Eclectic Emily

Back To Wordpress

2009-08-14T22:47:00.002-06:00

Dear Visitor,

After several months of using blogger I am still getting more hits on my Wordpress site, so from now on I will only be posting there. I'm sorry for any confusion this causes. Please come and visit me at http://eclecticemily.wordpress.com/. Also be sure to check out my other posts on Scribbles & Scrawlings and The Cozy Little Book Nook.

Happy Blogging :D

-Eclectic Emily

Believe Impossible Things!

2009-07-21T22:58:00.002-06:00

I also try to practice this as much as I can ;D

Music From A Tree

2009-07-17T14:37:00.000-06:00

Diego Stocco - Music From A Tree from Diego Stocco on Vimeo.

I saw this and thought it was pretty darn cool!

Garlicky Baked Fries

2009-06-17T22:27:00.003-06:00

I found this recipe at purplefoodie.com and thought it was great!

Garlicky Oven Fries
Adapted from: Lottie + Doof

8 garlic cloves, minced
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 russet potatoes (about 8oz each), each cut into 12 wedges
3 tbsp cornstarch/cornflour
1 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 225°C/475° F.
Combine the garlic and oil in a large bowl, warming it until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
Transfer 5 tablespoons of the oil (leaving the garlic in the bowl) to the baking dish, coating it well.
Add the potatoes to the bowl with the garlic mixture and toss to coat. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and microwave on high power until the potatoes are translucent around the edges, 3 to 6 minutes, shaking the bowl to redistribute the potatoes halfway through cooking.
Combine the cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the hot potatoes and toss well to coat.
Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake, turning once, until deep golden brown and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes.
Serve with ketchup, mayo or sour cream.

Behind A Smile

2009-06-15T20:14:00.003-06:00

Beautiful People

2009-06-06T16:54:00.001-06:00

WingSuit Jumping

2009-06-02T00:02:00.000-06:00

wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.

Very Cool!

You Are Beautiful

2009-05-24T16:55:00.001-06:00

"O, Divine Redeemer" Elder Neal A. Maxwell

2009-05-19T15:33:00.001-06:00

I saw this and had to post it! I love Elder Maxwell He was such an eloquent speaker, and an enlightened one. Enjoy!

In Memory Of Grandma Eyre

2009-05-15T13:12:00.006-06:00

My Grandma Eyre passed away on Wednesday May 13, 2009. She was 85 years old. I wanted to do a tribute post in her memory. My grandma was one of my dearest friends and and an amazing and lovely lady.

Cleo Doreen Scholtz Eyre

Things I Love About Grandma Eyre:

Her Twinkly Eyes
Her Kind Smile
Her Wonderful Sense Of Humor
Her Testimony and example of Faith
Her Hugs & Kisses
Her Favorite Candy Chocolate Kisses
Her Complete Acceptance & Love For Others
Her Love Of Books & Learning
Her Love Of Music
The Way She Loved Me Absolutely 100%
The Way She Served Others
The Way She Put Family First
The Way She Was In Love With My Grandpa
The Love She Put into Making Special Things For Her Family: Afgans, Tablecloths etc.
That She Gave Me My Mom, and My Life; I wouldn't be here without her
Her Strength and Determinitation
Her Love of Life
The Way She Enjoyed and Took Notice Of Wonderful Simple Everyday Joys and Experiences
Her Garden and Her Love of Nature
Her ability to be herself and be confident in who she was
Everything about her and who she was

I Love You Grandma!!

Holes In The Floor Of Heaven ~ Steve Warner

Let Every Sunset Take You Nearer

2009-05-09T19:35:00.002-06:00

I love this quote and was reminded of it by some spectacular sunsets lately :D

Brain vs Body Challenge

2009-05-08T23:25:00.004-06:00

Spiced Apple Cider

2009-04-18T15:11:00.002-06:00

6 cups apple juice or apple cider
1 juice orange, washed and sliced
2 sticks cinnamon, broken
6-7 cloves, whole

Bring apple juice, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and cloves to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes and serve hot.

(I know that we are coming into Summer, and this is usually a Fall Thing, but I say tasty drinks shouldn't have seasonal limitations!)

Rain In My Head

2009-04-04T20:41:00.003-06:00

Failure Leads To Success ~ Michael Jordan

2009-04-02T00:36:00.001-06:00

General Conference - Your Walk And Talk

2009-03-30T00:13:00.004-06:00

I have been thinking about this a lot. In church today, the talks were all geared toward General Conference which is coming up next weekend. Growing up I had a Young Women's Leader who always gave us a lesson on the Sunday before Conference. The Lesson was always about making the messages we heard our "Walk and Talk for the next 6 months". I will never forget that, and I think about that lesson every time conference comes around. I always feel recharged and ready to take on the world after listening to General Conference, and it is important to try to keep those feelings and messages with us in the months that follow. So as we get ready for another wonderful weekend of General Conference, It's my goal to make the messages stick.

I've included the conference article addressing this below:

“Come unto Christ, and Be Perfected in Him”

Ezra Taft Benson, “‘Come unto Christ, and Be Perfected in Him’,” Ensign, May 1988, 84

(Read by President Gordon B. Hinckley, First Counselor in the First Presidency)

President Hinckley:

We heard President Benson’s strong voice yesterday morning and again last evening, and we were all encouraged by what he said. I am happy to respond to his request that I read the message which he prepared as the closing benediction of this conference.

My dear brethren and sisters, this has been a wonderful general conference of the Church. We have felt a marvelous spirit in all of our meetings.

I commend my Brethren of the General Authorities for the excellent addresses they have given. My humble prayer is that all of us will follow the counsel and instruction we have received.

As we have felt the Spirit and made new and sacred resolves, may we now have the courage and fortitude to carry out those resolves.

For the next six months, your conference edition of the Ensign should stand next to your standard works and be referred to frequently. As my dear friend and brother Harold B. Lee said, we should let these conference addresses “be the guide to [our] walk and talk during the next six months. These are the important matters the Lord sees fit to reveal to this people in this day” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1946, p. 68).

May we all go to our homes rededicated to the sacred mission of the Church as so beautifully set forth in these conference sessions—to “invite all to come unto Christ” (D&C 20:59), “yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him” (Moro. 10:32).

This grand mission of the Church is accomplished by proclaiming the gospel, perfecting the Saints, and redeeming the dead.

In the next few days, in each of our homes, may we prayerfully consider specific ways we as families and individuals can accomplish this mission. While we still feel the spirit of this great conference and while the words still ring in our ears, let us determine how each of us can be doers of the word and not hearers only (see James 1:22).

In proclaiming the gospel, would you prayerfully consider and ponder the following as it applies to you:

As a young man, are you earnestly preparing to serve a full-time mission? The Lord needs every young man between the ages of nineteen and twenty-six worthy, prepared, and excited about serving in the mission field.

As a mature couple, having reared your children, have you prayerfully considered serving a full-time mission? The Lord needs many more couples in the mission field who can love and fellowship and lead people to Christ.

As a single sister, where marriage is not in your immediate future, have you prayed about serving a full-time mission and sought counsel from your parents and your bishop? Our single sisters are serving marvelous missions throughout the world.

Finally, as a member of the Church, do you realize that, as a member-missionary, you have a sacred responsibility to share the gospel with friends and family? The Lord needs every member of the Church having the faith and the courage to set a date to have someone prepared to be taught by the missionaries. Would each member of the Church prayerfully consider this sacred challenge?

Another way we come unto Christ is by perfecting the Saints. How do we accomplish this? One way to help perfect ourselves and our families is by daily reading from the scriptures.

Are we as families and individuals reading daily from the Book of Mormon and using its teachings to bless and perfect our lives and those of our children? I rejoice in the thousands of members who are responding to this invitation and who testify of the blessings they are receiving.

Communicating with our Father in Heaven through prayer also brings a spiritual power and strength found in no other way. Are we praying both morning and night as a family and as individuals?

Again, are we holding family home evenings each week? Your immediate results may seem far from ideal at times, but by holding weekly family home evenings, as we have been counseled, we help to perfect that eternal family unit.

And what about family preparedness? Family preparedness has always been an essential welfare principle in perfecting the Saints. Are each of us and our families following, where permitted, the long-standing counsel to have sufficient food, clothing, and, where possible, fuel on hand to last at least one year?

Finally, let us consider the divine charge to redeem the dead. As you ponder this responsibility, would you give serious consideration to the following:

Have we prepared ourselves to receive our own endowments, and have sealings for our families been performed in the holy temple? By precept and example, our posterity should understand the transcendent importance of marrying the right person in the right place and sealing families for time and eternity.

Also, have we identified and received the ordinances for at least one of our ancestors? All members of the Church should be actively engaged in working on their family histories and receiving the help they need from trained stake and ward temple and family history consultants.

Do we periodically participate in all of the temple ordinances and thus receive the full blessings of vicarious work for our ancestors?

Do we return to the temple often to receive the personal blessings that come from regular temple worship? Prayers are answered, revelation occurs, and instruction by the Spirit takes place in the holy temples of the Lord.

Yes, brothers and sisters, the mission of the Church is glorious—to invite all of us to come unto Christ through proclaiming the gospel, perfecting our lives, and redeeming our dead. As we come unto Christ, we bless our own lives, those of our families, and our Father in Heaven’s children, both living and dead.

Now, as we conclude this general conference of the Church, I feel to say to you what Alma said to the members of the Church in his day:

“I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.

“And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works.

“And may the Lord bless you, and keep your garments spotless, that ye may at last be brought to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the holy prophets who have been ever since the world began. …

“And now my beloved brethren, I have spoken these words unto you according to the Spirit which testifieth in me; and my soul doth exceedingly rejoice, because of the exceeding diligence and heed which ye have given unto my word.

“And now, may the peace of God rest upon you, and upon your houses and lands, and upon your flocks and herds, and all that you possess, your women and your children, according to your faith and good works, from this time forth and forever” (Alma 7:23–27).

Now, may I express my love for the Latter-day Saints everywhere. There are no better people in all the world.

I pray that we will be obedient to God, learn His will and do it, and, above all, that we will keep the first and great commandment—to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

I testify to you that this is His work, that the kingdom of God has been restored, that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of the living God, and that the Book of Mormon is truly the word of God.

As your humble servant, I desire with all my heart to do God’s will and to faithfully serve you and Him to the end.

Let us all come unto Christ and be perfected in Him, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

President Hinckley:

To which I add my testimony that these are the words of the Lord’s anointed, the prophet of the living God, the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Ezra Taft Benson

Did You Miss Me?

2009-03-29T23:53:00.002-06:00

Wow! I can't believe it has been so long since I've posted on here. My Internet was down for a week and a half or so because my virus protection expired. I finally got it going again, and now can freely access the Internet, Yay!

In a way, It was really good for me though. Even though I was fine without my computer, I really missed it for the first few days. I didn't realize how much I am on this thing. I like to blog, but I also am on all the time using google to look something up, or paying bills online etc. It was good for me to take a step back and remember to simplify my life a little bit. I was outside more, and definetely enjoyed soaking up the spring sunshine. There was never a big ah ha moment, but during the last week or so I just enjoyed having a little less technology in my life. The key word being that I enjoyed it. (I did however know the problem was temporary, and that probably helped)

So, If you are like me and find you self looking at a screen a little too often. Take a little break. You might like it :)

Whatever You Are, Be A Good One

2009-03-17T13:04:00.002-06:00

Bloom Into You!

2009-03-16T12:27:00.002-06:00

One Of My Absolute Favorite Places

2009-03-16T12:08:00.003-06:00

I really liked this picture. One of my favorite place in the world is in a cozy chair with a good book!

Down In The Ditch Again With a New Job

2009-03-12T12:45:00.006-06:00

I recently just started a new job doing tech support for Verizon. There are 6 weeks of training! I am almost at the end of week two, and I am bored out of my mind. There is just so much information to take in, and honestly you really learn what you need to do on the job. I am really glad to be working again though. I like to listen to this song whenever I am feeling like work is overtaking me. Enjoy!

Joe Diffie~Down In A Ditch

Don't Put Off Your Happy Life

2009-03-03T13:13:00.002-07:00

The Trouble Tree

2009-03-01T16:47:00.000-07:00

The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and then his old pickup truck refused to start.

While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. When opening the door he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward, he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.

"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing is for sure, troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again."

"The funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick them up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before."

Everybody needs a trouble tree..

The Maze Of Life

2009-02-27T16:53:00.003-07:00

There are so many days when I feel like this, and I wish I could go back to the care free days of childhood. Sigh . . .

Life's Little Instructions

2009-02-26T21:58:00.001-07:00

Please click on the picture to enlarge

Slow Motion Karate Chop Video

2009-02-26T21:53:00.002-07:00

Slow motion karate chop

I thought this was funny and interesting.

Keep A Secret Spot

2009-02-26T15:48:00.003-07:00

Show Your True Colors!

2009-02-26T15:38:00.003-07:00

True Colors ~ Phil Collins

Enjoy The Little Things

2009-02-25T01:52:00.002-07:00

What My Birthday Means

2009-02-17T18:18:00.005-07:00

I had a birthday at the end of January, and that always makes me feel reflective about myself. I found out people with my birthday are supposed to have the characteristics below. I think this is a scarily accurate summary. :)

You Are a Romantic

You have the mind of an artist, even if you haven't developed the talent yet.

Expressive and aware, you enjoy finding new ways to share your feelings.

You often feel like you don't fit in - especially in traditional environments.

You have big dreams. The problem is putting those dreams into action.

Your strength: Your vivid imagination

Your weakness: Fear of failure

Your power color: Coral

Your power symbol: Oval

Your power month: November

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Would You Crush A Kiss ~ Nichita Stanescue

2009-02-11T16:35:00.003-07:00

Charlie Chaplin ~ The Best Speech Ever

2009-02-08T20:24:00.002-07:00

This is simply wonderful

I Thank You ~ E. E. Cummings

2009-02-04T14:59:00.003-07:00

Looking At The Sky ~ Vimrod

2009-02-04T14:58:00.002-07:00

Joy Is In Us

2009-02-04T14:46:00.001-07:00

The Greatest Love Of All ~ Whitney Houston

2009-01-31T20:41:00.002-07:00

Whitney Houston is truly one of the greatest singers of all time. This video is amazing.

My Chinese Animal Sign

2009-01-31T15:00:00.001-07:00

I thought this was interesting. I think the description of me is fairly accurate.

The Most Beautful People

2009-01-31T14:58:00.002-07:00

You Get What You Give

2009-01-31T14:42:00.000-07:00

Norah Jones ~ Don't Know Why "Y" Didn't Come

2009-01-30T00:33:00.002-07:00

I saw this and thought it was pretty great. I'm a big Norah Jones Fan, and Sesame Street is classic!

Consider The Lilies. . .

2009-01-29T00:25:00.004-07:00

This is one of my favorite scriptures, and one of my best loved songs. It is also a message I needed reminding of today. Enjoy. :)

When I Listen To People Tell Stories

2009-01-29T00:10:00.003-07:00

The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword

2009-01-28T20:33:00.002-07:00

This is so true. When I think of how words and the books people read have influenced the world for good and bad, I am awe struck. The written word can make a difference generations after the author is gone.

A Spy Among Us

2009-01-26T17:57:00.003-07:00

The Lighthouse By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

2009-01-24T20:59:00.004-07:00

The Lighthouse
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The rocky ledge runs far into the sea,
and on its outer point, some miles away,
the lighthouse lifts its massive masonry,
A pillar of fire by night, of cloud by day.

Even at this distance I can see the tides,
Upheaving, break unheard along its base,
A speechless wrath, that rises and subsides
in the white tip and tremor of the face.

And as the evening darkens, lo! how bright,
through the deep purple of the twilight air,
Beams forth the sudden radiance of its light,
with strange, unearhly splendor in the glare!

No one alone: from each projecting cape
And perilous reef along the ocean's verge,
Starts into life a dim, gigantic shape,
Holding its lantern o'er the restless surge.

Like the great giant Christopher it stands
Upon the brink of the tempestuous wave,
Wading far out among the rocks and sands,
The night o'er taken mariner to save.

And the great ships sail outward and return
Bending and bowing o'er the billowy swells,
And ever joyful, as they see it burn
They wave their silent welcome and farewells.

They come forth from the darkness, and their sails
Gleam for a moment only in the blaze,
And eager faces, as the light unveils
Gaze at the tower, and vanish while they gaze.

The mariner remembers when a child,
on his first voyage, he saw it fade and sink
And when returning from adventures wild,
He saw it rise again o'er ocean's brink.

Steadfast, serene, immovable, the same,
Year after year, through all the silent night
Burns on forevermore that quenchless flame,
Shines on that inextinguishable light!

It sees the ocean to its bosum clasp
The rocks and sea-sand with the kiss of peace:
It sees the wild winds lift it in their grasp,
And hold it up, and shake it like a fleece.

The startled waves leap over it; the storm
Smites it with all the scourges of the rain,
And steadily against its solid form
press the great shoulders of the hurricane.

The sea-bird wheeling round it, with the din
of wings and winds and solitary cries,
Blinded and maddened by the light within,
Dashes himself against the glare, and dies.

A new Prometheus, chained upon the rock,
Still grasping in his hand the fire of love,
it does not hear the cry, nor heed the shock,
but hails the mariner with words of love.

"Sail on!" it says: "sail on, ye stately ships!
And with your floating bridge the ocean span;
Be mine to guard this light from all eclipse.
Be yours to bring man neared unto man.

Create The Light Of Your Life

2009-01-19T12:37:00.001-07:00

Signed, Sealed, And Self Delivered

2009-01-14T01:38:00.003-07:00

I thought this was very interesting!

Posted in Oddities by Greg Ross on December 31st, 2008

When 5-year-old May Pierstorff asked to visit her grandmother, her parents had no money to buy a rail ticket.

So they mailed her.

On Feb. 19, 1914, May's parents presented her at the post office in Grangeville, Idaho, and proposed mailing her parcel post to Lewiston, some 75 miles away. The postmaster found that the "package" was just under the 50-pound weight limit, so he winked at their plan, classed May as a baby chick, and attached 53 cents in stamps to her coat. May passed the entire trip in the train's mail compartment and was duly delivered to her grandparents in Lewiston by mail clerk Leonard Mochel.

Other living parcels: Henry Box Brown, Charles McKinley, Owney the dog.

Looking For A Sign

2009-01-12T12:27:00.004-07:00

I thought this was great. So often we don't recognize the answers that are all around us.

An Artist's Heart

2009-01-10T23:24:00.003-07:00

Be Yourself ~ Vimrod

2009-01-09T18:26:00.002-07:00

It's Not The Mountain We Conquer, But Ourselves ~ Edmund Hillary

2009-01-07T19:39:00.004-07:00

THE BEST Chocolate Cake EVER

2009-01-07T00:20:00.003-07:00

THE BEST Chocolate Cake EVER
(I Found This Recipe Here. It looked pretty good so I plan on Trying It Out.)

1 box devil’s food cake mix
1 package Jello instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a VERY large bowl (4 qt), mix together everything except chocolate chips. Batter will be thick. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into cake pan of choice (I normally use two 9-inch pie pans). For cooking time, I use the cooking times on the back of the devil’s food cake box as a guide and usually add 10 mins to whatever it says. Then I do the toothpick check, and if it’s not done, I check on it every 5 mins after that. :) It usually takes around 45 mins for two, 9-inch pie pans.

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup shortening (crisco)
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening until fluffy. Add sugar and continue creaming until well blended. Add salt, vanilla, and whipping cream. Blend on low speed until moistened. Beat at high speed until frosting is fluffy.

Success Defined By Ralph Waldo Emerson

2008-12-31T18:27:00.002-07:00

A New Year, New Beginnings, & Balance

2008-12-31T17:34:00.008-07:00

2008 only has hours left, and as I sit here pondering over what I have done with the time that was given to me over the last twelve months I have mixed emotions.

I am extremely grateful for the many blessings that I have been given. There are so many wonderful people that have touched my life. I have felt the love of friends and family, and they have helped me tremendously this last year. Our relationships with others are our sweetest gifts. For those of you who may visit here once in a while I hope you know how much you mean to me. :)

I have learned a lot. Some of those lessons I have learned the hard way, and some I am still in the process of learning. I feel I have grown and been stretched and struggled. There are things that I regret and there are always the "wish I had done's" "Would have's" and "Should Have's". However, despite some hard times there has been laughter and warm memories made. This is the simple story in which we live. We Live and Laugh and Cry and Die, and it is all worth it.

Moving Forward, I realized that I have the habit of thinking in an "all or nothing" attitude. If I set a goal for myself I want to achieve in completely in the way my mind expects, and so I have been often disappointed. This year I want to find a genuine balance in my life. I want to Live in a Happy Medium. I have loved that Philosophy with my mind for a long time now (ever since I read "A Wrinkle In Time" by Madeline Le'Engle in grade school). I want to find balance between Good Work and Leisure Time, Family and Friends, and School and the other million things that make up our days and in reality make us who we are. I want to make the most of the time I spend doing a certain thing. If I am working on a project I want to give that project my full attention instead of trying to do three things at once and not give 100% to any of them.

By Finding Balance in my life and focusing that balance I look forward with High Hopes to the New Year, and I wish all those who might stumble across this little ramble of mine a year filled with the best things: Love, Laughter, Light, and Life.

With Love Anything Is Possible

2008-12-31T17:32:00.002-07:00

True Gifts

2008-12-23T22:50:00.001-07:00

Christmas Is Coming

2008-12-23T22:46:00.003-07:00

11 Ways to Cure Someday Syndrome

2008-12-13T16:19:00.002-07:00

This article is from Alex Fayle of the Someday Syndrome blog.

Someday Syndrome: not doing what you want to because you don’t know what it is, because you’re procrastinating about it, or because you have too much stuff getting in your way.

Everyone suffers from Someday Syndrome at some point in their lives, often catching it repeatedly. For me, most recently, I’d been saying that I really should give running a try without doing anything about it.

You probably have something similar going on in your life – a project, a task, a goal - that you just haven’t got around to doing yet. Right?

I could quote Nike and say: Just Do It, but if it were that simple Someday Syndrome wouldn’t exist. In my own case, it wasn’t until my body rebelled and refused to sleep from lack of exercise that I finally got started.

I decided that here had to be an easier way than waiting for pain to push me into getting over myself and getting on with my goals. So I came up with this: 11 ways to cure Someday Syndrome so that others don’t need to suffer through a cure.

1. Be you. This is The Happiness Project’s number one Happiness Commandment. I hate team sports, so there’s no way I’d play football (soccer). Running allows me to exercise when I want and I can do it on my own or with a friend. Perfectly me.

Maybe you’re not doing something because in reality, it doesn’t fit with who you are. If so, dump the idea and the expectations that likely came along with it, and go find something that suits you better.

2. Clear out the junk. If you don’t know what would suit you better, it could be because your mind and emotions are all cluttered up. I mean, seriously, if your mind’s in chaos, how could you possibly make a clear decision on getting rid of your somedays? The clutter I’m talking about includes the negative thoughts (like me thinking that I’d never be able to run more than 30 seconds without dying), or negative attitudes (I’m too lazy to run).

There are some great tools available in the Simplicity category of ZenHabits. Use them.

3. Know what you want. And why you want it. If you are going cure Someday Syndrome, you’ll need to know details about that desire and the reasons behind it.

And if you don’t know what that is, the blogosphere is full of blogs ready to help you figure out your dreams - Someday Syndrome and ZenHabits are two examples, but you can find others on the PluginID website on Glen’s Personal Development page.

4. Make a grand plan. I say “grand” because this is the big picture plan. Don’t get carried away. Planning can feel like action, but really it’s no different than talking. Until you actually do something, you’re still procrastinating.

I have a goal of running 20K next November. That’s enough for now. Starting is more important than getting into detailed plans.

5. Take one step at a time. The only details you need to choose at this point is first steps. I get overwhelmed by details. When I look past the big picture I don’t just see a few details – I see all of them, therefore I focus on just the next two or three things that I’m going to do.

I know what I need to do to get started (the first two months of training). That’s enough.

6. Ignore the rest. That’s right. Ignore everything else in the goal except what you’re working on. We often use comparisons of where we are now to where we want to be as a form of procrastination. While checking in is always a good thing, we can do it when each small task is completed, and not in the middle of a task.

On my running days, when I’m in the middle of my current workout, I don’t think about what’s coming up next week. Why would I want to freak myself out?

7. Get help. Daniel Gilbert in his book Stumbling on Happiness, says that the best route to figuring out if our goals will actually make us happy is to talk to others who have done it.

I also try to be lazy when I can be, so if someone else has done the work (like this Couch-to-5K Running Plan), then there’s no need to waste my time coming up with something new, now is there?

8. Don’t compare. Be careful when you get help, because the dream-shattering tendency to compare lurks nearby. Leo talks about the bad side to comparisons in his post: Life’s Enough. Stop Comparing Yourself to Others.

Enough said. (Yes, I’m taking my own advice about Getting Help and moving on.)

9. Be uncomfortable. Judith Sills in her book The Comfort Trap, or What If You’re Riding a Dead Horse? talks about how we might be terribly unhappy, but we’re comfortable so we don’t do anything about the unhappiness. Happiness is a risk, but the current situation even if it’s painful is safe.

Which would you prefer? Comfortably in pain and unhappy or uncomfortably blissful? I live my life the second way and would recommend that you always choose the uncomfortable option.

10. Celebrate the process as well as the end. I don’t mean celebrations like Dash’s Grade 3 “graduation ceremony” from The Incredibles. I mean acknowledge your progress. I Tweet my runs and mention them on my Facebook status. I also talk with other runners and we talk progress and tips.

And in turn this sharing inspires others and helps them move past their own Somedays and toward achieving their goals.

11. Don’t stop at the easy point. Wait a second. Most lists are only ten points. Why does this one have eleven?

Because it’s important to push yourself just a little bit further than you think you can go. Although my big goal is running 20K within a year, I’ve committed to running 7K on December 31st.

So, while you’re celebrating and taking it one step at a time, come up with one unexpected action you can take that’ll add energy, excitement and a bit of fear to your goal.

Believe me, that bit of fear will probably be the best motivator you’ve ever found.

For more from Alex Fayle, check out his blog, Someday Syndrome (or subscribe to his feed).

Proverbs Answered by Kids

2008-12-10T13:01:00.003-07:00

A first grade teacher collected well known proverbs. She gave each child in her class the first half of a proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb. Their insight may surprise you.

Better to be safe than....................Punch a 5th grader
Strike while the .........................Bug is close
It's always darkest before............... Daylight Savings Time
Never underestimate the power of..........Termites
You can lead a horse to water but........how?
Don't bite the hand that................. looks dirty
No news is................................impossible
A miss is as good as a...................Mr.
You can't teach an old dog new............math
If you lie down with dogs, you'll.........stink in the morning
Love all, trust..........................me
The pen is mightier than the..............pigs
An idle mind is..........................The best way to relax
Where there's smoke there's...............pollution
Happy the bride who.......................gets all the presents
A penny saved is..........................not much
Two's company, three's....................the Musketeers
Don't put off till tomorrow what..........you put on to go to bed
Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and.......you have to blow your nose.
None are so blind as......................Stevie Wonder
Children should be seen and not...........spanked or grounded
If at first you don't succeed.............get new batteries
You get out of something what you.........see pictured on the box
When the blind leadeth the blind..........get out of the way
Better late than.........................pregnant.

A Winter Tree In Song

2008-12-10T09:49:00.000-07:00

I've Been Cloned!

2008-12-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

Dr. Thomas Szasz, Professor of Psychology Emeritus ~ Disease vs Behavior

2008-12-07T13:52:00.002-07:00

I thought this video was very thought provoking. I agree with a lot of what this doctor says, but I am nervous about an all or nothing mindset. I think when it comes to mental illness, most people are mis"diagnosed". However, sometimes real physical things can affect us mentally and emotionally. Everything is connected. This clip made me think though, and I appreciated that.

I Believe . . .

2008-12-07T13:06:00.004-07:00

I found this image online and really thought it was great. There are a lot of true thoughts found within it.

Think About Attitude

2008-12-07T11:37:00.002-07:00

Strange False Head Photo

2008-12-01T22:49:00.003-07:00

At first this photo seems to be a couple with a large head floating between them. But look again - things aren’t always what they seem.

Most people who look at this old photograph will probably see a large bearded head between the two figures. It looks like an image of Jesus.

You’ll probably think it’s just a crude hoax from bygone days. But look again, carefully. This is not a hoax at all. What the photo actually shows is a child sitting on the man’s knee.

Block out the head’s “hair.” That’s just a collection of foliage in the background. The “eye” is the face the child, shadowed by a large white bonnet. The “nose” is the sleeve of the child’s shirt. And the “mustache” is the child’s arm, bent at the elbow.

Be patient. It may take you awhile to see this.

Homemade Oreos

2008-11-29T17:21:00.003-07:00

Homemade Oreos
Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar*
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375 degrees.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2-3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.

* Let’s talk about the sugar for a minute, shall we? This is a sweet cookie. A good, sweet cookie. Yet, if you think of an actual Oreos, the wafers are fairly un-sweet and actually on the slightly salty side, which contrasts with the super-sweetness of the filling bringing harmony, happiness, yada yada. If you want your cookie closer to that original, you can take out a full half-cup of the sugar. I usually do. If you want to make the cookie by itself go ahead and use the full amount.

Please Bury Me In The Library

2008-11-29T17:01:00.002-07:00

My Sentiments Exactly!

Only As High, Only as Far, Only as Deep, Only as Much

2008-11-27T22:13:00.003-07:00

Love Will Conquer All ~ Emmet Fox

2008-11-27T12:15:00.003-07:00

Spanish Harlem ~ Ben E King

2008-11-27T10:52:00.005-07:00

Spanish Harlem ~ Ben E King

Elephant Paints An Amazing Self Portrait

2008-11-26T21:35:00.002-07:00

This is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen! We really take animals for granted. I love Elephants.

Remember the Sheppard

2008-11-25T18:51:00.001-07:00

The Chosen by Chaim Potok

2008-11-23T21:05:00.005-07:00

Check out one of my all time favorite books, "The Chosen by Chaim Potok" Here

Those Who Matter Don't Mind ~ Dr Suess

2008-11-23T20:22:00.002-07:00

Ten Rules for Being Human by Cherie Carter-Scott

2008-11-22T22:20:00.003-07:00

1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it's yours to keep for the entire period.

2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called, "life."

3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error, and experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiments that ultimately "work."

4. Lessons are repeated until they are learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.

5. Learning lessons does not end. There's no part of life that doesn't contain its lessons. If you're alive, that means there are still lessons to be learned.

6. "There" is no better a place than "here." When your "there" has become a "here", you will simply obtain another "there" that will again look better than "here."

7. Other people are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.

8. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.

9. Your answers lie within you. The answers to life's questions lie within you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.

