A "To Do List" for 2007

I sometimes interface with an organization called "Let's Face It". It's a support network for people with facial disfigurations -- which they term "facial differences". They publish a book mark with a To Do List on it (unknown author), that I think is great to take into 2007, so I present it here and perhaps you'll choose adopt some of the tasks :-D.

• Mend a quarrel
• Seek out a forgotten friend
• Dismiss suspicion, and replace it with trust
• Write a love letter
• Share some treasure
• Give a soft answer
• Encourage youth
• Manifest your loyalty in word and deed
• Keep a promise
• Find the time
• Forego a grudge
• Forgive an enemy
• Listen
• Apologize if you are wrong
• Try to understand
• Flout envy
• Examine your demands on others
• Think of your neighbor first
• Be appreciative
• Be kind and gentle
• Laugh a little
• Laugh a little more

Have a tremendous year !!!

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Ramblings
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RESOLUTION for 2007:
"Talkin' the talk AND walkin' the walk"
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Food for Thought:
"If your actions inspire others to dream more,
learn more, do more and become more,
you are a leader." -- John Quincy Adams
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It's a beautiful day...

Greetings!

Sorry you haven't heard from me in a while but I've been busy; and will be busy a bit longer. But I just wanted to drop in and say hello! It's a BEAUTIFUL day here! The sun is shining -- I can tell, because I can see across the street -- and life is good. Got... a little snow, but still have power and light :-) and I'm moving around on my own power.

I am BUSY today! but I wanted to take an opportunity to wish you ALL a tremendous, tremendous day! Take a few minutes in your morning and think of 5 things -- just FIVE THINGS -- that exist in your life right now... that you're happy for.... and make those the focus of your day. If you can't think of 5 things you're happy for -- do try REALLY hard -- then complete your list with a couple of things that you're glad are NOT happening in your life!

Then spend the rest of the day contemplating the good things... and let the rest roll off you like water off a duck's back. Just for today!

And if you REEEEEALLY want to have fun... write those 5 things down, and send them to me so I can celebrate with you (well... when I get back online, anyways... ) or better yet, post a comment to this blog so other people might be reminded of what they have to be grateful for, even in the midst of some things that might not be so good for them.

What? you say? Why don't I start of off? Okay! Grrrrrrrrrrreat idea!!!

1. I am happy and grateful that I woke up this morning to see another day.
2. I am happy and grateful that I am gainfully employed and have a job to go back to on Monday.
3. I am happy and grateful that I am in good health and able to share a smile and an encouraging word with my friends.
4. I am happy and grateful that I HAVE FRIENDS who care about me and think I'm special and choose to share a portion of their lives with me.
5. I am happy and grateful... that I have bacon and eggs upstairs so I can go fix myself some breakfast when I finish writing this list !!!

See? Not hard at all is it? I'm sure you can come up with a more grandiose list than THAT!

Have a TREMENDOUS day, my friends; an absolutely tremendous day.

Take care.

Kelvin

The grass always seems greener...

G'day, mates!

I just returned from an exciting trip to Brisbane, Australia! Put that on your list of things to do, would ya? I had a great time. The climate was great, the people were great, the city -- in my opinion -- was great. Lots of culture, shops, history, beaches... There I sat in marvel of what I thought was a really cool city, and even as I marveled over it, I am told by several young people how they want to leave Brisbane and Australia because there's nothing to do !!! And while I was sitting in Brisbane going "wow", it occured to me that much of what I was "marveling" at was actually available in my own home town, or fairly close thereto. It seems that when we live someplace, we take so much for granted and never really appreciate what we have locally.

On the flight leaving Syracuse I was fortunate enough to sit next to a wonderful young lady who was returning to Detroit. She told me what a fabulous time she had while visiting here in Syracuse and Skaneateles, and she and a number of her girl friends come here several times a year for a "girls road trip" sort of thing. Syracuse!? not Boston or NYC, but little ole Syracuse! while I'm sitting around asking myself what there is to do here!

Well... clearly... I haven't been paying attention and taking advantage of what "is" available to me right here at home. A few weeks ago I wrote an article that asked, "what do they see through your eyes?" I guess that applies just as much to our local surroundings as it does to how people see themselves through our eyes. Someone else thinks my city is wonderful ! so, perhaps I need to see my city through "their" eyes. I always tell people when you go to a new place, to find someone who likes it there, and get THEM to show them around. People who like it there will show it to you through different eyes than someone who doesn't like it there. So in yet another situation, it comes down to attitude! If you want to find a good time, then you will look for and find it. If you're negative on the place, then your mind won't let you see the great stuff.

So... I guess I'll take a look at some of those brochures and magazines put out by the local tourist industry and see what there is around here that I need to be excited about. Maybe you need to do the same thing for your neighborhood, eh?

Let's give it a shot. I'm open to suggestion!

Cheers! No worries, mates! See you around town!

Aussie Kelvin

An interesting thought..

As much as I'd like to take credit for "original" thoughts that cross my blog, every once in a while something comes in an email that intrigues me, and gives me pause...Such was the case yesterday. Perhaps you can identify with this, and maybe give some feed back.

First, however, know that I am a friend guy -- meaning that I place a pretty high priority on my friends, and they can count on me in a pinch. It has been my experience over the years, however, that many of my friends don't place the same priority on our friendship that I do, and given similar circumstances will not go the lengths for me that I would typically go for them. That trend, over time, has led me to say that I am a better friend to most people, than they are to me.

Now, lets look at this in a couple of ways. Perhaps I have a greater capacity or capability to give than some; perhaps they don't have the time, or the flexibility that I do, so they can't give back in the same measure. Should I expect them to? If I'm giving out of friendship, does it matter if they give back equally? Am I giving to get back ? or because I feel like giving? Interesting query.

For another view, if I read that statement -- "I am a better friend to most people..." -- written by anyone other than myself (because I'm biased, of course), it would be an easy leap for me to propose that we might be dealing with a martyr type personality: "Look, at what I give for you... I give and give and give, and you just don't give back, and...you're a taker and I'm a victim." But I reeeeeeally hope that category doesn't describe me!

Here is the statement that arrived in my email yesterday: "Don't make anyone a priority, who considers you an option !"

This is a very powerful statement and, undoubtedly, we've all placed people in a priority status at one time or another... who just didn't seem to treat us with the same priority. And in the short term it isn't necessarily a problem, but in the LONG term... it can become quite a stress point.

So, I invite your comments on this. Tell me what you think, how you feel about it, what it means to you. Keep it positive ! Okay? But I'm interested in feed back.

Have an awesome day!