Monday Musings – Travel Wisdom with a Smile – 3 Tips and a Story

 

A vacation should be relaxing, enjoyable, and fun. When you travel with a mindset of joy you are prepared for your journey. There is no need to stress over what souvenirs to purchase for friends or family. The best souvenir is a good story.

Let me share my experience through tips and stories.

3 Travel Tips

1.      Don’t track time, live in the moment. There is no need to rush from one activity to another, breathe, and enjoy each step of the journey. Speaking of steps…

On a recent trip, my family and I decided to walk to our destination. My son entered the address in his GPS, He announced to us, “It’s only six minutes from where we are.”

We walked, window shopped, and browsed inside a couple of stores. We continued our walk, navigating our way around crowded sidewalks. My feet led me up inclines, over a bridge, and finally to a store for a restroom stop.

After about twenty minutes I said, “Are we almost there?”

My son looked at his phone and said, “Oh yeah, I realized I had the GPS set to driving time.”

Our six-minute destination turned out to be over thirty minutes. However, we rested near a fountain, enjoyed viewing the architectural structures around us, and collected memories.

 

2.      Take photos. Capture your memories through photos. Let your hair down, take candid pictures, goofy ones, playful ones. I came across a quote that I like, it said, “A journey is best measured in smiles not miles.”

 

3.      Try at least one local food. One day we tried the Chicago deep dish pizza. Another day we dined at Gordon Ramsay Burger. During our Uber ride my son said, “Ma, you know who Gordon Ramsay is don’t you?”

“Yes, he’s the guy who wrote Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and he does motivational speaking.”

“No. You’re thinking about Dave Ramsey and he’s a finance guy. He may have written a book, but not the one you’re talking about. That’s a different guy.”

The food at Gordon Ramsay Burger was delicious, and we shared a good laugh at my expense. Of course I took a photo of the food. Well, I got a photo of my son’s burger; my salad was half eaten when I thought about taking a photo.

With our palates pleased and our bellies fun we headed back to our accommodations, played a few card games, then off to bed for me.

 

As I close out this blog post while sitting at the train station, I hear an announcer over the intercom say, “Train 452 to…has been cancelled. We will secure buses to get everyone to their destination.”

 

Every trip adds another chapter to your story. And now I must follow my own advice and travel with a mindset of joy. I will not stress over the small things; besides I brought a book to read, and it’s pretty good.

 

Bonus tip…pack your patience.

 

What is one thing about your last vacation that made you smile?

 

Saturday Satire - Genetics: A Comedy Series

 

My son took one comedy class with me…well two; Now he’s Mr. Funny Man every chance he gets. I make one slip of the tongue, verbal blunder, mental hiccup, and he leaps on the opportunity. His eyes bulge and he blares out, “What!?”

He used that one word as a declarative statement, a full sentence. My son fired off joke after joke after joke like fireworks on Independence Day. Let me tell you my story.

I was scheduled to perform comedy in a city two hours from home. My friend and her significant other, I’ll call him Joe went with me for support. Joe drove for us, as he has done several times.

Before I left home I was telling my son about the show, “Carla and Joe are going to the show with me tonight. I need to grab $20 to give Joe for gas.”

My son stopped what he was doing, glared me, and said, “WHAT?!”

“Ma, you’re going to give a grown man twenty dollars to drive you four hours to a sundown town, to listen to you talk about menopause? Twenty dollars will get him four gallons of gas. You’re hilarious.”

His rant continued, “You put Ms. Carla in a bad spot. Now she’s gonna have to rub his feet, scratch his back, cook dinner; All because he’s helping her friend. You think an Andrew Jackson goes a long way.”

I let him get all the words out of his head and into the atmosphere. “You offered me that same twenty dollars to cut the grass, paint the screen door, and repair a hole in the wall.”

When my son finally paused I said, “Well, that twenty dollars for you was just a love offering, you can complete the tasks for free. No need to worry, when I go to your house I will be sure to leave a trail of shoes, clothes, and dishes throughout each room.”

