day96 : stay away from plastics!!! as much as possible ...

'red alert cocktail dress ...' (2006)

I'll tell you what me scares me is plastic. Plastic bags and plastic bottles and these things. Why does my water have to be in a bloody plastic bottle? The landfill and the ocean. And I don't know, I'm just terrified with the proliferation of plastic. 

Helen Mirren

'plastic for dinner (video) https://youtu.be/Ltw0x_S4Ok8

I am with Helen Mirren, our addiction to plastic terrifies me!!!

Eliminate the uses of plastic as much as possible - the more that is learned about the effects of plastic on our bodies and our planet, the more horrific the situation is.

I honestly don't know where to start to talk about how bad plastic is for us ... 

• Plastic chemicals can be absorbed by the body—93 percent of Americans age six or older test positive for BPA (a plastic chemical). 
• Some of these compounds found in plastic have been found to alter hormones or have other potential human health effects. 
• Buy food in glass or metal containers; avoid polycarbonate drinking bottles with Bisphenol A



letslassothemoon.com

• Store food in metal or glass containers, reuse glass jars for leftovers.  They also make great carriers for lunch ...
• Avoid heating food in plastic containers, or storing fatty foods in plastic containers or plastic wrap. 
• Use natural fiber clothing, bedding and furniture
• When possible, shop in bulk, this lessens plastic packaging
• Skip the disposable razor

Most plastics contain some type of harmful chemical, but plastic bags are one of the worst offenders. Not only do we collectively use and discard over 1 TRILLION plastic bags each year, these bags take 1000 years to full degrade, releasing chemicals the entire time. On top of that, plastic bags are the second most common ocean waste (after cigarette butts) and they harm thousands of species of ocean wildlife each year (with an estimated 40,000+ pieces of plastic floating in each square mile of the ocean!).

The growing consumption of bottled water raises questions about the product’s economic and environmental costs. Among the most significant concerns are the resources required to produce the plastic bottles and to deliver filled bottles to consumers, including both energy and water.

Transporting and Recycling Bottled Water 

More energy is needed to fill the bottles with water at the factory, move it by truck, train, ship, or air freight to the user, cool it in grocery stores or home refrigerators, and recover, recycle, or throw away the empty bottles. The Pacific Institute estimates that the total amount of energy embedded in our use of bottled water can be as high as the equivalent of filling a plastic bottle one quarter full with oil.

• Bottled Water is not necessarily healthier
• Bottle water is FDA-regulated as a food product whereas tap water is EPA-regulated.
• FDA regulations are not necessarily stricter (e.g. FDA does not require testing for coliform bacteria; requires listing of additives but not contaminants).
• 1⁄4 of bottled water is reprocessed tap water (e.g. Aquafina & Dasani).
• National Resource Defense Council 1999 and Consumer Reports 2000 studies both concluded that bottled water is not necessarily safer.
• There have been 11 major bottled water recalls since 1990 for chemical contamination and high fecal coliform counts.(69)

click on links below for more information and insight about plastic.

www.5gyres.org : MORE OCEAN, LESS PLASTIC:

The 5 Gyres Institute is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that empowers action against the global health crisis of plastic pollution through science, art, education, and adventure.

Fifty ways to remove Plastic from our lives: http://sustainabilityzero.com/plastic_free_life/

16 simple ways to reduce plastic waste

These easy things can dramatically decrease the amount of plastic trash you make.

and to emphasize Helen Mirren's point, watch this short video from ATTN: about our 'addiction' to plastic. Below is the link to twitter 

It's time to rethink our addiction to plastic:  https://twitter.com/attn/status/746388843536879617  

It's time to rethink our addiction to plastic: .https://t.co/Tjh1QkM46I— ATTN: (@attn) June 24, 2016

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day 95: be authentic, brave, wonky; not perfect

'torqued and tethered ...' (2013) exhibited at the SSAC

Striving for perfection is
the greatest stopper there is. 

You'll be afraid you can't achieve it. 

It's your excuse to yourself for not doing anything. 

Instead, strive for excellence, doing your best. 

Laurence Olivier

Trying to be perfect is a trap. Perfection is the enemy of the individual, the authenticity and the unique.  It is also an impossible objective, unattainable, and can only fuel the fires of the inner-critic.

