Social Networking

Hi everyone!  I was wondering what you all think of social networking, and which, if any, do you use on the web?  Several come to mind, the ones I think of straight away are:  Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, blogging, just to name a few.

So...for myself I can see the positive and negative aspects in these.  And these are my opinions, which I am sharing here.

Positive:  a way to reach out to others, meet new people, make new friends, perhaps even get a job, find family members, old friends, do a family tree.

Negative:  can be addictive, (especially where people play games, such as on Facebook), reputations can be tarnished by gossip.

O.K., so I am certain that many of you can add to the positives and the drawbacks;  the ones I shared here are ones that I am just thinking of off the top of my head;  I am sure there are many more.

So my questions to you all:  which, if any, social networking do you use?  How do you find it useful?  

While I am on the topic of social networking, I want to share a link with you all that I found a fascinating read.  Please feel free to share your thoughts on this article, I would very much appreciate hearing what you think.  Please know that by making this post my intention is not to slander any people or websites, it is simply to share my thoughts in a constructive manner and asking for your thoughts.
Why I'm Quitting Facebook

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you are always welcome to share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Silence and Laughter

Hi everyone!  I have entitled this post "silence and laughter", but for more reasons than you might perhaps think!  Firstly, the Just for Laughs video done with the group posing as Montreal Police officers is silent in the sense that you don't hear any talking in any of these videos.  The laughter is obvious, as they are funny.  The second meaning of silence is that I finally got a fairly good night's sleep last night, only waking up twice to cough.

My cold is breaking, my immune system has kicked in and is fighting it...and fighting hard!  I am coughing less, and it is a drier cough, so I am very grateful for this!  I made a nice pot of soup tonight with lentils, carrots, little potatoes, onions and garlic, and it was delicious, just what I needed.  Thank you all so much for your responses to my last post and for your well wishes, I really appreciate it very much.  I feel a good support from you all on just letting this cold take its own course without the use of antibiotics.  You know, I often wonder how people coped with colds and ailments before antibiotics were created.  Naturally, of course, using things like ginger, honey, onions, garlic, lemon, etc.  As well, I trust food, however, I do not trust medication...don't get me wrong, I do take some meds, but only where it is really necessary!  With many medications there are side effects;  however, there are no side effects of using good food, and this helps me a lot more.  What else helps me a lot is staying positive and happy, because when I keep my spirits up I find that I heal faster and better than if I am down.  

The photo I am sharing today is one I took in the summer of 2011.  It isn't as sharp as the one I shared in my last post, but I think it has a beauty of its own.  You just need to click on the image to see a larger view.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you can always share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Vintage Romance and Flowers!

Hi everyone!  The video I have chosen for this post is "Looking for Romance; I Bring You a Song" (Frank Churchill, 1942...instrumental).  

I still have the cold, I have been coughing and sneezing quite a bit.  For the past two nights I have been coughing a lot, so hopefully this will pass soon.  I am stubborn and independent, I hate to take antibiotics unless it is absolutely necessary, and thus far I have no infection, so thankfully it hasn't been necessary.  I prefer to use natural food as much as possible, such as honey, garlic, onions, lemon, ginger, etc., and just let it pass on its own.  If I do get an infection, though, I will head to the doctor, but until then I am just going to tough it out.  :)

The photo I am sharing today is one I took a couple of summers ago, 2011...during one of my nice walks.  You just need to click on the photo to see a larger view.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here.  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you are always welcome to share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Soothing Nature

Hi everyone!  The video I have chosen for this post contains the soothing sounds of the ocean;  no music, just the ocean.  
As for myself, I find that being in nature and listening to the sounds of nature is very soothing.

This post is intended to give you all some time to enjoy nature and to....relax.  

The photo I am sharing today is one that I took in a park in June 2011.  It was a warm and hazy day.  You just need to click on the image to see a larger view.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I always appreciate reading your comments, even if I don't always respond.  Please feel free to share your thoughts by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Sheep and Flowers

Hi everyone!  I am feeling a bit better, trying to take one day at a time.  Thank you all so much for your comments and well wishes on my posts, I really appreciate it so much!
The video I am sharing today is a Just for Laughs Gags one involving a sheep.  Hope you all enjoy it!  

The photo I am sharing today is one that I took on a walk in the summer of 2011.  Hope you like it.  You just need to click on the image to see a larger view.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I really appreciate and always enjoy reading your thoughts, which you are more than welcome to share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

A Heartfelt Thank You!

