Mr. Besilly's Blog

Dwelling On The Past

"If you have found that you can change the past
by dwelling on it, then continue doing so until you
meet your desired goal. Otherwise, I encourage
you to learn from it and let it go." Ray Basile

Photo by: Eric M. Gustafson

A Blowing Bubbles Day

I was returning from an afternoon walk heading down an out of the way trail that passes by a small baseball diamond. I saw children in the distance and I could hear that distinct wall of noise that comes from a little league game. As I glanced over into the tall grass alongside the trail, I was taken by the shining face of a smiling little blonde haired boy that appeared from behind the grass. He could not have been more than two years old. He was wearing the most adorable smile that clearly outweighed his tiny little frame. He had perfect bangs covering his forhead helping to enhance his bright star filled eyes that by now were firmly fixed upon Domino my Jack Russel Terrier. The boy seemed to be moving in slow motion as we passed him by.

Dark Chocolate: Love At First Site

Lovers of dark chocolate have another reason to celebrate based on a small clinical study showing that dark chocolate significantly improves the function of blood vessels. Dark chocolate (cocoa) is included in a list of flavonoid-rich foods offering cardiovascular benefits. Other sources of this heart-protective nutrient include: teas, apples, apricots, blueberries, pears, raspberries, strawberries, black beans, onions cabbage, parsley, pinto beans, and tomatoes.

"The results, presented at the annual American College of Cardiology scientific meeting in Louisiana, add to mounting evidence of the health benefits of dark chocolate." CNN

If there was a place called Chocolate Town I would most certainly be it's Mayor.

Read Reuters Article

The Power of Creative Vision

Never underestimate the power of your creative vision. Creative vision is the ability to envision something in whole or in part that does not yet exist. As a creative person you have been given an inherent ability to look at an empty canvas and envision that space filled to fullness. You see beauty where others see only the ordinary. You can look at a beat up chair at a yard sale and envision it fully rejuvenated to serve an even greater purpose than it was built for.

You possess passion in expressing color, texture, life and energy just by speaking your creative vision. This is a gift that many times will cause people to respond in arrant awe. It flows out of you so naturally because it's a connected part of who you are. It has always been present in your reality.

Sunshine in a Cup

It's barely detectable that Spring has arrived here in the Northwest if you watch our weather. So every afternoon between 2:30 and 5:30 you will find many Seattle locals headed for their ample dose of sunshine in a cup. It may be Starbucks, Tully's, Cafe Ladro, or Vivace Roasteria it matters not which brand you choose. It's simply the only warmth and comfort a person can find this time of year to replace the sunshine.

My wife has a friend that recently relocated to Seattle from California. It did not take her long to recognize this obvious Northwest phenomenon of sun replacement with a hot cup-a-joe in the late afternoon. I myself am as guilty as the milkman when it comes to grabbing my daily cup of sunshine. I'll have a grande, soy latte for here please.

View Coffee Art

Jumping into a Low Stress Siesta

For the past four years the twelve foot trampoline in our yard has been my favorite location for a peaceful low stress siesta during the warm weather months. It's perfectly placed in a shaded area of our backyard paired with a slight breeze blowing through our willow tree around 4:00 in the afternoon. New research indicates that a short midday snooze is attributed to reducing the risk of fatal heart problems, especially among men. People who took a 30-minute siesta at least 3 times a week had a 37% lower risk of heart disease-related death. This news was particularly exciting for me since I'm a huge advocate for napping as a stress reducer. This new finding brought me almost as much delight as learning about the positive health benefits of red wine and dark chocolate. Especially so if you combine them together. Yes!

10 Life Lessons from The Princess Bride

"Life isn't fair. It's just fairer than death, that's all." William Goldman  

In September of 1987 I watched a little known movie called The Princess Bride, written by William Goldman who adapted the novel for the big screen. It had a huge impact on me then and as a result I shared that film with many, many people. Almost twenty years later, now a cinema cult classic, it still lingers in my heart. I make a point to watch it again every few years to be reminded of a few key life lessons I gleaned from it along the way. I present to you my personal top ten list of life lessons learned from The Princess Bride.

To Be Perfectly Honest

“Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people." Spencer Johnson

To be perfectly honest, I find it difficult to give a candid answer without a preface that conveys my next statement will be totally honest and truthful. I took pause today in an attempt to understand why it has become part of our modern culture to use phrases like; "to be perfectly honest with you" or "to tell you the truth" before we answer a question. Have we become so used to hedging the truth and being disingenuous in our communication that when it's time to be honest we need to set it up so our authenticity is not missed? Is total honesty something that we are truly after in our communication? Here is what I came up with for my part in this communication somersault.

Sleep Driving: A Bizarre New Side Effect

"It's a more complicated version of sleepwalking, but behind the wheel: getting up in the middle of the night and going for a drive -- with no memory of doing so." CNN

FDA: "Sleeping pills may cause sleep-driving, along with other less dangerous "complex sleep-related behaviors" -- like making phone calls, fixing and eating food, and having sex while still asleep."

I could not help laughing out loud at this news that made the front page of CNN on-line. Hide the phone, lock the fridge, hide the car keys and by all means hide the wife! It's going to be a long night if these sleep drivers decide to combine a few of those habits in tandum. Yikes!

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7 Spring Cleaning Tips to Free You from Life's Garbage

The official start of Spring is March 21st opening the door for that much overdue spring cleaning. Spring cleaning can be a useful event if you know how focus your attention on the right things. The key to your success is having a solid plan. I have compiled seven practical tips to help you prioritize the important stuff in life. It's not an exhaustive list by any means, but it's a great starting place. My guess is anything beyond these seven are most likely garbage.