New Years Resolutions.

Every year we make New Year's Resolutions. I've been thinking about mine. They are always the same and I never achieve them. I am always trying to change my bad habits. However, those are always the things that I turn to for comfort or for my needs.

It's really hard to change.

I will still write them down anyway.

1) Eat better.
2) Drink less.
3) Exercise more.
4) Be more empathetic.
5) Try to make every moment a good one.
6) Choose to forgive.
7) Be patient.
8) Accept the changes that come with life.


If there are anymore I'll re enter later.

Awesome days

Today I accomplished all the things I needed to do.

1) I set my intention for the day. I wanted to have happy interactions with people and have a feeling of peace. I wanted to give love and receive love.

2) I wanted to do everything on my to do list... go to work... go to my second job... head to the gym... go to the steam room... I did all that! w00t! I as this close to cancelling on my second job today and bailing on the gym but I'm so glad I didn't. I got a burst of energy from it. Feels great. I feel I am on the way to a better lifestyle.  I love the feeling of being in the steam room. It's a strong reward for me. Usually when I'm on a roll with the gym I stick to it for a while and I get that feeling again. I need to keep it in mind.

And I think maybe setting my intention for the day is something I should try and remember to do everyday. Why not wake up everyday with a intention of how your day will go.

If you don't know what it means to set your intention of the day it's very simple. Before you go on in your day, sit in silence, and think about what you want your day to look like. More importantly, think about how you will give that day. Why give? It's something within our control and it's generates good feelings.  Do not imagine your boss telling you that you did a great job or the man of your dreams showing up at your door. You can't control people with your intentions. Instead, try to visualize positive interactions, feelings and overall what you will do to make your day successful and go out your door with that positive energy instead of the morning drabby debbie downer feelings that we usually get on gloomy cold mornings.

I think it worked for me today. Today I reached out to someone from my past with good intentions. I haven't heard back from him and I don't think I will but that's ok. I got something back today. I met three random people and had three random conversations. There is enough goodness to go around. You should just give and someone will give it back to you. It might not be from the person you want it from, but maybe that is how it's supposed to be.

They say that once people let go of things that hold them back... three new things will come into replace it. Things can only come to you if there is room for them. So set your intentions and get rid of all the junky feelings you have. Replace them with something new. Renewal.

Canadian Thanksgiving

It's Canadian Thanksgiving today. I am in Washington celebrating with my family.

I just wanted to make note of this week. At work it was crazy and hectic as usual with the added load of planning for a Thanksgiving lunch for the staff and kids in our program.

A lot of team work and planning was put into this and in the end we had such a wonderful event.

Our lunch was beautifully decorated and food was delicious. We had enough food for kids to bring leftovers for their families. Most important of all the company was so great. Our kids were happy. The staff was happy and it was just a celebration if being together. We are definately a group of strangers that became a great big loving family. In the end we are very lucky to have eachother.

Today I'm in Bellevue with my own family and I feel so lucky to have such a caring and loving family to be a part of. I am grateful for so many things. I am grateful for a mom who is always trying to make sure we eat enough and wear enough clothes. I'm grateful for a dad that wants us to have the most clean and beautiful house to live in. I'm grateful for a sister that is always excited to bring the family out to enjoy a beautiful day. I am also grateful for my nieces who have made every day so much more special. Also for a brother in law that has become family.

I am also grateful to be alive and happy. Healthy and strong. I have great friends and family and I am also just happy with myself. I'm grateful for everyone who chooses to be in my life and everyone who was made my life meaningful. I'm also grateful for living in Canada where we have rights and freedoms to live our life as we choose. So I hope everyone out there has something to be grateful for.

Karma

Ever feel like you are experiencing Karma? Sometimes the Universe throws something at you that reminds you of who you are and what you learned, even if you feel you've learned it. It's a good lesson actually. Every body needs a reminder. Now I'm experiencing Karma. I will accept it and let it be. But experiencing Karma really opens your eyes. Rather than just knowing what you did wrong once you can feel what you did wrong. We are all innocent people just unconscious.

