A Heron, an Osprey, and a Fish March 29, 2017
Posted by nrhatch in Animals, Humor, Nature.comments closed
The other day, I stepped out onto the back deck and observed a peaceful scene.
Several turtles were busy sunning themselves on the far bank of the lagoon. A lone vulture circled on hidden currents overhead. A Great Blue Heron on the far bank stood guard over his respective territory, a white egret fished at water’s edge, while an ibis pecked in the dirt for grubby morsels.
Just then an osprey flew overhead with a fish clenched in its talons.
The osprey took in the scene, circled back (doing a 180), and swooped low over the head of the Great Blue Heron who squawked in protest, flapping his wings at the intruder.
Unperturbed at the GBH’s vociferous annoyance, the osprey finished his fly-by, circled back again (this time doing a 360 turn) to swoop low over the head of the Great Blue Heron a second time.
The osprey sang out, “Hey! I’ve got a fish and YOU do NOT!”
Once again, the GBH barked and croaked in protest, screeching out his displeasure while shaking his “fists” at the sky.
With that, the osprey winked at me and went off to enjoy his sushi.
I got the sense that this was NOT their first encounter with one another. Perhaps the GBH had boasted about one of his prior fishing trips, thus nettling the osprey.
In any event, the only player who got a vote of sympathy from me . . . the fish!
Aah . . . that’s better!
Down The Hatch March 27, 2017
Posted by nrhatch in Food & Drink, Humor.comments closed
I got a kick out of the name of this boat on Echo Lake at Hollywood Studios:
For ships, “Down The Hatch” is a more palatable refrain than “Bottoms Up!”
Aah . . . that’s better!
Replacing Obamacare March 25, 2017
Posted by nrhatch in Health & Wellness, Humor, Joke.comments closed
The American Medical Association has weighed in on Trump’s proposed health care package to replace Obamacare:
The allergists were in favor of scratching it, but the dermatologists advised not to make any rash moves.
The gastroenterologists had sort of a gut feeling about it, and the neurologists thought the administration has a lot of nerve.
Meanwhile, obstetricians felt certain everyone was laboring under a misconception, while the ophthalmologists considered the idea shortsighted.
Pathologists yelled, “Over my dead body!” while the pediatricians said, “Oh, grow up!”
The psychiatrists thought the idea was madness, while the radiologists could see right through it.
Surgeons decided to wash their hands of the whole thing, and the internists claimed it would indeed be a bitter pill to swallow.
The plastic surgeons opined that Trump’s proposal would “put a whole new face on the matter.”
The podiatrists thought it was a step forward, but the urologists were pissed off at the whole idea.
Anesthesiologists thought a new plan would be a gas, and those lofty cardiologists didn’t have the heart to say no.
In the end, the proctologists pointed out that, for now, the entire decision is in the hands of those assholes in Washington.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Source: E-mail from unknown author (sent by Joe M.)
Good Vibrations March 23, 2017
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Music & Dance.comments closed
Another favorite aspect of our Disney trips has been stopping to enjoy street performances by musicians, acrobats, mimes, and jugglers.
We’ve enjoyed Matsuriza (Japanese Drummers), Sergio (Italian Mime), Alberta Bound Fiddlers in Canada, Matboukja Groove (Moroccan Musicians), Jeweled Dragon Acrobats in China, Viva Gaia Street Band & Carnivale on Discovery Island, A Frozen Sing-A-Long, The Festival of the Lion King, Beauty & The Beast ~ Live on Stage, African Acrobats at Harambe Market, PLUS . . .
Chakranadi (sitar and drums) in Asia:
Burudika (sax, drums, guitar, vocals, dancers) in Africa:
Quickstep Fiddlers (fiddle, mandolin, flute, drum) in the UK:
Harambe Parti (drums and other percussion instruments) at night:
And all of them were sending out Good Vibrations!
Music reminds me to flow with the rhythm of life and celebrate THIS moment with joyous abandon.
Aah . . . that’s better!
The Topiaries Are Tops! March 21, 2017
Posted by nrhatch in Home & Garden, Humor, Nature, Travel & Leisure.comments closed
Before Florida temps rebound for the sultry summer season, we’ve been “hitting the trails” to enjoy the fine weather ~ around the neighborhood, on the beach, and at Disney.
We got annual passes for the first time this year and have logged LOTS of miles traipsing through Epcot, the Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and the Magic Kingdom ~> 6.7 miles, 10.4 miles, 7.6 miles, 5.1 miles, 5.9 miles.
On our last 2 visits, I’m not sure how far we walked because my pedometer went on strike!
One of our favorite things so far has been all the gorgeous gardens and topiaries.
A Giant Panda in China enjoying a sunset snack of bamboo:
A Troll in Norway who seemed FROZEN:
Bambi, Thumper, and Flower in a bed of flowers:
Rafiki and Simba . . . “Ah Zabenya!”
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice & Bewitched Broomsticks:
A trio of glamorous ostriches enjoying the bright blue skies too much to bury their heads in the sand:
And these topiary wannabes ~ Dory and Marlin ~ who, I must admit, looked like two fish out of water:
Aah . . . that’s better!
