No WAIT!! Try Chill'in a moment

Stop everything, and take a breath!

Okay, must admit it was a L-o-n-g weekend.  Lot';s of time indoors, a "to-do" list a mile long, oh and did I say the grand kids were here?   So I guess I was feeling a little stressed after putting them to bed tonight.  Then I decided to take action.  To try a 15 minute "Mindfulness" exercise I learn in an 8 week course through adult ed classes.  Just go to a quiet room and lay down on the floor....

 Let me walk you through it.  First of all close your eyes, acknowledge all the thoughts you have racing through your head.  For the next minute just focus on b-r-e-a-t-h-i-n-g.  Breath in, then breath out.  Notice how your breath sounds.  It always reminds me how the palm trees sounded in Hawaii when the wind would just barely blow.  Keep breathing noticing how your breath sounds.

 Next, expand your awareness from your breathing to your body.  Start noticing how your chest moves up and down while you breath.  I liken this to when I look across a field, I first notice the foreground (fence), then the grasses, then the conifers in the background and last the sky.  I go through my body the same way moving from my breath to the tingle of my toes.

Paying attention to yourself in this way gives you the room to see the questions you're really asking yourself, only with less urgency.  I always see things from a different perspective when I am done, laying there alone and in thought.  If the waves of rushing and worry start to flow in, just calm yourself and take a moment to choose to mot worry but to seek a new and more thoughtful perspective. 

I have to really try to stop and take a moment for myself.  I accept that I'm a worrier by nature and need to take time to accept the challenges and move forward.  How do you keep your worrying in check?

Pictures courtesy of Kelsey Norton

Possibly My Favorite Place in Loomis...

Ok, so it's hard to pick a favorite, but High Hand Nursery -- with the company of good friends --  really may be my favorite place in Loomis.  

I know I've said this before, but if you haven't been to High Hand Nursery before GO!  Grab a bite to eat and walk around the amazing grounds!  Truly an amazing place to visit!

http://www.highhandgallery.com/

Don't be a Dinasour

I get asked this question all the time "Which is better LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter."  I have to ask, what are you looking for this social networking to do for you?

It's like comparing oranges to apples to bananas...

While linkedIn is mainly for professional networking, Facebook is more of an informal friends and family site and Twitter is for real-time quick messaging/microblogging. I guess each serves its own purpose in a profound and different way.

Try these networks out, learn about each or you are likely to get behind in some very important social skills.

Join in on the conversation...add me to YOUR network

You never know when you might run into a "someone" and want to tell all your friends (tweet) about it.

http://www.twitter.com/jonelle3

http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonelle3

http://www.jotraveler.blogspot.com/

Feeling so Austen, Jane Austen

What a great author and woman Jane Austen was, years before her time -- so strong and creative. I am having a Jane Austen month.  Time to sit back and watch a shining example of a strong and fabulous woman. On these cold days it's nice to have an excuse to stay inside and watch a good movie.

Austen's novels have been adapted in a number of film and television series, varying greatly in their faithfulness to the originals. Here is a list of Her inspired films. Did I miss any??

Pride & Prejudice

Films:

• Pride and Prejudice (1940 film), starring Greer Garson as Elizabeth Bennet and Laurence Olivier as Mr. Darcy.

• Pride and Prejudice: A Latter-Day Comedy (2003), a modern-day independent film adaptation.

• Pride & Prejudice (2005 film), starring Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet and Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy.

Television

• Pride and Prejudice (1952 TV serial), starring Ann Baskett as Elizabeth Bennet and Peter Cushing as Mr. Darcy.

• Pride and Prejudice (1980 TV serial) (1980), BBC miniseries starring Elizabeth Garvie as Elizabeth Bennet and David Rintoul as Mr. Darcy.

• Pride and Prejudice (1995 TV serial), BBC miniseries starring Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet and Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.

