Today's focus for the last Friday Music Blog of 2010 is songs and titles and artists with the word "new". Any genre is eligible and as long as "new" appears somewhere in your selection it should work. The Friday Music Blog has been a consistent favorite since I launched "Chief 187 Chatter" and I will definitely be continuing the FMB in 2011!
With this, my 80th blog and nearly 6,600 Pageviews (13 shy as I type this), I am at once sad to see 2010 go, and mighty thrilled to start 2011 and see where this blog will go. I am dedicated to weekday posts, have many topics already listed in my paper notebook, and bursting enthusiasm to take this project as far as I can go! It is such an honor to have you all along with me on this "journey" as I call it. Because, the truth is, I would write no matter what. Having you read my work, leave your comments, and help me figure things out, that's just the most amazing aspect ever! So, once again, because I don't think it can be stated too much, thank you ALL for being here with me, reading, commenting, supporting, encouraging, and checking back. I am humbled, honored, overwhelmed, and thrilled by the reaction this blog has had in its short life - I launched on September 13, 2010. Now, sixteen weeks later, I have much to show that I am so proud and the collective urging of you all to keep me going into 2011. I'll be there and I'll be counting on you to be, too!
Looking forward to reading your responses to today's topic today and all weekend long.
Have a Safe, Happy, Healthy, Fun, and Love-Filled New Year!
I'll see you on Monday!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
I Can't Help It...
Try as I might, I cannot seem to get to the end of the year without feeling melancholy. I spend so much time, energy, and planning on the Christmas holidays that by the time the end of December arrives I am sad to see the festivities wind down. There are no more wrapped presents under the tree, leftovers fill my refrigerator with no more grand feasts planned, and all the fun and revelry that took place with dearly loved extended family is over as they have all returned to their respective homes out of state. I am left with a floor covered in toys; disarray abounds as everything is intermingled, no rhyme or reason, pieces here and there. I have seemingly hundreds of empty boxes and gift bags, bows, and tissue paper strewn in my basement needing attention. I feel the dread that our majestic Christmas tree filled with precious memory-laden ornaments will have to be disrobed and stowed soon, out of site for another eleven months. The house becomes darkened as the lights are put away. We are left with cold, drab winter. I try to cap my holidays with a New Year's Eve party and this year is no exception, but I still find it very difficult to get over the post-Christmas mood slump that I always fall prey.
This year I noticed my eldest child is also suffering from the same condition. The last couple of nights he is unable to get to sleep even though he is enormously tired from the day's bustling activities. He is weepy and restless but when questioned has no idea what is wrong with himself. I know. He is a very sensitive, compassionate, and emotional child. His beloved grandparents, both sets, and his great-grandfather, uncle and favorite cousin were around him for several days to take part in Christmas Cheer. They all left within 24 hours of one another. They are gone and most we have no immediate plans to see for a long long time. My son is, quite simply, sad. And I try to lift his spirits pointing out all of the fun-filled events taking place over the next few months - birthday parties, Pine Wood Derby, dinner parties, school functions, and family fun at home, but it just doesn't compare to the magical time we spent for a few glorious days over Christmas.
I need to follow my own advice. I need to find a way to break out of this melancholy state and embrace the wonders that await around every corner. Yes, the tree needs to come down, but that makes extra space in the room and makes for more movement. The decorations are gone, but now there is room to build the new Lego sets Santa Claus left. That may seem like a kid plus, but I am a Lego fanatic and have my hands in building each set with my children! I get to give my children a few remaining gifts on New Year's Day, a tradition I started years ago to spread the wonder out a bit longer. These gifts are neither huge nor expensive, but little things that excite my children. I do enjoy ringing in the New Year with dear friends in what has now become a tradition of our families getting together each December 31st. And, although I don't relish school starting, I do like routine. And, I do like have my home in non-Christmas order to celebrate my first big date in January for observing, my husband's and my Wedding Anniversary on January 9th! That does cheer me and spur me on when de-mantling the tree becomes tedious.
