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You are here: Home / 2010 / Archives for December 2010

Archives for December 2010

The 20 Best Quotes About Curiosity

December 30, 2010 by Joi 7 Comments

First of all, my apologies! I knew that I had been devoured by Christmas shopping, baking, cleaning, entertaining, and so on but I had no idea how long I’d been gone. I sat down at the computer in my home office yesterday to resume work as usual – you know the kind where you accomplish more than excellent thumbprint cookies and 7 foot tall decorated Christmas trees.

Sigh. The cookies were delicious and the tree was probably the most beautiful one we’ve had yet. Scratch the probably, she was extraordinary.

But life goes on, even after what seemed almost like a three month long family extravaganza:

October:

  1. Daughter #1 had a birthday
  2. Daughter #1 got married

November:

  1. Daughter #2 had a birthday
  2. Daughter #2 said she’d never get married… as in ever
  3. Thanksgiving

December:

  1. Christmas Eve
  2. Christmas
  3. Joi tries to remember what normal feels like

So, yeah, updates have been sparse in December – but to be fair, so have my thoughts.  Thoughts that weren’t covered in powdered sugar or brightly colored ribbons, that is.

The crazy thing about trying to get back into the grind is that the mind and body almost forget how it’s done!  Have you seen the ESPN commercial where the Oregon mascot (a handsome duck if there ever was one) is trying to work at his computer but can’t quit staring out the window at the other ducks around the pond.

It’s kind of a similar thing going on now at my desk.  Except there aren’t any ducks by a pond to distract me.  But there are after Christmas sales at the mall.  And there are Christmas cookies and Christmas candy to atone for on my treadmill.

I have a lot of great posts and reviews lined up for the coming weeks – things that will center around the new year, mainly how we can get off on the right foot and keep our momentum going.

I hope your Christmas was outstanding.  Below are some of my favorite quotes about Curiosity. Something worth noting is that the majority of them are from one of the greatest minds of all time: Albert Einstein. The connection between brilliance, success, and curiosity can’t get any more obvious than that.

At the bottom is a video starring some of my favorite things in the world: Polar Bears!  They’re uncommonly beautiful, intelligent, and as this video proves… curious.

I think, at a child’s birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity. – Eleanor Roosevelt

Curiosity is free-wheeling intelligence. – Alistair Cooke

Creatures whose mainspring is curiosity enjoy the accumulating of facts far more than the pausing at times to reflect on those facts. – Clarence Day

Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people. – Leo Burnett

Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death. – Albert Einstein

Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers. – Voltaire

It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education. – Albert Einstein

The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity. – Dorothy Parker

Sometimes questions are more important than answers. – Nancy Willard

I find that a great part of the information I have was acquired by looking up something and finding something else on the way. – Franklin P. Adams

Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only the cat died nobly. – Arnold Edinborough

I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious. – Albert Einstein

The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity. – Albert Einstein

Curiosity will conquer fear even more than bravery will. – James Stephens, The Crock of Gold

Be curious always! For knowledge will not acquire you; you must acquire it. – Sudie Back

We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. – Albert Einstein

There are no foolish questions, and no man becomes a fool until he has stopped asking questions. – Charles Proteus Steinmetz

The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder. – Ralph W. Sockman

The one real object of education is to have a man in the condition of continually asking questions. – Bishop Mandell Creighton

I keep six honest serving-men,
They taught me all I knew;
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.
– Rudyard Kipling

Filed Under: Daily Quote Tagged With: Albert Einstein, curiosity, daily quotes, inspirational quotes, polar bears, videos

Simply Put, Life Could be Easier

December 15, 2010 by Joi 10 Comments

Right off the bat, let me admit that I have a flair for the dramatic. My favorite actors, actresses, athletes, and.. well.. people in general.. then to be those who flirt with eccentricity. Birds of a feather and all that, I guess.  I’m drawn to those who live life out loud and dance to their own music, whether or not anyone else hears it.

I’m also ridiculously fond of outrageous Starbucks drinks and exotic, fancy food and desserts.  Loud jewelry? Bold colors? Crazy movies?  Yes. Yes. Yes.

So when I advocate simplicity, I’m not advocating letting anything or anyone drain the fun out of life or cause its color to fade.  Far from it! I’d fight the hounds of hell to keep all the zest and color life wants to serve me.

