Fresh Powder: The Wednesday Medley



Thanks to Terri from
Your Friend From Florida
for the Medley questions.



NATIONAL CROISSANT DAY

In the United States, National Croissant Day is observed each year on January 30th. Croissants are a buttery, crescent-shaped rolls that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The key to a perfect croissant is laminating the dough. Laminating the dough is a process by which butter is folded into the mixture creating multiple thin layers of butter and dough. The result is a mouth-watering flaky crust and airy body.

Legend surrounds this pastry, as is often the case with a popular, worldly treat. What is known, is that crescent-shaped breads have been found around the world for ages. One of these was the Kipferl which originated in Austria as far back as the 13th century. This nonlaminated bread is more like a roll. Credit for the croissant we know today is given to an Austrian military officer, August Zang. In 1939 he opened a Viennese bakery in Paris introducing France to Viennese baking techniques.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Stop by the bakery for a fresh, warm croissant or try making your own using this recipe: Croissants recipe.

-------------

Well, I do love croissants when they are fresh, but day-old croissants need to be turned into a donut. I happen to really like the croissants that have a donut-like glaze on them! Sugar overload but so good. So... do you like croissants? What is your favorite way to eat them?

I've never eaten a fresh homemade croissant that I know of.  I've only eaten canned "Crescent Rolls" or pastries from the grocery store.  So, unfortunately, I have no opinion on them.  Maybe in the future, I can allow myself the splurge of either buying a fresh croissant or making the recipe Miss Terri provided.

Speaking of food... How do you handle stress?

When things get stormy, I use distraction, sleeping, and sometimes eating to help me feel comfortable and secure, rather than stressed.  I know that the right answer should be that I trust in God, but that is one of my struggles.  I love the Lord, and I’m learning to trust Him more, but old habits die hard.  I’m used to having to take care of things myself, rather than get help.

 

Out of the negative emotions of greed, anger, jealousy, and hate, which one would you say affects you the most?

Anger.  I'm very hard on myself.  I'm told I also expect too much out of others.  Yeah, wanting people to live up to their word, take responsibility for their actions, and in general, just give a rip is expecting too much from people.  Anyway, I don't easily anger nearly as much as I used to, but I still take many things way too personally and berate myself way too often.

Out of the positive emotions of compassion, positivity, enthusiasm, and initiative, which one is your biggest strength?

Compassion.  Yes, I know it seems to contradict what I just wrote.  Expecting common decency from people doesn't mean I'm not compassionate.  God has given me His heart of compassion, especially for those who have no voice (the unborn, children in need of adoption, the elderly, etc.).  Without love and compassion, none of the other virtues matter.

What do you get every time you go grocery shopping, other than the staples such as bread, milk, butter, flour, sugar...

Spinach.  At least three times a week I drink smoothies that include a handful of spinach.  Also, spinach is my salad base and part of my omelets.

Please tell us something random about your week so far.

This is my second winter in Colorado, but the snow is still novel to me.  In trying to find beauty in my surroundings (and thus some artistic inspiration), I took this shot behind our offices at work Monday.  In the midst of busy city commerce and academic administration is this quiet serenity.  The snow on the ground hadn't yet been disturbed and the trees were still flocked with the day's powder.

Hold My Pie and Watch This: The Wednesday Medley



Thanks to Terri from
Your Friend From Florida
for the Medley questions.

NATIONAL PIE DAY

National Pie Day is celebrated annually on January 23rd. (Not to be confused with March 14 which is PI p Day.) National Pie Day was created simply to celebrate the pie. It is a day for all to bake or cook their favorite pies. Even more importantly, it is a day set aside for all to enjoy eating pies! The first pies appeared around 9500 BC in the Egyptian Neolithic period or New Stone Age.

Okay, fess up. Tell us your top three favorite pies, please. Will you have some pie today?

No, I don't think I'll be having any pie today. My three favorite pies are:

• Sweet potato pie.
• Peanut butter pie.
• Chicken pot pie.

While we are talking about food... are you a picky eater or are you ready to try almost any new food? What is the worst thing you have ever eaten?

I'm not a particularly picky eater. When I was growing up, our only menu choices were "take it" or "leave it," so there was no room for pickiness. It's hard to pick a worst food since I've eaten some very strange fare . Let's just say, there are foods I hope to never eat again. I am, however, learning to try new food.

Baking could be considered an art as could cooking. How do you define art?

Art is something done with skill, joy, and flair. Just as with its other forms, the palatability of art is in the eyes of the beholder and the partaker. I've seen some artfully presented food to which the taste didn't match up. I've also prepared some ugly food that was quite tasty.

Tell us a really stupid joke that made you laugh, please.

From Good Mythical Morning, episode 1278.1

Rhett: "Shall we sing first?"
Link: "Sure."
Rhett: Sings "Fiiirrrst!"

I've seen this episode multiple times, and I still chuckle at that part.

