We may not always agree with politics or have voted for the person in the office but I think we can agree we live in the greatest country and having a President of the United States makes all the difference.
Melinda
Let’s Celebrate President’s Day
Category: Celebrate Life
What is Love — Guest Blogger Explorations in Psychotherapy
What Is Love? “Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing, and forgiving. Through good and bad times, it is loyalty. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses.” Ann Landers. “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” Emily Bronte. […]
What is Love — Explorations in Psychotherapy
Today in History February 20, 2022
Welcome to the Weekend Edition of Today in History. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the post. Have an awesome weekend.
1985
Ireland allows sale of contraceptives
In a highly controversial vote on February 20, 1985, the Irish government defies the powerful Catholic Church and approves the sale of contraceptives.
Up until 1979, Irish law prohibited the importation and sale of contraceptives. In a 1973 case, McGee v. The Attorney General, the Irish Supreme Court found that a constitutional right to marital privacy covered the use of contraceptives. Pressured by strong conservative forces in Irish society, particularly the Roman Catholic Church, the government was slow to change the law to reflect the court’s decision, and a number of proposed bills failed before reaching the books.
1998
Tara Lipinski becomes youngest Olympic figure skating gold medalist
On February 20, 1998, 15-year-old Tara Lipinski wins the gold medal in women’s figure skating at the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, and becomes the youngest gold medalist in her sport. Lipinski donned her first pair of skates at age six. In 1994, at age 12, she won a gold …read more
1962
John Glenn becomes first American to orbit Earth
From Cape Canaveral, Florida, John Herschel Glenn Jr. is successfully launched into space aboard the Friendship 7 spacecraft on the first orbital flight by an American astronaut. Glenn, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps, was among the seven men chosen by the National …read more
1997
Kramer on “Seinfeld” adopts a highway
An episode of the hit TV sitcom “Seinfeld” titled “The Pothole” airs for the first time on February 20, 1997; it includes a story line in which the character Kramer adopts a stretch of the fictional Arthur Burghardt Expressway through the real-life Adopt-a-Highway program. The …read more
1792
Postal Service Act regulates United States Post Office Department
On February 20, 1792, President George Washington signs legislation renewing the United States Post Office as a cabinet department led by the postmaster general, guaranteeing inexpensive delivery of all newspapers, stipulating the right to privacy and granting Congress the …read more
Melinda
Age is just a number — Guest Blogger Happy Healthy Me – a Journey
‘Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever’ – Walt Disney Do you ever wish you were younger? Or older? It seems that wherever we are in life we’d quite like to be somewhere else! In our teenage years we often wish we were older, maybe so we can get into that […]
Age is just a number — Happy Healthy Me – a Journey
Fun Facts That Will Amaze You
I’m so glad you are enjoying Fun Facts. I learn something new each week, even if it’s weird. I love hearing your comments!
The different colors of Froot Loops cereal all taste the same—they’re not individual flavors. (time.com)
What’s inside a Kit Kat? Broken Kit Kats that are damaged during production—they get ground up and go between the wafers inside, along with cocoa and sugar. That’s a way to not let anything go to waste! (today.com)
Pound cake got its name because the original recipe required a pound each of butter, flour, sugar and eggs. That’s a lot of cake—but it was meant to last for a long time.
The difference between jam and jelly is that jam is made with mashed up fruit while jelly is made with fruit juice. (bonapetit.com)
Preserves are like jam but made with more whole fruit. Marmalade is preserves made from citrus fruit
Enjoy!
Melinda
#Weekend Music Share *Harry Styles – Landslide with Stevie Nicks (One Night Only at The Forum)
Welcome back to Weekend Music Share; the place where everyone can share their favorite music.
Feel free to use the ‘Weekend Music Share‘ banner in your post, and don’t forget to use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.
Melinda
Friday Quote 2/18/2022
So glad you stopped by today, I look forward to your comments each week.
Melinda
Wordless Wednesday*Sunset over Gulf Shores
Thanks for stopping by today, I appreciate your comments each week.
Melinda
The Many Meanings of a Smile —Guest Blogger Explorations in Psychotherapy
“smile though your heart is breaking…”
The Many Meanings of a Smile — Explorations in Psychotherapy
Happy Valentine’s Day
I remember when as a child my mother would buy a box of Valentine’s cards and we would give them to the kids in our class. In high school, you could buy a card or send a rose to a friend and that was so much fun!
