Monday, January 12, 2009

Resolutions and No Resolutions

You may have noticed that I passed on doing a New Year’s Resolution this year. I shamed myself with last year’s resolution (Finding out more information on Jacobus ancestors) so badly that I figured my making a resolution was something akin to Congress requesting accountability on bailouts. A great idea, but without muscle, it’s just words. 

 However, not to worry, the Carnival of Genealogy had in the neighborhood of forty “resolute” geneabloggers who willingly put their own reputations on the line to share with you their personal New Year’s resolutions. They were, to say the least, inspiring. They were, to say the most, practical ideas that may be just the thing you need to start your year out right. You can catch the link at Jasia’s Creative Gene website. 

 I have however, been thinking about my own cranky, go away don’t bother me attitude. If I said, “I hate Christmas!” once, I must have said it - well enough times to have a daughter-in-law tell me, “You always say that.” Ouch! So I’m trying an experiment, which is different from a resolution. (Don’t ask me the difference, just roll with me here.) I’m calling it, “My Year of Positive Thinking” and every Monday, I’ll write a positive quote on an index card and read it first thing in the morning and the last thing before going to bed for an entire week.

 The next week, I’ll do the same thing all over again with another quote. In each Monday’s post, I’ll tell you what my quote for the week is. My boss, Sam, and my co-worker, Teagen, have offered to help me come up with some positive quotes. (As I told them, the only quote that leapt to my mind was, “When you see light at the end of the tunnel, it’s the light of the oncoming train.” You see my problem.) 

 If any of you have a favorite quote that fits in with what I am hoping to accomplish, feel free to send me the quote. I can use all the help I can get. However, I think I found just the ticket for this week’s quote. It comes from Max Ehrmann’s “Desiderata.” You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. 

Until Next Time …

© 12 January 2009, Desktop Genealogist Unplugged, Teresa L. Snyder 


7 comments:

Sheri Fenley said...

OMG we could be the cranky twins! I have become such a cynical old ____(fill in the blank here, any word will probably work). I hate wishing and hoping for things - in my experience it's a set up for disappointment because nothing good or nice comes my way out of the blue or just because. And if by some miracle something good does happen I am scared to death because something bad will happen to ruin it all anyway! LOL The only way I deal with it all is to laugh. Laugh and learn to write better, there's got to be a good story in there somewhere!

Anonymous said...

Cool resolution. I am really proud of people who decide something. because from decisions sprout the actions.

TERRY SNYDER said...

Well Sheri, OMG we are twins. I use laugher the exact same way! (I would never know from your blog that you are a CT (cranky twin)). My worry, because along with being cranky I am a champion worrier, is that if I drop the cranky, I will drop the me in me.

Jaky, thanks so much for your note of encouragement. Remember, though, it's an experiment, not a resolution. :)

Harriet said...

If you need quotes check out this link http://www.quotationspage.com/
plently of quotes of all kinds. Good luck!

TERRY SNYDER said...

Thanks Harriet! I'll definitely check it out!

Greta Koehl said...

Yikes - Terry and Sheri - The whole thing about cynicism and not wanting to set yourself up for disappointment (Eeyore here) and always expecting the worst and worrying about everything - that's my personality in a nutshell. Drives my husband, Mr. Sunshine, crazy. Well I feel better now because I know I'm not the only one.

TERRY SNYDER said...

Greta, well it's nice to know there is yet another member of the club. Have a great day!

Terry


Terry

Terry

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