The police in Florida have gone undercover at intersections to catch drivers running the caution and red lights.

Statistics have shown that accidents are on the increase throughout the state because of this, "I can outrun the light" behavior.

Some police are dressed as homeless, some as construction workers. The choices are as varied as the Village People.

Please be cautious at intersections, not because you may get a ticket but because we want you safe.

I am begin day two of being Sleepy. I have had enough sleep, eaten well and exercised but still feel droopy.

If I didn't know better I would think I had been transported to Africa and was feeling the effects of the dreaded tsetse fly.

My friends say that I am lethargic because the sun has been hiding behind the clouds. Although it has been hot and humid, the sun hasn't been able to recharge my batteries. That may be true. I have always proclaimed to be solar charged.

In any case, I am looking forward to becoming revitalized this weekend. Memorial Weekend has traditionally launched summer. Even though I live in Florida where summer resides most of the year, I have wonderful memories of summers gone by. School let out and the pools opened. I would be in the pool from Memorial Day to Labor Day splashing and having fun.

Now I have a pool at my disposal every day and it is just a short walk to the beach. I love it and appreciate how very fortunate I am.

I am looking forward to traveling to Tennessee tomorrow to share the weekend with my son Tom and his family. There are soccer games scheduled and hugs to collect. I had hoped to go to East Tennessee and visit with family and friends there too however time and the ever climbing cost of gas have postponed that adventure for another time.

I hope you enjoy a safe and fun Memorial Weekend. Please take a moment during the fun to remember our troops past and present and their families.

To all who take time out of your very busy day to read my blog, I send heartfelt thanks.

I am pleased to receive e-mails from people around the globe, people I have never met, that check in to see if I have written anything. Sometimes I receive comments and sometimes I receive scoldings that I have said stories are coming that have not yet materialized.

These are wonderful compliments and make my heart smile. I am currently working on the adventure that will take place beyond the beautiful flowers (reference posting May 15).

As for an update on my fitness program, I am walking everyday and am up to 4 to 5 miles daily. I am eating healthier, however I am not dieting. That process has never been very successful for me. Instead, I have adapted a new lifestyle of eating and portion control. It seems to be working. The number on the scale has gone down and the pile of clothes that are now too large is getting higher.

I recently learned that a friend has started their own blog. They are a gifted writer of poetry so I am delighted that they have caught the blogging bug. You can read their posts at www.applied-wisdom.blogspot.com

As of last Sunday, May 21, it has been 4 years since my son Jim helped me set-up my site to blog. It is fun to think I was blogging even before it became commonplace and gained popularity. I have enjoyed looking back in the archives and revisiting my past thoughts and experiences.

I wish each of you a terrific Tuesday. I am flattered that you share some of your precious day with me.

A special quote to share as I celebrate 4 years of ramblings:

"For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through. First some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness, happiness is the way. So treasure every moment you have and remember that time waits for no one. Happiness is a journey, not a destination." Souza

I was asked this interesting, thought provoking question. Can anyone describe someone they have not met?

Maybe. Maybe not. It would be an interesting exercise to see how accurate such a description might be. Can anyone describe someone they have not met?

I am definitely blessed to have the pleasure and privilege to be Jim and Tom's mom. I have tons of assorted memories. I just discovered that Jim has mentioned in word and pictures, some of his memories on his blog...http://www.jimmckay.blogspot.com
I laughed and cried as I discovered them.

His brother Tom has been equally creative over the years. I have schrolls rolled up inside toilet paper tubes, cards, pictures and fun voicemail messages.

It is a wonderful gift to feel that when your sons are grown into fantastic, respectable, good men and that they remember happy times during their childhood years. My sons faced lots of challenges when they were growing up. Despite all the moves, new schools, people and places their fantastic personalities and spirits blossomed.

They are both married now and have wonderful children. They are living by example. Their lives with are filled with fairness, caring, integrity, faith and love.

Tom and Jim are busy creating adventures with their own families. I love it when they call me and tell me about a bike trip they have taken, dogs they adopted, sports they coach, play and/or see. They take their families on vacations. They have taken their own childhood experiences, the happiest ones, and multiplied them expedentially to the next level. Even though I am geographically far from each of them they make me feel close by calling, writing and sharing photos of their adventures. Lucky, lucky me.

