I'm a "10" for sure!

Yayyyyyy I am a 10!  I reached the milestone of 55 on April 18th and in looking at the cup half full, I recognized that I'm finally a 10.  In 1979, the movie "10" starring Bo Derek and Dudley Moore and hit the big screen, and forever after gals wanted to be scored a ten in looks.  

I may be taking liberties with my own definition of being a ten (55 years old:: 5+5=10) but there is so much to be thankful for, I reckoned why not.  My personal benchmark may be different than others, yet they are mine alone:

1. I'm happily married to a wonderful man who to this day makes me appreciate him and the life we have formed together.
2. Through blending our family, we have four awesome kids aged 21, 23, 25 and 27 where the eldest, Kyle, has been working at the same corporation for 8 years, Des is solid in her career and engaged to be married this year, Chantal is finishing up her 2nd year of university and Kelsey is off to make her fortune in Vancouver with a great job in a law firm and with the man of her dreams.
3. Ones own happiness is often defined through motherhood and my kids are happy, healthy and really great people.
4. I am working for an excellent Canadian corporation that sets the bar in many ways.
5. I have discovered my love of writing and blog as often as I can.
6. I have found balance with work, life and love.
7. I am a fashion forward fashionista where even the young gals where I work often comment on my ensembles.
8. I have my mom who is 81 years old and still there for me with love, support and an example of how healthy living can carry you to a longer life still able to travel, dance and be true to herself.
9. I have a beautiful home which I am continually redecorating and improving.
10. I have an adorable pet dog named Buddy who makes my day every day.

I guess those are pretty basic to most.  Yet, we should stop every once and a while and just appreciate what we have to be thankful for and give gratitude to those who make our lives meaningful.  I am lucky to have a few great friends whom I've known for years and years.  

Aging is all about continual improvement, seeking more knowledge, being satisfied with what we have while still stretching ourselves towards new goals.  

Material things and money are easy targets for setting goals, however, the simpler things are sometimes harder to appreciate.  Certainly, when I was in my 20s, my list was fairly long.  I've experienced great success, great disappointments, periods of sadness or melancholy, and times of money.  

At the end of the day, what makes me the most content are:

•  spending time with my kids, family dinners and playing games like "Heads Up" or having a backyard fire pit just hanging out and talking.
• sharing time with my best friend and her husband whom Rob and I really enjoy hanging out with.
• talking on the phone with my mom or sister, to discover the quick hello evolved into an hour.
• my youngest daughter calls me almost every day from Vancouver, although I miss her tremendously, I love talking with her on her updates, news, happiness.
• my stepdaughter, her fiance and my son drop in often just for a visit and sometimes a sleep over.
• My older brother Greg and I get to go have dinner when he is in Calgary on visit.
• My sister and I have been on vacations together to Mexico three times and there are wonderful memories that I would like to add to by going again.
• My husband and I have been able to travel on tropical vacations, we like just going for drives in the beautiful country surrounding us, meandering through garage sales, or me just sitting on the driveway soaking up the sun while he putters around on our "Getaway Car".
• While so many are unemployed, I have a job with a great company and have learned that my job title no longer defines me.
• I have Buddy to take me on walks with, snuggle up with and who protects me faithfully.
• We have a beautiful home that can accommodate our kids and their friends, hosting get togethers and celebrations.
• I love working on my garden and transforming it year after year into a haven of beauty to be enjoyed not only by us but those who walk back the green belt pathway that goes along our back yard.

Sure, I wouldn't be me without some things we call bucket list as we grow older, transformed from goals:

• a dream job doing marketing or maybe even dabbling in sales again
• my writing starts to generate an income, for the extras in life we want:: travel first and foremost
• I'd love it if my writing were to evolve more into reviewing items geared towards the female 50s crowd, with samples arriving from Brands who value my opinion and a following that trusts it.
• My mom and sister are always telling me to write a book.  Humbly, I think everyone wants to write a book or thinks they can.  To be any better would be egotistical.  I recognize one just has to "do it".
• I'd love a chance to go with Rob to Seattle to watch a Seattle Sea Hawks football game.  So strange for a Canadian hockey fan to put an NFL game on her list ... eh?
• It would be fun to be invited to help decorate a show home or a room to stretch the imagination and challenge myself.
• See if my painting hobby of re-purposed objects could actually be sold as art :: more designed for the garden.
• Maybe get a second dog, smaller, for a companion for Buddy, like our teacup poodle Coco was before she passed on at 13 years old and who will trot after me as I putter in the garden (Buddy is too busy running around and playing bodyguard to follow me).

