LAFOLOT

Teaser: ‘…and as I was exiting the grocery store, a tall, model-like woman was browsing the flowers and balloons display in her 4 1/2 heels! WHAT A WORKOUT!’

I used to really dislike grocery shopping. Now, I PURPOSELY do ‘frequent’, ‘inefficient’ shopping so I HAVE to go back more frequently! Nuts? Oh, no! There’s a ‘madness to my method!’ HA HA!

Being a newly independent business owner, it give me more visibility! Since I work from home, it gets me out of the house for FUN socialization! Why? because I talk to people at the grocery store, joke and spread compliments and smiles!

Today, I was nearing the end of an aisle when a young woman stops her cart – OBLIVIOUS – blocking my exit. She didn’t notice me and proceeded to slowly walk around her mini-cart and reach on the bottom shelf for the plastic iced tea container. FUNNY PART WAS – the mini-cart was loaded with 6-packs of soda all around the top and bottom edges of the cart.

I ‘just stood there’ watching. I found it funny. She was moving in slow motion, oblivious. She finally noticed me, and apologized. I laughed, smiled and said “Oh! don’t worry – I do laughter wellness for a living and I was getting a kick out of watching the whole thing!” The HILARIOUS part was, she was double-checking that the iced-tea was INDEED sugar free! HAHAHAHA – she had tons of sugary soda in the cart! (I know – it could have been for several different people, it was just funny.) We talked about food carton labeling a few seconds and went on our merry way.

When I got over to the dairy aisle, I noticed a woman with beautiful, long, healthy, black, shiny hair! I have a cosmetology license, so I KNOW healthy hair when I see it! I said: ‘Excuse me, I don’t normally do this, but I have to tell you you have the most beautiful, shiny, black hair I’ve ever seen! What do you do to it?’ She was an woman possibly in her lat 30s or 40s. She said: ‘Oh! I’m getting it ALL CUT OFF for LOCKS OF LOVE!’ [I was impressed!] She said: ‘I never use hot blow dryers on it.’ It was amazing!

Besides making ‘frequent’ trips to the grocery store (on a daily basis), I also walk from one end of the store to the other – not in a down and up the aisle pattern. Why? It GETS ME MORE EXERCISE and I feel SILLY doing it! It’s fun! I make my Grocery List in my head by getting the first letter of each item needed and making a word out of it! For example, yesterday it was WAT or TWA (Trans World Airlines!) HA HA Water, Apples, Tea bags! I just remember the word or phrase and off to shop I go!

IT’S FUN, SILLY and puts a smile on my face as I remember my items without writing them down! It’s a GREAT EXERCISE for THE BRAIN, too!

As I checked out, I wished the Indian/American cashier attendant Hello! in HINDI (I know a couple Phillipine/American women there, also – so I get to with them Hello, Goodbye, Thank you in their languages, too!)

As I walked towards the exit, I see a TALL, Model-like young woman in Shoe Heels that were almost as tall as me! They must have been 4 1/2″ heels! Talk about A HEALTHY WORKOUT while BALANCING on those things! I left the store in my SENSIBLE SNEAKERS with a SMILE on my face!

Here’s to healthy, happy, inefficient, social grocery store shopping! HA HA HELEN of LAFOLOT style!

Spread those SMILES by the MILES!

and DRIVE YOURSELF HAPPY! to the grocery store!
www.lafolot.com
Live Life! Laugh Often!
Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT

It’s a Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT

‘DRIVE YOURSELF HAPPY!’ moment! HA HA!

I was heading out of my Mobile Park to turn onto the main road -
I looked at the first three letters of the license plate
in front of me.

GBL – Ha Ha Ha! That’s GOBBLE! for Thanksgiving! How appropriate!

I went to record my FIRST RADIO AD for a small local radio station- WOO HOO! It went well! I used my THEATRE VOICE! Ha Ha! [ fyi - it will air Monday Nov 29 7:41 AM each weekday before the Comedy minute through December 25, 2010 - 1230 AM Fortress - a local - southcentral PA radio station]

Afterwards, I headed out into Holiday shopping traffic to do some food shopping and head over to my favorite office supply store for my 2011 business wall calendar.

