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	<title>LAFOLOT &#187; stereotype</title>
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	<link>http://www.lafolot.com</link>
	<description>Live life! Laugh Often</description>
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		<title>Continuing the Martin Luther King Cause</title>
		<link>http://www.lafolot.com/2012/01/16/continuing-the-martin-luther-king-cause/</link>
		<comments>http://www.lafolot.com/2012/01/16/continuing-the-martin-luther-king-cause/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:09:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin2</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Highlighted Helen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life is a Song - Helen of Lafolot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[appreciate life in all forms of expression]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Life is a Song in the Key of Love]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lafolot.com/?p=1815</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I wrote this book based on comparing LIFE to SHEET MUSIC!  That a prejudiced/biased world would sound MONOTONE!
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In honor of all the amazing work and awareness brought by MARTIN LUTHER KING, his family and others of his time period &#8211; </p>
<p>I wanted to Honor this day by bringing awareness of my book:  <a href="http://www.lafolot.com/books/">LIFE IS A SONG IN THE KEY OF LOVE or Growing Up With the Embarrassment of Prejudice</a></p>
<p>The &#8216;thought&#8217; for the book came to me back in 1999 during a New Year&#8217;s Church Service &#8211; &#8216;Start the New Year Fresh&#8217; &#8211; church prayer/meditation regarding &#8211; our New Year focus.   I was sitting quietly when the thought: &#8216;Growing Up With the Embarrassment of Prejudice&#8217; came to mind.  </p>
<p>I progressively started to write thoughts, notes, and quotes, etc. as I planned the book.  It took me 9 years to write the book &#8211; because I wanted it to come from a POSITIVE space and not seem whiny nor negative.   In my own growth and awareness &#8211; I found MY SINGING VOICE!  In the process of finding my voice &#8211; I discovered the song from the 30&#8242;s:  LIFE IS A SONG</p>
<p>There is a line in the song:  <strong><em>Let&#8217;s Take Our Hearts and Dip them in Rhyme</em></strong></p>
<p>THAT WAS IT!   I thought!  THAT&#8217;s how I can TURN THIS AROUND!</p>
<p>I wrote this book based on comparing LIFE to SHEET MUSIC!  That a prejudiced/biased world would sound MONOTONE!</p>
<p><em><strong>By Appreciating Life in ALL its forms of EXPRESSION (as well as showing RESPECT) &#8211; we can MAKE LIFE A SONG!</strong></em></p>
<p>My book is available at:  <a href="http://www.lulu.com/hszollosy">www.lulu.com/hszollosy</a>    or  locally from me at:  <a href="http://www.lafolot.com/books/">www.lafolot.com/books/</a><br />
It is also available on www.AMAZON.COM &#8211; books &#8211; search on Helen Marie Szollosy.     </p>
<p>I know some of you have already read it and given me WONDERFUL feedback! Thank you so much!</p>
<p>The book deals HEALTHILY and CREATIVELY with treating ALL LIFE Expression with respect &#8230;  noting my oldest sister with brain damage as a result of being hit by a drunk driver &#8230; or think of a child from a challenged household &#8211; with hygiene issues &#8211; being bullied at school for BEING DIFFERENT&#8230; or a person with dimentia &#8211; not aware of the present &#8230;  it&#8217;s more than just religion, culture, skin color, gender bias &#8230;   </p>
<p>IF YOU FEEL SO MOVED &#8211; PLEASE SHARE MY BLOG &#8230;  it&#8217;s OPTIONAL &#8230;  </p>
<p>I have seen so much in the news about racist comments, bullying, brain damage, and other bias.  I feel there is a stronger need for me to promote my book &#8211; and I don&#8217;t currently have the funds.   </p>
<p> Thank you for any support.  Again, it&#8217;s OPTIONAL &#8230;  whatever works for you!   IN ACCEPTANCE AND PEACE &#8230;</p>
<p>Highlighted Helen Marie Szollosy<br />
Living <strong>BOLD</strong> and in <em>ITALICS</em>!<br />
Make LIFE a SONG!<br />
Be in AWE of it ALL!</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Your Bill is Paid</title>
		<link>http://www.lafolot.com/2011/12/24/your-bill-is-paid/</link>
		<comments>http://www.lafolot.com/2011/12/24/your-bill-is-paid/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 25 Dec 2011 00:26:41 +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=1790</guid>