Adaptations:

• Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), a loose adaptation by Helen Fielding based on her book of the same name. The movie stars Renée Zellweger in the Elizabeth Bennet-inspired role of Bridget; Colin Firth, literally as Mr. (Mark) Darcy; and Hugh Grant as the Wickham-inspired Daniel. The 1995 TV serial is specifically referenced in the book and subsequent movie, intentionally naming Mr. Darcy after the Pride and Prejudice character.

• Bride & Prejudice(2004), a Bollywood style adaptation directed by Gurinder Chadha and starring Aishwarya Rai and Martin Henderson.

Emma

Films:

• Emma (1948 film), starring Judy Campbell as Emma.

• Emma (1996 film), 1996 film directed by Douglas MacGrath and starring Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma and Jeremy Northam as Knightley.

Television

• Emma (1960 TV serial), starring Diana Fairfax as Emma.
• Emma (1972 TV serial), 1972 UK TV film starring Doran Godwin as Emma.

• Emma (1996 TV drama), 1996 UK TV film starring Kate Beckinsale as Emma.

Adaptations:

• Clueless (1995 film), a modernization of the novel set in a Beverly Hills high school. The film was directed by Amy Heckerling and stars Alicia Silverstone.

Sense and Sensibility

Films:

• Sense and Sensibility (1995 film), film starring Emma Thompson as Elinor Dashwood, Kate Winslet as Marianne Dashwood, with Hugh Grant as Edward Ferrars and Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon. Directed by Ang Lee.

Television:
• Sense and Sensibility (1971 TV serial), BBC series starring Joanna David as Elinor Dashwood and Ciaran Madden as Marianne Dashwood
• Sense and Sensibility (1981 TV serial), BBC series starring Irene Richard as Elinor Dashwood and Tracey Childs as Marianne Dashwood
• Sense and Sensibility (2007 TV serial), BBC series starring as Hattie Morahan as Elinor Dashwood and Charity Wakefield as Marianne Dashwood

Adaptations:
• Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000), a contemporary Kollywood (Tamil) film set in the present, based on the same plot, starring Tabu as Sowmya (Elinor Dashwood), Aishwarya Rai as Meenakshi (Marianne Dashwood), with Ajit as Manohar (Edward Ferrars), Abbas as Srikanth (Willoughby) and Mammootty as Captain Bala (Colonel Brandon).

Persuasion
Films:
• Persuasion (1995 film), made-for-television film which was released in US theatres by Sony Pictures Classics, starring Amanda Root as Anne and Ciarán Hinds as Captain Wentworth.
Television
• Persuasion (1960 series), BBC miniseries starring Daphne Slater as Anne and Paul Daneman as Captain Wentworth.
• Persuasion (1971 series), BBC miniseries starring Anne Firbank as Anne and Bryan Marshall as Captain Wentworth.
• Persuasion (2007 TV drama), miniseries filmed in Bath in September 2006 for ITV, with Sally Hawkins as Anne, Rupert Penry-Jones as Wentworth, and Anthony Stewart Head as Sir Walter Elliot, and Julia Davis.

Mansfield Park
Films:
• Mansfield Park (film) 1999 film directed by the Canadian Patricia Rozema, and starring Frances O'Connor, Embeth Davidtz, Sheila Gish and Harold Pinter.

Television:
• Mansfield Park (1983 TV serial) miniseries starring Sylvestra Le Touzel, Nicholas Farrell, and Anna Massey
• Mansfield Park (2007 TV drama), miniseries directed by Iain B. MacDonald. With Billie Piper as Fanny

Adaptations:
• Metropolitan (1990 film) a loose adaptation set in modern day Manhattan and Long Island. Written and directed by Whit Stillman, and starring Edward Clements, Carolyn Farina, Taylor Nichols, and Chris Eigeman (Jane Austen is also mentioned throughout the film.)
[edit] Northanger Abbey

Northanger Abbey
Films:
• Northanger Abbey (1986 film), directed by Giles Foster and released in 1986, starring Peter Firth in the role of Henry Tilney.

