Don't dance so fast

I am sure many of you have seen the poem posted below, I know that I have seen it several times. It has touched me everytime I read it, but for some reason today it has touched me the most. That is why I decide to post it. I am not sure if it because I have serveral people that mean a lot to me who are having health issues right now or if it is becuase that I need to be reminded to slow down a bit and enjoy life.

I remember when I was little that I would wish that I was older. I wanted to sit with the grown ups and be a part of their converstation. I wanted to be able to drive, to go places on my own, to go to bars and clubs. Now that I am grown and growing older, I wonder where the time went. There are so many other things that I want to do in my life time that I have not yet done. I have so many other responsilbilities now that it is hard to find the time to do the other things that I have always wanted. It is like I wished so hard to be grown up, that it happened and I can not go back and get that time. I know , well at least I hope that I still have time to fulfill some of those dreams that I have had, but at least now I know that I need to slow down and not wish for something so far in the future that I miss the present.

SLOW DANCE

Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask How are you?
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
!
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say,"Hi"
You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift....
Thrown away.
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.

Is there anyone who...(part II)

Sense this seemed to be somewhat of a hit the first time around, I thought that I would try it again. These questions are simply that and are not meant to offend anyone. So have some fun and let loose a bit.

Is there anyone who has written a song?

Is there anyone who is a practicing priest, minister, etc..

Is there anyone who believes in faeries?

Is there anyone who believes in love at first sight?

Is there anyone who believes in reincarnation?

Is there anyone who has a special talent and what is it?

Is there any one who has more than their ears pierced?

Is there anyone who has been invited on stage at a concert?

Is there anyone who has won a prize/award
something they created?

Is there anyone who has won the lottery?

Is there anyone who is in love with someone and has not told them?

Is there anyone who wishes upon stars?

Is there anyone who has worn two different shoes to work?

Is there anyone who is afraid of roller coasters?

Is there anyone who is afraid of the dark?

Have a great weekend!!!

The Expression of Music

Music is every where, for most of us it is part of our daily lives. As a human activity, music may be used for artistic or aesthetic, communicative, entertainment, or ceremonial purpose. Artists use music to express their feelings, and we in turn express our feelings through their music. Music is such a big part of our lives that there is even a study of the music of non-human animals know as Zoomusicology. Hey, what may be considered music to one person, may not to another, but that does not mean it is not music.
For a lot of us, we relate to songs and their lyrics from various experiences we have had, but for some, they find themselves in the music. Feelings arise while listening to music that some people have never felt before.
One of the songs that I can realate to most is "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield. Sometimes when I am listening to that song, I think that there is someone out that knows me so well. I am so motivated and touched by this song.

Natasha Bedingfield

Unwritten

I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined
I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
Oh, oh, oh

I break tradition, sometimes my tries, are outside the lines
We've been conditioned to not make mistakes, but I can't live that way



What song best realates to you or you to it?

General Ramblings

It is Monday and it is one of those days where my mind is going in all different directions and I can not seem to organize one particular thought to post about, so for give me for my ramblings.
Friday I got home from work only to find that one of our little kittens had passed. It was the runt of the litter and I did all I could to make sure that it was eating while I was home, but my efforts failed. I know that these things usually happen and that it is all a part of life, but I was very sadden by the turn of events as the little creamy orange fellow had become my favorite of the bunch. Later that night Al and I went out with some friends that he works with. We always have a good time with them. Al and JB played a round of "Name that Tune" at one place we stopped at. It seems as though Al gets stage fright, as he played better standing back with me than he did on stage. Then we went to the "Wicked Witches", they had a band playing that was not so good but in the back room they had a tarot reader, which Al and I both had a reading done. It was more like fortune telling than a tarot reading and that is really not my style.
Saturday was a lazy day, I took my son to my moms for a visit and then did much of nothing.
Sunday was cleaning and laundry. I love the lazy weekends where we do not run around doing various activities and just enjoy each others company. Now it is back to work and I am lagging that "get up and go" that I usualy have. I am truly not motivated yet today and am wishing for the tranquility of home.

