Take Nothing Personally…

Uncategorized
Posted on 14 Comments on Take Nothing Personally…

Okay, let’s try that.
So someone says to me, “Those pants look terrible on you.”
I will do my best to respond, not react. And think. Their remark has zero to do with me. It is about their opinion, likes, dislikes, courtesy (or not!), mood, day they’re having, etc., etc.

When I can take nothing anyone says or does personally, it is better for me. If I could learn from their input, I can figure that out.

The excellent book by Don Miguel Ruiz, “The Four Agreements,” has taught me so much over the years, and as I return to it.
– Be impeccable with your word.
– Don’t take anything personally.
– Don’t make assumptions.
– Always do your best.

Take nothing personally is often followed closely for me by not making an assumption about whoever said something off-the-mark to me. O la la.

.

.

Tenacity.
.

These foxgloves have it. The little one on the left has a curved stem as it has reached around the steps on my deck to get through and bloom. And bloom.

Tenacity: unrelenting determination , persistence and commitment to completing something.


Like publishing a novel.
.

(c)MDessein

Write it. Get it formatted to be acceptable to agents. Do the search for an agent process. Learn about contracts, perhaps contact your attorney.
O la la.
Yup, I am in the agent quest process. I have queried scads of literary agents, will now wait and see who and what turns up. I am excited, pleased, and relieved.

Oh yeah, tenacity! And I take nothing personally as the first few declines come in!

Thanks for reading.

Recognition, as in ….

Uncategorized
Posted on 7 Comments on Recognition, as in ….

Introducing ourselves in the locker room after each of us did our lap swim, my new acquaintance, Jan, and I chatted about the benefits of swimming, getting out to do exercise, interacting with others, and the sauna! As we finished dressing and got ready to leave, Jan chuckled as she said, “Nice to meet you. If we meet at the grocery store, I don’t know if I’ll recognize you with your clothes on.”

Driving home, I thought about that. A humorous line there in the locker room yet many times in my life I had not recognized what was actually in front of me. Often it was situations as well as with people I was interacting with: in relationships, on the job, or neighbors. Perhaps you can relate.

I didn’t recognize the small behaviors that indicated the person had anger management issues. Or the discounting behaviors of a boss when I achieved something they envied, that were their ego issues and had nothing to do with me. Or the omissions, half-truths, strident declarations to camouflage lies. Etc., etc.

Learning to set boundaries, and giving myself permission to do so, have been later in life lessons for me. I always wondered at people who said No to something right off the bat. Hhhmmm.

What have I learned? Gratitude. Always something to be learned, to do better or make more informed choices next time. That I have value and can say No when it is best for me. Or Yes enthusiastically, it is my decision.
Self-care is not the same as self-centeredness.
To pay attention to sometimes little ‘alerts’ from others’ behavior. Not justifying or minimizing them. Also learning not to judge others. Even if I think they’d do better to behave like me!

.

.

Also in choosing a path.
I now see that my life is following
the path of choices I have made.
Yes, things happen. I choose how to respond.
O la la! Respond instead of react!

.

.

.

.

A path at Fort Casey State Park (c)MDessein

O la la! Mais oui, my novel is done! I am now in the next step to then begin the search for the excellent, well-connected agent who values my book.
Thank you, merci beaucoup, grazie for reading~

Peace, Love & Light to …

Connection, France, Personal growth, Personal growth, Bracelets,
Posted on 5 Comments on Peace, Love & Light to …

“Peace, love and light to every being, everywhere.”

Every being, everywhere. Those seventy plus sparrows, wrens and swallows (yes, I counted them) out there on the power lines are beings. They think, make decisions, remain vigilant in protecting their safety, find food, and raise their young. They are beings. I am a being. My dog is a being. Wow, does he make decisions! And he is thinking when he tips his head sideways and looks at me with those big brown eyes.

Wayne Dyer, a teacher, author, motivational speaker, who I heard this statement from continues with: if you want to have peace, love and light for yourself and people you care about, you have to send it to every being, everywhere. Even people you can’t stand, disagree with, or have harmed you. He said even to Hitler. Every being, everywhere.

