tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83392506239194887602012-01-28T17:50:12.327-08:00Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.comBlogger7851100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-5987505374685311982012-01-27T22:42:00.000-08:002012-01-28T08:12:16.393-08:00

Oh my, what a mess we have here! After Snowmageddon 2012, we had a wind and ice storm that brought down more debris, so I have my hands full helping to coordinate the cleanup with the assistance of our wonderful insurance agency. I'm learning a lot about many different things and meeting new people--our project manager (who works with the construction workers, the roofer, the painters, and the

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-89857139377902678702012-01-23T09:59:00.000-08:002012-01-23T09:59:24.172-08:00

Hello to everyone; I have been snowed in here in south Puget Sound for the past several days. I'm sure it's been on the news--"Snowmageddon" is what everyone here is calling it...I guess we were some of the worst hit here. My blog has been posting away posts that I've scheduled in advance, and so I'll catch up with it, your blogs, and your emails here in the next few days or so. We've had no

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-87717358905295356782012-01-20T09:03:00.000-08:002012-01-20T09:03:00.189-08:00

Special thank you to Bobbi Illing who found this at Quan Yin's Facebook Site with the caption:  "When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky."~Buddha ~♥~

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-79183484721919073082012-01-18T09:18:00.000-08:002012-01-18T09:18:00.856-08:00

If you haven't read the comments on my post on enemies from yesterday, please do, and if you'd like, add to the discussion. There is much wisdom there...thank you to every one of you. Here is something to add to that post.  It is a video from Martha Beck about getting over insults, and it is really provocative. Why do "insults" hurt? What is a helpful model for addressing insults and criticism?

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-29020220959530211022012-01-17T10:00:00.000-08:002012-01-17T10:00:00.640-08:00

A few nights ago my friend Kristine wrote this. She is becoming a successful artist and has been learning the lessons that increasing good fortune brings and it has not been easy. One key thing she has discovered is that not everyone wants good things to happen to you. This can really be a shocker if the person who is not supportive is someone you love, someone who you thought loved you, someone

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-6631717879902153542012-01-14T09:00:00.000-08:002012-01-14T09:00:00.195-08:00

This post was prompted by what Kelly asked me in a comment, "What has sprung free in you?" She wrote this because I am writing many more posts this year than I have in a great while. I think it's my word of the year for 2012, "ImperfEction". I am willing to be just as I am. My posts might be poorly written or well written, interesting or not, etc. and I have let go of all of that. I'm willing to

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-10459768991374943092012-01-12T09:14:00.000-08:002012-01-12T09:15:30.294-08:00

I've been posting so much lately. I wanted to just re-announce that I'm back to blogging at the happyluau for 2012, fast and furious and imPerfectly. Some posts are light and hopefully inspirational with quotes and videos. Others are deeper. I wanted to list them here so far in case you've missed any: Word for 2012: ImPeRfectIoN Listening Radical Acceptance Why I Changed My Name to Olivia Word

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-79697113754178751202012-01-11T09:00:00.000-08:002012-01-11T09:00:06.715-08:00

Today is my deceased mother's birthday, but that's not why I remember today. Today is the date that a beloved uncle of mine died, but that's not why I remember today. Today I am so grateful. One year ago today I got a diagnosis of macular degeneration and thought I was losing my eyesight. I lived with this diagnosis for two months, until March 15th, when I got a second opinion from an expert in

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-35974430274849341162012-01-10T09:00:00.000-08:002012-01-10T09:00:00.185-08:00

This is via Kristine Mays on Facebook, and it was so good I wanted to share it here. Note that it does contain some profanity. It is about doing art...imperfectly.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-11450970651728912982012-01-09T17:14:00.000-08:002012-01-09T17:14:52.411-08:00

I just received my word of the year box for 2012 from the Queen of Arts and it is wonderful! For those of you who don't have one yet, you can get yours here. They are inexpensive enough that everyone can afford one. PS Mine came with a special gift, and in gratitude I'm sending a special shout-out to The Queen--thank you Kim! ~Photo by Me, and this was the best I could do (imperfectly).

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-7326077355281598072012-01-06T09:27:00.000-08:002012-01-06T09:27:00.565-08:00

(My family of origin--I am at the far left wearing the sunsuit.) For years, whenever I heard people call my birth name, I would flinch or startle. This was because for years my mother would scream my name as she would beat me; I had such terrible memories of my childhood and I wanted to put them behind me. So, I finally changed my name when I was 33. I picked "Olivia" partly because the name

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-34145648770326119712012-01-04T23:18:00.000-08:002012-01-04T23:18:28.889-08:00

This such a great quote on Radical Acceptance. Especially the last sentence: Radical acceptance is not simply a cognitive stance or cognitive activity; it is a total act. It is jumping off a cliff. You must keep jumping over and over because you can only accept in this one moment. Therefore, you have to keep actively accepting, over and over again in every moment. If radical acceptance is

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-49831735937368846782012-01-02T20:59:00.000-08:002012-01-02T20:59:00.206-08:00

