Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

I Still Remember You Has A New Look!

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

We are very excited about the new look of our homepage! As people visit the I Still Remember You for the first time, they will see that we are a chrono-geographical search tool. They’ll see sample postings from you folks–the members!!!

The more people who become members, the better the chance of making connections. We really hope you’ll help spread the word about this website.

Thanks!

Soon It Will Be Spring

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

3d_pond_screensaver_28826For many of us, Spring is on its way! After weeks of very little sunshine, I’m looking forward to the warmer temperatures, more daylight, the grass turning green and trees budding. Spring seems to offer new hope, or perhaps a new start. I’m looking forward to having the guys do the “spring cleaning” of my pond so I can use the laptop outside rather than sitting here in my office with all the piles of papers, books, magazines, mail…you name it! I enjoy listening to the water as it cascades down the rocks and watching the frogs jump from the edge to the water lilies. I also enjoy just reflecting on life and setting new goals.

My father’s side of the family is from Sweden. I would really like to do a search and try to locate relatives. So one of my goals is to research the various last names in our family tree and then start searching.

How about you? Who are you searching for? When using this site, have you tried posting more than one contact? The more dates/locations that you can recall, the better your chance of locating someone here on “I Still Remember You”.

Let’s say for example, you’re looking for an old classmate. Your contacts might include…
• September 5, 1981 – attended first grade together in Greeneville, CT
• June 21, 1993 – graduated from Greeneville High School together
• July 10, 1998 – went on the Class Reunion Cruise together to Vancouver, Canada

It’s exciting to hear the contacts that some of you have made! Some have found relatives, some have rekindled relationships, and others have made new friends on the site. We really want to get the word out regarding “I Still Remember You” because we believe that people should be able to reconnect with the people who mean so much to them. Please tell your family and friends about the site. Thanks!

Listen to your heart…

We Have A New Look!!!

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

It’s exciting to see the changes with our “I Still Remember You” website! One of the changes is our homepage. We really want people to realize that we are THE ONLY social networking site that uses a chrono-geographical search to connect people worldwide!!!

Have you tried doing a search yet? It’s easy to do. Once you sign in, click on your account. Then click on the “contact” bar and type in the information. The more details you can remember, the better.

Also, be sure to check your messages from time to time. As members begin to browse profiles of other members, you never know who might be sending you a message with hopes of getting to know you better.

You’ll be receiving an e-newsletter soon with information regarding some other exciting news!


Listen to your heart…

Never Get Stuck In Failure

Friday, February 26th, 2010

Abraham-LincolnIt’s easy to get discouraged, especially when you really really want to accomplish something and for every step forward, you slide back three steps. Maybe it’s a job promotion. You attend the staff meetings, you give great ideas, you put in extra hours, but the promotion goes to your colleague. Maybe it’s losing weight. You do really well for two weeks and then find yourself eating dessert when you and your friends go out for dinner.

Each one of us has goals, aspirations and hopes. If you’re serious about something, then go after it! Don’t get stuck in the failures along the way…never lose your sense of destiny.

Earlier this month we celebrated President’s Day here in the United States. If anyone has a sense of rising above failure, it’s Abraham Lincoln. Check this out…


• 1809 – He was born into poverty in a log cabin, one room 16×18 ft.
• 1816 – His family was evicted from their home; at age 7 he had to work to support them
• 1818 – His mother died
• 1831 – He failed in business
• 1832 – He ran for the state legislature and lost
• 1832 – He lost his job and wanted to go to law school but couldn’t get in
• 1833 – He borrowed money for a business and went bankrupt; spent the next 17 years paying off that debt
• 1835 – He was engaged to be married, but his sweetheart died and his heart was broken
• 1836 – He had a total nervous breakdown and was in bed for the next 6 months
• 1843 – He ran for congress and lost
• 1854 – He ran for the senate and lost
• 1856 – He sought the vice president nomination and got less than 100 votes from his own party
• 1858 – He ran for senate again and lost again

From the looks of things, Lincoln was stuck in failure. His life was filled with setbacks, obstacles, disasters and losses. However, those were the very things that prepared him to become the president of the United States in 1860!

So, don’t be discouraged by failure. In the words of Martin Luther King, “What does not destroy me makes me stronger.”

Listen to your heart…

One Word, One Glance, One Memory

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

It’s exciting to see new members join our “I Still Remember You” site! We have members from all around the world.

Have you posted a “contact” yet? It’s easy to do. After you log in, click on the “My Account”. Then click on “Contact Search”. Type in as much information as you can regarding the person you’re searching for. The two key things that you need to be able to provide is a special day and a specific location. Once you complete the contact, it’s posted on the chrono-geographical search tool. If your contact actually took place on a moving vehicle (i.e. plane, bus) then an icon of the vehicle will appear on the search tool.

Recently I’ve read over some of the posted contacts. Some people are looking for lost relatives, some are looking for childhood friends, others are looking for recent contacts.