Happy Valentine’s day to all my friends out there and I hope you have a special day. Do something special for yourself!
Melinda
Today in History February 13, 2022
Welcome to the Weekend Edition of Today in History. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the post. Have an awesome weekend.
1920
League of Nations recognizes perpetual Swiss neutrality
The League of Nations, the international organization formed at the peace conference at Versailles in the wake of World War I, recognizes the perpetual neutrality of Switzerland on February 13, 1920. Switzerland was a loose confederation of German-, French-, and Italian-speaking …read more
1633
Galileo arrives in Rome to face charges of heresy
On February 13, 1633, Italian philosopher, astronomer and mathematician Galileo Galilei arrives in Rome to face charges of heresy for advocating Copernican theory, which holds that the Earth revolves around the Sun. Galileo officially faced the Roman Inquisition in April of that …read more
1965
First Medal of Honor action
The earliest military action to be awarded a Medal of Honor is performed by Colonel Bernard J.D. Irwin, an assistant army surgeon serving in the first major U.S.-Apache conflict. Near Apache Pass, in southeastern Arizona, Irwin, an Irish-born doctor, volunteered to go to the …read more
1689
William and Mary proclaimed joint sovereigns of Britain
Following Britain’s bloodless Glorious Revolution, Mary, the daughter of the deposed king, and William of Orange, her husband, are proclaimed joint sovereigns of Great Britain under Britain’s new Bill of Rights. William, a Dutch prince, married Mary, the daughter of the future …read more
1914
ASCAP is founded
“If music did not pay, it would be given up.” So wrote Associate Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes in a landmark Supreme Court decision in 1917. Holmes wasn’t referring to musicians themselves in that statement, but to places of business in which copyrighted musical works could be …read more
Melinda
Fun Facts That Will Amaze You
I’m so glad you are enjoying Fun Facts. I learn something new each week, even if it’s weird. I love hearing your comments!
German chocolate cake doesn’t come from Germany. It was named for a person, Sam German, who created a type of baking chocolate for Baker’s in 1852. (npr.org)
Hawaiian pizza was created in Ontario, Canada, by Greek immigrant Sam Panopoulos in 1962. (cbc.ca)
Almost all commercially grown artichokes, 99.9 percent, come from California. One town in particular, Castroville, is nicknamed “the Artichoke Capital of the World.” (visitcalifornia.com)
The different colors of Froot Loops cereal all taste the same—they’re not individual flavors. (time.com)
What’s inside a Kit Kat? Broken Kit Kats that are damaged during production—they get ground up and go between the wafers inside, along with cocoa and sugar. That’s a way to not let anything go to waste! (today.com)
Enjoy!
Melinda
#Weekend Music Share *Paula Abdul – Straight Up (Official Music Video)
Welcome back to Weekend Music Share; the place where everyone can share their favorite music.
Feel free to use the ‘Weekend Music Share‘ banner in your post, and don’t forget to use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.
Melinda
Friday Quote 2/11/2022
So glad you stopped by today, I look forward to your comments each week.
Melinda
Waking up right with good sleep hygiene —Guest Blogger The Mental Minute
Sleep and I have a bizarre relationship. It takes me forever to fall asleep most days because I simply cannot turn my mind off. Either it’s filled with anxiety-ridden worry-thoughts like Are you SURE you turned off the stove? Or a slew of self-defeating thoughts like What if you aren’t good enough? I would stay […]
Waking up right with good sleep hygiene — The Mental Minute
How to Nurture your Gifted Child —Guest Blogger bryandunst
Bryan Dunst discusses how you can nurture your gifted child.
How to Nurture your Gifted Child — bryandunst
Wordless Wednesday*Deep Water
Thanks for stopping by today, I appreciate your comments each week.
Melinda
Today in History February 6, 2022
Welcome to the Weekend Edition of Today in History. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the post. Have an awesome weekend.
1952
King George VI dies; Elizabeth becomes queen
On February 6, 1952, after a long illness, King George VI of Great Britain and Northern Ireland dies in his sleep at the royal estate at Sandringham. Princess Elizabeth, the oldest of the king’s two daughters and next in line to succeed him, was in Kenya at the time of her father’s death; she was crowned Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953, at age 27.
1928
Woman claiming to be Anastasia Romanov arrives in the U.S.
