In the Name of Change

 It feels like change is in the air. You know it’s true when you see toys upgraded. One of our kids brought home a Bop-It that comes complete with a host of new instructions like, “drink it,” “comb it,” and a little extra sass. The latest Easy Bake oven, celebrating fifty years, looks ultra-modern, comes in assorted colors like white, purple, or black and bakes WITHOUT a light bulb. When did the bulb disappear? Even Monopoly made the news when the manufacturers decided to change the player pieces and solicited ideas for new pieces from the games’ fans. How will we survive without the car, the shoe, or the thimble? Although long-time Bop-It players, bakers, and pretend real estate tycoons may question the changes, they needn’t worry. Watch how our perceptions mislead us:

                                     https://youtu.be/0NPH_udOOek

Today’s toys look different, but companies stick with the essentials, the rules remain the same. Bop-It still gets bopped, food still slides through the Easy Bake oven, and players still buy properties in Monopoly. Before reacting to things we see or hear, it pays to focus on our own fundamental essentials. Regardless of any changes surrounding you, what do you plan to continue doing?  

  

Don't forget to click "follow" on the lower right. 

For more on change, click here.

Piece by Piece

Once the unusually warm weather showed up, I started checking for signs of spring—and that’s when I spotted what looked like an extreme haircut. Standing alongside the road was a towering evergreen pruned and scooped out so much that it resembled the letter “c.” Poor tree.

The sacrifice was necessary. The pruning prevented the tree’s branches from damaging power lines and plunging the neighborhood into darkness if a major storm blew through town. The township chose uninterrupted electricity over aesthetics, and residents probably supported the trade-off. After all, who wants to be without lights? While certain trade-offs cost more than others, this courageous girl didn’t let the costs stop her:  

                                     https://youtu.be/cH0xGjBgnks

I wonder how many of us are brave enough to jump in and make a huge difference in someone else’s life? Many times, change must first start in the most difficult places—in ourselves. What are you thinking about pruning, piece by piece, from your life to create a better you?             

Beyond the Salt

If you’re like me, about this time of the year you’re experiencing a love-hate relationship with road salt. Oh sure, we want to see it covering the street if the weatherperson predicts ice or snow. We want to scatter it on our sidewalks and driveways—but road salt has a dark side.

How annoying is it to see your vehicle coated with salt after every storm? And don’t get me started on the amount of window washer fluid you need to clean the white stuff off the windshield. If you don’t spritz every few miles, it’ll feel like you‘re driving in a blurry dream. Perhaps there’s a way to see things differently. Take a look:  

                                          http://youtu.be/YIKm3Pq9U8M

Sometimes our automatic reflexes focus on obstacles before we can spot the route to victory. Instead of clearing away fears, doubts, and criticisms, we get sidelined and give up on our goals and dreams. Visualize who you want to be, what you want to do, and where you want to go. How are you going to adjust your perspective to make sure you get there?     

 

Who Changed My Cheese?

Our family enjoys grilled cheese sandwiches. I usually make them by melting the butter, spreading it on the outside of the bread, topping the unbuttered inside with slices of cheese and popping the whole sandwich—in the oven—not in the frying pan. Brown on both sides and there it is. It’s quick to make without a butter-drenched pan to clean.

Well, last week our microwave broke. I wasn’t in the mood to melt the butter on the stove so when I made myself a sandwich, I decided to skip butter altogether. I told one of our kids about the omission. Judging by the shocked look I received, you would have thought I said, “I’m disabling the Internet and tossing out the TV!” Of course, no one asked to taste my sandwich.

Grilled cheese tastes a little different without butter, but it’s edible. I wonder if we’d notice if these twenty-five items disappeared from our food:

                                       http://youtu.be/cp57zndbeFw

Why would a scientist decide to put such odd ingredients in foods? We’ve grown used to them now. Remove the weird items and we’re bound to hear, “Hey, this cheese tastes funny. Who took out the calf’s stomach?”

What items have you left out, but now want to add back into your life?

  

 

 

 

 

Lazy Or Not, Here We Go

It’s time! We’ve heard the commercials and purchased the school supplies. Students, tired of lounging around, want a change of pace. I can see the summer slipping away. I think I saw brown leaves the other day. Regardless of whether you or someone you know plans to attend classes in the fall, September feels like a time for new beginnings. It will require a change in schedule, habits, and/or mindset. Here’s a little insight on the days to come:   

                                   http://youtu.be/RpiDWeRN4UA

 Changing habits can be challenging. No wonder we plod around like zombies during those first few weeks of September. I’m considering joining a gym, which should increase my exercise schedule from zilch to healthier. I’m not eager to start, but it’s time. During this next season what habit do you plan to add or subtract from your life? 

No Tweaking

What’s green and red, but leaves only red behind? Pistachios! Remember the sweet, green nut with the red shell that stained our fingers red every time we ate a handful? After harvesting, food processors dyed pistachios red to hide blemishes left on the shell by the hand-picking process. Apparently, processor felt the normally beige shells need a prettier look to appeal to consumers. Today, since machines harvest the nuts, the blemishes and most of the red-dyed nuts have disappeared.   

People in the Middle East have eaten the nuts for centuries in spite of the blemishes, but we’re a nation of “tweakers.”  We love tweaking things: people with curly hair want it straight, short people want more height, young people want to be older (but not too old)—and we’ll spend a small fortune to make it happen. At Christmas time, we spruce up our houses for the holidays by displaying a few wreaths, some outdoor lighting, or window candles. Tweaks are slight improvements, but some of us take it to the limit. Have a look:

 

                http://youtu.be/wXGmhTI4S8w

 Perhaps you can persuade your neighbors to decorate like that. We spend plenty of time and money changing and improving our faces, diets, homes, and many aspects of our lives. Isn’t there something that feels just right? What wouldn’t you want to change? 

Our Window of Opportunity

 My husband brought two avocados home from the store this weekend. They’re good in a variety of foods, the kids used them for guacamole. The only problem is that you have to eat it quickly because it has a short, refrigerator shelf life. I kept asking, “Hey, when are we eating the guacamole?” No one answered. I should have dived into it by myself. By the time we allowed the flavors to marinate, we couldn’t fully enjoy it. Instead of creamy green, it had turned into a mushy, brown mess which is what happens when a little air gets to it. My advice?  If you want it, eat it. Don’t play with the guac.

As we know, all good things change. Seasons change, family situations change and according to scientists, the world is changing, too. We discussed the wild December 2012 predictions in an earlier post. Now, scientists believe something odd is happening. Have a listen:

                                          http://youtu.be/23uwKo6vd0Y

Who knows what kinds of ramifications pole shifting will have on the world. Scientists, the military and lawmakers can’t prevent it. So, let’s focus on what we can change before our window of opportunity closes. What impact will you make in your world before the end of 2012?