Usually the amount of cookies and holiday foods I feast upon during the holidays leaves me feeling hopelessly out of whack and tipping the scales. This season I embraced my exercise routine and tried to practice moderation at the table. I must say, it has done a lot to improve my mood, provided incentive to keep going, and encouraged me that my wardrobe still fits! This is another positive as I begin a new year - I am already involved in a sensible exercise lifestyle and healthy eating pattern. I am not starting a point zero. Usually I tune out the "Healthy You in the New Year" programming, magazine articles, etc. because I cannot face it, but now I am living it for months! In fact, my focus for this blog in 2011 is a Healthy, Happy, Fun-Loving approach to Life!
This blog, my dedication to self, and your support and encouragement will be the ingredients I need to get through my sadness, embrace the future, and look forward to each day! I feel better already! And, as for my son, I'll listen, hug him, and try to teach by example how to keep moving even when it seems too sad or hard. We'll get through this - together.
Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy, Safe, and Love-Filled New Year!
Join me tomorrow for the Friday Music Blog New Year's Edition, over the weekend for catching up on all of my blogs from 2010, and on Monday to start a whole new week and year of "Chief 187 Chatter"!
This year I noticed my eldest child is also suffering from the same condition. The last couple of nights he is unable to get to sleep even though he is enormously tired from the day's bustling activities. He is weepy and restless but when questioned has no idea what is wrong with himself. I know. He is a very sensitive, compassionate, and emotional child. His beloved grandparents, both sets, and his great-grandfather, uncle and favorite cousin were around him for several days to take part in Christmas Cheer. They all left within 24 hours of one another. They are gone and most we have no immediate plans to see for a long long time. My son is, quite simply, sad. And I try to lift his spirits pointing out all of the fun-filled events taking place over the next few months - birthday parties, Pine Wood Derby, dinner parties, school functions, and family fun at home, but it just doesn't compare to the magical time we spent for a few glorious days over Christmas.
I need to follow my own advice. I need to find a way to break out of this melancholy state and embrace the wonders that await around every corner. Yes, the tree needs to come down, but that makes extra space in the room and makes for more movement. The decorations are gone, but now there is room to build the new Lego sets Santa Claus left. That may seem like a kid plus, but I am a Lego fanatic and have my hands in building each set with my children! I get to give my children a few remaining gifts on New Year's Day, a tradition I started years ago to spread the wonder out a bit longer. These gifts are neither huge nor expensive, but little things that excite my children. I do enjoy ringing in the New Year with dear friends in what has now become a tradition of our families getting together each December 31st. And, although I don't relish school starting, I do like routine. And, I do like have my home in non-Christmas order to celebrate my first big date in January for observing, my husband's and my Wedding Anniversary on January 9th! That does cheer me and spur me on when de-mantling the tree becomes tedious.
Usually the amount of cookies and holiday foods I feast upon during the holidays leaves me feeling hopelessly out of whack and tipping the scales. This season I embraced my exercise routine and tried to practice moderation at the table. I must say, it has done a lot to improve my mood, provided incentive to keep going, and encouraged me that my wardrobe still fits! This is another positive as I begin a new year - I am already involved in a sensible exercise lifestyle and healthy eating pattern. I am not starting a point zero. Usually I tune out the "Healthy You in the New Year" programming, magazine articles, etc. because I cannot face it, but now I am living it for months! In fact, my focus for this blog in 2011 is a Healthy, Happy, Fun-Loving approach to Life!
This blog, my dedication to self, and your support and encouragement will be the ingredients I need to get through my sadness, embrace the future, and look forward to each day! I feel better already! And, as for my son, I'll listen, hug him, and try to teach by example how to keep moving even when it seems too sad or hard. We'll get through this - together.
Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy, Safe, and Love-Filled New Year!
Join me tomorrow for the Friday Music Blog New Year's Edition, over the weekend for catching up on all of my blogs from 2010, and on Monday to start a whole new week and year of "Chief 187 Chatter"!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Life Lessons
As the end of the year approaches I find myself waxing nostalgic, reviewing my life, and trying to understand the information I've gleaned over the last year. This is no small task with the amount of company we've been (happily) entertaining, the three children underfoot, and a house sorely needing attention after the Christmas revelry. But, whether there is time or other priorities working against my introspection, I persevere as this is now a tradition and one I hold dear.
