Chemistry is Hard
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Passing chemistry is possible, but it is not easy!
You take notes in class.
You do the homework.
You ask questions.
You go to your professor’s office hours.
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Arsenic and Old Lace: A Creepy Old Comedy That Still is Hilarious
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Here is a good bet for spooky fun!
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944, not rated). Directed by Frank Capra (It’s a Wonderful Life), the entire movie takes place on Halloween night when reluctant groom Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant) stops by home to say goodby to his sweet old spinster aunts before going on his honeymoon with girl-next-door Elaine Harper (Priscilla Lane).
The sweet old aunts.
The problem is Mortimer’s black-sheep brother Jonathan (Raymond Massey) comes home the same evening to hide out from the police while he heals from plastic surgery. Boris Karloff, who played many monsters in 1930’s films, played the role on stage, and was wanted for the film version. As a tribute, every person who meets Jonathan comments that he looks like someone in the horror movies, which further enrages him towards his surgeon (Peter Lorre), who has been in his fair share of horror films himself.
The criminally insane brother and his sidekick.
There is also the crazy brother (John Alexander), who thinks he is Theodore Roosevelt and possibly has resorted to murder.
The crazy brother, who thinks he is Teddy Roosevelt.
This is a comedy, but spooky in the right ways. The use of shadows increases the feeling of impending dread without unnecessary gore.
Spooky, but not too scary.
Will Mortimer find a solution to Teddy’s insane behavior? Will he survive a night with Jonathon and his doctor? Will his aunts hold another funeral? Will he remember that Elaine is waiting for him?
She has the taxi waiting to take her new husband on their honeymoon…
Give this old movie a try, with it’s older style of acting and stylized lighting, and you will have a fun evening!
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Last Chance! ADHD Parent Master Course Sale Ends at Midnight!
/You can still get ADHD Parent Master Course: Knowledge is Power at the current sale price of $99 until 11:59pm Pacific Daylight Time tonight. Then the price jumps back to our regular price of $247.
Don’t wait. You child is not getting better on their own.
If this course is right for you, you know it. Watch and learn at your own pace. Look at these three ways Crystal and Cindi will help you!
You will save your sanity once you learn exactly how ADHD truly is a brain-based disorder.
You will save thousands of dollars on advocate and attorney fees. You will be able to navigate the school system like a pro!
You will save hours of your limited time because you will know where you can get the help you need for your child.
Click now to learn more about ADHD Parent Master Course: Knowledge is Power.
Hurry! The price goes up at midnight!
"Make Good Choices" - It's Not Just For Children
/Your child has ADHD. Or autism. The diagnosis isn’t a death sentence, but the circumstances of your family’s daily life can be difficult.
At family gatherings, you dread Aunt Margaret criticizing your child’s behavior.
You cringe when school projects are assigned, because your child never finishes school projects without last minute drama.
You wish the teacher would like your child.
You know bedtime will be a battle, especially on soccer night.
Do you feel stuck?
Do you avoid certain people because they make you feel like a bad parent?
Do you dread emails from your child’s teacher?
Do you feel you have done all you can, yet school is still awful?
Maybe you can just try harder.
Oh, please.
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.
STOP. JUST STOP.
Make a better choice.
We have created our ADHD Parent Master Course: Knowledge is Power to help you. To make a difference in your child’s life. To make a difference in your family.
Simply watch our 11 video lessons along with over 30 brief expert answers to questions parents are often unwilling to ask.
You are busy. Everyone is busy. This video course is like having access to experts whenever you want!
Binge watch the course. Or listen to it as you would an audiobook. Or watch a little at a time. Owning the course gives you unlimited access to Crystal and Cindi on your own schedule.
But the $99 back-to-school sale of our course ends after 11:59pm PDT Monday September 30. On October 1, the price jumps up 60% to our regular price of $247.
Don’t miss out on this amazing price. Take this seriously. This could change your life.
With this course, you will get answers you need.
What ADHD is,
How to navigate school for your child with ADHD,
Where you can get help.
Knowledge is power!
Instead of dismay over the circumstances of your child’s diagnosis, you are choosing to take action.
Instead of trying the same thing over and over, you will understand your child, and know what to do.
Imagine having these benefits:
You will save your sanity once you learn exactly how ADHD truly is a brain-based disorder.
You will save thousands of dollars on advocate and attorney fees. You will be able to navigate the school system like a pro!
You will save hours of your limited time because you will know where you can get the help you need for your child.
It’s time to choose to take action.
PS if you have questions, see the Frequently Asked Questions section on our product page.
Kids Do the Darndest Things
/We like laughing at the crazy things people do. Like jumping out of a tree, expecting leaves to break your fall.
That’s gotta hurt!
That’s why the ABC TV show America’s Funniest Home Videos has lasted since 1989. 30 years.
What were they thinking?
It’s all fine and good to laugh. America’s Funniest Home Videos doesn’t show videos where someone is seriously hurt or is doing something cruel or illegal. It’s fun to curl up on the couch together with your family to watch people do dumb things.
On a Sunday evenings at 7pm, not too early and not too late, parents still sit to watch with their little kids and teenagers. And laugh together at mischievous kids, wedding receptions gone awry, pet mishaps, and yes, people getting hit in the crotch.
But what if it’s your child doing dumb things. Acting without thinking.
What if it’s a constant battle to get your kid to make good choices?
Not so funny anymore.
Think of your child with ADHD or autism. How often do they see people laughing at them? How often do they see frowny faces or frustrated faces?
Our ADHD Parent Master Course: Knowledge is Power can help.
And it’s on sale a few more days, until the end of September.
You are busy. Do you really need to add watching an online video course to your to-do list?
Yes. Choose to take this seriously. Our ADHD Parent Master Course: Knowledge is Power is based on decades of experience helping people live in harmony with ADHD, not in conflict with ADHD.
You are busy.
Did you know you can listen to the videos while you go about your day? Think of them as a podcast or audio book.
And you can start and stop the program at any time, taking it up again when you have time.
If you are facing autism or other disabilities, we have resources for you, also, right here.
ADHD Expert Dr Cindi Britton
Autism Expert Crystal Sanford
If we sat down with you for an hour or two, we could help you understand that ADHD is a brain-based disorder, teach you how to navigate school for your child with ADHD, and guide you to accessible resources to help.
If circumstances allowed, we would sit down with each and every one of you.
If you are in San Diego California, please reach out for an appointment.
But since time and distance keep us from meeting individually with everyone we wish to help, we created this ADHD Master Course: Knowledge is Power. We recommend you join. Your peace of mind is worth the price!
The $99 back-to-sale price of our ADHD Master Course: Knowledge is Power ends soon, Monday September 30, at 11:59pm Pacific Time.
Learn more about ADHD Master Course: Knowledge is Power here.
PS. Get on the ball. Don’t let this offer roll by. Check out how this course will help you today!
Weird Advice From the Internet
/It used to be when you needed some advice, you called mom.
How do I know when chicken has gone bad?
Or you talked to a friend who had gone through a similar experience.
What should I wear to the job interview?
Now we simply ask Google.
(Here’s Google’s answers, in case you are wondering: it looks grey and smells sour; match the company dress code.)
Of course, Google won’t come over and help you pick out an outfit, or let you borrow something to wear like a friend would. Google may suggest chicken recipes, but doesn’t know how to make Grandma’s secret chicken casserole recipe like your mom does.
Google doesn’t wear pearls, like mom used to.
Some of Google’s advice is just plain bad.
You should remove moles with dental floss. (Sounds like infection waiting to happen.)
You can get flat abs in 5 minutes a day with this miracle exercise. (Yeah, right!)
You can make anti-acne face mask out of kitty litter. (Gross!)
Don’t do these things!
Do you remember when you first brought your baby home?
Maybe you read baby books.
Maybe you grew up the oldest in your family and had a lot of experience with little brothers and sisters.
There still was a learning curve getting used to your baby, and fitting in to your growing family.
Now now, don’t judge! You remember how it was when your baby didn’t sleep. A new dad’s got to eat! He said, “The only way my 3-day-old daughter would fall asleep. After two hours of carrying her around, I got hungry.”
You can find all sorts of child-rearing advice online.
Some of it is reputable, like Pampers’ YouTube video teaching how to diaper your baby.
Some of it is not.
Have you seen the movie Penny Serenade? This gentle comedy, from 1941, follows the lives of a couple who unexpectedly adopt a baby. The husband, played by Cary Grant, wasn’t sure he even wanted to be a father, until he saw his wife, played by Irene Dunne, holding a precious baby girl.