Actually, when you stop to think about it, we can appreciate life more thoroughly if we simplify a lot of the things we do – beginning with our thoughts.

There’s a well-meaning, ambitious generation living right now that’s convinced we have to see everything, go everywhere, and do everything there is to do.  Bigger, bolder, brighter.  “Enough” is as elusive as perfect meatloaf at your in-laws.    Many seem to be looking for just the thing to make them happy or successful and, sadly, many of them equate money with each of these destinations.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Money doesn’t buy happiness – never has, never will.  There are just as many unhappy rich people as there are unhappy poor people.  Many times the only difference is they trade troubles.  Poor Pete may worry about the rent while putting in 10 hour workdays while Richie Rich may worry about the effects his crumbling marriage will have on the kids…. wherever they are.

I’m not saying these are concrete troubles, so don’t e-mail me any nastiness. I’m simply using an example – everyone has problems, everyone has worries, and everyone has a certain level of stress.  What’s more, everyone has a fence – you know, the one where the greenery of the grass is up for comparison.  I read a quote once that said something like this: “If we put our troubles in a heap along with everyone else, when we saw the troubles THEY had, we’d quickly run to retrieve our own.” I think there’s a lot of truth to that.  A lot.

I hear from many, many people through Self Help Daily and Out of Bounds and I’ve noticed something : People need to practice the art of simplicity more.  It’s nearly a lost art. Everyone wants to do too much, feel too much, and go too far. Contentment is a beautiful thing, but you have to let it find you – you can’t chase it down.

You’ll simply scare it off.

When I think of keeping things simple, I think of the acronym KISS – or Keep It Simple, Stupid.  I’m not reverting back to first grade, I didn’t come up with this acronym.

In praise of simplicity, let’s look at a few examples, a few people, places, and things that KISS really good.

  • Generally speaking, the best burger in town can be found at one of those amazing drive-ins or diners where they simply make burgers. They take buns, they cook the ground beef, they throw on fresh lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, and mayo and make you and your taste buds all kinds of happy.
  • George Strait.  The man has never tried to  be louder than the songs he sings. He doesn’t try to upstage the lyrics or the music.  He sings the songs and has a loyal fan base most only dream about. No drama, no extremes, no foolishness.  Just great music again and again.
  • State Parks provide history, beauty, and relaxation – all without the clicks, whistles, and razzmatazz of outrageously priced attractions.  The scenery cannot be beaten and gracing state parks provides support for your state’s park and recreation system.  It’s all good.  It’s all simply perfect.
  • This one will probably go right past you if you aren’t a blogger, but bare with me.  The Thesis Theme for WordPress is what most would call a “simple” theme. Unless you customize it, yourself, there are no sliding, gliding pictures or multiple small images beckoning your attention.  There is this:  Content. What you write and whatever image you choose to accompany what you write.  Simple.  Many bloggers are clamoring for a more glitzy blogs these days.  I’ll be honest, I use a few other themes on a few of my other blogs – simply because I like for as many of my blogs to look as different as possible (I have to keep from boring my cat. Her attention span’s shorter than Little Jimmie Dicken’s shadow.). However, I can unequivocally say this:  When it comes to affiliate sales (on applicable blogs), Thesis blogs outperform the rest so heavily that I’m often tempted to go 100 percent Thesis.   My Thesis-based sites simply blow the others out of the water.  Heck, it’s not even close.
  • Rachael Ray has made, like, a  gazillion dollars simply by being likable and cooking. That’s it. She doesn’t try to be controversial or say things that’ll draw attention to herself.  She simply cooks, shares her recipes, and smiles a great deal.  Simple.

Simplicity is a beautiful thing, no matter how you dice it.

If you suspect that you’ve been trying to do too many things lately, chase too many dreams, wear too many hats – you get the idea – do yourself a favor and step back.  What things are absolutely necessary? What things are just creating clatter and discord in your world?  What things could you let go and never miss again?  What matters most in your life?

If you can create a simpler life and a quieter world, your body, mind, and soul will run over one another trying to thank you first.  My money’s on the soul – He travels lighter.

