Today was the first Monday back to work for 2009.
There is something about Monday's that I don't like.
Is it having to get up to the alarm clock?
Is it an e-mail box full of messages to read?
Is it knowing that I have to do the same thing all over tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, and the next day?
Remember that song Manic Monday by the Bangles.
I love that song...
Six o'clock already I was just in the middle of a dream
I was kissin' Valentino by a crystal blue Italian stream
But I can't be late 'cause then I guess I just won't get paid
These are the days when you wish your bed was already made.
It's just another manic Monday
I wish it was Sunday
'Cause that's my Funday
My I don't have to runday
It's just another manic Monday......
Monday, January 5, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Resolutions
I've put off writing about my New Year's resolutions as I have some mixed feelings about making resolutions. It seems like every year people make the same resolutions over and over. I found a list of the top ten most common resolutions.
1. Spend More Time with Family & Friends
2. Fit in Fitness
3. Tame the Bulge
4. Quit Smoking
5. Enjoy Life More
6. Quit Drinking
7. Get Out of Debt
8. Learn Something New
9. Help Others
10. Get Organized
Of this list, about half of them are ones that I don't feel a burning desire to do or a need to change. It feels good to have success before I've even started!
I won't resolve to spend more time with family and friends (#1); which isn't to say that life and work don't get in the way of my time with family and friends but I am usually pretty comfortable with my work/life balance. I also enjoy my life a lot(#5). I won't resolve to quit smoking (#4), since I don't or to quit drinking(#6), since I drink very moderately. I don't have to resolve to learn something new (#8) because as a naturally curious person, I'm continually learning and trying new things. Finally, and I don't want this to sound bad, I'm not resolving to "help others." (#9). I now do what I can and I'm not heaping guilt on myself for not doing more.
So, that leaves some things on the list that I would like to improve in 2009. My resolutions encompass some of the remaining items on the top ten list but are much more specific. I am writing them out as goals and also writing out the small steps I need to take to accomplish them.
I don't believe that resolutions are something you make, break, and give up on. My resolutions are ongoing goals for the year and even if I don't complete them perfectly, working toward them will put my in a better place personally, financially, spiritually, socially and careerwise.
One day at a time. I will make a change. If I fail, I will make the same change again tomorrow.
1. Spend More Time with Family & Friends
2. Fit in Fitness
3. Tame the Bulge
4. Quit Smoking
5. Enjoy Life More
6. Quit Drinking
7. Get Out of Debt
8. Learn Something New
9. Help Others
10. Get Organized
Of this list, about half of them are ones that I don't feel a burning desire to do or a need to change. It feels good to have success before I've even started!
I won't resolve to spend more time with family and friends (#1); which isn't to say that life and work don't get in the way of my time with family and friends but I am usually pretty comfortable with my work/life balance. I also enjoy my life a lot(#5). I won't resolve to quit smoking (#4), since I don't or to quit drinking(#6), since I drink very moderately. I don't have to resolve to learn something new (#8) because as a naturally curious person, I'm continually learning and trying new things. Finally, and I don't want this to sound bad, I'm not resolving to "help others." (#9). I now do what I can and I'm not heaping guilt on myself for not doing more.
So, that leaves some things on the list that I would like to improve in 2009. My resolutions encompass some of the remaining items on the top ten list but are much more specific. I am writing them out as goals and also writing out the small steps I need to take to accomplish them.
I don't believe that resolutions are something you make, break, and give up on. My resolutions are ongoing goals for the year and even if I don't complete them perfectly, working toward them will put my in a better place personally, financially, spiritually, socially and careerwise.
One day at a time. I will make a change. If I fail, I will make the same change again tomorrow.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Snoopology
I recently read a book called "Snoop" by Sam Gosling, PhD.D. It's a book by a psychologist and his research of people by examining the things we own and the way we arrange them.
Dr Gosling can tell a lot about a person by looking at their bedrooms, web sites and ipods. Dr Gosling calls it the art of snoopology. There was also a short personality test in the book that measures the big five personality traits. The big five traits are openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. When I took the test, I found out I was pretty normal!!! The one scale I was pretty low on was neuroticism, which basically means I'm more laid back than most.
There were certain things that observers can use to make judgements on a someone's personality. Formal Dress indicates conscientiousness; refined appearance, friendly expression, self-assured expression, and extensive smiling all indicate extraversion as do relaxed walking, swinging arms when walking, loud and powerful voice, and not avoiding the camera. To find someone agreeable, look for soft facial lineaments and friendly expression.
If you are looking for any easy read and interested in sharpening your perceptions, I recommend this book.
Dr Gosling can tell a lot about a person by looking at their bedrooms, web sites and ipods. Dr Gosling calls it the art of snoopology. There was also a short personality test in the book that measures the big five personality traits. The big five traits are openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. When I took the test, I found out I was pretty normal!!! The one scale I was pretty low on was neuroticism, which basically means I'm more laid back than most.
