Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.And when things start to happen,
don’t worry. Don’t stew.
Just go right along.
You’ll start happening too.- Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, Dr. Seuss
Blessings for 2009 from Carrie & Danielle.
Photo by color line.
First of all, if you’re one of the million, trillion people who don’t have plans tonight – I salute you. The media would like you to think you’re in the minority (“who stays home on New Year’s Eve?!”), but we all know the truth: sometimes, a holiday is just a day with a fancy name.
That being said, giant party with champagne and That Guy Who Won’t Stop Hugging Everyone or cozy night at home, there is something we can all do this New Year’s Eve to make tonight more than just a day with a fancy name. We can reflect on how awesome we are.
Find a small chunk of time – ten minutes, an hour, a stroll through the neighborhood – and give yourself time to remember the big things you did right this year. Believe me, there’ll be more than enough time to tell yourself what you need to work on in 2009, don’t spend tonight thinking about the future. Spend it thinking about you. What you’ve managed to accomplish, overcome, beat back, bring to life, and accept.
I need to take this advice. My Type A, compliment-shirking personality usually has no time to sit back and admire all I’ve done. How is reveling in myself going to get me anywhere? I think most of the time. That, of course, is the wrong way to go about it. Gloating and bragging are surefire ways to get tripped up, but occasionally surrounding yourself in soft, congratulatory moments is the only way to survive.
Because we will fail in 2009. We will. We will mess up, embarrass ourselves, forget, fumble, and fail. The only way to make sure we stand up again is to know that we deserve to.
Brothers and sisters are as close as hands and feet — Vietnamese Proverb
I have been blessed with four gorgeous children: Three girls, Jaimie (almost six), Jordhan (four) and baby Sophie (six months) as well as a feisty little boy, Xander (two). Jaimie struggles with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD).
SPD is a neurological disorder where the brain takes in sensory messages from the environment through the sensory organs but can’t process them properly. Because Jaimie’s brain isn’t able to read these messages effectively, it can cause confusion and she can become overwhelmed.
The signature of SPD is a child’s highly sensitive senses, which make getting close to them quite challenging; especially for a little sister or brother who only wants to hang out with their older sister. Jaimie’s most sensitive areas are olfactory (smell) and tactile (touch). This means that a simple gesture of affection, such as a hug, can actually feel painful, and if you smell “funny” to her, she won’t let you get anywhere near her. So, how can a sibling relationship flourish with a child with special needs? Slowly, gently and with a lot of patience and love.
Allow me to share how we’ve helped our children develop close sibling bonds despite a barrier of sensory struggles.
Those of us with more than one child know that including the older sibling in the flurry of baby excitement often eases their anxiety. We got Jaimie to pick the outfits each of her younger siblings came home from the hospital in, and we encouraged her to talk to them while each of them were in my tummy and even got her to choose little things for their cribs.
One of the most precious moments was when we got Jaimie to “hold” Jordhan. She sat down in her foam Tigger chair and we put Jordhan in her lap. The picture we took of them together is framed and on Jaimie’s bookshelf. We didn’t even need to encourage her to do the same with Xander or Sophie—she asked to hold each of them.
It’s Friday night, and you’re off to check out that trendy new club downtown. Or maybe you’ve scored a first date with that hot new guy. Perhaps you’re planning to surprise your long-time lover with a sexy treat when he walks in the door.
No matter what you’ve got planned, if you have any brains at all you’re not running around at the last minute looking for the perfect outfit, or shoes that match those capris exactly. You’re not experimenting with your hair at a salon you’ve never tried before.
The secret to making a great impression is planning ahead.
Planning ahead is especially important when it comes to wine. Like your shoes, your cell phone, or that amazing Frida Kahlo on your wall, the wine you serve says a lot about you. Sure, you can rush to the store at the last minute and grab whatever the clerk says goes with nachos and steak or chicken dijon, but do you really trust some random hireling to make a style statement for you?
Stored properly, wine doesn’t spoil, and usually only improves with age. Good wines increase in value as they age, too, making them a good investment. Here are a few classy wines you can stock, with suggestions about when to pull them out:
Beaujolais is a great all-around red wine. Fruity and fun, it’s the blue jeans of wine. You can’t go wrong with Georges Duboeuf, the largest producer of Beaujolais. His beautiful flower labels are easily recognizable in the wine shop. For ten dollars or less, you’ve got a great accompaniment to hamburgers, pizza, or any snack from cheese to cheez doodles.
Merlot is another must-have red: full-bodied, with flavors of berry and a hint of chocolate. Serve it with meat, pasta, stew, or hearty fish, like tuna. Marilyn Merlot, released every year on June 1 (Marilyn’s birthday), is a gorgeous example. The wine is as seductive as the label, which features a different image of the starlet every year. The 2005 vintage, released in 2008, goes for $27. (1985 is selling right now for $3800; 1989 for $3000. A bottle every year on your birthday might be a better investment than an IRA.)
The term Zodiac actually stems from Greek, meaning “Circle of Animals”. It’s also interchangeable with what is known in Western Astrology as a Sun Sign. What effect do these different characters have on you? Well, it can tell you a lot about yourself; help you recognize areas you may need to work on, give you direction towards potential careers, help you understand relationships, and empower you to make changes.
As humans we are the only species on Earth (that we know of) that looks up at the stars and wonders, or tries to consciously seek meaning and better ourselves. Determining and understanding your Sun Sign can give you invaluable insight into how you really work, how you may come across to others, how to better relationships and what you can do to keep healthy.
Look out each month for a new sign and new insight!
Capricorn (The Goat-Fish) Dec 21st - Jan 19th
Strengths: Ability to overcome obstacles
Weakness: Workaholic, not enough play
Colors: Dark brown, navy blue, dark green, charcoal grey and red
Element: Earth
Quality: Cardinal sign — which tends to make Capricorn restless, initiating changes and focused
Problem areas in body: Joints. Teeth and skin, sensitive skin, allergies and broken bones
Birthstone: Garnet - believed to help protect against accidents and falls
Lucky Stones: Moonstone, white onyx
Lucky Day of the Week: Saturday
Physical Activities: Jogging, running (especially cross country), golf, skating, wrestling, hunting, boxing, martial arts and weight lifting
Capricorns never act their age — they always take the role of adult, even during childhood. It’s always hard to imagine what a Capricorn is thinking at any moment as they are not an emotional sign and rarely display bad tempers. You cannot call a Capricorn melodramatic, actually, they go the other way completely!
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