I chuckled. You would have thought we were in sone kind of roast battle. No winner was declared. I strolled off as I said, “And I WILL be giving Joe more than $20.”

Each day my son displays more evidence that he truly has my DNA. In addition to his sense of humor, he has my temperament, my allergies…and my Adam’s apple.

I must not leave out my other son; he’s the real DNA winner. He has my mustache…my chin hairs…and my chest hairs. Just kidding, he doesn’t have chest hairs.”

What is something funny that your child or someone else’s child has said to you?

Wordless Wednesday - Humor Happy Hour - Bottoms Up for Better Health

 

YouTube Video: Bottoms Up for Better Health

Monday Musings – Gold Medals & Gold Bond: My Senior Olympics Training Journey

 

I arrived home from work one day excited and said to my son, “I’m thinking about participating in the Senior Olympics this year. I could run the 100-meter or 400-meter race.”

After a pregnant pause, he said, “is your health insurance up to date? Maybe you should contact your doctor before starting a strenuous activity.”

His sarcasm did not go unnoticed. He was rewarded with an eye roll from me and a threat to remove him from my favorite youngest son list.

Running has never been in my wheelhouse, but after reviewing the categories on the participant registration, I eliminated nearly all of them. I could throw a frisbee, but it would probably end up in a tree, or whack anyone in its path. A friend said, “why don’t you play cornhole? All you have to do is throw a bean bag.”

“Have you ever  watched cornhole players? They shake that bag, position it a certain way in their hand, and then release it. There is a skill to it.” I gave her the same eyeroll I usually reserve for my son.

I had a rationale for deciding to participate in the race portion of the Olympics. I figured that since I exercise regularly, a few times a week, I should be able to run a short distance really fast. Bless my heart, that was not the case. After the first training session with my son I knew I  would need hustle, heart, and heating pads if I was going to take on the title of athlete for the senior Olympics.

I changed my workout regimen; I stretched more and focused my strength training on areas beneficial to runners. After my first training session my muscles were sore in areas where I didn’t know I had muscles. When we returned home from the track, I had to drag one leg up the flight of stairs to my bedroom.

My son said, “Ma, your hip muscles are not strong because you don’t do that type of exercise regularly.” And for that reason, it was several days (recovery time) before day two of training.

Day two of training was a walk, jog through my neighborhood. I needed to practice my breathing. My first time running I think I was panting more than breathing. My son who was a hurdler and ran the 400 meter in high school, said, “take deep breaths in through your nose and slowly exhale.”

My coach and motivator jogged along side of me as I paced my running and breathing. I made it one block then the next. As I began to push faster to the last block, we passed a neighbor who was in her front yard. I heard her shout, “you got this!”

I pushed through that last block, satisfied that I reached my goal and beat my time from the first day of training.

During college I was a volunteer at the Special Olympics. Their motto was – Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” I am adopting that same motto as I participate in the Senior Olympics.

If I don’t win a Gold Medal, I’m sure I can be a representative for brand – Gold Bond. Their products are good for minor aches, sore muscles, and aging skin. I’m going for the Gold anyway. You should too. Whether you’re running a physical race, setting goals, or taking on something challenging…you got this. 

Train like you want it, visualize it, and speak it into existence.

Wordless Wednesday - Teeth Gone Wild - A comedic point of view

 

YouTube Video: How strong are your teeth?

Wordless Wednesday - A Laugh a Day Keeps Stress at Bay - Comedy

 

YouTube Video Credit: Dry Bar Comedy - I'm Not Sure if You're Ready for This - Carl Strong Full Special

Wisdom Wednesday - The Writing Life - An interview with Angela Verges

Are you interested in writing a children's book? If your answer is yes, then go for it! I encourage you to become involved in your local Society of Children's Book Writer's & Illustrators (SCBWI) organization. The group is supportive offers writing conferences that will leave you inspired and motivated to chase your writing or illustrating dreams.

My picture book Abby and Zach Pray through the Alphabet was published several months ago. I am honored to have been interviewed by SCBWI-MI as their Author Spotlight. Click here to read the interview.

