Today I have a post based on the memory of something special.
A memorial is defined as:
An object, structure, or event created to honor and remember a person, group of people, or event, often associated with significant historical, cultural, or emotional importance. Memorials can take various forms, including monuments, plaques, statues, ceremonies, gardens, or even written works, and they serve to preserve the memory of what they commemorate for future generations.
Earlier today I attended a memorial service for my late uncle (your grandma’s brother) at the cemetery where he is buried.
I arrived with my parents, sister and nephew where we met with family to celebrate my uncle’s birthday.
Some of the family brought balloons that we signed with messages of LOVE. We then stood around his burial and ceremoniously released in unison our balloons into the sky.
The temperature today is below freezing but that did not stop us from showing up to pay respect and in a way made the gesture seem more special.
We listened to music that my uncle was a fan of (AC/DC) and shared some memories of my uncle.
After singing an out of sync happy birthday we left the cemetery and went to eat together at one of his favorite restaurants.
Those who could not make the event were acknowledged and throughout the meal I had a chance to catch up with my extended family.
The food was delicious and I am still feeling grateful and full.
Today was a wonderful winter Saturday and I thought of you and talked about you (like I always do) throughout the experience.
LEAD WITH LOVE
HONESTLY TRY
REPEAT THESE TWO STEPS EVERY DAY
LOVE TRY REPEAT
Believe in yourself
Don’t be hard on yourself
Allow yourself to see what is possible
Never let doubt be the thing that prevents you from trying to achieve what you desire most
Remember your wins
Learn from your mistakes
Have fun along the way
You have more influence over your health and happiness than you know
Today I have a post about what can be seen as a good deal but actually is not a good deal.
Recently I have been eating these chocolate pies that were on sale for 99 cents. They went up to $2 and I noticed that they seemed less desirable at that price point. Then the price was reduced to 2 for $3. Although they were once again cheaper I realized that even if they were 99 cents again I would be buying more of them and ultimately the added sugar to my diet would lead to having a negative health aspect that over time would make the deal regardless of price a poor deal.
I was looking at the pies more of a treat that had a low cost but if when I started to buy them it was because they were affordable I got used to eating them without worrying about the price with respect to money. Over time I know that these pies would not be in my best interest to continue to eat but the habit was formed of picking them up as often as I was at the gas station and there is pretty much zero healthy things sold at the gas station. My point being is regardless of whatever deal may be at the gas station it is not a good deal if it were to be anything more than a once in a great while purchase.
I do look for the best bang for my buck when shopping for groceries but this is at the grocery store. That same effort does not have the same reward when applying it to the gas station offerings.
I have been mindful of the pies but I believe I can do better and I will continue to be mindful with unnecessary purchases regardless of how good of a deal it appears to be.
There have been periods of my life when sweets were virtually non existent yet lately between energy drinks and the pies and pizza I know it would be in my best interest to make adjustments. I will be exercising more discipline when it comes to these types of purchases and consumption going forward.
If a deal has a long term cost that outweighs the short term benefits, it is not a good deal.
LEAD WITH LOVE
HONESTLY TRY
REPEAT THESE TWO STEPS EVERY DAY
LOVE TRY REPEAT
Believe in yourself
Don’t be hard on yourself
Allow yourself to see what is possible
Never let doubt be the thing that prevents you from trying to achieve what you desire most
Remember your wins
Learn from your mistakes
Have fun along the way
You have more influence over your health and happiness than you know
Today I have a post about the largest animal ever to exist on Earth, the Blue Whale.
I would love to be able to witness a Blue Whale in person one day because I would know what it would feel like to see the biggest creature to ever live.
During my research on Blue Whales for this post I was amazed by nearly every fact that I learned. Animals often surprise me with their capabilities but the Blue Whale’s massive size alone leant to the majority of the mind blowing facts.
Here are some interesting facts provided by ChatGPT about the Blue Whale:
1. The Largest Animal to Ever Exist – Blue whales are the largest animals to have ever lived on Earth, surpassing even the largest dinosaurs. An adult blue whale can reach lengths of up to 100 feet (30 meters) and weigh as much as 200 tons (about 400,000 pounds).