January 23rd is also National Handwriting Day. Do you have nice handwriting? Did cursive writing come naturally or did you practice in those double-lined practice books until your fingers hurt?

My handwriting isn't calligraphy material, but it doesn't look like a doctor (or a chicken on caffeine) wrote it either. I learned cursive in either 2nd or 3rd grade. While handwriting didn't come easy to me, I enjoyed practicing with handwriting sheets. When I was first learning, I ask my parents for handwriting tablets when we were in the store.

Tell us something random about your week.

This 5 inches of snow was not the "dusting" the Denver meteorologists forecasted
for Friday, but it sure was pretty.

Monday, I celebrated MLK Day by watching and absorbing Dr. King's
"I Have A Dream" speech.  I plan to make this a yearly tradition.

2019 Book Nook Reading Challenge: 04

Title:  Think and Grow Rich. (Kindle Edition)

Author:  Napoleon Hill

Info:  Copyright 2009: City unavailable (company doesn't exist anymore), White Dog Publishing (originally published in 1937)

Rating (on a scale of 1-4 stars):  ✮

Where Acquired: Library checkout.

Category: Recommended reading. Many of the personal development/ leadership podcasts I frequent, including The Dave Ramsey Show and Read to Lead, recommend this book.

Synopsis:  Hill reveals his secrets for attracting and obtaining wealth.  Using examples from his contemporaries and from his own life, the author illustrates his prosperity theory.

Favorite Quotes:

ACHIEVEMENT, ALL EARNED RICHES, HAVE THEIR BEGINNING IN AN IDEA! - Introduction (no pg #)

Persons, especially salaried people, who schedule their spare time, to provide for home study, seldom remain at the bottom very long. Their action opens the way for the upward climb, removes many obstacles from their path, and gains the friendly interest of those who have the power to put them in the way of OPPORTUNITY.  - p. 46

The person who stops studying merely because he has finished school is forever hopelessly doomed to mediocrity, no matter what may be his calling. The way of success is the way of continuous pursuit of knowledge. - pp. 46-47

Persistence is the direct result of habit. The mind absorbs and becomes a part of the daily experiences upon which it feeds. Fear, the worst of all enemies, can be effectively cured by forced repetition of acts of courage. Everyone who has seen active service in war knows this. - pp. 101-102

Riches do not respond to wishes. They respond only to definite plans, backed by definite desires, through constant PERSISTENCE. - p. 104

The Positive:

• The Kindle Edition had real page numbers.
• Some of the advice and quotes were helpful.  The need for a change of mindset is necessary in order to prosper.

The Negative:

• The arbitrary use of ALL CAPS in portions of the text was a pain.
• In chapter seven, one statement really bothered me.  It was not the initial deal breaker, but it did not show the author in a favorable light:  Let us remember--all of us--that we live in a country (USA) where every law-abiding citizen enjoys freedom of thought, and freedom of deed unequaled in anywhere in the world.  Most of us have never taken inventory of the advantages of this freedom.  We have never compared our unlimited freedom with the curtailed freedom in other countries.  Here we have freedom of thought, freedom in the choice and enjoyment of education, freedom in religion, freedom in politics, freedom in the choice of a business, profession, or occupation, freedom to accumulate and own, without molestation, all the property we can accumulate, freedom to choose our place of residence, freedom in marriage, freedom through equal opportunity to all races, freedom of travel from one state to another, freedom in our choice of foods, and freedom to aim for any station in life for which we have prepared ourselves--even for the Presidency of the United States (pp. 81-82).  While I am reading this as a 21st century United States citizen, I have kept in mind that this book was written in 1937.  While the majority of what Hill says in this statement is true in the modern era, I cannot possibly reconcile his belief that this was true for his day.  At that time, the infamous Jim Crow Laws were in full effect to curtail most of the aforementioned freedoms to blacks and other people of color.  Was the author that naïve, or did he expect only a certain audience to read this book?  As I said, I understand that as it relates to now, to a certain extent, Hill is accurate.  However, he was terribly shortsighted for his time.
• The book seemed disjointed. The author would extrapolate on a certain subject in one chapter, then mention how he was going to explain that subject after he'd already done so.  For example, he gives an exhaustive list of what he believes are the elements of failure, but gives a tease of their mention a couple of chapters later.
• Hill introduced many concepts for which he gave no sufficient explanation.  The mastermind group was the worst.  He mentioned it several times in the text and even devoted a whole chapter to it, yet never fully explained what it is or how it works.
• The author's obsession with sex was rather creepy.  Pardon my ignorance, but last time I checked, sex isn't an emotion as the author believes; it is the physical act of copulation.  Essentially the author asserts that attracting riches requires one to regularly engage in sexual intercourse and be in a continual state of arousal.  His assumption that "men are polygamous by nature" (p. 155). was also disturbing.
• Hill's material was chauvinistic, if not misogynistic.

Conclusion:

Why this book comes so highly recommended is a mystery to me.  Even for its time, it seemed off the mark and only for a very select audience.  Though it had a few good points, I seriously doubt I'll ever read it again, nor will I recommend the book to others.