Karma and dharma. I gotta focus on my dharma now

Life lesson: don't complain about the choices you make like you have no choice.

If I refuse to ask questions I will have to live without answers and not complain.

I will have to accept what is without letting it be meaningful.

Fall ponderings.

The leaves have not changed and the weather is still reminiscent of summer. The only real change I've noticed is the mist in the morning and the dew that covers my car window in the morning. The days are still hot and muggy. Last night I went to a concert and it was still pretty warm out. We have had a long summer and I am grateful for that. Now it's Fall, and we are back to the hum drum of school life. Back to regular working hours and running around panicked in a classroom. With all the changes, I feel a difference in my mind and my body. I feel excited and tired all at the same time. I feel enthusiastic. I love the new year feeling when you get that rush that makes you think this year will be the year that our students will learn something they will carry with them for their entire lives. This will be the year. There are so many things to accomplish and the road is so long we can only imagine the finish line. But sometimes imagination is better than seeing the real thing. Imagination fuels creativity and hope. Sometimes the real thing will stop you in your tracks. So thank goodness for the illusion a new school year brings with it.

I noticed today that since I've started working again my shopping has gone up. Is this a coincidence or is this shopping therapy? Maybe I need to be more careful about this since I should be trying to save money as a life goal. The school year is when I do my New Years resolutions. It's when I feel like it's time to start a new. When I have an inkling to get a high instead of buying clothes I should go exercise which is my other life goal. I need to remember my goals. Actually I always remember them. I need to work at them. It's so easy to put them on the back burner.

Now also I am trying to ignore a situation or move on in my life and not let little things bother me. How do you do that? Do you just accept what is? That is essentially not resisting life. Be appreciative? I am. But sometimes it's very confusing where I am supposed to be. If things are right for me. If you are not sure are you just suppose to accept what you have and be appreciative?

Maybe the better thing to do is to look at this again in a few months. Not resisting also means stopping something that doesn't work. Things deserve some time however, I should not just be waiting around for the thing that is not working to disappear. Things like that don't disappear. I should also not be unreasonable with unattainable expectations.

On that note... I need to go to the doctor... one of these days I will go to the doctor... I really hate going to the doctor...another thing on the back burner. Avoidance is a great ability and can also be terrible.

Fall resolutions: Watching my spending, go to the gym, let go of something if I have to, go to the doctor... and stop putting things on the back burner.

Now it's time to go out and have a drink with the girls! 

I'm gonna pop some tags...

I went thrift shopping today! I was inspired by a coworker who found an awesome deal and I was feeling pretty lucky. I haven't found anything good in a long time but my good feeling was right. I found a load of stuff :)

A crystal 2-tier high tea stand. I don't have much crystal but this tea stand was really quite beautiful. I really like it. I got this for $5.


This is a creamer of a retro coffee set. I saw the coffee carafe last year at the same thrift shop but didn't buy it. This little guy is $1.


Baoding balls: I had these as a child. They make a ringing sound as you swirl them around in your hands. I find the sound and action very relaxing. Maybe they will help me with meditation. $6.


Asian style trivet. I love trivets and I use them a lot. Even though this is not vintage I liked how new it seemed and the style. $6. It feels like iron.


A beautiful glass jar. $1. Ill do something crafty with it.


Vintage binoculars with a leather strap. This is so beautiful even as a decorator piece. It works really well too. I need to clean it a little bit bc it is dusty. I splurged on this one because it was such a unique find. $20.


That's it for what I bought. However there was a bunch of other things worth noting in this blog.

1) This is a hand painted teapot made in occupied Japan. Too bad it had no lid.


2) Retro instant camera Kodak! There were a bunch of vintage cameras out there. I picked this up for another collector who loves vintage cams.


3) Vintage Camera #2. This one is also going to the collector.


4) Spotted!! An 88mm video camera. I picked it up and it was super heavy but useless without any film. It was sooo cool though. It's quite a striking piece of machinery.


That's it for the thrift shop today!!!