Well, so yesterday I shared my deepest thoughts with someone I want to be close to, someone very precious to me. I could tell she wasn't that interested, but convinced myself that as soon as she heard what I was sharing she would definitely be interested. Since it was about my life's course and something very important to me, and all. She wasn't. She gave all the signs of not being interested.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-51472989450913241382012-01-01T09:58:00.000-08:002012-01-09T15:27:09.755-08:00

I love the new year because it feels like a clean start, a fresh slate, a chance to embark upon a new adventure. This morning I have been enjoying reading the blog posts of those of you who have chosen words for the year. kate chose Embrace, Lori-Lyn chose Essence, and Patti is letting her year unfold rather than choosing a word prematurely. I decided to break my blogging inertia because I

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-57101758046497274062011-11-30T18:43:00.000-08:002011-11-30T18:43:14.356-08:00

"Each day, and the living of it, has to be a conscious creation in which discipline and order are relieved with some play and pure foolishness. "~May Sarton This quote is courtesy of my blogger friend and artist Carmen, thank you for the inspiration. I have always been good with the discipline and order part, weaker with the play and foolishness, especially pure foolishness. In this second

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-77888815526299555752011-11-06T15:11:00.000-08:002012-01-09T15:28:28.826-08:00

Sometimes we choose rest, and other times our bodies demand rest. Friday my body demanded rest. I had various health challenges that rose up throughout last week while I was pushing to meet my quotas for NaNoWriMo and Art Every Day November. To make a long story short, it did not work for me to incorporate these wonderful projects into my life right now, to my great disappointment. I

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-91856914119231853972011-10-29T11:39:00.000-07:002011-10-29T11:39:00.183-07:00

Thank you to everyone who cheered me on in my mushroom post :)  You have to be quite an expert to try to eat mushrooms--you really have to know what you're doing, and I do not, so I'd never eat them. I do eat local mushrooms that I buy that others have identified though. Some of the ones along my driveway are so ugly and slimy that they could not be made appetizing to me no matter what had been

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-19657457243620006042011-10-28T13:51:00.000-07:002011-10-28T13:51:46.639-07:00

This month, in addition to participating in NaNoWriMo, I'm going to be joining Leah in her Art Every Day Month. So that means I'll be making art every day as well as writing 2,000 words or so each day. I think that both processes will complement each other. Find out more about Leah's Art Every Day Month here, and if you'd like she has exciting resources for support as well here--one resource

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-31804091324053215832011-10-26T19:19:00.000-07:002011-10-26T19:19:50.560-07:00

Thank you to everyone who commented on my post about my professional plans and NaNoWriMo. You all helped so very, very much. I really liked Patti's plan of mixing creative alone time with time out spent with others part-time. That really is what is appealing to me the most right now. Kate R. suggested following what gives me joy, and I so want to remember that. Mary Catherine and Kate I. brought

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-76928889626109423252011-10-23T21:44:00.000-07:002011-10-23T21:45:24.076-07:00

Well, it is fall in the U.S., and in the Pacific Northwest it is mushroom season. I have much going on in the drama and relationship area that I cannot blog about, so since I want to stay in touch with you and share my life with you, I'm sharing what I can, and today it's mushrooms. These are all mushrooms I spotted in a single day on my driveway, as here they pop up everywhere in all sorts of

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-4979664203243631322011-10-04T12:23:00.000-07:002012-01-09T15:29:46.143-08:00

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome you gave to me as I've returned to blogging. I loved your comments, and I received the inner nourishment they gave me. I send my love radiating back to each of you! Believe it or not, I intended to blog "almost" daily, and here it is again almost another week having passed...I am not as organized nor as on top of things as I've been, I'm afraid. Well, I'm

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-55488740893070996992011-09-28T16:53:00.000-07:002011-09-28T16:53:41.317-07:00

It has been almost two months since I last blogged. I don't think I've ever taken that long of a hiatus since I started blogging back in the 90's. It certainly wasn't planned. I found myself in a time when there was so little I had to share, mostly for privacy reasons, but also because my creativity had dried up a lot, and it seemed to be all I could do to just function in my life with its

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-1732449474019080122011-08-03T19:44:00.000-07:002011-08-03T19:44:20.655-07:00

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-51776100377024225832011-07-31T18:33:00.000-07:002011-07-31T18:33:45.281-07:00

The Internet is not safe, how could it be...yet, here I have found a safe place to express myself. Kathryn Antyr from Collage Diva wrote this post about how she feels connection with other people online and how when someone IRL (in real life) dismisses her online life she has a disconnect with them. I too feel this way. It feels like the person who does not understand is shutting a door that I

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-39990654979234978282011-07-28T11:38:00.000-07:002011-07-28T11:38:04.028-07:00

Writing a post about joy first thing on a Thursday morning sets the intention for joy for the whole rest of the day. It is a beautiful spiritual practice, and I'm grateful to Kim and Meri for thinking of it.  So today I am sharing the joy even though I have shingles. For the 4th time. The last time was five years ago. But my joy is in that I am able to be connected to you and with myself...and

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-22414994935173993742011-07-22T14:54:00.000-07:002011-07-22T14:54:40.346-07:00