Five Minute Friday: "Influence."

Yeah, I know it's Sunday. Cut me some slack.  No inspiration hit me for this prompt until today. 

⌚

Today, I experienced something that's never happened at any other church I've been a part of.  Not only did our church acknowledge the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, but we embraced it and the message behind it.  On the big screen was projected numerous quotes by Dr. King concerning character, love, and forgiveness.

When I think of the influence of Dr. King, I think of my church.  Colorado Community Church is the most diverse church I've ever attended.  Not taking away from my home churches, but honestly, most of the time I was the black neighborhood in the congregation.  Today, people from every nation and tribe not only celebrated a great man of faith and influence, but also praised the Lord in unity and reckless abandon.  The exact definition of King's "dream."

Though I know a brief history of Dr. King, I've not sat down and consumed his writings.  Every February, I try to focus solely on the writings of important figures in black history.  This experience has inspired me to seek out the writings of Martin Luther King.  I've discovered that our local library has a few of his books.  My plan is to read at least one of them.

May I continue to be influenced by this great man.

⏰

2019 Book Nook Reading Challenge: 03

Title:  The War of Art.

Author:  Steven Pressfield

Info: Copyright 2002: New York: Black Irish Entertainment LLC

Rating (on a scale of 1-4 stars):  ✮✮✮

Where Acquired: Library checkout.

Category: Recommended reading. Heard Rhett McLaughlin mention this book on Ear Biscuits and it sounded interesting.

Synopsis:  Pressfield, an accomplished novelist and screenwriter, paints a picture for the creative of the "war" he must fight against "Resistance;" the personification of the enemy of the artist.  Dividing this volume into three books, or sections, the author gives vignettes of information, inspiration, and anecdotes to persuade the reader to either pursue his art with reckless abandon, or abandon it altogether.

Favorite Quotes:

Are you a writer who doesn't write, a painter who doesn't paint, an entrepreneur who doesn't start a venture?  The you know what the Resistance is. - From the introductory section "An Unlived Life." (no pg. #)

Rule of thumb:  The more important a call or action is to our soul's evolution, the more Resistance we feel toward pursuing it. - p. 12

Procrastination is the most common manifestation of Resistance because it's the easiest to rationalize.  We don't tell ourselves, "I'm never going to write my symphony."  Instead we say, "I am going to write my symphony; I'm just going to start tomorrow." - p. 21

Nothing is more empowering as real-world validation, even if it's for failure. - p. 71

We cannot let external criticism, even if it's true, fortify our internal foe.  That foe is strong enough already. - pp. 87-88

Remember, Resistance wants us to cede sovereignty to others.  It wants us to stake our self-worth, our identity, our reason-for-being, on the response of others to our work.  Resistance knows we can't take this.  No one can. - p. 93

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.  boldness has genius, magic, and power in it.  Begin it now. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, p.  122

Every breath we take, every heartbeat, every evolution of every cell comes from God and is sustained by God every second, just as every creation, invention, every bar of music or line of verse, every thought, vision, fantasy, every dumb-ass flop and stroke of genius comes from that infinite intelligence that created us and the universe in all its dimensions, out of the Void, the field of infinite potential, primal chaos, the Muse.  To acknowledge that reality, to efface all ego, to let the work come through us and give it back freely to its source, that, in my opinion, is as true to reality as it gets. - p. 162

The Positive:

• At first, I thought the vignette style was going to be a negative, but I enjoyed absorbing the material in small, concise chunks.
• The author uses a good bit of witty sarcasm to get his point across.  His phraseology hit me hard, yet made me laugh at the same time.
• It was a quick read.
• As an artist who wants to press harder into her craft, this book was very encouraging.

The Negative:

• In his vignette on "Resistance and Self-Medication (p. 26)," Pressfield makes the erroneous assumption that mental ailments like ADD or SAD "aren't diseases; they're marketing ploys."  I understand where he was trying to go; he's was trying to tell the reader to stop self-medicating ailments with which he has self-diagnosed in order to avoid engaging in the creative process.  However, his overarching comments came off as demeaning to those who have a true diagnosis from a clinician.
• I was highly disturbed by his take on "Resistance and Fundamentalism (pp. 33- 37)."  He threw Nazis, Christians, radical Muslims, and those of the Jewish faith into one pot and assumed they were all the same in their beliefs and actions.  He claims that "fundamentalism and art are mutually exclusive" without giving any concrete proof of it.  Also, the history of various art media reveals a plethora of spectacular artists who have fundamental religious beliefs.  For example, many of the wordsmiths from the book of poetry I reviewed earlier.  Again, a demeaning assumption.  Also, Pressfield indicates that he has a belief in God, so I'm not sure what he means by his statements.
• The book contains a bit of profanity that some may not care for.  It's on the scale of "drunk uncle cussing."
• Some of the author's phases left me hanging.  Either they were lacking in substance, or weren't enough of a practical example to be fully understood.  For example, Pressfield's assumption that to be a true artist, one must be miserable, yet later in the text he says that the artist must love his craft.  Which is it?  It can't be both.
• A little more "how to" would have been nice.

