Friday, March 21, 2014

volbeat

Volbeat . . .  Fargo . . .  April 17 . . . woohoo!

6 of my favorite songs from 3 different albums...

Gentlemen and Shady Ladies (2013)

"Lola Montez"

"The Sinner is You"

Beyond Hell Above Heaven (2010)

"Fallen"

"Heaven Nor Hell"

Guitar Gangsters and Cadillac Blood (2009)

"Mary Ann's Place" (Live!!!!!!)

"Light A Way"

Friday, March 14, 2014

danielle laporte

it's been awhile since I've read Danielle's Laporte's blog...it doesn't take long to sift through her writings and find something worth repeating...

Why we (should) change our minds in the 11th hour

You’re about to ship your product, wrap the gift, get dressed for the event, name the baby. Go time. Launch time. Deadline-to-meet-time. It’s time to make the final call. You’ve been working toward this for months. Money invested in designers, endless jam sessions, deep thinking, working toward THAT goal. And then…and then you look at it (clock is ticking, we’re waiting for you to sign off), and you think…it’s not quite right. We need to…. change the name, pull apart the structure, swap out the picture, switch the offer, shift gears.
And then…you want to throw up.
Change? Now?! But you’ve been so certain, so clear, so specific with what you wanted. You ASKED them to make it that way. It was your idea. You made the choices. It’s time to put this project to bed!
THE ROAD TO MEDIOCRITY IS… EASY
80% of people will proceed as planned — they’ll keep their mouth shut, save money, save face, not rock the boat.
20% (and that may be a generous portion), will risk looking like an indecisive, unreasonable, flake and they’ll put on the brakes, push for change, throw a wrench into the works, ask for unreasonable Olympian efforts at the last minute.
The people in the latter camp? They tend to be outstanding. Their risks are more likely to pay off — because they take them.
Sometimes clarity isn’t as much of a “dawning” as it is a “squeeeeeezing.”

Think of 11th hour a-ha’s as a distillation of truth — truth that’s good to act on.

We get clear about what we really truly actually for real want at pull-the-trigger time by virtue of psyche mechanics — we’ve been grinding and polishing for so long that we’re more likely to see a new vein surface in the material; and because our soul is determined to take it’s true shape in the world (not that we always let it.)
I’m not a fan of delaying, (although sometimes a sacred pause is the lever to greatness). I’m not suggesting that you let clarity derail deadlines and commitments (sometimes we label perfectionism as clarity to give ourselves the “It’s not good enough yet” excuse.)
What I’m campaigning for is that you embrace the potential genius of the last minute knowings (because they’re natural), and take a swing at total and utter madness:

Consider that your realization of how it could be better might be divine, and do whatever it takes to make it better.

The one part of the plan that isn’t changing? The plan to always give your best.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

"About Time"





"The truth is, 
I now don't travel back at all. 
Not even for the day. 
I just try to live every day 
as if I've deliberately come back to this one day 
to enjoy it as if it was the full final day 
of my extraordinary, ordinary life."



Saturday, January 4, 2014

Quiet...

I just started reading the book, "Quiet", by Susan Cain.  It's wonderful.



Ben read it about a year ago after I stumbled across a 'pinned' quote by Susan Cain.  After some googling, we ended up watching a TED talk on introverts, presented by Cain.  Everyone should watch it!  We were hooked and amazed by her insight and really life-changing ideas about introverts.

I am dying to write more of my thoughts (and I have a ton of them!) but I'm going to share my absolute favorite part so far --  "The Myth of Charismatic Leadership". . .

"Indeed, according to a famous study by the influential management theorist Jim Collins, many of the best-performing companies of the late twentieth century were run by what he calls "Level 5 Leaders."  These  exceptional CEOs were known not for their flash or charisma but for extreme humility coupled with intense professional will. . . "

. . .   extreme humility
. . . intense professional will




Tuesday, December 3, 2013

hunting 2013

The guys spent the weekends up at the hunting shack but also hunted on Dennis and Grandma's farm.  This is part of the hunting crew... Jerry wasn't with the group on this day and Dennis made it in a picture a little later. :)


Grandma served pancakes and sausage during their traditional morning "break".  



. . . and there is always homemade raspberry jam!

I hung around and snapped some really cute photos.  There is just something about a "gang of little boys" (to quote Sam)!

This is adorable!  Sam and Dominic exploring and peeking.  love it.

and now we have almost everybody!  I love the orange and the boots:)

Another hunting season ends.  No deer this time but memories for a lifetime!