housekeeping and then some

here is the housekeeping part:

many of you have said how difficult it is to post on my blog - i cannot experience this since i am writing it.  please send me a message, a post, a text or call me and explain to me what is happening so i can address it.

the ones that have been able to post have said some really great stuff!  i hope you will help me honor them by reading their comments.  

i am so thrilled by the number of you who are reading.  get this - there have been 250 readers from the usa, 8 from canada (hi jaclyn!), 1 from croatia and 1 from pakistan.  how cool is that?

i am humbled by the kind notes i have received thanking me for being bold, brave, etc. and writing the blog.  i have to admit i do not feel brave.  writing my thoughts is like breathing or blinking.  it just happens and i embrace it because i am not sure i could stop it anyway - well, i could not write the thoughts down but the only reason  they get written is because they are there and what else can you do with thoughts besides express them?

i would welcome your suggestions of topics for me to write about.  i am rarely without something to write but would LOVE to have your suggestions.  (like marcus and dallas did in their comments!)  and trust me - those questions will be addressed.  but i have to feel it which means i need to go back and re-read what was written, think about it and then write . . . and i will!  

and here is the and then some part:

as i reflect on what i have been experiencing over the last few weeks there are several lessons that i can not ignore:

• life is about the downs as much as the ups
• there are no guarantees that things will work out to my preferences and i refuse to sit out the journey, adventure or experience just because i can not see the future or the outcome
• many people are walking through life in a sort of lifeless, soulless stupor and i am not even sure they realize it - and it makes me sad - so take a look in the mirror and either do something about it or do your hair - your choice
• i can look in your eyes and tell if you are ok or not - do not try and pretend - it is unbecoming to a lady and a gentleman both - and that goes for me as well
• goodness comes around in lots of different packages - might i suggest you unwrap one of them

and here are just a few things to try as you have time:

• catch someone doing something good instead of doing something bad
• buy an ice cream cone, pay for the next person in line and then smile and leave
• listen to music of an artist you have quite possibly never heard of - might i suggest carla bruni
• ask a person of significant age what color their hair was when they were young and then listen
• stop pretending everything is ok when it is not
• discover the difference between recognition and appreciation and then practice it

that is just the beginning of the list but sleep calls so i must stop for now.  i appreciate you taking the time to read my blog.  thank you for sharing a bit of your day with me.