Lauren Huston / Laura Huston – Social Media Strategist and Lifestylist
I want to share a story with you all regarding a dating . . . Read More…
Category Archives: Simplicity
The View Out the Window
Two men had heart failure and were in a hospital room together. The one man closer to the window sat up every day to clear his lungs and told the other guy what he saw out the window: “Today I see children playing and laughing.” And “You should see the leaves changing; they are beautiful.” Then, the man next to the window passed away; the following day when the nurse walked into the room, the roommate asked the nurse what she saw outside of the room. She said, “Nothing, the window faces a brick wall.” The man responded, “But my roommate everyday told me all the beautiful things he saw out there.” The nurse replied, “Your roommate was blind, but he must have wanted you to envision beautiful things in your head.”
Do you Chose friends who introduce you to a higher standard and who want you to envision beautiful things in your head? Are you that kind of friend to others?
Moving to a New City? These Apps can help…
1 in 6 Americans move each year and the average American moves 11.7 times in their life. (US Census Bureau) While the move itself can be a little daunting and overwhelming, the settling in can be just as unnerving.
Moving involves change and that can be a little scary, so to help you out we have cone up with a list of some of the mossy helpful apps for your iPhone when you get to the new neighborhood or city.
Siri – this is your personal assistant meets concierge with voice recognition capabilities. A must have for anyone who is out and about.
Where to go – Your secret weapon when planning a date or just finding something to do with the friends. Also great for figuring out what to do with the relatives when they come to visit.
ManGo (shopping, restaurants, wifi, store locator and grocery) – for the man (or woman) on the go, this app is perfect for helping you locate a specific thing. They offer different apps for the different genres and types of items being sought out.
Urbanspoon – The go to guide for where to eat when Zagats just won’t cut it. The best part is the slot machine functionality where with a little shake the app spins the wheels to pick a dinner for you.
Spa and Massage Parlor Locator – The name says it all. After a long workout or stressful week at the office let this app find some relaxation for you.
Call a Taxi – A great tool when you are stuck without a ride.
Find Parking – This app will pay for itself in the oaring tickets it saves you. Never park in a no parking again with this handy resource.
Find a Gas Station – This is great when you are lost.
WebMD – The best resource on the web for anything you need to know about Western medicine.
Mindbody Yoga – Your one stop shop to find Zen in your neighborhood. From class schedule to instructor descriptions, this is a great resource for finding a place to practice.
Also note our previous post regarding our favorite green apps
It’s All in the Root
So on my last trip to Miami the discussion came up about the high rise condos and the ostentatious units and eccentric penthouses. At one point someone asked, “where did the name penthouse come from?”
So, on the flight home I began doing a little investagatory journalism (a classic term from Zoolander) about penthouses and here is what I found . . .
Both Britannica Online and Merriam-Webster define penthouse as “a structure or dwelling built on the roof of a building.” But when you dig a little deeper, you find some good information – from Mavens’ Word of the Day: “Penthouse” comes from the word pentis, which comes from apentis, which comes from apendere, which means to hang against or attach. A pentis was a shed with a sloping roof attached to a wall or building. At some point, people began referring to the structure’s roof as a “pentis,” and the actual shed became a “penthouse.”
So what does the definition of a penthouse have to do with conscious living you may ask? Well, look at it this way – while many things look inviting and desirable based on their label, status or price tag, when you get to the root of what it stands for or means, it may not be what you are looking for or want in your life.
Take some time to evaluate what you find important and make sure at it’s root it is in line with your life.
Learning to Fly
“I’m a Zen Buddhist if I would describe myself. I don’t think
about what I do. I do it. That’s Buddhism. I jump off the cliff and
build my wings on the way down.” -Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury’s approach is one based on faith, based on you gut, based on what you don’t know you don’t know. This is not something they teach us growing up, in formal education or in continued education courses for our career. Whether it be your personal life or your professional career, there comes a point when what you know will only get you so far and you have to trust that along they way you will learn anything else you need to know.
One way to look at it is that life is a journey and often you have to take risks and learn as you go – you just hope when you jump, you have learned enough to keep you airborne long enough to learn how to fly before you hit the ground.
In your current life . . .
Where are you at with different areas of your life – are you safe on land or standing on the edge of the cliff or on your way down or even flying?
For the future . . .
What in your life has brought your to a cliff? (this “cliff” maybe a relationship with a friend, family member or significant other or the path for your professional career or learning a new skill set or trade or taking on a new hobby?) What would it take for you to jump?
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