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	<title>LAFOLOT &#187; Cultural</title>
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	<link>http://www.lafolot.com</link>
	<description>Live life! Laugh Often</description>
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		<title>Text and Tango away the barriers!</title>
		<link>http://www.lafolot.com/2011/10/28/text-and-tango-away-the-barriers/</link>
		<comments>http://www.lafolot.com/2011/10/28/text-and-tango-away-the-barriers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:41:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin2</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Ah! Ha! Moment!]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Highlighted Helen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life is a Song - Helen of Lafolot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[awareness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Connecting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cultural]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cultural barriers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[deaf community]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[diversity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ha Ha Helen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Harrisburg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[healthy communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hearing impaired]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Helen Szollosy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inspirational Speaker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kindness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[language barriers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Laughter Wellness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lip reading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mechanicsburg PA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mindfullness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motivational Speaker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outlook Shift Engineer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[positive thinking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prejudice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sign language]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smile campaign]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stereotype]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tango app]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lafolot.com/?p=1776</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I had been concerned that cell phones, texting, etc. were creating an
ANTI-SOCIAL atmosphere ... ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I was working at my parttime HALLMARK Helen job, yesterday. I&#8217;m helping out a<br />
fellow Hallmark card &#8216;lady&#8217; while she&#8217;s on vacation.</p>
<p>As I walked down the main aisle, I saw a woman &#8216;SIGNING&#8217; with one hand as she<br />
held her &#8216;Wireless Device&#8217; out from her.</p>
<p>I love talking to everyone and anyone when I am out and about. I have learned<br />
how to say: Hello, Goodbye, How Are You? and Thank You! in many different<br />
languages and dialects. I like to let people know, I&#8217;m willing to take a step<br />
over the barrier to learn more about their culture, etc.</p>
<p>When I saw this woman, there was NO BARRIER, (I have a cousin who is Deaf and<br />
I&#8217;ve learned the Alphabet and a FEW signs). I wasn&#8217;t READING what she was<br />
saying, because I don&#8217;t know enough to be able to do that &#8211; and it would have<br />
been an invasion of privacy. For anyone who is concerned.</p>
<p>I walked toward her in AH! MAZEMENT! of this wonderful device &#8211; and signed: H,<br />
I (HI!) I indicated I was going to SAY HELLO to her friend on the phone. She<br />
noted they had hung up.</p>
<p>I signed: MY COUSIN IS DEAF (I use this opening line when approaching someone<br />
sho is signing, so they know I can speak, hear and that they may know my cousin<br />
from their community meetings, of which I&#8217;m aware.)</p>
<p>We &#8216;talked a little bit&#8217; &#8211; She knew I couldn&#8217;t sign MUCH. She helped me with a<br />
few signs. She showed me her &#8216;phone&#8217; &#8211; that there is a new APP known as TANGO<br />
that allows someone who is deaf &#8211; to get a FULL SCREEN conversation window &#8211; in<br />
order to communicate just as a speaking/hearing person would with a cell phone,<br />
etc.</p>
<p>She was very excited, as was I! We communicated with BIG FACIAL expressions and<br />
minimal signing &#8211; she read my lips as I spoke -</p>
<p>I agreed that I was AH! MAZED! Why? Prior to personal computers and e-mails -<br />
the deaf community had to use an oversized, bulky machine in the home known as a<br />
TTY. It limited communication; because of not being able to use phone for voice<br />
communication.</p>
<p>I KNEW INSTANTLY &#8211; WHY she was SO EXCITED!</p>
<p>HOW WONDERFUL! This DEVICE &#8211; courtesy of Steve Jobs and those in the wireless<br />
technology field &#8211; have now:</p>
<p>Brought the Deaf Community and the Hearing/Speaking community TOGETHER -<br />
HEALTHILY &#8211; SOCIALLY with this WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL DEVICE!</p>
<p>I had been concerned that cell phones, texting, etc. were creating an<br />
ANTI-SOCIAL atmosphere &#8211; taking away proper grammar, developing an entire new<br />
language of TEXTING &#8211; etc&#8230;</p>
<p>and &#8211; once again &#8211; I&#8217;m learning to BE FLEXIBLE and GROW ALONG WITH IT &#8211; seeing<br />
how these WONDERFUL CHANGES are BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER who would not have been able to communicate, before?</p>
<p>Since computers and e-mails &#8211; I can now &#8211; easily communicate with my cousin, NO<br />
PROBLEM!</p>
<p>and now &#8211; we can TANGO! DANCE! and communicate VISUALLY via wireless devices<br />
that allow the DEAF community to wirelessly communicate on the run!</p>
<p>I AM SO EXCITED BY ALL THIS! TALK ABOUT BRINGING THE WORLD TOGETHER!<br />
FEEL THE TINGLE AND THE EXCITEMENT!</p>
<p>Ha Ha Helen of LAFOLOT.com (Outlook Shift Engineer!) typing with a smile and a big laugh out loud in her heart &#8211; IMAGINE THE BEAUTY OF IT ALL!</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Be a Picasso or Charlie in the Box!</title>
		<link>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/12/08/be-a-picasso-or-charlie-in-the-box/</link>
		<comments>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/12/08/be-a-picasso-or-charlie-in-the-box/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:26:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin2</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Highlighted Helen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life is a Song - Helen of Lafolot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA['Picasso']]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[awareness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bias]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Camp Hill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Charlie in the Box]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Connecting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cultural]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[diversity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ha Ha Helen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health and wellness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[healthy socialization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Helen Szollosy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inspirational Speaker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kindness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land of misfit toys]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motivational Speaker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[peer positive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[peer pressure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rudolph]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wellness]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lafolot.com/?p=1480</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Be a PICASSO Painting! Be a PEER POSITIVE no need for Peer Pressure - let the 'air out' of the pressure... *whoooosh!
