Inspiration for Writers

I was running this morning and Edwin McCain's song "I'll Be" came on my Ipod. I've loved this song since I first heard it and the reason is not only the haunting melody, but the languishing lyrics.

The few simple words in the very first line make me melt - everytime I hear them. The songwriter blends the perfect combination of vivid description with evocative emotion that forces me to listen and pause. I yearn for someone to say those words to me...aside from ma'am of course.

"The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful, stop me and steal my breath..."

Anything's possible if you've got enough nerve." -- J. K. Rowling

Out of Africa

Out of Africa is one of my all-time favorite movies. My husband's too. Everytime it's on we instantly get hooked - like it or not. Recently I watched it (on video) intentionally. Then it was on TV randomly a time or two after that and we watched it again. Not only are the actors great, but the scenery, cinematography and even the sound track are so attractive. But it's the writing that grabs me. There are several lines that have stayed with me since first seeing the movie in 1985 all those many years ago.

I am posting three of my favorite lines and I believe, they are in chronological order.

Karen Blixon is back in Denmark fighting syphillis. She says, "I stayed in my room and tried to remember the colors of Africa."

Denis Finch-Hatton asks to move in. Blixon replies, "When the Gods want to punish you they answer your prayers."

Brau, Blixon's estranged husband, confronts Finch-Hatton about moving in with his wife. He says, "You could have asked." Finch-Hatton replies "I did...she said yes."

No wonder it won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and legendary film critic Roger Ebert gave it the highest rating of five stars. It just doesn't get any better than that.

Surprising Signs You'll Live to 100

I saw this on AOL this morning. It's from Prevention magazine. And I just had to post. It's great news for me and those who are lively, active, curious and lovin' life.

Extroverts, runners are more likely to become centenarians

You're the life of the party

Outgoing people are 50 percent less likely to develop dementia, according to a recent study of more than 500 men and women age 78 and older from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. Participants also described themselves as not easily stressed.

Researchers speculate that their more resilient brains may be due to lower levels of cortisol -- studies show that oversecretion of this "stress hormone" can inhibit brain cells' communication. Science-backed ways to cut cortisol levels: Meditate, sip black tea, or take a nap.

You run for 40 minutes a day

Scientists in California found that middle-aged people who did just that -- for a total of about 5 hours per week -- lived longer and functioned better physically and cognitively as they got older; the researchers tracked runners and nonrunners for 21 years. "What surprised us is that the runners didn't just get less heart disease -- they also developed fewer cases of cancer, neurologic diseases, and infections," says study author Eliza Chakravarty, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. "Aerobic exercise keeps the immune system young." If you don't like to run, even 20 minutes a day of any activity that leaves you breathless can boost your health, she says.

You like raspberries in your oatmeal

Most Americans eat 14 to 17 g of fiber per day; add just 10 g and reduce your risk of dying from heart disease by 17 percent, according to a Netherlands study. Dietary fiber helps reduce total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol, improve insulin sensitivity, and boost weight loss. One easy fix: Top your oatmeal (½ cup dry has 4 g fiber) with 1 cup of raspberries (8 g) and you get 12 g of fiber in just one meal.

Try some of these other potent fiber-rich foods: ½ cup of 100 percent bran cereal (8.8 g), ½ cup of cooked lentils (7.8 g), ½ cup of cooked black beans (7.5 g), one medium sweet potato (4.8 g), one small pear (4.3 g).

You feel 13 years younger than you are

That's what older people in good health said in a recent survey of more than 500 men and women age 70 and older. "Feeling youthful is linked to better health and a longer life," says researcher Jacqui Smith, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan. "It can improve optimism and motivation to overcome challenges, which helps reduce stress and boost your immune system and ultimately lowers your risk of disease."

You embrace techie trends

Learn to Twitter or Skype to help keep brain cells young and healthy, says Sherri Snelling, senior director for Evercare (part of United-Healthcare), a group that sponsors an annual poll of U.S. centenarians. Many of the oldest Americans send e-mails, Google lost friends, and even date online. Researchers say using the latest technology helps keep us not only mentally spry but socially engaged: "Stay connected to friends, family, and current events, and you feel vital and relevant," says Snelling.

You started menopause after age 52

Studies show that naturally experiencing it later can mean an increased life span. One reason: "Women who go through menopause late have a much lower risk of heart disease," says Mary Jane Minkin, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine.

Provided by Prevention

You make every calorie count

Researchers in St. Louis reported that men and women who limited their daily calories to 1,400 to 2,000 (about 25 percent fewer calories than those who followed a typical 2,000-to 3,000-calorie Western diet) were literally young at heart -- their hearts functioned like those of people 15 years younger. "It's about not just eating less but getting the most nutrition per calorie," says study author Luigi Fontana, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine. Study subjects stuck to vegetables, whole grains, fat-free milk, and lean meat and nixed white bread, soda, and candy. If you cut empty calories and eat more nutrient-rich foods, your health will improve, says Fontana.

You had a baby later in life

If you got pregnant naturally after age 44, you're about 15 percent less likely to die during any year after age 50 than your friends who had their babies before age 40, reports a recent University of Utah study.

"If your ovaries are healthy and you are capable of having children at that age, that's a marker that you have genes operating that will help you live longer," says lead researcher Ken R. Smith, PhD, professor of human development at the university.

Your pulse beats 15 times in 15 seconds

That equates to 60 beats per minute -- or how many times a healthy heart beats at rest. Most people have resting rates between 60 and 100 bpm, though the closer to the lower end of the spectrum, the healthier. A slower pulse means your heart doesn't have to work as hard and could last longer, says Leslie Cho, MD, director of the Women's Cardiovascular Center at the Cleveland Clinic.

