Come on in... sit down, and have a cup of dare!

Come on in... sit down, and have a cup of dare!
The Dare Chair... scroll down the page to find out what this chair is all about!

Quote of the Week

"Happiness is like a kiss. You must share it to enjoy it." ~Bernard Meltzer

Get Your Groove On! Choose any song you wish, and start dancing in the kitchen!


Friday, May 25, 2007

Staying With the Group




So, my little boy went on a field trip with his Preschool class. On the way to school, I talked to him about staying with his group, and not wandering off. At the end of the day, his teacher told me that his leader had a bit of trouble keeping him from wandering. Not my little guy! Ha! Didn't surprise me a bit. Here's how the conversation went on the way home...




Mom: "Son, I told you that you needed to stay with your group today."




Son: "I did, Mom!"




Mom: "Well, I heard your leader said you wandered away from the group."




Son: "Nuh uh! I didn't! I just went behind the tree!"




Mom: "Well you know son, it's hard for the leaders to keep all of the preschool kids together."




Son: 'Well, it's hard to stay with the group!"




I was not agreeing with him on this one, and he could tell, so he pipes in....




"It's hard staying with the group when your brain is telling you you want to go behind the tree!"




Mom: "Okay, you're right.... it's hard staying with the group."




Who can argue with that one?

Maira


A friend of mine died last Sunday... just a couple of weeks after she found out she had cancer. It was all so surreal. My brain just could not wrap around the fact that she was gone. I never got to see her when she was sick; never got to say good-bye. I still have her big round Tupperware that I never got around to returning. It just didn't seem real.

The last time I saw her was at my Pink Poker Night. Every so often, I host this fun-filled night. We play poker, our chips are Hershey's Kisses, or any good wrapped candy. We laugh a lot, sing along to Elvis, or Donny and Marie, Sonny and Cher... you know... the good stuff we grew up listening to. If someone is losing, we share our winnings. We need to relearn the game each time... we would definitely frustrate men! Whoever is on the winning streak gets to wear the princess crown, and everyone is dressed in pink from head to toe. (The date on the picture above is incorrect... I forgot to reset it on my camera.)

Maira raised the bar on the whole, "dress in pink" thing. I opened my front door, and there she was, looking like a bottle of Pepto Bismol! Not only was she completely in pink, but she had made a pink wig out of yarn! That night was her night. She won continuously! We kept telling her how lucky she was. Here it is just two and a half months later, and she's gone. My heart is heavy.

After Maira's beautiful funeral, a few of us went out for lunch. We had a glass of wine, and made a toast to Maira. While praying over our meal, Rachel told Jesus to tell Maira "hello" from us. As soon as she said that, a vision of Maira flashed in my mind. It was Maira in heaven. She was dancing joyfully, the way she always did, with a tambourine in her hand. She was with some others, singing and dancing away.
Jesus said, "Hey Maira! Robyn, Rachel and Lisa say, 'hello'!"
Maira stopped, turned to Jesus and yelled, "What?!"
"Robyn, Rachel, and Lisa say, 'hello'!"
Maira's beautiful grin flashed across her face, and she said, "Oh! Tell them 'hi'!!!"
She then went back to dancing and playing her tambourine.

I know she is the life of a party in heaven, just like she was here.

As for the next Pink Poker Night, there will be a chair for Maira. On it will be the Princess Crown. It will be retired... forever Maira's.

What A Coincidence




This is quite a story...




John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, two of our Founding Fathers, worked together and were willing to give all they had for freedom. Although they disagreed on many political issues, they did agree on this.... that freedom is worth the greatest sacrifice. They were willing to put differences aside, and fight for a common cause.




Here's the amazing coincidence... both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same day, within a few hours of each other.




The date?




July 4, 1826




Exactly 50 years after the Declaration of Independence was voted on and approved by the Continental Congress.




Got shivers?

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Never To Be Silent




I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure
suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.


~Elie Wiesel

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Hero


Recently I read The Freedom Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell and the Freedom Writers. Wow. I was astounded by the war that is going on in our country. Young students are fighting for their lives day in and day out. It's no wonder that they couldn't care less about English and Math class. Erin Gruwell is an amazing teacher who changed the lives of many students. I challenge you to read this book; you'll be glad you did.


We need more teachers like Erin Gruwell. She is a hero, as are many of her students. God bless you, Erin.

