Tuesday, March 03, 2020

National Carpe Diem Day!

Yes, National Carpe Diem Day is a reality, thanks to my family and friends! What a surprise! Creating a National Day was going to be my next "big project" and now it's already done, and in such a sweet way, by people I love.

Sushi dinner on National Carpe Diem Day (and my 60th birthday!)

Scotty, Stella, and Matt, with "carps" representing all the people who contributed to making Carpe Diem Day
My kids had gotten friends and family to chip in to create a National Carpe Diem Day, complete with Website, with the sweetest tribute, including the story of my inspiration, my friend, Craig who had ALS.

Who created this day? Carpe Diem Day was made by the friends and family of Yvette Francino. She is the spark that ignites love and creativity in everyone around her. People started to associate Yvette with this phrase after the 2014 “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, when she became “Super Carpe Diem Woman” and raised over $12,000 through 12 ice buckets for the cause. Yvette herself was inspired by her close friend, Craig Dunham, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2008 and died in 2010. In those two years he lost the ability to walk, talk, and eventually to swallow. However, he never lost the ability to love, and he seized every moment of his life until the end. Inspired by his example, Yvette makes sure to radically participate in and enjoy the present moment with everyone around her. Through this, she inspires others to do the same. At the core of Carpe Diem Day is to not put off to tomorrow doing what you love–with the people you love–when you can do that today.

Of course, now I'm more determined than ever to live up to this beautiful tribute! Seizing the Day is about every day, and I certainly have been enjoying every day in this first week of being 60!

There are so many things I'd like to do to promote the Carpe Diem mindset..  I even bought the CarpeDiemDay domain name! There's all kinds of social media stuff I could do on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn..  But.. fussing with all that social media stuff would also take time and I'm having too much fun seizing these Floridian sunshine days, enjoying the life of a snowbird, so it will have to wait.

I will post a few particularly fun pictures from my week, though, and do more with my Carpe Diem social media strategy next week!

At the Chihuly Museum in St. Petersburg, FL



The St. Petersburg Beach with Matt & Stella

Sarasota - Marietta Museum of Whimsey

Selby Botanical Gardens

I've transformed into a lovely butterfly!

5 comments:

Michael Bolé said...

I hereby rename this blog post, “My Carpe Diem Life: 61 of 60”

Regarding the last photo....I had absolutely no idea that you...my close friend...used to be a caterpillar!

Michele Hebrank said...

FUN FUN FUN

Jeri said...

Glad to hear you’re enjoying your time in Florida. Not much sunshine in southeast Louisiana lately, and much rain expected today. I’m near Canal St. in New Orleans, waiting for call time on the set of Queen of the South. Looking forward to more pics and notes of your stay. Btw, clever of you to grab that domain! You’re always a step ahead! 😉

My Carpe Diem Life said...

Oh, I just love getting comments out here! Now, I'm guessing "me" is Michael Bole, but he did not leave his signature TY.. TYVM.. Of course, the comment is exactly his style, and I never told him about my earlier life as a caterpillar.

Michele: Not quite as fun as it could be since you aren't here! But Yay for phone calls! I will work to take better photos as well!

Jeri: Yes, we had some rain and cold while we were in St. Petersburg (could you tell we were pretty cold in that beach picture.) But today is beautiful, so I'm heading for the beach again. Glad you're feeling well enough to be out and about again and keep me posted about when the shows you're in are going to air so I can watch, too! Being an extra on a set is still something I want to experience myself!

Michael said...

You’re absolutely correct....”Me” is me. Not sure why it did that....I guess I have wait until May 😔 for you to change the settings on your blog.

Oh! By the way....

T.Y....T.Y.V.M!

PS: I have a writing style?