Hanging By a Thread

5 Things You Should Know {On the Secret to Being Happy in Life}

This list just came to me one afternoon. As I age and become more comfortable in my skin, these are the "rules" I try to adhere to, in general.

Of course, there more to each of these succinct statements and these few words are not the be all and end all of a happy life, but I have been reading a lot about happiness v. joy and what makes us happy, etc.

And when it comes down to it, it's pretty simple. These points say nothing about work or faith or economic status or age or stage of life. These 5 (really 6) statements can apply to anyone and everyone, regardless of the level of ease of comfort of one's life.

 

1. Say No when you need to
2. Say Yes when you want to
3. Be present in the moment as much as possible
4. Don't feel guilty when you need to retreat from the world around you and be alone with your thoughts
5. Embrace where you are now and where you have come from, who you are now and who you are becoming, what you are doing and how you are getting where you are headed by refusing to give up or give-in, learning from your mistakes, continuing to move forward step by step, day by day and always offering a smile to everyone you meet.

Oh, and indulge a bit here and there! These moments are the cherries on top; shiny and sweet.

 Life is simple if we learn to travel lightly and ride the waves. This is not always an easy task, but one worth striving for. Over and out... {now humming "Don't Worry, Be Happy"}

Anna

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5 Things You Should Know {New Moms}

5 Things You Should Know {How to Pretend Spring is Here or Trick Yourself into Believing it’s Actually a Mild January}

Here in Minnesota my calendar reads mid-April, but when I look out the window I see a cold, wet, blustery, often snowy landscape more reminiscent of early March or late November. It's been a long winter and while snow frequently makes its appearance here in April, it's also not uncommon to have a few sunny days that hit 65 degrees sprinkled through late March and April.

Not this year. No, this year the tail end of winter lingers, the sun hides behind a thick, bland curtain of clouds that often opens only to reveal more snow and sleet. And now, we have yet another winter storm taking aim at us.

Well, it's getting to me the same way that early winter gets to me. It drags me down and makes me sleepy and irritable and sluggish, but I have decided to fight back.

Here are 5 things you should know about how to pretend Spring is here or trick yourself into believing it's actually a mild January:

1. Dress for the season you want it to be, regardless of what the thermometer reads. I tried this on Tuesday, and I was a bit chilly, but I flatly refused to wear my coat or gloves. And later in the afternoon the sun came out and felt so nice!
2. On the worst of the faux spring days {perhaps today would be a good day for this one} claim a mental health day; stay in your jammies all day; drink hot chocolate and watch movies; and just get all your dreary moping done in that day. The next day move on and be cheerful knowing that spring has to be very near, if not summer.
3. Find a photo of the sun or a beach or plants budding out and tape it to the window you most frequently look out during the day. Focus on that photo instead. Maybe you can trick your mind into thinking it's real.
4. Roll your calendar back to January. When you do look outside, you will be pleasantly surprised by how little snow there is for "January."
5. Put shorts and a t-shirt on, layer on sweats and boots and a coat; stick sandals in a bag and high tail it over to Como Conservatory. Strip down to your shorts and tee, slip on the sandals and find a warm, humid spot to sit, whether among the palms or gazing at the beautiful blooms or near an exotic plant and stay there until you've convinced yourself that you're sitting outside.

Oh, and one more thing, avoid all Facebook friends who live in warm places or have traveled to warm destinations and feel the need to share photos of their sunny escapades! You are only risking severe depression if you indulge in such unhealthy temptations, especially for the next several days! Over and out....

Anna

5 Things You Should Know {Current Events}

I have been strapped to my computer for weeks now working on my projects for which I get paid; and every once in a while I would reward myself with surfing Facebook or news sites for stories to read. I bookmarked quite a few for future posts, but I thought I'd share a few that make me think, shake my head or put a smile on my face.

Here are 5 such headlines:

1. This one got to me because I can see myself in these parents' shoes. I tried to think what should they have done differently? What would I have done differently? But I think what they did was reasonable and something I could have done myself: Captain Diverted Plane because Parents Make Complaint about In-flight Movie.
2. Although I'm not personally touched by autism, I am fascinated by the research and treatment regarding autism. This is an important piece of legislation to watch if you are in Georgia or any of the other 17 states that don't provide that insurance must cover treatment for autism. Plus the treatments described in this article are encouraging and the stories uplifting: Mothers Fight to Pass Ava's Law for Autism Coverage.
3. I'm OK with this trend. I'm not a fan of tobacco. It stinks; it's unhealthy; and I'm sorry if that is offensive to you, but this is my opinion, and I wouldn't hire someone who smelled like cigarettes if put in such a position: Smoking Harmful to Your Employment.
4. I love A Farmgirl's Dabbles. Brenda's recipes and photos are amazing. I always pause and click when I see Brenda post a recipe link on Facebook. And when I came across this recipe. Ohhhhhh, my mouth watered... I may have even drooled a bit. I will be making this: Sweet-and-Salty Honey- Cheese Spread!
5. Lastly, I found this article interesting considering how often I see these henna tattoo vendors at local fairs and festivals and other events. This temporary body art can be quite beautiful and the lines are usually long and full of children. But beware and think twice before you or your child gets in this line: Temporary Black Henna Tattoos Could Leave Permanent Scarring.

