My sons were born on October 1st. There were lots of celebrations bookended up against their birthday so having a Halloween Party often substituted for a big bash on their birthday. I used to remember all the costumes they wore but have forgotten some over the years. I do remember the fun.

Their first Halloween, they were only a month old and my dad brought home little derby hats and took them around to neighbors and showed off his grandsons as Laurel & Hardy. He was always so very proud of them.

The first several years I would use those soft, feet in sleepers as the inspiration for their costumes. One that was particularity cute was a blue sleeper that had a little lion embroidered over the heart area. So I made them a lion's mane out of orange yarn and drew whiskers on their faces.

One of the parties I remember the best was at our house on Catawba Street. We moved the furniture around and got the whole family involved. My father-in-law was visiting and was the Mad Scientist in the kitchen. My Mom wore frightening make-up and told scary stories in one of the bedrooms. The whole house was transformed into our own Haunted House experience. It was a blast.

When I was a child in Arlington, we would go to Westover Shopping Center for a costume contest. My Mom was creative and I remember one year my costume was a robot made out of a box covered in tinfoil. They had to slide me into the back of the station wagon to transport me.

I remember going trick or treating around the block and the wonderful crackle of the leaves under our feet and the smells of cider and cinnamon doughnuts. It was fun going through our bags and pushing away the apples and popcorn balls and eating the candy corn and miniature snickers until I experienced a "sugar high."

Even now as an adult I enjoy this holiday. A few years ago I went to Hillsboro State Park and went through their haunted woods. It scared me but was tons of fun. This year I went to ZooBoo at the Lowry Park Zoo. It was great fun and definitely frightening. http://www.lowryparkzoo.com/zooboo/index.html

My son, Jim and his family were inspired by Star Wars this year. I am sure the force will be with them.



Tom and his family had fun at a Fall Festival over the weekend. it sounds like they had a great time. Fall is a wonderful time for family fun. I hope you and your family have a safe and fantastic holiday and Fall season.

Nothing special happened. I didn't even go to a movie or eat out in a nice restaurant. Even the Tampa Bay Bucs lost to the Giants.

Mother Nature created a magnificent day. Warm and sunny with a nice breeze and low humidity. I made progress on my work. I enjoyed a terrific walk. My "have tos" and errands were completed without any problem.

It was simply a nice, zippity do dah day. Thankfully, no bird traveled on my shoulder but if it had, I am sure it would have been the Bluebird of Happiness.

"My private measure of success is daily. If this were to be the last day of my life would I be content with it? To live in a harmonious balance of commitments and pleasures is what I strive for."
Jane Rule

I will miss the longer days. I am already waiting in anxious anticipation for the return of Daylight Savings Time so we "spring forward."

Time seems turbo powered. Each year goes by faster than the year before. It would make sense that turning back the clock, even one hour would create a sense of turning back time and truly "gaining" an hour.

But it appears that I am solar powered and energized by light; as a result getting dark early "shortens" my day. My batteries droop about 3 hours after it gets "hard dark."

Needless to say that means my days spin more out of control during the fall and winter than during the spring and summer.

There are only 63 days left in 2006 and I have at least 6 months worth of life and work to squeeze in.

Salvador Dali looked at the world through a series of optical illusions. I've never enjoyed his masterpieces. They remind me of nightmares however he may have the right idea of time.

No one gets more than someone else yet we all twist and shape it to suit our own particular lifestyle and circumstances.
How do you feel about Daylight Savings time? Did you remember to reset your clocks? How do you change the clock on the VCR (that has always confused me)?

Long or short, sunny or not, I hope you have a sensational Sunday.

"Depend on the rabbit's foot if you will, but remember it didn't work for the rabbit."

R.E. Shay

All too often, the red flags that dot the beach warning when the surf is unsafe, go unnoticed or worse - ignored.


This means that the Coast Guard is called to" search and rescue." Sometimes at risk to their own life.


Maybe we need to replace the flags with loudspeakers. When the current is strong and the water unsafe, it can blare the theme from Jaws. Everyone recognizes that sound and it would certainly deter people from stepping foot in the water. Just a thought.

The sign says Help Wanted but it is more than that....it is needed, urgently! Throughout the years I have had a variety of occupations and diverse responsibilities. Happily, I was able to learn and grow in each experience. I even evolved into a trainer and had the opportunity to mentor and teach a wide variety of people.

I was able to do this because I had the greatest people mentoring and teaching me. Skip Oldham took a chance on me as an inexperienced Travel Agent and thanks to his belief in me I devoured all opportunities to learn the various aspects of selling travel, being professional and customer service.

