Reasons To Be Happy It’s Fall

by Wanda on September 23, 2014

I am a summer person. I like the long daylight hours, which, very importantly, means not waking up before daybreak, as I do most mornings in the winter. I like the warm weather, the ease of summer dressing, summer activities… I could go on and on, but I’m here to talk about Fall. Fall is okay, but Fall means Winter is coming and, let’s just say, Winter is not my favorite. Already I get up in the semi-dark and I can feel the chill in the air carrying with it the promise of the polar vortex that is predicted to assault us again this winter. I’m starting to get sad and I don’t want to be sad. I’d like to stay positive, so in honor of the first full day of Fall 2014, I’m forcing myself to write about the great things about the new season. I’m challenging myself to come up with ten- let’s see how I do.

I’m really trying!
Okay, I’ll be a good sport
Here goes:
New clothes. That wasn’t too hard to think of. In fact, I think it’s an excellent idea, a great way to cheer me up as I anticipate certain darkness and coldness! I’ll buy a really great sweater to celebrate Fall! Everyone can do this; if you want to, splurge, but you don’t have to. There are plenty of great options that are budget friendly- just choose something that will make you happy when you wear it.
Cozy but cool jackets and scarves.
It’s easier to spend time outside when it’s not too hot. Although I love the warm weather, sometimes the summer really is just too hot to take a walk or go for a bike ride. The autumn weather is perfect for outdoor activities like that.
Colorful foliage- too beautiful and inspiring to be sad.
Cozy soups and warm desserts. Namely butternut squash soup and apple crisp!
Hot chocolate.
Boots!
Halloween candy.
Thanksgiving is coming! No need to elaborate.
The new season of Grey’s Anatomy. Don’t roll your eyes! I know the show is getting lame, but I’m already hooked. Besides, isn’t everyone curious about how they’ll carry on without Christina?

I know I cheated a little, but look at what I did- I made up my mind to be positive and I came up with some pretty exciting things about Autumn. Yes, I said Autumn and I think that’s how I’ll be referring to the new season from now on. Fall is a pretty negative word, isn’t it, and nobody needs negativity at a time like this!

Danger?

by Wanda on September 16, 2014

It was raining when I left my house this morning. Really hard. I usually avoid taking an umbrella for a couple of reasons. Most of the time, I forget to take umbrellas home. I have left enough umbrellas around in various places to supply the population of India during monsoon season. The other reason I don’t like umbrellas is that I can’t stand dealing with closing and handling the wet umbrella once I get inside. Like in a store or the car. I would rather get wet from the rain than from a wet umbrella. But this morning it was really coming down and I would have been soaked to the bone even from the short dash to my car, so I took the umbrella, and yes, I splashed myself a little when I closed it and put it on the floor of the car, but it wasn’t too bad- I was mostly dry.

I started driving with the umbrella, with its scary spikes, sitting next to me in my car. What if I had to brake hard suddenly? Would the umbrella go flying and pierce me? This is the kind of thing that goes through my head. Now you know- I don’t like getting wet from umbrellas, and I am a worrier. I know most of the things I worry about are silly and will probably never happen, but I still worry. I try not to but I can’t help it; I always conjure up the worst case scenario. Among other things, I worry about eating spoiled food and I worry about being stabbed by my umbrella and I worry about deadly insect bites and I worry about terrorist attacks. Some of these worries are real, some are ridiculous, and some I can’t do anything about so I know that I shouldn’t waste any energy worrying about them. So I try to reason with myself, and I thought writing about it would be good. Writing will help me make fun of myself which will highlight how irrational I am, and hopefully the worriers who read it will be able to laugh, too, and that will help them feel better about themselves.

By now the rain has ended and the sun is out so I can really close the umbrella and tuck it safely away for my drive home. Or maybe I’ll just leave it somewhere… But OMG! The sun! I didn’t put on sunblock this morning because of the rain and now my skin has no protection from those vicious rays! What should I do? Do you think one day without sunblock will be okay? I’m gonna guess probably and try to put this out of my mind. But do you see how this works? It never ends! I see danger everywhere but I try not to let my worries keep me from enjoying myself. I push them to the back of my mind and do the things that make life great. Because life is meant to be enjoyed and appreciated, not wasted on worry.

