Palm Sunday services attended… check.
Help cleaning up the theatre after the spring musical… check.
Assist one mom transporting another friend’s daughter to E.R. while we get their car to them… check.
(update on her condition- nothing broken, whew!)
Got a lot done this weekend, and it wasn’t half as much as other people accomplished. Can’t say that I have ever participated in helping dear friends gather cars and child to the E.R. before, but we’d do anything for this wonderful family. So, we are going to end the day reflecting on how thankful we are that she will be fine, and how she is a beautiful example of how to be calm, forgiving and able to smile while still smarting quite a bit.
Friday morning I had NBC’s Today Show playing in the background as I worked. A short feature caught my attention enough to not only hit the rewind, but also to prompt a later discussion with The Husband running the gamut from commercialization, privacy, preschoolers’ TV/Video consumption, unexpected celebrity, to responsibility with windfall fortunes… the list went on. And this was BEFORE either of us actually watched even one of the You Tube videos in question. Let me preface that we were discussing concepts, and NOT passing judgement on ANYONE. I can’t stress that enough. I took the roll of the Devil’s Advocate, because I wanted to see how far apart opinions could be stretched on this subject.
Here’s the actual You Tube Channel Hulyan Maya:
The channel up for discussion is “ILoveMayThing’s” Hulyan Maya, which is simply the family’s videos of their children playing with toys. This could be anyone’s videos of their family on You Tube, shared so the far flung friends and family can see each other.
NBC Today video and story via Pinterest
Everything must have changed for this family when the videos, mostly of their children playing with toys, became hugely popular with children- to the tune of millions of hit per day. Enter toy companies paying to have their commercials shown before these videos, they’d be foolish to ignore this golden opportunity to advertise so directly to their targeted audience. The family seems to have made wise decisions as to handle their unexpected fortune.
Photo from NBC Today, links to the video under discussion
Our society has long had the Armchair Athlete. Spectator sports bring an enormous amount of joy undoubtedly to billions of people. Here is what most caught my attention- It was a eight second clip that I could’t get over from 2:07 through 2:15 Seeing the kids sitting mesmerized, watching a Hulyan Maya You Tube video on a tablet makes me want to champion less screen time for young children. I would do that differently in my own family if I could go back in time. I know, I know, these little ones could have just come in from running around outside in the fresh air, or reading with a loving caretaker or parent, but in these eight seconds they are just staring and watching other kids play. On a tablet.
Remember, this, coming from me, the woman who raised her daughter on a steady diet of Blues Clues… I’m truly The Pot Calling the Kettle Black, here.
I asked The Husband one last question- Would you do the same today, if you were just starting out with your family in this digital age- would you take this opportunity to have financial freedom in this manner? His reply was that he didn’t know… he just couldn’t say.
The Husband has a group of friends that buy each other coffee a couple of times each week. At least. It takes all their strength and willpower to stick to only a couple visits per week at this favorite coffee shop. Honestly, we wonder what they put in the coffee as it is ridiculously good.
Zumbar has arrived…
Every time I come up the stairs to his office I chat a bit with Bill, the security officer, and think, “This guy needs a coffee!”
Croissants lined up in the case at Zumbar in the Sorrento Valley area of San Diego
I brought the Coffee Club their Americanos today, and brought one to Bill, too. I’ve been meaning to do this for a couple of years, at least. Can I take a second to reiterate how glad I am that I picked up this project for the year? I am making myself remember to do little things for, and say thanks to the many people in my community that do so much for everyone and my family.
I did something unexpected- I bought a completely different style and color in clothing than I would normally pick out for myself. I’m not too crazy about getting new clothes or shopping in general, but the Shopping Stars were all in alignment: everything I wanted was on sale, the sizes were all just right, everything even matched and actually looked cute! This never happens for me. Surprised and delighted, I bought them and headed home with a couple of lovely skirts and tops quite different from what I already own.
Have you ever stuck with the same style of clothing, year in and year out?. Maybe kept the same haircut for five, ten years or even more? I have. Boy, I remember one year when on a whim, I found a new hair stylist and gave her the go ahead to give me a whole new do- EVERYONE noticed. I felt like a million bucks! I had never done anything like it before, but ultimately was completely happy that I took the risk.
There’s a lot to be said in defense of our comfortable routines- life is easier when we know we like, when we know how to plan ahead to purchase on seasonal sales, or to stock up on our family’s favorite items. Even knowing the quickest route to the usual shopping center makes a big difference when we have work to attend to. Routines are good. But… sometimes we all need a little change to the usual look. Or food, or pastimes. Or (fill in your own challenge in this spot).
A little shake-up is good for the mind and the soul.
branching out... on a limb 