Topic of the day 3/31

Because I'm being a bit lazy today, and sick, I'm slacking a bit on the topic of the day, and I'm claiming this topic as psychology.  This is from Yahoo:

7 ways to be more approachable:

1. Host informal get togethers.
Always having something to invite someone to opens opportunities to continue potential relationships with people you may meet.

2. Don't be afraid to be a nerd.
If you act the nerd - i.e. the person who cares too much about something and going too far - people find something possibly relatable.

3. Smile.
This one is a bit of a no brainer, but smiling is the best way to make you more approachable and generally, more likable.

4. Buy a ticket, not a trinket.
Spending money on an experience can leave you with a more positive memory rather then a physical item that you may not need. It also opens you up to the opportunity to meet new people.

5. Help others connect.
Invite friends to events with you.  Help each other meet new people.

6. Embrace your imperfections.
Be in the moment and accept who you are. 

7. Be happy, don't just fake it.
Much like smiling, this sounds a bit obvious, but it is the underlying key in starting things off right.  No one wants to be friends with a grump.  So perk up and share the joy.

ok, here is a real lesson:
Psychology vs. Psychiatry:

While both are a study of mental health, psychiatrists can prescribe medications while a psychologist can not.  Psychologists are more interested in research and studies on patients while psychiatrists will more likely do "simple" examinations to determine conditions. Making a psychiatrist more of a physician while a psychologist is more of a scientist.

My day in 6 words 3/31

Home sick on the couch today.

My Day in 6 Words 3/30

Crock pot sirloin dinner after Block.

Topic of the Day 3/30

Growing up in NY, I learned all about NY state history, but nearly nothing about Montana.  Time to change that.

Montana State History - Key Facts:

The land was 1 of 13 states purchased by the US as a part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 from Napoleon Bonaparte for $15 million - about 3 cents an acre.  Thomas Jefferson, president at the time, hired explorers Lewis and Clark to visit the territory and map it regions, geography and landscapes.

Montana was admitted to the Union as an official state on November 8th, 1889 - the 41st state. In 1894 Helena was named the state capital, following the "War of the Two Copper Kings"

Fun Facts:
The state gem is the Sapphire and there are MT sapphires in the Crowned Jewels in England.  The only North American gem on the crown.

The highest point in montana is 12,799 ft above sea level.

The largest snowflake ever recorded was 38cm (almost 15 inches) wide and it was found/seen in Montana in 1887.

In 1884, the citizens get tired of the lawlessness and reckless abandon, so they formed a cavalry or vigilantes and executed over 35 horse and carriage thieves in that single year.

Montana has the most recorded native species of mammals of any of the states.

One Montana cowboy insisted on bringing his horse to his hotel room in Fort Benton.  When the manager refused to allow it, gunfire was exchanged.  The man and his horse reached the top of the stairs before he was killed.  They later found 14 .44 caliber bullets in his body.

There are more elk, deer and antelope in Montana then there are humans.

Motana's famous national park - Glacier - is known as the "Crown Jewel of the Continent".  It has 250 lakes within it's boundaries and Going to the Sun Road is "the most scenic drive in the country".

Montana was first inhabited by the Plains indians.

The gold found in Bannack Montana in 1862 was 99.5% pure gold.  Almost 5% more pure then any previously found gold in the country.  It first finding brought the second largest rush to the west since the California Gold Rush in 1848.

It is illegal for a woman to dance on a Saloon table in Helena, MT unless her closes wiegh more then 3lbs. 2oz.

It is also illegal to throw an item across the street in Helena.

Info from:
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/mt-facts.html

Topic of the day 3/29

Why is the sky blue?

Basically, the color of light, Kelvin, is radiated around and the blue light is absorbed and scattered in every direction, the closer the sky is to you, the bluer it appears, which is why it pales as it nears the horizon line in the distance.

The colors of the sunset are created by dust and water particles in the air reflecting light in all different directions.  Different particles can emit different kinds of light.  And different lengths of wavelengths display brighter or dimmer colors.

My Day in 6 Words 2/29

Day of business and personal errands. 

=)

My Day in 6 Words 3/28

Celebrated my mom's birthday with family.

