Friday, October 28, 2016

Sneaky Ninja Ad Attacks!




Hi!




Holy Cow! October is pretty much over! Halloween is upon us, and, if we are to believe ads on tv and in the stores, Christmas is the very next day!



The powers that be in advertising, seem to be in an incredible hurry to move the calendar along. They advertise spring allergy medication in January, they start the bikini body stuff right around March, they begin advertising 'back to school' sales before we can dip our toe in a lake, Halloween in August, Christmas in October.

What the hell is the hurry!


With all of this buzzing around our heads, it's no wonder we have trouble living in the moment.


One of my personal pet peeves is being rushed, and I feel like I'm being rushed by these people all the time. The relentless pounding of hurry hurry hurry, it's coming, it's coming, the next holiday, the next thing to prepare for, the next thing is coming! Their job is to create an urgency to make us want to rush out and buy. Buy whatever is the product or products of the upcoming moment/season.


I think it affects us without us giving it any real, conscious thought. Sneaky, ninja ad attacks.


I, for one, am going to make a concerted effort to fight the hurry, and take the time to enjoy now. Just because they want to put me in a panic, and try to make me feel unprepared, and rushed doesn't mean I have to let them.

So, to the sneaky ninja ad creators I say, I'll get ready for upcoming events, holidays, and seasons when I''m good and ready. I don't need you to add any more pressure to situations that can feel stressful enough all on their own. I'm perfectly okay with picking up the things I need when I need them and not when you would like to insist I need them.

If, by chance, the exact thing I'm looking for is somehow impossible to get at the time, I'm sure I will survive.

I'm choosing to enjoy the time that comes between now, and whatever comes next. Time flies by fast enough without any assistance from you, so do us all a favour and just chill.


***********************************

Ths week has been pretty jam packed with helping my sister and her hubby move, a date night with my hubby, work, writing, visiting another fantastic school (Thanks again for having me Elrose Composite School!), and more writing.


The upcoming days will include, a Tradeshow, Halloween,writing, work, month end shenanigans, and more writing.


Like I said, life flies without assistance, let's sit in every moment we can, for as long as we can.


So, that about does it for another week.

Until next time......


May time slow down to an enjoyable, manageable pace, relaxed, unrushed.
May we quiet outside intruders who want to insist on panic, don't let them in, keep them hushed.

May you live your life at a measured cadence, one that brings you peace.
May you let go of all unnecessary, unwanted stress, free yourself, release.

May you give yourself permission to not chase, not care, not try, to keep up with false perfection.
May you see it's an exercise in futility, sacrificing your peace to feed others' perception.



Until next time check out  www.margyreidbooks.com







Friday, October 21, 2016

Some Things Are Just Dumb....It's True...But Some Are Funny Too.....






Well folks, Fall is in full swing. You know how I can tell?   Because we've been covered by snow, had it melt, and are now left with depressed leaves, not all of which have left the trees.

The once vibrant golden cascades have become a rather maudlin imitation of what they were only weeks ago.They are soggy, heavy, their colour faded.

But, not all is lost, for these are signs that Halloween is just around the corner, and I, for one, always look forward to seeing the costumes everybody comes up with.


By the way, what is the deal with these creepy clowns?

From what I can gather, they are some sort of unsolicited promotional idea for an upcoming sequel to a horror movie?

I love a good prank as much, or probably more, than the next person, but this is just dumb, not to mention dangerous. Isn't threatening people with weapons illegal, regardless of the outfit your wearing? On the flipside, how many people do you think you're going to terrify before you meet someone who is going to take you at your word and protect themselves?

I can't see as anything other than a lose/lose situation. But, what do I know?


Oh, I know. I know that it's dumb to go around terrorizing people with dangerous weapons. That's what I know, and I'm pretty secure in the assumption I'm not alone in that knowledge.


It's kind of right up there with sticking keys into power outlets, jumping the grand canyon on a bicycle, and checking to see how many smacks it takes to piss off a skunk while the two of you are trapped in a porta-potty.


**************************************************************




As for the past week........

There was some writing, some working, some running around, and a reading at a school where I had the privilege of hanging out with some great kids. Thanks again to St. Peter's School in Unity, Sk. for inviting me!


In the upcoming days..............

Assisting a move, writing, work, and another visit to another great school!


Gonna be a good week!

Until next time.........


May your week be free of creepy clowns, and all things cringe-worthily dumb.
May you see it may not be as easy as you think, to avoid the things that make your mind numb.

May you see, to avoid them completely may detract from the overall joy we get from seeing others epically fail.
May you see you can't help but to giggle as you watch the guy step clumsily, inevitably, into the paint-filled pail.

May the videos of misplanned daredevil stunts, and people running into glass, find their way into your life.
May you see, as humans, we love the prat fall, the slapstick, it mysteriously, but most assuredly, relieves our daily strife.


Until next week...............

www.margyreidbooks.com




















Saturday, October 15, 2016

Vessel By Vessel, Vein By Vein..............





Hi!





Well, this was Thanksgiving in the Reid house this year!


I'm so grateful for any and every opportunity to have these faces under the same roof. A few are missing, but it was still pretty great.

We broke with tradition and had chicken and dumplings for our meal, followed by birthday cakes to celebrate two very special little girls.

These kind of days are so special, and should never be taken for granted.


We can never assume that tomorrow is ours. It's never a given. Soak in every ounce of joy.



This week, in the news, there was a story of the separation of a set of conjoined twins. They were joined at the tops of their heads. The surgery took 20+ hours, and needed the skilled hands of over 40 doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, checking egos at the door. They were a team.

