A jumble of many themes or Blogger's Choice.

The last few weeks have been pretty hectic job hunting and hence my blog has been a little neglected.

There have been some great prompts at Blogging for Fun,  GBE2 and The Writers Post  - Gratitude, Solitude, Jane's tale, Interview and Blogger's choice.

So here is my post - a jumble of all these themes or Blogger's Choice.

I believe that Gratitude is a key ingredient in having a joyful, abundant and fulfilling life. So first and foremost I would like to thank this wonderful Universe for bringing an awesome job to me after so many months of searching for one.

I have enjoyed these months (most of the time), doing all the things I wanted to do and just enjoying time with my family, R&R, but there have been days when I've felt low, when the future seemed quite bleak. I was starting to feel quite worried about my finances so it's such a relief.

I am so grateful for the offer that came through last week. Thank You to the Universe and everyone involved in this process.

Isn't it weird, that when you are destined for something, things just flow and they arrive so easily in your life.

In the last 3 months I have been to several interviews.

One was just awful. The interviewers were so confrontational - no interviewing skills there. They tend to forget that the candidate is also assessing them and their organisation. They weren't very good ambassadors for their company.

One went really well but eventually went nowhere. The interviewer didn't even get back to me (*shakes head*). I got the feeling I was their back-up option in case their internal recruitment went awry. Would be nice to have some honesty there. I spent many sleepless nights over this one as I really wanted this role. The project was so interesting. But I guess there was something better lined up for me. (I am still waiting for an answer on this one - too late for them now).

Another interview was great - a nice easy flow but I lost out on a coin toss to someone else. Obviously I wasn't meant to be there.

And then finally, the interviews that were just perfect. I really enjoyed both (for the same job) and I knew as soon as I walked out of there that an offer would come. It's a great offer and I really liked the person I will be working with.

Does this line up with what I want to do (see my post on Work)?  I don't know, all I know is that I had this feeling I had to apply and then things moved so fast - within a week I had 2 interviews and a job offer.

So I will go with the flow and see where it takes me. For now I am so thankful and excited. This will be a fun job.

In the months of R&R I often spent time in solitude, reflecting on my past jobs and what I really wanted. And it's quite uncanny how many blog posts and emails I read regarding meditation for abundance, setting of clear intentions, being open to possibilities, clearing blocks to abundance and manifesting.

So I did them all and actually strangely enough about 10 days ago I got to a place of "okay I've done it all, I feel great and I'm ready for that abundance to start pouring in".

Wow - I am astounded but also very grateful and thankful to all these people. They were, I guess, messengers showing me the way to and preparing me for the next step in my journey. Thank You all.

And now onto Jane's story ... where does she come into this?

Some days ago, Jane got badly cut on her face and had stitches to close up the gash. So how did this happen? Here's the "Tale" ....

Jane has this unexplainable connection to me. Unfortunately every unpleasant emotion that I go through (like anger), Jane goes through as well. And I always forget that whenever I practise my karate and punch and kick those imaginary heads, it's poor Jane that feels the impact - quite significantly.

So in those interviews that upset and frustrated me, out came the imaginary punching bag that had "those" faces on them and when I started punching them in earnest, Jane in her faraway land put her hand to her face and felt the blood pour out of the big gash. Ouch, ouch, ouch. Lucky a nice friend rushed Jane to the ER to get it checked and attended to.

Sorry Jane. Next time I'll say a prayer that an invisible shield (used in the days of Star Trek and Star Wars) magically appears before your face. Take Care Jane. Get well soon. Love and hugs to you.


Warm Regards



Prompts from:

The Writers Post - Bloggers Choice, Interview

Blogging for Fun - Gratitude, Solitude

GBE2 - Jane's Tale 

    

Haiku - Illusion and Draft

Haiku Heights - ILLUSION

From mountains to seas
  Illusion of the Divine
    Living world for us












Sensational Haiku Wednesday - DRAFT

    Mortal existence
Creation of the Divine
   Perfection or draft?









Warm Regards

ABC Wednesday - Round 10 - F is for ...

