The Soundtrack

Oh,one more thing, and then I will shut up about Grey's Anatomy. The Soundtrack. Every good story, movie, maybe even in life we need a Soundtrack. Do you have one? I don't. But maybe someday I will. I think it sounds like a great idea!


I'm not really sure about this but I believe this is the theme song, if not, it sure goes well with my theme this month! Check it out--The Story by Brandi Carlile...


Exquisite.

Our Journey

It has been a journey, after 25 years together, it has definitely been a journey.

My husband, Kelly turns 48 today. We don't always celebrate these "HAPPY BIRTHDAY'S" anymore, for they seem to have sped up and now we say, like most people our age, "Where has all the time gone?"


If you do not watch/listen to the YouTube video, allow me just a few lyrics:


..."Faded wedding photographs"...My favorite, that's T.J. at 4 years old in the middle of us.



..."Our children all have grown"... Each their own person, on their way to a life. Their life was molded out of ours, but they each have chosen their own individual ways and we like that. We have allowed them individuality and an opportunity to express themselves. We hope without too much pressure to be anything more or less than who and what they are, and want to become.



..."Mountains we have climbed to get this far"......This one was memorable. A short hike, a picnic, some nice music, a long talk, and of course Zion, along for the journey.

..."We learned to take the laughter with the tears"...Enough said.

..."You stood by me, days and nights that I was gone"...I'm not talking about when I was out of town, it was all the times that my mind was not present. Again enough said.

..."You sacrificed, believed in me, and you stood strong...

..."Cause with our love there's nothing left to fear...

...After all these years...

Happy birthday honey and I will love you forever,
your Wildflower

A Different Sort of Black Dog--A Happy One

Today is Sunday and I have spent the day rejuvenating in my hotel in L.A. while my sister spent some time with friends. I was cleaning up one of my email accounts from my laptop and came across a note I had sent to myself a while ago. When I read it to Sherry (my sis) she encouraged me to post it. I shall.

How many Judges do you REALLY have Lori? One--yourself and you are hard and difficult. Why? Now that you know, get rid of that judge and replace it with a protector.

The whole world can love me, but what really makes me happy is when I share the love inside of me and share it with the world.

I am only responsible for my half of any relationship. I cannot and do not try to change people, to try to is futile and disrespectful. If my relationships are not working I explore other possibilities within the relationship based on respect and love.

Open and honest communication is key, based on respect and love for myself and the other person. Without it the relationship will falter, especially for me. I need depth and closeness in my relationships.

I will recognize the difference between FEAR and conditions, and expectations, and the ease of LOVE and no drama.

There is an interconnectedness in all things. As life unfolds we see one event leads to another, one feeling leads to another. We realize or at least we hope we come to accept that things are as they should be. Have we kicked against it and let ourselves be miserable martyrs, have we done the right things, have we followed our hearts?

Has and is my suffering necessary?

Yes, until I get my ego in check I will always suffer. Humility calls come frequent, I learn something (insight). But there always seems to be more...

If I could be as care-free, fun-loving, non-assuming, non-judgmental, easy going as my dogs...I would be as care-free, fun-loving, non-assuming, non-judgmental, easy going and happily uncomplicated as they are too!

Dogs and Brown Butterflies

I try, I try very very hard at what ever I do. I never give up easily, actually I don't give up, I think of things as shifting positions...just as a dog would do if he was chasing butterflies.

I get attached to things, symbols, they become reminders to me. It's not the things themselves, it's the feeling that goes with them. Recently I have taken a liking to butterflies and so in the process of creating a cosmetic line for our new business we will be launching on the Internet soon, I named all of the lipsticks, eyeshadows and blushes after flowers and butterflies. It was quite a process but one that was meaningful and fun for me. This business has been brought about by love, through love, during some very trialsome times for my sister and me. We have laughed our way through most of it! Cried our way through some of it and our patient, no kidding, military colonel background partner has supported us 100% through it all. The guy is a non-emotional genius that now says he is very aware of color coordination and PMS.

