Words of Wisdom

I absolutely love this message.

I was introduced to this work on The Grommet.  Check out the link below.

http://www.thegrommet.com/holstee-cards-posters-and-frames?utm_campaign=20131231&utm_content=15144&utm_medium=email&utm_source=CC&trk_msg=TVLH07ITURL41ATKF9PNV8C9M8&trk_contact=6PJ17299EJ5SLGM27119G0AQ7K

You can also find it on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Mother-Teresa-Anyway-Motivational-Poster/dp/B00867DFXI/ref=pd_sim_hg_1

Cheers!

Happy New Year!

We're just hours away from welcoming the year 2014.  We here in this part of the world will reach it twelve hours ahead of the West Coast, and nine hours ahead of the ball dropping in New York City.

I love this time of year.  It's a natural "reboot."

It's a time to let go of the past, and warmly welcome the future.

A new year marks new beginnings.

Like the new school year every September, but only better.

It's a time of re-evaluations in our lives - deciding what's working and what's not and making the appropriate adjustments.

It's a time of prioritizing our lives, putting those things that should be first, first.

It's a time of recognizing the triumphs of the previous year, and a time to learn from the mistakes and missteps during this period.

It's a time of making ernest goals - short term and long term - with strategies in place to make them happen.

It's a time to give thanks for our many blessings, including our good health.

Here's wishing that this year is the beginning of the best years of your life.

Happy New Year!

A Taste of Home

Today I had an unplanned trip to Abu Dhabi to pick up my insurance card, and while there, I decided to stretch my legs at one of the malls.

Lo and behold, there was a Red Lobster among the cluster of restaurants.  Some US brand eating establishments are commonly found here.  TGIF, Appleby's, Olive Garden.  But not Red Lobster.  We also have lots of McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Subway and KFC.  In fact, I've seen a McDonald's and KFC in every country I've visited except France.  There weren't any where the tourists hangout in Paris.  That would be a cryin' shame to waste your appetite on Mickey D's when you can feast on food cooked with real butter, heavy cream and all the bread you can eat.

Seriously, I don't know how the Parisians eat the way they do and look so incredibly fit.  Lots of folks were walking, but many were eating personal size French bread as they walked.  Bread seems to be the main stable of their diet.

Anyway, I was thinking of that, and all the food that I enjoyed while there, as I was eating the Red Lobster cheese biscuits.  They are down home delicious!

I know.  I know.  You're thinking I'd better add a heavy rotation of longterm intense exercise real soon.

I'm way ahead of you.

My New Year's resolution is all about getting, and staying active.

And . . .

I will stick to it.

I will stick to it.

I will stick to it.

But for now, I'm enjoying some cheese biscuits.

Merry Christmas!

I just walked in the door from my travels.  Usually, I unpack as soon as I get home, but today is special and it needs to be recognized.

It's Christmas morning.

So . . .

A Very Merry Christmas to you all!

I don't miss all of the commercialism associated with this day, but without it and the reminders of buying and giving, the day can seem like just another day.  You have to make a conscience effort to recognize and appreciate it.

The seven hour flight from Paris turned into a twelve hour one.  We were late leaving because of heavy runway traffic, and I missed my connecting flight.  Then there was a four hour layover to wait for the next flight to travel less than an hour (the missed flight was 55 minutes long) to get to Abu Dhabi.  Plus add another three more hours of driving to get home.

It's been a long day.

As I was waiting in Bahrain, I was mentally writing a blistering letter to the airlines letting them know this layover was unacceptable.  The connecting flight had not left when we arrived, but they chose to depart without us.  Not sure who made that call, but it was a lousy one for the majority of us, as Bahrain is a major hub and most of us had connecting flights.

Anyway, I wasn't feeling very festive, but then I remembered what day it was, and I was reminded to be grateful.

Especially today.

I decided not to write this nasty-gram to Gulf Air.

I'm sure there's a reason I was delayed.  By the time I got on the road at four this morning, there was virtually no traffic, so it was smooth sailing all the way.