Before my in-laws said good-bye last night I asked my husband's ninety year old grandfather the secret to the long and happy marriage he shared with his bride of over sixty-five years (she passed last October). I asked him how it seemed so easy for him to stay in love and live peacefully with his mate for all of those years. His answer was given without any deliberation and with the wisdom of the aged. He responded, "We both worked hard. There was no time for anything else." At first I misinterpreted his statement, thinking he meant marriage is hard work, but when I reran his words in my mind I understood the simplistic statement. By working hard at their respective jobs - he running his own lucrative and successful business, she raising the children and keeping the books for said business - there was no time to live any other way. They loved each other and then they lived life. How brilliant! Today there are so many distractions. The 'conveniences' that are supposed to free up our time simply give us more time to be idle and therefore more time to create drama, tension, distraction, and bring chaos into our lives. When he and his bride were working and raising a family there was no internet, cable/satellite television, video game systems, or microwave ovens. Dinners were thought out and prepared lovingly at home, books were read to children, a few modest toys were around the house and well-played with because those were the only toys around, and 'free time' was spent doing chores like sewing, crafting, or learning something new. Children were not plopped in front of televisions for hours on end, movies were not given as gifts to be watched at home, they were treats that required going to a theater! I am not saying then was better and now is terrible. On the contrary, I adore living in our modern world where medicine has advanced, children have more of a voice, and microwave ovens help me prepare spectacular dinners quickly. But it does make sense the way Grandpa and Grandma lived their married lives. They were not so easily wooed away from each other like can happen today. The world wasn't entirely global, it was community-based. The neighbor was a friend, the teacher might come for lunch one day, Church was the 'social networking site', and once you said "I do" to your spouse you pretty much meant forever. There is a lot to be said for that world. If we could take the best of that era and assimilate it into our current world we all might be a happier lot.
During the end of summer when my mother-in-law was visiting I was going through a particularly frustrating time in my life. We are not only mother/daughter-in-law, but we are also dear friends. She noticed me struggling with my life and offered the following advice: "Sometimes, Honey, you just have to let things go. Don't hold on to them." Brilliant! Simple, yes, but brilliant! I was holding on to pain, hurt, frustration, and stress and it was doing nothing positive for me. I was angry but it didn't serve me or change my circumstance. Hearing this advice from a woman I respect, love, and admire helped to put my situation into focus and forced me to look at it from a fresh perspective. Those words were the catalyst for me starting this blog. I will be forever thankful.
I mentioned this lesson recently in a blog. It is a lesson I am trying to teach my oldest son. He would like to not go to school in the morning and fights me about getting ready. I explained to him that his going to school each day and each year will not change for many many years so he needs to learn to change his attitude because school isn't going away. This lesson applies to anything in life. People cannot be changed by us, and sometimes circumstances cannot be changed either. When these facts are what you are dealing with the only thing that can be changed is your reaction to them. You must change since the other person/fact will not. When I applied this lesson to my own life I found that dealing with certain members of my family became much more pleasant and easier! I cannot change them, but I can change how I deal with them. Fantastic! Again, a new perspective changes your entire outlook on life.
These lessons, simple to understand, are harder to implement. Changing the way we do things, recognizing the truths in our world, and letting go of anger, disappointments, and hurts are all difficult and may take a lifetime to do. But the more we make ourselves, our own happiness and well-being, a priority, the happier our lives become. These lessons are valuable and are fantastic to put in our arsenal as we begin another new year. Let's make this the year for personal growth, healthy living, and a dedication to putting more FUN into our lives. Join me!
