Handy

I just discovered this fabulous website. Perusing just the first page, there are at least a dozen tutorials that I would love to make use of!

http://www.howtohistory.com/video-tutorials/

And it's fun seeing how many different directions one can go with historical geekiness.

Just for Reflection

A friend posted this to Facebook. I giggled, paused for reflection, and giggled some more. So now you can do the same!

I don't really make New Year's Resolutions, I make Every Day Resolutions. One of them: making fewer snap judgments about people. We all like to think we are modern, open minded people, but I've noticed that we ALL tend to do this, no matter how open-minded we think we are. I'd like to start being more accepting of people from social circles outside of my own, without automatically assuming they can have nothing to say that will interest me.

I'd also like to be more motivated. This one is simpler, but probably harder!

Any Every Day Resolutions of your own?

Because Everybody's Doing It

I guess I should blog about the New Year, since everyone else is, eh?

While there are a lot of wonderful things to look forward to in 2011, I'm not sure I'm ready for 2010 to be done. I mean, I still haven't figured it out. Did it have a theme, or a particular direction? Surely there wasn't time for that, it only started yesterday, didn't it? I'd say that for 2011 I hope to be more observant of my days as they slip past me, in order to somehow make better sense of my life, but that doesn't happen. I'm kinda too busy living in my life to actually understand it. God-willing, the years will only improve with time, with or without my understanding.

And I've stolen the following benediction from Neil Gaiman's blog, as there really isn't a whole lot else that can or should be said, besides that, and my own brief addition at the very end:

"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself."

And may God grant us peace and love in all the years to come.

Bliss doesn't look like you'd think it might...

It's Monday, and I'm at work on my 26th birthday. I have no real birthday plans, no party to go to. I have 2 dollars in my checking account. But I saw Travis this morning, if only for a few minutes and I have a bouquet of bright, colorful flowers on the table in my office; a gift from my in-laws. I've had dozens of birthday wishes from family and friends, and I'm looking forward to going home and having a supper of Thanksgiving leftovers, mulling over fresh holiday memories with loved ones, drinking rum, and having a bonfire in the middle of the living room with my roommate. (The plan is to pull out all of the candles we own and light them all at once. You have to be creative when you're too poor to have a fireplace.) And it's snowing on my birthday for the first time in years. It's shaping up to be a pretty good way to celebrate! And I don't think I'd do anything differently, after all.

Thanks everyone for birthday wishes, gifts, and love. Love to you all!

Introspective and Extrospective

So, when you discover what the root of your problems are, isn't it logical to pull up the root and get rid of it? What do you do when you realize that People are the root? Just plain old human nature? Sometimes they're well-intentioned and caring, but other times just thoughtless, self-serving, or even mean-spirited. You can't just root up humans and get rid of them, can you? When an old friend ignores you for a newer one, or when gossip is thoughtlessly spread, and it comes back full circle--can't you just retreat into yourself and away from society, and dispense with the whole mess altogether? Declare yourself to be neutral and isolated? Why can't you be a human Switzerland? Self-sufficient. Why did God make us to need other people? It would be so much easier to be a lone survivalist in the wilderness.

And what about when you realize, suddenly, shockingly, that you're a People too? That you, yes, YOU, as an individual, to the core, are not just an individual, but a part of the group, the People, and as such, you are also sometimes well-intentioned and caring, but also thoughtless, self-serving, or even, yes, even mean-spirited? You don't necessarily mean to be, but sometimes you just are. Because believe it or not, YOU are a flawed human being too.

What's the solution to the problem then?

You can try to be better, but you know you're gonna fuck up again, and everyone else is going to fuck up again, and again, and again. No matter how many times they/we/I get it right, it's also gonna go wrong. Does that give us enough reason to stop trying not to fuck up, at least too badly?

I know the answer to that last question, at least.

But sometimes you just really want to stop trying, and just go be a hermit, where no one is going to hurt you, and you can't hurt anyone else.

I'm off in 1o minutes to a new adventure! I'm doing something I've always wanted to do...going to the Sturgis Rally on a motorcycle! Now, everyone knows I'm by no means a hard-core biker chick. (Or even moderately-solid-core). But as a former Nebraskan, and a neophyte South Dakotan, the Sturgis rally is an event I hear a lot about, and have always been curious to see. So I'm pretty excited to be going. Besides, the Black Hills are always a great place for a road trip, and I haven't yet spent a weekend with the boyfriend that I haven't enjoyed. So I'm pretty excited!

And prayers for safe travels never go amiss. Hint, hint.

Tea

I will write an ode to tea some day. Besides babies and horses it might be the most wonderful thing God put on earth. Just inhaling the scented steam while it steeps is soul-soothing. It's effects begin before you even take a sip. It's not the caffeine; it works with herbal teas too. It's like nirvana in a cup (Buddhism, not the band. Not that the band is bad, I just don't find them quite as calming).

Ok. The day can proceed again.