		<description><![CDATA['Your Bill is Paid' said the server at FRIENDLY's, once I had finished my meal.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>&#8216;Your Bill is Paid&#8217; said the server at FRIENDLY&#8217;s, once I had finished my meal.  <em>It just happens to be CHRISTMAS EVE as I write this.</em></p>
<p>I said: &#8220;WHAT!?&#8221;  I looked around, thinking it was the Manager, or the server, or another server &#8211; since they know me from dining there frequently.</p>
<p>Then the server indicated towards an empty booth near the window.  She said: &#8220;It was the family who had been dining over there.&#8221;  She was smiling.</p>
<p>I said: &#8216;WOW! My heart is TOUCHED!&#8217; &#8230; &#8216;I wish I could have thanked them! &#8230; I&#8217;ll have to BLOG about it!&#8217;  She smiled and nodded, a warmth in her eyes as they twinkled.</p>
<p>WOW!  I told her: &#8216;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&#8217;ve gone on a cruise and other vacations on my own; because I enjoy meeting people and am a free spirit!&#8217;  She agreed, and said she is the same way.</p>
<p>I had been &#8216;playing&#8217; with customers with kids as they came in the door of the restaurant, by putting on my clown nose as they walked in.  </p>
<p>I had to laugh! I had ordered a SENIOR menu item (they allow it at this restaurant, even though I&#8217;m 52).  The cost is less and I don&#8217;t eat a lot.  I had just ordered a FISHAMAJIG!  But, I have to tell you &#8211; it&#8217;s the MOST PRICELESS Fishamajig I&#8217;ve ever had! </p>
<p>I am truly heart-warmed by THE THOUGHT that went through this family&#8217;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!</p>
<p>What a WONDERFUL gift of WARMTH and GOOD-HEALTH they gave themselves by this PRICELESS act!</p>
<p>I was &#8216;where I wanted to be&#8217;, &#8216;doing what I wanted to do&#8217;, &#8216;being, where I wanted to be&#8217; &#8230;freely being me &#8211; and I GOT MY MEAL FOR FREE!  TEE HEE HEE!</p>
<p>I&#8217;m sending out a positive thought, positive prayer and gratitude and warmth towards this beautiful, kind family.</p>
<p>MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!</p>
<p>Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT.COM<br />
Outlook Shift Engineer! Hear! Here!</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Fruitcake Life Lessons</title>
		<link>http://www.lafolot.com/2011/12/22/fruitcake-life-lessons/</link>
		<comments>http://www.lafolot.com/2011/12/22/fruitcake-life-lessons/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:19:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin2</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Ah! Ha! Moment!]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lafolot.com/?p=1788</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[These FRUITCAKE Life Lessons - give us the opportunity to look back at this time of year and be GREATFUL.   Even if we are FULL of FRUITCAKE and sick of it.  ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I have a beautifully witty, creative, kind friend who has shared the following story with me:</p>
<p>As a young child, in school, there was a holiday gift exchange.  After the class picked their gift packages, another girl in the glass announced to the teacher: &#8216;I GOT MY OWN GIFT! THE ONE THAT I BROUGHT!&#8217;   Without &#8216;skipping a beat&#8217;, &#8216;without asking&#8217; &#8211; the teacher told the girl to &#8216;JUST TRADE YOUR GIFT WITH (my friend&#8217;s name omitted).  My friend noted she opened her gift to find A FRUIT CAKE!  The girl who had FREELY given up the gift she brought in, got a wonderful, creative kit to play with and have fun!  </p>
<p>My friend notes that THAT moment (jokingly) defined her life.  My friend has a HIGHLY CREATIVE mind and EXCELLENT WIT!  </p>
<p>OUTLOOK SHIFT ENGINEERING, now starts &#8230;</p>
<p>As an adult &#8211; we wonder WHAT the teacher was thinking!? I often note, just because a person is of a certain age, doesn&#8217;t mean they are able to &#8216;act as an adult&#8217;.  Not always because of mental/emotional ability.  Was the teacher Frazzled? Exhausted? Just wasn&#8217;t thinking&#8230; ??? who knows?   Too bad we can&#8217;t ask &#8220;WHO&#8221; &#8230; BECAUSE   &#8220;WHO&#8221; seems to be the one WHO knows the answers &#8230; now that I think about it!  *smile  Wonder where &#8216;WHO&#8217; lives?  Gonna have to look into that.  Seems just like SANTA &#8211; maybe WHO lives at the South Pole?  </p>
<p>As an adult &#8211; we look back and see that the &#8216;Other Girl&#8217; might have known that her gift WAS the FRUITCAKE, and in no way wanted it!  Maybe not, maybe her parent didn&#8217;t tell her what had been wrapped and she was trying to BE HONEST?  Who knows &#8230;   (I&#8217;m being fair in my outlook shift engineering view.)</p>
