Special Quotes
"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing."
--Dale Carnegie
Special Quotes
"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing."
--Dale Carnegie
"The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play."
--Arnold Toynbee
THE ARTSY SITE OF THE MONTH:
Virtual Uffizi
Forget April in Paris--let's do art in Florence.
PERSONAL HOME PAGE OF THE MONTH:
Maison Lisa
A psychologist who admits she loves basket weaving. She also has a nice eye for
design, and a well-rounded Home Page.
WEB PAGE DESIGN SITE OF THE MONTH:
Designing Web Sites for Multiple Browsers Without Being Bland
You want as many people as possible to enjoy your pages, without
them being boring in design.
SEASONAL SITE OF THE MONTH:
NATO's 50th Anniversary Homepage
Funny it should come up this year, with all the focus on NATO decisions to
intervene in the Kosovo region.
JUST FUN SITE OF THE MONTH:
Easter Egg Archive Home
Easter eggs (in this case) are those little pictures and other surprises
hidden in software and hardware by designers with a sense of humor.
DOWNRIGHT SERIOUS SITE OF THE MONTH:
Pedestrian Safety Fact Sheet
Very sobering, which leads me to comment that if a driver has been drinking,
none of the tips may save you.
And if you're drinking and walking, you're adding to your own peril.
In 1996 in the U.S., of all pedestrians (16 years and older) killed in
night crashes, 55 per cent had blood alcohol concentrations of
0.10 per cent or higher.
HISTORICAL SITE OF THE MONTH:
A Taste of American Beekeeping History
Orchard growers love these guys and gals.
|
For April Travelers |
East Coast Blues and Roots Festival
Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia.
Neville Brothers, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Tony Joe White, more.
Details: Call 61-2-6680-3600.
April 2-4, 1999
Thai Heritage Conservation Day and Shadow Play (Nang Talung-Nora) Festival
City Hall, Phatthalung, Thailand.
Shadow Play, Nora dance, demonstrations, arts, food.
More Information: Call 6675-346-515-6.
April 7-11, 1999
Aspen Shortsfest
Aspen, Colorado.
Film lovers, this one is for you. This event celebrates the short film in competition. Last year
they got over 800 entries, so you'll find your tastes covered no matter what they are.
The festival includes panel discussions and receptions.
Further details: Call 970-925-6882.
April 9-11, 1999
Cheraw
Various locations, Cheraw, South Carolina.
Music, dancing, sports events.
More Information: Call 843-537-8425.
April 10-11, 1999
Central New York Maple Festival
Downtown, Marathon, New York.
Pancake breakfast (with real maple syrup, I presume!), chicken bbq, funnel cakes, other
foods, juried arts and crafts fair, petting zoo, Civil War Enactment, antique quilt and
family Bible displays, entertainment, tree tapping, tree planting, Morris dancers, Maple
Museum open with demonstrations, sale of syrup and sugars, and maple sundaes.
Additional Details: Call 607-849-3812 OR 607-849-3278.
April 10-11, 1999
AirFest '99
March Field, March Air Force Base (near city of Peris) California.
Static aircraft display, food an concessions, aerial displays. Appearances include those of the
Canadian Northern Lights (who performed at our local airfield, and are impressive),
U.S. Navy Parachute Team, and the United States Air Force Thunderbirds.
Information: Call 1-909-655-4137.
April 10-11, 1999
California Poppy Festival
Lancaster, California.
Food, arts and crafts, entertainment, helicopter rides over the California Poppy Reserve.
Details: 805-723-6077.
April 13-18, 1999
Scottsdale Culinary Festival
Scottsdale, Arizona.
Many food events, including cooking competitions and tastings.
Further Information: phone 602-905-3141.
April 15-18, 1999
Windfest
Portland, Texas.
Parade, chili cook-off, more food, carnival, more.
More details: Call 512-643-2475.
April 16-May 1, 1999
Kentucky Derby Festival
Various locations, Louisville, Kentucky
Some 70 events make up this celebration which culminates in the running of the Kentucky
Derby at Churchill Downs. Activities includes a steamboat race, balloon race, golf
competitions, seniors' dance, children's parade, food, music, Thunder Over Louisville
(spectacular pyrotechnics display), and more.
More information: 1-800-792-5595.
April 17-18, 1999
Bloomin' Festival
Cullman, Alabama.
Arts and crafts, food, entertainment.
Details: phone 256-739-6682.
April 17-18, 1999
Tulip Time
Belle Plaine, Kansas.
Tulip displays, quilt show, flower shows, arts and entertainment.
Additional details: Call 316-488-3401.
April 18, 1999
Fallbrook Avocado Festival
Fallbrook, California.
packing plant tours, plane displays, downtown fair, food, more.
Additional details: 760-728-5845.
April 23-24, 1999
Festival of Choirs
Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
High School students from the Midwest meet to rehearse and perform with special
guest conductors.
Information: Call 605-338-45542.
April 23-25, 1999
Asparagus Festival
Sunnyside, Washington.
Music and food, especially food featuring asparagus.
More details: Call 1-800-814-7004.
April 23-25, 1999
Arkansas Scottish Festival
Lyon College, Batesville, Arkansas.
Music, dancing, sheep dog demonstrations, Bonniest Knees contest, seminars,
competitions, clan tents for gatherings, food, concessions, a Sunday morning lakeside
worship service.
Contact Information: Call 870-698-4382.
