LAFOLOT

This is a TRIBUTE to a Healthy Happy Hour Laughter Club attendee.
I held a ‘Healthy Happy Hour’ Laughter Club at a local, highrise retirement apartment building.
It was a wonderful location, but I couldn’t get regular attendance. The last three months I held the club – my main attendee was HELEN D.

Helen D. was about 96 years old,
full of LOVE, SMILES, LAUGHTER and SPARKLING EYES!
She had a wonderful, scratchy, high-pitched voice – which happens as we age.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED that Helen D. would show up and she didn’t mind if it was just us laughing together!
I said to her: I find it amazing, that the people that show up regularly at my laughter programs at Senior Centers are those over the age of 90! I said: THAT says something for laughter and longevity!

She agreed.

Well! Of all places, I ran into two women that also lived at her apartment building 2 days ago. It was at the DOLLARTREE store where I get supplies – a FUN PLACE. So it was APPROPRIATE that I should hear about my LAUGHING friend Helen D. when I went there.

Evidently, Helen D. had to have the last laugh!
Helen died in her apartment on THE FOURTH OF JULY (Independence Day!)
I’m sure Helen D., sparkling eyes, laughter and smiles is thrilled that

SHE GOT TO GO OUT WITH A BANG! I think her spirit flew to the heavens with all the Fireworks displays going on and she was LAUGHING WITH GLEE!

I miss her greatly, but just thinking of her brings smiles and laughter to my heart and soul!

FLY FREE LAUGHINGLY HELEN D!!!!!!

Just like you to have the last laugh and GO OUT WITH A BANG!

Live Life! Laugh Often! and maybe you’ll live to the ripe age of 96!
Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Living Life! and Laughing Often!
Next time you see fireworks – think of Helen D – laughing freely!
www.lafolot.com

[this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION under blog name: Helenoflafolot

Not being funny, I was very excited about having completed a milestone in my dental improvements when I was about 42 yrs old.
I was dealing with a realtor at the time -
when she came over to my house, I announced:

I GOT MY IMPLANTS TODAY! and SMILED!

She looked at my chest (in question, since I’m short, overweight and not ‘very defined’ in that area … eh hem….)

NO! I said: DENTAL! DENTAL IMPLANTS!

…COMMUNICATION is a curious creature, is it not? ;o)

Needless to say – my implants will never be featured on the cover of any magazine when I become famous. [unless it's the American Dental Association magazine!]

Or should I say they will – but no one will notice them … other than DUE TO MY FABULOUS SMILE! ;o)

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Live Life! Laugh Often!
and SMILE! and show off that dental work!

[I told my one friend, I'd WILL the implants and crowns to her due to the cost incurred!] ;o) ashame to bury them!
this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION under blog name: Helenoflafolot

WOW! I just LOVE ‘Magical Synchronicity’!

It is a HOT, HUMID, MUGGY 90 degrees fahrenheit outside today! One of those oppressive type days! Sun beating down relentlessly! The kind that makes you grateful to have air conditioning, shelter, etc.

So, by now, you can imagine how I was feeling when I left a restaurant and was walking back out to my car, thinking “OH MY GOSH! I’M GOING TO PASS OUT! THIS HEAT IS SOMETHING ELSE!” I am grateful to have air conditioning in my car as well as to have a car. I start driving down the road after making a second stop at the grocery store – the heat/sun was beating through the windshield. I look at the license plate on the vehicle in front of me:

OHMEOMY

I laughed out loud! My sentiments, exactly! I was finally able to RELEASE a LAUGH about the weather!
What synchronicity! What Magic! Some ANGEL or FLUKE put that license plate in front of me to express what I was holding in about the weather! OH! ME! OH! MY!

Then, a car drives by in the lane on my left and I see the license plate:

MY3STRZ

I think, God, the Universe, Spirit, Angels, who knows – were REALLY starting to mess with me! I laughed out loud!

MY STARS! IT WAS HOT! OH! ME! OH MY! WAS IT HOT!

Then, I got another laugh and smile, remembering how my dad used to make words out of interesting license plates he would see while driving. This was WAY before PERSONALIZED license plates got popular!