Topic of the Day 3/28

Vocabulary

5 new words that I may have heard, but never fully understood.

• Assiduous [as-sid-u-ous] -  diligent, constant in application or attention; persistent.
• Capricious [cap-ri-cious] - implusive and unpredictable, characterized by subject to whim.
• Esoteric [es-o-ter-ic] - abstuse, difficult to understand; confidential.
• Ubiquitous [u-biq-ui-tous] - omnipresent; seeming to be everywhere all at once. 
• Candor [can-dor] - the ability to make judgements free of discrimination; honesty and straightforwardness.

Words that are hard to spell

• acquiesce [ac-qui-esce]
• adjudicate [a-ju-di-cate]
• amoeba [a-mee-ba]
• buoyant [boy-ant]
• colonel [ker-nel]
• conscientious [con-sci-en-tious]
• idiosyncrasy [id-io-sync-ra-sy]
• naivete [nai-eve-te] 
• omniscient [om-nisc-ient]
• recognizance [re-cog-niz-ence] 
• rendezvous [ron-de-vu]

Accomplishments

A new one on my list was to write/acknowledge 10 of my greatest "accomplishments" from each decade of my life.

1-10 - These are going to be a little silly, but granted, at ages 1-10, it didn't take much to feel accomplished.

1. Gotta start with being potty trained at 6 mos.  That's a bit embarassing to talk about so publicly, but it was a good start.
2. Walkin and talkin.  Again, really silly, but were would I be without it.  =]

3. 

   San Diego Junior Theater Production

   Reading and Writing. I used to sit under an umbrella on the couch and read my latest library find.
4. Going to the moon in kindergarten.  I remember we had to make "computer keyboards" and most of the class had boxes with pictures on them, but I had a real keyboard.  Back in the day, they weren't so common, so everyone thought that was pretty cool.  Our teacher brought in a bubble tent and we watched the spaceship launch to the moon.
5. Michael in Peter Pan.  This is probably one of my favorite grade school memories from 3rd grade.  I was the smallest person in the cast so I was cast as the youngest brother Michael.  I loved it so much, I wanted grow up to be a broadway actress!  I was in every play in elementary school there-after.
6. First trip to Disney World.  Now, Disneyland is my first memory - I remember my dad carrying me up the playground pirateship rope ladder with my brother.  But Disney World plays a key role in my life choices and decisions, so the first trip was a bit of a big deal for me.
7. Started saving and managing my money.  I did this very young.  I like going to my bank and putting a my months allowance in my account.  And sometimes going to Kohls and buying a treat.
8. Pen Pals.  I remember in 3rd grade we had PenPals from overseas.  We talked about life in our countries and school and growing up.  I remember this is how I learned to write in cursiff, and man was I ever particular!
9. Creative Writing - I learned that I loved to write very young, and started writing short stories by the time I was in grade school.
10. Arts and Crafts.  I was always into the simple joy of creating and making something that I could sign my name to it.  I was no art prodigy, and I still lack a lot of skills with a paintbrush that I have seen many of my peers accomplish, but none of that has deterred me from expressing myself to this day.

One of the largest and prettiest places I've ever been.
Schonbruun Palace.  Vienna, Austria.

 11-20 This is a big "growth" gap, so the range here is pretty expansive.

1. Went to Vienna with my parents and used a camera for the first time.  Dad was always a stickler about who got to use the camera (and all technology for that matter) but this trip, while he was working, I held the camera and my parents couldn't believe some of the images I took my first time. I was 11.  This was also my one and only trip over the Atlantic.
2. GSA Gold award.  I made 50 birdhouses for the NYS bird - the Bluebird.  I was 16.
3. Graduated High School - and passes all my NYS Regents Exams!  Including chemistry-which I really didn't think would happen (thanks big brother for all your study help!) A little unfair that other school don't have state exams like NY does. I was 17.
4. Taking photography in high school - really developing a passion for it.  I was 17.
5. Getting into all the colleges of my choice.  And choosing University of Idaho.



I got a medal just like this one!

