Well its 6 months into the year and I’ve changed directions yet again. (You’d think by my age I would have learned to focus a bit more.)  Not really changed directions so much as  compacting a bit.  While my ideas and plans for this website were noble I found myself not blogging on it all that much… as you’ve probably noticed since my last post was over 3 months ago. Or maybe you didn’t. Whatever. Anyway I’ve decided to retire this short-lived website and do all my main writing on my family site since many of the things I would post here would fit just fine there. I do lead a very interesting, albeit strange, life so it can make for some fun posts.  Those who followed my whole “arrest and felon” thing know I’m also pretty open about my life and its weirdness.

So anyone who has signed up here to receive updates, if your not totally put off by my all over the place mindset, you are more than welcome to sign up for my family site blog here: www.therectorfamily.com With a husband who’s an entertainer, kids who are all musicians and off the charts artistic and also have their own crazy life experiences,  and of course me, who among other things likes to run amok of the law, we live a rather “outside the box” kinda life.  And it definitely makes for some fascinating goings on at our place.

I also post quite regularly on my Facebook page with pics and funny stories. Your welcome to join me there too.

Below is a parting gift below:  an mp3 of my son Adam Rector’s song “Cloud Castles” from his CD  “The Story Tale Piano”. If you enjoy beautiful, instrumental piano pieces, you’ll love this. It’s one of my favs.  By the way he’s self-taught on piano and reads no music, playing and composing by ear.

Anyway, thanks to all who have followed this sparse blog. I wish you a most exciting and joyful life… (or as exciting as you want it to be anyway.)

~Nancy

 

Free MP3

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

DIRECT DOWNLOAD LINK
(For PC Right mouse click and choose “Save Target As” or similar choice)

 

 

I am doing Project 365 this year and taking a photo a day. However, I’ve decided to make it a bit unique by taking the photos only with my iPhone. I also am touching them up only with my iPhone and then uploading them to Flickr and various social networks with my iPhone. So to sum up… the entire project is done on my cell phone. Its been fun so far and helped me to learn to use my cell camera better. I use a variety of apps for touching up the photos and doing various things to them. There are quite a few great  photo apps out there. One of my favorites is WordFoto which lets you add text in various styles and colors embedded all over the photo. Below is a sample of the steps I used to create a recent picture for my project.

 

 

A few others I use and love are:

Perfect Photo (A general all purpose photo touch-up program with a variety of settings.)
Grid Lens (Camera that lets you take varies photos and insert them right into a grid framework of your choice.)
Photo Transfer App (a quick and easy way to transfer your photos and videos wireless less to you computer)
Color Splash Turn photos black and white and add back in color where you want.

 

I’m by no means a great photographer but these apps can make one look pretty decent.  So grab your cell and play around with some of them!

~Nancy

 

 

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My daughter’s newest line of t-shirts just for photographers.
Click to see all the fun choices!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I purchased several sets of curtains to go in my office which has 5 large windows. However they did not come with tiebacks. So I decided to make my own.

SUPPLIES:
Ribbon, whatever color and width desired. Enough to make as many as you need. I used 1.5 inch grosgrain.
7/8″ cup hooks
Grommet set.  I used this set from Amazon.  They come in different sizes however.

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Measure what size of ribbon you need to make each pullback, making sure to allow enough to turn over each end a bit for the grommet.

2. Iron the ends over, big enough to allow for the grommet to fit easily. If you wish to prevent raveling finsih the edges of the ribbon anyway you choose.

3. Insert grommets into each end. This can be tricky so do so carefully. I had to actually clip a small slit to put the grommets in as the punch was not working on my heavier grosgrain ribbon.

4. Attach cup hooks outside the widow frame measuring the distance on each one so they are uniform.

FINISHED TIEBACKS

Make a Portable Puzzle Mat

One of my many fun memories from my childhood was doing puzzles with my dad.  It seemed like there was always a 1000 piece puzzle set up on a card table that we would sit at daily and work on until completion. Most took weeks and weeks to finish. Its one of those activities that you can work on while talking with those you do it with. In a 21st century full of electronic and digital entertainment its a quite activity involving concentration yet allows you to visit with those who work with you. I’m trying to pass that concept onto my granddaughter 6 year old Alyssa. As it can be difficult to find a table that can stay up 24/7 I decided to make a puzzle mat for storing puzzle while we work on them. It’s fairly cheap and simple.

