Author: Fee Writes

The Effect of Smiles

The Effect of Smiles

Nothing beats the effects smiles have on you.

the effect of smiles

While housesitting a few months ago, I had quite a remarkable little time when I went out to a mall. Now, I’m not big on malls, but where I was staying, there was no high street (so to speak). It was the mall or nothing, and my general thing the mall visits is to put blinkers on, do what needs to be done and get out. However, while there, I decided to stop at a cafè and have a coffee.

As this was a new mall, I decided to have a wee look around.
Now, there was one thing that I was looking for, and that was arm warmers. It was getting cold, and sometimes, a little added warmth on the arms was needed. Of course, one can always use leg warmers on the arms. It doesn’t really matter. So I looked for either arm or leg ones.

I went into one store. It’s a large franchise store, and I’ve bought items I like from them. I thought they might have what I was looking for, so rather than look around the store, I thought I would go and ask.
I went up to the counter and asked a pretty young woman if they had any arm or leg warmers.
And she said, “Oh, I don’t think we do.”
But she said we may have leg warmers.
And she takes me into a particular shelving area.
Realising there were none, she said, “Oh no, they’re all gone.”
Next thing, this guy walks over.
He was gorgeous. He was charming, a Pacific Islander, and adorable. I’m sure he was a manager or something similar.

The young woman asked him if they had any arm or leg warmers, as none were on the shelf.
He replied, “Oh, are we really? Oh, that’s not good enough. I will get onto that immediately because we definitely should have some at this time of the year.”
I quickly responded that I wasn’t from this neighbourhood and would check this store when I got home.
He then said, “It’s still not good enough. I will get onto head office, and I will get some. In the meantime, maybe you can go to (and said the name of another store) and see if they have them.”
He went on to add. “It’s a very, very beautiful store.”
And I said, “Oh, I love that place.”
And in unison, they both said, “I know it’s gorgeous.”
One thing led to another, and the next thing he was talking to the young woman about candles, saying what sort of smell of candles he likes, and this young woman was confirming that she loved the vanilla and jasmine smells.

They continue chatting amongst themselves about different candle perfumes, and the next thing he says, “Oh, we should get some in here and have them going. How beautiful it would be.”
Then he turns and looks at me and says, “How funny. I should be asking
you to spend money. What am I doing? I’m getting the store to spend money!” With that, all three of us burst out laughing.

It was just absolutely delightful. I left there feeling very positive and uplifted and realising how magical the effect of smiles is. It crossed my mind that I should have taken a video of it. I was tempted to go back and ask him if he wouldn’t mind being on social media because he was absolutely delightful.

fee figures smiles

 

A beautiful spirit.

 

 

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Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Alzheimer’s and dementia are crippling diseases.

It is crippling not only to the person who has it but to their family. I’m getting to that age, and know some people who have it or have early signs of it.

Thankfully, there was none in my family, although my mother died at 75, so who’s to say she could have got it a bit later on? My dad died at around about 96, and he definitely didn’t have it. In fact, he was cognitive right up to the day he died. Also, none of my aunts and uncles nor grandparents who lived to old age suffered from the disease.

My parents were both born in the early 1900s, and I wonder if they were a product of their generation. They were brought up on whole food, nothing processed, and, at that time, plastic hadn’t been invented. Bakelite was invented in 1907 and was the first synthetic resin ever created.

I don’t even remember anybody who had it through the years I was growing up. Because of this, I wonder if it is like a modern disease that has become more and more prevalent. I would have been in my 30s when I met the first person I ever knew (or knew of) who had dementia. She was the grandmother of a friend of mine. I didn’t know anything about Alzheimer’s or dementia at that time.

Now, I haven’t looked into any research on it, but I know there is a lot of research about it. But my brain works in funny, mysterious ways. And I do wonder if it is because we have so many chemicals in and around us nowadays that have caused the surge.
Chemicals have been found all around our planet, including in Antarctica and the Arctic. Perhaps these chemicals have something to do with it. Also, we have to consider the fact that we eat way more processed foods now. And if you look at the ingredients in processed foods, a lot of them are chemical or chemical-based.

Then there is our water—you know, the water that we drink, which is supposedly fine. But the pipes are flushed out with chemicals, so realistically, we are ingesting chemicals there. I even wonder about bottled water. Why? Because most of that bottle of water is ‘processed’ and ends up in plastic.

Does all of this have a compounding effect on our brains?

These chemicals must hit us at a cellular level. It stands to reason. And even if we’re eating organic food, with so many chemicals worldwide, is that being drawn up into the atmosphere and then rained down? I’d like to know if somebody has actually researched this or knows what the component of rain is.
So now it rains on all crops and pastures; is it acid rain?
Are there traces of chemicals? Wouldn’t that mean that even our organic veggies are exposed?
This brings me back to the point of chemicals hitting the cellular level of our bodies.

I am one to have whole food. I have the occasional processed food, but not an awful lot. The bulk of my meals and everything is always whole food. And, and so I feel happy about that.
I don’t grow vegetables, though. I grow herbs and am an excellent herb grower. You name it—I can grow it.
But I’m not very good at growing vegetables. I have tried on numerous occasions with limited success.


