Thoughts on Dolly Parton

 

Thoughts on Dolly Parton.

We should all live like Dolly. To be remembered as a great lady!

She kept her femininity. 

Thoughts on Break Throughs

 

Can break downs lead to break throughs?

Absolutely.

Recipes for Life by Gina Meyers

 

Ingredients

Show Up

No more excuses

Just do it!

Be responsible

Be responsive

Be your own HERO

Write Your Own Story

Be Kind

Be Nice

Be Happy

Put God first

Mix all of these ingredients and you will have a recipe for a happy life. Guaranteed. 

Life Lessons I learned along the way by Gina Meyers

 

Many students are going back to school, some chose to take summer school and didn't get much of a break, but it got me thinking about all of the advice I have received through the years and all of the advice that I have given over the years.

I've worn many hats and continue to juggle a lot of different hats which makes me very unique and acrobatic. Jokes aside, if I knew what I know now, this is what I would have told myself. But, then again, perhaps I did hear it, but it didn't absorb. 

So marinate in this.

Remember:

#1

This is the time of your life.

I had to be reminded of this one last week when I decided to go to Yosemite at the last minute. 

A Trader Joes Bag reminded me of this sentiment.

Someday, when I'm old, I will look back on this moment as the happiest time of my life. 

Remember:

#2

Use your time wisely.

Remember:

#3

Handle your own problems before someone else handles them for you. You might not like how they handle your problems.

Remember:

#4

Life is a dance you learn as you go, sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow.

Gluten-free Banana Bread

 

Gluten-free Banana Bread

2 1/2 cups of gluten-free flour

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup of sugar

3 Tablespoons of vegetable oil

3 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder

1 teaspoon of salt

1/3 cup milk (or lactose free milk)

1 egg 

3 bananas

Walnuts (optional, chopped)

Directions: Mix all ingredients together. Pour bread in a loaf pan and grease the bottom with butter (dairy free butter) or cooking spray such as Coconut Cooking Spray. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top and bake in a 350 degree oven for 60 to 70 minutes or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. 

Life Lessons Learned by Gina Meyers

 

Many years ago, I wrote a series of books called: Life Lessons Learned. Some of the books that I remember off hand are Life Lessons Learned from My Cat, Life Lessons Learned from My Fortunes Inspiration Edition, Life Lessons Learned Through the Seasons of Change, and many other compilations. As the dog days of summer continue on, I thought I'd share a few life lessons I've learned along the way.  

In keeping with this theme, I was thinking of a few lessons I've learned along the way.

Here are a few in no particular order

Life Lesson I learned from my former pastor during a sermon entitled, "No one volunteers to help take down the Christmas Tree," is that people generally don't volunteer willingly for what they perceive is the unfun stuff. 

Life Lesson I learned from myself but my dad when I was little pointed it out. "You can do your job the mean way or the nice way." (This was in reference to wait staff at various San Francisco eateries when I was a preteen and teenager. I can it, "doing your job the mean way." Code = wait staff is not very pleasant, mediocre really. "Doing their job the nice way." Code= wait staff is very nice, deserves a big tip, should be thanked for excellent customer service. 

Life Lesson learned from Dr. Wayne Dyer. The Cookie Thief Story. The jist of the story is Dr. Dyer is on an airplane sitting next to a woman who he believes is eating his cookies and he's kinda miffed that she keeps eating them though he's offered her some of his. Later, he discovers that she had the same bag of cookies that he did and that he was actually eating from her bag as he found his in his knapsack later after the airplane ride. Life lesson, sometimes we think someone else is being petty and inconsiderate when in fact they are actually being kind and generous. 

Life Lesson learned from listening. When I listen, I learn.

Life Lesson from my mom. When I was a preteen and a teenager, we used to invite sales people to our home to share what they were selling. We would invite our friends to come listen to the presentations.  We had Amway over, Mellaluca, I believe, Mary Kay Makeup Sales Associates, A Rainbow Vacuum Sales person, Tupperware, and I think a woman who sold clothing based upon "your season". Anyway, the life lesson I learned is my mom always made the sales person feel welcome. She would make a big dinner and they'd eat with us. I remember one sales lady was shocked, she was like, "no one has ever made dinner for me before."

