Oprah - You’re Going to Love Us!

Christine Lakatos and I are on a mission.  The Oprah mission.  We are self-publishing authors struggling to get exposure.  We have thousands of hurdles ahead of us, but we are determined to conquer them all.  We have the drive, the heart, the tenacity and NOW, we are allys. Read Christine’s recent Blog post, and you’ll understand how we met, and what an amazing a breakthrough she had with GOOGLE because of our alliance. 

I believe some of the important ingredients to our marketing success can be understood by watching a few of my favorite reality shows - The Apprentice, Survivor and American Idol.  Particularly, you’ll notice on the first two, it’s essential to have allies (at least at the beginning).  Luckily Christine’s and my books are complementary to each other, rather than competitive.  This is really fun - I will get to enjoy her victories and she’ll enjoy mine.  We’ll help each other race past our competitors.

We accomplished our first goal, which was to write reviews for each other - she wrote wonderful reviews of my two books, Secrets to Healthy Aging & Ageless Beauty and Dream Home Profile, and I wrote one for her book, My Diva Diet and posted it on Blog Critics.

That’s why I can confidently say, "Watch out Oprah, we have our eyes on you!"  Ladies, you can help us out by sharing our websites, books and posts with your friends.  Because of you, we’ll land a spot on Oprah and we’ll share our success with you.  How about it?
 

“Show Me the Passion!”

Having passion in our lives is a whole lot better than having money.  Unfortunately, it’s not reality for most of us.  I’ve come to realize that "passion" is a luxury.  Do you remember when we were younger, how we were told to find a way to do what we loved doing no matter how much we got paid for it?  Although I’m not one to fill my mind with "woulda, shoulda, coulda", I do wish that I could find a way to do what I’m passionate about rather than settling for what I know how to do. 

Today marks the day for completing my first week at my new job.  Rather than say negative things about the job, I should point it back to me and admit that I’m the one at fault.  I haven’t found the right match for me.  What I need to do is use the time at my present job to redefine the elements in a job that are important to me, and learn how to eliminate the elements that I don’t like.  If I can do that, my time will be well-spent.

I hope that one day I wil report to you that I am doing exactly what I love doing, rather than doing what I have to do.  Until then …

Last Chance … Not Even!

I bet the movie, Last Chance Harvey, is very niche specific and won’t get great reviews.  Definitely a chick-flick for those of us a little down on our luck.  That’s why I went to see it; so that I could experience the happy ending to Harvey’s sadness. 

I’m bringing this up because I liked his last words.  She asked him about what he was presently doing,  His answer … "I’m in transition."

Transition is fine once you deal with the reality of a closed door.  Oh, the pain of it.  The questions, the sadness, the tears, the what ifs, shoulda, coulda, woulda stuff.

Well, today I bought a new purse.  For me, this signaled my acceptance of that door.  I looked at my tattered old purse and thought, it’s much like how I’ve felt for a long time.  My new purse is soft, good-looking, and will meet all my needs.  It’s new.  So for a while, this is going to be my a symbol of all the new things that will come my way.  

Old, worn out Harvey had a smile on his face and a renewed dignity.  So will I.

 

Journey On …

I’ve been forced to go on a journey. To leave the comfort of a job I grew to love. The economy? Perhaps part of the blame, but it’s more than that. Corporate has mandated, “culture change – take it or leave it.” Their tactics are brutal. Apply intense pressure; create something new. Deliver … a corporate birth.   

Mahalo, Monica

There is nothing more traumatic than listening to your Spirit tell you to release your grip on something you want to hold on to with all your might.  You’re just so afraid that you’ll lose it if you let go.  What I wrote about in I’ll Keep Travelin’ was probably what helped me begin to relax my grip; today I was inspired to release it a bit more.  

Have I built it up enough?  Well it’s no suprise that I’ve been dealing with a lot of changes in my life because I’ve written about it over the last few months.  In the Real World, I’ve been very reclusive as I’ve worked through alot of it.  Because of this, I’ve been putting off a visit with an old friend who recently came back to town - until today.  OMG!!!  Monica & I were so happy to be reunited.  We both needed this reunion.

I decided to write this post as a tribute to Monica because she is celebrating the near completion of this website as much as I am.  And even more important, I wanted to tell everyone that Dream Home Profile™ had it’s beginnings with Monica and tissue paper in the back of a bus.  (Strange, memorable beginnings usually make great impacts!) 

