I blame my mother.

So, Mom tells me yesterday how she has already finished the book I gave her for Christmas.  I get home and look around.  I'm surrounded by books.  I would probably have to quit working and sit at home for years before I'd get all of them read...which sounds better to me than most people might believe and certainly than they'd wish on themselves.  I decided that simply won't do.  I can't quit working, but that doesn't mean I can't get after some reading.

Tonight the movie version of Bill O'Reilly's book Killing Lincoln is on the FoxNews Channel.  Figured if I'm going to watch the movie (which is starting right now), I should read the book.  So I started reading it last night.  I've read a little bit tonight while other things were on and before picking up the technology.

So I will have to make sure I start carrying this book around with me and find times to read.  I love to read and have many, many options from which to choose.  So why don't I?  Time?  Energy?  Lighting?  The television?  So many sorry excuses!  I guess this is a little bit of a pre-New Year's resolution except that I'm not promising to read more or a certain number or anything like that.  Just feeling that if I'm going to own so many books I aught to at least try to read a greater portion of them...

...I would wait until I retire and have more time, but my luck the economy will never allow that, so...I bow to the jealousy of Mom's managing to read a whole book in a short time.

"You're cranky! You need a nap!"

Indeed!  I don't know how I get through some days.  I was reminded again today what the little actress I can be.  I don't know how I got through my work today, making newbies laugh, being patient with what surely was the embodiment of ignorance (or something) when all I wanted to do was be at home asleep in the recliner.

And I did fall asleep in the recliner tonight.  I put on my pjs, made some dinner, ate a whole bunch and then rocked myself to sleep and ended up missing the weather report.  (Darn it!)  I fell asleep in the recliner yesterday afternoon and the day before, too.  There's something about this chair!

In part this is my own fault.  I'm not actually putting in enough hours in bed asleep.  I have too many bad habits that shrink my sleep time and probably affect the quality, too.  There's a New Year's resolution in there somewhere...if I was the type to make one of those.

Not the Usual "Buddy" Movie

I just watched a movie that I don't even know how it made it onto my Netflix list.  It was amazing.  I've seen Robert Downey Jr. before (who hasn't?), but not respected his acting so much as in this movie.  I've seen Jamie Foxx in things before, too, but talk about an unbelievably difficult role!  It was very moving.  And, did I mention it's a true story?  It's called "The Soloist."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OdIYUPc40M

No Resolve

We're only a few days away from the new year.  2015.  Already.  Am I the only one in shock?  Probably not.  Coming to the realization the next year is so close has given me pause once or twice.

 It's already all over the television about the next holiday specials and, of course, New Year's resolutions.  I guess a lot of people make those.  I don't.  Never have.  I understand the concept.  The logic isn't lost on me.  New year, new you, blah, blah, blah.  My usual excuse is that I don't like setting myself up for failure.  (They say most resolutions are never kept, so I resolve to not put myself in that position.)  Or, maybe I'm just lazy.

It's not that there aren't things to change.  There are always things I would like to change.  I just really lack the desire to, upon the start of the new year, say "this year I will..." and then somehow make whatever it is happen.

For example, could I resolve to not eat this whole frozen pizza in one sitting?  Sure...but why?  Just because I shouldn't eat a whole pizza?  (It's not that big and who else is going to eat it?  Samson?  He probably wouldn't mind, but he shouldn't eat that much pizza either.)

Sometimes I think that the whole resolution thing is horribly cliche.  And I'm great at rationalizing.  But, I also know that's what I'm doing.  Of course, life being so incredibly unpredictable, managing my resolve would make it easier to go with the flow.  So, maybe this coming year should be different.  Maybe this time I could actually make a resolution and then magically keep it.  Maybe, just maybe, this time I will resolve to not resolve to not make any resolutions.  Then, if I decide to be resolute about something, I'm not undoing a resolution already.

Oh.  And I did eat the whole pizza.  What?!  It's really good pizza!

Night at the Museum

Friday night I drove to Omaha and picked up my nieces for a trip around the world in three hours of adventure at The Durham Museum.  We picked up a couple passports at the entrance and began a journey through the Christmas sights and sounds of Ireland, Germany, Japan, Africa, and so many others.  We explored trains, a Native American campsite, discussed buffalo versus bison, and when the globe-trotting was done, we listened to the original "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" while driving to Lincoln.  Whew!  That's a lot of adventure for an old Auntie like me!  And totally worth it.  :)

Pausing to watch the German folk-dancing.

A fun game with lights from the ceiling and friends from Asia.

Ivy says this is a bison, not a buffalo.

Stopped at a train crossing.

Walking the length of the train.

This time the dancers are from Africa.

A selfie with Auntie on the shuttle back to the car.

It will be a long week.

It occurs to me that Sunday, when I leave home for the choir concert, I will not be back for a week.  What?  Yes, that's right.  When I leave the house Sunday afternoon for the concert, I will not be back until the following Sunday.  Why?  Colorado and turkey.  I will be going straight from the concert to the airport to be in Colorado for work Monday through Wednesday.  I get back Wednesday evening and head straight from the airport to the farm for Thanksgiving and come back home on Sunday.

(Dear robbers and other breakers and enterers, please finish the leftovers, put into the laundry hamper any of my clothes you try on, and help yourself to the tech.  Half of it only half works anyway.  P.S. Jesus loves you and the books and DVDs that say so can be found in the living room and master bedroom.  Check them out.  Oh, and please shut the door behind you when you leave so the critters don't get in and the heater doesn't run constantly.  Thanks.)

So this week is about getting ready to be gone and I am failing miserably at doing that.  Next week will be all work and travel and wearing myself out.  I am looking forward to getting to the farm and stopping for a while...if Black Friday shopping with my parents for new phones can be considered stopping.

This gave me goosebumps.

Watch and listen.  These people are amazing.  I really did get goosebumps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifCWN5pJGIE