My dad retired after 34 years at the State of Minnesota.  I admire, so much, his commitment and dedication in his career.  I can't be focused, committed enough to last 34 minutes with any one thing! (except Eric) I remember the day, clearly, that he got his job.  We were all so excited and celebrated together as family.  I don't remmeber the socks he had on the day he got the job.  Now, 34 years later, we celebrated together as a family and I will remember his socks.

Below is a picture of my dad's socks at his lovely garden dinner party.  Mom said she hid these socks in the dirty laundry.  Dad hunted them down to ensure that this was part of his party dress ensemble.  Great job, Dad!  Way to go out in style.  This is definately a memory I would put in a keepsake Memoir of Me personalized kids book.  Create your story to enhance relationships.  What about you?

Pleasure is basic a human need.  Pleasure is a need with which humans play games.   Games called deny and hedonize.  We deny ourselves of our basic need of pleasures in beauty and desire and love and intellect and sustenance.  At other times, we hedonize these same pleasures. 

Pleasure list -- 8 things to do before winter.  

1. Ride a bike without a helmet.  If you are girl, ride in a skirt.

2. Hold someone's hand and read their palm with a story from your gut.

3. Stare directly at the sun at sunset until it's vibrance makes you squint.

4.  Breathe, deep.  Inhale through your nose and imagine the soft air satiating your innards.

5. Write a personal story capturing the warm earth smells and save it for a winter day.

6. Spread your barenaked toes flat in the green, just cut, grass.  Then sprint, super fast.

7. Feel the word pleasure on your tongue as you say "pleasure" over and over. 

8. Do the first thing pleasurable that comes to mind.

I am not a gardener.  Tending to plants is not a natural gift for me .  Therefore, the beauty of my pots pleasures me in the front of my house.  One of my best summer pleasures is about 5 p.m., I put on a sundress and water my pots.  I pleasure in the heat of the sun on my back.  I pleasure in the sounds of fluttering insect wings and Alyssa's feet tramping over earth to get to me.  I pleasure in any new pale-purple, funnel-shaped buds proliferating in my pots. What about you?

Monetize is word that I have been thinking about.  I guess twitter and facebook even have a hard time monetizing.  Monetize means figuring out how to convert your passion into money.  I wonder how I can monetize when the only thing I am really good at is buying Steve Madden boots at second hand stores for $8.00.  Eric says my new Madden's look like Moonboots.  I think my Madden's make me feel creative and snappy.  Both are things a personalized children's book author might need to figure out how to monetize.

Our neighbor had a garage sale last week.  Emily and Anna made book marks and had a stand at the sale.  Alyssa really wanted to have a business stand, too.  So we made popcorn!  Tons of popcorn.  And bagged it up.  Alyssa set her stand next to Emily and Anna.  This is all three girls first start at owning their own business.  I think I should've put up a Memoir of Me stand right next to them.  There is definately synergy in the book mark business and personalized kids book business!  Way to go Alyssa, Anna and Emily.