We can do lots of things alone – we can do so much more when we connect with each other in meaningful ways. We were designed for relationship, whether personal, work, or communal. Each of us is a piece to the whole. And, when it works, amazing things happen. Teamwork is a relational way we collaborate to blend our talents for a great good. The following short YouTube video illustrates the power of teamwork through dance. Enjoy
Bring Back Spontaneity
When was the last time you were spontaneous? You know, did something fun, on the spur of the moment. It’s what children do. It’s time to put a little more fun and joy into our lives. Acting spontaneously to fill up a moment with joy and laughter, song, and dance are good starters. The following video begins with a person playing a piano in the park, a stranger joins in on the same keyboard. Both people joined in the spontaneity of moment and brought fun to their lives and all who watched them. Enjoy.
Become A Possibility Seeker
What an awesome, wonder-filled world we live in. It is a world filled to overflowing with problems and possibilities. Imagine waking up each morning excited to jump into this wonder-filled world seeking out possibilities. It’s waiting for you. It needs you. It needs every single possibility seeker. Get psyched with this 2 minute Vimeo video and you’ll become a possibility seeker.
Before You Wake Up from Nejc Miljak on Vimeo.
Ask La Flor
Hi Sisters – I’m listening. I’m hear for you. I convinced Ray to let me have today’s blog – I’m winging and singing it. I’m fishing and dishing. I have no clue what I’m doing, but I was bored. He thinks I’m doing an advice column. I’ll give you a few tips that work for me.
First tip. Let him thinks what he wants to think, then do your own thing. Seems to work for me..
Second tip. Use his charge card. That way you don’t worry about how much you’re charging.
Third tip. You got to make him grovel. Grovel is good for your man.
Enter Ray.
“La Flor, I’m not going to put that on my blog. It’s terrible. It’s not the real you,” I said.
“Oh, I think it is, Ray. It works perfectly with LC. I’ve got him wrapped tight around my little finger.”
“You think so?” I said.
“Well, yes I do.”
“So it doesn’t bother you, that I saw him at the coffee shop with Gina Abbrighi, right?”
“Gina? What’s he doing with her? Were they holding hands? Did he pay for her drink? How close were they sitting?” said La Flor.
“I don’t know why they were together. They were looking at something together, like a calendar. LC shook his hand, then Gina pointed to a date, they laughed and fist bumped.”
“They fist bumped? Was it a hard bump or a gentle bump?” asked La Flor.
“I’d say a gentle bump.”
“Oh, Ray. I’ve been too rough on LC. I’m going to lose him. Help me save him from her. She’s no good for him. O’Leary is perfect for her.”
“It may be too late, you’ve been treating him like a dog. Making him grovel. You made him wear a tie all night. He’s on call 24/7. You’re wearing him out.”
“I only did it for his own good. Besides, I thought he liked it when I scratched his belly. He’d always kick his leg. And the tie? He was so handsome. Gina will do worse. You don’t know her reputation. We’ve got to save him. Do you have Lil Carlo’s cell number?”
Not a moment to soon – the door slams against the wall. The clang, the light go dim and return to full brightness.
“I’m in da vicinities,” hollered LC.
La Flor hollered, “We’re through. Get your stuff and get out before I call Lil Carlo and Big Carmen.”
“What I do? What I do? What I do? LC came running in slid to La Flor on his knees and wrapped his arms around her legs.
“Ray spotted you with Gina Abbrighi at the coffee shop. You two-timer. Let go of me.”
“I can splain every ting. I can. Honest I can.”
“It better be good. No, make that real good,” said La Flor.
“I promised Gina was gonna say nut tin, buts I gotta say some tin cause I can’t lose use beautiful, tough and edgy one,” LC now cradling his head against La Flor’s knees.
“Spill it,” said La Flor.
“Gina is gonna throw a surprise party for use because she says every woman looks up to use and we was figuring out the dates. It’s all set but use can’t know nut tin about it because it is a surprise.”
“Stand up, LC so I can jump in your arms. We’re back together.”
Some things never change.
Paying Attention To What Is Important
“We are one, after all, you and I, together we suffer, together exist and forever will recreate each other.” – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
The message in the power-filled quotation by de Chardin is one of community. We are one. We build community by knowing each other in a personal way; by hearing each other’s story; by respecting our difference; by listening to one another. The five minute YouTube video will inspire you to focus on what is important.
She Have A Twin Sister?
“Why do I have to drive? Why are we sitting in a car on a dark street near the Fur Palace? Why are you two making out in the backseat and I have a small cold pizza from Carmen’s Pizzeria?”
No Answer. Message not received in the back seat. Only heavy breathing.
A beat up pickup pulls in front of me. It’s O’Leary.
O’Leary gets out of the pickup, walks over to the passenger side door, opens it, sees my half eaten, cold pizza on the seat. O’Leary says, “I’m hungry do you mind if I have a piece?”
“Have it all, I’m finished,” I said.
O’Leary slid into the passenger side. He layered the four pieces of pizza, opened his mouth and slid the pizza inside. After he finished chewing, he said, “This way I can tell my doc I only ate one piece.” He looked into the backseat, “Great cover, I got to hand it to them, nobody can figure them to be on stakeout. It almost looks real, what they’re doing.”
“Yah, they got it all together,” I said.
“She have a twin sister? I’m thinking of going back on the market after my bad breakup,” said O’Leary jerking a thumb over his shoulder.
“Not that I know of,” I said.
“I’m gonna hit the gym foist. I wanna lose these love handles, drop my double chin, trim my waist down about seven inches. How long you think it’s gonna take?”
I want to say an eternity. I hold my thought and said, “Oh, about two to three weeks. You have high metabolism. I can tell.”
A voice from the back.
“O’Leary, use wanna go out wit Gina Abbrighi? I can fix use up. She jus got done wit a bad breakup so use two got something in common,” said LC.
Yah, nobody likes either one. My thought remained silent.
I thought I heard the B word coming from the back seat, but I’m not sure and besides, it’s a family blog.
“Feed her donuts, O’Leary. She loves them. She’d like a dozen donuts more than a dozen roses,” said La Flor in a faux sincere voice.
“Gives me a week to go to them gym. I tink I’ll start laying off broccoli and spinach. Those go straight from the lips to the hips,” said O’Leary.
“Where’d you hear that?” I asked.
“From Joey G. He owns Joey’s donut shop.”
O’Leary felt his cell vibrate. He took it out of his pocket. Turned it on, read the text message. “French Furs was hit on the other side of town.”
O’Leary turned to the backseat, “They got some smarts; don’t know how they figured we’d be watching dis place; they hit Frenchy’s Furs on the udder side of town.”
“We’ll stay a few more minutes O’Leary in case they try to hit the Fur Palace knowing you left,” said La Flor.
“Use got brains to go wit that beauty,” said O’Leary as he closed the passenger side door.
“Besides, LC and me have a little unfinished business. Ray, keep watching the Fur Palace and turn the music up high.”
I don’t even have a cold cup of lousy coffee like they do on a TV stakeout.
How Do You Know It’s Not Illegal?
La Flor and LC took off early, they told me they were invited out for breakfast but wouldn’t say who invited them. I’m free – at least for a few hours. It’s not often I get some quiet time around here. Today’s a rare days and I’m taking advantage of it. I turned off the cell, shut off the iPad, closed the lid on my laptop. And, I brewed myself a generous cup of coffee. I take my coffee, bagel and cream cheese out to the patio. A sip of coffee. a bite of bagel, another sip of coffee, and then …
I hear the squealing of wheels. The screeching of brakes. The slamming of a car door, a pause, then the slamming of another car door. I know the pause, La Flor trained LC to open her door whenever she enters or exits a car, room, whatever. Then, the front door, recently repaired with reinforced hinges, a metal plate in the wall where the knob slams into the wall. The clang is loud enough to wake the city. My ears are ringing.