6. NYSSMA - New York State School Music Association - passed level 6 on flute.  The highest level achievable.
7. Lived on my own for the first time in college and at disney.  I think living away from home is an important part of this stage in life.  It was hard, but I'm really glad I did it.
8. Worked at Disney World. I was 18/19.  Ok, this was a HUGE accomplishment for me.  I moved to FL on my own, lived on my own and paid my own bills.  I worked my first job and achieved one of my lifes goals (to work for Disney) by the time I was 18.   
9. Met my husband.  I met Rob when I was 20 years old.  This may not be a big "accomplishment" but it was a big turning point in my life. 
10. Built solid friendships with people I am pleased know know I can lean on and people who know they can lean on me when necessary.

21-present.  This one is a bit unfair, being that I'm only 24, so I can't consider this category complete yet.  However, the achievements here are the most relevant achievements to where I am today, so they can't be left ignored.

1. All of my many jobs.  Particularly, the UI Bookstore.  I had more responsibilities here then I had anywhere else until that point.  I did this job while juggling other responsibilities and a full-time student schedule. Phew!

2. Jazz Festival. Ok, this deserves at least 3 slots, really.  It was my first office position.  A "real" job in my chosen profession.  It served both as a career builder position and an internship position.  I was able to receive multiple credits for the time I put in at this office.
3. Coordinating 5 events for the festival and upholding a professional attiude in stressful situations.  This is starting to feel a bit like a resume.  I worked with grammy winners and major sponsors and donors, and sent invites to the likes of the president himself, inviting guests to the largest event in the Northwest and one of the 5 largest jazz festivals in the world!
4. Disney College Program Campus Rep.  I recruited students to go on an internship in FL or CA and work for Disney. I doubled the school's goals in 3 accounts.



Photopass

5. Disney PhotoPass Photographer.  My first job as a pro photographer.  I worked with guests, characters, and entertainment at the Magic Kingdom. I was 22.
6. Married my husband. Rob and I got married June 27th, 2009.  The best day of my life.
7. Started working for H&R Block.  Not exciting, and hardly an accomplishment, but the gratitude and the opporunity to grow here is. It is also the longest continuous relationship with a company.
8. Graduated from the Rocky Mountain School of photography.  This program built my portfolio and got me started on a road to success with my photography.
9. Started my photography business.  City Country Photography.  I am my own boss.  It's fantastic.
10. Purchased our first home.  We're homeowners now!

My Day in 6 Words 3/27

Made Chicken Francaise for mom's Birthday

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/chicken-francese-recipe/index.html

(I got this recipe from Tyler Florence years ago, and it's one of my families favorite meals. Light and Yummy)

Today's Topic 3/27

After that draining topic on nuclear history, I thought I'd do something a little fun and interesting.

Today in History:
in 3/27...
1775, Thomas Jefferson was elected in to Continental Congress.
1905, fingerprint evidence is used to solve a British murder case.
1939, March madness was first started.
1964, Earthquake strikes Alaska.
1865, Lincon meets Grant and Sherman during the Civil War.


1945, The Germans launch the last of their V2 bombs in WWII.
1965, The Vietnam War moves to Cambodia.

New for this Week in History:
March 28th, 1979, Nuclear accident on Three Mile Island.
March 29th, 1973, US withdraws from Vietnam.
March 30th, 1980, President Reagan is shot.
March 31st, 1889, the Eifel Tower opens in Paris.
April 1st, 1700, the very first April Fools' Day.
April 2nd, 2005, Pope John Paul II dies.

Topic of the Day 3/26

Nuclear Power and Radiation:

How does it work?
Turbine and steam create nuclear radioactive material that generate electricity is the very basics of it. 
Nuclear plants rely on the heat the occurs during nuclear fission - when an atom splits in two and releases energy. Uranium is one material that is constantly undergoing nuclear fission, which is why it is used in nuclear plants but because of it's constant activity, it releases radiation.
"U-235 decays naturally by alpha radiation: It throws off an alpha particle, or two neutrons and two protons bound together. It's also one of the few elements that can undergo induced fission. Fire a free neutron into a U-235 nucleus and the nucleus will absorb the neutron, become unstable and split immediately."
http://science.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power1.htm

When the atom splits, a large amount of heat and gamma radiation is released and later in the process, beta radiation is also released.