The Dare Chair

Come on in, and pull up a chair! I'm here to inspire you, encourage you, or just plaine Double Dog Dare you to get out and do something you never thought you could do! Periodically, I'll add a quote, comment, or story which will hopefully give you just enough of a nudge to follow your dreams... to take that class, go rock climbing, run a marathon, start that exercise routine, eat healthy, write a book, or whatever your heart desires. You are the author of your life... live it!

Monday: Sit down, have a cup of dare, and write down your goals. Post them all over the house, if it helps! No matter how crazy the goals seem, don't talk yourself out of them! You are strong, you are invincible, you are WOMAN!

Tuesday:
Find a friend to hold you accountable. Accountability is huge! If you have a network of support, your chances of failing are less. Make sure you choose someone that is not afraid of pushing you! Usually moms, grandmas and husbands are not the best choices; they're either afraid of hurting your feelings, think you are fine just the way you are, or do not want to end up in the dog's house! So, choose that friend that is honest, no matter what the cost... trust me, you'll need her!

Wednesday:
Okay, so now you have someone to hold you accountable; great start. Now, be a blabber-mouth. Tell as many people as you can what your goal is. Knowing that so many people are waiting for you to succeed will be a huge motivator. I know when I skiied the Birkie, there were many times along the trail that I truly wanted to quit. I knew I had a cheering section on Main Street waiting for me to cross that finish line. That was enough to motivate me to keep going, one stride at a time.

Thursday:
If you fully realize nothing else, take a big dose of reality on this one... this is going to be hard, uncomfortable, and many times not enjoyable (depending on what the goal is). So, now that you know that, get over it! Achieving your goal will be worth the sweat and tears. Really... it will. Push yourself beyond your former limits. Get rid of self doubt! Even if it is the hardest thing you've ever done, do it with all you've got! Swallow your insecurities, hide your inhibitions, and show yourself just how strong you really are. YOU CAN DO THIS!

Friday:
Try not to look too far into the future. Break your goal into steps, and focus on one at a time. Now, if your goal is to join a class, by all means bite the bullet and do it now; no need to take baby steps on that one! But, if your goal is for example, a marathon, don't quit after the first week because you can't run ten miles! Give yourself time to reach the larger goals. In the meantime, give it ALL YOU'VE GOT, and be pleased with the little steps towards your goal.

Saturday:
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, GIVE UP!!! (Take it from Winston Churchill... he knew what he was talking about!)


Sunday:
Take one day to rest, or have a special treat. You've worked hard all week, but make sure you don't reward yourself too much... i.e. a whole bag of Hershey's Kisses!!!

SHARE YOUR SUCCESSES WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. SHOW THEM YOUR PROGRESS, WHETHER IT IS ART WORK YOU'VE DONE, CLASS WORK, A NEW DANCE YOU'VE LEARNED, OR THE NEW PAIR OF PANTS YOU NOW FIT INTO. CELEBRATE!!

Check out the Blog Archive for writings pertaining to the Dare Chair: April--Uncomfortable, Checking In

INSPIRING QUOTES: If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can all learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or Fight Like Hell. ~Lance Armstrong
If human beings are perceived as potentials rather than problems, as possessing strengths instead of weaknesses, as unlimited rather that dull and unresponsive, then they thrive and grow to their capabilities.
Barbara Bush
Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly.
John F. Kennedy
He who believes is strong; he who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions.
Louisa May Alcott
There's a need for accepting responsibility - for a person's life and making choices that are not just ones for immediate short-term comfort. You need to make an investment, and the investment is in health and education.
Buzz Aldrin

This Chick's Groovy Music... start dancin'!

  • Aretha Franklin
  • Chicago Motion Picture Soundtrack... This one is great to sing along to... especially when cleaning the house!
  • Chris Botti... great trumpet player, his music is just beautiful!
  • Christmas Music, of course! Bing, Frank, Rosemary... all the classics!
  • Diana Krall
  • Ella Fitzgerald
  • Eric Clapton... I can' t seem to hear enough of his music lately!
  • Eva Cassidy... worth finding!
  • Johnny Cash - great for two-stepping around the kitchen island... if a babe is in your arms, all the better! (A tiny babe, or a Hunky Babe... either one will do!)
  • Loggins & Messina.... ahh... "feel good" music
  • Neil Diamond... I've loved his music my whole life.
  • Norah Jones
  • Phantom of the Opera (motion picture soundtrack)
  • Ray Charles... I can't help but to smile when I hear him sing.
  • Renee Olstead
  • The Notebook Motion Picture Soundtrack