Time time time...click here for the official time of day! Or, the perpetual calendar.
Talk about a PACKED website with hundreds of links to interesting facts & information: RefDesk.com!!!
Inside RefDesk.com are links such as: InfoPlease.
FINANCIAL LITERACY and CONSUMER FINANCE: common sense information for everyone - MoneyTalksNews-Investing and MoneyTalksNews-Retirement. A sampling of the many well-written articles at that moneytalksnews.com website: 19 things your millionare neighbor won't tell you, 10 tips to live within your means painlessly, and 10 money moves to make in your 30s. Thoughtful closing words from the last link: Finally, don’t get caught up in what you think life should be like (in your 30s). It’s easy to look at friends and neighbors and try to duplicate what they do. My experience has been that this is especially true where our kids are involved. If everyone around us has kids in sports or dance or 4-H, we might feel like we need to do the same for our kids, lest they miss out. Same goes for vacations. Maybe you feel obligated to take your kids on a big summer vacation each year because, well, that’s what good parents do. Rather than live according to society’s standards for the good life, live according to your own standards. Keep your eye on what’s a priority to you and your family and only spend your money on those things that further your personal and household goals. It’s OK to take the big vacation or buy a fancy car if you can afford it, but do so because it’s important to you, not because you think it’s expected of you.
NEWS: USA Today , CNN , World and US Newspapers, more Newspapers , and Newspaper Front Pages. Magazines and more Magazines. Or input an article's keyword(s) at findarticles.com.
WEATHER: TheWeatherChannel , FromSpace . Here is a fascinating photo of the Earth at night Here is a another cool photo, just of the USA at Night. Try space.com for more space info. And the cool Powers of 10 photo-magnification site! What names do different parts of the United States call soft drinks (pop? coke? soda?).
SPORTS: ESPN , RaceCenterNW , Lance Armstrong , VeloNews , BicyclingMagazine, Bicycle Group forum, CyclingNews.com, CompleteTri for triathlon resources, helpful Guide to Stretching articles (thanks, Sarah), well-written Running Shoe guide (thanks Jay and Michelle), the excellent Portland Running Company store with owners Dave and Paula Harkin, and Ironman Triathlon
(Click here to go back to Frank Goulard's home page...but first, continue down for better and better links!)
USA's 50 STATES--nice link...complete info & links on facts, newspapers, government, tourism, etc.
And here's another nice USA link: for atlas lovers. West Lafayette: WLHS info (staff and alums).-Enjoy some nice stories and quotes . Your birthday trivia.
-Then visit the joke chamber , and jokes & riddles for your funnybone. TONS of riddles here!
-Visit about 60 comic strips including Close to Home, NonSequitir, Doonesbury, Garfield, and Calvin & Hobbes at UComics . Or UnitedMedia Comics.
-Click here for tons of interesting advice and opinion on a whole variety of life's topics.Music is a soothing elixir:
--Check out:Song Lyrics and Singers, More Lyrics, Oldies Music info from the 50s 60s and 70s ,
WLS Top 40 weekly lists from 1960-79, and Songs, lists, radioplay of today.
--Listen on your computer to one of the best oldies station around: Portland's KOOL-FM.
--Other stations and/or broadcasts from around the world at: WindowsMedia or Broadcast.com .Classic television audio/video clips now on the web! : click here. A real treat for hours and hours.
Sci-Fi, Movies, Cartoons, Carson, Twilight Zone, Three Stooges, and on and on. More TV at hulu.Two extensive movie sites: film.com and imdb.com
And, a wonderful eccentric collection of printed and audio clips from movies etc..Health and fitness information:
--Nice motivational fitness article , "You're not a couch potato, you're a runner". Thanks to Rachel from Yosemite Natl Park for this.
--Find plenty of information on how to safely do a 7 day detox while getting the best results for your body.--Heart health benefits of running, also, this article contains many helpful running links; courtesy of Alexis Parnell.
--Sound running advice in this good overall Guide to Healthy Running for Kids, courtesy of, and thanks to, Sophia!Inspirational text, audio, and video database of the top 100 speeches: American Rhetoric
Excellent, reasoned perspectives on national issues: MSNBC
THE great search engine: google . And the interesting "submit a question" search engine: askjeeves.
And of course youtubeInteresting photo & text Field Trips on our planet.
Three nice sites with amazing info: E-Nature , Virtual Zoo , and DiscoveryChannel.Send tasteful, free online greeting cards by email--zillions of choices: Hallmark,YahooGreetings,
PerfectGreetings,FunnyGreetings.