Hi everyone!  I wanted to express a heartfelt thanks to you all for your visits and comments on my blog posts.  I appreciate you all very much! A special thanks to those who responded to my post on Mental Health and my yesterday's post on watermarking photos.  I really appreciate all your help, love and support!  For my new followers, welcome!  Thank you so much for following my blog!

The video I have chosen for this post is "With a Song in my Heart" (Frank Sinatra, 1944).

As far as the "c" for the copyright, I can't seem to make it for some reason, even when I do the alt and number that Lowell told me about.  One of you suggested to put the watermark right in the center of my photos, which I shall do.  Thank you all so much for your help and suggestions, I very much appreciate it.

The photo I am sharing today is one that I took in January 2011 on one of my walks.  It was a cold and dull day, but I liked this view...hope you all do as well.  You just need to click on the image to see a larger view.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I am feeling a little under the weather, a cold, which thankfully I don't get often, perhaps every several years.  I always enjoy, appreciate, and read all your comments.  Please feel free to share your thoughts by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

The Summer Sun

Hello everyone!  The video I am sharing for this post is "In the Summer Sun of Greece" by A La Carte!  It is one of my favourite songs, upbeat and fun, and a song that you can actually understand the lyrics.  :)  I also love the outfits the girls are wearing, very colourful and tasteful.  A few of my friends who had never heard this song before...when I let them hear it, they said that the voices reminded them of Abba.  The video isn't the best quality, but the images and music are very pleasant.  Enjoy!

Well....I have noticed that many of you who share your photos have copyright protection on them in the way of your name, and I figured that I would do the same with my photos.  Even though I am not a professional photographer and this is quite obvious, I do enjoy taking photos.  They are my photos, I took them with my Polaroid digital (or Kodak digital, which was my very first camera).  I use the Polaroid now.  Until I figure out how to do this with smaller text, please bear with me on how I display my name on my photos.    I am using online image editors for this.  Thank you so much.

The photo I am sharing today is one that I took on a walk a couple of years ago.  I thought it kind of goes with the song I am sharing today.  You just need to click on the image to see a larger view.  It isn't one of my best photos, but I find the colours kind of soothing...hope you do as well.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, even if I don't always respond.  Please feel free to share your thoughts by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Canada Post's Donkey Delivery

Hi everyone!  I am so glad you all have been enjoying the Just for Laughs Gags videos.  Here is another done right here in Montreal.  Enjoy!

The photo I am sharing today is one that I took in the summer of 2010.  It is a view of the Old Port of Montreal.  You just need to click on the image to see a larger view.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, even if I do not always respond.  Please feel free to share your thoughts by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Sycamore Tree & September 2011 Photo

Hi everyone!  The video I have chosen for this post is called, "In the Sing-Song Sycamore Tree" (Lee Morse & Her Blue Grass Boys, 1928).  I found it upbeat and very enjoyable...and the photos are very nice as well.

The photo I am sharing today is one that I took on one of my walks in September 2011.  You just need to click on the image to see a larger view.

We had a blizzard here in Montreal today, snow and blowing snow.  Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you can always share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Mental Health

Hi everyone!  The video I have chosen for this post is "Animal Concerto" by the Just for Laughs group here in Montreal.  Hope you all enjoy it.

The topic I have chosen for this post is mental health.  Even though I find that people are more open to learning about, and accepting people who have mental health issues, I still think we have a long way to go.  Mental health issues, just as physical health issues, can appear in many forms.  Depression, Bipolar, Schizophrenia, just to name a few are some of the mental health issues that people deal with on a day to day basis.  

I have been deeply touched by many who have mental health issues who are able to talk about it and share it openly and honestly with others.  I encourage this, as I think it is a wonderful thing to not only recognize and accept one's mental health issues, but to be able to reach out and talk about it.  

As for myself, I have had this blog for one year now and I find it very therapeutic to be able to talk openly and honestly about the issues that I face.  For those of you who are new to my blog as well as for those who may have missed the things I have shared in previous posts, here are some things that I would like to share with you all.

I was in a special class for slow learners in elementary and high school.  I hid this for a very long time.  Even people who have known me for a long time didn't know about this.  Finally, I came out and admitted it in November, 2011, and I am grateful that I found the courage to tell my friends and fellow bloggers.  I was able to breathe a sigh of relief, and I am grateful for the kind and loving, accepting response that I have had from you all!  I struggle with depression.  I have osteoarthritis.  I have had several attacks of gout.  I had a bout with diverticulitis last August.  I have only one kidney since the age of four.  My right kidney was removed because it was not functioning as it should have.  The doctors told my parents that I had a 50% chance to survive if they removed it;  if they did not remove it I would surely die.

