Love Shack Nonsense

A Baby Boy: Sebastian 10 Days Old

A baby boy was created
by the hand of God above

A Month of Letters: February 2012 Challenge

So here is the skinny...

Last September, Mary Robinette Kowal  took a month off from the internet. During her vacation, she told people that they could correspond with her by paper letter. Some people did. Some people still are. Every letter delights her.

When Mary writes back, she finds that she slows down and writes differently than she does with an email. Email is all about the now. Letters are different, because whatever is written needs to be something that will be relevant a week later to the person to whom you are writing. In some ways it forces her to think about time more because postal mail is slower. “By the time you get this…” It is relaxing. It is intimate. It is both lasting and ephemeral.

How so? Mary finds that she will often read the letters that she has received twice. Once when she gets them and again as she writes back. So, that makes it more lasting. It is more ephemeral because she don’t make or keep copies of the letters that she writes and she is the only one who has copies of the letters that her correspondents write. So, more ephemeral.

When was the last time you got a letter in the mail? December sees a lot of mail and you remember that sense of delight when the first card arrives. You can have that more often.

So Mary has a simple challenge for us all:

1. In the month of February, mail at least one item through the post every day it runs. Write a postcard, a letter, send a picture, or a cutting from a newspaper, or a fabric swatch.

2. Write back to everyone who writes to you. This can count as one of your mailed items.

So all that you are committing to is to mail 24 items. Why 24? There are four Sundays and one US holiday. In fact, you might send more than 24 items. You might develop a correspondence that extends beyond the month. You might enjoy going to the mail box again.

Mary has a little blog that you all can check out that is dedicated to this challenge.  On this blog you can sign-up and register your participation in The Challenge and pick up the blog badge that she has provided.   You can also download a calendar and some participant stickers to help you get organized and to keep track of all your letters to be mailed...so sweet ;}

I'll be slipping my calendar inside of my Scrapbook Journal Life notebook since I've been using it as my creative agenda and journal this year...so love this!  Why take on another "thing to do" you may be asking?  Well it's simple really...I love to write and receive letters and I feel that it's something that we simply do not do enough of.  And it really doesn't take that much time to write a quick note (or a postcard even :) letting people know that you are thinking about them.  The bottom line is that...this is about the recipients and making them feel better...it's not about me.  I have a ton of older relatives that do not even use or have access to computers and/or cell phones with texting, etc.  The only time they ever hear from me is once a year when I send out my holiday newsletters.  This is about them and bringing them a little bit of JOY.  After all...it's the little things in life...that can sometimes make the biggest differences.

How about it...are you joining The A Month of Letters Challenge? 

Be sure to leave a comment and let me know if you are and if you would like to added to my list of recipients.

Fondly, Roberta

Learning a Foreign Language for Free!

OR...What to Do While in Pittsburgh, PA ;}

Can you tell that I really struggled with this blog post title?  That would be because I was thrilled to learn that this TEDx event was held at Carnegie Mellon University in good ole Pittsburgh, PA...the current home to my son and DIL, Timothy and Ashley.  Did you know that Pittsburgh, PA was recently listed as one of the Best of the World for 2012 in National Geographic's Traveler magazine?  Huh?...yeah that what we thought when I was flipping through my magazine and recognized this photo in the article...

Photograph by Brad Feinknopf

Extreme Metropolitan Makeover

Three rivers. One reinvented city. On all counts, the Steel City’s transformation over the past quarter century qualifies as revolutionary. Its mourning for its industrial past long concluded, this western Pennsylvania city changed jobs and reclaimed its major assets: a natural setting that rivals Lisbon and San Francisco, a wealth of fine art and architecture, and a quirky sense of humor.

Pittsburgh’s century-wide swath of architectural styles persuaded British film director Christopher Nolan to use downtown as a stand-in for Gotham City in this summer’s Dark Knight Rises. Sustainable design has transformed Victorian landmarks like the glass-domed Phipps Conservatory and created contemporary ones like the swooping waterfront convention center (above).

Blonde gets an iPhone...

...OR...What I did on my Thanksgiving Break ;}

Hilarious I know...this is what I look like on the other end...

 

Finding Inspiration for the Holidays

Wow...where on earth did November go?  I know...it has gone with the wind...caught up in the tail wind of my downsizing and blogging all about The {31} Purge ;}  Followed by a week of traveling and spending time with family for Thanksgiving.  So now it is December 1st...and I'm suddenly realizing that...I have little to none...motivation for Christmas...but I'm trying Denyse ;}

Now that it's all over...I'm just spent in the energy department :[   Let alone the fact that my Christmas decorations are stuffed way in the back of my new, downsized storage unit.  There is no way that I'm going to kill myself digging anything out this holiday season.  SEE all those blue plastic bins stacked way in the back...kapeesh!

So this year I've decided that I'm just NOT going to get all caught up in the commercial chaos and expectations that seem to pile up for the holidays.  Instead I'm going to keep it simple sweetie by following these few steps:

11:11 on 11/11/2011

This land is your land, this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me

Looking out my front door today on November 11th, 2011 at precisly 11:11 am and this is what I am so fortunate to see ;}

Fall has finally sprung it's colors here in Raleigh, North Carolina and we are ever so thankful to all the Veteran's who have provided us with this blessed life with all their sacrifices and continued service in the Armed Services.

May you all have a wonderful weekend remembering all those who have served.