Is there anyone who.....

They play this little bit on one of the local radio stations here called "Is there anyone who..." and I love to listen to all those who call in and their stories. Now the radio station only does 3 but I am going to list more than 3. It is a fun little game and a good way to get to know your fellow bloggers.
The questions are random and are meant to be fun. You may answer more than one of these questions.


Is there anyone who is related to someone famous?

Is there anyone who has had something published?

Is there anyone who had been caught making love in a car?

Is there anyone who is in a band?

Is there anyone who has had a near death experience?

Is there anyone who has been arrested?

Is there anyone who has played a joke on someone and never told that person it was them?

Is there anyone who has met a famous person?

Is there anyone who believes in magic and other worldly possibilities?

Is there anyone who had a weird fetish?

Is there anyone who does not like chocolate?

Is there anyone who can play a musical instrument?

Is there anyone who laughed so hard a beverage has come out of your nose?

Is there anyone who has went to work drunk?

Is there anyone who is obsessed with Reality T.V.?

Is there anyone who has tattoo's?

Since I was the one who started this, I will be the first to answer. I mean who would want to play along if the originator does not.

Balance

bal·ance
Function: nounEtymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *bilancia, from Late Latin bilanc-, bilanx having two scalepans, from Latin bi- + lanc-, lanx plate
1 : an instrument for weighing: as a : a beam that is supported freely in the center and has two pans of equal weight suspended from its ends b : a device that uses the elasticity of a spiral spring for measuring weight or force
2 : a means of judging or deciding
3 : a counterbalancing weight, force, or influence
4 : an oscillating wheel operating with a hairspring to regulate the movement of a timepiece
5 a : stability produced by even distribution of weight on each side of the vertical axis b : equipoise between contrasting, opposing, or interacting elements c : equality between the totals of the two sides of an account
6 a : an aesthetically pleasing integration of elements b : the juxtaposition in writing of syntactically parallel constructions containing similar or contrasting ideas
7 a : physical equilibrium b : the ability to retain one's balance
8 a : weight or force of one side in excess of another b : something left over : REMAINDER c : an amount in excess especially on the credit side of an account
9 : mental and emotional steadiness - bal·anced /-l&n(t)st/ adjective - in the balance or in balance : with the fate or outcome about to be determined - on balance : with all things considered

It is so hard to keep balance in my life. I am not talking about balancing all the different activities and what not that I have going on, I am talking about the balance between good and bad. It seems that I can not keep the scales blanaced lately. Just when you think that you have got it all to the point where everything is ok, the scale starts to tip in the wrong direction. You get one thing fixed or taken care of and you have balance for a little while and then the scales start to tip and you are off again. It just seems that everything can not just be good, there always has to be that one thing or many things thrown onto the bad side of the scale. I can not think of a time when the good out weighed the bad. Not devistating bad, just your car not starting or something simple, but just enough to make life a little more complicated or as some would look at it, more interesting.
Sometimes I think that the earth uses the unbalanced scales of the world to rotate and that if there were complete balance in the world, the earth would stop spinning and we would all fall of.
I would like just one day when the scales do not tip in either direction, just one day when all is right with the world. Then again, if my theory is correct, hang on to your hats it is going to be a long ride.

Wednesday's Featured Writer

How is one to live a moral and compassionate existence when one is fully aware of the blood, the horror inherent in life, when one finds darkenss not only in one's culture but within oneself? If there is a stage at which and individual life becomes tryuly adult, it must be when one grasps the irony in its unfolding and accepts responsibility for a life lived in the midst of such paradox. One must live in the middle of contradiction, becacuse if all contradiction were eliminated at once life would collapse. Tehre are simply no answers to some fo the great pressing questions. You continue to live them out, making your life a worthy expression of leaning into the light. ~Barry Lopez-Artic Dreams

I decided to make Wednesday's "Featured Writers" day. I have posted about books before, but I have such a great compassion for them and the writers that I wanted to share some of the great books and or writers that I have come across and hope that you will do the same. There is nothing better than a book that captivates you, makes you think or takes you to another world. I have discovered so many great things in the books that I have read. And no matter how many I read I just can not seem to get enough and am always looking for another great story or adventure.

