Sunday, June 19, 2016

Day 163 US Open Oakmont Country Club, Pittsburgh

US OPEN at Oakmont Country Club  in 2016

The US Open  is at Oakmont County Club  all week.  It  comes to Oakmont about every  10 years so if I missed it, I would have a long wait to see it again. I had hoped to start golfing more in this empty nest period (see Day 50 -Swinging a Golf Club) but I have not played much.  Real golfers (which does not include me), say that the game requires  skill but that  it’s mostly a game about  confidence and mental control. Thus, you play well one day and play like crap the next but you keep on playing.  There is so much to remember:  how to hold the club, how wide to keep your feet, how to pick the right club,  don’t swing down on the club, shift your weight, and the list goes on and on.  That is why the game is fascinating  to me because to master  it, requires you to put it all together -  it’s like finding your Zen  

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Day 162 Political Rally/ Hillary Clinton in Pittsburgh


Pittsburgh June 14, 2016 Hillary Clinton Rally
I am undecided about my vote for President so when I heard that Hillary Clinton would be in Pittsburgh, I decided to attend my first Presidential Rally in an effort to gather more information. This would be  consistent  with striving for self-actualization, or your personal best. It was ironic that during my first rally  I was interviewed by KDKA news, another first! ( click to view news clip)

Monday, June 13, 2016

Day 161 Stanley Cup/Pittsburgh Penguins a Play- off Game


Sheary my favorite player with the Cup  6/12/16

When  I started this blog two years ago,  I was not that much of a sports fan but I have morphed into one during this empty nest period (see Day 91-Pittsburgh Penguins) .  This happened by osmosis from having new friends that are sports fanatics and because going to a  sports event is one of the rare things that my son will  do with me.    Even if you were not a hockey fan,  you got the fever this year as  the Pittsburgh Penguins  pursued, and yesterday  won, the STANLY CUP.  So this year, I was fortunate to experience for the first time going to a few play- off games.  

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Day 160- 2 year blog reflection and soul/funk artists Charles Bradley-Changes



Charles Bradley at the Pittsburgh Arts Festival
This blog has been about self  improvement , or self- actualization, which is being the best you can be, by trying new things after life changes. My  changes occurred  over two years ago  when my only son started collage leaving me with an “empty nest” and simultaneously  I had a cracked personal  relationship. I had the double whammy and potential for despair.  Dale Carnegie once said, “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”   I challenged myself  to trying something new everyday in the summer of 2014 and to blog about it. It’s been 2.5 years of fun, discovery and reflections. This  blog has been a push for me to get busy and hopefully to others who read it.