12/21/12: What’s Making Me Happy This Week

12/21 is the date of the Winter Solstice this year.  I love to find a reason to celebrate daily, so I will find some way to honor the shortest day of the year – a short walk in the early dark? lighting a candle when I get home? searching for sunshiney foods in the cafeteria (think citrus)?  Who knows.  One year I had a party for the start of each of the four seasons.  During my Winter Solstice party we had a bonfire on my deck and I’m sure we had good food and drink.  🙂

The lists for my 44th year are still a work in progress; part 1 of 4 is nearing deadline.  Here’s the list from Fall:

11 Things to Do or Look Forward to in the Fall (October November December)

1. Celebrate my birthday in NYC – check! October 1
2. Go to 4 Daughters Winery – October 13
3. Go to Door County to celebrate birthdays and trivia wins! October 19-21
4. Go to Bruce Springsteen concert – November 12!
5. Choir gigs and holiday concerts – November 30-December 2
6. Read … something classic or new?: just try to read! I read a few books!  
7. Write … poetry or themed blogs? Blogs!  22 in these three months – so far!  
8. Plan … a dinner party or ??: I planned a Christmas Open House!  
9. Shop early for Christmas gifts: Fail!  Waiting for packages to arrive! I’m thinking tomorrow will be a big delivery day here!
   
10. Play accordion weekly and give piano lessons as regularly as possible: FAIL!  Never home!
11. and something else that I’ll think of eventually!: Thinking a “Pay it Forward” or volunteer thing… – We did a Random Acts of Kindness Night for Cosmo Girls and it was so fun!  And I’ve done a few things at work to help make someone’s Christmas “merry and bright.”  

Not too bad.  I look forward to writing about my list for WINTER (Jan Feb March).  Much to look forward to in those months!

For now, what’s making me happy this week:

• Jimmy Fallon – Tuesday was a great example of a perfect show – Tom Cruise and Water Wars, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Judd Apatow, Christmas sweater giveaway… Always good stuff!
• Making it to Gracie’s play last week, going for ice cream after, and then a Christmas open house at Dana’s office
• Having a 3 day weekend without work!  Cleaning for my Open House, playing games and eating good no-fuss food with good friends and family, Christmas program at church and then the Lessons & Carols, shopping… a great weekend!
• Learning that we will get a raise this year at Mayo, even though they are making drastic changes in how they will operate.  They really value their employees and aren’t afraid to say so!
• A “snow day” today on my day off – hunkering down to wrap presents, bake cookies and make some soup concoction (not very tasty).  And then ringing the bells with Dana and family (per Rees’s request) in the blizzard-like wind!
• I’m actually sort of looking forward to working this weekend.  I know that no one wants to be in the hospital, especially at Christmas time, so I will attempt to be a blessing to everyone that I meet this weekend and work hard to help them get home to be with family.
• And then I’m looking forward to having 3 days off to be with family in Rushford.  Movies, games and togetherness!  Love the holidays!

What’s making you happy this week??

I hope that the darkest day of the year (daylight-wise) fills you up with brightness and light, in anticipation of longer days, soon-arriving Christmas Day and a New Year!  

Related articles

• Everything you need to know: Winter solstice 2012 (earthsky.org)
• Hope: From solstice to solace (leangreenyoga.com)
• An Opportunity to Embrace the Quiet Stillness in Meditation for Winter Solstice (ucmblog.wordpress.com)
• What I shall be doing for Yule (theasatrucommunity.wordpress.com)
• Yule (youngasatrur.wordpress.com)
• Light a Single Candle (erikhare.wordpress.com)
• The Renewal of Yule in 2012 (reclaimingaphrodite.wordpress.com)