Oceanfront Condo Etiquette

I have been enjoying my island stay at the timeshare condo my wife and I are fortunate enough to have on the scenic island of Maui.  While it has been another wonderful vacation away from it all, it always is a transition, for me at least, in the ways of the condo and connected-wall-community.  I live on a few acres in a house with neighbors scattered to and fro, sometimes inflicting their will (and ridiculously barking dogs and screaming children) on my tranquility, but nothing like existing side-by-side with neighbors, literally, breathing down your neck.

So, here are my rules of condo etiquette…more to the point:

Rules of Oceanside Condo Etiquette

1. Shut up!  If for some unknown reason you think that your voice is more important and compelling and needs to be heard over the soothing and meditative roar of the ocean, you need to visit a doctor specializing in mental health.  Again, for those hard of hearing or just challenged because your nasal twang of ignorance is imbedded in their ear, SHUT UP!

2. Shut up!  If for some reason you didn’t understand the above rule, I must reiterate that you need to stop talking.  And really, really stop talking so loud as to permeate my lanai.  If you really need to express yourself with loud adjectives and inane adverbs, do so in the rear bowels of your condo, with the hope that your piercing and annoying voice still does not penetrate and violate those of us sitting and reading in hopeful quietude.

3. Again, Shut the Frig up!  Do you really think that you need to discuss your so important business on your smart phone on your lanai?  Utilizing the speaker phone?  So all of us losers can understand how important you are with a nod toward how truly tiny your miniscule penis must be?  Come on, Mister CEO, do us all a favor and shove that cell up your butt and relax and enjoy the scenery.

4. This may sound redundant, but: SHUT UP!!      Do you really need to stand on the grass and yell up three floors to your significant other discussing what he/she needs to do next on this gradually turning to hell vacation?  Really?  Or you, Mister douchbag on the top floor lanai, screaming down to your spouse what coral reefs appear best for snorkeling?  If I have not been clear before, may I just now suggest shutting the hell up?

5. And for those that are hearing impaired (not that there’s anything wrong with that), ahem, please shut up?  Your loud and obnoxious soirée beside the barbeque, with the booze and screaming and oh, so, frigging funny jokes, is meant for few others to enjoy…meaning - ONLY YOU!  No one else gives a rat’s ass about any of your banal word play or endless meandering stories…so, please, for all of us…shut the hell up!

There are other rules, most as obvious as a zit on the tip of your nose, like:

•     Your kid is not as cute as you think it is, so try to refrain from allowing it to act like a monkey
•     don’t smoke…anywhere!!!
•     don’t slam your door
•     Just because you can’t sleep, giving that your ten hour time difference is running havoc with your inner clock, do not think we all want to hear your b.s. at five a.m.
•     Your perfume is not as alluring as you may think it is, so stop sharing it with us
•     Put more clothes on
•     Turn your TV off - is anything on that idiot box more interesting than what’s outside your window?  If you answer yes to the above, jump off your lanai, please.

So, while this was a tough love Foster livelife365 post, it was done with humor and satire in mind.  But also with a message to all you clueless and selfish folks out there that think your little slice of the world is more important than the rest of ours is…to you people I suggest:

SHUTTING UP!

And enjoying the moment, your life, and the fact that you can afford an Oceanside condo to misbehave in.

Until next time…

Peace,

Mike
livelife365

We Could Change the World…

If We Wanted To.

My most ambitious project ever is an undertaking that has been years in the making.  It started as an idea, like many of mine, it seems, that came to me while basking in the Maui sun.  A few months before my Hawaiian trip, a catchy tune found its way inside my head…this was followed by some lyrics that seemed to fit just right.  That sequence of events was the early genesis of this song.

Back to Maui…

I thought the song was good, but the lyrics were better—they meant something more than just what a song has to offer.  While on that tropical paradise, I put pen to paper and scratched out the basis for the book that was inspired by the song:

“We Could Change the World…if We Wanted To.”

 

Change.

In the book (and song and video), I discuss how the ability to change as a person can effect change on a larger scale—like maybe even changing the world for the better.  That’s a major and ambitious task, for sure, but one, if approached at a grassroots, singular perspective, could have global impact.

Being a videographer, a songwriter, and enjoying sharing both endeavors with as many people as possible through my myriad websites, I wanted to create the most effective way to share this concept.  A music video was my natural choice.  On all of my songs and music videos, I have collaborated with my pal Dale Price, from Electric Canyon Studios.  He is a master at making my voice sound better than it is and turning my acoustic guitar into a rocking band.  He was also instrumental in taking hundreds of hours of video footage and turning it into the amazing result below.  Thanks, Dale!

Please enjoy:

Remember: Change Yourself – Change the World

YOU + ME = WE

Think about it.

Until next time…

Peace,

Mike

Livelife365

Signed Limited edition of the book - $5.99

Kindle version - $3.99

Download the Song - $1.29

 

some facts about melons...

I recently enjoyed eating a melon I purchased at my local farmer's market, called sharlyn melon.  I loved its sweet and butterscotch taste so much I made this video:

Melons, like this one, are loaded vitamins and taste.  While they are not superfoods, they do pack a lot of nutritious punch.  My only negative I can say about them is their sugar and carb count.  I constantly watch my carb intake, so I have to enjoy this delicious food in moderation.

But that's just me.  What about you?