They painstakingly separated these little boys vessel by vessel, vein by vein, nerve by nerve. The boys, now completely separate beings, are said to be okay and recovering. I'm sure it will be a long road, and likely, an incredibly tough one.


It's incredible. The things that can be accomplished when people work together toward a common goal are infinite. The strides possible working for the betterment of mankind are endless. We are limited only by our pride and our ego.


So many decisions, albeit personal, business, national, international or political, seem to be muddied and made so much more complicated than need be by either chasing ego, money, or, in some cases, both.

Companies want to run pipelines through sacred burial grounds, political decisions are being reached without proper research into long term effects, acts of violence are continually being perpetrated in the name of country and religion.


Imagine if we put just half of the energy that is put into trying to hurt each other  into working toward common goals.

I think, for the most part anyway, we are all kind of after the same thing.

We want a safe planet for future generations to enjoy.
We want everyone to be able to live in peace, with a full belly and a warm, soft place to lay their heads at night.
We want to live without fear of each other.
We want our beliefs respected even if, and especially when they are not shared.

I think we can agree we all want these things.

If we could just quit tripping all over our egos, we just might be able to make it all happen.

A skillful team, vessel by vessel, vein by vein, nerve by nerve. Recovery. It can be done.

*********************


Other than an awesome Thanksgiving, this week involved a visit to a great little library in Colonsay, Sk. Thanks again to Sandy, Gail and Erna for putting it all together!

There was also some working at the shop, running errands, planning for upcoming events and some writing!

As for the upcoming days..........

There will be writing, working, a school visit, more writing, and a day to help my sister and her hubby move into their new house!


Until next time, I'll leave you with this wish......


May the nip that now resides in every breath bring cozy cuddles by the fire.
May these lengthening nights and shortening days lead you toward your true heart's desire.

May your every effort bring you closer to your peace, whatever that may be.
May you know it needs no explanation, the opinions of others are plentiful, meaningless and free.

May you strive to not only to do no harm, but create joy with every step you take.
May you strive to leave ripples bubbling with kindness and laughter in your wake.



Thanks so much!

Thinking of stocking stuffers? Check it out!

www.margyreidbooks.com




















Saturday, October 8, 2016

Grateful And Then Some!






Hi!



A milestone. I know it's just a number, and, in the grand scheme of things, not a very big one. To me, though, it represents something I never would have dreamed possible. It represents what can take place when we obliterate our comfort zones, trust ourselves, and take a chance.


Sometimes, when you are living the day to day, the nuts and bolts of what makes your dreams happen, you can lose sight, pretty easily, of any progress you've made. Sometimes it's good to step back, and look at the distance you've covered and not just at how far you perceive you are from your destination. 

Your destination is not definitive anyway. It moves, morphs and changes constantly. I, for one, am grateful for that. When you do step back and take a real look at your journey, you discover that what you originally had envisioned as a destination was simply a checkpoint. One of many.

40,103. These are actual people. Canada, Poland, United States, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Sweden, Chile,and Ireland. These are the top ten countries, this week, that are home to the people that have taken the time to read these ramblings. 

I don't know that I can put forth the words to express just how grateful I am. I am grateful for the notes, letters and emails. I am touched to the core by your stories. I am incredibly humbled each and every week by your ongoing support. 

 You can never predict what your dreams may turn into. All you have to do is start, be open to any and all possibilities, and believe the best can happen. Oh, and work your butt off. Let's not forget that little tidbit of information. 

I have yet to meet anyone who has had their dream handed to them. Your dreams are there for the taking, for the achieving, but you have to be willing to put in the work to hold them in your hand. 

If you walk your path, always stepping in the light of kindness, good things have no choice but to happen. That doesn't mean there won't be crap storms along the way. They are there to test your 'why' and your 'want to'. Each time you encounter one, you will need to decide whether to stop and be content with what is, or, put on your mud boots, grab a jacket, and carry on.

When a major decision needs to be made, I tend to ask myself the worst case scenario question. What is the absolute worst scenario that may take place as a result of this decision? If this happens, would my family and I be okay? If the answer is yes, that tells me that fear is driving the hesitation. 


No one can take your dreams from you. The most they can do is convince you to surrender the desire to achieve it, and the belief that you can make it happen. 


Thank you. For buying my books, for reading these ramblings, for walking this journey with me. Thank you.  I so look forward to discovering what is yet to be.



********************************************


Another whirlwind week has come and gone. Tradeshow, work, and writing, with a squeeze or two from some grandbabies.


Mother nature hit us with an early taste of winter and unleashed a horrendous hurricane on our southern neighbours that has caused devastation for so many.


As for the upcoming days............


Thanksgiving supper.......time with family....always grateful for that.

A reading at Colonsay library.....Flitflee's debut in a public reading!

Work the shop.........

Write!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (First draft of my novel about half way complete! Getting there!)



Until next time!

May we be grateful, and then some, for our four walls, three squares, and a soft place to fall.
May we be grateful and then some, for the freedom to laugh, a safe place to be, sadly, it's not that way for all.

May we be grateful and then some for the kindness found in humanity, though quieted it may be.
May we be grateful and then some for our invaluable privilege to choose our leaders, an act not to be taken lightly.

May we be grateful and then some for those we hold closest to our hearts, those for which we provide, love and protect.
May we be grateful and then some to live where they are, without exception, entitled to be treated with dignity and respect.

May we be grateful and then some to live in a culture that, at least on it's face, fosters equality for each and every soul.
May we be grateful and then some that it is hopefully on the path of going beyond the face,  entrenching deeper, taking hold. 




Happy Thanksgiving!

www.margyreidbooks.com