Now that I've set the scene as to where my head was early on this Christmas morning, I have made the necessary adjustments, and now I want to take this opportunity to continue to share my attitude of gratitude.

I appreciate and . . .

I'm grateful for . . .

My boys, and the fine husbands and fathers they have grown up to be.

I'm grateful for my daughters-in-law, for the love and patience they've brought to their homes.

I'm grateful for my girls, Zadie and Milu, and the joy they bring.  I believe God knew what He was doing in giving me sons to raise because that's all I knew, but having these little girls now, is an amazing blessing.  I appreciate the joy of having them, without the job of raising them.

I'm grateful for my brothers, and their wives (even the crazy, wicked one).  There's a reason for having ugly people in our lives.  We appreciate everyone else that much more.

I'm grateful for my family and friends, and the many people that have crossed my path on this journey.

I'm grateful for the technological advances in computers and online communication that have made it effortless to keep in touch by phone, video, and through email (and social media, which I haven't ventured into yet).  I remember when Ben was living in Indonesia in 2004, communication was a challenge.  We've made incredible gains since then.

I'm grateful for the wisdom that I've gained as I've gotten older.  It doesn't have to take years to figure things out, but in my case, it did.

I'm grateful that I learned to forgive.  I was 55 when I got it, but I figured it out, thank God.  Believe me when I say choosing to forgive has changed my life.  I know I harp on this a lot, but this "thing" blocks us and holds us back from being all we could be because we choose to be stuck on stupid.  It saddens me to hear of siblings who are estranged, and kids who have rifts with their parents, and every other kind of mess that keeps our relationships stressed and strained.  Let me encourage you.  Swallow your pride and be the bigger person.  End the madness. Make it right now, whatever "it" is.  Do it for yourself, and because it's the right thing to do.  No matter the response of the other party, take the high road, until they figure out it's the only road if you're looking for peace.

And, finally . . .

I'm grateful for you, for taking this journey with me.

Merry Christmas!

"But Grandma Faye Said . . . "

See earlier post entitled "Santa Claus" dated Dec. 6th.

Plotting

I think my girls are plotting something.

Ben with Milu (1 yr old)
Frankie with Zadie (3 yrs old)

Paris, je t'aime

I'm spending my last day in this beautiful city.

It's overcast, with a steady drizzle, that quite frankly kept me inside yesterday, but today I weathered the elements to see some more of all there is to see.

I toured the Latin Quarter, which is home of the Sorbonne, The University of Paris, and a lively art and music district that dates back centuries.

The Sorbonne
I downloaded this picture because mine was fuzzy.

This area did not appear to be as well traveled by tourists, but seemed to be mostly occupied by Parisians.

I've had a wonderful time here, but this is city that must be shared.

Thanks for letting me share it with you.

A flower shop.  There was at least one on every block.
The floral scents were heavenly.

A fruit market.  These were plentiful, too.

A church.  I walked into one, close to my hotel,
that was referential.  Somehow it projected holiness
in its physical being.  I didn't take pictures.
It just didn't seem right.

An intersection in the Latin Quarter

I was surprised at the number of bookstores around.
Not the big megastores, but these were neighborhood stores.

This storefront is called the Galactic Store.
I'm not into these action figures, but the way there're displayed,
it looks like they're ready from battle.  Really cute.

Au revoir Paris

How to Fold a T-Shirt

Too cool not to share.

http://www.howcast.com/videos/241348-How-to-Fold-a-TShirt-in-Two-Seconds

Lessons From Football

Football.

It's silly, dangerous, and can make a lifetime impact . . . sometimes good, many times horribly bad.

In spite of these contradictions, there are lessons to be learned, as noted from a woman who loves the game.

http://www.marieclaire.com/career-money/jan-crawford-cbs-career-advice-college-football?click=list4

Bon Appetit!

The food here is amazing!

Even the junk food, sold on the sidewalks, is incredible.

The crepes!  The waffles!  The hot chocolate!

In fact, the hot chocolate tastes like melted chocolate.

So smooth.  So rich.

And . . .

The bread.

The smell of fresh bread is everywhere!

