by Sharon | Jan 1, 2015
New Adventures Ahead.
Such images as walking through a gateway remind me of Alice’s adventures through the looking glass. It’s not a favorite tale of mine, but it is a starting point of any new adventure to get my imagination working, exploring and wondering. Some of the characters were interesting, but mostly it was unpleasant for me to read . . . I may have missed something significant within the story . . . and maybe not. It just wasn’t the adventure I was seeking . . . and the attitude I thought uncomfortable. It’s not an ideal fantasy I would choose to explore again. For me, I would want to learn some truths about life and the purpose of why we are here and how to make our dreams come true to the benefit of many. Not for all, because some choose other paths . . . have agendas contrary to my ideal. It’s good to have differences . . . it’s good to learn and to grow . . . to shape my goals and beliefs, attitudes and priorities . . .
What adventures does 2015 hold? Is it worth the journey? Do I really want to go?
Yes, questions. There are always questions. This allows me to flow . . . and to grow. I may be stuck in the past . . . my “now” reflects what has come before . . . from my ancestors . . . not all great and wonderful people . . . they made their share of mistakes . . . but given what faced them . . . did they have other choices? We may be limited by choices or our perception of them. This is not an excuse . . . and maybe it is . . . I believe it’s all about learning and growing . . . taking responsibility and striving to do better . . .
This is just where I am on this New Year’s Day . . . you may understanding . . . agree or disagree . . . that’s fine . . . does it really matter? That depends upon your perspective and priorities.
I have a neighbor who believes today is the day to take down Christmas lights and decorations. Some are joining them and some have a difference of opinion . . . they wait until the 6th of January. Yesterday’s wind and the tree trimming made that decision for me. My lights are down. My decorations are put away. It worked for me, but not for others. That’s fine. It’s not my intention to dictate to others to follow me. We’re individuals with minds of our own . . . not robots.
Much of what I write about here at TwoCansOnAString.com may be what you find interesting or enlightening or a waste of time. That’s fine. This is my website and I do what appeals to me at the moment. It’s also true of my other 3 websites. One I may not renew when the time comes. It’s a great website and I’ve made lots of sales from it, but I’m moving on. Something for me to seriously look at . . . The interest is still there, but I don’t know about the passion . . . and is that my priority?
I suppose this is my message . . . my time for reflection . . . maybe this is the reason for the cold weather . . . the traffic jams on the freeways of people running off to spend a day in the mountains and the snow. And those heading for home . . . yes, today and this weekend will be a busy travel day for many . . . and maybe on their travels they’ll reflect on 2014 and what’s ahead during 2015 . . . or wait until they arrive home.
Random thoughts . . . conscious or unconscious . . . shaping decisions during 2015.
by Sharon | Dec 30, 2014
With the approaching of a New Year my thoughts turn to things I haven’t accomplished and wondering what opportunities will be coming my way. I do make a vow to myself to not worry about things, but to seek the good in everything I do. It’s important to wake up every morning with a smile on your face and happiness in your heart.
I do believe we receive answers to our prayers . . . the trick is to be alert enough to recognize it. We are blessed in so very many ways. During Thanksgiving many took the time to think about their many blessings and spoke of the many things they were thankful for . . . it should be a daily thing of giving thanks for our many blessings . . . not wait for Thanksgiving. The same is true of Christmas . . . that Christmas spirit should still be with us . . . yes it is sometimes to difficult to keep those thoughts . . . it’s much much more fun decorating than it is putting everything away . . .
Then there’s New Year’s Eve . . . having a party . . . going to a party . . . or celebrating quietly at home. It can be a quiet time of reflection or a time to remember all the good times and thoughts about the coming year ahead.
However you spend your New Year’s Eve, I wish you happiness and let it spread throughout the New Year!
by Sharon | Dec 22, 2014
It’s quite unbelievable that this Thursday will be Christmas Day! And Wednesday is Christmas Eve when Santa and his reindeer will pay us all a visit. Wow! We’ve been anticipating this since . . . Black Friday or the day after Thanksgiving . . . and even before.
It’s amazing to me how the days, weeks and months have passed . . . is everyone filled with good tidings of cheer and joy? Do some still hold bitterness in their hearts? There are always the old Scrooges and the Grinchs among us. Greedy old buggers they are. Thinking only of themselves . . . without a care for the teachings of the true meaning of Christmas. Well, we can’t change the hard-hearted. It did seem to work for Mr. Scrooge and also for the Grinch, but . . . those are stories . . . myths perhaps . . . but it is possible today?
