240th post

Today is the 240th post to this blog, 2/3rd to the goal of writing until the end of the year. So, what have I learned in the past few months? Quite a bit actually!

In the past months I have learned:

1. If you put your mind to it, you can do what you set out to do.
2. You get better at framing your ideas as you write more.
3. You don't have to be an expert to write, only have a passion to share your thoughts and ideas.
4. The world opens up to you when you allow it. Many times i wasn't sure about what to write and something happen or I heard/saw something that struck me to write.
5. I now have over 200 pages of writing that can be organized into a book or two.
6. I have found that I really do like write! This is a statement I never thought I would say.
7. I have formed new friends and deeper relationships by opening myself up in this way.
8. I have gained a renewed sense of urgency around motivating others.
9. I have found that spending 30 minutes of a day doing something is really achievable. Maybe working out can follow in line next.
10. I have learned that you rely can make a positive impact and live a purposeful life.

I have 74 days left until the end of this year. 74 days to write more and share more. For 14 of these days I will be traveling with my folks up to Churchill Manitoba on a vacation to see the polar bears. I hope to blog my way through the tundra as the final chapters on this blog come to the end.

What have you learned?

Focus on the here and now!

This weekend, while out and about on the Harley, we hit some back roads with fewer cars and more nature. I am not a speed demon on the bike (nor any other mode of transportation) as I like to focus on the world around me. It is amazing what you can see when you slow down and take it easy.

From a dozen turkeys, to a couple eagles in a tree, or a pheasant flying next to us the world was alive this weekend! You could smell the leaves as they move from full color to rust brown. As we pasted by the lakes, you could feel the crisp air that is only felt around lakes in the fall.

Now I could have day dreamed the whole time and missed it all and at times I found my mind wandering to work topics or things to do, but then something would show itself and it pulled me back into the here and now.

At the stop areas Suzan and I compared notes on what we saw. She is great at saying "thank you" to nature for presenting itself and allowing others to view. Butterflies or eagles all are the same and she gives thanks for their ability to show us the slower side of life.

I am getting better at this, but still get the gentle reminder to focus on the here and now.

This morning on the bus I decided to not think about all the work that was waiting for me and not bring the Blackberry out to check emails before I got to work - I sat quietly next to the window and focused. I focused on the here and now. Focused on the sun rising. Focused on the silhouettes of the trees after losing their leaves. Focused on the crisp air and quiet of downtown as I walked the few blocks from the bus. Focused on the here and now.

To many times we get going so fast that we miss out on everything around us. Not only nature, but life. We worry so much about what we are doing or where we are going or how we are doing it that we forget to enjoy the here and now. We forget to say thank you for arriving today.

As you end your night or begin your day take 10 minutes and just focus! What do you hear, see, smell, and feel? Say thank you for all that comes. Focus on the here and now!

Who belongs to this Baby?

Okay, so I bought a new toy. I don't like buying myself toys..I don't like buying myself much of anything. I feel guilty for spending money on me and not others. This is an okay guilt, but every once in a while I do think you have to take care of yourself. You have to create some fun for yourself. You have to be a little selfish and be okay with buying something for yourself.

My new toy is a 2006 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail.



Yes it is kind of pretty. All black with a Red and White Logo, hard bags, loud pipes, and Lord does it bring out the attitude in me.

Many of you have asked "who do you ride with"? Well, not only does Suzan ride, but my folks ride (yes my mother has her own Harley), and I belong to a riding group for women called the "Shift Kickers". I haven't been a ride with the Shift Kickers yet, but I have met a few of their members.

Yesterday Suzan and I went out riding and after a few hours stopped by a friend from the shift Kickers place. She had just had shoulder surgery so isn't able to ride anymore this season. As we stood there admiring the new bike this lady came by who was walking her dog. She came over and our Shift Kicker buddy introduced us to her. For some reason I can't remember her name, but she is associated with the National Women on Wheels organization. She looked at my bike and said "Who belongs to this Baby?"

I proudly said "I do"! It was the first time since I got the bike that I didn't feel like a little kid who had done something wrong. I was proud to be a rider. Proud to be a woman rider. Proud to have others admire "my baby".

So, now the naming challenge is on. What do I call this baby? Suzan's bike is named "Piglet" as it is the smallest HOG (Harley Davidson) out there but what do you call this one? So, the challenge..think of a name and let me know. I will decide and post my decision later next week!

Live to Ride, Ride to Live!



Horoscopes?

