Dec 31, 2011 |
Seriously. What is it about New Year’s that makes people overthrow habit and desire to turn a 180 and make dramatic changes to their lives? I’ve tried, but that darned word, habit, really gets in the way. I’m not one for total makeovers anyway.
So I’ve discovered the trick to keeping New Year’s Resolutions is to make ones that I know I can achieve. I’m not saying, count to 10 each day when I know I can already count to 100. But I’m not throwing in things like open a bakery or take a trip to Italy… not yet, anyway.
Here’s what I’ve come up with so far, for the year 2012:
1. Read. Every day. The Bookshelf is a great new addition to my blog that will keep me on track with the books on my scheduled reading list, as well as more books I want.
2. Write. Every day. Stephen J. Cannell told me to. Often. And since he had a writing career longer than I’ve been alive, I’d say he knew what he was talking about.
3. Cook. Not just cook at home, but really really cook. Find new recipes and not be afraid to test them. Create new recipes and not be afraid to share them. Go out to eat at least once a month, find a great meal, and compliment the Chef. Get that cookbook published (any day now, so exciting)!
4. Schedule. Being “unemployed” only means I don’t get paid at a day job. It does not mean I have nothing to do all day. In fact, I’m finding more and more things that keep me legitimately busy (see Items 1, 2, and 3 above for starters). But sometimes I can get overwhelmed or, more typically, distracted. I recently got the Dayrunner page refills for my datebook. Today I’m going to plot out some What-and-When’s. Things like writing, a day trip to Disneyland, having family over for lunch.
5. Make time. Spend more quality time with my daughter. Not just be in the same room with her, but actually interact with her. Turn off the cell phones, play a game, learn those new recipes, even work together to clean the house. Together-time. Because her immediate presence leads to some great conversations that I miss out on when she’s in the other room or watching TV.
6. Exercise. Every day. Even if it’s just a short walk or a 15 minute workout on the Wii. Do what I can to stay active, and push myself a little each day. Park farther into parking lots and walk the distance. Carry more grocery bags. Get out of my chair more often. Stop being lazy or using my daughter as a go-fer. Just move!
7. Finish. Finish a few projects that really have needed my attention for several years. Finish the writing course through Institute of Children’s Literature. Rewrite a screenplay I started five years ago that really needs a rewrite before I embarrass myself by sharing it with others again. Finish the tiny To-Do’s around my house like finally paint that one-inch patch in the Narnia room. Set up a trellis for my Boston Ivy to happily climb.
8. Keep it clean. Clean every inch of my house and keep it clean. Dust when it needs dusting and don’t be afraid of the wetmop. Use bleach when necessary. Open windows even in winter (with five indoor cats, that’s somewhat of a necessity). Do more yard work. Plant more flowers and herbs. Cultivate growth.
9. Open doors. Enter more writing contests. Enter doors to new experiences and opportunities. Enter worlds of writing, of cooking, of family. Enter life without being timid.
Well, that seems to cover just about everything I can think of. At least for now.
What are your New Year’s Resolutions?
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Dec 30, 2011 |
The following were individual pages under my “About Me” tab on my homepage. I’ve decided to streamline my pages to be focused on the Four F’s: Faith, Family, Food, and Fun.
And while I had fun brainstorming about all the colors in my life, it didn’t really seem to merit their own pages. So here they are instead as today’s post. Hope they inspire you to see the colors in your world!
Colors have always been more than just aesthetic for me; I relate colors to experiences, moods, environments, people; pretty much every aspect of life.
Each color makes its own meaning for me. These are the highlights.
Pomegranate. Brick. Sofa. Rose. Book covers. Apple. Christmas. Blood. Theatre seats. Fire engine. Italy. Leaves. Candles. Candy. Picnic table. Love. Passion. Stop signs. Summer. Heat. Cherries. Dutch oven. My favorite shirt. Ladybugs. Merlot. Red velvet. Proofreading. Edits. Wrong. Black widow spiders. Sports cars. Lipstick. Keurig. Flushed. Cards. Nail polish. LED lights. Video games. Rocking chair. Patriots. Ornaments. Ink. Chevy Avalanche.
Rust. Fragrance. Juicy. Delicious. Sugar jellies. Sweet. Sticky. Walls. Sinatra. Sunshine. Heat. Beach. Sherbet. Flames. Happy. Blush. Bright. Hats. Socks. KitchenAid. Neck ties. Starbuck’s. Schools. Orioles. Surfboards. Bracelets. Butterflies. Blossoms. Cat. Sunrise. Sunset. Fiddler on the Roof. Tuscany. Desert. Sahara. Bottle caps. Medicine. Soda. BBQ chips. Cheetos. Cheese. Chili peppers. Tomato. Carrots. Hair. Revenge. Bittersweet. Yams. Ice cream. Cupcakes. Tile floor. Autumn. Pumpkins. Squash. Volleyball. Cabana. Vegas lights. Fruit. Fun.
Sun. Lemons. Candles. Paint on the walls. Mom’s kitchen. Tuscany. Daffodils. Brightness. Cheap gold knock-offs. Seed pods. Cap’n Crunch. Emblems. Golden Delicious. Corvette. Bumble Bee. Transformers. Sunrise. Glimpse. National Geographic. Cactus flowers. Sand. Spotlights. Stripes. Lemonade. Refreshment. Popcorn. Exciting. Warmth. Happiness. Guitar strings. Old papers. Old books. Sauvignon Blanc.