I am finding that people talk more about physical health than mental health, but without mental health, our physical health suffers.  In my experience, mental health strongly affects physical health.  For example, when I have gone through bouts with depression I noticed that my physical health was less strong than when I am feeling happy and positive.  So why do some people try to pretend that depression, and other forms of mental illness, are "all in our heads?"  Why, as well, do some people find it easy to ignore and shove aside people who have a mental illness?  I think it is because they are uncomfortable and don't know how to deal with it...but pretending it doesn't exist and shoving aside and ignoring it does not help the issues or the people dealing with them.  A loving environment, friendly, kind, patient and accepting can work wonders!

For myself, being on antidepressants didn't work.  I discovered a couple of months ago that Vitamins B6, B12 and Folic Acid are supposed to help boost the effects of the meds. For myself, it has worked wonders!  As well, taking long walks (a half hour or more), being in nature, being around kind, patient and positive, caring people (such as many of you who visit my blog and my good friends face to face), helps me tremendously.  Another thing that helps me a lot is listening to old music from the early 1900's to 1940's, laughter, being around animals and listening to nature sounds such as ocean waves, seagulls, etc., really helps me a lot.  And having this blog and having had the wonderful opportunity to meet so many good and kind people, and being able to share my happiness, my sorrows, my issues with mental health and physical health and your loving and supportive response helps me tremendously.  A heartfelt thanks to you all!

The photo I am sharing today is one that I took in July 2011.
Hope you all like it.  You just need to click on the image to see a larger view.

Thank you all so much for "listening", and for visiting me here!  I always appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, even if I don't always respond individually.  You are always welcome to share your thoughts by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Laughs and a Wagon

Hi everyone!  The video I am sharing today is another Just for Laughs Gags one, done here in Montreal.  For those of you who are new to these Just for Laughs Gags videos, they are kind of like Candid Camera, only the Montreal version....and there is no speaking in them (that we can here), so they can, and have been, aired in all parts of the world, and this group travels to different places in the world to do them as well;  the majority of them are done right here in Montreal, because this is where the group are located.  Enjoy!

The photo I am sharing today is one that I took on a walk in January 2011...I saw this beautiful sight outside of a house and just wanted to capture it.  You just need to click on the image to see a larger view.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you are always welcome to share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Ducks & Old Man Sunshine

Hi everyone!  The video I have chosen for this post is "Old Man Sunshine" (Leo Reisman Orchestra, 1928).  Hope you all enjoy it!  Those of you who regular visitors to my blog know how much I love music from the early 1900's to 1940's, especially, even though I was born in 1956.  Not only do I love the music in the video, but the images, art and photos are lovely...a nice journey back in time for me, which I hope will be for you all as well!

The photo I am sharing is another one I took from my walk yesterday.  You just need to click on the photo to see a larger view.

Although I love the winter, I also love Spring, and am looking forward to taking many walks and photos.  I find that Spring is a time for energy and renewal.  It is such a joy to smell the fresh, clean air, hear the birds chirping, seeing the trees and flowers beginning to bloom.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here.  I really very much appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you are always welcome to share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

I Took a Walk Today with my Camera!

Hi everyone!  The video I have chosen for this post is "Jeepers Creepers" (The Four Modernaires, 1938).  Hope you all enjoy it.

Today was a beautiful day in Montreal.  Cold, yes, but not freezing, and it was sunny.  It was a perfect day for me to take a nice half  hour stroll with my camera, and I seized the opportunity!  I went by the water and found about 100 ducks.  Here is a photo I took of them.  You just need to click on the image to see a larger view.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you can always share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Abandoned Blogs

Hi, everyone!  I made a post the other day showing a video of a ghost town, and the responses you all gave prompted me to write this post...about abandoned blogs.

The video I am sharing is a National Geographic one entitled, "Geese Fly Together."  It is a short and informative video that I enjoyed, and hope you all will as well.

So, back to the topic of this post...abandoned blogs.  I have been blogging for just a year now.  I began this blog in February of 2012.  I have seen many blogs within this year, and several abandoned ones.  I often wonder why people abandon their blog.  Here are the reasons I came up with:  perhaps they ran out of things to blog about;  maybe they got discouraged at the lack of readers and/or interest and response to their posts;  maybe they just got tired of blogging, and perhaps they may have passed on.