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It&#8217;s not only OK to be a &#8216;Charlie in the Box&#8217; it&#8217;s GREAT! Be YOU and be Proud of It! re: Land of Misfit Toys &#8211; Rudolph the Rednosed Rheindeer &#8211; story. WEAR YOUR RED NOSE PROUDLY! Be a PICASSO Painting! Be a PEER POSITIVE no need for Peer Pressure &#8211; let the &#8216;air out&#8217; of the pressure&#8230; *whoooosh!</p>
<p>Coming from a &#8216;challenged&#8217; family with 7  children and being &#8216;kid number 6&#8242;, I had the freedom to &#8216;be me&#8217; early on.  No one was really paying attention.  As a result, later in life, I had a few very good friends tell me: &#8216;I admire that you dare to be different, to be yourself.&#8217;   I always remembered those compliments as PRICELESS GIFTS!</p>
<p>I call folks that dare to be different:  PICASSOS!   Whenever I get to personally know and talk &#8216;deeply&#8217; with a person who life ALLOWED to be different &#8211; for whatever reason &#8211; I PRAISE THEM for their  PICASSO-nature!  re: physical or mental differences &#8211; their INNER-SPIRIT daring to ride agains the NORM!</p>
<p>I wrote about this in my <a href="http://www.lafolot.com/books/">&#8216;Life is a Song in the Key of Love&#8217; </a>Book and continuously bring this to my own attention as well as others.  I coined a phrase:  PEER POSITIVE as a result.   I am very much against going along with the PRESSURE of ADs and MARKETING to &#8216;BE SOMETHING OTHER THAN WHAT YOU ARE COMFORTABLE.&#8217;</p>
<p>Personally, I feel my eyelashes are long enough, thank you.   I&#8217;m OK as I am &#8211; and if I choose to BE A PICASSO rather than the STANDARD LANDSCAPE OR FRUIT BOWL painting, than so be it.  I don&#8217;t give in to Peer Pressure, I&#8217;m a PEER POSITIVE.</p>
<p>There&#8217;s no need for a LAND OF MISFIT TOYS &#8211; No Need for a Sad &#8216;Charlie in the Box&#8217; &#8211;  </p>
<p>I SALUTE the differences and let out a SIGH OF RELIEF for the REFRESHING NATURE of these beautifully, daring expressions of LIFE SPIRIT!  </p>
<p>WOO! HOOOO!  FOR YOU!  and ME!   *weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee</p>
<p>Have fun on this RIDE OF LIFE!</p>
<p>Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT.com<br />
Living Life in A-MAZE-MENT!<br />
Living <strong>BOLD</strong> and in <em>Italics</em>!</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>AMAZING Woman, at your service!</title>
		<link>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/12/02/amazing-woman-at-your-service/</link>
		<comments>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/12/02/amazing-woman-at-your-service/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Dec 2010 21:47:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin2</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Highlighted Helen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life is a Song - Helen of Lafolot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[air condition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[angels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[auto electrician]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[auto mechanic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bias]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Camp Hill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Connecting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cultural]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Drive yourself happy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[empowered woman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fan belt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fan belt noise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gender bias]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ha Ha Helen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Helen Szollosy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inspirational Speaker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[intelligent woman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kindness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[labeling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lafolot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motivational Speaker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pep boys]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prejudice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Racism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spark plugs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stereotype]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[woman mechanic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[women's careers]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lafolot.com/?p=1473</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[He said: 'It just started this morning, I don't know what it is!'  
