LAFOLOT

Here the ‘CAW CAW!’ call of the Universe! 

Life isn’t ‘just for the birds’.    

So – as the story goes – Charles Fogarty walks into a SUBWAY and a woman sitting at the front window table says:

‘Are you John Fogarty?’ (she noticed the JOHN FOGARTY … Custom Homes cap he was wearing).

He responds: “Why yes! How do you know me?’ (as he walks towards her to shake her hand.

She responds: “I’m Psychic! Plus, I saw it written on your cap!’ (she smiles)

I ‘YAM’ HA HA Helen of LAFOLOT, and I love talking and interacting with total strangers in a fun way.

I later found out, per this man, he calls himself a: ‘FUN FINDER!’   Can I spot them or what?

I found out ‘he’ is CHARLES Fogarty, very PROUD brother of THE LATE ‘JOHN FOGARTY’ who donated money to a BOY SCOUT Camp in Sunbury, Pennsylvania; to allow for a ‘dining hall’ to be built!

He was accompanied by another gentleman who had been a local troop scout leader for almost 20 years!  I learned they had stopped by to pick up two dozen cookies to take to the DEDICATION of the DINING HALL which his brother had made possible!

Another wonderful thing; one of the sandwhich artists at the SUBWAY got to let Charles know that HE was an EAGLE SCOUT!  What a coincidence!   I also live a couple homes away from a proud father of an Eagle Scout!

I let Charles know that I ‘YAM’ a Certified Laughter Leader who present laughter wellness to folks.  He seemed to feel he had heard of me from some friends in the area!  I started to explain the AH-LO-HA ha ha ha laugh to Charles, when, I didn’t have to even finish!  He had never heard of the ALOHA LAUGH EXERCISE, but he just let the laughter flow out of him, easily!  I told him he was a natural!

That’s when he told me he was a FUN FINDER!

Well! What do you know!  A whole lot of HEALTHY, FUN, APPRECIATIVE, PROUD people walked into a SUBWAY today – and accidentally/on purpose – ran into eachother!

That’s the SPIRIT!  The Spirit of Laughter!  Drawing folks together in HEALTHY SOCIALIZATION!

That’s what I do …  DO WEAR IT OUT!  HA HA HA HA HA …   it’s healthy!

What a great GIFT for this man’s brother, John Fogarty, to leave behind for the SUNBURY BOY SCOUT camp!

Enjoy the fresh cookies!

HA HA Helen of LAFOLOT (Outlook Shift Engineer! Hear! Here!)

Live Life! Laugh Often!

Look at LIFE from a PHresh Outlook! That’s the message I share; because I care!

Sometimes you need to just ‘take a moment’ for yourself. To just be you!

Sometimes you need to get away from it all, and rePHresh!

That is the message I was reminded of, today, while walking and driving through a grocery store parking lot.

The FIRST personalized license plate I saw was: JUST BU
The SECOND one I saw noted: GO AWAY
The THIRD one I saw noted: LIL BIT

I like to encourage people to BE AWARE, STAY ALERT and BE SAFE when out on the roads by TAKING NOTICE of what is going on around them.

Today’s message for ME was: GO AWAY for a LITTLE BIT and JUST BE YOU!

SPIRITIUAL? RELIGIOUS? Just a SMART THING TO DO? Maybe ‘get out to the dessert, or beach, or just be aware on the road and STAY IN the GIFT of the PRESENT. No matter HOW you approach it; NOW is the TIME to DO IT.

TAKE some TIME for yourself right now.
For a LITTLE BIT.
JUST BE YOU.
*breathe in – breathe out – SMILE.

LIVE LIFE! LAUGH OFTEN!
See LIFE from a PHresh Outlook.

HA HA Helen of LAFOLOT

OMG! You just don’t UNDERSTAND me!

LOL! OMG! I can just HEAR this new TEEN CALENDAR YEAR 2013!

No WONDER the MAYANS thought the world was going to end! It’s the start of the TEEN years of the 2000s!