Television:
• Northanger Abbey (2007 TV drama), directed by Jon Jones and released in 2007, starring Felicity Jones as Catherine Morland and JJ Fields as Henry Tilney.

Non-book based
• The 1980 film Jane Austen in Manhattan is about rival stage companies who wish to produce the only complete Austen play "Sir Charles Grandison" (from the Richardson novel of the same title), which was rediscovered in 1980.[11]
• A semi-biographical 2007 film Becoming Jane, was directed by Julian Jarrold and stars Anne Hathaway as Jane. The film centers around her purported romance with young Tom Lefroy, played by James McAvoy. It is very loosely based on brief mentions of him in two of her letters to her only sister Cassandra.

• Another 2007 semi-biographical film, this one produced by the BBC for television, Miss Austen Regrets. It focuses on the last few years of Austen's life, in which she looks back on her life and loves. Jane Austen is played by Olivia Williams

The last movie I watched was The Jane Austen Book Club (2007)  This movie explores Austen's adage that general incivility is at love's essence. Sylvia's husband dumps her for another woman, so Bernadette and Jocelyn organize a book club to distract her. They recruit Sylvia's daughter Allegra; Prudie, a young teacher whose marriage may be on the rocks; and Grigg, a sci-fi fan who joins out of attraction to Jocelyn. The six read and discuss one Austen novel per month. Jocelyn tries to interest Grigg in Sylvia; Allegra falls in love with a woman she meets skydiving; Prudie contemplates an affair with a student; Sylvia's ex keeps popping up. In the discussions, characters reveal themselves in their comments. By the end, are truths universally acknowledged?

Looking to make some life changes?

I found the below tips very insightful as I think about the next chapter in my own life.  I wanted to share this with you:

How To Start A New Chapter In Your Life At Any Age

By Dr. Miriam Reiss

Fed up with your job, wanting to try something new or different, or ready to finally go for that career you've been dreaming about? Stop daydreaming and start going for it. But, before you do, benefit from these tips from career reinvention coach Dr. Miriam Reiss:

1. Start a new chapter for the right reasons.

Take a good look at why you want to leave your current job or career. Do you have a pattern of running when you get bored, tired, burned out, sick of politics or afraid of bigger challenges? If that's so, get support and shift that pattern before you move on, or you'll drag it with you into your next chapter.

2. What are you telling yourself about starting a new chapter?

"I'm too old." "It's not that bad, at least I've got a job, benefits, etc." "I don't have a clue what else to do." "I'll follow my passion when it retire." "I don't want to have to go back to school." "Things will get better at work." These are common things we tell ourselves when we consider new career turf. Be sensitive to statements that sound oh-so rational but effectively keep us from moving forward.

3. Most people say they like their job. Don't believe them.

Global research shows that the majority of people worldwide don't like or are tolerating their jobs. This is very different from loving your job. Job dissatisfaction, over time, can affect way more than your mood. It can jeopardize your health, your relationships and whole life. Don't let unhappiness fester, your body wants you to do something about it.

4. Staying in your job because of your children may not be doing them a favor.

What do you want to model to your children about what it's like to work for a living? A mother who radiates happiness from her work gives her children the message that work is to be savored, that it can create opportunity, exciting challenges and expansion. Children copy what they see, including parents' work-related beliefs and values. Your work imprint won't typically surface until your children enter the workforce. The impact on their careers can be lifelong.

5. You may not need to totally reinvent yourself. Chances are, you also won't need to go back to school for another degree.

There are six possible doors of career change, from shifting who you're being in your current position to total career reinvention. Don't presume you know which career door is right for you. Many people, when they work with a career coach, discover that complete reinvention often isn't needed. Each career door involves a different strategy and a different amount of energy, commitment and time. The journey can actually be fun and a transformational experience.