Thank you Patti, for the color you add in my life! Some people just bring color and joy with them, with their, energy, don't you think? Like kate i, writing yesterday on her blog about gratitude and reminding me of what I need to see in every thing that happens--gratitude. And thank you for sending joy my way, Kate and Dawn and Cinner...you all bring joy to the happyluau. I also appreciated

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-10073122550807276062011-07-20T23:16:00.000-07:002011-07-20T23:16:01.531-07:00

Writing a post about joy first thing on a Thursday morning sets the intention for joy for the whole rest of the day. It is a beautiful spiritual practice, and I'm grateful to Kim and Meri for thinking of it.  I found a post that spoke to me on Kathryn Antyr's blog the other day, Collage Diva. It is about grace, and joy, and how people are hurting because this is the human condition. It is about

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-69781594027632463092011-07-18T22:34:00.000-07:002011-07-18T22:38:05.545-07:00

LoveHubbie's oldest son got married just over three weeks ago and the pictures are here. They are great. Don't look for me in any of them (I'm actually in two in the background) but who cares about that, as the lovely couple is what everyone is interested in. The photographer was outstanding, I thought, and captured many candid as well as posed moments. She certainly has a wonderful eye! Most of

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-60554802806313116342011-07-16T14:04:00.000-07:002011-07-16T14:04:29.826-07:00

So I changed the design of my blog happyluau a bit. It was time. I love the sprout on the right of the background picture, just beginning to blossom, and since I am a late bloomer, it suits me. And since I feel as though I to am just beginning to blossom! I also really like the blue. I am thinking of blogging more regularly. And of cherishing the comments, instead of answering them. When

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-57998391851032208342011-07-14T16:32:00.000-07:002011-07-14T16:36:06.534-07:00

Writing a post about joy first thing on a Thursday morning sets the intention for joy for the whole rest of the day. It is a beautiful spiritual practice, and I'm grateful to Kim and Meri for thinking of it.  Today I opened up and trusted someone. Today I started making Two Hard Big Changes...changes I will tell you about later, when I am ready. Today I truly am filled with joy, and even

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-23109736576707156092011-07-10T08:03:00.000-07:002011-07-10T08:04:04.467-07:00

Today is my second drama-free day of the weekend. I set up my weekend so that my normal sources of drama are cut off and I can relax and let go all weekend long. So that I only have in my life people and experiences that are edifying and that carry a peaceful energy. Yesterday I went to Nisqually Wildlife Refuge again and walked four miles. Then I came home and could hardly move, but in a good

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-30293406911975265072011-07-06T21:32:00.000-07:002011-07-06T21:32:57.119-07:00

Writing a post about joy first thing on a Thursday morning sets the intention for joy for the whole rest of the day. It is a beautiful spiritual practice, and I'm grateful to Kim and Meri for thinking of it.  This post is about a walk I took on Sunday at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. It brought me so much joy because I haven't been able to go there in many years; it was closed for a

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-40871966254815748622011-06-29T17:43:00.000-07:002011-06-29T17:43:58.167-07:00

Writing a post about joy first thing on a Thursday morning sets the intention for joy for the whole rest of the day. It is a beautiful spiritual practice, and I'm grateful to Kim and Meri for thinking of it.  I am back from Texas. All went well last week. Right before my colonoscopy, LoveHubbie went to the emergency room. He is okay, but getting extensive medical testing for an incredible

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-3462950883911755202011-06-18T11:15:00.000-07:002011-06-18T11:15:59.865-07:00

It has been 17 days since I've last blogged and so much has happened, I hardly know how to catch up. I've been "hanging in there", taking one day at a time, which for me is a triumph. I'm still here, and haven't fallen apart. Someone I care a great deal about is though (falling apart), health-wise and otherwise, making decisions that have really painful consequences. I've been working to take

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-55395381803040219652011-06-01T12:07:00.000-07:002011-06-01T12:10:34.451-07:00

Today I wanted to invite you to meet my new friend Rebecca. Her life, her art, her words, her blog speaks for itself. Please read this about her too. In the spirit of my Being Brave post, I want you to meet her and see someone who is truly Being Brave and reaching out to love and help others while doing so. She is an inspiration to me.  Rebecca is joining with many other artists to have an

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-55211828674870363702011-05-30T10:42:00.000-07:002011-05-30T10:43:36.744-07:00

I posted this two years ago here and am reposting it now in honor of Memorial Day. I wanted to say "Thank You" to all veterans today, including my husband, my ex-husband, my brother-in-law, my late father, and my bio-dad. It is thanks to them and to their sacrifices that I am free, a freedom I usually take for granted. I cannot comprehend the amount of caring and concern that a military person

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-86152358572578643052011-05-29T11:35:00.000-07:002011-05-29T11:35:24.959-07:00

This Sacred Life Sunday post is to commemorate the work that Jessie and I did years ago in our "Be Brave" project. Jessie started it and I joined in and over the years we revived it. Now I would say we are living "Be Brave". The project was inspired by the words of Eleanor Roosevelt who said, "Do one thing every day that scares you." Sometimes just the regular stuff that life brings to you is

