Lent For The Non-Religious

I’m not Catholic. I was raised in a Christian home but I haven’t attended a church service in years, maybe decades. As I’ve gotten older, I have become more agnostic. (It’s a long and winding story of how I got to this point so I’m not going down that path….for now.)

 

"An agnostic position is one that leaves open the question whether there exists a god or gods, professing to find such a question unanswered or unanswerable. For the atheist, the question has been answered, and in the negative."

-Jaroslav Pelikan

 

With that said, I do admire the idea of giving up something for Lent. It shows a sense of committing to making a change in one’s life. Traditionally something that is considered a luxury or vice is given up. Like millions of people, especially library support staff, I pretty much live from paycheck to paycheck. So while there are some luxuries, there aren’t a lot.

As for vices, I don’t really have any of the more traditional ones. I don’t drink a lot or do drugs. I don’t gamble much, an occasional trip to Cripple Creek, but I get bored and tire of losing money.

I haven’t really kept up with any of my New Year resolutions (see “The 3 Rs”) but I haven’t been that productive in other areas of my life recently either. As I thought about why, I realized I spend a lot of time surfing the web.

Mindlessly surfing.

It’s not just Facebook. It’s Netflix, Good Reads, YouTube, Library Thing, etc.… I spend a lot of time adding items to wish lists or to read/watch queues but I don’t actually read or watch them. I constantly check and recheck Facebook and some other sites in case someone has posted something new. I can spend hours sitting in front of my trusty laptop and do absolutely nothing. This has interfered with what I really want or need to do.

So starting from March 5th (Ash Wednesday) to April 19th (Easter Eve), I am giving it up for Lent.

No more Facebook. There are some things that automatically upload to FB from other sites such as this blog but I will not be perusing the site for the purpose of looking at all the recipes, jokes, etc., that everyone posts over and over and over. My phone alerts me to any private messages or friends requests so I’ll answer those.

I’m only going to go to Netflix or YouTube if I am actually going to watch something and not search the catalog for items to add to the queue. 

Good Reads or Library Thing, only to update what I have read.

Then it’s onto the 3 Rs. Reading, writing, and learning.

If you want to get in touch with me, why not do it “old school”.

Email me or call me.

Maybe write a letter or send a postcard.

 

 

While writing this I was listening to " Mona Lisa" from "Parallax" by "Atlas Sound"

The Three Rs

My mind started to wander when I began thinking about my New Year resolutions for 2014.

I began to think about the “Three Rs”, reading, writing, and arithmetic, and how I could utilize them in my resolutions.

Reading - I have this one pretty well covered. I’ll read anything.

Last year I read 59 books. I have a lot of books that have been stacked around the house for years so my goal is to work my way through them instead of checking out more from the library.

Writing – Every year I say the same thing, “I’m going to post here more often.” This year I really am. Really. I’m not just saying that, I am.

Arithmetic – ?? I’m not really planning on doing much extra with math this year so I’m going to equate this with learning.

Maybe a new craft or hobby? Maybe an online course or photography workshop?

Maybe to think before I speak? That’s a good one.

 

Of course the way my mind works I couldn’t stop with just 3 Rs.

How about:

Rest, Relax, Recreation, photogRaphy, Reconnect, Reflect, tRavel, Recommit, chaRity, Reenergize, Renovate, butteRfly …

 

Happy New Year!

May this year bring you only peace, happiness and joy.

 

 

While writing this I was listening to " Becoming a Jackal" from "Becoming a Jackal" by "Villagers"