Filed Under: General, Health, Positive Thought, Spiritual Tagged With: Positive Thought, simplicity, simplify your life

Do It or Age Quickly by JB Berns

December 8, 2010 by Joi 6 Comments

With Self Help Daily, Out of Bounds, and Get Cooking – I’m fortunate enough to get a lot of books to read and review.  If I like them, I tell my online friends (that’s you) about them, recommend them to my family, and place them on one of our bookshelves.  If I don’t?  I haul them off to Goodwill and pretend I never saw them.

If they’re extra atrocious, I don’t burden Goodwill with them. Straight to the recycle bin in the hopes of being reborn into something better… much better.

I remind my friends of this every now and then because I do talk about a high number of books – I want you to know that, on average, it’s only a percentage of the books I actually read or TRY to read.  I hope you know that if I take the trouble to sit down and talk about a book, I perceive that it has real value and that I think you should strongly consider it.

Put another way, if I tell you about a book, I think you can get something out of it.

The book shown above is the most recent book to make the cut. Do It or Age Quickly:60- Second Practices to Live Better, Stronger, and Longer: A guide full of the wisdom my friend JB Berns has gathered from Chinese … years of martial arts training and teaching. by JB Berns is a highly unique, easy to read, and utterly fascinating book about a subject we’re all completely interested in: Aging well and aging slowly.

Product Description

Finding the time to improve your own health & well being can be a challenge in this day & age where balancing work, family, & obligations is often a juggling act. Now with these simple & fun 60 second every day practices, people can learn how to bring their lives into balance & live better, stronger, & longer.Inside this book JB describes the unique system he has developed of just 21 simple practices to care for you mind & body that most people have never heard before. From natural toothpaste that whitens teeth, to stress & fear-reducing methods, to herbal tea that energizes & bolsters you immune system, to effortless stretches & exercises, to natural weight loss & hair preserving remedies – they are all part of his easy, 21 step approach and only take 60 seconds each.

About the Author

JB Berns has a long background in personal and wellness training, and developing exercise systems. Fitness Magazine named him as one of the top 10 personal trainers in the nation in 1999. His invention, the Urban Rebounder, is now in over 5,000 gyms worldwide and 18 different countries. He has appeared on many national television programs discussing health and wellness.

I love many things about this book – beginning with the title. A great book title GRABS the reader and HOOKS them. They want to read more and learn more.  This book’s title does this as brilliantly as I’ve seen it done. Ever. Do It or Age Quickly:60- Second Practices to Live Better, Stronger, and Longer: A guide full of the wisdom my friend JB Berns has gathered from Chinese … years of martial arts training and teaching.. How’s that for a call to action?!

In Do It or Age Quickly, the author answers every concern we have about aging and gives solid, practical, wonderfully simplistic advice for aging slowly – as well as looking our best while we do so. What’s extraordinary is that this advice can be carried out in minutes a day.

Below are just a few of the subjects covered in this very fast paced and fun to read book:

  • how to have more energy
  • how to protect your eye health
  • how to improve (and hang onto!) your hair
  • isometric exercises
  • mouth health
  • importance of deep breathing
  • the right way to sleep… yes, there’s a right way and a wrong way!
  • how to achieve mental power and protect your brain
  • wheatgrass (so important it has its own chapter)
  • how to achieve your healthy, natural weight
  • …and much more

If you’re interested in living longer, looking younger, having more energy, living better, and living stronger, you should gather as much information as possible. To achieve anything in life begins with collecting and arming yourself with information. This book is an excellent source of information about aging well… and slowly. To learn more about Do It or Age Quickly:60- Second Practices to Live Better, Stronger, and Longer: A guide full of the wisdom my friend JB Berns has gathered from Chinese … years of martial arts training and teaching. and to order your own copy today, click the link.

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fitness, Health Tagged With: age well, aging, book review, live longer, look younger

Do You Play Whack-a-Mole With Your Relationships?

December 3, 2010 by Joi 6 Comments

I subscribe to several newsletters. Some fall under the heading of inspirational and/or motivational, some fall under the heading of health news, and some are the true blue “… of the day” variety – recipe of the day, word of the day, quote of the day, etc. Each gives me something I need and something that makes my day a little brighter.

One of my favorite newsletters is the From His Heart Newsletter. Great stuff!