Years later at Travel Agents International, I learned from David Hallal how to be an interactive instructor sharing information about the franchise experience and tips that would help franchisees increase their profitability.

At TradeWinds Island Resorts, I was mentored by a wide variety of people: some worked at TradeWinds, some at other resorts, the Convention& Visitors Bureau, and some were CEOs and managers of various corporations. Each encouraged me to be creative and utilize my marketing and sales skills.

Now I am on my own, more than ever before.

It occurs to me that although I have the tools and experience to move forward, I miss not having a mentor.

I would love to find a "geek" to help me make my website a reality. Hmm, while I'm wishing how about a "bean counter" to help me with my accounting, a "jargon interpreter" to translate some of the terminology I'm encountering and maybe a "leprechaun" that can bring me some good luck as I find my way to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Me, myself and I had better stop musing and get back to work. Enjoy your day. It looks like it is going to be terrific!!!

"It doesn't matter how long we may have been stuck in a darken sense of our limitations. If we go into a darkened room and turn on the light, it doesn't matter if the room has been dark for a day, a week, or ten thousand years - we turn on the light and it is illuminated. "
Sharon Salzberg

Now I just need to find my switch so I can turn on my light that will be terrific.

Actually, it is more like my internal light, my current feeling of being stuck overwhelmed by my limitations, is more a product of a dimmer switch being turned down rather than my being in total darkness. I need to find a way to illuminate my spirit, turn up my skills and confidence a notch or two.

I like the quote. In the end it doesn't matter how long the room was dark, when the light was turned on it was illuminated. That is a great reminder that it is important to remain hopeful.

I hope you take a moment to watch this top video. It is inspiring and a great reminder on a Monday morning that limitations may not be limitations afterall.

I wish you a day when you believe in miracles and possibilities. http://www.goals-2-go.com/videos.htm

Matt Bryant nailed one of the most impressive field goals in NFL history, a 62-yard game-winner at the buzzer, to give the Bucs a wildly improbable 23-21 victory over the Eagles.

It didn’t seem possible, but somehow Matt Bryant found a way to trump Ronde Barber’s two-touchdown, déjà vu performance.

What did Bryant do? Only nail one of the most stunning field goals in NFL history, a 62-yard game-winner to provide the final points at the end of regulation in a 23-21 Tampa Bay Buccaneers win over the visiting Philadelphia Eagles. It was the second-longest game-winning field goal ever in the NFL, trailing only Tom Dempsey’s historic 63-yarder for New Orleans against Detroit on November 8, 1970.

“It was a very exciting, thrilling victory,” said Head Coach Jon Gruden. “I’m very proud of our football team. “Obviously Matt Bryant gets own room when we go on road now, and anything else he wants.

“That’s one of most dramatic finishes to a football game any of us will ever see. To beat a team like Philadelphia is an amazing accomplishment, I don’t care what the statistics say. To beat two of the best teams in football in two straight weeks is quite an accomplishment.”

The TV is filled with political commercials vying to sway voters. This has been common place for years. This year what is different is that something is missing from these ads. Have you noticed? They don't say Republican or Democrat? In the past each ad stressed the party affiliation. Ads today still are negative or positive but rarely mention the candidates party allegiance.

Being told that it couldn't be done, he responded "It's fun to do the impossible."

I am imspired by Walt Disney and how "can't" and "impossible" weren't insurmountable obstacles for him.

Recently, I have found myself distracted from my work writing a sales and marketing book and launching Ideas Unlimited, LLC. At first I thought I was simply suffering from Fall Fever but as I did my daily walk this morning, I realized I am missing my parents, my grandparents and David Hallal - each who now live in heaven.

I am filled with memories of loved ones, friends and family that I haven't seen for a long time. I am blessed because I have those memories in the first place.

It is a special gift when you can look over your shoulder and remember that you have treasured experiences and people in your rearview mirror. As I walked, I noticed lots of beautiful feathers along the 6 miles. Once upon a time I was told that finding an unexpected feather in your path was a message of a love from heaven.

Happily today I had lots of unexpected messages of love.

Have you ever noticed that the people we watch on television don't watch television?

Occasionally, they will show them watching a news report or sporting event, but in general the people in TV Land seem to be too busy living to sit around and watch TV.

Here's hoping you have a Friday the 13th that is both lucky and maybe even finds you with super powers. Enjoy
Even Spiderman needs a little help and a little some juice is always a good thing.

"This life is a test. It is only a test. Had it been an actual life, you would have received further instructions on where to go and what to do!"
Anonymous

This is where I go most everyday. On the weekend I like to go here for brunch. During the week I find inspiration for my book as I walk this beach.