Before my in-laws said good-bye last night I asked my husband's ninety year old grandfather the secret to the long and happy marriage he shared with his bride of over sixty-five years (she passed last October). I asked him how it seemed so easy for him to stay in love and live peacefully with his mate for all of those years. His answer was given without any deliberation and with the wisdom of the aged. He responded, "We both worked hard. There was no time for anything else." At first I misinterpreted his statement, thinking he meant marriage is hard work, but when I reran his words in my mind I understood the simplistic statement. By working hard at their respective jobs - he running his own lucrative and successful business, she raising the children and keeping the books for said business - there was no time to live any other way. They loved each other and then they lived life. How brilliant! Today there are so many distractions. The 'conveniences' that are supposed to free up our time simply give us more time to be idle and therefore more time to create drama, tension, distraction, and bring chaos into our lives. When he and his bride were working and raising a family there was no internet, cable/satellite television, video game systems, or microwave ovens. Dinners were thought out and prepared lovingly at home, books were read to children, a few modest toys were around the house and well-played with because those were the only toys around, and 'free time' was spent doing chores like sewing, crafting, or learning something new. Children were not plopped in front of televisions for hours on end, movies were not given as gifts to be watched at home, they were treats that required going to a theater! I am not saying then was better and now is terrible. On the contrary, I adore living in our modern world where medicine has advanced, children have more of a voice, and microwave ovens help me prepare spectacular dinners quickly. But it does make sense the way Grandpa and Grandma lived their married lives. They were not so easily wooed away from each other like can happen today. The world wasn't entirely global, it was community-based. The neighbor was a friend, the teacher might come for lunch one day, Church was the 'social networking site', and once you said "I do" to your spouse you pretty much meant forever. There is a lot to be said for that world. If we could take the best of that era and assimilate it into our current world we all might be a happier lot.
During the end of summer when my mother-in-law was visiting I was going through a particularly frustrating time in my life. We are not only mother/daughter-in-law, but we are also dear friends. She noticed me struggling with my life and offered the following advice: "Sometimes, Honey, you just have to let things go. Don't hold on to them." Brilliant! Simple, yes, but brilliant! I was holding on to pain, hurt, frustration, and stress and it was doing nothing positive for me. I was angry but it didn't serve me or change my circumstance. Hearing this advice from a woman I respect, love, and admire helped to put my situation into focus and forced me to look at it from a fresh perspective. Those words were the catalyst for me starting this blog. I will be forever thankful.
I mentioned this lesson recently in a blog. It is a lesson I am trying to teach my oldest son. He would like to not go to school in the morning and fights me about getting ready. I explained to him that his going to school each day and each year will not change for many many years so he needs to learn to change his attitude because school isn't going away. This lesson applies to anything in life. People cannot be changed by us, and sometimes circumstances cannot be changed either. When these facts are what you are dealing with the only thing that can be changed is your reaction to them. You must change since the other person/fact will not. When I applied this lesson to my own life I found that dealing with certain members of my family became much more pleasant and easier! I cannot change them, but I can change how I deal with them. Fantastic! Again, a new perspective changes your entire outlook on life.
These lessons, simple to understand, are harder to implement. Changing the way we do things, recognizing the truths in our world, and letting go of anger, disappointments, and hurts are all difficult and may take a lifetime to do. But the more we make ourselves, our own happiness and well-being, a priority, the happier our lives become. These lessons are valuable and are fantastic to put in our arsenal as we begin another new year. Let's make this the year for personal growth, healthy living, and a dedication to putting more FUN into our lives. Join me!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Gearing Up for New Year's
The holidays do not end on December 26th. There is an entire week more of celebratory events that culminates in the ushering in of a New Year. This is an ideal week to entertain, visit with friends, make play dates for your children who are probably off of school, and to plan a fun way to ring in the New Year. Not nearly as formal in tone as Christmas, New Year's is like the rock star of winter celebrations. A mix of revelry, sparkly dress code, and no-holds-bar fun, New Year's has the potential to be the highlight of the holiday season. End your season with a bang and host, attend, or observe New Year's Eve with a bang this year!
Having people in is a great way to spend New Year's Eve. A simple menu of appetizers, with your guests each bringing one of their own favorites, is a fun way to do this party. Dips, finger foods, hot and cold assortments, a cheese platter, and punch are great spread ideas, leave little stress for the host when it comes to timing a meal accordingly. And don't forget to put out the last of the Christmas cookies for dessert. Once the New Year begins you'll want those out of your house and diet! Have on hand New Year's Eve hats and tiaras found in party or discount stores as well as noise makers(enough for everyone). Make and play a playlist of your most upbeat and fun songs as the background music, reminisce about 2010 and you all prepare to put it in your past, and then look forward to the optimism a New Year brings. If you are marking the occasion with children, plan to countdown to the New Year on whatever hour is reasonable - if midnight is too late (for ALL of you) try 9p, or even 7p! What matters is making the event memorable and fun for everyone in attendance. It's midnight somewhere in the world so countdown when it is convenient! And, I recommend NOT serving alcohol at your party - this is Amateur Night on the roads. People drink and drive and many get injured or killed behind the wheel. Stay sober, stay safe, and send your guests home to enjoy a New Year.