When leaving the parking lot to drive home – I looked at the car in front of me. The first 3 letters on the license plate were:

ELV

HA HA! ELVES! How appropriate for the Holiday Season!

Guess I’m ‘DRIVING MYSELF HAPPY!’

Have a Ha Ha Happy THANKSGIVING and Holiday Season! No matter your belief system or options for celebrating or not – just BE!
*Weeeeeee! *tee hee!

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT.COM
Live Life! Laugh Often! and DRIVE YOURSELF HAPPY!

I heard from the table back and to the left of me, ‘Why don’t you just say MAN HOT? ha ha He got his GIRLY HOT’.

‘OK!’ I said – from my booth; ‘Wait a minute. I’m going to have to chime in here.’ *smiling

I bet none of you can eat your Thai Food as HOT as I can! I get mine: ‘THAI HOT! HOT! HOT!’ …and I’m a WOMAN!

When the server came over to take my order, I let her know I had been messing with the 3 guys and I said: ‘I’ll have mine THAI HOT! HOT! HOT! (a bit louder than I ‘needed’ to say it). She laughed.

I know the owners of this particular Thai restaurant; I’ve known them for over 12 years! I’m practically an adopted member of the family – even being of Hungarian background. The previous owner, son-n-law who managed and cooked there, told me he had to wash his hands after cooking my food!

When I went to one of the family picnic/celebrations – for the birth of a new grandchild, one of the relatives recognized me. She had been an part-time server years back and remembered me. ‘CHICKEN W/ RED CURRY, THAI HOT!’ isn’t it? I laughed. She remembered my standard order. She said to her American husband ‘YOU COULDN’ TAKE HOW HOT HELEN GETS HER FOOD!’ AHAHAHAHa It was a bit embarrassing! I spoke up: It’s not sign of manhood or greatness to get Thai food super hot. I just happen to like it that way! It brings out the flavor and cleares my sinuses!

When I went to pay my bill, the 3 guys were leaving. The one put a smile on his face as he waved to me, exiting the door, saying: “SEE YA, HOT! HOT! HOT!” I laughed.

So, today, once again – I had to stand up for EQUALITY in regards to ‘being able to handle’ THAI HOT food -

it’s not GENDER-SPECIFIC! HA HA! It’s a matter of TASTE, not of muscle!

Only MEN should be able to eat THAI HOT food? SAYS WHO?

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT

Live Life! Laugh Often! and this WOMAN likes it HOT!

IT’S HA HA Helen of LAFOLOT’s TIME 2 LAUGH system!
… COMBINED with a Motivational-Inspiration Moment!

[ I like noticing the numbers on digital clock or calculator displays as numbers - especially upside-down and backwards or right-side up. They can spell words and give you a healthy break during your day - as healthy 'Triggers' or 'Purposeful Pause Moments' as I like to call them!]

This morning, I noticed it was: 7:27 AM ….hmmm L2L = Laugh 2 Laugh! I LAUGH for the sake of LAUGHING for HEALTH – in my profession!

Then I saw it was: 7:34 = hel – ut oh! I don’t like when I’m feeling like LIFE is Giving me a Hard Time!

So, what do I do?

Next it was: 7:35 = SEL [Sell THAT perception of how LIFE is going 'Buy-in' to a NEW way to look at it!]

7:36 - GEL – Now you can ‘LET IT GO’ and move on with a NEW OUTLOOK, just GELL and RELAX!

This has been a Highlighted Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT – mini motivational moment!

Have a Great Day! Live Life in A-MAZE-ment and Take Time 2 Laugh!
www.lafolot.com

I have a DRIVE YOURSELF HAPPY campaign on my website, dealing with:

Staying present/focused on the road
Spreading Smiles by the Miles, and
Using my TIME 2 LAUGH system of healthy mood shift triggers!

Having a rough prior evening, but sorting it all out this morning – I headed out to lunch at my favorite Thai Restaurant [ Thai Palace]. I sat in their MIDDLE room because it’s warmer, and the 2 outer rooms have seats along the windows. It’s a cold, rainy, gray weather day.

