I remember there used to be a bumper sticker that said, "My taste is simple. I only want the best." I also remember that I thought that was eye-rollingly arrogant and self-absorbed. (Then again, it's basically an Oscar Wilde quote, so . . . ) I still do, but I also sort of see the … Continue reading Joie 4 – Personal Best
One thing that I can always count on to bring me joy is the notion of celebration. I mean, who doesn't enjoy a holiday, right? Special foods, special clothes, special ceremonies . . . holidays are the flash of gold brocade in a basket of muslin days. (I'm paraphrasing someone there, but so help me, I'm … Continue reading Joie 3 – Celebration
For this "Joie" post, I want to focus on something we don't have nearly enough of - idle time. This is VERY different from planned down time - vacations are wonderful things (and the average American doesn't use anywhere near all their paid vacation time, which I'm pretty sure is a sign of a deeply … Continue reading Joie 2 – Idle Time
For this, my very first "Joie" post for this "year of joy," I want to focus on two things - the joy I get from movies/television and my plan to broaden my "food base." First off - movies and TV. Like many people, I found a lot of comfort during the "plague year" of 2020 … Continue reading Joie 1 – Movies & Roasting!
Now that the "Year of Roses" and the month of "December Delights" have come to a close (you can find all of those by simply searching for "roses" or "delights" in the search bar), I took a little time to sit quietly and think about both what I'd learned and where I wanted to go … Continue reading 2021 – Une Année de Joie
Tonight is the final evening of 2020, which means it's also the final day of these "December Delights" posts. I've enjoyed doing these daily missives and you can always find all of them by using the search bar on the right and entering "December." Tomorrow, I'll conclude my "Year of Roses" posts and lay out … Continue reading December Delights – Day 31!
As we head into the final days of 2020, I urge you to take some time to meditate on what you want for the coming year. (Remember, meditation doesn't have to be sitting cross-legged on a cushion in a darkened room - some of my best meditation sessions have taken place while walking the dog … Continue reading December Delights – Day 30!
As we head into the final few days of the year, I think it's important to carefully consider this past year. We will return to ponder this extraordinary year in the future as well, but it's a good idea to start looking at what was as we look forward to the new year that is … Continue reading December Delights – Day 29!
I always think that the last week of the year is such an *interesting* week. It's such a good example of "borderline" time (or "liminal," for my fancy academic friends). We have one foot in one place (the current year) and the other in another place (the soon-to-be year). Many people are being a bit … Continue reading December Delights – Day 28!
For many, today is the last day of the "Christmas holiday" and the final workweek of the year begins tomorrow. It's always a strange week, since New Year's is just around the corner. All the more reason, I say, to look for those "December delights," so we're going to continue with that until the very … Continue reading December Delights – Day 27!