Forever is such a comforting word especially in the context of love.

So here's what I found this week ....




Forever and Ever - Demis Roussos

Couldn't find much information on this song except that it topped the charts in several countries in 1973 and in the UK in 1976.
Anyway, I like this song as it has very nice lyrics.


Youtube - Forever and Ever



Diamonds are Forever - Shirley Bassey

Is the title song of the James Bond movie and the second theme song to be sung by Shirley Bassey.
The song was also recorded in Italian by Shirley Bassey as "Una Cascata di Diamanti (Vivo Di Diamanti)".
I chose this song as Shirley Bassey is one of my favourite singers.


Youtube - Diamonds are Forever


Check out some more "F" entries at ABC Wednesday

Warm Regards Forever

Love In Creativity Project

A Dream of Love

I see you in my dreams

In a cosmic dance that fuses my soul with yours eternally

In perfect symmetry and harmony

Spiralling through space and time

Sometimes apart, yet always together and never too far

There is no greater joy

For my dreams are truly my reality

And loving you is my only destiny.

(another one of my poems that came to me in a dream)

Warm Regards




Linking to
Bluebellbooks - short-story love in creativity project


If you write 55 word stories, wish to have one of your talents published via Bluebell Books, please feel free to submit to their collection (see the link above), along with your name, blog link, and content copy and pasted in the comment section.

Love and Desire

Haiku Heights - DESIRE

 The quest for knowledge
My soul's unending desire
     Enjoys the journey













Sensational Haiku Wednesday - LOVE

       A flowing river
Seeking its eternal love
    Travels to the sea

      My spirit soars high
My soul dances with deep joy
  Love gives me great wings














Blogging For Fun - I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU

   Young, shy and silent
Yet I will always love you
   Hold you in my heart


       Far apart we are
But I will always love you
     Entwined destinies


       Ever on my mind
And I will always love you
     Will we meet again?


 Think of me sometimes
As I will always love you
   Deep within my soul





Warm Regards

ABC Wednesday - Round 10 - E is for ...

I first chose Evergreen as I think it's one of the most beautiful and romantic songs ever written and sung.
And from that came the "Ever..." theme for the week.
So here they are, my choices for this week - all  #1 hits.



Evergreen  - Barbara Streisand

Is the love theme from the movie "A Star is Born". It was composed and performed by Barbara Streisand with lyrics by Paul Williams.
It stood at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Easy Listening Chart in 1977.
Evergreen has also been recorded by Barbara Streisand in Spanish, French and Italian.

I love this song.


Youtube - Evergreen



Everybody Loves Somebody - Dean Martin

Was written in 1947 by Sam Coslow, Irving Taylor and Ken Lane.
It was recorded by several artists but it was Dean Martin's recording that went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964 and toppled the Beatles A Hard Day's Night from the top spot.
It also stood at #1 on the Easy Listening Chart.


Youtube - Everybody loves somebody



Everybody's Somebody's Fool - Connie Francis

Written by Jack Keller and Howard Greenfield, was a hit song for Connie Francis.
It reached the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 on 27 June 1960.
It's a nice catchy tune. I recall my mother had a record - the old vinyl LPs - and we heard this song many times over the next few years.


Youtube - Everybody's Somebody's Fool


Check out some more E entries at ABC Wednesday


Here's hoping every day for you is exciting, entertaining, enthralling and easy.

Warm Regards

GBE2 - Do-Over

"Do-Over" is this week's prompt at GBE2.

"Do-Over"? Oh no another one of those brain-numbing topics. And then suddenly the thoughts started flowing. It's the most perfect prompt ... of course I use a lot of poetic license on the words "Do-Over" but as there are no rules I can pretty much interpret this anyway I want.

I had so wanted to do the prompts for "Accidents" and "Serendipity" - long gone topics at  The Writers Post and Blogging For Fun, but the "Do-Over" now gives me a chance to write my post on these topics. A kind of "Do-Over".

So onto Serendipity and Accident ....

Serendipity means a "Happy Accident" or "making a fortunate discovery by Accident" or "an Accident that leads to a fortunate event".