There are many ways to celebrate New Year's Eve that don't include alcohol. Many towns and cities around the country offer a First Night event. According to Teresa Plowright who writes at About.com Guide:
"First Night" events celebrate New Year's Eve with family-friendly non-alcohol-imbibing festivities-- and as if that weren't good enough, they're low-cost, too.
The idea dates back as far as 1976: Boston pioneered a First Night Celebration as "an alternative way of ushering in the New Year." In Boston, and many cities since, the focus is on community and on performing arts. Here's Boston's Mission Statement:
First Night's mission is to broaden and deepen the public's appreciation of the visual and performing arts through an innovative, diverse and high quality New Year's Eve program which offers the community a shared cultural experience that is accessible and affordable to all.
What this translates into is low-cost, high-quality fun. My memory of a First Night in Vancouver, BC is of friendly crowds (beer-bottle-free), plenty of kids in strollers, and excellent short performances of drumming, dance, and more, at multiple venues within walking distance, and at minimal admission cost.
Nowadays, hundreds of cities worldwide celebrate First Night, and in many cases the celebration is a day-long event.
If ringing in the New Year means drinking champagne, dressing up, or staying in with your mate, then by all means get out your Champagne flutes! As long as driving is not a part of your itinerary, enjoy! A lot of hotels hold fun, fancy, and expensive parties that include a room to "sleep it off" after the New Year has begun. Or you can simply stay home to toast one another at midnight and head to bed - what a better way to ring in the New Year?
Whatever way you choose to observe New Year's this year, please be safe, have fun, make your resolutions for good health, better living, stronger loving, and make a pact to make Chief 187 Chatter a part of your daily rituals. There is so much I'm eager to share with you all and am anxious to get started!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Now What?
Christmas 2010 is in the books. The gifts have all been unwrapped, the dinner served, the surprises discovered. For someone like me it is a combination of sweet relief and a sad realization that time moves incredibly fast. As prepared as I am working around the calendar to make Christmas for my family fun and memorable, I, too, feel we didn't get to "do it all". There were movies we didn't get to watch together, games we ran out of time to play, and a few things I forgot to put in the stocking, but overall I know the effect was magical and brilliant! So where do I (and you) go from here? I will offer some more holiday tips and concentrate on the next festive event which takes place at week's end. I am also working on a slew of entirely new topics (not holiday related) to share with you all. Still, each month there will be one or two blogs to keep you on a sane timeline to make the next Christmas all the more manageable, reasonable, and special.
For those of you who tried my suggestion of starting a gift journal and those of you who thought it was a great idea but didn't start one, I highly recommend you keep it out/get one and start a new entry - "Gifts for 2011". Even if you feel you are tapped out financially, try to find a few extra dollars earmarked for shopping in the next few days. The deals are incredible the week after Christmas, especially on Christmas items - wrapping paper/bows/gift tages, decorations, napkins, tins, and pre-wrapped gifts. This is the time to stock up on these items that make great gifts for the next year. There is no need to ever pay full retail for these gifts! You'll find that putting some money out now saves you a ton when next Christmas rolls around. You'll have a stockpile of great holiday gifts and they will all be long paid for by next December. Of course, that's the key. It is not a good idea to put yourself in debt to "save money". If you can't pay for these items with cash or on credit by the end of the first month, don't shop. If you can set aside the money and pay the amount off promptly accruing no debt, then it makes all the sense in the world to shop now. Take some times, hit the stores, pick up items at 50%, 60%, 75% or up to 90% off retail prices. Make sure the items are things you either want or need or would be ideal gifts for specific people in mind, be they family members you exchange gifts, friends, or people like your children's teacher next year, your babysitter, your postal delivery person, etc. Buying Christmas candles, ornaments, linens, and the like at these discounted prices, as well as useful gifts that are pre-packaged and novel, supplement your gift coffers come 2011. Stores such as Wal*Mart, Target, KMart, Hallmark, florists, Nurseries/Garden stores, and nearly every other store will offer deep discounts on these types of merchandise to move it out in preparation for new inventory arriving any day. Take advantage! Even high end stores, department stores, and boutiques will have sales of some sort. After Christmas shopping is the most rewarding for making your dollars go the furtherest!