Watch as they nervously bathe and diaper their baby the very first time. Good advice comes from an unexpected source. (You can stop once the record starts spinning, at 1:18).
What a cutie! Do you remember those days?
Aren’t you grateful for disposable diapers? Or, if you were a cloth diaper family, for waterproof diaper covers?
How precious babies are! Think of how much you have learned as a parent over the years! How special our children are, no matter what age.
No matter how much they drive us crazy.
PS. We have expert guidance for you and your child with ADHD. We want to help! Our video course is like having access to your own expert any time you want! Please click today. Our ADHD Master Course: Knowledge is Power $99 back-to-school sale ends Monday September 30 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. After that, the price jumps 60% to our regular price of $247. All the details are here. If you are experiencing autism, we have help here, too.
Are Fall School Carnivals Worth It, or Just Too Much Work?
/It’s officially fall. Autumn.
Crisp days and cold nights.
Colorful leaves and corn mazes.
Pumpkin patches and apple picking.
Unless you don’t live in leaf-peeper territory.
Not a falling leaf in sight.
Most communities create annual fall-related events, even if they are in an area without typical fall weather.
Maybe your Harvest Carnival is like this.
Maybe you can wear shorts to your Fall Festival.
Or maybe your Fall Carnival takes place in a blizzard!
Brrr!
For some people, their fall to-do list is filled with enjoyable things, like take a bubble bath or drink pumpkin beverages.
Maybe YOU are an organizer of fall community activities. Or one of the many volunteers and donors who make these events fun for kids.
That’s a lot to do!
Take a deep breath!
Question: Are fall school carnivals worth it, or just too much work?
Answer: It depends. How far in advance do you start working? How many people are on your committee? How many people attend the event? What is the feedback after the event (both from volunteers and attenders)?
Does the carnival takes so much time and effort that people avoid you in the fall?
Maybe if she doesn’t see me, she won’t ask me to volunteer.
During all this fall fun, filled with apple cider and spiced pumpkin pie, regular life still goes on.
What if it’s your child’s teacher that is avoiding you?
What if your child tends to daydream or disrupt in class?
What if the teacher doesn’t seem to like your child?
Watch this 45 second video to see what our expert says.
Our children need our help. Even more so if they are affected by ADHD or autism or other disabilities.
We need to help our children work well with their teachers. Even when we are frustrated.
“Work to make contact, when you see her, have a smile on your face, and ask if she has a minute to talk.”
There is hope for your child with ADHD. Here are some teacher-talking strategies that parents find helpful:
ADHD can look different for every child, so let the teacher know what she’s most likely to see in your child. Perhaps your child has a hard time controlling emotions, like anger or anxiety. Or your child tends to talk out of turn.
Share school strategies that have worked in the past, and assure the teacher that you expect your child to do what he can to live up to school expectations, with teacher support.
Keep the list of behaviors short. Three is reasonable and actionable, and keeps you from sounding like a demanding parent. Be your teacher’s cheerleader! Teachers want the best for all their students.
You are a resourceful parent. What have you found works when talking to your child’s teacher? How will you be your teacher’s cheerleader today? Let us know so we can share with other parents just like you.
Treat yourself!
Freckles and Choices and School Success
/We’ve been sharing (and laughing a bit) about circumstances, and about choices.
The circumstances of a flu epidemic closing down the schools.
The choice to secretly get married while in high school.
The circumstances of busy school days.
The choice to have 13 children.
The circumstances of our surroundings affect ourselves, our families, and our children.
Circumstances are something we cannot do anything about.
The gifts and talents we have.
The families we are born into.
Our neighbors.
Yet our choices can make all the difference.
Our choices can make our circumstances horrible.
Our choices can make our circumstances comfortable.
Our choices can make our circumstances exciting.
Let’s run through an example of what we mean.
Isn’t he adorable?
His circumstances: Freckles and curly hair.
Your circumstance: Let’s pretend your child has a new best friend who has freckles and curly hair.
Your choices: You can comment about his freckles. You could make up a nickname for him, like Spot. You could ask how he keeps his curly hair from getting tangled. You could avoid saying anything about his appearance.
His circumstance: His entire life people will feel the need to comment on his freckles and curly hair. People will even laugh at him.
His choices: He can become ashamed of his freckles. He can be embarrassed about his curly hair. He can become a bully, making fun of other people before they can make fun of him. He could smile and change the subject.
