Hi Everyone,

As it has been said by AM, this challenge is coming to an end in its official capacity, but we can keep it going in our personal lives and/or in bloggsville. This really is such a positive thing, and knowing that it was coming to its official close, I was thinking about a way to keep it going.

The last few days I've been listening to Coach's pod casts, and I thought maybe I could start a challenge where we listen to his podcast each day. We could score a point for listening, a point for commenting at the pod cast, and another for commenting on the challenge?!?! What do you think?

I've never started a challenge before, but there is always a first time for everything. I'm willing to give it a go, and if anyone has any ideas  - let me know!

ABMe 

to hear from you ABetterMe and Noy as always. I have always enjoyed reading your blogs and been motivated.  Can't believe this challenge is over already, I just learned to start giggling LOL.  

Puja you sure have been conspicuous by your absence. Waving to the other members here...Hope you all had fun here. 

cheers,

J

Good to see you out there Dr.J. Yeah! for genuine smiles in spite of uncertainty, stress, and "plates overflowing"! Boy! can I relate. 

Giggle On!ABMe 

What a week!  With my niece around, there's so much to cover.  How I wish for a 25-hours-of-eight-days-a-week regular schedule.  I feel like there's not enough time to go over so many things (reorganizing our place, sight-seeing, double emails and phone calls --- she's as "active" as her auntie, as well!  No complaint, though).  So, with all these ongoings, there's definitely lots and lots of GIGGLES involved.   How nice to reminisce the good old days.  "When the world and I were young, just yesterday ...",  as how an old favourite tune goes.  Shades of Gray, indeed.  Which of course means, it's not just giggles but other fun-filled memories  (tears of sadness and joy entailed ... typical!).  That is what makes life balanced, isn't it?

One different issue I'd like to add, by the way.

There's one wholesome challenge about to start in 6 hours time.  "Clear your Mind with a Daily Blog".  A good challenge, I believe.  Blogging each day with anything, on anything.  A very helpful therapy.  Good for the mind and spirits.  I used to blog religiously for more than a year until I put a halt to it for personal and health reasons (occasionally coming back on an irregular basis).  And I just realized that being a "come-back kid", posting, specifically on this "fine tuning challenge" did make me feel better and alive again.  I haven't posted for nearly 2 months in the Blogsland, confining my thoughts only in this arena (fine tuning ... giggles). 

So, I decided to join the other challenge (Clearing the Mind through Daily Blog).  I hope you'll find time to have a look at it and eventually join.

Have a lovely day, Folks!  Enjoy fine tuning your lives.  Keep up with your giggles! 

Sending you good thoughts, sunshine and joy.

See you in the "Daily Blog" challenge.

Cheers,

Autumn

Hi Everyone,

In Central NY the weather has been amazing, and the fall foliage is spectatular! I'm not sure how many laughs or giggles I got in yesterday, but I spent the day outside just doing yard work and enjoying the beauty! In about a month or so, I'll probably be enjoying snow! Ha! Hope everyone is having a great day!ABMe 

Happy giggles everyone!

I'm only posting the #1 each day since I can't seem to keep track how often I laugh.

I'm by nature a giggler and don't have a real, soft femine laugh...no, not this gal!  I let it rip!!  Laugh and fun.

Glad to see so many enjoying their days.

Hugs

Doll

Many of you may not have been born yet the time when this song was popular.  " ... so won't you please play a song, a sentimental song for a sentimental friend over there ...".  Now I suddenly remember the group, Herman's Hermit(s), I hope I'm not mistaken.  ABM, would this sound familiar?  Anyway, I'll echo your post a bit later.

I hope everyone (I mean each of you at this challenge) is having a lovely time and going about your bits and pieces (big or small) and making this week a great one.

Few thoughts.  CHRIS, I'll try my very best to inject more fun in the coming days.  Thanks for that giggle boost.  MARTIN, thanks for the early Sunday morning lift for a sunny yet chilly beautiful morning with a Scottish touch (I needed that this time).  COCO ... a lot of things in my mind.  We'll talk about it later, when things settle.  I know you love The Fab Four as much as I do.  I had just been replaying one of their famous tunes, "We Can Work It Out".  Savour it ... and think of my mushy thoughts when you do.

A number of good and not so good things happening on my end.  The good one first.  My favourite niece is visiting me and will stay until after New Year next year.  She's settling down and moving to another country and it will take time before we could see each other again.  Phone talk is just a dialing away but it's much better to have her for final bonding and binding.  I'm excited to see her but the not so good news had overpowered me prior to the weekend.  And this is where the story started.

