12Feb 2015 by CJ

Kristen Chenoweth “Latte” tune always brings a smile

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living, Love & Relationships
“Happy is entirely up to you and always has been.” ― Janette Rallison, My Fair Godmother   I’ve always been a music buff, and have dozens of songs in my repertoire that I consider my “go-to-tunes” depending on my emotional state of the day. If I’m melancholy, I typically choose a slow, highly orchestrated ballad whose underlying theme is filled with loss and despair. I have a lot of these songs. But when I need a little cheering up, there’s one song in particular that always makes me smile. Taylor the Latte Boy was recorded back in 2005 by beloved Broadway veteran Kristin Chenoweth – from her album As I Am. This well-crafted tune can bring a smile to my face the instant she begins singing. It’s as though it…
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11Feb 2015 by CJ

Continual Negativity often intensifies our own misery

Life & Living
As a subscriber to the inspirational website TinyBuddha.com, I receive daily posts designed to guide and motivate our lives in a positive direction. Today’s post was crafted by Ed Herzog, a board certified life coach, providing readers with ways to cope through a miserable job. After reading his well-written and though provoking piece, I found much of his advice was extremely relevant to coping through life in general, not just a miserable job. In particular the following passage caught my attention: Misery is created when we create and cling to stories such as “I can’t stand this,” “This is awful,” or “I should be doing something else with my life.” If you want to feel less miserable in your current situation, then change your stories to something neutral or even…
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10Feb 2015 by CJ

Outstanding customer service comes from an outstanding company

Information & Education, Life & Living
“If you take the approach of “earning” your customers’ business every day and treating them well, they’re less likely to try someone else.” ― Marilyn Suttle When my wife and I purchased our second home, we were fortunate enough to get everything on our wish list – including a modestly sized, open front porch. Although on the smaller side, it still provides a cozy space for the two of us to relax after a long day. And what goes better on an open front porch than a pair of rocking chairs. Like most other homeowners today we began doing our research online based on price, quality, appearance and comfort. Who knew there were so many outdoor rocking chairs on the market! After narrowing it down, we found something that fit…
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09Feb 2015 by CJ

Valentine’s Day has very little to do with true love

Information & Education, Life & Living, Love & Relationships
“To love is to accept a soul entirely, not wishing that the person was otherwise, nor hoping for change, nor clinging to some ideal past.” — Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, & Grumblings for Every Day of the Year For the majority of us, we’re only given one chance to fully experience a genuine, honest love with another person. The sad reality is that far too often time makes us unconsciously forget just how memorable, how valuable, how immeasurable that feeling truly is. Though definitions vary, love has commonly been defined as “a strong, complex emotion or feeling causing one to appreciate, delight in and crave the presence of another”. The ability to give and receive love has little or nothing to do with an exchange of gifts, and yet…
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04Feb 2015 by CJ

How a little boy reminded me that I have all that I need

Life & Living, Love & Relationships, Youth
Last night, after my two-year-old nephew headed off to bed, I heard him calling from upstairs, “Crait!” You might be asking what “Crait” means. As he continues to learn pronunciation and language skills, he’s having a little trouble with the letter “G”. Therefore “Crait” means “Craig”. I don’t mind really, though sometimes I don’t realize he’s calling me – such was the case last night. His mother yelled down, “He wants you to read him a book.” So I asked the adorable little boy, standing at the top of the stairs in his striped blue PJ’s, did he want me to read to him?  He quickly replied, “Yeah!” How could I say no. Every night before he goes to sleep, his mom and dad read to him. It’s so great…
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