Tag Archives: Yale University

Jul31

Tsunami. Flash Flood. Cinnamon Buns. Gnomes. Costco. Yale.

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Tsunami. Flash Flood. Cinnamon Buns. Gnomes. Costco. Yale.

The week began with tsunami warnings for the coastal areas in Washington State. Flash flood warnings for the northern Cascades. Heavy rainfall in the northern part of the state. Hence the flash flood warnings. Hopefully no thunder boomers. Lightning tends to hit trees and start wildfires.

Tuesday morning. Stopped in at the Sure to Rise Bakery in Cashmere for a cinnamon bun. Strode down to the Spirit of America 9/11 Memorial for some quiet contemplation.

Gnomes. Cashmere is known for its gnomes. Pick up a brochure at the visitor center and go on a hunt for these creatures. I actually did that once. Now I just glance at them along with their cute little homes.

Did I say gnomes homes? On Tuesday afternoon I volunteered at a program at the library where I fired a glue gun for a couple of hours. Kids eagerly built homes for gnomes. This is an annual activity at the library that is always so well attended. There was an abundance of craft materials ranging from birchbark to feathers and everything in between. And these kids are all so creative!

I did it again. I signed up yesterday for another online course from Yale University. Psychology this time. The videos this week are all about the brain. Interesting and at the same time a little scary.

Extremely hot and muggy here in East Wenatchee. Rain early this morning. So far just isolated drizzle this afternoon. And the 90 plus degree heat wave is forecast to continue for another few days.

On a cloudy and gloomy afternoon it’s a good day to go out for lunch and then cruise through Costco. So we did. Fall clothes and Halloween decorations have no appeal to me, not where I go in October. But I do enjoy browsing. It brings back fond memories of when my kids and I used to decorate our house for Halloween.

Bye Bye July!

Mar21

Screen Time

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Screen Time

Screen time has occupied much of my time in the last couple of weeks. Some of it was necessary and some of it not so necessary. I admit I do enjoy playing Candy Crush but I limit my time with that activity. The other screen time has been far more productive.

The most tedious by far was researching travel. What day should I leave? Where should I fly out of? Where should I fly into? Where do I want to spend the longest layover? When will I feel the least exhausted?

I’m taking a course online from Yale University. We delve into feeling and expressing our emotions in a more positive way, even if they are negative emotions. Videos, lectures and readings are most informative. And of course there are the assignments that we submit.

I’ve also had two very interesting webinars from writing groups I belong to. Today’s was especially interesting as it focused on going from the first to the third draft before submitting for publication. And I am currently on the final edit of my third draft.

I also tuned in to a Zoom meeting on North Central Washington Libraries. This one dealt with homelessness, a very real and increasing problem in our world today.

I also had my usual weekly Bible Study on Zoom. We are studying 1 Corinthians and always have interesting and lively discussions.

And now I’m writing this post on WordPress. It’s a short one as I’m eager to take a break from writing and studying. The sun is shining and it hasn’t quite hit 85 yet so I’d like to go out for a walk.

Have a great weekend!

Nov20

Experiences Versus Things

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Experiences Versus Things

I’m really enjoying the course I’m taking from Yale University right now. It’s one of the best ones I’ve taken in a long time. This week the discussion has centered around experiences versus things and how they affect happiness. Some interesting strategies have been presented and I’ve already been implementing some of them. The weekly assignments are challenging and I actually look forward to the hours I spend both inside and outside of class while taking this course.

Buen Fin is this weekend in Mexico. It’s a time when I avoid the stores. There are way too many people cramming the aisles in search of bargains. This is Mexico’s version of Black Friday. I’m not interested in fighting crowds when I shop. I much prefer a more leisurely experience. Yes. I know. I can shop online. But I’m old school. I still prefer the hands on and in person experience. And that is why it took me two years to replace my laptop that bit the dust when Covid first hit.

Monday is also Revolution Day here in Mexico. It’s actually a government holiday and not a religious one. Although the date is really November 20th, it’s being celebrated on Monday the 21st to make it a long weekend. Mexicans are big on their history. In my teaching days my students would always have essays to write about this day. Diaz had been president for thirty-five years. In the presidential election of 1910, a wealthy landowner named Madero opposed Diaz. Diaz had Madero thrown in jail. However Madero escaped from jail and issued the Plan of San Luis Potosi, declaring himself as president and nullifying the election. Madero encouraged Mexicans to rise up against Diaz. This was the start of the Mexican Revolution.

Other news here in Aguascalientes this week. A helicopter crashed in Jesus Maria killing five people. Luckily the pilot was able to bring it down in a vacant lot. However the state security minister was one of the five who died. This tragedy is on the heels of a Pemex oil truck that failed to beat the train. After the train hit the truck, it wound up crashing into an overpass destroying a major traffic artery in the city, as well as setting several homes on fire.

Choose experiences over things. Share them with others. Watch your happiness soar.

Have a great Sunday!

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