Who are you interested in reconnecting with? Someone you met at a party? The person you sat next to on a flight? An old classmate? A person you attended a conference with?

How about posting a contact this week? It might be the best thing you’ve done in awhile.

Listen to your heart…

That’s What Friends Are For

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

As I was thinking about what to blog on, my current situation keeps coming to mind. For the past three weeks I’ve been dealing with some interesting back problems. The worse part is it causes pain in my right leg which makes driving a very unpleasant experience. I’ve been to the chiropractor three times and he believes we’re making progress.

I don’t know about you, but I find it difficult to ask others for help. I find it easy to help others and get upset with family members and friends when they won’t ask for help, but yet…I don’t like asking. This past week I was headed to another state to see family. I had to swallow my pride and ask a friend if she possibly could go with me, and if she wouldn’t mind driving. Of course, she was more than willing to go and do the driving.

At the hotel room, noticing I was in pain putting on my shoes, my niece offered to help me out. By the second day, her year and a half old daughter was handing my shoes to her mother to help me with! We had a good laugh.

This week I’m housebound by doctor’s orders. After eating popcorn for supper, waffles for lunch and overly ripe bananas, when a friend called asking if I needed anything from the grocery store, I hesitated. My mind was screaming “YES! There’s no food in the house”, but my pride was telling me to remain quiet. Picking up on my silence, my friend said, “Let me rephrase that. I’m headed to the grocery store. What was it that you wanted me to pick up?” We both had a good laugh and I’m thrilled that I’ll have real food for tonight’s dinner! I can now toss out the milk that I’m pretty sure has gone sour!

Another friend who knows I don’t like being stuck at home, sends me cute little emails or Facebook comments to keep me encouraged.

We all need close friends in our lives. Not because they’ll pitch in and help us out, but because they allow us to put our guard down, our pride aside, and just be real with each other. One of my guy friends loves to show up at my house every couple of months to ask me what needs to be done. He knows if he asks in advance, I’ll tell him “nothing”, but he knows as a single woman there are things I need help with.

As the lyrics of “That’s What Friends Are For” says…
“Keep smilin’, keep shinin’
Knowin’ you can always count on me, for sure
That’s what friends are for
For good times and bad times
I’ll be on your side forever more
That’s what friends are for”

Yeah, I’m thankful for friends.

Game Night

Friday, February 12th, 2010

boardgame3To welcome in the new year, my friends and I decided to play games for 12 hours straight! We started at 6:30 PM on New Year’s Eve and ended the following morning at 6:30 AM with breakfast. You have to understand that we LOVE playing games! If we were to add all of our games together, we probably have close to 200 games! Games of all sorts…card games, board games, kids’ games, you name it, we probably have it! One of my friends typed up the names of the games that he had on strips of paper and placed them in a jar. The winner of the first game then drew for the next game, and so on. We made it a rule that we had to play a game for at least a half hour before moving on to another game.

The first couple of games were ones that we recently played and like a lot — Royal Rummy, Five Crowns and Things. Then someone drew a budget game from the 1960’s! At first we cringed at the thought of opening the box. It was a game that none of us had played before. Bob’s mother picked it up at a garage sale. As we began to set up the game, we were amused by the cards and the tokens. Thinking that we would definitely quit after a half hour, we actually completed the game.

Some of the games the younger kids were able to join us. It’s always fun to see how fast their emotions change. They’re giddy when they’re winning, and they’re fighting back tears when they’re losing. Yet, they really enjoy playing games and like to play with the adults.

We tried out a brand new game called “Kings Go Free”. It actually is three different games, using the same deck of specialized cards. It was a lot of fun and provided us with a lot of laughter. If you’re looking for a new card game, I highly recommend checking out www.KingsGoFree.com or find it on Ebay.

One of the things that I enjoy about playing games is the opportunity to get caught up on each other’s lives. We talk about our families, our jobs and other things. We’re constantly laughing or yelping. It doesn’t really matter if we win or lose a game.

If you haven’t played any games in awhile, I really encourage you to get a group of friends together or your family and have a game night. Who knows, it might become a weekly or monthly event!

Listen to your heart…

Love…

Monday, February 8th, 2010

couple01Since February is the month of romance, thought it would be fun to look up some quotes regarding love:
• “Love life and life will love you back. Love people and they will love you back.”
~ Arthur Rubinstein
• “Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being “in love” which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two.” ~ St. Augustine
• “Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit.”
• “Don’t say you love me unless you really mean it, because I might do something crazy like believe it.” ~ Crush
• “If you love somebody, set them free. If they return, they were always yours. If they don’t, they never were.”
• “Friendship often ends in love; but love in friendship – never.”
• “Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get, it’s what you are expected to give — which is everything.”
• “Love builds bridges where there are none.”
• “Love can sometimes be magic. But magic can sometimes…just be an illusion.”
• “Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.”
• “Love is like the sun coming out of the clouds and warming your soul.”
• “Life without love is like a tree without fruit.”
• “Age does not protect you from love, but love to some extent protects you from age.”
• “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.”
• “Only love lets us see normal things In an extraordinary way.”
• “There’s always room for love; You just have to move a few things around.”
• “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”
• “Love sought is good, but given unsought, is better.” ~ Shakespeare
• “It is impossible to love and be wise.” ~ Francis Bacon

What are some of your favorite love quotes?

