Hopefully getting back to the gym one day

 I am looking forward to the day when I have enough money to get back to Octagon MMA and Krav Maga here in Greensboro.  Personal training just isn't in the budget right now. I did boxing training there and absolutely loved it.  As much as I enjoy my equipment here at the house, it's not quite the same.  I definitely need guidance and instruction.  David and Kimberly, who run the gym, are two of the nicest people and I enjoyed my time there very much.

I have let my exercise regime slide a bit over the last few months and it is definitely showing and it is time to put the gloves back on and workout. It's something I love and have a lot of friends who love it too.  It's just great cardio exercise whether or not you actually get in the ring and spar. And it is an amazing way to relieve stress!!!  So, hopefully once I get my finances under better control, I can get back there.  It's been years and I really miss it.  That is all. 

10 Favorite TV Shows I'm Currently Watching

 I don't watch a whole lot of television these days and my tastes are varied.  I have a lot of programs that I watch, not one specific show that I binge.  Some are new, many are old, some are quite old LOL But I do enjoy them all when I sit down in front of the tv to watch something.  Here, in no particular order, are my 10 favorite shows that I am currently watching (out of about 50 LOL) Descriptions courtesy of IMDB.com. 

1. Daniel Deronda

Set in Victorian London, Gwendolen Harleth is drawn to Daniel Deronda, a selfless and intelligent gentleman of unknown parentage, but her own desperate need for financial security may destroy her chance at happiness.

2. The Crown Prince

A retelling of the tragic love affair between Austrian Archduke Rudolf and Baroness Mary Vetsera.

3. The Food That Built America

Food will tell the unknown stories of innovation and rivalries behind food industry tycoons Milton Hershey, John and Will Kellogg, Henry Heinz, C.W. Post, the McDonald brothers and more.

4. For What It's Worth

Antiques quiz show hosted by Fern Britton, assisted by antiques experts. Three pairs of contestants answer general knowledge questions, hoping for the chance to add antiques to their collections.

5. The Show That Goes Wrong

A series of brand new, hand-crafted, half hours of theatrical catastrophe as The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society undertake more (overly) ambitious endeavours.

6. Matlock

Follows Madeline Matlock as she rejoins the work force at a prestigious law firm, where she uses her wily tactics to win cases and expose wrongdoing

7. Ghosts

A young couple, Sam and Jay, inherit a haunted mansion and, unaware of their invisible housemates, plan to turn it into a B&B. Their lives become much more complicated after a fall causes Sam to see the ghosts. Based on the UK series.

8. Feud

An anthology series centering on famous feuds, including Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, and Truman Capote and the New York elite.

9. Semi Home-Made

In Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee, she shares techniques for combining fresh ingredients with store-bought items. The result? Mouthwatering meals and desserts, prepared in minutes, that taste like they were made from scratch.

10. English Teacher

It follows Evan, a gay high school English teacher, and his coworkers as they try to balance the demands of the students and their parents.

Moving forward with my Capstone Project

 

My capstone project has been given the green light by my department head.  Whew!  Now, I need to start laying the groundwork for my capstone.  I have to find someone at work that will be my mentor/advisor on this project.  I have a couple of ideas for that.  I need to fill out my application detailing my capstone, then register for classes.  Where I work, we have monthly trainings that we do on all sorts of topics.  These trainings are done online.  And there is a huge library of extra training classes you can take. I have definitely been taking advantage of that. That's when my idea came to me.

At the moment, I work for a company that still stands with DEI because they understand how important it is in senior living. While I was taking some of my training classes, I searched the library for DEI.  While we do have several that mention it and some that DEI is the subject of, I want to be more specific than that.  I want to develop staff training on how to interact with seniors who are LGBTQ+.  We have not had much experience in that area where I work, but that part of the senior community is going to be growing and expanding, and we need to be prepared. Despite what is going on in this country, I feel strongly about this and think that I can make a difference in this area.

So, now it's time to move forward with this idea and hope that it is beneficial to me, my UNCG department and my employer.  We shall see. 

