Harry Potter Helped Clarify My Retirement Goals Yesterday April 28, 2013

Harry Potter Helped Clarify My Retirement Goals Yesterday

 

April 28, 2013

 

"You're a wizard, Harry Potter"

 

Inside Hogwarts stairwell, watching the paintings having their conversations with each other.

Photo Credit: www.fanpop.com

 

I joined the hundreds of Harry Potter fans approaching the entrance to Hogwarts.

Photo Credit:  www.ieadc.blogspot.com

 

Waited an hour to see the Beauxbaton and Durmstrang Wizards perform their highly different displays of powers.

Photo Credit:  www.blogsmeadevillage.com 

 

Enjoyed my lunch of pasties and salad at the Three Broomsticks Pub.

Photo Credit:  www.fanpop.com

 

Saw Professor Dumbledore up close and personal as he gave his lecture from his Headmaster's office.

Photo Credit:  www.fanpop.com

 

Adored seeing Harry, Ron, and Hermione give their warnings and use the invisibility cloak for all the visitors to watch. 

Photo Credit:  www.fanpop.com

 

I strolled the streets of Hogsmeade as I sipped my delicious butterbeer.

Photo Credit: www.favim.com

 Lots of other people visited the shops of Hogsmeade as well.
Photo Credit:  www.caroghobrien.com


Moaning Myrtle wasn't visible, but you could hear her in the restrooms warning and annoying everyone.  Loved that.
Photo Credit:  www.harrypotter.wikia.com

     The visit to Hogwarts yesterday, and the memories of all of the seven Harry Potter novels, completely restored my abilities to focus on retirement goals.  I knew it would work its wizarding on me.

 

      I'm refreshed and ready to return to opening my thoughts to new ideas and new possibilities for my future.  My horoscope was right.  Thank you, Harry Potter.  You're a wizard!

 

Click here to see my pinterest interests. Lots of Harry Potter on my "Our Theme Parks" board.

 

 

 



 

 

 



Do You Follow Your Horoscope? April 27, 2013

Do You Follow Your Horoscope?

 

April 27, 2013

 

This is totally me, the Scorpio, and most other Scorpios.

 

"You have a day of profound reflection ahead. While you may be tempted to think about how far you've come, your time would be better spent thinking about what the future holds. You've entered a period of rethinking your identity and objectives. These aren't small things. You will need every ounce of energy at your disposal to make it through this time of transition."

 

      The quotation above comes from my horoscope for today, from www.horoscope.com  , and it just goes to show that all of my introspection and overthinking my retirement is appropriate for this time in my life.  That makes me feel good.

 

      So, instead of sitting at the computer, googling every retirement idea that pops suddenly into my head, I'm going to take a little day trip.  I'm hopping into my reliable yet ancient car, then I'm going to speed straight to "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter," at Universal Studios Orlando, less than 15 miles from my home.

 

Click here to go to the virtual Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Photo Credit: www.Extravaganzi.com

 

      I feel that hanging around Hogwarts for a few hours, plus a nice butterbeer and lunch, will help me focus on the real future that faces me.  Just being near Professor Dumbledore will inspire me to remember what my goals are.  Right now, my goals are a plate of spaghetti.

 

      After that little luncheon and tour, with a visit through Hogwarts itself, I'll travel the 8 or so miles on to Disney World, for another visit to a land of magic. 

 

Photo Credit:  www.news.investors.com 



 

      Reality is draining my brain.  Have you checked your horoscope today?  Well, I hope it gives you something to think about.  My advice is to get out of the house and do your thinking somewhere lovely and full of fantasy.  

 

Click here to see my pinterest interests. You'll enjoy all of the pins on my "Our Theme Parks" board.