Victory!

by Wanda on September 8, 2014

I like to think I’m a tennis fan, but the reality is that I’m really not. Learning to play is on my long list of things I’d like to do. It’s also on my long list of things I haven’t gotten to. I also think it would be cool to watch tennis matches on TV and to follow the important competitions and championships, but I don’t really do those things, either. I’ve been aware that the U.S. Open was underway and I’m familiar with the big names in the game. I sort of followed coverage of this event, but only in a broad way, like knowing it was happening, but not paying attention to specific matches. So I was unaware until I woke up this morning to the news about Serena Williams winning her 18th Grand Slam victory yesterday.

It was on the front page of my local paper and a top story on the news that I watched while I got dressed. Ardent tennis fan that I am (haha!), I was overcome with excitement when I saw the photo of a triumphant Williams mid-jump with her trophy. I’m being serious here! My excitement was real. She looked so exultant- as she should! She should really be proud of herself, after all, she didn’t win this title by sitting around and wasting her time. Seeing that picture and hearing that news got me thinking about what it takes to achieve that kind of success and how great it must feel to see all that hard work and training result in victory.

We’re not all born with the same talents and abilities. So we can’t all be Serena Williams or Venus Williams or Bill Gates, for that matter, but how many of us actually make the most of our inborn talents and abilities? And what about the outside factors that come into play in realizing our full potentials? Maybe I really am a decent tennis player, but because I haven’t yet gotten myself on a court, I don’t even know. Which means that the odds of my becoming a tennis legend are ridiculously low because I don’t even play. But what if I did? What about those natural born players who are good, or very good, but don’t make playing tennis their life’s work? Maybe with the kind of relentless practice and training that the Williams sisters got, those pretty good players could have been tennis champions. It’s possible. So this is what I’ve been thinking about all day: the connection between natural ability, opportunity, and effort, and I leave you with this to ponder, as well.

School Lunch

by Wanda on September 4, 2014

So we’re back to school now. That means we’re back to a routine, which is important for everybody’s sanity, but it also means dealing with the school lunch headache. Know what I mean? I hate this topic as much as the next mom, but here I think I can actually help. I’ve been a parent for a while now and I can probably match the best of any of your school lunch tales of woe. The best solution to this problem may be to have your kids eat the school’s lunch. But for some families, school lunch is not an option, whether because of cost, dietary restrictions, or just because your kid is picky. For those of us who pack lunches from home, it can often be a great source of stress.

You want your kids to eat well during the day- brain food is important for doing well in school, but you also want to hang on to whatever is left of your sanity after keeping them busy all summer and then shopping for school supplies. I would say just try to keep it simple, but in my house that’s not an option, what with everyone’s food specifications. So I understand and I sympathize if you think that’s a ludicrous suggestion. I think my best suggestion would be to keep it interesting. Of course, there are the kids who want the same lunch every day, and if that’s your child, thank your lucky stars because if you eliminate the guesswork, you are simplifying. But because I think it’s boring to eat the same thing every day, I would try to keep it interesting by cutting sandwiches into different shapes, getting creative with containers, or including a funny note in the boring lunch.

Unless your child is a serious foodie, a simple sandwich is probably the best way to go. It’s easy to prepare, easy to pack, and easy to eat. But if your child, like mine, is a “foodie,” those sandwiches, may require a little more thought and a little more prep work. I jazz up her sandwiches with some olive spread. You can buy some in the store, but it’s really easy to whip some up yourself. Just combine a can of olives (black or green- your choice), a couple of garlic cloves, a splash of olive oil, some black pepper, and whatever herbs you like and whir them up in a food processor until you get the consistency you want. If you want to be adventurous, include capers or sun dried tomatoes. This will stay good in the refrigerator for a few weeks. To keep it interesting, don’t limit yourself to the usual sandwich breads. Try different options, like croissant, bagels, wraps, English muffins. If your kids won’t eat sandwiches, try a deconstructed sandwich: some tuna or egg salad in a container with crackers on the side. Or some hummus or other dip with vegetables. Try to think outside the box and you might score a winner. And be organized. Do as much as you can the night before so there is less scrambling while you’re trying to get out the door. I wish you all and your families a successful school year!