You don't snore

Snoring is a major sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder that causes you to stop breathing briefly because throat tissue collapses and blocks your airway. In severe cases, this can happen 60 to 70 times per hour.

Sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure, memory problems, weight gain, and depression. An 18-year study found that people without OSA were 3 times more likely to live longer than those with severe apnea. If you snore and have excessive daytime drowsiness or mood changes, talk with your doctor about a referral to a sleep center.

You have a (relatively) flat belly after menopause

Women who are too round in the middle are 20 percent more likely to die sooner (even if their body mass index is normal), according to a National Institute on Aging study. At midlife, it takes more effort to keep waists trim because shifting hormones cause most extra weight to settle in the middle. If your waist measures 35 inches or more (for men, 40 inches or more), take these steps:


1. Work two or three 20-minute strength-training sessions into your weekly exercise regimen to preserve lean muscle mass and rev metabolism.


2. Eat a daily serving of omega-3s to help combat inflammation and seven daily servings of fruits and vegetables, loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants.


3. Get 25 percent of your daily calories from healthy fats -- such as monounsaturated fatty acids -- which protect your heart and may help you store less fat in your belly (for a 1,600-calorie diet, that's 44 g).

You get your blood tested for vitamin D levels

For optimal disease protection, we need at least 30 nanograms of vitamin D per milliliter of blood, reports a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Nearly 80 percent of Americans have less than that. Vitamin D not only helps bones ward off osteoporosis but may also reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, and infection, says lead researcher Adit A. Ginde, MD, MPH, an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. If needed, you can take a daily supplement to get your numbers up. Doctors can measure your levels with a simple blood test, but periodic monitoring may be necessary -- vitamin D turns toxic at 100 to 150 ng/mL.

2009-08-18 15:03:41

Recipe for Miracles

Ingredients:
1 part of knowing who you are1 part of knowing who you aren't1 part of knowing what you want1 part of knowing who you wish to be1 part of knowing what you already have before you1 part of choosing wisely from what you have before you1 part of loving & thanking for ALL you have ("bad" included)

Mixing Instructions:
Combine ingredients together gently and carefully.Using faith and vision, mix together with strong belief of the outcome, until finely blended.Use thoughts, words and actions for best results.Bake until blessed.Give thanks again.Yield: Unlimited servings
(Author Unknown)

I'm Struggling

It’s the summer. August and hot. Typically this time of year, business is slow. School hasn’t started yet and folks are wrapping up their vacations. It’s reunion time -- kick back and relaxin’ time.

Mentally, I’ve been on vacation too. And it’s even worse this week because EVERYONE is home; my husband and BOTH kids. My only solace is that I know come Monday, I will be up at six a.m. with hundreds of “to-dos” flooding my brain, but right now; today, the sun is shining, the palm trees are blowing and the reflection of the cool blue pool is beckoning me near. The truth be told, the thought of wearing a bikini all day is mighty appealing.

So needless to say I have been less productive than I like. Simple tasks take me days to accomplish. And this disturbs me. Greatly. I feel sluggish. Slovenly. And while I hate this feeling, I have no motivation to change it…yet.

So as I force myself to sit here and do something, anything, my mind is on meeting my friend for dinner, sharing a great bottle of wine and catching up on our lives.

“Come Monday. (At least I’m hoping) It’ll be all right.” Jimmy Buffett

Why I Love Navy SEALs

“I don't give a fuck what your plan is. If mine sucks I don't care about that either. Force of intensity matters! Trying harder matters. I will take my plan and SOP's and jam 'em down your throat. It is that simple!”

Around the World Twice

One of the awesome, amazing and erudite :0 ) Navy SEALs that I consult with on my books sent this to me in response to a question about fear. I have since confirmed with other team guys that no one knows who wrote it, but it's been around a long time, probably at least as long as the SEALs themselves.

It's called Around the World Twice.

I'm a lover, a fighter
An American naval UDT SEAL diver.
That's a rootin tootin shootin paratroopin
SCUBA diving demolition double cap crippin'
Frogman - last of the bare-knuckle fighters
No muff too tough, I dive for five
Tuck suck fuck nibble 'n chew
Dine and intertwine, masturbate
Ejaculate and copulate
Drive Navy trucks 2by's, 4by's, 6by's
and those big mother fuckers that go Shhh Shhh
and bend in the middle.
Been around the world twice
Been there and done that twice
Talked to everyone once, seen two
White whales fuckin
Been to two pig pickin picnics,
And I met a man with a marble head and a wooden cock . . .
and ladies, if ya don't like my face . . . you can sit on it ! ! !

Anonymous

While I wait for my naturally productive drive to kick as I approach the end of my summer, I thought I’d post a few goodies I’ve received recently.

As I mature…
I've learned that you cannot make someone love you.
All you can do is stalk them and hope they panic and give in.

I've learned that no matter how much I care, some people are just assholes.

I've learned that it takes years to build up trust, and it only takes suspicion, not proof, to destroy it.

I've learned that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes.
After that, you'd better have a big willy or huge boobs.

I've learned that you shouldn't compare yourself to others
They are more screwed up than you think.

I've learned that you can keep vomiting long after you think you're finished.

I've learned that we are responsible for what we do, unless we are celebrities.

I've learned that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first,
the passion fades, and there had better be a lot of money to take its place!

I've learned that 99% of the time when something isn't working in your house,
one of your kids did it

I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon
and all the less important ones just never go away.

Wasted Time

I wish I could stand on a busy corner, hat in hand, and beg people to throw me all their wasted hours. - Bernard Berenson

"The past does not define you, the present does."
Jillian Michaels

The difference between reality and fiction? Fiction has to make sense.
Tom Clancy