By request

For your perusal, a few relatively recent photos of the Ham. First from an impromptu photo shoot during Thanksgiving, and the second from a fall photo shoot. Maybe I should have added "learn how to take pictures" to my new year's aspirations. But with such a cute subject, my patented "take a bunch and some will turn out" style seems to work just fine.

Yes, those are baby Toms.

New Year's Reflections

Do you think you can change the kind of person you are? I don't mean like, learning to ski, or becoming a better cook, or even disciplining yourself to be more patient. But more like this, for instance: If I write as one of my new year's resolutions that I want to be more spontaneous, is that really something that is possible and achievable? Even if I manage to let go of all reservations when someone else suggests a spontaneous activity, would I really be able to, on my own, decide to do something without first planning it out?

Another example, can I BECOME a morning person? It seems, thus far in my life, that no matter how early I have to get up or how much sleep I get, I just don't jump out of bed ready to go. As I tell Abraham, I have to wake up slowly. Is this just my natural personality, or can it be changed?

All the talk of resolutions on the occasion of the new year has me thinking about ways in which I'd like to change my life, too. But the middle of winter seems a strange time for making changes. And, I'd like to be reasonable with it all. A year is a long time, sure, but rather than vague "be a better person" platitudes, I'd like something concrete, that I can measure. It's the non-spontaneous side of me. It also may be the side of me that likes to make lists. Really, how could I resist the opportunity to make a list of things to accomplish in the new year? So here goes. A preliminary list, anyway. I may add more as the week (or month, or year) goes on.

What are your resolutions?

Also, creative ways to display resolutions here. I might need to try something like this.

New Year’s Resolutions

1.       Learn:

a.       To use the sewing machine

b.      To knit

2.       Create:

a.       12 pieces of art (one a month)

b.      Adaily rhythm chart

c.       A morning and evening routine (prayers and yoga)

d.      Photobook for Abraham, Year 2

3.       Write:

a.       Regular blog posts

b.      Poetry

c.       A novel

4.       Read:

     (I am leaving off the actual items here, lest I be too embarrassed for not having read them already.)

5.       Be:

a.       “A kindly tongue is the loadstone of the hearts of men. It is the bread of the spirit, it clotheth the words with meaning, it is the fountain of the light of wisdom and understanding.”

b.      “I charge you all that each one of you concentrate all the thoughts of your heart on love and unity. When a thought of war comes, oppose it by a stronger thought of peace. A thought of hatred must be destroyed by a more powerful thought of love.”

c.       “Humanity is not perfect. There are imperfections in every human being, and you will always become unhappy if you look toward the people themselves. But if you look toward God, you will love them and be kind to them, for the world of God is the world of perfection and complete mercy.”

d.      “The imperfect eye beholds imperfections. The eye that covers faults looks toward the Creator of souls.”

6.       Do:

a.       Organize one room a month, doing at least one small thing a day