LAFOLOT

SUNSET & EVENING Star – I was showing my mom the beautiful sunset outside her Rehab/Hospice room window last evening. She said: ‘Sunset and Morning Star … a good time to die’ … I searched the words on the net and found this Alfred, Lord Tennyson poem. I think this is what she was referencing.

Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.

MEMORIZED Childhood memories carry with us into our twilight years. I’ve found this when doing laughter wellness programs for dimentia units. I just focus on their MEMORIZED Childhood rhymes and they ‘flow and glow’ right along with me! NO STRESS!

A doctor told my mom she had 3 hours to 3 days to live, A YEAR AND A MONTH ago. Gotta laugh! It all worked out, because she was clearheaded and able to make all her requests and plans – one being that she go into Hospice. She tends to ask – what am I doing in here? When I refresh her memory – we have a good chuckle over DOCTORS! *What do THEY know! EveryBODY doesn’t follow what is ‘BOOK-LEARNED’. LOL!

She can chuckle, because she was a nurse trained around World War 2. A tough cookie, with a sense of humor, who always wanted to be the next Shirley Temple! She always talked about the fact that ‘others would stay away’ from the hospital residents that were dying … but she chose to sit with them. She wasn’t afraid of death.

So it’s easy to visit, because she knows and feels death is a part of life – and in the end – you JUST GOTTA LAUGH at the way it flirts with you and says … nope – NOT YET! … you’ve got another SUNSET!

Ha Ha Helen of LAFOLOT.com
Outlook Shift Engineer! Hear! Here!
… looking at LIFE and DEATH … as ALL A PART OF LIFE! … same thing … just like the tides … in and out …a process…

I think we need to find a LESS MESSY way to BIRTH into this world and MAKE OUR STAGE EXIT … maybe if we put the question out on Facebook? *ba dump bump …

I note at the top of my LAFOLOT website: ‘A little kindness goes a long way…’

I started a Facebook page to make THE WORLD ‘AH! Ware’ of my simple, healthy socialization, self-esteem booster, personal recognition and highlighting tool!

HA HA HELEN’S SMILE CAMPAIGN GAME! LIGHT THE WORLD WITH SMILE POWER! SPREAD SMILES BY THE MILES!

When I was at a local SUBWAY for lunch, today; I happened to slightly turn to the right with a slight smile on my face, and a gentleman sitting at a table nodded to give me RECOGNITION!
2 points! I thought! Wow! MADE MY DAY! He had on a blue lab smock commonly worn in the medical profession.

After the Expert Sandwich Makers made my ‘MEAL DEAL’, I sat down in a booth. I immediately got out one of my Yellow LAFOLOT.com Bookmarks (with the SMILE GAME noted on the back) and walked over to his table.

I said: ‘Here! I’m a local Health & Wellness professional, and I have a SMILE GAME I play. I just wanted you to know, when you nodded and acknowledged me, you gave me ONE POINT! Thank you!’

I told him more about the healthy socialization simple tools I give people as well as the motivational speaking I do. I told him, they may seem fun, silly and a light-hearted – but there’s a REAL SCIENCE to it all, and it works! I’m a professional OUTLOOK SHIFT ENGINEER!

He then told me how he recently opened LabSolutions Inc., on Hartzdale Drive in Camp Hill, PA 717 810-8030 ( labsolutions1@gmail.com ). He said: I am passionate about my business, but I don’t have customers! I told him I network a lot and belong to the Mechanicsburg Chamber of Commerce.

I asked him if he had tried any marketing and advertising? I gave him some general ideas and tips and then I referred him to Ann Marie Brandt of TEAM BRANDT Marketing. He looked it up on his smartphone.

He was very passionate about his ‘family-oriented, friendly, casual environment and personalized approach to his Lab. He even noted he ‘makes house calls!’

I offered my servers as a ‘character-health and wellness event’ promoter – such as a parking lot – tent event, to bring awareness to his Lab. I noted maybe a bar-b-que and healthy laughter since it does the body good and makes for HEALTHIER BLOOD! He liked the ideas!

