Napoleon Invades

My youngest son's pet name on this site will be Napoleon (as that is his nickname at home). I used Picasa (free google picture program) to layer a photo of Napoleon onto a photo of the pre-Napoleon family threesome visiting the Viking Museum in Dublin. [SEE PHOTO BELOW] Primitive yes, but cool nonetheless.

My eldest son is really into military history, weapons, and scenario war games. He frequently quizzes me on the Vikings and other Invading Hordes.

Roman armies, having bested much of the known world for centuries, are, of course, fascinating to a young boy. I studied Roman history but apparently I didn't study the good stuff; I know diddy about legions and other troop formations. Mommy had to go and waste her time analyzing legal documents and historiography. Fortunately, I paid attention in Mythology class -- otherwise my son and I would have nothing engagingly Ancient to talk about. (Aside: When eldest son complains about the injustices of life -- "Mommy, you're ruining my life!" he once whined -- I tell him myths, such as the story of Prometheus. Were I truly mean, I would then make liver for dinner. But alas, my husband is a vegetarian, so no can do. And I guess, ultimately, I'm softcore.)

Napoleon Invades (PHOTO)

 

Goofy Girl: Can You Find Me in this 70s Photo?

Behold: a photo of my Elementary School First Grade Class. Yes, of course I went to Catholic School.

I love looking at retro/childhood photos of friends, celebs (and just about anybody willing to reveal their early selves). I'm not quite ready to post my 80s photos (Yes, I once bought something that looked like a Western petticoat, and wore it on the outside. It wasn't so much that I had bad fashion sense. It would be more accurate to say that I had no fashion sense; I simply wore whatever was in vogue that I could afford.)

There will be a prize for the first person to email me with the correct answer. (I'm thinking designer earrings -- my creations, of course -- or an e-certificate for free songs/MP3-4s).

Good Life: TechCheck: Grateful Gorilla Gazette Emails

I'm generally annoyed by articles urging beleaguered wives to provide mostly positive feedback to their Martian husbands. Nonetheless, no matter how annoyed I get, I like to try what works, rather than what should work, but almost never does.

Nagging seems to work for my mother, judging from her lifelong reliance on the tactic, but I'm not a nagger; I don't have the stamina. Wars of attrition bemuse me (Sure, Vietnam beat the US, but, exactly, who won that conflict?). For me, to fight generally means to lose, one way or the other.

Anyway, it infuriates me to have to repeat myself, and repetition seems basic to nagging. Really, what part of DON'T EVER DO IT AGAIN is so difficult to understand? But alas, I've been married for nearly 11 years and I'm really tired, so the Positive Reinforcement LifeSaver is looking good to this sinking wench.

Nonetheless I feel dorky saying, "Honey, I liked it when you refilled the toilet paper in its holder, and remembered to write down 'toilet paper' on the shopping list, so I knew to buy more. It feels good to be able to wipe my as..."

Hmm. So I developed the "Grateful Gorilla Gazette," a (mostly) daily email I send to my husband headlining the things he did that day that really helped me and that I'm grateful for (like arranging my son's parent teacher conference and showing up for it yesterday, so that I didn't have to do the babysitting run-around with my toddler and then trudge into the city during rush hour; it would have involved 2-4 hours of travel for a 10 minute conference). I truly was grateful, and the authenticity of the email made be feel good about the whole thing. I got to stay home and watch "Weeds" as I relatively leisurely prepared dinner).

The Gazette emails can be dashed off in 5-10 minutes -- and you and the recipient have a RECORD of the exchange. (Read: Easy and Efficient).

The Grateful Gorilla Gazette idea sprung from a stuffed animal, called BrownNose Gorilla, which I bought my husband for Valentine's Day years ago. BrownNose Gorilla is dressed in a suit and has a microchip inside. When you squeeze the gorilla's hand, he praises. "Great Idea," he syruply says, "You're Awesome."

My husband really likes the e-bulletins. He gets deluged with e-demands and "requests" and criticisms all day at work, and my Grateful Guerrilla is like an e-bomb that explodes with positive energy (for him and for me).

When I'm grateful, my pie feels bigger. I feel like I received something; I feel fuller. Abundant. Hey, I think, there's enough here for me and others too. It's not like I had to slice a piece of the meager me to give to someone else.

So, publish your own Grateful Gorilla (or whichever animal avatar you choose) Gazette today. Think of someone who did something today or this week that you appreciated, that helped you, and dash off a quick e-thanks today. Don't spend too much time (unless you get fired up and want to keep writing). This is meant to be an easy and mutually energizing act that you can practice daily.

So get going, and grab some gratitude, and hurl it at someone. Now!

Between Paradiso and Purgatorio: Welcome to my Hellmouth

Yes, I'm swimming into the Blogosphere. I've been hoarding witty rejoinders and...Must Get Insights Out...Too much reckless glee...About to blow...

I'm on leave from the graduate nonfiction program at Sarah Lawrence College and I'm itching to opine, words being my most soothing balm.

So Here's the Stitch: Topics will be broad.

I'm interested in getting technology to the masses, or at least kindred spirits, so that we all (w'all?) can do stuff together virtually. I'll be discussing new technologies (most of which are free) that I'm using (or more likely, learning to use), e.g., podcasting.

See, I've become reclusive, yet I'm super community-minded. (That's one of many paradoxes this blog might address). The demands of a toddler, a tween, and a lawyer-husband (strangely more taxing than the kids) have caused me to take refuge in my Fortress of Solitude. Classic introvert that I am, I tend to recharge when I'm alone. When I'm thinking creatively about stuff, listening to music, surfing the web for the next new thing...

Some posts will be focused on How to Live a Good Life (Ethics, Spirituality, Self-Care) and the practices that sustain the Good Life. I draw from Positive Psychology, Stoicism, the Bible, Wisdom Literature from many traditions (including pop culture), and life experience, mine and that of others I have observed closely.

I avoid platitudes. I prefer stories. Most people know the parables from the New Testament (regardless of religious background), the prodigal son, good Samaritan, etc. Why? Because we feel the truth told in stories in our viscera, in the pit of our chests, while abstract statements rarely penetrate our skin.

I set aside time to contemplate the Good Life, and I'm looking for kindred souls. I practice Gratitude fairly formally (to me, the exercise of gratitude is more important than physical exercise, which I also do, more or less, daily) and I will be providing instruction and sharing my gratitude experiences, and hope other bloggers will too.

WARNING: This blog will not be stuffy, and while I have strong convictions, I'm also fairly irreverent in the face of human folly, that of others, and my own. To me, death happens when laughter stops.

MORE WARNING: I can be goofy too. I'm a big fan of well-written, and dramatically-ensembled TV (read: good supporting characters and subplots). Note, for example, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reference in the Title post.

So, to help you navigate my blog, I'll post with labels like:

TechCheck
Good Life
Goofy Girl Goofing Off
Ah, the Children (parenting tidbits)

so you can cherry pick among the pearly bites.
(Oh, and did you guess, I love, love, love word play, as This Blog's Title suggests)

Ciao for now