Thursday, January 17, 2013

Food for thought

I like pictures of Scotland. 

One of my favorite blogs I read (automatism), does a weekly post in which she shares all the interesting tidbits she's read from around the web. I love this. Her picks are really insightful, and some of the best stuff I read all week. And I read A LOT on the internet. So, I thought I'd take a cue from her page and share some of the more interesting things I read, that I could find again....

On Writing in the Morning and Chuck Close on Creativity tackle the modes of creating art and both are really different. I agree with a little of both-- some of my best work comes when I make a genuine effort to isolate myself, but I also have to just wake up and do it-- no environment is too perfect. So I agree with both . Weigh in, won't you? I would love to hear your thoughts. (Both originally came via Automatism)

Dear Diary, I'm glad to find your still alive A piece from the Telegraph reporting that 83% of teenage girls still put pen to paper and write in a Diary. The paper is British, so I'm not entirely sure if that's British girls, American girls or Western Girls, but either way, it's refreshing to hear. My diary was a life line well into college, and come to think of it, its probably feeling really neglected. Must write soon. (Which is how all of my entries end these days-- will write tomorrow, promise. xoxoxox.)

Beyoncé: being photographed in your underwear doesn't help feminism is an article exactly about what is sounds. I tend to like Bey, she appears to have made good choices compared to say, Rihanna and/or Kim Kardashian. What the article got me thinking about is the perception we have of celebrity, the perception of what we have of ourselves, and what our actions say about us. I don't know jack about feminism but my gut feeling is this: If you end up taking your clothes off to be photographed for the same article in which you declare that it's ridiculous than men have the power to define what is sexy and feminism, something's not quite right.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Goals for the new year: hey there 2013!

Many people have asked me how my social media fast is going.... And I have to say: really well. While I don't find myself amazed with the gobs of time I'm sure I was wasting (there still is the Internet after all) I do find that I have a measured sense of restored balance and peace. It really feels as though someone has turned off the noisy radio that was blaring in the back of my brain, all the time. One resolution so far is working remarkably well-- I can't wait until a month in to see the difference in my life.

However, I have more goals for 2013. Do you find the new year is the only time for goals or do you reset goals as you go? I'm a 2-3 times a year person myself, BUT I'd actually like a year where I kept and achieved all the goals I set for myself.

So....2013 Goals!

Spiritual
1) stick to a regular program of gospel study.
2) prepare a Sunday school lesson every week regardless of class there or not.
3) pray deeply on how to love those I've been given stewardship for.
4) go to the temple once a month.

Physical
1) Stick to my calorie goal and have a monthly reward for getting it done 90% that month.
2) keep working out with friends 5 days a week

Mental/Creative
1) finish the rough draft of my book and get through the first revision
2) participate in the best friends book club with vigor

Social
1) have people over in our home at least once a month (sometimes I have a weird phobia of hosting.)
2) send handwritten pieces of mail to people throughout the year.

Relationship goals:
1) keep a marriage journal. Write down promptings, insights, fun things we do together etc
2) exhale minor frustrations and inhale more love. (I get angry over really stupid things)

Random bits:
1) pick one area of the house per month to reorganize, deep clean and practice keeping it that way for that month.
2) do not despair over an unclean house. It can be cleaned again.
3) do not procrastinate cleaning. 15 minutes makes it feel a lot better.
4) take more pictures and journal the year as we go.