I am not a very superstitious person, in fact I can say that I am not superstitious at all. Ladders, cats, wearing green on bikes...I don't let myself believe in the evil that is suppose to be tied to them. I don't usually read horoscopes either, but today I did.

We stopped for breakfast at a little place in Zimmerman Minnesota on our Saturday motorcycle ride and there was an extra paper there so as I was reading the funnies while waiting for my egg and rye, I read my horoscope.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

"You don't practice what you preach, because you don't preach! You've made it a policy to let your actions speak for themselves. Because of this, you'll impact the world in a positive way!"

Okay, now this is a great Horoscope and I had to read it a few times because for those that know me I hope this is how you would see me. It is how I see myself.

I do have a personal policy (aka value) of being Christ like. Having my actions tell others who I am. I am not a preacher, in fact talking or telling people what to do or how to do it has never been my game. I am an action person.

I live my life with passion and conviction. Maybe that is why this blog has been so important to me or why Cuc Vu touched my soul with her speak of personal authenticity or why the Janice that shows up every day is just that--Janice. I don't pretend to be anything I am not and I don't put on an act at any time. Yes, I do walk a little more confident when I have my fancy outfits on or my leather chaps, but that attitude is always there. I am who I am and my actions  speak to the person I have become.

I use to think that if I was something else or acted differently maybe people would like me or maybe someone would love me or maybe someone would think I was cool. Now I know that the person I am every day is very likable, lovable and cool. No acting, no pretending, just being the best Janice I can be today.

I also believe that I will impact the world in a positive way. I think I already have in some respects. I have people who tell me every day how my blog has impacted them. I have people who say I have a giving heart. I have strangers say thank you and loved ones say you are amazing. I give without concern of getting, I forgive without feelings of anger, and I love unconditionally.

Be the change you want to see in the world. Be the person who can have a positive impact by having YOUR actions speak louder then words.

Authentic You

Today I had the privilege to attend the Minneapolis National Coming Out Lunch held to celebrate the diverse workforces as well as the diverse people that work tirelessly for all human rights.

The lunch was wonderful and the speakers amazing.

The first speaker was the kid who fought for a legal end to bullying in schools. He is from Ashland, WI and was bullied relentlessly. He fought back - not with fists but with courage. Courage to raise he voice and actions. Because of his actions there is now a law that schools must keep ALL kids safe in school.

Now I am not one for Government telling us what to do nor do I think we should have to have laws in place for common sense values, but until Americans can be civil to all other Americans I guess we need too. This kid, now in his late 20's early 30's fought for his right to go to school and be safe. I kept thinking as he spoke why do we need to fight for the right to be safe?

The second speaker talked about the aging population within the GLBT community and how retirement homes are not educated in the needs of many of the people they will be serving in the near future. She talked about Sharon Reed who was a woman in Florida who was denied access to her dying partner in a Florida Hospital. Her rights were denied even with official paperwork stating she was the legal decision maker.

The third speaker was a deaf woman who has fought through family abuse and now has become an advocate for the deaf. An advocate against domestic and sexual violence.

As each speaker spoke about their story the theme became very clear: Live your Authentic You!

The final speaker was Cuc Vu, the Chief Diversity Officer for the Human Rights Campaign out of Washington, DC. If you have never heard her story she is a refugee from Vietnam who escaped with 4 brothers and sisters and Mother in the 1970's. They were separated from their father and 2 other children during the fall of Saigon. This was a touching story, an amazing story. It shaped her life and her drive. She lives now helping others who's access is denied, who's dignity is denied, who's rights are denied.

She talked about how we all need to be filled with courage rather than fear. How courage makes you stronger. How fears is a powerless emotion. I googled her when I got back from the lunch and found this clip of her. She was one of the Thousand Voices campaign around quality leadership. Click here to view this short video.

Today was an amazing day. I am not into having politics in our personal lives, seems like a waste of money, time and energy, but until we start standing up for the rights of our neighbors, brothers, sisters, and friends we will continue to need to fight for equality, we will continue to fight for our authentic you. Here is to what we all deserve and should have - equality and dignity to be our own authentic you!

Peace.

Where do the nights go?

I cannot believe that it is already 8:00pm, where do the nights go?

After work we headed to the Harley dealer for their monthly sale and free brat night. We looked around and waited for our turn at the brat table and I found a nice jacket, some boots, and a helmet. I didn't get any of them as it is near the end of the season and the jacket wasn't quite what I wanted, the boots were a little tight and heavy and the helmet will take 6 months of saving money to get, but still we could get a free brat.