Next, make sure you document your purchases as next December is a long way off. And, besides, some of these gifts may make great birthday or anniversary gifts, so write down what you bought, for who you think the item would be perfect and what occasion, and then store it in a safe place (i.e. a Rubber Maid plastic box, a drawer, or a shelf in a closet designated for gifts). I am fortunate to have a large basement, several large plastic boxes, and space to store a large quantity of gifts throughout the year. You'll have to decide how much you are able to stow comfortably.
Keep your gift journal with you throughout this month and every month of the year. It is a handy reference to check when you find a unique item, a cool sale item, etc. and want to pinpoint who it would be great for and who you need a gift for as well.
My last piece of advice for the days directly after Christmas are to sit down, watch a movie, sleep on the couch, play in the snow, drink hot chocolate with marshmallows, and enjoy the family around you. All too soon normalcy will reign and you'll wonder why you didn't take advantage of the slower pace. I hope you all enjoyed a peaceful, fun-filled, and happy Christmas.
Join me tomorrow and each day this week as we prepare to say good bye to 2010 and we welcome 2011 enthusiastically!
For those of you who tried my suggestion of starting a gift journal and those of you who thought it was a great idea but didn't start one, I highly recommend you keep it out/get one and start a new entry - "Gifts for 2011". Even if you feel you are tapped out financially, try to find a few extra dollars earmarked for shopping in the next few days. The deals are incredible the week after Christmas, especially on Christmas items - wrapping paper/bows/gift tages, decorations, napkins, tins, and pre-wrapped gifts. This is the time to stock up on these items that make great gifts for the next year. There is no need to ever pay full retail for these gifts! You'll find that putting some money out now saves you a ton when next Christmas rolls around. You'll have a stockpile of great holiday gifts and they will all be long paid for by next December. Of course, that's the key. It is not a good idea to put yourself in debt to "save money". If you can't pay for these items with cash or on credit by the end of the first month, don't shop. If you can set aside the money and pay the amount off promptly accruing no debt, then it makes all the sense in the world to shop now. Take some times, hit the stores, pick up items at 50%, 60%, 75% or up to 90% off retail prices. Make sure the items are things you either want or need or would be ideal gifts for specific people in mind, be they family members you exchange gifts, friends, or people like your children's teacher next year, your babysitter, your postal delivery person, etc. Buying Christmas candles, ornaments, linens, and the like at these discounted prices, as well as useful gifts that are pre-packaged and novel, supplement your gift coffers come 2011. Stores such as Wal*Mart, Target, KMart, Hallmark, florists, Nurseries/Garden stores, and nearly every other store will offer deep discounts on these types of merchandise to move it out in preparation for new inventory arriving any day. Take advantage! Even high end stores, department stores, and boutiques will have sales of some sort. After Christmas shopping is the most rewarding for making your dollars go the furtherest!
Next, make sure you document your purchases as next December is a long way off. And, besides, some of these gifts may make great birthday or anniversary gifts, so write down what you bought, for who you think the item would be perfect and what occasion, and then store it in a safe place (i.e. a Rubber Maid plastic box, a drawer, or a shelf in a closet designated for gifts). I am fortunate to have a large basement, several large plastic boxes, and space to store a large quantity of gifts throughout the year. You'll have to decide how much you are able to stow comfortably.
Keep your gift journal with you throughout this month and every month of the year. It is a handy reference to check when you find a unique item, a cool sale item, etc. and want to pinpoint who it would be great for and who you need a gift for as well.
My last piece of advice for the days directly after Christmas are to sit down, watch a movie, sleep on the couch, play in the snow, drink hot chocolate with marshmallows, and enjoy the family around you. All too soon normalcy will reign and you'll wonder why you didn't take advantage of the slower pace. I hope you all enjoyed a peaceful, fun-filled, and happy Christmas.
 |
| My daughter and me on Christmas Eve |
Join me tomorrow and each day this week as we prepare to say good bye to 2010 and we welcome 2011 enthusiastically!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Friday Music Blog
Welcome in on Christmas Eve! As it falls on a Friday this year it is Friday Music Blog day! Today's focus is songs that have "Christmas" in the title. The topic is wide open and can also include songs that feature "Christmas" in the lyrics as well as the title. Let's face it, any song you'd like to include today is fine by me!!
