Resolutions & Bucket Lists Accomplish Yours! Want to Decorate a Rose Float?

Image via Wikipedia Professional Built Float

Several years ago, many of us had never even heard of a bucket list until a certain movie with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson can along. You saw two men who were both terminally ill living each day and crossing off their lists of things they wanted to do before they died.  Are your Resolutions like your Bucket Lists?

Bucket Lists or wish lists can be on your Resolutions Lists or your 2011 Goals.  Now why would you want to put any of them there?  Because as you put them there, you visually create them in your mind.

One of my Bucket Lists was to help decorate a Rose Float in the Rose Parade.  The Parade happens every year on New Year’s Day and is seen all over the World.   Seems simple you say unless you grew up in the middle of the country in Oklahoma and only watched it on TV.

When I moved to Los Angeles over 8 years ago, the first day after Christmas and that week before New Year’s, I spent decorating the Burbank Rose Float.  It is one of only six self-built floats in the parade. That means it is built and designed by volunteers, not professionals like you see all the rest in the parade.

I made some wonderful new friends, so did my daughter and we discovered new talents we didn’t know we had.

I helped on the Burbank Float for several years, until my commitments with other volunteer activities took me other places.

Putting what you want to do in your life on your Resolutions list or your 2011 Goals List will help you reach closer to those goals.

For those of you who may have decorating a Rose Float on your Bucket List, many of the floats need volunteers  the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.  But the self-built floats need help all year-long to build the frame, dry the flowers, separate the flowers, foam the frame, paint the frame etc.  It doesn’t all happen in one week.

Add those Bucket Lists to your Resolutions and your Goals Lists and print those lists where you can see them daily. Take steps daily to carry out your Bucket Lists.

Hike the Grand Canyon next Year? Write a Book? Anything is possible, but you need to plan and start the process now!

Remembering Mom’s Last Journey and My Walk With Her.

 

Anne D. Gilstrap

Last year on this date, I was in Tomah, Wisconsin having flown in on Dec. 27th at 1:30 a.m. to be with my Mom who was preparing to leave this life.

 

Mom had a form of Dementia, Lewy Body for the last ten years of her life and even though I had visited her a few years earlier, this visit would not be the same.  The first few years of the disease Mom was with me in the same city, but after a while, my sister, Kim said she would take her to live with her.  Initially I thought it was Alzheimer’s and did not even know about Lewy Body.

When I entered her hospital room, that cold snowy morning, she seemed smaller than I ever remembered. Not the imposing woman who had been my Mom all those years.  Even when I had visited her a few years back she was declining, but she still resembled herself.

Now, she was smaller, and frail, as she slept in this large bed.  As I walked in, I kissed her and told her I was here.  She opened her eyes and looked at me a long time, as if she was studying my face to make sure it was me.  She smiled a little smile.

Mom had a stroke earlier in the year, so she couldn’t speak, but she could look at me and smile slightly. As I went to hang up my coat, her eyes followed me until I came back to her side.

Mom,  my sister, Kim, and I spent a few more weeks together, before she left us on January 9th.  I had a special angel who made my trip possible last year and I am very grateful to her.

Sometimes, we are meant to be with our loved ones when they pass from this life, and I was very fortunate to be there that morning with my sister, Kim when Mom was called home to heaven.

I will never forget how we each stood on each side of her and hugged her and started giving her kisses on her cheek and naming the kisses from different members of the family who could not be there.  When we finally named everyone, we told her, she could go to heaven with kisses of love from everyone.

As I write this remembering Mom, and our journey last December to early January, I am grateful I took that walk with her as painful as it was, it is a memory I will never forget.

The Heart of Innovation: 24 Awesome Quotes on Good Communication

The Heart of Innovation: 24 Awesome Quotes on Good Communication.

These are great quotes that many of us in Toastmasters can use for opening of speeches.  Sometimes we need to be reminded to listen more, and I’m grateful that I have become a better listener after being in Toastmasters for 10 years. This Blog post was shared from one that I admire.

Take a moment and reflect on these great quotes from some of the most brilliant minds.

We all need to stop and give ourselves openings to good presentations. I hope for all my Toastmaster friends this post will inspire you to have a great year. For those of you who have not discovered Toastmasters, 2011 maybe your year to become a more effective presenter, listener and evaluator.  Go to http://www.toastmasters.org  and look at Find a Club, put in your Zip code and the Day of the Week that you would like to attend a meeting.  Visit several clubs until you find one that you feel has the right feel for you, then join.  For over 85 years, Toastmasters has helped several million people overcome the Fear of Public Speaking.

You\’ve got 2011 Professional Resolutions, Now What?

You\’ve got 2011 Professional Resolutions, Now What?

These are some wonderful tools to help you once you have decided on writing your list.  Although, I did not put this together, I wanted to share it with you.

