Cathy Burnham Martin's Blog, page 119

Vision

“We may have a firm grasp on the obvious, but the crystal clear can still appear cloudy.”

— Cathy Burnham Martin

American author, voiceover artist & dedicated foodie

 

(Photo by Al Quino)

Keep America Beautiful Day

Though we’d like to think we maintain some level of awareness throughout the year, April is officially Keep America Beautiful Month. If you drive in urban areas, especially, we know it’s appalling to see the huge amount of litter along the sides of the highways and city streets. Even in the country, hubby and are surprised at how much we gather every couple of months along the road where we live. So, this is the month for us to pay some extra attention to recycling and our shared responsibility to do what we can to keep clean, beautiful spaces in our little corners of the world.

“People who drop litter really stress me out. I have been known to chase after people and say, ‘Sorry, but you’ve forgotten something,’ and then hand it back to them.”

— Ainsley Harriott (1957 –  )

English chef

(Photo by Jasmin Sessler)

Be Your Best!

“Calm self-confidence is as far from conceit as the desire to earn a decent living is remote from greed.”

— Channing Pollock (1926 – 2006), American Magician

Catch all Cathy Chats, Daily Thoughts, recipes, books, audiobooks, and all my articles on my LinkedIn or Facebook page or here at www.GoodLiving123.com, where I strive to share information that helps make Good Living as easy as 1-2-3.

(Photo by Aleksey Kuprikov)

Day of Hope

We need not look very far to see people who are suffering, even in times when war and violence are not front-and-center. On any given day, millions of people experience living horrors of various sorts.

The first Wednesday of April is set aside each year as an official Day of Hope. May this be a day of inspiration and motivation for us all to recognize, respect, and even rescue children and adults who are passing through phases of abuse, sickness, and other traumatic experiences.

“Hold your head high, stick your chest out. You can make it. It gets dark sometimes, but morning comes. Keep hope alive.”

— Rev. Jesse L. Jackson  (1941 – )

American political activist and Baptist minister

(Photo by Dmitry Ratushny)

Jazzed Up!

 

“I stole everything I ever heard, but mostly I stole from the horns.”

— Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996)

American jazz singer

Celebrate JAM! Not the fruity spread, but the Jazz Appreciation Month kind. From early Miles Davis to Louis Armstrong, the founding father of jazz, April is officially the month to honor one of America’s iconic art forms. I was blessed on one special night to share a dressing room with the First Lady of Song herself. Yes, Ella Fitzgerald. I was merely the emcee, and she was the headliner for a fundraiser put together by Robert Parrish of Boston Celtics fame. There was only one backstage space for women at this event, and she could not have been more gracious or kind to me. The honor was all mine. For National Jazz Appreciation Month, I recall the old adage – “Talent borrows; genius steals.” Ella rightfully stole every show.

(Photo by Nicole Bauer)

Stay Strong!

 

“Throughout the bleakest circumstances, we can find strength in our togetherness, even when just in spirit.”

— Cathy Burnham Martin

American author, voiceover artist & dedicated foodie

(Photo by Gary Butterfield)

National Find a Rainbow Day

Maya Angelou recognized that we all dance different dances, speak different languages, think different thoughts, fancy different flavors…. And this should be celebrated, rather than discouraged. On this day, if we cannot “find” a rainbow, we should try to “be” a rainbow. Hope provides an eternal dance.

“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”

— Maya Angelou (1928 – 2014)

American poet, author, and civil rights activist

Cathy Chats, Daily Thoughts, recipes, books, audiobooks, and all my articles can be found here at www.GoodLiving123.com, where I strive to share information that helps make Good Living as easy as 1-2-3 or on other social media sites including Facebook and Linkedin.

(Photo by Julia Gadalina)

April Is Stress Awareness Month

Stress can be positive and negative, but it’s the negative that drains us without mercy. Like it or not (“not” wins), we typically have more stress in our lives than we need, and we certainly do not need the people around us to ADD to our stress levels. Nor do WE want to add to anyone else’s.

“Whether we know it or choose to admit it, we are either an Encourager or a Discourager. We each make a choice as to which type we will be… every day. Discouragers bring “stresspools.”

I call any of those places that add unnecessary stress and aggravation “stresspools.” They are just as stinky and rotten as cesspools, but “stresspools” wreak of tension, strain, anxiety, worry, hassle, pressure, and emotional trauma.”

― Cathy Burnham Martin, The Bimbo Has Brains: And Other Freaky Facts (2017)

(Photo by Nikko Makaspac)

Edible Book Day

Incredible Edibles happen to be a favorite of mine. And Edible Book Day is no April Fool’s Day joke.

The French gourmet, Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (born on April 1, 1755) wrote “The Physiology of Taste” (1825), which became the gastronome’s bible. And now, foodies from all around the world celebrate with an annual event dedicated to cleverly designed edibles that celebrate books! Thanks to Judith Holmberg, cofounder of Forbes Library in North Hampton, for bringing this crazy annual event to life in 2000.

This doesn’t mean we need to eat some, literally non-edible book, but we could take a big chomp out of that stack to “to-be-read” books. Or dig into making that recipe you’ve been salivating over for a while.

Special thanks to the New Orleans Museum of Art for the photo… “To Kill a Mockingbird” turned into the edible edition… “Tequila Mockingbird.”

Have Faith

 

“If life gets too hard to stand, kneel.”

— Gordon B. Hinkley (1910-2008)

American religious leader