No WONDER they were seeing the year STORMING out of the UNIVERSE, because WE JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND IT!
(Insert foot stomp here.) HA HA

No WONDER the Mayans were seeing EARTHQUAKES? Could it be from the Calendar Year FOOT STOMPS and EYE ROLLS!

OMG! We JUST WON’T UNDERSTAND THIS YEAR! … or the next 7 years of THE TEEN YEARS!

No need to ‘LIVE IN FEARS’ … it’s just that TEEN DRAMA!

The next 7 TEEN calendar years 2013 through 2019 will JUST HAVE TO GET INTO SELF-DISCOVERY!

Don’t TRY to UNDERSTAND it! Just LOVE the TEEN years, and eventually, they will realize you were there, being ACCEPTING and SUPPORTIVE through it all.

ROLL with the TIDES
Go INDOORS during the STORMS
if you’re on SHAKY GROUND – go somewhere SOUND.

All we can do is BE SUPPORTIVE of ONE ANOTHER while the CALENDAR YEARS go through their TEENS!

If you know what I MEANS! Ut! Oh! I feel an EYE ROLL coming on! HA HA HA HA

HA HA Helen of LAFOLOT.com
having PHreshOUTLOOK on the MAYAN OH! MAYAN!!!! theory!
Hear! Here!

As I stepped out my back door to place refuse into my trash can; my eyes caught something odd on the lawn next door. My brain didn’t immediately understand what it was seeing. I ‘THOUGHT’ I saw a neighbor, face-down, working on some issue with their home. Then, I noticed the bare feet (in Winter). Some people do interesting things like that, so I was going to go over and ‘joke’ with the person. I could only see the pant legs and feet from where I stood.

Then, my mind started to awake. ‘WHAT IF THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG? I didn’t see any movement.’ I ran back into my home to get my cell phone to take with me, as I walked over to ask if they were okay?’ After taking a few steps towards the lawn of the home next to me, I immediately started to dial 911 emergency.

I am excellent in crisis situations. I think clearly, I handle things, I get things done. The other side of the coin is, I am deeply feeling. As I gave clear address, name, found dead body, face ashy, soiled pants, eyes dead stare information to the 911 operator; I felt instant sadness that someone may be worried or looking for this woman. The LADY ON THE LAWN.

I have dealt with many challenges and trauma in my life, so I knew what to do to take care of myself and get on with living life. I stayed physically active, and called friends to talk about it. I was grateful when the police noted they knew who she was, from a home in my development. I was grateful I had found her in time, before her body was further harmed.

It’s one week before the celebration of CHRISTMAS, and just finishing Hanukah. I wrote my own eulogy for this LADY ON THE LAWN. I like to think that her final GIFT to the world was the AWARENESS of the fragility of LIFE! This is the same week that many lives were taken from school children. More angels making us AWARE of the GIFT of LIFE!

When I exited my home around Noon, today – I saw ANOTHER SIGN of THE GIFT OF LIFE! A Central Pennsylvania BLOOD MOBILE! A traveling medical unit used for persons to DONATE THE GIFT OF LIFE to someone dealing with blood loss.

It’s interesting that something like BLOOD, that can make people squeamish and pass out; gives the GIFT OF LIFE!

There are SIGNS all around us, they don’t always come in PRETTY, FESTIVE, WRAPPED PACKAGES. Sometimes these signs come from a person expression rage or confusion (via senseless acts); or from a neighbor who lived alone – and wouldn’t have been found for days – if she hadn’t wondered out of her home and expired on my neighbor’s lawn. Sometimes, it comes in the shape of a mobile blood unit.

To the ANGELS that come in all disguises, as well as THE LADY ON THE LAWN, the Loss of Life of Children in school … the blood mobile unit workers …

Thank you for the WAKE-UP CALL … the 9-1-1- CALL TO LIFE! SEEING THE LIGHT this Hanukah and Christmas time.