Hmm, my simple logic, that’s all. I’d love to know your thoughts. Bye for now.

 

 

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Choices

Choices

I was thinking recently about choices.

I sometimes feel I shouldn’t sit and reflect too much, but at my age, when you have free time, you tend to contemplate various issues.

One of the things I was thinking about recently was how all the decisions I have made up to this point have led me to where I am today.

They have led me to:

  • who I am
  • where I live
  • my friends
  • and many more.

All this has come from choices I have made in the past.

Now, am I happy?

Too right, I’m happy.

I’m very grateful that I was born with the sunshine gene. My mother used to tell me you walk around with rose-tinted glasses on, and I love it, and I still have those glasses.

In saying that, I do know reality and understand what’s happening in the world.

I keep myself updated with world and local events, so I know what’s happening.

I’m not in La La Land as such, but I always look for the good in people; I always look for the good in things and always think that there is; how can I put this? It’s like the sun is always shining, regardless.

It doesn’t matter if it’s storming or a cyclone; the sun is always shining because you get up beyond it, and there you have the beautiful blue skies.

It’s like there is yin and yang.

You know, there are two sides, negatives and positives, and there are always two sides to everything.

And we always have a choice, regardless.

We always have a choice in how we react to things.

So you can be bitter and twisted about something, or you can choose to be happy.

I used to always tell my children when they asked for something, and I said, no, you couldn’t have it. (Nine times out of ten, I would explain why they couldn’t have or do it.)

But if the answer was “no” and they packed a tante getting all upset saying “but please, please, please, mama”.

I would say, “Sorry, but the answer is no. Now you have a choice.

You can go away, cry and get upset, be angry or whatever.

Or you can find something else to do, be happy about it, and focus on the good things you have around you.

Ride your bike or draw a picture or something.

The answer is still no. It’s your choice as to how you react to it.”

Of course, they didn’t like it, but they understood it.

Later on, as adults, they told me they used to get so pipped when I said that because they knew I was right.

I learned all this from my parents. My dad used to say:

“You are always in the best place.

It’s the only place you’re in.

So make the best of it.”

It’s that simple; it’s all about choice.

 

 

 

 

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The Fun of Elections.

The Fun of Elections.

I do wonder about the intelligence of some people who are out on the campaign trail.

And, no, I’m not talking about the old folk duking it out in USA!

Ah, the fun of elections!

We’re in the middle of the first Council election in several years. This is all due to the dreadful mismanagement, infighting, and overall debacles that led the government of the day to step in and appoint a commissioner to run the show.

Needless to say, this has caused a bit of a rift among the ratepayers. Some thought it a great idea, others not. No one is perfect, but one has to agree that more has been done since the Commissioner ran things than when the council did.

However, things have come to an end, and it’s now time for wannabe councillors to put on their big-people panties and step up to the mark to create an honest and forward-thinking/planning council to run the show. How we’ll go—well, that we’ll find out.

This brings me to the billboards that are currently scattered around every nook and cranny for the driving voters to see. One in particular caught my eye.

tauranga council voting

Now, I’m not about to get into a discussion about Trump – or how I feel about him. But what does puzzle me is:

1. Is this candidate aligning himself with Trump’s style by using the ‘make ….. great again’ mantra that MAGA is famous for

OR

2. Is this candidate trying to be funny, witty or show some style of sarcasm?

Either way, I think it’s a completely disastrous campaign slogan. If he is aligning himself to MAGA because he believes it’s right, then he’s lost the votes of those who are totally opposed to Trump’s style and certainly don’t want to see their Mayor following in his footsteps.

And if he’s just being funny, then it’s backfired. If people think it’s a joke or sarcasm, they’ll still not vote just in case they’re wrong, and this candidate truly does hold Trump up as a model leader.

Ah, the fun of elections! 😂😂😂

election fun

 

 

 

 

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Seventy is NOT Old!

Seventy is NOT Old!

I do wonder about how young people’s minds work.

I read an article recently by a young person who was of the opinion that people over the age of 70 should re-sit their driver’s license every year. It’s like, what? You have got to be kidding me.

Okay, I do agree that there are some old farts out there that drive at nought miles an hour or nought kilometres, depending on which country you’re from. And yes, they piss me off just as much as they do you. But the majority of older folks drive normally, and they are fine.

Did you know that people between the ages of 15 and 17 are more likely to have an accident than drivers from any other age group, according to statistics? Plus, they are more likely to cause injuries and death, including to themselves. In Aotearoa, N.Z., drivers between 15 and 24 years old are at the highest risk. (Government Stats).

There are more younger people driving erratically, way above the speed limit, and taking stupid risks than older drivers. This made me think I would happily set myself up against any young driver any day of the week, and I bet that I would be as good, if not better, than them as a driver.

So, yes. I was rather astonished when I read that. After all, 70 is not that old.

fee figures

 

 

 

 

 

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About Me

fee o'shea

Thanks for dropping by. My name is Fee O’Shea. I’m a mother and grandma, an author, and a Comedy Improver.
This blog is for my thoughts, my rants, raves, reviews and things that have grabbed my attention. From politics to social media to beauty, health and the environment. Fee’s World Over Coffee is written to bring you a smile or get you thinking. Enjoy.

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