School Supplies

by Wanda on August 25, 2014

There’s no getting around it now. The season is upon us. Time for the activity that brings dread to the hearts and minds of most parents. You know what I’m talking about: shopping for school supplies. Every year I promise myself it will be better than last year, but I still haven’t figured out the magic formula to make it a pain free experience, or at least less painful. Shopping for school supplies is an appropriate blog topic for now, and ideally, the writer of a blog about shopping should be able to offer some tips to make it less painful for all of you, too, but I must be honest and say I don’t think I can be of too much help here. I have not mastered this myself, so I don’t have too much to give right now except the comfort of knowing you are not in this alone. You know- misery loves company, and all.

So, I write this blog in the spirit of solidarity. Also, in the spirit of humor. Humor always helps and expressing some of my frustrations with irony will help me feel better, too. I have a couple of helpful tips that I don’t follow myself, but I can still share them. It’s a little late for probably the most useful tip, which is to start early so you don’t feel bombarded and pressured at the last minute. Oops! But the art of procrastination is an art only if you can actually put the stressful task out of your mind until you actually are ready to tackle it. If you think about it and allow yourself to get stressed while you are procrastinating, well, you are not procrastinating successfully. So, my second tip is this: If, like me, you have not started in on the daunting and dreadful task of school supplies shopping, don’t worry about it! That’s what I’m trying to do and I think I’ve been doing it well. See- I’m not stressed. Here I am, sitting at my computer, joking about shopping for school supplies.

Something else that might help is being organized. Make a list so you know exactly what you need. The best thing is when your child’s school sends a detailed list before school starts so that you know what to get and you won’t have to go back later. Of course, this never happens to me. So I make a broad list before school so the kids have something to bring to get started- some pencils and erasers, scissors, crayons, and a few notebooks. Then I have to brave the stores again when the teacher(s) give out the lists. The supplies list always includes some crazy item like tincture of iodine, or paper in some rare and unusual size, and the kids must have everything by the next day or there will be consequences! Yay! Homework for Mom!

A positive attitude will help- keep calm and power through. Some Advil might help ward off the inevitable headache. Ordering online means no lines in the stores, but somehow this never really works for me. And my kids love going to the store to choose their stuff. I just thought of the best tip: try and get someone else to take them!

Snobs

by Wanda on August 12, 2014

Let’s talk about snobs. A snob is someone who thinks he/she is better than everyone else, who looks down on others because of status such as intellect, wealth, looks, ancestry, taste, or a variety of other reasons. We all know some. For some reason or other, I was thinking about snobs the other day and started to wonder about the word “snob.” Do you ever think of a word that you know, and when you say it aloud or to yourself it suddenly sounds really funny? Like it’s strange that a sound can randomly mean something. Anyone know what I’m talking about, or am I really a super nerd? Snob…snob…snob…snob. Try it; you’ll see what I mean. So I started wondering how that strange sound came to have its meaning. According to Wikipedia, the origin of the word comes from 1820′s England. People who were not from the aristocracy were referred to as sine nibilitate (without nobility), which was shortened to s. nob. The early meaning of the word refers to someone who wanted to imitate the upper class, but it evolved to its current meaning, which is someone who looks down on those thought to be inferior. Snobbery (snobbishness?) was always about attitude.

There are many types of snobs now, too. You hear people talk about wine snobs, food snobs, film snobs, intellectual snobs, grammar snobs, and so on and so on. There seems to be a snob for every occasion. If you don’t like the wine that I like, I might have to look down on you because, of course, my taste in wine in the correct one! Just kidding! Is that really what these people think, though, or does it just seem that way to others who might feel intimidated by someone else who seems so sure of his/her taste in wine (or movies, or clothes, or whatever)? Where does snobbishness really come from, anyway? There is the theory that deep down it comes from insecurity. That people who seem to be snobs are really only putting on an act to cover up just how unsure they are of themselves. Sounds like it could make sense. Then there is also the theory that snobs are people who really do have very high self-esteem and it shows.