He left SMILING, after he shook my hand and I said: WHERE are your BUSINESS CARDS? He had to go out and get a business flyer from his vehicle.

SMILING and NETWORKING works! A LITTLE KINDNESS GOES A LONG WAY…
What will come of it? WHO knows? and – let me tell you – “WHO” – whoever “WHO” is … seems to KNOW A LOT!

Working it and SPEADING SMILES BY THE MILES as I ‘LIGHT THE WORLD WITH SMILE POWER!’

Ha Ha Helen of LAFOLOT.com
Live Life! Laugh Often!
PLAY the SMILE GAME – let me know how many points you’ve earned in a day!

I had to smile and shake my head as I responded: ‘STAY FOCUSED ON THE PRESENT, IT’S A GIFT!’

It’s the middle of winter 2011-12 in Central PA, USA. It is 56 degrees fahrenheit! That’s SPRING weather in my neck of the woods!

I stepped away from my home office computer, and stepped out of the house to SOAK UP THE SUN!
Get my blood flowing through my veins.
Get some exercise.
Take in the fresh air, blue skies and JUST BE!

I encountered a Bush-full of Birdies TOYING with a nearby black cat. He (I’m assuming due to the size) caught my eye, meowed and I invited him over by calling out HELLO! KITTY! He came bounding over to me, greeting me ‘CAT STYLE’ and rolled over for me to pet him! He appeared very healthy, and to belong to a nearby home. He even let out a few MEOWS to chat a bit.

I continued on my walk, smiling and singing in my head ‘WALKING ‘in’ SUNSHINE … oh yeah … and DON’T IT FEEL GOOD!’ .. to paraphrase Katrina and the Waves.

As I came around the bend in my housing community, I saw the school bus dropping off some kids. I eventually encountered them and HAD TO SMILE, as the two pre-teen girls had on shorts, a sleeveless top and had taken off their lightweight jackets.

I said: ‘HOW DO YOU LIKE THIS SPRING WEATHER! I’M 52 AND DON’T RECALL A WINTER SO MILD AS THIS IN ALL MY YEARS!’

The one girl responded as they passed: ‘YEAHBUT, IT’S SUPPOSED TO GET COLD IN FEBRUARY!’

‘STAY FOCUSED ON THE PRESENT, IT’S A GIFT!’ I just had to call back to them, as I shook my head side-to-side. They were only teens and had picked up the familiar follow-up phrase of doom and gloom and dread …. ‘THINGS MAY BE OKAY NOW – BUT JUST YOU WAIT!’

‘YEAHBUT’ isn’t a word. How about RELEARNING and RETEACHING our children: IT’S OKAY TO ENJOY THE PRESENT! IT’S A GIFT!

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT.COM
OUTLOOK SHIFT ENGINEER! Hear! Here!
Live Life! Laugh Often!
rePHRESHing your thinking with HEALTHY OUTLOOKS!

‘Your Bill is Paid’ said the server at FRIENDLY’s, once I had finished my meal. It just happens to be CHRISTMAS EVE as I write this.

I said: “WHAT!?” I looked around, thinking it was the Manager, or the server, or another server – since they know me from dining there frequently.

Then the server indicated towards an empty booth near the window. She said: “It was the family who had been dining over there.” She was smiling.

I said: ‘WOW! My heart is TOUCHED!’ … ‘I wish I could have thanked them! … I’ll have to BLOG about it!’ She smiled and nodded, a warmth in her eyes as they twinkled.

WOW! I told her: ‘I have to laugh! People see me dining alone and sometimes feel sorry for me. I LOVE to go places on my own! I like meeting people! I’ve gone on a cruise and other vacations on my own; because I enjoy meeting people and am a free spirit!’ She agreed, and said she is the same way.

I had been ‘playing’ with customers with kids as they came in the door of the restaurant, by putting on my clown nose as they walked in.

I had to laugh! I had ordered a SENIOR menu item (they allow it at this restaurant, even though I’m 52). The cost is less and I don’t eat a lot. I had just ordered a FISHAMAJIG! But, I have to tell you – it’s the MOST PRICELESS Fishamajig I’ve ever had!

