Benefits to Setting Daily Goals

Benefits of Daily Goals.

All my life I had dreams to dream and goals to reach. Some were unrealistic and only a miracle would get me there. Some were reachable in a short period of time. This gave me a quick satisfaction and enough fuel to keep me moving.

As I grew older, I dropped those New Year’s resolutions because I didn’t see any reason to reset goals each year. Why reset goals again and again? Realizing this approach was unrealistic for me I started setting daily goals. And as I set daily goals, I tweaked then as I went.

When I reached my 80^th birthday I started setting a goal for each birthday. For my 80^Th birthday, I walked a 5K on what I called my “training wheels”- my walker.   With the help of my daughter, I started training for the 5k. This gave me a reason to get up, get dressed, and show up each day. On race day, I reached that goal as I crossed the finish line,

The 81st birthday I set a goal to organize a book club at my local Mt. Juliet Senior Activity Club. My daily goals were filled with research on “How to start a book club” I completed my research paper and presented my suggestion to the Senior Center Director. Imagination Traveler’s Book Club is 3 years old.

What next was the question I asked myself for my 82 birthday goal?  To answer the question I had a profound realization that volunteering was the answer. I volunteered to lead the book club.  My goal was set for 100 hours. On National Volunteer Day I received a Volunteer certificate at a recognition breakfast for 132 volunteer hours

My 83^rd birthday goal was made by setting a higher goal of 500 volunteer hours at the Senior Center. My need to promote seniors and keep them in the loop and not isolating them became a goal within the volunteer hour’s goal. The Executive Director, of the Senior Center, assigned me to the Marketing Committee. So, I began an increase in volunteer hours. Met the goal with 565 hours and was in the top 8 volunteer group.

84^th birthday goal was a natural goal for me, for now, I was on a roll and enjoying my volunteer hours, Then too, I felt comfortable and needed. 1000 hours goal was set!  Adding to the list of things for me to do me I added knitting and crocheting for charity and becoming a volunteer social media poster on Facebook, Twitter and three networks in my area. On Volunteer Day, which coincided with my birthday, I sat and waited for my name to be called. The Top Ten were announced and I began to think did my volunteer sheet get overlooked? Then it happened! My name was called for Top Volunteer Award for 2015. I was so happy because I worked daily and reached my goal of 1047 hours.

What is my goal for my 85^th birthday? Continue my volunteer hours for the senior center and add a new goal to it. God willing I will be walking the 5k race in the National Senior Olympics in Birmingham, Ala. in the year 2017. This year I qualified by walking the 5K for The Tennessee State Olympics and win a goal medal in my age bracket. It is a personal goal in promoting “Keep Seniors Moving” for a healthier and happier life any way I can. "Lead by Example".

Keep Seniors Moving

There is a significant  population of retirees that have little opportunity to socialize keep active and thereby live an active, fuller and longer life. The Senior Center Helps these people. Many would not have this opportunity unless donations are received to support them. Help the seniors of the community any way you can. If you are not a senior now you will be in a few years. Build a future you can grow into. Any amount would be gratefully appreciated. If everyone contributed something toward the building our dream would come true quickly. My dream is to help the Senior Center in Mt. Juliet, Tn. 

Make Check payable to MJSAC Building Fund 2034 N. Mt.Juliet Rd, Mt. Juliet, TN.

GrandmaOnDeck is an 86 year old volunteer at the center who believes in keeping Seniors moving, active, happy and healthier.

                                                                       

Gingerbread Men Casualties

Many stories come from Grandma’s kitchen and told down through the ages.  Mine is a little different.  You see, I am in my 80’s,  and making gingerbread men came down through my years,  but after many years of not making them, grandma caused a few casualties. Children fondly called them boo boo cookies.

The Gingerbread Men were to be a surprise for a Bunco party I was hosting.. I carefully kneaded the dough then I proceeded to roll the dough to about ¼ inch thick. Now, the trouble began! I pressed the cookie cutter into the dough and tried to put it on a cookie sheet. Well, it stuck.  I lightly floured the cookie cutter and tried again. Better results this time. I managed to get a dozen cut out and onto the cookie sheet and baked them according to my recipe. After the cookies cooled on the sheet, it was time to place them on a cooling rack. Casualties began to happen! A leg fell off one, an arm fell off another until I only had six whole ones left. This would never do! I needed six more.

The process for making the cookies started over again. I was working along and realized I made the recipe for gingerbread cake instead of cookies. Well I finished the cake and frosted it with the cookie icing. The cake looked pretty good but was a little plain so I put a whole gingerbread man right in the center of the cake. He looked handsome there.