 

 

SUPPLIES
1 Yard Felt (Color of choice)
1 normal square of matching felt
2″ Velcro (match felt if desired)
1 Mailing tube: 36-37″ long. approx. 3″ across end.
Two 12″ pieces elastic (color can match felt. Ribbon an also be used)
Glue Gun
Sewing Machine (for sewing on elastic and Velcro)

Download PDF of tutorial

 

 

INSTRUCTIONS

Notes: The end of the tube can also be left uncovered in which case you can skip step 1 and 2.

1. From the small square of felt, cut 2 square big enough to be glued over each end of the tube.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Hot glue around the outer edge of the tube and press the square over it. Trim.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Lay the tube across  end of felt and glue the tube onto end of felt, wrapping it around until you see no tube showing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Double the elastic, or ribbon and sew onto each end of the felt.

5. Sew HOOK part of Velcro in middle on edge of felt. (There is no need to use the loop side as the Velcro will stick to the felt.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TO USE

Roll out and place puzzle on felt. When ready to store CAREFULLY roll up the felt with the puzzle on it, making sure pieces are not hanging close to the edge. Tie ribbon or pull elastic around each end. IMPORTANT: When rolling a puzzle that is partially completed some of the pieces will come apart… as long as you unroll is slowly and carefully they will be in the correct spots and just need some minor touch up to connect them again.

 

 

 

 My dad now works puzzles with his great-granddaughter. The tradition continues.

LYSSA MAE AND HER PAPO

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes I come across an “invention”, that though very simplistic in nature, is life altering. One of those such things are the disc shaped furniture sliders that allow one to move large, heavy, bulky  items easily. These things have been around forever… as in since I was a kid, though I’ve not had opportunity to use them until I was an adult. But I’m sure their slippity-slidey ability has been improved upon in all those years. In any case these things are AWESOME!

We just moved into a new home. Before we knew we were moving quite so fast Roy had made a previous commitment to stay at and watch a friends dome home while they were out of town, so his time for moving has been very limited. This has given me the opportunity to utilize my sliders once again and I’m always in awe and wonderment when I do.  Aside from the fact that I’m pretty easily amused in general, when I’m on the move with these things planted under a large piece of furniture I feel like superwoman, sans the cape.  I never fail to shout things like “Yeah!!!” and “Woo Hoo!!!” and “Go baby, Go!!!” as I’m sailing through rooms like an ice skater, while I carelessly push a bookshelf or huge wooden cupboard. I don’t see how anyone could NOT make these exclamations, but that’s just me.

There are a variety of brands of these things and I’m not sure if one is better than another. But I use Waxman Sliders which I purchase on Amazon. They come in all shapes and sizes but I purchase the 3.5 inch size discs which pretty much fit most needs. I get a pack of 16 for about $12 and they can be used an unlimited amount of times.  They work on carpet beautifully and also on hardwood floors and also serve to protect the wood.  I’ve used them with ease on our concrete garage floor, though they do get fairly scuffed and scratched when used on cement and most likely will get ruined if you do that much.

All you do is tip up the end of each piece of furniture just a smidgen and slide one disc under each corner. (Bear in mind some things might actually be too heavy for you to lift up without a little help.) I moved four wood bookshelves taller than I am, and a big heavy cupboard, all by my little ole’ self.  Just to add to my self-satisfaction I actually pushed one of them with just 2 fingers… you know.. to prove how cool I really am. Too bad there was no one here to see me. In any case, I’m feeling pretty invincible at the moment

 ~Nancy

 

STUFF I MOVED

 

 32 Second Video Showing Just How Easy These Are To Use

My last post, “Pick Your Own Brain… Literally“  was about the science behind the brain and how we change it  on a cellular level with our thoughts. This is why it is so important we have positive thoughts rather than negative ones. Our thoughts can literally make us sick… or well. Amazing stuff. As I’ve studied this issue and worked to rewired my own brain I’ve found it useful to keep positive things around me as reminders to keep my thoughts in a good place. I’m also a huge fan of quotations and have many throughout  my house. So in the spirit of that I’ve created a few you can print if desired and tape around your home where you and others can see them. Hopefully this will help in your quest to “think happy thoughts”. These are all black and white to save on ink. So download the pdf, print them out, grab some scissors and double sided tape and get busy!