I am truly heart-warmed by THE THOUGHT that went through this family’s mind and heart as they MADE THAT DECISION. I noticed they had a little boy with them, around age 6 to 8 years. What a WONDERFUL lesson, a priceless lesson they taught that child!

What a WONDERFUL gift of WARMTH and GOOD-HEALTH they gave themselves by this PRICELESS act!

I was ‘where I wanted to be’, ‘doing what I wanted to do’, ‘being, where I wanted to be’ …freely being me – and I GOT MY MEAL FOR FREE! TEE HEE HEE!

I’m sending out a positive thought, positive prayer and gratitude and warmth towards this beautiful, kind family.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT.COM
Outlook Shift Engineer! Hear! Here!

I got a call from a woman representing PA Retired State Employees (PARSE), yesterday. I am scheduled to give a talk on Laughter Wellness in February.

The woman introduced herself and said: I don’t know if you know this, but Betty Hummel – who originally talked to you about our February meeting – died in December of cancer.

WHAT A SHOCK! I had just met Betty at a Business Womens’ meeting a few months ago. Betty approached me after I did my laughter wellness talk; loved it and asked if I’d come to a PARSE meeting (it paid decently). She had a great smile, was easy to talk to and MADE ME FEEL SPECIAL and PRICELESS! I had talked with her on the phone and exchanged a couple e-mails to coordinate the event. She MADE IT EASY.

Well, the woman who called me had found out by accident when she called the Betty’s number. This woman then worked with the family to pass over Betty’s notes. This woman said Betty had kept detailed notes and all the items we discussed were in a folder.

While I only met Betty for less than 5 minutes – she will be remembered by me as long as I have memory. Just like Mary Kopp, who I meantion in my Bea Gaude’ Youtube video – Betty was a BRIEF BLIP OF A PASSING in my life – but made me feel like a MILLION by appreciating, approaching and SMILING her way into my heart – for that moment.

I will dedicate that PARSE presentation and her POSITIVE PERSONALITY and Winning Smile.

I posted a longer note about it on Facebook. I was bummed when I thought no one had read it. I got up this morning and saw a note from a FB connection who said: ‘I was meant to read this. I have stage 3 breast cancer and I leave everyone I meet with a SMILE…’

I work with a lot of seniors in this Laughter Leader/Motivational Speaker and Singer profession. While it is difficult finding out that a new ‘friend’ has passed; I am grateful for having met them for the blip of a moment out of their lives.

GRATEFUL for having met BETTY HUMMEL!

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT.com
LIVE LIFE! LAUGH OFTEN!

A HA HA Helen – healthy socialization outing event. HA HA!

Once again, because I dislike crowds and grocery shopping (especially around holidays) – I made the statement as I started to MANEUVER through the post-holiday grocery shoppers:

I AFFIRM I AM GOING TO HAVE A FUN SHOPPING EXPERIENCE! (in my head – not out to the crowd! ) ;o)

I saw a man trying on sunglasses at the display. I picked up some items and he was still there as I was passing by. He had a pair on with a big, blue, cardboard tag hanging off to the left side.

I looked at him and said: ‘THEY LOOK GREAT! I ESPECIALLY like the BLUE Tag hanging off the side! It BRINGS OUT the COLOR in YOUR EYES!’

He took them off, smiled and THANKED ME! He started to tell me how he was bummed that he had sat on his sunglasses in his truck, this morning. I said: ‘Oh, I know, your FAVORITE pair!’ He said: ‘These will do’ and we went on our merry ways.

I am A-MAZED at how total strangers not only respond but get into conversations with me, openly sharing!

Then – in my car – I was at a long intersection stop light. BECAUSE I’VE BEEN in a buggy, stressed out mood lately – I decided to SNAP OUT OF IT – Put on My Clown Nose – and held my stare pose at the woman driver in the car to my right (another turning lane – where you sit for about 4 minutes). I do this as part of my Drive Yourself Happy and Smile Campaigns – as a stress reliever; and to get people ‘out of the driver fog’ and more attentive once the light changes.

She looked at me -
I smiled –
I waved (due to tinted windows)

She kept a set look on her face and turned away.