Why is it so destructive?
The radiation that is released is extremely beneficial to the plant and as it is a cleaner process for creating electricity, but when released into the air, man-made radioactive elements have severe decaying effects.  Although the effects of radiation are "natural", they are highly dangerous to living things - capable of causing genetic mutations and cell death.
The radioactive particles cannot penetrate skin, so exposure in this way is not harmful, but they can be ingested in food that it is contaminated or the particles can be inhaled which is when the damages can start to take effect.

Ok my head hurts.  yikes!  Complex stuff!

My Day in 6 Words 3/26

Dog park and late night bowling.  =)

My Day in 6 Words 3/25

Rainy day with Chinese take out.

A Bucket List

I wanted to start a bucket list where I would be able to record things I wanted to do in the future - sometime in my life.  After reviewing my dayzero site, I realized this was already done! 
Here are a few things I would like to do:

1. Take a helicopter ride.
2. Experience a simulated sky diving
3. Parasail at Disney World.
4. Put a message in a bottle and toss it into the ocean.
5. Go to a book signing for an author I'd like to or have read.
6. Make a list if 25 things I like about myself and stick it to a mirror.
7. Go on a scavenger hunt.
8. Climb to the top of a tree and take a picture of the view.
9. Go an a Safari in Africa.
10. Go to Greece.
11. Go to China or Egypt.
12. Write a letter to myself to open in 10 years.
13. Make a retirement plan.
14. Host or go to a murder mystery party.  All dolled up an everything.
15. Take a train long ride somewhere. 
16. Rent or own a beach house.
17. Host a tea party with girl friends.
18. Go hot air ballooning.
19. Plant a tree in my yard or somewhere public that I can visit it.
20. Write a will.
21. Experience something new every month for a year.
22. Spend a night in a treehouse.
23. Find a 4 leaf clover and flatten it to keep.
24. Learn to make soap.
25. Tour the White House.
26. Take a trip to England, Scottland, and Ireland.
27. Have a magazine worthy garden with fantastic landscaping.
28. Organize my decorations and pick a cohesive theme for my home decor.
29. Have Christmas with my whole family again - at least immediate family.
30. Have at least one photograph published.

Topic of the day 3/25

Today, I wanted to do something a little lighthearted for a Friday.  I must admit that I was a bit inspired by my lunch snack - string cheese, and it's cute fun facts. It said Penguins can jump up to 6ft high! 
So I thought I'd look at some other animal facts for today's "lesson".

Here are some quick facts I discovered.

1. The loudest animal on earth is the humpback whale.
2. The longest gestation period for any animal is the elephant at 22 mos. the shortest is the short nosed bandicot at 12 days.
3. The whale shark has 4,000 teeth.  The most of any animal on earth.
4. There are 701 pure breeds of dogs.
5. A snail can sleep for 3 years.
6. A cow can supply nearly 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime.
7. A shark is immune to all diseases and can not get sick.
8. The black mambo snake is the deadliest animal in the world with a mortality rating of 95%.
9. Mosquitos are most attracted to the color blue.
10. The spine-tail swift is the fasted bird and can fly at speeds up to 106mph.

11. Giraffes have the highest blood pressure of any recorded animal.

And one detailed question:
Chameleons can camoflauge themselves to blend into their surroundings.  Some animals grow new fur or feathers as the seasons change from colorfull and bright to white and wintery, producing a whole new coat to alter their appearance. 
Chameleons are furless though, so how do they change colors so readily?
Chameleons and other camo capable reptiles, amphibians and fish have living skin cells with biochromes in them that determine the color that they portray.  This is cool.  We as humans have dead skin cells so the makeup in the them is unaltering, but these critters actually have living skin! 
These biochromes can be on the skins surface or deeper imbedded.  The deeper biochromes are called chromatophores.
Chromataphores are voluntary muscles that the creature can voluntarily alter to match it's surroundings.  Surprisingly, chameleons are less concerned with camoflauge and are more interested in expressing their moods.

Cool!  Kinda makes me want one. 

Topic of the day 3/24/2011

With all of the natural disasters occuring recently and such, I decided to make today's topic on Geology. 