I said: 'I'm pretty sure it's the FAN BELT.']]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Never underestimate (the person standing next to you), never judge a book by it&#8217;s cover; and as I talk/teach/write about: Look Out! It&#8217;s LIFE, with a Fresh Outlook!  You are in the presence of ONE AMAZING WOMAN!  Ha! Ha!  </p>
<p>I parked my car in a busy hospital parking lot this afternoon.  It has my LAFOLOT business display on the side of the car; so people instantly don&#8217;t take me too seriously.  Imagine that!</p>
<p>I was getting some &#8216;SILLY STUFF&#8217; out to wear and take into the hospital with me, while going in to visit my mom.  A car pulled in next to me &#8211; and it &#8216;wasn&#8217;t just WHISTLIN&#8217; DIXIE!&#8217; let me tell ya!</p>
<p>I had to laugh when the high-pitched tone/squeel was coming from the engine under the car hood.  The mid-Eastern looking man was puzzled.  I said:  I think it&#8217;s in the &#8216;KEY OF E&#8217; and I perfectly matched the tone with my voice.  HA HA!  I know THIS wasn&#8217;t what he wanted.  LOL!</p>
<p>He said: &#8216;It just started this morning, I don&#8217;t know what it is!&#8217;<br />
I said: &#8216;I&#8217;m pretty sure it&#8217;s the FAN BELT. &#8216; All you need is some wax or soap on it and it will probably stop squeeling.&#8217; </p>
<p>He LOOKED at me, but didn&#8217;t question.  [SMART MAN!]<br />
I said: &#8216;I used to help my dad with his car fix it stuff, that&#8217;s an EASY one.&#8217;  I said: &#8216;Open the hood while it&#8217;s running and we&#8217;ll be able to tell right away if that&#8217;s it.&#8217;</p>
<p>He didn&#8217;t question and SURE ENOUGH &#8211; I said &#8211; &#8216;Here, see &#8211; this is the belt and LISTEN TO THAT! THAT&#8217;s where the sound is coming out!&#8217;  He was thrilled!  He closed the hood.  </p>
<p>I said: &#8216;You could just go to PEP BOYS car parts, pick one up and they&#8217;ll put it on for you in their garage bays at the store.  Low cost!&#8217;    I said: &#8216;Now if your car were to just SHUT OFF &#8211; that would be ELECTRICAL &#8211; maybe the spark plugs.&#8217; &#8216;I know THAT much.&#8217;  </p>
<p>He said:  &#8216;My Air Condition hasn&#8217;t been working.&#8217;  I said: &#8216;Is it working at all? thinking Freon&#8217;  He said: &#8216;No, not at all.&#8217;  I said: &#8216;Then I&#8217;d think THAT was part of the electrical circuit area, too &#8211; I would focus on taking it to an auto electrician.&#8217;  </p>
<p>He shut off his engine and closed his car door saying:  &#8216;I NEVER THOUGHT A WOMAN WOULD KNOW THESE THINGS!&#8217;</p>
<p>[I'm 5'2", 51, overweight, menopausal and heterosexual - just FYI]  I responded:  &#8216;I write and talk about not labeling and judging people.  You NEVER KNOW what&#8217;s beneathe the surface!&#8217;  He smiled as he walked towards the hospital entrance.</p>
<p>I finished putting on my:  Tinsel Deely-bobber headband, Smile Badge pinback button, gathering a couple Spread Smiles by the Miles Flags and Stress Reliever Pinwheels and headed for the main hospital entrance.   OH! and wearing a SMILE on MY face, too!   </p>
<p>OOH! WAH!  DARN, I&#8217;M GOOOOOOD!  HA HA!</p>
<p>Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT<br />
only BEGINNING to skim the surface of my AMAZING CAPABILITIES!  Hee! Hee!<br />
www.lafolot.com<br />
Appreciating LIFE in ALL its forms of expression!<br />
Author:  <a href="http://www.lafolot.com/books/">&#8216;Life is a Song in the Key of Love!</a>&#8216;</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Healthy, Happy, Inefficient Shopping!</title>
		<link>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/11/30/healthy-happy-inefficient-shopping/</link>
		<comments>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/11/30/healthy-happy-inefficient-shopping/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:44:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin2</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Ha Ha Helen Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Camp Hill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Connecting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cosmetology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cultural]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Drive yourself happy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grocery shopping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ha Ha Helen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Harrisburg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health and wellness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[healthy hair]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[healthy socialization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Helen Szollosy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[inefficient shopping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inspirational Speaker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kindness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lafolot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Laughter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[locks of love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mechanicsburg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mindfullness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motivational Speaker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[product labeling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smile]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smile campaign]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stress relief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sugar free juice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wellness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lafolot.com/?p=1468</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here's to healthy, happy, inefficient, social grocery store shopping!  HA HA HELEN of LAFOLOT style!]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Teaser: &#8216;&#8230;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!&#8217;</p>
<p>I used to really dislike grocery shopping.  Now, I PURPOSELY do &#8216;frequent&#8217;, &#8216;inefficient&#8217; shopping so I HAVE to go back more frequently!  Nuts? Oh, no!  There&#8217;s a &#8216;madness to my method!&#8217;  HA HA!</p>