There were certain things that observers can use to make judgements on a someone's personality. Formal Dress indicates conscientiousness; refined appearance, friendly expression, self-assured expression, and extensive smiling all indicate extraversion as do relaxed walking, swinging arms when walking, loud and powerful voice, and not avoiding the camera. To find someone agreeable, look for soft facial lineaments and friendly expression.
If you are looking for any easy read and interested in sharpening your perceptions, I recommend this book.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Snow
The amount of snow in December was record breaking for our area. Our mailbox was completely covered and had to be dug out with the snowblower before the mailman could deliver our mail. Poor Chuck, (that's our mailman) he's got a tough job in the winter
I love the snow when it is all white and fluffy and stays for 3 days.I found an interesting web site about snow. It is SnowCrystals.com The author has a special microscope on his camera and takes close up photos of individual snowflakes.
Aren't these lovely?
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Pomegranate Martinis
Happy New Year!
After the decision to make Hoppin' John for New Years Day (which was very good) , I decided to check out what other foods are traditional and found that pomegranates are also supposed to be lucky so I decided we needed to incorporate them into our New Years Day meal.
Hmmm.....
Pomegranate Martini's are a favorite of mine at a neighborhood restaurant so the choice was obvious. I found a recipe and headed off to the markets to get the ingredients. I used this recipes to make the martinis.
Pomegranate Martinis
4 fluid ounces pomegranate juice
2 fluid ounces cranberry juice cocktail
2 fluid ounces raspberry vodka
2 fluid ounces orange-flavored liqueur
1 fluid ounce grenadine syrup
1 cup crushed ice
DIRECTIONS
Combine pomegranate juice, cranberry juice, raspberry vodka, orange-flavored liqueur, grenadine syrup, and crushed ice in a shaker. Shake vigorously to chill. Pour into martini glasses, and serve.
I love how the outside of the shaker gets all frosty when you shake it.
I wanted to incorporate some real pomegranate seeds into the drink so I also picked up a couple of pomegranates.
Did you know there is a really easy way to separate the seeds from the membrane or "pith" (the white stuff is the pith and I used this word in scrabble last month and my son didn't believe it was a real word!) When you open the pomegranate and start to peel the pith from the seed, you do it in a bowl, underwater. The seeds all drop to the bottom of the bowl of water and the pith floats to the top where you can remove it easily.
Wow, those little pomegranate seeds are juicy and yummy. I added lots of them to my martini, where they floated to the bottom, beckoning me to finish my drink and gobble them up.
When I started looking up information about pomegranates ,I was really surprised to learn that grenadine, the syrup that is often used in drinks, is made from pomegranates, I had absolutely no idea. There are many interesting facts about pomegranates, they go back a long, long time; they are even mentioned in the bible . In history, it's a symbol of fertility (so not something I am interested in!) and they are supposedly a nutritional powerhouse too.
I think they taste great, especially when mixed into this cocktail.
Cheers.
Let us welcome in the New Year, full of things that have never been.
After the decision to make Hoppin' John for New Years Day (which was very good) , I decided to check out what other foods are traditional and found that pomegranates are also supposed to be lucky so I decided we needed to incorporate them into our New Years Day meal.
Hmmm.....
Pomegranate Martini's are a favorite of mine at a neighborhood restaurant so the choice was obvious. I found a recipe and headed off to the markets to get the ingredients. I used this recipes to make the martinis.
Pomegranate Martinis
4 fluid ounces pomegranate juice
2 fluid ounces cranberry juice cocktail
2 fluid ounces raspberry vodka
2 fluid ounces orange-flavored liqueur
1 fluid ounce grenadine syrup
1 cup crushed ice
DIRECTIONS
Combine pomegranate juice, cranberry juice, raspberry vodka, orange-flavored liqueur, grenadine syrup, and crushed ice in a shaker. Shake vigorously to chill. Pour into martini glasses, and serve.
I love how the outside of the shaker gets all frosty when you shake it.
I wanted to incorporate some real pomegranate seeds into the drink so I also picked up a couple of pomegranates.
Did you know there is a really easy way to separate the seeds from the membrane or "pith" (the white stuff is the pith and I used this word in scrabble last month and my son didn't believe it was a real word!) When you open the pomegranate and start to peel the pith from the seed, you do it in a bowl, underwater. The seeds all drop to the bottom of the bowl of water and the pith floats to the top where you can remove it easily.
Wow, those little pomegranate seeds are juicy and yummy. I added lots of them to my martini, where they floated to the bottom, beckoning me to finish my drink and gobble them up.
When I started looking up information about pomegranates ,I was really surprised to learn that grenadine, the syrup that is often used in drinks, is made from pomegranates, I had absolutely no idea. There are many interesting facts about pomegranates, they go back a long, long time; they are even mentioned in the bible . In history, it's a symbol of fertility (so not something I am interested in!) and they are supposedly a nutritional powerhouse too.
I think they taste great, especially when mixed into this cocktail.
Cheers.
Let us welcome in the New Year, full of things that have never been.
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