CLICK HERE  TO DOWNLOAD THE QUOTES ( pdf format)

EXAMPLES OF THE QUOTES YOU GET

 

 

~Nancy

 

 

 

 

I’ve lived a fairly colorful life with my husband Roy and continue to do so. We’ve had lots of interesting, bizarre and unusual experiences. Many were fun some not so much. Needless to say I’ve had more than my fair share of stressful situations. I didn’t handle things all to well for many years. And then I learned what is possibly the most important thing I’ve learned in my life. That is the idea that what we think plays HUGE in how awesome or un-awesome life is for us. I learned this about a decade ago and have continued to study the concepts of how our brain pretty much controls our lives.

Now I’m not referring to some ambiguous, altruistic, meta-physical guru-istic feel good concepts.  I’m talking cold hard science. I need to know the “why’s” behind things so I study and read incessantly. And I’ve found the topic of how our brain governs most aspects of our lives to be beyond phenomenal. It puts complete and utter power and control smack in our laps. Which is where I like it. I’ve been reading even more lately on the actual science and physiology of our brains. I need this type of info dumbed down quite a bit so I find books that present i  in laypersons terms. I just finished reading “Rewire Your Brain” by Dr. John Arden which does a fairly decent job.

I want to share the gist of  this whole concept for those who might not be aware of it and find it as interesting as I do:

1. A Couple Examples of How Thoughts Affect Us Physically

A. Ulcers are created entirely by our thoughts.
B. Placebo Effect: These are used in drug studies and many times work as well or better than the actual drug only because people “think” they are getting a real drug.

2. The Brain changes chemically and biology depending on our experiences and thoughts.

Our experiences change the way our brain biologically functions known as neuroplasticity. When we experience, do and think things our brains cells will connect or disconnect using an electrical charge referred to as “firing”. We literally create new neural connections or pathways in our brain. The more we do a certain thing the stronger specific cells connections become. This is what makes things easier the longer we do them and also why changing habits can be so stinking difficult. It’s not that we are a bunch of weak sucks… it’s that we have rewired our brain to do something over a long period of time. This is why some people can meet trials and tribulations with calmness and others fall apart. The same event can cause widely different reactions in different people depending on how they have wired their brain.

This is why it is so important to live life in a way that is least stressful and where we meet problems as things to overcome and learn from not to overwhelm us. When we stress continually we build stronger connections between certain cells and it becomes easier for us to worry and harder for us to not worry. Luckily the opposite it also true.

The more frequently you induce a particular state, such as calmness or hope, the greater is the chance that that state will become a trait. The more often you activate the neurons that represent that state, the easier it will be to induce that state again, and the more likely it will be that the feeling of calmness or hope will become a stable trait of your affective-style set point. (Arden, John B. Rewire Your Brain p. 172)

2. Stress releases the steroid hormone cortisol.

Cortisol is a necessary hormone. However, when it is over-released, such as when we stress frequently, it causes all kinds of physical damage to the body in innumerable ways. Hence, too much stress makes us sick.

“… the release of cortisol damages many systems when an increased level is extreme and prolonged…. Stress is chronic, wear and tear on the body can add up to what has been called allostatic load. This results from chronic high levels of cortisol and norepinephrine. The health problems that can build up over a lifetime include high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis (blocked arteries), abdominal obesity, neural atrophy, cognitive deficits, anxiety, and depression. (Arden, John B. Rewire Your Brain p. 188, 181)

The reason this knowledge of how the brain works in regards to our thoughts is so important to know is it gives us complete control over our lives and how we view them and even our health to a great degree. We can change our brains by training ourselves to think differently. This takes constant diligence but, as we spoke of above, the more you do it the easier it gets.  I’ve done it myself, and continue to do so, and I can attest to the fact it is indeed life altering.

