Life is good, life is hard, life is short, life is long. Be kind and tell people how amazing you think they are.

It's 2011.  Allow yourself to work hard.  Allow yourself to rest well.  Hug the people you love.  Don't give up.  Think big.  Never underestimate human goodness. Cry without shame, laugh with abandon.  Make eye contact.  Create ritual and tradition.  Embrace change.  Trust.  Be thankful for the day you have.

http://www.marcandangel.com/2010/12/27/101-short-stories-that-will-leave-you-smiling-crying-and-thinking/

Winter Song for You

I may have posted this before, but it really is lovely and my friend Beth recently brought it to my mind again. 

Happy New Year's Eve, fellow travelers.

How to Stay Unhappy

I thought this  was a great blog post.  Just a few tidbits - definitely check out the full post.

#2 - Obsess yourself with all the things that might happen in the future.

#13 - Always be right.  Never let anyone else be more right than you.

#23 - Get four hours of sleep every night and convince yourself that it’s enough.

#30 - Hang out with people who complain about everything.


#31 - Focus on what you don’t want to happen.

Hugging Cousins

111 in '11 Challenge

Choosing to participate in this challenge was a no-brainer for me -- plus what a pretty little icon the host has created!  I'm considering making the challenge for myself to read *only* 111 books in 2011, but who are we kidding?  :)  And there's prizes!

1.  Secrets of the Black Box by Amanda Wolfe
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Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge 2011

I've been thinking that I'd like to re-read my Agatha Christie collection and I'd also like to read more Dorothy L. Sayers (I think I've really only read some of her essays, never her novels.)  So I thought this challenge, reading mysteries written before 1960, would fit well with those desires.  The challenge is hosted by Bev over at My Reader's Block.

I'm aiming for the  Take 'Em to Trial level -- 16+ books.

Mural Making!