need to be able to go back and read where my thoughts have been. i need to remind myself later of what i've accomplished. i need to remember the things i've enjoyed, and get excited about what used to make me excited.


now that i've got THAT out of my system....

i've recently begun calling myself a runner.
i think this began about a month ago.
i own running shorts and a wicking tshirt.
the other night when it suddenly turned cold..i went straight out and bought some running pants and an ear warmer headband so i wouldn't miss my scheduled run.
i know the mileage of our neighborhood.
3 times a week. 25-45 minutes....depending on how i'm feeling.
If i didn't know better, i'd call myself someone who walks a lot with spurts of running tossed in.
I haven't even run 1/4 mile straight....but i have run.
i'm certainly still "in training"
(though from what i understand, a runner always is.)
my current goal: run the cooper river bridge in Charleston come April. (10k!)