<p>So we fast forward in life, you have the girl that gave up the fruitcake &#8230;<br />
you have my Creative-Minded, Beautiful, Witty ACTRESS friend who is GREAT with seeing life from an INTERESTING perspective, and being able to write and chuckle about it.  </p>
<p>We all play these roles in impacting one another&#8217;s lives.  I had MY instances, as a child, where &#8216;the other girl&#8217; got the good stuff.  I could share many stories.  One of those girls in MY childhood, who seemed to &#8216;have it all&#8217;, lost her older brother to drugs in College &#8211; so even though she was an Honors student, she went into a clerical field seeing that College does bad things to people.  Interesting how life turns out.  </p>
<p>These FRUITCAKE Life Lessons &#8211; give us the opportunity to look back at this time of year and be GRATEFUL.   Even if we are FULL of FRUITCAKE and sick of it.  </p>
<p>I&#8217;m thinking my friend DIDN&#8217;T NEED the CREATIVE FUN KIT &#8211; because she was already Witty, and Beautifully Creative!  Maybe the other girl needed the kit to boost her creativity?  Maybe it helped her parent to see a different take on a gift versus a cake for a kid.  Then again there are all the other scenarios that could come into play. I can think of MANY coming from a challenged family, with a mom who couldn&#8217;t drive, money being an issue, etc.  </p>
<p>Another way of looking at it &#8211; it&#8217;s not always so bad to KNOW what&#8217;s in the package!  This applies if you are the type to PREFER A SURPRISE be unwrapped!  </p>
<p>Here&#8217;s to a new year, a new you and FRUITCAKE LIFE LESSONS!    No matter WHAT you GET in LIFE; I think when you are able to do an OUTLOOK SHIFT ENGINEERING process on it all &#8211; in the end &#8211; you see it actually worked out perfectly!   </p>
<p>Ha Ha Helen of LAFOLOT.com<br />
Outlook Shift Engineer! Hear! Here!<br />
Live Life! Laugh Often!  </p>
]]></content:encoded>
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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>
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		<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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		<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>
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		<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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		<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>
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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>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Forgiving myself&#8230;testing, testing</title>
		<link>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/10/06/forgiving-myself-testing-testing/</link>
		<comments>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/10/06/forgiving-myself-testing-testing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:02:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin2</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lafolot.com/?p=1334</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[But - what is MOST IMPORTANT to me:

1) FORGIVE MYSELF for my 'human' way of dealing with it all
2) FORGIVE the newspaper, editor and investigative reporter that I ALLOWED to take me through feelings of hurt, anger, and frustration.
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Gotta LAUGH! At myself! On a regular basis!<br />
I tell people and write all the time: &#8216;I teach what I need to learn and share the CREATIVE ways I work through my LAUGHABLE Life Lessons!</p>
<p>Many people that meet me say they can see how &#8216;Passionate&#8217; I am about what I do. What do I do? My intention is to Motivate and Inspire others through speaking, singing, writing and laughter wellness!  </p>
<p>So, when I left my State Government job after 28 1/2 years &#8211; on a LEAP OF FAITH &#8211; with the strong, passionate intention to:</p>
<p>1) Teach all that I had learned by making use of all the wonderful &#8216;mental/emotional health support offered by my wonderful medical plan</p>
<p>2) Teach laughter wellness, Good-Hearted Living (Steve Wilson), and how to use Creative HEALTHY Triggers and ways to &#8216;get through a work day&#8217; to my fellow State Employees &#8211; as a Commonwealth Vendor</p>
<p>I, once again, was given the opportunity to FORGIVE myself and others due to the hurt I felt when a negative, non-accurate (due to leaving out information about laughter wellness) article was written about my PASSION, of all things!</p>