Appear La Flor and LC
“Ray, Ray, Ray,” said an excited La Flor.
I steel myself. Whenever La Flor’s excitement hits eleven on a scale of five, it’s not going to be good.
Before I can speak, LC hollers, “Ray-mo, Ray-mo, Ray-mo.”
It’s going to be worse than I can imagine. What blog writer helped them craft this storyline? I’ll get even, I won’t like their post today.
“Thanks for the coffee and bagel, Ray. Why didn’t you set a place for LC? Oh, never mind. Let me tell you what happened this morning,” said La Flor taking a bite of bagel, sip of coffee. She set the bagel down. “Bagels fill me fast, you can have the rest, LC.”
“Huh?”
“Tanks beautiful, tough, and edgy I won’t steel (yes, he said steel instead of steal) your tunder,” said LC. Two bites later, my bagel is nowhere to be seen.
“Thank you, LC. You are a gentleman unlike others at this table. Ray, we had breakfast with O’Leary at Joey’s Donut Shop. Cops and their guests get free coffee and donuts.”
“Why did O’Leary want to have breakfast with you and LC?” I asked.
“O’Leary got chewed out by his boss because of the crime wave in his precinct. He wants us to help him crack the criminal capers,” said La Flor.
“Huh?”
“May I?” said LC.
“Bring it on home you lucky to have me as your girl hunk,” said La Flor.
“O’Leary says he wants us to be undercovers in the community. Use know, keeps our ears to the ground, our noses in everybody’s business, making sure we’s got a finger in every pie. See what I’m saying?”
I see where you’re going, straight to jail. I keep my thoughts to myself. “I see what you’re saying. What are you two supposed to do?”
“We’re getting paid under the table from a slush fund that the taxpayers don’t know nothing about. Plus they’re giving us expenses and a car they confiscated from low ball crooks.”
“Anything else?”
“Me and La Flor told him any pizza orders had to come from Carmen’s Pizzeria.”
“I’ll take it from here, LC. What’s really good about the new jobs, Ray, we get inside information on all the police action. This way, we can warn Big Carmen.”
“I thought you two were working for the police?”
“We are, Ray. You are so slow to catch on. We’re going to help the police get rid of all of Big Carmen’s competitors.”
“I think this is illegal.”
“No it’s not,” said La Flor.
“How do you know it’s not illegal?” I asked.
“Remember, I was an attorney. I know the law. I think I saw an episode of NCIS or CSI or was it a movie with Will Farrell or Adam Sandler?”
“When do you start working?”
“We’re going to stake out the Fur Palace tonight, the police got a tip it’s going to be hit. We’ve got perfect cover, we’re going to make out so no one will think we’re working for the police. Of course, we’ll call Big Carmen first and tell him not to hit it.”
“How can you watch what’s happening if you’re making out?” I asked.
“Watch what?”
“Huh.”
A Simple Act Of Kindness
It only takes a moment, a single moment, to turn someone’s day around. A kind work, a thoughtful gesture, an understanding heart. Simple acts of kindness are the glue the hold us together. A simple act of kindness does more for the giver than the receiver. Make two people feel good today: The person who is the receiver of your act of kindness and you, the thoughtful person who took a moment to be kind. Don’t know what to do: The short YouTube video will inspire your creativity.
Ignite The Passion
How badly do you want your dream? Do you want it bad enough to sacrifice for it? Do you want it bad it enough, that it infiltrates your every thought? The greater the desire, the greater the commitment. If your dream is worthy of you, go for it. If achieving your dream will inspire others to chase their dreams, go for it. If your dream was born in your heart and screams to be shown the light, go for it! The following 3 minute YouTube video may light the fire to ignite your dream.
Nice Threads
Not quite the red carpet. But, every head in Lorenzo’s Trattoria turned and stared at La Flor and LC as they were escorted to the best table in the house, courtesy of a phone call by Big Carmen. One man grabbed his heart when La Flor tossed a smile at him. Several others appeared lightheaded. As for LC? Three women slid their keys and a note to edge of the table hoping he’d notice. Me? I trailed a good ten feet behind, warned not to spoil her highnesses entrance.
