owls Archives - Adulting: Second- Half

Who Loves Friday?

I love owls, don’t you? Owls are definitely one of my all-time favorites. We have a noisy one who lives nearby, and hearing “our owl” always makes me happy. Happy Friday!!! Happy Favorite Things Friday!!!

We arrived home from Belgium in the wee hours of Saturday morning. We were exhausted and ready for bed by late afternoon, but we kept trudging on with unpacking and reacclimating. Our youngest son has epilepsy, but it is thankfully usually controlled with his medications. He texts us every morning and every evening to let us know that he took his meds, as a safety measure to make sure that he is on top of taking them. Well, Saturday he had an all-day work event, playing volleyball on the beach, and then he fell asleep when he got home to his apartment with his phone ringer turned off. When we didn’t get his text Saturday evening, and then we couldn’t reach him (despite me calling him 100 times), I was hysterical (exacerbated by my own lack of sleep). Anyway, I won’t get into the fact that I embarrassed him greatly with a police wellness check (all three of our sons had a field day with that one) but all of that hoopla could have been averted with a tip that I just learned from my daughter. iPhone users:

“When you tap on edit, go to the individual’s ringtone and tap there. Scroll to the top of that page and there is a setting for Emergency Bypass. With that switch on, you will receive sounds from that caller even if the phone is on Mute or Do Not Disturb is on.”

This excellent emergency tip is my favorite for this Friday. I’m sorry, I don’t know if other cell phones offer this feature, but it is certainly something to look into for your own peace of mind.

Have a wonderful, safe and easy-going weekend!! See you tomorrow!!

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Here is the question of the day from 3000 Questions About Me:

1849. Have you ever slipped on a banana peel?

Hoot Hoot Friday

Happy Friday!! Happy Favorite Things Friday! On Fridays, I stay above the surface and talk about the tactile, sensory, stuff you can experience in life that I just love!! Please check out previous Friday posts for more good recommendations. Today’s favorite, involves two of my favorite creatures from the animal kingdom: Owls (if there is such thing as a spirit animal, then I am convinced the owl is my spirit animal) and Underdogs. (Underdogs might be my all-time favorite of anything.)

Every year my husband asks the family if we want to do a family bracket for the March Madness College Tournament, and every year I agree to participate. I pick my bracket utilizing the highly scientific “Oh, okay, I know someone who went there, or someone’s kid who goes there . . .” system. Interestingly, I usually don’t do half bad every year, despite knowing virtually nothing about college basketball. I’ve even won the bracket, a year or two.

Honestly, I don’t think that I picked the Florida Atlantic University Owls to go too far. (Despite living in Florida, I don’t know any FAU alumnae) But I’m rooting (and hooting) for the Owls now! This is only the second time in which the Owls have ever made it to the tournament, and the ONLY time they have made it to the Elite Eight. This is what makes March Madness so special. You don’t even have to be a sports fan to revel in vicarious joy. March Madness brings out the freudenfreude in all of us, especially for the inevitable Cinderella team that surprises everyone.

Is there anything better in life than a Cinderella story? Be a Florida Atlantic Owls fan with me. Make them your favorite team of the tournament and send all sorts of good energy their way!

Have a great weekend! See you tomorrow!

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Monday-Funday (Wicked, Part 3)

Hilda: Zelda, I have told you time and time again to stay away from those Boos Cruises. They dish out some potent potions.

Zelda (muffled): Silly Hildy, I’m just playing “hide and ghost seek.” Cackle Cackle Cackle

Hilda:

Zelda (muffled): Hildy, one more, one more, “What do you call a witch who is pretty and friendly??”

Hilda: A failure.

Zelda: How did you know that one?

Hilda: (flatly) A lucky guess. Zelda, I have a confession. I accidentally sat on your pet owl.

Zelda: Oh, Screech will be alright. We just need to puff up his feathers. Hildy, that reminds me of another joke. What you get if you cross an owl with a witch??

Zelda: A bird that doesn’t give a hoot!!! Cackle Cackle Cackle

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

The Wise Owl

I have seen and I have heard a lot of owls lately. I heard one early this morning when I was taking our dogs out. We live near a nature preserve, so we are fortunate to witness owls more than the average people come across them, I think. So, I have seen and I have heard more than a few gorgeous owls in the last couple of months and I have even noticed more of them in artwork and websites, as of late, it seems. I know that some old wives’ tales suggest that owls are a horrible omen of death, but I think that they are more a symbol of wisdom, clarity, change, and intuitiveness. I think that owls are majestically beautiful.

I need quiet today. I need to quiet my mind. I need to quiet my interactions with others and the outside world. I need to take some time for calm introspection. All of our infinite wisdom lies within, I think, and I need to tap into that vast, knowing, loving reservoir of being-ness and light. I hope that you can find an understanding of what you need today, and I hope that you find the courage and the ability to give that to yourself, whatever that need is for you. Stay well. Sending peace, love and clarity from my heart to yours.