We believe his parents have a huge part in how he chooses to handle people’s reaction to his freckles and curly hair. His parents can give him tools, things to say in response to compliments about his freckles, things to say in response to jokes about his freckles.
His parents can model that eye color and skin type do not matter, but that personal hygiene is important.
Use soap, please.
Some families are dealing with a diagnosis of ADHD or autism. That may be your particular circumstance.
We want to help make your family’s journey smoother.
You have choices in how you travel life with autism or ADHD.
You can give your child tools to succeed in school. You can model good behavior when interacting with teachers.
Today we’re excited to announce our ADHD Parent Master Course: Knowledge is Power!
We created this course because we see so many parents struggling.
What’s wrong with my son? Why can’t he act like other people’s kids?
How come the teacher is always sending my child to detention?
Where can I get answers? What is the solution to fix my child?
ADHD is real. ADHD is caused by differences in the brain. Not by differences in thoughts or dreams. By biological differences. Differences your child was born with.
Does that sound like your child is condemned to be an outcast? Someone who only can relate to others by fighting or through video games? Someone who will never hold down a job?
Will they ever be able to live on their own?
Will anyone love them?
We want the best circumstances for our children. We want them to learn and to grow into successful, happy adults. Adults who have their own families and careers. And who call home occasionally!
We can help you now, when your child is young. Now is the time to take the first step in the right direction.
Get ready to refocus your child’s bright, yet unfocused, mind!
If you are facing autism or another disability, you can simply click here to see our other resources.
Our ADHD Parent Master Course: Knowledge is Power online video course was created by us. If you join, by the end of this ADHD Parent Master Course, you will have the three pillars of knowledge. You will know
What ADHD is,
How to navigate school for your child with ADHD,
Where you can get help.
Knowledge is power!
Instead of being upset about the circumstances of your child’s diagnosis, you are choosing to take action.
Imagine having these benefits:
You will save your sanity once you learn exactly how ADHD truly is a brain-based disorder.
You will save thousands of dollars on advocate and attorney fees.
You will be able to navigate the school system like a pro!You will save hours of your limited time because you will know where you can get the help you need for your child.
You have good days. You have bad days.
Do your circumstances sometimes feel overwhelming? Does it sometimes feel that the bad days are beating you down, no matter what choices you make?
Are you doing well with your child at home and at school, just to have a set back?
A tantrum at the grocery store?
A stern email from the teacher?
Another tardy because your child couldn’t get dressed on time?
A lecture from your nosey neighbor on how they raised their children right?
What did he do this time?
Are you tired of the endless struggle?
Watching our 11 video lessons and over 30 short expert answer videos will give you the tools you need to guide your child to their best life.
If you are facing autism or another disability, you can simply click here to see our other resources.
Our ADHD Master Course: Knowledge is Power is on sale this September for $99. On Tuesday October 1st, the price returns to $247.
Learn more here.
PS. We want to show you what’s possible for you and your child. But you DO need to act today. ADHD Master Course: Knowledge is Power sale price of $99 ends Monday September 30 at 11:59pm Pacific Daylight Time. All the details are here. If you are experiencing autism or another disability, click here to see our other resources.
Does Having 12 Kids Make You a Better Parent?
/Lillian and Frank Gilbreth had a new baby every 15 months. And, yes, she did know how babies were made!
13 in all. One was stillborn, another died at age 6. But the rest, all eleven, survived to adulthood.
Not bad for the early years of the 20th century!
We are impressed ALL the children are looking at the camera!
Frank Gilbreth is known as the Father of Movement Engineering.
What?
He studied motion. How people did tasks. His goal was not to make people work faster, but to eliminate unnecessary movements to be more efficient.
He tried to find the One Best Way to perform tasks.
If you’ve ever had surgery, or performed surgery, you have Frank to thank. It was he who determined surgical nurses should be in the operating room to hand scalpels and other tools to the surgeon. Previously, surgeons searched for and fetched their own instruments while operating.
What do you think that bucket is for?
Lillian Gilbreth may not have gone to school for engineering, but she agreed with her husband. Her goal was to help mothers eliminate unnecessary movements to be more efficient and decrease fatigue, therefore finding more time for leisure and creativity. She called those moments “happiness minutes.”
She tried to find the One Best Way to perform tasks.
If you have a trash can with a foot pedal in your kitchen or bath, you have Lillian to thank.
But what about in their home?
