Complementary Angle: The Weekly Hodgepodge



Join the fun! 

Come on over to 

From This Side of the Pond 

for the Hodgepodge link-up!

January 24th is National Compliment Day. Is it easy or not so easy for you to accept a compliment? Share a recent compliment you've given or received.

It used to be next to impossible for me to accept compliments.  Partially because I so rarely heard them, or they were backhanded compliments, partially because I wasn't kind to myself in word or deed.  I'm much better at accepting and being thankful for any genuine compliment. 

My sister, Margie, gave me a box of beautiful jewelry for Christmas.  Each time I wear a new piece, I get compliments on it at work.

Ten little things you are loving right now.

1. Pastor Robert's new sermon series.
2. Work.
3. The quiet peace of my home.
4. The clean, fresh air of Colorado.
5. My next door neighbor, Grace.  She is originally from Poland and fun to talk to.
6. The new things I'm learning.
7. A coworker gave me a pre-owned amplifier.  I sat down and picked around for about 30-45 minutes and had to make myself stop.  It was great to make the strings hum again.  A couple of weeks of consistent practice and I'll be back up to speed.
8. The view from our West-facing conference room.  Since our offices are on the fourth floor, we can see the mountains from that room.  I'm in a cubicle with no windows, so when I need to see some outside scenery, I go to that room and look at the beauty of mountains and trees.
9. The University of Alabama winning the National Championship.  #RollTide
10. I'm just loving the general upswing of my life.  It's not easy, but it's fun.

Would people describe you as a positive person? Do you see yourself that way? I read here  a list/description of eight things positive people do differently-Positive people find something to look forward to every day, they celebrate the small stuff, they're kind, they stay busy, accept responsibility for their actions, forgive themselves, know when to move on, and resist comparisons.  Which action on the list would you say you do regularly? Which action could you add to your life to give you a more positive outlook? If you're a positive person, what's something you do regularly that's not on the list?

Thankfully, I believe that others would consider me a positive person.  That wasn't always the case.  As for me, I'm more positive than I used to be, but I also know what thoughts go through my head.  Squelching negativity takes time.

Kindness is my most present attribute from this list.  The actions that I need to add to my life from the list are to resist comparisons and forgive myself. 

Homemade chicken soup, beef stew, or a bowl of chili...what's your pleasure on a cold winter's day?

A hot cup of coffee or tea.

The best part of my day is....

That's a hard one to answer since it depends of the day.  During the week, I really enjoy my mornings.  I get up looking forward to the day, plus, my walks to work have been very enjoyable.  Yes, it snowed this weekend, and yes, it's a little chilly outside, but the sunrise skies have been absolutely breathtaking.  I also enjoy the work day.  Akin to my time at the YMCA, my coworkers at CCU find something to laugh about every day.

Insert your own random thought here.

Some of my fellow hodgepodgers were discussing the upcoming Super Bowl.  Here's my take on it.  Reminds me of a quote from the great Lewis Grizzard:

"The story went that once he [Bill Monday] was going to do the Harvard-Yale game back in the 30's on nationwide radio.  The night before the game, he was having dinner with Harvard officials.  At one point Monday, a Georgia alumnus and son of the south, was asked 'Mr. Monday, who will you be pulling for tomorrow, Yale or fair Harvard?'  Monday thought for a moment, then replied, 'Neither one.  You're both a bunch of damn Yankees and I wish there was a way you both could lose.'"

Have a great week, y'all.