I Shot The Sherrif!!!!

OK so I did not shoot the sheriff but perhaps I used his silhouette as my target???

Today I went to a shooting range. I was invited by a guest to a "gun party". In honor of her birthday the hostess invited her friends to join her for target practice. When I was invited to accompany one of her guess to the party I immediately said yes. Not because I love guns but because it was an interesting opportunity and something I'd never think to do on my own.

Our safety training before heading to the target area was about 5 minutes long and consisted of three rules that were basic common sense.

1. Always point the gun towards the safe place, the safe place being the opposite direction of people or down.
2. Never put your finger on the trigger.
3. Always assume the gun is loaded.

After the training we headed upstairs to the target area. I was feeling very nervous as I walked up the stairs. Once inside the shooting are I was given protective ear and eye wear. The instructors told us how to grip the gun. Put the safety on and off, aim and shoot. My palms were so sweaty I was not able to put the safety on.

When I was first able to shoot I had a hard time focusing and aiming. However my second go round I got it and hit the target right on the X. It was a strange experience to feel the power of the gun in my had. I actually liked the feel of the 9mm semi automatic in my hand. However shooting it was almost a little to real. I could feel the heat of the gun while shooting and see the flash. I could feel the slight kick back against my palm. Bullet casings would fly out of the gun in unpredictable directions. The casings are very hot and capable of causing bruises and burns.

Over all it was a fun experience. Fun more so because most of the people at the party were first timers like myself. We brought a kind of excitement and nervous energy to the range. However if I never shoot a gun again I will be just fine with that. While I was shooting I could not help thinking how awful it would be for a person to be shot and not just a piece of paper with a shadow drawn on it. Also, It did not escape me that for a few hundred dollars and the proper paperwork you can buy an instrument that is made for the sole purpose of killing. It seems like something like that should be harder to acquire.

So, while I wont be taking Joy hostage at gun point, sharing new experiences with others will certainly invite Joy into my presence willingly.

What's Your Pleasure???

How fast the week goes whether you are having fun or not. Its Feel Good Friday once again!!!!

So this week tell me, what’s your pleasure??? You know, what are those things you love to indulge in when no one is around, no one can see you, and no one can judge you? Don’t worry your secrets are safe with me :-) Keep in mind these are also the things you can do to improve the quality of your alone time, and we learned in I Am Worth The Cheese Dip how important it is to make alone time special.

So here are a few of my Guilty Pleasures:

• I love watching Real Housewives on Bravo. New York is my favorite but I also like NJ and Atlanta. I have never gotten into Orange County though.

• Of course now I am also watching Bethany’s Getting Married the Real Housewives of New York spin off.

• I love to lick the bowl, beaters, and spoon whenever I do any baking.

• I love eating cake or pie right out of the cake or pie plate

• I like Gray Goose with just about anything

• I like to dance with my cat (Peanut) or dog (Hurt)

• I Dance in the shower

• When I am feeling particularly stressed I scream in my car while driving. No one can hear me and It does make me feel better.

• I don’t know if prayer could be considered a Guilty Pleasure but I do it all the time: God please let me get a parking spot, God please don’t let anyone at work ask me anything that I don’t know how to do, God forgive me for gossiping, etc, etc, etc… I sometimes wonder if God is tired of hearing my voice. LOL

• I Love to sleep in on the weekends especially in freshly washed 600 thread count sheets

• I Love Gertrude Hawke Chocolates

• I Love Cold Stone Creamery

• I Love Showers. I have been know to use all of the hot water.

• Any type of Mafia movie or TV show fiction or non-fiction.

• I love HBO original series. It all started with Sex in The City, then Sopranos, Big Love, and Now True Blood. Even Entourage and Hung are good too.

• Colombo - this is all I’ve been getting off of Netflix for the last few months. Embarrassing but I love it.

Take some time today and this weekend to induldge in your guilty pleasure and take note of the Joy they bring. If you’re brave enough comment and tell us what your guilty pleasures are.

Feel Good Friday - Headlines

Happy Friday!!!

A little laughter is sure to make you feel good. Take a moment to a have a laugh at these funny headlines. Use the links to get the full stories.

• Scientists use Calvin Klein cologne to lure jaguars



• 'My interests include cooking dogs'



• Thomas the cat offered gym membership



• 17 Remain Dead in Morgue Shooting Spree



• I Tell Ya, Until I've Had My Morning Coffee, I Am Just A Rapist



• Pub waxing event nearly takes testicle



• Report: Goldman Sachs May Be Battling Bedbugs



• Real-Life Police Investigate Virtual Theft of Virtual Furniture



• Penis protest rises to greet Russian economic forum



• Mich. woman shoots self to get medical attention

Remember Laughter and Joy go hand and hand.

Shared Joy

What good are money, fancy cars, and the latest gadgets and games if you don’t have anyone to share them with??? A Joy filled life is a life shared with family and friends. However, aside from family and friends most of us want to share our lives with a partner/ significant other. In a perfect fantasy world that man or woman have the looks of a model, intelligence of a genius, charisma of your favorite politician, be humorous as a king or queen of comedy, super honest, extremely generous, genuinely caring and have lots of money to spare. Sadly this is no fantasy world and this perfect man/woman does not exist.

