Video

Morning Routines aka YouTube

All these morning routines I have been finding and posting sound a little intimidating. So, I thought it might be fun and illuminating to take a peek into morning routines on YouTube. I don’t know why, but I did expect to find something a little more reflective of real life.

That being said, here’s what I found:

Starting off bright and early with a fall morning routine because what else makes more sense? Especially if you are beautiful and have all the time in the world to plan and execute a video that makes you look so good!

But Wait! There’s More!

I really thought I’d be rolling my eyes at these girls, but I actually think they are kind of cute. Yes the whole thing is staged, and no I don’t think it actually reflects their true reality… but… still… it was cheerful and fun.

The sister vs brother kids are not as horribly annoying as I thought they would be. I think that what bothered me most was that the house was so amazingly spotless and sparkling clean.

Continuing with my vicarious views into the morning routines of YouTubers, here’s a more realistic video… again the house is annoyingly clean… and I am reminded of all those years ago when I had toddlers, and how wonderful and at the same time how tiresome it all was.

Most of the morning routines that YouTube wanted to show me were either kids, moms, or make up. I finally found something just a little bit different… it does however, have that annoying blurb about fit tea, for which he was probably paid.

I did like this one – for the first 30 seconds or so. After that, the blatant advertising and product endorsements begin. “Good job Joe, you don’t stink now.” LOL!

So there you have it… I couldn’t find a single YouTube video that I thought actually reflected anything close to my own reality. It makes me think that there must be a need for real life video on a good routine for when you’re old, crusty, crazy, and well… lazy, resentful, and rebellious!

Here’s a great cover photo for the video I was envisioning:

If you want to change the world…

Our Rise and Shine project begins bright and early tomorrow morning, and I thought this would be a good time to review the amazing speech that triggered this project.

United States Navy admiral William H. McRaven delivers a powerful speech about the importance of doing the little things and embracing fear in life. Here’s the video:

Here’s A Transcript Of The Speech:

If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter. If you can’t do the little things right, you’ll never be able to do the big things right. If, by chance, you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made. That you made. And a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.

To pass SEAL training, there are a series of long swims that must be completed. One is the night swim. Before the swim, the instructors joyfully brief the students on all the species of sharks that inhabit the waters off San Clemente. They assure you, however, that no student has ever been eaten by a shark. At least not that they can remember. But you are also taught that if a shark begins to circle your position, stand your ground. Do not swim away. Do not act afraid. If the shark, hungry for a midnight snack, darts towards you, then summon up all your strength and punch him in the snout, and he will turn and swim away. There are a lot of sharks in the world. If you hope to complete the swim, you will have to deal with them. If you want to change the world, don’t back down from the sharks.

Over a few weeks of difficult training, my SEAL class, which started with 150 men, was down to just 42. There are now six boat crews of seven men each. I was in the boat with a tall guys, but the best boat crew we had was made up of little guys, the munchkin crew, we called them. No one was over five foot five. The munchkin boat crew had one American Indian, one African American, one Polish American, one Greek American, one Italian American, and two tough kids from the Midwest. The out-paddled, out-ran, and out-swam all the other boat crews. The big men in the other boat crews would always make good natured fun of the tiny, little flippers the munchkins put on their tiny, little feet prior to every swim. But somehow these little guys, from every corner of the nation in the world, always had the last laugh, swimming faster than everyone and reaching the shore long before the rest of us.

SEAL training was a great equalizer. Nothing mattered but your will to succeed. Not your color, not your ethnic background, not your education, not your social status. If you want to change the world, measure a person by the size of their heart, not by the size of their flippers.

The ninth week of training is referred to as Hell Week. Is it six days of no sleep, constant mental and physical harassment, and one special day at the mud flats. The mud flats are an area between San Diego and Tijuana, where the water runs off and creates the Tijuana sloughs, a swampy patch of terrain where the mud will engulf you.

