Aloha! So we’re in Scottsdale, AZ in the middle of April and the temperature has already hit the high 90’s. But hey, most of the month was in the 80’s so we really can’t complain.
Rather then being a new discovery, this visit to Sedona is more of a rediscovery. It has been more than ten years since we visited the lovely Sedona/Oak Creekarea.
We are planning to do a series of crafts fairs starting in the fall and have been attending various fairs in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area so that we can get a feel for what other artists are doing. We thought that it would be interesting to get the flavor of some of these venues outside of the “big city.” The fair we attended was in Oak Creek just off Highway 179.
There were a few big name outlet stores in the shopping center hosting the fair but most stores seemed to be out of business which made this a great spot for a crafts fair. The feeling was real laid back but everything seemed to be well organized. It was a fraction of the size of most of the Scottsdale/Phoenix crafts fairs. There was a nice mix of hand crafted and mass produced items and we even made a few purchases of leather goods and eyewear.
The town of Sedonahas changed quite a bit since we were last here. The biggest changes are in the upgraded roads and traffic circles which make getting around easier. There is also some new lodging, built to accomodate the increased number of visitors. It is still a very beautiful place, especially in the spring.
We were with our dog Teddi and had to make the obligatory stop at McDonald’s. The architecture of this particular McD’s was right in keeping with the general look and feel of the town. Nice to see that new building is controlled and not haphazard.
We were considering getting a used PT Cruiser and tricking it out to our own specifications with custom paint, wire wheels and the whole nine yards. Looking at the used car ads we thought that this was pretty much a done deal.
The next day we were out and about driving on the Loop 101 in Arizona when we spotted a cool looking VW Beetle. Now, we never really considered getting a “Bug” but just for the hell of it, we stopped by the VW dealer near our house just to take a look and maybe pick up a brochure or two. We had our dog Teddi with us and didn’t plan on staying very long.
We were offered a test drive but didn’t really expect much from the little “Bug”. Putting the pedal to the metal the little thing really took off with impressive acceleration thanks to the turbo charged 4 cylinder engine. The braking wasn’t too shabby either.
We usually drive a big Ford F-150 truck so, this was a pretty big change to say the least. But it took only a day to fall in love with this car. Kinda like gettin’ a new puppy.
I still love the room and heft of my big Ford truck but the “Bug” is so much fun to drive around town. It has a pretty good sound system and nice little touches that I wouldn’t have expected from such a small car. Kathy has pretty much taken over ownership, but I steal it away every chance I get.
If you have been on the web or any social media lately, you might have seen this posting. I was gonna list a whole bunch of inspirational quotes and sayings, but I felt these 10 things to be so compelling and worth re-posting that I will let them stand alone.
It all sounds like common sense. But I know these things are much easier said than done. If you’ve read this before, read it again. If you’ve never seen this I hope you will be inspired to take a look at yourself. And unless you’re perfect, fix what needs fixin’.
Read this over your morning coffee or whatever a few times a week. Couldn’t hurt!
10 Things You Need to Stop Doing to be Happier
1. Stop complaining.
Nobody wants to be around someone who complains all the time. Yet we all do it. Instead of finding a reason to complain, look for the solution if you’re facing a problem. Look for something positive in your life. There’s always something positive to find in our life if we shift our focus.
2. Stop Judging.
Stop judging other people’s lives and focus on perfecting your own life. We spend so much time gossiping rather than working on perfecting ourselves. Focus on your own life, and how you’re going to perfect it.
3. Stop avoiding your fear.
Fear is an obnoxious thing—it slows you down from finding a career you love, a romantic relationship and pursuing your dreams. Do something that makes you uncomfortable every day, in small steps, and it will dramatically alter the course of your life.
4. Stop being so hard on yourself.
The biggest enemy that you face is the one inside you—this enemy criticizes, condemns, and complains. Don’t let these unconscious patterns run your life. Come to terms with these patterns. The biggest enemy you ever have to face is the one inside of you.
5. Stop being negative.
If you focus on being negative it’s going to show up everywhere in your life. It will show up in your work, personal relationships and everything else. Shift your focus away from being so negative all the time. Find things that make you come alive!
6. Stop caring about what other people think of you.
Every great artist, musician, or political leader ignored what people thought of them. Other people’s opinions of you are none of your business. What people think of you should not drown out your own inner voice and inspirations.
7. Stop worrying about the small stuff.
Think about all the unnecessary worries that go through your mind all day. We worry about why someone is not returning our emails, texts, phone calls. We worry about everything and anything. Focus on what you can do at the present moment and not about how you can worry about the outcome.
8. Stop needing to be right all the time.
Stop needing to be right all the time, this can lead to so many unnecessary arguments. Instead of needing to be right, start working on being more open to other people’s opinions. Start asking more questions and become more interested in other people’s points of view. It may open a whole new dimension of life.
9. Stop blaming others.
We constantly blame everyone for all types of different things. Quit blamingother people for your circumstances. If you want to change something go out and do it! Don’t blame someone for your present day situations.
And now the big one!
10. Stop living in the past or the future.
So much of our attention is focused on past experiences or on how things will be in the future. Focus your mind on the present moment. We would be so much happier if we placed our attention on the present.