<p>In my excitement to help others with a creative, medically endorsed/proven health &#038; wellness tool known as Laughter Wellness, Laughter Therapy or Laughter Yoga &#8211; I never dreamed it wouldn&#8217;t be embraced by others &#8211; especially an investigative reporter trained to DIG for the FACTS.</p>
<p>But, alas, that&#8217;s what happened.  So the HEALING from the HURT began.  I started with instant FORGIVENESS.  HA HA! &#8216;I&#8217; had the last laugh!  My hurt turned to anger and frustration as I was marked as a non-favorable Commonwealth Vendor &#8211; marked as &#8216;one to not hire&#8217; for FEAR of our local paper pouncing on &#8216;the waste of tax dollars on a comedienne.&#8217;  </p>
<p>Well &#8211; that was the Summer of 2009, it is now October 2010 and I am BEING BLESSED with the OPPORTUNITY to MOVE PAST THE HURT, THE ANGER and allowing a &#8220;Health Section&#8221; reporter from the same paper to &#8216;come into my home&#8217; to interview me about Laughter Wellness.</p>
<p>Biting nails, holding in anxiety, wanting so badly for the FACTS to be printed &#8211;<br />
and &#8216;alas&#8217; &#8211; I know I have VERY LITTLE control over what the reporter will write.</p>
<p>But &#8211; what is MOST IMPORTANT to me:</p>
<p>1) FORGIVE MYSELF for my &#8216;human&#8217; way of dealing with it all<br />
2) FORGIVE the newspaper, editor and investigative reporter that I ALLOWED to take me through feelings of hurt, anger, and frustration.</p>
<p>This is HA HA &#8216;Living HUMANLY&#8217; Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT<br />
Living Life! and Laughing Often!<br />
Choosing &#8211; for this moment &#8211; FORGIVENESS</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Letting Go LITELY</title>
		<link>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/07/14/letting-go-litely/</link>
		<comments>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/07/14/letting-go-litely/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:17:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin2</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lafolot.com/?p=1042</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As for me - I want to LET GO LITELY and be seen with a SMILE on my face as I'm going to my next exciting adventure!
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I have been having a lot of people share with me lately:</p>
<p>1) I was sitting at a funeral for my mother. They started to play a church song that my mom, disliked.  They reached one particular line that she especially hated &#8211; I BURST OUT LAUGHING!</p>
<p>2) I was in a very serious situation, I had not been dealing with it well, it&#8217;s not a situation where you would normally laugh; and I BURST OUT LAUGHING!</p>
<p>3) I was working on a mechanical problem, lying flat on my face, trying to unscrew a difficult nut and bolt and, suddenly, I BURST OUT LAUGHING UNCONROLLABLY!</p>
<p>As a trained, certified laughter leader &#8211; I am required to keep abreast of new studies on laughter and smiling benefits and impacts on the body and mind.  I also do a lot of my own observations and testing when I am out and about in public.  When I give my laughter wellness talks or motivational-inspirational speaking, I share information and experiences people have shared with me.</p>
<p>When my father was dying, I was blessed with being with him at his last coule breaths.  I was also blessed to be from a large family.  My mother or other siblings would be with him, at the hospital, during the day; then I would come in the evening.  My dad LOVED to joke around, clown around, with kids as well as adults.  He had his standard set of jokes.  When a non-denominational minister came into intensive care to visit, she started out serious and my dad made a joke.  She was so focused on the &#8216;Here&#8217;s a dying man with a family member, I better show respect&#8230;&#8217; she didn&#8217;t realized he had joked with her.  I let her know he was joking.  She stopped and looked at me.  I said, my dad loves to joke around, and I smiled.  &#8216;WELL THEN, SHE SAID! I CAN STAY RIGHT IN THERE WITH THE BEST OF THEM!&#8217; The rest of her visit was LITE and FLUFFY and my dad had a smile on his face at the end of her visit, giving her a thank you.</p>
<p>When my dad passed on, I went to tell the nurses. They were ready to console me. I said, &#8216;Oh No! I&#8217;m great! It was wonderful to be here, see him let go so peacefully.&#8217;  We started to talk about a funny fishing story where my dad had put a safety pin on the end of a string so I could FISH at the canal near our home.  We were laughing out loud when my mother arrived.  She was also at peace that he had been able to let go and pass on peacefully.  </p>