Conclusion:

Honestly, the first third of this book made me hate it. Then, the last two-thirds were so enjoyable that I changed my mind.  Despite my misgivings about portions of this book, I was encouraged and inspired. 

Take it Like a Man: The Wednesday Medley



Thanks to Terri from
Your Friend From Florida
for the Medley questions.

Wednesday, January 16th, is National Do Nothing Day!! National Nothing Day was proposed in 1972 by columnist Harold Pullman Coffin. This day has been observed annually since 1973. Of course, the way to celebrate it is to do nothing!

To commemorate Do Nothing Day in SOME way, tell us something about your life (or the life of someone close to you) in 1973!!

There's not much to tell.  In 1973, I was a year old.  Our family was living in Wellington, Alabama in a little 4 room shack (not 4 bedroom, 4 room) with a well and an outhouse.  We were Little House on the Prairie.

Now that we are thinking back, please tell us what your favorite pastime was as a child.

My two favorite pastimes as a child were riding my bike and roller skating.  As an adult, I still ride, but I haven't found a suitable pair of roller skates.  If I ever find one, I'd love to try skating again.

What is the best way to cheer you up on a bad day?

Is the question how can someone else cheer me up or how can I cheer myself up on a bad day?  Just the simple act of someone showing true caring and spending authentic quality time with me cheers me up.  I cheer myself up with music, taking a walk, watching a cheerful/funny video, reading from a favorite book, making someone else laugh, or taking a nap.

How old were you when you first started dating? Do you remember your first date?

I've never been on a real date. 

Today is also National Fig Newton day. Do you like figs/Fig Newtons?

I like figs, but I'm not that crazy about Fig Newtons.

Tell us something random about your week.

Recently, the Gillette company released a new commercial on the dangers of "toxic masculinity."  I'm sure many of you have heard about it, so I'll not go into too much detail about the commercial here, but I will submit a few points to ponder (rants).

• First, what is their motive?  Do they really care, or are they pushing a social hot button as a marketing ploy to sell more razors?  Hey, I'm not saying that the attempted message wasn't a needed one, but do we really need to hear this from a razor company?
• Second, masculinity is not toxic, displaying injurious behavior regardless of gender IS toxic.  In other words, many of the rude behaviors displayed in the commercial are also perpetrated by females.  I hate to bust your bubble, but women also bully, fight, and sexually harass others.  These are not relegated to just males. 
• If Gillette is going to continue the trend, I hope they next tackle "toxic femininity."  You know, where women bully other women and impose ridiculous unattainable standards over stupid crap like weight, race, marital status, socioeconomic status, etc, and encourage their daughters to do the same.  I hope they let women know that they need to be accountable to each other when they observe someone emasculating her husband, boyfriend, or son in an attempt to prove herself strong and superior.  They need to stress that there is such thing as "woman-splaining" and that it is definitely not cool.  Hey, I watch wives do it to their husbands all the time.

My frustration is not so much vented at the commercial as it is the angst--rather than thought and honest discussion-- it has stirred.  I'm so tired of anyone, be it a company, a religious organization, political organization, or a media outlet who pushes for division, strife, and separatism.  I feel so sorry for men, especially Caucasian men.  Modern American society has made them the enemy when they are not (and don't be a Southern white male--Lord, have mercy).   Ignorance and hatred are the real enemy.  Why don't we try fighting that instead of each other?

Rant over.  Now, I need a laugh!

This masculinity definitely ain't toxic!

Put the Lotion in the Basket: The Simple Woman's Daybook

If you would like to join in and post your own Daybook, please head on over to visit Peggy at The Simple Woman's Daybook
 

 

For Today:  Monday,  January 14, 2019

Looking outside my window …  

Again thankful to live in a place where winter isn't ugly.

 

I am thinking... 

My brain is still being choked by mucus, so there's not much deep thought going on right now.

I am thankful...   

• ... to be on the mend.  I've had some kind of sinus/cold thing that had me down for the count.  I'm not 100% yet, but I'm back to work.
• ... that the maintenance crew at the apartment complex did such a good just clearing the snow and ice from the parking lot.  In the past, they haven't and there's a big difference.  Thanks, y'all.
• ... that I've finally taken down all my Christmas decorations.
• ... for lotion and Chapstick.
  

From the Workshop... Working on some baby items and painting projects.  More to come.

From Auntie's Test Kitchen:  Recently, I got back to the 2015 Blog  Challenge and completed letter Q.

I am reading...

• Unshakable:  365 Devotions for Finding Unwavering Strength in God's Word. by Christine Caine.  This is a year-long commitment, so I will not list it in every Daybook.
• Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.
• The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. 
• Come Before Winter and Share My Hope by Charles Swindoll

Books I've finished since my last Daybook:

• The Law of Happiness by Dr. Henry Cloud.  Please see my review here.
• Waiting for the Word by Malcolm Guite.  Please see my review here.