Is it possible to eliminate unnecessary movements to be more efficient in a household with 11 children?
Is there One Best Way to raise children?
The Gilbreth home doubled as a real-world laboratory where Frank tested his ideas about efficiency.
Here are some of the things he tried:
Bath time was not for just getting clean, but for learning to speak French and German by listening to language records.
He filmed his children washing dishes, studied their movements, then showed them how to reduce their motions and get the dishes washed more efficiently.
The children were required to initial process charts showing they had bathed, brushed their teeth, made their beds, and combed their hair.
That doesn’t seem too far out! We think you have tried some of the very same techniques with your own children:
Listening to Rosetta Stone foreign language CD’s in the minivan.
Chore charts on the fridge.
Showing (over and over) the proper way to load the dishwasher.
Family fun at the shore. Morse code lessons are next!
But there’s more. Frank also did this:
Dinner time was not just for eating, but for running through multiplication tables.
Irregular jobs, such as painting the back porch or removing a stump from the front lawn, were awarded on a low-bid basis. Each child who wanted extra pocket money submitted a sealed bid saying what he would do the job for. The lowest bidder got the contract.
Vacation on the beach was for learning Morse code.
When a few of their children needed their tonsils out, Frank had the doctor take ALL the children’s tonsils out. In their own home. While he filmed the surgeries. To determine wasted movements, of course.
Ewwww!
Two of the grown up Gilbreth children wrote a book sharing their fond memories of home, called “Cheaper by the Dozen.”
You can find this book at the library
Does that sound familiar?
The 2003 Steve Martin movie is nothing like the true story; instead it plays on the wacky chaos of a big family.
Funny, but not at all about the gilbreth family
The 1950 movie is just like the book, a gentle comedy of the Gilbreth family led by loving, time-management-testing parents.
Funny, and all about the real gilbreth family
What do you think?
Is there One Best Way to raise children?
We’re certain you have at least one tip that has made life with your children more efficient, with less wasted movement. Please share with us!
Need help now with your children? We can help! No judgement. No obligation. Just guidance, from experts who have been there, too.
Sometimes, School is a Pain in the Backside
/We’re not talking about the old days, when teachers could hit students.
We’re talking about now.
We’re talking about school days that look like this:
Morning: Your child is late because he could only find one shoe.
Math: What homework? Now there’s extra homework tonight.
Recess: Your child’s best friend is mean to her.
Language Arts: Too much sitting still for your squirmy kid.
Lunch: All the food is yucky.
Art: Paint drips on your child’s good shoes.
After School Program: Kids sit in front of a video, no homework completed.
Evening: Running to ballet, soccer, youth group, scouts, robot club, etc.
Homework: Becomes a battle.
Baths, books, brush teeth, bed.
Isn’t it funny how soon we forget complaining about school being out for the summer!
Some days it seems summer lasts waaaaay too long!
The office supply store Staples even made a clever commercial about this several years ago. The song is meant for Christmas, but for parents in August, back-to-school may just be “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”
We have mixed emotions about school. Sending our kids off to school is both a relief and a struggle.
What do we do about it?
If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD or autism, or you are wondering about their hyperactivity or lack of attention, you may feel conflicted with back-to-school.
Hooray – My child is back in a routine
Boo – Other kids may not treat my excitable child nicely.
Hooray – I actually can get something done with the kids gone all day.
Boo – my child’s teacher may not understand
Take a look at what this 59 second video has to say.
“Teachers have a variety of teaching styles, and it can be hard for some teachers to manage the behavior of children with ADHD.”
Oooh! Who is he going to hit with that paper airplane?
Children with ADHD are challenging to live with, and challenging to teach. But ADHD is not our fault. It is not our child’s fault.
It’s our circumstances. That’s just how it is.
ADHD does not mean our children cannot succeed in school. We just have to work with them a little differently.
It’s our choice. There is much we can do.
There is hope for your child with ADHD. Here are some strategies that parents find helpful:
When doing homework, a short ‘movement break’ can help a child with ADHD refocus on completing the work.
A small fidget toy is not a distraction for a child with ADHD. It helps them relax and be alert. Try giving your child two quarters to rub together between their fingers.
Children with ADHD feel it when adults don’t seem to like them. Love them and be their cheerleader. Let them know you are on their side. At the end of the day, did your child receive more corrections, or more compliments?