Have a wonderful weekend! Over and out...

Anna

5 Things You Should Know {New Parent To-Do-ASAP List}

Parents new to the gig can be overwhelmed by the new schedules, new equipment, new roles, etc. Basically, it's like having your world flipped upside down and learning to live on the ceiling. Fortunately, all the newness quickly wears off and mercifully you can't remember what life was before when you merely tread on the floor, rather than the ceiling.

Well, I've got a few more items to add to your to-do lists, along with putting together the bouncy seat, adding baby to your insurance, getting a Social Security number and birth certificate and sending out the birth announcements.

Here are 5 things that new parents (or parents of any age kids if you haven't done these things) should do ASAP:

1. Stop talking/texting/using phone while driving. DO IT NOW! {You'll thank me when you have teen who doesn't text because of your good example...well, honestly, you'll thank me for many reasons, but that's a big one} #PhoneDownEyesUp
2. Make a Last Will & Testament {or update it if you already have one} and be sure all other estate planning documents are in order, considering you have a child(ren) now {Talk to an attorney};
3. Find a reliable babysitter; someone you pay; someone other than a family member {There are services to help you find one. I use www.sittercity.com};
4. Check {with a professional} to be sure that the car seat is installed properly and learn how to do it yourself.
5. Install CO detectors and smoke alarms, check for Radon, especially if in MN or other Radon hotspots, and be sure your hot water heater is set at a safe temperature {Mayo Clinic says safe is below 120 degrees Fahrenheit.}.

This is a manageable list, no? The biggest, most expensive, most time-consuming point on the list is the Will, but it really is something that should be tackled, but maybe after those crazy postpartum hormones settle down a bit. #1 can be done starting this very minute. PLEASE do not use your phone while you are behind the wheel, especially with your wee one on board. Over and out...

Anna

5 Things You Should Know {New Moms}

My friend just had her first baby this past week after a long and grueling labor. It made think back to that time in my life. While it was just six and half years ago that I first became a mom and then just four and half years ago that I added baby #2, it seems like ages ago.

Even still, I can recall those raw nerves and the exhaustion of waiting and laboring and waiting and laboring....motherhood so close and yet still eluding me.

But once my little bundle of joy finally popped out into this world my fierce sense of protection, my devotion and motherly intuition were immediately melded into my core. I didn't doubt myself or my husband and our abilities and instincts to care for our new child.

I loved my babies' infancies. There was time to just sit and stare at each other; time for me to memorize every contour of their little bodies, every expression, every movement, every sound. It's a time to embrace the here and now and just wallow in every single moment. It's such an amazing, but short period of time.

Here are the 5 {OK...6} things I would pass along to new moms:

1. Trust your instinct! You know more about your child than the nurse, the doctor, your mom, your friend, your neighbor or the stranger who feels compelled to comment.
2. It's OK, and matters not if it sounds rude, to tell strangers, "Please don't touch!" Why do people come up and touch newborns!?
3. Give yourself a break when you are ready! No guilt trip allowed! Daddy and baby need that time alone too.
4. Find a Mommy & Baby group ASAP! I'm so glad a friend steered me toward the ECFE programs here in MN! Early mommyhood would have been a very different and isolating experience without these fellow moms.
5. By baby #2 early infancy will seem like a breeze and you will wonder why the heck you thought this period was so hard the first time around.
6. OK, I have one more... Accept from the git-go that you will make mistakes. Everyone does. You don't have to be perfect. But you do have to remember this: Put your baby down and walk away if you feel that you are about to erupt!

Now, relax, enjoy and stare at your baby for hours! This time is fleeting and before you know it they are walking, talking, going off to school and growing up. And those things are awesome too. So, try to live in the moment as much as possible. You will cherish the small, insignificant moments that get tucked away in your memory box. Over and out...