I recall him saying, when I bought a new Subaru JUSTY and the license plate was: BYZ (he walked out to the car to give his nod of approval and announced BE WISE! BE WISE!) ha ha ha

The year he died (August 11, 2000), I got a new car/license plate and the first 3 letters were: DAD [how appropriate!] I kept the license plate, even though I have since upgraded my vehicle and now have a HA-HAHA license plate; of which I feel he would approve!

So, in all this heat and humidity, I once again was reminded how to: DRIVE MYSELF HAPPY!

You can read more about my new DRIVE YOURSELF HAPPY! Campaign at my website.

Too HOT? Too much traffic? Too agitated about life’s challenges while driving?

Turn off your cell phone, focus on the road, and SEE HOW MANY FUN WORDS you can make out of the license plates driving by you!

DRIVE YOURSELF HAPPY! and KEEP SPREADING THOSE SMILES BY THE MILES!
Stay Sweet!
Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Live Life! Laugh Often!
www.lafolot.com
[this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION under blogger name: Helenoflafolot]

A mini HA HA Helen of LAFOLOT moment …

Just came in from doing the mini-yard work around my new Modular home.

If you want to have fun and get healthy while doing yard work; as well as put a healthy smile on your face as well as your heart and soul – try the HA HA Helen of LAFOLOT method of yard work.

Weed Whack WA HA HA HA HA …. swing to the left
Weed Whack WA HA HA HA HA … swing to the right
remove finger from power switch –

Bend and Stretch -

Lift and remove power cord out of the way (I whacked through 2 power cords in my younger years! I’m wiser, now HA HA!)

Re-engage power switch -

Weed Whack WA HA HA HA HA … swing to the left…

you get the idea!

WHAT A WHACKY WA HA HA HA PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, STRESS RELIEVING HEALTHY WORKOUT!

I’m sweating bullets! bang bang bang (where did we get that saying anyhow?)

I gotta go – I hear hissing and spitting – my cats are at it again!
MEOW

BA HA HA HA BYE!
HA HA Helen Szollosy of Lafolot
signing out…
swing whacka whacka whacka … swing whacka whacka whacka whacka… HA HA HA HA SMILE!
THE YARD LOOKS BEAUTIFUL AND I JUST BURNED A BUNCH OF CALORIES!
Live Life! Laugh Often!

This post can also been seen at VIBRANT NATION under blogger name: Helenoflafolot

Whenever I present a ‘Laughter? Let’s Get Serious!’ talk, I also present ‘Good Hearted Living Principles’ based on a book by Steve Wilson, CSP. I talk about how you don’t need money to give a gift!

1) Give the Gift of Laughter!
2) Give the Gift of a Smile!
3) Good Hearted Living deals with giving the Gift of: Compliments, Flexibility, Gratitude, Kindness and Forgiveness.

None of the above require the exchange of paper money or the economy to be boosted in order to BOOST SOMEONE’S SPIRITS!

Instead of business cards, I give out Business BOOKMARKS! My bookmarks are bright yellow (yellow agitates the brain and inspires learning!). I included a silly, smiley face on all my bookmarks as well as ways to create a happier, more positive life through my list of suggestions on the back of the bookmark.

Whenever I am out and about, I LOVE sharing my SMILES (part of my SMILE CAMPAIGN) as well as my Bright, Yellow, Silly, Uplifting Bookmarks to brighten people’s days!

I always ask permission from a nearby parent; but when a child is crying, fussing or having a bad day – or bad time communicating their needs; I walk, run, or waddle over – put a silly smile and big eyed look on my face and ask: WOULD YOU LIKE SOME HELP GETTING YOUR SMILE BACK?

Usually, the child gets quiet (probably out of the shear fear of encountering a strange adult! HA HA HA), the parent askes if they would like the bookmark, they nod or reach out and I ask: Has this helped you find you smile again? Can you show me you smile? Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t and THAT’S OKAY!