I've taken my sons and their families here and built sand castles. I've walked this beach with my dear friend David Hallal before he passed away. I've played in the surf with loved ones and rejuvenated my spirit here.

No wonder with so many glorious and wonderful beaches here on the Gulf Coast, beaches just across the street from where I live, that I choose to go the 5 miles to Pass-A-Grille. It is a touch of home for me.

My life has been filled with many residents. I have moved often. My homes have come and gone like the water washing away my sand castles so another can be built in its place.

I love the water and feel sometimes that I must be a misplaced mermaid. That would explain why I don't understand when people aren't nice to each other and why I feel so at home at the seashore.

Whether it was sitting on the "big rocks" at the creek near my childhood home in Arlington, or at Watagua Lake, to being at Pass-A-Grille today - I love being outside at the water's edge where problems seem smaller and possibilities enormous.

In life it may be hard to accept change and education is not always fun, BUT these are the ingredients that can result in great unexpected success. May you soar to good health, happiness and success.

"It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg."
– C. S. Lewis

It is postcard perfect weather.

I always have loved fall in Tennessee. The trees turning beautiful colors, the smells, the chill in the air, the way Mother Nature Shows off, it is all spectacular.

Here are leaves don't change color and fall to the ground. Of course, this is a good thing as racking palm frons would not be an easy task. The air feels great now, the humidity has dropped and the sun still warms your shoulders.

I love the flavors of fall and am happy that they can be found here as well as in Tennessee. Pumpkin and cranberry can be found in muffins and there are apples in everything. Delicious. I even found a pomegranate at the store. They are fun to eat although I confess to being a purple mess by the time I am through.

The moon was full this weekend and looked fantastic. I hope that wherever you are that you are enjoying the beauty of the season in all its radiant colors. The only downside to Fall is that Winter is close behind.

Even though winter in Florida is mild and there is nearly never snow, the clocks will soon need to be turned back and the days will become shorter. Yes, I realize all days have 24 hours but when you are basically solared powered that extra hour of daylight can make a big difference in energy.

I hope you enjoy your fall. Carve a pumpkin. Maybe go to a football game. Enjoy some comfort food. Collect some beautiful leaves and press them in a book. Drink some cider. Jump into a pile of leaves. Have fun. Life is for living and enjoying.

"There is only one success-to be able to spend your life in your own way."
American Novelist & Poet, Christopher Morley (1890-1957)

"Dance as though no one's watching, sing as if no one's listening and live everyday as if it were your last."

"If I never met you, I wouldn't like you. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't love you. If I didn't love you, I wouldn't miss you. But I did, I do, and I will.”

It seems that the momentum of life can be overwhelming sometimes. We are busy with the daily routines of life, meeting the responsibilities of business and home, dealing with crises and putting out fires.

Our inner critic can sound deafening reminding us of all the "coulda, shouldas" that slipped through our grasp or we didn't tend to. It is somehow easier for us to be more tolerant of others than of ourselves.

It was 20 years ago that I moved to Florida. 1986 was a year that was filled with life changing choices and events in my world. Everyday I miss my dad that died that year. I often think about my sister-in-law Julie and how bravely she and my brother faced her battle with cancer. I remember vividly the adventure of risking leaving my job that year to travel around the country for 3 months by car, train, and plane. I remember the excitement of visiting my sons at college and the pride I felt for my Mom as she had to create a new life without my father. 2006 was a rollercoaster of emotions and forever changes in my life.

Now all these years later I realize that 2006 has become another life changing year for me. If it were possible to get an aerial view of my life it would be a zigzagging, twisting, turning, circular pattern. Some people feel life is destiny, that there is no point in planning. Although clearly, more often than not, my original plans turn into Plan B. I think life is more about choices. I've made some good choices and some horrific ones but they are mine.

The one constant in my life has been the blossoming and growth of my spiritual life. I used to feel self-conscious and guilty because my faith didn't fit into a specific, organized religion or creed. How ridiculous to feel concerned about whether I can fit into a spirtitual mold when so far my life has been nothing, if not, an unpredictable blessed adventure.

I love the poem "Footprints in the sand." As a beach bum it is a perfect symbol for me. I am positive that if I could see my footprints in the sand I would see times when God carried me and times when we danced together in celebration. I learned a long time ago from Psalm 2:12 "Blessed are all those who take refuge in him." Knowing this, I need to work on silencing my inner critic or at the very least believe in myself as much as I believe in others. I shall work on this. Afterall God doesn't make junk.

Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord, Â?You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there have only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?Â?

The Lord replied, Â?The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand, is when I carried you.Â?

Mary Stevenson

I hope you realize you are terrific, just the way you are. Thank you for stopping by and reading my ramblings today.