<p>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!</p>
<p>Today, I was nearing the end of an aisle when a young woman stops her cart &#8211; OBLIVIOUS &#8211; blocking my exit.  She didn&#8217;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 &#8211; the mini-cart was loaded with 6-packs of soda all around the top and bottom edges of the cart.  </p>
<p>I &#8216;just stood there&#8217; watching.  I found it funny.   She was moving in slow motion, oblivious.  She finally noticed me, and apologized.  I laughed, smiled and said &#8220;Oh! don&#8217;t worry &#8211; I do laughter wellness for a living and I was getting a kick out of watching the whole thing!&#8221;  The HILARIOUS part was, she was double-checking that the iced-tea was INDEED sugar free!  HAHAHAHA &#8211; she had tons of sugary soda in the cart!  (I know &#8211; 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.</p>
<p>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: &#8216;Excuse me, I don&#8217;t normally do this, but I have to tell you you have the most beautiful, shiny, black hair I&#8217;ve ever seen! What do you do to it?&#8217;   She was an woman possibly in her lat 30s or 40s.  She said: &#8216;Oh! I&#8217;m getting it ALL CUT OFF for LOCKS OF LOVE!&#8217;  [I was impressed!]  She said:  &#8216;I never use hot blow dryers on it.&#8217;  It was amazing!</p>
<p>Besides making &#8216;frequent&#8217; trips to the grocery store (on a daily basis), I also walk from one end of the store to the other &#8211; not in a down and up the aisle pattern.  Why?  It GETS ME MORE EXERCISE and I feel SILLY  doing it!  It&#8217;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!</p>
<p>IT&#8217;S FUN, SILLY and puts a smile on my face as I remember my items without writing them down! It&#8217;s a GREAT EXERCISE for THE BRAIN, too!</p>
<p>As I checked out, I wished the Indian/American cashier attendant Hello! in HINDI (I know a couple Phillipine/American women there, also &#8211; so I get to with them Hello, Goodbye, Thank you in their languages, too!)</p>
<p>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&#8243; 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!</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s to healthy, happy, inefficient, social grocery store shopping!  HA HA HELEN of LAFOLOT style!</p>
<p>Spread those SMILES by the MILES!</p>
<p>and DRIVE YOURSELF HAPPY! to the grocery store!<br />
www.lafolot.com<br />
Live Life! Laugh Often!<br />
Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>LIFE!</title>
		<link>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/11/09/life/</link>
		<comments>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/11/09/life/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:11:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin2</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Highlighted Helen]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lafolot.com/?p=1406</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Life IS.  I am in AWE!  RESPECT!]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>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!]</p>
<p>I wrote a book called: <a href="http://www.lafolot.com/books/">&#8216;Life is a Song in the Key of Love!</a>&#8216;  It&#8217;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 &#8211; I can now allow a Bee to buzz near my ear, as I smile &#8211; and I can allow it to walk on me freely &#8211; 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!]   <img src='http://www.lafolot.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':-)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>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&#8217;s a GIFT!</p>
<p><strong>LIFE!</p>
<p>In and through everything;</p>
<p>I am in AWE of your Presence.</p>
<p>Life IS, WAS and Always will BE.</p>
<p>Life produces Life.</p>
<p>I am one with everything; and everything </p>
<p>is one with me.  I have everything I need.</p>
<p>All Life expression is equal.</p>
<p>Life IS.</p>
<p>I am in AWE!   </strong>RESPECT!</p>
<p>by:  Helen Marie Szollosy 11/9/2010<br />
Living Life in a-MAZE-ment!<br />
Living <strong>BOLD</strong> and in <em>Italics</em>!<br />
Live Life! Laugh Often!<br />
www.lafolot.com</p>
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		<title>Especially Silly Series of Events</title>
		<link>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/10/30/especially-silly-series-of-events/</link>
		<comments>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/10/30/especially-silly-series-of-events/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 30 Oct 2010 17:48:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin2</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Ha Ha Helen Blog]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lafolot.com/?p=1387</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Now I can go about my chores for the rest of the day with a smile on my face.
... an maybe take 'a jump to the left and a step to the right' if I need recharged!]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>For starting out, Ho Hum, my Saturday turned out to be especially silly and Smile Provoking!</p>
<p>Headed out to DENNYS&#8217; for lunch. After parking and engaging my car alarm &#8211; WOOP WOOP WOOP! a car alarm (thinking it&#8217;s mine) is SCREAMING its head off. I pull the key fob out of my purse and proceed to press every button available, the alarm won&#8217;t stop. I look to see if the car lights are flashing, then realize it&#8217;s the vehicle next to mine.  Then it stops. WONDERING if someone in a nearby store was messing with me?</p>
<p>DENNYS&#8217; was packed, but I got a nice table. Heard the table behind me tell the server they had a birthday. When the server left, I got up (taking two SMILE Face, yellow, positive saying bookmark business cards with me) &#8211; excused myself to the 3, gray-haired &#8216;young folks&#8217; sitting there &#8211; said I overheard there was a birthday? The man and woman pointed to the man on the other side of the booth. I said: &#8216;If you don&#8217;t mind, IT&#8217;S FREE, I&#8217;ll sing the &#8216;Ha Ha Happy Birthday song to you?&#8217; They smiled in approval. I said: &#8216;Pay attention, the words are tricky!&#8217; &#8230;so I went on with the &#8216;ha ha ha ha ha Haaa&#8230;&#8217;  At the end, the woman asked how to pronounce my last name, as she looked at it on the card.  I said: &#8216;VERY CAREFULLY!&#8217; She laughed out loud, saying that was funny.  [I try.]</p>