"Once you have started seeing the beauty of life, ugliness starts disappearing. If you start looking at life with joy, sadness starts disappearing. It is your choice."
Osho

"Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better."
King Whitney, Jr.

"The problem is never how to get new, innovative thoughts into your mind, but how to get old ones out. Every mind is a building filled with archaic furniture. Clean out a corner of your mind and creativity will instantly fill it."
Dee Hock

"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong."
Joseph Chilton Pearce

I have much to learn. I have fear to lose, spring cleaning needed in my mind, and confidence to grow. I am definitely a work in progress.

When I was out walking, I saw a man wearing a great t-shirt. It said, "Eat Right, Exercise, Die Anyway."

I laughed at the reminder that no matter how hard you may try to avoid it, this journey has an inevitable conclusion.

I am as guilty as many who try to do everything in their power to find short cuts to good health and fitness. It is amazing the lengths we will go to in order to avoid the simple truth that to lose weight and get fit, you must "eat less" and "exercise more." The world of fitness, diet books and the health craze have been financed by our desire for a miracle, magical quick fix. Even Oprah who could afford to pay any price hasn't found the "miracle pill" yet.

It would be nice if broccoli was as succulent and fun to eat as a hot fudge sundae. Or if pizza, cheeseburgers and fries increased metabolism and resulted in burning more calories than what you get from eating them, but alas that special power belongs to the (delicious?) celery.

My sister Wendy has discovered that Yoga is the direction for improved health and a state of well being both for her body and her spirit. I have found that my path is walking. As I walk, I also get a feeling of well being and it reflects positively in both my body and spirit.

I guess the real discovery is that each person needs to value themselves enough as a product of god's creation to do something. There isn't a "one size fits all" solution. Everyone needs movement. Otherwise we become stagnant and both our body and mind suffers. Maybe the best way to eliminate the guilt you feel by taking care of yourself is to realize that it is a gift you are giving to those that care about you.

If you say no one cares and are immersed in a pity party for yourself, "there isn't enough time, it doesn't matter, etc., etc." Then you may need to get moving more than anyone because there actually is a magical side effect to taking better care of yourself. You begin to feel better, less negative and people who care will no longer feel that it is a lost cause to reach out to help you because they will see that you are taking positive actions to create positive change and that is reason to celebrate.

My favorite t-shirt, "Eat right, Exercise, Die Anyway" is absolutely true but it is worth noting that the gentleman wearing the shirt was jogging. He aspired to a healthy quality of life while it lasts.

The Rorschach inkblot test is a psychological projective test of personality in which a subject's interpretations of ten standard abstract designs are analyzed as a measure of emotional and intellectual functioning and integration. The test is named after Hermann Rorschach (1884-1922) who developed the inkblots, although he did not use them for personality analysis.

The test is considered "projective" because the patient is supposed to project his or her real personality into the inkblot via the interpretation. The inkblots are purportedly ambiguous, structureless entities which are to be given a clear structure by the interpreter. Those who believe in the efficacy of such tests think that they are a way of getting into the deepest recesses of the patient's psyche or subconscious mind. Those who give such tests believe themselves to be experts at interpreting their patients' interpretations.

It occurred to me that many people look at someone else' life and draws conclusions from what they see based on their own circumstances and life experiences. They "project" their own personality and situations and make their interpretations.

I have always thought people were like icebergs, only a small portion of a person shows. The remainder remains under the surface.

We combine that knowledge with what we see, our everyday observations, our Rorschach Test and make judgments, "assumptions." It is inheritantly problematic to make judgments about other people. Ideally, we should care "not because" or "inspite of" but as our Mom's used to say "just because".

It would be a magnificent gift for each of us to know that we were good enough, "just the way we are." Everyone should have at least one person in their world that believes in them unconditionally, no explanation needed. That would be a blessed gift. That support can help dreams to come true and happiness to overflow.

A wanted to share this picture of South Carolina beauty. Stay tuned, an adventure is about to unfold as Hope, Noah and Jake go exploring beyond the flowers and trees.

Will they hike through the woods? Will they explore the lake? What lies ahead during their summer adventure in the piney woods?

