Smiles per hour

Smile at each other, smile at your wife, smile at your husband, smile at your children, smile at each other -- it doesn't matter who it is -- and that will help you to grow up in greater love for each other. -- Mother Teresa
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In a bid to create a more harmonious society, Port Phillip, Australia, is putting up road signs indicating a street's smiles per hour!

The city has been using volunteers to find out how often people smile at those who pass them in the street. It then put up signs that look like speed limits, but tell pedestrians that they are in, for example, a "10 smiles per hour zone."

Mayor Janet Bolitho says that putting up the signs is an attempt to encourage people to smile or say "G'day" -- the standard Australian greeting -- to both neighbors and strangers as they stroll down the street.

Smiling encourages people to feel more connected with each other and safer, so it reduces fear of crime -- an important element in the quality of life of many neighborhoods.

Read more HERE

Amen Brother!

Here's something from Jay Leno that ILOVED! He is saying here what I wish I could put into words when people complain about our country and our President.

I know it's long, but it's really worth hanging in there and reading the entire thing, especially the end. Let me just say to Jay . . . AMEN Brother!

The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right? The Newsweek poll alleges that 67% of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed, and 69% of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. I started thinking, ''What are we so unhappy about?''

• Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?


• Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?


• Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?


• Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?


• Maybe it is the abilit y to drive from the Pac ific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state?


• Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?


• I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough.


• Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.


• Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings.


• Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an of ficer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family ag ainst attack or loss


• This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents; neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.


• How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S., yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out?

• The president who has a measly 31 percent a pproval rating?


• Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/1 1?


• The same president who cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession?


• Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?


• Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad?


• Think about it......are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the "Media" told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.


• Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.


• So why then, the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by "justifying" them in one way or another.


• Stop buying the negativism you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your birdcag e. Then start being g rateful for all we have as a country.

There is exponentially more good than bad. We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.

"With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, "Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

Jay Leno

"I have never met a person whose greatest need was anything other than real, unconditional love.

You can find it in a simple act of kindness toward somone who needs help.

There is no mistaking love. You feel it in your heart.

It is the common fiber of life, the flame that heals our soul, energizes our spirit and supplies passion to our lives."

--Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

Feeling menopausal, pregnant and jacked up on caffeine

The past 2 weeks have been very interesting - I'm on steroids to help recover from my surgery and to help heal my spinal nerve damage. Of course, I was scared to death to take it (you know me, miss all natural), but I knew I had to do it.

The first 2 days it didn't really affect me, then - holy cow - it's like being pregnant and menopausal at the same time with about 10 pots of coffee thrown in!!

I'm constantly "wired" and I'm really, really sassy (I'm not my normal laid back self - Trent and Cody just look at me because I get so wound up about stuff). My heart gets beating really fast and my chest, neck and face turn red - it's hilarious - we just have to laugh.

I HAVE to eat every hour and a half or two - it must be what being pregnant feels like. I'm trying to eat a lot of proteins, vegetables and fruit to help my body heal, but it's like there's an alien inside my stomach. I will actually stand in front of the frig and chug chocolate milk from the carton. I order huge meals and eat it all, and I don't leave home without at least 2 snacks. Cody and Trent think that's hilarious too.

Steroids make your body produce a layer of energy (better known as FAT) right under your skin - that's why I'm so wired. Of course, I'm fat too! My face is really chubby and I have a layer of "blub" all over me. The great thing about this is that all of my wrinkles on my face are filled in for now! Cody and Trent think that's hilarious too.

Insomnia is a side effect too. I go to bed about 11 or 12 and at 4:00 a.m. or so my eyes pop open and I am wide awake and ready to go. My mind is REELING with thoughts and ideas and I HAVE to get up and work. The first a.m. in Florida I was shopping at Walmart at 4:45 a.m. - that was a lot of fun! The past few mornings I wake up and take my laptop to Starbucks on Marco Island - they open at 6:00 and I'm usually waiting for them. I just sit outside and get on their wireless. Today I'm sitting here waiting for Trent to call, he's going to come meet me for breakfast and a walk on the beach. It's only 7:30 a.m and I've already gotten 2 hours of work done - I LOVE IT!

Hot Flashes also are a side effect. All of the women in my life that are older think that is hilarious. I'm always cold and sleep with 2 blankets on me (even in the summer). I wake up in the middle of the night and it's like a fire inside me. Trent thinks that is hilarious too.

Even with all of this I am SO THANKFUL that I feel good and have so much energy (even if it is artificial). I could be all drugged up and in pain, but instead I am feeling GREAT and getting lots of stuff done. I'm going to have to do some research and figure out how I can get my body to do this naturally - I could get used to this!