Upside Down Cats

I have a confession to make.

I've been unfaithful.

Yep, two-timing even.

Continue reading "I Am A Rich Woman" »

While meandering around on the internet I have come across a very inspirational blog called Insights For Life. In the most recent post, Make Friends With Uncertainty, the author discusses the subject of dealing with the inescapable fact that life is uncertain.

I have been thoroughly inspired to share my thoughts on dealing with uncertainty in life.

I'm a fairly optimistic person - most of the time. I'm sure just about everyone can relate, though, to the times when no matter what you do, you can't seem to catch a break. You begin to think that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. The chance of anything good happening seems less and less likely. This is a dark and scary vortex where it's difficult to keep your inner Pollyanna alive.

That's when I try to remind myself that life is no more certain to be miserable than it is to be delightful. This is the uncertain nature of it all...

Remaining mindful of the very fact that life is uncertain is the path out of the depression that can overtake you when your outlook turns negative. It is just as likely that something good could happen as it is that something bad could happen. It's not easy to think positively when it seems things are falling apart all around you, but misery is not a certainty. After all, who knows today who will have a tomorrow...? Who can predict when or how circumstances will turn, and to what effect?

These are times when it feels we've lost control of our life. But in all honesty, how much control do we ever really have, even when things are going our way...?

Continue reading "Life Is Like A Box ... »

I took the day off yesterday.

Sure, it was Sunday, but I had things I felt obliged to do...grocery shopping, laundry folding and putting away, pan scrubbing, bill paying, blogging...you know, the essentials to life as we know it... These are also chores I find it difficult to do during the week when my days are busy and my hours run late.

And sure, it was freaking freezing here in Midwest Paradise...The high temperature here was 14 degrees. That's not really inspiring weather to leave the house!

Continue reading "Oh Great...Now I Have Guilt!" »

Our two-year-old cat, Cooper, is one of those cats who retrieves things for his people. He is fond of bringing me a sock, a sweatshirt, (clean or dirty...doesn't seem to matter to him) a shoe or a slipper. He also has an affinity for stuffed animals, which exist in great abundance at this daycare home. It is a common occurrence to awake to find that a Beanie Babies gorilla has mysteriously appeared in the middle of the living room floor...Not particularly harmonious with the rest of our decorating scheme!

Lately, he has become obsessed with a little stuffed blue bear wearing a red sweater. It is a decorative bear that is part of my Winter decor. Or, rather, that's what I thought. Apparently, Cooper has an entirely different idea of where the bear belongs...Several times a day, no matter how many times I return the bear to his basket of pine cones, Cooper drags him out! Sometimes he carries the bear to the middle of the living room, sometimes to the bottom of the stairs and sometimes all the way down to the daycare! One night in the dark my foot brushed against something soft in the middle of the upstairs hallway...the blue bear, of course!

Continue reading "Pondering Life's Mysteries..." »

I figure it's more productive to begin a new project or year with some goals in mind...

So rather than simply wishing for generic happiness in the New Year, I've come up with a list of more concrete aspirations to hope for this year...

Continue reading "My Wishes For The New Year" »

Wow, we've reached day 28 of the 30 days of NaBloPoMo! I've almost accomplished my goal of posting about things for which I am thankful every day during the month of November. Today I want to write about a pursuit that is decidedly less goal-oriented...

I am thankful for yoga.

Continue reading "Yoga Bear" »

Today is the twelfth of NaBloPoMo. I have vowed to write about things for which I am thankful each day of November.

Today I am thinking about what it means to me to have been born in the United States. When I was ten years old my sister got me a subscription to National Geographic for Kids. It was my first exposure to people who lived in other parts of the world. I remember having a revelation...that I could have just as easily been born in India or Africa as New Jersey. I tried imagining being me on the inside, but looking different and living differently. It kind of blew my mind, because I had very limited experience with diversity. In my house, those who were different from us were known as Protestants.

Continue reading "Lucky To Be Me" »

"You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take." - Wayne Gretzky

Who would ever think I would quote a hockey player...or even know without looking it up that Wayne Gretzky is/was a hockey player!

Anyway...I didn't have anything profound to say about this being my 100th post on Upside Down Cats, but I thought I'd mark the occasion subtly with an inspirational quote which includes "100."

Mr G. is right...if I don't try, I can't score! So here's to taking chances with the hope of racking up some points!

He's pretty wise for a hockey player...

Run a marathon...bike 150 miles...you might as well tell me to cure the common cold! To my mind, it is in the same realm of impossibility!

Yet that's just what my next Bitchin' Broad, Carole Wagner-Grauer has done! She's participated in many amazing feats of athletic prowess!

How did I discover this amazing woman?...well, I usually call her Aunt Carole ...

Aunt Carole was not particularly into fitness until 15 years ago when she won a gym membership as a prize for achieving high production at her company. Prior to that, she says she never enjoyed exercising. She began on her path to physical greatness by taking a few aerobics classes.

In time, Carole started participating in events to benefit charities. These included a two day, 150 mile bike ride to benefit Multiple Sclerosis and a three day, 60 mile walk to benefit Breast Cancer. Carole says the fact that she was raising money to help these causes provided inspiration for her throughout the course of her training and participation in the events.

Personally, I can't help but wonder what kind of person would heap these enormous challenges on herself. Most days are difficult enough for me "as is," without choosing to pile on more...There has got to be a logical reason why an intelligent, busy and highly successful businesswoman as Carole would voluntarily subject herself to such daunting challenges. I am curious to discover what makes her tick. I want to know what could possibly inspire a person not only to dream it, but to actually do it...to accomplish such inconceivable triumphs. So I asked Carole, and here is her inspiring answer...

Continue reading "Bitchin' Broads - Carole ... »

The preschoolers in my daycare occasionally have difficulty keeping focused on a task. A 4 1/2-year-old girl in particular constantly asks what we are going to do next. I can get the table loaded with markers, crayons, scissors and pencils, only to have her ask - before she makes a mark on her paper - what we're going to do after art time...

Before she takes a bite of lunch, she's asking what's for afternoon snack...

Half way through a book, she's asking me what I'm going to read next...

Continue reading "What Next?" »