I've been thinking about New Year's resolutions. If I make one, I tend to have to think on it, and I usually don't have any idea what it might be until a few days after the new year.
As usual, I've been thinking on this and I've come up with a resolution that, ideally, will be wonderful, but also difficult, to achieve.
My 2013 resolution is this: to STOP wasting time and energy on people (well, a particular person) who does not deserve my time or energy.
Why do we do this? Why do we worry so much about the people who could care less about us, instead of spending our energy on people who love and accept us? This really is one of THE Universal Questions.
I love this quote from the Dalai Lama: "Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace." I think this will become my new mantra.
That, and to be kind.
Happy New Year.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Top Reads of 2012
Happy New Year!
Every year I keep a book journal. I keep track of what I read each month and my grade of each book. If it was exceptional (to me), I star it along with a high grade. Yea, I use A, B, C, and etc.
This year I read 64 books. Not quite as many as I would have liked, but some months were better than others.
Here are my top 5 for the year. These books got an A*: The top 5 are in order by what was read first in the year:
1. Tuesday Night Miracles, Kris Radish.
2. The Fault in Our Stars, John Green.
3. The Age of Miracles, Karen Walker.
4. Sarah's Key, Tatian de Rosnay.
5. Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore, Robin Sloan.
The next 5 round out my top 10:
6. The Snow Child, Aowyn Ivey.
7. Into the Forest, Jean Hegland.
8. One Breath Away, Heather Gudenkauf.
9. Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn.
10. The Secret Keeper, Kate Morton.
Here's to 2013, and a year of wonderful reads!!!
Every year I keep a book journal. I keep track of what I read each month and my grade of each book. If it was exceptional (to me), I star it along with a high grade. Yea, I use A, B, C, and etc.
This year I read 64 books. Not quite as many as I would have liked, but some months were better than others.
Here are my top 5 for the year. These books got an A*: The top 5 are in order by what was read first in the year:
1. Tuesday Night Miracles, Kris Radish.
2. The Fault in Our Stars, John Green.
3. The Age of Miracles, Karen Walker.
4. Sarah's Key, Tatian de Rosnay.
5. Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore, Robin Sloan.
The next 5 round out my top 10:
6. The Snow Child, Aowyn Ivey.
7. Into the Forest, Jean Hegland.
8. One Breath Away, Heather Gudenkauf.
9. Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn.
10. The Secret Keeper, Kate Morton.
Here's to 2013, and a year of wonderful reads!!!
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Thanks, Universe
Earlier this summer, I made a conscious decision to open myself to the universe.
I've been pretty closed off for the last few years. Kept myself to myself. While this is a safe route, it gets a little lonely. And I didn't always live this way. I decided it was time for it to stop.
So, I made a conscious decision to open myself up to the universe. Come what may. It started with inviting out a college friend for a visit. I put myself out there. And while we will just remain friends, I'm so glad I did it. You can't put yourself out there without risk.
Now I'm in the process of cultivating some wonderful friendships. One is with someone I've known for quite a few years, and she is just terrific, although she will blush when she reads this. We have been meeting up at the Farmer's Market quite a bit this summer, and she is fun, easy to hang out with, and becoming a good friend.
I also met, today, with one of my favorite professors from Cornell. I learned so much from here then. She was a great professor and a terrific mentor. After more years than I really care to acknowledge, we met today for coffee and had a wonderful time talking and catching up! And now, a new friendship to enjoy and cultivate.
Thanks, Universe.
I've been pretty closed off for the last few years. Kept myself to myself. While this is a safe route, it gets a little lonely. And I didn't always live this way. I decided it was time for it to stop.
So, I made a conscious decision to open myself up to the universe. Come what may. It started with inviting out a college friend for a visit. I put myself out there. And while we will just remain friends, I'm so glad I did it. You can't put yourself out there without risk.