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." - Henry David Thoreau

Monday Musings - What to Expect When You’re Expecting to Be Funny – A Guide for the Erma Bombeck Writer’s Workshop

 

Where do you go where sleep is optional, overeating is expected, and laughter is guaranteed? If you answered the Erma Bombeck Writer’s Workshop (EBWW)], you would be correct. It’s an adrenaline rush that doesn’t leave you disappointed.

It was many moons ago when I read the book series  What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Followed by What to Expect the toddler years, then the Teen Years. Now that my sons are adults, I can bequeath those books to their significant others. Before I digress too much I thought it would be fun to create a What to Expect set of guidelines for new attendees of the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop.

If you asked each attendee about their experience, the result would be a potpourri of answers, but each person would include the words fun and laughter. You would also hear  - friendships, amazing, talented people, kindness.

The information included in this post is intended for anyone interested in attending EBWW. Let me begin with a few expectations so that you are not overwhelmed when you arrive for the workshop.

1.      Don’t plan to get a lot of sleep (you can do that when you get home).

2.      You may experience FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). To avoid a sever outbreak of this, plan that you will go with the flow and engage in the many opportunities available.

3.      Do a few stretching exercises with your face, lips, and jaw, in preparation for lots of laughter.

4.      Arrive at the workshop ready to make friends.

5. Don’t be offended by huggers. There are a lot of us out there, we mean well. One time I accidentally hugged my son’s little league coach. I didn’t realize he was leaning in to shake my hand; I grabbed him around the shoulders. But that’s a story for a different time.

Here’s how the workshop works…you must first get in. It’s not a secret society, just a group of fun people who want to laugh and learn together. I’ll share three simple steps to help you prepare for the expected workshop.

Step 1

Sign up for the newsletter so that you are aware of the happenings in Erma Nation.*

*A fun term of endearment that the workshop attendees use.

The workshop meets every two years; registration for the next workshop opens November 2027.

 

Step 2

Set a reminder about the workshop registration date.

Mark your calendar, set an alarm, write it in blood, whatever you need to do (within the law) to reserve your spot. Rumor has it that the workshop filled within 33 hours.

 

Step 3

Plan ahead.

You have two years, decide now if you want to attend the workshop. Set up a savings plan, you’ll want to buy books written by all the presenters. There is an onsite bookstore, you will be drawn to t-shirts, mugs, water bottles, journals – oh my.

If you plan ahead, you save yourself the stress of deciding which item to buy – get them both. No buyer’s remorse here. Be sure to take a suitcase large enough to carry your new treasures home.

Step 4

Don’t force the funny.

Relax, go with the flow. Don’t think that people expect you to be funny. Enjoy the camaraderie and laugh-out-loud moments.

One final thought…What should you expect when you’re expecting to be funny at the Erma Bombeck Writer’s Workshop? The answer is short and simple – Inspiration.

Wordless Wednesday - Manopause - What does it look like?

 

Wordless Wednesday - Women in Comedy - Nikki Carr

 

YouTube Video Credit: Dry Bar

I Wish These Were Jokes - Nikki Carr

Wordless Wednesday - Still Celebrating Women's History Month - Comedian Anjelah Johnson

 

YouTube Video Credit: When You're Not the Young One Anymore - Anjelah Johnson-Reyes

Posted by Laugh Society - Ladies First

Fun Friday - Mistaken Identity? Humor at a coffee shop

 

Mistaken Identity? Where you from?

Wordless Wednesday - Women's History Month - Comedy with Leanne Morgan

Celebrate Women's History Month with me. Each week this month I'll feature a female comedian. Do you have a favorite? Stop by each week, perhaps you'll discover a new favorite. Since I'm starting this feature at the end of the month, I'll extend the support of female comedians into mid-April

YouTube Video Credit: Leanne Morgan Comedy

Monday Musings – The Crossover – A Perspective on Aging

  

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word crossover? Because I have sons who have played basketball, my first inclination is a basketball reference.

I see my son dribbling the ball down the right side of the court, dashing in front of an opposing player. Crossing to the other side of the court, he stops and shoots the ball from the three-point line…swish. Nothing but net.

