Welcome to my Spiritual & Inspirational Sunday post. For over twenty-five years I have collected various spiritual and inspirational quotes and messages. My hope is that when you read these, you will pause and reflect. Perhaps you will share this post with a friend who just so happens to be in need of reading what I am sharing today.
Much to my delight, I recently ran across the email forward I am sharing in this post. It is one I received many years ago. Although quite comical to read it is a reminder of the differences between men and women which often results in miscommunication. As we all know, miscommunication can sometimes result in terrible consequences.
For the women reading this, I hope it will be a reminder to you to stop the “stinkin thinkin” you might do in your own mind. Just talk. For the men reading this, I hope this will give you some insight into what can happen when there is no communication. Say what you mean, mean what you say and don’t say it mean.
The Difference Between Men and Women…
Let’s say a guy named William is attracted to a woman named Julie. He asks her out to a movie; she accepts; they have a pretty good time. A few nights later he asked her out to dinner, and again they enjoy themselves. They continue to see each other regularly and after awhile neither one is seeing anybody else. And then, one evening when they’re driving home, a thought occurs to Julie and without really thinking, she says out loud: “Do you realize that as of tonight, we’ve been seeing each other exactly for six months?”
And then there is silence in the car.
To Julie, it seems like a very loud silence. She thinks to herself: “Geez, I wonder if it bothers him that I said that. Maybe he’s been feeling confined by our relationship; maybe he thinks I’m trying to push into some kind of commitment that he doesn’t want, or isn’t sure of it.
And William is thinking: Gosh, six months.
And Julie is thinking: But hey, I’m not sure I want this kind of relationship either. Sometimes I wish I had a little more space so I’d have time to think about whether I really want to us to keep going the way we are, moving steadily toward…I mean, where are we going? Are we just going to keep seeing each other at this level of intimacy? Are we heading toward marriage? Toward children? Do I really know this person?
And William is thinking: …so that means it was… let’s see… February when we started going out, which was right after I had the car at the dealer’s which means…lemme check the odometer…whoa! I am overdue for an oil change here.
And Julie is thinking: He’s upset. I can see it on his face. Maybe I ‘m reading this completely wrong. Maybe he wants more from our relationship, more intimacy, more commitment, maybe he has sensed-even before I sense it-that I was feeling some reservations. Yes, I bet that’s it. That’s why he’s so reluctant to say anything about his own feelings. He’s afraid of being rejected.
And William is thinking: And I’m gonna have them look at the transmission again. I don’t care what those morons say, it’s still not shifting right. And they better not try to blame it on the cold weather this time. What cold weather? It’s 87 degrees out, and this thing is shifting like a garbage truck, and I paid those incompetent thieves $600.
And Julie is thinking: He’s angry. And I don’t blame him. I’d be angry, too. I feel so guilty, putting him through this, but I can’t help the way I feel. I’m just not sure.
And William is thinking: They’ll probably say it’s only a 90-day warranty…scumballs.
And Julie is thinking: Maybe I’m just too idealistic, waiting for a knight to come riding up on his white horse, when I’m sitting next to a perfectly good person, a person I enjoy being with, a person I truly do care about, a person who seems truly to care about me. A person who is in pain because of my self-centered, schoolgirl romantic fantasy.
And William is thinking: Warranty? They want a warranty? I’ll give them a warranty. I’ll take their warranty and ….
“William,” Julie says out loud.
“What?” says William, startled.
“Please don’t torture yourself like this,” says Julie, her eyes beginning to brim with tears. “Maybe I should never have… Oh God, I feel so…” as she begins to sob.
“What?” says William.
“I am such a fool,” Julie sobs. “I mean, I know there’s no knight. I really know that. It’s silly. There’s no knight, and there’s no horse.”
“There’s no horse?” says William, wondering what she means.
“You think I’m a fool don’t you? Julie says.
“No!” says William, glad to finally know the correct answer.
“It’s just that… it’s that I… I need some time,” Julie says.
(There is a 15-second pause while William, thinking as fast as he can, tries to come up with a safe response. Finally, he comes up with one that he thinks might work.) “Yes,” he says.
(Julie, deeply moved, touches his hand.) “Oh William, do you really feel that way?” she says.
“What way?” says William.
“That way about time,” says Julie.
“Oh,” says William,. “Yes.”
(Julie turns to face him and gazes deeply into his eyes, causing him to become very nervous about what she might say next, especially if it involves a white horse. At last she speaks.) “Thank you, William,” she says.
Then, he takes her home and she lies on her bed, a conflicted, tortured soul and weeps until dawn whereas when William gets back to his place, he opens a bag of Doritos, turns on the TV and immediately becomes deeply involved in a rerun of a tennis match. A tiny voice in the far recesses of his mind tells him that something major was going on back there in the car but he is pretty sure there is no way he would ever understand what so he figures he is better off if he doesn’t even think about it.
The next day Julie will call her closest friend, or perhaps two of them, and they will talk about this situation for six straight hours in painstaking detail. They will analyze everything she said and everything he said, going over it time and time again, exploring every word, and possible ramification. They will continue to discuss this subject, off and on, for weeks and maybe even months never reaching any definite conclusions, but never getting bored with it either.
Meanwhile, William, while playing racquetball one day with a mutual friend of his and Julie’s, will pause just before serving, frown, and say: “Norm, did Julie ever own a horse?” Source Unknown
And, that is the difference between men and women. Blessings! …susan
Whether they are part of an exterior doorway or used in an interior doorway, doorway transoms can be used both functionally and aesthetically. The beauty of doorway transoms is that they can be custom made giving you a plethora of choices when designing a new home or doing a remodel. You can customize the height and width to fit the scale of the room. You can have an elaborate or simple design. Wood, iron, glass, barbed-wire, and metal are just a few of the choices of material that can be used. The material can be used singularly in a doorway that is the traditional depth. However, if your doorway is deep, you can mirror the material at each end of the doorway opening. Transoms can be used with or without glass and they can also be used in a passage way without even hanging a door.
Functionally, they can be used as a light source. An exterior doorway transoms bring light in from the outside while an interior doorway transom allows light to pass between two rooms.
Aesthetically, they add height to a doorway giving the illusion that the door is taller. If you are building a home and on a tight budget this can be cheaper than paying for taller custom doors. Or, if you are remodeling and want to reuse the original doors but want more doorway height, this could be your solution. A doorway with a transom will enhance the height of a room. Additionally, you can use a doorway transom as a design element in your home.
The photos below provide different designs and uses for both interior and exterior transoms. Enjoy!
Source: Great Kitchen Ideas Book
^The photo above is a good example showing how a transom in a doorway adds height to a room especially with the large piece of artwork and the cabinet height. This doorway transom also serves as a light source between rooms bringing the deep color of the living room into the kitchen. I think the simple design element works well.
Source: November/December 2009- If you know the magazine, please contact me and I will note it.
^Although the photo above shows an interior doorway transom, it certainly cannot compete with the pair of Christmas floral design elements and the vases. I wish I could see the entire room and more detail of the pair of coffee tables. Back to the transom, I like how the height of the curtain rod relates to the transom.
Source: Veranda Magazine September 2007
^Above is a photo of an arched interior doorway transom with a Spanish wrought-iron design which I feel enhances the interior design of this home.
Source: Traditional Home Magazine July 2008
^This interior transom is used in the opening between two vanity areas in a bathroom without using a door (note reflection in mirror showing another vanity). Though seeing the toilet, maybe there is a pocket door. It makes a strong decorative statement in both design and color. I do like how the transom design is reflected in each mirror.
Source: Architectural Digest date unknown.
^Though the photo above has far too many design elements going on for my taste, I do like the iron design of the interior doorway transom. There also appears to be a door transom above the front door though it is blocked from view in this photo by the chandelier.
Source: Elegant Home magazine, date unknown.
^In the photo above is an example of a wider interior transom that has used a modified spider web design to make an elegant design statement in this foyer.
Source: Unknown. If you know the source, please contact me and I will note it.
^Using an hour glass design to create a design element, this exterior transom also allows light to filter in from what appears to be a porch. Put your finger over the transom and imagine the room without the transom. Don’t you think it is an excellent example of a transom giving height to a door in a room with a tall ceiling?
Source: Traditional Home Holiday 2009
^Above is yet another example of door transoms adding a design statement, creating door height and being a light source. Doesn’t the transom height create a perfect area for the artwork? Imagine how different and less pleasing the artwork would look if it were taller than the doors.
It is my hope with this post that somehow I have positively touched your design process. Please share your thoughts with me in a comment. Blessings. …susan
Welcome to my Spiritual & Inspirational Sunday post. For over twenty-five years I have collected various spiritual and inspirational quotes and messages. My hope is that when you read these, you will pause and reflect. Perhaps you will share this post with a friend who just so happens to be in need of reading what I am sharing today.
As I was searching through my drawer full of spiritual & inspirational material, I ran across an email forward I received from a friend dated 06/05/02. Enjoy!
Life Lessons From The Dalai Lama-Lessons for Life in the New Millennium
1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three R’s: Respect for self, respect for others, responsibility for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don’ let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone everyday.
9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then, when you get older and think back you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your homes is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation.
14. Don’t bring up the past.
15. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.
16. Be gentle with the earth.
17. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
18. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
19. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
20. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.
Blessings. …susan
På riktigt så överväger min man just nu en snöslunga. Hur mycket kan det snöa egentligen, helt galet..?! Det har fullkomligt vräkt ner hela helgen och gången upp till huset blir bara djupare och djupare. Kanske man ska gå ihop med några grannar och inhandla en..? Har ni några erfarenheter om snöslungor? vilken är bäst osv.. Jag gillar iof att skotta, ser det som motion, men någon motta får det ändå vara. Har haft en mysig helg och känner mig ok igen. Tror det var brist på sömn som gjort att jag känt mig slut. Prinsessan sover hela nätterna men vill ha rätt mkt mat till och från. Har hälsat på lilla mini kusinen idag, hon var såå liten så liten. Och vår lilla tjej var än mindre när hon kom, vilket man redan glömt. Tänk vad kul de kommer ha tillsammans med endast 3,5 månader mellan dem. Hoppas ni haft en skön helg och inte snöat inne. xx
Welcome to my Spiritual & Inspirational Sunday post. For over twenty-five years I have collected various spiritual and inspirational quotes and messages. My hope is that when you read these, you will pause and reflect. Perhaps you will share this post with a friend who just so happens to be in need of reading what I am sharing today.
Though a day late, I have chosen to share the contents of an email I recently received from a friend. Isn’t this a wonderful list of basic commands to follow! For me, this list is a great reminder to have faith.
BTW: I wanted to share something exciting with you- that being that my cousin is the lone female astronaut on the International Space Station. Her name is Kay Hire. She was on the Space Shuttle Endeavor which was launched into space last Monday. You can go to www.nasa.gov and click on nasa tv and depending on the time of day you can watch the astronauts working. A very basic description of their mission is to take another “room” to the ISS and attach it. All of the space shuttles will be retired by the end of the year leaving only four more flights to go. Blessings. …susan
You Shall
You shall not worry, for worry is the most unproductive of all human activities.
You shall not be fearful, for most of the things we fear never come to pass.
You shall not carry grudges, for they are the heaviest of all life's burdens.
You shall face each problem as it comes. You can only handle one at a time anyway.
You shall not take problems to bed with you, for they make very poor bedfellows.
You shall not borrow other people's problems. They can better care for them
than you.
You shall not try to relive yesterday for good or ill, it is forever gone.
Concentrate on what is happening in your life and be happy now!
You shall be a good listener, for only when you listen do you hear ideas different from your own.
You shall not become "bogged down" by frustration, for 90% of it is rooted in self-pity and will only interfere with positive action.
You shall count your blessings, never overlooking the small ones, for a lot
of small blessings add up to a big one.
-- Author Unknown
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