 



24 Positive Small Sentences That Will Change Others April 24, 2013

24 Positive Small Sentences

(That Will Change Others)

 



24 Positive Small Words (Sentences, really)

1. I love you.
2. Thank you.
3. Excuse me.
4. I care.
5. You are special.
6. Good morning.
7. How are you?
8. That was very nice.
9. I understand and admire your courage.
10. Your smile is like sunshine.
11. You have such a good listening ear.
12. The things you do are important.
13. You did a great job.
14. We can do this together.
15. You inspire me by trying.
16. I appreciate you.
17. Your sharing makes a difference.
18. You were missed when you were gone.
19. You have brought joy into my life.
20. You can do it.
21. I noticed your kind deed.
22. I enjoyed being with you.
23. You are never alone.
24. You touched my heart.

Credit:  www.boomerplaces.com

Click here to see my pinterest interests. Look at my "Helping Others" board for more inspiring ideas.

He Is Impossible To Resist--Even At My Age April 24, 2013

He Is Impossible To Resist--Even At My Age

 

April 24, 2013


Shahrukh Khan
Photo Credit:  www.india-forums.com


Shahrukh Khan
Photo Credit:  www.shahrukhkhanofficialsite.blogspot.com

Click here to watch Shahrukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor, "Chammak Challo."

Click here to watch Shahrukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor, "Dildara."


Shahrukh Khan and his beautiful family
Photo Credit:  www.todaynewz.com

"Namaste," to all of my friends around the world. 


Click here to see my pinterest interests.




 

 



So Many Choices--So Little Time April 21, 2013

So Many Choices--So Little Time

April 21, 2013

 

Bike riding

 

Bowling

 

London, England

 

Cruising on Queen Mary II

 

 

Teaching in China

 

Condos in Celebration, Florida

 

Fishing Florida waters

 

Senior Centers

 

Working at Disney World

 

Working at home

 

Working at the beach

 

Not working at anything

 

     In 6 months, work will be officially finished for me.  I can sit perfectly still on Sunday evening, every Sunday evening, and my brain will not be focused on the work for Monday morning.

 

     In 6 months, work will cease to be part of my social conversation.  I will officially have absolutely nothing to discuss on a professional basis.

 

     In 6 months, I will be the same person, but not the same professional.  Who will I be and where will I be on the day after I retire?

 

     This is the same question I asked myself when I started writing this blog in November of 2012.  I have come full circle with no definite decisions or exciting plans for my future. 

 

     What I have come up with is an endless pool of possibilities for my future.   However, I just read a quote that goes something like this:  "A goal without a plan is only a wish." 

 

     It is time to make a plan.  Or a fresh pot of decaf coffee. 

 

Note:  All images are from searches on Google and not my own. 

 

Click here to see my pinterest interests. View some of my favorite videos on my "Really Good Videos" board.

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



I Took The Big Leap---Applied To Teach In China April 15, 2013

I Took The Big Leap--Applied To Teach In China

 

April 15, 2013

 

 

 

 

     Way back in February, I wrote about an opportunity to apply to be a Foreign Trainer for Disney in China.  Several people have asked me if I ever applied, but no I didn't.

 

      Last night, I received another notice to apply for this position, so I did:  I filled out the Disney application to work for a year teaching English to children ages 2-12, using the Disney specialized curriculum. 

     Here is a quote from part of the job description:
"No one speaks the language of children better than Disney, and nothing captures their imaginations more than a great story. Disney English combines the art of Disney storytelling, breakthrough language learning methodology and innovative technology to inspire learners’ passion for English. Since the opening of our flagship Center in Shanghai in 2008, Disney English has been sharing the gift of English with thousands of children across China. By providing an award-winning academic curriculum and engaging children with their favorite Disney stories, songs and characters; Disney English creates a fun, lively, and highly effective learning environment."

 

      My motivation came from looking at so many traveling choices to fill my time after retirement.  They all looked lovely but they all cost a small fortune.

 

      I recalled how my grandfather, from London, England, met my grandmother, from Ft. Gaines, Georgia, while both were working in China in the late 1800s.  My grandfather was an interpreter for a British exporter there, and my grandmother was a Baptist missionary.  Soooooo, I thought that at the very least, I owe my very existence to China in some small way.

