Quote of The Day

Live each day as if it is your last
But learn each day as if you will love forever
- M. Gandhi

Snubbing

Is it just me or has the political circus been going on for years? Thank goodness we are finally in an election year. I happened to catch "World News Tonight" last night (don't get me started on why they have World in the title), and could only watch in disbelief as I was informed that B.Obama snubbed H.Clinton - I mean they have frame by frame shots showing how it all went down. Anyone else catch this?

Seriously, we are talking about how a presidential candidate snubbed another presidential candidate. Are we still in high school?

Happy Books

Okay, a topic I heard at my last book club was that so many of the books that are read in book clubs are so very depressing. :-)

The thing is that so many of what I consider happy books are chick lit, and while they can be tasty like popcorn, there is not much to discuss. I find that I love many books that might be considered depressing, but I'm okay with being depressed for a good story. :-)

So, here's my question, can you recommend any happy books?

Postcards

Know how you travel to interesting places and they have the most horrendous postcards for sale? No? Well, it happens to me all the time. I'm constantly on the lookout for great postcards and find myself often shaking my head. Those of you who have received postcards from me, just know that those were the cream of the crop!

No-more. I've decided that it's time to make my own postcards - I mean how hard can it be? I can use my own photos and artwork to create unique cards designed by moi. Been looking at various places that make them, and finally decided to order 2 sets from MPIX.

Pros:
1. I love them!
2. The pearl paper is wonderful (they also offer linen & text stock)
3. I got them in about 2 days
4. They're having a 50% sale under the end of Jan, and 5x7s cost me $.40ea (not including S&H)
5. Incredibly easy to use

Cons:
1. Can only order sets of 24 - of the same image. Would love to be able to create different cards in the same batch
2. Cheapest S&H is USPS priority mail - but it is lovely when they get to you so fast

Bad postcards no more!

*
If you are a postcard fan, check out this site. I've gotten fun cards from people around the world.
PS: I love getting postcards in the mail.

Recent Reads

1. Barefoot
First book that I've read by the author. Liked that it was set in Nantucket - lovely island nearby. This book got rave reviews - not sure I would agree - it's a fast read, but more in the chick lit genre - which I do not read alot.
The story is about 3 women who escape to the island for a summer to take time out from various problems they are facing - fighting cancer, cheating husbands, illicit affairs, and small town living.

2. Possible Side Effects
I listened to the audio book during my commute this month, and really think that the reason I enjoyed it was because it was an audio book. Not sure that I would have made it through reading the book. The short stories are funny, some clever, and sad. The author does process a lot of angst in the pages, but I enjoyed it. If you do read it, call me after you get to story where a woman friend throws something at college guys who were annoying her. I audibly gasped when I heard it - wow!

Night at the movies

Last night saw Juno - the best movie I have seen in at least 6 months. It's the story about Juno, a 16 year old who finds herself pregnant. The writing is sharp and sparse - not a single word seems superfluous. Would highly recommend it.

Recently also saw God Grew Tired of Us, which follows the lives of some of the Lost Boys from Sudan as they adjust to life in the US. It really is astonishing what people can survive. A hard look at life in Sudan and the US.

Bluegrass

This past weekend, we attended a benefit for the Nashua River Watershed Assoc. The evening started out with dinner with fun folks and then a concert by the The Steep Canyon Rangers Bluegrass Band.

I must admit that I was not sure that I would like the music. After all, the last time I heard bluegrass it sounded liked cats on violins - way too screechy for my taste. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really enjoyed the music - though their lyrics could use some work. It turned out to be a very pleasant way to spend an evening, and help out a good cause.

It's the most wonderful time of the year

The good news - the Pats are in the Super Bowl.
The bad news - Green Bay is not.

What is it about Favre that has so many people who cannot pick Green Bay out on a map rooting for him? Yesterday was a football kind of day. The Pats beat the Chargers, and the Giants beat Green Bay. My one thought throughout both games is that football is a fall sport. Mid-January should be reserved for ice-hockey. It was about 0 degrees with windchill in Foxboro and colder than that at Lambeau. Those poor guys. Any who - on to Arizona where the Pats will surely win.

F1

Recently we had a work event at F1 Boston.
It was a first for me - and my heart was certainly racing when I first got suited up to drive. I loved it - there is something about the rush that is addictive. We did a 1 hour endurance race, 3 people to a team, and we had to have 5 driver switches. Can certainly see going back for another round.

From their website:

Speed. Adrenaline. Power. Control.

These are the feelings of racing—and the hallmarks of successful business teams. These are the feelings on which team building at F1 Boston builds—as team members work together to excel—on the racetrack and in your business. How does it happen?

