Living To Do

Have you ever wanted to master the art of the yo-yo? How about cup in a ball? March 1 through 7 is “Yo-Yo and Skilled Toys Week,” a perfect time to do just these things!

Check to see which toys are on your list (or add some that you’d like to master) and then research ways to really become a pro at your toy of choice. Here are some resources that might help.

Yo-Yo

Use this video and tutorial to learn how to do the basics.

Try this tutorial for some easy tricks, such as The Sleeper, Walk the Dog, Gravity Pull, and more.

Hula Hoop Read more

If you buy one book this year—one book, that is, to make you laugh every day, add some absurdity to your life, and generally have a good time—Benrik’s This Book Will Change Your Life is it.

I bought this book years ago before I had my daughter and forgot all about it. Recently, while rescuing a few book tubs from my parents’ basement and bringing them to our house, I stumbled upon it and immediately started cracking up. If you can’t find at least a dozen things in this book to add to your Living To Do List, it’s a sad day, indeed.

You know your life isn’t complete until you eat nothing but asparagus for an entire day just to see how rancid your pee will get. Surreptitiously giving people the finger all day in lots of weird ways is sure to complete your life. And you know you’ve always wanted to make a 2-D voodoo doll! Read more

As humans, we complain a lot. It’s not enough that we have food, shelter, cover, clothing, and lives to begin with—we always want more, more, more! And when we don’t get what we want, we complain. I’m guilty of sending a handful of product complaint letters myself. But when do we really give thanks for what we appreciate?

Do you have any of these on your Living To Do List? Read more

Deepak Chopra

February is Spiritual Teachers Month, a time to honor the spiritual teachers in our lives, find one if we are in need, or perhaps even become one.

Spiritual teachers can be found in many forms. A live, breathing guide is a wonderful person to have—you may find one of these at school, at church, or even within your own home. But spiritual teachers needn’t only be living, breathing people. Here are a few ways to learn more about spiritual teachers, find one for yourself, or even begin to become one. Read more

First of all—what a fun book! This has to be the best Living To Do book (and I’ve bought or read quite a few) I’ve ever come across. Written by three sisters, You Can Do It! The Merit Badge Handbook for Grown-Up Girls is a jumbo book filled with things to do—the cover page declares, “Dare to Dream, Learn Something New, Do Something Just for You!” And it’s not like any other Bucket List book you’ve ever read.

For one thing, it’s written by a woman who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The book was Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas’ dream, a dream her sisters—Vaughn Catuzzi Lohec and Dara Catuzzi Near—shared and supported. With its heartfelt introduction and explanation about Lauren’s wish, the nonprofits that were set up in her honor, and simply getting the most out of life, it would be hard not to jump right into the book with both feet—talk about inspiring. Read more

January is almost over, but that doesn’t mean you have to scrap any resolutions you haven’t yet kept, feel like a failure, and grab a pint of Rocky Road. In face, many self-help coaches recommend using the month for planning the rest of the year, starting resolutions themselves in February. So really, you still have a weekend of planning left!

January is Self-Help Awareness Month, a month where we can recognize those groups and volunteers at AA meetings, coping circles, and other groups who help us be the best people we can possibly be. Though often anonymous, many people think of these groups as their extended friends and family. One of the things you might want to do this year is start a self-help group. Read more

Dark Days.....I went for a walk today when the weather was a bit better, but it didn’t help my mood later on. At the moment, I am feeling frustrated, angry inside, and like I am feeling the effects of SAD, which, trust me, is not altogether uncommon in the Pacific Northwest.
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With the kiddos at home today, you might be wondering what to do with them so soon after holiday break. Sure, you could let them sit in their PJs and watch cartoons or play video games, but what’s the fun in that? Instead of another boring day off school, why not make it a fun day by celebrating the reason they’re off—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sometimes it’s hard to celebrate people—it’s not exactly the same as celebrating a cartoon character or commercial holiday where plenty of activities and decorations are readily available. How can you make Dr. King and his message accessible to your kids? Here are a few ideas to get you started. Read more

Remember that lovely Dave Matthews video where the frumpy hero seeks out a hug from all of the people in the street? Wouldn’t it be amazing if we all were like that—just happy to be, to just go around getting and giving random hugs to one and all? Ok, with the current mentality we have it would also be a little crazy, for sure—but all of that aside, like Matthews sings, all you need is love, every day. With that in mind, on this National Hugging Day, you might want to give out a few of your own—or maybe add a similar item to your Living To Do List, such as… Read more

It’s a hefty order to fill—a year without regrets? Many people claim that they have no regrets to begin with, but you have to wonder… if he or she didn’t regret dancing on the table and falling, crushing his or her hip and puking all over the bouncer at once, there’s probably something wrong. “Oh, it was a learning experience,” people will say—but can you honestly say you wouldn’t go back an change something in your life if you could?

Still, “No regrets” is a pretty positive mentality—even if some people might use it as an excuse to back out of personal responsibility. Why not try to live a year on that kind of mentality, while still keeping your conscience in the picture?

The thing is, I have so many regrets in my life that I don’t know how to even begin this way of living. Here are a few things I have in mind, but I’d love more input from those who say that they live without regrets. Read more