advice from an older woman

Another news bulletin - this morning it was about stress and a recent study showing that women currently suffer a great deal more than men from stress, not a joking matter, and I don't mean to take it lightly, but one bit did strike me as particularly interesting.  It seems that these days women worry about housework about 30% more than men do.  That's what they said.
As someone who stopped worrying about house work years ago, I feel singularly qualified to offer some advice in this area.
The first thing to accept about housework is that it is exceedingly patient, if it doesn't get done one day, it will still be there the next.
Secondly, it's very satisfying to make lists and to mark things off as you get them done.  The trick is to intersperse lots of little jobs with the big ones, for instance on my list for today 'mop the floors' is sandwiched between 'bring in the mail' and 'write my blog'. Now I can look at my list at the end of the day with satisfaction noting that I've scratched off more things on my list than are left.
Trust me, this really lessens stress.

Girls' night out

No blog last night because I was out with a couple of girlfriends until the wee hours.  Kudos to my friend Kay, who, from time to time, drags me out of my comfort zone.  Usually with very good results.  If it weren't for Kay I never would have discovered the excellent entertainment available at Come 2 Go (or C2G), most notably amazing ukulele player Jake Shimabakuru and the group Guggenheim Grotto.
Last night we went to the outdoor entertainment at the Botanical Gardens downtown.  The acts, "Unlikely Alibi" and "Deals Gone Bad" were lively and interesting although I beg to differ with the MC who claimed that the lead singer in "Deals..." had the best voice in northern Indiana.  Having seen "Les Mis.." at the Civic two weeks ago, I know there are some much better voices right here in Fort Wayne.  But it was a fun evening sitting outside, listening to music, feeling the warm breezes blowing, enjoying my semi-annual beer, and ending the evening at Applebees for a late night snack.
Thanks Kay.

Amazing factoids

I listen to local and national news shows as I'm getting ready for work in the mornings and over the last few mornings I've heard some fascinating health "facts":  1. your Body Mass Index isn't the best indicator of obesity.  Your waist measurement is a better indicator.  to be healthy a woman should have a waist measurement under 35 inches and men under 40 inches.  happy to say I passed that test.
2. The idea of left brain or right brain dominance isn't really very accurate.  Everybody uses both sides of their brains - that explains a lot.
3. And this is my favorite -drinking cocoa or eating chocolate in the morning can help improve brain power, especially in children and older people.  Yes!! I've always been convinced that chocolate is one of the basic food groups.  No information yet on how this will impact #1.

I'm feeling much better now

Last night I blogged, in a bit of a snit, about something that makes me angry - anonymous criticism, but this morning I realized how petty I was being.  My morning devotion focused on Psalm 103:8 "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love."  Well, that was a slap in the face.  Then the Action Step that comes with each devotion directed me to "Be aware of what sparks anger in you, and try to remember God's steadfast love."  So, I'm duly humbled and over it now.

Allow me to vent...

I am generally a mild mannered person.  I venture to say most of my friends think I am nice and fairly easy-going.  But a few things do tend to make me angry and one of them is anonymous criticism.  If you've spotted an error in something I've published, please tell me, I can take it.  I realized long ago that I am not perfect.  But tell me to my face, or at least sign your name to the note.
Today at work I received an envelope in the mail addressed to THE PROOFREADER followed by the church address, all in large printed caps.  When I opened the envelope I found one half of a page cut from the newsletter we mailed out last week with one word circled and the "correct" spelling written in the margin. Nothing else, no note, no name, certainly no return address on the envelope.  In case you care, the word was 'flyers' - my spelling.  My anonymous critic wrote it as 'fliers'.  My dictionary shows both spellings as correct, with neither preferred.
After I calmed down, I decided that it was actually pretty exciting that she/he found only one error in a sixteen page, densely written newsletter.
I feel much better now.

No!!! It's too soon...

As a post script to a committee related e-mail that I received earlier today, a friend wrote "I started my Christmas shopping this weekend."  Really, it's 90% out, it's August, I'm just beginning to get use to seeing school buses on the road. Christmas shopping???  Actually, I have always admired people who do their Christmas shopping early.  I don't emulate them, but I do admire them.  However, I do have a system that works for me. When my friend Rosie tells me that she has finished her shopping, usually about mid-October, I know it's time to get started.

learning a really foreign language

I've traveled in several European countries without feeling a strong compulsion to learn the various languages.  I think it's because those languages are Latin based, like English and written in the same alphabet as English.  This gives me the illusion, I think, that I can understand a little of these languages. I can't, of course, but I'm comfortable with the illusion.
But next year I'm traveling to South Korea, and that language seems so different that I feel that I need to learn a little of it before I go.  I have 52 weeks and my goal is to learn a phrase a week.   Spoken, not written.  Although I love to see the Korean language written out I can't delude myself into thinking I could ever master that.
So far I have learned An Young Ha Sai Yo?  How are you?; Gwen Chen Ah Yo.  You're welcome or it;s ok; and I'm working on Kham Sa Ham Nee Da,  Thank you.  Sadly, when I say these phrases they don't sound the same as when our Korean pastor says them.  Maybe I'll sound better in 52 weeks.