WONDERFUL! I thought! It’s what I teach! BE who YOU need to be!
I smiled to myself – thinking –
isn’t it wonderful!
Making the offer – and the other soul can make their own choice on how they want to interact or not – the other driver shouldn’t have felt she HAD to smile or acknowledge me. We all have choices in life. I teach a concept called PEER POSITIVE – living your OWN life and not allowing OTHERS to DICTATE how you live it.

TWO examples of HEALTHY SOCIALIZATION –

not forcing feelings on anyone and not allowing anyone to force feelings on me.

LIVE LIFE! LAUGH OFTEN!
and feeling good about my HA HA happenings ….

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT.COM
Live Life in A-MAZEMENT and be the best YOU you CHOOSE to be!

Did you ever hear the warning about using a dead bolt to lock your house, because a basic lock can be broken into using a credit card?
Well, from experience (eh hem), I can tell you it’s true!

Just having bought a modular home that still needed to be inspected; I was given a master key for the ‘basic’ door handle lock so I could move some small items into the home.

Being used to dead bolt locks, I accidentally turned the inside lock on the handle, shut the door behind me and locked my car and house keys in the new home! Problem is, it was 6:30am on on a Friday. I ‘did’ have an extra set of car keys with me, thank goodness!

The BIG PROBLEM WAS – I am a menopausal woman over 50 who takes a blood pressure pill with a water pill in it – enough said? If no, let me tell you, a bathroom trip is required every 5 minutes, when it is first taken!

In my defense, I was exhausted from moving. I had slept on the floor the night before, so I could be ready for the movers with my bed disassembled. I THOUGHT I was thinking clearing and had made every effort to make sure I had everything before I left the modular home. I wanted to go over to my old condo to do some final cleaning early in the morning. I was really PISSED OFF – I guess I should use a different word – HA HA – because I was now stuck.

It was 6:30am and I didn’t want to wake anyone.
It was the day after a heavy rain, so there was a steady DRIP DRIP coming down from the roof rain gutter onto my head as I tried to work on the door.
I had heard you could use a credit card to open a basic door know lock.

I didn’t use my credit card, but I had some club cards I wasn’t using that were expendable.
Everytime I tried to insert the plastic card, I would get HIT with a wet SPLAT on my head.
After 5 minutes of no luck, I was soaked on one side of the head! HA HA

I had MANAGED to get the door to BUDGE a bit, but I realized later, I was just too timid.
I had to RUSH to my car and drive to the nearest McDONALDS to use their bathroom. It was a TRUE EMERGENCY!
I then sat in one of the booths in the back to gather my thoughts.
I tried calling a younger sister to see if she had a spare key to my old condo, so I could meet her at work and pick it up – but no, she didn’t.
While I was waiting, one man was having a breakfast meeting with another man and giving him spiritual advice on job loss, his marital relationship, etc. I figured, what the heck, I just listened.

I got the thought to MAKE ANOTHER EFFORT at the door. He was being given the advice ‘Faith without works, is dead.’ At least that’s what I heard.

I went back to THE SCENE OF THE CRIME and met a couple neighbors who gave me contact numbers for other possible people with the master key. I couldn’t get ahold of anyone.

I went back to my new home door –
I got out my OLLIE – GOOD STUFF CHEAP CLUB CARD and tried again.

I guess I was NOW CONFIDENT and DETERMINED!

When I finally got it slipped into the door and felt the door budge – I THREW THE FULL WEIGHT OF MY OVERWEIGHT, MENOPAUSAL, WATER PILL – GOTTA GOOOOOOOO Body into the door and it opened!

*PFEW! I flew to the bathroom! (first things first!) Then I was able to go about my day.

So, I am here to testify:

YES, I broke into my own home, using a plastic bonus club card.

Here’s the lesson – NEVER MESS WITH A MENOPAUSAL WOMAN ON A BLOOD PRESSURE WITH WATER PILL COMBINATION!

Also – always lock your deadbolt and don’t rely on the door handle lock.

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Living Life! and Laughing Often!
Thank God I’m smart enough NOT to take this as a lesson to pursue a life of crime!
Amen.