Books I Read In 2013

1. 8810 by Nicholas Taylor
2. All Roads Lead To Blue Lake by Mark Vale
3. Ant Farm: And Other Desperate Situations by Simon Rich
4. Anthem by Rand, Ayn
5. Atomic Lobster (Serge Storms Series #10) by Tim Dorsey
6. Beat the Gym: Personal Trainer Secrets--Without the Personal Trainer Price Tag by Tom Holland
7. Cataract: Some Notes After Having a Cataract Removed by John Berger and Selcuk Demirel
8. City of the Dead (Horrors of History) by T. Neill Anderson
9. Dearest Dorothy, Are We There Yet? by Charlene Ann Baumbich
10. Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules Of Writing by Elmore Leonard
11. F in Exams: The Very Best Totally Wrong Test Answers by Richard Benson
12. Fat, Fifty & F***ed! by Geoff McGeachin
13. Fifty Things to Do When You Turn Fifty: Fifty Experts on the Subject of Turning Fifty by Ronnie Sellers, Gerit Quealy, Debra Gordon and Brian O'Connell
14. Flipping the Switch: Unleash the Power of Personal Accountability Using the QBQ! by Miller, John G.
15. Forgotten Bookmarks: A Bookseller's Collection of Odd Things Lost Between the Pages by Michael Popek
16. Framed (Swindle) by Gordon Korman
17. Free-Range Chickens by Simon Rich
18. Freedom Is Blogging In your Underwear by Hugh MacLeod
19. Haiku Inspirations: Poems and Meditations on Nature and Beauty (Inspirations Series) by Tom Lowenstein and Victoria James
20. Half-Minute Horrors by Susan Rich and Various
21. Happy: Simple Steps to Get the Most Out of Life by Smith, Ian K., M.D.
22. Hate That Cat: A Novel by Sharon Creech
23. How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You by The Oatmeal and Matthew Inman
24. I Could Pee on This: And Other Poems by Cats
25. In the Dark Streets Shineth: A 1941 Christmas Eve Story by David McCullough
26. Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
27. Looking For Przybylski by K.C. Frederick
28. Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind (The 99U Book Series... by Glei, Jocelyn K. and 99U
29. Mortality by Hitchens, Christopher
30. No Doorway Wide Enough: 2000-2010, My Parkinson's Disease Decade by Bill Schmalfeldt
31. Pray For Silence by Linda Castillo
32. QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work and in Life by Miller, John G
33. Showoff (Swindle) by Gordon Korman
34. Smokey the Talking Dog and other tales from the land of the loganberry by Jim Nolan
35. Socrates In 90 Minutes by Paul Strathern
36. Swindle by Gordon Korman
37. The 24th Letter by Tom Lowe
38. The Accidental Leader: What to Do When You're Suddenly in Charge by Robbins, Harvey and Finley, Michael
39. The Big Bamboo (Serge Storms) by Dorsey, Tim
40. The Big Bow Mystery by Israel Zangwill
41. The Brief History of the Dead by Brockmeier, Kevin
42. The Color Master: Stories by Bender, Aimee
43. The Digital Photography Book, Part 2 by Kelby, Scott
44. The Entrancing Life by J.M. Barrie
45. The First Phone Call from Heaven: A Novel by Albom, Mitch
46. The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors: A Novel by Michele Young-Stone
47. The Last Dragonslayer: The Chronicles of Kazam, Book 1 by Jasper Fforde
48. The Last Girlfriend on Earth: And Other Love Stories by Simon Rich
49. The Pocket Muse by Monica Wood
50. The Potty Mouth at the Table by Laurie Notaro
51. The Shack by Wm. Paul Young
52. The Solitude of Prime Numbers: A Novel by Paolo Giordano
53. This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life by David Foster Wallace
54. Unstuck: A Tool for Yourself, Your Team, and Your World by Keith Yamashita and Sandra Spataro
55. Wearing of This Garment Does Not Enable You to Fly: 101 Real Dumb Warning Labels
56. Weird Things Customers Say in Bookstores by Jen Campbell
57. What in God's Name by Simon Rich
58. Witches: The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem by Rosalyn Schanzer
59. Zoobreak by Gordon Korman

 

That’s 59!

Whoo Hoo!

The Year of the Butterfly

I know that according to the Chinese calendar next year is the year of the horse but 2014 is going to be the year of the butterfly for me.

It’s no secret how I felt this time last year. (Hint: I wasn’t the happiest camper around or the easiest to be around.) I was angry, depressed and disappointed.

This year….not so much.

After last year I decided that even though we may never be rich, we could still be happy. I adopted a new attitude that events could only ruin may day if I let them. So I haven’t let them…as much.

But all this doesn’t explain why it’s my year of the butterfly.

Like most people who have lost a parent or loved one, the holidays can be really hard for me. I miss my parents a lot, especially Mom.

The holidays were her time. She was up early on Thanksgiving morning to get the turkey in the oven and make the dressing.

Mmmm, cornbread dressing. When I was home I would get up with her and help. Making the dressing was the highlight of my day because Mom and I would add ingredients then taste test it over and over until it was just right. I still have the recipe memorized.

Then Christmas would come along and the family would get together for dinner and to exchange gifts. Mom was right there in the middle of it making sure everyone, especially the kids, got their gifts.

When Mom passed away in 2006 the holidays lost some of its shine and this year around Thanksgiving I was starting to struggle again.

That’s when I began to notice them.

The butterflies.

They were everywhere.

Books with butterflies on the cover. 

A butterfly bookmark fell out of a book at work.

A co-worker brought in white lace butterflies as gifts.

Butterfly ornaments at the store.

Mom loved butterflies and butterfly things.

I have pictures from when Evelyn and I visited my parent’s grave and there was a butterfly sitting in Mom’s marker.

 

Mom never let things get her down. Tough times or hard times were learning opportunities.

So when things started getting stressful this year and the butterflies showed up, I knew Mom was there with me and everything was going to ok.

For me Christmas this year hasn’t  been about receiving gifts. I don’t care if I get anything or not.

This morning Evelyn, my mother-in-law, and myself went out for breakfast, I did a little last minute shopping, and then we spent Christmas Eve with my cousins. Tomorrow, it’s gift opening in the morning and then back to my cousin’s house for left-over Mexican food. That’s all I want.

As for this coming year, I’m keeping an eye out for the butterflies.

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 

 

While writing this I was listening to " A Holly Jolly Christmas" from "Best of Burl Ives: 20th Century Masters/The Christmas Collection" by "Burl Ives"