10. You will forget all this.

Doing Good

2008-11-22T16:56:00.002-07:00

When You Wish Upon A Star

2008-11-21T23:47:00.004-07:00

When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires will come to you

If your heart is in your dreams, no request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star as dreamers do

(Fate is kind, she brings to those who love
The sweet fulfillment of their secret longing)

Like a bolt out of the blue, fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true

When You Wish Upon A Star MP3

uıǝʇsɹǝʌlıs lǝɥs ʎq llıq pɹɐʍʞɔɐq

2008-11-21T23:24:00.005-07:00

Not sure how to read this mysterious language? Copy the the text and paste it here

uıǝʇsɹǝʌlıs lǝɥs

˙ssoɥ sıɥ ,uıʎɹɹɐɔ-ɐ ,uılıɯs-ɐ ɟɟo sǝpıɹ puɐ
'ssoq sıɥ sʎɐd ǝɥ ʎɐpʎɐd ʎɹǝʌǝ ǝɯoɔ puɐ
˙sǝɥʇolɔ sıɥ ɹǝʌo ɹɐǝʍɹǝpun sıɥ uo sʇnd puɐ
sǝoʇ sıɥ uo ʇɐɥ sıɥ sɹɐǝʍ llıq pɹɐʍʞɔɐq

˙llıq pɹɐʍʞɔɐq sʎɐs "'ǝʇɐɥ ǝnɹʇ uʍo ʎɯ s,ǝɥs"
'lıl pɹɐʍʞɔɐq pǝɯɐu ǝɟıʍ ɐ ʇoƃ s,ǝɥ puɐ
'dn sǝɯoɔ uns ǝɥʇ uǝɥʍ ɹǝddns ɹıǝɥʇ ʇɐǝ ʎǝɥʇ
'dnd pɹɐʍʞɔɐq ɐ ʇoƃ s,llıq pɹɐʍʞɔɐq

"˙ƃuɐq" sǝoƃ ɹǝʌǝu ʇı "'qɐuƃ" sǝoƃ unƃ-xıs sıɥ puɐ
"'ƃuɐlɔ" sǝoƃ ʇı ǝsɹoɥ sıɥ puɐ "ɥƃıǝu" oƃ ʎǝɥʇ sɹnds sıɥ
˙uǝǝq s,ǝɥ ǝɹǝɥʍ sǝǝs ʇnq ƃuıoƃ s,ǝɥ ǝɹǝɥʍ ʍouʞ ʇ,uop
puıʍ ǝɥʇ ǝʞıl sǝpıɹ ǝɥ llıq pɹɐʍʞɔɐq

˙ɹoolɟ doʇ ʎɹǝʌ ǝɥʇ uo dn sı ɹɐllǝɔ ǝɥʇ puɐ
ɹoop ǝɥʇ ʇno ʞool puɐ ʍopuıʍ ǝɥʇ ɥƃnoɹɥʇ ʞlɐʍ noʎ
˙ʞɔɐq ʇno ʇlınq s,ʇɐɥʇ ɥɔɹod ʇuoɹɟ ƃıq ɐ ɥʇıʍ
ʞɔɐɥs pɹɐʍʞɔɐq ɐ ʇoƃ s,llıq pɹɐʍʞɔɐq

˙(uʍop ǝpısdn pǝuɹnʇ llıɥ ɐ s,ʇɐɥʇ ʇnq)
punoɹƃ ʎpuɐs ǝɥʇ uı ǝloɥ ɐ ʎllɐǝɹ sı ɥɔıɥʍ
'llıɥ pɹɐʍʞɔɐq uo dn ʎɐʍ sǝʌıl ǝɥ
'llıq pɹɐʍʞɔɐq 'llıq pɹɐʍʞɔɐq

1950's Cafe Menu

2008-11-21T23:12:00.004-07:00

This is a Menu from a 1950's Cafe. I wasn't alive then, so I guess I don't really know, but it seems like life was a lot simpler back then.

Discovering My Personality Type According to Carl Jung

2008-11-21T22:28:00.005-07:00

Famous INFJs

I decided to take the "Jung Personality Test" and found out that I am an INFJ (Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging) or a Counselor. Here is what I found out about myself:

Idealist Portrait of the Counselor (INFJ)

Counselors have an exceptionally strong desire to contribute to the welfare of others, and find great personal fulfillment interacting with people, nurturing their personal development, guiding them to realize their human potential. Although they are happy working at jobs (such as writing) that require solitude and close attention, Counselors do quite well with individuals or groups of people, provided that the personal interactions are not superficial, and that they find some quiet, private time every now and then to recharge their batteries. Counselors are both kind and positive in their handling of others; they are great listeners and seem naturally interested in helping people with their personal problems. Not usually visible leaders, Counselors prefer to work intensely with those close to them, especially on a one-to-one basis, quietly exerting their influence behind the scenes.

Counselors are scarce, little more than one percent of the population, and can be hard to get to know, since they tend not to share their innermost thoughts or their powerful emotional reactions except with their loved ones. They are highly private people, with an unusually rich, complicated inner life. Friends or colleagues who have known them for years may find sides emerging which come as a surprise. Not that Counselors are flighty or scattered; they value their integrity a great deal, but they have mysterious, intricately woven personalities which sometimes puzzle even them.

Counselors tend to work effectively in organizations. They value staff harmony and make every effort to help an organization run smoothly and pleasantly. They understand and use human systems creatively, and are good at consulting and cooperating with others. As employees or employers, Counselors are concerned with people's feelings and are able to act as a barometer of the feelings within the organization.

Blessed with vivid imaginations, Counselors are often seen as the most poetical of all the types, and in fact they use a lot of poetic imagery in their everyday language. Their great talent for language-both written and spoken-is usually directed toward communicating with people in a personalized way. Counselors are highly intuitive and can recognize another's emotions or intentions - good or evil - even before that person is aware of them. Counselors themselves can seldom tell how they came to read others' feelings so keenly. This extreme sensitivity to others could very well be the basis of the Counselor's remarkable ability to experience a whole array of psychic phenomena.

