Tag Archives: laugh

Good Morning!

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How was your morning?  Is there something in your morning routine that makes you smile and/or should I say, giggle?  

I am a morning person.  And I know you night people hate us.  We pretty much do jump out of bed with energy and desire to check things off our list.  I start babbling to anyone who will listen (actually listening is not a prerequisite).  Now morning people definitely have a downside–afternoon slump, nighttime social life is practically nil etc.  But I don’t want to focus on that for now.  

I love getting things done before the rest of my family wakes up.  Before most of the country wakes up.  I love driving to work toward the east and watching the sunrise.  Every time I see a beautiful sunrise while driving, I’ll look around at others in their car to see if they see it. I’m amazed that no one else around me is in awe or even notices the beauty.  I want to roll down my window and point to the sky but I’m afraid they might think I’m a loony.   

Now one thing that I’ve been doing for years during my morning routine, that I didn’t even NOTICE was bringing me down, was watching the news while dressing.   Even 15 minutes of the news, for me, is like watching a balloon deflate slowly.  The life just comes out of me.  But what can I do?  I have to watch the news.   I have to know what’s going on in the world.  And I’m certainly not a news junkie.  I don’t go crazy on Facebook or Fox/CNN because I know I’m not the type of person that can handle 24 news without it affecting me.  Heck 15 minutes affects me.  

So….I found 2 ways to fix that!

One….I actually found a “Cliff Notes” for the daily news.  It’s called theSkimm.  Perfect for me.  One page.  Nothing emotional.  No photos, no angry rants.  I read it, get in, get out…bing bang boom! If I want more information on something, I look later on.   I know that’s not enough for everyone–but that’s why we’re all different.  But it works for me.  I’m not as “heavy” on a daily basis as I was before.  (Yes, very easy for me to make a weight joke right here but it’s toooooooo easy 🙂  

Two…I love this.  I’ve started using my inversion table. unnamedYou know for upside-down ab workouts.  Hahahaha.    No–for low back stretching.  It’s part of my morning routine.  And my little puppy dog, Beaux always comes to lick my face.  My face is right at his level now.  And there’s nothing I can do about it.  Totally makes me start giggling.  Every morning.  How’s that for a great start to a morning?  Giggling because your dog is loving you, or getting depressed watching the news?  Your choice. 

Now obviously, the dog licking is not everyone’s cup of tea (following will be a funny story about the dog licking).  But find something that makes you smile–sunrise, fresh air…step outside, in your robe for 10 seconds and breath in the fresh morning air (if nothing else you’ll help your neighbor with their morning smile seeing you in all your morning glory.  Whether you’re a …..download or….. 4ced3d3209c82838fe512e1042e21f59 Who cares!  You’re neighbor needs something to make him smile too!  Don’t be selfish 🙂   Just DO Something that makes you smile during your morning routine.  

And just to finish with a funny story –  Dog licking is not all giggles and smiles of course.  Normally it drives me crazy when he licks my face.  But when you’re in the upside-down position and can’t do anything about it…and all he’s doing is loving you…..you have to just let it go and embrace it.  BUT, his tongue got into my nostril ( I guess I should be happy it wasn’t my mouth, which has happened more times than my husband’s tongue has gone into my mouth I’ll tell ya!!!)  And I could tell he went into the cat’s litter box. Yep-kitty poop scent (and whatever else) was in my nose.  How do I write the next sentence?  Do I need to write the next sentence?  And my little Beaux-Beaux is sitting on my lap at this very moment while I type this, looking at me, going “what, what, did I do something?”.  Actually what he’s really thinking is “your typing is bothering me, can you type quieter?”.   

Go and find something to make you smile and possibly giggle withing the first hour of the morning.  It will make and everyone else you meet that day happier!

Remember,

ITLBOK, Really

If you like my blogs, please Follow Me.  This means you will get sent my new blogs straight to your email instead of having to remember my site address or going onto Facebook.  Just click the floating “follow” button on the lower right side of the page.  Thanks!  Happy Reading.

Did I remember to write my Blog this week?

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I have a theory ( I always have a new theory!).  The Universe is addling my brain to help me get my 10,000 steps! 

