triple reds 032

triple reds 032, originally uploaded by creativeaquarist.

These are some cool FISH!

007

007, originally uploaded by creativeaquarist.

More of my fancy Platys... I have an auction of them running at Aquabid...well...I DID...they got snapped up...but just being able to do this and study and enjoy all these fish is such a wonderful experience and learning how to use the digital camera and seeing the improvements I'm making...this has got to be one of the best times of my life...

Picnik collage Fancy Platy Parents and Fry

Picnik collage Fancy Platy Parents and Fry, originally uploaded by creativeaquarist.

I have to admit the more and more I practice with my new digital camera...the better I'm getting at capturing some decent photos of my fish...I'm still not where I want to be...but I'm getting closer everyday.

Interestingly enough in one of the blogs I follow...there was an article about the 6 steps to financial success...here is a short excerpt.."A few days ago, I read Jason Fried’s wonderful article How to Make Money in Six Easy Steps. The article details Fried’s growth as an entrepreneur from a young child to running the successful software firm 37signals.
Fried’s “six easy steps” are as follows:
1. Understanding the buyer is the key to being a strong seller
2. It’s all about passion
3. Charge real money for real products
4. There are different pathways to the same dollar
5. Bootstrapping
6. Practice

It seems that even the best of the best still practice, practice, practice, each and everyday whatever they are most passionate about and want to excel at...and when I read that...something "clicked"...Kobe Bryant may have natural talent as a basketball player...but he still drills and drills and drill in the gym everyday...it's what he does, it's what he's passionate about...it's what makes him beyond acceptable and beyond good and moves him up to a great basketball player...So I'm no longer counting the time I spend on practice pics that are worthless as a waste of time...I'm counting them as practice...a learning experience along the road to being really good at what I do.

So I wonder...

I've often thought that we all compare ourselves to others...to check in and see how we're doing compared to somebody else...and then if they are doing significantly better we feel lousy...here's an excerpt from a blog I follow...and it proves my point that comparing yourself to others is just pointless and a waste of time...

I’m 21 years old and I’m a successful student and I have a scholarship at a university. One of the things I enjoy doing is reading about people who have contributed greatly to science and math. Sometimes after reading long enough I come across a man who is in his mid 20s and made a huge contribution to what was known at that time to science. After reading such articles I feel proud of them. They were so young yet they were smart enough to formulate a thesis or invent something that changed the world. But then new thoughts pop into my mind. “Why am I not as good as they were?” “What made them so good?” “What do they have that I don’t?” And literally after a few minutes, I’m down, confused, and depressed.
So my question is this- any advice on how to deal with this? How not to compare myself to geniuses and how to overcome feelings of worthlessness and helplessness?"

See...if you start doing that in your 20s you will never feel like you've caught up...or never feel like anything you do is worthwhile compared to what others are doing. The secret that you don't know is that perhaps this person has been a science geek master since 8 years old...so by his 20s he's already had several  years experience in this field. It's like comparing yourself to a master painter when you're just learning to draw...of course you'd feel overwhelmed and sad..and feel like you're never going to get to that level. What you don't see is all those years and very bad paintings that Monet threw away as trash. I don't think anybody  sits down one day and becomes an expert or genius in any field.  But for some perverse reason we always want to compare our baby efforts to a master or genius and then make ourselves feel bad.

I think the best advice I've ever seen on this subject comes from a humble bumper sticker that I saw recently...it said...."If the grass is always greener on the other side, water  your own grass more." So true...instead of bemoaing the fact that somebody else looks better...can do something better or whatever...focus that energy on what you can do for yourself that will improve what you are interested in or trying to do.

Lavender Crowntail Betta

Lavender Crowntail Betta, originally uploaded by creativeaquarist.

This is a photo I actually took with my very own digital camera... I am so far far away from Pete Mang-Lotsoffish quality pictures...but I am pretty darn proud of myself that I figured that camera out and actually got a good shot of Lavender Lou. He's another one of my "rescue bettas" and he has a very pretty girlfriend...NOT in his tank...because they aren't sociable that way...lol...they are both up for bid on Aquabid as I type this and have had 6 bids on them so far. Lavender Lou is a very happy camper...he's blowing bubbles all over the top of his tank...always a good sign...and he's eye-ing up his girlfriend in the next tank over as he keeps building his bubble nest. He's preparing for mating and the eventual eggs he will carry by mouth and place into his bubble nest. It is so hard to get a good clear picture of fish...they just won't sit still and pose...and you can't bribe them like you can the dog.