Favorite quote(s) of the week: 
 

"God took all the commands and laws and summarized them into two critical points:  love God and love others.  That's because His love in us heals and transforms us--and His love through us heals and transforms the world around us." - Christine Caine, Unshakeable (Devotional), p. 6

"All achievement--all earned riches--have their beginning in an idea." - Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich, Introduction.

"Waffles are just pancakes that went to college." - Grace Helbig, Not Too Deep podcast, 09/04/14.

I am looking forward to... 

• Completing unfinished projects and trying new ideas.
• Getting my new glasses.  It's been a while since I've had a new pair.

And Now For Something Totally Different:

Five Minute Friday Word of the Week:  "Better."



 

 

 

 

 

Five Minute Friday: "Better."

⌚

I hate being sick.

With a decade of preschool teaching experience, I have a bionic immunity system and rarely get sick.  I should be OSHA and HAZMAT certified in dealing with cooties.

Yet, here I am on the couch, profusely blowing my nose between naps and internet videos, hoping to feel better.

It started the week before Christmas.  I had some kind of drainage and hacking cough situation that lingered through the holiday.  By the time the new year rolled around, I was feeling great.  I go back to work Monday, and bam, a slight sinus headache turns into a big ball of snot trying to choke the life out of me.  I tried to power through if and not miss work, but I had no energy for it today.

I wish the guilty feeling would get better.  I just got back from vacation and I'm already out sick.  It's just not right.

So here's to hoping that all this rest pays off and that Monday will be the start to a better week.

⏰

Q is for Quinoa [A-Z Blog Challenge 2015]

Experiments From Auntie's Test Kitchen

Intro  A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Conclusion



                                                                                                                    

Q is for Quinoa

Quinoa, that mystery seed-grain dubbed a "super" food (whatever that means).  I'd not heard of quinoa until a couple of years ago.  Though I wanted to try it, its expensive price tag caused me to dismiss it as "highfalutin hippie food."

No offense to my hippie friends.

There is conflicting information as to whether quinoa is a better choice than other healthy grains.  I don't really care; my purpose in trying it is to expand my palate.  The quinoa-rice mix I consumed at a friend's house was good, but I didn't get the full experience of the grain on its own.

This summer, I attended a women's health expo in Arvada.  Part of the festivities included a cooking demonstration by the local hospital.  Along with nutritional information from a certified nutritionist, the hospital's chef constructed a dish containing quinoa, salmon, and vegetables.  The recipe is as follows:

Honestly, when samples of the dish were presented to us, it wasn't very pleasurable to consume.  First, the dish was cold. Ugh!  In addition, the dish had absolutely no flavor.  How in the world can you combine such wonderful ingredients and end up with such an unsavory experience?  Surely even I could do a better job at home.

Here's to hoping.

One of the benefits of the demonstration is the substitution list we were given along with the recipe:

First, I substituted tilapia filets for salmon.  Yes, I know that salmon is slightly more healthy than tilapia.  However, the price of salmon isn't slightly higher!  Second, I cooked the tilapia in a small amount of butter (about a teaspoon) with lemon pepper seasoning, so it tasted better than the wet-dishrag tasting fish filet from the sample. 

Next, the quinoa.  I didn't know there were different colors of quinoa.  Plus, it seems that price and color were interrelated.  The most budget-friendly choice was a Success brand boil-in-bag tri-color quinoa mix.  A note about the quinoa, in order for it to have any taste, it must be eaten with other foods or flavors.  By itself, the grain tastes like new-mowed hay...and I'm not a cow.

Making the dressing and putting the salad together was easy.  Depending on the season and what's available, substitutions within the vegetables can be implemented.  For example, I used spinach in place of romaine lettuce and I eliminated the cucumber.  Plus, I made the recipe for one and saved the remainder of the dressing in the refrigerator for future use.

With these tweaks, this tasted much better than the sample. This will definitely be added to my meal rotation.

State of Shock: The Wednesday Medley



Thanks to Terri from
Your Friend From Florida
for the Medley questions.



It may be a little shocking, but National Static Electricity Day is January 9!!  Here are some things to avoid!
 

How to Avoid the Shock of Static Electricity

• The drier air of winter months is a better insulator than the more humid air of summer.  To help prevent static electricity, use a humidifier to put moister back into the air in your home during the winter months.
• Our skin is drier in the winter months, too.  Putting on moisturizer before getting dressed is recommended.
• Synthetic fabrics are better insulators than natural fibers. Wearing materials made from natural fibers such as cotton will help reduce the amount of static electricity that’s stirred up.
• While walking around the house, at work or shopping, holding a key or a metal pen in your hand will help discharge the build-up of static electricity painlessly.
• Switching to leather soled shoes versus rubber-soled shoes will help reduce the amount of static that is built up.

Do you often get shocked often when you touch metal?