So I guess the other lesson is that do the unexpected, be kind and good will follow. 

 

This day in history by Gina Meyers

 

I was jamming to some 80's tunes and thought for a random moment, I wonder what happened this day, July 21, 1989?

All I can say is I was wildly surprised and let's get out the popcorn for a moment, this day in history was the movie premier of When Harry Met Sally. 

Other interesting facts emerged as well. There also was a wrestling match between Mike Tyson and Carl Williams which lasted only 93 seconds!

So, as I settle into my summer knowing just a few more weeks until the school year starts back up, I'm excited to learn that at whatever time I am living in, that July the 21st has always had some exciting things happen!

The Flight Crew

 

The flight crew was on their way to the hotel room when they got shanghaied which was fine by them. Apparently La Guardia closes at 2 am, another wrinkle. 

Mission Possible, my quick visit to Mission San Luis Obispo, by Gina Meyers

 

Mission Possible, my quick visit to Mission San Luis Obispo

The older I get, I start seeing everything as miracles.

Mission SLO, calm, peaceful, full of life, joy, a quiet stillness. 

A sort of quiet perfection, the simple things.

The Country Mouse and the City Mouse Revisited by Gina Meyers

 The Country Mouse and the City Mouse Revisited

By Gina Meyers

I still have my Richard Scarry books. My all-time favorite story in my Richard Scarry book is the story of the country mouse and the city mouse.

Now the country mouse decides to visit her cousin the city mouse in the BIG City. The city mouse welcomes her cousin to the city by offering a scrumptious meal of fine cheese on a large dining room table, the spread went on for miles. What the city mouse failed to tell her cause the country mouse was that there was a rather fat and angry cat who was not after cheese, rather was after mice, they were the meal!!!! The cat lived at the house in the city as well. In the end, the moral of the story was that the country mouse would rather dine in peace than be the potential meal and she quickly resorted back to her quiet and peaceful life in the country. I’ve always loved the hustle and bustle of the city. And I’ve always loved the peace and quiet of country living. I’ve never agreed with the moral of the story because country life has a lot of unknowns and hidden hazards as well. 

Mission Possible: Mission Santa Barbara by Gina Meyers

 Mission Possible 

Mission Santa Barbara

by Gina Meyers

Over the past couple of months, I’ve taken an interest in revisiting some of my favorite missions in California.

I’m discovering and uncovering a history rich like the soil on which the missions were established.

Converging simultaneously, new and old, a mixed vibe of tradition and upbeat newness tied together with a Santa Barbara vibe, the scent of the ocean redolent in the air, with a slight breeze and  yarny green grass which subtly asked for me to take off my sandals, which I obliged. Here in this atmosphere lies a mission built in 1786. With a chapel built for our King, Jesus Christ. 

The journey like the pilgrimage from France to Spain, “The Way of James” or The Camino Santiago, you get to taste the Santa Barbara culture with a vintage Volkswagen van selling coffee outside the mission, wafting through the air, a strong scent of freshly roasted coffee beans, a washing basin larger than any I’ve ever seen has a placard on it describing its history and is situated kiddy corner from the Vintage van, a working fountain with lily pads and fish swimming about,  and a rose garden with the most fragrant roses and one of the largest species of roses I’ve seen in a long time. The only other time I’ve seen that expansive of a rose garden was in Portland, Oregon. 

And then there’s the mission, and a butterfly garden and beautiful tiled mosaics with the 12 stations of the cross outside. 

The inside of the church (chapel) also is powerful looking if power has a look. It’s opulent with a richness in artwork that makes you really feel timeless. A statue of Mary adorns the altar of the church. I saw outstretched hands, some type of large statue and Fransican Friars in the traditional garb are present at the mission. 

