Killin' time being lazy

A hole in my life

2013-05-21T19:38:00.001-04:00

Last Thursday, Bogie joined Lulu, Marlowe, Pravda and Howard, leaving behind me, Thing One, Mallory, Greta, Francis and Cyd. There's a hole in our lives that will never be filled. That weekend, Thing One and I headed north for Number One Nephew's wedding (5 weddings down, 13 to go... in that generation anyway) and then headed over to SmallTown to see my parents. While we were there, I saw a

Parting Thoughts

2013-05-16T10:56:00.000-04:00

Today, after a difficult week, Bogart (usually referred to as Bogie or Monster) went to the vet for one last visit. He'd had chronic renal failure, which became acute renal failure, complicated by a heart murmur and serious anemia. A friend, writing to see how I was doing, responded to the news with this: My neighbor..., who has seen many beloved felines leave over the years, always reminds

Notable Quotes

2013-05-13T07:52:00.000-04:00

After someone you love so dearly dies, you are absent from the world for a time, living only loss. The pain of existing without the other is too hard to bear. Only slowly do you return to life. To being hungry, not just eating for sustenance. To pouring a glass of good wine, not just drinking to quench a thirst. To hearing the words of those around you and answering. - M.J. Rose,

Notes from Mt. Bookpile

2013-04-01T07:45:00.000-04:00

Not a bad start to the year: 100 books read. I should easily make my goal of 300 - sadly for Mt. Bookpile, most of these were received in 2013. Still I've read 7 received pre-2013; again, not a bad start. Biography/Memoir The Astor Orphan, Alexandra Aldrich Good Riddance, Cynthia Copeland Children's/Young Adult Fiction Dark Companion, Maria Acosta Loki's Wolves, K. L. Armstrong The

For Thee or Me?

2013-03-23T09:36:00.001-04:00

Last Sunday, my good F/friend Gail and I had lunch. Among the many things we talked about was my new habit of saying things like "back to reading Book [number]" and paying so much attention to how many books I've read. I blamed a former colleague, who convinced me to review what I was reading (she was appalled that I just read and moved on) - the Killin' Time Reading blog is the result. Ok, it

Mika's missing the point

2013-03-18T05:52:00.000-04:00

If you watch Morning Joe, you may have heard Mika Brzezinski going on about sugar and fat in our food - how dangerous the obesity epidemic is, how disappointed she is in the recent halting of the NYC "big drink ban." Don't get me wrong, I think that it is important for us to be aware of how we've gone from some of these foods as occasional treats to part of our daily diet, much to our health's

Notable Quotes

2013-03-11T06:07:00.000-04:00

Well, think of it: there used to be whole libraries filled with books like this, copied out by hand. Jesus, all the time and effort the poor buggers the monks put into each one. We take it for granted now, don't we -- the printing press, the copy machine, the internet. I mean, words lose their value, in a way, don't they, when you're drowning in them?" Erin Hart, The Book of Killowen

Notable Quotes

2013-02-25T08:02:00.000-05:00

It was like one of those times when you go to the library to check out a reference book for a science paper, but when you get there, you notice there's a new book out by your favorite author, so you check that out instead, leaving without any kind of reference book, and, in fact, you've forgotten all about your science paper because who can think about science when there's a new book out you

Book Question Meme

2013-02-21T07:49:00.000-05:00

(found on Semicolon... saved until I needed blog content) 1. What book (a classic?) do you hate? I have to go with Ethan Frome. (if you've heard this rant before, please feel free to skip to the next question). If you grow up in Upstate NY, in SmallTown, you know about tobogganing. You know how easily you can go off track. And you know how impossible an idea it is to commit suicide by

Ponderables

2013-02-20T07:50:00.000-05:00

(yes, a change from the IMponderables) RobinSF asks us to ponder "what are the things that will matter to us 90 years from now?" Go and do likewise.

What true love looks like

2013-02-14T07:48:00.000-05:00

Thing One and I have been watching the Shakespeare Uncovered series. Last night, he asked if I minded a spoiler - about Hamlet (surprise! he dies in the end!!). Turns out he wanted me to know that Trevor Peacock was in one of the clips. How can you not love someone like that?

Imponderables (incalculable edition)

2013-02-12T10:15:00.001-05:00

I admit it, I'm math challenged. Thing One says I can't add 2 and 2 without the aid of a calculator (I can, it's 6, right?) As a matter of fact, if you speak French, you'll get why I love this song: So when I come across something a little odd mathematically, I check with either Thing One or - even better - my father. Dad helped me pass my Stats class by making up problems and solving them

Not feeling the love...

2013-02-11T10:35:00.001-05:00

There are a few things that are supposedly certain in our lives: death, taxes and an application for AARP membership when you turn 50. Having just celebrated the end of my second quarter century, I'm past middle age and heading into early old age. With luck, death is still several decades away. Not only have I paid my 2012 taxes, I've already received my IRS refund. So that leaves the third.