I love the word Serendipity - something very appealing about it. I also think Serendipity and Synchrodestiny (a term coined by Deepak Chopra meaning "coincidences that have a purpose") are related.

There are innumerable moments in our life that we disregard as coincidence, chance or accidents.  Yet, these may be the very moments that line up an amazing future or are messages for us to heed or just moments that lead to great joy.

One such moment occurred in late 1999 or early 2000 - I forget exactly when. I was surfing the Internet and searching for something (again I forget what) when I accidentally came across a website that registered educational institutions and ex-students.

Curiosity prevailed, so I registered and accessed my class page. And here I found a dear friend I had not met or even been in touch with since the school days - 25 years ago.

I finally emailed him after a few days of procrastinating and have never regretted that fateful email. We met at the class re-union a few months later - an event I never would've have known about had I not emailed him. Not only that, a great friendship was re-kindled not just with him but with so many other classmates. I am so glad I was surfing that day.

And that Serendipitous encounter led to another "Do-Over" ...

December of 2010, 2 lovely friends (including my friend I found accidentally while surfing) and I went off to visit our school again. What a thrill going back to school and especially to our Standard 9 (Grade 9) classroom - the last time the 3 of us were together. Std 9 also holds some amazing memories and I think was my best year in school. Here's a picture of our Std 9 classroom as it stands today - back to front and the blackboard replaced by a whiteboard were about the only changes we could see.

Some years ago the school had a "Do-Over" as well.  And while they were renovating the school, they found this little hidden Chapel.  Unfortunately the door was locked so couldn't go inside. But how awesome to find this in the "Do-Over".

Not all "Do-Overs" are successful or turn out the way you intend them to. Here's one - additions and changes to the newer wing of the school. I didn't like that - it closed up the quadrangle. It was so much brighter and airier in our days. And the classrooms as we knew them are all gone and replaced. The memories remain but the physical evidence of those days are now gone.

There are of course no accidents in life - we are all connected - and all events in our life are inter-linked though they may look separate and unrelated. The serendipitous moments in life are events that are part of our synchronised destiny (Synchrodestiny).

I love Serendipity and I loved the movie too. So enjoy a scene from it.


Serendipity - Youtube


Wishing you all many Serendipitous moments, "Accidents" that put a smile on your face.

Thanks GBE2 for the opportunity to "Do-Over" these topics.

Warm Regards

   

GBE2 - Upset

I am upset:

• I can't think of a single thing to write on this topic for GBE2

• I am way behind in my writing - I started a post on Serendipity and Accidents and they are now long gone so will have to abandon those

• I am totally disorganised - I thought I had a nice blogging pattern and now it's all topsy-turvy

So I will make this a nice short post as the Saturday deadline is fast approaching and if I don't get this post in I'll be even more upset.

Thought I'd end this post with a quote I think is very apt for me at this moment ...

I had my years of struggling. Some of my shows failed miserably, and I was upset by it and it dented my confidence. But I never stopped. I kept going for it ~ Regis Philbin

And so even when I am upset because I cannot think of a single thing to say, I will keep blogging until the thoughts start to flow again and I am upset no more.

Happy blogging.


Warm Regards

Love Letters

This song just popped into my head as I read this week's topic "Love Letters" at Blogging For Fun , so I had to share this with you.


Youtube - Engelbert Love Letters

Over the last 8-10 years I have penned down some poems / prose that just came to me usually in a dream or at the very moment I awoke in the morning.

So here is one of those that seems appropriate for this week's theme.

A love letter to my Soulmate

Oh my love, how do I love you?
I do not have the words to describe this
For my love transcends this physical world into karmic and spiritual realms
To dimensions in space and time that the mind cannot fathom nor indeed imagine
I loved you before, through the aeons of time
I love you now
And I will love you to eternity
For it is only your spirit that can make my soul dance.

With love

ABC Wednesday - Round 10 - D is for ...

I love to dance so "Dance" this week is just perfect for the ABC Wednesday post.

I think the 60s and 70s had the best dance music. So here are some of my favourite songs ....