I have been naughty and spent far far too much on other people's auctions so I've been reading about ways to curb impulse buying from one of my favorite bloggers. He has some very good suggestions for credit card impulsiveness...or rather ways to stop that. I really like the one about wrapping your credit cards in a treasured picture of something you're working towards or someone you love dearly like your children who spending that money could possibly hurt.

Anyway, he says:

"This week, The Simple Dollar is running a short series on some of the key moments in my financial turnaround and how you can experience those moments as well. For a full description of this, see the first article in the series.

Once I had the credit cards out of my wallet, I found that I was forced to think about my purchases more carefully when I was out and about. However, the problem was not solved when I was at home.

The challenge, of course, was the internet. I’d visit a website, see something interesting, and then find myself quickly whipping out my card and typing in the number.

Alternately, simply having them out and easily available meant that sometimes I’d just slip one in my pocket when I was out and about, using it to buy gas and, often, to buy unnecessary things. While not having the cards in my wallet helped greatly with impromptu impulse purchases, it didn’t help when I talked myself into being impulsive before I even left the house.

It was time to move onto stiffer measures.

Block Your Cards
The goal, in the end, is to make sure that every time you purchase something on credit, you’re giving that purchase some careful thought. Removing your credit cards from your wallet is a good first step, but if they’re just sitting in a drawer and easily accessed, additional steps are needed.

My solution was simple: I blocked my card use by making their usage more difficult using various physical and emotional means.

Here are three techniques I used, all with degrees of success.

Freeze them
Just take out a freezer-safe dish (a large Ziploc freezer bag can work pretty well for this), add some ice cubes to it, then put your credit cards on top of the ice cubes. Add water until the credit cards are completely submerged, then put the container in the freezer. What you’ll end up with is a giant ice cube that has your credit cards in the middle.

In order to retrieve your cards, you’re either going to have to melt the large ice cube or you’re going to have to smash the ice cube, likely making a pretty good mess. In either case, you’re going to have to spend some time doing this, forcing you to think about the reasons for which you’re trying to get these cards out of the ice.

Hide them
Another option is to simply hide the cards in a hard-to-reach place in your home – or in a safe external place, like your safe deposit box.

For me, a great place to hide stuff is in our attic. The only way to access the attic is through a portal at the top of our bedroom closet, which is essentially impossible to access without a ladder. Thus, to get into the attic, I have to go to the garage, get a ladder, carry it up the stairs to the bedroom, set it up, climb up there, open the attic portal, get into the attic, then rummage around for the things I’m looking for.

During this process, I have plenty of time to think about why I’m retrieving the cards and, often, I can talk myself right out of it.

Wrap them in pictures
A final approach that worked for me was to use an emotional block of sorts. I simply take a 4″ by 6″ snapshot photo of my children and use it as a “wrapper” for each credit card by placing the card in the center of the back of the photo, then folding the edges so that it forms something of an “envelope” around the card.

When I do this, whenever I go to retrieve a card, I’m forced to look at the pictures of my kids, who really are the inspiration for many of the positive choices I make in my life. Their picture tells me that I should really consider making a better choice, both for their sake as well as for my own long-term viability so that I can be there for them.

Obviously, you can use whatever picture you’d like for this purpose: an image of a long term goal you have, someone you deeply love, or anything else. The key is to use an image that will make you hesitate before using that card.

The key here is to slow down your ability to just grab a credit card and use it, forcing you to think more carefully about your purchases in real time. Such a move will do nothing but help you if you’re struggling to get your spending under control."

Gotta love this guy and give him kudos for creativity too!

Bumble Bee Blue Shrimp

Bluebumblebee shrimp-lotsoffish strain, originally uploaded by creativeaquarist.

I just bought this strain of shrimp. They are going to be delivered this week...wow! They are just too cool. In this photo they look more of a greenish blue than straight blue...I'll have to wait until I get them to see what they actually look like in reality. It's hard sometimes to capture the true color of fish or shrimp...but even greenish blue with those bright yellow band they are BEAUTIFUL. I have been so naughty this weekend. I have been on everybody else's auctions and buying up a storm...lol...AH...

Now the justification or rationalization comes in...well, you see...ummmm....errrrr... well dammit... I didn't have any of those kind of fish or shrimp and I can't very well run the same auction over and over again now can I? Of course not! So I HAVE to have new and different strains of fish to breed and sell right? Of course I'm right...lol... at least that's what I tell myself as the cupboards are barren of new food and my jeans have frays and holes in them and the gas tank never quite gets filled all the way up...Priorities right? Yep...

and my priority right now is getting the best breeding stock I can get my grubby little hands one...my SO noticed that I had painted my fingernails...a very rare thing indeed...so he asks..."did you get your nails done, they look very nice?" I say, I did them myself, thank you. He says..."oh I thought you might have splurged and gotten them done." I say..."Hah! Now why would I pay somebody 60 bucks to paint my nails and slop some artificial goop on them, what would I have to show for that in 2 weeks? No, see... I will happily drop a hundred bucks on a good pair of young breeding fish F1 quality... and in 2 weeks or so I will probably see a very lovely pregnant female fish and then a nice drop of fry that will grow in a few weeks and I will be able to auction them off and MAKE money many times over on that original pair...but 60 bucks to get my nails done at some hoity toity salon...furrrrgedaboutittt...ain't EVEN going to happen...lol. Priorities right?

I will wear my jeans slap flat OUT and my sneakers til they have holes in them or the infamous flapping sole thing going on...and then mutter and mumble and complain when I have to replace them...but buy a new tank that's on sale... I'll do it in a heartbeat and not think twice about it...snag a really good auction for shrimp or fish that I don't currently have in stock...you betcha...no complaints there...but the way I look at it...those beautiful and interesting creatures MAKE me money in the long run and sometimes in the short run too...so that is worth investing money in...me if I could get away with it...I'd go to the post office and corner store in my PJ's and bedroom slippers and not be bothered with having to buy new jeans and sneakers...but alas... I don't want the good townspeople to think I'm even loonier than they already think I am...what with all these fish tanks and the weird hours I keep...lol....

Purple blue crayfish

Purple blue crayfish, originally uploaded by creativeaquarist.

This little guy looks so entertained...lol. He actually looks annoyed and like he wants to be put BACK in his tank...so he can run around and do his thing...munching on whatever he finds that looks tasty to him.

On being frugal

Here is an excerpt from The Simple Dollar...a blog I follow more or less regularly. It has some really good advice on managing your time and money. I like the one about turning off the cell phone...yanking the ethernet out of the computer when you have to get work done. I have A.D.H.D. and I'm always fighting distractions and something else that catches my eye and captures my attention when I have detailed work to do on the computer...for example...record keeping for my online fish auctioning business... I start to do it...and then I think...hmmmm I just need to check my e-mail real quick...and that leads to well I might as well check my current auctions...and that leads to ....wonder what so and so is auctioning this week and I'm off looking at what other people are doing...and then I decided I need a break and just a few minutes of the game Mafia Wars can't hurt...and before I know it...the whole morning has slipped away and I've gotten Zilch done on my personal business record keeping which was what I set out to do in the first  place, lol.

Here are the tips from The Simple Dollar  Blog:

"Focus. When it’s time to get stuff done, eliminate distractions. Pull the ethernet cable out from your computer. Turn your cell phone completely off. Disconnect your office phone. Pull the blinds. Close your door. Actually get some work done, instead of just working for a few minutes and then bopping over to the latest distraction.
Keep a list. Whenever you think of something you have to do or something you want to think about later, add it to the list. Then, when you’re done with the task at hand, just turn to the list instead of wandering off and trying to think of what you need to do next.
Make routine tasks as efficient as possible. If you can figure out how to shave a few minutes off of something you do every day, then you suddenly will find your time multiplying. Three minutes saved doing laundry can make the difference in convincing you to load the dishwasher tonight instead of going to bed. The clean dishes tomorrow mean one less task to worry about, giving you the space to take care of something else in your life (like one of the frugality tasks below).
Not understanding frugality
On the other side of the equation is the “time to be frugal” part of things. The assumption here is that frugality must be a time sink because the first thing or two they imagine a frugal person doing seems like a giant time sink. In truth, many frugal tactics end up being time savers as well over the long run, in addition to saving money. Here are five examples.
Install a programmable thermostat. Once one is installed and properly programmed, you’ll basically only have to touch your thermostat a few times a year. Not only that, because the furnace or A/C unit in your house is running less (assuming you programmed it sensibly, with the heat and/or the air conditioning turning off at night), you’re saving money as well.
Install long-lasting energy efficient bulbs. In areas where you don’t need perfect lighting, install CFL and/or LED light bulbs. Both will last for far longer than normal bulbs (meaning less time spent changing bulbs), plus they’re much more energy efficient, meaning your energy bill will drop with continued normal use of the lights.
Wire your entertainment center to a master switch. If you have an outlet in your family room that is wired to a switch, then just plug your entertainment center in via that outlet. Then, when you’re ready to go to bed, just flip the switch and everything loses power. No standby devices sucking down energy, plus it’s much easier to turn everything off at night.
Make double/triple/quadruple meals. When you’re actually making a homemade meal, such as a casserole, make doubles or triples of it and sock them away in the freezer. The next time you come home, feel lazy, and are just tempted to order something for supper, pull the ready-made meal out of the freezer and toss it in the oven. Instant homemade food, much cheaper than delivery.
Purge your overstuffed closets. Getting rid of unwanted stuff via yard sale or eBay means more cash in hand. It also means it’s quicker and easier to actually find the closet items that you want or need."

I  just love this guy. His parents obviously did a really good job of raising him with common sense and an appreciation for education.

White crayfish

White crayfish, originally uploaded by creativeaquarist.

Here is a white crayfish, one of 3 different colors that I am getting. The other two are red and a really pretty purple blue. They are omniverous and will even eat raw hotdogs bites dropped into their tank. They do interbreed so if you want to keep the colors pure you have to keep them in separate tanks. ..

I think they are a really cool addition to all my rare tropical fish...something just a little bit different...can't keep them with the fish though...they find fish very tasty to snack on...and I'm not breeding rare and expensive fish for crayfish to eat at whim, lol.

Speaking of fish... I was on Aquabid earlier...getting ready to post a new auction for baby fry from 4 of my different breeding groups and I was using Firefox just like I always do...and they come up with this new crap...that Firefox has disabled the copy/paste function...WHAT???

Then they tell me there is HTML code that you can go into the computer's system and put this function back in with...again WHAT??? I'm not a computer programmer...this is ridiculous!!

AND what makes even less sense to me...why disable it and then give you the HTML code to put it back into your system????? Do they think I'm bored and have nothing better to do than get frustrated with trying to log on and do what I do?

COURAGE

I  just read a quote..."The Most Important Form Of Courage is Moral Courage."  It's not hard to snatch a baby away from a fireplace or stop them from running into traffic. It is much harder to take a moral stance that is not popular or trendy....I always give more than the customer paid for when I'm packing up my boxes of fish to ship off....

One of my friends told me that was silly and excessive and totally unnecessary and I would never turn a handsome profit if I continued to do that...you know what?  I don't care. I believe in old fashioned values and customer service and giving my customers just a little bit more than they paid for...if only a brand new fish net and some hardwood leaves in their box...it's a little more time consuming for me...but I don't care. I want to give a little bit more of my business to others. They are the people that support me and make this wonderful venture and business possible...why wouldn't I want to give them a little something extra with their orders?? I feel sorry for my friend with the cold heart of a tax accountant...but the bottom line for me is I will continue to give a little bit more each and every day...I don't believe that giving will make me go broke... I believe that giving comes back to me 10x over in many different forms and fashions.

I'm not a spendthrift. I don't throw my money or my products away. I've styled and dyed and high-lighted my own hair at home in the bathroom for years. No, it's not trendy...no it's not chic...but my hair looks good and I save all that fancy salon price to have somebody else do it for me. I'm fully functioning and capable of using the mirror and pulling little bits of hair through a plastic cap and then washing it out after the recommended period of time. Why would I pay somebody else $100 to do this for me? Now, that doesn't make good sense to me.

The money I save on beauty treatments and hair styling... I re-invest and spend on my fish and purchasing more breeding stock. I also don't have a brand new car with outrageous payments. I drive a pick up truck and a 15 year old standard shift car. Again..not trendy or chic...but it works for me and the money I save on those high car payments I again use to invest in breeding stock or fish equiptment or supplies or soy candle wax and candle scenting fragrances and wicks and tea light containers.

I think it takes moral courage to stand up for yourself and decide what is important to you...and act on your decisions no matter what your friends...your neighbors...the media...or even your family may think.  You are the one who has to live with what you do day in...day out...and when you lay down to sleep...if you are doing what you believe is right...you won't waste time tossing and turning and worrying about tomorrow...you'll go right to sleep...eager to get up and do what you love doing all over again.

BLUE PLATY FISH

BLUE PLATY FISH, originally uploaded by creativeaquarist.

I currently have an auction running for a pair of these gorgeous blue platys...they are new to me...for breeding purposes...how much fish keeping and breeding have changed since I had my first aquarium almost 30 years ago with the clown colored gravel and the fairground won goldfish...lol.

Earlier this morning I was amazed by "Synchronicity"...and here again I've found another blogger...who has similar ideas...it can't be coincidence...I don't believe that for a minute...I think we all cross paths with people who either have something to teach us or something to learn from us...

I only wish I had the motivation and common sense this guy's got back when I was his young age...he's amazing for somebody so young and he is so headed in all the right directions to have a fulfilled and fully satisfying life...why?

Why is it...that some people "get it" at a younger age? I didn't really and fully grasp all these ideals until I was in my late forties and I'm still working on them in my fifties...maybe by my sixties...they will have jelled...lol

Anyway...here is his blog this morning...



"The Less You Need, the More You Have

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 12:00 PM PST

The biggest mistake I’ve made in my adult life was convincing myself that I needed a lot of things.

Sure, some of you might laugh at the notion that I ever convinced myself that I needed a mountain of video games or a big collection of trading cards or a pile of DVDs.

Those things were just the tip of the iceberg.

I convinced myself I needed the latest and greatest cell phone.

I convinced myself I needed to eat out regularly.

I convinced myself I needed new shoes all the time.

I convinced myself I needed nice clothes.

I convinced myself I needed anything beyond a minimal roof over my head, minimal clothes on my back, water, and food.

Really, in the end, that’s all I need. Water, basic food, basic clothing, and a roof to keep the rain and cold away for myself and my family. Everything else beyond that is want.

When I finally realized that the things I actually needed were incredibly minimal, I began to see how amazingly abundant my life was.

I had friends. I had a wife that loved me. I had reasonably good health. I had wonderful children. I had a good sense of humor. I had a solid work ethic. I had the ability to entertain myself. On top of that, I had a staggering abundance of material things, from decent clothes on my back to a decent used car in the driveway.

With all of this wealth in my life, why do I need more? Why do I want more?

A few months ago, I wrote about the scarcity and abundance mentalities on The Simple Dollar. In that article, I defined what they were…

Most people are deeply scripted in what I call the Scarcity Mentality. They see life as having only so much, as though there were only one pie out there. And if someone were to get a big piece of the pie, it would mean less for everybody else.

The Scarcity Mentality is the zero-sum paradigm of life. People with a Scarcity Mentality have a very difficult time sharing recognition and credit, power or profit – even with those who help in the production. The also have a a very hard time being genuinely happy for the success of other people.

The Abundance Mentality, on the other hand, flow out of a deep inner sense of personal worth and security. It is the paradigm that there is plenty out there and enough to spare for everybody. It results in sharing of prestige, of recognition, of profits, of decision making. It opens possibilities, options, alternatives, and creativity.

… but, for the most part, I stuck to the pattern of defining the mentalities through what other people have:

To me, the biggest difference between the scarcity mentality and the abundance mentality is that the scarcity mentality cares what other people have, while the abundance mentality doesn’t.

After some reflection, I think I would go even further than the above statement. Simply put, the abundance mentality finds value in what one already has, while ths scarcity mentality is always seeking more.

(That’s not to say the abundance mentality doesn’t seek out success – it certainly does. The success it seeks, though, is on its own terms. It’s about achievement for the sake of achievement, not achievement for the sake of reward.)

The more I look at my own life, the more I realize that I don’t need very much at all. Then, when I look at all of the things I do have, I’m stunned by all that I have in my life and I don’t really feel a need to have any more. In fact, if anything, I feel like having more would be almost overwhelming.

Some people see that statement as some sort of deprivation. There is always more out there. Why not acquire it?

My feeling is that instead of just acquiring more, lately, I’m driven to maximize all of the relationships, possessions, and other things my life already has going for it. People. Things. Places. Memories. Ideas. Experiences.

That’s a full life, and it’s one that over and over again ensures that I keep my wallet firmly in my pocket while also enjoying the multitude of great things I already have.

Step back and look at your life. Remove just what you need from that picture – water, basic food, a few changes of basic clothing, minimal shelter. Look at all that’s left – all of the possessions, relationships, experiences, thoughts, and other things. That’s an abundance, one that can provide you with more than you can ever explore and enjoy."

I don't understand boredom....

There are so many fascinating things on the internet that I just don't understand people who say..."I'm bored."

How can you be bored if you have a computer and access to the internet??  There are so many creative people out there doing such fantastic things...and you can just stumble across them while you are looking for something else...take the time to stop and smell the roses...or in this case read the page for the product advertised...it's fascinating what other people are doing with their candles and scents.

I just read about a 62 year old woman.... Mandy Aftel, who is making perfume the old fashioned way with all natural ingredients...she even uses whale vomit...which sounds disgusting...but it's the form that natural ambergris comes in...and that's one of the most expensive ingredients in good perfumes...that and natural rose attar...

This woman is 62 years old and had a very satisfying career as a therapist helping artists and now she is wildly successful as a natural perfume maker...she said..." Of all the senses, smell is the one most tied to vivid memories. It's the closest to the heart."  I couldn't agree more. When I'm making soy candles and I find scents that are strong and pleasing...I try and figure out what that particular smell is associated with...what pleasant memory it conjures up.

I'm pouring "baby powder" soy candles tonight...and I know why they are so pleasing to me...they remind me of my children when they were little bitty babies...my grandbaby...and all good things...my bedroom is scented with "baby powder" fragrance from candles to air fresheners to scented oil warmers...it smells comforting and secure to me. "Baby powder" scent also reminds me of my Grandmother...that and the old old perfume..."Evening in Paris"...I still remember that it came in a dark blue bottle with a gold twist cap...Grandma kept it on her vanity in her bedroom...she would let me put tiny dabs on my little wrists and behind my ears and she would tell me..."OH...You smell so lovely...you must have a great date coming to pick you up and take you out on the town."

The apple pie scent reminds me of her baking pies in the old kitchen...it was so tiny it was hard to put two people in there at the same time...lol...but she baked the most fantastic things in there...and she sold her pies to the local diner also.

Maybe that's where I get my idea of selling my fish and candles and what not. She was always doing something creative and making money at it also. She just loved to bake...there were always pies and cakes and cookies of all varieties in her house. Small wonder I loved spending the night or the entire weekend at her house.

Oh... Frasier Break...I love that silly show for some reason...and it has back to back episodes at 2 am and 2:30 am...see... I do...do other things besides playing Mafia Wars in my spare time...lol. 

Well that was a lovely break... I just like the humor on that show...makes me snicker every time...lol

Back to my boredom rant...I just don't understand how anybody can be bored these days...so much information available at the click of a mouse...it's like ever widening loops of creativity right there at your fingertips...each different site inspiring people to create...each one saying in it's own way...GO FOR IT! You, too, can do something this creative...something artistic...let the inner child/artist out to play. Bust out the scratch paper and start doodling down ideas. I love the internet.

When I was a child, I loved the library the same way for the same reasons. I would go there and be open mouthed in wonder at all the different books...rows and rows and shelves and shelves full of books on all kinds of topics...anything you wanted to know in the world was in those books. I would always check out the maximum number of books allowed each and every week.

I loved college for the same reasons...so many classes to take outside of my major...art classes-pottery classes-quilting classes-journalism classes-creative writing classes-photography classes...that reminds me...(did I mention at any point that I have A.D. H. D. ? lol, and my mind skips around from subject to subject like lightening? LOL)  that I am going to get a digital camera and teach myself to take detailed up close pictures of my fish and candles and handmade soaps and quilts and crocheted afghans and...and...and..lol

I am so pleased with my life these days...I had cream of potato soup and a salad for dinner tonight (ackkkkkkk all those carbohydrates! Shut up inner critic! It's comfort food when it's cold outside and I LIKE IT!)  and I don't have to watch my figure to please anybody. My cholesterol level was fine the last time I was at the Dr.s and that's all that matters to me.

My little dog, Lucy, is cuddled up in my lap. I have a steaming hot cup of tea with lemon. The soy candles have been poured. The house smells wonderful. Going to take a hot lavender bubble bath with my latest fiction novel. Yes, it's a good life here in Lakeview, NC.

I love Synchronicity!

This page from another Blogger fits right in with what I've been thinking about lately...

5 Things That Were Given to Me for Nothing

Written by David DiGiovanni - 20 Comments
Categories: self improvement

Over the last year I have read lots of material on self-improvement and success. One common theme I found in almost everything I read was an emphasis on gratitude. In an effort to increase gratitude in my life, I have listed the top 5 things that have been given to me for nothing:

1. My Car

When my Gramma bought a new car, she sold her 1997 Ford Tauras to me for $1. A white Tauras isn’t exactly the coolest car on the block, but I have driven it for 7 years with minimal maintenance costs. After 14 years and 100,000+ miles, it still gets me where I need to go.

2. My Education

I was fortunate enough to have great parents who decided at a young age to save money for my education. I graduated from Purdue University in 2009 with no student loans and $0 paid by me towards my tuition. They also paid my rent all four years. The only thing I had to do was graduate on time. I know that most people don’t get an amazing deal like this and for that I am grateful.

3. My Computer

When I graduated from High School in 2005, my parents threw a graduation party for me. I netted about $2,000 in cash gifts and used it to buy a brand new laptop.
In 2008, the laptop was stolen when our house was robbed. Good thing my parents had home owners insurance. The laptop was covered for $1200 which I used to buy a new computer that I still use to this very day.

4. My Job

After three years of studying Food Process Engineering at Purdue, I realized that a 9-5 job at one of the big food companies wasn’t the life for me. I spent the last year of college building websites for my own personal profit and in the process learned a lot about web development.
After I graduated, I made one call to a cousin who owned a web development company. He gave me an opportunity to work on a project which eventually led to a full time gig.
I put this on my list because my cousin had no reason to hire me. I had no degree and no professional experience, but he took a chance and gave me an opportunity.

5. My Websites

I own and operate several blogs in my spare time. I build my sites on either WordPress or Drupal. Both of these website platforms are open source projects that are completely free to use.
In the web development world, it is so easy to take for granted all of the free information, scripts, programs, and platforms that are available. The cost to develop a blog platform similar to WordPress or Drupal would be in the thousands, not to mention all of the free modules and add-ons.
The WordPress and Drupal communities have created a product that allows me to set up a new blog in minutes for free.

Summary

It was so easy for me to think of these 5 things because I truly feel like I did nothing to get them.
After I became aware of the obvious things, I couldn’t help but think of all the not so obvious things I am given on a daily basis. Things like clean water, refrigeration, internet access, and air conditioning. I pay for all of these things, but I had nothing to do with the invention or discovery of these daily amenities. They simply happened and now I am here to benefit.
It doesn’t stop there though. After I became aware of the more subtle things I am given, I took the next inevitable step. I became thankful for my existence. I don’t know how I ended up in this world, but I wake up everyday grateful for the opportunity to experience life.
Waking up every day with gratitude for being alive is like starting the day with a built-in advantage. It doesn’t matter what happens the rest of the day because it is all extra. This might sound like a recipe for complacency, but it’s actually the opposite. Being grateful for what I have not only drives me to want more, it creates a flow of abundance into my life that will provide for my deepest desires.
Start a flow of abundance in your life! Leave your list of 5 things you are grateful for in the comments section below.
David DiGiovanni is a freelance blogger and the founder of Let Go And Flow – a self help blog based on the writings of Deepak Chopra.  Follow him on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/daviddigiovanni)

I don't understand why.....

WOW! What an adventure! My son and I were on our way to Walmart. Going 65 mph down a busy interstate and KA-BOOM...the passenger side front tire blew...it didn't just go flat...that sucker BLEW! The truck tried to flip over...not just once but twice...then it crazy fish tailed all over the rode before I finally got it over to the side of the road and stopped....THEN we found out we didn't have a jack...so my son calls a friend of his...and he brings a jack and wrench to get the lug nuts off...and THEN...

The spare tire which hasn't ever been used in years is dry rotted...lol.  At least we were all safe and sound and didn't get hit by the tons of cars whizzing by...and the jack held the truck up and didn't collapse on anybody...and we made it to the gas station and got the dry rotted tire to hold enough air to get us home. Tomorrow the truck is going to get a new front tire and we are going to get a new spare and a tool kit for behind the street to include a good flashlight with good batteries...and I think I'm going to throw a nice warm blanket back there too...it was cold waiting for help to arrive.

I'm just feeling so grateful that everybody is okay. I guess that's the secret to life...feeling blessed for what you do have...instead of resentful for what you don't have...or whining because something unexpected happens during a routine trip....and I am so grateful for all the wonderful things in my life

I mailed a box of fish to California from here in North Carolina...they arrived all alive and lively...and the best part is the buyer is so pleased with them and the couple of little extra goodies I tucked into the box.  That's the part I like the best...the people who buy my fish...being so pleased when they get them. I put a lot of time and effort into raising healthy fish and it's rewarding when the buyers find them pleasing. I like raising unique fish that you can't find at the local pet stores.