Well, this story is not about basketball, but it was nostalgic reminiscing about being a basketball mom. This story is in fact about aging – things you don’t see coming. Your body can change when you least expect it.

I’ve heard people debate about what age a person starts to feel old. I haven’t conducted a survey, but considering a couple of recent encounters, I say that age is sixty. Here’s my story…

On a much-needed vacation, I indulged in a lot of sightseeing and taking photos. I struck a pose inside a botanical garden, then another in front of an outdoor fountain, and others while sitting on a park bench. The sun was shining and I was feeling relaxed, sassy, and stylish, until…

While enjoying dinner on a restaurant patio with my mom, I scrolled through my phone and showed her the photos we’d taken throughout the day. She zoomed in on a photo I thought was cute and shared the same sentiment. It was one of me  basking in the sunshine while sitting on a bench.

Mom pointed to the photo and said, “I like this one, but what is that on your stomach?”

It was my turn to inspect the photo. I removed my glasses (designed for nearsightedness),  squinted, and stared at the picture. I saw what mom was looking at and said, “do you mean my boobs?!”

Sagging boobs… is this one of the signs of old age that you don’t see coming? Could this be resolved with a good Victoria Secret push-up bra? If that fails, the next option may be a hoist.

I thanked mom for her observation and vowed to tuck away the blouse that told the world that I was aging without grace. Or did I just accomplish that with this blog post?

Yep, I have crossed over into the land of aging, but it’s okay. Like fine wine, I’m going to make each year better with time, and so should you.

Live each day with an attitude of gratitude, no matter what, find something to be grateful for.

 

 

 

Fun Friday - An Aging Metabolism

 

YouTube Video: What happens when you feel you have an aging metabolism?

If you like humor and comedy, come out to a show and laugh out load. 

Fun Friday - Humor Happy Hour - The Vacation

 

Has anything interesting happened on one of your vacations?

Humor Happy Hour - The Vacation

Motivational Monday – Joy

 

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16 – 18

Each year I decide on a word of the year as a mindset for guiding my daily walk. My word for this year is joy. I was deciding between a couple of words, then a colleague gave a coffee mug for Christmas, with one single word on it – Joy. Aaah, joy would be my word.

One sunshiny but cold winter day, I sat at one of my favorite writing spots working on a few projects. Sipping Hazelnut coffee and eating chicken with wild rice soup, along with a Fugi Apple salad, I was feeling energized. I outlined my blog post about finding joy even while going through frustrating situations.

The outline included tips on ways to experience joy. A few hours later, satisfied with what I’d accomplished during my writing session, I bundled up and headed home. I turned on the  car radio; I know a radio may sound antiquated to some people, but I still use mine in this age of XM radio.

YouTube Video Credit: Commodores - Brick House Audio

I don't own the rights to this song.

The DJ was playing a throwback from the 1970’s – Brick House by the Commodores. I blasted the volume and had my own car concert going. I was moving my shoulders and bouncing my head to the beat of the music. My energy remained high…until I attempted to pull into my driveway.

The snow removal folks (whomever they were) had cleaned my street and pushed all the snow in front of my driveway. I thought I could drive over it. My tires began spinning, I put the car in reverse, got a little traction, drove forward again, the car moved a little further into the driveway, then stopped. The tires were spinning again with no forward movement. My joy was fading fast.

I got out of the car, grabbed a shovel from the garage, and began chopping at the snow around my tires. I bent my legs like one does when completing a squat as part of an exercise routine. Scooping chunks of snow, the size of small boulders, I tossed them to the other side of the driveway. Finally, I was ready to get behind the wheel of the car again.

Once behind the wheel of the car, I shifted into reverse and the car began to move over a stretch of solid packed snow. Then I heard a loud ripping sound and stopped immediately. I got out of the car and saw that my front bumper was ripped out of place and my car sat halfway in the street.

A neighbor drove slowly past then backed up and asked if I needed help. Looking dejected, I said, “No, I just messed up my car. I’ll call my son.” To say my spirit was deflated is an understatement. I went into the house, flopped down into an armchair near my front window and hoped no one would hit my car. And if they did, oh well, there was nothing else I could do at that moment.