So don't chase perfection. Instead aim to always give it your best shot, be brave, take risks, get out of your comfort zone.  By taking risks one grows and learns more about themselves, they discover their talents, their fears, their passions.  And if you are afraid of making a mistake or an error you will not take risks, you won't stretch yourself and you will miss out on enriching your life and being more you! and that would be a loss for both you and the rest of the world because each of us has much to offer, if we are only allowed to explore, flounder, fall, get up, dust ourselves off and take again.

come on, be imperfect! i dare you! XXXX
love, mom

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day93: you have the right to feel safe!!!

You have the RIGHT, 

the responsibility, in fact, 

the OBLIGATION to yourself 

to feel/be safe,

to be respected,

to be heard,

to feel good about who you are and what you do!

If there are people in your life that challenge any of these rights, 

you have the obligation to either walk away from this toxic person/relationship, or if you can't leave the situation, then you need to get help from someone who has power in the situation.

You have every right to ask for and receive what is due to you. In our society, we are still burdened with the theory that a woman is a bitch if she demands to be treated fairly and stands up for herself.  these views are changing, but there is a long way to go and with the current political landscape, women have been dealt a major setback. 

So I want you to remember that you have every right to feel safe, heard, appreciated, respected, and I hope you are fortunate enough to feel loved, by other people than ME!! Because I am sure you know that I LOVE you both to the moon and then to infinity!!!

love, mom

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day91: WD-40 is your friend ....

'tools ...' kitchen table series, pen and ink (2017)

“Single ladies, we are not Damsels in Distress…

we are Divas that Impress!” 

Mandy Hale

Don't be a damsel in distress!! 

Know how to do things around the house and with your car.  

Be self sufficient as much as possible.  

One way I have always kept true to this idea is that I try never to travel with more than I can carry.  I always wanted to be able to move my luggage by myself.  That doesn't mean never being helped with my luggage, porters can be very helpful and do remember to tip them.  But what I do mean is that if need be, for what ever reason, that I could move myself and my luggage by myself.  Or at least I could move me and what was important by myself (I think this practice was harder when I was traveling with little ones :).

When thinking about car maintenance,  I believe it is prudent to call  AAA when you have a flat tire, but know how to do other small automotive fixes.  Learn how to fill your car's wiper fluid, how to change the wiper blades and check the oil, to name a few. I would change the headlight bulbs in our van, however the cars are getting more and more electronic making it more necessary to go to a garage for even moonier repairs, however learn to do what you can.

And lastly get to know the phenom of all household maladies ... (drumroll please): WD-40.  

This is can can be your savior in the kitchen, bathroom, garden, garage, car, basically anywhere.  

It is truly astounding how many things this little can can do.  Below is a partial list of what this oil can do.

So there are just a few suggestions to help you be a DIVA that IMPRESSES.  It is also satisfying to be able to take care of your surroundings and not need to wait to be saved!!

love, mom

It helps with squeaky door hinges 

It is a good lubricant and protectant 

Removes water spots from mirrors

Removes scuff marks from ceramic tile

Keeps metal wind chimes rust-free

Removes crayon from walls

Lubricates kitchen sink handheld spray nozzle

Removes rust from curtain rods

Removes adhesive from precious china

Shines aluminum sinks

Spray around bottom of garbage cans to prevent animals from getting in

Protects snow shovels from the effects of salt

Polishes silver jewelry

Removes melted scotch tape from dining room table

Removes stains from coffee cups

click here to see the list of 200 uses

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day90: Laundry, life hacks

'laundry day ...' (2017) embroidery and collage on a teabag

My theory on housework is, 

if the item doesn't multiply, smell, catch fire, 

or block the refrigerator door, let it be. 

No one else cares. Why should you? 

Erma Bombeck

It may interest you to know that this whole idea/blog/book sprang from a thought that I may be sending you off into the world without some basic knowledge of everyday things, such as laundry, shopping and other mundane activities.  And as I am nearing the end of my allotted 100 days I figured that I should begin to share some of my personal wisdom to do with housekeeping (you can stop laughing now). Even though I tend to adhere to the philosophy of Erma Bombeck (Joe H. will confirm this), I do have some tricks of the trade that I wish to pass on to you.