For some, I am sure it can be disheartening to take the time to put together a post, only to get no response.  While I cannot speak for others, I can say that I put my heart into my posts.  Sure, my posts may not be as lengthy or elaborated or even as fancy as some other bloggers' posts, but I do put my heart into it, as I am sure other bloggers do as well.

That is my topic for the day, just something I observed and wanted to share here with you all.

The photo I am sharing today is one I took on a walk in April 2011.  I came across a groundhog that didn't seem to mind my taking a photo, so I seized the opportunity.  You just need to click on the image to see a larger view.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you can always share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hi everyone!  I am making a short and sweet post...late, but better late than never, to wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you all enjoy the video, it is a beautiful short video entitled "Cats in Art."  I loved the music and the art, hope you all do as well.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I really enjoy and appreciate reading your thoughts, which you can always share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Laughter is All Around!

Hi everyone! I wanted to share with you all something that happened to me about 35 years ago. I was visiting a Presbyterian church and, as I was listening to the minister preach his sermon, I heard a few loud yawns. The minister took it well and chuckled...and continued. I found it quite rude. Anyway, at the end of the minister's sermon, I spoke to him and told him about the loud yawns, and mentioned that I found it rude. He laughed and said, "Linda, would you like to meet the person who made those yawns?" Taken aback I wasn't sure, but since he was so lighthearted and kind, I thought, "Sure!" He brought me...and introduced me to an older woman. She was blind, and she was the organist of the church.   The yawner was nothing more than her seeing eye dog, a beautiful German Shepherd. I had to laugh myself.

I hope that you can all read the above paragraph that I t shared.  This is the first time that I have copied and pasted something onto my blog.  People told me in the past than in order to copy and paste something, I first needed to paste it into Word, then copy and paste it here.  It looks a little overlapping, but I hope you can all read it without problems.

I responded to a post on Gorge's Grouse and shared my above experience with him, as a post he had made reminded me of it.  He suggested that I share it here with you all, thinking you would enjoy it.  Hope you do!  Editing this post to add that I don't know how to get rid of the white background on this.  Sorry about that.

The video I am sharing here is another Just for Laughs Gag by the group, as I have mentioned before, the majority of their gags are done right here in Montreal.  Enjoy!

The photo I am sharing today is one that I took in August, 2011.  None of the things in the photos I share are "mine", they are things that I have found on my walks and liked enough to take a photo of.  Only the photos are mine.  :)  You just need to click on the image to see a larger view.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I hope that this post brings you laughter and smiles.  I always appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you can always share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Laughter and Some Flowers

Hi everyone!  Today I am sharing a video by the Just for Laughs Gags crew, done right here in Montreal!  It is a short, funny gag which I hope you will all enjoy.

The photo I am sharing today is one I took in September, 2011.  You just need to click on the image to see it in a larger format.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!   I always appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you can always share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post!

Ghost town of Carter Nine

Hi everyone!  Thank you all so much for your comments on my blog post yesterday.  I have to say that I find it very therapeutic to be able to post here and share things with you all.  Thanks, Fireblossom, for the recommendation on that book, "The Highly Sensitive Person", I am going to get it.

The video I am sharing in this post is actually the title I am using..."Ghost Town of Carter Nine."  I found it really nice, the music was pleasant and relaxing and the old photos were great.  It isn't often that I get to see abandoned towns, so I enjoyed it, as I hope you will as well.

The photo I am sharing this time is one I took in 2011.  You just need to click on the photo to see it in a larger format.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you can always share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Who I Am

Hi everyone!  You know, I had mentioned in a previous post that I am relatively new to online communications.  Since I am a very sensitive person, I sometimes tend to take things personally...and believe me, I am working on this!

I have had a few good friends (face to face) for several years now, and they always seem to see the good in me no matter what I have been through, and I have to say that I am deeply touched and feel very loved...and I am extremely grateful for them.  I in turn try to see the good and beauty in others...I sometimes have more difficulty seeing the good and beauty in myself, but I am also working on this.

Not sure about any of you, but there are times where I am not the most lovable person.  I always try to have the best intentions and do my best to be loving and kind to people, but I am not perfect.  I fall short on many aspects and am trying to work on my weaknesses.  Although since I have been taking the Vitamin B6, B12 and folic acid I haven't felt depressed, I am still very sensitive...and am trying to accept this as being part of me, of who I am, and trying to turn it into something positive.  Thank you all for bearing with me.

