This could be my nephew in a couple of years...

...he's only six and has already given himself a 'stage name', and as with this young man, he's been strumming his own air guitar since the time he could sit up! Kids these days have so much exposure at such an early age....it's amazing what they are accomplishing. I love discovering and sharing all this talent out there! Enjoy!

Greed rears it's ugly head!!!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080929/people_nm/us_ledger

Two Thumbs Up for this Family!!!

In an age where greed abounds, especially in Hollywood a lot of the time, it is refreshing to see that there still exists a sense of fairness among members of a family, in this case, the Ledger family. What an inspiration that this family put themselves aside to support young Matilda, the rightful heir to her father's fortune. This was a lot of money and they could have easily justified claiming some of it for themselves -- it was even willed to them. Reading this article brought a tear to my eye and restores my faith in mankind. It is heartwarming to see a family make a decision to do the 'right' thing. Clearly they must be grieving the loss of their beloved son and brother, but in the midst of their own personal challenges, they chose to place his daughter before themselves with the greatest gift one could share -- the gift of love that provides a sense of value far beyond the almighty dollar mark!

Words of Wisdom From Mr. Newman...

I caught a portion of an interview with the now late Paul Newman aired on CNN last night with Larry King. At the time of the interview he was asked to explain the longevity of his marriage to Joanne Woodward.

Being a very private and a somewhat modest man, he had little to say, but he used the following words to explain what was most important to him in the relationship: 'lust, respect, patience, and determination.'

What a very sad day....

I cannot imagine our world without Paul Newman! He's a true American icon and has been with us for such a long time. My condolences to his family and especially his wife, Joanne Woodward....they were a great example of the power of love and respect for commitment in a relationship. They never seemed content to slow down and give in to the process of aging. What an inspiration!! He will be sorely missed. May he rest in peace.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/obit_newman

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25101631/displaymode/1107/s/2/

Who knew......

...that The Lennon Sisters (remember them (?!?!)....if you do you are as 'mature' as I am, ha!) had talented brothers and male cousins who perform also?! More of that simple, 'feel-good' music I'm into these days... :)) Meet 'Venice':

'Britian's Got Talent'!!!!

Do they ever?!?!?!

You may have seen them already, but I never tire of their performances, so I'm hoping you won't either!








I believe the panel thought this guy would not deliver:



Awesome!!! :))

I'm on a roll....I LOVE this song too!!! :))

And he's STILL around:

Sharing this 'dates' me, but I love this song!!!

It is such a 'feel good' song, and it was on my mind this morning for some strange reason. Oh well, I think it's nice to have this kind of feeling when waking up!!! :))

I should do some research to find when 'Sesame Street' first arrived on the scene because I really can't recall, and I forgot that it was around at the time of this recording. This version of the song is from 1969 -- the same year it was released by Oliver:

Wow!!! 'Bob'!!! Ha...just too corny, huh!?! I must admit that when my kids were very young I took them to see him perform along with members of the Muppet clan! I should drag out the pics!! We loved those Muppets!! And I adored Jim Henson and appreciated his talent so much!!! HE truly was one of my heroes!!

Seems as if lots of (corny...oops!...I mean that affectionately....uh huh) folks borrowed this song back in the day...surf around YouTube and you will see....The Osmonds and others also recorded it! Hilarious!!

Gawd, I'm sooo ooollllddd!!!!! (Back to my rockin' chair!! HA!!)

Simply Profound

"Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity."

(Spoken by a psychiatrist attending the jailed women suffragists in 1917.)


"You finally chose yourself over a man...that means you are growing up."

(From an episode of 'Felicity' which I used to watch with my daughter.)

Life's Simple Pleasures

There is something magical about weekends even it you are spending them alone. On sunny, cool, clear Sundays like today, I'm prone to want to hop in the car to go for a ride in the country where I can breathe in the aroma of the changes occurring as fall begins to show on the horizon.

I find myself dreaming of places like a rustic log cabin in the Adirondacks but with a dash of 'Ralph Lauren' mixed in (0kay, so I'm not 'really' a country girl). I sense a fireplace crackling and geese calling in the distance as they take flight from the lake for warmer environs. I long to take in the great outdoors as I sit in a large cozy chair with a warm cup of coffee between my hands, my body wrapped in a plaid blanket as I absorb the sprawling beauty surrounding me. I view a canoe docked by the pier and contemplate venturing out onto the water before I depart. I note the strong scent of cedar and am reminded that some things are evergreen. Ahhh...I can feel it now!!


I'm in heaven, and I've not even left my sofa!!

Have an enjoyable weekend!!!

Addictions and Enabling the Addicted Person

I am clearly an enabler. I'm a very sensitive person who has been taught/trained to be a caretaker. I've learned to use my instinct and insight to help me determine the needs of others so that I may assist them in any way I can. In order to relinquish the job of 'caretaker/enabler', I need to recognize that it is not my responsiblility to care more for another than they care for themselves. Or put another way, it's not my place to care for another in a manner that prevents them from taking personal responsibility. I can help them to identify their issues, but I cannot force them to seek help, nor should I take over when they fail to take care of their own needs. Such relationships are doomed to failure for both parties.

With my background, I'm attracted to addictive personalities, which fills my training/need for caretaking. It becomes a vicious cycle. I'm trained to care for the neediest and they find someone like me to depend on which allows them to neglect taking personal responsibility. Yep, it's that simple. That is how it works.

My latest experience with caretaking has brought me to this conclusion, finally, and with more depth of understanding than I've ever had before. This is a good thing for both of us. I can let go and hopefully, they will find it necessary to seek the help they need. This experience has helped me to add perspective to my reactions to needy, dependent people. I am NOT equipped to handle their problems, and my anger and frustration related to the challenge is an indication of this inability. I can forgive myself for my reaction and take note to guard myself from overreacting in the future. I can also give myself permission to follow my instinct that warns me when a person is carrying baggage and to recognize how I become easy prey for those personalities. I can place a healthy distance from the onset instead of getting involved and frustrated in the process. I can perhaps learn to direct them toward the help they need that truly could make a difference in their life and leave both of us free to pursue relationships that do not involve dependency. If the other is not capable of dealing with this, then it is truly in both our best interests to move on.

EXHALE!!!!! What a relief to feel this on a deeper level than before -- to incorporate it into my being in a way that gives me a release from this burden. I feel myself becoming healthier. What a good thing!!!