A Prayer for Inner Strength

 

I need this one every day!

Thought of the day

I was watching a documentary last night called "Every Little Step" which is about the casting of the 2007 Broadway revival of A Chorus Line. I love this documentary, and I think that everyone who is or has been involved in theatre should watch it.  We have all undergone the stresses and rewards that accompany auditioning, and this documentary does a fantastic job in telling that story. During the final callbacks segment, the producer talks about getting cast in a Broadway show, saying that the actor needs to come in and give a polished, opening night performance.  Now, he understands that does not mean do not leave any room for growth for the performer, just that the stakes are so high that 110% needs to be given at the audition. Hence, several of the auditionees that were not the top choices prior to this callback ended up getting the jobs because they nailed it.

It got me to thinking about my life. While it is getting harder each day to wake up and face the world, I need to channel that energy into giving my life 110% each day. Treat it like an opening night because I don't know if there will be another performance available.  The beauty of acting on stage is that each performance is very different, just like each day of our lives.  What works one day may not work the next. But I need to do my best each day so that I can give the best possible performance of myself.  Not for others, but for me. I need to make the most of each moment and grab the brass ring while there's still time. I don't know if that will work, but all I can do is try, right?

Going to a play next weekend

 Over the past year or so, I have been to see more theatre than I have in the last 15 years. I have seen both plays and musicals.  Some were professional tours; some were college productions.  I enjoyed every single one of them. Now, that is not to say they were all perfect.  They were not.  But that's part of the fun of attending theatre. Even when it's not so great, it is probably still going to be better than most of what you see streaming these days. And it is ALWAYS good to support the arts, especially the local arts.

Next weekend I am going to see a play at UNCG.  It is called Everybody.  I am looking forward to it for a few reasons.  One, I am going to see it with my friend Stephanie and her son, Kai, who is a student in theatre at UNCG.  Two, I no absolutely nothing about this play other than reading the vague synopsis provided when I got my ticket.  I love going to see shows that I know nothing about because it's always a surprise. Hopefully, I will enjoy the play itself. Three, it's in a space that I haven't seen used as a theatre before.  I don't know what it is called these days, but back in my day it was the recital hall in the music building (which is now a theatre building). While I have seen plenty of recitals and concerts in the facility, I have yet to see a stage play so I am looking forward to seeing how that will work.

It is fun to see new things on stage and I am very much looking forward to this experience.  I will update you on my thoughts on the piece in the next week or so.  Here's to more theatre in my life!

50 at 50 - Art Museums

 One of the things I have not taken advantage of in life, which I should, is art.  Specifically, visiting art museums.  I just never think about it really and then something shows up on my social media feeds and I'm like "I should go see that."  So, one of my goals this year is to go to some art museums.  They are usually free unless there is a very special exhibit going on.  We have several good museums in Greensboro and the surrounding areas that I need to visit and experience.

This weekend, weather pending, I am going to the North Carolina Museum of Art with my BFA family.  We are meeting for lunch and then going to explore the museum.  I am quite excited about that. I have never been there before which, at 50, is a real shame.  Looking at their website, they have lots of fun exhibits.  It will be a nice way to pass the day.  

We have the Weatherspoon Museum here in Greensboro on UNCG's campus. That is close by and I need to see what they have going on.  There are several museums downtown that are worth looking into.  The Reynolda Museum in Winston Salem I have never been to either.  So, my list is growing.  I have several friends who have pieces in the Alamance County Arts museum that I want to go see.  I have been there before several times, and they bring in incredible exhibits. 

There are lots of opportunities for me to check this off of my list.  And hopefully, this will be something that I will carry with me into my future.  I need to support these kinds of places before they become extinct, which is a real possibility in our country right now.  We shall see!