I have often joked that my superpower is the ability to shock the snot out of myself on anything (or anybody), metal or not, dry air or not, wearing natural fibers and leather-soled shoes or not.  I'm hoping I can find a way to harness this power for good instead of the evil pain it brings me and others.
 

There are actually two "National" days worthy of mention! It is also National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day.  Our men and women working in many areas of law enforcement put their lives on the line for us daily.  Do you know someone working in law enforcement who you can thank today?
 
Unfortunately, no.  Blake, one of my former students, is from a law enforcement family.  His father was (and my still be) an Alabama State Trooper.  His older brother was an Anniston City Police officer who was killed in the line of duty.  My sister, Clara, and I were just talking about them the other day.  His parent's home was severely damaged in the tornado that tore through Jacksonville last year. 

At our house right now it is all about football.  Joe's Philadelphia Eagles barely won their game on Sunday to move forward in the playoffs and another chance to play in the Super Bowl this year.  Do you have a favorite team in the playoffs or does football make you yawn?  Is there a Super Bowl party in your future, no matter the teams playing?

NFL football is not currently on my radar.  The problem is, I live in the midst of Broncos country, but the team is awful (plus their team colors look too much like Auburn University).  Yes, they just fired their coach, but I think whoever's hired as the new coach needs to fire many (if not all) of the players.  If I wanted to watch a bar room brawl, I'd go to a bar.  Sheesh!  Another factor is that I'm more in tune with college football.  Sadly, all of my college football teams are done for the year; Jacksonville State lost in the second round of the FCS playoffs, and Alabama just lost to Clemson in the CFP (formerly BCS) championship.  So, Major League Baseball is the next sport on my radar.

Speaking of parties, there is always lots of food at parties I attend.  Tell us a weird food combination that you really enjoy (or have enjoyed).  It doesn't have to be party food.

Occasionally I like to mix sliced black olives with cottage cheese and eat it with a spoon.  It helps keep me away from junk food when I'm craving something salty.

Since we are on games and parties, what game have you spent the most hours playing?

Words with Friends.

Tell us something random about your week so far.

• At the close of the year, I earned my "Be Kind, Rewind" Mythical Merit Badge.
• After a restful two week break, I'm glad to be back at work.  I feel like 2019 will be a great year for me and for the university.

2019 Book Nook Reading Challenge: 02

Title:  Waiting for the Word. (Kindle Edition)

Author:  Malcolm Guite

Info: Copyright 2015: Norwich: Canterbury Press

Rating (on a scale of 1-4 stars):  ✮✮✮ 1/2

Where Acquired: Kindle Purchase

Category: Recommended reading. I was talking to a coworker about trying to find something to read or study for the Advent season. He recommended this volume.

Synopsis: This anthology presents various poems that follow the daily path of the season from Advent, through Christmas, and up to Epiphany. Following each poem, Guite gives some insight into the poem's meaning, how it relates to the holiday, and any additional information the author felt was pertinent.

Favorite Quotes:

It is the purpose of poetry to show us something we think we already know, and in that showing, show us ‘something more’. - Location 1980

We have a shepherd who knows what it is like to be a lamb. He has himself been one of the vulnerable flock, he has been misled by false shepherds, and made victim of the wolf. And that is why he is able to wipe away the tears from our eyes, because he himself has wept them. - Location 2082

We should listen to our neighbours who do not share our faith, and do them the courtesy of taking our differences seriously, as they should do for us. But acknowledging those differences does not mean alienating ourselves from them or denying their humanity. On the contrary, we recognize one another’s needs in the very act of sharing notes on our faith. - Location 2683

My favorite poem in the anthology:

O Clavis by Malcom Guite

Even in the darkness where I sit
And huddle in the midst of misery 
I can remember freedom, but forget 
That every lock must answer to a key, 
That each dark clasp, sharp and intricate, 
Must find a counter-clasp to meet its guard, 
Particular, exact and intimate, 
The clutch and catch that meshes with its ward.
I cry out for the key I threw away 
That turned and over turned with certain touch 
And with the lovely lifting of a latch 
Opened my darkness to the light of day. 
O come again, come quickly, set me free 
Cut to the quick to fit, the master key.

The Positive:

• I read very little poetry in school, so understanding how to read and gather deeper meaning from poetic verse was difficult. This was my first foray into the poetic genre as an adult. Guite's commentary on each poem was not only enjoyable, but absolutely necessary. I wouldn't have gotten as much out of the poems had he not included that.
• The author cites sources for the poems in the anthology. That should be a normal occurrence, but it has become a rarity.
• The anthology included a variety of poets: both male and female, classic poems and modern verses, well-known authors and obscure authors. 
• The poems selected tell the story of Advent, but they weren't necessarily an overt announcement of "Hey, I'm a CHRISTMAS poem!" That gave the selections a deeper meaning.
• I thought it would bug me, but Guite throwing in a few of his own works was very fitting.

