Welcoming Week For 2011

Maybe we could consider calling the last week of December, 'Welcome Week,' for we're about to welcome a new year into our lives.  Welcome week or the week of reassessment sounds good to me. We go through the whole month of December preparing for the great celebration of Christmas and before one  knows  its come and gone.  It could be that we should be adopting the philosophy of the converted to goodness Scrooge,  who learned to observe the spirit of Christmas giving the whole 365 days  a year. That would mean of course that everyday would be like Christmas! 

 

Might I suggest however that the kind Scrooge would still believe in the logic of a good business plan. Instead of just giving his last dime to the poor don't you think he'd probably put a high priority in educating people as well? We've all heard that you can give a poor man a fish but ultimately the real solution is to teach him how to fish for himself and that my friends is what I think Scrooge would have done. Oh yes, he would have gone around saying, "Happy New Year!" but I'm convinced he would have tried to instill within friends and neighbours, prudent and  wise ways of thinking so they'd have a hope of really bringing about a Happy New Year, as much as possible by design.

I wonder therefore if the last week of December might rightly be considered the most exciting time of the year!  Always its been known for a time for the setting of goals and hopes for the year ahead. The thing that comes to mind when thinking about this week is a ski-jump leading to its launch at the end. The question is though,  are we ready for the jump and have we thought to prepare or do we rather go flopping off the end of the ramp on Dec 31 and say to one another. "Happy New Year!" Yes January 1st has always been considered a day for New Years resolutions--it's a fresh start or considered  a brand new page.

If we were to project a vision ahead, where exactly would we like to be a month from now, three or even six?  A year from now will we look back with regrets knowing we didn't make good use of our time?  I would surely hope not for that alone would be the definition  regrets. For certain in developing a plan many adjustments might be made along the way but walking through what you've laid down, one stage at a time allows one to mark their progress and provides a sense of achievement however small each day. "Well keeping New Years resolutions just doesn't work!" I can hear somebody say.  Admittedly it's a challenge to follow through to accomplishment but lets look in the mirror and ask the most difficult question....are we at times allowing the good things of life to rob us of the best things?

Do we spend an excessive amount of time on useless  frivolities which if we're honest  we'd consider shelving, or at least showing more balance and perspective in the time we allot  such things?  I recall an inspirational message on the 'Three D's', desire, discipline and delight. We all for sure want to experience the third D, delight. Nothing would delight us more then to see the realization of our hopes and dreams but to get to the third D, one most go through the way of the the second and that's DISCIPLINE.

Where again do we want to be one, three or even six months from now? What is the plan we're implementing having it laid out stage by stage to get there? Could it be that invariably some negative things might happen in 2011?  Perhaps.  You'll recall that Dickens not only wrote 'The Christmas Story' about Scrooge, but also the "Tale Of Two Cities' where he talked about the state of things in time, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness...."

In so far as it applies to us how about we be known as ones at least seeking to apply well thought out plans? Wouldn't that at least give us the best chance at experiencing the Happy New Year one and all are going to be wishing for us in the days ahead?  There was one last thing I was wanting to say...Oh yeah.....HAPPY NEW YEAR AND I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST!!! LOL :))))

Sometimes An Odd Time And All Of The Time!

Sometimes you have to laugh when you don't feel like laughing, and smile when you don't feel like smiling! Sometimes  you have to not take many things too seriously but try to see a bigger picture. Sometimes  you have to reset look to the future and set forth a positive agenda for happiness. Sometimes you have to shake off negativity  and rise up and make something good happen,

Sometimes you need to break through self pity that can hold one bound and make sure it doesn't take hold of you.  Sometimes you need to stop being a Gloomy Gus realizing some people have had the same problem as you or even greater. Sometimes you need to get your mind off yourself and seek to be an encouragement to others.

Sometimes you need to consider a few months from now you won't even be thinking about the problems you now face they'll be a thing of the past, gone forever! Sometimes you need to respond to situations and not react, responding being a positive thing, reacting being negative. Sometimes you need to jump up out of your despondency and bounce back with great resilience !Sometimes you need to refrain from getting bitter but rather to get better instead realizing that  many dark clouds have a silver lining,

Sometimes you need to capture the thought that weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning, Sometimes you need to not be pointing fingers knowing that if you do three are pointed back at you, Sometimes you need to stop seeking to give people advice like this  and let them figure out these things on their own but sometimes that's not the case. Sometimes you need to admit you're wrong and recognize that you don't need to do these things just sometimes, BUT ALL THE TIME : )

Perhaps you'd enjoy my blog, "Wilson From Cast Away Discovered On Lonely Blog Island!" Just click on the link,

http://bob-richards.blogspot.ca/2010/10/wilson-from-cast-away-discovered-on.html

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Refreshments Are Free And Ready To Enjoy !

Hi !  I had stated in the lead in to my blog that while visiting my site you're invited to have refreshments on the table and I encouraged you to help yourself to whatever you like. This is the refreshment  room and well, as you can see I try to decorate it pretty nice for my guests. Hope you like the nice white and red flowers and that you find them visually appealing.  I can change the flower arrangements anytime you like to add variety.

I'll show you some of the tables of the goodies and as stated before make yourself at home and help yourself!  Don't worry about taking seconds either, come back as many times as you want!  I'll try to add new food items from day to day so just give me a comment on anything you'd like.