Due to our tardiness, we stood in the back, right next to the holy water. The holy water brought great comfort to my surroundings as all of us pilgrims who were standing in the back quickly picked a spot on the massively red clay quarry tiles  to which to stand. 

As a third generation native Californian, our missions are part of the history of California. As a Christian Catholic, I also find the missions are a spiritual place and a divine respite from everyday life. 

They truly take you back in time which is what happened this past Sunday when I was treated to a traditional mass in the sacred halls of The Mission Santa Barbara. With the bishop in attendance and catechisms making their way to the altar. As I saw the young women wearing their beautiful silk long organza dresses with colorful flowers inlaid.  I was reminded of a time in childhood when I fought with my mother over what to wear to my 8th grade graduation from private school. My pink silk dress was reminiscent of the one Molly Ringwald wore in the movie,  Pretty In Pink, which came out a few years after the dress debacle.

Days like these remind me of why I am a Californian, why I gravitate towards tradition, and the uniqueness that missions provide to everyday potentially mundane life. A spark of imagination and reinvigoration in days ahead with solid souvenirs of memories. 

 

Low Fat Dessert by Gina Meyers

 

1 tub of low-fat cottage cheese

1 tub of cool whip lite

2 small jello *sugar free or 1 large jello any flavor

1 can sugar free fruit.

Follow directions on how to make the jello and add the other ingredient, drain the fruit, mix all ingredients and refrigerate. 

The Little Things, by Gina Meyers

 The little things. 

I took in the recyclables this morning. At my new house, I’ve been mainly throwing them in the recycle bin but at my significant other’s house I recycle. And, take it into the recycle center. 

It’s been a minute since I have done so, but it was fun to get back into a routine of sorts. 

So as I was leaving the recycle center, I realized I was one quarter away from the $3.00 I needed in order to do the $3.00 car wash, without breaking a $10.00 or a $50.00 bill.

So I decided I’d go to the Dollar Store and get a couple of things to break my $10.00.

Once I was ready to return to the Car Wash, I chose the only open spot to wash my car.

I walked up to the machine to turn my dollar bills into quarters to use the car wash. 

As I got ready to put the quarters in the machine, I noticed that the previous user left 6 quarters, a pay it forward of sorts.

Or perhaps forgotten quarters?

Whatever the reason, I smiled and was overjoyed to know that I didn’t need to worry about having enough quarters. I paid it forward and left a few quarters as well.

If The Devil Wears Prada, Then God Must Wear Gucci, by Gina Meyers

 

If the devil wear Prada, then God must wear Gucci was a random thought that I had. As a serial entrepeurner, I love combining food with fashion and anything in mode. Here are a few recipes that you can sink your teeth into. 

 

Easy Red Velvet Cake

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 ounce liquid red food coloring

3/4 cup water

1 yellow cake mix, with pudding in the mix

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon butter

4 tablespoons buttermilk

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Directions: Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, mix cocoa powder, red food coloring, and part of the water to form a paste. Next, add all of the other ingredients except the white vinegar. Blend for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes with a mixer on medium speed. Then add the vinegar and mix with a spatula. Pour the batter into a bunt or round cake pan, and bake for approximately 35 minutes. This recipe can be made into cupcakes as well.

Strawberry Blonde Cake

1 box of white cake mix

1 box, 3 ounces of strawberry gelatin

1 cup of oil

½ cup of milk

4 eggs 

1 cup of strawberries, mashed sweetened, not drained

Frosting

1 stick of butter, softened, unsalted, ½ cup

1 box (1 pound) of powdered sugar 

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all cake ingredients together and pour into a 9 x 11 inch pan or two smaller pans, the batter should not fill pans to the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Frosting: Cream butter and sugar together, add mashed strawberries until frosting is of spreadable consistency. Mix together frosting ingredients. If it is too thick, please add strawberries until it is the right consistency. You may also purchase strawberry frosting if you don’t want to prepare it.

