Category: Cat-in-a-bag

Starting Off Blogging Right!

No, not politically right, but in tune with resolutions to improve my blogging and keep on top of resurrecting blog efforts such as TrueGrit, etc. I wrote a little report on a few changes I made in my wordpress sites. This site and the garden website Ilona’s Garden, are my earliest efforts at blogging with the wordpress platform. I have many posts accumulated from years of writing, so the sites have gone through many changes in templates, plugins, etc.

In keeping with the new year I have worked hard to improve the blog experience by getting the sites to run more smoothly… as well as slowly starting back into more posting (such as this). In the WebHelp blog I decided to post tips and helpful things that relate only to those who are running their own sites. Little tips and leads to save time and effort.

The latest is my report on new Favorite WordPress Plugins . For those which work well I intend to implement on all my wordpress installaitons. And some of the ones I listed I am super happy with.

Resolutions Are Better Late Than Never

Make art… not … other stuff!

Maybe being late is just plain better when it comes to making resolutions, to give the brain time to handle the overload of a need for focused willpower ( Why 88% of resolutions fail ).

That is one way to rationalize procrastination. I have come to include a few resolutions for 2013, the first of which is to start implementing them on February 1st. More delay, I know, but I have learned a few things about being successful with the resolutions that I want to try.

  • The newest resolution is to take 15 minutes at the start of my day to do Meditation. I think I will choose a book of the Bible each month from which to extract key passages. Then start the meditation with centering on that verse, or passage.
  • Then (these are in the order of importance to me) will come the resolutions centering around physical health. This year I want a regular exercise program that I stick with. Blogging about the plan, and the results.
  • For years I had “creating art” in the resolution list. Last year, I made baby steps. I drew a few things and set up my studio. This year I sweep away the stultifying barriers of preconceptions about art and low confidence in my present abilities. This year, I make hard copy art. To finish one piece a month is a starting place, that won’t overburden my frontal cortex!

So far, that is my list of purposeful intentions, resolutions which have specific plans of action and a focal point goal.

New Moons

CURRENT MOON
moon phases

Today is a new moon, on October the fifteenth of 2012, a Monday. We don’t think of new moons in our modern age, although we might still observe a full moon just because we like the way it looks or we equate it with a time when people act oddly. But it used to be that a new moon once had significance.

Since the Hebrew year was marked as a lunar year, the new moons would mark the beginning of a new month, and had the spiritual significance of new beginnings, considered Holy convocations in some instance; especially the first new moon of the new year.

There are questions about just what constitute a “new moon”. In the Lunar calender that didn’t seem to be so much of an issue since it was defined as”The New Moon is the beginning or the first day of the month.” We can guess that it is the transition from the full moon to the crescent, presumably with a specific point, such as the visible crescent. However it was, the moon at the beginning of its new phase was the beginning of a new month and so the “beginning” had a certain importance.

During the New Moon observance in ancient Israel the shofar was the blown. It was holy, a Sabbath Day. Worship, singing, and sweet incense was burnt to mark the observance.

A beginning was an important event, taken seriously, entered into joyously.

Today is the change from the month Tishrei to Cheshvan and it has two days set aside:”two Rosh Chodesh (“Head of the Month”) days for the month of (when a month has 30 days, both the last day of the month and the first day of the following month serve as the following month’s Rosh Chodesh). So the two days celebrated this month are the 16th and 17th of October.

eLaine’s Locker

I thought I would announce the fact that I opened a Zazzle store for my daughter’s artwork. We call it ‘eLaine’s Locker‘. The idea is to get her started in getting a bit of exposure for her anime drawings, and eventually a little spending money for when she goes to school next fall.

It is fun to help your kids develop their talents and fledge into something that helps them learn about business. Right now I’m doing all the setup while she works on her drawings, and starts making design decisions. She has renewed her interest in drawing, which had given way to writing. Both are worthy occupations of time.

I’m trying to interest another daughter in some of this, too… it would be great if a number of the kids would be able to collaborate together in building these types of businesses.

Ok, that is the dreamer in me talking. As of now, she has not made any sales, but I hope it won’t be long before people discover her Zazzle store and order some of her products. Would you like to see a sample? I hoped you would!

Phone cases, stickers, pillows, and all sorts of stuff: