I love the concept of gardening -- connecting with the earth, the beauty of flowers and plants, the feeling of accomplishment.

Sigh. If my garden had eyes, they would be rolling. If it had a mouth, it would be laughing -- or, more likely, complaining. As far as I know, there is not a Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Plants; if there was, I am certain I would be some list. My Mom, Dad, husband George, and some local kids who are saving money to by iPods have (thankfully) come to the rescue of my thirsty, rocky, and weedy garden. It looks great, no thanks to me.

Is there anyone on the planet who does not know that Spain won the 2010 World Cup last week? My Spanish friends (and every news agency in the world) shared images of the celebrations permeating each calle and plaza in Spain last Sunday. The emotional rush was contagious, seeing the Spaniards celebrate their team with unbridled enthusiasm and happiness.

I wonder how many of them made it to work the following Monday?

On a recent trip to Paris, my husband George and I went to visit Jim Morrison’s grave. George is a fan of The Doors. I, quite honestly, did not even know Jim Morrison was buried in Paris. While I would have preferred a Sunday afternoon stroll through Tuileries Gardens or a long lunch on Île Saint-Louis, George’s off-key rendition of “Break on Through (to the Other Side)” sung each morning for the week we were in Paris was more than a subtle hint that he was committed to paying his respects to the deceased rock legend. Heck, it was in the guidebook. On our last day in Paris we took a taxi to the Père Lachaise Cemetery.

Here is something that surprised me: I liked the visit.

Do you share your Netflix cue with a loved one? My husband George and I have a running debate over the movies on our cue. We both like interesting story lines across genres (drama, comedy, action, adventure). We differ on our tolerance for violence (mine is lower) and our expectation for a feel-good ending (mine in higher).

Research has found that, for those who practice mindfulness (i.e., those who really live in the moment), movies can affect mood even after the credits roll. Clearly not an exhaustive list by any stretch, below is a list of 10 movies that had a longer-lasting influence for us, whether motivating or mood-elevating:

1. Erin Brockovich
2. Freedom Writers
3. Miracle
4. Pay it Forward

There is a wonderful quote attributed to Seneca, the Roman philosopher from the 1st century AD, “luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Some friends, my husband, and I all met the opportunity-side of this equation in the form of an unexpected Icelandic ash plume.

Vacationing in Manhattan, our British friends Hilary and Paul along with their sons Tom and Oliver planned to leave New York on April 15th. A volcano erupted, plans changed -- and it was wonderful to have the additional time with close friends (we don’t see nearly enough) as they stayed at our home in New Jersey until they were able to fly on April 21st.

At the start of the 2010 I wrote a blog post based on your responses to my request for songs to add to my play list for the gym. The result was a blog post which included a list of 35 songs to energize and motivate. Given that this is a career and work-life harmony blog, I was surprised that in four months this post has become one of the most searched posts. Trust me, I am not complaining -- any positive and natural way to increase our energy is a wonderful contribution.

I am the last person on this planet who will say “get real” when listening to someone’s career dreams – astronaut, rock star, professional ice skater, twenty-something millionaire, President of the United States, the next Bill Gates, Mrs. Fields or Oprah. Anything is possible -- and who I am to judge a person’s career dreams? For one, no one ever deflated my career dreams. Second, discouraging a person’s career dreams is mean – and I am not a mean-spirited person. Third, anything is possible; I’d just like to help your career dreams be more probable.

College Times offers the odds of securing some of the most hard-to-land careers. For example, the chance of becoming an astronaut is 1 in 12,100,000. Statistics like these are tough, cold -- and can be a huge deterrent. They also mask the things you can do to improve your odds in fulfilling your career dreams. Here are five:

The parable of the Mexican fisherman was hanging in my office for years. Do you remember it?

Recently, I decided to take it down because I believe it serves to reinforce a fallacy many people have about work-life balance, suggesting we cannot have both a successful career and life satisfaction. (That's hooey.) I have observed hundreds who have provided ample evidence that you can have both, provided (and this is a big provision) you stay in control of your career.

Before I continue, I should first share The Parable of the Mexican Fisherman:

The Parable of The Mexican Fisherman

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

"Not very long," answered the Mexican.

"But then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the American.

No. Seriously. This was the line from a party invitation my husband George and I attended about 7 years ago thrown by some dear friends to celebrate a friend’s 40th birthday. It was a great party – a brilliant idea. I can still remember part of the conversation George and I had about our costumes:

George: "What is your life's lost ambition? Is there something you wanted to be that you will never be?"

Me (after a pause): "Tall"

George: "The costume?"

Me: "I’ll wear heels and bring a step stool."

George (concerned): "You’ll probably twist an ankle. Anything else?"

My husband George and I arrived in Hawaii very late on Monday night to start a well-deserved vacation in a place we both love. On Tuesday morning, I received a call that my dear friend Frank passed away -- cancer. He died in the arms of his wife Kylie and two daughters and is no longer in pain. He died having lived a fabulous life.

We visited Frank just before we left and he smiled widely when we told him where we were going. (The last time we vacationed in Hawaii was 2 years ago with him and Kylie.) At the end of our visit, I gave Frank a hug and a kiss, told him I loved him, said “good-bye” and that “I would miss him in Hawaii”. I guess I could have left off “in Hawaii”.