Lyrics: Lord, I gotta raise a fuss, Lord, I gotta raise a holler About workin’ all summer just to try to earn a dollar Well, Lord, I tried to call my baby, I tried to get a date Sometimes I wonder what I’m a-gonna do Lord, there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues Well, my mom and papa told me, “Son, you got to make some money” Well, if you wanna use the car to go a ridin’ next Sunday Oh, Lord, I didn’t go to work, I told the boss I was sick, said Sometimes I wonder what I’m a-gonna do Lord, there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues I’ve got to take three weeks, I’ve got to have a fine vacation I got to take my problem to the United Nations I done told my Congressman and he said quote, dig this boy Sometimes I wonder what I’m a-gonna do Lord, there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues I’ve got to take three weeks, I’ve got to have a fine vacation I got to take my problem to the United Nations I done told my Congressman and he said quote, dig this boy Sometimes I wonder what I’m a-gonna do Lord, there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues Whoa, there ain’t no cure
“Until you make peace with who you are, you’ll never be content with what you have.”
Doris Mortman (Author; 1944 ~ )
“Simplicity gains importance in our lives as we begin to make peace with ourselves. This is because we gradually come to the inner awareness that we don’t need to gild the lily. Some of the trappings can be relinquished because the Real Thing is finally ready to be revealed.”
“I call this point in the Simple Abundance process ‘taking the plunge’ because it involves a courageous leap of faith in the most intimate way: exploring the way we express ourselves to the outside world through our personal our personal appearance. But this is much more than just how we dress or style our hair. It’s about the many subtle ways we choose either to celebrate or conceal our authenticity. It’s about finally acknowledging and accepting the woman within. It’s about learning to become comfortable with who we really are.”
“We are not born all at once, but by bits. The body first, and the spirit later. Our mothers are racked with the pains of our physical birth; we ourselves suffer the longer pains of our spiritual growth.”
Mary Antin (American Author and Immigration Rights Activist; June 13th, 1881 ~ May 15th, 1949)
“One is not born a woman, one becomes one.”
Simone Lucie Ernestine Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir (French Existentialist Philosopher, Writer, Social Theorist, and Feminist Activist; January 9th, 1908 ~ April 14th, 1986)
“This becoming takes time. We need time to consider, time to reflect, time to make creative choices, time to emerge from the cocoon, time to clean out our closets, and time to clear away psychic cobwebs so that we might pare down to our essence.”
“Some of us have remained dormant for years–oblivious to our genuine beauty–drugged senseless by our own numbing disapproval, nagging doubts, and benign neglect. Coping strategies that once brought a sense of relief now only offers regret. To undo the damage and reconnect with our authentic selves we need to take the plunge, confident that Spirit is holding the net. Above all, we need to treat ourselves gently with the kindness we would bestow on amnesiacs who need the patient reassurance of their true identities.”
“Such a hard pill to swallow. I am definitely not kind to myself as my story tells me I am not worthy, enough, beautiful, valued and wanted. I fight this everyday. Somedays I feel like I am winning and some days I feel worse than a loser. I wish for myself to have more winning days. I deserve that much from myself.” ❣ (Heather Houston 3-8-22)
“I have chosen to give myself grace instead of being my worst enemy and battling and berating myself needlessly. This is easy to say, and it is a constant intention to quiet the stories running in my head. What I have learned that the greater silence I experience at this point in my life is so healing.” (Heather Houston 3-8-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 75-76 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
26th Golden Globe Awards Best Film in a Drama, Comedy or Musical
26th Golden Globe Awards Best Director in a Drama, Comedy or Musical: Paul Newman
26th Golden Globe Awards Best Actress in a Drama: Joanne Woodward
“I had never seen this film. It was fascinating how they intertwined Rachel’s fantasies into her daily muddling. At 35 years old and a virgin in more ways than one, to be taken advantage of by several men and woman in the film…one for sex..one for companionship and a woman for love. I would consider watching again so I could glean more of the whole story. I think the acting was spot on.”
