40 posts tagged “december views”
Monday night Jeffrey and I were out and about. We stopped by Starbucks where I tried their espresso truffle latte. Uh...YUM. Then we went next door to Dimple Records. I didn't buy the "White Trash Christmas" CD, but we did pick up a few things, including a couple of their $1 grab bags (each includes a movie DVD and 2 music CD's). Among my purchases was a tasty new Robert Cray "live at the bbc" CD which features performances from 1988 and 199. Let me tell you, Young Bob's killin' on that thing. :)
Sunday morning I went to the drive-thru near I-80 that's only about 8 blocks from our house. Made a call while I was waiting in line. Our cells have to be hands-free since July 1, so we have Velcro on the backs of our cells to attach them to the steering wheel. Sunday afternoon was spent watching the 49ers/Jets game. My brother and sister-in-law were at the game. He's a life-long Packers fan...which means he still loves Brett Favre...
The tule fog in California's Central Valley this time of year can make our little downtown look rather desolate...
Once again, bedtime rolled around before I realized I hadn't taken any photos for the day. Gah. So I snapped this when I climbed into bed to read. BUT, I did get a jump this morning on photos for the 6th. Two things are at play: 1) I'm horribly rusty since I let my photography habit slide this year, and 2) I miss having a small camera I can easily tuck into a pocket or purse. I'm very grateful to my brother's family for gifting me with a camera early this year on my birthday, but it's not one I can easily carry around. I become much more of a shutterbug when I have a smaller camera. And I think I just might treat myself to one. I spend so little on myself. I rarely buy clothes or jewelry. Only seldom buy anything for the house. I get my hair done maybe 3 times a year and don't frequent spas. All I want in life is good coffee, the occasional book (I buy most of mine--like the one above--at the thrift store for less than a dollar and turn around and donate them back to the store by the bagful) and a camera to easily document my life. Well, okay, and internet service and blogging platforms and a Flickr pro account. But, truly, that's not too much to ask for, right? ;)
I read every night before falling asleep. I cherish my reading time. If I read at no other time throughout the day, I at least read at bedtime. And it doesn't matter if it's a couple of paragraphs or 20 pages, I love the ritual of those moments of escape before heading off to dreamland. I've been nibbling away at this book the past couple of months. Like probably most of you, I have lots of books on my bedside table and what I pick up to read depends on my mood. So it can sometimes take me months to finish a book.
One of the things I missed about posting here at Vox was that it's an easy way to catalog the books I've read and films I've seen/watched. Might start posting to my library here again.
I read every night before falling asleep. I cherish my reading time. If I read at no other time throughout the day, I at least read at bedtime. And it doesn't matter if it's a couple of paragraphs or 20 pages, I love the ritual of those moments of escape before heading off to dreamland. I've been nibbling away at this book the past couple of months. Like probably most of you, I have lots of books on my bedside table and what I pick up to read depends on my mood. So it can sometimes take me months to finish a book.
One of the things I missed about posting here at Vox was that it's an easy way to catalog the books I've read and films I've seen/watched. Might start posting to my library here again.
I apologize for the redundancy (since this is another shot of our home office area). I swapped cameras with my sister-in-law the night of the 4th, but by the time I got batteries in the camera it was late. Went to bed, having forgotten to shoot something for December Views. I woke up about 2:30 and Jeffrey still wasn't in bed. Found him at his workstation, going through old cassettes, uploading songs to his recorder so he can eventually put them on his computer. So I joined him and listened in on some old (good) stuff. ;)
Yes, I know this is 'cheating.' It was late last night when I realized I hadn't taken any photos for December Views for the 3rd. BUT, I should be getting my camera back (instead of having to rely on someone else's tiny camera)...so, yay! H and I watched "Baby Mama" last night and I woke this morning to find that Newsweek had tweeted (on Twitter) a link to this story on how people feel about and use their unused frozen embryos. Timely, eh?
