Attention to Detail

As I plucked a tiny piece of paper wrap from melted butter on my leftover peas, I was impressed with the attention to detail and the sign that I’m not going blind in my old age (as much as I thought.)  However, losing sight of big over-arching matters (“… the forest for the trees”) can impede real progress, and result in being out of touch with reality.  There are many pros and cons.

On the bright side, I just noticed a plastic insert protruding from the front edge of my laptop, where I discovered an SD card reader I'd forgotten was there.  It must have popped out when the computer fell on the floor last night when I wasn’t paying attention in the dark; (I won’t go into embarrassing detail about how that happened, or how I've been using my clunky old SD card reader that plugs into USB.)

Is it a pathway to perfection?  Consider the possible pitfalls of being a perfectionist, including OCD and anti-social behavior.  Nevertheless, organization does matter, such as recording contact information in an efficient, easy-lookup way, e.g.  (Mobile handwriting on back of receipts, where contact info goes nowhere, just didn’t work for me, so I changed in 2012.)  Important meetings and tasks can be remembered by meticulously following a TO-DO list.  At the store, I like to double-check Kay’s shopping list before returning home to her loving arms; (she’s delighted when I get it right.)

I have this lingering doubt about Dockers pants instructions to “Wash garment inside out.”  What about drying?  Could “wash” refer to the entire laundry process?  Is drying outside-out (my preference) bad, as good, or better?  Can consumers sit back and simply overlook possible ambiguity or lack of vital information?  It’s a consequential question that designers, editors and manufacturers should take seriously.  (Gulp!  I bit off more than I can chew with that one -- not very fast.  Sorry.)

Finding Peace

On this holiday morning, I sincerely wish a “Happy New Year” to my few followers and everyone who will never see this.

Last month I thought a lot about peace, probably because December was so hectic, and I felt a special yearning.  Was I alone in that, with everyone else accepting the inevitability of holiday stress?

The peace I was seeking brings me happiness.  There are tons of books written about happiness; (demand must be great.)  In her 2009 book, The Happiness Project, author Gretchen Rubin describes her year-long search for it.  Her further-reading suggestions include:

The Conquest of Happiness by Bertrand Russell, 1930.

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by (guess who?), Yale U. Press, 1964.

The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less by Barry Schwartz, 2004.

I have my own list, including some favorites in my blog profile since the beginning.  Yes, I found peace --in hearing Christmas music, studying scriptures, and visiting loved ones.  I’d love to share it in the days to come.

Last Trading Day

As I watched the stock market open down slightly, with CNBC hosts reflecting on the passing year, the thought occurred to me that I should trade old habits and ways, for better ones next year –or maybe tomorrow!  (Why not today?)  I also thought Sunday, our day of rest, the first day of the week and the new year, will be the perfect time to solidify positive changes in my life.  May we all thus find greater happiness in 2012.

A Birthday Remembered

Often lost in the last-minute hustle of Christmas shopping and parties, is the birthday of a modern-day prophet named Joseph Smith.  I quote from page 33 of the book by George Q. Cannon, published in 1888, titled The Life of Joseph Smith The Prophet: 
"The circumstances and surroundings of the elder Joseph were of the humblest, when unto his house was born, on the 23rd of December, 1805, Joseph, the Prophet of the Last Dispensation.  The family were still living in the little town of Sharon, in Windsor County, Vermont; and were, at the time, greatly impoverished.  Very early, therefore, was the future Prophet compelled to learn the lessons of labor, patience, and self-denial."

"Happy Holidays"

The imperative (for some) of the politically correct, inclusive greeting, "Happy holidays", and celebration of the winter solstice (certainly a "celestial event") have once again come upon us.  I don't have a problem with that.  A fast Google search yields more than a few results, as usual.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/.../winter-solstice-2011-
"The winter season will officially begin in the northern hemisphere on Dec. 22 with the annual celestial event known as the winter solstice."  "Shortest Day Of The Year ..."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice
"This article is about the astronomical and cultural event of winter solstice, also known as midwinter."

http://www.timeanddate.com/ › Calendar
"The December solstice will occur at 05:30 UTC on December 22, 2011. The December solstice is also known as the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere ..."

news.nationalpost.com/2011/.../winter-solstice-2011-
"Depending on where you are in the world, December 21 or 22 marks the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere: the official beginning of ..."

Time to Accept Change

My wife Kay, an English teacher by profession, seems to have accepted the new 21^st-Century English grammar;  I am still struggling to toss out some rules drilled into my brain during grade school and strictly followed ever since.  I’m just glad our family values and religious principles have not been “degraded”* like rules of English grammar have, according to common usage over so many years; (*that’s my opinion, anyway.)

Kay claims the Modern Language Association (MLA) is the ultimate authority on English language evolution.  Searching their mla.org website, I found no information to verify that, or examples to confirm any changes that have disturbed me for many years, especially in advertising and otherwise intelligent TV/radio talk.  The MLA organization is obviously for helping teachers and other professionals, and seems authoritative enough.  Don’t worry – I’m not losing any sleep over this; I just find it very interesting.  Maybe it's just me; (I'm accepting!) 

“Founded in 1883 by teachers and scholars, the Modern Language Association (MLA) promotes the study and teaching of language …”  -- www.mla.org

If you was me, what would you do?  There are lots of examples, and I may add another here.  As I’ve lamented before, “I guess this is us now.”  (Ouch!)  There went a fast lunch break.

Gratitude Attitude

A text message I received anonymously this morning started my day right:
"Happy Thanksgiving I am so thankful for all the amazing family and friends that I have” 6:52AM
--(perfectly understood without punctuation.)  Of course, I had to find out who sent it; so I searched my current NedNote (Notepad) file for the last 4 digits of the phone number, and found my young neighbor.  (I wish it were that easy to find certain other things in our home.)  I replied with thanks, and passed it forward to my close friend in St. George, Utah, and to family in Riverton.

Recalling my thoughts from two years ago (thanks again to Microsoft Notepad):

9:33 PM 11/29/2009 Sunday  ... Grateful to be alive after all these years!

[Previous] Thurs. Thanksgiving was a nice quiet day with Katie & Jared here; we all had a lot to be thankful for, including great food!  Sat. we hosted the whole family (except Angie & Chris.)  A family walk at GSL Shorelands Preserve was wonderful -just what we needed.

Watched with Quinn & family: "The First Thanksgiving" animated video from Living Scriptures; grateful for the Pilgrims' sacrifices and faith.