Being the only one sitting in the middle dining room – I have fun ‘messing’ with the other customers that walk through to go to the restroom or to take a shortcut to the buffet.

When one woman from an outer table got up to walk through, I announced: ‘I’LL ONLY CHARGE ‘YA $5.00 TO GO THROUGH!’

She laughed and said: ‘WOW! WHAT A GREAT RATE! DO YOU WORK FOR THE TURNPIKE COMMISSION? CAN I PURCHASE AN ‘EASY PASS’?

About 10 minutes later, she had to come through again, she made a motion into the air as if she was SWIPING HER EASY PASS CARD! Ha Ha Ha!

I smiled and laughed! She said: ‘I’m using my EASY PASS!’

I was just about done eating, so when she got back to her table with her 3 other friends; I stopped by – put 3 Yellow, Smiley Face LAFOLOT Positive Statement bookmarks in front of her and said:

‘I’M GONNA HAVE TO GIVE YOU SOME TICKETS FOR AN ILLEGAL WALK-THRU!’

She Laughed Out Loud and her one friend said – ‘What?!’
I heard her explaining as I walked out to pay for my meal.

On the way home, I got behind a car that had the license plate: P-OUI

DRIVING MYSELF HAPPY! It translates to: Pee Wee (for anyone that doesn’t know that OUI is YES in French).

It made me laugh so I had a chance to WEE WEE WEE *tee hee hee ALL THE WAY HOME!

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Living in the moment!
Living Life! and Laughing Often!
TURN THE BEAT AROUND!
www.lafolot.com

Teaser: ‘Speaking up for my rights – I feel empowered! Resolving the issue with kindness, gratitude & forgiveness – Priceless!’ a.k.a. ‘Good Hearted Living’ [Steve Wilson] … in motion

While making use of a Gift Card to dine at my local Applebees, I ended up with twenty-one cents remaining on the card. I said to the ‘highly efficient’ server: Now the problem is, I want to give you a tip, I don’t have cash, so I’d have to use my VISA Check Card. The card was in my right hand near my purse, on the table. The server was off to my left at the end of the booth. WITHIN A SPLIT SECOND – She had TAKEN the card OUT of MY HAND and walked away with it!

I’m shocked, wondering WHAT she is going to do with my card!? I calm down, thinking she was just absentminded and was going to ask the manager for help on how to do it. BUT NO! I look back and she is SWIPING the CARD in their check processing device! I’m wondering WHAT AMOUNT is she entering on my card? I hadn’t even filled out the slip for the tip?!

She comes back with my card and I say strongly: WHAT! DID YOU JUST DO WITH MY CARD?

She responds: ‘I was trying to see if it would take an amount like a penny or …’

I said: ‘Don’t you realize it’s a federal offense to take a person’s card without permission and enter dollar amounts from their account?!’ I continued – ‘I REALIZE you didn’t do this on purpose, and that it is a TRAINING issue.’ I said: “We need to get the manager over here and EXPLAIN that THIS ISN’T PROPER.

Long story short – the manager didn’t seem to get it. I asked the manager for the corporate office address and phone number. Ten minutes later I STILL don’t have the information requested. She has now brought out the Assistant Manager who ALSO won’t give me the information. I tell them I could easily call the police since they don’t seem to get this wasn’t proper procedure with a customer’s card. I finally get the address and phone number and leave.

This morning, I called the number and talked to the local President of Davenports/Applebees, etc. SMART MAN – he admitted immediately that their actions were totally inappropriate. He didn’t understand why the server took the card and ran it through for unapproved amounts and why the management didn’t want to give me the corporate address and phone number.

I told him I wanted NOTHING other than to know that STAFF WOULD BE TRAINED, MANAGEMENT WOULD BE TRAINED and they would realize NOT to TAKE a credit/debit card OUT of a CUSTOMER’S HAND and run it through a system to withdraw funds. I explained I was a business woman myself, I didn’t believe in verbally harming a place but to SEE THE SITUATION from a healthy perspective and suggest training would help.