Men and women are limited not by the place of their birth, not by the color of their skin, but by the size of their hope. John Johnson

Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but what it is still possible for you to do.
Pope John XXIII

What oxygen is to the lungs, such is hope to the meaning of life.
Emil

Hope, combined with curiosity, has always been the fuel that has propelled me through my life adventure.

I have just realized that some people live their lives like they are following the directions on a shampoo bottle..."Wet hair, lather, rinse, repeat."

They, "Wake up, go to work, eat, watch TV, go to bed, repeat."

For some it is their comfort zone. For others it is out of habit.

Some say they live in this shampoo style because they have no choice; the circumstances of their life have created their routine.

I realize that I am blessed. My parents created me with an expandable comfort zone. They taught me that although life may not be fair, the way you respond to your circumstances is a choice, your choice.

The itsy bitsy spider
Went up the water spout;
Down came the rain,
And washed the spider out.
Out came the sun,
And dried up all the rain.
And the itsy bitsy spider
Went up the spout again.

When rain and storms of bad health, unexpected emergencies and challenges enter your life please think of the itsy bitsy spider. If a little bug can get up and try again, I know you can persevere. You are terrific!

It wasn't until my cell phone battery died, that I noticed how rare the pay phone has become. It used to be that you could find them at gas stations, convenience stores and strip malls. Now they are becoming extinct, replaced by the hand held portable cell phone or the Star Trek looking "Bluetooth."

Where oh where have the pay phones gone?!?

Scientists take note. There may be lessons to learn from Ortho®. They have developed a poison for weeds that doesn't harm the rest of your lawn.

"Kill over 200 weeds without harming your lawn, guaranteed! Foaming action let's you easily see exactly where you've sprayed. Results in 24 hours."

If we could develop a chemo treatment that could target cancer and show results this successfully, a true miracle would be discovered.

Today I took a tour of the nutritional information of the fast food places I visit. To my disappointment some of the "healthy choices" I have made, clearly aren't. Either the calories are high or the sodium or both. In some cases the kiddie ice cream cone I was avoiding would have been a better choice than a side salad for a snack.

So many lessons, yet to learn. No doubt I shall always be a work in progress. Happily, exercise and cooking at home have helped me to lose some weight and shape up despite my occasional drive-thru detours.

Now that I know better, I will do my best to do better.

I am solar powered so rainy, cloudy days rarely make me joyful. Today I am thrilled to see it raining throughout Florida. My hope is that is will put out some of the blazes that are burning across the state. Interstates have been closed and people have lost their homes. Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain.

I enjoyed the action and energy of Mission Impossible III. It was fun and made my pulse race. The "unbelievable," the impossible is what makes this movie an escape from reality. Afterall, who could go back and forth to Shanghai with such speed and ease.

I still enjoy the Transporter movies the best for "impossible" stunts and action. Whether Mission Impossible III or Transporter One or Two it is entertaining to sit safely in a dark movie theater and enjoy the wild ride.

Impossible I'm possible

It is all in the way you look at things.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Do you stand in the way of your own success? I think this is a great quote, a wonderful wake-up to a brand new week of possibilities.

Never step on anyone's toes. You never know when they may be attached to someone's butt you may need in the future.

I am sure I am driving my son, Jim, crazy bugging him with "what if" this and "what if" that as he so generously helps me create a website.

I have enjoyed a couple of movies recently and thought I would share them with you.

"Take The Lead" starring Antonio Banderas is wonderful. It reminds us that it is our choice to follow.

"Akeelah And The Bee" is about changing the world...one word at a time. I thought it was a great message of how vitally crucial it is to have someone to believe in you. We all need someone to "coach" us, to believe we can achieve.

In the past I have also enjoyed the series of "Substitute" movies that showed a teacher making a difference. The movie the "Principal" with Jim Belushi also showed what a difference can be made when there is someone willing to get involved. Michelle Pfeiffer gave the gift of an "A" to her students in "Dangerous Minds." They didn't have to earn it. They were all worthy of an "A" at the beginning; it was up to each student to keep it.

In life, like in the movies, someone who dares to believe; "Yes, you can", makes all the difference to someone. It might eventually teach them to believe in themselves.