I've spent the last couple of days very leisurely enjoying the sights and sounds of this magnificent city.  Like Prague, this is a walking city.  I've seen a few taxis and buses, but it looks like many folks walk to their destinations.  There is a subway system I haven't explored, that I'm guessing is pretty active underground.

Although this is a large city by any measure, it feels quaint and inviting.

The French have a reputation for being rude, but that has not been my experience at all.  People have gone out of their to be nice and accommodating.

This is also a city that represents a wide cross section of people.  They're whites, blacks, Asians, Indians, and everything in between.  The blacks I've met are from French speaking African nations.  The funniest thing was seeing Southeast Asian women - Vietnamese, maybe - speaking fluent French.  It confuses your eyes and ears for a minute.

Side note - It's cold, for real now.  I would not be surprised to see snow.

Side note 2 - The days are very short.  The sun rises at about 9:00 am, and the sun starts to set at about 4:00pm.

This is a place where you quickly feel at home.

The Eiffel Tower peaking through the trees.

This is at the Notre Dame.
What I described in an earlier post as the back of the building
 was really the entrance.
There was a sign stating that.  Not sure how I missed it.

These are lovers' lock.
There are thousands of them attached to a fence 

This bridge is over the Seine River, next to the Notre Dame.

A view of the Notre Dame from the bridge.

Many of the streets are really narrow.
This one is especially so.

Many of the trees are trimmed in this fashion. 

A gallant warrior

Until next time.

Au revoir.

C'est Excellent!

Wow!

What a city!

I'm staying in a quaint hotel, less than a mile from the Notre Dame.  By US standards, it's tiny, but it has everything I need.

My plan was to get a panoramic view of the city via the Big Bus Tour.  So, with clear directions from the hotel folks, and Google Maps on my phone, I was ready to find the bus stop I needed.

Side note -

It's cold.

Not bone chilling sub zero cold, but cold nonetheless.

Side note 2 -

I was here about twenty years ago when the boys and I accompanied Frank on one of his layovers in the city.  It was a real quick visit.

After waiting a while for the bus, I discovered I was waiting at a "retired" bus stop.  A friendly merchant pointed me in the right direction, and after a few minutes more, I was on the bus, seeing the city.

Notre Dame

This entryway at the back of the Notre Dame is so incredibly ornate.

A close-up of the entryway.

 Across the street from the Notre Dame is an automatic public toilet.  You press a button and the door rolls open, you step in, and it closes.  It's fairly big, but very spartan, just a toilet and sink.  After you complete your business, you push a button, the door opens.  Once you get out, the door closes and it self-cleans before the next person enters.  There was no cost to use it and it really was pretty cool.

Once on the bus, I opted to sit on top in the open air, to get better pictures.  Well, the pictures I took were a real disappointment.  I was cold, fiddling with my gloves, and fighting to keep a cute cap on my head.  Why is it "cute" is rarely practical?

Anyway, the best of the lot is below.

The Seine River that runs through the city.

Avenue Des Champs Elysees -
 Shoppers' Paradise, with retail shopping along both sides of the boulevard.
The Arc De Triomphe is in the distance.

Arc De Triomphe - Can be reached via tunnels to get a close up view.
You can also go to the top.  The view of the city must be spectacular from there.

Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower up close

More soon.

Au revoir.

Bonjour!

Later today I'm headed to Paris.

I'm reminded often of my parents' ability to speak Creole French, but it was looked down upon, so they choose not to teach us.  And of course, I didn't push it because I couldn't see the benefit.

I was so young and dumb, about so many things.

Anyway, I love the French language.  No matter what is being said, it has such a lovely, warm, romantic sound to it.

So, for a few days, I'm immersing myself in all things French.

More soon from the City of Lights.

Festive Cheer

Kids lip-synching a Christmas song.  Hilarious, although some of the choir members don't seem amused.   Check it out below.

http://www.flixxy.com/kids-lip-syncing-a-wonderful-christmas-song.htm

Now that you're in a festive mood, check out this article about ex-0ffenders starting over.  Send your Boston family and friends over to this place.  This is the kind of venture we all need to support.

http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2013/12/ex_offenders_learn_restaurant_biz_at_boston_s_whisk.2.html

My Guys With Their Girls

Frankie and Ben and their families were together recently.  Their girls met for the first time.   Zadie just turned three years old and Milu has her first birthday later this month.