Anna

5 Things You Should Know {Leavin’ on a Jet Plane; Simple Airplane Etiquette}

I'm fresh off an airplane, and I've made some observations....not surprising, I know. The thing is people are interesting, and I'm always watching, listening and soaking it all in and of course, making recommendations....

1. Rear Loading: For the love of Pete, why oh why are planes not loaded back to front; Diamond Executive Platinum, Triple Gold Crown, Head Honchos and Hallowed Ones could walk on at their leisure right before the plane took off and not ever to have lay eyes on the rest of the herd at the rear of the plane; the common folk. And we, the common folk, could easily find our way to our seats row by row, from the last row to the front row. Makes sense, no?
2. Polite Hygiene Practices: Dear Sirs, if you can't aim for the toilet and make it within the ring, do us ALL a favor and sit down! And if you make a mess, PLEASE clean it up. This is not an inner city subway bathroom or a field or forest miles from all civilization; be courteous to those who must use the facilities after you;
3. Heavyweight Workout: For those who find it hard to leave home without everything, as I do, there ought to be luggage with a scale built into the bag. This would really simplify things and ease my nerves about my overstuffed bag as I check-in.

   Let me just add, I am very suspicious of people who can check one small suitcase and skip onto the plane with a teeny tote bag. Seriously, have you no business to conduct on your computer or tablet, no need for makeup to touch up with, no extra undies, in case your bag is lost (hey, it happens), no books to read or celeb mags to catch up on, no sweater in case of a chill? Do you pack only one outfit and one pair of shoes? How do you do it?

4. Stuff It and Slam It. If your rolling carry on stuffed to the gills won't fit in the overhead compartment, stuffing and pushing and huffing and puffing and slamming and ramming will not get yours to miraculously fit. And if you are one of the last to board, you will most certainly be out of luck; so plan for it and don't act exasperated and shocked when all space has already been claimed. And no, it's not OK to smash aforementioned fellow passenger's teeny tote just to make room for your super-sized "carry-on" that should have been checked to begin with.
5. Positive Reinforcement: On my ride back home to Minneapolis, as we boarded our jet, the passengers were met with soft, uplifting music wafting through the fuselage and photos of beautiful landscapes playing on the video screens throughout the plane. I have to say, I have never seen such courteous, kind, helpful passengers, smiling, joking, exchanging pleasantries, moving out of the way, hefting a heavy bag for a stranger, re-arranging their own bags to make room for others' bags.

   It was a full flight and there were no cross faces or frustrated exchanges or sarcastic comments observed by me, and be assured I was watching. I sat in the middle of the plane, on an exit row, smack in the middle. This is a seat I hate to have; I'm an aisle hog. But I felt happy and settled with that music playing and the images slowly going by one after the other. I don't know what their intention was, but it worked to curb anger and keep everyone feeling cordial towards each other.

I have a few more notes, such as, house slippers are not considered shoes, not even at an airport and do listen to the attendants when they tell you to power down your devices; they mean it and no one, not even the triple platinum gold crown head honchos, are above this list of airplane rules of etiquette. Over and out...

Anna

 

 

5 Things You Should Know {Fresh Starts}

I don't usually take abrupt changes well, but I am the queen of fresh starts. When life starts getting stagnant I have to shake things up. It's too easy to get stuck in a rut. And once stuck, one is not easily unstuck.

So, I have devised ways of keeping things fresh and new and inspiring. Want to know my secret? Well, here are 5 Things You Should Know about Keeping it Fresh:

It all comes down to Change...

1. Change your address; move down the street, out of town, out of state or out of the country;
2. Change your surroundings; re-arrange, re-paint, re-do;
3. Change your perspective; read something, pray something, do something;
4. Change your habits; exercise more or less, eat more or less (and better), sleep more or less and laugh more, always more; and
5. Change your aim; be sure your passions and goals are aligned; be true to your heart; and set your mind to accomplishing those goals.

Pretty simple, really. But sometimes it's the simple things that are the hardest to see. If you need unsticking, give these things a shot. What have you got to lose?

Here's to Keeping it Fresh in 2013! Over and out...

Anna

5 Things You Should Know: Setting Goals {New Year’s Resolutions for 2013}

Making new promises and reaffirming commitments at the start of the new year goes back to the Babylonians. The tradition continues for many. Is it one of yours?

Well, if it is, you probably already know that most New Year's Resolutions don't even make it out of the gate, much less all year through. {Check out this fun infographic from The Week on New Year's Resolutions}

It's one thing to make a long list of things to accomplish, change, try, lose or gain in the new year; it's quite another to actually follow through with these resolutions.

But wait, don't give up yet. I have some tips that will help you make great strides towards those ambitions.

