Thursday, November 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's that time again - to reflect and give thanks and stuff ourselves with turkey! I wonder how many blogs will be written today in sincere appreciation for the blessings in our lives? Many, I'm sure.

We typically have a tradition of going around the table(s) and everyone stating something they are thankful for. I usually feel pretty lame - saying the same thing year after year. "I'm thankful for my family and friends." I mean it. 100 percent. There's really nothing more imporant, but in some ways it seems like such an safe thing to say, to blurt out in that brief splash of semi-public speaking.

In the last few years, I've tried to focus more every day on the things in my life for which I am thankful. I have a gratitude journal, and when I'm particularly down, it is always a helpful exercise to read what I've written before and then to add to it.

You will have a hard time feeling anything but "Happy" if you genuinely focus on giving thanks.

So this year, I'm thankful for a new perspective on Thanksgiving, thankful for the act of thanks, itself. Celebration of what we have - and of even what we desire - is key to a positive existence. This celebration is worthwhile everyday, but an annual reminder in November is okay, too.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Cool Gift

Look what my sister is giving my nephew for Christmas!



He's only 8 months old so I don't think I'll spoil his suprise by posting this.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Christmas Already, Seriously?

Good grief! The Raleigh Christmas parade is this Saturday. 101.5 is playing Christmas music already. It's too early, isn't it? Actually, I just realized today that I only have 2 more paychecks before Christmas - YIKES!

I like shopping online. In previous and more plentiful years (not too recent, actually), I completed all of my Christmas shopping online. Not only was it great to avoid the crowded malls, it sort of felt like my own little mini-Christmas morning every time the UPS man came to the door.

How about you? Are you shopping online? Is so, why not help me out and access Amazon through my blog. You can start your "search" for the perfect gifts in the upper right hand corner, or just click HERE. My commission won't increase your prices, and Amazon is a super-easy and trusted place to shop on the web.

I'm hoping to write some more Christmas shopping hubs soon. My Inexpensive Christmas Gift Ideas for Teen Girls published October 15 has nearly 1000 views! Help me out - leave a comment and tell me what would you really, really, really like for Christmas?

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

TV Online

I'm hooked on cbs.com. I like it better than regular tv. The commercials are short - 30 secs. And I can organize my own "marathons" of various shows. Currently, I'm about half way through Season One of Perry Mason, and I'm loving it! It just kills me how everyone smokes, constantly!

I first stumbled across tv viewing at CBS when I wanted to see missed episodes of Big Brother. Now I usually catch Survivor the same way. But I'm having the most fun with the old stuff. I find it especially interesting to see the "length" of the shows. The old dramas are always 50-plus minutes - the new ones, barely over 40.

Maybe I'll check out other networks, eventually, but so far the ones I have tried want me to download their own video player. I don't recall doing that at CBS. I think I have a long way to go before running out of material, anyway. I do still have the regular tv, and DVR.

Maybe if I wasn't watching so much I'd be writing - there's a thought!

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Haven't Been a Very Good Blogger

I thought this would be easier - especially this sort of "personal" blog, but it seems I'm not writing as much as I used to. I still journal but not daily, and I still hesitate to put many personal reflections "out here" in Internet Land. But how hard would it really be to just throw a little update out here now and then?

We had a pretty decent weekend. We started Saturday morning upgrading cell phones for Ken & Lindsey, and adding a line for Carson (his first). It cost me more than I wanted, but isn't that always how it works? Today I went ahead and ordered upgrades for Camille and myself, too. Camille was going to wait for Christmas but agreed to remember this was her big gift if I went ahead and ordered it now, and I guess I just got jealous that everyone else was getting new phones!

Saturday afternoon I hosted a meetup event at Bedford Community in North Raleigh. We had a good turnout and the weather was beautiful! My friend Steve Quinney provided the entertainment with his buddy Jay on guitar.

Last night Ken & I sat in the garage & drank beer & listened to the radio. Nothing new there, huh? One of my favorite ways to spend a Saturday night :-)

Sundays are usually quiet, and today was no exception. I lazed around watching Lifetime movies, spent a while on the phone with my sister Deborah, and checked out lots of photo albums on myspace.

So how hard was that? Did I bore you to tears? Oh well, maybe something worth writing about just won't come to me every day.