The Empty Nest, by Gina Meyers

 The Empty Nest

By Gina Meyers

This morning, on my walk around the lake, I saw a dove on the fence. It was perched for an instant and then did a little dance and fluttered away. As I started to pick up the pace after reflecting for a moment, enjoying the doves dance, I saw a fluffy ball on the ground by a tree, I knelt down to pick up the brown, lighter than air ball. There was a covering made out of twigs, fluffy material and I picked it up. I immediately recognized that this was an empty bird's nest and as  I peered inside, seeing the white feathers inside this bird’s nest left behind, no longer needed. There was no shell, but there was a distinct feeling that what was once in this bird's nest no longer needed its nest. 

In my mind, it was no longer a tragedy, that some dog had eaten a baby bird, or some squirrel tossed the nest out of the tree, its’ safe harbor.

It was a new thought that I had never had before, maybe from a grateful, yet slightly bruised heart. 

The metaphor “empty nest” makes its way into my life as a familiar tome.

And memories from the past, flooding my present reality with the cruel reality that some baby birds never make it, and that their wings never get to see the light of day, a morning dewy morning, slightly foggy like the one I was experiencing this morning.

It also made me better not bitter for not fully seeing the baby birds struggles and how for some the journey towards flight isn’t always smooth sailing.

We focus way too much on “the empty nest” just like as we are entering the forty days of lent and we focus on “the empty tomb.” 

But the message of the empty tomb is one of hope in the end.

In Matthew 28: 1-10 The guards were afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. An angel said to the woman, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified, he is not here; he has risen, just as he said he would. Come and see the place where he lay.”

As silly as it sounds, the empty bird's nest brought me great comfort. I was able to ascertain any story I surmised about the future of the baby bird. But I was not concerned in the least for the mama bird or the daddy bird and their nurturing, what they were up to or where they had flown to.

The empty tomb conceptualizes the profound meaning of being victorious over death and the living resurrection of Jesus, his promise to us for eternal life. 

So maybe the empty nest can symbolize new hope and validate that some of those baby birds will grow up to build their own nests someday, the triumph of hope, power to believe in new beginnings and a redemptive spirit for all who believe.

Decluttering by Gina Meyers

 By Gina Meyers

Do you feel stuck a lot? Like your life is going nowhere fast? Or too busy? Or too busy doing things you don’t like but feeling too guilty to make a change? Do you feel like your stuff is getting in the way of your success? The bills are piling up? Does your life feel disorganized, your thinking clouded? Do you feel guilty when you buy something for yourself? Are you living your life to serve others and forgetting about your dreams?  Your life feels disorganized to some degree? Not a lot of joy, but obligation?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions then what I’ve journeyed for the past five months will help.

Without getting into all of the nitty gritty on what self-care has looked like for me, perhaps it would be easier to segment it down into a couple of things that have helped.

There is an old adage and it goes something like this, “you cannot change what you do not acknowledge.”

For some people, you instantly are willing to admit your failings and all of a sudden there are people in your life that are pouncing on your admittance of being human. 

“Tisk, tisk.”

So, don’t take them to task, rather know that you are moving in the right direction. I was beyond blessed to take a leap of faith and dive deeper into decluttering 101, also known as From Clutter to Clarity 2.0.

Quick question.

Have you ever tried to drive your car with your windshield dirty?

99.9% of us are gonna say yes.

It’s hard to see isn’t it?

You can’t see clearly where you are going because your view is blocked.

So, like many Americans, I have too much baggage. Metaphorically and physically. I’m trying to drive in many directions, but too many directions, too many road maps, too many jobs that I didn’t take on that I’m doing too.

I just need to drive the car and make sure there is a charge or gas in it and that the fuel is rich and journey is fruitful. 

So in more simple terms. 

Decluttering you ask? What’s that?

Well, the easiest way to put it is this, “decluttering is the act of unblocking the flow of energy in your space so that you can magnetize in what you desire.”

