I spent a little bit of time looking at cabins for sale in the mountains this week. It's been months since I last did this, and I certainly wasn't looking with any particular seriousness this time around. But it's still entertaining to see what is available and imagining moving out to the middle of the woods. The past couple of weeks have been disappointing and frustrating for me, and the mountains have always brought me a sense of comfort and peace which I do not find elsewhere. Unfortunately, I don't have the ability to take a few days off and visit my place of retreat right now. So what is it about the mountains that I can't find elsewhere?
stress
Holiday Traditions
Most people who celebrate the winter holidays here in the US will probably agree that sending and receiving greeting cards has decreased during the past decade or so. While I was growing up, my parents would hang the Christmas cards people sent us along the base of the railing around our stairwell. Nowadays, they receive only a handful of cards, barely enough to frame a quarter of the stairs. We also send out far fewer. I used to send cards out to the friends I met at summer camp, but with the creation of social media platforms, such as Facebook, many of us no longer exchange mailing addresses and convert our correspondence to digital formats.
Another Weekend, Another Convention
I've just come back from another convention weekend, and once again, the timing of this event fell into the perfect place to help me handle life's stresses. But one thing about this con which makes it better than previous ones is the friends I've made. Some of those friends I knew prior to the con, but others I met there. And coming back home, we all are riding the energy of the three-day party and continuing the fun.
Another Convention, Another Dose of Strength and Self-Worth
I spent most of last week feeling pretty lousy. Between humid nights, stressful days, and a stomach bug that left me unable to finish my meals, I had a hard time sleeping at night. Work kicked my butt in ways I didn't even notice; I started training a new employee, making my office hours fly by, and I clearly was not drinking enough to stay properly hydrated. Then on Thursday evening, I drove to Cleveland straight from work. I had spent most of the day feeling half-sick, but once I got to my hotel room, I finally started to relax and unwind. I knew it would be a great weekend, because I was attending my third Supernatural convention.
The Greatness of Green, Growing Things
Western Pennsylvania's weather has gone from winter into summer over the past couple of weeks, bypassing what should have been spring. People should be outside, preferably around nature in some form or another. There have been numerous studies pointing out the benefits of including green, growing things in one's surroundings... Please click the title to read more...
Work Stress
I typically post on Mondays, but this week I'm a day late due to spending the weekend working one of the biggest festivals in my county. Although preparations for this festival start months in advance, those of us setting up the grounds have designated the two weeks before and the one week after as Hell Weeks 1, 2, and 3... Please click the title to read more...
HLHumbert 