"A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame,
a little less than his share of the credit."~ Arnold Glasow

I saw a funny quote by Jay Leno the other day, "If God wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates."  I laughed out loud when I read that.  We have yet another presidential election before us and so many voters are still undecided ... but this country is not at all what it was when I was a child.

 

The first president I really remember was Dwight Eisenhower.  We all looked up to him and respected him so much.  Ike was a West Point graduate, Supreme Commander of NATO, and the country was proud to say, "I Like Ike."  Then came Jack Kennedy ... oh, how the youth of America loved him!  I recall exactly where I was on the day he died and heard the announcement, "The president is dead," reverberating across campus.  In spite of his philandering (which we didn't know much about at the time), I still looked up to the President.  And no one was a more elegant and polished First Lady than Jackie Kennedy. 

 

There have been good and bad presidents from both political parties but I am disappointed that the respect I once had for the presidency is long gone.  These days the President finds it natural to hang out with celebrities and appear on TV talk shows.  But the First Lady,  well, I was a little taken aback when she competed in a race on TV against Jimmy Fallon and in a push-ups contest with Ellen DeGeneres, but even more surprised when she was interviewed last week on national TV with her barefeet on the couch.  She was talking about a discussion with her daughter and said, "What would we be if me and Dad did that?"  Me and Dad????  Sorry, I was an English major in college and that jumped out at me.  I would have expected her to say, "if Dad and I did that."  You can watch it here:  http://www.ivillage.com/guest-editor-michelle-obama-active-not-overscheduled-kids/1-h-481792?category_id=6331.  Am I too old school?  I welcome your comments. ♥

 

 

"Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens."

 ~ Khalil Gibran

I have a dear friend who was diagnosed a year ago with pancreatic cancer.  She handled the news with courage and, throughout all the agonizing chemotherapy and radiation, she has kept her sense of humor, she has stayed busy doing things with friends, and she has spent quality time with her family.  My friend has possibly the most positive attitude of anyone I know.  Last week her doctor told her that her body cannot withstand any more chemotherapy and that she is entering the last stages of her illness. 

Needless to say, she suffered a meltdown upon hearing the confirmation of what she suspected.  But the next morning she awoke and decided that she will make the most of each and every day she has remaining on this earth.  She put a smile on her face and went about her daily routine. 

Today, she and her husband left on an Alaskan cruise, one of the many items remaining on her bucket list.  I promised her that when she returns we will go to a honky tonk bar (which is 100 years old) to have one of the best burgers in town.   (She joked that she might even try  pole dancing!)  I so admire her courage, her determination, her endurance and strength in remaining so positive throughout her illness.

Our attitude defines our joy in life.  We can choose to be happy, or we can choose to be sad.  We can look at the cup as half full, or we can look at it as half empty.  The choice is yours.  I repeat, "Carpe diem." ♥

"Improve your spare moments and they will become the brightest gems in your life"

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am an ice cream freak!  I consider it a comfort food and every summer I seem to crave ice cream.  And, yes, I know it is fattening and not a good choice when battling cholesterol.  But I just found a healthy alternative.  I honestly wouldn't be mentioning this if I were not so pleased with my new Yonanas banana ice cream maker.

I love bananas, thus this machine satisfies my craving for ice cream without clogging my arteries.   The texture is the same as soft serve ice cream and is yummy!  All you do is simply push a frozen banana through the machine for an instant healthy treat.  In addition to frozen bananas, you can add other fruits and the Yonanas website lists additional recipes (http://www.yonanas.com).   I purchased mine from Amazon.com (see link on right), or you can purchase it at Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Sears, or directly from the Yonanas website.  If you own one, please share your recipes here.  Yonanas is a healthy indulgence! ♥



"Make each day your masterpiece." ~ John Wooden

Prevention magazine's September 2012 issue has some great tips in it, some of which have been discussed previously in this blog.  For example, "Foods That Fight Pain" beginning on pg. 75 lists cherries, which target arthritis and muscle pain (what did I tell you a few weeks ago!); ginger (1/4 tsp. daily) to target migraines, arthritis, and sore muscles (I drink ginger ale when my stomach is upset); cranberry juice (1 cup daily) to fight ulcers (also good for preventing UTI); salmon, herring, and sardines - which target an achy back, neck and joints; turmeric (1 tsp. daily) for achy joints and colitis; yogurt for digestion (or a probiotic); and coffee (two 4 oz. cups) to target headaches.

This issue also states on pg.  20 that "new research says you can counteract [warnings of Alzheimer's disease] by living life with a purpose. 'Someone who is focused on having meaningful experiences has about 30% less cognitive decline over 10 years,' says researcher Patricia Boyle, Ph.D., of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago . . . . Positive behaviors promote cognitive health as we age,' Dr. Boyle says."

So ... as stated several times throughout this blog, make the most of each and every day ... carpe diem! ♥

P.S.  I had previously heard that mixing cinnamon with honey alleviates arthritis pain, but I recently learned that a lifelong friend of mine has a blog about all of the advantages of using honey (including putting it on your face to reduce wrinkles!).  You can review all of his sweet tips and recipes here:  http://www.honeyitsforyou.com/.