On February 6, 1928, a woman calling herself Anastasia Tschaikovsky and claiming to be the youngest daughter of the murdered Russian czar Nicholas II arrives in New York City. She held a press conference on the liner Berengaria, explaining she was here to have her jaw reset. It …read more
1937
“Of Mice and Men” is published
John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men, the story of the bond between two migrant workers, is published. He adapted the book into a three-act play, which was produced the same year. The story brought national attention to Steinbeck’s work, which had started to catch on in 1935 …read more
1891
Dalton Gang commits its first train robbery
The members of the Dalton Gang stage an unsuccessful train robbery near Alila, California–an inauspicious beginning to their careers as serious criminals. Bob, Emmett, and Grat Dalton were only three of Lewis and Adeleine Dalton’s 10 sons. The brothers grew up on a succession of …read more
1943
Mussolini fires his son-in-law
Wary of his growing antiwar attitude, Benito Mussolini removes Count Galeazzo Ciano, his son-in-law, as head of Italy’s foreign ministry and takes over the duty himself. Ciano had been loyal to the fascist cause since its inception, having taking part in the march on Rome in …read more
Melinda
18 reasons why walking is good for you! — Guest Blogger Happy Healthy Me – a Journey
‘Walking is a man’s best medicine’ – Hippocrates You’ve no doubt heard that we should all be aiming to walk 10,000 steps every day. But did you know that this figure actually came about from a Japanese advertising slogan, rather than being based on medical science? Honestly – google it!! The important thing is that […]
18 reasons why walking is good for you! — Happy Healthy Me – a Journey
Fun Facts That Will Amaze You
I’m so glad you are enjoying Fun Facts. I learn something new each week, even if it’s weird. I love hearing your comments!
It’s impossible to hum while holding your nose (just try it!).
Skin is the body’s largest organ.
The earth’s circumference is 24,900 miles. (nasa.gov)
All of an adult human’s blood vessels, if laid out end to end, would be about 100,000 miles, so they could encircle the earth four times. (fi.edu)
According to recent research, the human nose can distinguish at least a trillion different odors. (nature.com)
Enjoy!
Melinda
4 Mental Health Benefits Of Gardens
It’s hard to believe that two centuries ago, most people didn’t have access to a garden. The best they could hope for was a park. Today, though, things are different. The majority of people have a garden at the back of their home where they can feel a little closer to nature.
And that’s good news: gardens can work wonders for your mental health. Here’s how:
They Improve How You View Yourself
For some people, just watching seeds they’ve planted grow into full-grown plants can be an extremely edifying experience. You’re doing something that is allowing life to flourish – and that can make you feel great. Spending time in nature to better your mental health is ideal and recommended, which is evident from the Second Nature Utah Reviews. Going to an outdoor therapy retreat can be incredible for your well-being and mental health, which is something you might wish to try if you want to work on yourself.
They Let You Relax
Do you remember lounging around in summerhouses while you were young, reading a book without a care in the world? If so, you’ll know all about the incredible calming powers of gardens.
Just spending a couple of hours in the garden can be enough to allow the stress to drain from your body. The person who steps back into the house after lounging in the sun is not the one who stepped out of it two hours before.
They Encourage Exercise
Because you have more space, you’re much freer to move your body in the garden than you are in the house. In turn, this helps to elevate your mood. Your brain releases a host of feel-good hormones that circulate around your body, changing how you feel.
They Make You Feel More Connected To Nature
As modern humans, we’ve largely lost our connection to nature. We’ve forgotten that we’re not just strange aliens who arrived on Earth out of the blue but instead products of this planet. As such, we’re at our best when we’re in nature, enjoying its surroundings.
Sometimes, though, we forget this, particularly if we live in giant modern cities. Our built environment does not resemble nature and can leave us feeling alienated and lost, without really knowing why.
Having a garden helps to reverse this by putting you back in touch with your roots, if only in a small way. Many people report feeling sensations of biophilia when out in nature — the profound sense that “this is where I should be.” This alone can be enough to transform your mental health, reminding you that nature is bigger than it appears on the television screen.
Wrapping Up
Of course, even gardening comes with risks. Make sure that you don’t spend too long out in the sun to avoid skin damage. Drink plenty of water when outside.
Gardening can lead to a host of bacterial and insect-borne illnesses. These include:
- Tick bites can lead to serious conditions, such as Lyme disease
- Legionnaires disease from bacteria in the soil or compost
- Tetanus and sepsis infections that result from dirt entering open wounds
- Itching, blistering, or rashes from poisonous plants
So long as you protect yourself, you should be safe in the garden. Simply spending more time outdoors can work wonders for your mental health, particularly if your job requires you to be in the office all week.