I was blessed to have the opportunity to give a LAFOLOT Laughter Wellness demo at our local ‘The Healthy Grocer’ store this past Tuesday. They open their lunchroom to ‘alternative healers/wellness’ folks to demonstrate their gifts.

I entered wearing my ‘now unofficially trademarked’ Tinsel Deely Bobber Headband. A store clerk approached me as I went up to talk to my contact and asked: ‘Are YOU the laughter wellness person?’ I said: ‘What makes you say that?’ Greg, ‘The Healthy Grocer’ wellness program coordinator said: ‘She asked how she’d know you. I told her, don’t worry, you won’t miss her!’ HA HA – Good thing I remembered to wear the tinsel deely bobber headband into the store!

I encountered a blonde hair, blue eyed, wide-eyed with a BIG SMILE little toddler as I was waiting for folks to arrive. Kids tend to think I’m a clown just because of my head gear! I had one of my LAFOLOT Stress Reliever Pinwheels with me, and I was making it twirl around. The little girl was EYEing it. When she and her mom and grandmom went to check out – I held the pinwheel out towards her. (I had already given her a smiley face bookmark.) It was hilarious – we started a TODDLER vs. SILLY ADULT PERSON – dance. She took two steps forward, two steps back! So I did the same. She giggled. I started a sideways crab walk movement, continuing to hold out the pinwheel towards her – then I’d step back. She mimicked me. She giggled. So we shimmied forward and back, sideways and back till I finally stretched long and forward so she would take the pinwheel. She accepted it with a big smile! Her ‘mommy’ told her to say thank you! It was the funniest thing! I love playing with kids and their shyness…OR WAS SHE PLAYING WITH ME AND MY ADULTNESS?

I had two wonderful attendees at my program. One was named IDA and she was professionally trained as a clown known as CHARITY! We had healthy fun and they took smiley bookmarks to pass around, LAFOLOT pamphlets, LAFOLOT canvas shopping bags, as well as wanted to bring me to their church to do a program or a Full Belly Laughter Club! It was a success!

When I left, I stopped at our local ARBYs. I ordered a small drink and decided to order the cheese sticks. When I got to the window to pay, the guy asked: ‘Did you get your drink yet?’ Well no – so I answered. (this made no sense but I just went with the flow) I had agreed to donate a Dollar to Big Brothers Big Sisters so I was gathering my quarters together. A girl came to the window and asked if I was a motivational speaker? She had seen my LAFOLOT Magnetic advertising panel on the side of my card. I said YES! and gave her a few SMILEY FACE bookmarks (I don’t use business cards). I let her know it would be fun to bring me in for an emloyee meeting, etc. She was excited. Then, the young guy who had asked about the drink gave me my ‘BAG’ with my order. As I pulled forward I reached into the bag and it didn’t feel like cheese sticks. I had been given a roast beef sandwich! HA HA HA – I just continued on home! There was too big a line of cars at the drive thru to go back and I was tired!

I had to drive through the GIANT Food Store parking lot to get to an exit with a traffic light, for ease of getting across the roadway in the opposite direction. I had paid for Shopping Cart advertising at this store for two seasons, but had to stop due to lack of funds. As I stopped at one of the ‘customer crosswalk’ indicators, a mom and her little girl were pushing their cart across the road into the store. The little girl turned and smiled at me. I got a laugh and smile! I saw the cart she was pushing had my LAFOLOT Laughter Wellness big AD on it! I guess they didn’t have an AD to replace it and let mine on the cart from the last season! WHAT A GIFT!

So! Between the little girl toddler who PLAYED with me to get her pinwheel and the little girl showing me that I was getting FREE Advertising – they BOOK-ENDED a perfect evening of healthy laughter, fun and play!

SOMEONE OUT THERE IS LOOKING OUT FOR ME – THANKS! ;O)

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Living Life in Amazement!
Live Life! Laugh Often!
…and don’t be afraid to do the crab sidestep with a toddler once in awhile
[this blog can also be seen on Vibrant Nation under blog name: Helenoflafolot]