LOL

When was the last time you had a good laugh?  I mean a really good, aching belly, aching cheeks, no sound coming out, tears streaming down your face, snorting laugh.  I've heard it said that laughing is cathartic.  Researchers at the University of Maryland Medical Center reported the fact that laughter causes increased blood flow.  It's also known to reduce stress hormones.  It releases endorphins that can relieve some physical pain. Laughter also boosts the immune system.  In plain English, laughing simply makes you feel good.

We've all had those giggle fests.  You know the ones that are a series of contagious outbursts, and before you know it, everybody is laughing, and half the people have no idea why.  They just got the bug. And who can resist a baby laughing uncontrollably?  I had a good one tonight with my guy.  Except this time it involved mascara rolling down my face.

Laughing and happy thoughts are my medicine of choice when I'm feeling a little down.  Pollyanna was on the right track with The Glad Game.  Some would call it immature, but I call it brilliant.  We all should play the game when we can.  It doesn't solve anything, but it can make you feel a little better even if it's just a few minutes.

Female Football Fan

With the 2011 season winding down, I can't help but think about how I came to love football.

It all started in 1995 when I signed up my son for the town football league.  He was only 5 years old and in kindergarten.  To me, he was still a baby. At that age, they played flag football.  They were so young and  adorable dressed out in full gear.  The gear weighed more than they did. That first season was very comical.  When they fell, they looked like turtles stuck on their backs.  The shoulder pads were so wide and heavy they could get up.  The coaches ran around the field putting the boys back on their feet. 

When he started junior high school, he played school ball and continued to play on the town league.  I never missed a single game.  He played all the way through high school.  I had a bit of a meltdown when the last game ended.  It had been such a huge part of our lives for all those years.  The boys are men now, and I still love football.

I learned a lot about the game from the sidelines, and soon the sidelines were not enough for me.  I volunteered to be team mom, and team moms were allowed ON THE FIELD during half time.  

I wish more women knew more about football.  Maybe I should blog about female football fans or wannabe female football fans.  I could share with them my knowledge of the basics of the game so they can watch and understand what's going on on the field. 

I am still a big football fan, and when a season ends, I count the days until the next season starts.  If you're a soccer mom, lacrosse mom, baseball mom, or football mom, you know how all consuming having your kids in sports can be.  It was 13 years with my son, and I wouldn't trade one minute. I met my very best friends in those bleachers, and I'll save that for another post.

Words of Wisdom

I think this pretty much sums it up.  I found it on a friend's board on Pinterest.  What is Pinterest you ask?  It's a brilliant way to replace bookmarks on your browser.  Warning... it's very addicting!  I just sent invitations to join Pinterest to several Facebook friends; you're welcome, and I'm sorry. LOL

Read it again. There is a lot of truth in those two sentences.  I have to admit that the older I get, the less motivated I am to find out what it is that is taking shape for me. Is that age or laziness, or maybe it's contentment.  It doesn't mean that I'm not open to something fabulous calling my name.  If it calls, I will surely answer.

It's Not Over Until It's Over

This weekend there were several college bowl games, and the two that I watched were the Fiesta Bowl and the Rose Bowl.  Both of these games were the epitome of competition.  Each was played to the last minute possible, and then when you think it's over, it goes into overtime.   I need to remember that it's not over until it's over.  Like in football, you can work hard for every yard, keep your feet moving, wrap yourself around an obstacle and take it down, and ultimately reach the goal... or not  I need to use every play in the play book and not give up until that final whistle blows.  All four teams were exhausted by the time it was over.  They worked hard, and even though, for two of those teams, it didn't turn out the way they had hoped, they all played an awesome game and should be proud of their efforts.

 I love football, and this year I will do my best to score!  I need to push past what I think is the end of a project, task or idea and take it into overtime.  I know it's all a little cliché, and I'm okay with that.

A Dream Come True

A couple of days ago, I found out that a friend from high school realized a dream that she has had for several years.  She became a business owner.  She now owns a restaurant in Washington.  Why is this blog worthy you ask?  It's just another example of "rise".  Almost every rise takes a huge leap of faith.  Sometimes we just can't get beyond that initial step toward realizing a dream.  We've always been taught to take baby steps, but there are some things that take a little bit more.

Why the reluctance?  What stops us?  What causes us to stay in toxic relationships when we know we need to get out?  Why do we stay in jobs that bring us no fulfillment?  Why are we reluctant to evoke change where change is needed?  I wish I had the answer to all of these questions; or do I?  Let's face it, change can be a scary thing.

We need to ask ourselves if there is something that we want to do, but simply don't do it for whatever reason?   

Can you believe it...

It's 2012, and I've decided to attempt a blog.  Coming up with the title was pretty difficult.  I get that the title needs to mean something to the readers, but I think it ultimately needs to mean something to me.  "It's My Rise" came about by my search for a word that depicts empowerment and strength.  If you read my blog description, hopefully you will understand.

This year I've decided not to burden myself with resolutions which I suspect I will not achieve, if past years are any indication.  What I have decided to do is to just work from lists. Lists are an ideal way of staying organized and prioritized. Here are a couple of lists that I've started.

Things that I know will happen this year:

• I will turn 50 years old
• My kids will turn, 29, 23 and 21
• My grandbabies will turn 5 and 3
• I will learn to play the guitar

Things I would like to happen this year:

• Learn spanish
• Start a novel
• Devote more time to my crafts
• Blog

Hang with me through this journey, and we will both see if I can do this!

Happy New Year!