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-3852444659899670322011-05-26T09:50:00.000-07:002011-05-26T09:55:58.675-07:00

Writing a post about joy first thing on a Thursday morning sets the intention for joy for the whole rest of the day. It is a beautiful spiritual practice, and I'm grateful to Kim and Meri for thinking of it.  Today I thought I'd share some pictures from this blog--blasts from the past--that exemplify joy. I really enjoyed going through old posts to share these with you...I discovered that this

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-15539193041689470272011-05-26T08:55:00.000-07:002011-05-26T08:55:40.330-07:00

Writing about joy first thing on a Thursday morning sets the intention for joy for the whole rest of the day. It is a beautiful spiritual practice, and I'm grateful to Kim and Meri for thinking of it.  What brings me JOY today? Sometimes it is small things, other times it is large things. Today it is very large things.  Wearing this pink wig with Kim Mailhot, the Queen of Arts and Patti Digh,

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-16105030734099502002011-05-19T08:03:00.000-07:002011-05-26T08:55:28.904-07:00

A hundred small choices in the wrong direction can add up to a lifetime where our dreams are always one step in front of us. ~Debbie Ford  Who wants to be continuing to repeat the same patterns over and over again so that our dreams are eluding us? Do you ever feel caught in a pattern? Today and lately I did and I have, but somehow I don't think that the pattern is real...or that the

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-43441854244882800552011-05-15T09:53:00.000-07:002011-05-16T19:53:34.474-07:00

kate had a provocative post on her blog, and it got me thinking. Her dream was my dream as well, but it was bigger than I'd ever thought or dreamed. For example, I might imagine a house in Hawaii (believe me, I have) but not a house in Hawaii AND France! I couldn't even imagine that! But why not? It's a dream, after all. I realized that my dreams are way, way too small. So after reading her post

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-83982094573723881682011-05-13T14:10:00.000-07:002011-05-13T14:52:48.604-07:00

So Blogger is now back and I'm a lucky girl because I save my comments! Thus I was able to repost them today. So I've recovered everything. But, if you didn't read my important post from Sharing the Joy Thursday or you did read it but didn't get to comment because of the Blogger outage, please do. I think sharing the joy on Friday will work just as well :) Also, if you didn't have time to watch

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-32655495696660157782011-05-06T15:56:00.000-07:002011-05-06T15:56:00.358-07:00

I found this video via Patti Digh and Sophia Leadership. It's about the sense that each woman has about what is good for her and right--her intuition--and how we listen to it--but it is about so much more than that. It's a TED talk, and so it is almost 17 minutes, but you will not regret watching it, if you are a woman, I promise you this.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-13474711378715107762011-05-05T12:19:00.000-07:002011-05-05T12:19:34.296-07:00

It's time again for Meri's "Share the Joy Thursday". Consider joining in and spreading joy around every Thursday or whatever Thursdays you want to pop in and participate. Read about more joy, including from our own Kim, The Queen of Arts and others listed at the end of Meri's post if you want to feel more joy today. You know, writing about joy first thing on a Thursday morning does set the

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-36557132421660717732011-05-04T13:50:00.000-07:002011-05-04T16:12:15.411-07:00

I have decided that I'm not going to watch the news any more. I don't believe we were made to be able to absorb so much pain, strife, cruelty, etc. At least I'm not. My biological brother (whom I am estranged from) works a government job yet his incredibly time-consuming passion over the last several years has been articulating views on his award-winning blog from the extreme political left

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-5448012204687171412011-05-03T11:50:00.000-07:002011-05-03T11:50:27.638-07:00

I saw this TED Talk by Neil Pasricha, called "The 3 A's of Awesome". It is very inspirational, reminding me of Kelly Kikipotamus the Hobo's "Grace in Small Things" (GIST). Neil Pasricha also has a couple of books that are compilations of his blog posts that you can find here on his blog as well. The video is under 18 minutes and worth it; it'll make you aware of things you may have overlooked.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-74282612925602359002011-05-02T19:57:00.000-07:002011-05-04T16:13:39.982-07:00

I wanted to share links to two wonderful articles about how we react to news such as Osama bin Laden's death, two quotes, and then ask you a question. The first article is from Bishop Jim Swilley's blog. I don't agree with him about "imagining no religion", nor about the "spontaneous celebrations", but the rest put in words things that I felt today. The second article is from Susan Piver's blog

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-17804987595965499012011-04-30T23:07:00.000-07:002011-04-30T23:07:00.132-07:00

This video is quite inspirational. I found it on Facebook via Patti Digh. Don't give up! I'm taking this as my own inspiration this Sabbath Day. If you haven't seen it, spend the 3:15 to be lifted up by Derek Redmond, as you will be: I am especially moved by Derek Redmond's father in this video. In the past I'd often wish I'd had a father who would come alongside me as I'd go through life; I am

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-31103469540619284852011-04-29T08:02:00.000-07:002011-04-29T09:40:26.600-07:00

A follow-up to yesterday's "Share the Joy Thursday": "We could never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only joy in the world."~Helen Keller (and she should know) I want to feel it all, be grateful for it all, have a full life...God, grant me the strength and courage to accept the hard things as well as the joy... ~Photo by LoveHubbie Mark edited by me

