Mariannes Motifs

Might not be literary irony, but how is it that we drove from Atlanta to Columbus OH and back with nary an incident. Then I get a massive flat tire one mile away from my house on the way home from work.

New Years Anti-Resolution: Don't Worry About Being Happy

There's something about getting older that makes the seasonal activities stand out more and more.  Like eating apples in the fall, and candy corn at Halloween, the New Year bring up thoughts of wanting to be a better person.

This year I see a lot of talk about how to be happier.  Something seems a little off to me on the idea that you can try to be happier all the time.  Like "Have a Whole Year of Happiness!"  It's so proactive.  Really happiness in my opinion should just sneak up on you.  You can't force it.  Just be yourself and do what you think is right and happiness will follow.  Sadness too.  It all goes together. 

I do believe in the power of positive thinking. But I think that its too much pressure to expect happiness.  Expecting anything at all, really.  Why not just open your eyes to what is going on right now.  See the bird flying past your car window and smile at its feathers and wings.  Life is out there all around us.   There is always stuff to look at and think about.  I don't know if I really care that much about being happy per se.  I just want to be healthy and comfortable!  A bit of a nap and I am quite content.  And content is awesome.  Content in fact makes me happy.

There can be little in the world more stressful that wondering if you are happy enough.  Or worrying that other people are happier than you are.   Don't worry about being happy.  Just be.

10 Things That Make Me Happy, in no particular order:

Having a clean house.

Watching my kids play, learn, and grow.

Getting a hug from the hubster.

Blogging.

My awesome job.

My friends and family.

Reading.

Knitting.

Seeing a butterfly, bird, rainbow, tree, leaf, or other natural stuff.

Thrift store shopping.

______

This New Year I don't have any resolution.  I already have a general resolution to pay all my bills on time and generate no new debt other than hubster's student loans.   That's been going on so its not new.  I already try to be healthy and eat well.  I am more concerned about general healthy eating than weight loss in particular.  My health does not allow me to even think about weight loss supplements like Fastin or anything like that. 

If anything, I guess I would resolve to be a better parent.  I would like to give up yelling.  Yeah, that's a good resolution.

The Best HDR Photographs of 2009

via designora.com

High Dynamic Range, or HDR photography is a hot trend this year. See some interesting examples. In my opinion some of these are overly manipulated, overly saturated, and a bit unnerving. This dandelion seed, is pretty soothing and lovely, however.

The baritone who forgot his pants, and other crazy classical music stories of 2009 | Seattle Times Newspaper

Watch those batons: A 17-year-old California girl used her marching-band baton to beat off two muggers who grabbed her coat and demanded money several months ago. She punched one in the nose, kicked the other in the groin, and beat them both with her band baton before running away. You don't mess with the marching band.

via seattletimes.nwsource.com

This is a great list of funny and dramatic stories from the world of classical music this year.

I am so Excited - My New Kindle is Coming

First of all, I just want to say to my mom that I promise I will buy a twin draft guard for my front door which is a little bit drafty.  No need to call and give me a phone check.

Ok, now that we got that out of the way...  I had 50 bucks of Amazon gift certs from selling K-Cups on Sale, and other items from Amazon.  I also had some other blogging income of about $60.00.  Amazon is offering free 2 day shipping on Kindle2 so the hubster told me to order it for my Christmakkah present. 

I am really excited it is in route to me and I might get it tomorrow or at the latest Tuesday.  Since we are leaving Wed. am for our drive to Columbus Ohio this is going to be great. I will have something to read when I get there.  (No, I won't be reading in the car - I get carsick)  But I can knit in the car as long as I don't have to read a pattern.  Weird but true.

Something cool about the Kindle - I was able to already buy books for it.  When I get it and turn it one they will automatically download.  Here is what I bought:

My 6 year old:

"Did you know that grownups remember everything? Except when they were little kids..."

