Jenny

Today is Christmas Eve, for some of us, including me, it means it is the last day to get that last minute shopping done.  Fortunately, I have a really cool boss, and so I got today off.  Now, I have no more excuses.  So, I will be off to the mall to battle with the rest of the masses, to get that one last perfect gift.  I will probably be stopping by the grocery store as well to pick up some more of that great tasting sparkling cider.  If some of you have families like mine, today is the last day for you to finish putting up your Christmas tree.  What! You say, you haven’t put the final touches on the tree as yet?  Yes, we are so last minute, we still have to finish putting the lights on the tree.  But, I promise it will be done by this evening, by the time Santa is ready to stop by and drop of his holiday booty.

So, it is Christmas Eve, and we are all super busy, running around trying to finish up with the last minute details.  Surprisingly, I love the rush I get from the Christmas Eve hustle and bustle.  And tonight, when it gets quiet, and family and close friends gather around to see the tree finally light up, I’ll will probably get that warm fuzzy feeling inside that just feels so good.  Hope you feel the same way too.

So, Merry Christmas to All and a Happy New Year.

Donna

I was playing online and ended up visiting the website of Ali Hale.  I found her writing interesting.  Here is one of her articles for your enjoyment:

I probably don’t need to sell you on the benefits of reading. Many of us have experienced the power of books to make us laugh, cry or even give life-changing insights. But many of us also have stacks of unread books on our shelves.

Life can seem so busy that it’s hard to find the time - or the energy - to crack open a book. Here are five simple ways to find (or make) more time to read:
Standing in line

How often do you end up waiting in line? It might be at the bank, the post office, the bus stop, the train station or the supermarket. You might be waiting around for your child to finish an after-school class, or waiting for an event to start.

Keep a book with you at all times - ideally something that’s easy to dip into and read a few paragraphs of. It’s a great way to kill a few minutes which would otherwise be spent in terminal boredom.

Commuting

If you commute to work on public transport, why not read en route? Ditch the free newspaper that’s handed out, and take a book along instead.
Don’t discount reading if you drive or walk to work, either: buy MP3s of audio books and load them onto an MP3 player (you don’t need an expensive iPod - you can get a cheap model and it’ll do just fine). Listening to books counts as “reading” too, and for many people, it’s the most practical way of squeezing reading into a busy life.

Lunch hour

Do you end up working through your lunch hour - or sitting around watching clips on YouTube? Take a book into work instead. If your office is too noisy to read at your desk, head out to the nearest park, coffee shop or library. (As well as the benefits from the book, you’ll also get a productivity boost in the afternoon by taking some time off to clear your mind of work.)

Evenings

Why not have one evening each week where you refuse to turn on the TV or computer? Both of these can just eat up hours - without much to show for it.
Let yourself relax into a book instead; you’ve got several hours to take your time, to read and enjoy. Why not get a mug of tea, coffee or even a glass of wine to sip while you’re reading? If you can make the evening feel like a treat, you’ll be setting up strong positive associations with the act of reading - busting through any negative thoughts that “reading is boring”.

Pick A Book You Love

Don’t struggle to get through tedious books because you feel you “should” read them. There are far more great books in the world than you could read in your lifetime - so pick the ones that you actually enjoy!

If you’re reading a book that you love, you’ll find that the time to read it appears out of nowhere. Ask friends for recommendations, or browse a few books at the library or bookstore until you find one which really grabs you.

Ali Hale is a postgraduate student of Creative & Life Writing, and a freelance writer working for several large blogs. She also runs her own blog, Aliventures, writing in-depth articles on “getting the most from life”.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ali_Hale

Jenny

The other day, I watched the movie “”The Bucket List“  starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.  What struck me and stayed with me from this movie was the concept of the “bucket list.“  For those of you who are not sure what a “bucket list” is, it is a list of things that you want to do, and try to do before you “kick the bucket” (die).  So I got to thinking, seriously, what if I had a year left to live, what would be some of the things that I would want to get done before I kicked the bucket. 

So, here is my bucket list:

1. I love to travel, but in the last few years I have had to scale back on my travels.  I have been fortunate to see many different countries and to experience different cultures.  But, I have not yet made it to China to see the Great Wall, and to India to see the Taj Mahal.
   
2. I would like to parachute out of a plane - just like the old guys in the movie.  I had a friend who did it once, and she said it was the most amazing feeling.  I am yet to get up the courage to try it.
   
3. I would like to be a participant on the reality show - “The Amazing Race“ I absolutely love that show.
   
4. I would like to take a spin in an actual race car - do you get the feeling that I like speed?
   
5. I would like to have lunch with Barack Obama.
   
6. I would like to get front row seats to a Mariah Carey concert.
   
7. I would like GossipSecretaries to have just one day of hits similar in kind to Darren Rowse’s blog, ProBlogger.
   
8. Finally, I would like to tell world leaders at a United Nations conference, to make sheltering, feeding, clothing and providing medical care to the children of the world, their number one priority.  Because the children of today, are the adults, leaders, and even rebels of tomorrow.
   

So tell us, what would your bucket list include?

Jenny

Hey Ladies, for today’s musical post, I wanted to try something different.  I found this Pussycat Dolls song with a reggaeton mix.  This should help to put you in the party mood and kick off your weekend.

Jenny

Finally, made it through another hectic week.  This past week at work has been crazy. So, I thought I would try to “mellow” out this weekend. Here is a throw back from the 80’s with a little twist to kick off the weekend.