Design a Flower Bed or Garden with Butterflies in Mind

In considering plants to incorporate into your landscape, you may want to consider the aesthetic value of  attracting certain birds, bees, or butterflies to your garden. As a result, your garden can be enjoyed by not only the creatures which are attracted to the garden, but also by you.
Attracting butterflies to your flower beds and garden is as simple as planting some butterfly favorites.  The list below is certainly not all inclusive.  Additional information and suggestions are available online. Master Gardeners programs in your area and your local state and county extension offices are additional and helpful resources.  I have included four of my favorite web sites for your perusal. 

 List for Attracting Butterflies to your garden.

Agapanthas

*Allysum

*Althea

*Asclepias

Aster

Bee Balm

Columbine

Daisy

Daylily

Dianthus

*Dill, Parsley, and Fennel

Four O'Clocks

Guara

Hibiscus

Honeysuckle

*Lantana

Larkspur

*Lemon & Lime Trees

Lobelia

*Milkweed

*Mint

*Nasturtium

Pansy

Penta

*Ruella

Sedum

Turks Cap

Veronica

Yarrow

Zinnia

* Indicates Host Plant

A few of my favorite web sites:

1.  A Way to Garden.com

Margaret Roach's Blog

http://awaytogarden.com/

2.  Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

http://www.wildflower.org/

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

http://www.wildflower.org/expert/

3.  Daves Garden

http://davesgarden.com/

4.  Neil Sperry's Gardens

http://www.neilsperry.com/

The Definitive Word In Texas Horticulture

IN MEMORIAM

We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached.  Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way.


We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully
understanding the necessary plan...


"The Once Again Prince, Separate Lifetimes, by Irving Townsend

"Some animals come into your life and leave footprints on your heart, and you are never, ever, the same."

Brief Reflection on Lessons vs. Examples

A Little Bit of Country by Artist June Dudley

“It is difficult to bring people to goodness with lessons, but it is easy to do so by example.”
-Seneca

Brief Reflection on Human Nature

That we don't know what we've got until we lose it,

But it's also true...

That we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives !

Anonymous

As we age...

Just isn't the same.
Everything is further away than it used to be.  
It is twice as far to the corner and I noticed they added a hill.
I've given up running for the bus -- it leaves faster than it used to.
It also seems they are even making the stairs steeper than in the old days.
Have you noticed the smaller print they are using now in the newspaper?
There is no sense in asking anyone to read aloud -- everyone speaks in such a low voice. I can hardly hear them.
The material in clothing is so skimpy now -- specially around the waist. 
Even people are changing -- they are so much younger than they used to be when I was their age.
On the other hand, people my own age are so much older than I am.  
I ran across an old classmate the other day and she aged so badly she didn't recognize me.
I got to thinking about the poor thing while I was combing my hair this morning and in so doing I glanced at my reflection in the mirror -- really now, I'm serious -- they just don't make good mirrors anymore either.


Anonymous

Basic Tenets of Animal Rights Strategist

The basic tenets of Animal Rights Strategy are the following:


*  Nonhuman animals have moral rights and should never be subjected to human-inflicted suffering.


*  Basic legal rights for animals are the primary goal of the animal rights movement.


*  Where animals are known to be suffering from the failure of the animal-welfare system, demand that authorities act to remedy the situation.


*  Educate about the ability of the welfare system to protect the animals.


*  Animal rights are a matter of justice.  Acting merely on compassion is insufficient to change the law.


*  Campaign to change practices, policies, regulations and laws that promote and support animal exploitation with public funds.


*  Work to eliminate the public-relations effort of government agencies and other publicly funded and subsidized entities.


Demand that public entities adhere to the principle of equal consideration of equal interests by strictly enforcing the Constitutional guarantees.


Animals Rights


Peter Singer, who is said to be the founder of the Animal Rights Liberation movement, points out that "humans grant moral consideration to other humans not on the basis of intelligence but on the basis of their ability to experience suffering.  Animals also experience suffering and excluding them is a form of discrimination known as "speciesism."

Book:  "Animal Liberation",  by Peter Singer
Australian Philosopher        

Full Name:  Pete Albert David Singer
Date of Birth:  July 6, 1946
Place of Birth:  Melbourne, Australia
Nationality:  Australian

Intelligence is simply, "know-how."

Acknowledged as one of the world's greatest leaders in the field of mind body medicine, Deepak Chopra, M.D. continues to transform our understanding of the meaning of health. Chopra is known as a prolific author of over 49 books with 12 best sellers on mind-body health, quantum mechanics, spirituality, and peace. A global force in the field of human empowerment, Dr. Chopra's books have been published in more than 35 languages with more than 20 million copies in print.


"I define intelligence simply as “know-how.” Intelligence is present everywhere in our bodies. Our own intelligence is far superior to any we can try to substitute from the outside. Intelligence is more important than the actual matter of the body, since without it, that matter would be undirected, formless, and chaotic."
"Ninety-eight percent of the atoms in your body were not there a year ago. The skeleton that seems so solid was not there three months ago. The configuration of the bone cells remains somewhat constant, but atoms of all kinds pass freely back and forth through the cell walls, and by that means you acquire a new skeleton every three months."
"The skin is new every month. You have a new stomach lining every four days, with the actual surface cells that contact food being renewed every five minutes. The cells in the liver turn over very slowly, but new atoms still flow through them, like water in a river course, making a new liver every six weeks. Even within the brain, the content of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and so on is totally different today from a year ago."
"Even though the rates of change may differ, change is always there. What I am calling “intelligence” takes on the role of guiding this change so that we do not collapse into a heap of bricks. That is one of the most obvious facts about the physiology, but intelligence is so changeable, so quick on the move–in other words, so alive–that medical textbooks devote almost no space at all to it."
Deepak Chopra, M.D.

Your Choice

Photographer George McCarthy

“Don’t spend your precious time asking “Why isn’t the world a better place?” It will only be time wasted. The question to ask is “How can I make it better?” To that there is an answer.”
“You have the choice. You can choose joy over despair, happiness over tears, action over apathy, growth over stagnation.”

Leo Buscaglia

Brief Reflection on Life's Measurement

Our Universe_ The Horsehead Nebula

Life isn't measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath  away.

~ Anonymous ~

Wealth Doesn't Buy Happiness

Surprising Secrets from the World's Happiest People
by Dan Buettner


We've all heard that "wealth doesn't buy happiness."  Neither, it turns out, does social status, youth or beauty.


Social scientist have collected tens of millions of data points that help identify what truly makes people happy.  Genetics and life circumstances can influence happiness, but personal choices account for about 55% of it.  That means we all have more control over our happiness than we may realize.


National Geographic author and explorer Dan Buettner spent five years talking to people in areas identified by researchers as the world leaders in happiness .........Denmark's Jutland Peninsula.......Singapore..........Nuevo Leon, Mexico .....and the town of San Luis Obispo in California.


In his new book, Thrive, he identified the main characteristics of what he calls thrivers, people who consistently report the highest levels of well-being.  Here, secrets from the world's happiest people...


OWN one TV, no more.  Americans spend more than four hours a day, on average, in front of the television.  This is time that they're not spending with other people, including their families.  (Family time in front of the television is not the same as real interaction.)


In the places where happiness is highest, people spend the least time watching television.  It's not that they never watch--they just watch less than most people.


I advise people to own no more than one television--and to keep it in an out-of-the-way place, such as the basement.  You still can watch your favorite programs, but watching will become a deliberate activity, not something you just do automatically.


Create a "Flow room." In Danish society, most families have an area in the house where everyone naturally congregates.  I call these rooms "flow rooms" because they're places where time seems to flow away when people are engaged and enjoying one another's company.  Flow rooms have no screens (TVs or computers) and no clocks.  They are quiet environments where it's easy to engage in meaningful activities with family.


In our house, I chose a room with good lighting and the best views--it's comfortable, and everyone in the family wants to be there.  I keep it stocked with good books, musical instruments and the best family games.


There's nothing formal about our gatherings.  People wander in and out.  Because it's so pleasant, we spend a lot more time there than if front of the TV or separated in different parts of the house.


Experience the "sun bonus."  By most standard measures, people in Mexico should be less happy than those in other countries.  About 60% of the population is poor.  Education and health care are less than optimal.  Yet on the happiness scale, Mexico ranks high.


This is partly due to the "sun bonus."  People in sunnier climates are consistently happier than those who live in northern countries.


Those of us who live in colder, less sunny climates still can take advantage of the sunny days we do have by getting out and enjoying the sun.  The vitamin D that is produced in the body from sun exposure is sometimes called the "happiness vitamin" because it increases brain levels of serotonin, the same neurotransmitter that is increased by some anti-depressant medications.


Stop shopping.  The satisfaction that we get from buying things--an expensive watch, a new suit, a fancy car--wears off with 14 months.  Yet in the US, we're pressured by the media and social expectations to always want more.  In order to get it, we have to work longer hours and take fewer vacation, which generally reduces happiness.


In Denmark, regulations limit the number of hours that shops can be open.  In Mexico, most of the inhabitants are not running a status race with their neighbors.


For more happiness, take the money that you could spend on nonessential items and spend it on something that lasts.  For example, take a vacation with your family or sign up for a painting class.  The experiences and good memories will continue to give satisfaction for the rest of your life.


Employ yourself. Self-employed workers and business owners report some of the highest levels of well-being.  It may be because they are more likely to pursue work that they love or simply because they feel more in control.


The happiness zone of San Luis Obispo, California, has far more self-employed people per capita than the average community in the US.  These self-employed workers are shop owners, graphic designers, artist, wine-makers and the like.  The more autonomy and control you have over your job, the more likely you will be satisfied with your work.


Make new friends.  People around the world report higher levels of satisfaction when they spend time with family and friends.  Every additional friend that you make (assuming that these friends are upbeat) increases your chances of being happy by 9%.


People who get together with others for at least seven hours a day have the highest levels of happiness.  That sounds like a lot, but the time quickly adds up.


For example, everyone eats lunch.  Ask a coworker to join you, or sit with a group in a cafeteria.  Talk with friends during coffee breaks.  After work, encourage the family to eat and socialize together, rather than dispersing to separate rooms.  Take classes or join a club.


The Danes don't identify themselves as being particularly outgoing, yet 19 our of 20 Danish adults belong to clubs dedicated to arts, exercise and hobbies.


Get addicted to this.  The happiest people almost always volunteer in some fashion--at their church, with environmental groups, for social-service organizations and the like.


Volunteering means spending time with others, and it also takes your mind off your own problems and increases self-worth and pride in your community.


Studies have shown that altruism has an effect on the brain that is similar to that of sugar and cocaine.  It creates feelings of well-being, along with an addictive feedback loop that encourages people to keep doing it.


Also, volunteers are healthier.  They tend to weigh less than those who don't volunteer, and they're even less likely to suffer a heart attack.


Commit to volunteering for a set period of time--say, once a week for four weeks.  People are more likely to deep doing it when they make this initial commitment--and then get "hooked" on the rewards.


Keep the faith.  Religious people tend to be happier than those without faith.  It's not clear whether religion makes people happy or if happy people tend to be drawn to religious practices.  Either way, those who are religious have less disease, live longer and are less likely to engage in dangerous behavior (such as smoking and heavy drinking).


In Mexico,  for example, more than 80% of people who were asked, "How important is God in your life?" responded with a 10 on a scale of one to 10, compared with only 58% in the US.  This helps explain why people in some parts of Mexico, despite the hardships of daily life, tend to thrive emotionally.


Even if you're not religious, you can achieve similar benefits by cultivating a sense of spirituality--and a belief in giving back to your community and making the world a better place.


Bottom Line/Personal interviewed Dan Buettner, founder of Blue Zones, an organization that studies the regions of the world where people commonly live active lives past the age of 100.  Based in Minneapolis, he is a writer for National Geographic and author of Thrive:  Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way (National Geographic).  http://www.bluezones.com/

Words to the slide presentation entitled, "Life on a Train"

A while back, I read a very interesting book that compared life to a train ride or a series of train rides.


Life is like a train ride, it read.  We get on.  We ride.  We get off.  We get back on and ride some more.  There are accidents and there are delays.  At certain stops there are surprises.  Some of these will translate into great moments of joy, some will result in profound sorrow.


When we are born and we first board the train, we meet people whom we think will be with us for the entire journey.  Those people are our parents!


Sadly, this is far from the truth.


Or parents are with us for as long as we absolutely need them.  They too have journeys they must complete.  We live on with the memories or their love, affection, friendship, guidance and their ever presence.


There are others who board the train and who eventually become very important to us, in turn.


These people are our brothers, sisters, friends and acquaintances, whom we will learn to love, and cherish.


Some people consider their journey like a jaunty tour.  They will just go merrily along.


Others will encounter many upsets, tears, losses on their journey.


Others still will linger on to offer a helping hand to anyone in need.


Some people on the train will leave an everlasting impression when they get off...


Some will get on and get off the train so quickly, they will sparsely leave a sign that they ever traveled along with you or ever crossed your path...


We will sometimes be upset that some passengers, whom we love, will choose to sit in another compartment and leave us to travel on our own.


Then again, there's nothing that says we can't seek them out anyway.


Nevertheless, once sought out and found, we may not even be able to sit next to them because that seat will already be taken.


That's okay...every one's journey will be filled with hopes, dreams, challenges, setbacks and goodbyes.


We must strive to make the best of it...no matter what...


We must constantly strive to understand our travel companions and look for the best in everyone.


Remember that at any moment during our journey, any one of our travel companions can have a weak moment and be in need of our help.


We too may vacillate or hesitate, even trip...
Hopefully we can count on someone being there to be supportive and understanding...


The bigger mystery of our journey is that we don't know when our last stop will come.


Neither do we know when our travel companions will make their last stop.


Not even those sitting in the seat next to us.


Personally, I know I'll be sad to make my final stop...I'm sure of it!


My separation from all those friends and acquaintances I made during the train ride will be painful.  Leaving all those I'm close to will be a sad thing.  But then again, I'm certain that one day I'll get to the main station only to meet up with everyone else.  They'll all be carrying their baggage...most of which they didn't have when they first got on this train.


I'll be glad to see them again.  I'll also be glad to have contributed to their baggage...and to have enriched their lives, just as much as they will have contributed to my baggage and enriched my life.


We're all on this train ride together.  Above all, we should all try to strive to make the ride as pleasant and memorable as we can, right up until we each make the final stop and leave the train for the last time.


All aboard.  Safe journey.   Bon voyage.


*End Note about, "Life on a Train".
I am the author and my name is Dr. Robert W. Schwarzmueller and I created this show in honor of my father-in-laws who passed away. He was a decorated veteran. The music is "Forest Gump" the pictures came from the library of congress and I composed the slide on Nov. 16, 2005 in Munich Germany. 


Dr. Robert W. Schwarzmueller 

Dog Psychologist

Brief Reflection on Love

Kiss in the Rain by Artist Vickie Wade

"Si vis amari, ama"
(Seneca)

"If you wish to be loved, love."

GIVING YOUR CAT A PILL IN 15 EASY STEPS

1.  Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby.
Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand.
As cat opens mouth pop pill into mouth.
Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.


2.  Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa.  Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.


3.  Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.


4.  Take new pill from foil wrapper, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand.
Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger.
Hold mouth shut for a count of 10, if you are able.
Hold cat's mouth closed as well.


5.  Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe.
Call spouse (if you still have one) or a significant other for assistance.


6.  Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, immobilizing front and rear paws.
Ask for assistant to hold cat's head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into cat's throat.
Flick pill down ruler with forefinger, and rub cat's throat vigorously.


7.  Retrieve cat from living-room curtain valance and retrieve another pill from the foil wrapper.
Make a not to buy a new ruler and repair curtains.
Carefully sweep shattered antique vases from hearth and set to one side for later gluing.


8.  Wrap in large towel and get assistant to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit.
Put pill in end of drinking straw, force felines mouth open with pencil and blow down the drinking straw.


9.  Check label to make sure pill is not lethal to humans, and down a beer to take the taste away.
Apply bandage to assistant's forearm, and remove blood from carpet with soap and cold water.


10.  Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed and get another pill.
Open another beer.
Place cat in cupboard and close door on cat's neck, leaving only the head showing.
Force mouth open with dessertspoon. 
Flick pill down throat with rubber band.


11.  Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. 
Apply cold compress to cheek, and check records for the date of last tetanus shot.
Throw blood stained, torn T-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.
Locate something a little stronger that beer, if available.


12.  Contact fire department to retrieve the friggin' cat from tree across the road.
Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat.
Take last pill from foil wrapper.


13.  Tie the little bastard's front paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining room table.
Find heavy-duty pruning gloves from shed.
Force cat's mouth open with tire iron.
Push pill, previously hidden in one ounce of raw hamburger into cat's mouth.
Hold head vertically with nose pointed to ceiling and pour one-half pint of water down cat's throat and two jiggers of whiskey down your own.


14.  Ask you assistant to drive you to the emergency room.
Sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers, forearm, and removes pill remnants from eye.


15.  Contact local pet store and offer them a large donation to put your lovable feline up for adoption.
Let them know your more into hamsters.


HOW TO GIVE A DOG A PILL


1.  Wrap it in bacon.


2.  Throw pill wrapped in bacon into the air.


3.  Experience the gratitude only bestoyed by a dog after taking a pill wraped in bacon.

AN IRISHMAN'S PHILOSOPHY

There are only two things to worry about.


Either you are well or you are sick.


If you are well,
then there is nothing to worry about.


But if you are sick, there are two things to worry about.


Either you will get well or you will die.


If you get well,
there is nothing to worry about.


If you die, there are only two things to worry about.


Either you will go to heaven or hell.


If you go to heaven there is nothing to worry about.


But if you go to hell,
you'll be so busy shaking hands with friends
you won't have time to worry!

If You Can...

Tough, But Excellent Suggestions To Follow

If you can start the day without caffeine,
If you can get going without pep pills,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,
If you can overlook it when something goes wrong through no
fault of yours and those you love take it out on you,
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,
If you can ignore a friend's limited education and never correct him,
If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend,
If you can face the world without lies and deceit,
If you can conquer tensionwithout medical help,
If you can relax without liquor,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,
If you can say honestly that deep in your heart you have no
prejudice against creed, colot, religion or politics,
Then, my friends, you are almost as good as your dog.

Brief Reflection on Happiness

"Happiness always looks small while you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and you learn at once how big and precious it is."

...a kind of optical delusion of consciousness.

"A human being is part of the whole, called by us Universe, a part limited in time and space.  He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest~
a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness.  This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us.  Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."


Albert Einstein

Brief Reflection on The Heart of a Man

"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."

German Philospher
Immanuel Kant 

A Self-Evaluation

Many people would like to share ink with paper and leave their imprinted thoughts in some way.  The problem is often, not a lack of willingness to write, but where to begin.  I hope the following will give you some options on what to write about. You can respond with a single example or with a hundred examples or anything in between.  You cannot fail at this exercise.  I'm in hopes it will give you some additional insight into the person you are or would like to be. 