2. Massive Hearts and Tongues – A blue whale’s heart can weigh as much as 1,300 pounds (600 kilograms) and is roughly the size of a small car. – Their tongue alone can weigh as much as an elephant, up to 2.7 tons (about 5,400 pounds).
3. Incredible Feeding Efficiency – Despite their immense size, blue whales primarily feed on krill, tiny shrimp-like creatures, consuming up to 4 tons (8,000 pounds) of krill a day during feeding season. – They use baleen plates to filter their food from the water, taking in huge mouthfuls and then expelling the water to trap the krill.
4. Distinctive Blue Color – The name “Blue Whale” comes from their bluish-gray coloration, but they often appear a vivid blue underwater, especially when seen from above in sunlight.
5. Longevity and Slow Growth – Blue whales can live to be 70–90 years old, and some may even live to over 100 years. They grow extremely slowly, reaching sexual maturity at around 10 years of age.
6. World-Class Singers – Blue whales are known for their deep, powerful songs, which can travel great distances through the ocean. These songs can be heard across hundreds of miles in the right conditions. Some researchers believe these songs may play a role in **communication or mating behavior.
7. Migratory Patterns – Blue whales are highly migratory animals. They typically travel from feeding grounds in polar waters during the summer to warmer, tropical waters in the winter for breeding. Their migrations can cover thousands of miles.
8. Impressive Speed and Agility – Despite their enormous size, blue whales can reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) in short bursts, though they typically travel at about 5 miles per hour (8 km/h).
9. Mysterious Vocalizations – Researchers believe blue whales communicate with each other using a variety of low-frequency sounds, which can carry for hundreds of miles underwater. Some of their vocalizations are so low that they are below the threshold of human hearing, making them more detectable to other whales than to humans.
10. Peculiar Calf Development – A blue whale calf is born weighing about 3 tons (6,000 pounds) and measuring 20–25 feet in length. They consume up to 100 gallons (380 liters) of milk per day, gaining as much as 200 pounds (90 kilograms) daily during the first year of life.
11. Critical Role in Marine Ecosystems – Blue whales, like other large whales, play a crucial role in the health of marine ecosystems. Their feeding habits help regulate krill populations, and when they dive to deeper ocean layers and eventually die, their massive bodies sink to the ocean floor, providing a nutrient-rich habitat for deep-sea creatures.
12. Endangered Species – Blue whales were hunted to near extinction during the 20th century, primarily for their oil, blubber, and baleen. Although hunting blue whales has been banned, their populations are still recovering, and they are classified as endangered, with an estimated 10,000–25,000 individuals left in the wild.
13. Record-breaking Lung Capacity – Blue whales have the largest lungs of any animal, capable of holding 5,000 liters (1,300 gallons) of air. They can hold their breath for up to 30 minutes when diving, although they typically surface for air every 10–15 minutes.
14. Massive Flippers and Tail – A blue whale’s tail (or fluke) can be up to 25 feet wide, and their pectoral flippers can be up to 12 feet long. The tail is used for propulsion, while the flippers help with stability and steering.
I hope you enjoyed the facts above on this majestic animal. What was your favorite fact?
LEAD WITH LOVE
HONESTLY TRY
REPEAT THESE TWO STEPS EVERY DAY
LOVE TRY REPEAT
Believe in yourself
Don’t be hard on yourself
Allow yourself to see what is possible
Never let doubt be the thing that prevents you from trying to achieve what you desire most
Remember your wins
Learn from your mistakes
Have fun along the way
You have more influence over your health and happiness than you know
A flip book is a way to create animation with a still image of a drawing.
Movies are made by capturing a series of images in addition to capturing and adding audio (as well as post production and editing).
You do not need audio in a movie just like some of the earliest films (movies that were shot on film just like photos were “back in the day” now called Silent Films).
If you draw a stick figure on a page and again on the next page in the same spot on the page as the previous page you have the beginning of a paper movie. The second page has one difference with the stick figure maybe an arm in a slightly different position with a direction in mind of where you want the arm to travel to. On the third page you then draw the same figure on the page but now with the arm that you want to travel slightly more in the direction you want movement.