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-81468819324680095772011-04-28T07:39:00.000-07:002011-04-28T07:39:33.080-07:00

It's time again for Meri's "Share the Joy Thursday". Consider joining in and spreading joy around every Thursday or whatever Thursdays you want to pop in and participate. Read about more joy, including from our own Kim, The Queen of Arts and others listed at the end of Meri's post if you want to feel more joy today. You know, writing about joy first thing on a Thursday morning does set the

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-40872198475426368572011-04-26T10:44:00.000-07:002011-04-26T10:44:58.003-07:00

One lesson I learned while visiting my friend in Arizona was to ask for help when I need it. I am not used to traveling alone. On this particular day (Thursday before last) I was on a long bus (two whole buses joined together) trying to get off with a very heavy carry-on and another heavy personal bag. I needed both hands though to get down the steps of the bus and to then jump the distance

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-76652430064339748012011-04-21T10:30:00.000-07:002011-04-21T10:30:59.962-07:00

I am back from my visit to Arizona. I will write about this later, so much to share, so many lessons from my elderly friend and her even older friends at the retirement village! Right now I wanted to participate in Meri's "Share the Joy Thursday". Please enjoy her post; it's wonderful. I found out about her from Kim, The Queen of Arts. Please also visit her blog and the others listed at the end

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-14599877290836619482011-04-13T17:26:00.000-07:002011-04-13T17:27:33.942-07:00

Two weeks have flown by since my last post. I still haven't written about the "tough times" I'm going through, but I promise I will. I am leaving for a short trip to visit a close friend of mine in Phoenix and wanted to leave you with this before I go. I took a class called "Mixed Media 101" from Kate Robertson, the Queen of Creativity, and just loved it! Even though I'm not technically a

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-51260327203331433602011-03-30T16:05:00.000-07:002011-03-30T16:05:11.429-07:00

I have been going through a bit of a tough time lately, which I will write about...just not today. Today is Wellness Wednesday, and so in honor of that, I want to write about something FUN!  1. No matter what we are going through, we can always have a Grateful ♥ Heart. Kelly has been writing about this topic, and about how when we are grateful, it can actually be creative and generative. So I

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-48591687306168542552011-03-20T00:01:00.000-07:002011-03-20T00:01:58.241-07:00

It is indeed a challenge to receive the good that is brought your way (at least for me) with everything else that is going on in the world. A part of me wants to mourn and just stay mourning, in honor of: (1) All of the people at Virginia Mason Hospital who didn't get "good news", unlike me, (2) Everything happening in Japan right now, (3) People suffering all over the world, (4) A friend

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-80784756571390621742011-03-16T14:32:00.000-07:002011-03-16T14:32:54.147-07:00

I wanted to encourage everyone to have second opinions when they receive a diagnosis. As most of you know, I recently was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). You can read more about this here and here. Although I am very young to have this diagnosis, it's not unheard of, especially with all of the other eye problems I have. After the diagnosis of AMD, my life changed. AMD is

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-86075514082689537592011-03-14T16:46:00.000-07:002011-03-14T16:46:00.344-07:00

"I don't think that there is anything that is really magical unless it has a terrifying quality..." ~ Andrew Wyeth ~Photo by LoveHubbie Mark

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-28269360155144139832011-03-12T13:13:00.000-08:002011-03-12T18:16:22.034-08:00

I must have been incredibly simple or drunk or insaneTo sneak into my own house and steal money,To climb over the fence and take my own vegetables.But no more.I've gotten free of that ignorant fistThat was pinching and twisting my secret self.~Rumi ~Photo by LoveHubbie Mark, Maui, Feb 2011

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-34990025583297132632011-03-10T16:06:00.000-08:002011-03-10T16:06:19.103-08:00

Today I wanted to write about rejection. I knew someone once who said, "Rejection is an inside job..." and it stuck with me. It's all in how you take things. I experienced two rejections lately. One was from some family members, a young couple, who decided to unfriend me on Facebook. I was quite surprised as I'd never been unfriended before. For those of you who aren't familiar with Facebook,

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-27133618474252207722011-03-04T15:34:00.000-08:002011-03-04T15:35:45.251-08:00

It may seem silly, but oh my, this video cheers me up every time I watch it. It helps me to feel joy...so please enjoy and watch it as many times as you need to. It's hard to come away feeling down after viewing it, I promise! I couldn't figure out how to embed it, so you'll have to click here. Peace, O P.S. I am feeling a bit better, and continuing to let go!

