Don't be afraid to FAIL

Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because "he lacked imagination and had no good ideas."  Disney went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland.  In fact, the proposed park was rejected by the city of Anaheim, CA on the grounds that it would only attract "riffraff."

Thomas Edison's teacher said he was "too stupid to learn anything."  He was fired from his first 2 jobs for being "nonproductive."  As an inventor, Edison made more than 1,000 unsuccessful attempts to invent the light bulb  When a reporter asked him how it felt to fail 1,000 times, Edison said that he didn't fail all those times, but that the light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.

Albert Einstein did not speak until he was 4 years old and did not read until he was 7.  His parents thought he was "subnormal," and one of his teachers described him as "mentally slow, unsociable and adrift forever in foolish dreams."  He was expelled from school.

Every cartoon Charles Schultz, creator of the comic strip Peanuts, submitted to the yearbook staff at his high school was rejected.

After Fred Astaire's first screen test, the memo from the testing director of MGM, dated 1933, read, "Can't act.  Can't sing.  Slightly bald.  Can dance a little."  Astaire kept that memo over the fireplace in his Beverly Hills home.

Decca Records turned down a recording contract with The Beatles with this fascinating evaluation: "We don't like their sound.  Guitar groups are on their way out."

Auditioning a singer named Reg Dwight in the 1960's, shoved him out of the office saying "you're wasting my time!"  That singer is now better known as Elton John.

What if none of these people failed?  What then?

$1 store

I have a new love for the $1 store.  When I was in Hawaii last year, there were no $1 stores!!  what is a cheap frugal mom to do?!

The one in my neighborhood is a bigger one.  love that.

here are my usuals - 

1 gal of Crystal Geyser water ... now I have seen this for .88 @ SaveMart BUT its very rare.

SUN powder detergent ... I have seriously gotten 10 loads from 1 box.

Soft Soap ... the individuals, not the refill bottles.  I normally buy this soap at whatever store I'm shopping at; it works the best for my drying hands.

Suave kids shampoo/body wash 2 in 1

raspberry popsicles ... 8 in a box.  yum.

sweet potatoes fries ... I have attempted to make these from scratch and they NEVER turn out right, so I have decided just to buy them from now on!

individual raisins boxes ... perfect for school lunches.

they had great school supplies there too ... notebooks, rulers, pencils, erasers, folders, pens, and lots more. 

a broom!  ... only bought one so far

did you know the $1 store has a CLEARANCE section?!

most of it is returned merchandise without the original packaging.  everything is .25 - .75 in there!!

what do you buy from the $1 store?

doggie sweetness

an email forwarded from my mom, the dog lover ...

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a 10 yr old Irish Wolfhound named Belker.

The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure in their home for the old dog.

As we made arrangements, Ron & Lisa told me they thought it would be good for their 4 yr old son Shane to observe the procedure. They felt Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. Shane seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion.

We sat together for awhile after Belker’s death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.

Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, “I know why.”

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, “People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life --- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?” He continued, “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.”

That’s truly amazing, and from the perspective of a 4 yr old!

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn stuff like:

When a loved one comes home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the joy of a long walk.

Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.

Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you’re not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.