1.    Things I'm Grateful For
2.    Ways I could Nurture Myself
3.    Ways I Beat Myself Up (Sabotage Myself)
4.    Things I'm Good At
5.    Things I Like About Myself
6.    Reasons Civility Appears to Have Been  Compromised In Our Country
7.    Blessings I've Received In My Life
8.    Things I've Accomplished in My Life
9.    Things I'm Feeling Stressed About
10.  Emotionally Draining/Uplifting Events 
11.  Things I Need or Want to Do in the Near Future
12.  Things I Want to Do Before I Die (Your Bucket List)
13.  Things I Want to Accomplish in the Next _________ Number of Months
14.  Things That Are Going Right
15.  Things That Are Going Wrong
16.  Reasons I Want to Stay Married/Committed
17.  Things I Want in a Partner/Relationship
18.  Things I Have to Offer to a Partner/Relationship
19.  Fears I Have
20.  Things That Once Scared Me, but Don't Anymore
21.  Things I've Never Mourned or Grieved
22.  Things I Miss
23.   Sacrifices I Have Made
24.   Moments In My Life I Would Like to Relive
25.   Ways I Could Generate Income
26.   Talents I Possess
27.   Jobs/Careers I'd Like to Have
28.   Fears I Have about Death     
29.   Things I Believe In
30.   Achievements (Qualities) I Am Proud Of
31.   Things I Value in Life
32.   Ways I Help Others
33.   Things That Turn Me On
34.   Things That Turn Me Off
35.   Judgments I Make
36.   Things I Find Difficult to Share
37.   Things I'm Disappointed About
38.   Things I'm Angry About
39.   Things I'm Sad About
40.   Things to Do When I'm Depressed
41.   Things, People and Places I Love
42.   Things to Do When I'm Alone
43.   Rules I Have Broken
44.   Skills I Possess
45.   Feelings I Am Having at This Moment
46.   Childhood Memories
47.   Things My Parents Used to Say to Me
48.   Ways in Which I Am Generous
49.   Virtues and Wisdom Instilled In Me by My Parents/Parent
50.   Things I Hate
51.   Things I Want
52.   Places I'd Like to Visit
53.   Questions I have that I seek answers for. 
54.   Things I Like to Hear
55.   Things I Wish I Had Asked My Mother and/or Father
56.   Things I Would Never Tell My Mother and/or Father
57.   Things I Want My Son and/or Daughter to Know
58.   Adjectives Describing Myself
59.   Decisions I Made That Turned Out Well
60.   Things I Would Do If I Only Had Six Months to Live
61.   Expectations Others Have of Me
62.   Expectations I Have of Myself
63.   Judgments I Haven't Released
64.   Places to Hide
65.   Things I would like to Undo and Redo if I could.
66.   Things I would Save If my House Were on Fire
67.   Reason to Have a Pet
68.   Reasons Not to Have a Pet
69.   Financial Fears
70.   Excuses I Make for Myself
71.   Things I Need/Want to Control
72.   Fears I Have About Giving Up Control
73.   Answered Prayers
74.   People I'd Like to Meet
75.   Reasons Why I Get Jealous
76.   Things That Make Me Feel Attractive
77.   Things I Could Do that Are Fun to Do
78.   Memories from My Past
79.   Things That Nourish Me
80.   Things I Haven't Finished

81.   Things I'm Glad I've Done
82.   Things I'll Never Do Again
83.   Principles I Live by
84.   People I Want to Forgive
85.   People I Want to Forgive Me
86.   Things to Forgive Myself For
87.   Mistakes I Have Made
88.   Lessons I've Learned Over the Course of My Life
89.   Things That Make Me Cry
90.   Things That Make Me Laugh
91.   Things I Would Like to Change About Our Country
92.   Things I Would Like Others to Remember About Me
93.   Possessions I Could Discard / Throw Away, but Haven't
94.   Responsibilities I Would Like to Avoid
95.   People I have Most Admired In My Life
96.   My Favorite Foods 
97.   Things I could do for Hours on End and Never Become Bored
98.   Events that Significantly Impacted My Life or the Lives of Others
99.   Reasons for/or against Freedom of Speech
100. Reasons for/or against Fighting Wars on Foreign Soil

An Exceedingly Simple Guide to Keeping a Journal

Guest Post written by Leo Babauta.