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-56585123793485004242011-03-03T13:15:00.000-08:002011-03-03T13:15:52.017-08:00

With a big weekend coming up, I am needing to have an emergency trip to the oral surgeon. What I thought was an aphthous ulcer is actually an infection all around my dental implants and possibly an abscess. It hurts to talk and can't chew at all. We have company coming (a rare event at our house in the woods) and I am singing in a choir and as a cantor this weekend. I have two receptions to go

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-62367905777486434682011-02-24T20:49:00.000-08:002011-02-24T20:50:22.004-08:00

Our vacation to Maui was shorter than usual, but it was lovely all the same. It was unusual in that we did almost nothing except read, sit, sleep, and watch the sun rise and set. We played cards a bit and visited with friends. Very few activities, yet still several adventures, some of them internal...which I'll write about in upcoming days.  The above picture is me on the first day we arrived.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-73937441569002717962011-02-01T10:43:00.000-08:002011-02-01T10:43:08.662-08:00

We are leaving for Hawaii, all packed and ready to go. I will miss each of you while I'm gone. As I mentioned before, I'll be computer-less but I will catch up on your blogs when I come back. In the meantime, I'll hold you each in my heart. Much love and peace to you, xoO

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-70616279605060017542011-01-28T11:51:00.000-08:002011-01-28T11:51:11.547-08:00

I am preparing for vacation, not yet packing, but arranging for our house-sitters, the garden, the chickens, and most importantly, picking my books and audio for that time, which is what I mostly do on vacation: read, walk, write, listen to my iPod. This time it will be different though because it will be a time of listening, and inward time. My intention is to develop a regular meditation

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-58534819676218569222011-01-23T19:42:00.000-08:002011-01-23T19:42:28.348-08:00

This is a follow-up to this post about my diagnosis with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). It has now been 12 days since my diagnosis. I will be seeing a specialist in Seattle in mid-March for a second opinion and more importantly, more information on the specifics of my diagnosis and prognosis. I am doing well and am adjusting and best of all--today I can see--which I really and truly

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-16174343804248597222011-01-17T17:43:00.000-08:002011-01-17T17:43:30.887-08:00

Today is Martin Luther King Day in the U.S. and I wanted to share some quotes with you: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963 ~Tweeted by @CatholicDems RT by @alcreationwaits It's good to remember Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. today. We need people like him to be on the side of the poor, the marginalized and

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-62907077293629102432011-01-12T12:11:00.000-08:002011-01-12T12:11:54.710-08:00

Recently I've been having some trouble with my eyes. I have very good eyes, but many eye issues, some of them genetic, and in addition a really high myopic prescription. I've also had a retinal detachment--about 15 years ago--and eye surgery. Over the years though, my eyes have done a yeoman's job of consistent hard work bearing up with all of the paces I've put them through with voracious

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-16957560840272075322011-01-03T20:51:00.000-08:002012-01-09T20:09:10.070-08:00

I decided to participate in Ken Robert's "Let's Make a Mess of 2011 - The Thirty Dirty Pages Project".  You can see his lovely title page here. Who wants to join me? To participate, you draw a hand drawn page every day. When you have 30 you turn them into a book. The book can/will be messy. The rules are: (1) Draw something. (2) Write something. (3) Make a page. (4) Repeat daily. (5) Get out of

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-68962742150797871592011-01-02T19:50:00.000-08:002011-01-05T12:52:47.237-08:00

This is the first Sunday of the New Year. "Epiphany" doesn't refer to the fact that I've had yet another aha moment, but to a time in the church year when Jesus came to earth and to the mystery of His incarnation. In the West we celebrate it with the story of the three wise men bringing gifts. I truly love how my church has a liturgical calendar that goes right along with the seasons. Stories

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-24993479980883435692011-01-01T14:32:00.000-08:002011-01-01T14:32:40.462-08:00

This word for the year requires some explanation, because I really want you to get how big it is for me. Originally I started with the idea from this post by Patti Digh that I wanted to let go of striving. Yes! This passivity, or even better--surrender--is something that I want to incorporate into 2011. I don't want to push or try or force anything. I want to allow, to unfold, to unfurl... I

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-71710788046050947382010-12-31T13:19:00.000-08:002010-12-31T13:19:00.631-08:00

I wanted to share with all of you a new and exciting spiritual development in my life--I have found a church where I can finally "belong". I thought I'd share it with you over Christmas in several short posts instead of one big long one. I can't wait to hear what you think. I'm hoping you'll be excited for me, and perhaps encouraged about finding spiritual community for yourself, if you've not

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-42917701799259116522010-12-30T11:43:00.000-08:002010-12-29T13:35:37.092-08:00

I wanted to share with all of you a new and exciting spiritual development in my life--I have found a church where I can finally "belong". I thought I'd share it with you over Christmas in several short posts instead of one big long one. I can't wait to hear what you think. I'm hoping you'll be excited for me, and perhaps encouraged about finding spiritual community for yourself, if you've not

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-88310027921718462112010-12-29T11:37:00.000-08:002010-12-29T11:37:00.170-08:00

I wanted to share with all of you a new and exciting spiritual development in my life--I have found a church where I can finally "belong". I thought I'd share it with you over Christmas in several short posts instead of one big long one. I can't wait to hear what you think. I'm hoping you'll be excited for me, and perhaps encouraged about finding spiritual community for yourself, if you've not

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-21869915931629396632010-12-27T11:35:00.000-08:002010-12-28T13:54:47.282-08:00

I wanted to share with all of you a new and exciting spiritual development in my life--I have found a church where I can finally "belong". I thought I'd share it with you over Christmas in several short posts instead of one big long one. I can't wait to hear what you think. I'm hoping you'll be excited for me, and perhaps encouraged about finding spiritual community for yourself, if you've not

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-29992011019224557542010-12-25T13:06:00.000-08:002010-12-25T13:06:00.839-08:00

I wish each and every one of you a lovely holiday and a wonderful New Year!