How about the people who are really kind and friendly, but shy? Being quiet because you’re shy can look very much like being quiet because the people around are not good enough for you to associate with. The world is a complicated place and dealing with people is the most complicated part of it, I think. So I also think it’s important to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and to respect the opinions of others. Are you a snob? It might be fun to take this quiz and find out!

Let’s Talk About You

by Wanda on August 6, 2014

It’s no secret that most people love to talk about themselves. Facebook, Instagram, blogs, and talk shows are all testaments to that. Ask someone next to you a simple question and you might be in for a ten minute monologue. You might even find yourself doing it, even when you didn’t think you were the type to, and even when you know the person you are talking to probably couldn’t care less, either. Why do we do it? Make fun of TMI all you want, but believe it or not, talking about yourself stimulates reward centers in your brain- just like eating chocolate. And once you’re feeling good, you want to keep doing whatever it is that makes you feel that way. I heard about a boss who, during an interview, asks the people in the hot seat to talk about themselves for two minutes. Interesting idea, right? It’s a great opportunity to sell yourself, but if I were caught off guard and asked to do this, I know I would ramble and probably ruin my chances of coming off as the perfect person for the job. But think about it: two minutes can be longer than you think, so you could probably take a few seconds to compose a coherent and impressive mini autobiography. Keep in mind that when you talk about yourself, the response you get has a lot to do with the attitude you convey. If you drone on your listeners will get bored and tune out; if you sound arrogant, it will seem like you’re boasting. But don’t overcompensate for that and fall into the false modesty trap- you will seem pathetic or insincere, or both. Just be honest and realistic. Give off a friendly vibe and include your listeners in what you are saying. Ever since I heard about that boss, I’ve been thinking about this idea. I decided to share it because I think the concept can be very useful. Knowing that talking about ourselves is a brain chemistry thing might make it easier for us to tolerate others when they are oversharing. They are just responding to brain messages, after all. And, knowing that it’s your brain, not your ego, that makes you go on and on about yourself once you get started can make you feel less inhibited when you are too shy to start talking about yourself. And when you are talking a lot about yourself, you can continue comfortably without feeling too much like a narcissistic attention-hogger. Within reason, of course!

What to Wear

by Wanda on July 31, 2014

Julya Johnson, a meteorologist in Knoxville, Tennessee, received a letter from a viewer telling her that she is a great meteorologist, but she should do something about her appearance. The anonymous letter writer said that Johnson does not get any compliments and that it’s most likely because of the unflattering “high bodice” dresses that she wears. The letter and Johnson’s response are posted on her Facebook page, along with 600+ comments.

The letter writer identifies him/herself only as an elderly person, so there is no way to know if it’s a man or woman, which would make the story a little more interesting. If it’s a woman, is it just one woman giving fashion advice, albeit unsolicited, to another? Would that make it okay? If the writer is a man, does that tint the story with a little sexism? Ms. Johnson answers that no matter what she does, she could not possibly please everyone with her clothing choices, so she does the best she can to dress professionally and please herself. She continues that what should count is that she gives accurate weather forecasts. I couldn’t possibly read through all the comments, but the ones I read are so supportive, telling her that she is beautiful and does a great job.

How much importance should be given to how we dress? What should count the most is what’s inside, and a person should be recognized for the quality of his or her work. But if you work in television, isn’t your appearance part of the equation? Shouldn’t it be? Or is that the wrong way to think? As long as we show up to work clean and appropriately dressed, shouldn’t the rest be just a matter of taste? If she likes her dresses, and her bosses think they are appropriate for her appearances on their television station, that should probably be good enough for everyone else.

