Fastidious

Fastidious is an adjective describing someone who has high standards and difficult to please.  Someone who is demanding of excessive delicacy or care.  Someone who is meticulous and sensitive.  Do you know anyone like this?  


I am not sure why I picked this word today.  It is kind of fun to say, but quite frankly while I admire people who are fastidious, they can be a challenge to be around. There are several people in my life who are fastidious and while this may be an attribute, I think it must be a heavy burden to carry. To have such high standards, they must face many disappointments in life when others do not live up to their expectations. My cat Lilly is fastidious with her grooming habits, but she is easy to please.  All I need to do is brush her once a day and she is quite happy. 


People who are fastidious are sometimes also referred to as being persnickety. Another great word!  If I were more fastidious with my writing, there might be some point to this post. I will do a better job next week and then you can call me persnickety.  Big sigh.  Have a good week. 


Those two are a fastidious couple... she's fast and he's hideous. 
 Henny Youngman (March 16, 1906 - February 23, 1998)

April in Diamond eyes
by Constantine

slamming onto white keys on a piano,
enough rude chords to think the strings would snap;
From such harsh playing passionate sweat falling from eyelashes
from closed eyes. Age could be shown by hands rough corners and the
story behind every wrinkle. you couldn't see years past his beard, just a stern man hunched over with fastidious fingers. Whom was not even playing music anymore but just sound, brutal and beautiful sound.

Fortitude

The word for this week is Fortitude.  

Fortitude is a noun, defined as possessing the strength of mind that allows one to endure pain or adversity with courage.  It is a strong, hard sounding word that reminds me how important it is to maintain a strong mind and spirit, especially during the most difficult times. It is the courage to keep moving even when it seems impossible.  It is the strength to see something through, even though you feel discouraged and want to quit. For me, fortitude also involves faith in God and in myself.  

How many times in your life have you felt like stopping or turning back, but after continuing on you discovered that you were closer than you thought?  

In his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey teaches us  to "begin with the end in mind".  It is important to always have a plan, a dream and a vision, but the path from beginning to the end is rarely crystal clear and not without challenges. There will most assuredly be ruts in the road and periods where you can't see more than a few feet in front of you. There will be times when you will run out of gas.  Maybe you will need to map out a different course. No matter what happens, don't stop there and don't give up.  Tomorrow may be the day.        

Courage doesn't always roar.  Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, I'll try again tomorrow. 

 ~Mary Anne Radmacher

Here are some successful people who demonstrated fortitude:


Henry Ford - His early businesses failed and left him broke five times before he founded the Ford Motor Company.

RH Macy - He started seven failed businesses before finally hitting big with his store in New York City.

Thomas Edison - In his early years, his teachers told him that he was too stupid to learn anything.  He was fired from his first two jobs and made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb.  All of those attempts eventually led him to discover a design that worked.

Winston Churchill - He struggled in school and failed the sixth grade. He was defeated in every election for public office until he finally became Prime Minister at the age of 62.

Stephen King - He received 30 rejections for his first book Carrie, and threw the manuscript into the trash.  His wife retrieved it and encouraged him to try again.  He did and the rest is history.

Serendipity

The word for this week is Serendipity. [ser-uh n-dip-i-tee] 


Serendipity is defined as the phenomenon of making a discovery of something valuable or agreeable by accident. It is a word coined by Horace Walpole, who says (1754) that he had formed it upon the title of the fairy-tale 'The Three Princes of Serendip', the heroes of which "were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of". Serindip is also the former name for Sri Lanka (Ceylon).


Just saying the word makes me feel good. The anticipation of discovering something that hadn't been considered before with the potential to bring positive change or fortune is an exciting thought. How joyful it must be to live in the wonderment of promising discovery. I think this must be what scientist's, researchers and artists in all fields live for in their work. The ultimate discovery or inspiration that takes them to places they never thought possible.


I suspect, that at times, I am so narrowly focused on what I seek, on what I think I need or want, that I miss other opportunities.  What if, we approached each day with an open mind to things that are outside our search parameters? 


Have you ever been looking for one thing and then accidentally discover something else that turned out to be better than what you were searching for in the first place?   If so, please share. 


Serendipity. Look for something, find something else, and realize that what you’ve found is more suited to your needs than what you thought you were looking for.
- Lawrence Block


Serendipity is looking in a haystack for a needle and discovering a farmer’s daughter.
- Julius Comroe Jr.


Famous Examples of Serendipity:

1. Corn flakes and wheat flakes (Wheaties) were accidentally discovered by the Kellogs' brothers in 1898, when they left cooked wheat untended for a day and tried to roll the mass, obtaining a flaky material instead of a sheet. 
2. The microwave oven was invented by Percy Spencer while testing a magnetron for radar sets at Raytheon, he noticed that a peanut candy bar in his pocket had melted when exposed to radar waves.
3. A Swiss Engineer out walking was annoyed by the Burrs which attach to you when you are out walking. He examined one and found the burr had lots of little hooks. It took him then years to develop Velcro but it only became popular when Astronauts started using it.