Or, send a beautiful, free photo of flowers by email via the virtual florist .Send a company or elected officials a compliment, complaint, suggestion, or question; or
just look for product/services info and ratings: planetfeedback, whose motto is
"The power of one...the voice of many." Give it a try, it is empowering,
ONE person can make a difference!Business, investments, markets information: Etrade , Yahoo . Other money-related sites for the layman
can be found at Money Magazine which have many good articles & links. Also visit Bankrate.com , Credit Card Insider , and MSN's MoneyCentral .
Wondering where flights are in the air, or when they are due to arrive? Visit two great sites for interesting info: Flighttracker which shows an animated in motion jet over the USA along with times, or FlightArrivals for similar up to the minute info status.TRIVIA: Trivia#1Trivia#2 InstantMessagingAcronyms, Acronyms
Long-distance telephone plans:
Several longdistance plans with no monthly fees, no minimum requirement, are very inexpensive and, in my opinion, the best way for your longdistance telephone use whether from a home phone or a phone on the road:
1) My favorite is OneSuite : a dialaround longdistance plan that only charges 2.5c/min 24/7 for inter- and intra-state calls from home. Calling card calls, ie from any other phone in the US, are only 2.9c/min. Again, no minimums, no monthly fees! OneSuite's international rates are very inexpensive too. For a call to France it is 2.9c/min, to Canada it is 1.9c/min! Great value, always excellent quality. Check out OneSuite.com!In the case of OneSuite, you don't have to change your current LD carrier. But if your current LD carrier has a monthly fee or a minimum monthly usage requirement, you'd probably be better off by canceling it and setting up a required default "no fee no minimum" plan like Comcast Digital Telephone's 12c/minute OneRate plan. Your phone company requires you to have a default in place in addition to a dialaround plan. You would never use this more expensive default LD plan because you would next simply sign up with someone like OneSuite via the web. Then when you want to place a LD call from home, you just dial OneSuite's local access number followed by your PIN number, and then the phone number you want to call. From any other phone in the USA, you'd dial an 800 access number, followed by your PIN, then the phone number you want to call. It is that easy. I have used OneSuite (and other plans) with no problems with service or quality. I've used OneSuite exclusively since December 2001.
There are more carriers/plans like these listed at sites such as ABTolls , ConsumerWorld, and ClarkHoward.com.2) For FREE longdistance calls anywhere in the world, download and use Skype with your computer. The person you are calling also needs to have Skype downloaded on their computer. It is a free and quick download from Skype . The sound quality is BETTER than a telephone connection! Plus if you so desire while talking, you can type in chat mode and with an inexpensive ($10-$20) webcam show video of yourself. Each party needs a microphone and speakers for the audio. If you don't have a microphone, it is only $10 or so at any store and just plugs into your computer. I have a small microphone that would attach to your lapel, however I just lay it next to my speakers under the monitor and it clearly picks up my voice. Another setup is an earpiece/microphone combination that hooks over your ear. Skype is a very easy to use system. Over 300 million people around the world use it today. When you are at your computer, you can see who is online and available to talk from your friends and family list. Very nice and again, simple to use!
QUOTES:
"Even the simplest task can be meaningful if I do it in the right spirit.""The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen nor even touched.
They must be felt with the heart."--Helen Keller"Each time a man stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice,
he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million centers of energy and doing,
those ripples build a current that will sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."--RFK"Be thankful and grateful every single moment. With curiosity and wonder, living, aware, in tune, seeing & listening, and taking it in to the depths of your soul." --FG
"Live it and love it, every day."
"Amidst practicality, love the other, love your own life, learn to love, learn about another, learn about
yourself. Loving and learning, a loving touch with every thing.""Those who dance are considered insane by those who don't hear the music."
"What good is freedom if you don't use it?"
"___ is like church. Many attend, but few understand."
"They might not in fact be the best athletes in training; but when everything is on the line--when they are standing at the start at a world championship--they can be counted on to do their best. Hilary is like that because she competes to please only herself, not to please others, and therefore doesn't feel pressured." -Ollie Larsson, Swedish ski coach on athlete Hilary Lindh rising to the occasion when the chips are down.
"Athletic principle number one: Increase the energy available at the same time you're reducing the energy required to do the athletic task. There is no athletic principle number two."
"The most elementary principles of self-education: concentration, persistence, positive expectant attitude, and a mastery of the 'basic glue', the information that holds a subject together."
