guest blogger: joyce wright

Joyce Wright is a writer, a thinker, a mover and something of a shaker. She lives in Kentucky (but knows some people in Ohio) and can usually come with a good Three Things any time of day. Today, there are hers:

one Be empathetic. When someone is having a rough time in their life, try to remember the worst time in your life and imagine that their rough time is exponentially worse. Offer a kind word, a smile and maybe even a hug. Life is hard for all of us sometimes; who couldn't use the healing power of empathy in their lives? Feel what they are feeling and make an effort to make it better. It's an amazing experience to see someone brighten because you simply felt what they felt.

two Never miss an opportunity to show the universe that you care. We are all in this together and we are all connected. There is a saying that a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. When you care about those less fortunate and show it, you strengthen the human chain. It benefits everyone, especially you. It will make you feel better about being you, probably more than you know.

three Give a hand up. If you have been blessed in your life, pay it forward. There are plenty of people who need some kind of help. Be that person who helps. Your help doesn't have to be gigantic, small help is just fine. The opportunities abound for you to help your neighbor, a stranger or someone you love and to make their life better. Don't be afraid to change someone's life with a gesture of good will.

copyright 2011 joycewright thesethreethings moemasters

kitchen conditioners and manners

one I was almost fifty before I learned this: When you sneeze, you say "Excuse me." Seriously? Who knew? I grew up in a world where you said, "God bless you." I then got to be an older grown up who totally expected everyone in the world to bless me when I sneezed. You can only imagine how disappointed I must have been the first time I was in a whole room full of Jewish people. Turns out, not everybody blesses you when you sneeze. AND, just for the record: I looked it up and you are supposed to excuse yourself when you sneeze. If you get blessed, it's total cream - as far as I can tell.

two If you're in the shower and you realize that you don't have any conditioner without alcohol and your hair is a total on-fire kinda mess from too much sun and salt: Wrap a towel around yourself, run down to the kitchen and squeeze about a smidge of mayonnaise and an equal amount of Olive Oil (it doesn't have to be Extra Virgin or anything) into your palm. and slather it all over your hair. Jump back into the shower and do whatever it is that you do there for about 3 minutes while your hair is drinking up all that great oil. Rinse with moderately hot water and you're good to go.

three It is considered really bad manners to agree to a meal or coffee or some other form of social engagement and then not show up and not call. It is completely uncool to send a text or private message (email) to extend apologies long after the said time has passed. If you agree to meet someone at a certain time, you are under social contract to show up or call way before your expected arrival.

copyright 2011 moemasters thesethreethings