Some reasons we all, but especially you, should embrace this tasty fruit:

•         low in calories
•         no fat
•         high in vitamin C and A
•         great for smoothies, fruit salads, and breakfast
•         taste awesome!

How does one tell when a melon is ripe?  Glad you asked...

And don't forget one of the most popular melons of all time...

I love the sweet taste of melons, but consume them in moderation with a nod to my low-carb diet.  They are worth it, though, for all of the above reasons.

I try to visit my local farmer's market every week.  It is there where I have discovered many of the fruits and veggies that I have shared with millions of people across the world.  One of my favorite things to do, something that makes me what I am and gives me wonderful fulfillment.

Until next time...

peace,

Mike
livelife365
wecouldchangetheworld.livelife365.com

Take Action

My most resent video is called, “Move It or Lose It.”  I discuss the importance of getting off one’s duff and moving around.  Exercise.  Yes, it may sound like a broken record, but this tune is being sung for a reason:

IT WORKS!

Working up a daily sweat is awesome for you.  It not only helps you burn more calories, which contributes to weight loss (and who doesn’t need to drop a few pound, right?).  It also assists in blowing out the impurities inside you, which just makes you feel good.

It is also good for the soul.  And the mind.  And, the obvious, the body.  The old Triad of Balance.

One of my favorite sayings is:

TAKE ACTION!

Don’t sit around waiting for your life to change, or wishing it would, you gotta do something!

I have written several books and blog posts, produced hundreds of videos and original music.  It is no accident that a lot of hard work went into doing all of the above.  But none of it would have gotten done without taking that first step…taking action...

Often, when I tell folks that I have written a few books or that I fancy myself a writer, they respond by saying, “Gee, I always wanted to written a book.”

To that I usually say something like: “What’s stopping you?”  And then go on to explain that it only takes a few words to get started, to take action, to be well on your way to becoming that writer you keep talking about wanting to become…or that singer…or fireman…or college graduate…or trapeze artist…whatever it is you want to do with your life.

TAKE ACTION!

Why?

Because it’s your life and it is precious…so don’t waste it.

Think about it.

Until next time…

Peace,

Mike

Livelife365

 

What Makes You Happy?

Happiness, as defined by dictionary.com:

— adj  , -pier , -piest
1.	feeling, showing, or expressing joy; pleased
2.	willing: I'd be happy to show you around
3.	causing joy or gladness
4.	fortunate; lucky: the happy position of not having to work
5.	aptly expressed; appropriate: a happy turn of phrase
6.	informal  ( postpositive ) slightly intoxicated
— interj
7.	( in combination ): happy birthday ; happy Christmas

There are so many things that make us happy; I am often amazed at how unhappy some people appear.  Hey, I’m not thrilled with life all the time, but I do strive daily to attain as much of all those nice descriptions above this paragraph.

So, what makes YOU happy?

For some, happiness is a dog licking your face and snuggling beside you in your bed.  While that same dog on someone else’s bed, lapping away at your face, may evoke the exact opposite of happiness.

To each his own.

For me, happiness begins with self.  If I am not happy with myself as a person, I have difficulty enjoying my existence.

That’s why I work hard on improving all of my flaws.  Through this effort, even when I am not always successful, I attain my happiness…and maybe lose a few pounds, gain some introspection, and improve as a human being along the way.

But it’s not all work and no play for me, either.  I love spending time with my wife and family, strumming my guitar, creating videos, or dining on some of my favorite foods.  Like these:

There are many things that bring us happiness inside this sometimes challenging world in which we live.  The key, as with life, is to know where to look and embrace it is often as possible.

Think about it…

Until next time.

peace,

Mike

Livelife365

my newest video explains all that my websites are about...

please enjoy and...

Discover livelife365 

peace,

 mike

 

livelife365

 

Killer Eats

There are a lot of foods out there that, if eaten often, can turn on you and eventually push you faster toward your demise.  You know the ones: fat, juicy cheeseburgers; chili cheese fries; chocolate cake; even good old lasagna and pizza.

Now I love most of these foods, except for the ones deep-fried or that contain animal protein.  I like to indulge in something naughty but nice, too, ya know.

It’s just that I have dedicated most of my life to healthy food options, to eschewing the fat and gristle so that I may enjoy my life longer and happier.  Because, I truly believe that you are what you eat, and that to me means feeling better by eating good foods, like:

·        Fruits

·        Veggies

·        Whole grains

·        Beans

·        Nuts

·        Lean protein like fish

·        Green tea

And by avoiding:

·        Excess carbs

·        Unhealthy fats

·        Sodium

·        Fatty meats

All of the above is how I live my life most of the time…and I am a better person for it.

But I still need my killer foods, but the good “killer.”

Recently, I have produced a few “how to make killer foods” videos, several that have gone on to become some of my most popular.  Like this one:

How to...Make a Killer Fried Egg Sandwich

And this one:

How to...Make a Killer Spinach Omelette 

I try to make these “killer” meals as healthy as possible, but with cheese and butter it is not always possible.  So I produced this video:

How to...Make a (Healthier) Killer Fried Egg Sandwich

Hey, I eat like a rabbit chasing an iguana most of the time, so I try to cut myself some slack every once and a while and eat something a tad bit bad for me…in moderation.  And rarely.

My latest “killer” video:

How to...Make Killer Veggie Fried Rice with Tofu

 

Try them and let me know what you think.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

livelife365