I have gone to the Resolutions  site and posted mine and I plan to use this  site throughout the year to see if it helps me support my goals this year.  If you feel comfortable in sharing one of your resolutions with a friend who could help you, that is an option on this site.  Our digital methods can become our friends.

58 Noteworthy Resolutions For 2011!

58 Noteworthy Resolutions For 2011!. I wanted to share this great list with you. No I did not write this wonderful list, but it has some great ideas to help all of us. Take a minute and think about adding some of these to your resolutions for 2011.

Write your own now and post them on your closet door, or Bathroom Mirror, or Bedroom Mirror.  Keep them where you can see them, only by seeing what you want to carry out will you take the steps to do them each day.  Baby steps to make each one of your resolutions become a reality.

Keep repeating what you want and it will become reality.

Loving What You Write- Thank You Mrs. Griffin!

How often have you written something and said, “That is a great piece!” Or “I really developed myself with that book, or that article!”  You probably have never said those words.  Why?

Because we are all too critical of our writing. We live in our words and our minds so much that we continue to criticize ourselves instead of praising how much we have achieved.

How often have you heard an actor say they never watch their movies?  Do you know why? They are the same way! They will criticize themselves over how they delivered the line, or how they entered the room.  Many have found it is better to accept what others say and never look at the finished product.

Recently, I was going through some of my articles that I wrote when I was in my first job out of college. I had great clarity  in those articles.

The amusement I took in sharing a story with the reader for one of my clients when I was working several years later for an advertising agency.   I could not see the articles then as I see them now.  I can take pride in those and realize I delivered great content to my readers.

I remember many times not entering my work into professional contests because I did not want to be judged by others, but when I was finally “encouraged” into entering by my Regional manager several years later, my campaign took a state-wide award.  She convinced me to enter another competition, and one of my brochures won third place in technical writing for a medical piece.

The irony to the unwillingness to enter was; I was my own worst enemy. I was the judge against myself. When I was in high school, my Journalism teacher convinced me to enter  a newswriting contest for a college journalism day.  I didn’t want to, but she said I should because I would be graduating  soon and it could help me win a scholarship if I won this contest.

She knew what buttons to push to get me to do it. I was one of five children, and affording college was out of the question I thought.  I walked into the room where the contest would be held that day, and we were given two choices: Write a news story from the handout or write a news-feature story from the luncheon speaker we had just heard.

I chose the news-feature story about the luncheon speaker. He was an in-depth journalist who wrote for the major daily newspaper.  I opened my lead with his opening quote, “If you can learn to live out of a suitcase, you can become an in-depth newspaper reporter.”

I can still hear him and see him giving his speech that day. It is as clear to me today,  so many years later, as it was when I was writing it.   I think I fell in love that day with Journalism, because he stood for all that was good in Journalism and what it could do for us.

I finished my article in 20 minutes on a typewriter with carbon paper.  I was the first one finished. I checked everything to make sure all words were spelled correctly, and then I left.  Everyone else was still at it.

I ran into my Journalism Teacher, Mrs Griffin, and she said, “How did you do?”   “Not sure, I was the first one done. I wrote on the luncheon speaker, Jack Taylor, from the Daily Oklahoman.” “I’m sure you did just fine!” Mrs. Griffin was so reassuring.

Several weeks went by before I heard anything, but then the letter arrived. I had Won!

Yes, Mrs. Griffin was right, I needed to enter, and every scholarship application I filled out, I put that Win on it.  Yes, I went to Journalism School on a Journalism Scholarship, thanks to Mrs. Griffin and her encouragement.

Honoring Troy Liston

Last Christmas, my niece, Nancy Liston’s husband, Troy underwent a kidney and pancreas transplant.  He had been on the transplant list for two years.  We were so excited that his wish was coming true.  Shortly after the transplant, Troy’s heart stopped for a few minutes.

Troy & Nancy

The hospital staff was able to bring him back, but damage had occurred to his brain.  Troy fought for 11 months to stay here with his wife, Nancy and their young son, Treabein-Moore.  Unfortunately, Troy lost his battle in November.    Troy’s University just posted this special honor to Troy.

I will miss Troy and will remember his gentle smile and kindness to my Mom, Nancy’s grandmother after the Moore Tornado.

Troy was right there helping her and picking up the pieces of her fence, roof and windows and going up the ladder to take pictures for her insurance Agent.

We could not have helped my Mom with her claim without his wonderful help.

We never know when our time will come, but I know Troy is watching over his family from his vantage point in Heaven next to my Mom and Dad.

Office of Student Diversity

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2010

FALL 2010 GRADUATE: TROY LISTON (1976-2010)

OSD regular and NASA member Troy Liston passed away after a long illness on Saturday, November 20th. He is survived by a host of family and friends, including his wife Nancy (PSU ’09). 