Through the unique combination available at F1 Boston: indoor racing and a professional team-building group. Our multi-disciplined team will work with you to identify your goals, customize a team building program to meet your needs — and, if you choose, follow up to ensure that what your people learn at F1 is transferred to what they do in the workplace.

Turret

I am intrigued by World Heritage Sites, and it's my goal to visit them all (might need multiple lives!).

Did you know that San Juan National Historic Site is one of only 20 National Parks included in the World Heritage List of the UNESCO?

This photo is from San Felipe del Morro in San Juan, PR. I was captivated by the turrets.

Moneybags

My company recently got a round of funding, and after the press release went out, the phone has not stopped ringing. It's gotten so bad that I do not answer my phone anymore. It is interesting that I get both business and personal calls. I wonder if people realize that it's not my personal money - if it was, I'd be playing on an island somewhere - not here answering my phone.

Book Club Reading List

Here the complete list for the books we'll be reading this year:

Jan - The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich
Feb - A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
March - The Gathering by Anne Enright
April - Name All The Animals:A Memoir by Alison Smith
May - Lying in Weight:The Hidden Epidemic of Eating Disorders in Adult Women by Trisha Gura
June - The Passion by Jeanette Winterson
July - Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin
Aug - Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Sept - The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez
Oct - Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
Nov - Peony in Love by Lisa See
Dec - Nineteen Minutes - Jodi Picoult

Recent Reads

Here are some recent reads worth mentioning:

1. The Master Butcher's Singing Club
This is what my book club is reading this month. This is the first book I've read by the author, and I really enjoyed it. I love books that open up a window to an entirely new world, and this one did just that. It got me thinking about what it must have been like for German immigrants to the US during WW2. Posed questions for me to investigate further.

2. A Lifetime of Secrets
I am fascinated by this entire series of books. Secrets - what a universal human trait - and how interesting to see what some people have carried around with them for years. Always an interesting look into the human condition

Dental Appt

Nope, not for me - for this guy. He had to go in this morning for cleaning and possibly an extraction - ouch!

In preparation, he had to have no food after midnight yesterday. This morning he did everything but yell, "what's the matter with you guys? Where's my food bowl?". Poor baby . Felt incredibly guilty - should I not eat while he cannot? That lasted all of 5 seconds.

He howled all the way (2 miles) to the vet, and then I had to leave them there (still yowling). I get to pick him up later this afternoon. I am sure that I'll be more traumatized that he'll ever be. I have no idea how parents (of 2-legged ones) do this! Is it too early for a martini?

Another nor'easter

After a wonderfully warm week, winter is back is back with about 8" of fresh wet snow.
Finished up my 2007 art journal this weekend while watching NE and JAX. Some pretty great football this weekend no? I for one was happy to see P.Manning loose. Cannot explain it - just do not like the guy.

Favre on Fire

Man, oh man. Did you see the game today?

Packers against Seahawks. 2 fumbles put the Packers 14 points behind in less than 2 minutes into the game! Incredible game. I'd love to see a Packers/Pats super bowl.

Window Seat

Every time I fly, I think about the fact that 2 of my grandparents never got on a plane. They never got to see the earth from 30,000 feet.

On my recent flight to Vegas, I booked myself into a window seat, as the flight would occur in daylight. I'm sure that in the old days of travel, one got used to the fact that one was making a journey. This trip in fact would have taken many months and be fraught with peril. My trip was on time, and took me barely 6 hours to travel almost the width of the continental United States. No need to ford swift rivers. No high altitude passes to cross. At times I do think that in modern travel, we miss out on some of that. We do not have time to adjust to traveling, before we arrive. Would I change it? Nope. But still.

You can see more pics from my seat here.

Organization

It's funny how once you find a systems that works, it's hard to let go even though technology has moved light years ahead.

Here is an example. I organize all manila folders (remember those?) and electronics documents using a similar filing system. I tend to use one of 2 methods:
1. Filed under relevant year.
In this method, everything is in the right year, and then there are sub-folders that make it easy for me to quickly find what I'm looking for.
2. Filed under relevant topic.
Similar but different from #1. Here everything is filed under topic and then sorted by year.

Both work really well for me, but recently I decided to simplify my email folders. The situation was forced by the issue of how to file something that belonged under 2 categories, say a customer and a sales person.

I now only use 3 folders. I quickly scan everything in my inbox and do one of four things:
1. Respond to items that need only a couple minutes to review and respond
2. File under Follow Up items that require review or a more lengthy response
3. File under Hold items that require input/data from someone else
4. Archive all other items

Using Goggle Desktop, or other such tools, looking for files, or emails is as easy as a search on name, topic, etc. Problem solved.