<p>I went back to my table, and heard [from the very closely placed table of 6 college-age men &#038; women sitting directly to my right] &#8216;&#8230;yeah, he was laughing in his sleep!&#8217;  I reached in my purse and whipped out a Smile Face &#8216;Laugh Yourself Healthy&#8217; bookmark &#8211; gently passing it to the &#8216;accused laughing/dreaming guy&#8217;.  They looked at me a bit cautiously.  I said: &#8216;It&#8217;s OK, you don&#8217;t have to keep the bookmark if you don&#8217;t want to.&#8217; &#8211; and I smiled.  They kept it.  </p>
<p>About 5 minutes later, a woman stopped at my table as she was leaving.  She said: &#8216;You have a beautiful voice! That was lovely, what you did for his birthday!&#8217; I smiled and thanked her for mentioning it and being so kind.  She said: &#8216;You have an infectious smile!&#8217;  I said: &#8216;I want you to know how SPECIAL it was that you stopped to tell me this and I note &#8216;a little kindness goes a long way&#8217; &#8211; you&#8217;ve just made my day with your kindness.&#8217;   She smiled, and her &#8216;daughter?&#8217; smiled as they went up to pay their bill.</p>
<p>I drove up the road and beeped/waved as I passed the two CHIC-FILET fast food COW MASCOTS standing along side the road and waving at traffic.</p>
<p>When I got to A.C. MOORE crafts to make use of my 50% off coupon &#8211; I got in line behind a woman at the cash register.  I heard the song:  &#8216;THE TIME WARP&#8217; [Rocky Horror Picture Show] playing on the P.A. System</p>
<p>I couldn&#8217;t resist. It was just at the part:  &#8216;IT&#8217;S JUST A JUMP TO THE LEFT&#8217;<br />
so I &#8211;  JUMPED TO THE LEFT   (ha ha!)</p>
<p>The woman in front of me turned, smiled, laughed and DID THE SAME!</p>
<p>PRICELESS MOMENT! We both &#8211; standing one in line behind the other, continued the &#8216;time warp&#8217; dance steps as the instructions were sung in the song.<br />
SHE WAS GOOD! She knew it perfectly!  I was a beat behind, waiting for the instructions.</p>
<p>When it was done we had a chuckle.</p>
<p>This has been an &#8216;ESPECIALLY SILLY SATURDAY SERIES OF EVENTS!&#8217;</p>
<p>Now I can go about my chores for the rest of the day with a smile on my face.<br />
&#8230; an maybe take &#8216;a jump to the left and a step to the right&#8217; if I need recharged!</p>
<p>Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT<br />
Living BOLD and in ITALICS!<br />
Live Life in a-MAZE-ment!<br />
Live Life! Laugh Often!<br />
www.lafolot.com<br />
ADDENDUM: forgot to add at the end of my Especially Silly Series of Events blog &#8211; posted earlier &#8230; after leaving A.C. Moore crafts &#8211; I passed an SUV in the parking lot with the glamour plate:  2NOTY4U  ;o)   LOL!</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The Law of Average</title>
		<link>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/05/31/the-law-of-average/</link>
		<comments>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/05/31/the-law-of-average/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 31 May 2010 22:34:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin2</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Life is a Song - Helen of Lafolot]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lafolot.com/?p=982</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[He held no bias towards me!  He just saw a PLAY PAL - not a short, fat, 51 year old, menopausal woman!
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Did you know there is a &#8216;Law of Average&#8217; or Standards? It applies in Interior Design, when drafting and indicating counter heights, seat heights, ceiling heights, etc.  It applies in school systems, noting whether we fall above or below average on a grading scale.  It applies when a child is born, relating to their height, weight or mental/emotional capacity.</p>
<p>I write in my book, <a href="http://www.lafolot.com/books/">&#8216;Life is a Song in the Key of Love&#8217;</a>, that we may tend to unknowingly show bias or prejudice, and the best way to deal with it is talk openly.  I suggest asking questions and becoming more familiar with cultures, non-average folks so that we may educate ourselves and break down barriers.</p>
<p>Yesterday, I had another &#8216;OOOPS I DID IT AGAIN!&#8217; moment relating to making an &#8216;Assumption&#8217; about another human being.  Luckily, I was able to talk openly and educate myself, thank goodness!</p>
<p>I was sat at a booth at a local restaurant.  About 6 feet across from me, in another booth, was a family consisting of the mom, dad, and two young boys.  I already knew what I wanted, so I was just staring off into space.  I suddenly noticed &#8216;more movement&#8217; out of my left eye.  The one boy was &#8216;playing peek-a-boo&#8217; with me!   I LOVE playing with kids when they initiate play out in public, being bored with their families. Babies do this a lot, by looking away from their parents and observiing with big, wide eyed looks as they absorb all the &#8216;new stuff&#8217; they are seeing and experiencing.</p>
<p>So, my first thought was: &#8216;this boy seems too old to be playing peek-a-boo, but I&#8217;ll go along since he is having fun!&#8217;  So I put some silly grins on my face, he ducks and hides behind his daddy.<br />
He pops his head out again, and I give him a wide open-eyed look!  He ducks and hides.<br />
He makes another appearance and I hide my face with the menu.  He is giggling, hiding, popping up, and smiling.<br />
Life gets too serious, too fast &#8211; so I love doing my part to allow kids to be kids and have fun!</p>
<p>All the while, I&#8217;m thinking &#8211; FOR THIS KID&#8217;S HEIGHT (here I go with my assumption and LAW OF AVERAGE), he seems to be a 7 or 8 year old playing PEEK-A-BOO like a little two year old!</p>
<p>Well, I&#8217;ve had many opportunities to assist parents with crying toddlers by offering them one of my SMILEY Face bookmarks.  When the child sees it, their face lights up and they get curious. It usually stops them from crying.<br />