6. Don't over-analyze the career process.

Use that tech mind of yours wisely. Be careful of using your mind to prematurely negate career options. Talking to 3-5 people who are already in careers you're considering will give you a wider, more accurate lens.

7. There's no such thing as an "average" amount of time to do career shift.

The right kind of support will enable you to move faster and more efficiently. The older we get, the more time is a factor. Through the process, you might uncover a career that you were unaware of or wouldn't have considered on your own. You might even have it in you to do something pioneering, creating a job or industry that didn't previously exist.

8. Take career assessments with a large grain of sea salt.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if a career assessment could rapidly and precisely identify our most perfect career? Unfortunately, even the best, most expensive assessments aren't able to factor in your unique personality style and needs, values, preferences and cumulative work experience.

Say No to a Sad Valentine's Day!

Valentine’s Day tips -- even if you veto Valentine’s Day:

Years ago I was a single Mom, never having anyone to spend Valentines Day with.  I was sad to think that I "HAD" to have a man in my life to make me complete, so I would "Veto" Valentines Day, and spend some time showing myself some appreciation.  Maybe you can add a few of your own tips.

1. Take yourself (and maybe a friend) our for a nice dinner.  I always avoided the exact day of Valentine's Day -- when restaurants put out special meals at inflated prices.

2. Wear comfortable shoes. I know you want to wear the sexiest ones you own but only if you’re getting dropped off at the front door of the restaurant -- not when you are having to park and walk.

3. Take your smaller handbag. The restaurants are packed and you don’t want your big work bag to knock someone off their chair as you squeeze by their table.

4. Eat some cheese and crackers, or a special starter before you leave for dinner. A growling stomach isn’t your best feature! Restaurants are notoriously packed during Valentine’s Week and long waits are not unusual even with your reservation. This will help you to stay relaxed and enjoy the conversation and time spend looking over the menu.

5. Wear your best perfume, one you do not normally wear, just a touch, it will make you feel special and mysterious.

6. Look your best, that always makes you feel your best.

7. Take some flowers to a hospital or retirement home and share the joy of Valentine's Day with those less fortunate to have a valentine.

8.  You don’t HAVE to wear red-red to stay true to Valentine’s Day. While still being in the romantic theme, you can choose shades of pink, rose, merlot, purple even red-violet. Not all shades of red are equally attractive on everybody. Wear whatever flatters you! Wear what makes YOU feel beautiful!

9.  Schedule an appointment for an updo, a mani/pedi or a facial to pamper yourself whether you’re going on a date or not!

10. Buy yourself a gift that would otherwise be bought by a “boyfriend or husband” if you’re not connected with someone. A special piece of jewelry, a scarf, some bright red gloves, a piece of art, an antique piece to display on coffee table.

Embracing 50!

Well, I turned 50 this year -- how liberating! All these past years I have been trying to be someone special -- someone who is smart and talented, with friends and a great job. So last year I went on a long journey of self-discovery so that I could enter the next phase of my life with peace and feeling positive.

Here I am at 50, with daughter Makay at her Wedding.

I've made a list of things I accept and ways I have tried to change....

I am not “perfect” nor do I seek perfection. I simply:

• Wake up positive

• Try new thing, new foods, new places
• Trying to cultivate my relationship spiritually, take care of my emotional well being

• Quiet my life, learn to slow myself down, practice mindfullness

• Try not to let my work get to me, I focus on what energizes me
• Practice …

• Walk my dog daily

• Read for pleasure, and not the news

• Bring my creative whims to life.  Create one new thing each month


And the things I don’t do anymore:

• Over eat

• Use others to fill my needs

• Overwork, overspend, over-indulge, over-everything

• Instigate and chase drama

• Be with people who aren’t positive influences
• Gossip (Okay, I'm still working on this)

• Pretend I’m something I’m not

Your list may differ and that’s more than OK. You are you! We aren’t carbon copies of each other, thankfully, and after decades believing something’s wrong with me because I’m just different.

