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Moving Out

5/2/2015

Well, I've done it!

I've decided I need to break up a relationship that I've been in for over a year.

Parting really is such sweet sorrow, but it is something I feel I must do.

There are just problems I cannot live with. I've thought long and hard about this and it is for the best.

I've been with this same host for a little over a year and the problems are starting to out weigh everything I liked about the host in the first place!

I've decided to give WordPress a try (I'm sorry Weebly).

So

Good-bye Essence of a Family and hello Just Bits and Pieces <Tweet this by highlighting it>

I hope you'll come along with me!

I'm super excited and can't wait to get this all figured out.

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'Z' - Zest for Life

4/30/2015

3 Comments

A Zest for Life

  Increase your happiness; add some zest to your life.
Think about the way that zestfulness looks, and moves, and thinks and speaks.
Watch kids on a playground if you need a clue.
Then act as if you’re brimming with enthusiasm, too,
with the faith that life is an adventure.
Because it is.
(Minarik, S., 2013. Increase Your Happiness: Add Some Zest to Your Life)

#HowImChangingtheWorld

3 Comments

'Y' - You

4/29/2015

2 Comments

'NUFF SAID

Tell me something or some things
that are unapologetically YOU

#HowImChangingtheWorld

2 Comments

'X' - X? Where's THAT on my keyboard

4/28/2015

2 Comments

X?
What an odd little letter.

One I must look for every time I need to type it.
Psst... it's hiding just below your left ringer finger if your hands are in the proper 'home' position on the keyboard for typing.

OH! I see it you say!

Yet even though I know it's there, I must look for it every time!

X?
It's a versatile little letter.

We use it for crossings and for Christ in Christmas.
It marks the spot and crosses out.
When counting in Roman Numerals it tells us it's ten!
It represents a kiss in hugs and kisses.
It's placed on the dotted line.
It's played in the game with the letter O.

X?
It's a funny little letter

With not much to say.

Most of the time it doesn't even get to use its own sound, instead it's replaced with a Zzzz sound as in xylophone and xerox.

Very few words actually start with the sound that X makes /ks/

See it even has an odd sound.

It has several uses but is scarce as the beginning of words.

Depending on which source you reference, it's told there are only a small amount of words in the English language that actually begin with this crazy little letter;

Ask Answers.com it's 132 words; Ask OxfordDictionaries.com and it's 120; Lets not forget Answerbag.com where the answer is 137 words that begin with the lovely letter x

X?
The words you do find using this small little cross-hair of a letter are not your run of the mill, Oh I know that word and use it every day kinda words! Oh no! They're
words like <deep breath in>

<sucking air in> Just to name a few. WHEW! ☺

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

BUT WAIT!!

There's hope!

X?
OH, you little stinker. You saved one word we'd all like to be.

One word I found that just made me smile.
One word that could make the X worthy all the while.
I've discovered, you see, that xenial is me!!

What you may ask could she possible mean?
Well check it out, I bet you're xenial too and its quite a good thing.

xe·nial (adjective)
of, relating to, or constituting hospitality or relations between host and guest... dictionary.com

I am xenial in many ways and how bout you?

So I'll keep looking for that elusive, versatile, little letter hiding under my lefty ring finger because after it's all said and done

X isn't really all that bad!

#HowImChangingtheWorld

2 Comments

'W' - Wacky Words of Wisdom

4/27/2015

2 Comments

Have you ever stopped to wonder...

Wonder how you fit into the bigger picture?

Wonder where the happy went?

Wonder where you have gone?

Wonder where you are going?

Wonder why you are going there?

Wonder why?

Why don't I laugh more?

Why don't I spend more time _____?

Why am I so busy?

Why?

Why Wonder?

We all need to wonder more!!

Oh & DANCE!!

Don't believe me?

Just ask the president....Kid President

What Do You Think We Should Say More Often?

#HowImChangingtheWorld

2 Comments

'V' - Volunteer

4/25/2015

2 Comments

Photos courtesy of David Castillo Dominici & hin255 @freedigitalphotos.net

I'm a firm believer that we each have something special.

It's that something special that creates in us a uniqueness.

A uniqueness that makes a difference.

Making a difference means making a move to do something.

Doing something looks different for each of us.

For me, doing something looks like helping people learn to read.

Doing something means making a difference

A difference that you may never see come to fruition

But even still, taking a chance.

Taking a chance to make a change.

It only costs your time.

VOLUNTEER - IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Looking for ways to make a difference?

Stop by Points of Light and find volunteer opportunities in your area

This post is not a paid advertisement or endorsement nor am I affliated, in anyway, to Points of Light. I simply believe in volunteering

#HowImChangingtheWorld

What are some ways you volunteer?

2 Comments

'U' - Under the Weather

4/24/2015

4 Comments

This will probably be one of the shortest posts I've ever written, as I am Under the Weather.

A bit crabby. A lot irritable. And Definitely a lot of oh my gosh if I have to blow my nose one more time I'm gonna just cut it off!

And while I'm about it, how in the world can your nose be stuffy and running like a sieve all at the same time. UGH! So annoying!

