Veteran's Memorial at Mercerdale Park - Before all the Mercerversary Activities - NOTHING LIKE A SUMMER WALK AROUND OUR PARK
We're back from an early morning walk around Mercerdale Park where all the vendors were almost set up for the crowd coming to enjoy the Mercerversary Celebration.
Cars were already parked going down hill on 78th toward the park, but Sam kept driving into the Mercerdale parking lot. I said, "I'm sure there isn't any parking." I was tempted to say more emphatically, "See all the spots are gone." But Sam kept driving into the back section.
Lo and behold, there was an empty spot and there was even another car pulling out. That is the way our life has been when I learn to keep my mouth shut and Sam never lets immediate impressions and the average rhetoric from the public get in the way of pursuing what he wants.
Last Thursday my 10-year-old and 8-year-old granddaughters and I went to get a treat at the B-Street used bookstore in San Mateo. I had earlier refused to buy the $30 dragon figures at Talbot's toy store, but I could be talked into spending money on books.
After about 1/2 hour of browsing, the 10-yr-old chose Edgar A Guest's COLLECTION OF VERSE. I was surprised, but she said, "I looked at some of the poems and I liked them. I want to write poetry and this will inspire me."
The 8-yr-old is competitive and she chose another volume of the same book. She said, "Look, it's a 937 page book and has a special cover." Her book was a special gift edition with a second box cover and also came edged with gold leaf. She was proud to outdo her sister.
I thought it a slight waste of resources not to spend my money on getting a different book, but I said, "I'm pleased to spend $30 on books."
Our next stop was lunch. At lunch and for the rest of the afternoon, both girls shouted out page numbers and read poems together out loud. After we got home the 10-yr-old marked her favorite poems with stickies.
I particularly liked IT COULDN'T BE DONE, copied and sent it email to a friend explaining the acquisition process. After I returned home to Seattle, I explained the incident to my husband, Sam. He said, "Edgar A Guest is also one of my favorite poets. I want a book too." So I called B-Street Books and ordered another volume for ourselves.
Now we can send the page numbers to each other and enjoy the poems together. I hear our granddaughter's father heard them reading some of the poems yesterday and liked IT COULDN'T BE DONE. He doesn't know that I had chosen to copy that same poem out of the 900+ choices I had.
![GAMBARU = TO PERSEVERE, O...]()
GAMBARU = TO PERSEVERE, OVERCOME OBSTACLES, DO WHAT YOU ARE TRAINED TO DO, GET TO YOUR GOAL
When my Japanese mother sent me off to school and into the world she told me to: "GAMBARU". Fear is there for most new and challenging situations. In other words, "Use all the tools I have learned to develop COURAGE!
So a question is, "When does courage take over?" For me and for most people who are successful, it is to set clear goals for what we want in life and figure out ways to stay on the courage path.
One clear goal I remember was when our first daughter was born. I looked at the little miracle day and night; thinking, "I will perhaps see great grandchildren in my life and what do I need to do to raise a good mother who will raise another good mother or father?" My goal was to become the kind of person where I might become an influence to see kind, independent, giving and responsible great grandchildren.
When I started my nutrition and family counseling business, I wrote down my mission: "To bring out the best in myself and others."
At age 78 I'm getting closer to seeing great grandchildren; therefore, I try to remember to use and teach "Gambaru" skills.
post post: I'm here visiting my granddaughters and they are listening to John Lennon's I'M STILL STANDING.
![IKEBANA - THE ART OF FLOW...]()
IKEBANA - THE ART OF FLOWER ARRANGING
This is an example of one of the eleven "life principles" Ike Ikeda created at his job as head of Atlantic Street Center community center in south Seattle in the 1970s. It was during a time when the phrase "Black Is Beautiful" was being publicized.
Ike said, "I'm of Japanese Heritage and 'yellow' doesn't resonate as well." Therefore, he created some of his own success principles which is in a book.
Yale Wong had Ike come to his BIODIESEL business and give a talk for the employees. One of the employees moved away to Southern California and recently called Yale and said, "IKE'S PRINCIPLES is one of the books that most impacted my life."
The book is available at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington at 1404 So Weller Street or www.jcccw.org.
![Get "up" with good nutrition a...]()
Get "up" with good nutrition and the right attitude in this year of the rooster.
"The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken (rooster) by hatching the egg...not by smashing it." - Arnold Glasow
"It took me a long time not to judge myself through
someone else's eyes." - Sally Field
"Hope is the feeling you have that the feeling you have
isn't permanent." - Jean Kerr
![PLEASE DON'T FEED THE SEA...]()
PLEASE DON'T FEED THE SEAGULLS
This comic strip was generated because some of the occupants of Seattle's Medical/Dental Building opened their windows and fed the gulls. When asked by the management, "Please Don't Feed the Gulls", a comment by one of the employees was, "Then some of them will die because they can't find enough food."
That is some of the short term/feel good thinking that is creating a lot of our problems. For sure it's not giving us tools and skills for being successful in life to be given handouts. For sure, the seagulls will figure out how to forage for food somewhere else.
I've been out of town for a couple days. Since I have been posting about making beds, we awakened this morning, looked at each other and smiled as we made our bed together.
So as Sam says: "It's a good reason to have a bed partner."
"Tad" saw his mother reading the book I lent her MAKE YOUR BED by William H. McRaven. She explained about it being about this Navy Seal story.
Eight-year-old, Tad absconded with the book, finished reading it himself and is now making his bed every morning.
![Generation Y Are Becoming the...]()
Generation Y Are Becoming the Buying Adults
I love demographics and when I heard an interview by Ken Grobach the other night I got excited to find someone with whom I resonate. He explained how demographics drive our economy. Perhaps the biggest factor in the 2007-8 depression was the dip in numbers of the Generation Y population.
The USA is one of the only major countries increasing their population and there are adults buying, buying, buying.
![I GET UP IN THE MORNING EXC...]()
I GET UP IN THE MORNING EXCITED TO LEAVE A POSITIVE LEGACY!
Last year, Constance talked me into buying some Angel Cards. I shuffled them and the first two or three times I pulled out the same one called LIFE PURPOSE. Since that time, I've picked it out several times including yesterday and again today.
It reads: "The purpose of your life is to serve in a way that brings great joy to yourself and others. Don't worry about finding your purpose. Instead, focus upon serving a purpose and then your purpose will serve you."
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