Mane Highlights for Friday January 3, 2014

Hear Me Roar!: Happy New Year!  Wow, 2014!  I guess you know you are getting old when you are in bed long before the ball drops and hit the ceiling when neighborhood fireworks go off at midnight.  If you can relate to this then you will enjoy the Norman Rockwell painting below.  

This week I reflected on the tradition of making New Year's Resolutions and particularly how I don't!  At least not in the traditional sense of making resolutions.  I share some of my insights on making interior changes and considering a focus on others.

        Reflection of the Week: My Resolution

I have never been one for making New Year's Resolutions.  I suppose it has always seemed silly to me to have to come up with a cliche resolution to share when asked, especially considering that making such a resolution simply because the calendar year has changed hardly ever produces real results.  Apparently only 8% of the 45% of Americans who regularly make New Year's Resolutions are successful in achieving their resolution. Continue

For more reflections: http://lionofdesign.blogspot.com/p/about.html

        Gallery Piece of the Week: New Year's Eve

Who doesn't love the classy, humorous, and down-to-earth paintings of Norman Rockwell?  The 20th century American painter is known for capturing American culture on the covers of The Saturday Evening Post.  Rockwell was told by psychologist Erik Erikson that he painted his happiness, but did not live it.  This painting particularly caught my attention this year, as I was in bed before midnight!

To see more works: http://lionofdesign.blogspot.com/p/gallery.html

You Might Be Pregnant If: 2 Weeks to Go!

I guess you could say that we have had quite the dramatic build-up to this child's arrival.  From food poisoning to a household stomach bug and now the baby sitting on my sciatic nerves causing shooting pains and the "dead leg" feeling we used to give each other as kids when we punched each other in just the right spot on the leg (if you had brothers.)  At this point I feel like a walking gumby!  Despite all of this, we are of course so excited for this little one to come.  This is a phenomenon that can be contemplated in every pregnancy - the joy despite the discomfort. 

Dynamic Quote:Resolution of Happiness

Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.
- Helen Keller

I leave you with this until next week: