Monthly Archives: November 2023

Going to the sauna, aka Brazil

15 Wednesday Nov 2023

Posted by in Daily Life, Daily Message, travels

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“God, it was hot! Forget about frying an egg on the sidewalk; this kind of heat would fry an egg inside the chicken.” ― Rachel Caine

I am on the way to Brazil tonight.   I will be working most of the time, but will take a few days off over Thanksgiving to relax.  Michael and I will be driving towards some small towns and a national park.  

I am bracing for the heat I will encounter.  It has been incredibly hot where I live in Brazil.  The high tomorrow will be 99 degrees, and on Friday 101.  My mom’s house, as well as most of the homes, have no AC. 

I have been trying to get my mother to agree to get AC, but she complains that will make holes on the wall, and it will cost too much (even though I would be paying all the bills).  Perhaps this time I can convince her.  Fingers crossed.

Right here in NY:

 

In Brazil now:

Wishing you all a blessed Thanksgiving!  May you count all your blessings, big and small!

I am grateful to still have my parents and to be able to go see them often. May you be able to spent time with family and friends.

I am grateful for this community we have here! 

“Reflect upon your present blessings — of which every man has many — not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” ― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings

Re-Create & Celebrate – 7 Steps to Turn Your Dreams into Reality – by Cindy Georgakas

13 Monday Nov 2023

Posted by in Daily Life, Reviews

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Re-Create and Celebrate – 7 Steps to Turn Your Dream Into Reality was written by Cindy Georgakas. She is the creative and fun force from the blog Unique Times https://uniquelyfitblog.com/

Cindy is an experienced multi- talented individual in the health and wellness area. She is a certified life coach, as well as being certified in Yoga, massage therapy, Reiki, among many others.

One look at her blog gives you an idea of what a dynamo she is. I am in awe of all she accomplishes while taking care of her family, including elder parents; and being there for her clients and community. And not to mention, helping out with the two sweetest additions to her family – her two adorable grandkids.

She has put a lot work on this book; it is a work of love and it shows. In this book Cindy invites one to look inwards and work through seven steps to achieve their best life. These are the seven steps:

1. Finding the true you
2. Finding your purpose
3. Finding your want and why
4. Plan of action – Reaching your goals
5. Loving yourself
6. Processing feelings
7. Falling off the wagon, burnout and support

Yes, it does require some work. It requires commitment and honesty in completing each step. She reminds us that there are no shortcuts.

To me it was a big reminder to stop being so comfortable in life and get moving towards being the best that I can be. I have a great life, but am I fully aware and involved in growing and becoming better? Of course not. There is always room for growth.

Cindy Is not preachy in delivering her message. Throughout the book she shares her own struggles and hardships, and how she overcame them – and still does.  Problems will show up, it is how we handle them that makes the difference.

Each step for me was a reminder of the work that I need to do. The two parts that I keep going back to are:
1. Page 86 – Having a morning routine. I get up and go, always grateful, but always on the run. I know I need to improve that, and Cindy does a great job of giving me ideas.
2. Page 139 – Change your words and change your mind. It is all about making sure that our inner voice is always reflecting our gratitude and love for ourselves.

Cindy’s book is an invitation to create the life we want while celebrating the life we have.  I am accepting that invitation, and so should you!

“Words can illuminate your spirit, or kick you to the curb. What are your inner voices doing to you? Start noticing what words you say to yourself, and then ask where they came from. Perhaps they are old tapes you heard growing up. – Cindy Georgakas

“The Scars We Don’t See” by Cassa Bassa

10 Friday Nov 2023

Posted by in Daily Life, Fiction, Reviews

≈ 27 Comments

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“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” ― Maya Angelou

I am long overdue in writing this review and the others I will be posting next.  I like to support my WordPress community by buying their books, but unfortunately, I am not speedy with my reading and reviewing of them.  Sorry.

The Scars We Don’t See was written by Cassa Bassa.  She is the powerful voice behind the blog Flicker of Thoughts  https://flickerofthoughts.com/

She has contributed stories to other books, but this is her first published book.   It is micro-fiction, a combination of very short stories and poems.

I have always been a fan of her blog, specially of how she masterfully conveys so much meaning in so few words. This book didn’t disappoint.

I decided not to read the stories in order.  Each day I opened to a page and let it speak to me. And it did.  Some days it seemed to be written specially for me.     

There are so many wonderful stories, that I love for different reasons.  There is some tragedy and some comedy, and beauty in all of them.

In the section entitled “I See You” she shares her observations of the people she meets and the world around us.  In the section entitled “A Little Bit of Me and a Whole Lot of Fiction”, Cassa shares some of her own self intertwined into fiction. 

Cassa is a sweet soul and her stories reflect all her sensibility.  She is authentic, and nothing in her micro-fiction is predictable.  

Below is one of my favorites. 

Keepsake

There was a poet living in poverty.  His only possession was his words.

He was secretly in love with the shoemaker’s daughter.  So, every day he wrote a love poem and whispered to her as a keepsake.

She was born tender-eyed and was not married, even way past childbearing age.  But all the days of her life, she was happy, especially when she saw how beautiful she was in the mirror.