We headed back to the food table to see one lone brat on a bun and the food lady taking everything else away. Dang, they were out of food! No worries, Suzan ate the brat and I looked around a bit more. The night ended with a few purchases on Suzans part so she is set for a while now.

Driving phone it seem to get instantly dark. I find it amazing how dark the skies get as we turn the pages into fall.

When we got home the kids aka cats and dog all were ready to play, sit, meow, and so on. I looked up and it was 8pm! Where did the night go?

Every hour of every day seems to be full of activities and as I sit here with an hour or so to go before bed, I wonder how to get more hours in my day. Not sleeping will not work, not working is not an option (yes I know that this is a double negative), so my only option is to be smarter about how I spend my time.

This is harder then it seems as there is always something pulling us for our time or energy. So, what would happen if every hour we make a conscious decision on how to spend it? Every hour...you decide if you want to work, relax, hang out, clean...whatever you like or need to do. There would be no feeling that you didn't have enough time in your day, rather each day would be filled with exactly what you planned to do!

I loved my day today and although I am not certain where all the hours went to, I can sit here tonight and know that I had not only a productive day, but also a positive one.

I worked, I played, I shopped, I hung out, I laughed, I blogged....yes now i know where the day went and where the night goes.

True story - The Mystery of the missing Dog Food

Some days I feel like I could be Erma Bombeck and write books about the daily things that are so normal, yet so funny. My mother has all the Erma Bombeck books and use to say our family had to be secretly video taped as some of her stories were so true to our family. We all laugh now as it is true. The craziest things seem to happen to the most normal people...okay maybe that is the problem...none of us are normal.

The Mystery of the Missing Dog Food

My Dad is a master carpenter. He has built everything from toy chests to houses. When all of us kids moved out and on they finally had the money to build a workshop attached to the back of the garage. It is like walking into Bob Villa's workshop. Everything in the right place and every tool imaginable is in there. Five drills hang on the side wall all with a different bit ready to drill, screw, cut or make a hole into something. In the middle of the workshop are 2 table saws and a huge workbench.

If you were to look around the shop the only thing that would maybe look weird (besides the wood stove and TV) is a huge dog food pan filled to the rim with dog food. Now it won't take you long to realize why it is there when Shadow, their little black lab, comes bounding towards you. Dad has always had a shop dog, so there has to be a water bowl, food dish, and doggie door to the backyard in the shop. It has been part of life for so long it is life. Here is where the story begins.

Now from my description of Dad's workshop with everything in a place you can understand why this story is really quite funny. Every day my Dad starts his day with a cup of coffee, a smoke, and making sure the dog has a full water bowl and food dish. The dog doesn't eat much outside, but it is there in case she needs to eat.

About 2 weeks ago Dad started noticing that in the morning the food bowl was completely empty from the following day. Now Shadow is very overweight, but Dad hasn't seen Shadow eat that much food EVER in the garage.  Dad would fill it up and next day the dish would be completely empty again.

Last Dad started to suspect that something or someone was coming in at night and stealing the dog food. Of course their suspicion is always on some kids or 'weird' people in town so they started locking the door to the workshop. The next morning again the food dish was completely empty.

This has gone on for two weeks now and Dad went and bought animal traps to see if he could catch the villain!

Here is the last saga that came in today, written by my Mother.

On Monday Morning, October 4, the dog dish in the garage was completely empty. On Tuesday, October 5, the dog dish was again empty and one of the straw bales was tipped over outside. Tuesday afternoon Dad and Mike (neighbor) put a live trap outside the doggy door. Nothing happened. Thursday morning the dish was empty again. Thursday afternoon they put the live trap in the shop and Friday morning nothing had happened. On Friday they put flour on the floor to see if they could find foot prints of some sort. At this point I was being accused of doing this after dad went to bed. (Good idea but I didn't think about it soon enough) Nothing happened during the weekend but yesterday morning the food in the trap was gone and half of the food in the dish was gone and there were some kind of small footprints in the flour. Yesterday afternoon Mike got his big traps and dad bought some smaller traps and sticky paper to put down. This morning nothing had happened. They have figured that it may be a red squirrel but we sure can't find it. Dad sprayed ether and some other stuff all around in the shop and nothing came out. There is no evidence of poop, etc.

So dad is busy, busy, busy, busy!

Only 37 degrees this morning but should get up to 60 today. We will take it!

Guess that is all for now.

I giggled when I read her report and can't wait for the continuation of the Mystery of the missing Dog Food!
Here's to finding the humor in our families!