Expand Your Horizons on a Walk Around the Block!

September 2, 2014 / jrmilson / 2 Comments

Traveling “out” for adventure to exotic locales and far off places is a wonderful thing, and I highly recommend it. Traveling to new lands, experiences and cultures is unsurpassed in expanding our horizons and awareness.

The Adventure Mouse

But if limited in travel funds or abilities, one can do all the things this little mouse is looking for right where they are. Adventure is to be found every day if you are looking for it. Just open your mind and the door, and then step outside. Enjoy the fresh air, listen to the birds and the breeze in rustling leaves on the trees. Find animal shapes in the clouds. Be with nature.

Adventures, new experiences and wonderful people filled with positive energy can be found on a walk around the block. Be open to new people and experiences. A good old-fashioned, friendly “Good morning!” or “Hey, how ya doin’?” can open the door to wondrous new people and adventures. Join the “Smile and Compliment” club. Be willing to take the first step in starting up a conversation. You never know where it may lead and what path it may take you down. Greet everyone with hopeful expectation.

Every individual is a world of personal knowledge, experience and education all to themselves, complete with their own history, culture and story, standing right in front of you or across the room. One needs only to be open and listen. And in the process, you may make a new friend. And one can never have too many of those. And you may find yourself beginning your next new journey in life, carried on the winds of exploration!

So go have an adventure. No need to wait. Step outside and do it now. There’s a whole world waiting right outside the door. Take a walk around the block and see what discoveries are to be made right where you are.

Winnie the Pooh on an Adventure with Piglet

The Best Laid Plans of Mice

June 2, 2014June 2, 2014 / jrmilson / 1 Comment

Happy Monday! Some folks look forward to Mondays with the same dread and pensive anticipation of a root canal or arrival of the next great plague. The first Facebook post I saw this morning was another one of those trite “Today if F’ing Monday Again!” images. That’s sad. Here’s the deal. If you really– really– enjoy what you are doing, then each Monday is greeted with the same excitement level as Christmas morning, unwrapping new opportunities and adventures under the tree. If you’re not really happy about the start of a new week of promise and adventure, then it is time to address that and consider making a change. It has to do with that whole “life is short” thing.

I was jarringly reminded of this on Friday evening, when one of my children (young adult) was suddenly thrust into a totally unexpected, potentially life threatening and life altering medical emergency. It has been a very long, stressful, sleepless and anxiety filled weekend. I am delighted and relieved to report that with the grace of God things are improving and pointing in the right direction now, but with a lot of questions and issues still to be determined. Cautious optimism and prayers.

New Blog features promised for this week may be delayed a bit while we regroup. I’m sure you understand. Life plans can change in a heartbeat. “The best laid plans of Mice” kind of thing, as Douglas Adams said in “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”. If you have not started reading it yet, you really should. And remember to always have your trusty towel at hand. Mine was invaluable over the weekend, to be sure. Maybe we will have a discussion on the vital importance of towels at some point, but now is not the time. Now is the time for healing in our family, and getting things back on track. Reworking plans.

The point is, don’t take anything in your life for granted– your family, loved ones, health, job, work or passions. We never really know what life has in store, or what the next day, hour, or minute will bring. So if you are suffering from the “Monday blahs” and miserable what you are doing– fix it. Life is too short to dread the arrival of every new week, and going thru every day counting down the hours until the next weekend. Don’t waste today, because we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow. Be happy, live for today and look forward to every new day as if it were Christmas morning. Don’t just exist– LIVE! Don’t take life for granted, passing thru time in a semi-conscious awareness and state. Enjoy, savor and delight in every moment, for each one is a gift. We only need to realize it. Unwrap each new day with child-like excitement! Happy Monday, y’all.

A Brisk Walk into a Busy Week!

May 19, 2014 / jrmilson / Leave a comment

Happy Monday! The start of a new week full of new opportunities and adventures!

A very busy week ahead with lots to do. Several new bears nearing completion to be finished for the store, Little Red Bear’s fifth short story to finish, the new Blog position I mentioned last week to be filled right away so the new feature can get started soon, more new story characters to interview, more story research to be done, and more.

And– starting a new daily exercise and walking program today. I have been on a steady but gradual “get healthier” program since the beginning of the year. I have been doing very well with a conscious and determined effort to eat healthier, opting for homemade natural foods and eliminating processed foods from my diet. Now it is time to get busy, adding more physical exercise to the routine now that winter seems to be finally letting go of its grip on the thermometer.

Accordingly then, a daily walking and exercise program starts today, albeit a bit restricted by numerous replacement parts. But walking will do. Fresh air and exercise. We all need more of that. Especially the kids! That’s why Little Red Bear is so healthy. He’s always out walking all over the mountains and thru the hollers searching for honey.

So, here we go. A lot to do this week so time to get busy. Wishing everyone a healthy and productive week! — Jim (and Red!)