There are 4 layers of the Earth. 
The first is the Crust or the Upper Mantle.  This layer consists of the surfaces that we live on, the continents and land masses, to the basins of the oceans.  It is up to 10 KM deep below the basins of the oceans and made up mostly of alumino-silicates.

Second is the Lower Mantle is 2900 KM thick and is where most of the earth's heat is stored, and much of the plate tectonic processes are driven.  It is mostly made of ferro-magnesium silicates.

Next is the Outer Core is a liqiud layer 2300KM thick that is made of a nickel iron alloy.  This layer is believed to control the earth's magnetic field.

And lastly the Inner Core a solid layer inside the outer core at 1200KM that is almost entirely iron.

All the layers are separated into two other "layers" call the lithosphere and the asthenosphere.  The Lithosphere is made of the crust and the upper mantle. It had many that move in relation to each other due to tectonic forces.  A tectonic force is the deformation of the earth's structures.

So what causes and Earthquake?
According to a UK Geology site, two forces can cause an earthquake:
one is volcanic activity
the second and most common is strong tectonic movement across faults and plate margins.


Next, what causes a volcano?
A volcano becomes active when two earth plates collide, one goes under the other and becomes very hot or molten and liquifies - magma.  The magma needs oxygen from it's gas buildup so it finds a hole to the surface and erupts becoming lava. Lava can erupt up to 1600 degrees Farenheit, and when it cools, it turns into rock, which can expand land masses.

My Day in 6 Words 3/24/2011

Spontaneous Disney World birthday trip booked!!!!!!

100 things that make me happy

100 things that make me happy

1.       When my husband comes home from work every day

2.       Puppy snuggles

3.       Cooking dinner for family and friends

4.       Capturing a moment with my camera

5.       Blankets

6.       Hot chocolate and Christmas movies

7.       Watching a friend’s face light up when they watch a movie for the first time – especially if it’s one of my favorites.

8.       Phone calls to friends far away – and just reconnecting with friends in general.

9.       Being festive any time of the year.

10.   Photo editing – yes really.

11.   Expressing myself in any form – talking, painting, drawing, writing, and especially photographing.

12.   Looking at old photos.

13.   Recalling shared pastimes with family and friends.  Those “do you remember when…” stories.

14.   Christmas lights.

15.   Watching puppy prance in the yard, or in the house, or in the park, or just about anywhere.

16.   Going out and about with my husband

17.   Disney World

18.   Ok…just about anything Disney.

19.   Twice Baked Potatoes on Thanksgiving and Christmas

20.   Spending time with my brothers and their ladies.

21.   Receiving correspondence from a friend – letter or –e-mail.

22.   That surprise package in the mail!

23.   Snickerdoodles.

24.   The Muppets

25.   My favorite movies.

26.   Bubble baths.

27.   Eating homemade cookies.

28.   Visiting friends and family, or having them visit me.

29.   Grenadine in my soda – Shirley Temples and Roy Rogers are yumm.

30.   Kennett family shindigs.

31.   Visiting our old haunts – places I grew up in and around.

32.   Being a part of something – just being involved.

33.   Detail planning

34.   Just planning in general.

35.   And organizing – going through piles of junk or papers, or drawers of whatnots and just sorting.

36.   Just knowing that I worked for/at Disney World – and in photography no less.

37.   Puppy’s face when she hears a new noise – how her head cocks back and forth – teehee!

38.   Seeing my art in print and on display.

39.   Uncovering lost treasures.

40.   Decorating, and taking things down and decorating again – it’s the best thing about Christmastime.

41.   The first snowfall.

42.   Forts – blanket forts, snow forts, tree forts – you name it.

43.   Screaming at the top of my lungs on Rockin Roller Coaster.

44.   Back rubs from hubby.

45.   When weekends roll around and I get to spend time with hubby.

46.   Finishing a project.

47.   Helping someone in need.

48.   Volunteering at the animal shelter

49.   Planting and gardening.

50.   Eating fresh veggies and herbs from my own garden.

51.   Fresh flowers.  – getting them and growing them.

52.   Going out to eat.

53.   Good food.

54.   Candles – especially seasonal ones.  Pumpkin pie in the fall, cinnamon, pine and peppermint in the winter, clean cotton and lilies in the spring, and beach-side scents in the summer.