Mahalo, Monica, for welcoming me back into your life today.  And you know what, Izzy’s "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is just the beginning …   

 

Gil Grissom

One of my favorite characters on TV is Gil Grissom on CSI.  Last night he left the show.  I can’t believe the writers were so kind and gave us the happy ending we all wanted.  Gil found Sara.  Alpha found his Alpha mate.  Simple, Beautiful, Complete …

Such a little thing to write about.  But it made me think how happy endings are the resolutions we need in our lives to keep us on the road, and going forward.  It’s tied to my HOPE theme that I’ve brought up here and there.  It’s the stuff of child hood … "Happy Trails and MIC-KEY-MOUSE … See you soon". 

  Gil and Sara.  Wow!  A happy ending, indeed!

 

 

 

 

 
 

Dreaming Song …

is the name of my Blog.  I hope it will inspire you to live a natural and healthy life.  Women’s Health and Beauty is a topic we all care about - for themselves and in their Homes.  More specifically, it’s about Healthy Living, Intuitive Home Design, and about my own life as a "resistantly" aging Baby Boomer.  I hope the stories and ideas about "healthy aging and ageless beauty" will inspire you to DREAM for BIG things to happen in your own life.  

Here’s the story behind the name … and as you read it, you might enjoy listening to
 Izzy Kamakawiwo’ole’s song, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow".

Many years ago I lived on the Big Island of Hawaii.  It was often that we came upon a rainbow - right upon us, in fact.  Truely, it was like passing through emerald green daylight.  While there, we listened regularly to Hawaiian music, and especially loved Izzy’s music.  My favorite song is his medley, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World".  It seems most appropriate to feature his song in this post, especially in response to my previous post, "The Rainbow Connection". 

I came upon the expression, "Dreaming Song", in the movie, "Austrailia". The reason I was drawn to it was because of the beautiful, magical connection Baz Lurhmann created between Lady Ashley and Nullah throughout the movie, and his linking of the song, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to that expression . 

First she told him the story about the far-away land and sang him the song. It was a song that gave him a reason to stop mourning, and begin a new "story".  Nullah called it, “The Dreaming Song”, and it never left him from that point on.  

"The dreaming song” connected their hearts together.  Whenever they parted, he said, “I’ll sing you to me, Mrs. Boss”.  The song penetrated the "noise of their lives" and reminded them to hope together, for each other … for a new story.  

Since it’s important to name your Blog, I decided to call mine, "Dreaming Song".   "Dreaming Song" is a Blog that encourages us to make our Lives & our Homes naturally Beautiful, Healthy & Happy.  

It’s also about my life experiences, especially as a home design Consultant, natural health & beauty Advocate, resistantly aging Baby Boomer, new Author, photoshop Dabbler, country music Enthusiast, and reality show "Philosopher".

My hope is that "Dreaming Song" will connect us to each other, and allow us to weave our hopes and dreams together.  I’m sure we’ll have lots of good "stories", and learn how to sing them out into the far-away lands.  

♥

Below is the trailer from the movie, "Austrailia". 
This treats you to the origin of "The Dreaming Song".

 

I’ll Keep Travelin’

Don’t Run (out the door, to another city, to another person)

Don’t Scream (at God, at your loved one, at your boss)

Don’t Give Up (your life, your job, your relationship)

Don’t Hide (under a blanket, from your fears, from your perpetrators) 

Don’t Be Afraid (to be alone, of death, of loss) 

 ♥

Do Believe (in yourself, in tomorrow, in your dreams)

Do Hope (for a new beginning, for strength, for courage) 

Do Remember (everything’s temporary, day follows night, you can make it)

Do Forget (the pain, the terror, the longing for the good ‘ole days) 

Do Love (yourself, your life, your peeps) 

If you don’t and you do these things, you’ll make it through ..

The question is then, where to?  

Well, I can’t answer for you this time.  Only you can answer this. 

What I just wrote is because it’s a life lesson that I must learn.  I’m going through some dificult changes.  I feel scared, like I’m in the midst of an Inferno. There are flames all around me and they’re hot and threaten to burn me alive. I can scarcely breathe and I’m alone. I’m afraid, I’m sad and I wish it wasn’t happening to me. But when I woke up this morning, I heard one word – "DON”T!"  I began asking myself, don’t do what?   My answer is what this post is about.   It’s about perspective, and hope, and not giving up.

