Life is grand if you can stop and see the small things

Good evening friends.

So tonight we have a nice story written by Karen Hanckel. Karen is in the middle here with her two sisters. She is one upbeat lady.

Happy New Year everyone! Here’s hoping for a bright and fabulous 2015 for you all! New Year’s Eve is traditionally a small celebration for us. Quietly spent with friends or family. Last night was no exception. After working late, we had a great dinner out just the two of us.

We were among the revelers at the restaurant but only enough to make us feel that we were ushering in the promise of a new year.
When we got home, our 91 year old neighbor called and asked us over for dessert. As I sat with her for a few minutes, I realized what a blessing it is to have a place that you can walk across the street to and feel joy and fellowship. Plus, what a gift to have her, at 91, be healthy, happy and want company on New Year’s Eve. That’s what life is in many ways. Simple joys. We had many messages of wishes for a Happy New Year from our family and friends. Again, it is the simple things.

We are so happy to be able and ready to start the new year with our friends and loved ones in the Everybody Loves Sammy community! Make it a great one and remember to notice that life is grand if you can stop and see the small things:)

See you all in the morning.

Life is grand if you can stop and see the small things

I’m Leaving on a Jet Plane

♫♫♫ I’m Leaving on a Jet Plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again ♫♫♫

Sammy’s first plane ride coming up. Looks like he’s getting comfortable in his travel bag. Oh, Btw, all the boys will be on the plane with us. Never Ever would we put them below.

I'm leaving on a Jet Plane

Share your Stories With Us

Friends hello.

Now that the website is up again, I want share more stories with our friends on The Good News Channel.  As you know i write on a vast array of topics across a broad spectrum of categories .

I am inviting writers and non writers from around the world to show me your material to possibly share and feature throughout our Social Media platforms and website.

If you are passionate about the things you write about as i am, we want more of that in our community. Passion is what drove Everybody Loves Sammy, and Dr. Harp Seal. whats your passion ?

Come share it with me and we can talk about featuring it.  My email is; smith7024@yahoo.com. Or you can call me at; 917 855 7056.

It’s time The ELS community goes to the next level and we want your participation to get there if you’re interested.

Sincerely,

Dr. Harp Seal

Share your stories with us

2014 in Hindsight

faith, hope and love

Written by Jennifer C. ILano  from the Philippines

2014 In hindsight.

She is not sure what to write.  All she knows is that she wanted to do a piece on inspiration; a heartwarming story. So what she writes is a story of her own – being inspired and being driven to never give up no matter what the odds are.

The beginning of 2014 was sort of mundane. It had been a routine. At least it was for the last five years Job -wise. Her train commute, the good and the bad days, grabbing a quick or a relaxing breakfast at McDonald’s, putting up with petty and lame excuses, her maxed out patience to the test, engaged discussions about syntax and the semantics of a foreign language and her delightful camaraderie over lunch and even after dinner with her colleagues. The daily grind and yet it was simple and light. Up and down and down you go. Cest la vie!

And then it happened. She had suddenly found herself no longer a part of the working force. No it was not something she was prepared for. Yes she did entertain thoughts of branching out, spreading her wings and exploring other options but she was totally caught off guard.  So now what? She didn’t have a blueprint and no plans whatsoever. She had fear of the unknown and starting over. She tried hard to keep it together. A fortyish single lady never had it coming her way.

Embarrassed and wrapped in her lowest, she kept herself busy.   In 2012 she made that bold move with her sister. They left their home of more than two decades and found themselves downsized. Somehow with her routine she never really got the time to clean, organize and de-clutter. Ergo, organizing and de-cluttering were her first pet projects.  And gradually, she successfully did it! In fact perhaps she could make a career out of it.  Again now what? She loves to read. She adores the movies. With all her time in the world she could just do either on a whim. And again life is good. She made the most of her free time. No stress, no pressure, no time to beat. It was as if she was rebuilding her life slowly. Again no plans, just throwing caution to the wind. She’s free, exuberant and being positive under the circumstances.

Suddenly more movies, more books and more time with family and reconnecting with old friends, but she still needed to let the voices in her head drown out. She needed to escape and yet be guided. Being a devout Roman Catholic and a Marian devotee, she really did keep it together. Thank God!

She had to disappear for a while (so to speak) among peering eyes and maybe people who always question and judge. It was a long, struggling and unrelenting step. Perhaps God planned this thing for her after all. She was in this place, in order to reflect on things, to realize and discover more things about her persona; about herself.

She did try to veer away from her passion for teaching but destiny has its way of catching up on her. So now she’s back at it but still has bigger and bolder visions of her future and success.  Now as she got into the holiday spirit she delves into more Christmas movies. Christmas is that time of year when you just want to watch a good Christmas movie. To date she must have watched more than twenty yuletide movies and still counting.  Most of them are inspiring, heartwarming, heartfelt and touching flicks about love, family, friends, dogs, second chances and being real. She has learned a thing or two especially about the recent big word she just mentioned earlier in her writing.