It is safe to say I am able to stop and be grateful for what I have and yet energetic enough to want to stretch farther and reach higher.  I am content for the most part yet still have a restlessness to want to do more.  The next decade is going to be interesting to see what unfolds.

A most inspired campaign gone VIRAL

This is THE best viral campaign that didn't cost even a nickel to create.  It is a beautiful showcase of all what is right about the layout, the images, peppered words, with a strong #socialmedia push .... it is very inspiring and really demonstrates what having all those key ingredients going for it ... plummeted with a witty idea that caught the net, IoT, social media, viral or whatchamacallit!


BEST VIRAL campaign of all time!  Only in Canada you say eh?

You can't be more inspired than this!  What I like the most is that it wasn't some "unINTENTIONAL" advertising magic trick that got everyone jumping aboard the train to share:  #RT LIKE TUMBLE instaGRAM PIN or you name it.

I can only relate by the fact that as a Blogger emerges within you, it crosses over pretty much into anything that you're watching, thinking about, or setting aside with skepticism :: you start thinking about a post or campaign :: because it is fitting :: in your mind, what you wanna say :: or just catch or start a fire.  

I can imagine that any emerging Blogger dreams of what they say catching on fire, resonating, being so believable or relatable, they just want to share, or accompany it with their own thought.  

When you think about it :: you don't have to leave home, fly somewhere, relocate, interview or apply :: you are just swept up and carried away but an audience that eventually evolves into fans.

If you are skeptical :: then you may as stop reading now because I am not a skeptical person.  I am of the "anything is possible" school of thought.  I can't be bothered to waste a breath on anything that has been tweaked, photo shopped, choreographed too hard.

Why? Because I sensed that someone was going to get the formula and get it right.  It is sure a lot harder to do than to take a video and uploaded it to YouTube where accidents happen to get people's attention.  

People are working harder these days while earning less and striving to maintain optimism, reach out for motivation, laugh at funny :: or of those combined.  Truly, a difficult feat.  

Cape Breton if Trump is escape at its finest.  An elegant presentation, with calming visuals, spiced but satorical humor!

Hurrah, Bravo, yipee haHOO!  Someone, a singular individual, just pulled off any predicessors that were created by a room full of think tankers (today's version of Mad Men)  tossing around ideas, while searching and surfing through their laptops or tablets.  

PLAY PICK OUT THE GUY WHO'S LATE  Hint:: he's trying to follow along with his smart phone.  He's feeling blessed with its high definition screen, larger than average, newly released and he is likely much younger by many in the room. The techno phobs can be identified by the spiral notebooks, the old fashioned way you'd go to meetings, to school or craft your "to do" list.

Get caught up by wandering through this marvelous and innovative site.  An inspiration to Bloggers evolving as writers alike. 

All joking and viral hits aside, this is an absolutely menu of delightful sights you will ever see online, even rarer because it was created by one individual, not an expensive army of creatives disguised as snobs.

A self-described knowledge junkie :: it appeals to those who greatest desire is to gather more intelligence than

 

 the average being.  Creating a sensation!

  

p.s.  It means the world to me that you actually took the time to read  .... This is the kind of support any gal would love, which I adore and so appreciate .... I love writing and even a quiet like is more than I could hope for ... thank YOU. Of course, more subscribers or a comment would indicate its appeal ... but as this webpage would show, that it has cluttered itself with viral likes, comments, etc. I admire that because it is wisdom unfolding, with its teaching, that you don't have to look like you have a lot of comments or clutter to take off into viral superstardom.