Could've been me #1,021

draw your own conclusions at Savage Chickens

the year of the pig

my year!

I'm a pig [many would tell you that for nothing] so the year ahead will be a good one

the numbers also add up to 9 so it's doubly mine!

I'm in love, loved, loving life, healthy [very] just need to work on wealthy and wise for the next 12 months.

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Walk a mile in someone else's shoes

with seven children that I love, I'm so grateful that they're all alive and doing well.

For just over a year now I've been involved in the periphery of Sara Young's life. Last January she found out she had a brain tumour. I set up a web site blog where she could keep in touch with her friends [and they could keep in touch with her by leaving comments, and messages that would be brought to her wherever she was.]

It's been both heartening and life affirming to watch last year unfold. And whilst I had a shitty year last year, it was nothing like hers [and her family and friends']. I'm grateful to have been involved and witness some of that. I met Sara twice and got a sense of the energy that her friends saw and talked about in their commentary. I'm grateful to have seen some of the good things that come out of the nerdy things I can do.

Sara died yesterday.

I'm very sad about that.

fishy

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Stick at something, get it right, get a second chance

Here's a longish story about being creative, and passionate about what you do, and how it pays off and pays back if we're patient.

read it all here

The communication was always short, light, and hopefully impactful.

My notes to Karen twice a week, went on for 3 months.

Friday evening in the spring. I will never forget it, because I was scheduled to leave for Philadelphia after work that night -- to see The Grateful Dead, playing The Spectrum in Philly, that weekend.

Over the intercom.....words I will never forget.

"call for Andy on 101 -- Karen C."

I picked up, and here is the conversation that ensued:

"Andy, this is Karen C."

My reply -- "Karen, thanks so much for calling me..."

"Andy, I have no idea who you are, and you are either crazy ,or insanely great....and anyone who is as dedicated to getting my attention with such intensity deserves a chance. Before you say a word, and I'm forced to change my mind, come over here right away..."

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A positive attitude

A positive attitude is perhaps more important at home than anywhere
else. As spouses and parents, one of our most vital roles is to help
those we love feel good about themselves. Keith Harrell

Wherefore art though?

Season's greetings

another belly laugh

Savage chickens does it again!

They always cheer me up, even when i don't need cheering up.


must be valentines coming :-)



Mum called me last night fromm England to tell me it was snowing!

Patience

Sometimes the Universe doesn't give us exactly what we want when we want it, because there's actually something better down the road.

Sandra Anne Taylor
Author of Quantum Success

These answers often come in, to questions I never asked yesterday, I'm grateful for that. They often come with lessons to learn, or homework to complete, and I'm grateful for that too!

Interpretting the entrails is the tricksy part. But I'm more than optimistic that I'm up to that task.

Fish

Waitangi walking

there's nothing like walking the beach surf line without your shirt on

written just for me it seems

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one

Mark Twain

Let go of everything you fear to loose

Profoundity from a movie i saw at the weekend:
YODA:

The fear of loss is a path to the dark side

and

Attachment leads to jealousy.
The shadow of greed, that is.
Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.

Weekendy goodness

Calls and warm ears from holding the phone up so hard and close

bike rides in morning sunshine

walks on the sand and wind in the hair

coffee and cheesecake i shouldn't have been eating [but the coffee was a freeby 'cause i'd bought my eight others :-)

Reading the newspaper at the high stools, with a single bag of groceries at my feet

Dinner with Rebecca who called by chance and got invited to tea before her Hannah came home for school starting in a few days

Falling asleep in movies I'd got that were on my list of must see movies. Not must see enough to stay awake!

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what am i grateful for today?

very grateful this isn't me in the video!



or this guy either!



Phew!

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