I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you (AGAIN) for all of your support over these last 3+ months. This was a scary prospect to take my blogging to my own site and choose the topics that were important to me and put them out there for public consumption. You have shown me such friendship, kindness, loyalty, and grace by reading, commenting, and following me. I am honored, blessed, overwhelmed with emotion, and, as I state often, so encouraged to continue. I also want to thank those of you who could truly care less about all of the Christmas hoopla and my weeks of discussing every aspect of Christmas for staying with me. Although there may be more of these types of blogs, the constant barrage is over. I will be getting back to the type of blogging I started when I began. My mind wanders so the topics will be diverse, introspective, universal at times, and all over the place. We have a lot to do in the months (years?) to come. I hope you all stay with me as I treasure your company.
Wishing you all the most Merry Christmas and a hope for great wonder, merriment, positive memory making, family, friends, good health, great joy, safety, romance, and a whole lot of love!
Join me throughout the weekend and definitely on Monday as I end 2010 with 5 more entirely new blogs. I hope you can make it!
Merry Christmas!
I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you (AGAIN) for all of your support over these last 3+ months. This was a scary prospect to take my blogging to my own site and choose the topics that were important to me and put them out there for public consumption. You have shown me such friendship, kindness, loyalty, and grace by reading, commenting, and following me. I am honored, blessed, overwhelmed with emotion, and, as I state often, so encouraged to continue. I also want to thank those of you who could truly care less about all of the Christmas hoopla and my weeks of discussing every aspect of Christmas for staying with me. Although there may be more of these types of blogs, the constant barrage is over. I will be getting back to the type of blogging I started when I began. My mind wanders so the topics will be diverse, introspective, universal at times, and all over the place. We have a lot to do in the months (years?) to come. I hope you all stay with me as I treasure your company.
Wishing you all the most Merry Christmas and a hope for great wonder, merriment, positive memory making, family, friends, good health, great joy, safety, romance, and a whole lot of love!
Join me throughout the weekend and definitely on Monday as I end 2010 with 5 more entirely new blogs. I hope you can make it!
Merry Christmas!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Embrace The Season
Christmas is upon us. I mean it, it's really here! With two days to go until the big day, there is no where to hide and no more time to procrastinate. Whether you love this time of year like I do or can't wait until all the hoopla is over, Christmas is arriving. Fundamentally it is a wonderful day that tries to bring out goodness in people. My hope and wish is that you all simply embrace the season.
My eldest child is struggling attending school. He's actually a good student who is mastering the third grade beautifully, but he is frustrated by how hard he has to work to do well and how much work there is to do! Many mornings when I'd give the signal that it was time to get ready to catch the school bus he'd get into an angry mood. We'd discuss the whys and what fors and it always came back to he wanting to stop going to school because "I hate it!". I explained to him many times that school is mandatory, all the adults he knew had been in his shoes (and survived) and that he'd have to learn to deal with it. I continued to enlighten him by telling him his circumstances (i.e. going to school for the next many years) was NOT going to change so the only thing that could change was his attitude towards school. My son is a very good child, a sensitive lad with a big heart, a compassionate nature, and a slight stubborn streak. We're still working on this concept for him. With Santa's impending visit ("you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why"), the teacher's relaxed policy on homework since Tuesday (there isn't any the rest of 2010!) and the fun activities planned at school (he's wearing pajamas to school today and watching The Polar Express while eating snacks) he's been better about leaving in the morning!