I’m sure 2/3 of my non-formal exercise steps are looking for things.  Looking for my coffee mug, water bottle, car keys, purse, book bag, Iphone, novel, items I put out to be “organized”, bills etc.  All this adds thousands to my step count.  I’m not just circling the house I’m going north-south, east-west, north-east, west-south …..looks more like a Spirograph f8bb9f94e7cdfc45b04861d9e7a0b895--spirograph-art-stringart (1)than a circle.  That’s what I look like running around the house!

And then when I finally find what I’m looking for?!  I look at it positively….”well at least I added many steps to my Fitbit”.  Wait, if only I could see the numbers on my pedometer.  Where are my eyeglasses?  And around I go again.  Of course two pairs of glasses already on top of my head.  IMG_4649 (2)

This is for women over 50…how many times has this happened to you.  I’m driving in the car, pretending I have everything under control….I just say to myself, “It’ll click, it’ll click.  I’ll figure out where I’m going.  Just let me figure it out before I pass the turn I need, that’s all I ask”.  And most of the time my brain reacts accordingly!  Thank you brain.  See, life is good 🙂

My goodness I feel sorry for people who don’t have a good sense of humor!  How on earth are you going to make it through these times if you’re tough on yourself?!?  I crack up at myself all the time.  Of course laughing at myself, WHEN being by myself used to look odd in the past but not anymore.   Not in the days of Bluetooth and ear buds.  THEY (other people) don’t know you’re not talking to another hilarious person.  THEY don’t know you’re just happy having this wonderful conversation in your own mind.  The only time I run into a snag is when I start talking and assume the person I’m with has heard the dialogue in the my head.  I can’t tell you how many times my daughter has said, “mom, I know that makes sense to you, but I haven’t heard the conversation that led up to what you just blurted out”.  She’s practically patting my hand, and cooing at me with a soothing voice.  I can see her mentally filling out applications to a senior living facility! Heck, I like the chit-chat in my head.  I’m pretty funny and not bad company if I do say so myself! 

Another good thing about starting to go a little loony this early in my lifetime (of course, some may say I’ve always been this way, and I think I would have to agree).  If I end up with Alzheimers or dementia, who will know?  My husband and kids know I’ve been like this for years.  So, the memory is not as good as it used to be.  There are worse things.  Forgetting the little things forces me to be more organized.  And makes me realize the “little” things – if I forgot – obviously are not that important.  Peoples names, birthdays, etc are still “little” things.  People themselves, they are the BIG things.  And THAT I haven’t forgotten!!  

So don’t be hard on yourself!  Laugh, it’s no big deal!

Remember,

ITLBOK, Really

If you like my blogs, please Follow Me.  This means you will get sent my new blogs straight to your email instead of having to remember my site address or going onto Facebook.  Just click the floating “follow” button on the lower right side of the page.  Thanks!  Happy Reading.

Happy New Year! Self-improvement time!

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Happy New Year!

Well I just learned something about myself – Writing is very similar to Exercise!  If I don’t do it for more than a few days, It’s very difficult to get back to it—almost scary!

I took the month of December off from my blog writing.  Thank you so much for those of you that noticed.  I love you!  And I’d like to say that I took it off intentionally.  If I have to be honest, (and what’s the point of a blog if you’re not honest?) Not really. Just one week off led to another, which led to another.  I kept looking at the computer thinking, I should blog, I really should blog.  And like exercise, that first day back was not easy.  But once I sat down at the computer and started typing, I remembered how enjoyable it is.  Just like exercise.  You start moving, and you remember how good it feels!  How many of you are thinking “is this girl for real?”  Remember I’m a fitness instructor. Your body loves to move.  Can you at least pretend you agree with me?  Thanks 🙂

Now I LOVE December.  I love the holidays.  I love the decorations and the gift buying and the crowds and the Hallmark movies and all the festivities.  I think 4-6 weeks is much too short a time.  I love the chill in the air, and the food and the fancy drinks and the friend and family get-togethers.  My husband is Catholic and I am Jewish.  Neither of us are religious.  I consider myself culturely Jewish.  But I would call myself a Born Again Christmas Person.  I love Christmas!