This is a collaborative post.
Melinda
#Weekend Music Share *Tears For Fears – Shout (Official Music Video)
Welcome back to Weekend Music Share; the place where everyone can share their favorite music.
Feel free to use the ‘Weekend Music Share‘ banner in your post, and don’t forget to use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.
Melinda
Friday Quote 2/4/2022
So glad you stopped by today, I look forward to your comments each week.
Melinda
February 2022 Winter Storm
We have one tree out front that lost several limbs due to ice. My husband had to go on the house and pull one larger limb off the roof. It’s beautiful outside of course that’s from the inside in the warmth. Tonight the roads are re-freezing and will be another morning with hundreds of accidents since people won’t stay off the roads.
Be Safe!
Melinda
Just Pondering
As much as we try to STAY POSITIVE, it’s completely NATURAL to have negative thoughts. It’s important that we don’t HOLD ON to them, though.
What thoughts do you need to LET GO OF?
Melinda
Wordless Wednesday*Feeling Blue
Thanks for stopping by today, I appreciate your comments each week.
Melinda
Mindful Self-Compassion — Guest Blogger Emma Pay
Most of us will react to things going wrong in our lives with shame and self-criticism. We ask ourselves what our problem is and why can’t we cope. This just creates further emotional distress and we seem to dig ourselves a hole that gets bigger and bigger with more emotions such as anger, despair, confusion, […]
Mindful Self-Compassion — Emma Pay
Chronic Illness and Marriage
When you get married you commit to for better or worse and in sickness and in health. You don’t think those two things will happen early in your marriage if you think about them at all. Marriage is full of ups and downs, good and bad, and is very hard at times. When you add a chronic illness to the mix it can get complicated. Not every person is ready for the better or worse, or in sickness and in health.
Sacrifices are essential to living with someone with a Chronic Illness. There were years where my husband had to fill my medicine case each week, cook every meal, do all the laundry, help me shower, get me dressed, help me in and out of the car, walk me up and down the stairs, the list goes on and on. I haven’t seen the inside of a grocery store in years.
He gave up several hobbies he loved to make sure there was always time to take care of my medical and mental health needs. It comes at a cost to the partner’s mental health. I encouraged him to seek counseling which he did and it helped a great deal.
My husband has been caring for me and my health since we first married. Long before Lyme Disease, an Immune Deficiency Disorder, and Fibromyalgia, there was my Mental Illness to care for. I have Bipolar Disorder, which is a serious Mental Illness that requires constant monitoring and several medications to stay well.
From the very beginning, he had to keep an eye out for signs and symptoms. Ask gently if I had taken my medication and help me deal with my depression when the Black Dog moved in.
One of the things I asked from the very beginning was for him to sit in on my appointments with my Psychiatrist. I wanted him to understand how sick I was and hear it from the doctor, to hear me talk to the doctor. This would prove immensely helpful in the years to come.
I had to trust him with the darkest part of myself, my Bipolar Disorder and it was difficult at first but I knew it was needed if our marriage was going to work. I had to trust that he would listen and learn but not take over my healthcare unless I was a harm to myself.
One critical step my husband took is put my health before his career, it was a huge guilt trip for me. He passed up promotions and great opportunities to travel so that I would not be home alone. Just last week his boss asked all of the VP’s to lunch and he had to decline due to the rising cases of Omacrom. Ouch, that burns sometimes!
The truth is I don’t know what I would have done over the past 20 years without his sacrifices. If you have a chronic illness make sure you are transparent in the struggle and what may be required of them. If a dating relationship can’t withstand that challenge then a marriage certainly won’t.
Melinda
Everyday Magic
Bella and Grace by Stampington
There are some people who appear to radiate light. Their kindness and spirit shine for all to see. Who are the people in your life that radiate light?
Why do they glow so brightly?
Enjoy your day!
Melinda
Addicts and pain meds 1/30 — Guest Blogger The daily addict
This is a tricky topic. But I will share my own experience in this area because it is all that I truly know. Coming into recovery I was taught by those who went before me that to be clean means I cannot take any mind or mood altering substances. IF they are prescribed for me […]
Addicts and pain meds 1/30 — The daily addict
Looking for the Light 