 

      In any event, I submitted my application to Disney, and I'll see what happens next.  Thank you to my friends who kept asking about this job opportunity for me. 

 

 Click here to see my pinterest interests. I'll have to create a board all about China now.

 



"The Birds," Tippi Hedren, and Ladybugs April 14, 2013

"The Birds," Tippi Hedren, and Ladybugs

 

April 14, 2013

This movie scared everyone in 1963, including me and my friends in high school.

 

I didn't know much about newcomer Tippi Hedren, Alfred Hitchcock's newest actress in his horror films.

 

     In March of this year, 2013, "The Birds" turned 50 years old.  I was privileged enough to attend a screening at the Florida Film Festival on April 12, 2013.  After the film ended, Tippi Hedren, now in her 80s,  was onstage for a wonderful hour of sharing her memories, good and bad, of working with Alfred Hitchcock on that film.  Here is Tippi Hedren as she shared her thoughts and memories with her audience.  We sat about 15 feet away from her.

 



Photo Credit:  Mark Baratelli, www.thedailycity.com 

 

    Photo Credit:  Mark Baratelli, www.thedailycity.com

 

 The film festival was held at the Enzian Center in Orlando, Florida, and lasted 10 days, and featured many original films, all new and all intriguing.

 

Click here to read the story of "The Birds," and to see video clips of Tippi Hedren talking about the making of the film.

 

 

Click here to see Tippi Hedren's original screen test for "The Birds," and read all about it.

 

 

     I learned several things new about the film:

 

    1. It was based on a real-life incident that happened near Alfred Hitchcock's home.  Scientists discovered through research in 1991 that the incident was caused by the gulls having eaten seafood that had been tainted with a poisonous chemical, altering their brains.

 

    2. Alfred Hitchcock became obsessed with Tippi Hedren and made her life a living hell.  Recently a movie has been made about her experiences and the tragedies he caused her for so long.  I believe it is titled, "The Girl."

 

   3. Tippi Hedron, mother of Melanie Griffith and mother-in-law to Antonio Banderas, is still lovely and charming and very intelligent, as well as very funny.

 

   4. I was immediately transported back to my high school days, during the movie, when I was a horror movie fanatic.  Ah, memories.

 

     Now as to those ladybugs:  I bought a package of live ladybugs the day after seeing the film, 1500 of them, to put on the plants in my butterfly garden to eat all the little pests that live on the plants. 

 

 

 

     You have to keep them in the refrigerator to keep them dormant until you want to release them.  Warning!  You only release as many as you wish; do not release all 1500 of them at once.  However, once you remove the package from the refrigerator, they warm up immediately and all start moving and trying to get out of the bag.

  



 

     It was like being attacked by the birds, but in miniature, and I only released about 50 of them, and they started crawling up my arms.  I dread going into my refrigerator to release more of them, as they wait in dormancy...creepy.  Alfred Hitchcock would have loved seeing this.

 

 

Click here to see my pinterest interests. Look at my "Gardens" board for more ladybug photos.

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Southwest Florida Eagle Cam Is Down--But Not The Eagles April 9, 2013

Eagle Cam Is Down--But Not The Eagles

 

April 9, 2013

 

Photo by Carla Sabin of parents Ozzie and Harriet teaching Honor and Hope all they need to know, now that they are pretty awesome at flying. 

 

April 4:  The eaglets celebrated their 3 month hatching anniversary.  This photo by Greg Hill is from the SWFEagle Cam Twitter site.

 

Southwest Florida Eagle Cam
"Many teachable moments have been witnessed by the pond. This picture by Greg Hill shows the two siblings looking rather peaceful and this close up video by UrdognU shows Honor giving Hope some pointers on bath time." http://youtu.be/oZmjLrcD8ec

 

 

Here is a live cam shot of the newly hatched eaglets, way back in the first week of January, 2013.

Thank you, Dick Pritchett, property owner, for installing and maintaining this live eagle camera for the world to watch, from nest filling, to egg laying, to hatching, to first flying attempts.