Today's topic: laundry

• first of all, if you can, dry your clothes outside, on a clothesline!!! especially sheets!! The sunshine and fresh air give clean laundry the best smell, ever!! When I stayed in Holland we didn't have a dryer and each and every load was hung outside to dry and I LOVED it!!
• wash all the elements of a set of sheets together, this way they will fade,wear or change color, if washed with some errant colored item, all at the same time. 
• when storing a set of sheets, put all the folded parts of a set into one of the pillowcases, this way the set stay together and is doesn't take up as much space in the drawer.
• you can take the small remnants of a bar of soap and throw it in with a load of wash for a little extra cleaning power, and then you don't need to throw out the scrap of soap. (you know me, reuse, recycle whenever possible.)
• If you are a hurry to dry something that you just washed, first just dry that item with a few other pieces of clothing, not the entire load.  and/or if you need it dried ASAP, put the wet item in with a clean dry towel, that will help the drying to go faster.
• If you can, stay away from dryer sheets, they seem to cause more harm to the clothes than good and isn't does sound like they are really that good for us humans! You can now get dryer balls or I love the lavender pouches and even a tennis ball will help :)
• and lastly, a quick review of the basics: 

1. wash similar colors together and in COLD! Cold stops colors from running. And even though you have a load of white and colors that you want to wash, and you think that nothing should run and you want to put everything in together, remember your lighter colors and whites can/will get dingy, they will start to look grayish. 
2. Try not to do small loads, it is a waste of energy. 
3. use warm water with whites and if you want to you can use bleach, most washers have a specific place to pour the liquid bleach so that it will be even dispersed during the washing cycle.
4. when doing hand washing you can use the rinse cycle on the washer to get it rung-out, the washer's spin cycle is way more superior than our attempts of wringing out the excess water.
5. be careful, as certain items should NOT be dried, like bras, athletic-wear, certain sweaters or other items that can shrink.
6. when drying a sweater, lay it out on a clean, dry towel, as hanging it up can make it stretch and get misshapen.  

Of course there are many, many things about doing laundry but these are a few that I wanted to pass along. 

I will end by sharing with you that I love laundromats :) 

When we lived in Brooklyn we didn't have a washer and dryer so on laundry day I would gather all the clothes, handfuls of quarters and a good book and head around the corner to the laundromat.  It was a wonderful and peaceful time, with the purring of the machines, the smell of fabric softener and the warmth of the dryers.  I would read or sketch but mostly I would people watch.  And then after my loads were washed, dried and folded I would stroll home very content, knowing that all my laundry was done.  

I never get that feeling when I do the laundry in the house.  Even though it is much more convenient to throw in a load here and a load there, I never feel as though I have ever finished doing the laundry. Just one of those funny things about your mama!!

Happy washing! 

love, mom

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day89: you are what you eat, so eat simply ...

'eat your veggies ...'

“The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine 

or the slowest form of poison.” 

Ann Wigmore

This idea of eating well and making healthy food choices is nothing new in our household, however there are a few thoughts about food that I wanted to reenforce!

First...
Stay away from anything artificial; 
artificial colors, flavors, preservatives & sweeteners.
Avoid processed foods;
bleached flour, trans fats & additives.
Steer clear of...
hormones and/or antibiotics

Sadly these rules are not so easy to follow in our society/culture.  Even if the packaging claims to be healthy, that might not be the case.  The best thing to do is to read the labels and check the ingredients, and/or stick with unprocessed food, real food, that doesn't need a label!!!

The food you eat is what fuels your body and what you eat or don't eat will influence all aspects of your life, from your day to day activities to the quality and duration of your lifetime!!
Your choice of diet will affect you in a myriad of ways; certain foods can make you calm or jumpy, focused or distracted, smarter or not, energized or tired, and the list can go on and on.
And as much as I could write for pages and pages about nutrition and healthy choices, I am going to list a few things here that I believe are very important and which I want to emphasize:

1. stay away from all foods labeled 'diet', 'fat-free' and 'sugar-free'!!
 these labels mean that something that natural has been taken out AND something manmade has been added to compensate for what was removed!!! And these additives are foreign to our bodies and can cause more problems and issues when the body attempts to digest it.
It is now known that the additives that are added to make foods fat-free are not digestible and can deadly effects on the body.  I want to stress the importance from staying away from sugar substitutes, especially for you two. When you were both little if you had anything 'sugar-free' you would get stomach aches!! and the really scary thing is sometimes it does even say 'sugar-free' but if you look at the ingredients, there is no sugar, but there would be one of these: aspartame, sucralose, neotame or saccharin.