I have to confess: I’ve never been good at keeping a journal. Until this year.
It’s always been something that I’ve wanted to do regularly, and over the years I’ve started journals in many different forms. I have bits of journals in several notebooks and in several computer files, but while they’re interesting, they’re more a testament to my failure to keep a journal going for very long.
But this year has been different. I started a journal on January 3, 2012 and have an entry for just about every day since then — nearly 3 months might not seem like a lot to you, but it’s about six times what I’ve ever done before, and at this point I have confidence that I’ll keep it going for at least a few more months.
What has changed? I instituted a few “tricks” to keep the journaling simple, easy, and sustainable.
My Journal Rules
I wanted to make sure the journaling was as easy as possible, so I have no excuses. So I instituted a few rules that have worked very well for me:
1. Only write a few bullet points. I don’t write full sentences — just a bullet point for interesting or important things that happened each day. I only have to write 2-3, though sometimes I write 5-6 if I did a lot. I mix personal and work stuff together. By keeping each day’s entry short and simple, I make it so easy to journal that there are no excuses — it only takes a few minutes!
2. Keep my notebook where I won’t miss it. I put my notebook where I have coffee in the morning. I’ve been using an old Moleskine that I found in my closet that I’d started using as a journal in 2008, on my trip with Eva to Thailand. It really doesn’t matter what kind of notebook you use, but I’ve found a physical notebook is best because on the computer, I’ll tend to forget or be distracted by other computer tasks (damn the Internet!). When I see the notebook as I sit down to drink coffee, I remember to journal. Btw, one of the lapses in my current journal came when I changed my morning routine and started drinking coffee on the couch instead of at my desk — my journal stayed on the desk and I forgot to journal for more than a week. I had to fill it in later, which wasn’t easy. Which brings me to my next rule.
3. Don’t miss more than 2 days of journaling. I missed almost two weeks once, as I just mentioned … and later when I had to fill in back entries, I had a hard time remembering what I’d did. I had a couple other lapses like this, usually because visitors change up my routine, and I’ve found that looking in my calendar and emails helps jog my memory so I can get most of the main things into the journal. But it’s far better to journal the day after the events happen, when things are still fresh. I’ve found that two days later is also fine, but at three days, you start to mix up the previous few days and forget some things. So if I don’t journal every day, I will make sure not to miss more than a day or two.
That’s it. Those three rules work very well for me, and have helped me keep a journal for the last several months.
Bonus Tips
And here are a few more tips (some were said in the paragraphs above as well):
Physical notebooks are better than computer journals, as you tend to forget computer programs or get distracted by the Internet. I also like the physical act of writing pen on paper, which I do far too little these days. That said, if you prefer a computer journal, keep it simple. I like text files rather than a dedicated journal program, because text files are pretty much forever, while other data formats can become obsolete if the journal program gets discontinued.
What physical notebook you use doesn’t matter. I use a pocket Moleskine notebook witha  soft cover. I use a hard cover pocket Moleskine for my workout log, which I’ve been using since last year so I can see my progress. Those are my only two notebooks. I’ve used other notebooks too, and they work well. I like the pocket notebooks because they’re easy to carry around if I want to journal on the train (which I don’t do often) and don’t take up much space on the table next to where I drink coffee.
Journal before you get on the computer in the morning. Recap your previous day. If you start on the computer, I’ve learned, you’ll forget about the journaling. Don’t put it off!
If you forget to journal for a few days, use your calendar and the emails you sent as reminders for what you did.
Remember, keep it short! Just a few bullet points of the main things you did. Here are my bullet points for Wed. Mar. 21, 2012 for example: 1. gym – end of week 6; 2. drafted ZH post on 3-step happiness algorithm; 3. wrote mnmlist post on being OK with things as they are; 4. bought groceries, gifts, decorations for Noelle & Chloe’s birthday party.
I like that I can look back and see what the highlights are of each day — this helps me to know if I’ve been focusing on important stuff, or frittering my days away.
I highly recommend keeping a journal. It takes minutes a day, and looking back on your life is something that seems deeply satisfying.