Now I'm in the process of cultivating some wonderful friendships. One is with someone I've known for quite a few years, and she is just terrific, although she will blush when she reads this. We have been meeting up at the Farmer's Market quite a bit this summer, and she is fun, easy to hang out with, and becoming a good friend.
I also met, today, with one of my favorite professors from Cornell. I learned so much from here then. She was a great professor and a terrific mentor. After more years than I really care to acknowledge, we met today for coffee and had a wonderful time talking and catching up! And now, a new friendship to enjoy and cultivate.
Thanks, Universe.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
LOVE the Olympics!
Yep, I'm an Olympics junkie. Addict. I'll watch any event, and even found myself watching water polo on Sunday. Water.Polo. The sign of a true addict.
I enjoy the prime time coverage on NBC, and the tape delay doesn't bother me. Why would it? London is 6 hours ahead of us, and since I'm at work when the events I want to see are taking place live, I appreciate being able to watch it in the evening. I've done pretty well keeping myself isolated from most news so I don't hear results before I get to watch them. This is not a failsafe, unfortunately. A couple of results have slapped me in the face before I could turn a channel or close an Internet window.
I see complaints, though, of NBC's coverage. People complaining about airing events taped. This surprises me. This is how networks have been doing it for years, since most of the time, the Olympics are not held in the U.S. So the complaining baffles me. Hey, there are other NBC stations that are showing events live, plus, you can watch just about everything online.
The Olympics seem to be about the only time that the world can come together and experience the best of what makes us human. And cheer on our countries. It's a wonderful time!!!!
Cheers!
I enjoy the prime time coverage on NBC, and the tape delay doesn't bother me. Why would it? London is 6 hours ahead of us, and since I'm at work when the events I want to see are taking place live, I appreciate being able to watch it in the evening. I've done pretty well keeping myself isolated from most news so I don't hear results before I get to watch them. This is not a failsafe, unfortunately. A couple of results have slapped me in the face before I could turn a channel or close an Internet window.
I see complaints, though, of NBC's coverage. People complaining about airing events taped. This surprises me. This is how networks have been doing it for years, since most of the time, the Olympics are not held in the U.S. So the complaining baffles me. Hey, there are other NBC stations that are showing events live, plus, you can watch just about everything online.
The Olympics seem to be about the only time that the world can come together and experience the best of what makes us human. And cheer on our countries. It's a wonderful time!!!!
Cheers!
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Some people are just dull
Been thinking tonight. I had a small squabble with a wonderful friend, but we sorted it out, and all is good. And see, that's the thing. When you have a disagreement, you figure it out. It doesn't matter who did what, or what it even happened. The answer is communication.
Now, I'm not always the best at communication. When I get upset, I clam up. When things aren't going well, I clam up. I guess I don't like to share the icky. I feel that people don't want to hear it. But the thing is, real friends, and family, want to hear from you, good stuff or icky stuff. And this is something that is hard for me. But, I'm learning.
I am blessed with an amazing family, and I am blessed with great friends. You know who you are. And I love you all. Unfortunately, I thought some people were good friends, but they weren't. And I think it's those burns that have made me keep the icky close to my chest. And you know? You know who you are in this instance (person from Downers Grove who stalks my blog), among others.
Thank you to my wonderful family and friends. And, to the friends that I haven't seen, face to face, in a little while or in a long while, but who I know I could pick up with like no time has passed, well, you're aces in my book.
Thank you.
Now, I'm not always the best at communication. When I get upset, I clam up. When things aren't going well, I clam up. I guess I don't like to share the icky. I feel that people don't want to hear it. But the thing is, real friends, and family, want to hear from you, good stuff or icky stuff. And this is something that is hard for me. But, I'm learning.
I am blessed with an amazing family, and I am blessed with great friends. You know who you are. And I love you all. Unfortunately, I thought some people were good friends, but they weren't. And I think it's those burns that have made me keep the icky close to my chest. And you know? You know who you are in this instance (person from Downers Grove who stalks my blog), among others.