~Nancy

UPCOMING POST: Downloadable Signs to tape up to help you in your quest to think happy thoughts.

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MORE INFO AND RESOURCES

Great quote  by Dr. Joseph Dispenza that summarize these concepts. Its  from the award winning documentary “What the Bleep Do We Know!”

The brain is made up of tiny nerve cells called ‘neurons’. These neurons have tiny branches that reach out and connect to other neurons to form a neural net….. We know physiologically that nerve cells that fire together wire together. If you practice something over and over, those nerve cells have a long-term relationship. If you get angry on a daily basis, if you get frustrated on a daily basis, if you suffer on a daily basis, if you give reason for the victimization in your life–you’re rewiring and reintegrating that neural net on a daily basis. That neural net now has a long-term relationship with all those other nerve cells called an “identity.” We also know that nerve cells that don’t fire together no longer wire together. They lose their long-term relationship because every time we interrupt the thought process that produces a chemical response in the body–every time we interrupt it, those nerve cells that are connected to each other start breaking the long-term relationship.

Other Interesting Facts:

The brain does not know the difference between what is imagines and what you actually do.

Not only does behavior change the structure of the brain through neuroplasticity; just thinking about or imagining particular behaviors can change brain structure as well. For example, researchers shown that simply imagining a session of piano practice contributes to neuroplasticity in the area of the brain associated with the finger movements of playing the piano. Thus, mental practice alone contributes to the rewiring of the brain. (Arden, John B. Rewire Your Brain p. 10)

Research with EEGs has shown that the electrical activity produced by the brain is identical whether we are thinking about doing something or actually doing it.  (McTaggart, Lynne “The Intention Experiment”  p. 132.)

You can literally turn your genes off and on with your thoughts.

Genes lay out potential and vulnerabilities, but they do not dictate your thoughts, your feelings, or your behavior. … You can even turn genes on or off with your behavior. (Arden, John B. Rewire Your Brain: Think Your Way to a Better Life pp. 1-2.)

 

RESOURCES

Below are just  a few movies and books I’ve watched and read on the topic that helped me to rewire my own brain.

“Rewire Your Brain” Book
Explains exactly how our brain works.

“The Intention Experiment” Book
A book FULL of research and experiments that will blow you away.

“What the Bleep Do We Know” DVD
Unique documentary that illustrates in a fun way how the brain works.

“Loving What Is” Book
This book helps you view situations in your life in a way that allows you to remove all stress. The author actually offers the basics of what to do free on her site. The book just gives many examples. Her Free Resources

There are hundreds of books and resources on the topic of learning to master your thoughts. Most have the same underlying theme and any of them would be helpful.

 

 

A new year always bring with it incredible excitement and energy for me… I make fun plans (the non-conformist in my refuses to label them resolutions) and look forward to what crazy things my life will hold during the next 12 months.  Those who have known my  family for many years will attest to the crazy experiences we seem to draw to us on a regular basis. Not being one who enjoys normal all that much it works out well for me. One thing I’ve decided this year is to get a little more focused and succinct with my online life. I’m spread out hither and yon when it comes to the internet. Web sites, social networks (several each of some of them like twitter, youtube… ) and a plethora of other places I have accounts with.  Being OCD I need to feel like my stuff is organized which is tricky when I’m compelled to have so much stuff. (The word “feel” is the key word here.)

Anyway I have had this Treestone domain for many years. It sat with no web site all this time but I like the name… earthy, vague, with a little charm tossed in… so I’ve decide to claim it as  a launch pad for all my other online stuff. It will be a playground for my writing, which I love to do, and sharing of info, amusing things and even useful tidbits now and then.  I also write on my family blog regularly but I want to keep that just for family specific topics.

So here is wishing us all a wonderful joyful new year with as much excitement as you desire! Below is a free gift for you to start the year with.

~Nancy

 

FREE CALENDAR

CHOOSE CALENDAR & CLICK IMAGE OR RIGHT CLICK &  CHOOSE “SAVE TARGET AS”

Graphics from “My Secret Garden” By Creations by Rachel & “Burst Into Spring” By Julie Bullock