Enlighten Up - Healing Hug

Okay, I look goofy as all get out, but hey... that's me.  I'm just plain ol' Rocki that simply expresses myself as is. 

Anyway, this was in our motel room (nope, it's not X-rated, lol!) when we went to Sedona last year to celebrate my 1 year of being cancer free.  It's a short video about... well I'll just let you watch it.

Peace and luv,
Rocki

Positively I can!

We all do it from time to time. You know, let negative thoughts take us over. When that happens, take a deep long breath, exhale slowly, smile and simply tell yourself:

May your days be filled with happy POSITIVE thoughts of all the things you CAN do!

Peace to you,

Rocki

Inspiring Quotes

Happiness to Me

I can honestly say that I am truly happy with my life, but of course there is always more room for happiness.

What is it that makes me so happy? Well, not to sound like a cliche', but it's not money. Money truly does not buy me happiness. In fact, sometimes the more you have them more problems it can create.

For instance, I had an acquaintance recently ask me why don't I hire someone to help in the studio so I could take on more work and make more money. Um... more work? No. I value my personal time and already work very long hours. More money? No. Uncle Sam gets enough of it already. Besides that is not why I'm working, I work because I thoroughly enjoy it - plus I'm not materialistic.

So what does make me happy? Here is where I find my happiness:

- being healthy. I've come a long way over the past few years and am thrilled to be where I'm at today!

- my boys. I love them dearly and watching them grow up and become the respected men they are today makes me proud to be there mom.

- my hubby. Mark is the love of my life, best friend, soul mate, rock and my life after life partner. I'd be lost without him.

- Buddha. I enjoy this path that I'm on and am inspired in every way and every day.

- my family. As dysfunctional as we may be, we have fun times when we get together.

- my 'kids'. Yogi, Maelyn & Sasha - my little fur babies who make me smile, laugh and love to cuddle up with.

- the sun. Feeling the sun on my face and the warmth on my skin puts a huge smile on my face.

- water. I'm an earth and water gal and need to be near water. I also drink several gallons a day

- okay, maybe not "several", but close.

- sitting on the beach, walking the beach, in a boat, on a boat, in the water, on the water... well, you get the idea.

- sight seeing. I enjoy visiting new places, taking pictures and just enjoy nature as it is.

- dark chocolate. I must have at least one tiny square a day - keeps the doctors away :)

- dreaming. Dreaming of possibly moving to Florida where my brother lives. Not that the "grass is greener..." but this is something we're pondering.

This is just a small list of what makes me happy. What makes you happy?
Peace,
Rocki

Happy Birthday to my baby boy!

Jason, my youngest son turned 29 yesterday. Wow. Where on EARTH does time go?! It truly does feel like yesterday when he was just a little bundle wrapped in my arms. Now he's a big bundle, still wrapped in my arms.

The picture above is on Jason's MySpace with the caption "Hello Ladies" - he's so shy. He's actually a very good guy. Very helpful, opens doors for others and most who meet or know him say he's like the guy next door. He's always been there for me. When I was very sick years ago, he would take me to my doctor appointments and practically carry me - literally. The night my mom died at the mere age of 53, we were at Jason's Band Banquet where he won an award. It was such a special night for him. When we arrived home to many messages left by my dad and heard the unexpected news, Jason, at 17 years of age, was right there for me, picked me up off the floor, carried me to my room and comforted me right along side with Mark.

He's also my little comedian. Well, not so little, he works out and has been given several nick-name at work, such as "Buff, "Hulk", "Superman" and so on. But let me tell you, he can make you laugh in a heartbeat! He's in the process of becoming a Fire Fighter. He'll be taking an EMT course soon and will go from there. No matter what he does in life, I'm proud of him and always will be.

Jas works at Trader Joe's and has ever since he graduated from high school. He has a great deal of customers that know him well and many ask for him. In high school he and Jeremy worked at Dairy Queen, so he's pretty much worked ever since school. Like mother like son.

We celebrated his birthday yesterday at his choice of restaurants: Mimi's Cafe. He even got a special birthday pie and special birthday wishes. No singing though, bet he would have loved that.