Blessings and awareness to all, and to all a VERY AWARE LIFE!

Helen

I have always had a ‘nack’ for being funny, without realizing it!

First example: When my dad retired after 42 years with the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, as a Crane Operator; the family threw a retirement party for him at the Steelton VFW 710.

Coming from a family of 7 children, I was given assignments to assist with the event. I was asked to ‘go over and label the punch bowls.’ Being a dutiful, type ‘A’, do-gooder … I went to my task! I labeled the one punch bowl ‘NON-ALCOHOLIC’ and I labeled the other punch bowl ‘ALCOHOLIC’. I did this by using a black pen to write on the white, paper tablecloth on the table.

At one point, my one Aunt came over to my older sister who was coordinating the event. She noted that, “uh … no one was drinking the ‘spiked’ punch due to the labeling on the table in front of the bowl.”

Not until it became an issue, did I realize the uncomfortable/awkward situation I had caused. FUNNY I should use LOGIC to label the punch bowls; also interesting, since many family and relatives struggled with alcoholism.

EXAMPLE 2: I was packaging items to take to a CHURCH YARD SALE event of a ‘different kind’; it was known as ‘EXCHANGE DAY!’ My church in the suburbs had teamed-up with a church in the INNER-CITY. The idea was, bring items to the parking lot; if you needed an item you took it, if you no longer needed an item, you gave it away. No money was exchanged. It was a beautiful event! Well! HERE I GO AGAIN! HA HA. Being an organized, efficient person, I labeled my one box of books appropriate for children: CHILDREN’S BOOKS. I labeled the box of books of a more serious, intellectual nature: ADULT BOOKS. Enough said? What can I say? We were set up in a CHURCH PARKING LOT! Once again, I used LOGIC. Made sense to me! Not until someone pointed it out, did I realize the stir I had caused. It got a LAUGH nonetheless!

Being an outlook shift engineer (O.S.E.), I have a THOUGHT! What if we labeled products that are bad for us, or addictive, with the facts! The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that products be labeled to inform the public.

So, for the candy and carbonated beverage aisle with high sugar and cafeinne, why not put a big sign: IN DENIAL? STAY OUT OF THIS AISLE! Same for a liquor store? ‘HAVE TO KEEP DRINKING MORE? STOP AT THE DOOR!’

What can I say? It’s DARK HUMOR, and AH! HA! HA! WAKES! the mind to RE-LOOK.

FUNNY, I should write this. hmmm….

HAVE A HEALTHY, HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON! PAUSE for the CLAUS (Santa, that is!) … or however you celebrate.

Take a moment, and RE-LOOK at those ACTIONS or INTENTIONS – just to MENTIONS … be WISE and GET OUT AND SOCIALIZE, in a HEALTHY way!

LOTS OF LOVE and HEALTHY LIVING to YOU and YOURS!

Helen of LAFOLOT

There is a lot (I mean A LOT) of mega, road, sewage, water-line work being done on the roads in the area where I live. Much of it is occurring directly outside my living development; as well as a quarter mile up the road. The community was notified and pre-warned of long delays. Sometimes, it’s a 10 minute wait while traffic is slowly allowed through one-lane driving.

Being human, not everyone deals with it well from day to day. I am human. I can honestly say I got annoyed twice, during the process. Then, I have to laugh at myself. I have used different Outlook Shift Engineering (LAFOLOT.COM Style) processes to help me adapt. One of the highlights was riding down the road (having to drive slowly, anyway) – and holding one of my PINWHEEL STRESS RELIEVER TOOLS out the window as I drove. This helped me, and may have helped folks waiting in in the long, stopped line of traffice, heading in the opposite direction.

TODAY! As I turned a corner to pass the 2nd of two roadworkers who hold the SLOW and STOP signs on a pole – the TIMING WAS PERFECT!

I happened to be the last car through the line that was being let through the single lane of traffic. The temperatures have been in the mid-40s (fahrenheit) – so it’s been chilly for the road workers to stand outside.

