Friday, February 23, 2018

A Matter of Perspective Weekly Link Round-Up




There are so many horrible things going on in the world right now that it's almost mind-numbing. Many of them demand some sort of action from us lest our silence makes us complicit. In addition, it's altogether too easy to become overwhelmed, depressed, by what's going on in the world. I'm no stranger to depression; in fact, depression was a close "friend" for many, many years. While I carry out my game plan for how I'm going to make the world a better place, there are things I do to keep myself in a positive frame of mind.

Mostly I just remind myself of how good I have it. Sure, I have two knees and a hip that don't work according to specifications, and now one hand is causing me grief, but if that's all I have to whine about, I'm having a really good day.

I have a Mason jar on my desk, and each week I put in a slip of paper on which I've written something good that's happened to me. Those slips of paper have certainly had an assortment of things written on them: lunches with favorite authors, adventures with Denis, a marvelous book, spending five minutes watching two butterflies courting.... There are things (and people) to be thankful for all around us. Like the young woman who saw a complete stranger (me) having difficulties disembarking from a train at the Edinburgh station and rushed over to help. Or another young woman who helped chase down my errant lens cap at the Desert Botanical Garden the other day. Or the fantastic people I've met through this blog (like my Secret Santa who even sent me a magazine recently).

When the world has gone crazy, all we can do is to keep on sharing the good, no matter how small. You never ever know how some small thing you've done has made a huge difference in a stranger's life.



►Books, Movies & Other Interesting Tidbits◄


►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄


►Channeling My Inner Elly Mae Clampett◄
  • Twenty colorful animals that will make your jaw drop.
  • Meet the dogs of Chernobyl-- the abandoned pets that formed their own canine community.
  • Praying mantises don tiny goggles to help us understand 3-D vision. 
  • A bichon frise named Flynn became America's top dog at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

►The Happy Wanderer◄


►I ♥ Lists◄


That's all for this week! Don't forget to stop by next Friday when I'll be sharing a freshly selected batch of links for your surfing pleasure.

Have a great weekend, and read something fabulous!



8 comments:

  1. What a good idea, Cathy, for keeping a positive attitude! There is so much sorrow in the world that we can be frozen into immobility if we let that happen. Remembering the good things in life, and reaching out to others, helps. Now, before I go explore that Mayan megalopolis, I want you to know that your blog is one of the good things in my life. Thank you.

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  2. I love your little essay above about being positive in tough times. Sometimes it's hard, but I go back to my philosophy that we can always find 'bits of joy' in the dark clouds. And I learned that the hard way. Like Margot, I consider your blog and more importantly, your friendship, part of 'kay's good things'. :-)

    One other comment - I'm sure that people that came up with the Staunch Book Prize have done so with all good intentions. However, I think my opinion is much closer to Sophie Hannah's.

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    1. You're one of my "good things," too, Kay-- and we're in agreement about the Staunch Book Prize as well.

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  3. Now I want someone to photograph my library! Thanks for the links.

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  4. The article about famous readers' borrowing records was fascinating. Thanks for posting it!

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    1. You're welcome! That was one of my favorites, too.

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