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-49513171593777030992010-12-24T23:08:00.000-08:002010-12-24T23:08:00.955-08:00

I wanted to share with all of you a new and exciting spiritual development in my life--I have found a church where I can finally "belong". I thought I'd share it with you over Christmas in several short posts instead of one big long one. I'll be traveling unplugged (as in without my computer--yippee!) for part of the holidays, so I'll be auto-posting and responding to your comments later when I

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-83876788971480112882010-12-23T13:05:00.000-08:002010-12-23T13:05:41.703-08:00

I wanted to share with all of you a new and exciting spiritual development in my life--I have found a church where I can finally "belong". I thought I'd share it with you over Christmas in several short posts instead of one big long one. I'll be traveling unplugged (as in without my computer--yippee!) for part of the holidays, so I'll be auto-posting and responding to your comments later when I

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-25934592439211645962010-12-18T19:06:00.001-08:002010-12-18T19:06:53.550-08:00

I rarely if ever return anything, thinking that I can either find some use for it or donate it. I also rarely buy anything that doesn't work or that has anything wrong with it. This year I bought two nice things ($65-$100) that were defective. The way the companies each handled it were so different. The first thing that I bought was from Scottevest. It was two of their travel vests for $200

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-4369411049161178242010-12-18T11:11:00.000-08:002010-12-18T11:11:00.301-08:00

"There is probably no other way to understand God's nature except to daily stand under the waterfall of divine mercy and then become conduits of the same flow." ~Richard Rohr ~Photo by LoveHubbie Mark taken in Kauai

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-3166243166201440952010-12-16T09:57:00.000-08:002010-12-16T09:57:44.003-08:00

Based on the comments on my post from yesterday, I wanted to clarify a few things about my weight loss. I do highly recommend Marianne Williamson's new book--A Course in Weight Loss--if you are metaphysically oriented. Otherwise you will not enjoy the book. I was talking to LoveHubbie about it and he thought things like "being in your body" were "mumbo jumbo..." "Where else would I be?", he

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-69122601231625121852010-12-15T11:11:00.000-08:002010-12-15T11:11:17.457-08:00

Well, I'm very happy to report that I have finished the diet I've been on since November 1st--the homeopathic hcg diet--which is actually more of a semi-fast and a detox than a diet. I lost 27.4 pounds in 44 days, so I'm very happy with my results. I also felt terrific once I got used to it. I've gone down several sizes and feel energetic and happy. I used the semi-fasting and the detox as a

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-24026433373147336932010-12-11T08:28:00.000-08:002010-12-11T08:28:55.278-08:00

This is a YouTube video that I made in response to a creative challenge from Kate's ning community called  "The Queen of Creativity Castle". It is a response to this poem: the space below“ there was a whole world inside of her filled with stars and caves and  demons and gold. she tinkered and played in that world - but it wasin the space below - in the depths of deep - that the real stuff

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-54634171873278367992010-12-08T17:53:00.000-08:002010-12-08T17:53:30.621-08:00

Does this blow your circuits like it does mine? Almost hard to believe. I looked around the room at all of my books and wondered what life would be like in a bookless house. Or alternatively, with just a little bookshelf. It was hard to envision. Life is changing. I have a Kindle (I got a new Kindle 3 for Christmas and LoveHubbie got my old Kindle 1) and I really enjoy digital books. I still

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-31945604939042850572010-12-06T09:37:00.000-08:002010-12-06T09:38:46.680-08:00

I wanted to share with my happyluau readers something from my private homeopathic hcg diet blog, edited and enhanced here, because it relates to life in general, and some of you may find something to encourage or inspire you in it. I mean this in a good way, that I'm not going to be trying to figure out what my body is doing with respect to weight loss, but just doing the very best I can,

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-74885998150335504932010-12-05T01:38:00.000-08:002010-12-05T01:38:00.247-08:00

"Surrender" was my "word" from Lori-Lyn's card pulling--she did one on Facebook on Thursday and it was so right on. Then I read this on "The Mercy Blog: Pax et bonum": Jesus does not demand great actions from us but simply surrender and gratitude. (St. Therese of Lisieux) Surrender. Gratitude. Words to live by. Perfect words for this Sacred Life Sunday.