April 25, 1999
Massachusetts Conference, United Church of Christ Bicentennial Celebration
Worcester's Centrum Centre, Worcester, Masachusetts.
Food and displays, a "great" Conference choir (over 500 people had signed up for this choir
by middle January, so it should be quite something to hear!), special afternoon worship
service, noon youth rally, roll call of churches with each presenting banners they have made
for the celebration.
Contact Information: email Ellie Kell at kelle@macucc.org.
April 28-May 2, 1999
Merced County Spring Fair
Los Banos, California.
need details.
Information: 209-826-5166.
April 30-May 2, 1999
Emmett Kelly Clown Festial
Houston, Missouri.
A celebration of clowns, with a parade and arts and crafts.
More Information: Call 417-967-2220.
April 30-May 2, 1999
Athens Twilight Festival
Downtown Athens, Georgia.
The Twilight Criterium, a nightime pro-cycling 60K race held downtown, is the star of this
festival, but there is also plenty of music and food.
More Information: Call 1-800-462-4531.
A Real To-do List
|
Are you one of those people who make a list of things to accomplish every day of your life? And are you tired just from reading it before you ever do one thing on it?
I've always been in the habit of rewarding myself with fun tasks in between the ones that I'd categorize as duties, chores, necessary tasks.
I finally got wise and began to write down the rewarding, fun tasks right along with the less-enjoyable tasks.
An old partial list might have read:
weed front flower bed go through coupons and make grocery list balance checking statement wash load of darks dry darks water house plants and tomato seedlings meet Mr. Cann at 10:30 for house painting estimate
put seasonal throw pillows on bed to brighten room weed front flower bed sketch ideas for new rock garden to build next year go through coupons and make grocery list jot down ideas for a restaurant for upcoming special occasion balance checking statement take camera and go for a walk and look for flowers to photograph wash load of darks dry load of darks have some lunch and watch Interior Motives water house plants and tomato seedlings browse catalog for new flower seeds meet Mr. Cann at 10:30 for house painting estimate visit that bookmarked web site with new a cappella music cd's.
That's a lot to do, and I probably would not include that many goodies in one list, but it gives you the basic idea.It makes the list-making a lot more fun, and when I pick it up to read it, I don't feel nearly the amount of dread I used to feel.
I found someone who does this same type of thing, but has a box or jar nearby with little slips of paper with fun things written on each one. When she can't face another "chore" she reaches into her supply of fun things and chooses one at random. If you like happy surprises, this might be more appealing to you than incorporating planned events into your list.
Choose what you enjoy--you know your likes and dislikes best. For some people a 10-minute phone chat with a friend is a big treat. For others meeting a friend for lunch or arranging a vase of flowers would make the rest of the day's work much more bearable.
One acquaintance writes letters to take a break, another puts music on and stretches, some go shopping (be careful--this can be an expensive treat). Some find a way to take a break from child care. Someone else arranges to take their lunch from work one hour later once a week so that the last half of the workday is short and sweet.
It's your day, so have fun and be creative. If all you usually have to show at the end of a day is fatigue (and dread for tomorrow's list), why not try this for awhile, and see if you have more energy to do the things you really need to do?
Just remember to put as much of yourself into the fun tasks as all the others!
|
|
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. Ecclesiastes 9:10
verse quoted from New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. |
|
Central coastal California is still getting some rain, but we are rapidly approaching our drier season(s). I decided to start some tomato seeds indoors this year, so we have a tray of seedlings in the kitchen window, waiting for enough sun and warmth to go into pots outdoors. (we tend to be foggy in this area in the late spring and early summer, so tomatoes are tricky to work with here).
Two and three years ago I had more cilantro in the front flower bed than I knew what to do with, but last year the seeds washed away, and this year only one plant came up. I added a purchased plant from the hardware store nursery, and something promptly ate it down to the ground, leaving the first one to grow!
We cut back the rose bushes just before the bad freeze the area got late in 1998, and they are coming back nicely. We hope to have blooms very soon. Mildew and rust are a big problem here, again because of our fog and cool coastal influences. (So how do you folks in Great Britain get all those lovely roses with all the wet days you have?)
Some tulips and daffodils have bloomed, and a few more are making an attempt.
We had a pesky gopher last fall, digging and tunneling in the back yard, making a real mess of things. So we've been cleaning up the mounds he made behind the house.
The pot of impatiens I had sitting on the front porch succumbed to the freeze. Thankfully we only get a bad freeze like that about once a decade!
It's time to clean out the rock fountain and get that ready for spring. The birds love the sound of the water (so do I)! Last summer we had a lady oriole so enamored with the fountain that she visited daily, sitting timidly near it at first, and then finally sitting in the shallow parts, splashing away. We began to call it "Lady Spa Oriole". I hope we'll see her again later this year.
|
Remember! Those of us who publish on the web are not saying our work is in the public domain.
When in doubt about your use of someone's else's writings or graphics, ask!
If you want to use graphics or text on a commercial page, contact me first, please, and we'll work something out.
Fill out this Form to be notified when the next Monthly Review is up. You can also use the form to be taken off the notify list, or to send me comments and suggestions.
Visit My Other Pages |
|
 Back To My Home Page
|
Deb's Mystery (And Other) Books Page |
| Deb's Favorite Movies Page | Deb's TV Page |
| Deb's Selected Bookmarks | Deb's List of WWW "Of The" Sites |
<send me email>
or use deb@lightpatch.com