As I turned the corner to encounter the 2nd road worker – STOPping the traffic coming in the opposite direction; I saw him standing with his head down and back to me.

THE TIMING allowed me to:

1) Roll down my car window
2) Quickly call out: ‘AWWW… DON’T CRY.’
3) The road worker heard me, LIFTED his head, SMILED as he said: ‘IT’S A BAD DAY.’ (But, the break in his routine from my comment and noticing, allowed him to put a SMILE on his face.)

About an hour and one half later, I was heading back in the opposite direction to return home.

THE TIMING WAS PERFECT! There was no one in front nor behind me on the road!

1) I was able to electrically roll down my PASSENGER side window, this time.
2) Driving slowly through the construction zone; I was able to PUT ON MY CLOWN NOSE!
3) I ‘JUST HAPPENED’ to have 2 PINWHEEL STRESS RELIEVER TOOLS on my passenger seat!
4) I HELD THE PINWHEEL OUT THE WINDOW – wearing my clown nose – and handed it to the road worker!
5) HE REMEMBERED ME … HE TOOK THE PINWHEEL … HE GOT A BIG SMILE ON HIS FACE …
6) As I continued on and looked in my rearview car mirror – I SAW HIM HOLDING IT, BLOWING THE PINWHEEL, WITH A BIG SMILE ON HIS FACE!

WHAT TIMING! PERFECT TIMING! A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY to be able to ‘take the TIME to TURN someone’s day around!’

HA HA Helen of LAFOLOT.com – happy to be able to make-up for the TIMES I wasn’t smiling going through the construction zone.

It’s the HA HA Helen method of recovering from a scary moment on the road!

I was getting ready to pull out of a parking space in a store parking lot; when a car came speeding around the end row of cars, startling me!    

I went through the usual reaction/feelings:  Startled, Shocked, Angry, Grateful I hadn’t been pulled out farther to have my car hit, etc.

The car speedily pulled into a parking space.  I figured it was safe to pull out and leave the parking lot.  

As I drove by the vehicle, I saw the first three letters of the license plate started with the letters:  FTF

I had to laugh as I used HUMOR to RECOVER from the agitating, shocking, irritating, and GRATEFUL moment.

I instantly translated FTF to  ’FOOT TO FLOOR’!   I laughed and smiled.  How perfect!  What a perfect license plate for this driver who had their PEDAL to the METAL!   *laugh out loud!

This is how I use Driving Myself Happy to ‘turn a moment around’; what I call ‘Outlook Shift Engineering!’

My theory is, why allow the anger, shock, judgment to ruin my day as well as my body?  Why allow it to sit in me and do my body, mind, emotions, mental state – more harm?   [Yes - I am not perfect - I don't always succeed; but when I do - Woo! Hoo! YES!]

The REALLY FUNNY part is, the driver wasn’t parking!  I saw they had QUICKLY pulled back out of the parking space, and were driving behind me to exit the parking lot.  If I had stayed in an angry mode, this could have gone into a road rage incident.  It was scary having this aggressive driver behind me, but I had ‘nicknamed’ them  ’Foot To Floor’ – so I could relax and smile through the moment.

I apply this method, often, when driving.  Whenever someone in a car cuts me off, or does some really bad or unaware driving; I give them a SILLY NICKNAME from the letters on their license plate.  This allows me to laugh and see them in a HUMOROUS light!

HA HA Helen of LAFOLOT.com … keeping it Light with Laughter on the road.

One tire turn at a time … rollin’ rollin’ rollin’ on the highway …

I was at a local pharmacy the other day. They had a 75 percent markdown table. It had a lot of hair care products on it. I started to read the labels on the front, to see what they did, in the event I could make use of them. I found their SUPER POWERS AH! MAZING!

I then started to read the back labels, for additional information. WOW! (World Of Wonder!) These products were SUPER PRODUCTS! They had TRANSFORMATIONAL POWERS!