Thank you to my wonderful family and friends. And, to the friends that I haven't seen, face to face, in a little while or in a long while, but who I know I could pick up with like no time has passed, well, you're aces in my book.
Thank you.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
5 Things
Years ago, I had a Gratitude Journal, one of those Sarah Ban Breathnach journals. Every day I would write down 5 things I was grateful for on that specific day. It was a good exercise, it made me think in a more positive light, because I was looking for those "half-full" instances.
I was given a lovely journal for my birthday, and I haven't used it yet. It sits, a blank slate, just waiting for me to fill it. And I think I know what I'm going to do with it now!
Starting today, 5 things I am grateful for. Maybe I will share some here. Stay tuned for gratitude!
I was given a lovely journal for my birthday, and I haven't used it yet. It sits, a blank slate, just waiting for me to fill it. And I think I know what I'm going to do with it now!
Starting today, 5 things I am grateful for. Maybe I will share some here. Stay tuned for gratitude!
Monday, March 5, 2012
Life is Never Dull!
I have one week until I'm taking a week off - using some vacation time. I went to bed last night making a mental list of everything I wanted to get done this week at work before I'm off for a week.
And then I get up. And I have this sinking feeling. Not sure why. Until I try to wake up the kid.
AND SHE IS SICK. Yuck yuck sick. Can't even sit up - face hurts, throat hurts, can't move.
OH NO. I call the clinic and make an appointment for her to get in to her nurse practitioner. 11am. I'm guessing it's a sinus infection, except her throat hurts, she can't even swallow.
We get there, the nurse takes her vitals, including her temperature, and the kid actually has a temperature. Here's the verbal exchange we had:
"You have a fever!" "You never have a fever when we go to the doctor!"
"Mom, when was the last time I had a fever?"
"The last time you had Strep."
BINGO. You guessed it - the kid has Strep. And she is miserable. We got home, and I called in to the library. I don't care if the kid is 14 (and a half). When your kid has Strep and a fever - you stay home. My director wasn't very happy, but what can you do? Certainly not leave your kid home alone! Poor girl - she was miserable. Slept some, moaned and groaned and was generally very unhappy. Finally took some ibuprofen, which helped. Eventually, I made her get out of bed and plant herself on the couch in the loft and we watched tv and relaxed. The ibuprofen and the antibiotics are kicking in some.
It's awful when your kid is sick, but you take care of them and make sure they know they are loved and cherished. And be grateful for antibiotics that are meant to be taken for things like Strep.
And then I get up. And I have this sinking feeling. Not sure why. Until I try to wake up the kid.
AND SHE IS SICK. Yuck yuck sick. Can't even sit up - face hurts, throat hurts, can't move.
OH NO. I call the clinic and make an appointment for her to get in to her nurse practitioner. 11am. I'm guessing it's a sinus infection, except her throat hurts, she can't even swallow.
We get there, the nurse takes her vitals, including her temperature, and the kid actually has a temperature. Here's the verbal exchange we had:
"You have a fever!" "You never have a fever when we go to the doctor!"
"Mom, when was the last time I had a fever?"
"The last time you had Strep."
BINGO. You guessed it - the kid has Strep. And she is miserable. We got home, and I called in to the library. I don't care if the kid is 14 (and a half). When your kid has Strep and a fever - you stay home. My director wasn't very happy, but what can you do? Certainly not leave your kid home alone! Poor girl - she was miserable. Slept some, moaned and groaned and was generally very unhappy. Finally took some ibuprofen, which helped. Eventually, I made her get out of bed and plant herself on the couch in the loft and we watched tv and relaxed. The ibuprofen and the antibiotics are kicking in some.
It's awful when your kid is sick, but you take care of them and make sure they know they are loved and cherished. And be grateful for antibiotics that are meant to be taken for things like Strep.
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