It is on Wednesday of Hell Week that you paddle down to the mud flats and spend the next 15 hours trying to survive the freezing cold, the howling wind, and the incessant pressure to quit from the instructors. As the sun began to set that Wednesday evening, my training class, having committed some egregious infraction of the rules, was ordered into the mud. The mud consumed each man until there was nothing visible but our heads. The instructors told us we could leave the mud if only five men would quit. Only five men. Just five men and we could get out of the oppressive cold. Looking around the mud flat, it was apparent that some students were about to give up. There were still over eight hours until the sun came up. Eight more hours of bone-chilling cold. The chattering teeth and shivering moans of the trainees were so loud, it was hard to hear anything.

Then one voice began to echo through the night. One voice raised in song. The song was terribly out of tune, but sung with great enthusiasm. One voice became two. And two became three. And before long, everyone in the class was singing. The instructors threatened us with more time in the mud if we kept up the singing, but the singing persisted. And somehow, the mud seemed a little warmer, and the wind a little tamer, and the dawn not so far away.

If I have learned anything in my time traveling the world, it is the power of hope. The power of one person. A Washington, a Lincoln, King, Mandela, and even the young girl from Pakistan, Malala. One person can change the world by giving people hope. So if you want to change the world, start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair, that you will fail often. But if you take some risks, step up when the times are the toughest, face down the bullies, lift up the downtrodden, and never, ever give up, if you do these things, the next generation and the generations that follow will live in a world far better than the one we have today. And what started here will, indeed, have changed the world for the better.

Almost A Vacation!

If we were actually rich, we’d be able to hop on our private jet and fly off to the beach whenever we wanted. Then we could relax, and live the good life, and it might look something like this:

That’s a nice fantasy, so how do we convert it into “living as if…? ” I have a few ideas.

Maybe we can’t actually jump on a private jet and fly off to a secluded island or amazing beach, but what we can do is relax and enjoy a video or two… maybe even hang out in a cool hammock, have a picnic, enjoy a fancy beverage, make a cool meal, and imagine that we are actually there.

Here is a relaxing “almost a vacation” YouTube video:

But wait… Hammocks are the ultimate symbol for the outdoor rest fan. They’re portable beds, easily strung up between two sturdy long structures from trees to poles.

Instant Hammock in 9 easy steps:

Here’s how to make a hammock in a minute from a sheet or any big piece of cloth. It’s the simplest method, and does not require a sewing machine or any complicated directions… here ya go:

First bunch up the ends and tie knots in them as shown. If you don’t have much cloth, are skilled with rope, or don’t care if you fall you can skip this step.

Next, tie a rope to each end with a lark’s head knot, just like this, or tie whatever knot you like best. If you don’t fall it means you did it right.

Hang it up, get in, and relax in utter comfort. For extra coziness pull the hammock around you like a cocoon. And since you can hang it up indoors as well at out, why not enjoy some relaxing waterfall and jungle sounds.

For a Working Vacation:

So if your budget doesn’t allow for a bonafide working vacation at the beach, you can use your hammock for a workstation for large drawings, or if you are painting a cool mandala on the floor, or anything else you can think of that would be fun to do in the comfort of a hammock…

If you do have to work, be sure to have this video playing so that you can pretend that this is a super cool hideaway… complete with beach and waterfall:

Outdoor fun:

Here is a cool triangular hammock. It’s a bedspread tied at the corners to three trees.

Helpful tips:

A king size sheet is a good size for an adult. Your local thrift store has used sheets in fun patterns for cheap, just give them a good wash.

Yes, the tutorial images show how easy it is to make a hammock, but they don’t look all that luxurious. So here is a small collection of images that might give some ideas on how cool it could look given the right choice of fabric. Say, for example, a super cool king size bedspread…

Now add some cool outdoor decor, some fun lighting and voila!

A Picnic

Why not have a nice little picnic to go with our relax at the beach theme:

Here’s a list of items you don’t want to forget to bring to your nifty picnic lunch!

  • Frozen Bottles of Water

The main rule for outdoor eating is to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Ice packs will get the job done, but frozen bottles of water do double duty. After they melt (and the food’s been eaten), you’ll have cold drinks on hand for everyone.

  • Corkscrew/Bottle Opener

If you’re packing wine, beer, or bottles of soda, be sure to toss a corkscrew with a bottle opener in your bag. (Bonus points for packing plastic cups with sturdy, flat bottoms too.)

  • Wet Wipes

Pre-moistened wipes will keep hands clean and help clean up sticky spills, even if there’s no running water nearby.

  • Salt and Pepper

Seasoning is a small thing, but goes a long way in making your picnic feel more thoughtful—especially if you happen to be eating fried chicken.

  • Paper Towels

You never know when you might have a big spill on your hands. And a roll of paper towels won’t blow away like a stack of napkins will.

  • A Tray

If you’re eating on the ground, a lightweight plastic or enamel tray will provide a smooth surface to prevent drinks from toppling over.

  • Serving Spoons

Cutlery is essential, of course, but don’t forget a large spoon or two for serving food.

  • Folding Knife

A small folding knife will come in handy for a variety of jobs, and is essential if you’re serving meats and cheeses.

  • Cutting Board

A lightweight cutting board is also a good idea if cheese is on the menu, or if you’re slicing sandwiches or fruit.

  • Trash Bags

Always throw a trash bag or two in your bag for easy clean up when the picnic’s over. Even if there are plenty of trash cans nearby, your own bag will save you from having to walk back and forth to throw everything away.

Don’t have a nifty place to go for a picnic? Easy peasy! Just play this video and pretend. It doesn’t even have to be a beach, it could be a beautiful waterfall in the heart of the rainforest.

All this traveling around from beach to rainforest is making me hungry. Here’s a cool recipe for a picnic basket pie.. super cool… not so easy to bake, but definitely worth the effort.

I saw this on The Great British Baking Show, and I’ve been wanting to try it ever since.

Picnic Basket Pie

Ruby’s Picnic Basket Pie recipe appears in the The Final episode of Season 2 of The Great British Baking Show. It’s a savory pie filled with layers of deliciousness. Here’s a pic of what it looks like inside that yummy little picnic basket pie.

This recipe is for a savory pie, but I think it would be equally yummy if it had layers of apples, walnuts, and cinnamon. The most important aspect when it comes to the filling is that it not be juicy. If it gets juicy while baking, the crust will be soggy. So if you opt for a fruit and cheese filling – cook the fruit first.

Ingredients

For the pastry:

  • 600g/1lb 5oz plain flour
  • 300g/10½oz unsalted butter, at room temperature but not soft
  • salt
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 50ml/2fl oz milk, to brush
  • 1 free-range egg, beaten, to glaze

For the roasted vegetables:

  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 2 medium red onions, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, in whole cloves, skin on, lightly crushed under fork
  • 3 Romano red peppers, chopped
  • 1 large courgette, chopped *(see note below)
  • 1 aubergine, chopped into 1cm/½in cubes *(see note below)
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the filling:

  • 100g/3½oz couscous
  • 90g/3¼oz sun-dried tomato paste
  • 250g/9oz halloumi *(see note below)
  • 100g/3½oz mozzarella, grated
  • small bunch fresh oregano
  • small bunch fresh basil

For the caramel

  • 100g/3½oz caster sugar
Directions

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

For the pastry, rub the butter into the flour using your hands until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 150ml/5fl oz water and bring the mixture together to form a dough (be careful not to overwork it). Wrap the dough in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

For the roasted vegetables, lightly oil a roasting tray with sunflower oil, and arrange the onions, garlic, peppers, courgette and aubergine on the tray. Toss to coat the vegetables in oil.

Roast for 30-40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside to cool.

For the filling, put the couscous in a bowl and add enough boiling water to just cover it. Cover the bowl and let it stand for 5-10 minutes.

When the water has been absorbed, use a hand-held blender to blend half of the couscous with the sun-dried tomato paste. Combine with the unblended couscous. Season with salt and pepper and set aside in the fridge.

Slice the halloumi, pat dry with kitchen paper and dry-fry until brown spots appear. Flip it over and fry the other side in the same way. Leave to cool.

To make the pastry basket, divide the pastry dough into four portions: 350g/12oz for the case, 300g/10½oz for the lattice ‘basket’, 150g/5½oz for the lattice lid, and 100g/3½oz for the handle and other extras.

Roll out the pastry dough for the lattice to about 3mm thick, keeping the pastry cold (return it to the fridge for five minutes to chill if required).

Cut five strips 2cm/1in wide. The strips need to be long enough to go down one side of the tin, across the width of the base and up other side of tin, leaving a slight overhang each side. The strips will be about 25-30cm/10-12in long (depending on the size of the tin).

Lay the strips inside the tin – spacing the strips evenly along the length of the tin.

Cut four strips also 2cm/1in wide and the same length as the tin (two strips for each long side of the tin). Place one strip flush with the tin’s base and the other about two-thirds of the way up. Weave the strips in an out of the vertical strips to make a lattice. Where the strips overlap, brush with a little water or milk and press into place.

Freeze the tin with the lattice inside.

Meanwhile, roll out the pastry for the case into a rectangle big enough to line the base and sides of the tin. Transfer the pastry rolled pastry to the fridge to rest.

Make a rectangular lattice for the hamper lid, cutting long strips of pastry, and interweaving them (it’s best to do this on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper). Leave small gaps between rows so there are holes in the lid where any steam can escape during cooking. Rest the pastry in the fridge.

Make a basket handle and two buckles out of the remaining pastry (you can mould the handle over a piece of scrunched up tin foil). Transfer to the fridge to rest.

Brush the inside of the frozen lattice with milk and line it with the rolled pastry case, pressing lightly to stick the case to the lattice. Rest it in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Remove the garlic cloves from the cooled roasted vegetables and discard.

To fill the pie, lay half of the couscous on the bottom (this will soak up any liquid) and pack it firmly by pressing it down. Layer the vegetables, halloumi and grated mozzarella on top. Sprinkle over the oregano and basil. Top with the remaining couscous, again pressing down. Make sure all layers are tightly packed.

Brush the edges of the pastry with milk, then slide the lattice lid into place from the greaseproof paper. Press the edges to seal. Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg.

Bake for 50 minutes.

Bake the pastry buckles, hinges and handles separately for 10-15 minutes towards the end of the pie’s cooking time.
Remove the pie from the tin and brush the sides with beaten egg. Return it to the oven and bake for another three minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

For the caramel, melt the sugar in a pan with a couple of tablespoons of water. Do not stir. Let it reach a light golden-brown colour.

Dip the handle ends and buckles into the caramel and stick them to the pie (caution: melted sugar is very hot. Take care not to burn yourself). Hold in place while the caramel sets.

Tips/Techniques
  • Equipment and preparation:

You will need a 900g/2lb loaf tin (preferably with straight, rather than curved, sides) and a hand-held blender.

Notes:
  • What is a courgette?

Zucchini (/zuːˈkiːniː/, American English) or courgette (/kʊərˈʒɛt/, British English) is a summer squash which can reach nearly a meter in length, but is usually harvested immature at 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 in). In the British Isles, a fully grown zucchini is referred to as a marrow.

  • What is an aubergine?

Brit term for what is called an Eggplant in the US. Also refers to the deep purple color associated with the commonly available type of eggplant.

  • What is Halloumi?

Halloumi is a Cypriot firm, brined, slightly springy white cheese, traditionally made from a mixture of goat and sheep milk, although these days cow’s milk is also used.

Here’s a pic of the finished basket: 

Cocktails anyone?

Sweet and fruity with a hint of coconut, it is just the thing to sip on a warm beach while you watch the waves come in.

Fantasy Island Cocktail

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces coconut rum
  • 1 ounce melon liqueur
  • 2 ounces pineapple juice
  • Pineapple chunk
  • Maraschino cherries

Directions:

Combine rum, melon liqueur and pineapple juice in an ice-filled shaker. Shake well, strain into martini glass. Granish with pineapple wedge and cherries.

Makes one drink

Beach Art

I also thought it might be fun to browse google for beach art, and find some images to use as wallpaper for my computer, or my phone. Maybe I’ll even post some as a “where I’d rather be” on Facebook. Do you see anything you like?

Not big on the beach art? No worries… here’s some cool hammock art to choose from:

Sources:

How About A Little Hypnotherapy?

Hypnosis, also referred to as hypnotherapy or hypnotic suggestion, is a trance-like state in which you have heightened focus and concentration. Hypnosis is usually done with the help of a therapist using verbal repetition and mental images. When you’re under hypnosis, you usually feel calm and relaxed, and are more open to suggestions.

Hypnosis can be used to help you gain control over undesired behaviors or to help you cope better with anxiety or pain. It’s important to know that although you’re more open to suggestion during hypnosis, you don’t lose control over your behavior.

Although hypnosis has been controversial, most clinicians now agree it can be a powerful, effective therapeutic technique for a wide range of conditions, including pain, anxiety and mood disorders. Hypnosis can also help people change their habits, such as quitting smoking.

Because the word “hypnosis” makes some people nervous, the more popular term these days is “Guided Meditation.” I found a couple of videos on YouTube that I thought might be pertinent to this project. Here they are:

There are plenty of other videos on YouTube, go exploring and see if you can find something that works for you.

Focus On Freedom

I love this image. Just looking at it inspires me to simply let go of all my excess baggage and just float. To go along with the image, and the theme of Freedom (it is, after all the Fourth of July), I found a video with a nice little meditation for letting go. Here it is. Enjoy!

If you prefer to watch it on YouTube, here’s the link: Free Your Mind

Abundance Formula Video Playlist

Here’s a playlist of all the videos uploaded for this project. Not all of them are on this play list because I have limitations as to how large of a file I can upload here, so the rest can be found at Astrius’ YouTube Channel: Astarius Miraculii

If He Can – I Can

In February 2013, Faujah Sing became the oldest person to run a marathon at age 101, completing a 6.25 kilometer race in Hong Kong in one hour, 32 minutes, and 28 seconds. Astonishingly, Sing only came to racing at age 89 after losing his wife and son, but has since completed eight competitive races.

Here’s a video:

His story is as follows:

Fauja Singh was born on April 1, 1911, in the village of Beas Pind, Punjab. Young Fauja was scrawny and sick as a child, often bullied by other children who called him “danda”, Punjabi for “as thin as a stick.” Fauja did not develop the ability to walk until he was five years old. His legs were thin and weak, and he could hardly walk long distances.

He never went to school – instead, Fauja became a farmhand. Initially he would assist with odd chores like minding the cattle. But later, he began to help with tilling of the land and growing staple crops like wheat and maize.

Working hard in the fields, Fauja grew into a strapping lad, tall and handsome, his traumatic early years as a sickly thin child quickly forgotten. He’d now reached a marriageable age and his parents soon found him a suitable bride, Gian Kaur.

Fauja and Gian quickly settled into a domestic routine. Fauja worked on the farm and wife Gian Kaur managed the house. Over the years, they had six children, three boys and three girls.

The proud parents watched as the children grew up, completed their education and began looking for jobs to begin their careers. Also, now came the responsibility of getting them married. One by one the children married and/or found jobs abroad in Canada and England and left Punjab. All except one – Kuldip and his wife decided to stay back and help Fauja and Gian with the farm.

The years rolled by.

In 1992, Fauja’s wife Gian Kaur passed away. Fauja shed many tears but accepted his fate and carried on. He was 81 now, he’d come a long way.

Then, in 1994, tragedy struck again. His son Kuldip, who had been taking care of his parents all this time, was killed right in front of Fauja’s eyes in a construction accident. Fauja’s world turned upside down. His grief knew no bounds and life became empty for him thereon.