The more I read, the more I started to SMILE, then LAUGH!  :-)

I started to think, if these hair care products could do so much for a person’s hair; just THINK what they could do for a person’s SELF-ESTEEM!

Taking it further … just THINK what these products could do for WORLD PEACE!

If these SUPER-POWERED hair care products could be distributed around the world; they could make everyone FEEL SO GREAT that no one would want to fight with one another; and they would LOOK FANTASTIC, too!

Just imagine: SHAMPOO FOR PEACE!  :-)

Apply daily, or as often as needed!

Able to calm and beautify – within and without!

Able to UPLIFT and ENHANCE personal feelings of JOY and SELF-CARING; as well as bringing JOY and CARING to others!

Able to initiate OPEN, HEALTHY COMMUNICATION and RESPECT for personal space of others!

SHAMPOO FOR PEACE! TRY IT TODAY! TRY IT EVERYDAY! BUY IT AS A GIFT! SHARE THE LOVE!

The SUPER POWERED – EMPOWERED SHAMPOO for THE WORLD! (Also available with HIGHLIGHT features – for a more enlightened application!)

WASH AWAY THOSE FEELINGS OF NEGATIVITY, HATE, HURT, ANGER, FRUSTRATION – AND ALLOW THE SHAMPOO BUBBLES TO BUBBLE-UP DE-LIGHT and DELICIOUS Healthy Interaction of Respect and Healthy Socialization!

HA HA Helen of LAFOLOT.com – OUTLOOK SHIFT ENGINEER! Hear! Here!

Are you feeling as if you are lacking in abundance, prosperity, opportunity or success?  I know I tend to go to that ‘off’ thinking and ‘off’ vision from time to time.

I had some interesting life challenges? … or were they ‘opportunities for change’ thrown my way, over the last four years.  Initially, I hit the ground running, and felt rePHreshed!  As time went on, I fell into a place of lack, financially, successfully, and opportunistically!

Well, in the process of ‘downsizing’ as a result of it all, I moved into a manufactured home park; that was being restructured from a trailer park; to homes for retirees.   On the one hand, I felt ‘freedom’ would eventually come from debt; on the other hand I felt lacking.

My first Outlook Shift Engineering moment came when I started to find BRICKS slightly hidden in the lot around my home.  ’WOW!’  I thought, ‘Now I can do some landscaping, and it won’t cost me anything!”

Next, in the midst of the ‘mis-visioned darkness’; my young neighbors gave me their mulch that they didn’t want!  ’WOW!’ I thought – another opportunity to landscape and beautify my lot, even though I didn’t have the money to do so!’

As I continued to ‘get out of my home’, stop sulking, get out of the mis-focused dark vision of my situation – I discovered more and more ABUNDANCE and OPPORTUNITY!

As I got out and socialized, I found opportunities for my business in unexpected places!

As I got up and started to clean around my home; I found items I hadn’t decided to ‘give away’, that allowed me to feel prosperous!

As I got out and started to weed the lawn, I discovered MORE TREASURES, hiding in the soil amidst the weeds!  I found ‘GROUND COVER’ – FLOWERING GROUND COVER – growing along my driveway!

As I started to examine it, this evening, I discovered more and more plants hiding between the grass and weeds that had grown around it!

I now have a nice patch of flowering ground cover growing along my driveway, and I’ve given it ‘room to grow’!

I found Morning Glory flower seeds at a local store, marked down to seventy cents, a few weeks ago!  I put them in the ground, near the bricks I had used to make a visually pleasing border on my home’s lot.  I now have at least 3 to 4 inches of new growth, and the plants are climbing up the trellis I hadn’t given away, and had brought with me!

Sometimes, we just have to clear the dirty lenses, shift our focus, and see DELIGHT!  It’s all around, even in the ground!

AH! HA!  Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT.com – Outlook Shift Engineer! Hear! Here!

Live Life! Laugh Often!