Words to live by

I mentioned this in my previous post.

A beautiful, wise, and soulful bench in the woods:

Poem: t-shirts

This weekend was a true gift in many ways.  Unexpectedly there was some incredibly warm weather for December . . . 60-70 degrees!  Although I had my usual plans of being super responsible-adult productive this weekend, I decided to abandon them to take advantage of this rare opportunity to get outside during the winter.  There are not going to be many more (any more?) chances to comfortably enjoy the outdoors like this until the Spring.

Being out in nature helped me open up my mind.  I saw a very appropriate, sponsored bench that had been engraved "Sit and let your soul be nourished by nature."  Words to live by, in my experience.

10 things to do over holiday break

I'm getting several days off work for the holidays but I have no plans to travel any place or do anything extraordinaire. So this is the perfect to opportunity to do a bunch of things around the house. If I actually do any of this stuff is not the point.

1. Clear out my hulu queue
2. Actually watch my netflix dvds.
3. De-clutter my bedroom . . . so many piles of stuff need to be killed.
4. Get a bunch of new apps on my phone.
5. Get a head-start on seeing the Oscars contenders (or just gobble up as many indie movies in a 20 mile radius as possible)
6. Have friends I can trust over and do a merciless closet culling.
7. Take photos
8. Finish reading something.
9. Write some serious poems.
10. Write a million letters to everyone I know who has given me their address.

Worries & Choices

The year is coming to a close.  And what I have been feeling a lot of lately is worry.  Today I'm worrying about worrying about worrying.

It's December.  The year is over.  Did I do enough this year?  Did I do anything this year?  Or did I just throw this year away?

I know in my head that I did do things this year.  But right now in my bones, there is anxiety that I'm letting my life pass me by.  A new year is coming.  What am I going to do with it?  How am I going to make it astronomically more meaningful, more more than last year?  It feels like a lot of pressure.

Inspiration Lately: Jeff Gola

I somehow got myself on the Jersey Arts council email list.  It usually has nothing of much interest to me, but for some reason I took a look at the email this month and found some beautiful art!

The newsletter was promoting artist Jeff Gola whose work in on display in several places in New Jersey through the next month or two.

I really love his work, and the simplistic yet mythic quality he gives these very ordinary subjects.  I really captures how I feel when driving through the countryside and looking at the farm buildings, and reminds me of my grandparents' towns.

Day's End at Updike Farm

Prallsville Evening

I think this one is my favorite though:

Lane at the Nursery

Let me know if anyone wants to go see his art in Chelsea!

Progress Report: November

1.  Read Lean In, The Beauty Myth, Survival of the Prettiest, A Handmaid's Tale, and Gone Girl

I haven't made too much progress on this, but I have still got some pages of Survival read.  I think I'm going to focus on getting that one finished before the others.  I am still getting distracted by magazines and television!

2.  Finish reading Anna Karenina and Howards End.
I read the first 5 pages of Howards End, but I keep trying to read it while I am going to sleep.  So a couple pages in, I start to dose off and have to stop.

3.  Learn some basic sewing and alteration.
No progress.

4.  Since we are on the subject of sewing  . . . Go to a tailor.
Trying to figure out how to find a good tailor!  Does anyone know  good site to find services like this where there are reviews?

5.  Get new glasses.
I FINALLY decided to get a pair of frames I looked at in August.  Of course, they are not for sale anymore!  But I found a pair on ebay and bought them!  Now I just have to get the lenses made and put in!  Hopefully I can get that done this weekend.