5 Easy Ways To Make Yourself Miserable March 18, 2017
Posted by nrhatch in Happiness, Humor, Joke, People.comments closed
Don’t worry . . . even for novices, misery can be attained with these 5 easy tips and techniques!
1. Cling to Entitlement. Life owes YOU.
2. It’s ALL personal. Ignore nothing and always assume malicious intent.
3. Focus on problems. Keep track of all your problems and constantly review them.
4. Magnify. Don’t cheat yourself out of misery by maintaining perspective. All that negativity will eventually become your reality.
5. Just say “No Thanks” to Gratitude. Focus on all the ways life disappoints you and keep them in the forefront of your mind. Discount anything that is going well in your life.
And remember . . . Misery LOVES company.
The more you share yours with others . . . the more you’ll wind up having!
Aah . . . that’s better!
Some Alarming News! March 15, 2017
Posted by nrhatch in Humor, Joke, Life Balance, Mindfulness.comments closed
We saw the most bizarre segment on the news the other night.
The reporter, standing in the middle of the beach, surrounding by turquoise waters, blue skies, and swaying palms, was SCREAMING into her microphone:
AUTHORITIES IN THE AREA ARE ON HIGH ALERT.
SPRING BREAK FOR COLLEGES STARTS THIS WEEK.
In a futile effort to prove her point that disaster was afoot, she proceeded to interview a few folks relaxing on the beach who seemed NOT to be on high alert.
They was just chilling!
Next, she interviewed a spokeswoman for Visit Sarasota who also seemed Far Too Calm for the impending disaster looming on the horizon as she explained that rooms at the inn are far and few between from mid-February to mid-March . . . and also for Easter week.
The reporter got a bit more fodder from a police officer who explained that some spring breakers consume too much alcohol and do things they oughtn’t.
At which point, the segment swung back to the reporter SCREAMING into her microphone:
AUTHORITIES IN THE AREA ARE ON HIGH ALERT.
SPRING BREAK FOR COLLEGES STARTS THIS WEEK.
She reminded me of Chicken Little!
But as we looked around, we saw no evidence that the sky was falling.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Distracted? This Might Be Why . . . March 13, 2017
Posted by nrhatch in Health & Wellness, Less IS More, Meditation, Mindfulness.comments closed
Are finding it harder to stay focused on one thing at a time?
This could be why:
Your Smartphone Might Be Dumbing Down Your Brain!
Every time you switch tasks, your brain needs a moment or two to find its bearings. And the more you engage in rapid task-shuffling, the harder it becomes for you to ignore distractions and stay focused, he says. That could be because media multitasking may weaken your brain’s anterior cingulate cortex, a region involved in high-level information and emotion processing, according to research from University College London.
Your brain may also suffer from a lack of downtime—those small breaks, like waiting in line at the grocery store, when we all used to daydream instead of staring at our phones.
Want to counter-balance the impact technology may be having on your ability to concentrate?
Check out this article:
Brain Health: Stay Focused & Eliminate Distractions (Time)
Aah . . . that’s better!
The Festival of Colors March 11, 2017
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Music & Dance.comments closed
Need something to celebrate this week?
How about the start of daylight savings time . . . our clocks Spring forward an hour tonight.
Yay!
I love having more light at night.
And for those of you who are tired of winter’s gray
And want more color in your days
It’s time to celebrate Holi ~ the Hindu Festival of Colors.
Hip Hip Hooray!
Happy Holi!
Here’s a great song to jump start the 2017 Festival of Colors on March 13th & 14th:
If you need more music to get the Holi Party started: 7 Famous Music Videos Influenced by Holi.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Are You Running On Auto-Pilot? March 9, 2017
Posted by nrhatch in Happiness, Health & Wellness, Life Balance, Mindfulness.comments closed
Our lives are driven by our habits ~> when we get up, whether we make the bed, how soon we get dressed, what type of clothes we wear, whether we drink coffee or tea, whether we brush our teeth before or after breakfast, how often we shower and shave, which shoe we put on first, etc.
Habits save valuable mental energy because they are automatic, conserving glucose for brain matters that matter more than which shoe we put on first.
But . . . some habits no longer serve us.
Take a few moments to think about your habits.
You may have good habits ~ going for a daily walk, eating 7 – 10 servings of fruit and vegetables every day (yes, you can count the veggies in that Bloody Mary), brushing and flossing, limiting alcohol intake, etc.
You may have bad habits ~ inhaling a bag of chips every time you binge watch your favorite show, circling the parking lot for 15 minutes to avoid walking 10 extra spaces from the car to the gym, procrastinating on essential tasks like filing your 2016 income tax return, overdoing the evening cocktail hour by drinking tee many martoonis, etc.
Reflecting on your daily habits is a good habit to adopt . . .
Which habits are moving you from where you are to where you want to be?
And which are holding you back?
By reflecting on our habits, good and bad, we can choose to make positive changes in how we live.
We can stop running on auto-pilot.
Aah . . . that’s better!
“And yet not choice but habit rules the unreflecting herd.”
~ William Wordsworth
Spirit Lights The Way 