Ta-Da!
Welcome
As you can see, I’m not at my desk right now. I’m up in the tree (house). It’s where I do my best thinking—where ideas take root and branch out before I know it. It is here where the magic happens. Who knows what my imagination will come up with next. What little thought will get my attention and become worthy of words to express it. Thank you for going “out on a limb” with me to share the adventure of yet-to-be-determined motivating messages. Ta-da!
P.S. For those curious whether ta-da is a word, indeed it is according to Webster’s Dictionary. In the formal sense it means an imitative sound of the musical flourish or fanfare of a French Horn. In the more urban usage, it means a final proclamation, an exclamation to substitute a lot of words, especially when excited, happy, surprised. One source claims it was first used in 1926 although it doesn’t state how, and other info states its origins go further back with a connection to yoga and a certain pose called Ta-da-sana. Some consider it slang. I consider it the most magical verbal punctuation. On a grander scale, I like to think of life as one big ta-da.
Subscribe!
Ingenuity is an inside job
Think the genius genes passed you by? Think again claims Tina Seelig, internationally best-selling author of the book, InGenius. “Creativity is not magical, rather, it’s the result of a clear set of processes and conditions.” Historically, people looked outside themselves believing that goddesses, muses, and great writers were the rare ones gifted with creative inspiration. According to Seelig, “It’s an inside job to ignite inborn inventiveness.” Being creative is not just for artistic endeavors. In today’s world of record-speed advancements...
read moreHappy heartbeats day!
The heart is an amazing organ. It works on demand; that is, it adjusts itself to our body’s needs. During exercise or high stress, the heart rate increases and conversely it slows down in times of rest and relaxation. Depending on a person’s heartbeat rate, the average daily heartbeats range from 80,000—100,000. Heartbeats are also described as a personal metronome that nature gave us to mark time. Something to consider then is how we spend our daily allotment of heartbeats. Research suggests that each heartbeat reflects many complex...
read more2020 plans include open mind
What was I thinking weather-wise to plan a mountain getaway Thanksgiving weekend? When I booked the cozy cottage in Idyllwild, I believed our usual SoCal fair weather would prevail. Instead the 10-day forecast had a snow icon for the onset of my stay. The Airbnb hostess assured me that chains are easy to use and to see the opportunity as an adventure. My life has been one BIG adventure. Why was the idea of spending time in the snow tripping me up? Well, plans to be out hiking each day weren’t an option without proper gear. With a shift in...
read moreThe gifts of winter
Do you have winter on your holiday gift-giving list? While you may be questioning my reason for asking, I believe every season has its own unique characteristics and gifts. And, winter is no exception even though it can bring more challenges than other seasons typically do. For example, just as we reach for heavier clothing such as jackets, gloves and hats, some plants keep their dead leaves for insulation and use excess snow as a blanket to help withstand the cold. Though we may be miserable out in the freezing cold, exposure to cold winter...
read moreLeftovers through the years from patriotic to the “in” thing
Without the formality of a survey, think it’s safe to say that for most people, leftovers have a place at the table so to speak, especially at Thanksgiving. With all the preparation fuss over the turkey, dressing and cranberry sauce, many look forward to transforming those ingredients into a mouth-watering sandwich the next day. Veggies and turkey broth are the makings of soups and traditional pies and other tasty desserts become perfect additions to late-night snacks or coffee breaks. Where would we be without leftovers? Prior to...
read moreBirthday buttons!
Well here goes…a column about age. Not aging. Why? Because this month I’m having one of those decade-changing birthdays and admittedly, I’m not feeling anywhere near this new number with a goose egg behind it. Recently I mentioned to someone that the first number of my soon-to-be “new age” is my favorite and luckiest. However, it’s the zero behind it that had me pondering. I loved the lighthearted response telling me to just put the zero first. Now, that’s my kind of problem solving! If age is “just a number” then why all the comebacks and...
read moreA world of trees
Our bi-annual lunch date was well overdue. One thing and another just kept getting in the way of Bethany and I meeting at Café 50’s in Santa Monica. Even missed her 80th birthday party with friends. In August, we were finally face to face sharing delicious food and delightful conversation. That’s when Bethany planted a robust file in front of me filled with photos, poems, and articles about trees. You name it, she had it in there. What touched me the most as I went through it was her enthusiasm to share it with me. She knows my love for trees...
read moreCool ideas for a hot August night
What’s cool about August? It’s definitely not the weather that’s for sure. Maybe that’s why historically there have been plenty of notable events that had to do with water. For example, on August 3, 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail from Palos de la Frontera, Spain while in 1852, on that same date Harvard University beat Yale in the first American intercollegiate athletic event—a boat race. It was also the date in 1958 when the nuclear submarine USS Nautilus traveled under the Arctic ice cap. This all sounds very cool right about now. A...
read moreYou can feel like royalty crown or not
For those old enough to remember, does the television show Queen for a Day ring a bell? According to Wikipedia, it originated on New York City’s Mutual Radio Network in April 1945 and moved soon after to Los Angeles where it was broadcasted until 1957. NBC and later ABC television aired the program until 1964. I can still see Jack Bailey, a vaudeville magician opening the show by asking the audience if they would like to be “queen for a day” followed by interviews with each of the four women vying for that day’s crown. After telling...
read moreSimple ideas have a life of their own
Shark Tank celebrated its tenth season on television this year. Even with a marketing degree, I’ve learned plenty about leveraging equity, difficulties getting “shelf space” and a host of other issues that could make or break a deal between an interested investor and a hopeful entrepreneur. What I enjoy most, though, are the back stories—what prompted the idea and what’s been done getting it to market. Often when a deal is struck, the business owner is overcome with emotion—feeling that all the effort finally paid off. On the flip side are...
read more