What is success?   “Living your passion every day, helping people and enjoying life”

Do what you love and the money will follow. Successful people attract money. Its not money that makes you a success.  “So looking back it may have been a tough and challenging year yet she has learned and grown to have more faith, hope and love.

The Movie Rewrite for “Gone With The Wind”

The Movie Rewrite for "Gone With The Wind"

Welcome to the Movie Rewrite for “Gone With The Wind”

If you step back for a moment from the epic nature of this movie, it really was about a horribly dysfunctional relationship that in modern times would have come to an end and both parties would have moved on.

MOVIE REWRITE —

So let’s start out with the Movie “Back to the Future” from 1985. Remember the Doctor that created time travel with his Delorean Car? — Well that Doctor was always obsessed with the Movie “Gone with the Wind” and was not happy how it ended.

He decided to time travel back to 1939 when the movie was made to find Rhett Butler just after his timeless quote, “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn”. The Dr. offered Rhett an immediate way out of his turbulent life once and for all.

Rhett knew he needed a complete revamping of his life and figured he could use all the karma he can get. Being Rhett is a “Risk Taking” type of guy, he jumps into the car with the Doctor and they time travel back to the 1970’s.

The Doctor thought this would be a good place for Rhett to start because there was a big movement going on back then called “Erhard Seminars Training”, officially known as The “EST Standard” — They specialized in helping people see life from a clear perspective.

Rhett spent two weeks in the program. He learned about self actualization and development for happiness. He saw the world in a whole new light. He told the Doctor from “Back to the Future” that he would like to stay in the 1970’s and start a brand new life.

Rhett was such a big hit amongst the people in his new Era that the “Bee Gees” offered him a spot as their fourth singer. Rhett turned it down. He didn’t want anymore drama in his life and going on the road was just too much. He was looking to settle down with a nice gal that would love him in return. Months later, Rhett was introduced to a very sweet, up and comer from Australia, named Olivia Newton John.

It was love at first sight. They picked up and moved to Australia to do the whole “family and kids” thing. After several years in Australia, Olivia and Rhett took over a famous Zoo named after the late great Steve Irwin, also known as the “Crocodile Hunter” — That was just Steve’s nickname of course. Nobody was a better friend to all species than Steven Irwin.

The Zoo became a huge success and set the bar for animal kindness across the glob. Rhett looked over at his family, then the zoo and whispered to himself, “Not bad for a man who came all the way from The Civil War Era” — Rhett finally had the peace he was longing for since the day he left the South.

Now let rewind back to Scarlett O’hara when she says  at the end of the movie “Tomorrow is another day” — Scarlet turned out be very right. She learned some valuable lessons during those years.

1.  She needed to deal with her addiction to chaos.

2.  Her dad was wrong. Land means nothing if you don’t have a life to build on it.

3.  Don’t be in a marriage unless you are sure who you want to be married to.

4.  Don’t be in a serious relationship until you know who you are. As a result of these lessons, Scarlet learned to live more in the present and less in her head. Years later she married the Head Plantation worker on her land whom she always had a crush on.

I guess this is what Barry Manilow meant in 1978 when he sang,  ♫♫♫ Ready To Take a Chance Again ♫♫♫

The End. The Movie still would’ve been great.

Houdini will lead us tonight

Good evening friends.

Tonight we have Houdini leading us out, aka; Dini-cat.  Houdini is part of our friend Patricia Charron’s family.  Its nice having a cat lead us out. We don’t talk about cats enough and  we have the same love for them as any animal.

Sammy & Family wishes all cats were as loved and cared for as Houdini here.  Sadly we know it’s not the case for too many.  We want to thank Patricia for making the world a better place one animal at a time.  It may not change the world, but it did changes this cat’s world.   That my friends is how the world becomes a better place.

No lives will go in vain, no pain will go unnoticed. Amen. Dr. Harp Seal for Sammy & Family.

Houdini the Cat leads us out

 

 

Briggette Baust — Hair Styling Legend

Friends hi.

A big Shout Out to Briggette Baust, a New York City legend. She’s a hair stylist-specializing in, hair-color, balayage, highlighting, hair painting and hair design.

Some Artists give you a make over, Briggette gives you a new life. You might walk into her salon disheveled and discombobulated, but you’ll walk out with a new lease on life and a look you’ve never experienced.

Over the past couple of years Briggette has rocked the Social Media Platforms. Some people talk the talk, and others walk the walk. Briggette’s artistry walks the walk for all to see.

You can see her on Instagram; @briggettebausthair or on Facebook at Briggette Baust (Beauty Salon)

Briggette Baust, Hair Styling Legend