Some Christmas Photos

Christmas cards from loving friends

Christmas turkey

Red shoes

Fabulous Shoes

Mike and I wandered around a shopping mall today searching for Christmas present inspiration.  We didn't have much success, but we did see some fabulous pairs of shoes!

Time...

There isn't enough time in the day to accomplish all that I want to do.  I always feel rushed and harried.  Nothing seems to get done and the list of undone grows longer daily as new tasks are added.  Here is how I want to feel:

I must govern the clock, not be governed by it.
Golda Meir 

I have tried to get up earlier and create more time for myself before the work day takes over, but I find myself unwilling to leave my bed or preparing breakfast, coffee, reading email sucks that 'extra' time away.

So during those first moments of the day, which are yours and yours alone, you can circumvent these boundaries and concentrate fully on spiritual matters. And this gives you the opportunity to plan the time management of the entire day.
Menachem Mendel Schneerson

At work, I try to strike a balance between pleasant social interaction with colleagues and getting down to business. But it happens that time disappears during conversations with people who talk a lot and I don't know how to politely move them along.  Short of turning my back and continuing to work on what I had been doing, I haven't yet discovered the easiest way to end these chats.

Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.
Carl Sandburg

When I was studying for the bar exam, my friends drew up a rigid schedule and made us stick to it.  It was the most productive time for me as someone else was managing the clock and enforced strong policies.  It was hard to stay focused for 2 months straight, but worth it in the end.  I drew up lists of things that I would do after the exam, from shopping to reading certain books and cleaning my apartment.  Those lists allowed me to write about the distractions that I wanted to do and therefore avoid doing them because they were on the 'list for later.'

Work is hard. Distractions are plentiful. And time is short.
Adam Hochschild  

Now between work, work events, social events, taking care of the apartment and errands, spending time with my husband, keeping in touch with distant friends and family, finding time to relax, preparing for the future, exercise (maybe)...there is no time left.  In short: 

Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.

William Penn