My suggestion to all of you is to embrace the season like I tell my son to embrace his life at school. Christmas is here with it's commercialism, consumerism, and cynicism, but it also comes with its spiritualness, family time, and optimism. Even if the family you have, circumstances you are experiencing, and people you face are not ideal, try to capture the Christmas spirit and add to the positives at Christmas, not the stresses and negativity. First, wear something Christmassy! Bring out the goofy Christmas tie that blinks lights or plays a tune or simply is quietly festive. Wear a Santa hat to and from work on your commute! Put on a jingle bell and announce your holiday presence everywhere! Own a Christmas pin and earrings and a bracelet? Wear them all together! Only own a green sweater or red blouse? Put it on! Red lipstick is a must, too! Or Christmas socks. Or getting Mom or Grandma a Christmas corsage. Don't worry about looking/feeling silly. This is the time of year to make a child happy, spread some cheer, and forget the miseries of life, if only for a few days. Smile, say "Merry Christmas", be nice to the bagger at the grocery store who is always grumpy. When you treat others with kindness it begets kindness. And if you cannot be kind at Christmas, when can you?!
So I ask you all to embrace the season with me. Try not to worry about the gifts, the food, or the personality conflicts, just try to remember the important things in your life. As I tell my son, you cannot change how others act, you can only change yourself.
I thank you all for being with me during my first Christmas Season at the helm of my very own blog. I am most proud and delighted with my work and am so pleased and encouraged by your seamless support. I have much to be thankful for this Christmas, much to learn in the New Year, and a renewed vigor to continue on this path of writing, good health, shared joy, and peace.
A very Merry Christmas to all of YOU and a wish for good health, great happiness, and supreme joy as you celebrate the holiday!
I hope to see you back here tomorrow for the Friday Music Blog and all next week for more new content!
My eldest child is struggling attending school. He's actually a good student who is mastering the third grade beautifully, but he is frustrated by how hard he has to work to do well and how much work there is to do! Many mornings when I'd give the signal that it was time to get ready to catch the school bus he'd get into an angry mood. We'd discuss the whys and what fors and it always came back to he wanting to stop going to school because "I hate it!". I explained to him many times that school is mandatory, all the adults he knew had been in his shoes (and survived) and that he'd have to learn to deal with it. I continued to enlighten him by telling him his circumstances (i.e. going to school for the next many years) was NOT going to change so the only thing that could change was his attitude towards school. My son is a very good child, a sensitive lad with a big heart, a compassionate nature, and a slight stubborn streak. We're still working on this concept for him. With Santa's impending visit ("you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why"), the teacher's relaxed policy on homework since Tuesday (there isn't any the rest of 2010!) and the fun activities planned at school (he's wearing pajamas to school today and watching The Polar Express while eating snacks) he's been better about leaving in the morning!
My suggestion to all of you is to embrace the season like I tell my son to embrace his life at school. Christmas is here with it's commercialism, consumerism, and cynicism, but it also comes with its spiritualness, family time, and optimism. Even if the family you have, circumstances you are experiencing, and people you face are not ideal, try to capture the Christmas spirit and add to the positives at Christmas, not the stresses and negativity. First, wear something Christmassy! Bring out the goofy Christmas tie that blinks lights or plays a tune or simply is quietly festive. Wear a Santa hat to and from work on your commute! Put on a jingle bell and announce your holiday presence everywhere! Own a Christmas pin and earrings and a bracelet? Wear them all together! Only own a green sweater or red blouse? Put it on! Red lipstick is a must, too! Or Christmas socks. Or getting Mom or Grandma a Christmas corsage. Don't worry about looking/feeling silly. This is the time of year to make a child happy, spread some cheer, and forget the miseries of life, if only for a few days. Smile, say "Merry Christmas", be nice to the bagger at the grocery store who is always grumpy. When you treat others with kindness it begets kindness. And if you cannot be kind at Christmas, when can you?!
So I ask you all to embrace the season with me. Try not to worry about the gifts, the food, or the personality conflicts, just try to remember the important things in your life. As I tell my son, you cannot change how others act, you can only change yourself.
I thank you all for being with me during my first Christmas Season at the helm of my very own blog. I am most proud and delighted with my work and am so pleased and encouraged by your seamless support. I have much to be thankful for this Christmas, much to learn in the New Year, and a renewed vigor to continue on this path of writing, good health, shared joy, and peace.
A very Merry Christmas to all of YOU and a wish for good health, great happiness, and supreme joy as you celebrate the holiday!
I hope to see you back here tomorrow for the Friday Music Blog and all next week for more new content!
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