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Self Motivation and Visualisation
It can be very difficult to motivate ourselves. We might need a pat on the back and a bit of encouragement - but sometimes we need to be able to keep ourselves going! How can we motivate ourselves to stick with our goals and keep fighting for what we want, when life feels like it is working against us?
Easter is Here
There are many things about Easter that stand out, but one thing that is above the rest is the power of Jesus' resurrection. I think we understand that His rising from the grave is so important to Christians.
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“Wolf Nipple Chips, Get ’Em While They’re Hot.”
Sometimes life is good. Sometimes it’s so good that you don’t need it to get any better. Last Tuesday night was one such night, given that I was sitting on the couch snaffling the last of my Easter eggs watching Barcelona’s Lionel Messi give a performance against the Mighty Arse that more or less defied superlatives. In my day I’ve been lucky enough to watch (not in the flesh, mind) the likes of Van Basten, Maradona, Bergkamp and Zidane, and seen all the clips of Pele, Best, Cruyff et al, and Messi - still only 22 - looks like he could well be the best of the lot, even though I’ll always have a soft spot for Van Basten, mainly for that goal against Russia in the 1988 Euro Championships. Anyway, midway through the second half, the phone rang. It was my old agent, who still has some rights on THE BIG O, letting me know that an Italian publisher has made an offer for said tome. Which is pretty small beer in the grand scheme of things - the advance wouldn’t be impressive even if it was in lire - but it was a pretty nice boost at the time, especially as I’m currently wallowing in the latest writing-related trough that besets us all once in a while.
I have no idea when the book will be published in Italy, I’m presuming next year some time, if indeed the deal doesn’t fall through, but it’s nice to think that it’ll see a translation, and especially into Italian, and especially as I have a soft spot for that country. Hell, I might even wangle a long weekend there, to celebrate the launch. Most importantly, I suppose, the news sent me to the desk the following morning with a glimmer of hope that maybe someone will pick up my current offering, and desperately trying to ignore the sage advice that while you might be able to cope with the despair, it’s the hope that will kill you in the end.
Times like those I like to turn to Isak Dinesen’s advice: “I write a little every day, without hope and without despair.”
Meantime, and if you’re wondering why an Italian publisher has - almost literally - spared no expense in securing the rights to THE BIG O, clickety-click here. It may not be as hot as Lionel Messi or wolf nipple chips, but it’s mine own humble thing, and I like it all over again.
Failing that, check out what might well be the most audacious goal ever scored - and in a Euro Championship final, to boot. Roll it there, Collette … Recently I have been reading: DARK ORIGINS by Anthony Zuiker and Duane Swierczynski; BURYING THE BONES: PEARL BUCK IN CHINA by Hilary Spurling; BLOOD MONEY by Arlene Hunt; and OLD DOGS by Donna Moore.
Benson, AZ And The Butterfield RV Resort
We arrived at the Butterfield RV Resort in Benson, AZ at 1:30 yesterday afternoon under clear blue, sunny skies and a temperature of 75F – although it seemed much warmer than that. Now this place is more like what I would call a resort – especially in comparison to the Shangri-La in Yuma. It’s a beautiful park with trees at each site and level, paved, full-service pull-thrus. The best part is it’s only $25 a night compared to the $33 we paid for the night in Yuma.
Our site at the Butterfield RV Resort in Benson, AZ – an excellent park
I had made reservations here a few days ago, and when we checked in everything was all ready and just waiting for my signature. There is a Safeway right next to the park so Paulette walked over there to pick up a few groceries. We are pretty convenient to most of the stores and shops in Benson as well, so that’s nice too.
This is the pool and spa area – it got pretty busy here in late afternoon
After we got unhitched and all setup, including the dog fence area for Molly and Rylie, we just put out a couple of lawn chairs and relaxed for a bit. After about an hour of that, Paulette and I walked over to the pool for a swim – it’s a very nice pool and the water temperature was just right. The park also includes many of the amenities often found at similar type RV resorts – a large clubhouse, library, computer lab, free cable TV and nice, clean washrooms and showers.
Now here’s something you don’t see at too many RV Parks – an observatory!
One thing you don’t find at too many RV parks though is an Observatory and Telescope – Butterfield, incredibly, has its own! The telescope is a Meade LX-200 GPS 16 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain model. I’m sure all of that lingo is perfectly clear to Al of the Bayfield Bunch, who is an avid astronomy buff, but it’s Greek to me.
This is the big telescope we got to use to see the stars and planets
An astronomer conducts a 1 hour session each night for park residents. I went to the show last night and it was spectacular. We got to look through the telescope at stars and planets like I’ve never seen them before including Mars, Saturn, Polaris, Orion, Sirius and many others – it was quite a show!
Paulette and the muttzo’s at one of the rest stops near Gila Bend, AZ
To get to Benson by 1:30 yesterday, we left the RV Park in Yuma at 8:30am. It was another beautiful day, which was only surpassed by the overwhelming beauty of the desert. Paulette and I were both surprised by how “green” the desert landscape seemed. Lots of sagebrush, cactus and wild grass provided a terrific contrast to the normally brown sand and gravel of the desert.
We were surprised at all of the greenery in the desert
We took our time and stopped at a few rest stops along I-8 between Yuma and Casa Grande. It was great knowing we only had a short drive today so there was absolutely no reason to hurry, and that gave us lots of time to stop and smell the ‘cactus’! There were thousands of wild desert flowers too, the shoulders and ditches along the highway were full of wildflowers.
Paulette took this shot of the wildflowers out the truck window
Just past Casa Grande, we turned onto I-10 and headed southeast towards Tucson. The last time we were in Tucson, a year ago, the construction job on I-10 going through the city was in full force making the going slow and tiring. Yesterday, we zipped right thru the city at freeway speed without ever having to slow down!
I really like this tree and don’t know what it is. Any ideas?
Tuesday morning we head off for the short drive down to the town of Bisbee, AZ. We are looking forward to that as we have heard so much about Bisbee.
Have a great Thursday, and thanks again for visiting!
Starting a Guidance Program
When I first started my work as guidance counselor, the school principal made it clear to me that one of their problems is the increasing hyperactivity and disruptive behavior of pupils so she wanted me to come up with a guidance program that would cater to this problem. At first, I felt overwhelmed with what the task entails because I was new and was still adjusting to my work environment. I do not know where and how to start.
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