It's hard to believe, but here we are already into May, 2017. Where has the time gone....
As I do at the beginning of each month, here is your calendar of special days in May. there are loads of fun and worthwhile things to celebrate and with all this great weather, why not plan a few parties of your own?
MAY 2017 Special Days
1.  Law Day, National Loyalty Day, National Mother Goose Day, Silver Star Service Banner Day, School Principals' Day.
2.  National Life Insurance Day, National Truffle Day (Mais oui, s'il vous plait.)
3.  National Textiles Day, National Garden Meditation Day, National Lumpy Rug Day (I swear...I didn't make this one up!), National Paranormal Day, National Specially-abled Pets Day, National Two Different Colored Shoes Day.
4.  Bird Day, National Orange Juice Day, National Password Day, national Renewal Day, National Star Wars Day, National Weather Observer's Day, national Day of Prayer, National Day of Reason.
5.  National Astronaut Day, National Cartoonists Day (You gotta love those guys!), Cinco De Mayo, National Space Day, National Provider Appreciation Day.
6.  National Beverage Day, National Crepe Suzette Day, National Nurses Day, Join Hands Day, National Scrapbook Day, National Start Seeing Monarchs Day (butterflies), National B
train Day.
7.  National Barrier Awareness Day, Free Comic Book Day, National Lemonade Day.
8.  National Have a Coke Day, National Student Nurses Day, National Women's check-up Day.
9.  National Sleepover Day, National Lost Sock Memorial Day (I love this!), National Teacher Appreciation Day.
10. National Lipid Day. National Clean Up Your Room Day, National Bike To School Day.
11. National Foam Rolling Day, National Twilight Zone Day. 
12. National Limerick Day, National Odometer Day.  
13. national Apple Pie Day, National Frog Jumping Day, national Babysitter's Day, national Miniature Golf Day, National Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Day.
​14. National Dance Like A Chicken Day, National Underground America Day, Mother's Day (PLEASE don't forget this special day!)
15. National Chocolate Chip Day, National Peace Officers Memorial Day.
16. National Biographers Day, Honor Our LGBT Elders Day, national Love A Tree Day, national Sea Monkey Day.
17. National Pack Rat Day, National Walnut Day (I go a little nutty on this day...)
18. National No Dirty Dishes Day, National Visit Your Relatives Day (Come on....it won't be so bad!)
19. National May Ray (or Rae) Day, National Bike To Work Day, National Endangered Species Day, National Pizza Party Day, NASCAR Day.
20. National Be A Millionaire Day, National Pick Strawberries Day (YUMMO!), National Learn To Swim Day.
21. National Take Your Parents To The Playground Day, national American Red Cross Founder's Day, National Memo Day, National Waitstaff Day.
22. National Buy A Musical Instrument Day, National Maritime Day.
23. National Lucky Penny Day, National Taffy Day (I'm a big fan of Laffy-Taffy, myself).
24. National Scavenger Hunt Day, Emergency Medical Services For Children, Brother's Day (I love my little bro, Quigley, Jr.)
25. National Brown-Bag It Day, National Missing Children's Day, Red Nose Day, National Tap Dance Do (You can do this while wearing your Red Nose...I'm just suggesting), Towel Day.
26. National Don't Fry Friday, National Heat Awareness Day.
27. National Cellophane Tape Day, National Grape Popsicle Day (It's so much fun watching your tongue turn purple!)
28. National Hamburger Day,
29. National Paperclip Day, Memorial Day.
30. National Hole In My Bucket Day, National Loomis Day, National Water A Flower Day.
31. National Autonomous Vehicle Day, National Save Your Hearing Day, National Speak In Sentences Day (So no word answers, like yup, or nope.), National Senior Health And Fitness Day.

What did I tell you? Lots of good stuff,eh? Which will you choose to celebrate? My list is pretty long as it is nearly every month. But with all this great late spring weather, I'll be planning most of my parties out of doors. Nothing's better than family, friends, a cookout, and something special to celebrate. See you next month with the June calendar of special days.

This has been an awesome week with so many fun things to celebrate. And we're rounding out the week with yet another very special one, National Superhero Day.
This is a day set aside to recognize and celebrate superheroes, both real and fictional. Superheroes are role models for kids but they can be role models for adults, too. The world can be a dangerous, scary, and sometimes just plain difficult place to life and navigate your way through. At one time or another, I'm willing to be that we'll need a superhero in our life. I know I've been in a position where I've felt pretty alone before; maybe even unable to get through a trying or difficult time. Then, out of the clear blue someone comes along, and it's usually a stranger, who provides just the right assistance at just the right time. At that very moment, they became a superhero. No, they weren't wearing tights or a cape, but they came to my rescue just when I needed it most. And that's what superheroes do, right? And who doesn't want to be thought of as a superhero?
With a little thought and a keen sense of observation, anyone...even you or me...can become a superhero. Opportunities to "save the day" abound. We only need to keep our eyes open and be willing to help. even if it may not be a "convenient" time for us, or may even put us into harms way.
Before becoming a superhero, you might find it helpful to develop your new "alter-ego" character. What would he/she look like? What would be their superpower? Once you have this character firmly "fleshed" out in your mind, you'll have that resource to draw on the next time you see someone in need. And you won't have to duck into a phone booth to change clothes! (Good thing, too, as there aren't many of THOSE around anymore!) All you'll need to do, is mentally become your version of a superhero. 
OK, so now we know what our character looks like, it's time to find opportunities to help. Here are a few easy suggestions.
1.  Someone struggling to carry a heavy package who needs the door opened. Carry the package or, at least, open the door!
2. A neighbor child who's being bullied. Help him get help. Notify the authorities.
3. Your shut-in aunt who gets lonely. Go and surprise her with a visit, and a nice lunch.
4.  Your friend whose car is the garage and needs a ride to a job interview. Take her, wait for her, then bring her home. Can't do that? Hire a cab for her.
6.  The single mom at your church you struggles to feed her kids put is too proud to ask for help. Bring her a bag of food and discretely leave it by her front door. Or casually stop by for a visit and just happen to bring along a large casserole...you made two and your kids won't eat it.
7.  That stray dog you see every day who needs a meal and a loving home. Take him in or find a shelter for him to go to. Critters needs superheros, too.
8.  Your co-worker who was out taking care of his wife who's battling cancer. He's back to now and WAY behind on his work. Help him catch up so he won't need to stay late every night for a week or more.
9.  The teen up the street looking for work to help buy his first car. Hire him to mow your lawn. I mean, the grass needs cutting anyway...
10.  Your new neighbor who moved here from across the country and doesn't know anyone or where to find services. Introduce them around. Help them with a list of essential services, doctors, restaurants, grocery stores, parks, movie theaters....
You get the idea. There are as many ways to help as their humans. You don't need to be a superhero to do these simple and kindly things. But to the person you help, you'll be a larger-than-life superhero in their eyes. And that's pretty terrific, if you ask me.
After all, I don't need to be able to "leap tall building in a single bound" to be a superhero. I just need to be me.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone. See you back here on Monday!

As a writer, I appreciate a good story. And today is National Tell A Story Day. So you  know this has got to be one of my favorites! This day is set aside each year for humans of all ages to share a story; all kinds of stories, whether it's a childhood favorite, a personal story, or the story of your family history. Everybody has a story to tell.
Why are stories important?  Storytelling connects you with humanity; it's a link to the past and a glimpse into the future. Ever since humans first walked upon the Earth, they have told stories. At first, these stories were conveyed through drawings on the cave wall.later, after language developed, these stories were told while sitting around the campfire. Things happen to humans and these are the elements of a story. Storytellers learned early on that their audiences liked to have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Too, humans are drawn to stories where the characters look like them or, at least, have traits and qualities that they can relate to. For a story to be really entertaining, humans like a thrilling climax followed by a satisfying ending. Humans enjoy not  only listening to a good story, but also love to read, and watch them, too.
Here are a few reasons why humans (and frogs, too) need storytellers:
1.  To feel connected to others; to share their joy, sorrow, love, etc (empathy). This makes humans feel not so alone. It confirms their humanity.(empathy)
2.  To see themselves in the story; ie their profession, position in life, etc
3.  To see themselves as they'd like to be; perhaps as an action hero or doctors savings lives....
4.  To find friends in the character; the types of humans you might like to know and spend time with. For me, I actually start to miss the characters in a book after I'm finished reading it. It's like they've moved away and left to forwarding address (unless I open the book again and reread it).
5.  Stories can be cautionary tales; reminders of what can happen if the humanity of others is forgotten or remind us of the horrific atrocities that can be inflicted onto those we consider our enemies.
6.  To purge themselves of guilt, shame, fear (etc) We all know how much better we feel after a good cry at the end of a really sad movie....
7.  To teach the history of a culture.
8.  To endow morals and principles.
9.  To distract or divert attention from an unpleasant real-life situation.
10. To entertain, to teach, and to educate.
11.  To provoke or agitate.
12.  To incite and to intellectually stimulate.
13.  To inspire (as in social change or innovations).
14.  To shape and change social prejudices.
15.  To give meaning to life.
16.  To impart religious doctrine.
17.  To punish/scare children (Think Little Red Riding Hood!)
18.  To express beauty.
Storytelling serves many functions in the lives of humans but none more than "to hold a mirror up to nature" by passing on its values and uses. Stories allow people to make sense out of the chaos of human existence.
Storytelling is an ancient practice and is a wonderful way to pass on family traditions, and histories. Humans can gain strength from learning about the struggles of their ancestors. I am honored to call myself a writer...a storyteller. How can you celebrate this day? Gather 'round your family and swap stories. Share your memories of childhood with parents and siblings. Tell your children about their past; where they came from and who their ancestors were.  We all have stories to tell and stories to learn. It doesn't matter if they're long ones or short ones. The point is to tell them.
And of course use #NationalTellAStoryDay on all your social media.
                                            Live. Create. Tell the story. Repeat.

I've been super-busy these last few days which has caused me to wake up earlier than usual. I was up and about, had the tea brewing, and breakfast in the oven when Dharma Frog showed up at "dark thirty" this morning.
"Hiya, Dharma!" I chirped, as the wise one hopped onto my new lily pad. "What's new?" Dharma, not one for chit-chat, replied, "So, my Son, I see you're in a good mood this morning. What is the reason for all this exuberance? And may I say I like your new place! You've made it very comfortable and homey." I thanked him for noticing all the hard work I'd put into decorating my new pad, then explained to him that for the first time in quite awhile, I genuinely felt that my life was back on track. I've be "stuck in the muck and mIre" for several months now but, finally, was seeing some forward-moving progress. And it feels good! So, after a hearty breakfast and some delicious tea, we began my lesson. This week, the topic was accepting others for who they are. "Kissing the frog to get the prince, is a waste of a perfectly good frog, Irwin, but this is something that humans try to do far too often." And we frogs do it, too.
I think we've all have tried to change somebody at one time or another. It rarely ever works. Usually it's somebody we love...or think we love. "Think" being the key word here. Acceptance of others, is key to living a positive life. Everyone wants to be accepted for who they are. Sure, they can "change" into that that handsome prince or fairy-tale princess for us but if that's not who they are at their core, the change will never last. It's fine, Dharma reminded me, to offer others a bit of constructed criticism, if it is for their betterment and not because we think they need it to suit our view of how they should be. Self-acceptance and the acceptance of others isn't always easy. Humans, and frog too, have a tendency to want to change everything. We like things to fit nice and tidy into little square boxes. But life is rarely neat and tidy. Today, Dharma offered up a few simple ways to accept others (including ourselves) for who they are...and how to learn to love the beauty that is within. 
1.  Watch your thoughts. Think about what you're thinking about. Every time you see someone, or meet someone new, don't immediately go to your default mode of mentally sizing the them up. Instead, try to get to know them as they are. Don't pre-judge others.
2.  Look for the positive.  Not accepting others comes as a result of seeing the negatives. Instead, look for the the positive; friendly smile, outgoing personality, kindliness...these are the the things we should try to focus on. Not the color of their skin, their religion, or even their political views.
3.  Avoid right/wrong dichotomies.  Humans love to see things in black and white.  Things don't always have to be either right or wrong. There's a lot of middle ground that humans tend to over-look. All or nothing thinking isn't helpful. There are nearly as many points of view as there are humans (and frogs). Learn to be more tolerant of those views that are different than yours. Accepting them doesn't mean agreeing with them. You are simply acknowledging that other view points exist. And they do exist, whether you chose to accept them or not. So why not make it easy on yourself and just go with the flow?
​4.  Stop judging yourself. Our judgement of others is often a reflection of our own personal criticisms. Once we learn to stop putting pressure on ourselves to always do things the "right way" we stop putting pressure on others to do the same.
5.  Focus on the now.  Lack of acceptance can come from something in our past. Perhaps something we were taught by our caretakers, teachers, or the news. But it's time we all learn to think for ourselves and to ask the questions, "Is this really what I think now? Does this belief still serve me well today?" Looking to the past for answers can be helpful if we learn from our mistakes, but it's never helpful when we use the past to judge people. One bad apple doesn't make the the whole barrel bad....
6.  Reverse the situation.  Put the proverbial shoe on the foot (or flipper). "How would I feel if someone thought this about me?" Or "How would I feel if they treated me this way?" When you do this, it sheds an entirely new (and brighter) light on the the situation.
Learn to accept others, maybe even love them, without feeling the need to change them. Humans (and amphibians alike) are pretty cool just the way we are. Nobody should be expected to change, simply to be accepted. So the next time you kiss a frog, don't  expect him to transform into a prince. Rather, kiss him because he's adorable and you love him...warts and all.

A group of frogs is called an army. So, with that in mind, I decided to take a slight departure from my normal blog topics and write about Elbe Day...or National East Meets West Day which is, as you may have guessed, today. April 25th commemorates the day the Eastern front of the allied forces met the Western front  on the Elbe River in Germany, marking an important steps towards ending World War II.
The war had been raging on for six long years. During 1944, several events had begun to turn the tides of war against the Axis powers. In April of 1945, the Allies were marching towards peace, but they knew it would take a coordinated effort from both the American troops in the East and the Soviet armies from the west. The units were not to make contact with each other. They were ordered to remain on their respective banks of the Elbe River while officers from each division formalized the occupation of Berlin.  But when the two armies met south of Berlin in Torgau, on the banks of Elbe, patrols were sent across the river in a small boat. The first to make contact were American First Lieutenant Albert Kotzebue and Soviet Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Gardiev, along with their commands. Two days later, photographers commemorated the historic event of the Eastern front meeting the Western front. This meeting meant that the two powers had, effectively, cut Germany in two.
Elbe, or East Meets West, Day has never been an official holiday in any country but in the years that followed 1945 this friendly encounter gained new significance in the context of the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union. There are monuments, however, both in Torgau and in the United States, in Arlington National Cemetery.  In 1949, the Russian film company, Mosfilm, commemorated Elbe Day i n the black-and-white film, "Encounter at the Elbe. The meeting at Elbe is also also represented in the war strategy game R.U.S.E. which was released in 2010, the 65th anniversary of Elbe, and again in 2011. The game is loosely based on WW II events.
You can celebrate by visiting a WW II museum or monument, reading up on this historical event, or by using #eastmeetswestday or #elbeday to share on your social media today.

Do you consider yourself likable? I think most people do. We think we're fine, just the way we are . Besides, it's impossible to change our "personality," right? That's simply not true, say some experts. According to them, "when you build awareness of how your actions are perceived by others you pave the way to becoming more likable."
We've all known frogs and people who attract friends to them like bees to flowers, and others who have all the outward appearances of being likable, yet repel others. We often mistakenly believe that being likable is a trait we're born with, that it's a natural, unteachable thing. That those that who are born good-looking, are social butterflies, or are incredibly talented are the lucky few. But, in reality, being likable is within our our control. It's a matter of emotional intelligence. In a recent study conducted at UCLA (University of California - Los Angeles) the top descriptors used by the study participants, for being likable, were sincerity, transparency, and being capable of understanding another. So what are the things that we can change about our behaviors that will make us more approachable? Consider these nine common (mis)behaviors. I'm guilty of several. How about you...and be honest!
​9.  Sharing too much too early. You know the type; the ones who tell you the most intimate details of their life five minutes after meeting them. Be careful not to share too much too soon, like personal problems and confessions. "Oversharing comes across as self-obsessed. If you get into the nitty-gritty of your life without learning about the other person first, you send the message that you see them as nothing more than a sounding-board." And no one wants to feel like that.
8.  Having a closed mind. Open-minded people are approachable and interesting. No one wants to have conversation with someone who has already formed an opinion and is unwilling to listen. This is especially crucial in the workplace. This doesn't mean that you condone what they're saying or that you must believe what they believe...it simple means that you've quit passing judgement long enough to hear (really listen) to what they are saying.
7.  Gossiping. Gossiping doesn't benefit anyone, including the person doing the gossiping. it will make you look negative and spiteful every time.
6.  Name-dropping.   It's fun to know famous and interesting people. But using these famous names at every opportunity and in every conversation is boring, pretentious, and silly.  When you connect everything you know with who you know, conversations lack meaning. You may not believe it, but others actually would like to know what YOU think! Name-dropping makes us appear desperate for attention...like we have no value on our own, without our connection to the celebrity world. Being friendly and considerate is all that is required.
5.  Whipping our your phone. Nothing will make you more of a turn-off then whipping out your phone, mid-conversation, to check or send a text, or to glance at your emails. Conversations are more enjoyable when you immerse yourself in them. That text message and email can wait until later....
4.  Emotional hijacking.  Emotional hijacking demonstrates low emotional intelligence. So what is emotional hijacking? it's when you pitch a fit, yellow, scream, and generally carry on when things don't go your way. No matter how much someone might "deserve" to be treated badly or have something thrown at them, it throws negative attention your way. When you are able to control your emotions in bad situations, the wrongful party comes off looking bad instead of you. Having a "hissy fit," and no matter what THEY did, will make them wind up looking better than you.
3.  Not asking enough questions.  When you're so busy thinking about what you're going to say next, you often miss a lot of the conversation. Oh, the words may come through clear enough, but you'll miss their meaning. People, and frogs too, like to know they're being listened to. So ask a lot of questions. Focus on what being being said...not on what you're going to say next, or mentally making up your grocery shopping list, or planning your weekend get-away. Actively listening (paying attention) and asking questions qill make you much more likable then than sitting there trying to come up with the your next clever thing to say.
2.  Being too serious.  We tend to gravitate towards those who are passionate, but it's easy for passionate people (and frogs, like me) to come across as being too serious or to be only one-sided. Likable people know how to balance their passions with the ability to have a little fun. Focus on meaningful interactions with co-workers, family, and friends will make you far more interesting, likable, and approachable.
And I saved the best for last....
1.  Humble-bragging. This is bragging about yourself behind the thin mask of self-deprecation. You know the type...the lovely girl who always says she's too fat or the really smart guy who's always saying he's stupid. It's pretty obvious to those who listen to this stuff, that their self-deprecation is really bragging. We can see right through their mask. They're not hiding anything. So, in addition to bragging, they are also trying to deceive us. And neither of those attributes in endearing.
It is possible to make ourselves friendlier to others; to become more approachable and likable. The question then is are we unconsciously doing these things these to keep others away? Perhaps the memory of a painful relationship from the past is motivating us to keep everyone at arms length. Being open, learning to judge each person and each situation on their own merits, and learning to accept others as they are can help propel us forward; making all of our relationships more fun, fulfilling, and worthwhile.

Yippee! The weekend's finally here. Saturday is Earth Day and, as many of you may know, this is one of my favorite special days of the year. And why not! It's a day about celebrating the planet that we all call home. Without Earth and her bountiful gifts, none of us would be able to survive. She nourishes us and protects us. It's no wonder, then, that she is so often referred to Mother Earth.
April 22nd of each year marks the anniversary of the modern environmental movement that began in 1970. That makes this year the 47th celebration of our home planet. For those of you who may not remember the 1970's (or remember them very well for whatever reason...) it was a time of counterculture in the United States; the Beatles had just released their last album, Jimmy Hendrix had died, war raged in Vietnam, and American cars, with their huge V8 engines hungrily slurped down gallons and gallons of leaded gasoline. Air pollution was a common and accepted thing. And the word Environment was only used in spelling bees. 
But, behind the scenes, the stage had already been set by the publication of the now famous book "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson back in 1962. it was a watershed moment...the book became a New York bestseller and sold 500,000 copies in 24 countries. The book raised public awareness and concerns for living organisms, the environment, and the link between pollution and public health. Thank you, Ms. Carson, for starting this necessary movement. And it didn't come a minute too soon! Earth Day 1970 gave a voice to this movement and put environmental concerns on the front page of every newspaper and on TV news program. Earth Day's founder was Gaylord Nelson, then a US Senator from Wisconsin. He saw the need of focusing attention on this most-important topic after witnessing the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Inspired by the energy of student's anti-war movement, Senator Nelson chose the date of April 22 (midway between Spring Break and Final Exams) and built a staff of 85 to promote events all across the country. Back on April 22, 1970. 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment. And the rest, as they say, is history....
Here are a few fun facts about Planet Earth...our Home Sweet Home.
1.  It's the only planet that has an atmosphere containing 21% oxygen.
2.  It's the only planet that has liquid water on its surface.
3.  Its the only planet in the Solar System that has life. (That's all of us!)
​4. Earth is the  only inner planet (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars) to have one large satellite, the Moon. Mars has two tiny ones; Mercury and Venus have none.
5.  Earth is fragile. its surface is split into plates (tectonic plates...not the kind from IKEA) which float on a rocky mantle (the layer between the surface of earth, its crust, and its hot liquid core. The inside of the earth is active and volcanoes, earthquakes, and mountain building takes place along the boundaries of these tectonic plates.
6.  As a result of Earth's geological activity (earthquakes and volcanoes), there are fewer craters on its surface than there on the surface of other planets.
7.  The Earth's diameter is 7928 miles, 12700 kilometers, and is not an exact sphere; the diameter going around the North and South Poles is slightly less than the diameter around the equator.
8.  Earth is different from all other planets because it has all of us...a wide diversity of life and intelligent beings! This has only been possible because the Earth's atmosphere which has protected Earth and allowed life to flourish.  It's kind of important that we protect and care for that, don't you think?
There are Earth Day activities all over place and I hope that you will spend some time over the weekend attending one or two of them. if there's nothing in your local area, may I suggest just spending time in the great outdoors and soaking up all of her nature beauty. Earth is a very special place. Let's love her and care for her. And make every day  Earth Day, not just April 22.

Do you consider yourself to be a grateful human? I always thought of myself as a grateful frog until the other day I realized how much stuff in my life goes without being appreciated. Little things (well, not so little really...) like the sun streaming through the beautiful tall oak trees as I go for my morning hop. And what about the barista at my local coffee shop? He knows just how I like my "cup of joe" and prepares it perfectly every day. Do I ever express gratitude for these things. No! 
So many of us take for granted things like eyes for seeing and legs for walking or hopping. We just don't even think about these little miracles. Yet there are others who have no idea what it's like to see a sunrise or what it feels like to take a walk through the rustling fall leaves. Gratitude, and it's sibling (appreciation), for our common everyday blessings is virtually nonexistent. Sure, we have gratitude for the big things in life but we fail to give thanks for many of the smaller things we have. Gratitude won't make problems and threats disappear, but it will lessen their impact on us and make us better able to deal with whatever life throws our way.
I want to become a more grateful frog and so I did a little research on what makes humans highly grateful (hey, it might work for me, too!) and here are six things that they do:
1.  Once in awhile, they think about death and loss. These highly grateful humans think about their own deaths, the deaths of those they love, and what life would be like without those big events (meeting your spouse, getting that massive job promotion, going on a world cruise, etc). They become even more grateful when they realize all they have. When you find yourself taking something for granted, try giving it up for a week or two, When you abstain for a while, you learn to appreciate its value in your life. For me, I did this with chocolate...and my favorite tea. it was a tough couple of weeks but I sure was grateful to get them back!
2.  They take time to smell the roses.  And it's not just roses; it can be the smell of your new car, that cup of great coffee, or the lavender oil you put mindlessly put into your bathwater. Take time to enjoy the smells of your life, They can bring ou great joy and much gratitude. Just imagine your life without your nose....
3.  They take good things as gifts...not their birthright. Entitlement. That's the opposite of gratitude. Highly grateful humans see all the positives in their life as gifts which encourages deeper gratitude. they don't believe that these things are owed them just by virtual of being alive....or because they're just so darn special. They understand that humans, and us critters, too, aren't owed anything. That makes it easier to see good,positive things as the gifts they are.
4.  They're grateful for people, not just things. The sun shining in the sky and the beautiful green lily pad I live on...they don't care a twit if I'm grateful for them, or not. But my family and friends? They positively glow when i tell them how much they matter to me and how grateful i am to have them in my life. Tell the humans in your life what they mean to you. They may know this, but it sure is nice to hear someone say, "I'm grateful that you're my Mom (spouse, daughter, friend...) and my life is so much better because you're in it." But the fact that trees and sunlight, etc, don't know, or care, that you're grateful for them shouldn't excuse you from realizing how important they are!
5.  They mention pancakes.  Grateful people are specific as to why they love, or admire, others in their life. These highly grateful humans will say stuff, like, "I'm grateful for the pancakes you make me every Saturday morning so I can sleep in a little later and not worry about breakfast." Give those you love specific reasons as to why you cherish them.
6.  They "thank" outside the box.  being grateful for nice things is pretty easy, right? But what about thanking the homeless person who asked you for change? Or for the boyfriend you dumped you on your birthday? Not so easy to be grateful for those things. But they are, indeed, gifts.  Be grateful for the job you have that allows you to GIVE money to the homeless person  and for the warm and safe shelter you have. Be grateful to the jerk boyfriend. He did you a favor. You might have ended up marrying this guy! We all suffer in life. That's just the way it is. Being grateful for the good, as well as the bad (and the lessons you can learn) is all part of being grateful for the amazing life you have.
I know I've learned a lot from my research and I plan on putting these six tips into daily practice. I need to work on appreciating everything I have...even the bad stuff. That's not easy, but necessary if I want to be a truly grateful frog. And I hope that, in some small way, I've helped you to be more grateful for what you have, as well.
                                                      Life sure is amazing, isn't it?

I've been feeling a little down lately. Several projects that I've been working hard on haven't worked out ...and I feel like a failure. Needless-to-say, I wasn't really enthused about the Dharma Frog's visit this morning. But, right on schedule, he hopped onto my lily pad and, as I poured our breakfast tea, he said to me, "Irwin, I can tell something's wrong. Do you want to talk about it?" "Not really, Sir," I replied, knowing full-well that this wasn't going to be the end of it. And it wasn't. "My boy, I know that you've recently invested yourself in a couple of new projects and that they haven't gone well. Are you feeling that you've failed?" "How does he know these things?" I thought to myself. But I should know by now that Dharma has a mysterious way of always being connect to what's happening. So I smiled and nodded in agreement. "Then today's lesson, Tadpole, will focus on this very subject."
"A wise frog, Irwin, knows that success isn't final and failure isn't fatal. Our failures are meant to teach us lessons. And success is never-ending. There's always more that we can do." But Dharma'" I replied, "failure does sometimes feel fatal...like I'll never succeed at anything ever again." My wise teacher has an answer for everything, and so he launched into the meat of today's lesson.
"Most frogs, humans too, think that success is a destination you can reach, like getting on a plane and going to Rome. We think that "making it" is a tangible status but, in reality, Little One, it isn't. Perhaps you'd better to think of success as a mindset, not as a destination. Success is the mindset of always doing your best, whatever the outcome may be. Success means moving forward, despite the obstacles in your path. Success means learning from your mistakes. it means that you are growing and learning. Do you always do the best you can, Irwin? Do you learn from your mistakes? If you do, then you are indeed a very successful frog." I was becoming to feel a little better. Just then, however, Dharma began talking about failure...something I was hoping to forget!
"Failures are life lessons. They are meant to teach us things. Failure makes us stronger. How would we ever know the joy of success, if we didn't know what failure felt like? Success and failure are yin and yang; opposite sides of the same coin. Humans have a way of thinking that failure is the worst thing that can happen to them. Frogs often think that way, too. Humans like to tell themselves that failure is impossible to overcome. I have found, my son, that every failure happens for a reason; it's life's way of telling us that we have something to learn. Instead of being unhappy for failure, why not embrace it as a gift..the gift of knowledge; an opportunity to learn something new?"
