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Shabbat Morning Services are Good for My Health
I believe that attending Shabbat morning services is good for my health. Over the past few years, I have started attending Saturday morning Shabbat services more regularly. I go on my own. I do it by choice. There is no “reason” for me to attend except for the fact that I want to attend. I am at the stage of life where I am “between” major life events of family and friends. To my knowledge, there are no upcoming weddings, babies, or Bar or Bat Mitzvah celebrations on the calendar. I will go out on a limb and say that most of us as kids and even when getting older…
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Accountability “Partners”–7 Ideas to Help You Reach Your Goals!
With the new year upon us, I am sure that many of us are setting new goals for our lives. Although not a solution for everything, having some type of accountability “partner” (this “partner” may not be a person per se) can help us all stay on track with making steps toward our goals. Below are some ways and suggestions to incorporate an accountability partner into your plans. (FYI—There are no fancy pictures here, just what I hope are some helpful ideas. If you click on some on the included links, then you will see a nice variety of photos. Enjoy!) 1) Do you want to exercise more? Find someone…
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8 Great Reasons to Plan a Game Night!
I LOVE GAME NIGHT!! I really do believe that most people enjoy a game night. (This is not based on scientific research. It’s just a hunch.) Now that holiday season is upon us, this is a great opportunity to bring back or continue to enhance game night! Why am I a firm believer in game night (or game day or game time)? Here are some reasons (acknowledging that there is some overlap, but that’s okay): 1: Playing a game provides a great opportunity to bond with family and friends. Families can enjoy game nights with a wide range of family members and/or numbers of participants. Some games seem to transcend…
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“Something Rotten” Happened this Summer on Stage!
Now that it has been three summers in a row (check out these links to read about summers one and two), I am officially saying that community musical theater is my summer “thing.” Earlier in the year, the plan was to audition for whatever show was going to be produced. When it was announced that it was “Something Rotten,” I was thrilled! For me, the main things I hope for in a show are lots of dancing and ensemble opportunities. This show is it! (If you have never seen it before, I recommend you look on-line. You can find a recording of entire performances.) In the past I had gone…
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Summer Wellness–9 Ways to Make It a Regular Part of Your Life
Although I still hope to enjoy and share new adventures and experiences, I will be sharing more wellness ideas and suggestions in this post. Hopefully you will find my experiences and ideas beneficial and inspire you to continue to focus on improving and maintaining your personal wellness. Summer is finally approaching!! Here are nine suggestions to help you focus on personal wellness this summer in an enjoyable way but without spending a fortune. You may notice a lot of overlapping within these ideas. That is fine and intentional! Make the most of your summer! 1) WALK. Go outside. Just walk. Walk alone, with a friend, with your dog. Just move…
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Making Beeswax Candles–A Perfect Simple College Spring Break Project
My son and I recently spent some time together making beeswax candles. It was a simple project, yet it was so meaningful to me. As mentioned in the past, I have been enjoying multiple project kits from my local library over the years. Some of these have included painted rope coasters, a mosaic picture frame, printed clay bowl, and more. Several of these I have done on my own. A few I have completed with family members. The most recent kit was for beeswax candles. This was the perfect project at the perfect time. My son is a college senior and came home for his final spring break. (I have…
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Joining a Book Club–A Great Decision for So Many Reasons!
Several years ago, a good friend of mine invited me to do something I had never considered doing. She invited me to join her book club. I have always enjoyed a good book but was never a voracious reader. What exactly I was thinking at the time I don’t remember, but I took her up on her offer and haven’t looked back! Why I am discussing this here and now? This isn’t some bizarre, esoteric activity. It does, however, tie in to my current goals and themes of making life better. The purpose of this blog has morphed into a “things I do to help create a full, healthy life.”…
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My First Live SEC Football Experience–GO VOLS!
Disclaimer: I did get a discount on the hotel room in exchange for mentioning it in this post. All comments about the hotel are my honest opinions. I am not proud to state it, but it took WAY too long for me to finally go down to Knoxville to watch some UTK Volunteer football. Better late than never, though! My family is nearing the end of a stage. My son is currently a senior at University of Tennessee in Knoxville. I previously shared our story of the initial college visit while he was in high school. Less than two years later, I shared the story of move-in day for my…
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Making Rope Coasters with the Husband and College-Age Kids–A Successful Family Project
I was so pleased that my family (myself, husband, and college age kids) enjoyed spending time together creating citrus rope coasters.
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Summer Community Theater–Excited to be Back on Stage!
Perform, rinse, repeat After last summer’s experience performing in my community theater’s production of “Footloose,” I knew that I would plan to audition again for the summer of 2023. I anxiously waited for the announcement of the summer show. Not that it would change whether or not I auditioned, but I still wanted to know. The musical for the summer of 2023 was going to be Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella.” Honestly, I didn’t have much of a reaction to that. I was familiar with some of the music and aspects of the story but had never actually seen a production of it, either on stage or screen (not even the…
If it's not illegal, immoral, or blatantly stupid, I am willing to give it a try!