Ns

I loved spending time with my ns over the holidays - they have gotten so big! We can have in-depth conversations about pirates, power rangers, dolls and other such important topics. :-)

Bella is adorable in glasses. She is so good at wearing them all the time - I remember how hard it was for her father to even find his glasses!





























The four mousekeeters - Jonah, Bella, Luke and Maya

The Connected Generation

It's a different world than when I grew up in so many ways - and here is one example of how things have changed. I remember clearly the first day I saw my first computer - I was in college! It's so cool that kids these days are so techno-savvy. Pics are of my n's Luke and Sophia over the xmas holiday playing with a new toy.

Katrina Connections

We often wonder what we can do when faced with disasters of incredible magnitude. Well, my buddy Ella stepped up to the plate and is an inspiration to us all. You can read more about her story and her new documentary here. You go girl!

Quote of the day

"Better to go barefoot than to go without books".
- Icelandic expression

Huh?

Now there are restrictions on carrying spare lithium batteries when you travel. You cannot check the batts, but you can carry-on spare batts. Note that a batt actually in a device is not considered a spare. Now gotta figure out if the batts I use actually give me a gram measurement.
Read the article here.
What gives?

Christmas Revels

Another first.

Friends A&M invited us to go see the Christmas Revels at the Sanders Theater. I love this theater - if you have never been in, go check it out. I had never been to a Revels before and was not sure what to expect. I hear that they have Revels from different regions each year, and have had them for a couple of decades. Very cool. Loved the audience participation aspect of the show.

Here's the show blurb:

* Winter Solstice Celebration Returns to Cambridge – Balkan-style!*

Celebrate the holidays with family and friends at the 37th annual Christmas Revels! This winter, travel with us from Harvard’s historic Sanders Theatre to the exotic region known as the Balkans, where we’ll celebrate the season with beautiful singing, spectacular dancing and many colorful folk traditions Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia and Bosnia.

This year’s production features a talented ensemble of more than 80 performers. Joining the Revels Chorus of adults and children will be Boston’s celebrated world music ensemble, Libana, Bulgarian dancer and choreographer Petre Petrov performing with the young Balkan dance ensemble Mladost, gaida (bagpipe) player Patrick Yacono, musician extraordinaire David Coffin, and old friends the Pinewoods Morris Men and Cambridge Symphonic Brass Ensemble. Actress Debra Wise joins us again this year as Narrator.

Sing 3-part carols and rounds with the cast, thrill to exotic Balkan singing, enjoy a seriously funny Mummers Play featuring mythological Balkan characters and, before Intermission, join hands and dance out of the theater for the joyous Lord of the Dance, Revels’ signature piece and a high point of every Christmas Revels.

Things that make you go hmmm.....

Got this link from Susan - she got it from a technology podcast - check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ860P4iTaM

Back in the Saddle

It is always tough to get back to work after a vacation - especially one that was long and lovely. Am back in the correct time zone (though still get really hungry at odd times - then again, that might have nothing to do with time zones!).

Anyone else struggle to get up and get to work this morning? It certainly did not help that there was a lump of ice at the bottom of the driveway that had to be shoveled before anyone could get out. I hear that we are expecting a 60 degree day next week. That will help offset the incredibly low temps we'll have today and tomorrow - think we'll have a high of about 14!! Brrr!
I know the days are getting longer - I have faith that they are will - never mind that sunset is around 3pm.

Traditions

Table-Top Tree
This is the first year we've tried a table top tree - had not even heard of one before. Well, it's small and easy to handle and really rather cute. Could be a new tradition in the making. I love the smell of pine, but the large trees start at about 75 bucks - totally outrageous in my opinion.













Fires
I loose track of the number of fires we make each winter. There are days that I get a fire going by noon and read or play by it all day. Wonderful way to keep the dark at bay.














Wine
Life is too short for bad wine. Enough said.




















Roast Beast
Yummy in the tummy.

Happy New Year!

2008 already! Where did the time go?

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be gentle at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.

(Part of an Irish Blessing)

Recent Reads

1. The Historian
Picked this book up while in pTown this summer - love to support local book stores and Now Voyager is one of my faves. I enjoyed this book - history, magic, curses, vampires, the Church, etc all rolled into one. I did not know that Dracula was a real historical figure - albeit there is no evidence that he was a vampire - but still found the story an interesting read. Makes me want to travel to Eastern Europe.

2. Origin
This book was highly recommended, and yet I could not quite get into it. It's a murder mystery of sorts, but had a hard time getting swept into the saga - quite disappointing.