There Is A Place Only You Can Fill ~ Michael McLean

2008-11-18T18:11:00.003-07:00

Beatles Unknown "A Hard Day's Night" Chord Mystery Solved

2008-11-16T23:31:00.010-07:00

A Hard Day's Night ~ The Beatles

I thought this article was very interesting, so here's another shout out to the Beatles and the Math that solves the mysteries of music years later :)

(The post below is copied from scientificblogging.com)

It’s the most famous chord in rock 'n' roll, an instantly recognizable twang rolling through the open strings on George Harrison’s 12-string Rickenbacker. It evokes a Pavlovian response from music fans as they sing along to the refrain that follows:

"It’s been a hard day’s night
And I’ve been working like a dog"

The opening chord to "A Hard Day’s Night" is also famous because, for 40 years, no one quite knew exactly what chord Harrison was playing.

There were theories aplenty and musicians, scholars and amateur guitar players all gave it a try, but it took a Dalhousie mathematician to figure out the exact formula.

Four years ago, inspired by reading news coverage about the song’s 40th anniversary, Jason Brown of Dalhousie’s Department of Mathematics decided to try and see if he could apply a mathematical calculation known as Fourier transform to solve the Beatles’ riddle. The process allowed him to decompose the sound into its original frequencies using computer software and parse out which notes were on the record.

It worked, to a point: the frequencies he found didn’t match the known instrumentation on the song. “George played a 12-string Rickenbacker, Lennon had his six string, Paul had his bass…none of them quite fit what I found,” he explains. “Then the solution hit me: it wasn’t just those instruments. There was a piano in there as well, and that accounted for the problematic frequencies.”

Dalhousie University math professor Jason Brown and his Ibanez guitar. Photo: Danny Abriel

“I started playing guitar because I heard a Beatles record—that was it for my piano lessons,” says Brown. “I had tried to play the first chord of the song many takes over the years. It sounds outlandish that someone could create a mystery around a chord from a time where artists used such simple recording techniques. It’s quite remarkable.”

Dr. Brown deduces that another George—George Martin, the Beatles producer—also played on the chord, adding a piano chord that included an F note impossible to play with the other notes on the guitar. The resulting chord was completely different than anything found in the literature about the song to date, which is one reason why Dr. Brown’s findings garnered international attention. He laughs that he may be the only mathematician ever to be published in Guitar Player magazine.

“Music and math are not really that far apart,” he says. “They’ve found that children that listen to music do better at math, because math and music both use the brain in similar ways. The best music is analytical and pattern-filled and mathematics has a lot of aesthetics to it. They complement each other well.”

Successful Not Famous ~ George Harrison

2008-11-16T22:51:00.003-07:00

I really like the glimpse of George that flashed in mind as I read this quote by him. It's very enlightening. I was born in the eighties, after the Beatles had their days in the spotlight, but their music has had a huge impact on me. Like The "Quiet Beatle" I too would much rather consider my work a success, and I hope I wouldn't let fame or the want of fame get in the way.

The Cozy Little Book Nook

2008-11-16T11:14:00.005-07:00

One of the true joys of my life is to curl up with a good book, a cozy blanket, and (on cold days) a cup of hot chocolate or herbal tea. I love to let the words take me to far of lands in my imagination and escape from the daily grind of life for a little while. It is restful, and it strengthens the dreaming skills of my mind. I love to read all kinds of things including poetry, philosophy, science fiction, self help books, and more. However, I have a special love for Children's literature.

There is a real power of influence in Children's Literature. We are shaped by the thoughts we think, and we think about what we read. Books like The Chronicles of Narnia, Matilda, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, Lord of the Rings and Treasure Island truly helped me become the kind of person I am. The love of the stories I read as a kid helped me to develop a love of learning, and broadened my horizons of what the world has to offer. It is so important to provide kids with good things to read. Even as an adult I learn new things each time I read these books.

I recently joined a book review blog with one of my friends called The Cozy Little Book Nook. This is a great place to find some of our favorite Children's Books, and share in our love of reading. If you are like us and looking for a great new book to read and share with your family then check it out. You won't be sorry :)

Amelie, Jr. The Fabulous French Fairy Tale Teller

2008-11-15T22:41:00.002-07:00

Once upon a time... from Capucha on Vimeo.

I was enchanted by this little girl and her wonderful story. You can see the potential bubbling out of her. Some days I really miss the way the world looked as a kid. Enjoy!

*I found another video of this adorable kid watching the Three Little Pigs. She is so Cute.

Three Little Pigs from Capucha on Vimeo.

Blogger vs Wordpress + Eclectic Emily

2008-11-15T22:04:00.006-07:00

I've made the switch. For those of you who were familiar with the old wordpress site, Welcome to the New Eclectic Emily! I was really torn because I like different things about both blogging platforms. I like wordpress because it is really easy to optimize, but the cute designs and more widget options blogger has finally won me over. Blogger also takes a little less time to manage. So Eclectic Emily has had a little face lift, and I am excited to continue my blogging adventures.

However if you like what you have seen so far, please go on to the older version, it has a lot of great quotes, comics, recipes, and more that I really love. Thanks for your visit, and I sincerely hope you are having a happy day!