End the day with a positive thought, what an interesting, inspirational message? When I first saw this quote the other day, I had to stop and think about it. The first question I asked myself was, why?
In thinking about the deeper meaning of the inspirational message, I thought about what I do every day since I can remember. Yes, that’s right, back to when I was a child, though it’s more likely that as a young adult, I lived this mindset.
The full quote reads:
“Always end the day with a positive thought. No matter how hard things were, tomorrow’s a fresh opportunity to make it better.”
~unknown
Woke up this morning to a beautiful day. Stepping outside to get the paper, I was astonished on how blue the sky was, how warm the sun felt, warm that is without being oppressive. The atmosphere didn’t feel like it was going to crush me. Believe me, this has been the hottest summer on record and all too often, the temperatures and humidity levels were through the roof. Naturally, walking out today, was a pleasant surprise.
I think I will enjoy my coffee on the deck and take in the beautiful day. Ohhh, that will leave me an opportunity to do a bit of writing. Later, a bit of exercise and activity soaking in the sun.
Speaking of coffee, I was at an Italian restaurant last night and my friend tried to order an espresso for dessert. Guess what? They didn’t offer espresso at all? WTF? Who ever heard of an Italian restaurant without espresso, or cappuccino for that matter. Which brings me to another question. In this revelation, I learned that in Europe, cappuccino is never served after the noon hour? Okay, I understand that around the world, there are cultural differences, but cappuccino is nothing more that espresso with steamed milk. I prefer cappuccino over espresso but I drink both. To me, cappuccino will dull the raw bitterness that can often prevail in espresso. Forgetting the caffeine aspect, cappuccino allows me to sleep better than espresso when consumed at the end of a long day.
What do you think? Is cappuccino okay in the evening?
Until next time, this is Richard Verry, loving the day and my coffee. I hope you have a wonderful day.
This week, Hillary Rodham Clinton crashed through the glass ceiling to become the first ever female candidate from a major political party in the United States of America. I am very proud to be a citizen of the U.S.A.
Hillary Clinton accepts her nomination
It was a long time coming, 240 years after the Declaration of Independence was conceived and signed by all thirteen colonies in the Americas. In my opinion, it took too long. But then again, it took too long to abolish slavery, give women the vote, enact civil rights laws, and recently, legalizing same-sex marriage.
In my mind, our country should have started 240 years ago with all of these rights guaranteed to all Americans, citizen or not. The country was founded on the concept of freedom from oppression, free speech, the right to carry arms, freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, and a host of other rights guaranteed by our constitution.
Yet, in my mind, we still have a lot of growing to do. Equal pay for equal work, the right to do with our own bodies without outside interference, be it abortion, smoking weed, or self-euthanasia. Each of these actions does not affect or injure others walking this Earth. Further growth would be accomplished by eradicating the mindset of society that violent crime, terrorism, forcible assertion of one’s beliefs upon another.
I for one will never force my morals or beliefs on someone else. It’s not my place to tell someone what to believe, nor is it someone else’s place to tell me what I should believe. No one, and I mean no one, should suffer atrocities upon their bodies or mind, simply because they are man or woman, gay or straight, religious or not, one nationality or another, liberal, progressive, or conservative, or even indifferent to the suffering of their fellow-man.
You and I may not like it but I will not try to force you to think and believe the way I do. I hope you will do the same for me.
Congratulations Presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton. Here’s hoping that I can one day refer to you as Madam President Hillary Clinton.
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My girlfriend and I had chinese food for dinner the other night. I’d like to share with you what my fortune cookie had hidden inside.
“Good books are friends who are always ready to talk to us.”
For the readers out there, I think you will agree. Good or bad, they talk to us, reach into our souls and stimulate emotions. I don’t know about you, but I have conversations with my books. Yes, the books themselves. I talk to them and they respond.
I also have conversations with other readers about books, either mine or someone else’s. We can debate whether it was a good read or a bad read. We can argue about the elements of the characters, the plot or the outcome.
My favorite books are those that I cannot predict where the story is taking me. Not just the ending either. I want to be surprised and jolted all along the way. Just when I think I figured out ‘who done it’ or whether the couple will final get together, the best stories for me those that change direction. By the time the last page is turned, I want the story wrapped up. I want all of the pieces to fit, like a jigsaw puzzle.
So far, from what people tell me, my books fit that criteria. However, I would be interested in what you, the reader of this blog, thinks. Write me. Fill out the comment field below and lay it on me. Tell me whether your favorite books talk to you and what it is about them that makes the book one of your favorites.
Till next time, have a great day and a better tomorrow.
Yesterday, I wrote about goals without a plan is nothing more than a wish. In fact, I believe it’s more than that. It’s wishful thinking.
However, once you have the plan, you are already on the road to meeting your goals. For me, that’s the fun part. Taking the first step, then the next and then, the next one again. I’ve always believed that to reach the summit, you must put one foot in front of the other. Step over over the pebbles and eventually you’ll step over the stone, and eventually the mountain.
Earlier, I stumbled upon this followup quote.
“There’s no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.”
Makes sense to me, despite that I wish that it were possible to jump ahead of the line and go right to the top.
The image I’ve displayed shows the quote surrounded by a spiraling stair case. I can’t imagine how many steps it would take to climb that stair case and reach the top. Hundreds? Thousands?
However many there are, in real life, it takes much more to achieve our goals. My goals. I’ve spent decades learning, experiencing, and experimentation before deciding upon my goals. Some of my goals have fallen to the wayside in favor of newer, more interesting goals.
Do you know what I find if fun? Working on my goals, figuring them out and taking the steps to achieve them. For me, it’s sitting down in front of my computer and transcribing the dialog running through my head. It’s picking up a pencil or paint brush and putting it to paper or canvas. Adrenaline begins racing throughout my body. I’m excited and the imagery in my mind feeds off the adrenaline and suddenly, my fingers can’t move fast enough. Whether it’s typing on a keyboard or stroke after stroke of my pencil or brush, I pour my heart and soul into each creative work.
Years later, I can look at a painting I did, notice one of my books on the shelves and the excitement returns in an immeasurable instant. Every so often, I review Honey’s story in my book, ‘The Taste of Honey‘, and I’m filled with joy, wonderment and concern. I want her to be saved. I want her to thrive. I know that she has a goal in mind and that goal will survive death. She’ll make it happen. She has a plan. You’ll see as you delve into her world along with her best friend, Mona Bendarova.
Damn, I love what I do. I hope you do and if you don’t, well that’s okay too. You’re welcome to your opinion. Who am I to tell you what to think. So, to conclude, I hope I can instill this one thought and it’s a motto I’ve lived with my entire life. As far as I can tell, no one else has said this and I’ve repeated the mantra in my head every day of my adult life, and I’ve been around a while. I would be interested in your comments and responses. Please send me a note. I’ll be happy to read them.
My personal motto is this.
“Nothing is impossible. Everything is possible. It’s all in the attitude.” – Richard Verry
The full quote reads:
I think I will enjoy my coffee on the deck and take in the beautiful day. Ohhh, that will leave me an opportunity to do a bit of writing. Later, a bit of exercise and activity soaking in the sun.
The image I’ve displayed shows the quote surrounded by a spiraling stair case. I can’t imagine how many steps it would take to climb that stair case and reach the top. Hundreds? Thousands?