I'm waiting on some mail order fish...some really pretty guppy pairs and some red dalmation platys. I'm really excited about  the platys. I don't currently have any dalmation platys and the contrast with the red ones is so interesting. Each fish displays a unique patterning...it's so cool.

I am such a geek when it comes to my fish...lol.

I'm still making all natural soy based candles...they hold the scent all the way through the life of the candle and I like the ease of making them.

I've been eying up the stash of fabrics I have also...I can feel it coming on...It's Quilt Making Time...lol.

I've been perusing other quilters sites and looking at all the fabulous quilts they've made and I can't wait to get started quilting again. I go through dry spells with quilting...times when I'm bone dry on ideas and tapped out on energy to execute a whole quilt all by myself...then I'll see what somebody else has made and I get inspired all over again...and then about half way through the quilt...my attention and energy for the project starts to wane...so I'll go back and look at all the creative and wonderful quilts that other women and men are making or have already made...and I get re-inspired and full of energy and I find the time to finish up my own project.

It's funny...I don't compare my finished creations to anybody else's...wondering if mine is just as good. I used to do that with creative projects when I was younger. I never felt confident enough to just accept what I came up with...now I just make what I see in my head and when it's done I'm satisfied with it...pleased with the project  and pleased with myself for making it in the first place.

I love being old enough that I don't give a damn what other people think of my creativity or projects...if I'm happy with it...that's enough for me. It's truly liberating to be this age... I love it...I look better than I have in years... I feel better... and I'm full of life and ideas and projects and blessed with the energy to execute and complete them. 

It's a great day to...lol

I found this video on mafia wars while playing and wasting time...but Ma...I was having so much Fun...lol

DWARF Tanganyikan Cichlids 4

DWARF Tanganyikan Cichlids 4, originally uploaded by creativeaquarist.

I'm setting up a new 20 gal long tank to breed these guys. They are specifically called...Julidochromis dickfeldi-"livua"...now say that 5 times fast...lol

They may be a mouthful to say...but they are absolutely BEAUTIFL to look at and watch them make their new lives in the home I'm providing for them.

Finding my rainbow...

Just took a quiz at Femspace and found out the color and description of my personal rainbow. Sometimes I am blown away by how eerily accurate these simple little quizzes can be...maybe I only say that because I really like the results of my quiz...lol..??

25 Things That I Love

I was watching the sun rise over the lake this morning and thinking about all the things I love... a quick 25...

1. My sound of my son's laughter and his sense of humor.

2. Having my own HOME based business.

3. Seeing all the new life in my breeding tanks.

4. Going to the Post Office and getting a box of breeder fish.

5. Going to the Post Office to send the new baby fish off to their new homes.

6. Fresh, hot coffee at 3 a.m.

7. The smell of outdoor line dried sheets and pillowcases.

8. Listerine "Fresh Burst" mouthwash.

9. Long hot bubble baths.

10. Lavender & Chamomile bubble bath scent.

11. Hot tea with lemon.

12. Coloring markers.

13. The Big Box of Crayola Crayons.

14. The smell of the lake across my street.

15. The sun setting over the lake.

16. Edy's Peppermint Ice Cream.

17. An unexpected e-mail or letter from an old friend.

18. The freedom to do what I love.

19. Getting paid to do what I love.

20. My red and white Ford pick up truck.

21. My business cards...I designed them myself, and am so pleased with how they turned out.

22. Flea markets.

23. Yard sales.

24. Bookstores.

25. The FREE FREE FREE library system...God Bless Andrew Carnegie.

Paradox Fish from Lotsoffish 1

Paradox Fish from Lotsoffish 1, originally uploaded by creativeaquarist.

Paradox Fish

Orange Spotted Rabbit Snail

Orange Spotted Rabbit Snail, originally uploaded by creativeaquarist.

I like aquatic life that is unusual and unique...not something you come across everyday in the local pet stores. This Orange Spotted Rabbit Snail is just too cool...lol

He reminds me of a very old turtle...just poking along...

I just recently got a couple of these guys...planning on getting a few more...I don't know how they breed yet...guess I'm going to find out.