January 13, 2012 - Last Word on Commitment

There are hundreds of books and tapes available from many experts who tell us how to be successful in achieving our goals.  It takes commitment, action and perseverance.  

At times, however it is easy to get so focused on the goal, that we forget about living in the beauty of the moment and taking care of ourselves.  We are so focused on arriving at the destination that we forget to enjoy the journey along the way. Personally, I think that the fun part about a goal is the initial idea, preparation and the baby steps that we take to move us little closer to achieving the goal.  It gives purpose to each day.  Granted, there is nothing more satisfying than the feeling of accomplishment once the goal is achieved,  but  the path to getting there is the real adventure.   

Of course, after the celebration, it will be time to set the next goal.  Such is life.  Enjoy the journey of each blessed day.

Tony Robbins: The Power of Commitment

By MindBodyGreen

"I believe life is constantly testing us for our level of commitment, and life's greatest rewards are reserved for those who demonstrate a never-ending commitment to act until they achieve. This level of resolve can move mountains, but it must be constant and consistent. As simplistic as this may sound, it is still the common denominator separating those who live their dreams from those who live in regret." -- Tony Robbins

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

January 11, 2012

Commitment

Making a commitment, and sticking to it, is the surest way to bring about positive change and results in  life.  It forces us to make choices and take action.  Every day we deal with commitments financially, at work, in our relationships and to our families.  We make commitments to personal goals, including exercise, weight loss, a new job, volunteer, spiritually, to learn a new skill or to write a blog.     

A few years ago, I made a commitment to walk in the Susan G. Komen, three-day, 60-mile walk for the cure of breast cancer.  My motivation to walk was based in the loss of friends and family members to this awful disease. 

The commitment to this walk was two-fold. The first was to raise a minimum of $2,200 in donations, which was the  most difficult for me personally. I was extremely apprehensive about asking people for donations, even though it was for a great cause.  I soon discovered that people were gracious with their gifts and support.  The second part of the commitment was to walk 60 miles in three days.  This seemed impossible to me at the time, yet I was committed and determined to do it.  It took nine months of preparation, through a regime of walking two to three times a week and regular exercise to build up my stamina. As I crossed the finish line, with one little blister on my toe, I was filled with a great sense of accomplishment.  The experience was incredibly inspirational and rewarding.

Commitments take work and discipline, but the end result is worth it! 

Commitments are not burdens; they are opportunities to learn and grow and give us a sense of purpose.  For me, the reward of commitment is accomplishment, contribution and making a difference.

I believe in setting realistic goals along with a few that seem impossible.  When we strive to achieve the seemingly impossible goals, it requires us to stretch and grow.    

Working toward a goal brings energy to the mind, body and spirit.  It is invigorating!

Make a commitment today and take just one step each day toward achieving a goal.  At the end of the year you will be amazed at how far you have traveled.   Don't give up!

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.
C. S. Lewis

Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality. It is the words that speak boldly of your intentions. And the actions which speak louder than the words. It is making the time when there is none. Coming through time after time after time, year after year after year. Commitment is the stuff character is made of; the power to change the face of things. It is the daily triumph of integrity over skepticism. 
this is commonly attributed to Abraham Lincoln or Shearson Lehman (American Express) or anon. 

|

-Anon.

January 8, 2012 - Commitment

Happy Monday!   Here is the word for the week!


Commitment  (Noun)

• the act of committing.
• the state of being committed.
• the act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself.
• a pledge or promise; obligation: We have made a commitment topay our bills on time.
• engagement; involvement: They have a sincere commitment to religion.

This is the first word that came to mind this morning after my alarm went off.  I wanted to pull the covers up over my head and stay in the warmth of my bed, but my mind had already started thinking about the commitments lined up for the day.  Meetings, work deadlines, lunch appointment, errands, feed the cat, do laundry, make dinner and write a blog.  Some commitments we make; some are imposed on us by others.  At times it can be overwhelming and life feels out of control.  At other times, it is satisfying, as we check things off the list with a sense of accomplishment. 

Sometimes we make commitments in haste or over-extend and we are not able to keep them.  For me that is the worst situation.  I don't like letting anyone or myself down by not meeting my commitments.  Conversely,  it frustrates me when other's don't keep their commitments to me.  All talk and no action.  When we don't do what we say we will do, it is the quickest way to lose credibility and trust. 


As we enter into the new year, what are some of the commitments that you have made to yourself?  To others?  Do you have any tips for how to balance commitments so that you don't become over-extended? 

The only limit to your impact is your imagination and commitment. 
- Anthony Robbins

Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Accordingly a genius is often merely a talented person who has done all of his or her homework. 
- Thomas Edison

January 7, 2012 - Simply Words

Dear Friends,

Thank you for following my first week of blogging!

I started out with a plan to post one simple word each week, with the intent of spending quality time learning and incorporating the word into my daily vocabulary.  The main desideratum for this blog is to share, learn and have fun.  I thought that one word a day would be more fun than one word each week.