There's is so much I would like to say about my baby boy, but I don't want to embarrass him with all the mushy stuff. He knows already because I tell him all the time. We're very close, he's my buddy and protector. My nick-name for him is "Bud." However, I will mention that every single school picture, he sports bumps, bruises, cuts, scrapes or a broken arm. He makes jokes about it of course and it is funny to look at them, but in every picture, he has that adorable smile.

I know most of you know this already, but I've been very blessed with my boys as both Jason & Jeremy make it easy to be their mom. I never had any problems with raising them, they were model students and... well, I just couldn't be more proud of them and who they are. I love them to pieces.

Happy Birthday Bud, I love you!

Mom

PIF

While not being able to be in the studio much, due to healing my wrists, I've been getting a few other things done and yes, cruising Etsy. Okay, more like pecking my way with these braces on, which I'm getting used to and hopefully I'll be back up to par next week :)

Anyway, I came across a thread about PIF sales. PIF... sales? This was sadly confusing because although PIF has many meanings, it was being used as in "Pay it Forward" sense. So I searched PIF in Etsy. Besides several threads in the Forum, there are TONS of items for sale for the listing price of .20cents and cost of shipping. From one to several items in the shops - some with several PIF sales that relist them over and over. I'm not saying this is wrong, to each their own, but I'm only expressing my personal opinion on what the true meaning of PIF means to me as well as others.

PIF= Pay It Forward. Random acts of kindness from one to another. Something that will change their life for the better. It can be something major or something as simple as:

Handing a homeless person your change - may inspire him/her that there is hope.
Helping a neighbor take out their trash - you were strangers until this day and now friends.
Taking the worm that inched it's way into your home outside into the garden - it now has food to live.
Letting that crazy driver go ahead of you - makes for a peaceful drive and they may slow down.
Giving a stranger a smile while passing them on the street - may brighten their day and in turn will pass that smile onto someone else - and so on and so on...

I could go on, but I'm sure you get the meaning and have thoughts of your own. What I don't believe PIF to be is trying to promote or gain exposure to yourself. It's a selfless act, one that requires nothing in return. The only thing it does in return is warms your heart knowing that your random act of kindness has helped another in some small way. Not boost sales.

Oh and if you haven't seen the movie (based off the book written by Catherine Ryan Hyde) with the very talented Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt & Haley Joel Osment, I highly recommend it. Although it is hard hitting and sad at times, it is very inspirational. I'll admit that watching it only once was good enough for me. Although my beliefs go hand and hand with it, Pay It Forward has forever opened my eyes.

Inspire someone today, it will make your heart happy.

Rocki

Feeling the love

Imagine there's no heaven

It's easy if you try

No hell below us

Above us only sky

Imagine all the people

Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries

It isn't hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion too

Imagine all the people

Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you'll join us

And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions

I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger

A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you'll join us

And the world will live as one.

By John Lennon

Just feeling so much love around me that I wanted to share my favorite person and song.

Tomorrow I'll be doing a blog feature on a fellow etsian. Until then...

Peace,

Rocki

Beautiful Day

I found the above picture for a friend, just something to brighten her day. When I came across it, all I could think about was fresh air, peace, happiness, relaxation and Kauai.

Yes, Kauai. Mark & I took a much needed vacation in 2007 to Hawaii. It was my first time there, but not for Mark. Being in the Navy he traveled there a lot and this was one of his many ports. Anyway, with the extremely busy weeks I've been having and wondering how I'll get through the day sometimes, just looking at this simple picture brings peace to me and positive thoughts to a racing mind. A bit of fresh air actually. So with that, I leave you with a few quotes:

"The brain is like a muscle. When we think well, we feel good. Understanding is
a kind of ecstasy."
- Carl Sagan... Broca's Brain

"Love What You Do. Do What You Love."
-Wayne Dyer...Secrets to Manifesting Your Destiny

"I wish I could make a happier world -harmonious, friendly and peaceful."
His Holiness the Dali Lama...Tying Rocks to Clouds

"The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up."
Mark Twain

"When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy."
Rumi - a 13th century Persian poet

"Happiness held is the seed; happiness shared is the flower."
Author Unknown

Last but not least:
"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do. There was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called.
A.A. Milne

Peace, Happiness & love,
Rocki