So I went on a year long study of myself as I prepared for the new changes in this the second act of my life.  I have read:


Books I read on my Journey:
The Mind-Beauty Connection: 9 Days to Less Stress, Gorgeous Skin, and a Whole New You.

by Amy Wechsler


Authentic Personal Branding: A New Blueprint for Building and Aligning a Powerful Leadership Brand

by Hubert K Rampersad

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

by Malcolm Gladwell
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams

by M.D. Deepak Chopra

How to Successfully Advertise, Publicize and Maximize Your Business or Professional Practice
by Marilyn Heimberg Ross

Wake Up, Take Charge, and Overcome Your Financial Fears Forever

by Jean Chatzky

The One Thing You Need to Know: ... About Great Managing, Great Leading, and Sustained Individual Success

by Marcus Buckingham
The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety: A Guide to Breaking Free from Anxiety, Phobias, and Worry Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

by John P. Forsyth, Georg H. Eifert
Body-for-LIFE for Women: A Woman's Plan for Physical and Mental Transformation

by Dr. Pamela Peeke M.D. M.P.H. F.A.C.P.

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

by Malcolm Gladwell

The Fred Factor: How Passion in Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary into the Extraordinary


by Mark Sanborn, John C. Maxwell

The Secret

by Rhonda Byrne

40 Things Every Woman Over 40 Needs to Know about Getting Dressed
by Brenda Kinsel, Jenny M. Phillips

Womenomics: Write Your Own Rules for Success

by Claire Shipman, Katty Kay

Image Power: Top Image Experts Share What to Know to Look Your Best

by Sonya Barnes, Wendy Buchanan, Helena Chenn, Heather Elrick, Judith Ann Graham, Deborah King, Kimberly Law, Dana Lynch, Kathy Pendleton, Bianca Stark-Falcone


Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia

by Elizabeth Gilbert

Be Your Own Life Coach: How to Take Control of Your Life and Achieve Your Wildest Dreams

by Fiona Harrold

What's Holding You Back? 30 Days to Having the Courage and Confidence to Do What You Want, Meet Whom You Want, and Go Where You Want
by Sam Horn

My Own Piece of History...

While on a cruise with Richard we were a few days at sea when they had a special program introducing the Camrose and Kross  reproduced  Jacqueline Kennedy Collection of costume jewelry. I was intrigued.. I have always loved her classic style and find I am drawn to her fashion sense.

Well that day Richard bought me my own piece of fashion history.  I own a classic replica of a somewhat famous bracelet. Richard bought it for me on a cruise we went on, for my birthday.

I personally love this bracelet. It is absolutely beautiful. I think this bracelet looks great with a gold watch. You would think I spent hundreds of dollars for this bracelet. (He did not have to, it was a wonderful "deal")  It's a triple stripe gold tone bracelet has 288 Swarovski crystals. It is secured with a fold over clasp. The bracelet is 24k gold plated.  It came in a wonderful blue velvet gift box and iincluded a Camrose and Kross Certificate of authenticity. Also a romance card with some fascinating information about Jackie and her life was in the box.

History of the bracelet: 1963 - Ireland had a special place in JFK’s heart, but it was also very important to Jackie, whose mother was of Irish descent. So, Jackie too looked upon the imminent visit the Irish President Eamon de Valera with great expectations. By all accounts, the two couples got along famously and officially the Irish President presented to the Kennedy's a large Waterford Glass bowl, a doll for Caroline and a plastic pull toy for John Jr. However, after the main dinner, President Valera and his wife met with John and Jackie in the Yellow Oval Room on the second floor of the White House and presented her with this bracelet and matching earrings (I'm still looking for a picture of the earrings, I'd love to just see what they looked like). The Kennedy's were very moved, especially when President de Valera explained that he brought the gift because he was personally grateful for all the Kennedy’s had done for Ireland and its reputation abroad.