Lime. Kiwi. Jelly beans. Blanket. Bookcase. Cats eyes. Grass. Agapantha. Jade plant. Bamboo leaves. Second Daughter eyes. Green Tea. Allergies. Magazine. Healthy eating. Lettuce. Save the environment. Book covers. Narnia. Woods. Meadows. Peace. Serenity. Chives. Herbs. Oregano. Cilantro. Army jacket. Birdhouse. Kleenex box. Parsley. Celery. Freshness. Kool-Aid. Napkins. Picnic plates. Leaves. Turtlenecks. Turtles. Lizards. Emeralds. Forest ceilings. Slippers. GO lights. Approval.
Eeyore. Twilight. Dusky snowfall. Peace. Serenity. Water. Ocean sounds. Rain. Skies. Forget-me-Nots. Ink. Notebooks. Eyes. Bookcovers. Mom colors. Blue bloods. Royalty. Quality. Facebook. Friends. LEDs. Flashlight. Rubber bands. Old cars. Playing cards. Vegas lights. Abundance. New York. Michigan. Eagles. Coffee cups. Sadness. Fatigue. Music. Starry starry night. Van Gogh. Vincent. Nutcrackers. Ballet. Comfort. Big brothers. Military uniforms.
Winter at midnight. Starry Starry Night. Vincent Van Gogh. Work blouses. Drop necklace. Nutcracker smiles. Candles. “You kill my father. Prepare to die!” (I know that’s not quite right, but Indigo still makes me think of Inigo). Digital lights. Facebook icon. Twitter icon. Tumblr icon. Slippers. Blue jeans. Kool-Aid. Christmas lights. Book covers. Notebooks. Pen ink. Morning Glories and Forget-Me-Nots.
Dec 30, 2011 |
Started: December 28, 2011
Finished: December 28, 2011
What I loved best: This story truly did center on a Horse named Bree, and the boy, Shasta. I loved the way Lewis took a common animal and gave it voice, not only in being a Talking Animal, but in performance, character, behavior… if it had been a Dumb Animal, his portrayal would still have kept me reading.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the few Cats in the book, in particular of course, The Lion. The other cats, and the several lions throughout the book, were quite different than reading about horses, but very enjoyable.
I enjoyed the animal portrayals. Just like humans, there are some who are smart and some who are dumb; some who are Good and some who are Not. Lewis’ descriptions of the actions and the environments were delicious to read and quite visual. There is no doubt I now see things as he wanted them seen.
I again found myself thinking, reading, and even speaking with English accents. [My daughter should be glad when I’m onto my next series, perhaps a good Western twang will be fun for a month.] I want to tell you so much more about this book, but I don’t want to ruin it for those who have yet to read the series. So all I can say right now is, read them. Narnia is a beautiful place, and you must visit. Often. Now. Always.
Aslan’s waiting.
Dec 30, 2011 |
Started: December 27, 2011
Finished: December 28, 2011
What I loved best: The familiarity of the story and characters. I’ve grown up with several versions of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe on television and in the movies, but until now had not read the book. There were bits of the story not included in the modern movie from Walden Media [2005], but I soon recalled from my own childhood viewings of the BBC special on television. There were also bits in the modern movie that weren’t in the book, and I sometimes found myself comparing the differences. That didn’t last long, because Narnia is a land that requires, or at least deserves, full attention to the adventure, not a critique.
As with The Magician’s Nephew, this was a fast read. I nearly rushed through the battles, holding my breath at every roar of the Lion (and wishing I could truly hear it!), and relaxing with the Children as they rested at Tea. The subtle telling of the Gospel is an added bonus that makes it all the more enticing.
I did wish the story had lasted longer, but am anxious to now get onto Book Three: The Horse and His Boy. I’m not at all familiar with this story, and I believe it does not involve (to any great extent) the Children. As this story is unknown to me, and some longer than the first two, I’m expecting it to take a bit longer to read; but not much. Lewis has an amazing talent for keeping me within the pages until such a time as I finally remember to come up for air, or food, or sleep. Until then, I now belong to The Horse and His Boy.
Dec 29, 2011 |
Started: December 26, 2011
Finished: December 27, 2011
What I loved best: The introduction of Narnia. While this book was published sixth in the series, chronologically it is the first. The hardbound collection I have has the books in order of events, not publication so I was able to read this first.
I was hooked, absolutely hooked, at the first sentence: “This is a story about something that happened long ago when your grandfather was a child.”
Because it is written for children, it’s a very fast and easy read. I adore how Lewis refers to characters as “Mother” instead of “his mother” and such. His descriptions and dialogue are just how I would have imagined London to be, and I found myself reading with that English accent. I loved the subtle introduction of characters that will come into more prominence in later books, and even the beginning introduction for the characters in this book.
I audibly gasped and cheered and laughed throughout the story, but more often than not found myself holding my breath to see what would happen next.
I was thrilled with the ending, as the final chapter is titled “The End of This Story and the Beginning of All the Others”. And that’s exactly how it felt.
The foundation had been laid. Now it’s time to continue the journey into Narnia.