The Bracelet

by Wanda on July 24, 2014

I bought some costume jewelry the other day in a national chain store. Nothing fancy, no big deal. It was an inexpensive charm bracelet that I bought because I saw it near the checkout counter while I stood on line to pay for something else. Yes, I fell for the old marketing trap, but it was cute and it was on sale for about $6.00. I got home, happy with my purchases. I put everything away and threw away the receipt. I had no reason to keep it- I liked what I bought and was sure I was going to keep it all.

The next day I wore the bracelet and set off to face the world. I might have my high maintenance moments, but give me a $6 charm bracelet and I’m a happy gal. So there I was, going about my day with an extra bounce in my step, periodically stopping to admire my new accessory, when the heart charm fell off! For a few seconds I considered getting all symbolic- losing my heart, what can it mean?-but I decided to keep it light. Sometimes a heart charm falling off a bracelet is just a heart charm falling off a bracelet, right? And, I figured, I bought it at a national chain store- all I had to do was bring it back and they’d give me a new one. Easy!

Then I remembered that I had thrown away the receipt, but thought that shouldn’t be too much of a problem. They know the merchandise, so they’ll know it was new and not broken from six months of wear and tear, and most big stores are pretty good about making sure the customer is happy. Well, not this store. I politely and apologetically explained my problem and the sales associate very snootily and rudely told me she couldn’t help me without a receipt. Too bad, my problem, she said. I know I didn’t have the receipt, but still, I expected better customer service. I asked to speak to a manager who grudgingly gave me a new one while the first sales associate kept shooting dagger eyes at me and saying “… (store) is losing money on this!”

Well, I got my bracelet replaced, so that’s good, but now I wonder how long to hold on to sales receipts. Life accumulates a lot of clutter, and getting rid of what we don’t need can help keep things neat. But then, you never know when you’ll need something, do you? Probably the best advice I can offer is to have a large envelope or small box to neatly store your receipts for about six months or a year. After that, if something is damaged, there would probably not be much you could do even with a receipt. And for what it’s worth, I leave you with a wish: May your heart charms always stay on your bracelets.

National Junk Food Day

by Wanda on July 21, 2014

Do you dream of getting comfortable with a bag of crunchy, salty potato chips? Do you ever wish you could eat unlimited amounts of chocolate and experience no guilt at all? Today is your chance to feel good about indulging. July 21 is National Junk Food Day! Yes, you read right- it’s your lucky day. You can give in to your junk food cravings because you’re being a joiner- you are participating in a national tradition, and who would fault you for that? Not me, that’s for sure. I say go for it!

Junk food is classified as food with little or no nutritional value that is also high in fat, sugar, salt, and calories.The origins of this day are unclear, maybe it was started by junk food junkies who wanted a day to justify indulging in the delicious empty calories they crave, or maybe it was a day set aside by nutritionists saying that it’s okay to designate one day a year to give in and enjoy some not so healthful treats. Maybe it was dentists? Whatever the intention behind it, I’m sure it’s a day that is appreciated by many. The average American eats 25 pounds of candy and 45 slices of pizza each year.

Of course it’s extremely important to take care of our bodies and that always includes eating well. The FDA has a website choosemyplate.gov that can direct you on how to ensure that your diet includes the proper amounts of each food group each day. But everyone needs a treat once in a while, and in fact, treats should be part of your regular food repertoire so that feeling deprived won’t make you despair and ditch the whole healthy eating plan for good. It’s also important to keep in mind that food that is good for you can also taste delicious and that healthy alternatives to not-so-healthy treats do exist. But enough about healthy eating- today is a day to celebrate junk food, so eat the real thing and don’t feel bad at all. Which is another important point about healthy eating and junk food- when you decide to eat that sticky/greasy/sweet/salty/crunchy whatever does it for you, make sure you enjoy every bite. If you’re going to eat the whole piece of chocolate cake, or enjoy a triple-scoop of ice cream with all the toppings, wouldn’t it be a waste if you ruined the delicious experience with a serving of guilt? And today is a day to indulge without guilt, so make the most of it! How will you celebrate National Junk Food Day?

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