Alphabet Wednesday - K is for...

K is for....

The maritime flag for the letter K

Kimchi
Yum yum - loooove this Korean speciality: picked Chinese cabbage - unfortunately hard to find where I live
Kimono
Another Asian fascination: Japanse garment that offers variety and beauty
Knick-knack
Can be exotic, beautiful, funny......Love the sound of the word ....
Knitting
Wish I was better at it.... had more time for it.... that yarn wasn't so expensive

Wednesday, May 26th is World MS Day

Tomorrow is World MS Day..... which is close to my heart since I am diagnosed with MS.

Within the next week, I am going to participate in a walk that support MS research... and yes I am capable of walking despite the diagnosis.... and yes I do feel lucky that I am actually able to do so...

Until they find a cure it is of vital importance that money is raised to help fund the research - without the reasearch, I wouldn't be able to walk, since the medicine I get has helped me being capable of walking, having a full time job, travel and so many other things that I appreciate every single day.... and I breaks my heart when I see other with MS less fortunate than me depandent on canes, rollators, wheelchairs etc. Until they find the cure new medicine may help others to become fortunate like me - not dependant on walking aids etc. and maybe even helping people to regain some of the lost abilities.

I feel it is my obligation to "pay it forward" - to help raise money for the research for the MS cure - but it's a obligation that I am happy to honour. People also need to realise that it can make a difference to support this research - believe I am a proof thereof. A lot of people show disbelief in their reaction, when they realise that I have the diagnosis, and I am living a somewhat normal life (in their eyes ofte perfectly normal - only I know the truth about it being very hard and trying at times).

To those of you suffering from MS: Tomorrow is your day.

Saint Christopher

Saint Christopher - the patron saint fo travelers.

I didn't know about Saint Christopher until a few weeks ago.... and I have been travelling twice since then - and both times my thoughts have suddenly been about Saint Christopher for a very brief moment - even while reading a book.

I don't have any particular belief - so it has therefore surprised me, that I suddenly realise that I think briefly about this saint while travelling... and then just continue what I am doing, as if this thought hs never sprung up in my mind.....

What if.....

What if....

.... you won the big lottery prize

.... they found the cure for MS

.... they solved all the ecological problems in the world

.... you could quit your job and make a living of creative projects (knitting, cardmaking, writing.....)

.... you could find the love of your life like heroine in a Katie Fforde novel

If just one of them became reality - would it change your life...

.... for the better?

.... for the worse?

.... status quo?

I keep one of my dreams live by renewing my lottery ticket each week.... the other ones remains what they are.... dreams... that way they won't disappoint me. Reality still claims its place with me.

Is Everybody Wearing an Invisible Mask?

OK - I'll admit it - this mask is kinda eerie....but then I is fascinating

I can't help wondering, if we all are not wearing an invisible mask - invisible to the naked eye, but knowing a person really well, you might be able to spot the mask. We all hide something that we wish to keep for ourselves (secrets).... good things, bad things, confusing things etc.

Myself? Yep definitately wearing one these days - I only allow my colleagues to know certain things about me.... A crush on somebody at work is none of their business (including him actually because the feelings are not mutual... I think).... I thought I could tackle a situation with a friend, but it turned out that my feelings were not cooperative at all..... So if they spot the one not able to have eye contact with me any longer but instead keep looking 15cm below my head (the breast issue) then they might discover what is behind the mask.... I just hope I haven't lost a good friend

Someday something/somebody else will be on my mind, and the mask I am currently wearing will be replaced by a new one.... one always have secrets I guess.

Alphabet Wednesday: J is for....

J is for...

Jazz
Soft jazz is what I like - some of the experimental jazz is just noise in my ears
Jingle bells
Love the chiming sound during December - one of the true sounds of Christmas
Jumble
a.k.a. hotchpotch

Ok - I'm Freaked Out!!

Managed to find the book which, I mentioned in a blog last week on my way home in an airport book shop. Was surprised to see a different cover than the one I put on my blog - and was blown away by the snowglobe on the cover. I've always loved snow globes - my parents wouldn't let me have one as a kid, but a couple of years ago I found just the perfect one. Maybe this should have been the first clue, that this book was going to tell me something?!

