I have to admit, I had a rather unusual session with my teacher and mentor, The Dharma Frog, this morning. It may have started the same but it ended up being a little different. I was feeling a bit lazy this morning and prepared a simple meal which didn't take me long. But Dharma was hopping or running a bit late. so I thought I'd take the opportunity to snooze a little but fell into a deep sleep. Dharma hopped onto my pad and I never even woke up! He gently nudged me and I jumped up with a start. "Dharma!, I didn't hear you you arrive." "You were fast asleep, my boy. I'm sorry I startled you." After shaking the cobwebs out of my brain, we sat down to eat and drink our tea.
"So Dharma," I asked, "what's on the lesson schedule this week?" After pausing for a moment, my old friend replied, "Tadpole, the frog who laughs last, laughs best. What do you think that means?" "Uh, that we should wait until the end of the movie before we decide if it's funny or not?" I figured that wasn't the answer he was looking for but my brain still wasn't functioning at its best. "Irwin!" he exclaimed, "You know good and well I'm not talking about movies or the comedy club." It seems that my teacher had temporarily lost his sense of humor. "Sorry, Teach. My brain isn't awake yet."
Dharma shook his head, shrugged his shoulders and proceeded. "What that saying refers to, my boy is that while it's important to enjoy the little things in life, it's more important to savor the whole journey. If we stumble and fall, it's important to pick ourselves up and to keep going. Life is about the journey...all of it. And when we come to the end of the road...whatever that road is, it's important to know that we tried and did our best. That will give us the best laugh of all. I think it might be important here, Irwin, to give you...and maybe your readers...a few reasons why it's important to get up and keep going when life knocks us done." 
Here are Dharma's top reasons for dusting yourself off and continuing along your path.
1.  The point at which we're about to give up is exactly the point at which things are about to take off. If you believe in yourself and what you're doing, it's important to pick yourself and keep going. The truth is, once we stop we lose the momentum we had it will take longer to get back up to speed. Kind of like my brain this morning. I shouldn't have taken that nap!
2.  It takes time to build something up. Laying the foundational work of any project, and indeed life itself takes time and dedication. But without a good solid base, whatever we place on top of it will surely collapse. If you don't believe me (or Dharma) just ask anyone who is truly successful. They know the truth.
3.  Failures and setbacks massively build up your resistance. The first tumble hurts the worst. Anyone who's ever learned to walk can tell you that. But if you keep trying, those falls get farther and farther apart...and don't hurt us nearly as much.
​4.  Remember that when you fall, others are falling too. This means that those who do not get up and keep going open a window of opportunity for you...a window that had been previously shut. While we never want to take undue advantage of another's difficult situation, it is ultimately their decision whether or not to keep going.
5.  It's all about the journey and enjoying its ups and its down. But those will prove to be little giggles compared to the one at the end. When we achieve our goal, we can settle back and have a good ol' belly laugh! How wonderful it is to be able to say to yourself, "I did it! I survived. I made it!"
6.  No matter what the outcome is, whether you're hugely successful or not, you can still be proud of yourself. You saw it through to its conclusion. You didn't let the fear of failure hold you back. And who knows? The next dream you chase might just be the one!
Dharma ended my lesson this morning with this quote from Helen Keller, "Remember, a bend in the road is not the end of the road - unless you fail to make the turn." Whatever it is you want to achieve in your life...be it a financial success or simply having a happier. more fulfilled life, I can guarantee that you'll have a few difficult times. But the choice is up to you whether or not you decide to stop and give up or to navigate the turns and see what lies ahead.
Tomorrow is the start of a new month so I hope you'll stop by for a look at my August Calendar of Special Days. Until then,
                                                                      PEACE.​

https://www.aconsciousrethink.com/3828/6-resplendent-reasons-keep-going-never-give/

Over the weekend, I watched the 1963 movie Cleopatra, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. As with many movies depicting life in Ancient Rome, tables were lavishly spread with a wide variety of good-quality food, never-ending jugs of wine and, of course, grapes. It made me wonder if, in reality, Romans always ate that that well. Or were these rich meals reserved for celebrations...of which there many? I did a little investigative work and here's what I discovered about ancient Romans actually ate.
During the Roman Republic, the government wasn't much interested in keeping their citizens healthy with a trim waistline. "There were Sumtuariae Leges (sumptuary laws) designed to limit extravagance, including the amount spent on a given meal, which directly impacted how much wealthy Romans could eat at their meals. By the Imperial period, such laws were no longer in force." And thus we see the extreme meals that last throughout the night serves by the upper-class of Romans. But what about the "average Joe"? What did commoners eat? 
"Poor Romans would eat mostly cereal grain at all meals like porridge or bread, for which the women engaged in a daily grain-to-flour grinding. They placed the hard kernels between a concave stone and a smaller one serving as a roller. This was called a "thrusting mill." Later, they sometimes used a mortar and pestle. Grinding was unnecessary for quicker-cooking porridge." But by the latter part of the Republic period, it is believed that most Romans purchased their bread from commercial bakeries. 
Breakfast and lunch...Roman Style!
"For those who could afford it, breakfast (jentaculum), eaten very early, would consist of salted bread, milk, or wine, and perhaps dried fruit, eggs, or cheese. It was not always eaten. The Roman lunch (cibus meridianus or prandium), a quick meal eaten at noon, could include salted bread or be more elaborate with fruit, salad, eggs, meat or fish, vegetables, and cheese." 
The evening or dinner meal.
"The dinner (cena), the main meal of the day, would be accompanied by wine, usually well-watered. The Latin poet Horace ate a meal of onions, porridge, and pancake. An ordinary upper-class dinner would include meat, vegetables, eggs, and fruit. Comissatio was a final wine course at dinner's end." Those Romans sure did love their wine!
Just as with modern meals, the salad and/or egg courses were served at different time during the meal.  More often than not, they were served as the appetizer (gustatioor promulsis or antecoena). The eggs weren't always hen's eggs, either. "The list of possible items for the gustatio is long. It includes exotic items like sea urchins, raw oysters, and mussels. Apples, when in season, were a popular dessert (bellaria) item. Other Roman dessert items were figs, dates, nuts, pears, grapes, cakes, cheese, and honey.
And what about etiquette? "It is believed that during the Roman Republic, most women and the poor ate sitting on chairs, while upper-class males reclined on their sides on couches along three sides of a cloth-covered table (mensa). The three-sided arrangement is called the triclinium. Banquets might last for hours, eating and watching or listening to entertainers, so being able to stretch out without shoes and relax must have enhanced the experience. Since there were no forks, diners would not have had to worry about coordinating eating utensils in each hand." So what is portrayed in the movies isn't too far off the mark! And while dancing girls weren't part of the average evening meal, the elite Romans did always have some form of entertainment.
Historians know much about Roman meals and dining habits from art and archeology. But there is a fair amount of written documentation, as well. These materials include passages on agriculture, a Roman cookbook, and even a few letters that were preserved from that time. While some Romans did feast heavily nearly every day, we can assume that the poorer class, and even many of the elite, often ate far less heartily.
Tomorrow is Wednesday and that means a visit and lesson from my wise teacher, The Dharma Frog. I do hope that you'll plan on stopping by to see what valuable life lesson he has in store for me. Perhaps it might help you, as well. Until then, I wish you
                                                                       PEACE.

​Gill, N.S. "What Did the Ancient Romans Eat?" ThoughtCo, Jul. 23, 2019, thoughtco.com/what-the-romans-ate-120636.

Love it or hate it, it's been around a long time. Both my mother and grandmother are fans and I can't imagine seeing mom without her signature red lips. What am I talking about? Lipstick. And since today is National Lipstick Day. I thought I'd give you a brief history on the topic. How did it all begin? Lipstick's story might surprise you.
"Ancient Sumerian men and women were possibly the first to invent and wear lipstick, about 5,000 years ago. They crushed gemstones and used them to decorate their faces, mainly on the lips and around the eyes. Egyptians like Cleopatra crushed bugs to create a color of red on their lips." (Colorful and tasty, too!) But bugs were not the only interesting ingredient in early lipsticks. Women in the Minoan civilization colored their lips with bright red cosmetics. Lip paint in ancient Greece was initially restricted to prostitutes and courtesans but expanded to the upper class between 700 and 300 BCE. Greek women colored their lips with cosmetics made from dyes containing Tyrian purple, crushed mulberries, and the toxic pigment vermilion. The Chinese made some of the first lipsticks that were made from beeswax over 1,000 years ago to protect the delicate skin of the lips. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), scented oils were added to them, which gave the mouth an enticing factor. Aboriginal girls painted their lips red with ochre for their rite of passage ceremonies. 
Fast forward to 16th century England. "Lip coloring started to gain some popularity in 16th-century England. During the time of Queen Elizabeth I bright red lips and a stark white face became fashionable. At that time, lipstick was made from a blend of beeswax and red stains from plants. Only upper-class women and male actors wore makeup." 
Throughout most of the 19th century, the obvious use of cosmetics was not considered acceptable in Britain for respectable women, and it was associated with marginalized groups such as actors and prostitutes. It was considered brazen and uncouth to wear makeup. In the 1850s, reports were being published warning women of the dangers of using lead and vermilion in cosmetics applied to the face. By the end of the 19th century, Guerlain, a French cosmetic company, began to manufacture lipstick. The first commercial lipstick had been invented in 1884, by perfumers in Paris, France. It was covered in silk paper and made from deer tallow, castor oil, and beeswax. Before this time, lipstick had been created at home. Complete acceptance of the undisguised use of cosmetics in England appears to have arrived for the fashionable Londoner at least by 1921.
The lipstick craze began to gain traction in the United States in the latter part of the 19th century. "Lipstick was colored with carmine dye which was extracted from cochineal, scale insects native to Mexico and Central America which live on cactus plants. Cochineal insects produce carminic acid to deter predation by other insects. Carminic acid, which forms 17% to 24% of the weight of the dried insects, can be extracted from the insect's body and eggs. Mixed with aluminum or calcium salts it makes carmine dye (also known as cochineal)." Perhaps more than you wanted to know but I found it interesting that in the 1800s, lipstick was still being made using insects! This lipstick did not come in the now-familiar tube, but was sold in pots and applied with a small brush. Carmine dye was expensive and the look of carmine colored lipstick was considered unnatural and theatrical, so lipstick was frowned upon for everyday wear. Only actors and actresses could get away with wearing lipstick. In 1880, few stage actresses wore lipstick in public The famous actress, Sarah Bernhardt, began wearing lipstick and rouge in public. Before the late 19th century, women only applied makeup at home. Bernhardt often applied carmine dye to her lips in public. Simply scandalous! The Sears Roebuck catalog first offered rouge for lips and cheeks by the late 1890s. But by 1912, fashionable American women had come to consider lipstick acceptable, though an article in the New York Times advised on the need to apply it cautiously.
Lipstick began being sold in cylinder metal containers by 1915. That little invention was designed by Maurice Levy. "In 1923, the first swivel-up tube was patented by James Bruce Mason Jr. in Nashville, Tennessee. As women started to wear lipstick for photographs, photography made lipstick acceptable among women. Elizabeth Arden and Estee Lauder began selling lipstick in their salons. 
During the Second World War, metal lipstick tubes were replaced by plastic and paper tubes. Lipstick was scarce during that time because some of the essential ingredients of lipstick, petroleum and castor oil, were unavailable. World War II allowed women to work in engineering and scientific research, and in the late 1940s, Hazel Bishop, an organic chemist in New York and New Jersey, created the first long-lasting lipstick, called No-Smear lipstick. With the help of Raymond Specter, an advertiser, Bishop's lipstick business thrived. Another form of lip color, a wax-free, semi-permanent liquid formula, was invented in the 1990s by the Lip-Ink International company. Other companies have imitated the idea, putting their own spin on versions of long-lasting "lip stain" or "liquid lip color."
If you have done any lipstick shopping lately or accompanied anyone who has, you know that there a seemingly infinite selection of color, many not even close to being natural-looking, And there are many types of lipsticks and methods of application as there are colors. There is something for everyone! While choices abound, I know that Mom and Grandmom will stick with their traditional red. And speaking of mom, I hope she has time to read my blog today. She'll be thrilled to learn that red lipstick can be made from bugs. I'm sure she'll want to try that! But, then, Dad, will throw a fit and tell Mom that she's wasting perfectly good food. And so it is at the Wart household.
Please come back tomorrow for a look at what was on the menu for the ancient Romans. Until then I wish you
                                                  PEACE (and a super new week!).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipstick

Whether you consider yourself to be a tree-hugger, or not, you have to admit that trees are pretty awesome. And to up their awesomeness even more, researchers now say that being around trees increases our mental and social well-being.  Really.
By now, you've probably all heard or read that spending time in nature is good for us; natures inspires creativity, reduces stress, and can even make us kinder. Trees, especially, play an important role in good health. "The most obvious is their role in producing the oxygen we breathe and sequestering carbon dioxide to help protect our atmosphere; but science suggests trees provide other important benefits, too," says Dr. Jill Suttie.
Dr, Suttie lays out a few ways that trees help increase human well-being. Oh, and P.S. critters love and need trees, too!
1.  Trees help humans feel less stress and more restores. “The psychological benefits of walking through forests are very significant, and forest environments are expected to have very important roles in promoting mental health in the future,” the authors write. Indeed, various other studies suggest that the practice of 'forest bathing'—deliberately spending time among the woods—can help us deal with the stresses and strains of urban living."
2.  Trees improve human health. In addition to helping humans breathe, trees improve health in other ways, too. "Studies have shown that spending short amounts of time in forests seems to benefit our immune systems. One study suggests that trees may improve immunity thanks to certain aromatic compounds they release." Trees help heart-health, as well. Walking in nature helps to lower your blood pressure, cortisol levels, pulse rate, and sympathetic nervous system which is related to stress. Science suggests that walking in the woods improves cardiovascular function. 
3.  Trees in neighborhoods lead to less crime. "While some prior research has shown that green spaces reduce crime in urban settings, it may be that trees are even more effective. One City of Chicago study found that for every 10 percent increase in tree canopy cover, crime rates went down in several categories—11.3 percent for assaults, narcotics crimes, and robbery, and 10.3 percent for battery." And trees, it turns out are more predictive of crime than, say, parks and other green spaces. “Understanding the relationship between green space and crime can inform urban planning to improve human safety and well-being,” conclude the authors of the study. Earlier research has shown that vegetation around houses helps reduce people’s fear, incivility, and aggression—potential precursors to crime. 
4.  Trees may make humans more generous and trusting. Research suggests that nature experiences help us to feel kinder toward others, and many of those studies involve trees. In another study, researchers found that people were more willing to help someone who’d lost a glove if they had just spent time walking through a park with trees, rather than if they were near the entrance to the park. 
So, if you take the tree benefits of less stress, better heart health, more social interactions, safer neighborhoods, as well as feeling more generous and trusting, and you stir them together, what do get? Feelings of happiness and well-being. Trees truly are amazing!
This does it for me for this week. I hope you'll plan on stopping back by next week. Until we meet again, I wish you a walk in a quiet woods, time spent this weekend with family and friends and, of course, much happiness.
                                                                      PEACE.

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_trees_can_make_you_happier?

Nothing says summer to me like a merry-go-round. They remind me of playgrounds, amusement parks, and county fairs. Carousels, as they're more commonly known, are abundant in many European cities. Each year on the 25th of July, we celebrate National Merry-Go-Round Day. It's a day when kids of all ages celebrate one of the great joys of childhood; riding the merry-go-round. 
Along with the roller coaster, merry-go-rounds are one of the oldest amusement rides. Everyone enjoys picking out their favorite wooden horse to ride, but there are generally lots of other animals to choose from, as well. The animals go up and down, simulating galloping while wonderful calliope music plays. Once I selected my horse and hopped up on its back, I left reality and became the greatest cowboy or knight that ever lived. I was mesmerized by carousels and would ride it over and over again...all while my parents looked on with smiling approval. I think they were secretly pleased that my heart didn't belong to the roller coaster or whirling tea cup ride. But enough of my youthful musings.....
The earliest ancestors of the modern-day carousel date back to Byzantium. Those were simply large baskets in which the riders would sit. the baskets were tied to a pole in the center of them and this would carry the riders. "But the real inspiration for modern carousels were cavalry games and jousting of 12th century Europe and Asia. Horsemen of that time participated in games at jousting competitions in which a group of horsemen would ride in a circle and throw to each other breakable balls full of perfume which needed a great skill. This game, called “the little battle” (in Italian it's garosello and in Spanish it's carosella) changed in 17th century and from the on horsemen tried to spear small rings that were hanging from poles overhead and rip them off. Cavalry ended the practice of jousting but cavalry games remained and commoners started to participate in them. At that time appeared the first simulation of carousel for children with wooden horses."
carousels became bigger and gained more appeal in the late 18th century when they started spreading in central Europe and England. The first platform carousel was made in the 19th century and were called dobbies. They consisted of a platform with animals and chariots fixed to them. They were operated manually. "The first steam-powered carousel was invented by Thomas Bradshaw in 1861 and was a part of the Aylsham Fair. Frederick Savage began making his carousels in 1870 and invented the classical mechanism that made carousel horses go up and down like they are galloping. Soon, modern carousels crossed the Atlantic and became very popular in the United States until the beginning of the Great Depression. When the Depression passed they slowly returned but never to such glory which they once had." Today there are many variants of the carousel and there are still a few from the "golden era" that work after repairs were made. The earliest known carousel that worked in America was in Salem, Massachusetts. It worked in 1799 and was known as “wooden horse circus ride”. The greatest carousel in the world is one located at the House on the Rock in Wisconsin, USA. It has 269 hand-carved carousel animals. 
Carousel horses have basically three stances: they can have all four legs on the ground and are called “standing figures”, they can have two back legs on the ground and two in the air (those are called “prancers”), and they can have all legs in the air which then are called “jumpers”. “Jumpers” also move up and down. Wooden carousel horses were rarely made from one piece of wood. The central part was often made out of wooden panels connected with a wooden block and then shaped. That made a hollow body onto which head, legs, and tail that was then attached. Today's carousel animals are made from aluminum and fiberglass. They are often modeled after the classic horses of yesteryear.
Not only are carousels fun to ride, but each one is unique. Artists carve each animal, bench or car passenger ride. Ornately detailed elements decorate the poles and canopy of every carousel.  What’s more, there was no limit to their imaginations! Ferocious tigers and docile lambs carry riders around. All the while the music plays its lilting tune. Undeniably, no two carousels are alike.
If you'd like to join me in celebrating Merry-Go-Round, why not take yourself for a spin on one? Or introduce a new generation to all the wonders that are a carousel.
That does it for today. Please come back tomorrow for a look at trees and why they can make us happy. Until we meet again, I wish you
                                                                        PEACE.

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-merry-go-round-day-july-25/
http://www.historyofcarousels.com/

Dharma and I both try to keep politics and religion out of whatever we write, say, or post. We respect everyone's right to think and worship as they choose...or choose not to. That said, both Dharma and I know that most of the world's wisdom traditions believe in some kind of soul or inner spark that guides us, teaching us to know the difference between right from wrong. With the world in a rather chaotic mess at the moment, I felt I wanted to write about something healing and uplifting. Keeping all this in mind, I emailed Dharma and asked him if we could focus my lesson today on healing that spark within. He was more than happy to oblige. 
When he arrived this morning, I had our morning meal ready and the tea steeping. I wanted to be able to get right to work. After taking a few bites of food and sips of tea, Dharma began by saying this, "Tadpole, a frog's soul know to do to heal itself. His challenge is to silence his mind, which has other intentions." "Sir," I asked, "how can we tell if our soul needs healing and how can we heal it?" I had a ton of questions but figured these two would get the ball rolling.
"Those are both excellent questions, Irwin, so let's start with your first one. There are a few tell-tale signs that your soul may be suffering. If you experience any of these, your soul is asking for help.

• ​You find it difficult to live in the present because you're constantly focused on past or future events.
• You feel stuck in an aspect of your life and you don’t know how to get yourself unstuck.
• You don’t know how to enjoy life without keeping busy.
• Your body and/or mind are starting to show signs of distress.
• You are tired and are running out of ways to stay positive.
• You act like you have most of it together, but on the inside, you feel like you’re falling apart.
•  Deep down you know something isn’t right, but either you can’t pinpoint it or you are afraid to acknowledge it.

My boy, many humans wait to too long to begin the healing process and when that happens, physical signs of dis-ease begin to manifest themselves."
"Wow, Dharma! Thank you for detailing these. I have experienced several of those symptoms already in my young life. And I bet my human readers have, too. Will you please tell us a few of your best methods for healing these wounds?"
And with my request, Dharma list a few ideas that said might be helpful. He was quick to remind me, however, that finding ways to quiet the mind was the most import way of letting the soul begin it's healing. So he listed that one first.

• Meditate. This can be traditional meditation, or reading passages from your favorite spiritual book, taking a solitary walk, in nature, or simply sitting quietly and looking deep within. there is no perfect or right way to meditate. It's highly personal. And it is trial and error to find the one that works best for you. But when you learn to meditate properly, you are providing your soul with positive healing energy that works quickly to restore and strengthen it. 
• Let go of the things you cannot control. This one will be hard for me. I am kind of a control freak. You'd be shocked at the things I try to control. I am always unsuccessful, of course, which leads to a sense of frustration and failure. When we try to control people or situations even with the best intentions, we are creating resistance, which tears our soul apart.  Once you accept that the only thing you have control over is you, everything starts to heal, especially your soul. When your Ego starts to give you reasons as to why you should control a situation, surrender the situation and trust that the Divine (your personal Divine, whoever or whatever that is) will handle it in a way that is best for everyone involved."
• Break out of your daily routine and live your life with purpose. "Of all of the things that you can do to nourish your soul, this is the one that most people neglect because they see it as too overwhelming. While living your life on purpose may translate to quitting your job and pursuing a new career, it can also lead to keeping the same job while adding new purpose to other areas of your life. The main idea here is to determine whether or not your life is in alignment with your life purpose, and if it isn’t, explore ways in which you can live more purposefully. How to make your life more purposeful is personal and varies from person to person, but if someone is not on purpose anywhere in life, it will wreak havoc on his or her soul. Having purpose is good for you, and it’s even better for your soul."
• Put your personal needs on top of the list. if you don't take care of yourself, how can you take care of anyone or anything else? Although many of us may have grown up believing that taking care of our needs first is selfish, it is one of the best ways we can help those we love. If you neglect your own needs, not only will you be useless in being able to help others, but you will also be setting yourself up for dis-ease on the fast track. And finally...
• Learn from others who have well-nourished souls (i.e. those who are truly content with their lives), look inward and apply it. "It makes sense to model the spiritual teachers with whom we resonate the most and apply their teachings to our lives. But, before we can make what we learn tangible in our lives, we must first look inward, where all of our answers are. True change happens on the inside, not on the outside. Acceptance of spiritual truths is evidence that your soul is in the lead while rejection is evidence that your Ego is in charge."

Dharma ended by saying something that I found pretty profound; "Irwin, healing of the soul begins the moment you decide to." The healing may be small, to begin with but build and grow as the soul regains its "voice." Listen to it. Hear what it has to say. Your ego can be pretty vocal. Your ego is attached to the brain. When the brain runs amuck, which it does until it gets trained, much like an unruly two-year-old, it will tell us things that can be counterproductive. So take the messages your ego and brain tell you with a grain of salt. The things your soul tells you, you can take to the bank!
Dharma's lesson was a long and important one today. If you've managed to make it alway to this point, I congratulate you. Once in a while, Dharma has something to say that I can't edit very much. This is one of those times.
I do hope that you gleaned something useful from Dharma's lesson today. Please "hop" back by tomorrow for a fun (and much shorter) look at the history of carousels in celebration of National Merry-Go-Round Day.
                                                                      PEACE.

https://www.stevenaitchison.co.uk/7-signs-soul-may-suffering-heal/

If someone gave you a billion dollars, would you be able to visualize it as a stack of money? Numbers, especially big ones, can be a difficult concept to comprehend.
"The Piraha tribe is a group living in the jungles of South America. They are well known because they do not have a way to count past two. Studies have shown that tribe members cannot tell the difference between a pile of eight rocks and 12 rocks. They have no number words to distinguish between these two numbers. Anything more than two is a 'big' number." Most of us, frogs and humans alike, are very much like the Piraha tribe. While most of us can count way past two, there does come a point where we lose our grasp of numbers. When numbers get really big, we lose our intuition and all we can say is that a number is really, really BIG. If you look at the English words for million and billion, only one letter is different. yet a billion is a thousand times bigger than a million. I know. It's a tough concept to grasp.
The trick to thinking about large numbers is to relate them to something meaningful. Here a few examples.
Millions:

• One million is a thousand thousands.
• One million seconds is about 11 and a half days.
• One million pennies stacked on top of each other would make a tower nearly a mile high.
• If you earn $45,000 a year, it would take 22 years to amass a fortune of one million dollars.

Billions:

• One billion is a thousand millions.
• One billion seconds is about 31 and a half years.
• One billion pennies stacked on top of each other would make a tower almost 870 miles high.
• If you earn $45,000 a year, it would take 22,000 years to amass a fortune of one billion dollars.

Trillions:

• One trillion is a thousand billions, or equivalently a million millions.
• One trillion seconds is over 31 thousand years.
• One trillion pennies stacked on top of each other would make a tower about 870,000 miles high — the same distance obtained by going to the moon, back to Earth, then to the moon again.
• If you earn $45,000 a year, it would take....forget it. Not even worth mentioning!
• One trillion dollars divided evenly among the U.S. population would mean that everyone in the United States would receive a little over $3,000. (This gives a whole new perspective to a budget with a trillion-plus dollar deficit!)

​We rarely ever need to think about numbers larger than a trillion, but they do exist and they do have names.  In order, after trillion; quadrillion, quintillion, sextillion, septillion, etc. These names might be good as trivia questions but otherwise, they're pretty useless information. Most human brains and ALL froggie brains can't even imagine numbers that are that big.
I hope you found this interesting and helpful when you do need to think in terms of large numbers. I do want to apologize here, I incorrectly told you yesterday that today's blog would be on time. Obviously, it's on numbers and that's what is what I meant to type yesterday. Perhaps I was running short on time and that is what was on my mind. I dunno. Anyway, sorry for the confusion. 
Please come back by tomorrow for a lesson from Dharma Frog. Whatever it's on, it'll be worthwhile, I have no doubt. Until then,
                                                                       PEACE.

​Taylor, Courtney. "Millions, Billions, and Trillions." ThoughtCo, Sep. 3, 2018, thoughtco.com/millions-billions-and-trillions-3126163.
​​Fleming, Grace. "Understanding Very Large Numbers." ThoughtCo, Mar. 25, 2019, thoughtco.com/bigger-than-a-trillion-1857463.

Happy Monday, everyone and welcome to your new week. If you've read many of my blogs, you know that I enjoy writing about a wide variety of topics. This week will be no different; a few are a little weird and a couple will be informative. Wednesday, as always, will be a life lesson from my dear friend and teacher, The Dharma Frog. So without further ado, let's hop right into Monday's blog.
The 22nd of July is National Ratcatcher's Day. You might be saying, "Whaaaaat? That can't be true!" I'm here to tell you that it is true. National Ratcatcher's Day commemorates the story of the Pied Piper. If you're not familiar with this story, or if you've simply forgotten it, the premise is this. In 1284, in the town of Hamelin, Germany, a fellow dressed in odd clothing was hired to rid the village of its many rats. Using a musical instrument (it looks like a clarinet or oboe to me) he successfully lured all the vermin out of town. The problem came when the villagers of Hamlin refused to pay the piper for his services. But the story didn't end there. The piper returned to Hamelin the following year. Only this time he lured away all the village children who were never seen again.
The now-destroyed stained glass window from 1300 is among the first known records of the Pied Piper of Hamelin story. There was supposedly an eye witness to the event who claims that "130 children were taken from the town by a piper dressed in many colours.”  In the 15th Century a manuscript asserted, "In the year of 1284, on the day of Saints John and Paul on June 26, by a piper, clothed in many kinds of colours, 130 children born in Hamelin were seduced, and lost at the place of execution near the koppen." Okay, so I can hear what you're thinking about the mixed up dates. And you're right, the date does vary. Some say it happened on 22, July while others insist it was 26, July. Either way, it may seem odd to celebrate the horrific revenge of the piper. "Depending on where you live, the day includes festivals and re-enactments. Due to differing dates in stories and poems, Hamelin, Germany celebrates the day on June 26th.  The event consists of a pied piper leading children through the city streets. There’s even Richard the Rat who gets to tell his version of the story."
The Brothers Grimm brought the story of the Pied Piper to the English-speaking world in the 19th century.  And you might be wondering if any part of this 800-year-old tale is true.  To begin with, the part about the rats is probably false. It appears that these critters didn't enter the story until the 16th century. it is also widely believed that the Black Death was probably the real reason that the children "vanished," never to return. "It’s also entirely possible that the youngsters were part of migration eastward, possibly to Transylvania of all places." We'll probably never know. Nonetheless, it's an interesting if not sad tale that endures to this today.
I might add here that in Land of Lily Pad, the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin is also told. But in our retelling of it, there were (of course) a few frogs that got lured away along with the rats. many of you may not feel that National Ratcatcher's Day is worthy of celebrating, but if you are a fan of this day, it might offer you an opportunity to reread this classic tale.
Please join me back here tomorrow for a look at new ways to think about time...something none of us ever has enough of! Until then, I wish you a glorious week.
                                                                      PEACE.

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-rat-catchers-day-july-22/
http://mentalfloss.com/article/63386/enduring-legacy-pied-piper-hamelin

​Welcome to Friday! This week has just flown by for me. We're into the heat of summer and everyone is looking for cool things to do on the weekends. And this weekend is packed with several worthwhile days to celebrate.
Let's start with tomorrow, the 20th of July. It's National Moon Day. This celebrates the 50th anniversary of Astronaut Buzz Aldrin's walk on the moon. July 20 is also Toss Away The Could haves And Should Haves Day. In short, don't go through life with regrets. And then on Sunday the 21st, we celebrate National Be Someone Day. This is the day we can all become everyday heroes and the special day that is the focus of this blog.
It doesn't require much of anything to become a real-life hero to a child, an elderly neighbor, a lost pet, or a random stranger on the street. This day was designated as a way to bring attention to child abuse and to ask everyone to commit to making a difference in a child's life by reporting child abuse. 
But I'd like to ask you to take it one step farther. And that is to look out for anyone who might need a little extra help. That could be an elderly neighbor who needs their lawn mowed or their dog walked. It could be a mother with three fussy young children who needs help opening the door at the supermarket. If you come across anyone needing a helping hand this weekend, this is your time to don the red cape. Anybody can be a hero.
I did a little research on easy ways anyone can become a hero and, as you might expect, I found a wealth of information on the subject. I've compiled a list of a few of my favorite "hero" tips.
1.  If you smoke, quit. "You’ll inspire those closest to you, who want more than anything for you to be here and in good health. The irony, of course, is you need to quit for you." But I can assure you that your loved ones will still consider you a hero. 
2.  Let someone go ahead of you at the grocery store...or on the freeway. How hard is it to give a break to someone who’s obviously under stress or simply in a hurry? Because I am guilty of not doing this often enough, I had to put this near the top of the list.
3.  Don't step on someone else's moment. What a shame if we did great heroic acts for all the world to see, and went through life undermining our friends, family, and coworkers. When someone else is telling a story, for example, just smile and let them have the limelight. Sometimes we are most heroic when we let someone else be the hero.
4.  Pay a kindness that can't be repaid. Check on a sick friend or neighbor and bring them soup or a good book to read. Without being asked, volunteer to water a neighbor's plants while he's away. if a co-worker has to stay late to catch up on last-minute paperwork. Volunteer to help so she can get home sooner to kids. You get the idea.
5.  If you're a guy, go to the doctor and get a physical and a flu shot. Most men don't do these things on their own. So I'm here to tell you that your family, friends, and significant other will think you're a real hero if you schedule an appointment with your doctor on your own. I mean, don't you want to stay healthy and be there for your loved for a good long time?
6.  If you can, donate blood and/or plasma. It’s a great feeling to know you’ve made a lifesaving difference to a stranger or group of strangers.  And who doesn't like the free juice and cookies you get afterward? It takes a real hero to save a life.
7.  Speak only kind words about your children's other parent. While you might not feel kindly toward your ex, your children still love them. it is the right and kind thing to do for them.
8.  When someone you love is grieving, don't say, "If you need anything...." Instead, ask them, "What would be most helpful?" You'll probably be surprised at their answer!
I've only skimmed the surface and I bet you can think of many other easy ways to be a real-life hero to someone. There are so many fun and wonderful things to celebrate this July weekend, it might be hard to choose. However you decide to spend your weekend, I hope you can take advantage of the glorious summer weather and spend time outdoors with those you care about.
Please join me back here on Monday for another week of this frog's blog. Until then,
                                                                        PEACE.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/20-everyday-ways-to-be-a-_b_8123804

Do you believe that only social butterflies, ie outgoing individuals, can be successful, that shy and quiet wallflower types rarely make it out of the shadow? To a certain extent, this belief is true. But we are now learning that even the most gregarious of us can benefit from tapping into their quiet, soft-spoken side.
If we look back through history, there are many instances of introverts who were, in fact, some of the world's greatest and transformative leaders; Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Gandhi first come to mind. "All of them were more focused on their causes than on their egos. It is a fact that many of the most spectacularly creative people across a broad variety of fields have been quiet types who enjoyed solitude, from Frédéric Chopin to Charles Darwin," says author Susan Cain in her book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That can't Stop Talking." 
Instead of worry about being too introverted, Ms. Cain suggests that we should worry about our culture not being introverted enough. In the 21st Century, everything is blathered about loudly on social media. "In today's overscheduled, hyperactive society, we celebrate the alpha approach (consider the rise of reality TV stars, for example) and dramatically undervalue the quieter aspects of our natures—which, by the way, even the most gregarious of us possess." If you'd like to know what Ms. Cain's tips are for channeling your quieter, introverted self or how to use your quiet skills to become more powerful, then read on.
​1.  Talk deeply. There's a great deal of chitchat happening these days but what we're missing is meaningful conversation. Introverts often find chit chat overstimulating because it requires the participants to be able to jump from one subject to another very quickly. "They seek out deep, serious conversations in which they can focus on a single topic of mutual interest. Follow their lead. A study by University of Arizona psychologist Matthias Mehl, Ph.D, found that the happiest people have twice as many substantive conversations as the unhappiest and participate in far less small talk."
2.  Work alone. "I don't believe anything really revolutionary has ever been invented by committee," says Steve Wozniak, the introverted co-founder of the Apple Computer. The advice sounds unconventional, but scientists are beginning to recognize that solitude is a catalyst for expert performance. if you want to improve what you're doing, working alone, at least part of the time, can help you make headway on the problems you find most challenging. 
3.  Read more. "Science tells us that social connections make us happier and healthier, and science is right. But there are different kinds of social connection. Reading, for instance, can be a deeply social act, putting you inside other people's minds. The introverted writer Marcel Proust called reading "that fruitful miracle of a communication in the midst of solitude." And studies suggest that reading makes people more empathetic and improves social skills by helping us better understand our fellow humans."
4.  Listen well. Listening is an underrated skill to have. many of the most respected leaders in their fields are those who listen to their colleagues and subordinates. "New research by Wharton professor Dr. Adam Grant and his colleagues has revealed that introverted leaders often deliver better outcomes than extroverts because they're more likely to consider other people's suggestions." Introverted leaders often allow their subordinates to take the initiative.
​5.  Get away, small scale.  Extroverts might not crave refuge as strongly as introverts do, but in an overstimulating world, it's good to find what psychology professor Dr. Brian Little calls "restorative niches" to clear your mind. These mini-breaks help you relax so you can gain access to your deeper feelings and insights. Use your quiet time to recharge your battery!
6.  Use quiet commitment to achieve your goals. "Many introverts use a form of power so subtle that power almost seems the wrong word. Instead of taking strong stands in a loud voice, they make insightful suggestions in a gentle tone. Instead of holding forth at a meeting, they make alliances behind the scenes."
Teddy Roosevelt famously said, "Talk softly and carry a big stick." And while I don't recommend carrying the big stick, what Teddy said makes sense. If it were up to me, I'd reword his famous saying to, "Talking softly carries a lot of clout." 
So whether or not you're an introvert or an extrovert, these tips can help you get ahead in life. And none of them includes intimidation or bullying. I'm sure you've noticed that those who use a calm but persuasive tone of voice in difficult situations generally get what they want with less trouble and certainly with more respected than those who insist upon pitching a fit. No one likes to be yelled at. Cool and calm, slow and steady wins out in the end.
Were these tips helpful to you? I hope so! As for myself, I can either be too loud and pushy or not loud enough. With these tips and a little self-discipline, I know I can be more powerful while at the same time being less aggressive. Aggressiveness is such a turn off, don't you think?
Please "hop" back by tomorrow for a few tips on becoming an everyday hero. And, Boy Howdy! can't we use a lot more of them? Until next time, I wish you
                                                                       PEACE.

http://www.oprah.com/inspiration/successful-introverts-being-soft-spoken-isnt-a-bad-thing