It's not too late to start: Letter Writing Month

2013-02-09T09:09:00.001-05:00

Sherri over at Semicolon alerted me to this - letter writing month. I'm nine days behind, but I have about six letters that I need to write today so I think I can catch up (plus I mailed something on Thursday). If you want a Lazy Letter, e-mail me with your address. If I already have it, you have been warned!

LInks Galore

2013-02-08T06:43:00.000-05:00

Perhaps too late for Christmas but not for 2013 birthdays or other celebrations: a gift for all your map loving friends. Or what about a DIY book planter? Continuing on the theme, the Globe & Mail asks "where have all the Christmas cards gone?" (resolve to buy some this year!) RobinSF talks about the Quaker Revival in Philadephia (better link late than never, right?) The things I learn from

Dream / Conscious Entry - #Reverb12

2013-02-05T06:33:00.000-05:00

Dream. What crazy and wild dream would you like to become a reality (or at least begin to make a reality) in 2013? Conscious Entry. How do you wish to be in 2013? I want to start living in a more minimalist fashion. I've done Project 333, really thought about decluttering my life physically and emotionally, and brought more silence into my life. So minimalism seems to be the next step,

Rubbing me the right way

2013-02-02T06:32:00.000-05:00

There are few self-indulgent things I enjoy more than a good massage. That sense of complete relaxation, the loose-limbed feeling when you're done? Heaven. I recently had a migraine and was able to survive by having a great head/shoulder massage (something the neurologist recommends highly: get rid of the tension, get rid of the migraine). Then there was the Breathe Deep Massage at Mohonk

Vocabulary / No-Yes - #Reverb12

2013-02-01T06:46:00.000-05:00

Vocabulary. If you could eliminate one word from your brain forever—what would it be? No | Yes. What will you say NO to in 2013? What will you say YES to in 2013 that you didn’t say yes to in 2012? Years ago a friend said that she (and I) had a speech impediment - she had difficulty saying "no". Sound familiar? I'm trying to be better about saying NO to professional obligations that seem

Careful packing

2013-01-30T13:28:00.001-05:00

If you've been paying attention, you know I've been participating in Project 333. Over the past year I've also been reading the Vivienne Files and been so inspired by the various wardrobe and packing ideas. So when it came time to pack for a 5(ish)** day trip, I asked Janice's advice and tried to pack carefully. While I can't replicate her layout, here we go! Wearing: In the bag:

Creativity - #Reverb12

2013-01-30T06:19:00.000-05:00

Creativity. What was the most creative thing you did in 2012? One of the truisms of my life is that I am singularly untalented in many, many ways. My two biggest talents are reading and organizing. I'm not belittling those! It's just a comment to underscore that being creative isn't my strong suit...

Imponderables

2013-01-29T10:08:00.002-05:00

Last week I scheduled a mail hold through the USPS website; it was supposed to start on Thursday and end tomorrow, Wednesday the 30th. Here's what I got in my e-mail today: Very far sighted, our postal service! Maybe I'll see if it knows today what tomorrow's lotto numbers were.

Ordinary Sparkling Moments / Rituals - #Reverb12

2013-01-28T07:11:00.000-05:00

Ordinary Sparkling Moments. Reflect on the ordinary moments that bring you joy (e.g., the tea pot whistling, the sun setting). What moments would you like to relish in the coming year? Rituals. What ritual(s) would you like to introduce into your life? The taste of the first crisp apple of fall... the juiciness of fresh berries on homemade yogurt... the purring of The Herd... hearing that a

Ease / Giving - #Reverb12

2013-01-25T06:11:00.000-05:00

Ease. What can you do to add ease to 2013? Giving. “The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The meaning of life is to give your gift away.” (David Viscott) What is your gift to give? A friend of mine once said that there are three things you can give to others: Time, Treasure and Talent. I'll talk about talent in another post, but Time and Treasure fit the bill here... Time to me fits

One Word 2013 - #Reverb12

2013-01-23T06:57:00.000-05:00

One Word | 2013. Imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2013 for you? I'd like for it to be serenity - having found a balance in my life between work, play, family, friends, obligations, etc.. To not hoard the emotional stuff in unhealthy ways but to deal with the joys and sorrows as they happen. Getting rid of even more physical clutter (and

One Word - #Reverb12

2013-01-21T06:50:00.000-05:00

One Word | 2012. Encapsulate the year 2012 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Silence. For me, silence became more and more important in 2012. Silence during Meeting. Turning off the tv during the election season and after the Sandy Hook and Aurora shootings. Sitting quietly every day, reflecting on the day past and the day to come. Deliberately not turning on the