Gratitude.
There are lots of challenges running around Facebook these days. Any involving lists of information turn on the paranoid voice in the back of my head - the one wondering who started each data mining challenge and who truly benefits from the gathering of the information in such an easily collectable format as Facebook.
One I noticed this morning - the gratitude challenge - reminded me of a livejournal challenge a friend of mine (who no longer livejournals thanks to the siren song of Facebook) did a few years ago. Basically, her personal challenge for herself was to spend a month posting each day a list of things she was grateful for. Inspired by the idea, I joined in. I only made it through part of the month before realizing the process had become more chore than pleasure for me, but at the beginning it was very good as a way to re-frame my outlook on life.
I've noticed myself complaining more lately. I've been mad at YouTube for changing it's video management format, rather than being happy there is a free video sharing site with millions of videos available for my family to view and learn from. I've been mad at Facebook for continually me switching back to top stories when I want most recent, rather than appreciating the games and the extra knowledge about family and friends I have access to through it's free use.
Maybe it's more of a taking for granted the good things in my life attitude more than anything else.
So, to break the pattern, and to remember to appreciate the good in my life, I'm going to restart my own personal gratitude challenge and write five things a day in my livejournal. This will last as long as it lasts.
1. Spell checking that checks words as I write, so I can successfully spell the word gratitude.
2. A working microwave so I can have hot coffee in the morning without having to brew a fresh pot first.
3. Minecraft - thanks to my brother giving it as a Christmas gift about a year and a half ago - it's opened up a world of YouTube videos, creative discussions with my son about all the mods he wants to build someday, multiplayer worlds, and 3D building.
4. I still have a good relationship with my 13 year old. H is comfortable asking me how to spell words. She asks me to edit anything she is posting that she wants to look polished. She shows me her drawings (even ones in progress). She tells me about her weird dreams (sleeping nighttime dreams). She talks to me often enough and at enough length to wonder at me if she talks too much.
5. A second minecraft one - 1.8 came out today. That means H and C are excitedly exploring the changes - including rabbits and doors.
C - "This is the greatest minecraft update ever, it's scrambling my brain with happiness. Rabbits!"
One I noticed this morning - the gratitude challenge - reminded me of a livejournal challenge a friend of mine (who no longer livejournals thanks to the siren song of Facebook) did a few years ago. Basically, her personal challenge for herself was to spend a month posting each day a list of things she was grateful for. Inspired by the idea, I joined in. I only made it through part of the month before realizing the process had become more chore than pleasure for me, but at the beginning it was very good as a way to re-frame my outlook on life.
I've noticed myself complaining more lately. I've been mad at YouTube for changing it's video management format, rather than being happy there is a free video sharing site with millions of videos available for my family to view and learn from. I've been mad at Facebook for continually me switching back to top stories when I want most recent, rather than appreciating the games and the extra knowledge about family and friends I have access to through it's free use.
Maybe it's more of a taking for granted the good things in my life attitude more than anything else.
So, to break the pattern, and to remember to appreciate the good in my life, I'm going to restart my own personal gratitude challenge and write five things a day in my livejournal. This will last as long as it lasts.
1. Spell checking that checks words as I write, so I can successfully spell the word gratitude.
2. A working microwave so I can have hot coffee in the morning without having to brew a fresh pot first.
3. Minecraft - thanks to my brother giving it as a Christmas gift about a year and a half ago - it's opened up a world of YouTube videos, creative discussions with my son about all the mods he wants to build someday, multiplayer worlds, and 3D building.
4. I still have a good relationship with my 13 year old. H is comfortable asking me how to spell words. She asks me to edit anything she is posting that she wants to look polished. She shows me her drawings (even ones in progress). She tells me about her weird dreams (sleeping nighttime dreams). She talks to me often enough and at enough length to wonder at me if she talks too much.
5. A second minecraft one - 1.8 came out today. That means H and C are excitedly exploring the changes - including rabbits and doors.
C - "This is the greatest minecraft update ever, it's scrambling my brain with happiness. Rabbits!"