 But what I have learned by taking a Decluttering Class for the past six weeks is valuable in many respects. I took a mini course in the spring and another mini class in the fall and the teacher recommended I take a deeper dive off the diving board of my decluttering journey.

It works. That’s all I’m gonna say.

You’ve heard of mindful eating. Well mindful clearing and mindful cleaning brings for a better, more fully abundant life.

I heard Marie Kondo, the guru of the decluttering movement say something essentially important the day before my last decluttering class of the year. 

I was reminded of the phrase, “does it spark joy?”

Yesterday, on the way to a funeral, I kid you not, I was on Zoom with my Decluttering Friends and our journal prompt came up.

As I scurried for an extra envelope in the car or something to write on, I felt compelled to at least do one of the journal prompts before the wake.

What has shifted for me both externally and internally.

Before I felt more scattered, like I had to put others needs above my own. Now I own and claim my peace. I recognize that it is my life and my journey. It isn’t my business to try to convince others what works for me, I now know what I need and my feelings are my feelings. I see a lot of baggage, a lot of impatience and upheaval death is so final. 

I left it at that in the  car yesterday, but after hearing the story of the 95 year old man who passed, I came to a new realization. Smile, laugh, be positive, it will all work out. 

Love, it is the greatest gift, and when we share our true gifts and passions with the world, the world sings.

Can you hear the singing?

Can you see the smiles?

A very long time ago, I wrote a book that I never really promoted because it simply wasn’t accepted at the time and may never be a bestseller or even a book that could change someones life, but what I said at the end of that collection of journal writings had an impact on me and it was something like this: 

There are more than two ways to cross a street or cook a steak, as long as you survive you must have been doing something right.

…..

And a new thought.

Being human is a gift.

Now, go clean something.

Feng Shui for Open Houses

 

Feng Shui for Open Houses

Intro:
When it comes to selling your home, first impressions are everything. Beyond staging, Feng Shui principles can create a sense of harmony and positive energy that buyers feel the moment they walk in.

Key Sections:

1. The Entrance Matters

   • Clear clutter from the front door.

   • Place a healthy plant or flowers to invite energy in.

2. Balance the Five Elements

   • Wood: plants or wooden bowls.

   • Fire: candles or warm lighting.

   • Earth: pottery, crystals, or grounding colors like beige.

   • Metal: sleek frames, metallic accents.

   • Water: mirrors, fountains, or glass décor.

3. Declutter & Flow

   • Buyers need to see themselves in the space.

   • Remove personal items, excess furniture, and anything that blocks pathways.

4. Light & Air

   • Open windows, use sheer curtains, add mirrors to reflect natural light.

5. Room-by-Room Tips

   • Living room: balance seating, avoid blocking doors.

   • Kitchen: keep counters clear, add a bowl of fresh fruit.

   • Bedrooms: neutral colors, smooth bedding, remove electronics.

   • Bathrooms: fresh towels, plants, sparkling clean surfaces.

5 Keys To Being Unstoppable

 5 Keys to Being Unstoppable

As understood by Gina, learned from Sage Robbins, Tony Robbin’s wife.

Goal:

Less stress more fulfillment

Key 1

Choose to tidy up

Tidying Up

Be aware of no junk in

We are aware of what we put into our bodies.

Powerful, what are we feeding and put into our minds.

Digesting in our minds.

Excess social media, news, television.

No social media on our phone.

Turn off all news prompts and notifications, no interruptions.

What are we putting into our minds before we go asleep.

Wake up in the morning, do not look at the phone first.

Gratefulness.

Key 2

Cultivate Harmony

Choose Harmony

No  junk out

Powerful words

If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

Stop complaining, habitual.

Stop the hatefulness. Blessings will come by changing vernacular. Where is the gift in this? What is blessed?

Stop the gossip and trouble talk. Too many opinions. 

Share a broader perspective. Hear gossiping, don’t participate. Add a fuller perspective, something nicer. We can all go blind, miss.

Sin = miss. Compassion recognized we are all human.

Key 3

Choice to Take 100% responsibility.