10 Great Things About the Holidays

I haven't done a "Ten on Tuesday" for a long time, so today is the day.  This week's suggested blog list is 10 Great Things About the Holidays.

1.  Twinkly Hanukkah candles.  I love lighting the candles and saying the prayers.  This year we have a lovely piece of artwork behind the menorah that was made by Ben, 6.

2.  I like driving around to look at people's Christmas decorations.  Just because I don't celebrate it, doesn't mean I can't enjoy them, right?

3.  Beachwarmers - Hot chocolate with Frambord, and Bailys.

4.  Having some precious time off work to spend with the family.  Not celebrating Christmas makes it even more mellow!

5.  Good shopping deals.  Although I hate the crowds.

6.  My son Adam's birthday is Dec. 22nd so we have lots to celebrate in December.

Well, that's all I can think of right now.  To tell you the truth, sometimes I find the holiday season a little bit aggravating.  But I try to just mellow out.  Just please don't make me listen to Christmas carols.  They make me itch.  Pardon me while I go peruse  mexico vacation deals.

Wonderful Visual Essay on the Art Form of Collage

Olliep

via www.smashingmagazine.com

This article from Smashing Magazine is so inspiring. It lists some of the pioneers of the collage technique, then lists some great modern works. At the end there are links to more information including tutorials on working with mixed media and collage as well as some museums and organizations that focus on this form.

This is great stuff to spark your creativity. Whether you are doing altered art, bookmaking and journaling, scrapbooking, web design, or just looking at these striking art forms, this is a great visual essay.

Glenn Beck's is a Shill

""If you've been watching for any length of time, and you still haven't looked into buying gold, what's wrong with you?...When the system eventually collapses, and the government comes with guns and confiscates, you know, everything in your home and all your possessions, and then you fight off the raving mad cannibalistic crowds that Ted Turner talked about, don't come crying to me. I told you: get gold."

via www.huffingtonpost.com

We already knew that Glenn Beck is a fear mongering, rabble rousing, leach, sucking the lifeblood out of the the American people. Now we can see that he is a shill.

People, he is in it for the money and fame. Those who accuse Obama of having a cult of personality need to take a look at Glenn Beck's emotional gut twisting and fear mongering and then look at how he is using his show to promote fear, which then raises sale of investment gold. And here is shilling for "Goldline."

Latkes... Yum

Today I made latkes for the family.  I wanted the kids to have that Hanukkah experience that I grew up with.  Man grating those onions made me cry!  Thankfully the food processor made quick work out of grating all the potatoes.  I made WAY too many potato pancakes.  Hubster and I ate a bunch and the kids ate like one a piece.  My mother in law was taking a nap and didn't eat any yet but she said she would try one for breakfast. 

I baked a chicken, as well, which we ended up saving for tomorrow night.  That will be nice, having dinner already done.  We were too full from latkes to eat any chicken!  Man, after all those latkes I probably ought to check out some of that best fat burner stuff.  (not really though :-D )

The kids got their Tag readers (will the books and animal cards that Grandma Jeanette sent) for their presents.  Those went over really well.  They both sat and listened to various books all evening.  Adam especially was entranced by the way the Tag pen "read" the books to him.  The Tag reader is a great learning toy for a kid at the age just before they are learning to read, I think.  It reminds me of when I was a kid and I had a record player and some books that had the record with them.  I loved listening to records on my little record player in a box.  I remember I had one that was John Phillips Sousa Marches, including the one that opened up the Monty Python show.  Weird how you remember stuff like that...

Ben and I are reading his first chapter book together.  It's Junie B Jones and the Big Smelly Bus.  He reads a few paragraphs in each chapter, and I read a few pages.  He's doing really well with his reading, and the book is very funny so it its keeping our interest.  We are all the way up to chapter 7!  Grandma Jeanette sent a batch of chapter books in a boxed set.  The boys also are getting books about their favorite animals - monkeys and owls.  Those books I am going to give to the kids tomorrow night.