Joy –  was evasive at that moment. Hours earlier I was bubbly and upbeat, writing about how to have joy. Now thrown into a situation where I needed to follow my own advice. It was not easy. My best advice at that moment was to first breathe and be still. I had to remind myself not to sweat the things I can’t control. Still not easy.

As I sat and waited for my son, I pulled out the notes I had planned for this blog post. Here are five ways to find joy amid difficulties:

1.      Notice one thing that didn’t go wrong today.

2.      Choose joy even though everything isn’t figured out.

3.      Text someone for no other reason than to say, “thinking of you.”

4.      Take a walk and wave at random people like you know them.

5.      Rest without earning it – no need to justify why you want to rest, just do it.

What do you do to find joy when it tries to evade you?

 

 

 

Wordless Wednesday - Childhood Games - What was your favorite?

 

YouTube Video: A Childhood Game

Wordless Wednesday - A "Helpful" Friend When You're Trying to Lose Weight

 

Video Credit: Dry Bar Comedy

Every "Helpful" Friend When You Try to Lose Weight - Al Park Stand-Up

Monday Musings - When compliments Take a Sharp Left Turn

 

                                         The perfect companion to a comfortable stylish dress. 

I am a dress kind of girl. I like wearing dresses because they feel less restrictive than pants; especially when my weight is up. One Sunday morning I spent countless minutes trying on dresses for church, until I found one that made my bulges appear smaller. Success. I pulled  my a-lined knee length, cotton dress over my head, pulled on a pair of black tights with hues of gold sparkles, then completed the look with black patent leather 3-inch chunky heeled shoes.

I bundled up and rushed off to church. Once inside the church I shed my bulky coat, exchanged pleasantries with a few people in the room, then chatted with a friend nearby. I sauntered over to the coffee table and back. Another friend walked over, interrupted us, to pay me a compliment…I think.

You may be familiar with the moment. Someone opens their mouth, clearly aiming for a compliment, and somehow the words make a sharp left turn into Wait… what did you just say? territory. You smile.  You may even say “thank you,” while your brain quietly pulls the comment apart like a detective with too much caffeine. It wasn’t rude—on purpose. It wasn’t intentional—hopefully. But it definitely wasn’t what your self-esteem ordered, and now you’re stuck replaying it on a loop you never asked for.

My friend giving the compliment leaned in and said, “you look good. Most people who gain weight, it doesn’t look good on them. It looks good on you; you carry it well.”

I chuckled and said, “thanks,” with a quizzical look on my face. However, I did tell my friend, “You can have my extra pounds, I’d rather not have them.”

I don’t think my friend realized her comment could have come across as offensive. But because I know her personality, I knew she did not mean to offend. And because of who I am, I was not offended…and I will turn the situation into comedy.

Sometimes a comment can take a wrong turn. When this happens, you can get upset about it…or not. In this situation, I chose to uncover the humor.

Have you ever experienced a compliment gone wrong? Were you the giver or receiver of the compliment?

 

 

Worth a Read Wednesday - Clucky's Week

 

Some stories remind us that even the simplest plans can turn into unexpected adventures. Clucky’s Week is one of those stories. This charming picture book follows a determined hen who just wants to lay her eggs in peace—but each day brings a new interruption as someone from the farmer’s family discovers her carefully chosen spot.

I had the pleasure of meeting Laura some years ago at a writers group meet up and again at a book fair. Her persistence as a writer is evident with the completion of Clucky's Week.

Clucky's Week by Laura Stewart and Pam Casey

Laura has also written a children's book that intertwines fiction and historical facts - Building the Bridge School A Story about Michigan's First Public School.

Building the Bridge School by Laura Stewart and Wendy Kennedy

Both of Laura's book are available on Amazon. Check out both of her books and consider making a purchase for a little one in your life.

Wordless Wednesday - Humor Happy Hour - The Peanuts

 

Humor Happy Hour - The Peanuts