Quote of the Week

 

I'm practicing my patience skills this week while I'm waiting to hear about my presentation, so this felt like a good quote to share

Thought of the Day

 

I get so tired of all of the hatred in this country right now.  And, yes, it comes from both sides of the political aisle. It is just so exhausting.  I believe it is so much easier to love than to hate.  That does not mean that you have to love everything and everyone but love yourself by letting go of the hatred.  If we did that, the world would be a better place.  I believe in karma.  It has been known to bite me in the ass a few times and I totally deserved it.  So, I do not worry about people being punished for this or for that because one day, they will know what karma truly is.  I do not need to focus my life on that. These recent floods have devastated so many lives. Whether or not the tragedies that accompanied these flash floods could have been prevented, this is not the time to say things like "you voted for this".  Innocent children lost their lives; entire families have been destroyed. I wish we were that country that lifted each other up and not only in situations like this.  But, alas, we are not. We're too quick to start blaming everyone else for what happened instead of working through it together.  It makes me so angry.  I am tired of the hatred.  That is all. 

One Drawer at a Time

 

Now that I am, hopefully, done with school, it is time for me to start this process back up.  I really have been slacking in this area.  But I give myself allowance for that right now haha! But I need to decide which room to start in this time.  Every single room in the house could use some streamlining, that's for sure!  I think I am going to begin either in the bedroom or my bathroom.  Now that I have a roommate, well I have had a roommate for almost a year now, these two rooms specifically are like a sanctuary to me.  Not that I have to go and hide or anything when Jason is home.  But, sometimes I just need to shut myself off for some privacy.  Having things in order will be a calming aspect of that for me.  There's just stuff everywhere.  Big surprise, I know! So that is where I will start.  I will keep you updated on my progress.  I know you're thrilled!

That is all.

Prayer for Patience

 This applies to many things in my life right now.  That is all. 

10 Things That I Collect

 I love to collect things.  Whether it is searching online or going to thrift and antiques stores, I love the thrill of the hunt for something to add to one of my collections.  I realize that I should probably focus on one collection, but alas, I do not.  I have many tabs open in my collection mind LOL For this list, I am not including generic groups like "antiques" because that would take forever.  I am also leaving off china, crystal and silver because those are for another blog sometime. I enjoy them very much and I'll take whatever gives me joy these days.  I hope you have something that you collect.  I would love to know!

1. Pigs

My love of pigs began early on.  It was first grade in fact when our TA, Mrs. Gaye, read us Charlotte's Web and I fell in love with Wilbur. My collection began with a little porcelain pig that Mom gave me for Christmas.  I remember it came from Alice Williams's Flower Shop, for those of you from Monroe will remember.  My collection has grown since then!

2. After Dinner Coffee Cups

This collection started with Grandmother.  She collected "after dinner" coffee cups or demitasse cups.  I was obsessed with them early on, like pre-elementary school.  And she would let me play with them. I know I broke a couple LOL But they were kept in the top of her secretary in the living room, and I loved them.  People would occasionally gift her a new cup. I inherited the collection and have since added to it as well. 

3. Cookbooks

I love a good cookbook.  Specifically, I love a good regional cookbook.  Anything that came from a church or the junior league, etc.  I think they are fascinating.  And they've often got good recipes which is a plus for me.  I have some of Grandmother's and some of Mom's and some of June's.  The oldest cookbook I have is from 1909, the Raleigh Women's Society. I love it because there are no cooking temperatures at all!! Anytime I'm at a used bookstore, I will seek out the cookbooks and often find them for less than $1.  Into my cart they go!  With church cookbooks, I love seeing when a cook's name appears multiple times throughout the book and I imagine what her/his kitchen was like.  I love to sit down and just read a cookbook cover to cover. Now, I just need more shelves to store them!

4. Cream and Sugar Sets

This collection has evolved over the years. The first set of cream and sugar dishes that I bought was at the Monroe flea market.  Mom and I went there one Saturday to look around.  I spotted a set at the back of a shelf in someone's booth.  Homer Laughlin, Cotillion pattern.  I paid $10 for the set, and they were proudly displayed in our living room.  Something fascinates me about the sets and over the years I have picked up about 15 different sets.  I don't use them like I do my other dishes, and I should probably change that! Still, I love them. 

5. Christmas Records

This is my happy music. I listen to it all year long.  Mom had a nice collection of Christmas records, and they are now part of my collection. But hers is where it started for me.  We listened to those albums every year.  It was one of the highlights of Christmas.  When I go to Ed McKay's, I will sit on the floor for hours going through the cheap records, which is where most of the vintage Christmas albums are.  Most are under $1, so I can get some good deals. I now have over 300 Christmas albums in my collection.  And, like Jello, there's always room for more!

6. Strawberry Shortcake

This is my childhood.  And God bless my family for letting this be my childhood. I gave my collection of the miniatures to my nieces when they were young, and I think they loved them. I started collecting Strawberry Shortcake again about 10 years ago.  It makes me happy and takes me back to a place of innocence and joy for me.  That alone is reason enough to collect this!

7. Scented Candles

I love a good, scented candle and have started picking them up here and there when I see one that sounds like I would enjoy its smell. I keep about 15 of them in stock at a time.  I have specific places in the house where I put them and switch them out every month to enjoy all of the different smells.  Just the other day I hit a clearance sale and picked up 5 for $15.  I love a good bargain!

8. Tom Clark Gnomes

This collection began at Christmas 1984.  That year in my "Gifted and Talented" class, we studied gnomes, and I loved it.  Tom Clark gnomes were all the rage back then. And they remained popular for the next decade or so.  Aunt Sara gave me my first one at Christmas.  His name was Jeffrey.  That began years of collecting them for me.  I probably have about 40 of them.  And, luckily for me, now that they aren't highly sought after like they once were, I can often find them at very good prices!

9. Golden Girls Collectibles

Another no brainer here LOL  This is my favorite tv show of all-time, so naturally, I collect anything Golden Girls.  While most of my collection has been gifted to me throughout the years, I have found a few on my own.  Either way, I absolutely love this collection.  I have books, figurines, dvds, etc. Can't wait to find more!

10. Vintage Record Albums

In addition to Christmas records, I also collect vintage records.  This collection is also based in Mom's collection that I inherited.  I have about 500 so far haha!  I will sometimes buy an album simply because of the album cover.  Most times, I am pleasantly surprised by the record itself. These are also pretty cheap at used bookstores.  It was always funny when Michael and I went to Ed McKay's. We could both spend $30 on records.  He would come out with 2 or 3 and I would have to 40 LOL But I love listening to them, which I do, and can't wait to see what "new to me" albums are in my future!

There you have it.  Some of the things that I collect.  I know that most people don't collect because everyone loves being minimalist these days. But I would love to know if you collect something these days or if you did collect something over the years.  In the meantime, Happy Hunting!

Today's Moment of Mindfulness

 

Make mindful choices when it comes to media overload.  We can be bombarded with information from television, radio, the internet and smart phones, so be aware of how this affects you.  Choose to simply switch technology off for blocks of time to allow calm to flourish. 

Quote of the Week

 As I now wait for my capstone presentation to be reviewed to see if I pass, this is something that I must remind myself of.