So we have to be realistic and accept a normal flawed person like ourselves. But how? How do we accept someone as they are, flaws and all, and give them a chance but at the same time “not settle”? I know you’ve all either advised someone or been advised by someone to “not settle” when It comes to relationships. So where is the line? Where is the line between accepting someone’s flaws and “settling”? And how do you make sure not to cross that line?

I have been thinking about this for a while. I have finally figured it out for me. Key word here is “for me” you may have a different standard for judging that line. The difference between giving someone a chance and accepting them, flaws and all and “settling” lies in the behavior. Accepting someone who is not that super smart, crazy funny, rich, model is fine as long as he or she meets your standards of how you want to be treated. The second you let someone who does not treat you with the level of respect and kindness you desire and deserve become an important part of your life, your partner/significant other, YOU HAVE SETTELED. And where is the Joy in that???

So now that I have figured this out for myself I will go forward meeting new people and dating, accepting people who are not perfect but not accepting any treatment that steals my Joy.

The New Look of Joy

If you are reading this than you've noticed the page has changed. I wanted to be able to do more with the site, to offer you more content. I really want this site and the Facebook Fan page to be more interactive. I am really honored to have you all as readers. I love that people are interested in what I have to say and my opinions. I am always excited to read your comments. They are very thought provoking. So please let me know what you think of the new look and what type of content you'd like to see here.. I went with the color green because I like the header picture with the running cats and wanted the page to match. I also thought green was a nice calm color that facilitates Joy.

Thanks for supporting. Looking forward to your feedback :-)

Feel Good Friday – Feel Good Food

Happy Friday!!!

At my job we are doing a weight lost competition. It is very friendly and motivational. Not as serious as some of you doing biggest loser type competitions for money. Since, I have been trying to make healthy changes in an effort to truly treat my body as my temple; the competition is right on time. So in the spirit of weight loss and healthy eating here is a list (I know how much you love my lists) of healthy foods that also make you Feel Good.

• Blueberries – Have some when stressed. They have vitamin C, which is what your body uses as fuel when your heart is racing. They also have antioxidants, which repair and protect your body from the effects of stress.

• Almonds – Reach for these when you feel panicky. Almonds keep your heart from racing when panic attacks. They help lower your blood pressure and keep oxygen flowing throughout the body.

• Spinach – Remember how Popeye reached for these before a fight? Well in addition to giving him strength spinach was good for his stress. It has loads of Magnesium, which is a mineral that helps keep you in a calm state.

• Milk – Is good for when you are feeling restless. The calcium can help you feel more tranquil. Just be sure to go for low or fat free. Also watch your portion stick to about 8 oz to decrease the likely hood of negative digestive side effects.

• Banana –Go for this perfectly packaged fruit to help you relax. The potassium it packs helps reduce tension.

• Brown Rice –This healthy carb helps improve concentration.

• Figs – Having tummy trouble? Figs help you digestive system work better and prevents stomach pains. Just be careful not to eat too many they can make your digestive system work too fast, if you know what I mean ;-)

• Eggs – Keep your thinking cap running at full power. Eggs have b vitamins which enable nerve cells to burn glucose, the energy source of the brain.

• Spices (such as Rosemary) – These flavor boosters may reduce stork and Alzheimer's risk. They also decrease our dependency on salt.

• Pop corn – it’s not just for movie time. Popcorn boosts your energy and is just plain fun. Just be careful with the butter flavor.

• Coffee – A cup of this in the morning is not such a bad idea. Moderate amount increases mental and physical performance. Everyone is different so experiment to see how much will work for you and still let you sleep at night.

• Hot cocoa – Perhaps as a liquid dessert? Unprocessed, natural, non-dutched cocoa lowers blood pressure, lifts your mood and helps you sleep.

• Water – I’m sure we all know water is good for you but it actually helps you feel good and look good too. Good old H2O helps improve mood, motor function, mind power, skin problems, and a host of other maladies.

If you want to read more on these foods check out the following sites where I got my info:
http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/10-happy-foods-fight-depression-fatigue-naturally-136750.html#ixzz0qWDnpU6Q

http://health.slides.kaboose.com/113-feel-good-foods-10-stress-soothers

http://feel-good-food.blogspot.com/

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/alzheimers-disease/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100253640&imageindex=9&q=Raid+the+Spice+Rack

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/depression/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100150090

http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/10-happy-foods-fight-depression-fatigue-naturally-136750.html

I know the weekends are tempting to be care free and eat all kinds of junk and drink too much so keep in mind these feel good foods and eat joyfully.

Praying for Joy

For years the very first thing I’ve done every single morning upon waking was pray. If you would have asked me yesterday what is the first thing you do every morning I would have told you exactly that. But today I realized that had changed. I woke up this morning and the very first thing I did was reach for my phone. Yes the crackberry (aka the blackberry for those of you not addicted to it)!!!

