… you might need to hear today.
Bad days don’t last forever.
You deserve to be happy.
It’s OK to be both, a masterpiece & a work in progress.
Don’t let anyone dim your light … let it shine.
It’s OK to ask for help.
You’re doing your best, and that’s enough.
Resting is not quitting. Self-care is power.
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
Whether the decision is big or small you can’t know the outcome. Your decision is based on a prediction, real or imagined. Regret is so mindless, because (if you don’t like the outcome of your decision) you’re presuming the choice you didn’t take would have been better. There’s no way to know that.
(paraphrased thoughts of Dr. Ellen Langer PHD)
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
…or save it and read it on Wednesday, when you’re wandering!
I did a “literary” wandering Wednesday post awhile back that mentioned The Morgan Library, but I went back on this past trip because they had a very interesting exhibit that I wanted to see. My book club read The Personal Librarian a couple of years ago (highly recommend) about Belle da Costa Greene, the curator of J.P. Morgan’s personal library. and this year, as a celebration of the centennial of its being opened as a public institution, there is an entire exhibit dedicated to her. It’s such an interesting story in so many ways, that I won’t give away, but she was a force to be reckoned with when women were not in many positions of power.
But first, on the way there, I had to take a look at the stunning, perplexing, public art, Bruno Catalano’s The Travelers, on display along Park Avenue btwn 34th & 38th streets.
… and that’s not all of them! Now on to a sneak peek at The Morgan Library exhibit.
Read, or listen to, the book, take a stroll along Park Avenue and check out this exhibit before they both close in early May.
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
It’s not about perfect.
It’s about effort.
And when you bring that effort every single day,
that’s where transformation happens.
That’s how change occurs.
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
I’ve been lucky enough to travel quite a bit the past few years and it’s been so much fun to chronicle and share my adventures on this silly little blog. As I was sitting down to write a post, or two, about my recent trip I didn’t want to duplicate past recommendations (I tend to go back to Ireland and Paris quite a bit). While I was perusing my past blog library I serendipitously realized that yesterday (11/12) marked a decade since my very first blog post!
Of course I went down quite the rabbit hole reminiscing about all that has happened in the past 10 years, to all of us, and that some of my past commentaries might be helpful or worth re-reading for a few of you. Soooo, although I’ll get back to travel eventually, here are a few links to previous posts and some thoughts as I re-read them …
Divorce, Choices and Daily Affirmations … thoughts: I still live by this ethos, but really need to get more consistent again at journaling.
Impracticality and Life Experiences … thoughts: My spontaneity & impracticality can get me into trouble at times, but I still like my impulsive spirit.
A Year of Discovery … thoughts: I continue to do this every year on January 1st. Try it!
A Thank You Note to NEW YORK CITY … thoughts: Okay, maybe this was just fun for me to revisit, knowing that the ‘fiancés’ are now family members and have added five grandkids to the mix.
Sundays, Menopause, & Forgetfulness … I really need to write daily lists again!
Those are just a handful of the 733 posts I’ve done and I’m thinking I’ll do a few more “revisits” in the coming months.
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
With our hearts filled with gratitude and eyes filled with tears, let us thank all the brave men & women who have sacrificed so much, so that we could have a better life and a country to call home. In a time of division, we can all agree that our military have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
I’m looking forward to watching this movie about an extraordinary group of military women.
The Six Triple Eight on Netflix Dec. 20th
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
“If you’re tired,
learn to rest,
not quit.” … Banksy
(quote in my sister’s home)
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
“Don’t be afraid to expand yourself, to step out of your comfort zone. That’s where the joy and the adventure lie.” … Herbie Hancock
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
Happy wandering Wednesday, where I’m going to share some new places I visited in Paris that I think were great. I’ve been to Paris many times and have a few favorites I always return to … Le Saint-Regis Cafe, the Tuileries and of course The Eiffel Tower to name a few … but I always try a new restaurant and/or attraction I’ve come across, and pinned to my google map. This year I had a few fun firsts.
I would say the most whimsical, fun experience I had this time was visiting a museum known as Les Pavillons de Berry – Musee des Arts Forains. I want you to go and experience it for yourself, so not too much info, but here are a couple of highlight pics …
You have the opportunity to ride some carousels, dance and play a game or two while your touring. AND … you can even rent out the different spaces or the whole venue for a birthday, wedding, corporate event, whatever! Such a fun idea for a party! (If you do I’d love to get an invitation!)
I always read in the Tuileries and/or the Luxembourg gardens, especially because the weather was so gorgeous while I was there, but I thought I’d find a few more unique places to rest my weary feet and enjoy our new book club book. First up Salle Oval at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France – Richelieu, which is spectacular. The oval room was completed in 1932, closed in 2016 for renovation and reopened in 2022. There’s also a museum, exhibits and other stunning features in the library that I didn’t get to. The pics of The Labrouste Room looks very impressive, but sadly it’s not open to the public ((but can be arranged if you happen to be associated with a university (Jo?), library or museum. I’ll finagle that at some point …wink/wink!))
I take my kindle with me every day while I’m walking around so I can slip in to a cute place for a snack or meal and find a cozy corner table to curl up in. I saw this place somewhere online and it looked like it fit the bill perfectly. It happened to be down the street from another cute place I had dinner reservations, so I stopped by for a glass of wine and a bit of reading. If I’m having a drink before dinner I’ll usually sit at the bar because it’s fun to talk to the bartender, or whomever happens to be sitting on a barstool close by, but this place screamed “sit in the cozy corner and read!” It is called La Belle Hortense and it’s a quiet respite in the very busy Marais neighborhood, specifically on the Rue Vieille-du-Temple. (Side note: there’s another cute restaurant across the street, Au Petit Fer à Cheval, owned by the same people, very popular, doesn’t take reservations) It is a lovely mix of book store, wine bar and restaurant. Lucky for me they happened to be having an amazing exhibit of Peter Turnley’s black and white photography. I LOVE black and white photography. It is said that “When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in Black and white, you photograph their souls!” Remember that next time you look at a black and white photograph …I completely agree. It’s so enchanting … and the exhibit was titled “A Love Letter to Paris.” (sadly it closed yesterday) I love when I serendipitously fall into something amazing like this. These pics say it all …
My view from this cute corner …
How cute is this floor … yes I did hopscotch to my little corner (nobody was there yet.)
After reading for about an hour I made my way down to dinner at Robert et Louise, another charming place in the Marais, with an open oven/bbq and the greatest ambiance. Make reservations!
10 minutes after I took this pic every table was filled. I try to make reservations for around 7-7:30 in Paris as I have a better chance of getting a seat, even if it’s at the bar. Parisians eat later than Americans.
Even the bathroom is charming. Yeah, I know it’s weird that I took a pic in the bathroom!
As I’ve said before, the best advice I would give anyone going to Paris is this, JUST WANDER! Sure, have a few dinner reservations, but then just wander the streets of this magical city. You might just stumble into a great black and white photography exhibit, or a random pipe organ concert at a tiny church on a side street …
My favorite areas to wander are the Marais (4th arrondissement) and the Latin Quarter (5th arrondissement/across the river) … and my favorite places to read are The Tuileries or the Luxembourg gardens.
… and no Paris post would be complete without the pièce de résistance …
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!