Monday 31 st January 2022..words of wisdom!!!

 

Sunday Philosophy

by Regina Brett, age 90 

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31 However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved. (Amen!)

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift

Stay safe and healthy!!

Yashi Kochi!!

Sunday 30 th January 2022….a morning to remember!!!

 

I went to bed last night around 11.30pm with the thought process that if I wake up and the tennis is on I will watch……

Well……I woke up at 5 am and so glad I did and watched the last four sets of this most amazing tennis match!!!!

By the fifth set of Sunday’s Australian Open final, having battled back after falling two sets in arrears, Rafael Nadal had no energy for the pirate-like leaps of his youth or even a shout of “Vamos!”

To save what energy remained, he celebrated service breaks and big points against Daniil Medvedev with a simple clenched fist.

In the end, after a five-hour, 24-minute battle of attrition, Nadal’s champion’s heart, resolute belief and extraordinary stamina delivered the most significant victory of his career — and a men’s record 21st Grand Slam title, 2-6, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5.

Nadal’s triumph, at 35, breaks the three-way tie atop men’s tennis history that he had shared with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, whose bid to compete in this year’s Australian Open as an unvaccinated played was denied by the country’s immigration minister, who deemed his presence a threat to public health and order.

It also solidifies his reputation as the sport’s fiercest competitor, a prizefighter in tennis garb, refusing to be counted out even while being pummeled by a challenger a decade younger.

Medvedev, who four months ago denied Djokovic’s bid for a 21st major with a straight-sets rout in the U.S. Open final, forced Nadal to produce his best. The Russian had him on the run from the opening game, making clear that he was prepared to run down any ball Nadal blasted his way.

Nadal, cheered throughout by a wildly partisan crowd at Rod Laver Arena, covered his face and stood in disbelief upon clinching the victory.

While Nadal’s pursuit of a 21st major was the story line that made the season’s first Grand Slam so compelling, he insisted throughout that it was not his driving ambition.

As recently as two months ago, Nadal had doubts he’d be able to resume his career after undergoing foot surgery in the fall. The only reward he sought upon returning from a five-month recovery, he said, was to be competitive again in the sport he has loved since childhood.

Reaching Sunday’s final exceeded his expectations, and he strode onto the court at Rod Laver Arena as a beloved underdog, cheered by a crowd that had come to witness history.

Medvedev was determined to make history of his own.

At 6-6 and 182 pounds, he’s as thin as a guitar string yet a tremendous mover and defender, with a blistering backhand down the line. He deployed all these assets to great effect against Nadal, who committed uncharacteristic errors in the early going, including a flubbed overhead and a rash of miss-hit and errant groundstrokes, while struggling to land first serves.

Daniil Medvedev couldn't hold to a two-set lead against Rafael Nadal. 

Medvedev broke the Spaniard early in the match and claimed the opening set with relative ease.

Nadal refused to concede. In a second set that was longer than some matches (84 minutes), he threw every variety of spin and pace in his repertoire to win a 40-shot rally that set up his first break. With it, Nadal took a 3-1 lead, and the crowd went nuts, cheering and leaping to display Spanish flags.

Although the match wasn’t yet 90 minutes long, it felt as if the outcome was at stake given the greater toll that long rallies were taking on Nadal. The chances of overcoming a two-set deficit against the fresher Medvedev seemed slim, and Nadal poured all he had into avoiding it.

The second set had it all, including five service breaks, an intruder on court who was corralled by security guards, and a squandered set point by Nadal, who at one point led 4-1.

A tiebreaker was required to settle it, and Medvedev erased an early deficit in that, too, to seize a two-sets-to-none lead.

With the odds looking insurmountable for Nadal, the crowd tried shouldering his load in a tight third set, shouting out as Medvedev stepped up to serve and cheering each time the Russian faced trouble.

Nadal did his part, too, fighting on, pummeled but determined. He broke for a 5-4 lead and served out the set to force a final set.

Unlike Nadal, who put each missed shot and poor decision behind him to play on with a clear head, Medvedev sunk into a negative stew after failing to close the match in straight sets. After ignoring the crowd’s enmity for hours, the Russian lost his patience with the jeers and the applause when he double-faulted.

For the first time all match, he also looked weary and called for the trainer to work on his left quadriceps.

With Medvedev serving at 2-2, Nadal finally converted a seventh break point with a wicked cross court passing shot.

On the changeover that followed, Medvedev lobbied the chair umpire to be more forceful with the crowd’s outbursts. “Can you take control, please!” Medvedev said. “A small ‘Please’ is not enough … [This is the] final of a Grand Slam. 