Now although I do not know how long I’ve been doing this, I do know how it started. I am a very time oriented person (I inherited that from my dad). When I wake up the first thing I need to know is the time. I used to have an alarm clock but that broke. After that I could look at my cable box and see the time. At some point the Cable Company upgraded the box to a nice sleek space saver that had no clock on the front display. So, I have since gotten in the habit of looking at my phone to see the time as soon as I wake. The problem is I don’t just see the time I see a whole bunch of other little Icons and before you know it I have checked the time, email, text message, facebook, and twitter all before I’ve said a prayer.

Now, I am sure God knows I am not any less grateful for Him blessing me with another day because I checked the crackberry first. The problem is I’m missing the opportunity to start my day off the way I want. Prayer is a wonderful wonderful thing. It allows me to give thanks for things that I am grateful for and focus on things that I am troubled by and ask for guidance. Prayer helps me to relieve stress and anxiety and also focus on positivity.

There are many benefits of prayer (I encourage you all to try it).
• Studies have linked prayer to positive health outcomes with high blood pressure, asthma, heart attacks, headaches and anxiety
• Provides a sense of well-being.
• Improves spiritual practice
• Answered prayers Increase faith
• Better sleep
• Decreased stress

By checking the crackberry first, instead of starting my day with these benefits, I am starting the day thinking about an email about a store sale or bill that is available online, a friend request from someone I probably don’t even remember on facebook, or a tweet about the latest food or diet trend. None of these are bad things but they do not get me in as positive a frame of mind that prayer does.

For a while now I have been having anxiety often without explanation. I am wondering if this could somehow be related to me not starting my day off with that positivity and stress relief that prayer has always provided me. I am not sure but turning to the crackberry first thing in the morning certainly is not helping the situation.

So now that I am aware I am going to go back to starting my day with prayer like I used to. I’ll probably still use the crackberry to see the time until I buy a clock for my bedroom (which will be soon) but I will not access any apps until I’ve had that nice morning chat with God. Starting my day off talking to Him will definitely put me in a place receptive of the Joy. I encourage you all to start your day off with prayer or some other peaceful activity that will allow you to be receptive of all the Joy that may come your way throughout the day.

It’s Feel Good Friday – And I Have Nothing To Write About, FML…

Just joking, my pen still has plenty of ink. Happy Friday Joy Chasers, I have a question for you, have you heard of the FML website??? I just love it. It is one of the funnies sites on the net. If laughter does not beget Joy, then they are at the very least closely related. Even though this blog is all about positivity let’s be honest, there is a reason we watch reality TV and talk shows like Jerry Springer and Maury Povich, it makes us appreciate the fact that our lives are not that bad or filled with that much drama. This also holds true for the FML site. So, no matter what kind of day I’m having I can go to this site and have a laugh and say to myself at least no one ever mistook my earring for a hearing aid or at least I have never had to leave a restaurant because my date thought my clothes "clashed with the tablecloth.” LOL

So have a few laughs this Feel Good Friday and check out the FML site. Here are a few of my favorite FML posts.

“Today, a four pound can of tuna fell on my head at work, and it burst all over my clothes. Since I'm the manager, I had to stay all day reeking of tuna. Now I'm home, my damn cat won't leave me alone. FML”

“Today, I got a huge bill through the post. It turns out that my elderly mother made the vet come out to my house to see the dog while I was out, because she was scared of the little growths she had found on his body. They were nipples. FML”

“Today, I decided to take a nap in my car on my lunch break. I set the alarm on my phone. I woke up to numerous missed calls and text messages from my husband asking where I was and if I was OK. I then realized i had forgotten to turn my phone off vibrate. It was 6 o'clock. My shift ended at 5. FML”

“Today, I found out that my family hides food from me. FML”

“Today, I spent hours fixing my favorite food for myself as a little treat. While dishing it up, I made a mess, so I wiped it up with a napkin. I went to throw the napkin away on the way to the table. I looked down and was still holding the napkin. I had thrown the plate of food away instead. FML”

“Today, the door to my apartment wasn't unlocking. I stood outside for 30 minutes, banging on the door for my boyfriend to open up. Finally, I kicked it open and discovered a couple making out. Turns out my apartment was the next one over. FML”

“Today, my husband dropped me off at work. Ten minutes later I got a text saying "I just dropped the b*tch off I'll be there in a few baby, miss you". I asked him about it he said "I don't know what you're talking about Megan". My name isn't Megan. Not even close. FML”

“Today, I checked my Facebook, and my wife of 5 years was listed as single. I then write on her wall that it is ok to announce to be married. She writes back saying that we have to talk and to come to the kitchen. My wife divorced me over Facebook. FML”

Just Dance...Naked

Filled with the pleasure of having just taking a nice cool shower on a super hot not even summer yet night, after just having had the shower fixed, I found myself dancing naked in the mirror to the music being played by the Jimmy Kimmel band on television. “Dance naked in front of the mirror” said a friend of mine a few months back when I asked her for some ideas of things to do to be happy. Well I confess that my dance did not last very long. Get this temple in order were the lyrics in my head as I danced (see My Body My Temple and The Temple’s Foundation) While I cannot say I had the joy filled experience my friend predicted ,it did put a slight smile on my face. I imagine the more work I put into my temple the longer my dance will be. Dancing in the mirror naked…she may be on to something here.