Being a Squirrely Nutcase: The Weekly Hodgepodge

Join the fun! 

Come on over to 

From This Side of the Pond 

for the Hodgepodge link-up!

 
February 16th is National Almond day...are you a fan? If so what's your favorite food item or recipe that contains almonds? 

Oh yes, I really enjoy almonds.  The problem is that currently whole almonds currently cost almost as much as a half a tank of gas.  Maybe I can get a bag my next grocery day. One of my favorite recipes uses slivered almonds.  I use them in the place of sunflower kernels in my broccoli cranberry salad.

Something you are currently 'nuts' about? 

My "new" closet.

I've recently done some rearranging in my apartment.  I'm still decorating and upgrading things as I can.  I'm really enjoying how it's coming along.  My place feels more cozy and welcoming.  The part that I am most nuts about it my coat closet.  There's not a lot of storage here, so I have to make the most of what I have.  I recently got a fabulous Christmas present.  During a conversation at one of our staff meetings last year, a member of our team said he had leftover wire closet shelves and hardware from a project he did at his house.  His Christmas present to me was to redo the coat closet the I use as craft closet with those shelves.  He didn't get to do it at Christmas time because he and his wife contracted COVID.  He installed the shelves last week and I've taken the past few days to arrange things where I can more efficiently find and use them.  I also ordered an over-the door shelf for even more storage.

Something currently driving you 'nuts'? 

Have you ever had a day where you're so squirrely that you can't concentrate on anything?  Well, I'm having one of those days (Tuesday).  I've got tons of work to do for my job and at home and I can't focus to get a thing done.  I can't figure out how to snap out of it.  NOTE:  It took going to the grocery store during my lunch break to start regaining focus.  Sheesh!

Something you recently bought for 'peanuts'? 

Nothing comes to mind.  I haven't been to the thrift store lately.  😊

Share a favorite quote uttered by any U.S. President (if you're not an American, a quote made by the leader of your own country). 

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotion, spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never tasted victory or defeat. - President Theodore Roosevelt.

Insert your own random thought here:

A quote from Craig Ferguson I find apropos for this post:  "I guess any attention is good attention for a nutcase!" 

In case you missed it:  

*My last Hodgepodge post, "Groundhogs Still Don't Know Jack" is here.
*My latest Five Minute Friday post "Behold," is here.
*My latest 2022 Book It Reading Challenge review of Belong by Radha Agrawal is here.
*My latest Simple Woman's Daybook "A Buggy Full of Lemons," is here.
*My latest Auntie's Workshop post "Finishing and Fixing III," is here.

2022 Book It Reading Challenge: 01

Title:  Belong

Author:  Radha Agrawal

Info:  Copyright 2018. New York: Workman Publishing Company.

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

Where Acquired: Purchased at a Women's Health Expo in 2018

Category (ies) - Impulse buy and Potty books.

Synopsis: Agrawal, a self-proclaimed "community architect," offers strategies for getting out of your head and off your phone in order to build community.  She walks the reader through exercises in self-awareness to help identify the most important characteristics of a healthy community.

The Positive:

• Her analogy about the "mean girls" of the mind producing nothing but comparison, perfectionism, and judgement is spot on.  This is a true detriment to a healthy community.
  
• Agrawal puts great stress on getting away from the screen and making face-to-face connections with people.
  
• The cover artistry and the illustrations were innovative.
  

The Negative: 

• After finishing this book, I feel duped. This tome isn't really about building friendships and bringing your strengths and talents to enhance a community It's about building your own little kingdom based on specific sought after benefits and sucking it dry.  Agrawal's definition of community is a homogeneous group of people who look the same and think the same.  In other words, she's teaching the reader how to build a gated community, not a beautiful diverse community. 
• Her advice for building community is unnecessarily complicated.  Her steps are more conducive to building a brand or a platform.  Getting out in your neighborhood, meeting people, being friendly, genuine, and hospitable does not require building your own fonts, slogan, and language. 
• The content reeked of too much "woo-woo," and not enough substance.  For example, the author's main focus in selecting optimal candidates for the community is "energy."  Do what now?
  
