Archive for December, 2009

2010 Aspirations

We have all fallen victims to the New Year’s Resolution trap! They rarely work and from the majority of anecdotes I have read, they merely pay lip service true dedication and commitment.

In spite of or despite the failure of my own annual self-promises in the past, I have decided to post a little list of things I would like to see accomplished in 2010: -

Solutions that work
All too often I will come up with a great idea that just isn’t practical. It seems as if I’m not the only one with this problem. Just take a look at any government.

Maintaining Strength
As we get a little bit older, we get weaker. My personal desire is to get stronger mentally as well as physically, in addition to maintaining the great personal characteristics I’ve already cultivated

Openness
Fear makes us weak. It also makes us narrow-minded and leads us down a blinkered path of monotony. Being more open and receptive to different cultures and places is a good thing.

Dedication
It’s easy to do something you love but much harder to stay dedicated when it feels as if no one is paying the least bit of attention.

Will I even come close to achieving these goals? I think I can. At the very least I believe that in trying one will become more defined and aware of our surroundings.
Let me hear all of your targets for 2010. Do you think that you can be successful or are you as convinced, as I am that these types of plans always go slightly awry?

2009 Farewells

Goodbye 2009! Farewell! For 2010 promises to fulfill all of my earthly desires!

I thought that I would compile this little list of items, ideas, thoughts and circumstances that will hopefully die with 2009 and be buried forever, never again to see the light of day: -

1. Twitter and all the micro-blogging nonsense associated with it
2. Media stories about unfaithful husbands
3. Snuggies – (actually I quite like the doggy ones so…)
4. Rude customers in the queue behind you at the local CVS shop
5. Rude customers in the queue behind you at the local CVS shop who exclaim quite loudly to the cashier as you leave, “I’m glad that you noticed my frustration and hurried up”.
6. Belly fat and the silly belly fat adverts that continually remind of us of our, ahem, let’s call them “love handles”.
7. Chopped. Let’s hope this Food Network show gets the chop!
8. Unnecessary shows about food and real estate, such as Real Estate Intervention. Who’s ever heard of such a thing? Can HGTV stoop any lower?
9. Bernard Madoff
10. Insincerity

Please feel free to add to my list or comment on the ones already recorded. I’ll just add that 2009 was good year for me. I consider myself extremely blessed and I am certain that there are others out there who are feeling equally fortunate for escaping a lot of the horrors of 2009. Let’s just hope that 2010 anecdotes will bring joy to more people rather than less.

Thor’s Day January 7

January 7th is the first Thor’s Day of the year. Each week you will find a little anecdote about what happened on the date of the corresponding Thursday when our blog posts are published.

On the first Thor’s Day of the year, in 1999, the impeachment trial for President Bill Clinton began.

Since ancient times the Japanese celebrate Nanakusa-no-sekku a custom to eat seven wild herbs on January 7th. This tradition is meant to celebrate good health and longevity.

Bookmark this page for many more little anecdote messages coming up in 2010.

So This is Christmas

After the hurtling of snow we got earlier this week, it at least feels like Christmas this year. The snow hurried in the brutally cold weather which has somewhat curtailed our daily walks and deterred many from the local wind swept boardwalk.

As someone who was brought up never celebrating Christmas, I am uncertain as to why I would feel a little left out this year. In fact it isn’t a celebration that I have wholeheartedly embraced because of my upbringing, but it is also not something I detest completely.

In my view Christmas is all about family and my family is not here. They are miles away and will more than likely get together and have some sort of family gathering. Trouble is that when I lived in the UK I hated these family get-togethers. They were boring for a teenager who just wanted to hang out with their mates or go down the pub. How times have changed!

So I have presumed that my desire to go to one of these sometimes war some gatherings is due to old age. Never thought I would get to this point but don’t we all confuse youth with reality? This is reality. It’s the desire to be with family and the need to feel that connection with people who have known you all your life. By moving to the USA I attempted to steal youth and keep it hostage…Sigh…

So this is Christmas…

Yule Log

This ancient anecdote is about how a pagan tradition has been borrowed from the Norse Mythos by some Christians. In ancient times people burned logs to appease the gods and to celebrate their conviction to the powers of the gods. During festivals, Norsemen honored the father of the Gods Odin and the god Jólnir. Jólnir was commonly known as the Yule Father.

The original Yule Log burning ceremony started on the winter solstice. At 5:47 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time Monday December 21, in the Northern Hemisphere marked the mid-point of the year. The winter solstice marks the day with the fewest hours of daylight and a Yule Log was ceremonially burned.

Because the burning of the Yule Log took place near Christmas people still practice the tradition today. This practice is one of the many pagan rituals absconded by Christianity as part of the Christmas celebration. Thank god for pagans!

Thor’s Day December 31

A few anecdote samples for the day of December 31st.

1978 – Papoose American Rapper is born.

1979 – You think gas prices went up in 2009. On the last day of 1979 oil prices were 88% higher than the first day of that same year.

1999 – Sarah Knauss died. She was the oldest person in the world. 119 Years Old!

2004 – Taiwan has the official opening of Taipei 101 the tallest building in the world.

December 31st is also known as Old Year’s Night or New Year’s Eve and the Seventh Day of Christmas. Seven Swans a-swimming symbolizes the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit or the seven sacraments.

Happy New Year from Every Thursday Anecdotes – etaBlog.com