Are You Tuned to Reality? Are you tuned in to reality? Am I tuned in to reality? No, it isn't a radio station or a television channel. My thesaurus gives many definitions of reality but the definition that pops out at me is truth. If mental health demands reality, then... ( added 21 days 10 hours ago.)

Why I Believe In Character Education in Schools I was just thinking... If only character education had been available for me when I was in school. I wonder if my life would have turned our differently? I wonder if my life would have been easier? Yes, my parents loved me and provided for me... ( added 21 days 10 hours ago.)

Just Breathe or Embracing Change "Our lives can change with every breath we take." From the movie, Where the Heart Is. This phrase comes to my mind often. The verb change carries with it so much power, so much mystery and most of all, so much truth. How many of us have said... ( added 21 days 10 hours ago.)

Your Telephone Call Is Important, But Listen To The Menu Are you tired of listening to horrible music while someone puts you on hold? Are you weary of listening to your number choices to punch in so that hopefully, you get to talk to a real human, even though your neck and ear aches from hanging on? ... ( added 21 days 10 hours ago.)

The Time I Was In a Pickle (Recipes for yummy pickles) When my four daughters were very young, my husband Jim and I would get a baby sitter about once a month and go to our favorite restaurant. At that time, our very favorite was Chief Charley's restaurant. Not only were the entrees good, but the... ( added 21 days 10 hours ago.)

How to Promote Kindness to Animals Recently, we had two additions to our family. Two of our four daughters adopted a dog. Everyone in the family has one or two dogs, cats, rabbits and even a horse. Our daughters grew up with horses, dogs, cats, rabbits, and even ducks. So this... ( added 21 days 11 hours ago.)

Why Workout With Weights? A couple of weeks ago, I visited someone I had not seen in about a month. After our initial, "how are you," she asked me a question that both delighted and surprised me. "Have you lost weight?" "No, I have even put on a couple of pounds,"... ( added 23 days ago.)

How to Have Extra Cash by Going Green When I was a little girl I remember my two older sisters would give "Daisy Mae" parties. (For those of you too young to know this, Daisy Mae and Lil Abner were in the comics every Sunday. Daisy Mae was always pursuing Lil Abner.) The "Daisy... ( added 24 days 4 hours ago.)

Can Clutter Affect Your Health? Once I started ripping things out of my closet, I couldn't seem to stop. It felt so good to grab things that didn't fit or to toss an unmatched blouse or pair of slacks. Then there were the shoes that were uncomfortable, still new, just sitting... ( added 24 days 4 hours ago.)

How To Cope With Stress Successfully Life has always included stress, but these days it seems that stress is at an all-time high. Every day that passes, someone is losing a job or explaining to their children why they can't buy them as much. Money is tight; the housing market has... ( added 24 days 5 hours ago.)

Can Pets Make Us Healthier? Sunny, my tortoise-colored Shih Tzu listened intently with perked ears, as I shared my secrets and agenda for the day. A good listener, he never interrupts, but snuggles closer as I stroke his ears. This is our "coffee time" together. To... ( added 24 days 5 hours ago.)

How Can We Help Our Children Fight Against Swine Flu (H1N1)? Swine Flu, school, our childrenwhen these words start swirling around in our head, it can be frightening. However, someone once said, "knowledge is power," so lets explore what we need to know about this "monster in the dark." What Is Swine... ( added 24 days 5 hours ago.)

Gratitude: Only At Thanksgiving? We have all gone through our share of sorrow and disappointments. They seem to come in waves and then the tide will turn and you will have calm and stability for a while. Sometimes it is hard to not get all negative and bitter when you are... ( added 24 days 5 hours ago.)

Can Death Be Described by The Dying? ( Because I always share the good things with you my SearchWarp Friends, I wanted to share this event with you, an event that started off being sad, but then, well, here is what happened) The spell was now broken. Weeks of waiting, feeling... ( added 24 days 5 hours ago.)

Why is MacKenzie Phillips Telling About an Incestuous Relationship Now? Why now, MacKenzie? Do you feel a need to confess? Do you want to expose your father who has passed away? Are you doing this to set an example for our children and teens today? Maybe you just want to be on television again? Did you suddenly... ( added 45 days 8 hours ago.)

Letting Go What day is it? Monday, my husband Jim answered. My eyes were still closed. I could hear Jim scurrying around. I struggled to bring myself to consciousness so that I could figure out what I was doing today. My eyes finally opened and... ( added 53 days 20 hours ago.)

Can A Frog Fable Really Inspire Us? (Does It Really Rain Frogs?) I hear weird things concerning frogs. Almost since time began, tales have been handed down from generations regarding raining frogs. Yep. That's right...raining frogs. Apparently it happens when a wind storm passes over a body of water like a lake... ( added 110 days 11 hours ago.)

Have You Had A Date Lately? Maybe it was the relentless rain or the endless announcements of bad news and despair from the television that caused Jim and I to have the same thought at exactly the same time: We hadn't been on a date lately ; that is, not a real date. Yes, we... ( added 114 days 8 hours ago.)

Why Are You Bashing Florida? I couldn't pedal my six miles fast enough on the stationary bike this morning. I was rarin' to write this article...I was ticked. I live in a beautiful retirement resort community. It is a paradise located in Florida but most of the community is... ( added 149 days 4 hours ago.)

Thinking of Mike this 4th of July I knew Mother would be preparing at least two red foods for dinner. That was because Mike was coming to dinner. Four- year old Mike would only eat red "things." Ironically, he had bright red hair. Mother would prepare red jello or strawberries... ( added 154 days 9 hours ago.)

What Happens to Children When Parents are Deployed to Afghanistan? I look out the window and see my neighbor, Norma pushing the stroller on the sidewalks of our subdivision. The stroller passenger is curiously looking at his surroundings. His depthless dark brown eyes captured my heart the first time I saw him.... ( added 167 days 9 hours ago.)

Should We Stop Supporting Celebrity Tell All Books? Maybe I am just jealous, but there are so many of us knocking ourselves out to write good literature, only to be passed up for the latest "tell all" book. There are many writers far talented than myself who have honed their skills throughout the... ( added 167 days 9 hours ago.)

What Should We Call Senior Citizens? We all have things to do, people to see and places to go. We're busy as bees; we are like the lightning bugs that dart everywhere and emit their beautiful lights in the darkest night. We can be seen everywhere volunteering, gardening, teaching... ( added 219 days 10 hours ago.)

Where are the Lightning Bugs? I overheard someone say that their grandchildren referred to the Highlands my subdivision) as "Granny Camp." I want to include the men, so I'm going to go a step furthur and suggest "Grandparent's Camp." Thank about it. In a child's mind and even... ( added 243 days 22 hours ago.)

Why It Is OK to Grow Old or Getting Real A few years ago I was in Publix with my young granddaughter. We went to the bakery section to get her the "free cookie" that publix advocates. After finding out that the "free cookie" did not include her cherished "Gingerbread Boy," I murmured to... ( added 244 days 3 hours ago.)