Well, that was a new concept to me! I sure hadn't ever thought of failure as a gift! Rather, it felt like a dead weight hanging around my neck. But, I could see his point. We all have things to learn and life lessons are necessary, no matter how painful they are, if we want to grow and mature. Dharma reminded me that failure gives us the opportunity to dissect what went wrong, thus avoid doing it again. Just as success is a mindset and not a destination, failure needn't define us. It is merely an outcome. "Going back to the drawing board" isn't just a cliche, it's a nugget of wisdom. And very true. When something doesn't work out the way we hope for, then it's time to go back to the "drawing board" and look for another solution. Failure is simply an opportunity to look for a better way.
Dharma reminded me of my many past successes. He pointed out a few of my flops, as well. "You see, Irwin, these past failures didn't get you down. You continued on doing what you love...what you're meant to do. Why are these new obstacles causing you so much anguish?" I thought about it, and I really didn't have much of an answer but I knew that if I did a little soul-searching, I'd find out what the "Big Picture" lesson was that I was meant to learn. Sensing that I was beginning to feel more optimistic, Dharma finished up his breakfast and hopped off to his next appointment. His work for this week, at least with me, was finished
Sometimes all any of us needs is someone to give a little "kick in the pants", a not-so-gentle reminder that we are neither our successes or our failures. But that we are a sum of all our parts...the good ones and the bad. Yin and yang.

"Early to bed and early to rise makes a frog healthy, wealthy, and wise," so said Benjamin Franking (or  words to that effect...). I am, indeed, an early riser and I like to think I have my moments of wisdom. But I've never quite mastered the wealthy part. Two, of three gives, me a passing grade and I'm happy with that. 
I'm up before the rooster crows nearly every day, but I know many frogs (and even more humans) who have a distinct dislike of mornings.  They moan and groan when the alarm goes off; preferring to hit the snooze button two, maybe three, times before being forced to get up and hurry like mad to get out the door on time. Benjamin Franklin had it right, though, and now science is backing him up. Not so much the wise or wealthy parts, but studies do show that those of us you get up early have a few advantages.
Larks, as early risers are often called, do have better health, says a 2012 article written in the journal "Emotion." This includes making better food choices and consuming a more balanced diet than our night owl counterparts. Those of us who go to bed early don't have those late-night food cravings, either. Eating sugary snacks late at night can cause restless sleep and increased weight gain.
Early risers are thought to be more productive, as well. A 2009 study performed by a biology professor at the University of Education is Heidelberg, Germany, found that morning people tend to anticipate problems and do their best to minimize them. This study also shows that "larks" achieve better grades which can open more doors for better jobs in the future.
Additionally, early risers get more sleep which can lead to less worry. A 2015 study published in "Cognitive Therapy and Research" showed that those who favor a later bedtime reported an increase in repetitive negative thinking (RNT) which is associated with a reduction in sleep time. Going to bed early, then, can cause more positive thinking and reduce stress and worry.
In addition to better overall health, the 2012 study written up in the Journal "Emotion" also showed that morning people have more positive emotions and are, generally, happier with their life than those who go to bed late. The researchers on this study think that is because society's typical 9-5 workday culture clashes with the night owls decision to stay up late.
For you night owls out there, here are a few simple steps you can take to help ease you into a new, earlier morning routine.
1.  Get on a set sleep schedule. Sleep experts suggests moving your wake up time by about 20 minutes every day until you reach your desired morning rising time.  Waking up earlier should help you fall asleep a little earlier in the evening, as well. As tempting as it might be to break your new schedule on the weekends, don't!  So doing, can sabotage your entire week.
2.  Create a pleasant morning ritual. This means doing things you enjoy and will look forward to. These rituals can include: Yoga (or other gentle exercise), meditation, reading from a favorite book, taking a bath and then finishing it off with a do-it-yourself oil-infused massage. Or, perhaps, going for a short, but brisk walk. Sun exposure is vital in the morning.
3.   Develop an evening routine.  Start to wind down around the same time every night. turn off all electronics two hours before going to bed. (And put them away so you won't be tempted to turn them on!) Avoid eating for at least three hours before climbing into bed. Drink warm milk with honey and cardamon, or brew herbal teas like chamomile or lavender. Combat the stress of the day by meditating, reading, or journaling. This a great time to write in your gratitude journal! I like to listen to soothing music as I write in mine.

Following this advice can, I hope, get your day off to a brighter, happier, and earlier start....even if you're a night owl! Mornings are marvelous. I know you'll agree, too, when the shock of seeing the sun come up finally wears off!