55.   The smell of Chlorine – especially from fountains.

56.   Hotel amenities – Disney style.

57.   Seeing my husband smile or hearing him genuinely laugh – just knowing that he’s happy.

58.   Feeling like I did something good or right.

59.   Hot tubs, jacuzis, spa tubs – the works.

60.   Swings!

61.   A hot shower on a cold day.

62.   The smell of clean clothes – fresh from the dryer. 

63.   The smell of wood-burning fire places and fire pits.

64.   Pajamas.

65.   Finding the perfect gift for the perfect person and watching them open it.

66.   The Harry Potter books and movies – I can’t wait to go to the park!

67.   A clean house.

68.   Playing board games on a holiday’s eve.

69.   Teddy bears.

70.   Taking photos while out with friends.

71.   Phone calls from hubby while he’s at work.

72.   Christmas lights – our own, lights on the tree, and looking at Christmas lights before Christmas.

73.   Putting ornaments on the tree and remembering where each ornament came from.

74.   Going out with friends

75.   Watching puppy and hubby play. 

76.   Uploading my photos

77.   Finding photo in a batch that I didn’t realize was good, but suddenly feel accomplished about it.

78.   Watching a new episode of a favorite show – especially season premieres.

79.   A shopping bargain.

80.   Making a difference and making someone smile.

81.   Creating

82.   Finding that comfy spot under the covers.

83.   Travelling and staying in hotels.  There’s something thrilling about being in a place where I know I don’t have to clean the sheets.

84.   Trying a new restaurant. 

85.   Talking to my brothers and sisters on the phone and especially seeing them in person.

86.   Being crafty – making something I can decorate any part of my house with, holiday or everyday.

87.   Seeing something I made everyday and appreciating the time I put into it.

88.   Did I mention Disney?  You know, Disney could potentially take up half of this list if I let it.

89.   Gardens – herb, flower, vegetable, it doesn’t matter.  All gardens.

90.   Blogging.  Writing.  Telling stories.

91.   Smiles.  Especially the ones I helped make.

92.   Designing.

93.   Learning something new.

94.   Facebook.  Ok, I hate to admit this, but I like Facebook.  It makes me happy to know that I can be in touch with so many people from different walks of my life.

95.   Traditions.  Even silly ones. 

96.   Arguing with my husband about stupid shit.  Don’t tell him, but every time he calls a Boston Cream donut a Bavarian, and we argue about it to no end, it makes me love him a little more.

97.   Hearing little kids talk in different languages.  So endearing.

98.   My mini collections – especially the dolls from my dad’s trips overseas.  He brought one back for me every time, and I’ll always have these.

99.   When someone random tells me I have a cool dog.  It makes me feel like a proud mama.  Even though I have nothing to do with what she looks like.

100.                        Everything above and so much more.

Topic of the Day 3/23

Here we go, #31. Learn something new every day for 2 weeks – textbook style.

I decided to take in something that can be applied to my daily life so here we go.  

 

 Today's Lesson: Sleep - things that can cause, effect, and interfere with sleep.

According to an article on Yahoo! news today, an evening "second wind" is common in women who are sleep deprived.  It is caused by a surge of adrenaline and other hormones rushing to keep the body awake after a long day.  It can keep you awake for a bit, but afterwards, has a severe side effect of fatigue.

The article suggests taking a bath or reading a book - pick a relaxing activity that won't cause you to give in to your late night rush.

Other sleep depriving causes are light in the room, an erratic meal schedule, you menstrual cycle, your beauty routine, drinking late and high expectations. 

Read the whole article here.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/the-top-7-sleep-killers-and-how-to-solve-them-2460502/

A little more scientific, I decided to look into what actually causes us to fall asleep.  Since I seem to have such a hard time with this, maybe it'll help me tonight.  Because this is still a not-fully understood topic and a lot of the research is beyond my artistic field of understanding, I'm going to simplify this as best as I can.

Sleep is defined as a period of time when the mind loses some consciousness and an inactivity occurs in nearly all voluntary muscles.

There are 2 stages of sleep - Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and Non Rapid Eye Movement (NREM).  We transfer back and both between 4 and 6 times a night, but spend the majority of the night in NREM sleep - the deeper stage of sleep.