Thought of the Day

 

The other day I was chatting with a friend via text, and he was asking me about my Sunday lunch that I had cooked recently. He wanted to know if I was cooking for someone special. And I told him no, I wasn't cooking for someone special it was just something I enjoyed doing for myself.  It's good to treat yourself every now and then. It got me to thinking about a few things.  In some ways, I was wrong to say that I wasn't cooking for someone special.  I was.  Me. I know that is not what he meant by the question but yes, I'm special and I deserve to do things like that for myself. 

And of course, with Valentine's Day just recently over and done with for another year, I do sometimes wonder if there will ever be a someone special in my life again.  Some days I am hoping for that while other days, I am perfectly contented with the single life. I have done the relationship thing twice already.  I do not regret either one, but they're hard work.  I did learn from both of them and now I know, going forward, that I will not settle for less than what I want.  The older that I get, the more important it becomes to me to have the love of friends and family.  I am working hard to develop that in my life. But every now and then, I do have that tinge of regret that there is no one romantically present to share the ups and downs of life with.  Ah, well.  Maybe one day. Until then, I will take life one day at a time.  

Waiting on approval for my Capstone

 Now I am just playing the waiting game LOL  I have submitted my capstone project idea to all whose approval I need to go forward. I have heard back from all except one, my advisor. I am not particularly worried that I have not hear back from her yet because I know that she is busy.  I do not really know how the recent changes in the UNC system policies have affected anything our department does.  With that, I mean, cancelling all DEI requirements that used to be in place.  I know that the two professors who run this department have to be very frustrated right now. But, no doubt, we will persevere. 

So while I wait to hear, I am going to begin working on other ideas of what I may do if this one does not get approved.  I still have a few months to develop and work on those.  Who knows?  I may find something even more stimulating to work on.  I am definitely still at the "open to possibilities" stage.  In the meantime, I am going to just take some big breaths and do the best that I can.  What else can I do?

10 of my favorite books

 This was actually more difficult than I expected it to be. As I get older, I love to read more and more.  There are so many books that could have been on this list.  I might just have to do several more book lists. But these ten books here are all ones that never leave me.  Once I read them they made a huge impression on me.  All of the synopses come from Goodreads.com.  If you haven't read any of these books, I highly recommend any of the following, in no particular order!

1. Mama's Bank Account

The charming adventures of the Mama of an immigrant Norwegian family living in San Francisco. This bestselling book inspired the play, motion picture, and television series I Remember Mama.

2. The Secret Garden

Mary Lennox, a spoiled, ill-tempered, and unhealthy child, comes to live with her reclusive uncle in Misselthwaite Manor on England’s Yorkshire moors after the death of her parents. There she meets a hearty housekeeper and her spirited brother, a dour gardener, a cheerful robin, and her wilful, hysterical, and sickly cousin, Master Colin, whose wails she hears echoing through the house at night.

With the help of the robin, Mary finds the door to a secret garden, neglected and hidden for years. When she decides to restore the garden in secret, the story becomes a charming journey into the places of the heart, where faith restores health, flowers refresh the spirit, and the magic of the garden, coming to life anew, brings health to Colin and happiness to Mary.

3. The Road to Paradise Island

Annalice Mallory, the sheltered daughter of a family of map makers, discovers the cryptic diary of her long-dead ancestor that includes a map of a mysterious far-of island. Philip, Annalice's brother, sets sail for the island, lured by the promise of incomparable riches to be found. But when he doesn't return, Annalice sets out to find him -- and the secrets of the diary -- in a desperate journey that leads her through the worlds' most exciting outposts . . . and finally to the tropical islands of the South Seas, where she encounters heart-stopping peril, but also the promise of love.

4. Tales of the City

San Francisco, 1976. A naïve young secretary, fresh out of Cleveland, tumbles headlong into a brave new world of laundromat Lotharios, pot-growing landladies, cut throat debutantes, and Jockey Shorts dance contests. The saga that ensues is manic, romantic, tawdry, touching, and outrageous—unmistakably the handiwork of Armistead Maupin.

5. The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. First published by Scribner in 1925, this quintessential novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. The story of the mysteriously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s.

6. Family Linen

A childhood memory re-experienced, a funeral that brings about a family reunion, and the excavation of a swimming pool on the site of an old well, uncover family secrets and air the dirty linen in this behind-the-scenes look at life and family, memory and forgetfulness, anger and forgiveness in a small Southern town.

7. Charlotte's Web

Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter.

8. Home

In Home: A Memoir of My Early Years, Julie takes her readers on a warm, moving, and often humorous journey from a difficult upbringing in war-torn Britain to the brink of international stardom in America. Her memoir begins in 1935, when Julie was born to an aspiring vaudevillian mother and a teacher father, and takes readers to 1962, when Walt Disney himself saw her on Broadway and cast her as the world's most famous nanny.

9. American Heiress

Be careful what you wish for. Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the twentieth century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts', suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and betrayals. Money, Cora soon learns, cannot buy everything, as she must decide what is truly worth the price in her life and her marriage.

10. The Christmas Pearl

Theodora is the matriarch of a family that, in her opinion, has grown into a bunch of truculent knuckleheads. They've all come together to South Carolina to celebrate Christmas. But this Christmas looks nothing like the extravagant, homey Christmases Theodora grew up with. What happened to the days when the holiday spirit meant tables groaning with home cooked goodies, over–the–top decorations, and long chats in front of the fire with Pearl, her grandmother's housekeeper/manager/caterer/psychiatrist/best friend? Luckily someone hears Theodora's plea for help and Merle (possibly Pearl?) arrives, pockets filled with Gullah magic and common sense to straighten everyone out.

1 Corinthians 16:13

 I know it seems lately that I have been posting more spiritual things.  That is true.  Given my daily challenge of my morning devotions and getting more in touch with my spiritual side to help me to get through this crazy time. It is a good way for me to find comfort and strength.  That is all. 

Daily Challenge - Today's Devotion

 

I really am enjoying my daily devotions.  It is a nice way to start my day.  I am finding that it grounds me somewhat and I feel like I am beginning my day in a healthier way. This morning's devotion felt like it was made just for me.  It was all about the passing of traditions from one generation to the next. The writer spoke of her grandmother and how she loved to entertain.  She would spend a lot of time planning a dinner party, the menu, the guests, the settings, etc. When her grandmother moved into a nursing home, the house was divided up and she received many of the things that her grandmother used while entertaining. She now carries on the tradition of hosting dinner parties using the pieces passed down to her.  And with each dinner party, the spirit of her grandmother is present.

Well, that is pretty much me. While it has not been a rough week, per say, I did have many different feelings going on this week.  The anniversary of Mom's passing 29 years ago was Thursday.  Then Valentine's Day on Friday.  I have nothing against Valentine's Day, but it is a reminder that I am single and most likely always will be. That is ok, but it gets thrown in my face everywhere I turn that one day of the year.  I survived. It was so nice to wake up and read this devotion today. God was reminding me that I have not only received many things from those that came before me, but that I have much to give and a legacy that will someday be remembered.  

It was a refreshing way to start my day. 

The Lord Bless You and Keep You - John Rutter

 This anthem is a yearly post for me, and I realized today that I have not gotten it on here yet. John Rutter is one of the best choral composers of our generation. This anthem brings me such comfort and it is dearly needed in our world right now.  Be blessed. 

50 at 50 - reading books

 One of my goals this year is to read more.  Specifically, I want to read 25 books this year.  The older I get the more and more I love to read. The only problem with that is that I read slowly.  It takes me awhile to get through a book and I always feel a major sense of accomplishment once I do.  This year I would like to do more reading.  I have so many books around the house that I have not read yet.  Books that I have inherited and books that I collected over the years. 

I have read one book this year.  It's a Christmas book, of course LOL  It's called Christmas Miscellany.  It is basically a history of the Christmas traditions. I really enjoyed it and learned from it.  Anytime I can learn something new about Christmas, I am all in. Now I am reading Anne of Windy Poplars.  I believe it's the third or fourth book in the Anne of Green Gables series.  I picked this up at an antiques shop for a dollar.  I have only read the first book, so I am looking forward to this one.  While I know that I should do the series in sequence, I am making an exception this time. 

Growing up watching Anne of Green Gables on Wonderworks, the 2nd series, Anne of Avonlea, is based on several of the Anne books, including this one.  I am very interested to see what was plucked from this book for the series.  We shall see.

That is what I will be working on this weekend on my 50 at 50 goal.  Who knows, I might try a new restaurant if the budget allows.  Still, I'm moving forward!

I miss having a piano

 

There are times when I really miss playing piano.  It has been a part of my life since I was at least 6 years old.  I began taking lessons when I was in kindergarten and studied until I was a senior in high school.  I had two different instructors:  Patricia Spittle and Peggy Nash.  The only things I did not like were the recitals.  I hated being in them, especially when I had to sing. Still, it was part of the process, a necessary evil in the world of piano and I got through it.  Sometimes great, sometimes not.

But playing the piano has always been so relaxing to me.  I could just sit and play for hours. Not practice, mind you, just playing for my own enjoyment or the enjoyment of others.  Usually on Sundays after church and our Sunday lunch, I would play for Grandmother.  Mom would join in and play as well.  It was just a wonderful time filled with music.  I get that from Mom.  Dad always says that anytime Mom was having a really bad day and did not feel well, she would go into the living room and sit down at the piano. So I come by that naturally.

It is a cold rainy morning here.  If I had a piano, this would be a perfect morning to sit down and play some David Lanz or some hymns, two of my "go to" genres I love to play.  I had a piano here in the house at one point, but it was not worth getting fixed and we got rid of it.  While I miss having one, it was the right thing to do.  I always wish I had kept the piano I grew up playing, but that's my own fault.  Mom always told me that the legs were glued on and could not be removed.  At the time, my apartment was not capable of fitting a baby grand through the doorway.  Well, she was wrong, and we all found that out when it was moved.  But a church that wanted it purchased it so at least it went to a good home. 

Maybe one day I'll get another piano.  I would at least like to find one somewhere to sit down and practice. It's been way too long.  In the meantime, I will cherish the memories.

My 10 Favorite Sitcoms Minus The Golden Girls

Who doesn't love a good sitcom?  I know I sure do!  They have been a staple of my television viewing my entire life. Sometimes we all just need a half hour of funny to get us through the day.  When I was thinking about this list, I decided to only choose sitcoms that I have seen the entire run of.  So, new sitcoms that are still airing like The English Teacher and Abbott's Elementary are not on this list.  They are both excellent, though, and I recommend them!  I also did not include The Golden Girls because if you know me at all, you know that this is my favorite television show ever.  I will do some GG lists later on this year!  So, in no particular order, here are my favorites.  

 1. Designing Women

The Sugarbaker design firm is the home of many hours of hilarity.  A groundbreaking sitcom in the 80s, they covered important topics with grace and humor.  Cancelled after its first season, it was brought back thanks to a letter writing campaign.  Thank goodness! If you are not familiar with any of Julia's speeches, I suggest you go onto YouTube and look them up!

2. The Jeffersons

This is one of those sitcoms from early childhood.  I could watch it in both reruns and current seasons.  At the time, I didn't realize how important this sitcom was with its portrayal of a wealthy African American family in the 70s and having one of the first interracial couples on television.  I just thought it was funny as hell.  And it is!

3. Will & Grace

Ah, the hilarity that ensues with this gang of four close friends.  Being an important piece of television history with its portrayals gay men in the 90s, the writing on this show is impeccable.  Granted I did not enjoy the last two seasons as much, it is still worth watching. When it first aired, I watched the entire first season without seeing the pilot episode.  Had no idea I'd missed it!

4. The Nanny

The Nanny is just a good old fashioned style sitcom that made an international star of Fran Drescher. It combines humor with slapstick in the best possible way.  And if you need a good zinger or two, just listen to Niles, the butler!

5. The Cosby Show

Thursday night at 8:00 was appointment television in the 80's.  We all tuned in to see what was going on in the Huxtable household. I know that some people do not care for it now given Bill Cosby's history. But it is still an important show from the 80s. It was a great cast and gave us a good spin-off in A Different World.

6. Bewitched

I mean, who wouldn't want to be married to a witch?  I never understood Darrin's apprehension but then again, if he had welcomed the idea there wouldn't have been a sitcom.  And the incredible Agnes Moorehead as Endora is worth every moment she is on screen.

7. The Andy Griffith Show

This show is a staple in my life that began early on, watching reruns with the family. I love it because there is genuine humor there and also good values towards friends and family that can be carried on today. And who wouldn't want to live in Mayberry?

8. I Love Lucy

Situation comedy just does not get much better than the Ricardos and the Mertzes.  This legendary show contains some of the all-time greatest comedic moments in television history. The candy factory, Lucy baking bread and Vita-Meata-Vegimen are just a few of the iconic moments captured in the sitcom.  And there were genuinely touching moments, too, such when Lucy finally gets to tell Ricky that she's "specting". It's classic television and always worth a watch.

9, Schitt's Creek

I really had no clue what to expect from this sitcom when we first started watching it. I knew people that watched it and loved it, so we gave it a try.  And so glad we did.  Catherine O'Hara...what can I say.  Comic brilliance.  Everyone in the show was spot on amazing.  And good balance of laugh out loud funny and grad a Kleenex touching.  I will definitely watch this again.

10, The Brady Bunch

Yes, I love The Brady Bunch.  This is another favorite from childhood that has stayed with me. It's corny. It's hokey.  But it's so much fun and nostalgic for me.  And we got The Brady Brides, A Very Brady Christmas and the reboot The Brady Bunch.  What more could I ask for?

So, that's my list.  There are many other sitcoms that I considered that I do love.  What are some of your favorites?

Capstone Update

 

Before I finalize my plan for my capstone project, I do want to explore some other options that I may have at work to do this.  That is my goal for this week.  While the staff education is a solid option, I do not want to limit what my experience will be and there may be other things that I have not thought of.  While I do know a lot about where I work, I do not know everything.  There may be a golden opportunity hiding in plain view that I have not picked up on yet.

I would love to find something to do specifically with either our assisted living community or our memory care community. The trouble is, both of these communities are run so well that I cannot see any gaps in there. That's both a good and bad thing for me.  It is good because it speaks so highly of where I work.  It s bad because I cannot think of anything there that I can improve on. But nothing is perfect so there is bound to be something in one of those buildings I may be able to pursue.  

So, this week I plan to talk with our Life Enrichment Director to see if she has any ideas as to something in those communities that might need working on.  I am also going to talk to her about mental health programming for the independent living residents as I do think that is something that needs looking at. I will also communicate with my advisor on all of the ideas I have right now and see what her opinion is.  Wish me luck!

Thought of the Day

 

We all make mistakes.  EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US! I know, personally, that I have made more than my share of mistakes as an adult.  Things that I regret and am definitely sorry for.  And there are times that I truly wish I could go back and change those things, but you know what? I cannot do that.  I now realize that those things have made me the person that I am today.  Instead of beating myself up for the errors in my life, I have chosen to learn from them.  Take the lesson that my personal history has taught me and grow from it.  I am proud of who I am today, and my history is a huge part of that outcome. 

I simply do not understand why some people are so afraid of history.  We need history to learn from it and move forward.  Yet so many people want to erase the bad parts of our history and yes, there are some very bad pieces in our historical canon. Dark places that we, in theory, do not want to return to.  Well, some of us anyways.  But people are trying to pretend that important historical events never happened or if they did, they are no longer worth mentioning.  Hence, we will be repeating history in a way that is scary. I believe in my heart that we will get through this, but it is still a scary moment in our, yes, history. 

While the internet is full of misinformation and the whitewashing of history, I try not to get sucked into those rabbit holes because that is not good for my mental health. I clicked on a friend of mine's post and one of the responses absolutely floored me.  I do not even remember what the prompt was, but this man's response was that racism only exists in the minds of liberals. At first, I thought he was joking but the further I read I realized that he was not. I honestly thought how stupid can a person be and then I had to stop reading.  And I felt sad.  I felt sad that there are people who have paid no attention to the history of this nation and this world. Why are they so afraid of the bad things that have happened to millions of people.  I just don't get it.

While it did take me a long time to embrace my own personal history, I have never doubted the struggles of others.  If only we could all work on that.  Ah, well.  That is all. 

One Drawer at a Time update

 I am over halfway through the kitchen in my one drawer at a time process. I admittedly like it when my drawers and cabinets are well organized. i mean, who doesn't, right?  And as I go through everything, it gives me the chance to weed out the things I do not need or use and get them ready for donation. One of the drawers I cleaned out this week was the drawer in the bottom of the stove. Actually, thanks to The Great British Baking Show, I now know that this a proofing drawer for bread and other things that have to rise.  I have never used it as such but if I ever need one, at least I know it is there!

This is where I keep my sheet pans and cutting boards. Apparently, I have been collecting cutting boards over the years.  I counted not one or two but nine different cutting boards.  That is a whole lot of cutting to be done.  Some of them I have not used in years.  So, into the donation pile they went.  I don't know if places accept cutting boards, but I am going to try anyway.  They are in good shape, and I hate to waste them by throwing them in the garbage. We shall see.  Anyway, the process is going well again this year, and I like the cleansing aspect it gives to my everyday life. I'll take all I can get!

Daily Challenge - Today's Devotion

 I have thoroughly enjoyed my daily devotions.  It has brought a new routine into my morning, which I am enjoying.  After I wake up, I go into the kitchen and start my coffee.  Then I make my bed and sit down to do my daily devotion. They are brief but strike a chord in me and are giving me an optimistic and hopeful start to the day. As I last time, these devotions are geared towards caregivers for elderly people.  That is perfect for me with my occupation. This morning's devotion really hit home with me because it is something that I have been working towards already. It was about giving full attention. The story was about a minister visiting a beloved member of his congregation in a memory care unit.  As he sat with her to talk, she at first was not making sense and her words seemed rambling.  But the longer that he sat with her and gave her his full attention, her words and thoughts became much clearer, and they had a good visit with each other. The point being that when we can be truly present with each other and focused on each other, our depth of understanding can greatly increase. That is what I am working on, being present in the moment.  Now I know I am on the right path with that!

Christmas Music

 

I love Christmas music.  There is no denying that.  In fact, I'm listening to some now as I write this blog. I l listen to it all year round.  After all, it's really good music.  Now, I do not subject others to Christmas music throughout the year unless they love it as much as I do.  And I do not appreciate when stores and radio stations begin playing it on October.  I do believe that, in the public realm, it needs to be played in the actual season but that's another story.

One of the things I love about it is the variety of versions of the same song I can listen to.  It is so interesting to hear different interpretations of the same song or carol.  Usually, they work out great but not always.  Not everything can be a winner haha! But I also love it because of the consistency in my life.  It is my happy music.  Anytime I am having a bad day and want to feel better, I will pop a Christmas record on the player and just let it take me away to a better place.  It almost always works. It is a coping mechanism that I have used my entire life, and it works for me. 

I did not listen to all of my records this past season.  Well, I have over 300 Christmas albums on vinyl so that would have had to be the only thing I did in my free time.  That seems a little excessive to me LOL But in my cleaning things out around the house before Christmas, I did find my stash of Christmas CDs. I decided that would be my holiday music this year for the main part. I finally finished to all of the recently as there were over 150 CDs to enjoy.  That is a lot of music.  But it made me happy to do it, so that is what matters.

Christmas music is a part of the holidays that I can carry with me throughout the year.  And I do. I have no shame in admitting that at all. Life is short, so I take the happiness wherever I can.

That is all.