• I don't think the author considered how visually traumatizing all the font size and type changes would be to the reader.  I appreciate what she was trying to do, but it was like being pinched one minute and slapped in the face the next.
• I understand the description of FYF (F--- Yeah Friends).  We do need encouraging friends in our lives.  However, Agrawal leaves out an absolutely necessary type of friend; HNF  (the Hell No Friend).  True friendship and healthy community requires accountability, not just dances and "energy."
• If I were a senior citizen, the chapter on "Belonging and Aging" would be a huge insult.  Well, I'm not even 50 yet and it still felt like a huge insult.
  

Conclusion/Takeaway:

This book really rubbed me the wrong way.  Like Uninvited and books of that nature, it felt backhanded: "You belong unless..."   Good thing I was sitting on the toilet when I read through this because it was full of crap.

Groundhogs Still Don't Know Jack!: The Weekly Hodgepodge

Join the fun! 

Come on over to 

From This Side of the Pond 

for the Hodgepodge link-up!

The Wednesday Hodgepodge landing on Groundhog's Day sounds about right. Besides the Hodgepodge what else lands on your calendar just once a week? Is it as much fun as the Hodgepodge-ha!? 

Most months, church lands on my calendar once a week, and yes, it is more fun than the Hodgepodge (sorry, not sorry).  Occasionally I am able to attend extra church activities like our "Mug 'n Muffins" ladies fellowship, or our Dare to Care serving Saturdays.  With the winter snow season in full force here in Colorado, just getting out for weekly service is an accomplishment. 

The Winter Olympics begin on Friday, surrounded by much controversy. Will you be watching? Why or why not? Have you ever been to China?

No, I've never been to China, but I would like to someday.  I don't plan to watch the Olympics, but the controversy doesn't have anything to do with it.  I haven't watched the Olympics in a long time.  Like NBA basketball, it just doesn't have any appeal to me anymore.  After my extensive eye exam (which always makes me squirrely as a pecan grove), my Optometrist and I had a lively conversation about sports (which made me a little less squirrely).  Our consensus was that many sports have too much extra going on and just aren't fun to watch anymore.  So far, I'm still sticking with college football, MLB baseball, and NFL football (in the rare instance that the Broncos let the 'Bama boys play and they actually win). 

Speaking of college sports: since Colorado Christian University (sadly) doesn't have a football team or (most sadly) a marching band, I hope to catch a few baseball and softball games when the weather is more cooperative.  BTW--why in the Sam Hill are they starting baseball and softball season in FEBRUARY in COLORADO?!  We have about 6 inches of snow on the ground right now, with more on the way, with softball season starting this week and baseball season next week.  No, thank you.  I'll see the Cougars play in March or April.

Something in your life lately that has felt a bit like an 'olympic event'? 

Miss Joyce mentioned her never-ending home improvement project, which got me thinking about the decorating of my apartment.  I'm still creating items and saving up for upgrades to some of the items I purchased when I first moved in four years ago (for example, my dining chairs are plastic and I would like nicer ones).  I'm still thinking about the possible rearranging of furniture and wall decor and trying to figure out how to have a more ergonomic and efficient home office area (my computer is set up well, but there's nowhere to write or place reading materials for reference).  Also, can I declare the decorating "finished" though I'll leave space for future completed art projects?  Man, I need Vern Yip for this!

Do you like fondue? Sweet or savory? Restaurant only or do you own your own fondue set?

I've never tried it, so I'm not sure if I'd like it or not.

Give us five short (2-3 word) phrases to sum up your January. 

• Congratulations, Georgia.  #RollTide  
• It's time for a snow break.
• Man, it's February already?
• New reading challenge underway.
• Good report at eye doctor's office. 
  

Insert your own random thought here:

For any of you who follow my yearly reading challenges, after I had already posted this year's introduction, I decided to add new category. "Potty" books.  No, it's not what you think.  I noticed that I was spending my extended visits in the potty scrolling on my phone and/or playing a game (at least it was Words With Friends, so I was feeding my brain somewhat).  Don't act shocked; I know some of y'all do it too.  Before the days of cell phones, I used to keep books and magazines in my bathroom for those times (and for semi-relaxing soaks in the tub).  This year, I'm running an experiment.  I want to see how many books I can read during those times.  I see enough screens during the day, so I'm reading paper books.

In case you missed it:  

*My last Hodgepodge post, "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" is here.
*My latest Five Minute Friday post "Behold," is here.
*The introduction to this year's reading challenge is here.
*My latest Simple Woman's Daybook "A Buggy Full of Lemons," is here.
*My latest Auntie's Workshop post "Finishing and Fixing III," is here.