Thursday, December 31, 2009

Quote Of The Day ~ Goodbye to 2009

"Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us."


~ Hal Borland




Happy New Year, everyone....!

Monday, December 28, 2009

The Only Place You'll Wanna Be is Underneath My Christmas Tree

Yes, I am obsessed with that particular Lady Gaga holiday song.  No, I am not going to let the fact that Christmas is over (or the fact that I'm Jewish) keep me from playing it and quoting it repeatedly.

I think it's time for a fluffier, less emotional post. So, I think I'll share two outfits that I wore over the holiday weekend.

For dinner with my parents on Erve Christmas, a sweater dress from Forever 21 that I picked up a few years ago, along with super cute new boots that are, alas, not pictured:



For Sunday brunch, DVF Pella that was purchased last winter, but never fully appreciated until now:


Tuesday, December 22, 2009

You're a Mean One, Ms Grinch

Yesterday was a snow day -- DC was crippled by the "Blizzard of 2009", but  it was wonderful to have a three-day weekend. And the excuse to hibernate was greatly appreciated.

Back at work today, as one of four people in my department, I find myself pleasantly occupied... for the most part. I've said before that I'm the sort of person who would rather be busy than not, and that has certainly been the case today. Coworkers on holiday vacations (several in warmer climates, of which I am supremely jealous) means more work for me... and again, that's fine. Keep me busy, please!

But even as I'm working away, there's a nagging sense in the back of my head that I'm missing something. Okay, the obvious being holiday plans; my family will celebrate Hanukkah when we get together, and we'll go out for dinner (and maybe even a movie!) on Christmas. But it's hard not to think of the years that I've spent celebrating Christmas with others, in other places. Particularly last year, when I was in California for a whirlwind long weekend.... But whatever, that was last year.

And, while I'm on such an upbeat note, this nagging feeling includes the fact that I am likely overdue for a serious examination of friendships. I've been known to let people emotionally plow over me in the past, and to remain in unhealthy relationships with those who don't really have my best interests at heart.  It may not be the most wonderful time of the year to jettison a worn out friendship or two, but it may be something I have to consider for 2010.

But enough about this emotional work that I have ahead of me. Right now, contemplation does no more than add to my Grinch-y attitude. No time to get emotional! I've got work to do, people. Making a difference in people's lives, et cetera.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Quote of the Day

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Quote Of The Day

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."


~ Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain)

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Quote of the Day

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

~ Victor Frankl

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

A Few Things I Have Learned Recently

~ That I work with some amazing, brilliant and incredibly insightful people - and not just in the DC office, within my immediate surroundings. The two coworkers who were visiting last week helped me realize this... and I'm grateful to them, because it reinforced my love of my work.

~ That I can make myself heard at work, and should do so more often. Sometimes, I really do know what I'm talking about.

~ That dealing with wintry weather in DC is always going to be roaring pain in the ass, from now until eternity. Because every single winter, the fellow residents of my fair home town are shocked and terrified when it snows, the roads freeze, or the weather forecasters simply predict such astounding occurrences. It's awful and hilarious.

~ That I love having a cat -- my cat, this particular cat -- more than I had expected.

~ That I can't buy all of the shoes that I want, because there are people in my life who deserve holiday presents. Even if the shoes are all really, really cute. 

~ That my lack of patience and need for control simply cannot extend to every single aspect of my life. I know this, I've said it before, people have told me this before, this is not really something that I've learned recently... but I still need to remind myself:  There is a process. I have to do it one day at a time.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Quote of The Day

“Buying something on sale is a very special feeling. In fact, the less I pay for something, the more it is worth to me.”

~ Rita Rudner

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Word Of The Day

amour-propre or amour propre

PRONUNCIATION:
(ah-moor PRO-pruh)

MEANING:
noun: Self-esteem; self-respect.

ETYMOLOGY:
From French amour-propre (self-esteem), from amour (love) + propre (own).

USAGE:
"Diaghilev was always happy to trample on the feelings of his colleagues if he thought that the outcome merited it and at different times we see Fokine, Benois, Bakst, and Nijinsky all desolated by jealousy and injured amour-propre."
Luke Jennings; A Tyrannical Genius; The Observer (London, UK); Oct 25, 2009.