2. eat and use REAL food
(this is along the same lines as rule #1) Eat REAL food and cook with REAL food!!!
Use real sugar (you don't need to eat loads of sugar but I believe real sugar is better than a sugar substitute) Eat real butter, real ice cream.  Or if you are going to choose a substitute make sure it is a natural substitute,
that it comes from a natural plant!! and NOT a chemical plant!!! 

3. try to eat whole foods, not processed foods
the more 'processed' a food is the more of its natural goodness is lost.  The best thing to do is eat 'whole foods':

 foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible, before being consumed

Remember that whatever process that your food has endured, such as bleaching flour so it is white, that food is going to bring that process into your body. 
 It is the same with coffee filters!! Buy unbleached coffee filters, there is no difference except that the bleached filters most likely will add bleach to your coffee!!! 

4. what you put in your body is what your body uses ...
so if you put junk your body, your body only has junk to help it do all the amazing things that your body does!!! and it is truly amazing when you think of it ... breathing, moving, thinking, feeling ...

5. don't always trust expiration dates
I know you aren't going to take my word on this so I am quote some experts:

“Let common sense — and your senses —be your guide. If something smells rotten, curdles or turns a suspicious color, toss it in the trash.”

In general, perishable foods such as meat, poultry, eggs and dairy get dates. But those dates aren’t always about spoilage. Some dates simply inform retailers when products are at their best for freshness, taste and texture.

“Here’s a superbly-kept secret: All those dates on food products — sell by, use by, best before — almost none of those dates indicate the safety of food, and generally speaking, they’re not regulated in the way many people believe,” a 2013 report by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic writes.The report found that up to 90 percent of consumers have thrown out food based on expiration dates, assuming the food is unsafe to eat. This sort of mentality only leads to food waste." 

"According to the Cleveland Clinic, milk is usually safe to drink two to three days after its “use by” date, assuming it doesn’t smell spoiled. Butter and eggs will usually last several weeks after you purchase them, but keep them in the back of the fridge to improve preservation as it’s colder there. If you’re ever concerned about a food’s longevity, freeze it — this will keep the food safe and preserved for months."

& as they say in Holland, 

Eet Smakelijk

love, mom

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day88: to apologize or not to apologize, that is the question ...

Accept everything about yourself - 

I mean everything, 

You are you and that is the beginning and the end - 

no apologies, no regrets. 

Henry A. Kissinger

There are times when it is good and appropriate to say you are sorry, 

but be mindful with your 'sorry's as women tend to apologize A LOT!! 

a lot more than is even justified.

 Studies show that woman/girls are programed to say 'sorry' when something goes wrong, 

even when they had nothing to do with the wrong-doing?!? This tendency to readily apologize is definitely a gender specific trait.  Just take note during the day, woman will apologize way more than men?!?! And many times for things that the woman has no control over?!?!?

This position of accepting blame will affect the energy of the situation, make people feel more comfortable,  but it is unfavorable for the apologizer.  So be especially mindful in a business or negotiating situation and do not say sorry unless it is really warranted!

Then there are situations where you 

SHOULD NOT/NEED NOT

be apologetic!!! 

 I have listed some of them above, but the many idea is 

NEVER apologize for who you are!

(p.s. I did NOT make-up 'don't apologize for a messy home', other lists did say 'messy house' but I think you should not need to apologize if you home/your place of comfort is messy :)

Don't apologize for what you dream, desire and pursue!!

Don't say you're sorry because you do something well, 

example: apologizing for doing well on a paper or exam?!?

Also DON'T make excuses for doing something well!!

It is a proven fact that women tend to down play for their successes, to claim it was luck, or the help from co-workers!?!  

It is hard for a majority of women to take a compliment! 

And again this can be a hinderance to a woman in a business situation.  

So, OWN YOUR SUCCESSES, 

accept praise and don't apologize for doing something well.

OWN who you are!!! 

with all your talents and imperfections.

&

NEVER APOLOGIZE FOR BEING A 

BEAUTIFUL AND FLAWED HUMAN!!! 

and as I first said, there are times and places to say you are sorry, 

and here is a beautiful apology from one of my favorite poets, 

William Carlos Williams.

enjoy

love, mom

“This is Just to Say 

I have eaten

the plums

that were in

the icebox

and which

you were probably

saving

for breakfast

Forgive me

they were delicious

so sweet

and so cold” 

― William Carlos Williams

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day 87: practice kindness, we need it now more than ever!!!

strata: strength ... mixed media on wood

“My wish for you is that you continue. 

