Monday blues.....after the happy wedding!

Monday, September 21, 2009

Have you ever really looked forward to something so much to only have a "let-down" later? The wedding lasted all day and most of the night. It was so nice, but, now that the festivities are behind me...I'm sort of sad today. It still comes down to the "goodbye to Summer thing", I guess. Since we forgot the camera, I really can't show you how gorgeous everything and everyone looked, but we had F U N and got to see a lot of old friends to chat with at the reception!!!!! We are always disappointed that we can't dance much with all the little kids running all over the dance floor. Things have certainly changed. Weddings were basically for "grownups" or at least well-behaved older children when I was growing up. Now people bring newborns and keep the kids out till all hours. They were jumping and running all over the place! Oh...well....we dance every weekend...I'm just sayin'.......
Yesterday, I went to mass and almost everyone who was at the wedding was NOT there! They must have still been partying! Gone are those nights when we stay out all night, so I was safely tucked in my bed, no worse for the wear! One martini and a few kisses later.....Use your imagination! lol.
Today is the beginning of a new week winding down of the month of September. Time to get out the Halloween decorations and decide if we're having a party here at the house or not. We'll see.
I have been sitting here thinking about some of the friends I've made on Sparkpeople and wishing I could see them. Personalities have come through loud and clear with the constant and intermittent communication. I have gotten very fond of some of you!! I feel as though we've known one another for years...I feel your happiness, your sadness....joy and pain. We've shared thoughts and feelings and secrets and some of you have really gotten to me.......That's a good thing, right? It would be, except that I know that I won't meet most of you, if any. Amazement sets in when I realize I've not even been communicating with my Sparkbuds for even a year!!!!!! My heart is always open and I wouldn't have it any other way. With that said.....know that I care about you...You know who you are; (whether or not we speak daily, weekly or just occasionally),...and my "door" is always open! Wishing you every happiness and please feel free to "tug at my heart" any time! XXOO Mary Ann
PS....Sorry for the rambling....but just needed to say the words today...Thanks for being here to listen. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
These relationships can be very strong...How about you? Are you feelin' it, too?

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Pre-HUGE WEDDING PLANNING!

Saturday, September 19, 2009

OKAY...So I have been looking to our friend's sons' wedding for months. The "kids" are both pharmacists, so have gotten the education taken care of, started their careers and planned this huge wedding. It starts with the actual Catholic church wedding at 2:30. (better get there early because the church will be brimming!)....5 o'clock drinks and those tiny tidbits of joy, the appetizers! Now...Everyone knows you can make a meal out of those things at the pre-dinner!!! BRACE MYSELF NOW! At 6:30, the sit-down dinner begins and I mean it's a YUMMY OFFERING! MERCY! Get ready.....now..the cake. Pace myself. I am using my imagination and seeing what and what not I am going to indulge in at this very moment. I know, some of you are thinking that I'm taking all the fun out of it, but....hey, I do what I have to do to stay at this weight! I am so looking forward to watching this lovely couple begin their life together, their parents and my dear friends...the joy on their faces as they watch their only son take his vows and begin a new life with his beautiful, young bride. Then I'm looking forward to dancing & dancing & dancing....sharing their JOY! After all these years, I never get tired of nice weddings. Call me ROMANTIC! But I still believe.......

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Whom do you want in your life?

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Here's a good question to internalize and journal about......I have asked my granddaughter to list three things she finds important....characteristics....of people she would like to have as friends. How would they behave and react? She listed these:
1. Unselfishness...generous people seem to have more friends.
2. Fairness...........People who play fair seem to be respected.
3. Having a good attitude........Being upbeat and happy. Being enthusiastic.

I thought these were very good....She seems to be picking her friends wisely, trying to be friendly to everyone. Trying hard not to be in a "click", but trying to fit in diverse groups and accepting people's differences, learning about them without judging. I asked her what she does when she hears "bad language" by her peers. She said she lets them "go in one ear and out the other".
Okay.....so I figure her transition from the Catholic school to middle school this year has been successful so far. She has lots of friends. Her mother takes the kids a lot of places on the weekends and stays with them. She is a very good mother. Haley's grades are very good...Life is good!!! So far, so good!
After I thought about her answers awhile I was struck by the fact that she was adjusting, evaluating, learning to fit, to get along. Some of my own peers are having a difficult time of it in their own life. If only we could see the world from a childs' eyes again every day, perhaps we would all be better off. Learn not to judge and accept people who are different, think differently. At the least, it would be interesting!!! Why do we have to just want to hang out with people who think and act the way we do....who we have "something in common" with? I love embracing opinionated people.....people who are different. To be my friend, you don't always have to agree with me...I will accept your views and still find something I like about YOU!!! And I adore people who will allow me to be me. Hope you all have a great night, my Sparkfriends!.....XXOO

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Moving the SETPOINT*EXERCISE

Sunday, September 13, 2009

EXERCISE! THAT'S RIGHT.....By exercising regularly we can reset the setpoint mechanism of the brain and help reduce our appetite by lowering the point at which we feel full. I still am conversing with people who are just "dieting" with little or no effort to exercise. With all the SP info here, I have been somewhat amazed by that. Then...we act surprised or dismayed when the weight doesn't just "fall off". Physical activity stimulates the metabolism for a number of hours after the exercise is completed. Our bodies are literally furnaces that need to be stoked.....We've GOT that part! The other part...is the actual WORK. We have to go above and beyond....challenging ourselves from time to time to move the SETPOINT! THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT. If we do the same routine over and over (I have friends who do the same thing day after day, day in and day out), our bodies begins to get used to it and doesn't burn the fuel as quickly or efficiently. SUCCESS IS ATTAINABLE....I'm hoping that those of you who can and will put for the effort to do the work...know that it is DEFINITELY ATTAINABLE AT ANY WEIGHT OR AGE!
I'm cheering for you....hoping that you don't ever give up on your goals. Bless you all this Sunday and every day.....XXOO MaryAnn

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LOSING AND LEARNING****& CHERRIES

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

As I watched the team and the fans move toward their cars after my granddaughters' fastpitch softball game yesterday, I was struck by the forlorn look on most of the faces. Chins down, frowns....and I just couldn't help smiling to myself, thinking...."Will people ever really learn THE lesson in life?" Losing isn't always a BAD thing! Only when we are down, do we truly appreciate being UP! If we were all just winners winning all the time, we could never fully appreciate it. Only by losing and learning how to be A GOOD, GRACEFUL LOSER, are we able to grow, learn to adjust....to learn to 'ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES"...if I may repeat that for the millionth time! LOL. I don't mean that I wanted to see my granddaughter jumping for joy with a huge smile on her face, but I want her to be able to accept a defeat with grace...with poise....contemplate the loss and move on as quickly as possible to the next challenge, whatever it may be. I think we are teaching her that. We are there every game to see that she does that. And somewhere along the way, she will learn that "life is not always a bowl of cherries", but to achieve success, you have to be able to "rise above". With that said, I'll bid you all a good day.....and a....YUMMY BOWL OF CHERRIES! Love and peace to you, my Sparkly friends! XXXOOO Mary Ann
Courage doesn't always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice
at the end of the day, saying,
"I will try again tomorrow."
~ mary anne radmacher~

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