My very dear blog friends I must ask you to forgive me for not posting last week. We have been on vacation and I am just now getting set up.

This has been harder to put together than a smoothie with a sweet potato and mushrooms. I think I have it now so thanks for your patience.

“Time Out” is a sort of punishment for children, but for adults it is a GIFT beyond price. Any time you are doing something you don’t like to do, stop and take a time out. In actual fact, we should always stop and take a couple of minutes off no matter what we are doing. Just stop for a bit. Pray, meditate, just sit there, breathe, listen to some music for a while-you get the idea. Take a “time out.”

A friend of mine likes to say that listening to the news is an exercise in sorting out lies. I think that may be true given the state of politics today, but I also think that we must do it. Total trust is perhaps not a good thing. Doubts will always be there and laws that are written in stone do not control our lives. Gray areas exist must be acknowledged.

It is a good thing to just sit quietly for a while and go over what you actually believe and why. Faith has always been a powerful part of my life, but of course, this may not be your rock. Think about where you are and how you got there and whether or not you want to stay there.

As you may know, I write a column for PINK Magazine called “Skating Uphill” and my tag line is “Skating uphill is hard work, but when you get to the top, the view is worth the effort” That is my thought for the day today. Believe it!

We are snowed in today and have had all of our activities cancelled. It is pretty easy to just watch TV in pajamas. Don’t Do It!!! Get up, take a shower, and get dressed.

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Make a list. yes, I am a compulsive list maker. Sometimes, not often, I loose my list, ok, I will give you that, but usually not. Making lists helps to put thoughts in order, but of even more importance, it helps you prioritize. What is the most important thing to do? What next? How good will you feel when things are done? Just sit down right now and give this a try. List let’s say 5 things that you feel you would like to start/finish/ have a look at and so on. Let me know how it goes.

Rude people show you who They are, not who YOU are. Think about it!

Yes, I’m just saying again. Of course we want to be in the very cool group/not the just plain cool group, so let’s learn the new “IN” word. The new word is atheleisure. It is a combo of athlete and leisure, and has nothing to do with either one, of course. With people staying home more from events and gatherings, and working from home, and just plain vegging out, we need a description of what we have on, right? So there it is. We are not working out, nor are we at leisure. It is all something completely different, hence the new word. Our clothing, even though it may be old sneakers and sweats, has a name. Now we can relax and not worry about words like sloppy or grubby. We are dressed in our atheleisure wear! Thank me later, very cool friends!

How many times have we read that cross word puzzles, jig saw puzzles, Sudoku, jelly fish supplements and coloring with colored pencils will keep us sharp and on the ball? Mental decline is one of the most feared aspects of the aging process. Well, I have read several articles recently that sort of put those theories to rest. No, I do not mean that those things are wrong or not productive, I only mean that there is a lot more to it than that. Surprise, Surprise. It is never easy is it?

As it turns out, and to keep it simple, the best way to keep your brain sharp is the same way you keep your heart healthy and the same way you prevent stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, and just about everything else. So, let’s talk Risk Factors!

I just read an article by Laura Williamson on USA Today Network that made me really stop and think about health advice. It all seems to sound the same, right? Well, maybe there is a reason-maybe we should all be doing the same things! Get ready for a not surprise-eat healthy foods and watch your weight, exercise regularly, don’t smoke, drink only in moderation, watch your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, etc. What is good for body health is also good for brain health-who knew?