Troy was a kind, thoughtful, and funny young man and an enthusiastic member of the OSD.

Troy earned a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in History, which will be presented during Fall Commencement on December 17, 2010.

Our hearts and thoughts go out to the entire Liston family.

http://pittstatediversity.blogspot.com/2010/12/fall-2010-graduate-troy-liston-1976.html

Operation Gratitude completes 600,000 package

Operation Gratitude just completed its 600,000 care package to our troops yesterday at the Van Nuys Armory and I was there to witness this wonderful feat! More packages were assembled throughout the afternoon by hundreds of Volunteers.

A key to a motorcycle is placed inside for a lucky service member, which will be hand delivered by this sergeant.

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• Victory Motorcycles ‘Hometown Heroes’ Program Honors & Supports Military Personnel (eon.businesswire.com)

The Motorcycle was donated by Victory Motorcycles. The outpouring of community support was everywhere yesterday as hundreds poured in by car, foot and by bus to help support our troops.

Lunch was served to all the volunteers by the Kitchen Staff volunteers.  Free Massages were given to service members and volunteers who had worked all week and needed a nice release.

The scarves and hats made by our citizens moved me to tears more than once as I helped unpack and repack the scarves and hats for our Troops.

Operation Gratitude Volunteer displays , during the packaging on Saturday, Dec. 11., a scarf made with camo on one side and brown felt on the other to keep our Troops warm

Many of the citizens and families who made the scarves wrote special notes of thanks and support to our troops.  Yesterday, one woman mentioned that her family was a fourth generation military family,her husband had been in the first wave in Iraq and now her son was at the Air Force Academy.

You know there are many of us who have generations who have served in our military.  My own family has generations back to the Revolutionary war.  I think when we support our troops, we are supporting freedom that we enjoy in the United States.

My daughter and I have sent personal care packages for years through several special programs that she belongs to. During Vietnam, I wrote letters and sent care packages to friends and family members, so it is a tradition that I believe in.

If you can take a few minutes  go to Operation Gratitude and see how your family, company, or service group can be involved.  Supporting our Troops never goes out of style and they need all that we can do for them.  It is small in comparison for what they are doing for us.

Scarf, Hat, Cool-Tie Project Details: Materials, Size, Patterns (via Operation Gratitude Blog)

Director Ben Affleck helps volunteers during Operation Gratitude.

I have just spent two days with Operation Gratitude in Van Nuys, CA helping to fold the scarves and hats that people from across the United States have sent in for our Troops for special care packages for Christmas. Please use these instructions posted by Operation Gratitude for our Troops for your Knitting or Crochet Circles for next Christmas.

It is wonderful to see the love that our citizens have given hours knitting and crocheting scarves and hats for our troops who are  in these cold winter climates. One woman said” This scarf was knitted to warm your body and to warm your heart”.

Just seeing what everyone has done has warmed my heart and renewed my faith in our country. I’m so honored to help Operation Gratitude this year in assembling these packages to go to our troops.
Tonight as we were finishing up at the Armory, a truck brought 400 plus more scarves for our troops.   Our troops are so loved by our country and its citizens.

The commitment of our citizens is amazing and so is the commitment of our troops who are keeping us safe. Please work on this wonderful project for next Christmas. It is such a great one to help our troops.

Nothing expresses respect and “thank you” quite like an item made with love.  Our recipients are always deeply touched by your efforts.  We send ~100,000 care packages each year and like to include a handmade item in every package! Here are answers to the questions we are most often asked about our knitting/crocheting project for the troops. When does Operation Gratitude need scarves and hats to send to the troops? We accept scarves and hats from … Read More

via Operation Gratitude Blog

Donate To Your Local Food Bank in December!

Image via Wikipedia{Information (Jan. 17, 2007) - Sailors assigned to amphibious transport dock USS Nashville (LPD 13) sort through food items at the South Eastern Hampton Roads Food Bank. The work being done by Nashv)

When I was a Senior Center Director in La Quinta, CA, many years ago, the center ran a Food Bank for local residents. Our local Rotary Club and other Service Clubs would give special items for Christmas.

Members of the Senior Center would give of their time to put food baskets together for needy families. My daughter, who was four & five during this time, would go with me to take the Food Baskets to the needy families in our community.

My daughter thought these were the best Christmas presents we could give. Helping families during the holidays is very needed and especially with the downturn in the economy and the possibility that Congress might not continue unemployment benefits.

I have had lean times in my life and I remember when someone helped me and giving back is what makes your life richer.

Call your local Food Bank and find out what they need. They have lists of food items you can buy at a store and bring, or they may ask just for money to help buy those items.

Whatever you do, I urge you to not forget that some families will not have enough food to make it until the end of the month, but you can make a difference.

If we each reach out to a local Food Bank, we will find more joy and prosperity coming back to us from life.