Ramblings, ideas and memoirs of a joyous adventurer. Absinthe aficionado. Empathetic thinker-feeler. Verbose writer. Avidly authentic. Hydrangea fanatic. Snow leopard lover. Joy huntress. Promising my devotees a honest glimpse into my life as I live with freedom, power and full self-expression in an unfiltered and sometimes distilled way. CHEERS!
Author: Heather Houston
Absinthe aficionado. Empathetic thinker-feeler. Verbose writer. Avidly authentic. Hydrangea fanatic. Snow leopard lover. Joy huntress. Promising my devotees a honest glimpse into my life as I live with freedom, power and full self-expression in an unfiltered and sometimes distilled way. CHEERS!
“I appreciate my sub contractor scheduling an early service call so I could prepare to arrive on time AND allow me the opportunity to end my day early on a FRI-YEAH!” (Heather Houston 2-20-26)
“I am grateful to the hard work my administrative assistant did on creating a process for new vendor contract submission.” (Heather Houston 2-20-26)
“I appreciate my husband calling in to get some veal bones saved for me to pick-up on the way home to make my trip quick and easy.” (Heather Houston 2-20-26)
“I am grateful to my husband’s mad skills on preparing steak. We got to enjoy a beautiful fillet and fries…YUM!”(Heather Houston 2-20-26)
“I am thankful we get the opportunity to watch Olympic event replays. I remember when I was a kid that if you didn’t plan your day around the live broadcast, you missed out. Much better options today.” (Heather Houston 2-20-26)
“I appreciate my partner patiently affording me time to work on my blog to get caught up.” (Heather Houston 2-20-22)
“I appreciate my partner making the bed.” (Heather Houston 2-20-22)
“I am grateful for my partner’s love.” (Heather Houston 2-20-22)
“I am thankful for the movies of the 90s. Just pure entertainment.” (Heather Houston 2-20-22)
“I am blessed to have a new pillow option for bed to relieve my neck pain.” (Heather Houston 2-20-22)
#36 The Look of Love (Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66) 👍🏼
Lyrics: The look of love is in your eyes A look the time can’t disguise The look of lo… ve is saying so much more Than just words could ever say And what my heart has heard Well, it takes my breath away I can hardly wait to hold you Feel my arms around you How long I have waited Waited just to love you Now that I have found you You’ve got the look of love It’s on your face A look the time can’t erase Be mine tonight Let this be just the start Of so many nights like this Let’s take a lover’s vow And then seal it with a kiss I can hardly wait to hold you Feel my arms around you How long I have waited Waited just to love you Now that I have found you Don’t ever go (Don’t ever go) Don’t ever go (Don’t ever go) Don’t ever go (Don’t ever go) Don’t ever go (Don’t ever go) Don’t ever go (Don’t ever go) Don’t ever go (Don’t ever go) Don’t ever go (Don’t ever go)
“Sometimes a person has to go back, really back–to have a sense, an understanding of all that’s gone to make them–before they can go forward.”
Sir Paul Roderick Clucas Marshall (British Investor; August 2nd, 1959 ~ )
“On the authentic dig we shall also go in search of a mosaic: what brought us moments of happiness and contentment.”
“Let your authnetic archaeologist gather artifacts that can coax memory: old photographs, letters, mementos.”
“See what memories are triggered as you reacquaint yourself with the girl and woman you once were. Linger only on the happy times. What you are searching for is a pattern of personal, authentic pleasures and preferences. These are the chips in your mosaic.”
“The events in our lives happen in a sequence in time, but in our significance to ourselves they find their own order…With patience and quiet observation, these events will provide the seeker in you with a ‘continuous thread of revelation.'”
Eudora Welty (American Short Story Writer, Novelist and Photographer; April 13th, 1909 ~ July 23rd, 2001)
“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 2-20-22)
1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower
“I think I will start with my year book to try to reconnect with classmates and find high school pictures of myself.” (Heather Houston 2-20-22)
“I have been uncovering my past to see how it lands for me now. I have been intentionally listening to the music and watching films from my birth year 1968. It has been so fun to watch and listen…waiting to see what bubbles up. I realize I have a huge music and film interest genre. I even reeled in my husband to watch a few flicks with me. I love this journey!” (Heather Houston 2-20-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 53-54 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
“I enjoyed watching this film and I don’t think I saw it before. Who doesn’t like Steve McQueen? He was the Clint Eastwood Dirty Harry type in this cop movie. Entertaining and some good car chases. One time was enough as it is pretty dated.”
“I am grateful that it is mid-winter break for the schools as the traffic is so light on my commute.”(Heather Houston 2-19-26)
“I am thankful for my Mom sharing her thoughts and feelings for the daily ‘Simple Abundance’ devotion.”(Heather Houston 2-19-26)
“I appreciate getting a ton of my work tasks completed before the end of the work day.” (Heather Houston 2-19-26)
“I am thankful for the Malawi Mango Chicken dinner with Coconut Milk Rice my loving husband created.”(Heather Houston 2-19-26)
“I am blessed to live in a time where I can choose to watch an award winning film from 50 years ago or more…AMAZING!”(Heather Houston 2-19-26)
“I appreciate that on our country randomizer today it chose the country of Martinique. It will be fun to cook a Caribbean chicken dish.” (Heather Houston 2-19-22)
“I am grateful to have been able to find all the ingredients for our new chicken dinner at one market.” (Heather Houston 2-19-22)
“I am thankful to be able to be my partner’s sous chef while we create a scrumptious dinner.” (Heather Houston 2-19-22)
“I am grateful to have figured out a tropical cocktail recipe to enjoy pre-dinner.” (Heather Houston 2-19-22)
“I appreciate being able to suggest to my partner that we watch “Fight Club”. He loved it!”💪 (Heather Houston 2-19-22)
Lyrics: It’s a beautiful morning, ah I think I’ll go outside for a while and just smile Just take in some clean fresh air, boy (Ain’t) no sense in staying inside If the weather’s fine and you got the time It’s your chance to wake up and plan another brand-new day it’s a beautiful morning, ah Each bird keeps singing his own song, so long I’ve got to be on my way now (Ain’t) no fun just hanging around I got to cover ground, you couldn’t keep me down It just ain’t no good if the sun shines When you’re still inside (shouldn’t hide) Still inside (shouldn’t hide) Still inside (shouldn’t hide) Still in-, oh, oh, oh-oh-oh Oo-ooh-ah-ah Oo-ooh-ah-ah There will be children with robins and flowers Sunshine caresses each new waking hour Seems to me that people keep seeing more and more each day (Gotta say) lead the way (It’s okay) brand-new day (Gotta say) it’s okay Wednesday, Thursday, it’s okay Oh, oh, oh-oh Oo-ooh-ah-ah Oh, oh, oh-oh Oo-ooh-ah-ah Whoa, oh, oh, oh-oh Oo-ooh-ah-ah Oh (ooh-ah-ah) Oh, oh, oh-oh Oo-ooh-ah-ah
Matthew Arnold (English Poet and Cultural Critic; December 24th, 1822 ~ April 15th, 1888)
“Like the inner explorer who seekd adventure and the unknown, the authentic archaeologist knows how to unearth remnants of memory buried deeply in the fertile doil of the subconscious mind…The reason we want to awaken the archaeologist is to excavate the real you.”
“How we remember, and what we remember, and why we remember form the most personal map of our individuality.”
Christina Baldwin (Author; April 16th, 1946 ~ )
“Whether you realize it or not, you have lived many lives, and each one has left an indelible mark on your soul. I’m not referring to reincarnation. I’m referring to the episodic way in which our lives evovle: childhood, adolescence, college years or early career, marriages, motherhood…widowhood and onward. At each stage in our lives, we have both laughter and tears. But more important for our interests, we develop personal preferences. Each life experience leaves a layer of memory like a deposit of sdiment: things we’ve loved and moments of contentment we’ve cherished that when recalled, reveal glimmers of our true selves.”
“My past is often remembered in struggles and challenges vs. joy. I think the neglect I experienced at a young age scarred me and filtered how I saw the world. It makes me sad to realize this about myself.” (Heather Houston 2-19-22)
“I no longer look to the past hoping it holds reasons to the ‘Why’. Instead, I remember the past as something that no longer exists or defines me. The ‘NOW’ is the only thing that is real. In creating my beingness in the NOW, I soak up all the available joy in my life in each moment.” (Heather Houston 2-19-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 52-53 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
“I enjoyed rewatching this film from an earlier time in my life. Not sure when I first saw it and I know I have seen it a couple of times. Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau play excellent yin yang characters. I loved the movie and the TV series that later came out. Neil Simon was a brilliant writer.”
“I was grateful for the PCC clerk who helped me find the vegan parmesan cheese and dressing needed to make the salad for my colleagues.” (Heather Houston 2-18-26)
“I am thankful my administrative assistant was willing to make the salad for our farewell celebration lunch for one of our colleagues leaving our foundation.” (Heather Houston 2-18-26)
“I appreciate being able to order the pizzas for our colleague lunch from Pagliacci Pizza. I got to order the AGOG pizza which is one of my favorites.” (Heather Houston 2-18-26)
“I appreciate my management colleagues supporting me in finding a staff member to close the office in my absence for an upcoming leadership meeting.” (Heather Houston 2-18-26)
“I am blessed to have the worlds best and most loving husband. He made me Avgolemono Soup which is the best chicken soup ever! The Greeks know how to mix lemon and egg in such a way to create MAGIC.”🪄🎩(Heather Houston 2-18-26)
“I am grateful it is Friday…TGIF!” (Heather Houston 2-18-22)
“I appreciate my getting the March schedule and appointments completed before the end of my work day.” (Heather Houston 2-18-22)
“I am thankful that after resetting my tire inflation warning light, it did not come on again. This likely means the tires are inflated correctly and not losing air. I thought so!” (Heather Houston 2-18-22)
“I am blessed to know how to drive a manual transmission. It has been so much fun commuting with the MINI Cooper.” (Heather Houston 2-18-22)
“I am thankful that I have a 3-day weekend to look forward to…President’s Day weekend!” (Heather Houston 2-18-22)
#34 Lady Willpower (Gary Puckett & The Union Gap) 👍🏼
Lyrics: Lady Willpower, it’s now or never Give your love to me and I’ll shower Your heart with tenderness endlessly I know you want to see me but you’re afraid Of what I might have on my mind One thing you can be sure of I’ll take good care of your love If you will let me give you mine Lady Willpower, it’s now or never Give your love to me and I’ll shower Your heart with tenderness endlessly Did no one ever tell you the facts of life Well there’s so much you have to learn And I would gladly teach you If I could only reach you And get your lovin’ in return Lady Willpower, it’s now or never Give your love to me and I’ll shower Your heart with tenderness endlessly