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-52649099468608411402010-12-02T15:00:00.000-08:002010-12-02T15:00:20.497-08:00

As many of you know, I got back recently from a whirlwind trip to Salvador, Brazil for the wedding of my beloved nephew and his wonderful wife. I was only there for a short time but it was life-changing. So I decided to start a short blog series called "Lessons from Brazil" to share about this trip, to help me to process it, and to inspire you. This may be obvious to you, but it was refreshing

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-20844017309750474092010-11-30T16:21:00.000-08:002010-11-30T16:21:19.587-08:00

This is a belated Sacred Sunday post! I was inspired by Kelly Kikipotamus' visit to a church a few Sundays ago and wanted to do the same. I've felt more and more as though my church and I are not a match. I've been going since April, so for seven months, and what worked in the beginning no longer fits who I am, if it ever did. I no longer belong and I don't want to fit myself in. As much as I do

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-36897593958965981242010-11-27T12:18:00.000-08:002010-11-27T12:18:35.337-08:00

The brutal cold and harsh weather helps me to appreciate the beauty and softness of the other seasons. I am not a big fan of winter. I am a bit down on this weather after having something like two weeks with either minimal heat or no heat. The repairman came over and over again (5 times) and the system would be fixed for a few hours and then break again. Apparently it is a complex computerized

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-72516486428061838222010-11-24T10:01:00.000-08:002010-11-24T10:07:47.013-08:00

I wanted to write about a comment that Kim left me about my post from yesterday, which was about how Love is always the answer. She wrote that I could love:  (1) My hurt parts, This is in fact a blessing because I wouldn't hurt so much if I didn't love her. I can focus on the years of betrayal and my discombobulated sense of reality or I can focus on how much I love her and how grateful I am to

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-40921691439754608222010-11-23T13:27:00.000-08:002012-01-09T20:34:51.462-08:00

One great side benefit from the homeopathic HCG diet I've been experiencing is a general sense of well-being, a great difference from my normal base state of generalized anxiety. That has been the best benefit so far. The sense of peace and empowerment has been valuable this month as different personal stresses have come up. I had written on my diet blog that someone told me a secret that shook

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-76260413919188926092010-11-16T06:09:00.000-08:002010-11-15T23:09:34.154-08:00

Since I've been on this HCG diet, I've been more assertive and more interested in pursuing spiritual community. We belong to a lovely church. I have tried my best to fit in and just can't. I am always so different from everyone else and as nice as they are, I seem to have some sort of block in that I cannot relate to anyone without feeling as though they find me hopelessly strange. I find myself

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-7967322981748602942010-11-14T05:42:00.000-08:002010-11-14T12:07:18.481-08:00

When we don't give ourselves permission to be free, we rarely tolerate that freedom in others. ~BreneBrown

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-46203646054179875602010-11-13T06:55:00.000-08:002010-12-09T23:19:40.842-08:00

If there are any of you regular readers of happyluau who are greatly interested in my progress on the homeopathic HCG diet, I have a separate blog for that which is private. I write in minute detail about the previous day--what I ate, how it made me feel, problems and issues, etc. Only people really interested in this would want to read at such length about someone's weight loss journey, but if

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-13791817028906195932010-11-12T06:51:00.000-08:002010-11-12T06:51:00.310-08:00

As many of you know, I got back recently from a whirlwind trip to Salvador, Brazil for the wedding of my beloved nephew and his wonderful wife. I was only there for a short time but it was life-changing. So I decided to start a short blog series called "Lessons from Brazil" to share about this trip, to help me to process it, and to inspire you. When I traveled to Brazil a couple of weeks ago and

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-33201415929890229612010-11-09T06:06:00.000-08:002010-11-09T06:06:00.547-08:00

As many of you know, I got back recently from a whirlwind trip to Salvador, Brazil for the wedding of my beloved nephew and his wonderful wife. I was only there for a short time but it was life-changing. So I decided to start a short blog series called "Lessons from Brazil" to share about this trip, to help me to process it, and to inspire you. When I traveled to Brazil a couple of weeks ago, I

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-4130252687972100382010-11-07T11:10:00.000-08:002010-11-07T11:10:42.377-08:00

On this beautiful Sunday morning, I am wishing you all a day of rest, peace, fun, play, delight, joy, and love. I am blessed and so are you. That alone is reason enough to have an amazing day! ~Photo by Sabrina Moran edited by me

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-20464501482101948632010-11-06T06:29:00.000-07:002010-11-07T11:15:58.275-08:00

As many of you know, I got back recently from a whirlwind trip to Salvador, Brazil for the wedding of my beloved nephew and his wonderful wife. I was only there for a short time but it was life-changing. So I decided to start a short blog series called "Lessons from Brazil" to share about this trip, to help me to process it, and to inspire you. Brazilians in Salvador like to conserve paper. What

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-17551542895617904842010-11-04T06:02:00.000-07:002010-11-12T11:05:10.908-08:00

Welcome to another installment of OTV, including news about The Queen of Creativity's Castle--a new creative community!

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-67956379188213553542010-11-03T16:02:00.000-07:002010-11-03T16:02:27.802-07:00

I saw this on my friend Patti's blog: So now...Do It!

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339250623919488760.post-83168411269925740652010-11-02T06:32:00.000-07:002010-11-02T06:32:00.289-07:00

Here is a great article about introversion from Psychology Today, for all of you fellow introverts and for those who want to understand us! I hope you enjoy it. I found out about the article via the Queen of Creativity---Kate---who also has a new creative community called The Queen of Creativity Castle on ning. I have followed Kate's art on her blog for years and watched it grow and develop;

Oliviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06058356843151306428noreply@blogger.com8