So, in this case, even though this was a happy BOBBING, PEEK-A-BOO child, I offered him a SMILEY Face bookmark (actually my business card), and gave him an extra for his brother.  The parents thanked me, and we went back to our own table space.</p>
<p>A little later, I asked the boy (who I ASSUMED was about 7 or 8 years old), &#8216;did you READ the back of the bookmark?&#8217;<br />
[It has wonderful positive statements about having a fun, healthy outlook on life.]<br />
The mother looked over and said:</p>
<p>HE&#8217;S ONLY 4, HE DOESN&#8217;T READ YET.    [There's the LAW OF AVERAGE!]  I ASSUMED he was older, even though I thought his behavior a bit juvenile!  This child was almost 4 feet tall and was 4 years old!  </p>
<p>I could have smacked myself.  I said to the mother: &#8216;My he&#8217;s tall for his age!&#8217;   [COULD SOMEONE STUFF A SOCK IN MY MOUTH!]</p>
<p>We are all so unique and beautiful, but we have this LAW OF AVERAGE on which everything is based.  I got treated differently because I was short, fat and female &#8211; when I worked in a technological environment.  My age also came into play due to the field in which I worked.   I talk a lot about this LAW OF AVERAGE in my book, by giving examples of scenarios experienced by friends.</p>
<p>I am making a judgement about myself.  My book is about AWARENESS and Appreciating Life in All its Forms of Expression.  I just had another dose of, &#8216;step out of your Law of Average awareness and open your mind to other possibilities&#8217; Helen.   I&#8217;m glad the mother was comfortable enough to talk with me.  I&#8217;m glad the boy was COMFORTABLE enough with himself to feel free to PLAY LIKE A FOUR YEAR OLD even though people may see him as a seven or eight year old.</p>
<p>Like Forest Gump said, &#8216;Life is like a box of chocolates&#8217; &#8211; there&#8217;s a wide variety, full of wonderful flavors.  Life is a Song in the Key of Love, full of wonderful variations on musical themes, with a wonderful mix of musical notes.   </p>
<p>I got to HEAR THE SOUND of a TALL FOUR YEAR OLD while he MOVED FREELY in life, BOBBING up and down, around his daddy, feeling free to play PEEK A BOO with an over 50, menopausal women.</p>
<p>He held no bias towards me!  He just saw a PLAY PAL &#8211; not a short, fat, 51 year old, menopausal woman!</p>
<p>Thank you beautiful four year old boy for accepting me as I am and showing me how to do the same.  Angels come in ALL SHAPES AND SIZES!</p>
<p>Highlighted Helen of LAFOLOT<br />
Be in AWE of it ALL!<br />
Make Life a Song!<br />
www.lafolot.com<br />
[this blog may also be seen at <a href="http://www.vibrantnation.com/">Vibrant Nation </a>under blogger name:  Helenoflafolot]</p>
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		<title>Women Roadworkers&#8230;</title>
		<link>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/05/15/women-roadworkers/</link>
		<comments>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/05/15/women-roadworkers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 15 May 2010 13:48:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin2</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lafolot.com/?p=966</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I'm sure she had CARINGLY told her next group of WAIT-EES that it would only be 3 minutes and not to worry!]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I headed out to a Coffee House Open MIC night last Wednesday.  On the way, I stopped by a local discount store to pick up some potting soil.  At the shopping plaza, I saw about 7 baby geese being attended to by 3 adult geese!  I thought this odd, since I had heard that geese mate for life.  I was wondering if the mate to the new mother had died, and two other geese stepped in to help.  Either way, the support and mothering going on for the 7 baby geese was endearing.</p>
<p>As I headed down the road to the Coffee House, I had to pass some ongoing major roadwork construction.  There was a huge, 20 feet high crane next to a highway overpass.  Traffic was being managed by the usual  STOP/SLOW road construction workers.  As I approached, I had a SLOW sign being held by the roadworker in front of me.  So, I slowed down to let &#8216;HER&#8217; know I saw it and wouldn&#8217;t run her down.  Because I had stopped pretty far back, I gradually allowed my vehicle to creep closer to the worker, with plenty of room to spare.</p>
<p>Then, SHE held up 3 fingers and mouthed something to me.  It looked like she was saying 3 Minutes and holding up 3 fingers.  I appreciate road work managers/sign holders and had no problem with waiting.  We had an incident where a local woman was killed due to having a steel highway support beam dropped on her car as she drove under an overpass.  I wasn&#8217;t in any hurry and was just waiting.</p>
<p>Well, the female roadworker continued to hold up the 3 fingers and mouthed 3 minutes.  I started to think there was a concern, so I rolled down my window and poked my head out the window with a questioning look.  The female roadworker came over to my window and said:  &#8216;It will just be 3 minutes.&#8217;  I said: &#8216;That&#8217;s fine.&#8217;   She started to tell me more about why I and the other traffic behind me had to wait.   I smiled and said, &#8216;I&#8217;m okay with it, really!&#8217;  She said: &#8216;Well it looked like you were mad.&#8217;  I laughed and said: &#8216;That&#8217;s just my face, my mouth turns down at the corners, naturally.&#8217;  I said:  &#8216;Don&#8217;t read people&#8217;s faces, their faces don&#8217;t always show what&#8217;s going on inside.&#8217;   She said: &#8216;Yes! I have that problem, too!  People always think I&#8217;m mad!&#8217;   I laughed out loud and said &#8216;Hold on a minute!&#8217;   I pulled a SMILEY Face LAFOLOT bookmark out of my purse and handed it to her.  She looked at it LAUGHED/SMILED and said: &#8216;THANKS!&#8217;</p>
<p>I had to laugh.  If it would have been a man holding that sign, he would have just held the STOP/SLOW sign and not worried.</p>
<p>Put a CARING, NURTURING WOMAN behind the sign and she makes sure the folks in the cars in front of her understand WHY they are being inconvenienced and is concered about THEIR FEELINGS!</p>
<p>I had a nice time at the Coffee House Open MIC night.  When I headed back home in the same direction, the same woman was there holding the STOP/SLOW sign.  As I  S L O W L Y drove by on the opposite side of the road, I rolled my car window down and waved S L O W L Y back and forth so she could see me.   My car has LAFOLOT.COM advertising on the side, so she new it was me.  She gave me a big SMILE, LAUGH, and a WAVE!</p>