BUT I do so enjoy January.  I really do enjoy routine.  I enjoy getting back to my normal habits, my normal eating, uncluttering the house (not the tree, the tree with lights stays up until the pine needles fall when you blow on it).  I love thinking of January as a clean slate. Don’t we all?  Come on, how many self-improvement books have you bought?  It’s January 5 and I already have 3.  Will I read them all the way through?  Of course not!  But just starting them is refreshing!  Like taking a shower.  It’s a renewal process.  If I get just one good nugget of information that sticks with me it’s worth the $20 I paid for the book.  Heck, this year I even bought new highlighters!  I’m a crazy person.

I don’t make resolutions.  The rebellious part of me would just poo-poo it.  One of my books is about habits.  Why habits work for some people and not for others.  How your personality defines which habits work best for you etc.  There are four categories and I am definitely part Rebel!  I can’t even tell MYSELF to do something or I may rebel against it!  BUT I’m also part Upstanding.  If I put it on a to-do list and give myself plenty of time, then I’ll do it.  Make sense?  Human beings are such interesting creatures, aren’t we?

There are sooooo many self improvement books out there.  Just walking through the bookstore makes you feel like a better person.  It’s like walking through Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s.  Don’t you feel healthier just by shopping there?  Heck-you can be buying nothing but non-gmo organic popcorn and chips but within minutes you feel like you’ve lost 5 pounds and substantially healthier.

If you do start browsing books, here’s a tip, skip the ones that don’t have a sense of humor. Who needs that?  And skip any fads—we’ve all been there, done that.  We all just want to keep improving-or else we get complacent.  And improving is like replacing the battery in the Energizer Bunny.  It puts a hop in our step.  And improving can mean something so small – as to finally admitting to ourselves we’re never going to sew on that button so let’s finally get rid of that shirt!!  Yes, that’s an improvement!  You are clearing something from your mind as well as your closet!  Trying to eat healthy?  You can start with eating one extra piece of fruit a day.  Exercise?  Work out once a week.  Media addiction?  Turn it off just one evening a week.  In other words you don’t have to be Superman or Superwoman.  Just be the fun wonderful person you already are—just a little tiny bit improved 🙂

Oh wow, when did I turn into this motivational speaker?

I need to go now and get a martini, a brownie and watch Mike and Molly.

Do as I say and not as I do 🙂

Remember,

ITLBOK, Really!

If you like my blogs, please Follow Me.  This means you will get sent my new blogs straight to your email instead of having to remember my site address or going onto Facebook.  Just click the floating “follow” button on the lower right side of the page.  Thanks!  Happy Reading.

Hard Headed Laura and her dog Beaux-Beaux too

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Yes, I know I missed writing my blog last week, but I have a really good reason.  The best reason!  A tree limb tried to get the best of me.  Little did that branch know who it was dealing with.  Not only do I have a large head but it’s pretty hard and tough!  Many people have said it takes a lot to get through my thick skull—How right they are!

Two weeks ago I was walking my little dog Beaux,unnamed and listening to music on my cell phone—but not using headphones which I think may have saved my life.  Or at the very least my hair.  I heard a crack above me.  That’s a sound that makes you stop and think when you’re walking around New England in October.  I saw the limbtree limb but just couldn’t move away in time.  My husband swears I threw my body on top of my dog to save him from bodily harm.   My cute little 15 pound Beaux-Beaux.  Now if I thought of that, I probably would have, but not much thinking took place.

Next thing I knew, Clunk on head, slowly I went down (really it was like slow motion) and I was on the ground.  Just like in the movies.  On my back, hands out to my side bent by my ears, knees bent, like a chalk outline. chalk outline

 

Beaux was by my side but I didn’t have his leash.  I don’t know how long I was laying there—not too long.  Three men heard the crack and came to investigate and saw me on the ground.  Now this road is a dead end with about five houses on it.  If they didn’t come out to check out the sound,  I don’t know how long it would have taken for someone to find me.  This isn’t my block that I normally walk my dog.  Long story short…..they saw the blood, called an ambulance and sent me to a trauma unit.

