Go to the Water

Suze Orman should feel very honored. Her books are the only financial books I have ever read. She once lived in her car and is now one of the most respected people in the financial world. She doesn't give the normal financial advice and that is probably why I like her. I don't do anything normal when it comes to money.  When I retired from the University, I was 63. I was working in my own business and for the first time in my adult life, I didn't have a pay cheque going into my account. I thought I would do what many people do and that is keep track of what I spent. I was only in a few days when I realized that I have never been so depressed about money in my life. It was a job keeping track of spending. Remembering to write everything down, then adding it up was so stressful for me. I didn't make it to the end of the month before I abandoned this activity, and the journal was in the garbage. I decided to just throw caution to the wind and spend when and where I wanted....

"Doing You in 2025", is clearly a line I heard somewhere. I had a bit of trouble deciding what "Doing You" meant and how does one make that happen. I googled it and pulled together some ideas to share. Some you will say, "I'm going to do that", or "I already do that" or "are you kidding me".    1. In the morning, find something that will center you and set the intention for the day. Determining how you want your day to unfold is helpful in making it happen. When I have my game on, I use tried and true practices that I have from the past. Knowing what I am going to eat that day centers me. I am a person that loves to clean out the fridge or purge the freezer. I can make something out of nothing, just so I don't have to go to the store. For me setting an intention is to know what I have to do that day. The things that I need for those activities are on the table ready to go out the door. I plan three tasks for the day, and I close...

Grocery shopping has now taken on a life of its own. Before it was about picking up the items that you needed, some that you wanted, followed by a discussion about how expensive everything has gotten. Since the start of February, the focus has shifted for most Canadians, they now want to buy food made in Canada.    Sadly, we are faced with a time of uncertainty. Until recently, I never thought about how much of the food on the grocery shelves is made in Canada. I just shopped and usually bought the most reasonable. Stores are now putting up signs "made in Canada" for easy purchase. We all  know there are foods that Canada simply can't provide. For example, where would you get an orange in February in Canada. Thankfully we are not dependent on one country to import food. There are many countries that import food to Canada, and I assume they will make sure we have oranges in February. Since the beginning of time, grocery shopping has always been a process. A continuous pape...

  This is the latest, couples are asking guests to unplug their phones when they come to their wedding. They want people to focus on their wedding and not on their phones. That includes taking pictures. Ministers are being asked to announce to guests that they not post pictures of the wedding until after the couple have.  I guess it has come to this.   I recently forgot my phone at home. I felt like I had left a toddler home alone, unattended. The thing is, "not one person left me a message or called me". NOT ONE! I have on the rare occasion turned around and picked up my forgotten phone, but I usually just carry on. It doesn't mean I don't think about it, who wouldn't think of a toddler left home alone. I have phone rules for myself such as I leave my phone in my purse when I go out for lunch or coffee. I do lower the volume or use the silence button when necessary. I apologize to the person I am with, if I need to check or reply to a text message.   Something ...

  I am feeling very lighthearted as I write this post. What you are about to read is a collection of what we could call, "first world problems". It is going to unfold just like my conversations with my bestie, jumping from one topic to another at warp speed with absolutely no connection to the previous topic.  There are just an unbelievable number of perplexing things in life.  For instance, how can a dryer ball simply disappear. Lost forever in your home, never be to be seen again. Or, how can you have a grocery list in front of you yet miss the very thing you went to the grocery store to get. The only answer to those questions is, "because".  I would be amiss if I didn't use this time to speak of the unbelievable January weather. I often describe the weather as bipolar and this January the weather went right off its medication. When the weather is off its meds, it goes up and down the thermometer like a maniac.  At least when it is extremely cold you don't...

Amazing is defined as very surprising,  makes you feel pleasure, approval or wonder. Have you ever thought of developing an "Amazing Person List"? Who would you put on it if you did?  I could have a much longer list, but I decided to keep it to a list of three.   1. Terry Fox: Terry lost his leg in 1977 after he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. In 1980 Terry began the "Marathon of Hope" which was a cross-Canada run to raise money and awareness for cancer research. His dream was to raise $1 for each of Canadas 24 million people. On April 12, 1980, Terry started his run quietly on the east coast, with a goal to run 26 miles every day. By the time he reached Ontario he was a national star. Terry refused to take a day off. He had frequent skin splints and inflamed knee. He developed cysts on his stump and experience dizzy spells. At one point he had a sore ankle but continued on for 3 days before getting help. He refused regular medical checkups. By late August he was e...

For whatever reason some people feel they have the right to comment on the appearance of others. It is great when it is a compliment, but often it is not. I heard a talk show host say,  "people's comments have shaped generations". They went on to say,  "y ou don't have to comment on people's size, complexation, hair color or anything else about them, they already know. I t is evident that people believe some things are their business, when in fact it isn't".  I don't remember how old I was, but I do remember an elderly aunt say to my mom, "Faye is stout". I equated the word stout with massive. I really didn't have any idea what that word meant, I just knew how it made me feel. I am now 68 years old, and I remember that moment like yesterday.  It was the first time someone had spoken about my size right in from of me. People's comments do  shape you.  I have found as we age  it becomes meaningless how people look, but more of how...

It was announced on the news that in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, 49% of residents are $200 from declaring insolvency, and 30% are already there. That leaves 20% of residents that have enough money to live comfortably. Manitoba and Saskatchewan are in line with the Canadian statistic of 50% of people are $200 from insolvency.  Homelessness is a result of not having enough money to afford a home. In the cold of January, I think of those living on the street. The new 2024 Canadian statistics are staggering, and almost hard to believe.   On any given night in Canada, between 30,000 and 35,000 people are homeless. Toronto has the highest population of homeless. 66.7% of homeless people are males. 33.10% of homeless come from Indigenous communities. 86% of homeless shelters are in Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, and Alberta, and 40% of them are in Ontario alone. The annual cost of homelessness for our country is over $10 billion. There are around 50,000 hidden homeless in Can...

By definition to "show up" in life is to be fully present and engaged. Presenting your whole self to tasks, having self-awareness, and making yourself available to the moment and to life itself.  My personal definition of showing up is: if you said you were going to do something, you do it. Do it better than you ever thought you could. Be on time and don't ever complain about it.  Twenty years ago, I made the decision that if I was going to get anywhere in life I was going to have to live by the mantra, "Get Up, Dress Up and Show Up". There were so many days, I hated that decision, but I did it and I am so thankful that I did. I didn't realize at the time that my mantra was helping me to show up for myself.   My favorite story of showing up happened several years ago now. I was on a plane just after Katrina happened in New Orleans. My seat partner was a member of the US military. He told me that it was the Canadian Mennonites that saved the people of New Orl...