I choose Barry Lopez this week because I came across the quote above and was captivated by it. I have to admitt that I have only read bits and pieces of Mr. Lopez's books at this point but have them on my list for my next books purchase. Mr. Lopez writes nonfiction as well as fiction and he has won many awards. You can read more about Mr. Lopez and his writings at www.barrylopez.com.

"I would ask you to remember only this one thing," said Badger. "The stories people tell have a way of taking care of them. If stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away where they are needed. Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive. That is whey we put these stories in each other's memory. This is how people care for themselves. One day you will be good story-tellers. Never forget these obligations." ~ Crow and Weasel

Where does the time go?

Well I am back to it, work that is. It is amazing how time works or seems to work. When you are having a great time, time seems to fly by but when you are not haveing a good time, wishing what ever it is you are involved with would be over, time seems to stop.
This weekend went by so quickly, it seems as our friends had just got here and they were leaving already. We had such a wonderful time with them, I only wish it was more. I know that we will see them again, wether it be at our place or up where they live, but what if. Some times I let my mind get the best of me and think of every possible scenario of how things can and will go wrong. I am a worry wart, I guess I always will be. I guess I should start wishing that away instead of wishing the hours at work away like I always do only to realize that I am wishing my life away. However boring it may be, I am still wishing a part of my life away where there could be something wonderful waiting around the bend for me. I do not want to be one of those people who wish they had just one more hour, one more minute, one more second, I want to be one of those people who look back and say "Wow, I really had a full life". Stop and think the next time you are wishing for the time to go by, think that you are wishing your life away and that there may come a day when you are wishing you had those seconds, minutes, hours back. Time is precious, no matter what we are doing.

Friends

We have friends coming in this weekend from up state PA and I am so excited yet very nervous. I met Shannon and John at a dart tournament a few years ago and they are great people. We always talked at the tournaments but really never kept in touch between events until this year. We finally exchanged e-mail addy's and telephone numbers and have been chatting ever since.
It is weird how different people come in to your life, some stay and become very dear to you and some are just passing by. If you think about it we have a different variety of friends. We have social friends, work friends, friends of friends, internet friends and close friends. When we were younger is was a lot easier to make friends and get into a group, but now as we are older, it is not easy making new friends and being accepted into their circle of friends, why is that. Are we affraid that they will not be accepted and liked by our other friends, are we so set in our ways that we are unable to let someone new, with new ideas, hopes and dreams in? And if that is true then are they really a friend to your or just an acquaintance? It is strange how the different social circles work. But yet is it amazing to meet someone, a complete stranger and 16yrs later that person still means the world to you. And I am not talking about a family memeber or a significant others, they hold a different part of our hearts in different ways. Lori and I have been friends for 16yrs, I met her one day when I went to her house with another friend. Lori and I stayed friends all these years yet neither of us still keep in touch with the friend that had introduced us. Lori is like the sister I never had, we have been through so much and yet I know that she is there when I need her and I am here when she needs me. I could not imagine what it would be like with out her, how I would be, where I would be. She has been my stepping stone and I hers. She is a part of me of who I am, but it is just not her, it is all the people that I have met along my way, they have all become a piece of me in one way or another.
So as you take this journey through life, be sure to stop and make some friends a long the way. Take with you a piece of each one of them, keep them close to your heart for with in them you may find what you are looking for.