I just needed to share this, and thank you all so much for coming here to visit me and for your kind responses to my posts, it really means a lot to me.

The photo I am sharing today is one that I took in October, 2011.  You just need to click on the photo to see a larger view.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  Thanks, as well, for 'listening.'  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you can always share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Phonetic Punctuation & Autumn Colours

Hi everyone!  The video I am sharing today is Phonetic Punctuation by Victor Borge.  Hope you all enjoy it, this is one of my favourites.  :)

The photo I am sharing today is one that I took in October 2010.  You just need to click on the photo to enlarge it.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you can always share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Never Give Up in Life

Hi everyone!  The video I am sharing for this post is "Never give up in life - a truly inspirational video" by Nick Vujicic.  He is an amazing man with no limbs...and a big heart and lots of love for his fellow man.  Even though I have seen this video many times, I watched it again before I posted it here, as I think that there are some things that you just can't see enough of...and in my view, this is one of those things.  I hope you all enjoy it and that it inspires and encourages you, because this is why I am sharing it.  :)

It's amazing how we can get to like or even love some people, even though we may not have met them face to face.  An example I can share with you all is that I had a wonderful, good and kind friend on Facebook.  He was an elderly man whom I had befriended on Facebook and he lived in France.  He was a fellow animal lover, like myself, especially cats.  He and I shared several messages and e-mails between us and I came to really appreciate this man, he was like a loving father.  I had closed my Facebook account for 5 months, and when I returned to Facebook I had discovered that he had died just 5 days before my return.  I shed tears for a while, as I really got to know him.  He was 86 years old.  Bless his heart.  

As I mentioned in a previous post, I don't often talk a lot, but when I do, I try to share things that are close to my heart and that I hope will touch other people's hearts as well.  The elderly gentleman who lived in France that I spoke of above was a wonderful person whom I am sure many others loved and miss...as do I.  Thank you for listening and allowing me to share this with you.  One thing that I am really grateful for is that I had the opportunity to tell this man how much he meant to me and how much he inspired me...and many others.  I try to "cease the moment" in my life as the opportunity arises, as I like to make sure that the ones I care about know....that I care about them!

The photo I am sharing today is one that I took in the summer of 2011.  I hope you all like it.  :)  You just need to click on the photo to view it in a larger size.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I always appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you are always welcome to share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Laughter & Fish

Hi everyone!  The video I chose for this post is Victor Borge's Inflationary Language.  I have always love Victor Borge and his humour has delighted me over the years....as well as his great ability to play the piano.  I hope you all enjoy this!

I took a nice half hour walk today.  It was pretty cold but I was well dressed for it and thoroughly enjoyed my walk.  

The photo I am sharing this time is one that I took in July 2011 in a park.  There is a large man made pond there and many fish (koi) of all colours.  :)  You just need to click on the photo to see it in a larger format.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you can always share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Words of Encouragement and a Flower

Hi everyone! 

For this post I decided to share a few quotes which I hope you will all find to be a source of encouragement.

"Everyone has inside them a piece of good news.  The good news is you don't know how great you can be!  How much you can love!  What you can accomplish!  And what your potential is." - Anne Frank

"Every day, a new opportunity to decide where your next step will go is given to you.  Your future will be determined by the accumulation of these daily decisions.  You control your steps and therefore your destiny, so choose wisely." 
- Kevin Ngo

"There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up." - John Holmes

The photo I am sharing today is one I took a couple of years ago, in the summer of 2011.  You just need to click on the photo to see a larger view.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you can always share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

The Domino Effect

Hi everyone!  Thank you so much for your comments on my last post.  I want to make it clear that I was not talking about anyone in particular...or anyone, for this matter, I just needed to share my thoughts and observations on the internet in general.  Since I don't often share much of my thoughts here, or at least not at great length, as I am more of a listener than a talker, I wanted to assure you all that this was not directed at anyone.  Even when I make comments on other people's blogs, it isn't often that my comments are long, but this is the way I am, just not a big talker...that is, most of the time.  LOL!  Again, thanks for your comments, I really appreciate it so much.  

As far as this post goes, I am sharing a video entitled "The Woodchuck Song"...Tex Beneke, 1946, which I hope you will all enjoy.