“I appreciate our fandom commitment to get up at 4AMish to watch the Arsenal to win against Mansfield in the 5th round of the FA Cup.” (Heather Houston 3-7-26)
“I am grateful my husband engineered a yummy breakfast sandwich with his homemade English muffins. YUMMY!” (Heather Houston 3-7-26)
“I am thankful when I am thinking ‘Hamburger’ for dinner and Neil and I blurt out at nearly the same moment…’Let’s have burgers for dinner.’ My husband and I are on the same wave length/vibration.” (Heather Houston 3-7-26)
“I grateful the best burgers around are coming from my kitchen…Mushroom Swiss Burgers in the house!” (Heather Houston 3-7-26)
“I appreciate an early retirement for the night after getting up at 4AM to support Arsenal.”🔴⚪️ (Heather Houston 3-7-26)
“I am grateful for the color blue as it has been my favorite color my whole life. Midnight Blue crayon is the BOMB!”💣 (Heather Houston 3-7-22)
“I appreciate the smell of cookies baking.” (Heather Houston 3-7-22)
“I am thankful for my spirit animal the snow leopard.” (Heather Houston 3-7-22)
“I am grateful for gin martinis as they are my go to cocktail.” (Heather Houston 3-7-22)
“I am thankful for BBQ Fritos chips…YUMMY!” (Heather Houston 3-7-22)
Lyrics: When I look up to the sky I see your eyes, a funny kind of yellow I rush home to bed, I sunk my head I see your face underneath my pillow I wake next morning, tired, still yawning See your face come peeping through my window Pictures of matchstick men and you Images of matchstick men and you All I ever see is them and you Windows echo your reflection When I look in their direction, gone When will this haunting stop? Your face, it just won’t leave me alone Pictures of matchstick men and you Images of matchstick men and you All I ever see is them and you You in the sky, you with this guy You make me cry, you lie You in the sky, you with this guy You make me cry, you lie Pictures of matchstick men Pictures of matchstick men Pictures of matchstick men Pictures of matchstick men
Matilda Alice Victoria Wood (known as: Marie Lloyd) (English Music Hall Singer, Comedian and Musical Theatre Actress; February 12th, 1870 ~ October 7th, 1922)
“Life requires that we prepare ourselves for the inevitable times that try our souls. This is achieved with a comfort drawer.”
“I don’t exactly have a dedicated drawer for my comfort drawer items as drawer space is not to be wasted. However, I do have my comfort items stashed all over the house to get access to when I need my fix.” (Heather Houston 3-7-22)
“I have a glass blown bowl I made in my kitchen vs. a comfort drawer…call it my comfort bowl. Filled with small sweets to nibble when the urge calls. I find when I actually have a bowl of sweets out, I actually eat less of them than I do when I have a craving. I used to keep a bowl of Hershey miniatures on my desk at the university for students to enjoy when they plopped down in my office. I very often kept it filled and rarely had any. I think this is a scarcity habit from my childhood. Nevertheless, I feel my comfort bowl fills my need for self-care of my spirit.” (Heather Houston 3-7-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 74-75 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
“I am thankful my immune system was healthy enough to fight off a cold before it even began.”🏆 (Heather Houston 3-6-26)
“I appreciate being able to watch a move on my must see list (1968 Rachel, Rachel) while completed my morning rowing.” (Heather Houston 3-6-26)
“I am grateful for my work day seemed to go whizzing by so I could begin my weekend!” (Heather Houston 3-6-26)
“I appreciate ghetto fish tacos on a Friday night.” (Heather Houston 3-6-26)
“I am grateful to fall asleep to my husband gentle whispers of love.”❤️ (Heather Houston 3-6-26)
“I am thankful for my car which reliably gets me where I need to each day.” (Heather Houston 3-6-22)
“I am grateful for nature and all the beauty that lives.” (Heather Houston 3-6-22)
“I am thankful for the new opportunities in my life.” (Heather Houston 3-6-22)
“I appreciate beautiful flowers especially as spring begins. The plum and cherry trees are a pink pillow along my travels to work.” (Heather Houston 3-6-22)
“I am thankful for coconut cream pie made with coconut 🥥 macaroon crust.” (Heather Houston 3-6-22)
Lyrics: You know that it would be untrue You know that I would be a liar If I was to say to you, yeah Girl, we couldn’t get much higher Come on baby, light my fire Come on baby, light my fire Try to set the night on fire The time for hesitation is through There’s no time to wallow in the mire Darling we can only lose And our love become a funeral pyre Come on baby, light my fire Come on baby, light my fire Try to set the night on fire, yeah Yeah, you know that it would be untrue And you know that I would be a liar If I was to go and tell you Momma we couldn’t get much higher Well, come on baby, light my fire Come on baby, light my fire Try to set the night on fire, yeah Yeah, come on baby light, would you light my fire, yeah Come on baby light my fire, would you, oh it’s alright Light my fire, light my fire, light my fire Light my fire, light my fire, light my fire, girl You better light my fire Come on baby, you better light, you better light my fire
“‘I pray you…your play needs no excuse. Never excuse.”
William Shakespeare (English Playwright, Poet and Actor; April 1564 ~ April 23rd, 1616)
“I have to constantly remind myself that I don’t need an excuse anymore to make toys a part of my life. If I am to continue to grow as a human being and as an artist, it’s imperative for me to respect the power of play”
“Playing is hard for most women I know. Creating your own toy box symbolically suggests the importance of fun if you’re to function at full throttle.”
“Play is the exultation of the possible.”
Mark Buber (Austrian Jewish and Israeli Philosopher; February 8th, 1878 ~ June 13th, 1965)
“Play is needed by adults and children alike. Some assume to play is childish. However, adults need play just as much as children. We are just older and often society has shamed us into not playing. This is why you see so many adults in sports leagues, practicing hobbies and getting silly. Play is normal, so carry on!” (Heather Houston 3-6-22)
“Play has become my life…I live in one continuously, delicious, never-ending best date ever with my beloved!”❤️
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 73-74 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
My Distilled Life 