A to Z Quotes (Part two)

MYTH
What a man believes upon grossly insufficient evidence is an index into his desires -- desires of which he himself is often unconscious. If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way. ~ Bertrand Russel

NATURE
There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough, to pay attention to the story. ~ Linda Hogan

OPPORTUNITY
Freedom is not merely the opportunity to do as one pleases; neither is it merely the opportunity to choose between set alternatives. Freedom is, first of all, the chance to formulate the available choices, to argue over them -- and then, the opportunity to choose. ~ C. Wright Mills

PURPOSE
This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. ~ George Bernard Shaw

QUOTATIONS
I love quotations because it is a joy to find thoughts one might have, beautifully expressed with much authority by someone recognizably wiser than oneself. ~ Marlene Dietrich


REALITY
To understand reality is not the same as to know about outward events. It is to perceive the essential nature of things. The best-informed man is not necessarily the wisest. Indeed there is a danger that precisely in the multiplicity of his knowledge he will lose sight of what is essential. But on the other hand, knowledge of an apparently trivial detail quite often makes it possible to see into the depth of things. And so the wise man will seek to acquire the best possible knowledge about events, but always without becoming dependent upon this knowledge. To recognize the significant in the factual is wisdom. ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

SPIRITUALITY
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed. ~ Albert Einstein

TRUST
The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

VISION
Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens. ~ Carl Jung

WORTH
Know that although in the eternal scheme of things you are small, you are also unique and irreplaceable, as are all your fellow humans everywhere in the world. ~Margaret Laurence

Well that is it. I know there are a few letters missing but I did not find quotes for those letters as of yet, but I must get to work. Hope that you have a wonderful day and that music of the world enters your heart and leaves you with a smile on your face.

A to Z Quotes (Part one)

There are so many things that inspire us, movies, music, people, words and many other things throughout our life's journey. I was reading some quotes the other day and thought that I would post some of the ones that touched me in one way or another, ones that I believe in and try to live by. Along the way I have found so many other inspiring people and words and have enjoyed this greatly as I hope that you do to.

AWARENESS
We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are. ~ Anais Nin

BOOKS
The greatest gift is a passion for reading. It is cheap, it consoles, it distracts, it excites, it gives you the knowledge of the world and experience of a wide kind. It is a moral illumination. ~ Elizabeth Hardwick

CHARACTER
Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved. ~ Helen Keller (Character)

DIVERSITY
If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place. ~ Margaret Mead

EXPERIENCE
You must learn day by day, year by year, to broaden your horizon. The more things you love, the more you are interested in, the more you enjoy, the more you are indignant about, the more you have left when anything happens. ~Ethel Barrymore

FORGIVENESS
Forgiveness is freeing up and putting to better use the energy once consumed by holding grudges, harboring resentments, and nursing unhealed wounds. It is rediscovering the strengths we always had and relocating our limitless capacity to understand and accept other people and ourselves. ~ Sidney and Suzanne Simon

GOOD
If I have been of service, if I have glimpsed more of the nature and essence of ultimate good, if I am inspired to reach wider horizons of thought and action, if I am at peace with myself, it has been a successful day. ~Alex Noble


HAPPINESS
There are as many nights as days, and the one is just as long as the other in the year's course. Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word 'happy' would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. ~Carl Jung

IMAGINATION
I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge -- myth is more potent than history -- dreams are more powerful than facts -- hope always triumphs over experience -- laughter is the cure for grief -- love is stronger than death. ~Robert Fulghum

JUDGMENT
Good judgment comes from experience, and often experience comes from bad judgment. ~Rita Mae Brown

KNOWLEDGE
We have a hunger of the mind which asks for knowledge of all around us, and the more we gain, the more is our desire; the more we see, the more we are capable of seeing. ~Maria Mitchell

LIMITATIONS
When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us. ~ Helen Keller

Monday Blah's

I have to admit, I have the Monday blah's. You know, one of those days where you just want to stay in bed and pull the covers up over your head and hope that when you pull them back down on Tuesday everything will be all better. The do nothing, talk to no one and watch a bunch of crapy movies on TV day.
Ok here is the scoop, we were having problems with our fridge, and I mean problems. Everything was soaked on the inside from all of the condensation and the freezer would build up frost faster than I could get rid of it. So a friend of ours had one that he said that we could have, which was great. So Saturday he brought it over, and it was a beauty. It was bigger, it had a place for ice cube trays, it has glass shelves, it is a really nice fridge and I was very excited. I get all the food put back in the new fridge, read the lables on the inside to make sure that I have it set right and I do and then leave it to do it's thing. Well Sunday morning, the items in the fridge are not all that cold and the stuff in the freezer is not all that frozen, so we move the settings a bit, fill some ice cube trays and go to a party. Well this morning, all I have in those ice cube trays is some pretty cold water. Great, now what. Yes, the easy solution would be to buy a new one, but right now that does not fit into our budget. So I will sit back and let him make a decision. Boy do I wish we still had the old one, a bunch of wet food is better than a bunch of warm food, that you should be affraid to eat. That just goes to prove the grass is not alwasy greener on the other side. Be happy with what you have because what you get may not always be good.

