Tuesday, July 30, 2024

 In 1912, my grandfather, Demetrio Papagni, emigrated from the Bari-Puglia Region of Italy and settled in the California Central Valley. He came to America with a dream to make fine premium wines from grapes grown on the land of his new homeland in the rich, fertile soils of the San Joaquin Valley. Papagni Fruit Company thus was born in 1920 and quickly earned a reputation for growing the best premium wine grapes in the valley and beyond. Throughout the years, Demetrio handed down the craft of winemaking to his son, Angelo Papagni. Angelo Papagni brought the business to the next level with growth and was known as the “maverick” of winemaking. This level of growth was from the 1970’s through the 1990’s. Today, over 100 years later, Demetrio is continuing what his grandfather and father started and is continuing to grow, premium, high-quality wine grapes.

Thursday, May 16, 2024

Success Tips

 


Zig Zigglar said, "don't be a wandering generality, be a meaningful specific."




Yesterday I met a young entrepeurner who is not only changing his own life but is changing the lives of those around him.


He is on track to being debt free and his wife will no longer have to work and they both will be able to stay at home debt free and start a family. He said to me, "you've never heard of a house husband and a house wife together." It made me laugh. He will continue to work part time.


The most amazing thing to me is that he changed his life from playing video games almost forty hours a week. He and his wife met a mastermind group who has helped them financially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.


He wanted to share some tips to help me as well. He is listening to books such as Everybody Connects by John Maxwell, The Compound Effect, and The Magic of Thinking Big. 


Here is what Jonathan has learned.


1) Make the decision that you want to be successful. 

2) Find Someone Successful.

3) Consistently get around them and study them.

4) Do exactly what they teach you.


I added, do passions with purpose. Which would be part of part 1. I would also add that one needs to constantly suppress the stress response and to lesson your stress as much as possible. The stress hormones need to let up.


Ways to let up and get over the stress would be to journal and to exercise. I would also add watching funny movies to reduce stress.


Some helpful movies to watch:

The Secret

Heal

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Trust your Gut, by Gina Meyers

 


I recently watched a Netflix's documentary on the Gut. Coincidentally enough, my aunt sent me an article on the gut. All in the same week, wow! So I started watching Netflix's Gut Special. I don't have a lot to say about it other than so much of our lives revolves around how we feel about our middle. As I was subbing the other day, I overheard a child say that I was skinny. This made me happy to overhear her say this. It was just an observation on her part and we were preparing for a math timed test so it wasn't like her comment to her friend interfered with her daily work schedule. But it made me smile inside, knowing that I will be 53 in exactly one month and staying fit is so important.


It's a funny thing to talk about the gut and our middle because it is as if sheer willpower or something has anything to do with anything. Our bodies change as we age/mature. The thing about the gut is how we use the word in everyday language without knowing. The article my aunt sent talked about foods to eat and other ways to bring more oxygen and healing to the brain via the gut health including probiotics. But what fascinates me in the lexicon surrounding the gut. 


TRUST YOUR GUT

GUT INSTINCTS

IT TAKES GUTS

THAT WAS A GUTSY MOVE


The word itself has such a profound affect on one's psyche. 


So they next time you think about your middle or your gut, remember only the truly brave are willing to talk about their gut!



Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Energy flows to where attention goes. The dynamics of relationship status and energy. By Gina Meyers

 




Energy flows to where attention goes.


The dynamics of relationship  status and energy.


By Gina Meyers


It doesn’t matter if you are in a relationship at the present moment, friends, not in a relationship at the present moment, but were in the past–you will be in the “relationship” regardless of the current status due to the energy that you have given the relationship and the energy you currently give the relationship.


So let that sink in for a moment.


Regardless of present relationship status, (ie, you guys are on a break, you are together, etc.) there is relationship energy.


Relationship energy ebbs and flows depending upon mood and emotional energy as well. But that’s a different energy that I am talking about.


So, if you want to continue to build upon your relationship, or you want to leave it behind, you have to do the same thing, focus on the things you like about the relationship and the way it makes you feel.


By focusing on the positives regardless of the relationship “status quo” you will be able to have a renewed relationship with yourself, the other person, a new person in the future. 


By elevating your emotions you’ll spend less time focusing on how to fix it and more energy on what already works. 


When there is a lot of energy surrounding a relationship, relationship status doesn’t matter. Your brain is already wired to respond a certain way to that person. 


Giving all memories and emotional energy happy and positive will lead your life and your energy is a state of peace.


By being faithful to your positive emotions and focusing on only positive energy you will not only have a renewed relationship with others but you will have a faithfully forgiving and loving relationship with yourself.



The Psychology Report-Blog #41, Dr. Allan Hedberg-Gratitude in the Making Starting Today

 THE PSYCHOLOGY REPORT BLOG - #41

                                                                

Gratitude in the Making Starting Today


How does one learn gratitude behavior and uses it appropriately?  Gratitude is a vital aspect of maturity and effective social conduct.  Advancement in life, socially, occupationally, and even educationally, depends on our ability to express gratitude and receive it gracefully. 


How to sharpen your gratitude skills by using this toolbox of actions……


1.  Keeping a daily gratitude journal for at least one month..

2.  Making lists of things for which you are grateful such as family, friends, activities in which you are involved, and your career.

3.  Writing thank you notes.

4.  Helping others even in small ways.

4.  Regularly and verbally express thankfulness to those with whom you associate.

5.  Find small things for which to be thankful and pause and take time to mentally reflect on why you are thankful.  Do it while taking a walk, for example.


What are the benefits of gratitude?  


1.  Improved sleep.

2.  Dealing with disease.

3.  Lowers inflammation.

4.  Strengthens cardiovascular health.

5.  Reduces depression.

6.  Improves mood.

7.  Reduces anxiety.

8.  Increases positive feelings and emotions. 

9.  Reduces negative thinking such as worrying and rumination.


One researcher put it this way – “Gratitude is a light, an expression, not necessarily conditioned to good times, making it possible to maintain the feeling of goodness, even during negative experiences or most difficult moments.”  


Lastly, our world would be exponentially better, if we all were a little more grateful for what we have and the opportunities we enjoy each day…………


Allan G. Hedberg, Ph.D 

Clinical Psychology

Easy Gluten-Free PB&J Crepes

 Easy Gluten-Free PB&J Crepes


In a blender, place two whole eggs, 1 cup of gluten-free flour, ⅛ of a teaspoon of sea sdalt, 1 Tablespoon of unsalted melted butter, 1 cup of almond milk, coconut milk, or oat milk. Beat on liquify mode and in a skillet on low heat, melt butter and pour crepe mixture in pan and smooth with a spatula, flip when light brown. 


To add, place a dollop of almond butter and jelly. For my crepes I used Smuckers Strawberry Jam, Trade Joe’s Almond Butter, Target Brand of Less Sweet Oat Milk, and King Arthur Gluten-free flour. 



*You can refrigerate the crepes mixture. 

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Papagni Winery

 





Third generation valley farmer, grape grower, and wine maker Demetrio Papagni is a leader. His family legacy has been growing grapes for wine making which started back in Bari, Italy. Demetrio's family dreamed of making fine wines and came to the Central Valley in 1912 and started on their American Dream. This tradition continues today and he is proudly  the owner of Papagni Winery in Madera, California. This tradition of excellence continues in the wine industry today!


He's   stayed true to his Italian Roots by creating unique varietals such as the signature Alicante Bouchet.  You can visit the wine tasting room on weekends. It is located at: 9505 Road 30 1/2 Madera, Ca 93636. https://papagniwines.com/