Continue to be who and how you are, 

to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness.”

 Maya Angelou

Practicing kindness in this mean world makes your life more pleasant and you will be surprised on how people may react to your kindness.  It is a way of life that I strive to practice.  I especially focus on being kind in frustrating and annoying situations, and I swear it makes them easier!!

There is a power in choosing to react with kindness.  However I am not suggesting that you be a doormat!! there is no reason to be kind in the face of meanness, bullying or disrespect.
But I am suggesting that during the course of the day you focus on bringing more kindness, respect and patience into our mean world.  

Kindness can be found in small acts, like holding a door open or letting someone with less stuff go ahead of you in the checkout line.  Kindness can be demonstrated on the road!! In fact SHOULD be practiced on the road.  If more drivers practiced kindness and patience, I believe that traffic on a whole would move more smoothly.  How many times is a bottleneck back-up made worse by drivers vying to be next, causing a mini stand-off until one relinquishes?!?!  To me it is a joy to let people merge without them having to force their way in.

It is also SO SO  SO important to practice self kindness!!!
Quiet those inner critics who are constantly telling you that you are not enough!!
YOU ARE ENOUGH!!! 
You are amazing and wonderful just as you are!!
Berating and criticizing yourself is wasted energy.
Think about it,  does berating and belittling helps anyone do better?!?!
I thorough believe that when you approach any issue or problem with kindness you are more successful and less spent.

You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar

So be kind!! be kind to yourself and to this 'mean' world. 

And let's face facts we need way more kindness in this world, 

now more than ever ,with the pending swearing-in

 of the biggest and worse bully that I know! 

#bekind

love, mom

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day 86: don't worry ...

Slow down. Calm down. 

Don't worry. Don't hurry. 

Trust the process. 

Alexandra Stoddard

simply this ~

love, mom

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day83:make an intention to make your 2017 highlight reel, starting NOW!!!

“We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives...not looking for flaws, but for potential.”

Ellen Goodman

So it is the new year, 2017!!! huh??!?

The end of 2016 truly cleaned my clock and I am still working on righting myself.  And what this new year will bring is a big, gaping unknown ... but instead of focusing on big picture, I want to get back to what these 100 days started as, some thoughts and suggestions from one mom, me, to two amazing and stellar daughters, you.

What I wish to share with you today is to be kind to yourself during this time of 'new beginnings' and 'resolutions'! As positive and optimistic these days are built-up to be, I believe the new year really can bring A LOT of self judgement and self criticism, disguised as self improvement.

Many years back I stopped making new year's resolutions and started making new year's intentions.  It might sound like semantics but it has made a huge difference for me.  'Resolution' sounds judgmental, something is wrong which needs to be fixed!!! Intentions has a kinder feel, it is more supportive,  an approach which can be even more successful in facilitating change because you are not trying to work through the negative ideas highlighted by the resolutions.
That is why I LOVE this quote!!

And in fact I want to encourage you to take it further than 'balancing the list' with looking for potential!! The new year is a great time to take stock, review the last year for things that you might wish to change, but ALSO it is a time to note the things that you have changed, your triumphs, your successes.  Too much energy is spent on the areas that are lacking, familiar topics are diet, fitness, money, etc... What if we looked at the new year as a time to celebrate our growth during the past year, remember the life lessons and small wonders?!?!

So this new year take stock is all the ways that you have grown and learned during 2016.  Think of your 'first's, one of you got to vote in a presidential election, started college, went to NYC and loved it!! Also if you are going to use today as a day to begin new habits or practices, be kind and call them intentions.

Lastly, something that I have seen on social media these past days, and think it is a wonderful idea, is to start now, collecting the good moments, memories and personal triumphs of 2017.  You can write them in a journal or collect them in a box or jar.  You could do it daily, kind of like a gratitude journal, or you can do it when something good happens, but just start collecting them so on next new year's eve, you can review your highlight reel from 2017. I love this idea because in our society/world we tend to remember our failings, the mistakes and when we fell short so having a jar full of the good times is a very good thing!!

happy new years girls!!!
love, mom

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day82: pay attention!!

'do they know it is christmas??' (2008)

“I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way

 (s)he handles these three things: 

a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.”

 Maya Angelou

This may sound simple but it is quite profound, you learn so much about someone's character by how they react to the small things in life, especially the little annoyances.  Lost luggage and tangled Christmas tree lights ask for patience which is a very important quality in a person.  I would guess dealing with a rainy day may ask for patience or might require flexibility or the ability to amuse one's self?!?!? I'm not exactly sure what exact characteristic is needed to handle a rainy day, because I LOVE rainy days!!!