<p>EVERYONE GRIEVES and LETS GO of their own life and of their loved one&#8217;s lives in a different way. </p>
<p>I have had more and more people tell me how they laugh and smile when they MISS and GRIEVE their loved ones.  I have a minister friend tell me a woman said to her: &#8216;IF YOU&#8217;RE HERE TO HELP ME DIE, DON&#8217;T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU IN THE A** ON THE WAY OUT! IF YOU&#8217;RE HERE TO HELP ME ENJOY LIFE WHILE I&#8217;M STILL BREATHING, COME ON IN AND PULL UP A CHAIR!&#8217;  </p>
<p>I had a representative of a Hospice, at a networking event, tell me yesterday (when I was at the event wearing my tinsel deely bobber headband): &#8216;YOU CAN&#8217;T WEAR THOSE AT THE HOSPICE!&#8217;  I was instantly shocked.  I told her the story I noted above.  </p>
<p>I respect everyone&#8217;s wishes and beliefs in grieving.  Everyone&#8217;s wishes and beliefs are different and personal.  I know MANY people that would be THRILLED to have me show up wearing Tinsel Deely Bobber Headbands if they were wanting to LET GO LITELY!</p>
<p>I heard of a family who lost their mentally/physically disabled son. They had a PARTY with BALLOONS at his viewing! Why? Because he LOVED PARTIES and BALLOONS!  I wore PINK to a friend&#8217;s husbands funeral. He was a FUN LOVING FAMILY MAN and HUSBAND! He was KIND and CARING and FULL OF LIFE! He knew how to make you feel better when you were down, just by a kind word.  I celebrated his LITENESS by wearing a LITE, BRIGHT COLOR to his funeral.</p>
<p>As for me &#8211; I want to LET GO LITELY and be seen with a SMILE on my face as I&#8217;m going to my next exciting adventure!</p>
<p>It&#8217;s OKAY to LAUGH at a funeral.  Laughter isn&#8217;t all about responding to a joke.  It&#8217;s OKAY to SMILE at a funeral.  I tell people all the time &#8211; GRIEVING sometimes gets STUCK inside your body.  Sometimes &#8211; planting a SMILE on your face or OPENING your MOUTH and LAUGHING allows the STUCK GRIEVING FEELINGS to SPILL OUT!  I have had this happen to me on many occassions.  When I feel STUCK &#8211; I open my mouth in a grin and sometimes start a tone to help my body let out, whatever it needs to process.   Some cultures call this WHALING.  It&#8217;s a healthy thing, to LET IT OUT and LET IT GO LITELY.</p>
<p>It may not be for everyone, but for those that wish &#8211; it should be allowed.</p>
<p>One of my favorite writings is by S.H. Payer:  &#8216;Live each day to the fullest&#8230; be yourself, but be your best self&#8230; look forward with confidence and back without regrets&#8230;&#8217;</p>
<p>Another writer I like is: Don Miguel Ruiz who notes: Each day do you best.  Each day your best is different, based on how you are feeling.  So there are no regrets, because you are always doing your best.</p>
<p>If you need to LAUGH, laugh. If you need to CRY, cry.  If you need to make a crack in your face with a smile to start a process, do it.  No regrets &#8211; it&#8217;s your way of processing your feelings.</p>
<p>LIVE LIFE! LAUGH OFTEN! until your breath stops -<br />
May you live till you LET GO LITELY with a smile on your face &#8211;<br />
May you have the chance to make all your amends, forgive freely and know that you have done your best &#8211; and when you are ready to LET GO &#8211; LET GO LIGHTLY in the brightest of light with that smile emanating even after your spirit has left your body.  </p>
<p>&#8230;with peace and a smile Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT<br />
Live Life in A-MAZE-MENT and make them wonder WHY you were smiling when you left.</p>
<p>[this blog can also be seen at <a href="http://www.vibrantnation.com/">VIBRANT NATION </a>under blogger name: Helenoflafolot]</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>ok to LAUGH OUT LOUD</title>
		<link>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/04/26/ok-to-laugh-out-loud/</link>
		<comments>http://www.lafolot.com/2010/04/26/ok-to-laugh-out-loud/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:39:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin2</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lafolot.com/?p=928</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[LAUGH OUT LOUD and there's no need to cover your mouth and shush, afterwards!  Associate and mingle with Peers who embrace your passionate ideas; and SOAR TO THE SKY LIKE A BIRD spreading your ideas and laughter like SEEDS spread around by bustling chirping birds.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I had the pleasure of being sat in a dining area filled with over 20 chirping cheerleaders, yesterday!</p>
