Happy Monday!
1. We’ve had a few days of snow in the past month. A lot of people think that we are constantly battling snow being in Indiana. But Terre Haute’s climate is “mild” for the Midwest. We don’t get the snow you see in Wisconsin, Minnesota, or even the East Coast. But I’ve loved the few days we have had and am hoping for more before spring. Having never lived in snow before, it’s such an amazing thing to see. The little flakes falling from the sky and white powder accumulating on the ground. The dogs have taken to it pretty well (much better than I expected).
I try to make an effort to stop and observe the snow and nature around me, whether I’m walking the dogs, running alone or driving in the car. I took the photo above at a park that’s only a few minutes from our house. It reminds me of Robert Frost’s poem, “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening.”
2. This article about the way each Myers-Briggs types feel about reading is awesome. I’m an ISTJ and the description is spot-on! Especially the part that described me as enjoying stories with main characters I can personally connect with. Bryan is an INTP and he found himself nodding in agreement on his description too. What is your Myers-Briggs type and do you agree with your description?
3. In an effort to be more productive in 2017, this writers suggests climbing your mountains Monday mornings. Or in other words, do your most difficult work on Mondays. I tend to gravitate toward doing this. I am most productive early in the week, with Monday through Wednesday being big productivity days. I started keeping a semi-bullet journal where I track my weekly tasks (I guess it’s more of a diary/tracker than daily journal). But I fill up the majority of the page early in the week. And as Thursday and Friday limp along, I’m less productive. Or I should say, I schedule less work those days and use them to do other things that don’t require as much brain power. I guess it’s working?
4. Recently I taught Sophie how to use a phone to call a friend. She is 9-years-old, and it struck me that I’d never taught her much about using a phone to call people. When I was her age, I was fluent in dialing and the phone being the main form of communication (although I’m quick to embrace texting and email, as talking on the phone is NOT my favorite past time).
I came back to this old article, that discusses what it feels like to be the last generation to remember life before the Internet. I’m part of that Generation X that still remembers rotary phones, the yellow pages, learning the Dewey Decimal system to look up library books, having to watch live television, and waiting until your favorite song came on the radio to record to a cassette tape, or else go to the store and buy the entire album. This passage struck me, as I’d never thought of it as “two languages”:
“If we’re the last people in history to know life before the internet, we are also the only ones who will ever speak, as it were, both languages. We are the only fluent translators of Before and After.”
5. Speaking of Generation X, LOVE this article: “Moderately Motivated Gen-Xer for Hire.” This is truth: “40-something professional seeks opportunity in an environment that is neither ‘fun,’ ‘playful,’ nor ‘collaborative;’ minimal responsibility preferred but not required.”
And I found myself nodding in agreement when reading this: “Strengths include the ability to work independently for years or even decades with minimal feedback and/or praise, as well as a marked level of comfort working with antiquated systems, outdated standards, and unending group email chains. Cumbersome processes will in no way detract from productivity levels, provided productivity is measured by way of exceedingly complex written reports.”
6. I keep a running list of television shows I want to watch, or movies to see. Because if I don’t, I just end up re-watching “The Killing” for the hundredth time, or getting sucked into a “Law and Order: SVU” marathon (not that I don’t do those things anyway). So in recent weeks I’ve watched “Marcella” and “Top of the Lake,” both on Netflix. “Lake” was pretty good. I just started “River,” and debate whether to dive into “The Wire” (not sure if I can handle McNulty after “The Affair”). I’m waiting (somewhat) patiently for season 2 of “Better Call Saul” to go to Netflix, and season 4 of “The Americans” to be released on Amazon Prime. What have you binge-watched recently?
What’s going on in your life? How is 2017 treating you so far? Do you have any television or movie recommendations for me?