Dancing Queen - ABBA

Commonly regarded as one of the most successful singles of the 1970s.
First released in 1976, it is considered to be ABBA's signature song.
It was ABBA's only no 1 hit in the US (April 1977). It also hit no 1 in at least 13 other countries including New Zealand.

I spent many hours dancing to "Dancing Queen" .


  Youtube - Dancing Queen



Save The Last Dance For Me - The Drifters

I love this song.
It was written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman and first recorded in 1960 by Ben E King with
The Drifters.
Their version spent three non-consecutive weeks at No 1 on the US pop chart and No 2 in the UK in December 1960.

I chose The Drifters version as this was the original and because D is for Drifters.


Youtube - Save the last dance for me

I love Michael Buble's version too so check that out here



You Make Me Feel Like Dancing - Leo Sayer

Is taken from Leo Sayer's 1976 album Endless Flight and again I danced many hours to this song.
In 2008 he recorded a version with The Wiggles (An Australian children's music group) for their DVD.


Youtube - You make me feel like dancing




Shall We Dance - from The King and I

And to wrap up this post. enjoy this scene from The King and I starring Yul Brynner and  Deborah Kerr -
Shall  We Dance.


 Youtube - Shall we dance


Have an awesome day and dance the night away.

Warm Regards


Check out other D entries at ABC Wednesday
and my D entry on my blog Photos are Fun - D is for David

Also linking to GBE2 - Dancing

Roses are Red

Flowers are pretty, but the rose is beautiful. I love roses.

Last year on Valentine's Day this beautiful red rose appeared (picture taken a few days later).

Red roses mean sincere love and respect, passion and courage.

Red roses say "I love you".

And one rose means "Love at first sight. You are the one".

I think this was a gift from the Universe - I like to think so anyway.

Unexpected gifts are so awesome and this one made me very happy.

           Solitary Rose
Exquisite gift warms my heart;
    Speaks of timeless love.
 









Wishing you all many unexpected and awesome gifts.


Warm Regards



Linking to  Blogging for Fun  - the topic this week is "Roses are Red"

Haiku - Music, Relief and Healing

Haiku Heights - Music

    
     Playing with passion
Music that enthrals my soul
    That's la vie en rose

(I had to weave la vie en rose into this haiku as I've been hearing the song on TV the last few days).












Sensational Haiku Wednesday - Relief

   Waiting anxiously
A sudden happy event
  Relief from anguish














Poetry Picnic  - Healing

           

            Forgive and let go

Healing for heart soul & mind

       Embrace peace and love

Warm Regards

ABC Wednesday - Round 10 - C is for ...

Can't is a strange word to pick for "C" but I think it picked itself.
I selected 3 "C" songs that I love and they all start with "Can't".
So Can't it is this week.




Can't Buy Me Love by The Beatles

Written by Paul McCartney became the Beatles fourth number one single on the UK music charts and their third to sell over a million copies in the UK. 

It was recorded on 29 January 1964 at EMI's Pathe Marcdoni Studios in Paris, France where The Beatles were performing 18 days of concerts at the Olympia Theatre.

 It became the first single that they released without their characteristic background harmonies.

Youtube - Can't buy me love


Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Andy Williams

I love this song and I love Andy Williams' version though it was originally sung by Frankie Valli in 1967.
It made it to no.2 on the US Charts.
The writer/composers of this song were Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio.


Youtube - Can't take my eyes off you


Can't Help Falling in Love (With You)  by Elvis Presley

Written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore and George David Weiss and originally recorded by Elvis Presley.
Several others have also sung/recorded this song including:
* Perry Como
* Corey Hart
* Clay Aiken
* CSJH The Grace
* Harry Connick Jr
* William Control
* Celine Dion

I'm not a great fan of Elvis, but I do love this song and I think he sang it really well.


Youtube - Can't help falling in love


Enjoy your day.

Warm Regards


Information taken from:   Can't Buy Me Love    Can't Take My Eyes Off You    Can't Help Falling in Love

Check out other "C" entries at ABC Wednesday here