Again JUST like tv….Good thing the EMT guy warned me or else I would have thought I was dying.  He said, once I bring you into the hospital six people are going to ascend upon you like you’re a turkey at the Thanksgiving dinner. They’ll talk to you and manipulate you all at once.  Don’t worry—let them do it all.  Since I knew I was OK it was fascinating.  But I’m glad he warned me.  And since they don’t waste time getting your info, my bracelet says Jane Doe-how cool is that!  I kept the bracelet.  Haven’t we always, just for a time….wanted to be Jane Doe?  No bills, no responsibilities, just going thru life, la la la la la.  Anyway back to story.

I had one of those neck collars put on me before I got into the ambulance, you know in case of spinal injuries.  And the doctor said, “ok we’re going to have to cut off you’re sweatshirt to get it over the collar”.  Now—Just that morning I said to myself, “ It’s been so warm all season, I haven’t been able to wear my favorite sweatshirt (it’s a black sweatshirt with beautiful autumn leaves—so it’s very seasonal, and with this climate change, autumn is turning into just a long summer).    I really want to wear my autumn sweatshirt today!”  (Yes,  I really said this to myself.  And yes I have fascinating conversations like this with myself all the time.  And sadly, now you’re reading about these fascinating conversations.  I just can’t understand why I’m not making money on these blogs!!)  So when the doctor said he wanted to cut it off—No No.  I asked him to please not cut off my favorite sweatshirt :-). And he said he could work around it and saved my sweatshirt.  See, as long as you’re not dying, all you have to do is ask nicely 🙂  But really, isn’t it pretty?Autumn sweatshirt  Half of you are agreeing with me, half of you are shaking your head, I know.    LOL

And THEN, when another doctor said she would have to shave part of my head to put in staples I said, “please don’t shave my head, my hair is my best part of me”.  I mean, I’m not exactly Rapunzel but it’s still my best physical quality.  Obviously they realized I wasn’t dying or paralyzed.  She said OK, some hair would just also get stapled. No problem.  Was there lots of dried blood—yes.  Could I not wash or rinse my hair for days—yes.  Did my hair start looking like a Rastafarian—yes.  But no hair got shaved!

I got a CT Scan, listened to some annoying beep beep beeping from the neighboring beds monitor–which trust me, when you have a headache is like Chinese water torture (sorry, is that not politically correct anymore?).  Even my son Mark put his arm around me because he knew the beeping was getting to me–and that’s pretty big for him.  And do you know, as a Mom, that gesture made this whole event worth it.  My sons not very demonstrative.  Mark met me at the hospital because my husband Craig was about an hour away at a golf game .  I called Craig from the ambulance, and told him to finish his game.  Honestly, there was nothing he could do, he might as well finish the game.  But maybe he might not want to go out to dinner afterwards–I’m not THAT good a wife!  Of course, later I find out Craig drove 100mph to get to the hospital.  Mark filled out most of the hospital paperwork, even knew mine and my husbands phone numbers by heart. Now, come on, how many of us know our kids phone numbers without looking them up on the phone?  Hmmmm?   I was impressed.

Anyway, after some people-watching, I: 1) told my nurse that one of the labs techs was flirting with her, judging from his body language; 2) so BADLY wanted to tell another woman who walked past me dozens of times to fix the back of her blouse, and; 3) was watching other patients getting wheeled in, and wanting to ask, “so whatcha in for?”, but I held back… (See? I do have some restraint!) 

Eventually I was sent home, got to enjoy a few days with Percoset, made my doctor laugh because after four days with Percoset I was afraid I was going to get addicted and told her I  wouldn’t take anymore.  I made pumpkin bread for the men who found me, and thanked them for “going out on a limb for me”.  They told me that I told them (I have no recollection of this) that I  put up an arm to protect my head-I do have a bruise on my arm but just assumed I got it from falling.  THAT’s why I think not wearing earbuds may have saved my life.  If I was wearing earbuds, would I have heard the crack from the tree limb?  Probably not.  I then wouldn’t have put up any protection and the limb would have fallen straight onto my head.  Not a pretty thought.