Here’s a great video: Hallmark’s The Christmas Secret. It’s a bit long, but so worth it. Enjoy!
Merry Christmas!
by Sharon | Dec 1, 2014
December, the last month of 2014. Just 30 days away from 2015, not counting today.
Remember those New Year’s Resolutions you abandoned back in January, 2014? You have 30 days to complete one or two of them . . . or give yourself a new challenge. Is there something you want to accomplish before the new year?
There’s a man I know who took a 30 day challenge to write 5000 words a day. He wrote a book that he’s now editing that will come out in January, 2015.
I remember reading somewhere that we can change old habits in 30 days. I believe the article went on to say we can change our behavior in 30 days. There does seem to be something magical about 30 days. It seems like such a short period of time, but too often after 15 more or less days we give it up. Either we didn’t really want to do it or it was too difficult to achieve.
I usually don’t do the New Year’s Resolution thing. I guess when you get as old as I am that you know you won’t follow through. I usually don’t have things I feel that committed to changing. I’m far from perfect, but I don’t know what I’d like to change.
With four websites, I would love to add to each one on a daily basis, but I know that won’t happen. I’ve been able to do it for awhile, then one of them is left out. I am disappointed, but there are things that need to get done. I had noticed one of them hadn’t been updated for 5 days. That was unacceptable to me, but it is what it is. I’ve had gaps here and on the other two. I do want to add to them daily, but then I won’t have time for other things . . . like laundry, cleaning the house and running errands. And the Christmas shopping . . .
Do you see what I just did? I have one excuse after another why I can’t do a 30 day challenge with my websites, but is there something I can do? Is there something I want to change? Is there something I want to accomplish?
Are you thinking right along with me?
Thirty days . . . I don’t have a 30 day challenge for you, other than asking you what, if anything you’d like to change or accomplish in your life during the next 30 days.
I’m sure there are 30 new things I can learn in the next 30 days. I can concentrate on one website that I’ll add to daily for the next 30 days. This one would be an excellent choice, then you can see if I did it or not . . . and when I slipped up.
As I see it, it has to be something you want to do and even mark out a time when you’ll work on it. I can see doing that with this website. I don’t know what will transpire from day to day throughout December . . . and December is a busy month.
Hummm, I don’t know, but I’ll give it a try.
What are you going to do in the next 30 days? You don’t want to do the challenge? It is possible, since there are no rules to this challenge that you can have a goal you want to accomplish during December. You may achieve that goal before the 30 days. Are there several goals you’d like to accomplish during the 30 day period?
I have plenty of goals I’d like to accomplish during December. Some I don’t really want to tackle during December, maybe in January or some other time. That’s known as “kicking the can down the road.” I’ve done that for what has ended up being a number of years. I’m just not ready to do it . . .
It’s difficult to commit to something. Awhile back, I was thinking of putting 100 cookie recipes on my website. I believe I have 100 cookie recipes I could publish here, but for some reason I haven’t done it. If that would be my challenge, then that would mean I’d have to do 3 daily for the 30 days and then for 10 days have 4 cookie recipes. I guess what I didn’t want to do was focus on cookie recipes for 30 days. This challenge is more difficult than writing something new for 30 days. I can always come up with something . . . And for December, I doubt my family, friends and new visitors would want to have just one topic to look at for 30 days. I like TwoCansOnAString.com to be unique . . . different from my other websites.
Back to the 100 cookie recipes, I thought with the cookie exchanges people do, that most of these take place before Christmas . . . This year Christmas is on a Thursday. That would mean this cookie exchange thing has to be done by the preceding Thursday . . . and if you’re using my recipes I should have started already. Gosh, I’m already behind on that goal! That would also mean that I’d have to do 10 cookie recipes for the next ten days. That’s a lot more work than doing one new post here for the next 30 days.
I’m beginning to see that this daily posting isn’t as difficult as some other things I’ve shared.
Are you beginning to think that doing something once a day isn’t all that difficult for 30 days? It could be listening to a motivational or inspirational tape for 30 days. It could be anything, really. I have a friend who listens to a TED tape every morning. He has been doing that for several months. It has become a part of his daily routine. Many watch their soaps . . . except for weekends. With YouTube you can find something that you could do consistently.
I got my cousin watching craft videos every evening or when she had free time. There were cooking videos, too, that I got her interested in. So YouTube videos is a do-able 30 day challenge. The thing for me is, I can’t usually stop at one. Then for the other days of the challenge I’ve run out of what I was watching, but you don’t need to limit yourself or stick with specific ones.