Along with noting how a person deals with the smaller hassles of life it is also very important to notice how a person treats others, all types of others. And to note how a friend or partner treats another person when they think no one is watching, or if the other person is in a lesser job or not in a position to do any things beneficial for your friend/partner.  The way people act when they think no one is watching is very telling about the true character of a person. There are a plethora of quotes addressing this idea, but I think I'll end with one from Goethe:

“You can easily judge the character of a man 

by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.”

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

peace & love, mom

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day81: real beauty

“If you dear little girls would only learn what real beauty is, and not pinch and starve and bleach yourselves out so, you'd save an immense deal of time and money and pain. A happy soul in a healthy body makes the best sort of beauty for man or woman.” 

 Louisa May Alcott

couldn't have said it better myself :)

simply this .... love, mom

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day80: pursue the things you love ....

“You can only become truly accomplished 

at something you love. 

Don’t make money your goal. 

Instead pursue the things you love doing 

and then do them so well 

that people can’t take their eyes off of you.”

maya angelou

I'm sure I have said this to you both many a time, but I believe it can't be said too much!! 

Learn what you love to do, pursue what makes your heart beat in double time!! 

Make sure you to follow your passion, not your parents' or your friends' or what you think you are  supposed to do!!! 

This is your journey and your life so make sure that you are solidly in the driver's seat!!

And remember that you can go off road as well, 

to continue the driving metaphor. 

 I encourage you to think outside the box, there are many ways to do this life thing!! 

In fact I believe that taking a more creative and inventive path may distinguish you in a very competitive world?!?!? 

But really who knows.

But no matter what the results, if you pursue your heart's desires

 then you will be happy and fulfilled,

 which is all a mother could ask for.

loving you both so, mom

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day78: live deeper ...

simply this -

love, mom

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day 76: know the power of knowing and embrace it

I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up,

this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.

Rosa Parks

On this day, in 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her bus seat to a white man.  This act and the words of Rosa Parks seem all the more poignant in our post-election state of affairs.

"As far back as I can remember, I knew there was something wrong with our way of life when people could be mistreated because of the color of their skin." Rosa Parks

So with her courage and message in mind wanted to remind you girls of the power of conviction.  It is amazing how when you allow yourself to believe in your actions, your beliefs, your intuition that you become invincible!!

The problem is that from an early age, society, religions, schools and the media teach us to not trust our inner voice, our intuition.  We are taught to doubt what we feel in our hearts as true.  So many messages are fed to us that this way of thinking is the right way, to go with the party line and not with our true beliefs. And now more than before, it is SO important for you to stand up for what you believe in (I know I am sounding like a broken record, but alas...)

And besides listening to your own personal inner voice, it is highly important to understand the amazing power of knowing.  Knowing and believing in your thoughts, ideas and dreams.  It is a wonderful energy and one I want you to embrace, not run away from.

We still live in a culture where that kind of vision and force is not always welcomed, especially from young women/women and I know many women who shy away from this power.  But I want to encourage you both NOT to couch this power, to embrace it and use it.

Rosa Parks didn't give up her seat on her commute home from a long day of work because she knew that all people, no matter the color of their skin, should have the same rights and should be treated equally.  She knew in her bones that equal rights was for everyone so she stayed seated and was arrested, but wasn't afraid because she knew she was right!!!

so channel your inner Rosa Parks today, my dear ones!!
love, mom


10 Things You May Not Know About Rosa Parks

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day74: drive defensively!!

 defensive driving: a set of driving skills that allows you to defend yourself against possible collisions caused by bad drivers, drunk drivers, and poor weather. If you look ahead and keep your eyes moving, you will spot potential hazards more easily. Once you have identified a potential hazard and decided what to do, act immediately.

(driversed.com)

After doing just a bit of research for this post I wonder why any of us get behind the wheel of a car in the first place!!! propelling one's self around at varying speeds in a collection of metal, plastics, glass and electronics that weighs, according to Google,  an average, 4,079 pounds* The statistics about crashes, fatalities and injury incurred while driving is staggering,  but then we add a whole list of distractions and risks and one wonders why we are not all dead!?!