I’m going to pull an excerpt from the recent edition to share with you because it’s absolutely phenomenal:

From His Heart Newsletter, December 3, 2010:
Have you ever played the arcade game Whack-a-Mole? It is a fun little game in which you take a padded mallet in your hand and whack the moles as they pop up from their holes. You have to be observant and “quick on the whack” to do well at that game.

Did you know a lot of us play Whack-a-Mole with our spouse and our children? We notice every wrong thing that pops up in them, and we quickly whack them for it. We are so adept at seeing the negative. We are so good at beating down those we supposedly love. The sad truth about playing Whack-a-Mole is this: eventually those we love stop popping up; they just give up. Their attitude is understandable as they quietly whisper, “What’s the use of trying anymore. It is obvious that there is nothing I can do to please my dad (or my mom or my spouse).”

PUT AWAY THE MALLET

If you have been guilty of playing Whack-a-Mole, the time is now to put away the mallet. Take time TODAY to let your spouse, your children, your loved ones know that you are proud of them. Be observant of what those special people in your life do well and praise them for it. People respond to positive encouragement much better than they do constant correction and criticism. Isn’t that true of you? I know it is of me.

Author: Jeff Schreve

Whack-a-Mole. I love the analogy! I believe that there are two different groups who fall prey to whacking.

  1. Those who legitimately LOVE to find fault and “tear” others down. Whether it feeds their need to feel superior or simply springs from a love of nitpicking, they seem to love the feel of the mallet in their hands.
  2. Those who don’t even realize what they’re doing. Think of a tree limb.  It doesn’t “decide” which way it’s going to grow – the decision has been made and it goes with the flow.  Some people are “bent” in a particular direction.  For example, my youngest daughter and I are total homebodies. We’re bent in the direction of staying in, baking cookies, chit-chatting, and watching tv. The rest of our family is bent in the direction of ripping and roaring whenever the opportunity presents itself. They wear us out!  Some people are “bent” in the direction of finding faults, highlighting negatives, and trying to FIX everything and everyone.  How exhausted they must be at the end of the day, right?

I’m not sure I could ever come up with the right words to give people who get a kick out of tearing people down.  Furthermore, I’m not sure I’d have the patience to even try to reason with bullies… which is what these people are if you break it all down.

However, for those who feel compelled to FIX everything and everyone, I sympathize with them.  I would love nothing more than to save all of the children and animals in the world.  I’d love nothing more than to feed the hungry, right the wrongs, cure diseases, and make sure everyone had money in his or her pocket.

Now, I know what you’re thinking…. Joi’s crazy.  She’s finally flipped her top.  One overly-caffeinated, chocolate eating, animal loving wife and mother in western Kentucky can’t possibly, possibly, possibly accomplish all of that.

Equally “crazy” is the concept of one individual controlling the thoughts, actions, words, hairstyles, and dress codes of everyone around him or her.  Attempting to do so will simply aggravate the individual and create an ever-growing distance between them and those they try to “fix.”

If you’re “bent” in this unfortunate direction… unlike a tree, you can do something about it.  When a negative thought enters your mind, replace it with a positive one.

Here’s an example:  Let’s say your son is dating a girl and you positively detest the way she dresses.  The more you fixate on that one thing, the more often you’re going to complain and gripe about it.  Not only will you fail to recognize or appreciate her good qualities, you’ll drive everyone around you mad with your fixating!  No one wants to hang out with someone who fixates… their negative energy sucks the life right out of a room.

When a thought enters your mind about her clothes, replace it instantaneously with a positive thought.  Does she have a great laugh?  Does she make your son happy?  Is she smart?  Is she what we proudly old-fashioned people would call a “good girl?”

When you develop the habit of replacing negatives with positives, I’ll tell you what will happen:  Your world will instantly improve.  People will draw closer to you rather than retreat (and, if they’re closer – they’ll be more apt to listen to you!).  Think again about the Whack-a-Mole analogy.  The moles LITERALLY hide from the whacker.  They avoid it at all costs because, come on, who needs that? When you put the mallet down, your world will suddenly be filled with people “coming out of hiding,” you’ll feel more at peace with the world around you, you’ll relax more and even sleep better.

Put simply, walls will come down.  Now, if you ask me, that’s a renovation that can’t be put off any longer.

 

Filed Under: Positive Thought, Relationships, Spiritual Tagged With: relationship advice, Relationships

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