One of Mr. Bush’s memorable quotes of 2005:

– “See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda,” Bush said in explaining his communications strategy last May.

Visions of Orwellian-ness danced in his head…

————————————–
How about this as your New Years Resolution?

Dali Lama - Instructions for Life

INSTRUCTIONS FOR LIFE 1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk. 2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson. 3. Follow the three R’s: Respect for self Respect for others and Responsibility for all your actions. 4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. 5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly. 6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship. 7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it. 8. Spend some time alone every day. 9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values. 10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer. 11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time. 12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life. 13. In disagreements with loved ones deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past. 14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality. 15. Be gentle with the earth. 16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before. 17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other. 18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it. 19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Happy New Year to You and Yours!!

Downloaded a ton of podcasts from podcast alley. It must not be very complicated to set up a podcast of your own…judging from some of them.

Here are some new ones for my itunes:

1. Inner Path Yoga
2. The Word Nerds
3. Studio 360
4. History According to Bob Podcast
5. Nature Podcast
6. Meitte’s Bedtime Story Podcast

Went library bumming this afternoon and came home with an assortment of titles…Vegetarian cooking…history of France…health information…how to care for a Canary (yes, isn’t THAT an odd one? haha)…and a couple just for the photography. A donation of $8.00 was required (due to late fees on my part!)…

Weather is overcast but not cold out…50’s, I suppose and still have a sweater on and fighting the chill in the house.

Guess I’ll bundle up and organize the work area in the basement. Funny that being organized helps me to create.

More later…

“We cannot learn real patience and tolerance from a guru or a friend. They can be practiced only when we come in contact with someone who creates unpleasant experiences. According to Shantideva, enemies are really good for us as we can learn a lot from them and build our inner strength.”"

- Dalai Lama

Did very little today except eat 5 dunk’n donuts and take a nap in which I caught myself actually snoring!! What a repulsive day!! To combat the donuts, I sauteed some veggies late in the day and proceeded to consume once more.

Very ready to begin a better eating regiment and an exercise program. Another New Year Resolution perhaps…but the little excitement surging through my body with thoughts of obtaining a new and fit body because of said Resolutions, is generating enough energy to burn a couple of donut calories.

Despite the fact that the temperature reached into the 60’s, I have not been able to keep warm all day. Maybe a small amount of shivering will burn a few more calories!! Yes…I am blessed…

It’s about time for some recent photos…

Christmas at the Johnson’s…

The tree…

The mantel…

One of the boy’s (Spencer’s) school made ornaments…

After Christmas Eve dinner of sweet and sour chicken…

Today is for cleaning the house and listening to the ipod via a new speaker system!! Drinking some GREAT tea (from employer) and some great coffee!! I’ll be caffeinated up! Bedsheets are hanging on the line…wouldn’t be able to do that living up near Chi-town!

Blessings sent your way!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

There are some great download sites for web graphics out there…however, using this mac I can’t right click to download and if I click and just drag it to the desktop the graphic stays little and when trying to enlarge it, it gets distorted…any tips from out there? Is there a Mac user who can help? What I’d like to do is use some of the graphics for a background tile-like.

Have to go to a Harley store today to look for a gift…why is it that whenever I see a Harley Chick they look at you like they want to kick your Ass? So I’m taking my sister for added security.

This chick looks like she wants to kick some ass…

compliments of Sturgiszone.com
and the dude’s hair looks just like Rich’s…I can’t believe it!!

Shopping is one of my least favorite activities…already this morning was a bust. After single-mindedly driving to 2 destinations, it was discovered that neither had what it was I was looking for. Next year all my shopping will be done in July and online!

It is always during a passing state of mind that we make lasting resolutions.
– Marcel Proust