<p>I&#8217;m sure she had CARINGLY told her next group of WAIT-EES that it would only be 3 minutes and not to worry!</p>
<p>Interesting &#8230;.  </p>
<p>Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT<br />
Live Life! Laugh Often!<br />
www.lafolot.com </p>
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		<title>Dominate and Educate Rap</title>
		<link>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/04/22/dominate-and-educate-rap/</link>
		<comments>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/04/22/dominate-and-educate-rap/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:38:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin2</dc:creator>
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		<category><![CDATA[Women]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[World Domination Song Contest]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lafolot.com/?p=924</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Not bad for a menopausal woman over 50!  I think it's PERFECT as a Domination Theme song for The ELLEN Show! What do YOU think?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Friends and family have been encouraging me to put my creative characters and motivational/inspirational messages out on You Tube.  </p>
<p>I talk about appreciating life in ALL its forms of expression; being in AWE of it ALL!</p>
<p>I have been hearing back from women, men and teens all over the world about their appreciation of my self-expression in video and blog form.  </p>
<p>It&#8217;s funny, because I look at the videos and photos and see a short, fat, woman with no lips, a big menopausal abdomen, large forearms and gobble gobble neck &#8211; </p>
<p>BUT! When folks see me they say:  YOU&#8217;RE BEAUTIFUL!</p>
<p>So I KEEP ON spreading my message of ACCEPT LIFE in ALL its forms of expression &#8211; </p>
<p>don&#8217;t crawl into a hole because you don&#8217;t FIT THE NORM.</p>
<p>GET OUT THERE AND BE THE &#8216;ME&#8217; YOU WERE MEANT TO BE!</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s my Creative, Menopausal Woman over 50 video I submitted to The ELLEN Show for her:  Write a World Domination Theme Song contest.</p>
<p>Not bad for a White Hungarian Rapper?  My darker complected friends get a kick out of my rhythm and rapping abilities!  I get it from my HUNGARIAN ANCESTORS!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2Gm37ku7zw">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2Gm37ku7zw</a></p>
<p>I hope you can get to the video link, above!  If not, my channel on You Tube is HELENOFLAFOLOT &#8211; just type it in the search box and look for the video called: DomEducate</p>
<p>I&#8217;M VERY PROUD OF IT!</p>
<p>Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT<br />
Live Life! Laugh Often! (Live in AWE of it ALL! and Make Life a Song!)<br />
www.lafolot.com<br />
This blog can also be seen at <a href="http://www.vibrantnation.com">Vibrant Nation </a>under blog circle name:  Helenoflafolot</p>
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		<title>Silly Sunday!</title>
		<link>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/04/18/silly-sunday/</link>
		<comments>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/04/18/silly-sunday/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:34:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin2</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Ha Ha Helen Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[angels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[awareness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bias]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Camp Hill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carlisle PA]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Ha Ha Helen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Healing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health and wellness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Helen Szollosy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inspirational Speaker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lafolot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Laughter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[laughter therapy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mechanicsburg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meditation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mentors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mindfullness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motivational Speaker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Olive Garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Racism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[silly]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Wellness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lafolot.com/?p=917</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[MAY YOU ENJOY A SILLY DAY IN THE NEAR FUTURE!]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It&#8217;s April 18, 2010 and I&#8217;m having a SILLY SUNDAY!</p>
<p>The first clue about this Sunday being SILLY and SPECIAL was the fact that BOTH my Alpha female cat &#8216;Kitty&#8217; and my Alpha male cat, &#8216;Buddy&#8217; decided it was OK for both to come and sleep on the bed with me at the same time!  Is the world coming to an end?  What a miracle!</p>
<p>I spent the morning relaxing and listening to the Sunday morning jazz stations &#8216;mellow music&#8217; show.  Ahhhhhhh -<br />
While listening to the music, I opened Facebook and checked on my <a href="http://www.lafolot.com/books">&#8216;Life is a Song</a>&#8216; coupon special, book AD.  I was getting &#8216;clicks&#8217; and all was well.  I hone my marketing and advertising skills by making general observations about Facebook activity, so I spent some time doing that.  </p>
<p>Then it was time to get out of the house and make use of my A.C. Moore Craft store, fifty percent off coupon, that so diligently gets e-mailed to me every Sunday morning!  I&#8217;m a VALUED A.C. Moore club card holder, you know!  I AM SPECIAL!  But first, lunch at Olive Garden!  Going out to eat works well for visibility in my marketing and advertising.</p>