It was rare that JFK accepted presents, he wouldn’t even accept a salary as the President, so it is a great testament to how important this meeting was to him, that he allowed his family to take the bracelet. The bracelet design, made in three sections was to symbolize the connection between Ireland and the United States. One section stood for those who left Ireland to start a new life, one section stood those who stayed in Ireland to create the modern state, and these two flanked the center section symbolizing The Republic of Ireland. Jackie put on the bracelet and told President de Valera she would wear it on her up coming trip to Europe, and she did. Jackie wore it in England, Italy, Greece, and Morocco, and of course in the United States. This bracelet is still in the Kennedy family is and is worn with pride by John and Jackie's granddaughter.

Jackie and Lee with the kids, notice her wearing the bracelet!

Happy Birthday Richard!

 

June is a great month to spend a day with a friend

I want to plan a Saturday "get away" where I can get out and explore with a friend. I don't have to drive far to find some fun things to do. And with the weather clearing up many of my ideas are outdoor activities. So grab a friend and get going!

• Visit one of the California Missions or Adobes and discuss California History
• Meet at a favorite outdoor decore store and then go to JoAnns or Beverlys sewing and craft store to buy supplies to make something for your patio
• See a "GIRL" movie your husband would never take you to and discuss it afterward over a burger
• Visit a bookstore to browse and talk books over coffee/tea
• Window shop at the mall and make a list of items you'd like to someday add to your wardrobe
• Have lunch at a cafe that has outdoor dining (It feels very French)
• Take your cameras on a special hike, take photos, combine them, and have a slideshow at home, complete with popcorn and those HUGE candy bars
• Go for a bike ride and pack your lunch in a small backpack
• Meet at a gallery opening and have a drink afterward
• Walk your dogs together on a hike in the mountains
• Get a make up or skincare "Make over" together and bring items that you do not use or colors that don't work, and trade them (tip: Mary Kay offers free makeovers and skin care tips)
• Go on a Home Tour, take pictures of what you like, discuss over dessert

Feeling Blue? Try focusing on the Daily 10

Develop your "Daily 10". Have a regular pattern of 10 wonderful things you do every day for your own vibrant personal foundation. Find your own little rituals that just make you feel good! Every day, do 10 simple things that remind you how special, powerful, alive and wonderful you are!

Here are my 10!

* Sip a cup of tea in a real china cup (not plastic or paper to go cups)
* Read socially for 15-30 minutes – magazine or a chapter of a good book
* Social networking to keep in touch
* Take time to add accessories to what I am wearing
* Smile more
* Be creative. Work on ongoing creative projects. Jewelry, sewing, crafts, writing
* Walk Oliver even if I don’t have time and it is to the end of the driveway only
* Slow down and enjoy the drive, learn to STOP rushing
* Tell those close to me that I love and appreciate them, even Raley the cat
* Sit ups every day, even when I don’t feel like it.

What are your daily 10?

It's a New Year

By the time New Year's rolls around I am getting tired of the California Cusine. I love to host a Mexican Style dinner and try new recipees that I have eaten on my travels. I simply love sharing these meals with friends and family.

Making the Best Mexican Recipes at Home

If you like to feed your family dishes which are both healthy and tasty you could do a lot worse than Mexican recipes since a lot of Mexican food is naturally low in fat and calories yet has plenty of flavor.

There are Mexican recipes for every occasion including Mexican layer salads for a hot day, elaborate desserts, and cakes for special occasions and all your favorite Mexican recipes like tacos, easy Mexican casseroles, empanadas and much more.

And to drink, why not try hot chocolate. Hot Chocolate is often served with lashings of cream as well as vanilla, honey, spices and more. In fact, Mexican hot chocolate is almost a meal in itself! The Mexicans have always known how to enjoy their food.