"In a consumer society, there are inevitably two kinds of slaves: the prisoners of addiction and the prisoners of envy." -Ivan Illich
"The utmost in altruism, autonomy, true freedom, liberation, connectedness, personal growth, wisdom, and revitalization is when you can truly say, 'It's not about me anymore.' Your defnition of net worth has moved from the material realm to a spiritual dimension. That may be the ultimate life transition." -Financial Advisor magazine, March 2014, on life transition in our senior years.
Dusty Baker's 5 Rules of Management:
Don't lie to me.
Give me all you've got.
Be on time.
Don't make the same mistake twice.
If you have a beef with me, don't go to the press or to my boss--see me first.Joe Torre's principles:
Surround yourself with good people.
Honesty--tell people the truth in love.
Failure is part of the process, learn from it.
Find the positives.
Recognize effort, there's always next time.
Know what success is.
Never quit."There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as if everything is." --Albert Einstein"We are all just brothers and sisters walking the face of this earth." --Muhammad Ali
"The Seven Keys to Success in Life", by John Wooden:
1) Be true to yourself.
2) Help others.
3) Make each day your masterpiece.
4) Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.
5) Make friendship an art.
6) Build a shelter against a rainy day.
7) Pray for guidance and count and give thanks for your blessings every day.""No matter what you do, don't ever think of yourself as too good. Whenever you think you're too good, you're dangerous.
Sometimes I think life comes along and taps you on the shoulder and says, `Hey, did you get it? Have you learned
anything?' If your answer is in the negative, it says, `Well, ok, here's another lesson.' You've got to pay attention to
those lessons. What is that lesson? The essential of sports is not the triumph but the struggle. The idea of enjoying
the experience is everything... Now I participate to benefit my mind as well as my body and spirit. I'm much more
content with this. I'm into something infinitely more important than pure competition. It's called growing. You've got to grow.
When you stop growing, you stop learning lessons. If you stop learning, a part of you dies... You should be the select ones,
the nobles, the only ones who are active and not merely reactive, for whom life is perpetual striving...Life is a petty thing
unless it is moved by the indomitable urge to extend its boundaries.""Being grateful creates HCL (humility, contentment, and love)." --Frank Goulard
"If there ever were a time to dare, to make a difference, to embark on something worth doing, it is now.
Not for any grand cause necessarily but for something that tugs at your heart, something that's your
aspiration, something that's your dream. You owe it to yourself to make your days here count.
Have fun. Dig deep. Search. Dream big.
Know though, that things worth doing seldom come easy. There will be good days and there will be bad days.
There will be times when you want to turn around, pack it up, and call it quits. Those times tell you that you
are pushing yourself, that you are not afraid to learn by trying. Persist.
Because with an idea, determination and the right tools, you can do great things. Let your instincts,
your intellect, and your heart guide you. Trust.
Believe in the incredible power of the human mind, of doing something that makes a difference.
Of working hard, of laughing, and hoping of lazy afternoons, of lasting friends, of all the things that will
cross your path this year. The start of something new brings the hope of something great. Anything is possible.
There is only one you and you will pass this way only once. Do it right.""Top 10 Secrets to Success for all walks of life", by Investor's Business Daily:
1. How you think is everything. Always be positive. Think success, not failure. Beware of a negative environment.
2. Decide upon your true dreams and goals. Write down your specific goals and develop a plan to reach them.
3. Take action. Goals are nothing without action. Don't be afraid to get started now. Just do it.
4. Never stop learning. Go back to school or read books. Get training and acquire skills.
5. Be persistent and work hard. Success is a marathon, not a sprint. Never give up.
6. Learn to analyze details. Get all the facts, all the input. Learn from your mistakes.
7. Focus your time and money. Don't let other people or things distract you.
8. Don't be afraid to innovate, be different. Following the herd is a sure way to mediocrity.
9. Deal and communicate with people effectively. No person is an island. Learn to understand & motivate others.
10.Be honest and dependable, take responsibility. Otherwise, Numbers 1-9 won't matter.""Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones
you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover."--Mark Twain"Rules to live by"
1. Pay attention 2. Acknowledge others 3. Think the best
4. Listen 5. Be inclusive 6. Speak kindly
7. Don't speak ill 8. Accept and give praise 9. Respect even a subtle "no"
10. Respect others' opinion 11. Mind your body 12. Be agreeable
13. Keep it down (and rediscover silence) 14. Respect other people's time
15. Respect other people's space 16. Apologize earnestly 17. Assert yourself
18. Avoid personal questions 19. Care for your guests 20. Be a considerate guest
21. Think twice before asking for favors 22. Refrain from idle complaints
23. Accept and give constructive criticism 24. Respect the environment and be gentle to animals
25. Don't shift responsibility and blame.Tips for a Better Life - Enjoy and Implement as many as possible!
1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3. Tape your late night shows and get more sleep.