My apology for not having been punctual the past days.  My emotional balance had been somehow destabilized by a little mishap.  No, there was no accident and definitely things are fine, health-wise.  I just felt sooooooo sad for a little twist that happened.  I must have been so focused and soaked in to other things ... I forgot to prioritize nurturing the soft spot in me.  I felt iffy the past days and it was justified by discovering a thing related to this unexplained raw feeling.  It's like coming home and finding out that your favourite frame is not longer hanging in its nominated spot.  My earlier feeling was justified.  I may be talking Greek and sound a bit odd but to fully explain ... I felt like somebody had died!  Few days ago, I dreamt of a close friend who run away and decided to come back because people who cared needed her.  How so very glad I was! ... and I woke up.  "... But that was just a dream, just a dream ... dream ...".  I remember we used to play a lot with this Michael Stipe's deeply symbolical song.  "... that's me in the corner, that's me in the spotlight, losing my religion ...".  Well, she must have really lost her religion (and had enough!).  And I do understand.

It was indeed a sombre mood.  I felt so lethargic during the weekend.  And I decided to call her (Saturday midnight and Sunday morning there).

We had a long talk (we usually have it mid-week ... ).   As I said, I did understand ... but I couldn't comprehend and I couldn't contain myself.  I felt so sad and alone.  And I did cry.  Like a child.  I've never felt so sad (I must have been in my vulnerable most because I havent' done it for quite sometime).  Alright, we communicate often by phone.  But still, it's different.  I just didn't think that things would be so sudden.  So abrupt.  As I said, I did and do understand because I relate with her most of the time.  We've tried to pull things together through thick and thin and despite those outside forces (tiny 'bumps') all along, we've managed.  From out of nothing, we did castle in the air.  We were a great team.  And no one can take that away from us.  We're still very much in communication.  Still few decisions did make a difference.  A gap, a void.  Empty.

Curtain closed.  Fin.   

ABYou (ABM).  You are sooooooo right.  Peace Pilgrim had the best means of balancing it all out.  Her simplistic approach to life - ridding of all obstacles (material entities) while pursuing her goal.   That PEACE be known all over the world.  She did walk the talk.  What an amazing woman!  She's indeed a cross between Gandhi and St. Francis de Assissi.  She practiced what she preached until her last year here on earth.  Ironically, she faced an untimely death shortly before her 74th birthday (in 1981).  I said ironically because the cause was a car crash (after 29 years of walking) while on the way to another speaking engagement.  I happen to grasp a bit about her 4 years ago.  A little story this time.  There was this great person (a seasoned journalist, meticulous writer, highly successful businesswoman, happily married, all things bright and beautiful happening to her).  She's the epitome of an almost perfect person (she's very beautiful, by the way).  I had been an avid follower of her for less than a year.  A further recap.   She lost her Dad, then her 2 dogs (one month apart).  Then she underwent a near-death experience.  They all came one after the after.  I felt disappointed not seeing her write again.  I know she was into a lot of soul searching.  Then I came across her on another sojourn.   She and her (Buddhist) husband embarked into a different calling.  They decided to dedicate their entire (remaining) life facing their calling, sharing joy with people, attending to few organizations for their altruistic goal,  and many more.  The latest that they're doing now is a going about the yearly  Medjugorjie pilgrimage.  Being there full time and giving their full service to the cause.   Her new name?  Peace Pilgrim.  In memory of Mildred Ryder.

My utmost appreciation to Puja for posting and sharing with us Ms. Ryder's life as the original Peace Pilgrim.  As well (if I may mention), the rest of PJ's wholesome contributions (blogs, comments, videos, support groups, challenges ... and many more).  All untiringly and effortlessly done.  She does love doing all these.  Great work, great calling, great person.  We love her.  For me, she is indeed in that pedestal.  She may not be able to see this post (I wish she would) but all the things that she did to Tools is indeed a legacy.  Each one of us could be another Peace Pilgrim ... that includes PJ!

Well, folks.  What a day, what a rant.  I tell you what.  I feel much much better now compared to when I started doing this post.  You might be laughing at me (I could be a real sookie) but I have to be honest (I've always been!).  I did cry in between the above paragraphs (choked!).  That's another part of me ... spongy and silly, duh!

To finalize this mushy post, I'm closing it with a much lighter load.  See that's what blogging and giggling it all away could do.  I feel much better and I could now afford to smile.  Perhaps I'll be far better and will return back to normalcy ... delivering loads of giggles next.  Phew!  Balanced.

Sending you all good thoughts, love, sunshine and joy.  Yes, life is short ... have fun!

happy giggles!

Cheers,

Noy

I have had a crappy cold lately and slept my booty off...now I am coming back to life...yeah!!!

Every since I have been consistently meditating every day,I have this warm feeling of joy most the time.

A lot of things are happening as a result...my inner voice is very loud...I am more sensitive to sound...it is a strange thing...I can tell when some one is not exactly telling the whole truth by this strange combination of vibe and sound...ok she is crazy you may say...but this is just the half of what is developing!!!

I giggle every time that I ask the universe a question and remain receptive for an answer and when it comes I laugh and be grateful...

LOVE AND LIGHT-SAHNDRA