Unlike most of the rest of America, I'm not really a Tina Fey fan--never have been. I don't find her funny. (And at this point, I realize that's practically sacrilege.) Do I think she nailed the Palin impersonation? Absolutely! But I do like Amy Poehler. I put this film into our Netflix queue thinking it would be some kind of goofy farce that we could snort over a few times. So imagine my surprise when I realized afterwards that I'd just watched a film (written by a man!) about two strong female characters who were the story--rather than acting as supporting players to male characters. "Baby Mama" is sort of like a fertility "Thelma and Louise." ;)
I recently came across (via Twitter, of course!) this digital series that Amy Poehler and her partners are producing for young girls called, "Smart Girls at the Party" about girls "who are changing the world by being themselves." Imagine my surprise to see that their corporate sponsor is...Barbie. There's hope for us yet, ladies. ;)
Unlike most of the rest of America, I'm not really a Tina Fey fan--never have been. I don't find her funny. (And at this point, I realize that's practically sacrilege.) Do I think she nailed the Palin impersonation? Absolutely! But I do like Amy Poehler. I put this film into our Netflix queue thinking it would be some kind of goofy farce that we could snort over a few times. So imagine my surprise when I realized afterwards that I'd just watched a film (written by a man!) about two strong female characters who were the story--rather than acting as supporting players to male characters. "Baby Mama" is sort of like a fertility "Thelma and Louise." ;)
I recently came across (via Twitter, of course!) this digital series that Amy Poehler and her partners are producing for young girls called, "Smart Girls at the Party" about girls "who are changing the world by being themselves." Imagine my surprise to see that their corporate sponsor is...Barbie. There's hope for us yet, ladies. ;)
The top photo here is of our home office, which is where our dining table used to be (half of the kitchen). When H moved into our teensy house, we had to reconfigure. I still don't know how we've managed to fit everything we have into this tiny space (and having a garage helps big-time), but somehow I just keep finding little spaces to store things. I thought maybe I'd tidy up all the stacks of papers before taking the photo, but that seemed disingenius. This is what it typically looks like. :) That tiny B&W TV (which is 40 years old) is one I inherited from my mother years ago. I've only recently pulled it out and put it in the office...figure we might as well enjoy free TV while we can (since starting in February, we lose it). :)
As most of you know, I've been spending most of my online time this past year at Twitter. That's a screen shot of my replies page. If you're not a Twitterer, I realize it's probably hard to understand the appeal. It's gotten so hugely popular that now more often than not, people are using it to market and sell stuff--either themselves (the place has become rife with 'social media experts') or their products. But I joined Twitter 1-1/2 years ago for the same reason I use it now--the conversation. It's been a sanity-saver for me this past year.
The last photo is of Shelagh's wonderful post about her holiday gift-giving project inspired by Three Cups of Tea. I urge you to read it--and if you can give $5 (or more), to contribute to this very worthwhile project.
I'm going to once again participate in Darlene's "December Views." (I really enjoyed doing it last year.) Some participants post only photos without text, some add words. However you want to do it is, I'm sure, okay with Darlene. If you'd like to read the details and maybe join in, go here.
H. turns 18 tomorrow, but we gave him his gifts a day early--surprising him with them when he got home from school today. My brother's family borrowed my camera for their Thanksgiving vacation, so I'll have more daily photos when I get it back in a day or two. (This was shot with a borrowed camera.) But today was really all about getting his birthday goodies ready.. We've waited a long, long time for him to turn 18 (for some complicated reasons). Today we simply savored the last day of his 17th year as we stand on the cusp of that big day.
H. turns 18 tomorrow, but we gave him his gifts a day early--surprising him with them when he got home from school today. My brother's family borrowed my camera for their Thanksgiving vacation, so I'll have more daily photos when I get it back in a day or two. (This was shot with a borrowed camera.) But today was really all about getting his birthday goodies ready.. We've waited a long, long time for him to turn 18 (for some complicated reasons). Today we simply savored the last day of his 17th year as we stand on the cusp of that big day.
This morning's Daily Om email message has a tagline of "A Moment of Choice." I didn't even read the message--I just took that line as a prompt, clicked over to my poetry blog and wrote this.
I reference one of my favorite 37 Days essays in that poem. It's hard to believe that Patti Digh wrote that one two years ago--I think of it often. It's going to be one of my touchstones for 2008--that desire lines essay. I don't know how others use touchstones, but for me they're the things (tangible or not) that center me when I can feel myself straying...(away from my desire lines).
When I posted this morning's poem and re-read it, I suddenly remembered this poem I'd written a year ago. That's another touchstone: the desire to storyboard my dreams and cast myself as star. I have an innate propensity to hide my light under a bushel for fear it will make those around me feel threatened. I read so many of you and often wonder how you find the strength to let your light shine. Funny that I tend to think that allowing one's authentic self to shine through would require such strength, given how much leverage I have to apply to keep my lid tamped down. ;)
I reference one of my favorite 37 Days essays in that poem. It's hard to believe that Patti Digh wrote that one two years ago--I think of it often. It's going to be one of my touchstones for 2008--that desire lines essay. I don't know how others use touchstones, but for me they're the things (tangible or not) that center me when I can feel myself straying...(away from my desire lines).
Although Jennifer Lee designed this project as a business plan, I love her Right-Brain Business Plan idea because it can be used to storyboard your dreams whether they're business, personal, creative, relationship, financial, health...any-kind-of dreams! I encourage you to subscribe to the feed for her Right-Brain Business Plan blog because I just know she's going to deliver some fabulous stuff there this year!
Christine Kane invites us to choose a touchstone word for 2008 in her "Resolution Revolution" post. I chose LEAP! (And, yes, I plan to write it in CAPS with an exclamation point all year!) :) And look what Christine commented back after I left my comment:
marilyn - a coach I know chose “leap” one year - and she made so much extra income that she wrote to me and told me she wanted to bill me because it was my fault that she had to pay so many taxes!
it’s a good one to generate movement.YES! ;)
If you haven't signed on to participate in Creative Every Day, I urge you to do so. It doesn't matter if all you do today is tie your shoelaces with a flowery flourish. Make space in your life for the creative each day. We often keep ourselves so busy with surface activities and then wonder why we're not feeling inspired. We must create a window for inspiration. Better yet, create a door! Schedule breathing room in your life to make space for creativity to enter.