Our new company is called "Never Forgotten Statements"! It's a mouthful and it says a lot! It says a lot about what a women should, could and wants to be when she walks into a room. She does not want to be forgotten. The worst thing in life is to be ignored, it equates to you mean nothing. Every man, woman and child means so much and we can reach out and make someone feel special by recognizing them with such little gestures. Maybe that is why I like Dogs and Butterflies...they do it so easily...

April Showers Bring Yellow May Flowers

There are some things I seem to be eternally drawn to since I was a teenager, Spring because it brought Summer. Flowers, especially Daisies. Groups like America and Three Dog Night, and songs like Something in the Way She Moves by James Taylor (love his clear and simple voice), and the classic, Pieces of April by Three Dog Night. This video is sappy and I love it.

Words from Pieces of April:

April gave us Springtime and the promise of the flowers and the feeling that we both shared and the love that we called ours.

We knew no time for sadness that's a road we each had crossed We were living a time meant for us and even when it would rain we would laugh it off.

We stood on the crest of summer beneath an oak that blossomed green.
Feeling as I did in April not really knowing what it means.

But it must be now that you stand beside me to make me feel this way. Just as I did in April but it's a morning in May.

I've got pieces of April I keep them in a memory bouquet, I've got pieces of April but it's a morning in May.

I'm 45 now, no longer that carefree teenager. My memory bouquet is large, beautiful and colorful, but it is sick of the rain and is in need of some fresh mountain air and maybe I can find some of my Sunshine there too...

I hope you find your bouquet of flowers in the sunshine of your life, sprinkled with a little shower...now and then.

My 2008 Year End Picks...

As the year comes to a close I have picked a color, a wildflower and a weed to represent my summation of 2008...I also decided to add the Pink Panther Theme since Pink was my color of choice. I liked Pink Panther while I was growing up, but my brother Dave LOVED him. He watched cartoons (all of them) up until his tragic accident 14 years ago at the tender age of 34. When I hear this song I smile. It brings back many good memories for me as a teenager.

My Color Pick: PINK: Pink encourages friendliness while discouraging aggression and ill-will. That says a lot for me right there. Enough said.

My Wildflower Pick: The BUTTERFLY WEED: Yes it says weed, but it is a beautiful bright orange flower! I picked it because a butterfly does come from an ugly caterpillar. 2008 had many ugly times but I have experienced enough in my life to know that these ugly times do turn into butterflies of some sort. This flower is somewhat slow from the seed, but once it is established in loose soil, it is a very permanent fixture in meadows.

My Weed Pick: ASPARAGUS: Actually asparagus IS classified as a weed, but is a member of the lily family? This all seems a little mixed up, which seems to fit my year as well. I picked asparagus for a couple of reasons: One, because I have fond memories of going along the ditch bank and picking it with my brother when we were little. My mom would then cook it for dinner. It is one of my favorite vegetables. Two,it is a nutrient rich food full of potassium, fiber, and vitamins. Which is such an important message for me to remember...even something as terrible as a weed can be good for you! We often times judge quickly and harshly. I have found that the times I am most judgmental and harsh is when I am that way with myself.

There has been an immense amount of change in my life in 2008. I have a better awareness of who I am than ever before in my life. Some things I love, some things I like and there are many many things I am still working on. So bring on 2009! I believe I am ready and it is my hope that you are too...or shall I say whatever your journey is I hope it brings you joy and happiness.

In the End my Picks for my life will be my own and this IS GOOD...not all people in this world can and those who CAN sometimes choose not to.

It takes all Kinds of Flowers to make a Bouquet

YouTube - How I would describe Bipolar Disorder........

I found this video on YouTube. I thought it was quite unique and one way to understand how a bipolar mind works when it is unhealthy. Keep in mind that when proper medication is found some that suffer from this illness can find a healthy lifestyle.

Unfortunately it can be a very devastating disease for many. The statistics are 20% of the population have a mental illness, with 4% of those being bipolar.