The Negative:

• The Kindle edition doesn't have real page numbers. This is a newer publication, so this seems to be an unnecessary omission.
• The author seems to view any kind of holiday ritual or tradition with derision. For example, this quote from Location 2029: "...this poem does not sentimentalize the nativity into some baby-worshipping Christmas-card vision of niceness..."  Dude, really? Sure, if ritual and tradition are held in higher esteem than the Lord Himself, one should be wary. However, to me, ritual, tradition, and iconography help keep the entirety of the Advent season in mind. Guite is a tad bit too harsh on this point.
• Information about the contributing poets seemed lacking. It felt like in compiling the collection, the author assumed the reader was already familiar with the poets. I knew nothing.

Conclusion:

Though absorbing the poetry was difficult, I looked forward to each daily reading. This volume was quite engaging and ignited a desire to read more poetry. I plan to purchase Guite's anthology for Lent. Until then, I'd like to find some sort of explanation guide for the various types of poetry and how to better understand them.

2019 Book Nook Reading Challenge: 01

Title:  The Law of Happiness.  (Large Print Edition)

Author:  Dr. Henry Cloud

Info:  Copyright 2010:  Detroit: Gale, Cengage Learning.

Rating (on a scale of 1-4 stars):  ✮✮✮ 1/2

Where Acquired:  Library Checkout

Synopsis:  Cloud, a Clinical Psychologist, explores thirteen secrets of happiness along with tips on how to tap into them.  Pulling from Scripture, psychological research, and case studies, the author attempts to make the case that the individual is responsible for his own happiness.  

Favorite Quotes:

Sonja Lyubomirsky, one of the leading happiness scientists, puts it this way: "People who are inclined to savor were found to be more self-confident, extroverted, and gratified and less hopeless and neurotic. . . . Those skilled at capturing the joy of the present moment--hanging on to good feelings, appreciating good things--are less likely to experience depression, stress, guilt, and shame." - pp. 59-60.

Living in the present makes your stress go down, and your happiness go up.  Even if the present is sad, to embrace those feelings is part of having them pass. - p. 65

God has not constructed us to be fueled by accomplishments.  He has contructed us to be fueled by love. - p. 103

Emotionally, the problem with unforgiveness is that you are actively, consciously and unconsciously generating negative feelings daily in your heart and soul by holding on to a past offense. - p 168

To forgive requires that you name the offense, feel the feelings involved, talk about the pain and the anger, and then grieve it.  It has to be embraced in order to be worked through. - 171

The Positive:

• As someone who has dealt with depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder, it was refreshing for the author to acknowledge mental disorders and the severe symptoms accompanying them.  Cloud was very careful to advise those dealing with such disorders to seek both medical and psychological assistance and not try to take his book as a cure-all. 
• Cloud works to debunk two prevalent ideas: 1) Circumstances dictate happiness, and 2) The "set point" of happiness--the belief that you cannot be any happier than a predetermined, capricious inner wiring of happiness.
• The combination of scientific research meshing with Biblical application is refreshing.  Also, the emphasis on clinical research that focuses on positive mental health traits, rather than only dealing with a plethora of  devastating disorders and negative emotions is a pleasant surprise.
• Cloud uses examples from his own life experience, not just case studies of others.

The Negative:

• The beginning of chapter nine rubbed me the wrong way.  Not only was it the author's shameless plug for his book on dating, but it was very insulting.  He compared two single women who he was counseling.  He was very insulting in his description of the woman who he felt didn't hunt for a man as stridently as the other.  No, I don't care that woman he favored ended up getting married and with a child.  It was tacky for him to assume that the women should do the hunting, plus he was such a jerk about it.

Conclusion:

Overall, this was an enjoyable quick read.  In the future, I would like to purchase a copy of this book as a reference.

First Shot: The Wednesday Medley

Thanks to Terri from
Your Friend From Florida
for the Medley questions.

 
Today is NATIONAL SCIENCE FICTION DAY

National Science Fiction Day is celebrated annually on January 2nd by millions of science fiction fans across the United States. The date of January 2 was chosen for National Science Fiction Day as it corresponds with the birth date of famed science fiction writer Isaac Asimov. National Science Fiction Day is recognized by the Hallmark Channel and the Scholastic Corporation.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Watch some classic science fiction t.v. shows or movies. Start reading a science fiction novel. Use #ScienceFictionDay to post on social media.

Will you observe National Science Fiction Day as recommended above? Do you even like science fiction?

No, I will not be observing National Science Fiction Day. I do like science fiction to a certain extent. I got into Star Trek in college. I watched all the series up through Voyager, but I totally lost interest with Enterprise (Scott Bakula? Really?). I also enjoyed the movies up through Generations. I watched the original Star Wars trilogy in my 20's and refuse to watch any of the new movies. I hope to get around to watching all this again sometime.

Have you chosen a "word" for 2019? Many people do. THIS QUIZ might help you find your word!!

I posted about my one word, "upgrade," here.

Did you stay up to see the new year in? Are you happy or sad to see 2018 go?