So COMICALLY, ECONOMICALLY it doesn’t cost even a PENNY for me to make these colorful business bookmarks that – in a PINCH (if you are PINCHING PENNIES) – BOOST THE SPIRIT, MOOD, DAY of the recipient.

So, one silly, smiley, yellow business bookmark at a time – I’m doing my part to comically boost the Emotional Economy of the public.

It’s a SILLY JOB, BUT SOMEONE’S GOTTA DO IT! Who ‘da THUNK a little piece of yellow cardboard could have so much comical-economical power!

Have a silly, smiley, laughter filled, comically-economically boosted kinda day –
HEY! Why Not? It’s HEALTHY!

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Live Life! Laugh Often!
Spread those SMILES BY THE MILES and make the inner light SHINE of everyone you meet!
www.lafolot.com
[this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION under blogger name: Helenoflafolot]

Finally settling into my new modular home after letting go of my condo and putting it on the market –
this has been a day full of surprises!

I tend to have premonitions. I thought this morning, ‘I need to move some of my LAFOLOT Live Life! Laugh Often!’ inventory’. As I was getting ready to leave my favorite Thai restaurant, Thai Palace – the owner/chef peeked out of the kitchen: ‘Do you have any more of those T-Shirts he asked?’ His cute daughter, Elizabeth was there also. YES! I said! Then, I realized he was talking about the new, ‘ME!’ t-shirt I had created and was wearing.

What size? I asked. XL – Yes – I had one in my stash in the car! So I sold him a ME! (LAFOLOT) t-shirt as well as an “I Love to LAFOLOT and GIGGLE, too!” shirt for his daughter, in exchange for a free lunch, tomorrow! I love bartering t-shirts for Thai food!

Then, I headed up the road to complete a few more errands. On the way home, I stopped at a Burger King drive-thru for a soda. My throat was feeling crappy from the hot/humid/allergin-ridden air. It was really hot, even with the A/C, waiting behind one other car. Seemed like it was taking awhile for their ‘fast food’ order. I got my money ready, pulled up to the window and the girl announced: ‘HERE! IT’S FREE! SINCE YOU HAD TO WAIT SO LONG!’
WOW! What a nice surprise!

I instantly thought of the ‘Good Hearted Living Principles’ by Steve Wilson, CSP (my Certified Laughter Leader teacher). I thought, Thursdays may be for Kindness; but we need a day for SURPRISES! Then, I realized, the SURPRISE is the RESULT of the KINDNESS for the recipient!

As I got to a major intersection traffic light, traffic in front of me was doing the usual STOP, Look and make a RIGHT turn on RED – which is allowed in my neck of the woods. So, I did the same. Well, BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
I automatically screamed and my hands almost flew off the steering wheel! A car was directly on my bumper! From WHERE had it come?

That was my LAST SURPRISE! All I have to say is, it’s best not to do a strong, loud, BEEP when something like that happens. I certainly didn’t pull out in front of anyone on purpose. It looked like I had the ‘all clear.’ Plus, traffic was at a stand still due to another red light up the road and traffic having to merge. No one was going anywhere fast.
So, I don’t really know why the vehicle that beep, did so loudly and aggressively, since we both had to slowly merge into the congested traffic.

So SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE as Gomer Pyle used to say! Some from a psychic premonition, some from a treat for being nice and waiting patiently and some from aggressive, angry drivers –

either way – my blood is pumping and my heart is functioning fine! Thank you very much!

Have a happily, surprising day!
HA HA Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
www.lafolot.com
LIVE LIFE! LAUGH OFTEN!

[this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION under blogger name: Helenoflafolot]

After 4 days of constant activity from moving from a condo to a modular home, I couldn’t ‘honestly’ be responsible for my actions, now could I?

I participated in a local Methodist Church Flea Market in order to let go of some unecessary items as well as advertise my LAFOLOT business. So, let me make my excuses BEFORE I tell you what happened! HA HA!

1) I had spent at least 4 days with non-stop physical, mental and emotional activity due to planning and participating in my move.
2) My new, modular home located in a beautiful trailer park, does NOT YET have air conditioning.
3) I barely finished moving all my stuff by Friday evening.
4) I hadn’t slept in 3 nights due to the heat and humidity.
5) I barely had time Friday evening, to prepare my ’stuff’ for the Flea Market this past Saturday!