4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, My purpose is to __________ today.
5. Live with the 3 Es -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2008.
7. Make time to practice meditation and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend time with people over the age of 60 and under the age of six.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants. Eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Clear clutter from your house, your garage, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.
14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, or issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the negative blues away.
18. Life isn't fair, but it is still good.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
23. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: In five years, will it matter?
26. Forgive everyone for everything.
27. What other people think of you is none of your business.
28. Remember God heals everything.
29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
33. The best is yet to come.
34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
35. Do the right thing!
36. Call your family and a neighbor often.
37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.
38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
39. Enjoy the ride. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.Thoughts, by Frank Goulard
"Even the simplest task can be meaningful if I do it in the right spirit."
That says a lot if one slows down enough to make those words resonate from
the innermost depths of your soul and really count. Every minute one has
an opportunity to give such unlimited love & beauty that we all have been
graced with...whether it is embracing an anxious child with reassurance,
giving a warm eye to eye smile to a passerby, reaching down to scratch a
pet when you don't need to, or simply picking up a piece of litter or
rearranging a stray outdoor plant somewhere.
Kind of along the lines of the ol bumper sticker, "Perform random acts of
kindness...", yet I hope we all perform those acts with our heart and
not just our head. Time is short, life is short. Sure we work and pay
attention to deadlines and paychecks, but...let's try to avoid the hurryup
syndrome, avoid pacing our day by our watch, avoid the material focus of
things....and see, yes SEE with lots of patience, our fellow living
creatures, the pulse of the earth, the beauties of the skies, the wondrous
feel of the air on our skin and through our souls. Yeahhhh.
One fond memory of mine, among many, was a few Decembers ago when I
dressed in a Santa outfit. I was walking when I saw a mother and her 3
year old boy walking towards me. Suddenly the little boy saw Santa and his
eyes widened like saucers, a face full of a joy I cannot describe here nor
will I ever be able to describe it, my friends. He then did something that
moved me to tears...he ran those few steps over to me as fast as he could
and simply hugged me around my leg so hard. That day I thought I was the
one performing random acts of kindness hohohoing for adults and kids
alike. I was wrong. That little boy also was performing an act of kindness,
an act that I'll be eternally grateful for.Commencement Address
"Ladies and gentlemen: Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.
I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded.
But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you
and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.
Don't worry about the future. Or worry, if you want, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4:00 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing every day that scares you.
Sing.
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.
Floss.
Don't waste your time on jealousy.
Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.
Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters.
Throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they
wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.
Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone.
Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't.
Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't.
Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary.
Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either.
Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll
ever own.
Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.
Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.
Get to know your parents. You never know when they'll be gone for good.
Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle,
because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard.
Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you'll
fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when
either one might run out.
Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it.
Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and
recycling it for more than it's worth.
...But trust me on the sunscreen. "Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer newspaper, Cleveland , Ohio:
"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.
My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come...
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE
Falling in love.
Laughing so hard your face hurts.
A hot shower.
No lines at the Super Walmart.
A special glance.
Getting mail.
Taking a drive on a scenic road.
Hearing your favorite song on the radio.
Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
Hot towels out of the dryer.
Finding the sweater you want is on sale for half price.
Chocolate milkshake.
A long distance phone call.
A bubble bath.
Giggling.
A good conversation.
The beach.
Finding a $20 bill in your coat from last winter.
Laughing at yourself.
Midnight phone calls that last for hours.
Running through sprinklers.
Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.
Having someone tell you that you're beautiful.
Laughing at an inside joke.
Friends.
Falling in love for the first time.
Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.
Your first kiss.
Making new friends or spending time with old ones.
Playing with a puppy.
Late night talks with your roommate
Having someone play with your hair.
Sweet dreams.
Hot chocolate.
Road trips with friends.
Swinging on swings.
Watching a good movie cuddled up on a couch with someone you love.
Wrapping presents under the Christmas tree while eating cookies and drinking eggnog.
Song lyrics printed inside your new CD so you can sing along without feeling stupid.
Going to a really good concert.
Making eye contact with a cute stranger.
Making chocolate chip cookies!
Hugging the person you love.
Watching the expression someone's face as they open a much-desired present from you.
Watching the sunrise.
Getting out of bed every morning and thanking God for another beautiful day.The ABC's of Happiness
>Aspire to reach your potential.
>Believe in yourself.