A Single Sparrow

Photography by Adam Jones

"When you compare the present life of men on earth with that time of which we have no knowledge, it seems to me like the swift flight of a single sparrow through a banquet hall on a winter's day."  After a few moments of comfort, he vanishes from sight into the wintery world from which he came.  Even so man appears on earth for a little while, but of what went before this life or what will follow,
we know nothing."


From the writer and creator of "The Tudors", Michael Hirst.

Brief Reflection on The Highest Form of Ignorance

Frederick the Literate by Charles Wysocki

"The highest form of ignorance is to reject something you know nothing about."

Dr. Wayne Dyer 

Brief Reflection on Nature's Secret

Water Flows Through It
 Zion National Park

"Adopt the pace of nature:  her secret is patience."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder and how it manifests.

I was recently diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D., better known as Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.  It has also been commonly referred to as CRS.  I bet you can figure out what the initials stand for.


This is how this horrendous disorder manifests:


I decided to wash my car.  As I start toward the garage, I notice that there is mail on the hall table.
I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.
I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the trash can under the table, and notice that the trash can is full.
So, I decided to put the bills back on the table and take out the trash first.
But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the trash anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.
I take my checkbook off the table, and see that there is only one check left.
My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go to my desk where I find the can of  diet Dr. Pepper that I had been drinking.
I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the diet Dr. Pepper aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over.
I see that the diet Dr. Pepper is getting warm, and I decide I should put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.
As I head toward the kitchen with the warm bottle of diet Dr.Pepper, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye - they need to be watered.
I set the diet Dr. pepper down on the counter, and I discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning.
I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers.
I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly I spot the TV remote.
Someone left it on the kitchen table.
I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I will be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.
I splash some water on the flowers, but most of it spills on the floor.
So, I set the remote back down on the table, get some paper towels and wipe up the spill.
Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.
At the end of the day:  the car isn't washed, the bills aren't paid, there is a warm can of diet Dr. Pepper sitting on the counter, the flowers aren't watered, there is still only one check in my checkbook, I can't find the remote.  I can't find my glasses, and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.
Then when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I'm really tired.
I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail.


Do me a favor, will you?  Forward this message to everyone you know, because I don't remember who I have sent it to.


Don't laugh -- if this isn't you yet, your day is coming!

Our Old Friend, Common Sense

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years.  No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.  He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: 
 - Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
-Why the early bird gets the worm;
-Life isn't always fair;
-and maybe it was my fault.


Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).


His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place.  Reports of a 6-year old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.


Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.


It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.


Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.


Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.


Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot.  She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.


Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.


He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know my Rights
I Want it Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I'm A Victim


Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

One Woman's Search for Everything

Pleiades as seen through Nasa's Spitzer Space Telescope

"I've come to believe that there exists in the universe something I call 'The Physics of The Quest' -- a force of nature governed by laws as real as the laws of gravity or momentum.  And the rule of Quest Physics maybe goes like this:  'If you are brave enough to leave behind everthing familiar and comforting (which can be anything from your house to your bitter old resentments) and set out on a truth-seeking journey (either externally or internally), and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you on that journey as a clue, and if you accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher, and if you are prepared - most of all - to face (and forgive) some very difficult realities about your self... then truth will not be withheld from you.'  Or so I've come to believe.  I can't help but believe it, given my experience."  


From:  Eat Pray Love
Elizabeth Gilbert's best-selling memoir.  One Woman's Search for Everything
Across Italy, India, and Indonesia

Brief Reflection on A Human Experience

"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience.
We are spiritual beings having a human experience."

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
French philospher

Generational Gap

Emerson's Definition of Success

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.  
This is to have succeeded." 
Ralph Waldo Emerson