The more pages you use to create travel of the arm from one position to another the smoother the “animation” will appear but really only two pages are needed.
Hold the pages in one hand and “flip” the pages and notice the image come to life by the movement of the arm.
It can be easier to flip pages with more than 3 pages and depending on where the figure is located on the page the better the flip book can bring a drawing to life (closer to the edge of the paper near the hand flipping the pages is an ideal spot).
My description of what a flip book is and how it works is easier to see in action to be understood.
I will post a video below of a flip book and maybe you can make one too.
LEAD WITH LOVE
HONESTLY TRY
REPEAT THESE TWO STEPS EVERY DAY
LOVE TRY REPEAT
Believe in yourself
Don’t be hard on yourself
Allow yourself to see what is possible
Never let doubt be the thing that prevents you from trying to achieve what you desire most
Remember your wins
Learn from your mistakes
Have fun along the way
You have more influence over your health and happiness than you know
Today I have a post about a language not spoken with our mouth but with our hands, Sign Language (American Sign Language).
I have from time to time learned the alphabet and a few words and expressions and it is not only surprisingly fun it is also somewhat easier than learning another oral language (spoken with the mouth). When learning another oral language you have to sometimes remember variations of a word (masculine/feminine) in addition to the word, pronunciation and the alphabet (if reading or writing) associated with the language.When learning ASL (American Sign Language) only the association with the sign made using your hand and a word you already know in your familiar language.
I like the idea that this language is a way of communicating with those who do not have the ability to hear. I also find it interesting that some signs are understood without knowing the language because of the way it is universally and historically recognized. An example of this is the word “Stop” which has a sign that includes holding your hand palm facing outward, fingers and thumb extended and together with arm fulling extended. If somebody did this sign it is likely you would associate the sign with “Stop”.
If you were to learn sign language I suggest starting with the alphabet because you now have the ability to say words that you can spell without knowing the sign for that specific word. This would allow you to know only 26 signs that could be used to say any word you can spell. Maybe next learn the sign for “Write” so the person knows the option to write for continuing the conversation is an option.
All letters and numbers are symbols and even a spoken word is an auditory (something you can hear) sign of your intent with communication. Sign Language is in my opinion more accurately described as “Hand Language”.
Below is the alphabet in ASL and how to say “Write”.
LEAD WITH LOVE
HONESTLY TRY
REPEAT THESE TWO STEPS EVERY DAY
LOVE TRY REPEAT
Believe in yourself
Don’t be hard on yourself
Allow yourself to see what is possible
Never let doubt be the thing that prevents you from trying to achieve what you desire most
Remember your wins
Learn from your mistakes
Have fun along the way
You have more influence over your health and happiness than you know
Today I have a post about tomorrow morning (Thanksgiving Day)
I will be participating in the annual “Turkey Trot 5k” in Downtown Lansing for the 4th time
I have tried to make this an annual tradition and since I started nearly half a decade ago I have participated in the majority of the events
The Turkey Trot is a race for all ages through downtown Lansing with a 5 kilometer distance between start and finish (a little over 3 miles)
There are some who take the race seriously and compete for prizes and ribbons but most people (including myself) go at a comfortable pace without a concern with how long it takes to finish the “race”
I am not a fan of running in cold weather and to be honest not a huge fan of running period yet a slow comfortable jog with headphones playing some music and the energy of the hundreds of people surrounding you with thousands potentially participating is a good vibe
The race is an annual event that is a competitive race as well as a fundraiser for local charities
There are some who dress up in costumes like giant turkeys or Christmas themed costumes like elves and Santa
I will post a picture later from the event
LEAD WITH LOVE
HONESTLY TRY
REPEAT THESE TWO STEPS EVERY DAY
LOVE TRY REPEAT
Believe in yourself
Don’t be hard on yourself
Allow yourself to see what is possible
Never let doubt be the thing that prevents you from trying to achieve what you desire most
Remember your wins
Learn from your mistakes
Have fun along the way
You have more influence over your health and happiness than you know
♥️🐺 The Son & The Sky Raina ♥️🐺 
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