Deliberate Legacies

Living a Meaningful ...

The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it. –William James, philosopher and psychologist “What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s a question we’ve all been asked at least a time or two… often as children, sometimes as...

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June 6th, 2010
Posted by J Benzakein

Top Ten Oscars YOU O...

Loved this recently received email forward, so thought I’d share it. I also should confess, I don’t actually watch the real Oscars. Frankly, I don’t care who got an award for what or which picture won 7 out of 10 awards or who wore the tackiest outfit. But,...

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May 21st, 2010
Posted by J Benzakein

5 Traits of Shiney, ...

Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. -Abraham Lincoln I once had a conversation with a friend of mine who said to me, “With all that you’ve seen and experienced, how is it that you are such a happy person?” My response, “I choose...

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May 4th, 2010
Posted by J Benzakein

The Buck Starts and ...

The best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your own arm. -Swedish proverb Asking for help is not one of my stronger character traits. Call it stubborn. Call it independent. Whatever it is, I’ve got it in spades… usually. Early in my life, I came to...

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April 18th, 2010
Posted by J Benzakein

Giving It Your All...

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could… - Ralph Waldo Emerson Confession: I am a cookbook junkie. I have 50+ cookbooks and whenever I am at a book store, Sam’s Club, or garage sale, I always linger over the cookbooks that are either on display...

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March 26th, 2010
Posted by J Benzakein

Conversations with a...

Since it’s just a few days (scheduled delivery on Friday) until the birth of our daughter, and I am not feeling overly “writey”, I thought I’d share some of the conversations I have had with our 4 year old son in the last few weeks. For those of you who...

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March 3rd, 2010
Posted by J Benzakein

Random Thoughts...

I have decided that periodically (perhaps once a week, maybe less but always on a Friday), I will post a forward that I received that I felt was outstanding. Now, I should disclose… I do not pass on forwards. Okay, maybe once in a blue moon, but the likelihood of getting...

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February 26th, 2010
Posted by J Benzakein

The Unexpected Kindn...

Growing up, nothing was ever for free… and that included kindness. If an adult was being kind to me, one could be certain that there was some sort of price attached to that kindness… something would be required, expected, demanded of me. I may not have known what or when,...

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February 22nd, 2010
Posted by J Benzakein

If You Play Dead, Yo...

My son loves to “knock us out” when we are playing… be it with his dragon breath, a fake punch, or the occasionally well timed real fart. My husband and I, happy to play along, will appear to be knocked out which usually requires our tongue to be hanging from one...

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February 18th, 2010
Posted by J Benzakein

Noah’s Ark Wis...

Everything you ever need to know can be learned from Noah’s ark… 1. Don’t miss the boat. 2. Remember that we are all on the same boat. 3. Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark. 4. Stay fit. When you’re 600 years old, someone might come...

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February 15th, 2010
Posted by J Benzakein

Going or Growing?...

Once again, 4 year olds are amazing. So yesterday, my adorable son, Eli, asks me, “Do bad guys have to stay bad guys?” Me, a firm believer in a person’s ability to change their stars, replied, “Nope. It’s never too late to become a good guy.” We spent some time...

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February 3rd, 2010
Posted by J Benzakein

Celebrate Your Spous...

I know… I know… usually we celebrate our spouse on Valentine’s Day… or more likely, we wives expect our husbands to shower us with love and flowers and chocolate (some of us are lucky enough to get flowers that are made of chocolate!!) and a dinner that we...

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January 26th, 2010
Posted by J Benzakein

Why is “Family...

Popular opinion is that if you don’t grow up “knowing” something, then you don’t miss it… and what you did grow up “knowing” is what you tend to gravitate towards even if you didn’t like it because it is familiar to you. For some of...

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January 20th, 2010
Posted by J Benzakein

Celebrate the Birthd...

“Promise me you’ll never forget me because if I thought you would I’d never leave.” “It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn’t use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like ‘What about lunch?’” “If ever...

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January 18th, 2010
Posted by J Benzakein