<p>I like going out to eat on my own, which allows me to be open to meeting new people, and getting involved in interesting discussions.  The Olive Garden Restaurant where I dine, has a complex design with 3 more intimate dining rooms vs the open seating area.  I&#8217;ve been sat in one of those rooms, when it has been totally quiet, with just me BEing there.  I&#8217;ve loved it because of the wide-high windows with the flowering trees outside.  It&#8217;s fun to watch the birds fly in and out of the trees doing their &#8216;bird stuff&#8217;.</p>
<p>Well, yesterday, when I got sat in one of those dining areas, there was a couple at the table to my right and 20 or more beautiful young women excitedly talking about LIFE!  I smiled as I started to review the menu.  I had to look over at the couple to my right and smile &#8211; they smiled back.  The room sounded FULL of CHIRPING BIRDS!  I LOVED IT!  It was abuzz with excited chatter!</p>
<p>It was wonderful to be amidst the beautiful, high energy of youth!  I was so thrilled to be able to recognize that and soak it up!  Around age 49, I had a big &#8216;Ah HA!&#8217; moment which allowed me to let go of my fear of bears, spiders and other insects.  I can now allow a bee to walk on my hand or face; explore this &#8216;interesting find&#8217; and then buzz away without feeling threatened.</p>
<p>As a result, I was able to sit amidst the BUZZ of chatter from these lovely souls!   I had to get up and walk over to the couple&#8217;s table and joke, &#8216;IT SOUNDS LIKE A BUNCH OF CHIRPING BIRDS!&#8217;  They nodded in agreement as they laughed.</p>
<p>Then, a wonderful thing happened; one of the girls a couple tables away LAUGHED OUT LOUD!  It was so loud she actually followed with a giggle and put her hand over her mouth.  It had FILLED the room! Well!  I WAS GOING TO HAVE NONE OF THAT!</p>
<p>I quickly pulled an &#8216;appropriate&#8217; LAFOLOT Smiley Face/Postive Statement bookmark out of my purse; jumped up out of my seat with a sly grin and ran it over to give to the girl.  She looked up questioningly and accepted the bookmark with her friends looking on.</p>
<p>&#8216;What does it say?&#8217; they excitedly asked as I hurried back to my seat with my smile on my face.   &#8216;YOU&#8217;VE GOT A GREAT LAUGH!&#8217; the young woman announced!   They smiled and laughed with her.  Then, a wonderful thing happened; another girl at a table farther back LAUGHED OUT LOUD!   Well! I dutifully jumped up out of my seat and ran a bookmark over to her!  She smiled with pride as she graciously accepted the reward!</p>
<p>There was an adult woman with the Chirping Birds, so I quickly introduced myself and gave her one of my cards so she could feel safe knowing who had sprung into her flock of twittering birds, for whom she was responsible. She thanked me a couple times.<br />
A couple other young women politely asked for a Smiley Bookmark, then we resumed our previous positions.</p>
<p>So often, young women are told to:  SIT, LOOK PRETTY, DON&#8217;T WRINKLE YOUR DRESS, AND SPEAK SOFTLY.  This type of behavior is carried into womanhood, into higher education, into the workplace and into their roles in relationships.  Have we forgotten the song by Helen Reddy:  &#8216;I am woman hear me roar, see me standing &#8216;cross the floor&#8230;&#8217;?   </p>
<p>I am not into ROARING, but I AM into letting young women know it is OK TO LAUGH OUT LOUD!  It&#8217;s OK to have a great idea and share it BOLDLY!  It&#8217;s OK to EXPRESS your soul&#8217;s purpose that is yearning to get out and present itself to the world!</p>
<p>So to ALL the beautiful, spirited CHIRPING, BUZZING, LAUGHING OUT LOUD birds (I mean young women) out there in the world:  LAUGH OUT LOUD and there&#8217;s no need to cover your mouth and shush, afterwards!  Associate and mingle with Peers who embrace your passionate ideas; and SOAR TO THE SKY LIKE A BIRD spreading your ideas and laughter like SEEDS spread around by bustling chirping birds.</p>
<p>BE</p>
<p>Ha Ha Helen of LAFOLOT<br />
Living in AWE of it ALL!  Living Life in A-MAZE-Ment!<br />
Live Life! Laugh Often!<br />
LAUGH OUT LOUD!<br />
www.lafolot.com<br />
[this blog can also be seen at <a href="http://www.vibrantnation.com">Vibrant Nation </a>under Blog Cirlcle name:  Helenoflafolot]<br />
Motivational-Inspirational video by Helen of LAFOLOT can be seen on You Tube at Channel:  Helenoflafolot</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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		<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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