He offered a gift card. I told him I honestly did not want one, since I was not out any money, having used my gift cards. He thanked me and I just got off the phone with their Area Manager – to whom I told the same thing – I’d just like the staff there to be trained and aware. I told them both, my server was HIGHLY EFFICIENT, and she provided excellent service up until she ran off with my card. I said: “I do not want to see any job loss when it’s just a Training Issue.”

They both thanked me. I had felt VERY FRUSTRATED with myself for having to get verbally strong, threatening with the place. I didn’t like ‘having to go there’ so to speak. It’s an uncomfortable thing for me to do, as well as awkward. While I knew I had the right, I didn’t like it.

‘Speaking up for my rights – I feel empowered! Resolving the issue with kindness, gratitude & forgiveness – Priceless!’

Highlighted Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Living, Learning, Loving with kindness and Gratitude, and learning Forgiveness of myself and others.
www.lafolot.com

“…as I past the hostesses, leaving the restaurant, I spoke into my wrist saying: ‘Ha Ha Helen has left the building!”

I work from home and have advertising on the side of my car, so part of my networking/socialization is to go out to lunch to mix and mingle, and allow drivers to see my advertising – as well as my HA-HAHA license plate! One of my favorite spots is Olive Garden restaurant for the soup/salad deal.

They recently upgraded to a ‘headset-wearing/computerized’ seating system. I’m told they had to work out some kinks when they discovered they were ‘on the same channel’ as the Red Robin restaurant across the road. ‘TABLE 61 IS CLEARED AND READY!’ …’NO! IT ISN’T, I JUST SAT A PARTY THERE!’ This was one of the typical mishaps they had to deal with. LOL!

Having a theatre performance, singing performer, public speaker nature – I have NO problem being sat OUT IN THE MIDDLE of the MAIN Dining Room on my own. I LOVE to make eye contact and exchange occasional silly quips with the other guests, servers and managers.

At one point, I had to Laugh Out Loud! – watching one host walk by – TALKING LOW into his WALKIE-TALKIE ear/necklace type device. I couldn’t help myself! It was like being surrounded by a bunch of CIA or FBI agents! I felt as famous and protected as THE PRESIDENT!

At one point, two older couples were sat at a round table across from me. The one husband put his eyeglasses at his FOREHEAD level, in order to read the menu. They must have been far-sighted lenses only. I couldn’t resist. When I was done eating, I excused myself, let them know I was a ‘trained/certified laughter therapist’ and said: “I just have to share this. When you put your eyeglasses on your forehead, were you going for INNER-VISION WITH YOUR THIRD EYE?’ They laughed. (thank goodness!)

Another time, when I was sitting at the bar area and laughing out loud and joking with folks, the one manager walked behind me and spoke into his wrist like a Security person: ‘SHE’S AT THE BAR – SECOND BARSTOOL IN…’ I laughed out loud.

So, after getting to be the CENTER OF ATTENTION and having a few good laughs and a healthy meal – as I was exiting the restaurant – passing the hostesses at the HOSTESS-CONTROL-COMMAND CENTER –

I spoke into my wrist, saying in low-talk: ‘HA HA HELEN HAS LEFT THE BUILDING’. They laughed.

Nothing like having a good laugh with lunch! It’s calorie free, helps with digestion and is the SWEETEST dessert!

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Living in the moment …
Live Life! Laugh Often!

http://www.lafolot.com

As an ENTERPRISING business woman, motivational speaker and certified laughter wellness facilitator, I couldn’t have asked for a nicer day to set up my RUSH HOUR – MOBILE – LAFOLOT – Healthy Happy Hour event, today!

I set my MOTOR-VATION and *Smile! YOU’RE GREAT! signs out -

tinsel deely bobbers on, clown nose in hand, and Smile Spatula!

Where else can a 51 yr old, overweight, menopausal woman get:

BEEPS, WAVES, and Hand/arm cranks and peace signs from some REAL STUDS driving by! ahahahahahaa How ‘em I doin’? ;o)

Feeling the Freedom and Fun of Being Over 50! ha ha

…afterwards, I met my younger sister for dinner, then stopped over to a GIANT’s Grocery Store on my way home. I was JOKING with the ‘bored’ male cashier clerk and older woman ‘bagger’.

