Tag Archives: books

Little Italy and Chinatown

Posted on by

29

All of the information I’ve read about New York City or heard from others recommended taking a stroll through the areas known as Little Italy and Chinatown, so for my second day in the City, I included this in the itinerary!  I had good weather Karma with me…the sky was blue and the temperature in the 60′s.  If you’ve been following along, you’ll remember I started my day with a view of the almost completed One World Trade Center.  You can read about it here.

When I first saw Little Italy, I thought it was very colorful and there were workers in front of their respective restaurants trying to tempt passerby’s with their menus.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Luckily, I turned around and saw this amazing street art on one of the buildings!  Is it a miniature “Hulk”?

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Continue reading →

50 Things I Love

Posted on by

28

1.  Hiking through the woods followed by a break

near Durango, Colorado

 2.  A beautiful sunset

Santa Fe, New Mexico

3.  Talking to a friend

4.  Pretty colors…the blue sky…green trees…colorful flowers

5.  Watching the snow fall while sitting in front of a fire

6.  The sound of church bells

7.  Having a great dream

8.  Cappuccino

9.  Planning a trip…almost as good as taking the trip

10.  Crying when you feel like it

11. The sound of crickets and tree frogs on a summer night

12.  Having a clean house

13.  Hot shower with yummy smelling soap

14.  The feel of the wind and sun on you while riding in a boat

15.  Finishing a project

16.  Getting the job you wanted

17.  A body massage

18.  Lotions and Potions

19.  The lazy warm feeling in the morning before getting out of bed

20.  Lying on the beach soaking up the sunny sun

21.  Reading a great book

22.  Wearing a soft sweater

23.  Stretching

24.  Petting a dog or cat and watching their eyes droop

25.  Listening to a great song while driving a convertible

26.  Taking a nap

27.  Feeling sexy

28. Laying down at night when you’re really tired

29. Sitting in a hot tub staring at the stars

30. Drinking a glass of good wine

31. Surprising someone with a gift or good deed

32. Visiting a beautiful European city or anywhere in the world…

Lisbon, Portugal

33. Laughing really hard and long

34. Wildly dancing for an hour or two

35. Feeling tipsy

36. Kissing passionately…

37. Watching a good movie

38. Cooking and savoring a delicious meal

39. People watching

40. Cuddling

41. The sound of the waves at the beach and…the smell

42. Taking a long sweaty jog

43. Playing with a child

44. Taking cool photographs

45. Winning

46. The smell of freshly baked bread

47. Flirting

48. Looking younger than you are

49. Being able to scratch where you itch

50. Believing in miracles and magic

 

As I was making the list…I realized everything on my list is simple, basic and doesn’t cost much money.  Except for the traveling part!  It made me feel good just thinking of these things!

Spreading the Joy of Books

Posted on by

1

Day 21 – 12-7-10: After seeing a Podiatrist yesterday, I was diagnosed with Capsulitis (swelling on the ball of the foot) and given instructions to stay off of my feet as much as possible for the next three weeks, ice it during the day, take a prescription anti-inflammatory and wear a makeshift orthodic in my shoe.  Luckily…I’ve done most of my Christmas shopping and am not currently working…so it should heal quickly.  Since I can sit for most of the upcoming holiday events that I have scheduled, I will utilize my time reading, researching travel and new career opportunities.

When an unexpected issue like this arises, instead of viewing it as a dreaded set-back, we can control our thoughts and find the good; or at least accept the situation. Another nice by-product of this is I can get my husband and son to cater to my every wish and whim and treat me as the Goddess that I am–I’m kind of joking!

Although some of my original ideas for spreading joy will need to be adjusted, due to my foot, there are still plenty of opportunities.  I have a box of household goods/clothing ready to drop off at the Goodwill.  Earlier this year, I contacted Half Price Books and they donated 6 large boxes of books to a local correctional institute, so I picked the books up and drove them to the facility.

Also, I’d like to recommend a few inspirational books for you to read, if you haven’t already.  I’m sure most of you have heard of Dr. Wayne Dyer.  I’ve read three of his books and really enjoyed them: Change your Thoughts, Change your Life; Inspiration; and The Power of Intention.

Eckhart Tolle‘s The Power of Now and A New Earth, Awakening Your Life’s Purpose are both interesting.  I really enjoyed reading Gratitude: Affirming the Good Things in Life and Beyond Codependency by Melody Beattie.  The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz gives a basic blueprint for living your life in peace.  The Agreements are:

  1. Be Impeccable With Your Word.
  2. Don’t Take Anything Personally.
  3. Don’t Make Assumptions.
  4. Always Do Your Best.

I’m currently finishing two books by J. Krishnamurti, On Love and Loneliness and Total Freedom. What I find interesting is that many of the current books have gleaned their concepts from earlier authors and put their own spin on them.

Some other books that were either inspirational or interesting or both are:  The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, The Circle by Laura Day, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and The Intention Experiment by Lynne McTaggart.

I read most of these books back in 2007, after going through a divorce.  Typically, I read fun books about travel.  If anyone would like to read one of these, I have most of them.

Make it a Great Day…it’s your choice!