Category: Everything Else

What Did We Find Useful Last Year? Where are We Headed Next Year?

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It’s the End of One Year, the Beginning of Another. What Do We See in Each Direction?

I have bad news and good news. The bad news, of a sort, is that this is a pretty long post. BUT WAIT. The good news is that it is made up of a lot of very short snippets and links. Trust me – it’s an easy read from which you can pick and choose where you may wish to linger. It’s my hope you will find some nooks and crannies you would like to revisit or think about anew.

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Taking Time to Think About Time

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  1. Few Things So Influence Our Lives as Much as Time. Yet How Little We Reflect Upon It.

 

I mentioned in an earlier post that we might want to take a look at time. A recent birthday and the impending end of the calendar year both put me in a frame of mind to think about time. So, today is that day.

What Is Time?

Time itself may not influence much in our lives, but it certainly provides the benchmarks along the way,

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Something Old, Something New

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 Tis the Season to Acknowledge What Works

 This is the time of year when many of us are known to eat or drink a bit injudiciously. Not that has happened to me, of course, but I too may find myself, by coincidence, in need of a little relief from time to time. My search for relief reminds me that even in this age of new inventions and bold technology, some old standbys still show the way.

That is true in many areas, but for the moment, let’s take a look at over the counter medications.

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What Connects Thanksgiving, Christmas, Solstice, and New Year’s Day?

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A Time for Reflection, Recalibration, and Assessment

 

Happy Whatever

To say that we are in the holiday season would be an understatement. I read that from 1 November – 15 January 7 major religions celebrate 25 holidays. Tis the season. This is, of course, part of the continuing dialogue over the made-up war on Christmas. Acknowledging that this season has meaning to beliefs other than yours hardly seems to be naked aggression. But I digress.

Not One Special Day, but a Season of Thoughtfulness

I would like to suggest that we think about this season not as a string of holidays and events.

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It’s a Free-Range Friday!

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An Assortment of Odds and Ends for Your Weekend Reflections

Let’s Rummage Around a Bit

I am calling this post a Free-Range exercise, in part because that sounds better than the Messy Drawer Day. I have several short items for your review today.

Pretty well all of us have “that drawer.” You know, the one that seems to collect everything. For some reason, it seems to be a kitchen drawer most often. It has odds and ends from all over the house. You can never seem to find what you are looking for in that drawer.

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There, but for Grace, Go I

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There are life lessons and humbling experiences to be found at homeless facilities

 

Like many of you, I spend some time at homeless shelters, food banks, and feeding facilities. A lot of people do not do so, but they think about such places at this time of year. Kitchens that feed the needy and shelters that house them can go all year hurting for volunteers. Then, they are inundated with offers to serve on Thanksgiving or around Christmas.

I confess to my own biases about such places.

I am grateful for those that open their doors to all – men,

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The Zen of Shaving: Mindfulness Meets Facial Hair

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Hey, Mars. I think Venus is on to something.

Women Know Something Men Don’t  (Yeah, what surprise that headline is…)

Have you ever noticed that almost all the ads for those nice spas and similar places feature women in the ads? That is not a coincidence. Women make up the vast majority of clients for such care and self-care places. Most of the offerings at such venues cater to women and do not offer much that guys would be interested in. But guys, there is a lesson in all that; we should pay attention.

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Look Around – Nature is Painting with Light, Awakening Our Senses

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The Arrival of Autumn Provides Welcome Reminders of Nature’s Beauty

Fall is finally starting to arrive in my neck of the woods. Not a moment too soon. I, for one, had enough of a long, hot, dry Summer weeks ago. How great it is to feel the first hints of crisp air. Last night we slept with windows open to savor the cool night air. Halleluiah! This has always been my favorite time of year.

Such weather invites one to spend more time outdoors. We are fortunate that our back patio is completely private and very scenic.

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Tell Me a Story and I Will Tell You Mine

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Nothing Comes Close to the Power of Storytelling for Human Communication

 

This time of political divisiveness and isolation reminds me of the power and grace of storytelling. It is, at once, a social convention and an art form. We need it now more than ever.

Like most people, I have always enjoyed a good story. I am fortunate at this point in life to live in an area that revers good storytelling. Here in Appalachia, storytelling is celebratedand practiced widely. It is still a primary means of communication and of social bonding.

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Random Thoughts from a Mind Adrift

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Assorted Thoughts About Everything and About Nothing

Do you ever have one of those days where your brain will not be still, but neither will it focus? Yeah, me, too. I have decided that when such periods appear, one might as well enjoy the ride. It’s a bit like high speed cruising through a bookstore you like. All sorts of interesting odds and ends can pop up.

I made one of those “bookstore drive throughs” recently. I thought I would share with you what popped up. I hope you find some of it amusing,

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