February ~ The Month of Romance

Friday, February 5th, 2010

hearttEvery February, in various parts of the world, cards, candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. On February 14th, for those of us in the States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Australia, it will be St. Valentine’s Day–a day to say “I Love You”. According to the Greeting Card Association, over one billion valentine cards are purchased each year. Approximately 85% of the cards are purchased by women.

Although traditions vary, it’s a day celebrated by people of all ages. For the little kids, usually a party is held at school. Kids bring in valentines (cards) for their classmates. The valentines are typically store bought cards, but sometimes they are handmade. The party usually includes heart-shaped cookies, cupcakes and candy, red punch and a game or two.

When children reach middle school age (11-14 years old), valentines are typically given to close friends. Sometimes a school dance is held in honor of the special day. For the high school students, Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to let your peers know that someone loves you. Throughout the day, flowers and balloon bouquets are delivered from loved ones. Some schools even do singing telegrams as fundraisers! A class gets interrupted, the receiver’s name is loudly announced and a love song is sung in front of the entire class.

Valentine’s Day is also celebrated by adults. Couples exchange cards, sometimes gifts, and at the very least an “I love you”. Many couples go out for dinner and the restaurants offer valentine specials. For those of us who are single, Valentine’s Day gets mixed reviews. Some of us go along with the day and give cards to our friends. Others are neutral and some despise the day.

Even though I personally find the day to be somewhat silly, I do appreciate that it encourages people to care about others and to let them know they are loved. So, Happy Valentine’s Day, no matter where you live!

If you live in a different country, what are some of your holidays???

Lessons From Abby

Saturday, January 30th, 2010

As I was sorting through the pile of stuff on my desk, I came across a small foam pumpkin. On the pumpkin were crooked eyes, a nose and a mouth. The pumpkin was given to me from Abby, a girl that I tutored four years ago.

Abby will always have a special place in my heart. At age 8 she was diagnosed with a rare illness. She was allowed to attend school on days that she felt okay; on other days she would stay home and I would go to her house and tutor for two hours. From day one, Abby had my heart. Each session I met with her, Abby greeted me with a huge smile and a hug. In spite of her intense pain, Abby wanted to learn. Abby thrived on learning new words and conquering math. Her interpretation of any history lesson was a vivid one!

When Abby turned 9, she spent less and less days at school and more days working with me. On days that she felt up to it, I had permission to take Abby for a ride. Abby lived in the country so we quite often drove on back roads. One of our favorite spots was a little wooded area that had a small space cleared out by the road. In that small space, for whatever reason, was a tiny table, a small hut and other little fixtures. When we got close to the clearing, I would drive by slowly. Abby and I would take turns making up a story about the gnome family that lived there. She then would giggle the rest of the way back to her house.

Near her tenth birthday, Abby passed away. It was a heart-breaker for her family, her relatives, her schoolmates, and for me. Even at the age of 8, Abby understood how serious her illness was and that she would probably not live to be a teenager. Rather than give up hope, Abby embraced life! Abby has taught me to…

1. Welcome each new day! Almost every day of tutoring, Abby had something positive to say about the day…the sun is shining, I don’t ache much today, we’re having spaghetti for supper, my dog loves me…Abby chose not to dwell on her illness, but rather to look at the positives in her life.

2. Laugh yourself silly! Besides our gnome stories, Abby liked to tell jokes. Sometimes she would be laughing so hard, she forgot to finish telling the joke. If her little sister was having an attitude, Abby would say something silly to her and get her laughing. Abby made me realize that there’s very little in life to be upset over and a lot to enjoy, to be giddy about.

3. Have a dream! Even though Abby knew she wouldn’t live a long life, she believed in having dreams. Abby wanted to become a doctor so that other kids wouldn’t have to endure the pain that she did. She also wanted to fly to the moon. One time when we went out for a milkshake and she talked about her dreams, she looked at me and said, “I know I won’t really become a doctor, but I have to hope to become one. If someone finds a cure for my sickness and I get to grow up, then I need to start dreaming now. If I don’t grow up, I still have the excitement of hoping to become someone.” After I dropped Abby off to her house that day, I cried all the way home. My tears weren’t for Abby’s short life, but rather admiration of her strength and wisdom.

If you’re a parent, I encourage you to do something silly with your child (regardless of his or her age) and to really listen to their hopes and dreams. If you’re single, spend time with a niece or a nephew or a friend’s child. We can learn a lot from the younger generation.

Listen to your heart…