First of all help yourself to a drink.  I have coffee, tea, and egg nog for Christmas and there's some bowls  of punch over there in  the corner!   You just name it and I'll seek to provide it. My butler and maid will go and purchase anything else we need as well. First why don't you try some  tea, coffee or punch to get the ball rolling.

Here let me pour you some tea!  If you desire one of those  cup cakes feel free, I see the dinner though is ready to be served maybe I should tell you to hold off on the cup cakes until later...but of course you can help yourself.  
 :)  

Here's the table full of wonderful goodies! Just join the line there and help yourself to whatever you'd like!

Lots of food on the other side of the room too folks!  No need to thank me , its my pleasure and delight to want to do something nice for those who visit my blog! I really think it's the least I could do!   :)

Oh, you say you would like a little bit more healthier food choices?  You don't care for all the gravy and fried things?  No problem...step right over this way!   Hey!  Now does that look good or what!

You say you've went up for seconds and thirds?  Hey take your time, I don't mind if you're here all night! Even just stay here if you like! No, no, no you don't have to pay me for the meals, they're on the house!  No you don't have to leave me a tip either, there's definately   no need for that! Oh you say you wouldn't mind some desert? No problem, right over this way. Better still close your eyes and I'll take you to them! I'll tell you when to open them. Ok good!  You can open your eyes now!

Now don't even tell me that you wouldn't like a piece of that! I mean really! Who could resist turning down such a wonderful delight and such a exhilarating experience to the taste buds as that? What happens when all  the chocolate cake is gone? Oh I have a whole tray of sweets! Again just help yourself! So hey my visiting friend! Thanks for coming to my blog and again don't hesitate to share with me certain type foods or refreshments you'd like to see in this room. My goal is to please and I most certainly hope I've achieved  even a little bit of that today! Thanks for popping in!

P.S.  Oh by the way in case you feel you need to burn off a few pounds after visiting my refreshment room  I have a treadmill room  you can  use as well, as many of my guests do. It's all yours free to the using!  Thanks for coming and hope to see you again soon!

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Grinch Can't Find Christmas Tree!!!

Christmas trees...what an interesting tradition, interesting for the very thought of cutting one down, bringing it into  ones home seems so illogical, getting it cut, lugging it home, dragging it into ones room and having needles scattered all throughout  and unceasingly  seeking to gather them up, assuming that is, one is using a real living tree....not a little crazy?

Perhaps a little crazy but fun?  Maybe the thing is the uniqueness of it all for it most certainly does add an annual touch of excitement of doing something to home decor out of the usual norm, or as some say 'variety is the spice of life'. 

Whatever generation of which one has been apart it is noteworthy at just how differently the tree has been adorned. Obviously the Christmas tree has evolved and changed with time, so let's consider a few of them.  It's hard for me to consider that the early decorating of the Christmas  tree had attached to them, real live candles aflame on the tree!  I can never get over the  thought of flames setting ablaze the tree and then the house!  Does each succeeding generation always exclaim of the one before, "I can't believe they did that!"  Edward H Johnson, an associate inventor with Thomas Edison of the light bulb,  was known to be the first  to electrically illuminate his Christmas tree, in 1882. 

It was not until fifty or so years later however that lights became a replacement for candles and maybe it could be said  fire departments  had more of a Silent Night on Christmas Eve, putting out fires.  While there had been various types and sorts of artificial  Christmas trees throughout history in the late 1950's there came a new approach; a Christmas tree made from aluminium. 

I wonder if its popularity was due to it being the era of man seeking to go to the moon and perhaps it was considered a tree for what many termed the 'space age'. If astronauts' wearing their shining silver suits were ever going to have a tree on board surely its composition would be aluminium. 

Personally I was glad to see it was a mere passing fad for as me it created  too much of a dazzling effect. Artificial  tress of various types and sorts were continually developed and one new interesting innovation came with the lights already attached.   Or perhaps some might prefer their tree, with all its branches and needles being themselves fibre optic light strands.  This means instead of the tree having lights the tree is a light itself.  One good thing with all the wide variety of trees, with the real or artificial from which to choose I'm sure even the Grinch who stole Christmas, may not even know what it is!  

 With the newest type of upside down Christmas tree i'm sure it would be considered Grinch proof. Perhaps his only conclusion would be such could never be a tree!  I'd suggest we're ultimately heading for the best innovation of all, if I might say, coming right out of the holodeck of Star Trek! The hologram tree must be up there in the distant horizon, a tree with no substance, a holographic projection  displaying itself in a 3D effect! 

You don't want to lug the real or artificial l trees, up and down stairs and are willing to forgo the joys every year of trying to figure out how the putting of it together?  How about a tree that your cat can jump on repeatedly and  never knock over?  If so the hologram tree will be for you!  With a simple  voice command your tree will appear, doing so  in whatever room, or in all rooms for that matter at the same moment in time!

Due to the programming,  you'll also will be able to change the tree each night to whatever variety you desire;the space age silver tree, the fibre optic type or maybe even 19th century candle lit variety.  The children of the next era will probably be asking, 'How in the world did they only cope with one tree?  We've got seven type of trees we can change over to at any moment and  I'm wanting  to upgrade my programming to include a lot more!"  One wonders, if wanting more of everything and all actually moves away from the true meaning of Christmas though.  Just in case I think I'll stay with my, 'Lights Already On It', tree'.

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