I brought my ‘very light’ one item – up to the conveyor belt and said: Oh Oh !!! Could someone help me with this please …. the guy did a quick turnaround – ready to help! – and the woman laughed saying: ‘Would you like help out to your car with that?’ ;o)

in continuing to joke with them and giving them each a yellow, smiley LAFOLOT bookmark – one of the CART Rounder Uppers (who is my buddy ’cause he took a pair of my tinsel deely bobber headbands from me last Christmas and now calls me HONEY!) – came over – smiling – saying: HEY! HONEY! ahahhaaa

the Woman Grocery Bagger shouts out: ARE YOU THE WOMAN THAT STANDS DOWN BY THAI PALACE ALONG THE ROAD?

LOL! I’M OFFICIALLY FAMOUS! YAHOOOOO! Yipppeee! Hooray!

I ‘flashed’ my t-shirt emblem from out of my sweater that reads: FLASH Someone! …a Smile!

It’s ME, I said! Check out my website! and, no – I’m not crazy and I’m not homeless – just an enterprising business woman!

Once again, AMAZING! Beeps, waves, smiles, peace signs, hand-cranks from HUNKS and Smiles and HEY! HONEY!s ;o)

I’M HOT! (oh wait … must be a heat flash!)
LOL!

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
WOW! WHAT A RIDE!
LIFE, THAT IS!Live Life! Laugh Often!

I had a big AH! HA! ha ha moment at age 49. At that point, I stopped EXISTING and HIDING and chose Life! I chose to start Living! Hence, my motto: Live Life! Laugh Often! [there's a lot more meat to my motto than meets the eye!]

I wrote a book called: ‘Life is a Song in the Key of Love!‘ It’s about appreciating life in ALL its forms of expression. I no longer have a fear of insects; where once I would have screamed and hit the person nearest me just to get away from a bee or spider – I can now allow a Bee to buzz near my ear, as I smile – and I can allow it to walk on me freely – to allow it to BE. I can rescue a spider or thank it and appreciate the work it is doing to remove other bugs from my home. I am in AWE of all Life! [keep in mind, I'm still human and still make a fool of myself on occassion!]

I awoke this morning and was inspired to write these words. May you be blessed this day and always with a life filled with Peace. Be Aware of the PRESENT, it’s a GIFT!

LIFE!

I am in AWE! RESPECT!

by: Helen Marie Szollosy 11/9/2010
Living Life in a-MAZE-ment!
Living BOLD and in Italics!
Live Life! Laugh Often!
www.lafolot.com

I go by the name HA HA HELEN – a persona I created for myself and now emulate on a daily basis in my role as a Speaker and Certified Laughter Therapist (Program Facilitator).

I AM – The Ha Ha Helen ;o) LOL! … what can I say? wherever I go, all I hear now is: It’s HA HA Helen!

Well, do you ever wonder if you are following the right path?
Making the right move?
Making the right choices? Wondering if I was right or wrong in giving up a 28 1/2 year State Government job – 5 years early – to take an early retirement and start a business?

hmm? LOL! I’m hearing a bunch of heads bobbing up and down to a laughter beat, on THOSE questions!

Well! This evening, when I parked and headed towards the door of my favorite THAI restaurant – Thai Palace –

I notice the first 3 letters of the license plate on the car to the RIGHT of the door are: HLN

I look at the car next to it – to the LEFT of the door; the license starts with: HHA
HaHA HeLeN !!!!! IT’S A SIGN! IT’S A SIGN!

A million WOWs! on the synchronicity!

I wasn’t even going to go out for dinner!
My computer was hanging up with it’s anti-virus and security software and I was getting sick of dealing with it –
so I hopped in my car and headed out – TO SEE THE SIGN!

STAY WITH THE ‘HA HA’ SPIRIT HELEN!

*big GRIN *big SMILE

DRIVING MYSELF HAPPY! and feeling MOTOR-VATED to ‘keep on keepin’ on!’

In the HA HA Spirit of things …. I AM …. HA HA HELEN

Live Life! Laugh Often
Living Life in A-MAZE-MENT!
Living BOLD and in Italics!
www.lafolot.com