During sleep, our body's systems restore themselves - which is why we need to sleep so much when we're sick, and our memories and brain functions process the days events.

Dreaming usually occurs during REM sleep and is determined as basically a spitting of neurons through the brain, which explains why dreams can be so illogical. 

So basically, sleep is caused by the nervous system and a period of rest in our muscular system.  It is not fully understood what causes someone to sleep, but there are many theories as to what can assist in sleep and what can deter it.  

Ok, I don't think this is going to help me sleep much, but still, interesting non-the-less.

My Day In 6 Words - 3/23

#82 on the list is to make a "My day in 6 words journal" so here is day 1 on that!

 A relaxing day with no stress.

5 Languages

One of my 101 in 1001 was to learn how to say Hello, Goodbye, Thank You and I love You in 5 different languages.

I already know Spanish:

Hola, Adios, Gracias, and Te Quiero.

So lets start with

1. French

Hello - Bonjour,

Goodbye - Au Revoir!

Thank You - Merci,

I Love You - Je t'aime

How about

2. Greek

Hello - γειά σου -sounds like yah-zool,  

Goodbye - αντίο - sounds like ant-ee-o,  

Thank You - σας ευχαριστώ - sounds like sas ef-car-i-stoe

I Love You - Σε αγαπώ - sounds like se a-ga-poe

Now lets try

3. German

Hello - Guten Tag,

Goodbye - Freilos,

Thank You - Danke,

I Love You - Ich Liebe Dich

Awesome!

Next we're going with

4. Chinese

Hello - 你好 - actual english pronunciation-Nǐ hǎo-sounds like - Nee-how

Goodbye - 再见 - actual english pronunciation - Zàijiàn - sounds like - Si-ji-an

Thank You - 谢谢 - actual english pronunciation - Xièxiè - sounds like -shie-shie

I Love You - 我爱你 - actual english pronunciation - Wǒ ài nǐ - sounds like - woe-i-ni

Finally, Last but Certainly not least

5. Latin

Hello - Salve - sounds like - sal-ve

Goodbye - Vale - sounds like - Val-ee

Thank You - Gratias

I Love You - Te amo

50 Questions

This was the first goal I completed.  50 questions that will free your mind. 

Here are my responses:

1.      How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?

Maybe 19 or 20.  At least that’s how old I look.  I don’t know about act though.  It really depends on the day.

2.      Which is worse, failing or never trying?

Never trying. 

3.      If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?

Because time, resources and funds are limited. 

4.      When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

Hopefully not.

5.      What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?

I suppose one thing that really irks me is how left out some people feel.  If I could make just one person realize or feel as if they are important just the way they are, I would feel I accomplished a great change.

6.      If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?

I earn my income because it would make me feel very internally wealthy and fortunate.  Not in a financial sense, but in the sense that I was doing what I loved and giving people something great that they can cherish.

7.      Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?

A little of both.  I’m working really hard to accomplish goals, but I am also striving to keep living, safely and healthily while I work to achieve my business goals.

8.      If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?

I don’t think I would.  Honestly. 

9.      To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?

I have a decent amount of control, I think.  Sure, some things are out of our hands, but I’m fortunate to have people in my life who support my goals and dreams.

10.  Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?

Both.  I believe these are really intertwined.

11.  You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire.  They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend.  The criticism is distasteful and unjustified.  What do you do?

I would stand up for my friend, point out what makes me respect them, and let them know how they have let me down with their criticism.  Depending on how they took that, I might leave.

12.  If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?

I wouldn’t.  I don’t really believe children start understanding and applying philosophies until they start becoming more curious.  At that point, my advice would be “Do what you believe is right and stand by each decision you make.”

13.  Would you break the law to save a loved one?

Yes.  In a heartbeat, absolutely yes.  That sounds like I have disregard for the law…not so, but I would do anything I could to save someone I love.

14.  Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?

I have an art degree.  It’s all about what’s beyond the insanity on the surface.  So…yes.

15.  What’s something you know you do differently than most people?

When getting into bed, I often roll to warm it up and often squeak to let out excessive energy or excitement.  It’s strange, but it helps me settle in.  Good thing my husband thinks it’s cute.