<p>I like to park farther out in the parking lot when I make the trip to these two places so I get some exercise.  So I treck over to the restaurant which has a 15 minute wait; but that&#8217;s okay because I get &#8216;face time&#8217; and unexpected advertising when I sit in the lobby and wait with the crowd.  Marketing marketing marketing!  While waiting, we heard &#8216;CRASH&#8217;!  I announced: &#8216;YEAH!&#8217; The one host looked at me.  I said: &#8216;Well, it&#8217;s done, why get worked up?  Just sweep up the glass!  He revealed to me that it is such a common occurrent, when he is waiting on tables and entire trays go crashing to the floor, he doesn&#8217;t miss a beat with his order taking!</p>
<p>I had been given one of those beeper disks that is supposed to light up and buzz when it is your turn to be seated.  One of the friendly hosts called over to me:  &#8216;Helen, you should have &#8216;GONE OFF&#8217;.&#8221;  I looked up and laughed! I pulled the device out of my pocket, it wasn&#8217;t flashing or buzzing.  I respond: &#8216;Well, I&#8217;m in a good mood at the moment, I don&#8217;t have any need to GO OFF on anyone!&#8217;  (insert smile or laugh here)  When I handed it to her, THEN it started it&#8217;s commotion!  Too late buzzer-lightup thingy, I&#8217;m already getting seated!</p>
<p>I got one of the young, handsome, great smile, servers and had a nice lunch.  Over the half-wall from the niche where I was seated (containing 3 other tables) was a family with toddlers.  You could hear the fun, giggling, and squeels of the kids.  A new couple got sat when I was almost finished.  At one point, the little girl let out such a squeal of GLEE that it shreeked through the area.  I just laughed out loud, because I thought it was fun.  The lady across from me winced.   My handsome, friendly, great smile server brought me my check along with a &#8216;Comment Card&#8217;.  This was new.  &#8216;OOOOOOH! A CHANCE TO WRITE SOMETHING SILLY&#8217;, I SAID!  He just laughed, not being worried.  </p>
<p>I had my daily meditation magazine with me, so I joked I was going to pull a profound quote out of the periodical and write it on the card.  I was laughing and chuckling as I wrote on the back:  &#8216;THE OBSTACLE IS THE PATH.&#8221;  Tao   Then I noted he was a friendly server and had a great smile!  ha ha ha   Enough SILLINESS there, I left and headed over to A.C. Moore Crafts to use my coupon!<br />
woo hoo!</p>
<p>While getting my walking exercise in, returning my periodical to my car so I wouldn&#8217;t have to take it into the store; I heard a vibrating, rumbling noise.  I looked up.  I saw a truck with an appliance in the truck bed, with bubble wrap all around it.  The bubble wrap was making a buzzing noise like when you put a baseball card clipped to a bycycle tire spoke as a kid.</p>
<p>I waited for the man to get out of his truck and hollered:  &#8216;Sir! You ought to drive your truck all around more and have some fun with the bubble wrap making that buzzing noise!&#8217;  He smiled and laughed, agreeing with me. He said he had heard it and it reminded him of the baseball card bit on bycycle tires, too!</p>
<p>As I got to the A.C. Moore store entrance, a husband was DUTIFULLY leaning against the stone pillar in front of the store.  His wife was shopping in the bins outside the store.  I called out: &#8216;Sir! Just keep holding that column up for me while I shop in the store!&#8221;  He smiled and said he&#8217;d do his best!</p>
<p>I got the chance to give a plug for my book, when I went to the checkout!  I forgot I was wearing my AD button:  &#8216;LIFE IS A SONG IN THE KEY OF LOVE&#8217; by Helen Marie Szollosy, <a href="http://www.lafolot.com">www.lafolot.com</a>.  The cashier was looking at it with a quizzical look on her face.  </p>
<p>[an aside: When I was in a woman's clothing store the day before, the sales clerk said, as she prepared a changing room for me: 'Your name's Helen?'  'Yes.' I answered.  Wondering how she knew?  Then, last evening, I went to an art gallery showing. An artist I was talking to said: 'I know I've seen your name in an e-mail I received recently.'  I laughed and said: 'Oh! You're reading my book advertising button!'  I forgot my name was on it!  Plus, I was thrilled someone had forwarded and e-mail or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/Helenoflafolot">youtube</a> video of mine to her!]</p>
<p>I said, &#8216;OH! That advertises my book.&#8217;  She was excited, &#8216;You wrote a book?&#8217;  &#8216;Yes!&#8217;  I was thrilled for the opportunity to toot my own horn!  It &#8216;just so happened&#8217; &#8211; tee hee &#8211; that I had my mini-marketing tools for my book in my purse!  I whipped one out and gave it to her; explaining it was about &#8216;appreciating life in ALL its forms of expression.&#8217;  I mentioned it was an autobiographical/philospophical discussion on learned but not felt, bias and prejudice.  Her face lit up!  She was a caucasian woman and told me her husband is African-American.  I let her know that book was about ALL types of bias.  I gave her a couple more marketing cards and told her to feel free to pass it on.  </p>
<p>She asked if the book was in stores, and I let her know it was self-published, it could be gotten at my website, that I had had a book signing in Carlisle, PA , recently, etc.  She thanked me and I left.</p>
<p>When I made my next trip to the grocery store, I got to have more fun.  When I got to the dairy section to pick up eggs, an employee had a HUGE cart filled with eggs, as he was stocking the area.  I walked around the cart, he was sitting on the floor.  I said:  &#8216;I SEE YOU ARE UP TO YOUR ARMS AND LEGS IN EGGS!&#8217;  He started to laugh and said: &#8216;Hey! I like that! That&#8217;s egg-actly what I am!&#8217;  </p>
<p>So, finished with my SILLINESS, I headed home, with a smile and a chuckle.  </p>
<p>MAY YOU ENJOY A SILLY DAY IN THE NEAR FUTURE!</p>
<p>Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT<br />
Live Life! Laugh Often!<br />
and let your silly side out and keep your sunny side up!<br />
www.lafolot.com<br />
[this blog can also be seen at <a href="http://www.vibrantnation.com">VIBRANT NATION </a>under blog circle name:  Helenoflafolot]</p>
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