Now almost 83 and unable to bear the loss of his beloved wife and son, each day became a burden for Fauja. It was then that his children, who were by now well settled abroad, decided to bring their father to stay with them. Fauja eventually moved to London to stay with his son Sukhjinder and his family; this was in the late 1990s.

Though happy to be with his son, Fauja was still grieving inside; he just couldn’t come to terms with the loss of Kuldip, and his mind was still in India.

However, like many others his age, Fauja too may have soon come to turns with this tragedy, spent his old age with his children and died a peaceful death. But life was about to take a glorious turn for this octogenarian.

While watching television one evening, Fauja heard the anchor of a show inviting people to participate in the upcoming London marathon.

This woke Fauja up from his slumber; he was back to his childhood days when he used to run errands for the family, tearing up and down the village streets. Well, that was almost six decades or so ago; he was now 89, not a youngster by any means. Nevertheless, Fauja, who had by now taken tentative steps out of the house to enjoy an early morning jog with members of his community, decided he’d give the London marathon a try.

He, of course, had absolutely no clue what a marathon was.

Asking around, he was introduced to Harmander Singh, an athletic coach and a marathon runner himself.

Fauja explained to Harmander that he wanted to participate in the upcoming London marathon, hardly a couple of months away. Harmander is said to have shaken his head in disbelief. Fauja wouldn’t relent, he had made up his mind and nothing was going to change it. Eventually, Harmander agreed to coach Fauja.

Here is an oft-repeated anecdote from the first day of training: it is said that Fauja turned up for training in a three-piece suit. Harmander was taken aback and had to chide Fauja that this attire was not exactly suitable for running a marathon.

With coach Harmander guiding him, Fauja finally began his training in right earnest. At long last he had a new goal in life and he began to come out of his shell.

On race day of the 2000 London marathon, Fauja was one amongst the teeming tens of thousands who had turned up from around the world to participate in this prestigious event.

The race began and Fauja ran alongside his coach, Harmander Singh. Six hours and 54 minutes later, Fauja crossed the finish line – he had run 26 miles and 365 yards. At age 89, he was a marathoner, having just completed his first marathon race, the 2000 London marathon.

When asked how he managed to run the 26-mile marathon, Fauja replied: “The first 20 miles are not difficult. As for the last six miles, I run while talking to God.”

Fauja entered the London marathon again in 2001, but this time with a record at stake. He needed to beat 7 hours 52 minutes to be the fastest marathoner alive over age 90. He broke the record by 57 minutes!

When he turned 92, Fauja successfully competed in three marathons in the space of six and a half months, another remarkable record.

Fauja Singh would eventually become the oldest marathon runner, having participated in eight marathon races from 2000 to 2011.

His personal best would be achieved in the 2003 Toronto marathon in Canada, where he clocked an astonishing 5 hours 40 minutes in the 42.195 km race – a stunning record for a 92-year-old runner.

When asked about the secret of his running prowess and his longevity, Singh has said there is no secret formula: “My diet is simple — phulka, dal, green vegetables, yoghurt and milk. I take lots of water and tea with ginger. I go to bed early, taking the name of my rabba (God) as I don’t want all those negative thoughts crossing my mind.”

Source: The Better India

I Can Do Anything

I’m pretty sure we could all use some of this little girl’s energy, enthusiasm, and excitement about life!

Here’s a little more about this video:
Jessica has a day where she’s feeling … really good about her life.

++++FAQ for this video ++++

Q: How old was Jess at the time of the video?
A: She’d turned 4 about 6 weeks before the video was shot.

Q: How old is she now?
A: Depends on when you’re reading this, but she was born in late October of 1997.

Q: What does she say at the beginning?
A: Though some claim they hear the word “assert” – as in assertive – she’s actually saying I can be a “shark” – but it sounds like “sark” because she was incapable of making “sh” sounds at this time.