Have I made enough excuses? HA HA

If I had been sleeping, I had prepared to awaken at 4:30am for a healthy breakfast and time to get to the church by 6:00 AM for setup. Problem is, I hadn’t slept. But! I DID get there with some stuff to sell and to promote my business! *HOORAY!

INTERESTINGLY! I had ‘thought and wished’ that I would somehow end up next to the nice folks I had been placed next to last year. I had also ‘though/wished’ that they would have a Carricaturist there, again this year. I have wanted one done for my LAFOLOT Live Life! Laugh Often! Business Products.

WELL! I got my wish! How strange was this! I was directly next to the lovely/helpful folks I had met last year. ALSO – how strange is THIS! At the last minute, they had scheduled a wonderul young woman/CARICATURIST and she was on the LEFT side of my space! Spooky, Huh? The other strange thing is, she could only stay 3 hours and I ended up being her only customer!

So, being TOTALLY exhausted, I just could not get comfortable. My knees and hips were aching! I tried my low beach chair in a bag, that hurt worse! I ended up giving it to someone.

I tried sitting in my open Hatchback to my Subaru Outback, that didn’t work.
I tried sitting on a couple plastic cases I had my t-shirts in, nope!
I tried sitting on the grass, no way – didn’t work either.
I even tried pulling my car into the space next to mine, vacated by the carricaturist, so I could sit in my car.

So, as a last resort, I had not yet sold a ‘used only once’ air mattress in a bag. It was bulky, sat about 3 to 4 inches off the ground in its bag. I felt it would help my back and allow me to stretch my legs out in front of me. So, JUST AS a Mom, Dad and two kids were approaching my tented space -

I GRACEFULLY lowered myself to the packaged, rolled, deflated air mattress. HA HA

As I put all my weight on it – (evidently ALL the air wasn’t out!)

I ROLLED completed backward, SLOWLY (not hurting myself, due to it being so close to the ground)

My FEET AND LEGS COMPLETELY UP IN THE AIR!

MY BUTT IN FULL VIEW – MOON – at the family coming towards me

I had become a HOLY ROLLER – presenting a Full View HOLY MOON to the family!

I rolled over to my side, got myself up and said: ‘I REALLY didn’t do that on purpose to entertain you!’

They didn’t even blink an eye! I guess seeing my LAFOLOT It’s Healthy! signs stuck into the grass made them think nothing of it!

I’m surprised the Pastor didn’t come over and kick me off the lawn for doing a Holy Roller Full Moon!
*grin

LIVE LIFE! LAUGH OFTEN!
Gives a whole new meaning to STOP, DROP AND ROLL!
Ha Ha Helen Szollosy – Living Life in the Moment

Did you know there is a ‘Law of Average’ 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.

I write in my book, ‘Life is a Song in the Key of Love’, 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.

Yesterday, I had another ‘OOOPS I DID IT AGAIN!’ moment relating to making an ‘Assumption’ about another human being. Luckily, I was able to talk openly and educate myself, thank goodness!

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 ‘more movement’ out of my left eye. The one boy was ‘playing peek-a-boo’ 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 ‘new stuff’ they are seeing and experiencing.

So, my first thought was: ‘this boy seems too old to be playing peek-a-boo, but I’ll go along since he is having fun!’ So I put some silly grins on my face, he ducks and hides behind his daddy.
He pops his head out again, and I give him a wide open-eyed look! He ducks and hides.
He makes another appearance and I hide my face with the menu. He is giggling, hiding, popping up, and smiling.
Life gets too serious, too fast – so I love doing my part to allow kids to be kids and have fun!

All the while, I’m thinking – FOR THIS KID’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!

Well, I’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.
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.

A little later, I asked the boy (who I ASSUMED was about 7 or 8 years old), ‘did you READ the back of the bookmark?’
[It has wonderful positive statements about having a fun, healthy outlook on life.]
The mother looked over and said:

HE’S ONLY 4, HE DOESN’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!