At the bottom of this post are some facts and figures which reenforce the importance of certain driving practices that you should ALWAYS follow to be a safe driver, such as:

1. DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE
2. DON'T TEXT AND DRIVE
3. DON'T EVEN TOUCH YOUR CELL PHONE WHEN BEHIND THE WHEEL
4. ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEATBELT 
5. DON'T GET DISTRACTED WHILE DRIVING, meaning besides not texting or checking your phone, don't put on make-up, try to find something in your purse, bag or in the car, don't have your music excessively loud, don't have intense or complicated conversations with other passengers, KEEP YOUR EYES AND HEAD ON THE ROAD.

But it is NOT enough for you to practice safe driving rules, it is just as important that you 

DRIVE DEFENSIVELY!

because there are many people on the road who are NOT practicing safe driving.  

So along with  being a safe driver, you need to be a defensive driver; alert and aware and prepared for the other drivers being drunk, distracted, angry, tired and/or generally unsafe.  You need to be able to anticipate possible dangerous situations and be prepared to adjust, even though you may have the right of way.

Drive defensively.  Be on the alert!!! Notice the cars in the adjoining lines while on the highway, are they swerving or drifting?!?! When approaching an 4 way stop, make sure the other drivers are stopping.  Don't just pull out in front of a moving car just because that car is supposed to  stop!  Never assume anything about other drivers when you are behind the wheel of a car! 

Soon after we moved to the Boston area I had the unnerving experience having someone who was in the right-turn only lane, charge out into the intersection the minute the light turned green and turned LEFT in front of three lanes of traffic!! It was a serious wake-up call about the insane way some people drive.  If I had darted out into the intersection when the light turned green, I would have been in a nasty crash, even though I would have had the right of way. It could have been messy and dangerous and possibly deadly, but I usually hesitate when my light turns green because drivers run red lights, especially if they just turned red.  Also it is good to make sure all pedestrians are out of harms way.  

I encourage you to drive safe and drive defensively not only because I want you to be safe, but I also do not want you to carry the weight of injuring or killing another person with your car, be it a passenger in your car or someone outside your car.  No matter if you had the right of way, that is a heavy weight to carry around with you.

A car is a deadly piece of machinery and can wreak havoc in a split second, checking a text averages about 5 seconds, 5 seconds that your eyes are off the road and your mind is somewhere else ... CRASH!!  

So be a 

SAFE DRIVER;

 NO DRINKING and driving, 

NO TEXTING and driving, 

and be a  

DEFENSIVE DRIVER

BE ALERT

PAY ATTENTION.  

be safe 💙

love, mom

SOME STAT.S ABOUT DRIVING ....

1.  An average of 90 people died each day in motor vehicle crashes in 2014, one fatality every 16 minutes.

 2.  In 2014 there were 9,967 alcohol- impaired-driving fatalities, representing an average of one alcohol-impaired- driving fatality every 53 minutes.

3. Of the 209 children 14 and younger who died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes, 56 percent were occupants of vehicles where the drivers had blood alcohol con- centrations (BACs) of .08 g/dL or higher. 

 4.  On average, a pedestrian is killed in a motor vehicle crash every 108 minutes, and one is injured about every 8 minutes.

5.  Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for 15- to 20-year-olds, according to the most recent data available (2014) from the National Center for Health Statistics.1https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/#/DocumentTypeList/11

CELL PHONE USES: Researchers found that drivers manipulating their cell phone (includes calling, texting or other uses), had their eyes off the road for an average of 4.1 out of the final six seconds leading up to a crash. The researchers also measured reaction times in rear-end crashes and found that teen drivers using a cell phone failed to react more than half of the time before the impact, meaning they crashed without braking or steering.

Defensive driving incorporates the other tips shown here, such as maintaining a safe distance and not speeding, but remaining calm in the face of frustrating traffic issues is another major part of the concept. Accept small delays, such as staying in line behind a slower car instead of abruptly changing lanes. Yield to other cars, even if you technically have the right of way.

*FULL ANSWER - average weight of a car: The weight of a vehicle varies greatly depending on its type. The lightest cars on the American market weigh less than 2,000 pounds, while a mid-sized SUV weighs between 4,000 and 5,000 pounds. A large, heavy-duty pickup truck can weigh well over 10,000 pounds. Regardless of the model, the trend in the automotive industry is shifting toward less weight. All other things being equal, a lighter vehicle gets better gas mileage, and with gas prices continuing to rising, fuel economy is an increasingly valued commodity. 

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