Fondly, Roberta

Wal-Mart - The High Cost of Low Prices

This movie is several years old and I have never seen it in it's entirety...until today.  WOW! Is my first reaction and then as I watch and think about it more and more...it really makes me mad!  I find Wal-Mart's business practices so appalling...and that this is just another example of Corporate America taking over our lives.  First with their propaganda that they are saving us money and creating jobs.  Then by stealing our state funding in the form of business subsidies when building and creating their stores.  And finally at the Federal level as they avoid contributing to income, payroll and business taxes by building their factories [sweat shops :] overseas.  Oh boy...don't even get me started...just go watch it for yourself!!

 

 You can watch the entire movie here on Google Video: Wal-Mart - The High Cost of Low Prices

Home Office sign-Bentonville, Ark.  showcases Walmart's new LOGO {they have removed the hypen ;} and tag line:  "Save money. Live better."

Are you kidding me?  I guess they think they are like McDonald's with their historical count of how many burgers they've sold...only Walmart's sign says: "So far this year, we have saved families  $ how many billions of dollars"...look real close!

To be honest...I can't remember the last time I shopped in a Walmart...and I can't even remember what we bought?   I think we tried to get a key made there a few months ago and DH and just couldn't stand the crowds...yuck!  I've never been a big fan of Walmart anyhow because of the crowds, the lines and the darn parking lots!  I've also known a few people who have worked there and they've told me the same sad stories about how they were treated by management there.

How about you...will you be asking yourself..."just who is living better and at who's expense"?

So the next time I feel tempted to "just run in for a few things"...I won't...instead I'll find someplace else to shop.

Fondly, Roberta

Fructose Is NOT Sugar...hence the name Fructose!

Hey Biggest Losers...are any of you watching this propaganda on TV?

Well...if you are...I do hope that you are all aware of the fact that it is produced by the corn-syrup industry.  It's part of their "Get The Facts About High Fructose Corn Syrup" campaign under the entity of The Corn Refiners Association where they use farmers, parents and professionals to back up their claims that Fructose and Sugar are the same.  It's almost as bad as the first soda commercials showing babies being fed soda directly from the 7up and Coca-Cola bottles they are also getting the last laugh on us because some of us are considered to be part of The Biggest Losers...(see third video ;)

Note: if you are reading this inside a reader or email and you cannot see the videos then please open up this post here.

Fructose turns into fat much faster and more efficiently than other sugars...if you want all of the scientific facts to prove this point then just watch and listen {some of the stuff was way over my head but I still listened to the entire video ;} Basically he explains HOW The metabolic effects of a calorie from fructose are completely different from a calorie from other nutrients, including other sugars, and these metabolic differences explain its devastating health effects.

"The Trouble with Fructose: a Darwinian Perspective" by Robert Lustig, MD from Ancestry on Vimeo.

I {Heart} Faces Photo Challenge: Hands

Welcome to the iheartfaces photo challenge! Our challenges are open for entries on Mon & Tues (until 9:00 pm CST). To be considered as a winner of this week’s challenge, you can only have ONE photo in your entry and must include the I Heart Faces logo to your blog post or Flickr page in the comments.

 This week’s theme is “Raise Your Hands!” Read about more details here. 

This is one of my favorite pictures from my Week in the Life project this summer when DH and I were on the road quite alot!  I'm always appreciative of the fact that DH likes to do the driving while I relax and read along the way.  Through-out our travels we are always reaching out for each others hands for a simple squeeze to show our affection...so I made a point of capturing it for my WITL project.  Holding hands is big for us...we always walk hand in hand as well...that is until one of us starts having sweaty palms ;}

How about you...how do you and your loved one demonstrate your affections?

Fondly, Roberta

Mailbox Monday: Purple Love Giveaway

This is my version of Mailbox Monday in that I wanted to share with you the giveaways that I have won and recently received in my mailbox...nothing makes my day more like getting a package in the mail...woo hoo!

Back in August I entered Jen's Purple Love Giveaway for one month's supply of Nature's Path Love Crunch and Sambazon  Acai with Orange Juice!  Seems like Jen and I both have a great fondness for yogurt and granola parfaits ;}

 
A few weeks ago Jen contacted me to see if I had received my Grand Prize as yet and...to tell you the truth...we have been so busy with traveling that I had not even thought about it.  So Jen checked into it for me and contacted the company and they were just as busy as we have been and apologized for being so slow in getting out their prize packages.  So when we got home...the lovely package was waiting for us...needless to say I was very excited and impressed with how BIG and beautiful it was!

Don't know about you all...but I just love to see how creative people are when it comes to wrapping up gift baskets?  My Purple Love package is too cute with the top of the package wrapped with a paper ribbon and a Handmade Acai Seed beaded bracelet and is filled with boxes of Nature's Path granola products and Nature's Path the Eatwell Cookbook (full of some great recipes like: Hot Oatmeal Raisin Bars ;) set inside what looks like...a bamboo tray...how green is that ;}  Also included is a "Powered By Purple" t-shirt along with OVER a dozen coupons for the Sambazon  Acai Juice...my feet are doing the happy dance for sure!  This gift basket is just what I need to jump-start my good-for-you (back to normal) diet after being on the road the past couple of weeks...nothing worse than having to eat out everyday and trying to find food that is not fried, overly salted, and full of toxic chemicals/preservatives to make your body feel bloated and sluggish :]

BIG thank you to Jen for being such a gracious host for this Purple Love Giveaway and for making my Mailbox Monday!   Jen hosts many giveaways so be sure to hop on over to her blog for them...as well as...for some great posts on photography, creative arts like knitting and her lovely family.  While there...be sure to tell her that Roberta sentcha!

Fondly, Roberta