16.  How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?

Because everyone has different likes, tastes, wants and hopes.  To me, it’s one of the greatest mysteries of life – how different people can react so differently to the same thing.

17.  What one thing have you not done that you really want to do?  What’s holding you back?

I really want to travel – especially around Europe, and the only thing holding me back is money.

18.  Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?

Probably.

19.  If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?

I would love to move back to upstate NY to be back with family.  Especially my brother – but NY is a monster of sorts that I’m not willing to go back and face.  If I had to leave the country I’d move somewhere in the UK.

20.  Do you push the elevator button more than once?  Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?

No.  But it always tempts me, not because I think I’ll come faster, rather, because I’m easily distracted and it’s somehow amusing to hit the button multiple times.

21.  Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?

A joyful simpleton.  Happiness wins over money every time.

22.  Why are you, you?

Because of the people who have come into my life and made a difference.  I owe a thank you to each of them.

23.  Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?

I think so…?

24.  Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?

When a friend moves away, because that’s something you have little control over.  A good friend who lives close – chances are you can always call them up and meet them again for coffee to catch up.

25.  What are you most grateful for?

More than ANYTHING in this world, I am eternally grateful for my husband and my parents.  My whole family.  I have the best family I could imagine and they mean the world to me.

26.  Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?

Schucks that’s hard…I think lose the old ones because not being able to make new ones would make me feel lifeless.  Memories and good times are part of what we live for.  Losing that is one of the worst things I could imagine.

27.  Is it possible to know the truth without challenging it first?

We always challenge the truth, in one way or the other.  Some people experiment, other people read the facts.  Either way, it’s diving into and examining the details, thereby challenging the truth.

28.  Has your greatest fear ever come true?

It’s possible.

29.  Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset?  Does it really matter now?

Depends on the time.  Some of them, certainly no.  Other times I do remember, and it does matter in that without it, I wouldn’t have learned that particular lesson.

30.  What is your happiest childhood memory?  What makes it so special?

Any of the times we were at Disney world as a family.  I can’t even explain why it was so special.  Disney World means so much to mean, because I have so many happy memories there.  The first time I took my husband there, he was hooked for life too. 

31.  At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?

Attending RMSP and working on my photography.  Something I love, and that I can really succeed at!

32.  If not now, then when?

I am a bit of a procrastinator.  But I most always get things done on time.

33.  If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?

The scariest loss I think is the threat of a poor livelihood.  Especially these days.

34.  Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?

Can’t say that I have – at least not to have thought it was the best conversation ever.

35.  Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?

Another one of those great mysteries of life.  I suppose it may have to do with a lack of tolerance for other people’s beliefs.

36.  Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?

Possible, well sure, but likely – probably not.

37.  If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?

No, not my photography job. 

38.  Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?

More work I enjoy doing. 100%.

39.  Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?

Sometimes, yes.

40.  When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?

Hard to say.

41.  If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?

I’d spend all day with my husband.  ALL day.  And give quick calls to my family and close friends.

42.  Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?

No.

43.  What is the difference between being alive and truly living?

Being alive means having a heartbeat and steady breath – or maybe not so steady.  Truly living means taking advantage of life and doing the things you love.  Any couch potato is simply alive, but those with a fulfilling life are truly living.

44.  When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards and just go ahead and do what you know is right?

The moment you know that it’s the right thing to do and you know the consequences.

45.  If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?

Because we know how much the consequences of the last mistake sucked.  =\

46.  What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?

Nothing.  I’m not really afraid of being judged. 

47.  When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?

Every night before I go to sleep.

48.  What do you love?  Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?

I love my husband.  I love my family.  I love photography and what I can do with my camera.  I love being creative and sharing my work.  I love my friends and I miss them dearly.  I always try to express myself truthfully and stay strong.

49.  In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday?  What about the day before that?  Or the day before that?

Not yesterday, but the day before that was the end of a vacation weekend and it’s fairly easy to remember vacation times, so perhaps I will remember those days.

50.  Decisions are being made right now.  The question is:  Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?

I trying to make my own decisions and push through a field of other directions being thrown at me.  Sometimes it’s hard to stay on track, but being true to myself and my goals is very important to me.