I will emerge better.  I’ll be stronger, more courageous, and wiser, with a chance to rebuild the things that were taken away from me.  When “they” say, you have to close a door before the next one opens, it’s people like me that resist the closing of the door with all their might. I just did not want the door to close. Not one little bit, I liked everything like it was. But we all know, we don’t get to call all the shots, do we?

♥ 

So, friends, I’ll heed this advice.  I will "don’t, I will “do”,
and I’ll Keep Travelin’ Thru …

♥

Travelin’ Thru
(by Dolly Parton)

Have a listen to Jason Castro’s "Travelin’ Thru"
from MySpace

Well I can’t tell you where I’m going, I’m not sure of where I’ve been
But I know I must keep travelin’ till my road comes to an end
I’m out here on my journey, trying to make the most of it
I’m a puzzle, I must figure out where all my pieces fit
Like a poor wayfaring stranger that they speak about in song
I’m just a weary pilgrim trying to find what feels like home
Where that is no one can tell me, am I doomed to ever roam
I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’ on

Questions I have many, answers but a few
But we’re here to learn, the spirit burns, to know the greater truth
We’ve all been crucified and they nailed Jesus to the tree
And when I’m born again, you’re gonna see a change in me

God made me for a reason and nothing is in vain
Redemption comes in many shapes with many kinds of pain
Oh sweet Jesus if you’re listening, keep me ever close to you
As I’m stumblin’, tumblin’, wonderin’, as I’m travelin’ thru

I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’ thru
I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’ thru

Oh sometimes the road is rugged, and it’s hard to travel on
But holdin’ to each other, we don’t have to walk alone
When everything is broken, we can mend it if we try
We can make a world of difference, if we want to we can fly

Goodbye little children, goodnight you handsome men
[Jason's version: Goodbye you little children, goodnight to all my friends
Farewell you lovely ladies and to all who knew me when]
Farewell to all you ladies and to all who knew me when
And I hope I’ll see you down the road, you meant more than I knew
As I was travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, travelin’ thru

I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’
Drifting like a floating boat and roaming like the wind
Oh give me some direction lord, let me lean on you
As I’m travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, thru

I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’ thru
I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’ thru

Like the poor wayfaring stranger that they speak about in song
I’m just a weary pilgrim trying to find my own way home
Oh sweet Jesus if you’re out there, keep me ever close to you
As I’m travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, as I’m travelin’ thru

Goodbye little children, goodnight you handsome men
Farewell to all you ladies and to all who knew me when
 [Jason's version: Goodbye you little children, goodnight to all my friends
Farewell you lovely ladies and to all who knew me when]
Oh I’m just travelin’, Oh travelin’ thru, I’m travelin’ thru, I’m travel’ thru

You can also watch Jason’s "Travelin’ Thru" on YouTube from American Idol 

♥ 

 & Dolly’s "Travelin’ Thru" on YouTube 

 ♥ 

One more - Jason’s Best on You Tube - "Hallelujah"
 

Take Oasis

Have a listen to "We Walk" by REM 

"Take Oasis" …

Take a walk, take a bath … hey, just take a deep breath and stop what you’re doing!

There might be some deeper meaning in REM’s song, but I love the phrase “take oasis”. It’s like saying, “Just Stop!" or "Chill Out!"

For me, life gets too busy and confusing; I just need to stop and take a moment to relax and reflect.  Well, that’s the premise and solution I present in “The Ugly Duck Makeover” .   I’m always using the 7 steps in Ugly Duck to do just that. 

Here’s the bottom line, and what I think I’ll plaster on my car … 

Life is Short … Get the Last Quack!

Are you getting the last quack?  Let me know …

 

High Fives & Cartwheels

Either will do.  I’ve just been clicking away at all my links tonight, testing them out.  I’m absolutely amazed at the end result of a dream that started months ago - this website.  Personally, I’ve completed the editing and creatives.  A few more tweaks from me and another week or so of technical expertise from way across the ocean with Duncan. 

As you know, I’m so very indebted to him.  I hope you’ll allow him to help you with your Blogs and website development too, as a favor to me.  He is extremely patient with those of us "technically-challenged" individuals. 

♥

My daughter and I were out today at one of our favorite places, "California Pizza", and we heard the song, "My Wish".  A while back I featured  that song on a previous blog.  We sang the chorus together and gave each other wishes that our "dreams stay big and worries stay small".  Isn’t that a beautiful way to go about life?

So may I send that hope to you, too.  "Alie James" is my big dream that today, has come true.  And for that, my worries seem very small.  I’m counting my blessings, tonight.

 

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