I immediately started reading the book at the gate and then during the following two flights - one of those.... oh no, I can't read any more of this.... and still you are compelled to continue reading the book. Not because it is a bad book.... not because it is a horror book (which it is absolutely not).... but since it is so close to some of the things that I am going through right now!!

Found the title of the book when googling for a picture related to the words "Can you keep a secret?" - since I wanted to scream out what's going on right now - and at the same time: I can't.

I had a talk with my friend to clear up some tension since the party - but it just made me more confused than ever!!

Alphabet Wednesday: I is for...

I is for.....

Icecream

Homemade icecream... Ben & Jerry's Cookied Dough Ice Cream... sorbets..... yumyum :o)

Idea

Look under inspiration

Innovation

Getting people to do things in a completely new way using "old ressources" or creative thinking

Inspiration

In my world you can find it anywhere....but you sometimes need to know where to look... or be able to generate an idea using the inspiration = that's the tricky part

Invincible

Me in my cartoon world - ever laughed at a situation, as you can compare it to a cartoon with crazy gadgets etc.? :o) - The innerchild I guess that wont't dissapear.... or maybe because I don't allow my innerchild to dissapear

Invisible

When I am sitting on my favourite bench at summertime in a nearby park just absorbed by a good book - I get the feeling of being invisible, since I have escaped toa "parallel world"

Can You Keep a Secret?

Think I need to buy that book - I think it actually might relate to the situation I am in right now......

I really want to confide in my best friend about something that has just happened - both I am both afraid to do it.... this thing has not yet sunk in completely.

I have actually fallen for a guy - that is kinda forbidden fruit.... and he's not engaged, married, a friends ex-boyfriend etc.... He is free as a bird...but can really reveal much about why he is forbidden fruit..... he has always been a good friend and is in my opinion good looking.

I've actually known him for years, but a party he confided in me: he really likes me, but can not show how much in public.... It's just like the proverb: "Believe in the words of children and drunk people, who are not afraid of the consequences of telling the truth" - he really turned my world upside down telling me this, he repeated this several times during the party

I am SOOO utterly confused and do not know what to do.... HEEEELP!!

Alphabet Wednesday: H is for...

H is for...

Halloween

Not celebrated locally until 10-15 years ago....both ahhh the pumpkins...

History

We all have one

Homemade

Remember how your grandparent served that special cake...how your mum make a special dish or.....

You can almost feel how much work a person has put into making something

Hotchpotch

Describing my wandering thoughts... aka hodgepodge

Reverse...Is That How to Solve a Problem....??

When I took the classes in order to get my diploma in innovation, one of the classes was Creative Problemsolving: how to use simple ideas to solve problems and easy ways to get people to open their mind and think in alternative solutions. Remember how people laughed when they realise how simple it can be to generate new solutions - at least on paper, but giving them fuel to continue to solve something.

Reverse Brainstorming is one of the ways to generate possible solutions to a problem - and it has roots in the usual brainstorming:

• Identify the problem, that needs to be solved - and the desired outcome: could be to attract more customers
• Reverse that problem: How to NOT attract more customers
• What can we do to not attract more customers: treat the customer badly
• Reverse those ideas: treat the customer with good service

While reversing the ideas to positive ones, new ideas are actually generated and can be added to potential ideas....the hardest is how to pick the solutions, that you wish to pursue.

I saw an episode of "FlashForward" the other day, when one of the characters mentioned, that by living in the now- you are able to grab good things, when they pass you. In a lot of ways, that is true - but you need to realise, that sometimes things are not what they appeared to be - but that is just the nature of life: You can predict it.

And if you are wondering, what the Buddha photo have to do with today's blogpost, then the explanation is very simple. If I didn't seize the day and the possibilities, I wouldn't have been able to take this photo in Asia 1½ week ago - The decision about my trip to Asia was not taken until 18 hours before I left my house to go on that trip :o)