Hole In The Donut Travels

A while back, my friend Laura Lee Carter over at MidlifeCrisisQueen.com asked me to review the manuscript for a book she had just finished writing. Aptly titled, “Midlife Magic: Becoming the Person You Are Inside,” Laura Lee’s book treats us to the roller coaster ride that was her life, beginning at age 46 when she [...]

Every cloud has a silver lining. In the case of our current economic woes, the silver lining is travel. With reservations down, absolutely awesome travel deals are being offered to anyone with the time and resources to take advantage of them. Two of the most popular destinations in the country, Las Vegas and Orlando, are [...]

A tall, middle-aged man just walked into Pastry Art, my favorite coffee shop and bakery in downtown Sarasota. He opened the door a smidge and squeezed through, barring the large Golden Retriever that accompanied him from entering.
“Stay outside,” he said, pointing to one of the tables near the curb. The dog walked away temporarily, but [...]

This series of photos showing the raising of the “Miracle on the Hudson” USAirways jet from the bottom of the river were forwarded to me today. I can’t know for sure where they came from, but the body of the email indicated they were taken by the crane operator lifting the Airbus out of the [...]

In my daily meditations, I use a book titled “Awakenings: Asian Wisdom for Everyday.” The book contains a beautiful photo and an accompanying bit of wisdom for each day of the year. Prior to meditating each morning, I read the saying for the day and contemplate the message during my meditation.
Yesterday it was:
The actions of [...]

It was my anniversary yesterday. On January 24, 1996 I walked into the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous, and that was the last time I ever had a drink or used drugs.
The day was a little surreal for me. In some ways it felt like I just got clean and sober yesterday; in other ways it [...]

The synchronicity of the world constantly amazes me. Yesterday I wrote about traveling to India, and today I receive an email from my friend, Dorothy, who hails from Edinburgh, Scotland. Dorothy and I became fast friends when we both attended a very special Yoga retreat in a remote area of central India a few years [...]

My friend, Mary Jo, sent me this video. How absolutely delightful! I bet you can’t watch it without giggling:

Ah, India! Just saying the word conjures up images of the Taj Mahal in the soft light of dawn, camels trekking across deserts, worshipers bathing in the sacred Ganges, mountains of spices in marketplace stalls, and women wrapped in luscious silk saris. India also means being exposed to filth, poverty, masses of humanity, beggars on [...]

For the third straight morning, I roll out my Yoga mat on my living room floor and sit in half lotus pose. I straighten my back and rest my hands on my knees palms up, bringing the tips of my forefingers and thumbs together to create circles. Closing my eyes, I begin Ujjayi breathing, generating [...]