Q: Are you sure she’s not saying “I can be a SARK?” Her daily affirmations are consistent with the teachings of the author SARK.
A: This is an interesting coincidence, but a coincidence nonetheless.

Q: Does she say, “I like my ‘elephants’?”
A: More than one person has thought that, but she’s actually saying I like my “Allisons.” Allison is her aunt.

Q: Does Jess have more than one mom? She says I like my “moms.”
A: No, she just has one mom and one dad (me.) For some reason she was “pluralizing” several things in her “like list.” That’s why she says “Allisons” and “cousins” (she only has one.)

Q: What does she say at the 22 second mark?
A: I really don’t know, though I do have a theory now: this video was taken right around Christmas-time, and it ALMOST sounds like she’s saying “I like my presents.” So that’s what I think it is – but I could be wrong.

Q: Did she do this affirmation every day?
A. Yes, until the age of seven. … Just kidding. 🙂 I think this was a day when the video camera was out, so there was an element of “putting on a show” – but Jessica still meant every word. Though she may have been hamming it up a bit, she was sincere in the things she was saying.

Q: Did you teach her that she could “anything better than anyone?” Isn’t that a little wrong?
A: Some people have had an issue with her saying this, but it’s not something that we taught her. And I’ve never seen her (even all these years later) say anything like this to anyone. I suspect it was probably the expression of some inner confidence that she just happened to express outwardly on this one particular day.

When Your Goal Is Impossible

When I was researching inspirational, motivational stuff to encourage us as we work on this project, I found a short article about a movie about survival, grit, determination, and a refusal to give up. It’s about a plane carrying an Uruguayan rugby team went down in the Andes mountains 38 years ago.

The film brings to life the experiences of 29 people who survived the crash and struggled to remain alive in the snow and freezing temperatures of the Andes for three interminably long months. An avalanche takes the lives of eight of them one morning. Five others die from their injuries and exposure during the ordeal. After learning by radio that efforts to find them had been called off, two of the survivors set out on an impossible odyssey to breach the Andes and send a rescue team back.

At one point during their quest one of them calls to his friend, “Come up here, man, you’ve got to see this, it’s beautiful.” The audience thinks he sees civilization. The camera pans to his view to show a nauseating infinity of snow-capped mountain peaks. No end in sight.

His friend says, “We’re going to die up here.” And the other replies, “Do you know what it is that we made it this far? It’s impossible, that’s what it is. If we’re going to die, we’re going to die walking.”

They breach the Andes. They find their way to the green valleys of Chile and make contact with the outside world. The closing scene of the film is of the survivors hearing helicopter engines and then seeing the choppers come into full view, with the two friends that saved them waving from inside.

I found the full version of the movie on YouTube, in case anyone wants to watch it. There’s also a book, it’s Miracle in the Andes by Nando Parrado.

Posts
Current Project

Our current project began on July 4. We are exploring the concept and practice of Radical Self Care . Feel free to join in at any time!

Interested? You can visit our current project page, or you can take a look at the About The Project page if you are curious about the concept.

.

Please feel free to join in at any time! No experience necessary.

Project Countdown
Ask Ganesh
Abundance Chants & Raps
  • Money Chant - Fast 
  • Money Chant - Slow
  • Prosperity Plan 
  • Amazing Creator 
  • Cause and Effect 
  • I Am That I Am 
  • Spirit Rap 
  • Lakshmi Spirit Rap 
  • PowWow Spirit Rap 
Find Us On Facebook
Quotable
Whenever cannibals are on the brink of starvation, Heaven, in its infinite mercy, sends them a nice plump missionary. ~-Oscar Wilde
Ask The Occulatum
Enter your question and receive the wisdom of the Occulatum. You may pose your question in any way that feels appropriate. The answer will come in the form of a small pop up. Try it - your life just might change for the better!

This script brought to you by JAVAFILE.COM

It’s a Calendar!
March 2024
M T W T F S S
« Aug    
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031


I think it's time to go shopping... maybe even buy some really cool stuff at my online shops!!

Archives
Counting Visitors