A composite of other tidbits from my scads of hours in personal growth classes that I work with a lot is: Don’t blame, don’t name-call, don’t judge. My, oh my, sometimes that keeps me pretty busy. In watching others and myself as I try to learn. Many people judge other people just because the other people are different than they are. Hhhmm, different does not mean wrong or less than. I could go on about calling others names and blaming them, which generally side-steps the real issue. I’ll spare you at the moment!

Now, are these bracelets too cool!

The top one is an original souvenir bracelet from the World Exposition of 1889 in Paris when the Eiffel Tower was built and so many other wonders. Yes, my great-grandmother, Adele, was there and this is her bracelet! The medallions are of the French Revolution, including pivotal men: Robespierre, Danton, Kleber, and Marat.

The trinket bracelet is an original from the Seattle World’s Fair in 1962!

Would these make a great book cover!

(c) MDessein

Thanks for reading! One more Chapter to go on the wondrous book~
Peace, love and light to you.

Metroid, Pikmin… and 7 Gallons

Community, Connection, Donations
Posted on 22 Comments on Metroid, Pikmin… and 7 Gallons

I got acquainted with video games via Tetris and Mario and Donkey Kong. And learned a bit about compulsion when one evening after my kiddoes were in bed, I started playing Tetris. Next time I looked at the clock it was 6 a.m., nearly time for me to get up and make breakfast!

My kids and grandkids play these video games that to me are so complicated. Yet my six-year-old grandson whistles, jumps and zooms through them easily. He understands and learns so quickly the complexities. I am pleased when I can figure out new apps on my phone!

I am also pleased when I swim a mile twice a week, which I have recently returned to doing after two and a half years of no swimming. Life. Decisions. Motivation. Self-care. Recognizing and owning consequences. O la la.

And as some of my friends and I have realized more deeply with time passing, connection with other people and with friends is of primary importance. I have gone to a couple community luncheons and meetings recently in order to meet and engage with people. I am truly enjoying the open mic near here twice a month – being present there, meeting people, as well as performing.

.

Oh yeah, the 7 gallons. I recently completed donating my 56th pint of blood for a total of 7 gallons. Yes, it was over about forty years all told, yet I did it. Not that I had a number of donations as a goal, sometimes I went years without donating, such as when I was doing a good bit of international travel and was ineligible to donate for periods of time. Woo hoo, the world is a better place.

.

Yup, I’ve got deer poop in my driveway. I smile and step around it. My kids are speaking to me, my grandkids hug me and want me to chase them when I visit them, I am connected to friends and making new ones, my dog loves me, my property taxes only went up a few dollars, I can count laps when I swim, and my novel is nearing completion.

.

Double yee-haw on the novel. More about that soon~
Thank you for reading~~

Time, Time, Time

Connection, Life, Light, Living fully
Posted on 5 Comments on Time, Time, Time

Look what’s become of me! Can you believe it is the 30th of November?

And you know next year is the year of the Horse, the Fire Horse to be exact, in the Lunar Calendar. The Lunar New Year is February 17, 2026. Those of us born in the year of the Horse are energetic, animated, and optimistic. Okay, I’ll go along with that.

I get to look out and listen to the birds squealing and chirping, watching them drift and swoop, seeming to enjoy that and being alive. Indeed, being alive.

Ah, a sunset view of Admirals Cove in October.
So many things about our world are uncertain, changing while others remain the same. A friend and I were talking about how important connection to others is now, as I have mentioned here before. Do you find that to be true?

Changes. Last night I got some great bargains at the local hardware store annual sale. I was so pleased it took me over an hour to calm down when I got home. Ten years ago, I doubt I would have noticed the sale, much less gone out of my way to get to it!

By the way, our next year in the western Gregorian calendar is 2026. It is year 4724 in the Chinese calendar. We have a ways to go~

Yes, the novel is coming along! And my book, When I Was a Rock Star, is now out in an audiobook. Available at Barnes & Noble, The Audio Book Store, and Amazon.

Thank you, merci beaucoup, for reading my rambles. Feel free to let me know what you think~

Copyright © 2026 Your Name. All rights reserved.