I told Leah in her comments that two creative pursuits I want to continue to explore in 2008 are photography and poetry. And I can't begin to tell you how scary it was to say that out loud (so to speak). (See hiding one's light under a bushel above.) To that end, I've been adding goals to my long-neglected 43 Things list. I'm choosing to keep that goals list private for now--I think the privacy will enhance my bravery. ;)
Although I thanked her in the previous post, huge thanks to Darlene for creating December Views. It reignited my love of photography. And as I said below, that's in spite of never having owned anything more than a point-and-shoot camera. Truthfully though, I've never really believed that it's about equipment anyway--I believe it's about what and how we see. And in 2008 I want to give myself permission to shoot what I see. I often feel very self-conscious shooting in public places and that's a hurdle I want to LEAP! over this year. ;) I've been on Flickr for years, but really only fell madly in love with it this year. If you're a Flickr user and I haven't added you as a contact yet, please let me know. My Flickr profile is here. I get a lot of joy from viewing the images my contacts create there.
Lastly, yet maybe most importantly, I want to make space daily in 2008 for the divine. I'm not a religious person, choosing instead to have my own quirky sort of spirituality (that I couldn't begin to define for anyone else). And yet I often don't make space for it in my life. Circling back around to that Daily Om email tagline from this morning, that is a conscious choice. I want 2008 to be the year when in any given moment, I choose the divine.
I wanted to close this post with a poem I wrote last year, but because I seldom revisit my poems, I couldn't remember when I'd written it or what it was called. I only remembered the essence of it. I just found it in the archives on my poetry blog and I'm smiling to myself...because it's about heart lines and touchstones and right timing and rhythms of life. It's about home, which I suppose is what we're all ultimately seeking in any moment. It's called "benediction" and I wrote it 5/31/07:
if i could wish for you to be
blessed with a shimmering grace
you'd see if you looked closely that
a river runs through it
bisects your heart and traverses
your veins carrying with it
the solace of benediction of
a life well-lived a gentleness
of spirit that could calm you in
disquieted times giving you
a peaceful balm to soothe your
tormented brow in times of battle
when you momentarily forget
that the fight is not what matters
but the surrender
it would carry you swiftly yet gently
by the touchstones of your
life and you'd know no sweeter
touch than the grace blessing
your fingertips as they brushed against
your best heart moments as
you passed them by on the banks
of your soul's stream
feeling no fear in the rhythm
of the current knowing full well
in the chalice of your heart
that right time carries you
as it sees fit and that it doesn't matter
which direction you're headed
because all directions
carry you home
This year, let me choose home.
Happy New Year, friends! Much love and peace to you all in 2008. xoxo
I wanted to close this post with a poem I wrote last year, but because I seldom revisit my poems, I couldn't remember when I'd written it or what it was called. I only remembered the essence of it. I just found it in the archives on my poetry blog and I'm smiling to myself...because it's about heart lines and touchstones and right timing and rhythms of life. It's about home, which I suppose is what we're all ultimately seeking in any moment. It's called "benediction" and I wrote it 5/31/07:
if i could wish for you to be
blessed with a shimmering grace
you'd see if you looked closely that
a river runs through it
bisects your heart and traverses
your veins carrying with it
the solace of benediction of
a life well-lived a gentleness
of spirit that could calm you in
disquieted times giving you
a peaceful balm to soothe your
tormented brow in times of battle
when you momentarily forget
that the fight is not what matters
but the surrender
it would carry you swiftly yet gently
by the touchstones of your
life and you'd know no sweeter
touch than the grace blessing
your fingertips as they brushed against
your best heart moments as
you passed them by on the banks
of your soul's stream
feeling no fear in the rhythm
of the current knowing full well
in the chalice of your heart
that right time carries you
as it sees fit and that it doesn't matter
which direction you're headed
because all directions
carry you home
This year, let me choose home.
Happy New Year, friends! Much love and peace to you all in 2008. xoxo
I didn't have the sort of New Year's Eve I desired. It was 11 am by the time my mother was ready to leave the house and I spent the next four hours running her around on errands in Sacramento, West Sacramento, Dixon and here in Davis before dropping her at her friends' house to spend New Year's Eve (overnight). By the time I got home and got settled it was 4:00 and the sun was already getting low. J and I did a little grocery shopping, had some dinner and had a quiet evening at home. I snapped a few random photos, but truthfully, my heart was in it. It wasn't exactly a day I felt like documenting. So for my 12/31 Views, I offer instead a recap of some of my Views. Thanks go to to Darlene for creating this project. It re-inspired and reinvigorated my love of photography (in spite of never owning anything more than a point-and-shoot camera), and for that I offer Darlene a huge thanks. Don't be surprised if you continue to see a lot of photos in my posts here. ;) And I've made some wonderful new blogging friends along the way. Please forgive the repeating line of photos on the bottom of this collage. It's very late as I write this and I simply don't have the energy (or patience!) to fiddle with it to make it 'perfect.' Here were some of my favorite Views. They offer a pretty good snapshot into my life here...and a good glimpse at what makes my heart sing. Happy New Year, everyone!
