Looking within

Today had a rocky beginning. Ice on the windshield, hose frozen solid, heater in the old Yukon still doesn't work. Got to work late, and a tiny bit of unintentional misinformation passed from one to another, and it sure didn't take long for me to get into a snit. *sigh* Why do I always freak out and ask questions later? Why can't I be one of those placid, patient, unflappable people? When I was a kid, I always figured that was a "grownup thing." Little did I know that how I was when I was young was how I was gonna be when I'm old, er, middle aged. Welcome to semi-maturity.

I've found the times I most need a friend is when I'm feeling on some level that I'm not all that deserving of a friend. After letting me vent, my amiga W. reminded me, "That's not good for you, and you have to let that go." Instead of avoiding me when I'm a downer (like a lot of people would), she made the time to make a truthful statement and help me remember not to give other people the power to take away my peace. I did give a voice to my emotions. I pinpointed what made me upset, and I acknowledged it. After that, my day improved immensely. Another thing I considered with a clearer head: the life lessons that you keep getting are the ones you still haven't learned. Ah, there it is.

Here's a card I made for W. last month. She loves yellow and (IMHO) the card turned out lovely.
























Since it says "Happy" on the front, here's something else that I hope will make me happy once I finish reading the instruction book. And it could take a while ;-)















Concentrating on what brings happiness is the secret to more happiness. Getting a handle on changing some of my thought patterns and reactions isn't pretty, but in the end, it's going to help me. I feel like the stuff that happened on this Thursday was worth it.

P.S. I liked this week's CSI much better than last week. I thought the last episode with "Grissom" was great until the end of the episode. Don't like Sara, I always wanted Griss with Lady Heather. I like Lawrence Fishburn's character a lot. Reminds me of someone, ha.

Auld Lang Syne

I always thought "Auld Lang Syne" meant old times' sake. Don't know why, but it seemed to make sense to me!! :-)

Well, Miss Smarty Pants was very wrong, so please make a note of it, hehe. According to the internet, it translates literally as old long since, and is taken from a Scottish poem written by Robert Burns in 1788. The most popular version sung by drunken partygoers:

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And ne'er brought to mind,
Should old acquaintance be forgot
And days of auld lang syne.

(Chorus) For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

Here's are two lesser known verses that I also liked:

We two have paddled in the stream
From morning sun till dine,
But seas between us broad have roared,
Since auld lang syne.

And there's a hand, my trusty friend,
And give us hand o' thine,
And we'll take a right goodwill draught,
For auld lang syne.

For me, provided I can stay up until midnight, it's time to remember old friends, old lovers, old family, old times, and especially, old dogs. I can't say I'm alone in calling 2008 a rough ride, and I'm not usually sentimental about the passage of time. This year is a little different, I think because of all the changes suddenly thrust upon me and mine. I feel old and new all at the same time. Do you?

May 2009 bring an abundance of the following to all the ones I love - and you know who you are!

Health
Prosperity
Kindness
Optimism
Blessings
Joy
Goodwill
Memories--old cherished ones and new ones to be made this year
Sweetness
Awareness
Bliss
Photographs (you can never take too many)

Happy New Year with Love, Fran and BaumgardnersFour
(plus our beloved Tokyo Jones)