It’s the Most Emotional Time of the Year
It goes without saying that the 6 or so weeks from mid-November through the first week of January are rife with experiences that evoke strong emotion. Everywhere we go, we are greeted by bright holiday decorations, and television and radio stations bombard us with...
Adventures in Tinking!
Along with about 20 other women, I'm participating in a 2-month long knit-a-long at Knit and Caboodle, my favorite fiber/yarn/knitting/crocheting/spinning shop; the project for November/December is a sweater. For the past three Thursday evenings, I've enjoyed...
Taking Stock Financially
Finances can be a difficult topic to address; not only are money-related matters very personal, they are also amazingly complex. And although money is, of course, quite neutral (after all, it's just metal and paper), a discussion of how much we have and what we...
Thankfulness — Really?
I don't remember the first time I read or heard that the key to being happy is being thankful. I do know that by the time my husband was diagnosed with cancer, I knew that one form or another of this principle could be found in the teachings of almost every belief...
Time . . . Trying to Find Some?
"I don't have time." I wonder how many times I've said that -- to myself and to others -- to explain why my "projects" list remained unchanged for months (okay, years) or why my dreams remained dreams.More than likely, you know what I mean. Surely I can't be the...
Mementos and Memories
Last week I met with a realtor and put my house on the market. To say the least, my timing could be better. First of all, winter will be here sooner than I like (if I had my way, it would never arrive), and popular opinion is that homes don't sell well at this time...
A Long & Winding Road
About 6 1/2 years ago, I made a wise decision. Had I kept acting wisely, the story would have ended very differently. In a nutshell, I made a wise decision, followed by a couple of stupid, really bad decisions based on fear. The end result was that I resigned from...
Dealing with Stressors
For the past two weeks, I've been dealing with a couple of specific stressors; one is a recurring cause of stress (more on that later), and the other was (I hope) a one-time event.The first event that caused me considerable stress was one I thought I was prepared...
Cultivating Joy
Warning, personal disclosure ahead! Although I've always found great happiness in specific events -- almost any time spent with my family, watching a favorite television show, reading a good book, etc -- I have never been what you might call a "joyful" person....
Personal Safety (part 2)
Personal safety options are varied; opinions on personal safety options are even more wide-ranging. My opinions are purely that -- my personal opinions based on my own experience, knowledge, and situation. I realize many will disagree with what I write today and...