 

Southwest Florida Eagle Cam
"This shot by Greg Hill shows Hope is just as determined to learn new things as Honor and while he/she got close to taking a bath today, still seems a little unsure of that water stuff Honor loves!" April 4 on Facebook.

 

 

       Last Thursday, April 4, a lightning strike put the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam out of  working order.  As it could not be repaired without disturbing the eagles and young eaglets (juveniles) who still use the nest at times, the camera is now off for the rest of the season.  Here is the statement from the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam site: (located in Ft. Myers, Florida)

 

"Once the eagle family relocates for the summer months, we plan to safely fix the camera and prepare for a bigger and better season 2. You can still follow the developments of our beloved eagle family through the updates and photos brought to you here by the many amazing ground reporters and photographers. Will also plan to run past footage of the 2012-2013 season on the UStream page."

 

     While this is sad for online viewers, there are many loyal watchers on the ground who have been filling viewers' curiosity with videos and photos from their ground locations.  Here is a link to the past videos this week:

 

Click here to see the many current videos of the young eagles, Honor and Hope.

 

 

 

Click here to see my latest pinterest board: "No. Don't Do This To Yourself," which shows some awful, sad, and unfashionable clothing and accessories.

Funny! How To Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting To Kill You April 6, 2013

Funny!  How To Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting To Kill You

 

April 6, 2013

 

 

 

 

This came originally from www.lehumor.com.  Cat owners will understand the humor here.

 

Click here to see my pinterest interests. 

 



Dumbest Retirement Moves and the Queen Mary II April 5, 2013

Dumbest Retirement Moves and the Queen Mary II

 

April 5, 2013

 

 

 

     Just got this book from the library, by Ernie Zelinski, who writes the Retirement-Cafe blog.  It is full of way more ideas than I have ever contemplated for my retirement years. 

 

     One list struck me as very important to remember and here it is:



Top-10 Dumbest Retirement Moves

1. Purchasing a larger home than you need or than you can afford
2. Watching a lot of TV — more than an hour and a half a day is excessive!
3. Gambling
4. Spending a lot of time shopping
5. Complaining about life
6. Being afraid to spend the kid's inheritance
7. Being a miser with your money
8. Planning to work forever — something NOT advocated in The World's Best Retirement Book.
9. Neglecting your health by not indulging in vigorous physical exercise every day
10. Not making new friendships and neglecting old friends 

 

 

     I did find an alternative in this excellent book to striking out for a trip to England on my own.  It is called Road Scholar and here is the link:

 

Here is the Road Scholar link.

 

      Road Scholar used to be called Elderhostels, and it has ready-made learning tours of almost any country you want to visit.  All lodging, food, tips, and expert guide/instructor are included.  Prices and tour lengths and dates vary, but American tours/courses are far more inexpensive than those abroad.

 

     There is even a course on London theatre, which takes place mostly on the Queen Mary II as you cross the Atlantic, 7 days, to get to London.  In London, you experience the thrill of four London West End productions and tours/history of English theatre.  Perfect!

 



 

      Let me say that the cost is rather high, but you have a famous London theatre producer/director, Giles Ramsay, as your teacher/guide for the entire 12-day experience. 

 

      Here is the course description:

• Journey from New York City to London aboard the QM2 with producer and director Giles Ramsay.
• In London’s West End, enjoy four plays that range from classical to popular, or to more contemporary and experimental.
• Gain expert insight into the historic roots of English theater in medieval drama and the impact of the Reformation and Christopher Marlowe.

 

 

     Since a transatlantic cruise will be perfect for someone who doesn't want to fly, I am thinking of booking this tour as soon as I gather the thousands of dollars it will cost me.  It's certainly something to plan for in the fall, and it will sure beat watching tv all day, won't it?

 

Note:  Photos from www.Roadscholar.com and Google.

 

 

Click here for my pinterest interests. Look at my "Wishes and Dreams" board for ideas for your life.