I asked my friends for Lessons they have learned:
Susan said: “Never move a baby grande across a hard wood floor.”
and I asked for some photos to illustrate this.
Leslie said: “Few men can wear a pair of jeans like Bruce Springsteen and Tommy Lee Jones.”
and Kathy asked for some photos to illustrate this.
Send me YOUR lessons – and your photos!
Yet again, the lesson is ASK!
First I learned a lesson the last time we forgot to put the parking pass in the car window at Sally’s apartment and it cost us $50, and we have never forgotten since.
Then Carolyn told me that her friend just told the town she had a pass and forgot to use it, and they waived the fine! I swear I could have learned just as well if I had known to do this!
Also this week, I asked Shutterfly for a good deal on a replacement photo calendar for a relative who lost hers due to an odd string of misfortunes, and they gave it to me, and shipped it, for FREE!
A Friend* learned that she could return to the natural rhythms of her body, get more sleep, and be much more productive, by giving up large amounts of caffeine.
She traded a pattern of very late nights for one of earlier mornings, and is getting more done, while feeling much better.
* I almost didn’t get this lesson to share. Unlike me, my friend does not want to publicize every detail of her life, by name. If you will share something valuable and don’t want me to use even your first name, just let me know – I can do that! Learning through others is what this is all about!
Today I learned, from the blog of my wonderful yoga studio*, these alternatives to resolutions, quoted and paraphrased here
1. Instead of focusing on change, place focus on what is already feeling right and working well in your life.
2. “Instead of having specific goals … try the idea of a theme. One theme could be healthy living or another could be compassion. “
and described much better and discussed in more detail in the blog here: Alternatives to The New Year’s Resolution
What are your themes?
* Mandala Yoga has integrated with Full Spectrum Wellness in Manchester NH
Steve, who is the appointed “Tail Twister” for the local Lions Club, learned that shorter intros make for funnier jokes.
I hear that he’s killing them with his humor.
Nate learned, in just one semester, not to approach college as a continuation of High School. The work is different, the expectations are different, the environment is different.
How long did it take you to learn this? Was it more than one semester?
I learned, in two lessons less than two hours apart, to question my sources and to look again when what I’m hearing makes no sense at all.
In one case it was the GPS telling me that I was 30 minutes away from my destination and then, a mile away, telling me I was 50 minutes away and that I needed to go in the opposite direction than what I thought. It turns out that it thought I was already in the southbound lane of the nearby highway, not in a parking lot nearby, which would have meant (and unfortunately DID mean) driving 10 miles south to the next exit to turn around and go 10 miles north! If I had questioned this, or tried another source (MAP anyone?) I could have saved time, driving, and stress.
Soon after this, I learned that a medical opinion that I heard second-hand, that made less sense than my GPS, was … well… a lie. I really should have questioned it and/or found another source. The truth came out eventually, in a scene somewhere between a sitcom, a bad reality TV show and a drug-induced dream, and all’s well that ends well, but next time I will ask “Really?” and then check another source.
I learned the GPS can come up with an unlikely route that makes you say “Wait, where does this road go? It looks like it ends at the water!” and then the GPS can say:
“In 300 feet turn right. Then board ferry.”
Here is the view from the ferry. Route A1A continued on the other side.
I thought this little green stick thing at Starbucks was a stirrer (and it kind of still is) until I saw someone do this with it and I learned that it is designed to fit perfectly to close the sipping hole and make this a no-spill top!
Go ahead. Tell me. Did you already know this???
I have learned, from the good people at the King Arthur Flour Baking Hotline, what to do when you have to run out in the middle of making/rising bread!
It turns out that you can punch down the dough (the most fun part anyway), stick it in the fridge, and pick it up later where you left off.
I also learned, for the second time, how great those expert bakers are with their free and earnest advice!
Here is the proof of this valuable lesson, bread for Maddy using her own traditional recipe, also from King Arthur!
Jane's Lessons Learned 