I get a lot of my Mexican Food recipes from my travels, but look for exact measuments and ingrediants at:

http://www.mexicanfoodrecipes.org/Mexican-Recipes/index.php

Now invite some friends over and say Bueno!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Everyone!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Special Announcment Ellen Heinz turns 95

It isn't often one can say they have a photo of 5 generations of one family. But I can. My grandma Ellen turned 95 on November 21, 2009 and my parents put on a wonderful party for the occasion.

Here is the album from this event:


How lucky I am to have a grandmother, and grand kids. It just doesn't get any better!

Do you have 5 generations in your family to share?

Snow at home!

 
Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

Sure feels like Christmas.

I love the holidays

 
And the office food. It's so nice to work where the holiday spirit is alive and we can celebrate the 24 days of Christmas.

Why I LOVE to Blog!

Why I l_o_v_e to blog. Now this post could go long. But right now I just want to share one of the reasons I love blogging so much. And that is.... inspiring my readers to enjoy travel and share my ideas and tips to help simplify and prepare them for the travel experience.

MakeNewFriendsWhile

Remember the Nursery Sing Along - Make New Friends?

"Make New Friends but keep the Old, one is Silver and the other Gold."

Making new friends is one of my favorite parts of traveling. That's one reason I always stay in local non brand hotels. I have started taking some small gifts, McDonald's lunch toys, free marketing giveaways, wrapped candies, pens, or postcards of our region to share with folks I meet on the trip. It is especially helpful when meeting people with children, they like to have the kids learn a few things about where you live.


I also try to be a good listener, asking questions about their trip or the area, and listening carefully to the answers. It is easy to talk and interact with people when outdoors walking or hiking, shopping, buying regional local foods for picnics or a snack. Don't make the mistake of talking only with those in your group. We all tend to talk only to each other when we have a group we are traveling with, try and break out of that habit while traveling. You will learn so much more.

Make friends by asking about local customs, the weather, hand crafted items, history of the area or building, local music or anything else of interest. Don't be afraid to ask follow-up questions if you need more information.

Stay a Week or More in One Place, Ask for Help, Ride the Bus, Visit the Local dining and shopping places. Living like a local, washing clothes downtown, shopping for food at a farmers outdoor market, having dinner in the local restaurant allows one to ask questions and chat casually.

It never hurts to approach people for assistance in reading the map, finding a nearby waterfall, finding the best hiking trails or locating a restaurant that serves vegetarian food. Going by public transportation or train puts you closer to local people and how they live. it also gives one plenty of time to see the scenery as well as chat with other travelers and locals alike.

I enjoy making new friends and I still keep up with a lot of my new friends via facebook and email. I have even met up with them again on other trips, or when they happen to visit California. Try it!

30 Year Reunion - YIKES!

I can not believe it is 7 weeks till my 30th year reunion! I still need to lose 10 pounds, find something cool, young, hip and fun to wear, find something different to do with my hair...and you know who would even notice since I haven't seen many of these friends for 30 years?

When I received the invitation I immediately got a hold of my high school best friend Margaret and asked her to go with Richard and I (It's always best to have someone to sit with) I then called a few more friends because she was not "set" on going yet.

Next I got out my yearbooks and re read them, all four of them! That way names might be more top of mind.

Then I looked about 20 up on Facebook to reconnect with them . I got in touch with other classmates that I thought might attend too. There is safety and courage in going to a reunion with close friends. It was great catching up on line and gave me a lot more confidence that I will have friends to talk to at the reunion, and for years longer.

The most important thing I must remember is not to worry so much. My classmate that acted like a jerk in high school is never going to remember me and re visit it. We have all grown up I am sure and we will all feel awkward and unsure. So the best thing I can do is enter the room with a smile and enjoy meeting again people whom I once had something in common with...going to the same high school.

Now that I am thinking about it..maybe I just need to relax and enjoy myself. Really no one will know I have put on 10 pounds in the last 30 years and no one will care about a trendy haircut or sensational outfit. What most people remember is one's smile and their voice.