You are a resourceful parent. What will you try for a ‘movement break’? What have you found works for a fidget toy? How will you be your child’s cheerleader today? Let us know so we can share with other parents just like you.
PS. What is the first thing you treated yourself to when your kids left for their first day back to school? Or maybe you have a special routine to celebrate back to school with your child? Please share with us!
At Age 111, You Can STILL Get a High School Diploma!
/Sometimes circumstances keep you from doing what you should.
Lela Burden was a 15-year-old school girl in Virginia, when the Spanish Flu struck her town.
Lela’s high school was closed, and students told to stay home.
Not Lela. She went to work. Two jobs, in fact.
It was 1918, and money in her pocket felt so good, that when the flu epidemic passed, Lela decided not to go back to high school.
Lela Burden’s graduation day!
In 2014, 96 years after dropping out of school, Lela got her diploma. She was 111-years-young.
Wow!
Question: Did she go back to the classroom and take geometry and history?
Answer: No, it is just an honorary diploma, but it recognizes a life well lived. It shows that circumstances can’t keep a good person down.
Lela is officially the oldest person to be given an honorary high school diploma.
“I’m not old yet. I’m still a young lady. ”
We hope we look this good at 111.
Way to go, Lela!
Sometimes, our choices keep us from doing what we should.
In 1942, Dorothy Liggett was just a few weeks from getting her high school diploma in Ohio.
She forgot her gym clothes, so the teacher told her to go to study hall.
Dorothy wasn’t having that! She blurted out,
“No. I’m married. I’m going home.”
Married? WHAT??
Yup. She and John Huston, who was a B24 pilot in the US Army Air Corps, had run off to Kentucky and secretly gotten married.
And married girls were not allowed in high school.
As Dorothy stormed home to her parent’s house, who didn’t know she was married, she thought to herself,
“Oh, my gosh. I shouldn’t have done this.”
Dorothy was expelled, and denied her high school diploma. And she called this the Stupidest Thing I Ever Did.
The Stupidest Thing I Ever Did: She didn't mean sneaking off to get married. That turned out pretty good for John and Dorothy Huston, who were married for 66 years before John’s death in 2007.
The Stupidest Thing I Ever Did was not graduating high school. Her five children heard it all the time, “You kids have to have your education.”
“You kids have to have your education.”
John and Dorothy Huston
Yes, it was Dorothy’s poor timing that kept her from graduating from high school.
But, as a surprise for her 93rd birthday, Dorothy’s five children arranged for her graduation to be recognized. She graduated officially from high school 75 years late!
Dorothy Huston’s graduation day, 2016
All of us have done something stupid.
Our kids do stupid things, too. But our children are amazing, also. Perhaps they drive us crazy at times; maybe their choices make life chaotic. But each child is special, and is your gift.
Even on the days you wish there was a return policy on children!
What did you take away from Lela or Dorothy's story? Are you amazed? Surprised? Do you know any inspiring graduation stories? Write us back and let us know.
PS. What do you want to finish? What do you want to begin?
Restaurant #6: Friends with Food Restrictions
/
If you want to cook and take care of your friends with food restrictions, there are many great blogs and recipe books out there.
If you are on a Cuisine Quest to visit every restaurant in your town, and you have a friend with you, how do you handle her food restrictions?
You let her pick the restaurant!
We have finished the restaurants on our first street, so I made my chart of the restaurants on the next street we will tackle. I gave our friend the list, and she chose the one that seemed to work best for her dietary needs.
Most of the places on our first street were casual restaurants, so it was nice to sit down to a Thai restaurant that has tablecloths and an attentive waitstaff. This small restaurant, even on a weeknight, was so busy that we had to squeeze into a table on the sidewalk outside. A busy restaurant is a good sign!
But will they take care of our friend with food restrictions?
Our friend ordered Thai Green Curry with beef, coconut milk, bamboo, peas, carrots, eggplant, and sweet basil.
Her Thai Green Curry is served with rice, and when she ordered and requested vegetables instead of rice, the server was very confused. It already comes with vegetables, so why would you want more? Our friend tried again. Perhaps some cabbage instead of rice? The server didn’t think the kitchen could do that.
But in the end, it didn’t matter, because her food was “lick-the-plate good!”
My Chicken Fried Rice had a tasty balance of meat and vegetables, and was enough for leftovers.
My husband’s dinner was similar to our friend’s, but with chicken and Thai soy sauce. He liked it!