No, I stayed up long enough for the new year to ring in on the East Coast, which is 10:00 p.m. Mountain Time. I'm happy to see 2018 go, but not for bad reasons. I'm glad for a new year with new possibilities.

I really enjoy the Tournament of Roses parade on New Year's Day but rarely get to sit and enjoy the entire parade because I am cooking. Did you watch the parade? Did you cook/eat the traditional foods (pork, black-eyed peas, kraut, greens...) to begin the new year?

Nope. I would have eaten blackeyed peas on New Year's Day, but I forgot to pick up some at the grocery store. Oh well. I did eat spinach in my smoothie. Does that count as greens.

I have to ask... Resolutions. Did you make any or set some new goals for 2019? Or do you even think about it?

I set goals and work on action steps to accomplish them. I will spend most of the month of January preparing for the rest of the year.  I'm also still coming up with fun activities for #MyMythicalYear.

Tell us something random about your week.

Not much to tell. I've been on "staycation" since Christmas. We've had snow here in Colorado, so I'm not venturing out until I'm sure the roads (and the driveway) are safe to traverse.

2019 Book Nook Reading Challenge: Introduction

Artwork by Shannon Maddox
Auntie's Workshop

Book Trek 2018 has come to a close.  It was right up to the wire, but I did meet my goal of 40 books.  Time for a whole new reading challenge.

Like my other reading challenges, this one doesn't have any specific instructions or types of required books.  However, some books may be part of various categories.  Examples include:

• Kiddie Lit - This year, I want to enjoy more children's books.  As a "retired" preschool teacher, I miss reading good books to children.  Plus, there are books from my childhood and teen years I'd like to revisit.
• Recommended Reads - books recommended by trustworthy sources.
• Glorious rereads - books I enjoyed so much that I'm reading them again.
• Everybody's Reading It - books that everybody and their grandma read that I'm just now getting to.
• Nobody Admits to Reading It - books that others have said to stay away from (whether they've read it or not).
• Impulse Reads - Books I bought, borrowed, or checked out of the library for no other reason than "hey, this looks interesting."

I am editing my rating system slightly. It is as follows:

✮✮✮✮ = Outstanding
✮✮✮ = Pretty good
✮✮ = Could have been better / could have been worse.
✮ = Not so great

And the DNF (did not finish/would not finish) pile will now be called:

Because who's got time to force themselves to keep reading a bad book?

This year's goal is one again 40 books.  If you'd like to follow my reading progress, see my Goodreads page.

Whether you read one book or 100 this year, I would enjoy some company in the book nook.  Drop in a comment once and awhile to let me know how it's going.

So, what are your reading goals for 2019?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Books Read and Reviewed:

Completed books will be marked as a link to the review.

Book 01    
Book 02
Book 03    
Book 04
Book 05
Book 06    
Book 07    
Book 08    

Read, but not Reviewed:

1. My Philosophy for Successful Living by Jim Rohn.  My Goodreads comments are here.
2. Curious George by H. A. Rey.  My Goodreads comments are here.
3. The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
4. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
5. Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan
6. Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin
7. The Journey That Saved Curious George by Louise Borden
8. The Word in the Wilderness by Malcolm Guite
9. Self Matters by Dr. Phillip C. McGraw
10. The Quilt by T. Davis Bunn (a glorious reread)
11. The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder (a glorious reread)
12. The Power of Vulnerability: Teachings on Authenticity, Connection, and Courage by Brene Brown.
13. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. 
14. Next Level Thinking by Joel Osteen.  My Goodreads comments are here.  
15. The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis.
16. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney.
17. God Breathed by Josh McDowell
18. So Long, Insecurity; You've Been a Bad Friend to Us by Beth Moore (a glorious re-read).  The review is here.
19. Men, Women, and Worthiness by Brene Brown.
20. Looking for Lovely by Annie Downs.
21. Humility by Andrew Murray.
22. The Deeper Christian Life by Andrew Murray.
23. The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery.
24. Faith Thinking by Trevor Hart.
25. My Heart, Christ's Home by Roberts Munger.
26. Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
27. The Good and Beautiful Community by James Bryan Smith.
28. The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson.
29. God Breathed (Study Guide) by Josh McDowell.
30. Unshakeable by Christine Caine.  My Goodreads comments are here. 
31. The Expected One:  Anticipating All of Jesus in the Advent by Scott James.
32. Defining Moments:  The Harlem Renaissance by Kevin Hillstrom.  My Goodreads comments are here.
33. Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon.  A glorious reread.
34. The Quiet Little Woman:  A Christmas Treasury by Louisa May Alcott.  A Glorious reread.
35. They Followed the Star by A. E. Dingee.  Kiddie lit. 
36. The Gift for All People by Max Lucado.
37. A Little Book for New Theologians. by Kelly M. Kapic. 
38. Abide in Christ by Andrew Murray.

Ain't Nobody Got Time for That!:
Surprisingly, I didn't have any abandoned reads this year.