Check out the fun below.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e31mwxj2gfk52kk/IDgZ3EnpP6#lh:null-IMG_0844.MOV

A Powerful Message

This article is in today's New York Times.  I hope you're able to open the link, but if not, it's entitled "A Lesson Before Dying" by Charles Blow and it can be found in the Opinions Pages.  It is an absolute must read.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/07/opinion/a-lesson-before-dying.html?src=me&ref=general&_r=0

Big Government

In the United Sates, there is always lots of talk by those on the Right, especially the Far Right, about how big our government is, and how we should strive to keep it out of our lives.

I disagree.

Here's why:

I want the government to have regulations and safety systems in place when buildings are erected.  A lack of government oversight is why the buildings in so many places around the world are death traps. Bangladesh garment factories come to mind.

I want the government to inspect the building of our homes, so we can go to sleep at night confident that the workmanship is solid and safe, from the foundation to the roof, and everything in between.

I want the government to oversee the processing and packaging of food items, so that I'm reasonably certain I'm getting what the label says I'm getting.  In many places, you buy food with your fingers crossed.

I want the government to oversee the disposal of garbage and waste, to ensure that it's properly disposed of, and to be sure that it's taken care of on a regular basis.  In Egypt and in India, it looked like mounds of garbage had been piling up on the side of the road for years.

I want the government to oversee public safety.  I want to walk around without having to watch every step for fear of falling in a pothole left uncovered, or an uneven payment that is not marked.

I want the government to ensure that all public spaces are accessible to the disabled. They should feel welcomed wherever they go, with easy access.  Of the places I've been, the US leads the pack in accessibility.

I want the government to build and take responsibility for roads and highways, so that the infrastructure is solid and reliable.

I want the government to monitor work conditions, so that safety procedures are in place and adhered to, to monitor and reduce the number of workers hurt on the job. OSHA comes to mind.

I want the government to stand ready to help in times of need.  The many natural disasters, and the government's response to them to help the people recover, comes to mind.  Remember FEMA?

This list could go on and on, but you get the idea.

One of the greatest aha moments I've had living abroad, is recognizing how much we're protected by the government in America, and how those protections greatly impact the quality of our lives.

So for all those who would prefer not to have big government in their lives, I suggest they take a moment and consider the alternative.

Then . . .

They should be thankful for what they do have.

Santa Claus

WARNING!

SPOILER ALERT!

IF YOU STILL BELIEVE IN SANTA CLAUS, STOP READING NOW!

Contrary to popular opinion, Frank and I chose to tell Ben and Frankie that Santa wasn't real, and didn't bring the gifts they found under the tree.  We told them this when they were little guys.

Our rationale?

Why lie?

Plus, no big, fat guy in the red suit and long beard was going to get credit for all of the work I/we did in buying and wrapping all the presents.

Did they miss out on a fantasy?

Yep.

Did they need counseling as a result?

Nope.  Not yet.  I don't think.

I always thought that at some point, you're gonna have to fess up and tell the truth, and then the kids would think, "What else have you lied to be about?"

So, we were the truth sayers,

Or

The Grinch personified.

Either way.

We had Merry Christmases.

Here's wishing yours are, too.

You Gotta Love This Critter, Too

Who's in charge?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/04/monkey-crushes-leaves_n_4387659.html

You Gotta Love Cats!

Priceless!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/05/dogs-terrified-of-walking-past-cats_n_4276499.html

An Extraordinary Man

The world woke up today to the news that Nelson Mandala has died.  This tribute, from Mohammad Ali, is amazing.  There will be thousands of remembrances of this great man, but Ali's statement encapsulates his life perfectly.

Rest in peace Mr. Mandala.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/muhammad-ali/tribute-to-nelson-mandela_b_4340781.html