Would we go back? Three forks up! Even without accommodations being made for our friend’s food restrictions, she still would eat there again.
A different person with food restrictions could have made the evening unpleasant. People who want to can complain about anything.
When at a restaurant, when do you complain?
When you do let things go?
If you liked our article, subscribe for more!
Three Reasons to Say YES More Often
/Recently, several best selling books have touted good reasons to say “yes”.
Shonda Rhimes, talented screenwriter of shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, is a busy introvert, who makes time for her three kids but not for much else socially or for publicity sake. At Thanksgiving, her sister mutters, “You never say yes to anything.” Shonda decides to give it a shot.
We say no out of fear.
We say no out of avoiding inconvenience.
If I don't poke my head out of my shell and show people who I am, all anyone will ever think I am is my shell. - Shonda Rhimes
Reading Shonda’s story can help us see more clearly why we say no. From that, we can decide if we should say yes.
Noelle Hancock uses the story of Eleanor Roosevelt’s life at the framework for her book. Eleanor was the wife of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, president of the United States during the Great Depression and World War II.
But the book is really about Noelle facing one fear a day for one whole year. That could be open mic at the comedy club, swimming with sharks, or climbing Mt Kilimanjaro.
If the day was ending, and she hadn’t yet done something that frightened her, Noelle would run down the hallway of her apartment building naked.
When I looked back, nothing was ever as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, it was usually better than I could have imagined. I learned that we should take each moment both more and less seriously because everything passes. The joyful moments are just as fleeting as the terrible ones. - Noelle Hancock
Noelle’s book feels like a gimmick, but it can be a wake-up call.
What really cool things are we avoiding just because they are a bit hard, or rather scary?
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Have More Happy
/Meltdowns are not something you just have to live with.
D-Day Remembered
/Seventy-five years ago American, British and Canadian forces landed on the beach at Normandy, France. They faced incredible obstacles in an attack against Nazi forces that could have been a disaster. Yet heroically the Allies ended up turning back Hitler’s army, leading to the eventual surrender of Germany and ending World War 2 in Europe.
Such intense action has been portrayed in many movies. This clip from Saving Private Ryan (1998) shows the soldiers just before landing.
Other favorite movies that portray D Day include The Longest Day (1962) and Band of Brothers (TV 2001). More are listed in this article, Pain and Patriotic Duty on D-Day Reflected in Flim and Books.
Thanks go to those amazing people who swallowed their fear to help end the war!
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Find Your Joy
/Everyone has something that brings them joy.
The smell of a freshly bathed baby.
A morning run.
A cup of gourmet coffee.
On days when everything seems to be going wrong, it’s good for our mental health to have ‘joy’ in our back pocket. Activities that we know will help us cheer up.
Two minutes in a yoga child’s pose.
Three minutes to clean out your bag.
Four minutes to chat with a good friend.
Or the time it takes to dance to a good song.
What song always gets your feet moving and fills you with joy?
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Restaurant #5: Second Chances
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When do you give a restaurant you didn’t like another chance?
Perhaps when there is a new owner.
Maybe if you see the restaurant being remodeled.
Or if you are on a Cuisine Quest of your own, and visiting every single restaurant in your town!
Restaurant #5 is another taco shop. You’ll remember from a previous post that there are so many taco shops in our town that I wondered how they each could compete and survive. I decided to be very picky to determine the best taco shop for us.
This taco shop has been around for the 20 years we’ve lived on our street. When we first moved in we were excited to have tacos we could walk to!
How great to be able to send my child to the taco shop to bring home dinner!
But, we didn’t like their beans. Or their guacamole. Or their carnitas. Or their rice.
Tonight, we gave this taco shop a second chance.
The tortillas are soft and warm and yummy! They gave us a huge portion of carnitas.
My husband ordered a adobada burrito, which is pork marinaded in red chili sauce with vegetables. It was good, and enough for leftovers!
All these years later, we still don’t like their beans or guacamole or carnitas or rice. Nice people, but the food just isn’t for us.
We give it two forks down. But that is just our opinion. While we were eating, a steady stream of customers came in the restaurant and through the drive through. And the customer service was friendly.
My friend Beverly says:
“This reminds me of what so many of us do with our faith. We walk away because we had a bad experience at a church. We didn’t like the music or the preaching or the greeters were particularly cold one day. Maybe they didn’t keep the building clean enough, code for ‘they let a lot of riff raff in’. Or, maybe they kept the building too clean, which means there were lots of rules and regulations.