A couple of my dear friends gently pointed out that I was being capricious and overly ambitious with this pursuit.  There is no doubt, at times I approach and engage in projects as if I am ubiquitous.  With that being said, I have decided to take the advice of my cherished friends and will take a slower, more ethereal approach to this blog.  As I said initially, this is my first attempt at blogging, so I hope you will extend grace and stick with me. I will continue to look to our Father in the empyrean for inspiration and guidance as I journey down this path.  I hope you will walk with me.

Hopefully, you have already noted that I have used all of the words posted last week in the preceding paragraph. Properly, I hope!  It might sound silly, but I had fun with it and of course this is all about me.

I will post the word for the week on Monday mornings and look forward to your thoughts and comments throughout the week.

"Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning."
Maya Angelou

January 6, 2011 - Empyrean

The word for today is Empyrean 

em-puh-ree-uhn  

It is a noun with Latin origin 1600-05

Christianity - Archaic the highest part of the heavens, thought in ancient times to contain the pure element of fire and by early Christians to be the abode of God and angels

• the highest heaven, supposed by the ancients to contain the pure element of fire.
• the visible heavens, the firmament.
• the abode of God and the angels, paradise

In the bible, it refers to heaven in many forms.  Heavenly Father, heavenly army, heavenly realms, heavenly places, heavenly prize, heavenly court, heavenly sanctuary and heavenly bodies.   It describes another world, where we will one day be welcome when our earthly bodies become worn out.  Our lives do not end when we leave this earth.  We just start a new adventure at a higher realm. 

2 Corinthians 5:2

New Living Translation (NLT)

We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing.

"I know that I shall meet my fate somewhere among the clouds above; those that I fight I do not hate, those that I guard I do not love." W.B. Yeats

January 5, 2010 - Ethereal

Today's word is Ethereal   (ih-theer-ee-uhl) 
Ethereal is an adjective of Latin origin. 

• light, airy, or tenuous: an ethereal world created through thepoetic imagination.
• extremely delicate or refined: ethereal beauty.
• heavenly or celestial: gone to his ethereal home.
• of or pertaining to the upper regions of space.
• Chemistry . pertaining to, containing, or resembling ethyl ether.

When I hear the word ethereal, it brings to mind poetry and the image of a white butterfly flitting about the early morning dew. One of God's delicate creations, illustrating the beauty of faith and freedom from stress and worry.  

I found this lovely poem by James Thomson extending an invitation to Spring.  

The Seasons: Spring,
"Come, gentle Spring, ethereal Mildness, come,
And from the bosom of yon dropping cloud,
While music wakes around, veil'd in a flower
Of shadowing roses, on our plains descend.
O Hartford, fitted or to shine in courts
With unaffected grace, or walk the plain
With innocence and meditation join'd
In soft assemblage, listen to my song,
Which thy own Season paints: when Nature all
Is blooming and benevolent, like thee..." * James Thomson (Scottish poet 1700-1748)

January 4, 2012 - Ubiquitous

Ubiquitous [u·biq·ui·tous] is an adjective.


Definition - Being or seeming to be everywhere, or in all places, at the same time; omnipresent.  Like air, the internet, the moon and of course God. What is ubiquitous in your life?

Joyce Sidman wrote a children's book called:
Ubiquitous - Celebrating Natures Survivors
Why is the beetle, born 265 million years ago, still with us today? (Because its wings mutated and hardened). How did the gecko survive 160 million years? (by becoming nocturnal and developing sticky toe pads.) How did the shark and the crow and the tiny ant survive millions and millions of years? When 99 percent of all life forms on earth have become extinct, why do some survive? And survive not just in one place, but in many places: in deserts, in ice, in lakes and puddles, inside houses and forest and farmland? Just how do they become ubiquitous?


http://www.joycesidman.com/ubiquitous.html


Technology has become as ubiquitous as the air we breathe, so we are no longer conscious of its presence.
Godfrey Reggi

January 3, 2012 - Capricious

Today's word is Capricious [ca·pri·cious] 


Capricious is an adjective. It describes someone who is subject to whim; impulsive and unpredictable. The word is French in origin.


I like the way that this word sounds when I say it, but I also love to be with people who fit this description.  Whats so bad about being arbitrary and capricious?


Are you a consistent soul, or a capricious one?  Maybe a little of each? 

A consistent soul believes in destiny, a capricious one in chance.
Benjamin Disraeli

January 2, 2012 - Desideratum

Today's word is Desideratum. 

Pronounced: di-sid-uh-RAY-tuhm

Desideratum is a noun meaning something desired as essential. Something that is wished for or considered desirable. It is latin in origin and is the past participle passive of desiderare (to desire).

 A vision of truth which does not call upon us to get out of our armchair - why, this is the desideratum of mankind.

John Jay Chapman 

Poem written by Max Ehrmann in 1927.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Ehrmann

Desideratum Poem (Desiderata)
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself to others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all it's sham drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.