What can we actually shift? 

Shift from the external blame, “he always does this.” As our finger points outward, point it back to ourselves.

Tidying up, being the mirror, choosing to go first is leadership, ownership. What does this sound like, feel like? 

Can we reset, can we begin again? Blaming separates us. We give the power away. 

Sage’s thought: 

I have never changed a single person on this planet, only we can change ourselves.

Key 4

Choose Your Tribe

Who we spend time with is who we become.

How we want to be. Powerful catalyst to have support of like minded individuals around us.

Resonance of common values.

Celebratory.

Key 5

Choose to be a blessing

Simple gesture, kindness, compliment.

Don’t dismiss our identities, they are these gifts of love and kindness.

Tiny Blessings by Gina Meyers

 

There is a book called, "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff". The book goes on to say that it is, "all small stuff."

Louise Hay, also stated many times that it is far better to have a positive thought than a negative thought. So a few months ago, by my espresso machine, I decided to write down my, "Tiny Blessings" for the day.

It's like a savings account, the more tiny blessings, the more I felt blessed.

Tiny Blessing 

Thank God for the checkout boy who said, "Look at you all in red, with your red purse, you are rocking it."

Tiny Blessing

Thank God for the lady in back of me at Savemart today who gave me a bag and .4 cents because I needed it.

Tiny Blessing

Thank God for the little boy who said "hello" to me first on my walk around my boyfriend's neighborhood 

Tiny Blessing

Thank God for the lady at CVS last week who when I was told by the cashier an even # on the cash register, she said, "hey, God did that!" "God is always doing those special things, don't forget it."

Tiny Blessing

Thank God I got to play a fun game of Scrabble on Sunday!

Tips to Declutter Your Life by Gina Meyers

 Tips to Declutter your Life, by Gina Meyers

Aren’t we all a product of our environments? I believe so, if I didn’t I wouldn’t have written and published my first book, second book, third book, etc. If I didn’t truly believe so, I wouldn’t have gotten on a stage in a foreign land to accept an award for a fundraising cookbook concept that I called, Hope for Haiti. I wouldn’t have convinced my relatives during the Gulf War to purchase Patriotic Buttons emblazoned with, “I Support The Troops”. In high school, I wouldn’t have convinced my fellow students to help me “tye dye diapers” for our Senior Project, which was Designer Drypers. Within weeks of my “idea”, one of my journalisim friends Brendan showed me the article from the San Jose Mercury Newspaper about FAO Swartz aquiring a Designer Diaper business or the fact that the name DRYPERS wasn’t invented until after I said it.

Before that incident, at the age of sixteen, I had a brainstorm, why not make college campus videos for parents and students who couldn’t travel too far from home. Some butthead at the SBA of San Francisco took one look at me, pointed to his neck, (of which he had a chain) and said, “see my idea it makes sense”, not yours. No funding and within months, I cut out a magazine article which did my idea.

The hit Netflix series “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” is inspiring people to keep possessions that "spark joy," and get rid of the rest.

So, maybe it's no surprise that the show may also be sparking an increase in thrift store donations around the country.

Lately, it seems like everyone has been talking about the new series from Kondo, the Japanese organizing expert who first came on the scene with her 2014 best-selling book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.”

The show follows Kondo as she helps people organize and clean out their homes using her unique “KonMari” method. Her approach to getting rid of possessions is elegant in its simplicity: Hold each item in your hands. If it “sparks joy,” keep it. If not, get rid of it.

The influencer here, of course, is Marie Kondo, a Japanese organizing consultant-turned-author whose book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, re-popularized the idea that the first step to achieving inner peace is to give away the useless piles of things you’ve accumulated over the years. (Per the KonMari method, you’re first encouraged to hold the stuff, think about the stuff, and thank the stuff for its service). The guru’s new Netflix show, Tidying Up With Marie Kondo, has drawn people further down the anti-hoarding rabbit hole: Binge all eight episodes and you might find yourself purging your earthly belongings.