If you’re one of those that tried church for awhile and didn’t like a few of the menu items, then give another one a chance. You won’t like every item on the menu, but you’ll find what your soul is craving. And, oh, the deep down belly satisfaction that awaits...it’s oh so good.”
Is there something in your life that could use a second chance?
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Jaw-Dropping Generosity
/What would you do if you had a net worth of $5 billion?
This past weekend, billionaire Robert F. Smith gave about $10 million of his money away. Just like that. No strings attached.
He surprised the graduating class of Morehouse College in Georgia by paying off all of their student loans.
Watch the faces of the faculty behind him, who had no idea of his plan…
“As hard as each of you has worked to achieve what you all have achieved today, you’ve had a lot of help along the way....pay this forward.”
He has given freedom to those young graduates, but more importantly, he spoke of living a life of giving.
We can handle this news two ways. The wrong way, and the right way.
Don’t go the wrong way:
Don’t let yourself feel jealous.
Don’t fall into a ‘poor me’ mindset.
Don’t complain that you never get any good breaks.
Don’t whine that if only you had $5 billion, you’d be generous, too.
All of us, every day, must live with generosity and compassion.
How?
Give away 10% of each paycheck. Yikes! Really??? Yes. Find your favorite charity or church and make this automatic. Or start at 5% or even 1%, getting in the habit of sharing your hard-earned cash.
Give your time. Read a storybook with a toddler. Call your mother. Volunteer at the little league snack bar. Mentor a new coworker.
Use your talents. Can you organize? Write? Cook? Counsel? Drive? Sing?
Smile and look around you. Open the door for someone with their arms full. Share a snack with a coworker who forgot their lunch. Chat with someone who seems lonely.
Your one act of generosity and compassion toward an individual could reach and touch others who you could never have imagined!
“No matter what happens in life. be good to people”
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Exploring Invisible Disabilities Video Course
/Your child has ADHD. Or autism. The diagnosis isn’t a death sentence, but you probably have some questions:
What is an invisible disability?
Who's fault is this?
What are the range of challenges facing my child?
Do you feel uncertain?
Do you avoid certain people because they make you feel like a bad parent?
Do you dread emails from you child's teacher because they say all sorts of things about your child that you don't understand?
Does your child's doctor toss around terms like ASD or hyperactivity without explaining what that means?
Maybe you can just try harder.
Oh, please.
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.
STOP. JUST STOP.
Make a better choice.
We have created our Exploring Invisible Disabilities: ADHD and Autism to help you. To give you an understanding of your child's diagnosis. To give you guidance for your next steps.
You are busy. Everyone is busy. This short video course is like having access to experts whenever you want!
Binge watch the course. Or listen to it as you would an audiobook. Or watch a little at a time. Owning the course gives you unlimited access to Crystal and Cindi on your own schedule.
This will not get better on it’s own. Early intervention is so important.
PS. If you have questions, see the Frequently Asked Questions section on our product page.
Family Secrets - Don't Tell!
/Don't you wish you knew the story behind this family photo? Or stories?
If you have had a relatively fun and relaxed childhood, all things considered, then you probably owe your mom a huge gift.
All families will have some traction, all kinds of small feuds and issues, and perhaps a few skeletons in the closet.
It’s up to moms to act as a buffer between their children and the turbulent relations within the family, always keeping their chin up and a smile on their face.
Especially on family vacations with teens!
Isn't it great how this mom shows love to her children in this family photo?
Some differences in our children can cause confusion or embarrassment. Especially at school.
Watch what our expert Cindi says about when you disagree with school officials.
“A parent has multiple jobs. Start by getting more information from the counselor.”
Another family secret: ADHD or autism wont get better on it's own. Early intervention is key.
For the price of a few cups of coffee, you can purchase our online video course Exploring Invisible Disabilities: ADHD and Autism.
You will have access to information that will explain autism and ADHD.
You will have knowledge and understanding when the doctor or school professionals talk to you about your child.
If you buy before 11:59pm Pacific time tomorrow Friday May 17, as a bonus, you will get a FREE 20 minute Phone Discovery Session with one of our experts!
You will be able to schedule your FREE 20 minute Phone Discovery Session at a future date of your choosing. You will get personalized feedback and guidance from Cindi or Crystal