Oh, oops...um back to Under the Weather

Sort of a funny phrase isn't it? Which of course led me to wonder; where in the world did that idiom come from?

So, in my typical fashion (yes, even when I'm sick and blowing my poor, red, sore nose for the millionth time) I went in search of "under the weather" and it's origin.

I was surprised and a bit pleased with what I discovered.

According to Wonderopolis, here's the scoop on Under the Weather's beginning:

If you’ve ever heard someone say they’re “under the weather,” you may be surprised to find out this expression has nothing to do with hail, sleet or snow. People say “under the weather” to express that they’re feeling ill or unwell.

“Under the weather” is an idiom, which is a phrase whose meaning is different from the meaning of the words themselves.

Believe it or not, historians think this idiom comes from the sea. In the days before airplanes, people usually traveled by ship.

During storms, the seas would get rough, causing ships to rock back and forth. The rocking motion often caused passengers to become seasick.

Seasick passengers would head below deck to a lower point where the rocking was less noticeable. Passengers were thus forced under the deck by the weather… and the expression “under the weather” was born!

- See more at: http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-do-people-say-%E2%80%9Cunder-the-weather%E2%80%9D/#sthash.ONaczK6J.dpuf

There you have it. Where Under the Weather originated.

What funny phrases or idioms
do you use on a regular basis?

#HowImChangingtheWorld

4 Comments

'T' - Talketh

4/23/2015

0 Comments

How doth one celebrate the Bard of Avon's birthday?

Thou must speaketh the language by which the Bard spoke.

Mayhap a swift lesson t'will ease thy path.

Talketh Like the Bard of Avon

provided by Talk Like Shakespeare

T'was not an easy task methinks, but alas thou has't prevailed!

Take but a moment,
listen
tis his own lovely language

Tis hoped thou didst enjoy this folly
Tis not but for thou pure felt jolly
T'will thy mind be challenged
ye tis fear'd
Does thou knowest
these 10 facts of thy great Shakespeare ?

#HowImChangingtheWorld

0 Comments

'S' - Hurry Up and Slow Down

4/22/2015

0 Comments

Cartoon courtesy of http://mimiandeunice.com/

If you missed it yesterday (what!? You missed yesterday's post?) Well, thankfully you can get caught up fairly fast by visiting here.

Now, that you're all caught up. I want to introduce you to someone who is considering and pondering the entire slow down thing.

While he doesn't talk specifically about relaxing, refreshing, & recharging (oh, so you didn't go get caught up and you're a bit confused? That's okay, I just told you what I talked about yesterday) he does talk about our need to slow down.

Relaxing, refreshing, and recharging are vital parts of learning how to slow down. (but you knew that already, didn't you?)

I hope this post, yesterday's post, and Carl's talk gives you some great food for thought (but be sure to relax while you nibble on it slowly, so it sinks in)

#HowImChangingtheWorld

0 Comments

'R' - The 3 R's

4/21/2015

6 Comments

If you're anything like me, you've heard of the 3 R's: Reading, (W)Riting, & (A)Rithmetic
or perhaps you're of the generation that knows the 3 R's as Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle.

And yet, I'd venture to guess you've not been exposed to calling Relax, Refresh, & Recharge the 3 R's (well of course not silly, I've just thought to call them that ☺)

What a great way to remember things; don't you think?

I mean referring to reading, writing, & arithmetic or reduce, reuse, & recycle as the 3 R's made them quite simple to remember, right?

So, why not refer to relaxing, refreshing, and recharging, something we need more often than not, the 3 R's as well?

Why do I want to make these 3 things easier to remember?

If I'm honest, it's because I'm really good at forgetting I need them.

I charge full speed ahead at 90 to nothing every day, all day long and often my mental, emotional, and physical states suffer.

Lately though, I've been thinking maybe I'm just spinning my wheels; I'm getting stuff done but am I getting them done to the best of my ability? Probably not. I think I do what is often referred to as half-assed at best.

Then I started thinking, what if I took more time to give my body, mind, and soul something that would revive them? Something that would give them a chance to recover from the madness I put them through every single day.

What if I slowed down and relaxed, refreshed, & recharged?

Apparently, I'm not the only one thinking these things (can you believe that?)

Be sure to come back tomorrow to meet one of those folks who are thinking like me ;)

Apparently, there are others just like me who are looking at slowing down. Who are looking for ways to relax, refresh, & recharge.

Here are just a few ideas (courtesy of focusmanifesto.com) for doing the 3 R's a bit better and a bit more often:

1.     Do less.

2.     Have fewer meetings.

3.     Practice disconnecting.

4.     Give yourself time to get ready and get there.

5.     Practice being comfortable with sitting, doing nothing.

6.     Realize that if it doesn't get done, that’s OK.

7.     Start to eliminate the unnecessary.

8.     Practice mindfulness.

9.     Slowly eliminate commitments.

See ya tomorrow for the next big thing in the 3 R's! Now, go relax, refresh and recharge!!

#HowImChangingtheWorld

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Robyn

Hi! I'm a 40 something-ish, working, Christian wife & mom with a passion for faith, reading, writing, frugality, simplicity, diy-ing, compassion, and love.

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