>Create a good life.
>Dream about what you might become.
>Exercise frequently.
>Forgive honest mistakes.
>Glorify the creative spirit.
>Humor yourself and others.
>Imagine great things.
>Joyfully live each day.
>Kindly help others.
>Love one another.
>Meditate daily.
>Nurture the environment.
>Organize for harmonious action.
>Praise performance well done.
>Question most things.
>Regulate your own behavior.
>Smile often.
>Think rationally.
>Understand yourself.
>Value Life.
>Work for the common good.
>X-ray and carefully examine problems.
>Yearn to improve.
>Zestfully pursue happiness.Steve Jobs' stirring commencement address in 2005. Slowly read, then re-read.
From Prairie Home Companion:
"When I think of kindness, I think about my aunts who looked out for neglected kids, for the runts, and the orphans, and the odd ducks, and bestowed favors upon them, who extended themselves to strangers. Their hearts went out to the lonely and the grieving. They did not let shyness get in the way of charity. The did not permit bullies to tromp around unimpeded. They abhorred cruelty. It offended them deeply.That spirit runs deep in this country, I do believe. Great empires rise and fall. The famous come and go. Cities boom and then they languish. But kindness is a constant presence in America. In the same spirit, I walk around St Paul and I think 'this is a great country', and it wasn't made so by angry people. I love this country, which is one of those simple, dumb discoveries that a man makes. Like the night I came out of the hospital in New York City where I, standing beside my wife, had held my naked newborn six pound daughter in my hands. And I walked around town stunned by the fact that what I had seen was so utterly ordinary. Everybody comes into the world pretty much like that. I was afraid of living an ordinary life. And I realized that's what we all get...we all get an ordinary life. And, it's good enough. It's good enough." --Garrison Keillor, 2009
Various sports quotes:
"Running can be fun at any speed if you keep it in the proper perspective."
"To run well, you have to want to run well with a passion; just as, to run truly fast, you must want to do so passionately." -Bill Squires
"He loved to train and ride. He would just let his thoughts wander and would enjoy the scenery and fresh air in the mountains. He had so much energy, and he was very single-minded. He would set his goals and then pursue them. And he enjoyed doing it so much it wasn't a chore." -Mary Munger, aunt of Bob Cook who died of a brain tumor at age 23, Bicycling magazine, Aug 1981.
"Play regularly. An hour's play a day makes a man whole and healthy and long-lived. A man's exercise must be play, or it will do him little good. "
"Let running be what it is. A very simple activity. You should almost let it happen to you. Just go out and run. Don't push it, let it be comfortable for you."
"Sure, in a limited sense there is value in winning. You need to see the results in order to believe in the faith. But there is more value in the attitude and the way in which you run and lead your life. You must live with love. Live each second with your heart, run each step with your heart. You will never be a loser."
"Don't be intimidated by the odds. To hell with the odds. Reach for the big ones at some point in your life. Shoot for the stars."
"Run playfully in a state of respiratory balance. There must always be, even after hours of training, the desire for and joy in running more, and the ability to do so." -Ernst van Aaken, coach
"He was alone and running on. All of his being was concentrated in the sheer motion of running on, and he was past caring about the pain. Pure exhaustion laid hold of his mind, and he could see at last without having to think. He could see the rain and the rivers and the fields beyond. He could see the dark hills at dawn. He was running, and under his breath he began to sing. There was no sound, and he had no voice; he had only the words of a song. 'House made of pollen, house made of dawn, qtsedaba.' " -N Scott Momaday, House Made of Dawn, 1966.
THIS DAY
This day, I thankfully accept all of the good things that are coming my way.
This day is full of excitement, love, energy, health, and prosperity.
This day, people are calling on me to be of service to them and I respond by giving my very best.
This day, I think and practice health in my life, refusing to accept anything less than perfect health.
This day, I accept the abundance and prosperity that is mine and willing share it with others.
This day, I focus on the moment and give no thought to the past or the future.
This day, I spend in total enjoyment of what I do.
This day, I fill with loving thoughts and actions toward all other people and myself.
This day, I spend in grateful appreciation of all that is mine.
This day, this hour, this minute, this moment is all that I have and I choose to use it in celebration!“I have personally used this "This Day" affirmation for many years. I read it to myself daily.
When my mind forgets to focus on the right things and doubts creep in, I read it
several times a day. If this affirmation does not seem to fit your style, then
write your own. Say the things you need to hear to help create the life you want.”
--Larry Winget
Click here to go back to Frank Goulard's home page. Last revised January 10, 2019