Lesson Learned

Oil and chips. I am not sure if they put this burden on any one else in the world, but here in the lovely state of PA, they oil and chip the roads every summer. Now I guess this would not be such a bad thing but they can not just slightly cover the road with these chips, which are actually tiny pebbles that I am sure they went back and swept from the side of the road from last years event, but they over load the roads with them. I have been on dirt roads in the country that have less pebbles on them. Ok back to the point, I am on my way to work this morning and the road had just been oiled and chipped. Now from past experience I have learned not to get to close behind the car in front of you becuase they have a habbit of kicking up these wonderful little pebbles they put on the road to entertain themselves every year. But apparently I have not learned that I need to slow done on these back somewhat country roads when going around the bend, because I gave the guy coming the other way the wake up call of his life this morning. As I am going a little over the speed limit around a somewhat windy road, my car spins. Now I can only imagine the look on the gentleman's face coming the other way, but I know the look that was on my face, it was a look of complete and utter surprise followed by a chuckle of relief. So my lesson learned for the day is to slow down on the freshly oiled and chipped roads, but I would really like to know why in the world do they do this annoying process to begin with, what purpose does it serve, inquiring minds want to know.

Inside Looking Out

Did you ever have one of those days when you want to do something, something creative and you just do not know what. One of those days when you have all the words in your head but you just can not organize them enough to put them on paper. One of those days where you feel like there is this other person trapped inside of you and you just can not let them out. Some one who has great ideas, thoughts and creativeness but is just stuck below the surfaces. I have a lot of those days, days where I have so much that I want to do but fight off letting that person that is struggling, to get out. Why is that, what are we affraid of? Is it because we are affraid to be who we are and let the real person show or is it just undevloped talent? I personally like to think that it is undevloped talent and that when I get it all together it is just going to pour out of me. I know that I am here for a reason, that I have something to give to this life I am just not quite sure what it is yet. Yes, I share my thoughts and beliefs with complete strangers with the hope that just one thing that I have blogged about will touch them and open their eyes to a whole new world but there is more to it than that. There is someone in there that is dying to get out and do something great. I can feel it, I know it is there, but I am not sure what it is or what I am suppose to do with it. And as I sit here looking at the work on my desk, I know that this is not it, I do not want to be stuck in the corporate world for the rest of my working days. But yet, as I stare out the window to the world below, I have to wonder what is really out there for me, what is it that I can do that will make me happy and support my family. Do I stay here because it is comfortable, becuase I have been here for 13 yrs and have worked hard to get where I am, but know that in this company I can not go any further. What about that person that is stuck inside with all the great ideas? Who am I, what do I want to do, what do I want to be, where am I going? In the end, the only thing hold me back is me.

Truth or Fiction

I know that we have all gotten those e-mails about getting something free if you just forward that e-mail to 10 people. We have all gotten those e-mails with the students that planted cacti in the clown planters for science class, the 70lb cat, the 8ft tall woman and one can only imagine what others are floating out there. Well I was just made aware of a site that will help you determine what is truth or fiction, it is www.truthorfiction.com. I just could not imagine some people believing some of the e-mails that I have seen, but hey there is a sucker born every day. Sorry to disappoint you, but Donald Trump is not going to send you money, Damon's is not going to send you any coupons and no one is going to donate $.01 to any charity for everyone who signs that e-mail. It is a shame that we have to be aware of all the different scams in the world today, just remember if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.