What did I learn from this?  That I’m unbelievably lucky?  In this case, pretty much.  Am I not going to walk under trees anymore?  Not at all!  I LOVE AUTUMN AND I LOVE TREES.   Freak accidents occur.  Odds are it won’t happen again (actually I did get hit on the head with a rock that came out of the woods-totally from nowhere–when I was in middle school.  So I have a scar from stitches on the other side of my head.  Apparently I’m a magnet.  Maybe my skull/brain should be studied?   I’m like Bruce Willis in the movie Unbreakable.  Of course I just jinxed myself.  I’m now going to step on a paperclip and break a hip).

What is so cool that everyone should learn from this?  Don’t worry about things!!  Honestly!  Every single time something has happened to me or someone in my family (which has been often) it has always been unexpected.   So if it’s unexpected, then worrying is totally pointless.  Hence here– I probably said to my husband before he left, “careful driving”….it’s not like he would have said to me, “careful staying home”.  Right?  Such a weight off your shoulders isn’t it? You can just go through your daily life like a happy little puppy.  Things will happen whether you worry about them or not.  I just saved you OODLES of brain time NOT worrying about things!   Your welcome!

Remember,

Itlbok, Really

If you like my blogs, please Follow Me.  This means you will get sent my new blogs straight to your email instead of having to remember my site address or going onto Facebook.  Just click the floating “follow” button on the lower right side of the page.  Thanks!  Happy Reading.

 

Armpit, does thou offend?

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I’ve never considered myself a prude.  I don’t think anyone I know would consider me a prude.  Goodness knows I speak my mind!  But I guess my age is showing.  Certainly not on my face or my body!  And not in the way I think….remember from my previous blogs, I’m hip 🙂  But apparently I’m aging in what I consider acceptable words.  

There is a certain deodorant commercial that is trying to push the envelope by using the word armpit instead of underarm.  And it’s for a “female” deodorant not male.  I’ll be the first to admit,  I don’t like it. I don’t know what the company is trying to prove.  That it’s cool?  Obviously they are not trying to attract me nor my armpits, apparently they want younger armpits.  Why, I am not sure.  Trust me, with my hot flashes I am sweating just as much if not MORE than my younger counterparts!!

 I don’t want anything on my body considered a pit unless someone is pointing to my abs–practically a concave pit thank you very much !!  (wow–side tangent…..I just thought of something….I’m going to make big bucks with this…..trompe l’oeil…..a tattoo of a flat tummy on your tummy!  Doesn’t that make sense?  so that you can wear a bikini,  great idea!  OK, back to the underarms).

I also am not a fan of “suck”…unless I’m sucking on a lollipop, I’ll stick with “it stinks”.  I don’t like “ass”, but I’ll go with butt.  I guess I’m just an old fashioned girl–picture me fluttering my lashes.  I don’t like “tits”, boobies or boobs are fine with me.  I also still use the biological words like penis and vagina-heavens to Betsy!!!  

Now if you think this makes me a prude, LOLOL, just get me into a conversation.  I also don’t like to curse.  Unless of course I’m angry or pmssing–which of course are synonymous.    Then watch out—everything I just said is moot!  

Commercials are getting a little graphic, aren’t they?  I’m not even talking about the Viagra and Cialis commercials (what is it about the man and woman in separate bathtubs looking at the sunset?  The creators do realize no sex is happening while they’re in separate tubs right?  No wonder an erection can last 4 hours!)  What about the toenail fungus commercial?  Hopefully you’re not eating.  Do we really need to see the detail?  I think we know toenail fungus when and if we have it.  The toilet paper commercials…are you getting clean enough?  Excuse me?  Really?  Wow~!  

BUT I have to say, you advertisers you—you got us doing exactly what you want us to do–Talking about your products!!  Unfortunately I don’t have a clue what the NAME of your PRODUCT is.   Hmmmmm maybe THAT’S why you market to younger people!!! 

Remember,

ITLBOK, Really

If you like my blogs, please Follow Me.  This means you will get sent my new blogs straight to your email instead of having to remember my site address or going onto Facebook.  Just click the floating “follow” button on the lower right side of the page.