The topic for this post is the domino effect.  I have noticed that a smile can create a domino effect, and often, as well, a kind word or kind deed.  When I go grocery shopping, for example, I often let someone else go ahead of me, especially someone older and/or someone who has less items than myself.  Although I don't do a kind deed for the purpose of receiving anything back, and most other folks don't, either, sometimes it happens that someone will do the same for me...or something else, such as hold the door.

When we say a kind word or do a kind deed for someone else I really think that it benefits ourselves as well...it makes us feel better.  Have you ever felt that you look really tired or bad, and then someone tells you that you look good?  It has happened to me, and I must say it really changes my thought for the day.

The photo I am sharing today is some art that I found on the wall of a school playground.  Hope you like it.  :)  I took this photo in April, 2011.  You just need to click on the photo to see a larger view.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you can always share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

The Internet

Hi everyone!  I wanted to talk about something that has been on my mind for a while.  I suppose, as compared to some other folks, I am pretty new to the internet.  I believe I began in 1998, so this makes it about 15 years or so since I have been on the internet.  However, I didn't always have continual access to it, so I suppose you could drop the 15 years to 10 years.

I have noticed several things in my venture on the internet...people are people, both face to face and behind a computer screen.  What I have found, though, is that some people tend to use the internet as a means to hurt others.  This could be in the form of creating havoc by causing viruses on others' computers, but it can also be more subtle, yet nonetheless damaging, in the form of gossip, slander or just not being careful with one's words, ending up hurting someone.

What I have learned is that face to face communication is easier in that you can see one another's facial expressions, a smile, laugh, tears, etc.  However, unless one uses (LOL, a smiley face, etc.,) on the internet, you just cannot tell!  This means that we must be more careful with how we word things...in other words, be more kind and gentle in our approach.  

Since I have had the internet I decided to use it as a means to reach out to others, to perhaps make someone's life's brighter, happier, etc.  This means that I am also very careful to express myself in such a way that I don't hurt others.  This doesn't mean that I have never hurt others, because I am sure I have, it just means that I do my best not to, so I try to be gentle and kind.  I try to treat others in the manner that I wish to be treated.

A couple of quotations:

"In a gentle way, you can shake the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

"A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles." - William Hazlitt

Thank you for listening, I just needed to share this.  

The photo I am sharing today is one I took on a walk in October 2011.  I hope you will enjoy it.  You just need to click on the image to see a larger view.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I do hope that my blog serves as an inspiration and encouragement to you all, because this is what I really try to do...to make your days brighter.  

I always appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you can always share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Nature Park Walk

Hi everyone!  I wanted to let you all know that I have added a couple of links on the top right hand column of my blog.  I have added the option for those who wish to, to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest.  My goal on Facebook and Pinterest, like here, is to encourage others, to post things that I find helpful, uplifting and inspiring.  Please feel free to follow me on Pinterest and Facebook...it would be an honour.  Thank you!  As well, if you know anyone who enjoys positive, inspiring and things to make one smile, please feel free to share my Facebook and Pinterest page with them!

The video I have chosen for this post is "Isle of Capri", 1934.
I hope you all enjoy it.

The photo I am sharing today is one I took on one of my nature park walks.  I took this photo in July 2011.  Just click on the photo to see it in a larger format.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you can always share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Donkeys & Humour

Hi everyone!  I thought it would be kind of neat to do a post with a video of the Just for Laughs Gags and a donkey photo I took in the summer of 2010 when I went to a nature park.  I decided to couple humour with donkeys, as I find that donkeys often look like they are smiling.  :)

The photo I took and am sharing here....there was a huge enclosure for these two donkeys to roam wherever they wanted, yet they chose to come to the fence to "meet" me and posed for a few photos.  It seems like they sensed that I was a new, amateur photographer, (LOL), so they made things easy for me, as you can see.  They stood side by side while I took this photo.  You just need to click on the photo to see it in a larger format.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I hope you have enjoyed today's post.  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you can always share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.

Humour and a Photo!

Hi everyone!  The video I am sharing today is another Just for Laughs Gag done here in Montreal.  Hope you all enjoy it, I am so glad that you have been enjoying the videos I post.  :)

The photo I am sharing today is one that I took in July 2011. You just need to click on the photo to see a larger view.

Thank you all so much for visiting me here!  I really appreciate and enjoy reading your thoughts, which you can always share by clicking on the 'comments' link at the end of my post.