London Calling

We made it to the Old Country and slept until nearly 9 this morning. One of my favorite things is watching someone experience a new country/culture for the first time. The joy that Jake has as he sees the history unfold in front of him is so fun for me. Speaking of history, we are off to see Stonehenge now. Now that's history for you. I am pretty sure we will figure the mystery of the rock circles today for everyone. Stay tuned for our answer :-)
Not sure how many pictures I will be posting while away as my iPad does not have a port for my camera but I will try to describe what we see as much as possible.

180

A quick update on my life...I took a year off from blogging in 2010 and my life did a 180 on me. I am overwhelmed with the blessings in life...I am holding them with open hands to enjoy them. I am learning that if you close your hands to grasp or hold tight to those blessings you cannot enjoy them, others cannot enjoy them and you cannot receive more blessings with closed hands. Open hands recognize that blessings come and go and I need to be grateful for the moments I have to enjoy the wonderful gifts.

For those of you who are interested, my next adventure is found at http://sarasmagichouse.blogspot.com/. Although, I will probably update this blog on my travelling adventures or other random thoughts that I feel compelled to share.

Until then.

THE CHARTER FOR COMPASSION

My hope for this world.
Love your neighbor as yourself
Do onto others as you would have them do unto you.

Review of Being Surprised

In 2009, my theme was "be surprised". As usual, my learnings about this were unexpected. I recently stumbled across a written journal entry about surprises. I wrote this down on paper a couple of months ago but thought I would share it as my surprising year wraps up.


Surprise vs. Disappointment AKA blutterbunged

For the last few days, the similarities and differences between being surprised and being disappointed have been aligining in my mind. With the "prepare to be surprised" theme for 2009, I didn't think that might also mean "prepare to be disappointed."

Here's what I've been contemplating - both surprise & disappointment are usually related to events/external; are both emotional reactions to unexpected outcomes. But surprise, I think, comes from not even thinking about the result or having expectations. Whereas a disappointment is when a different and unpleasant situation came about - not what was hoped or wished or expected. Surprises can be good, bad or neutral while disappointments are mostly bad...although I think we can learn more from them

I find I am often disappointed in people...in their character and actions. I find I am surprised more by events and coincidences but rarely people.

I never thought that disappointment was even remotely connected to surprise but as with everything in life, we do not know the future and the only guarantee is that we will be surprised over and over again - both for the good and the bad.

My research on the synonyms of surprise/disappointment lead to the most interesting word - blutterbunged which means flummoxed and discombobulated. There is an unpleaseant slant to feeling it. It is an archaic word that is rarely used today but it seemed to fit in the space between surprise and disappointment.

Perhaps my theme should have been "prepare to be blutterbunged"

Maybe it is that space where joy and sorrow mingle that surprise and disappointment meet. Although disappointment is unpleasant, it is rarely fatal and usually makes us stronger and more able to handle the next thing life sends our way.

Bring it on - I am prepared to be flummoxed, disappointed, surprised and yes, even blutterbunged.

Onto 2010 where my theme is "discipline." This word has many negative connotations but I hope to redeem it to be single-minded about achieving my goals - health, financial and spiritual...similiar to athletes who make every decision based on their goal of winning gold or achieving personal bests. One thing I know for sure is that no matter what I think about discipline right now, in a year's time, my understanding of the concept will be altered.

Something that made me smile

December musings

I am thinking about wrapping up my blog at the end of 2009. I want to focus on other things come the new decade. The decision is not made yet but the more I think about it, the more it feels like it is time. But before I am completely gone, there will be one or two more posts.

Here are a couple things that came across my path this week:

Obama's peace speech...here is a part that moved me:

So let us reach for the world that ought to be — that spark of the divine that still stirs within each of our souls. Somewhere today, in the here and now, a soldier sees he's outgunned but stands firm to keep the peace. Somewhere today, in this world, a young protestor awaits the brutality of her government, but has the courage to march on. Somewhere today, a mother facing punishing poverty still takes the time to teach her child, who believes that a cruel world still has a place for his dreams.

Let us live by their example. We can acknowledge that oppression will always be with us, and still strive for justice. We can admit the intractability of deprivation, and still strive for dignity. We can understand that there will be war, and still strive for peace. We can do that — for that is the story of human progress; that is the hope of all the world; and at this moment of challenge, that must be our work here on Earth.

Teux Deux

A new to-do software I am checking out. As a lover of lists, I hope it helps me hold on to everything I need or want to do. It currently does not have an igoogle app or iphone app...they are working on it. Will just test it out during the next couple weeks to see if it is worthy of my lists :-). Speaking of tracking things, I am looking for an online budget tool that is easy to do. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know.

I have started to think about next year's theme and long-term life objectives especially as this decade winds to an end. I am enjoying the Art of Non-Conformity's perspective on year-end reviews and planning. If you haven't checked out this website, please do...it has some pretty insightful and achievable ideas on how to live life fully. As much as I love my life, I know that I am not necessarily living as intentionally and fully as I could be. In 2010, there will be some changes...they will be difficult but necessary. I am an instant-gratification type person and I need to think more long-term about my life and humanity as a whole.

I will sign off with a quote from Dolly Parton...

You'll never do a whole lot unless you're brave enough to try.

Up-up-upholstery

Look what happens when life is so busy...I have so many blog postings/ideas and no time to post. So today, I am uploading all my drafts because I don't know when I will have another chance.

I thought I would share my adventures in recovering furniture. I have never upholstered or recovered anything before in my life until this week. My grandmother's old dining set was graciously bestowed to me. However, it has been well loved over the years and needs some work. I decided I was not going to re-finish the wood this year but I definitely needed to change the fabric on the chairs - it is dreadful.

I have done 1 chair - 5 more to go. Take a look!

The state of the chair seats when they arrived


In process removing the old...the yellow had disintegrated into a fine dust.


A first look at the possibility



The final product (almost - I still need to screw the seat on)
Not bad!