Up a break, Nadal stayed the course to force the fifth-set decider.

Nadal took his first lead of the match four hours, 40 minutes in, when he broke serve for a 3-2 advantage in the fifth set

He needed only to hold serve three more times for the victory.

On the changeover before Nadal served for the match at 5-4, Medvedev summoned the trainer a third time to knead his upper left leg.

Nadal was two points away at 30-love but couldn’t serve out the match, double-faulting and drawing a time-violation warning.

He broke back for a second chance to serve for the victory. Finally, it was all he needed.

Stay safe and healthy!!!

Yashi Kochi!!

Saturday 29 th January 2022..almost over..

 

Stay safe and healthy…

Yashi Kochi…

Friday 28th January 2022…a special lady!!

 I wrote this on my blog ten years ago and so worth repeating!!

Saturday 28th January 2012…..I want to tell you about a beautiful lady!!!

I first met her when I was just a little kid growing up in Doncaster, England and I will confess right here and now I was sweet on her younger Sister!!!

For obvious reasons she became interested in my suave, debonair and handsome Brother( can you believe I just wrote that??)

At a tender young age they got married and started a life that has blossomed with love and happiness and now they are well into the forties in years married.

Three wonderful children one amazing Grand son later life is good for them……

Janet my amazing and special Sister in law it is your birthday today and I want the whole world to know that I love you, admire you and I salute you with Happy Birthday wishes!!!!!

As always life has thrown you curve balls but with your incredible attitude, devotion and love of family you have been the “Rock” for the Pearson family.  As long as I live I shall never forget the way you were with my Dad after Mum passed away..it was not easy but you took care of him, treated him with love and respect and because in part to you his remaining 12 years were lived with grace and happiness.

Janet are the best and rank right up there with Mum!!!!  You know what a compliment that is!!!!!!

 

Have a wonderful day…..to my readers do you think my Brother Malc is taking her out for dinner????  NO!!!!

Janet has decided because there is a family from Ghana who are in England visiting their son as he finishes college and he attends their Church…..so Janet has invited the five of them to dinner!!!

That tells you a little bit about this special lady!!

So I wanted to devout a separate blog just for you….I know when we are together I am a big tease and give you a hard time only in jest you KNOW that you are the greatest woman and my Brother has been a lucky man

Stay safe and healthy!!

Yashi Kochi!!

Thursday 27th January 2022….good reading!!

 Enjoy!!!

10 KEYS TO HAPPIER LIVING

The Ten Keys to Happier Living are based on a review of the latest research from psychology and related fields. Everyone's path to happiness is different, but the evidence suggests these Ten Keys consistently tend to have a positive impact on people's happiness and well-being.

The first five keys (GREAT) are about how we interact with the outside world in our daily activities. They are based on the Five Ways to Wellbeing developed by nef as part of the Foresight Project. The second five keys (DREAM) come from inside us and depend on our attitude to life.

OUTSIDE: OUR DAILY ACTIVITIES

1. GIVING

Do things for others Caring about others is fundamental to our happiness. Helping other people is not only good for them and a great thing to do, it also makes us happier and healthier too. Giving also creates stronger connections between people and helps to build a happier society for everyone. And it's not all about money - we can also give our time, ideas and energy. So if you want to feel good, do good!

2. RELATING

Connect with people Relationships are the most important overall contributor to happiness. People with strong and broad social relationships are happier, healthier and live longer. Close relationships with family and friends provide love, meaning, support and increase our feelings of self worth. Broader networks bring a sense of belonging. So taking action to strengthen our relationships and create new connections is essential for happiness.

3. EXERCISING

Take care of your body Our body and our mind are connected. Being active makes us happier as well as being good for our physical health. It instantly improves our mood and can even lift us out of a depression. We don't all need to run marathons - there are simple things we can all do to be more active each day. We can also boost our well-being by unplugging from technology, getting outside and making sure we get enough sleep!

4. AWARENESS

Live life mindfully Ever felt there must be more to life? Well good news, there is! And it's right here in front of us. We just need to stop and take notice. Learning to be more mindful and aware can do wonders for our well-being in all areas of life - like our walk to work, the way we eat or our relationships. It helps us get in tune with our feelings and stops us dwelling on the past or worrying about the future - so we get more out of the day-to-day.

5. TRYING OUT

Keep learning new things Learning affects our well-being in lots of positive ways. It exposes us to new ideas and helps us stay curious and engaged. It also gives us a sense of accomplishment and helps boost our self-confidence and resilience. There are many ways to learn new things - not just through formal qualifications. We can share a skill with friends, join a club, learn to sing, play a new sport and so much more.