5 Ways to Accomplish a Goal

1. Write It Down. There's more commitment to a goal put in ink;
2. Look at It. Place the written out goal in a spot that you will see it on a daily basis;
3. Keep It Simple. Reasonable and reachable makes it more likely you'll succeed;
4. Baby Steps. Break your goals down into mini goals that will lead right to the finish line; and
5. Believe It. If you believe it and envision it, you can achieve it!

So, put pen to paper and start your realistic list of resolutions for 2013. Good luck and Happy New Year! Over and out...

Anna

5 Things You Should Know {Regifting; A Scrooge Move or the 4th "R" Reduce, Reuse and Recycle?}

This time of year, no matter what holidays you are celebrating, there are a lot of gifts being exchanged. Some may thrill you; others impress you; and some may confuse you or disappoint you. Sometimes you can return the latter type gifts; and sometimes you can't. So, what do you do with these gifts that miss their mark?

Regifting: OK, taboo or it all depends?

I have certainly done it, but not to be cheap or because I didn't care about the gift, the person who gave it to me or the person receiving it. I don't do it often, but if I have received a nice gift that doesn't fit my style or personality, I have given it to another person, as a gift from me if that person would appreciate the gift.

Of course, there are rules that should be followed if you are going to regift:

1. Do be sure to remember who gave the item to be regifted and when and who else was there or would know (take notes);
2. Do not regift in the same circles; this could end badly for all parties involved;
3. Do be sure that the items has not expired, lost all value or is no longer in vogue before regifting;
4. Do not regift in front of your children or with their knowledge; especially when it comes to duplicate toys; they will rat you out without doubt!; and
5. Do inspect the item to be regifted for tags, notes, etc. that might be left over from when you received the item that might give away your regifting secret.

Regifting a gag gift or the like is always acceptable, but the main issue at stake otherwise is hurting feelings. You risk hurting the feelings of the person who originally bought the gift and the person who is now receiving it. There is much that can be misunderstood about the situation.

Discretion is of utmost importance in these situations, but there's no reason a great gift should go used just because it wasn't the right "fit" for you.

The LA Times just published a piece with some good tips about regifting. So, check it for further information in this area.

Later this week I will be discussing the value of the gift and how to be sure the gift you give is not undervalued or eventually regifted.

What do you think about regifting? Over and out...

Anna

5 Things Yo Ass Should Know {Distracted Ridin’}

On a recent late afternoon, Darling 1 and I made our way through early evening traffic. It was stop and go and stop and go. On one of the stops, an SUV behind me caught my attention in my rearview mirror. It appeared that she wasn't stopping.

I still had some room in front of me. I eased forward and pumped my brakes a couple of times to get the driver's attention. She finally came to a hard stop behind me.

I could see her face; she looked flustered while trying to appear unflustered, as if she meant to stop at the last second. Then, I watched her look back down at something in her hand and smile and then peck a message back, look up, look down and smile again.

This texting conversation kept up for many stops and goes on the crosstown even after she almost ran smack into me.

While stopped, I locked my eyes on her and when she looked up I mouthed, "Put Your Phone Down!" She didn't, but she looked a little shaken that I would dare to say something to her. Eventually, she exited, still pecking away at her phone.

My 6 year old son suggested I make a sign that I can hold up when I see someone texting or talking while driving that says, "PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN!" I think this is not a bad idea, but one that might get me shot.

Regardless, this incident has warranted a list of 5 things "yo ass should know" about driving safely without distraction, especially during this time of year when the streets get slick and the night comes so early:

1. Simply Put Your Phone Down (how many times are you going to make me say it?)
2. Texting while driving is a crime in a number of states and cities; don't break the law;
3. In the areas that it's not a crime to text or talk while driving, it's is a crime to negligently operate a vehicle and/or injure and/or kill a person;
4. Committing such a crime can and will result in a criminal prosecution and imprisonment; and
5. You don't get to use your car or your phone in prison.

So, please don't ruin your life or the life of someone else. Phone Down Eyes UP; it's that simple.

Oh, and an explanation on the change of the title of this series for this week is warranted. Thanks, to Jen from Life with Levi, I came across Gizoogle.net; a websites that parodies any article. Give it a shot. Just put in www.motherlylaw.com or another blog site and see what happens.

Anyway, Gizoogle.net turned 5 Things You Should Know into 5 Things Yo Ass Should Know. This made me and Will laugh; as did many other of the "translations" Gizoogle made in my articles. I thought it would grab your attention and this is a very important issue – TEXTING/TALKING WHILE DRIVING KILLS! Over and out...

Anna