I could have smacked myself. I said to the mother: ‘My he’s tall for his age!’ [COULD SOMEONE STUFF A SOCK IN MY MOUTH!]

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 – 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.

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, ’step out of your Law of Average awareness and open your mind to other possibilities’ Helen. I’m glad the mother was comfortable enough to talk with me. I’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.

Like Forest Gump said, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates’ – there’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.

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.

He held no bias towards me! He just saw a PLAY PAL – not a short, fat, 51 year old, menopausal woman!

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!

Highlighted Helen of LAFOLOT
Be in AWE of it ALL!
Make Life a Song!
www.lafolot.com
[this blog may also be seen at Vibrant Nation under blogger name: Helenoflafolot]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Remember the song, ‘You’re never fully dressed without a smile!’

I had the opportunity to present my Helen of LAFOLOT Variety Show (singing, humorist story telling) to a Women’s church group, last Sunday. I was told the age group would be from 2 to 92! I said: ‘No problem! I can handle it!’ Well, it went beautifully! I allowed the ‘kids’ the opportunity to join me ‘on stage’ and be my backup singers/act. With ‘little instruction’ they WENT WITH IT: Smiling, Sitting and Looking Pretty, Dancing Around, etc. I received many compliments of appreciation after the show; thanking me for including the children. I said I thought they’d be happier being a part of it, rather than having to just sit in a chair. It was a win/win situation!

After I was done ‘doing my thing’, they had some fun games arranged with prizes. I was sitting off to the side in one of the ‘kiddie’ chairs, just relaxing and enjoying myself. Just like with wild animals or pets, when you DON’T PAY ATTENTION or GIVE EYE CONTACT – the shy animal will approach.

Well, a little, strawberry blonde, blue-eyed girl slowly walks over towards me and steps up onto a cart platform next to my chair. I smile and she just STARES! (HA HA) Don’t you just LOVE it when kids do that?

So I say, ‘Hi! How are you?’
She JUST STARES.
I say, as I put a SMILE on my face: ‘Can you give me a SMILE?’
She JUST STARES.
I say, ‘how about a frown? Can you give me a frown? ‘ I do my best pouty face frown.
She JUST STARES.
I say, ‘I know! What faces DO YOU like to make?’ [I'm thinking I'm a real smart one here, coming up with some wonderful method to get this child to respond!]
She JUST STARES!

*sigh … I’m running out of conversation, and this kid is continuing to JUST STARE!

So, I put a FROZEN GRIN on my face and say, through my gritting teeth: ‘Oh no! My mouth is stuck, I can’t stop smiling. Oh my! What am I going to do?’

She JUST STARES!

I continue that a few seconds longer and then RELEASE the SMILE with a look of relief, saying: ‘*PFEW! I thought my mouth was stuck! Glad it came loose!’

She JUST STARES!

*sigh sigh sigh … okay – one more try!
I put another FROZEN GRIN on my face, and go through the ’stuck smile’ routine AGAIN [if at first you don't succeed, try try again].

I say: ‘Oh My! I’m stuck again with the smile! What am I going to do?’
NO RESPONSE – She’s just staring!

I say: ‘What if I SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE it? Maybe it will come loose?’
So I SHAKE my head side to side and release the SMILE. ‘Thank goodness!’ I say, ‘It worked!’

She JUST STARES!

BUT! A woman across the room who had been watching me with the little girl, tapped her friend on the shoulder as she saw me and LET OUT A LAUGH!

*pfew! I still got it! I may not have gotten the little girl to respond, but I got a smile and laugh out of an adult across the room!

So, wherever you go, whatever you do, DON’T FORGET YOUR SMILE! Sometimes, it’s the ONLY PROP you’ll have.
And, remember – ‘You’re never fully dressed without a smile!’ (as the song says)

Spread those ’smiles by the miles’
Live Life! Laugh Often!
and maybe you’ll win a STARING CONTEST with a little 2 year old!

Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Stay Sweet!
www.lafolot.com and can also be seen at: Vibrant Nation under BLOG name ‘Helenoflafolot’