 

INSIDE: OUR ATTITUDE TO LIFE

6. DIRECTION

Have goals to look forward to Feeling good about the future is important for our happiness. We all need goals to motivate us and these need to be challenging enough to excite us, but also achievable. If we try to attempt the impossible this brings unnecessary stress. Choosing ambitious but realistic goals gives our lives direction and brings a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when we achieve them.

7. RESILIENCE

Find ways to bounce back All of us have times of stress, loss, failure or trauma in our lives. But how we respond to these has a big impact on our well-being. We often cannot choose what happens to us, but we can choose our own attitude to what happens. In practice it's not always easy, but one of the most exciting findings from recent research is that resilience, like many other life skills, can be learned.

8. EMOTIONS

Look for what's good Positive emotions - like joy, gratitude, contentment, inspiration, and pride - are not just great at the time. Recent research shows that regularly experiencing them creates an 'upward spiral', helping to build our resources. So although we need to be realistic about life's ups and downs, it helps to focus on the good aspects of any situation - the glass half full rather than the glass half empty.

9. ACCEPTANCE

Be comfortable with who you are No-one's perfect. But so often we compare our insides to other people's outsides. Dwelling on our flaws - what we're not rather than what we've got - makes it much harder to be happy. Learning to accept ourselves, warts and all, and being kinder to ourselves when things go wrong, increases our enjoyment of life, our resilience and our well-being. It also helps us accept others as they are.

10. MEANING

Be part of something bigger People who have meaning and purpose in their lives are happier, feel more in control and get more out of what they do. They also experience less stress, anxiety and depression. But where do we find 'meaning and purpose'? It might be our religious faith, being a parent or doing a job that makes a difference. The answers vary for each of us but they all involve being connected to something bigger than ourselves. Stay safe and healthy!! Yashi Kochi!!

Wednesday 26 th January 2022…what can I say??

 Yes I am a nut…a sports nut…I know it and sort of proud of it!!!!

For those of you who do not know I love the game of tennis, playing, going to stadiums and watching on TV…..

The first big grand slam of tennis is taking place now in Melbourne, which is 17 hours ahead of me here in SMA so it does mean some late night viewing which I have done every night since a week last Monday.

What makes it extra exciting is knowing that I was actually in that stadium six years ago!!

I was so tired last night I went to bed about midnight unable to keep my eyes open and slept great till 5 am when the bathroom was calling me….

Since I was up I turned on the TV and there was this amazing men’s game taking place….so what is a guy supposed to do???

Make tea put on my robe and watch it!!!

Even better that Felix the young Canadian superstar was playing!!

It was maybe one of the most exciting matches I have witnessed….and it finally was over around 7.45am!!!!

I looked at my calendar which was empty till 1pm so I went back to bed and slept great till 11 am…….I can hear you all going tch tch tch……

Went to poker this afternoon and won again this time 370 pesos and now I am going to……

YES…..

YOU….

GUESSED…….

IT…….

WATCH TENNIS🎾🎾🎾🎾

Stay safe and healthy!!!

Yashi Kochi!!

Tuesday 25 th January 2022…memory lane!!

 A long time ago….

We are going back to April, 1972, I am in Bermuda playing soccer one sunny warm afternoon, we are playing Devonshire Rec, our arch enemies, lot of bad will between us and the game is tied 1 –1 with a few minutes remaining, I had through out the game taken and given some aggro to their No.9 Devon Burrows… we are awarded a corner and although I play sweeper I was noted to be a pretty good header of the ball, so I go up for the corner, looking to notch my usual one goal per year, hoping this might be the one. My full concentration is on the ball as it arcs it’s way into the penalty area, Burrows concentration however was on me, all eyes on the ball, including the referee, the ball swings in I watch it coming right to my head and the next thing I know I am flat on my back, victim of a sucker punch to the jaw from my buddy Burrows, my front tooth is about 10 feet away from me and I am bloodied and mad and dazed, not like today’s macho hockey players, they pick up their teeth and go back out, me, I stumble to the side lines and the game ends. Will not describe the return match three weeks later, but suffice it to say Burrows had a squeaky high voice for a few days

Stay safe and healthy!!

Yashi Kochi!!

Monday 24 th January 2022…a long hike!!

 Today I just felt I needed to get out in the country in my own and walk for miles, which I did!!

Sorry there are so many photos but it was so lovely..

Not only does my new phone take great photos but I also listen to my play list as I hike and just before I took this shot the song by II Divo, the four tenors, came on and I thought..the four cows!!

Yashi Kochi!!Time for tennis…stay safe and healthy!!