When we were ready to serve the cake the lone little gingerbread man became the casualty as the cake was sliced

You Can Teach an Old Dog New Tricks

 At the age of 83, I started learning to knit at the Mt. Juliet Senior Activity Center. My teacher, a group of remarkable senior women who meet at the center and knit and crochet for various charity organizations. They share their knowledge, skills, friendships, and a lot of conversation. I never learned the stitchery as a child. I grew up in a family of 8 children whose mother's day was filled with cooking, laundry, house cleaning, and mending. So to be a part of this group I made a bold statement:" I want to learn to knit".
Right after I made the statement I came a crossed an old saying:" Let your self-be a beginner" which I did. The thought took a lot of stress away when mistakes were made and so much quicker in learning to correct mistakes. It also allowed me to see daily improvements.

The first two scarves I knitted were for Charity. The third one, the black, grey and creamed one pictured in the upper left-hand corner, I made for myself. The fourth project I made my first hat and a scarf to match. It is the picture in the upper right-hand corner. This set also went to Charity,

Each day I am becoming more comfortable with knitting and my stitches are even. When All the quotas have been met by various Charity Organizations, I will be working with the group to fill the the Local Cancer Society need for soft cancer hats.
It is so rewarding to be able to learn new things, help fill a need, and experience a heart warming feeling of being needed.

                                                  

Jeanne Robertson | Don't Take the Hotel Room Key

GrandmaOnDeck-Challenge for NPF's 2015 Championship Series.

Memorial Day Weekend presented me with a chance to visit Hoover, Alabama for the 2015 SEC Championship baseball tournament and to see the facility. Met Stadium In Hoover is also the site of the National Profastpitch League (Women's Softball) 2015 Championship Series.
It was 3 hours from my home in Mt. Juliet, Tn. The weather prediction was excellent; the ride was short, and none other than a chance to see Vanderbilt & Florida baseball teams play!

My daughter and I started off on a bright Friday afternoon, taking our time and loving the scenery of beautiful trees, wildflowers, pastures and barns. The drive was so pleasant. It was then I realize the location where we live is almost the center of USA -easy to travel with great highways.

 We registered at our hotel and got to the Met Stadium just in time to enjoy some good food from the VIP hospitality room.  The Met Stadium is a fan friendly stadium with ample parking and includes an RV Park- tail gating which is a sport in itself! The event host and all the workers had that southern hospitality charm. Vanderbilt won their game. Next we watched The Florida Gators.

The City of Hoover is a beautiful and sports minded community just 15 minutes from Birmingham, Ala. It has a lot to offer anyone who wants to plan their vacation around the 2015 NPF Championship Series Tournament August 14 through August 17^th.  Start now to plan your vacation- pack up your RV and get it registered for a spot in the Met Stadium RV Park or book your hotel reservations. Buy your tickets for the games on-line through the NPF website www.profastpitch.com  Keep up with all the news, schedules and NPF events there also.

Check out the Hoover Chamber of Commerce website for accommodations and recreational opportunities at http://www.hooverchamber.org/.

Check out the Birmingham, Ala. Chamber of Commerce https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=birmingham+al+chamber+of+commerce

The area offers a great variety for vacation action and to watch the World’s best women’s softball players play in a city and state who love softball. The Met Stadium holds 10,000 fans. Can we fill it up?  GrandmaOnDeck  is counting on the softball fans in the state of Alabama  and Coach Pat Murphy , Head Coach of the University of Alabama to lead the challenge. You have managed to turn out great crowd so fill the stadium up and maintain the bragging rights of the “greatest softball fans”. Let's All make a statement for all who love the game.

 

 

 

Help Make Their Dreams ComeTrue

The 2015 National Pro Pastpitch (NPF) season is open. 30 of those college standouts in the WCWS will put on a Jersey for an NPF team and start play. These girls will get to continue their softball careers because the NPF provides the opportunity. Lets all promote the NPF for all women who have a dream- equality on the playing field as men who play baseball. Here's how:
1.Keep up with schedules, events, players, news and scores.
2.Wear NPF apparel or from your favorite NPF Team.
3.Follow your favorite Team Website
4.Plan trips to games-purchase tickets on line for games and   special events.
5. Be a sponsor, ask someone to sponsor for NPF. Ask the company you work for.


Here is the most important thing of all !
 Browse the National Pro Fastpitch League for all the information listed and share NPF's  posts and that of its Sponsors . It takes us all to promote.
www.profastpitch.com




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