“I like to blend in, not be noticed,” said La Flor as the waiter looked at her and couldn’t remember the house specials.
“Yah, we’s jus an ordinary peoples going out for dinner. Dis tie is choking me. Do I has to wear it?” asked LC.
La Flor reached into her purse, brought out her iPhone X and gave LC a lock.
“All of a sudden, I feels likes I should wears one every day.
Lorenze, short, trim, expensive silk suit, looks more like a Harvard professor than the owner of a trattoria came to our table. “Good evening.” He stooped to kiss La Flor’s hand. “Use is the most beautiful, tough, and edgy woman to grace my trattoria. Everything is on the house. You need anything, you ask for me.” He turned to LC, “Little Carmen, you looking more and more like Big Carmen every day. Give your father my regards.”
“Do use have it in a wrapped box for me to gives it to him?” asked LC.
Lorenzo glanced at me. I said, “I’ll explain it.” Lorenzo folded his hands and made a slight bow to me.
We were half way through the antipasto when we heard a commotion from the front of the trattoria. Lorenzo passed by our table, Two big, keep the riffraff out, looking guys, close behind.
A moment later, Lorenzo came to our table, “Excuse me, there’s a detective by the name of O’Leary who needs to talk to you. Do you want to talk to him or should I have my men see to it he gets safely to his car?”
“O’Leary, he’s cool. But tell him use don’t serve donuts,” said LC.
Lorenzo gave a look of disgust and said, “His suit, if you want to call it that, is a Wal-Mart special, maybe Goodwill.”
La Flor started coughing, Her wine went down the wrong way. Her body gave a slight shiver, the thought of a Walmart suit in Lorenzo’s obviously offended her. Her shiver caused slight wardrobe malfunction, which she quickly fixed. She took a deep breath, and said, “He can only stay four minutes and fifteen seconds. Will you time him, Lorenzo?”
“I will climb the highest mountain for you. I will walk on hot coals for you. I will go into a cage filled with lions for you. Do I make myself clear?”
La Flor blew Lorenzo a kiss.
LC said, “He gonna walk on hot coals? Is that the floor show?”
Enter O’Leary.
He takes a seat at the table, “Shame they don’t serve donuts with pasta, perfect combo.” O’Leary reaches across the table and grabs half of the bread from the bread basket. “I love Italian bread. I’m going to eat one piece and take the rest home while I watch TV.” He stuffed six small pieces into the inside pocket of his jacket.
I saw Lorenzo looking at his watch. I said, “O’Leary, you got about three minutes. Make it quick.”
“Do you guys mind if I take the rest of the bread? I’m hungrier than i taught (yes, he said taught instead of thought).”
LC passed the bread basket to O’Leary.
“Use guys hear any ting, any ting at all about a brake (yes, he said brake instead of break) in the ritzy men’s store, Wolfgang and Sons?”
“What they take?” said LC.
“An expensive coat and slacks, expensive silk shirt and silk tie, expensive shoes. The crazy thing, there was cuttings all over the floor. It looked like they personally fitted the clothes in the store.”
“Shame what’s happening in use precinct, O’Leary. If I hear any ting, use will be the second to know, My beautiful, tough, and edgy wonderful woman will be the foist.”
Fist bump.
O’Leary looked at LC. He reached and rubbed the lapel of LC’s coat, “Nice threads, where’d use get them.”
Not missing a beat, “Goodwill. I paid ten bucks for every ting.”
“I knew I should have gone to Goodwill instead of Walmart. What was I thinking?” said O’Leary hitting his head with the palm of his hand.
“It’s time,” said Lorenzo and his two associates. “Here is a bag of bread for you, on the house, detective.”
“Take good care of these folks, they are the salt of the earth,” said O’Leary sticking two pieces of bread in his mouth at once.
La Flor looks at me, “Don’t worry, Ray. LC’s going to donate them to Goodwill tomorrow.”
“Huh?”