I’ve basically talked this one to death. If you’ve read this far I do appreciate it, it makes me think you may give it a try. I wish you all the best in meeting this challenge or whatever goals you have to accomplish during this busy month of December.
by Sharon | Nov 27, 2014
Have A Happy and Joyous Thanksgiving Day!
Thanksgiving means many things to many people. We may have a few things in common when the word Thanksgiving comes up in conversation. I think of Family and Traditions first, then I get into Grateful, Blessings and the old hymn of gathering together. Then Harvest and food come to mind. Of course, Fall is important and pumpkins and the colorful leaves.
Then I see on the news how flights have been canceled or delayed. Families frantically trying to get to their loved ones to share this wonderful holiday. It is all about family, caring and sharing . . . and taking the time to be thankful and to count our many blessings. No matter what is going on in our lives, the loss of a friend or family member, hardship in whatever form that takes . . . it is a time to reflect and be grateful for what we do have . . . there is always something to be thankful for . . . not just at Thanksgiving, but throughout the year.
I get all sentimental and nostalgic on this day. I also try to get outside myself and the holiday to watch something funny. It is all about the laughter:
I hope you enjoyed this. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
by Sharon | Nov 1, 2014
November has arrived with wonderful rain.
Many of you may not agree and many of you may be experiencing other weather. I do enjoy the rain, especially when I don’t have to be out in it. I love sitting at my breakfast table, looking out the window while I’m writing this blog on my laptop.
My power-walkers have been out earlier. Those are brave dedicated women who won’t let a little rain dampen their spirits. I do hope they didn’t get a chill. I’ll find out as the days progress — if I see them . . . or they’re in bed with a cold.
Tis the season for colds . . . be sure to take care of yourself.
My little Yorkie, Abby, is sleeping. She’s tired from the excitement of seeing so many children in their wonderful costumes last night roaming the neighborhood for good treats. I did hear someone remark about the number of granola bars they received. Hummmm, I gave out candy.
After the trick-or-treat crowd disappeared, Abby and I did take a leisurely walk around the neighborhood. There were lots of interesting smells that caught her attention. We returned before the rain began to fall. It was a wonderful evening.
For a Friday night, I was surprised Halloween ended as early as it did. I suppose they had other things to do. I know after my walk I read Legend of Sleepy Hollow and some Edgar Allen Poe. It’s a tradition I established to settle down to get thinking about Thanksgiving and then Christmas. I realized fall has much more to offer until winter sets in.
I know many are thinking ahead to Christmas. Wanting to get started with their Christmas shopping. I think that’s wonderful. I, too, should be adding some Christmas ideas for your shopping pleasure, but for today I prefer to enjoy this rainy fall day and to think about the season and the way it makes me feel.
On my home page I have some thoughts and a fall video. I do feel much more nostalgic than at the beginning of the season, but I did feel it coming through.
I have always had a special liking for fall. There seems to be a special energy in the air. There’s something new with the beginning of a school year for children . . . then the whole Halloween thing. Now, it’s time to relax a bit and enjoy the beauty of the season.
Yes, there’s putting away many Halloween decorations, but I can keep out the pumpkins that haven’t been carved to be enjoyed until I decorate for Christmas. Yes, there’s that word again . . . of another holiday season . . . yes it does want to crowd right in . . .
I also keep out the haunted house and the village. This is something that doesn’t change just because Halloween is gone. Haunted houses do have their “season” of recognition, but if you’ll notice, that spooky old house is still there and still in spooky during the rest of the days, months and years to come.
It’s our focus that changes.
In the still of the night while Abby and I walked around. I thought of the peacefulness, the calm stillness of the night . . . then I remembered it still was Halloween and quickened my step for home.
Once inside, I did think about Icabod Crane and his adventure and mysterious disappearance. It is a wonderful story of a time long ago . . . with a mystery at the end . . . and the possibilities for imagination. I do believe and have thought that since Icabod was unable to capture the heart of the woman he desired, it was time for him to move on. He did get the wits scared out of him . . . but once he was able to think clearly again, he could move on to the next town and discover the opportunities open to him.
I like to think of this as an on-going adventure for him. Just as fall can open up many opportunities for all of us.
As I watch and listen to the rain . . . I pour another cup of coffee . . . thinking of this day and how wonderful it is to be alive to experience it.