Tips:

Look forward to your reunion and be positive. Everyone you talk to will have something interesting to offer in conversation

Before the reunion and on the way to the event talk with your significant about many of the fun and wonderful things since high school you have done. That way when someone asks what you have done since high school it will be top of mind.

Be complimentary and state your fond memories of those you talk with.Wear what makes you feel confident. Going to a high school reunion can be nerve-wracking, but if you dress confidently, you will come off as a confident person

Avoid negative behavior or discussion. If someone you are talking to starts in, excuse yourself to move over to another person you'd like to say hi to.

Do not wear anything uncomfortable, such as something too tight or something you have to constantly adjust or tug at throughout the night. You want your mind to be on your old high school friends, not your clothes.

Try to wear a color other than all black. The older we get the more vibrant we want to look.

Be careful while being nervous try not to over eat or drink.

Be yourself. The best conversations come when you are authentic and most of all don't feel pressured to be something you're not

Smile, even if you are nervous. Remember people will always feel more positive about you if you smile.

Keep track of your memories

For many years my mom has traveled all over the globe and she always manages to find the time to make an interesting and fun scrapbook detailing her adventures with both written notes and photographs of the trip.

I noticed she keeps a travel journal to preserve memories of each trip. Years later she can read her travel journal and enjoy the memories of her experiences. Many details that don't seem terribly important at the time you are writing a travel journal often turn out to be most interesting memories. I’ll never forget seeing the receipt for a piece of much loved china we bought at an antique shop in London or re-reading the itinerary we took while looking for "boot sales."

How to get started writing your travel diary or journal:

Buy a small blank paged notebook to use as your travel journal. Smaller books you can throw into your carry-on or purse. Look for a book with a lot of empty pages.

Next, start writing. I takes a while to get into the habit of writing in your travel journal every day. When you are ready to go to bed make sure you have said something so you do not get behind on your entries thus having to catch up. Take a few minutes every day and jot down your notes. It doesn't have to be long, just on a regular basis.

Use any "down time" for your travel journal. There is a surprising amount of sitting around while your are in route to a destination You can always jot down a few lines in your travel journal when you are on trains, in cabs, waiting for planes, drying your laundry, waiting for a meal or waiting in line.

Date all your entries in your travel journal. At the top of each page place a heading, write down the day, where you are, who you are with, maybe even the weather and what you ate that day. These quick and fun details you can reflect on later, they are great triggers to help remember the day. The memories will come rushing back.

Feelings are also important. Focus on writing how you feel listing numbers and examples are fine but that isn't why you traveled. A long journey is a time for looking inward, thoughts to the future, thoughts of the past. Being in foreign lands increases your emotions and reactions. Writing about those experiences while the memories are fresh is important.

I always leave a spot at the back of my journal for a list. I like to make lists

• places I want to go next


• places I want to dine next


• meals I want to try


• unusual experiences on my travels


• interesting people I have met


• local words or phrases


• Clothing I admire

Keep all your receipts and ticket stubs. Whenever you use a ticket for gallery or museum or transpiration, tape the stub into your journal. Also keep food wrappers, brochures, maps and receipts. They are pieces of history from your trip. These contain valuable information too. It will be fun to track your expenses, see how much the total trip was or how much the same item cost in each location of the trip.

Next as you print out your photos place them in the journal to keep the memories alive.

If you do an online photo album or put photos in a scrap book, either way be sure an include a few photos in your journal too. My mom used to combine the two when she got home, using the pages of her journal in the scrapbook style photo book. That really told the story and the adventure.

Finally, my favorite thing my mom did was scribble, she drew small pictures, sketched a diagram, made pointers to brochures and more. This was the thing that most personalized the journal.

Now go out today and pick up a notebook and start with your next weekend getaway to write down and savor the moments of your trip.

I suppose Richard would tell me to just use my iphone and track my travels, expenses, notes and photos with that. ....

Links you might like:

http://journal.lifetips.com/

http://www.kahunna.net/jtips.html