Here We Go Again
01/06/2020
It's time to dust off the holiday cobwebs and get moving again!
Yes, my friends. It's time to . . .
(On Monday mornings, I share a few things I found over the weekend.)
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A Quote
"Take a leap of faith and begin this wondrous new year by believing."
--- Sarah Ban Breathnach
(Believe in yourself. Believe in whatever you've decided you want to do this year. Believe you can.)
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A Word
Today is one of those especially challenging Mondays for many of us . . . that first Monday after the holiday season. It's time to go back to work or to school or to routine. And, sure. It feels kinda good. Because you can only be in a holiday-coma on the couch for so long. But still. It's a tough Monday.
To help you find the best word to describe your mood today, here is a list of 19 Words for the Cranky and Disagreeable from Merriam Webster.
So. How are YOU feeling today? Are you a bit peevish? Surly, maybe? Splenetic? Or perhaps just a tad . . . narky? However you're feeling . . . you can be sure there's a word for it!
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To Read
If you follow along with the daily news, you might feel a bit . . . discouraged with the State of Things. You might feel like we're all going to hell in a hand basket. Or that it's just one big dumpster fire out there. (Maybe you're feeling, oh I don't know . . . captious, perhaps? Fumish? Shirty, even?)
Well. If you ARE, indeed, feeling a little shirty, the headline on this opinion piece from the New York Times may take you by surprise: This Has Been the Best Year Ever. Go ahead. Read it. It'll give you a different (and maybe better) perspective on the times we live in.
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To Listen
I love to check out all the "best of" lists that come around at the end of the year. One list I took special note of this year came from NPR: the 25 Best Albums of the Year. I decided to listen to all 25 albums (because I want to challenge myself to listen to more new music) (you'll hear more about this in future posts). I'm not even close to completing NPR's list yet, and I don't like everything I have listened to. But. . . there is some really good stuff on this list! My favorites, so far, are Lana Del Rey and Brittany Howard. (But of course, I'm familiar with - and like - both of them already, so no surprise there.) But I also really liked John Luther Adams Become Desert.
Check it out. Listen along with me. Challenge yourself -- and listen to something new.
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And that's it for this first Monday in January 2020.
I hope your week is off to a great start!
Hi Kym! Glad to be back to starting my engine! I actually feel good today and am in a great mood (though given that I am at work, that could change...lol). But, I enjoyed that list of words - many of which were new to me. The pictures that went along with the words are so hilarious in some cases (peevish, fumish). I'm printing out the list of albums. Fletch and I listen to music at dinner, and it might be fun to sample some of these. As always, many thanks for the links!
Posted by: Vera | 01/06/2020 at 08:30 AM
I love the list for the cranky and disagreeable! I think I was feeling narky, but the nuance, details, and distinctions of the words on the list have lightened my Monday mood to simply surly. Thanks!
Posted by: Bonny | 01/06/2020 at 08:50 AM
I am glad that captious Steve has returned to work, which will make for a less fumish Kat! (and that I am heading out doors momentarily!)
I saw that listen list but had not taken the listen challenge! And, that works well with President Obama's best songs of 2019 list that I wanted to listen to soon! (https://www.instagram.com/p/B6tEcs5ArJB/?utm_source=ig_embed)
Posted by: Kat | 01/06/2020 at 08:52 AM
I can't say I feel good about it being Monday but I can say I feel resigned to making the most of the feeling that comes with returning to routines. That sounds rather peevish, I know, but I'm giving it my best effort.
Posted by: Carole | 01/06/2020 at 08:55 AM
Typically the first Monday back at work is something I dread, but this Monday has started off better than I expected. So far the only bad thing has been discovering that the ridiculous heat in my office killed a couple of my plants over the break, but I can always grow some new ones. I'm trying to head into the new year with an optimistic attitude (of course, we'll see how long that lasts!).
Posted by: Sarah | 01/06/2020 at 09:32 AM
The list of words was great .................I'm feeling pretty good right now, but you know how it is. Days can turn quite shirty, quite quickly. ;-)
Not sure I agree with the "world is getting better guy". I suppose in the world view he is probably right. Locally ............not so much.
The city I love is literally falling apart (and killing people). Our infrastructure is rotting away, while our President wastes billions and plots another Middle East war. Poverty is on the increase with my city having already the highest level of poverty in the country. Our water is tainted. Our children becoming uneducated. And our city government corruptly turns a blind eye (or is it just ignorance -- maybe both). We just hired a new head of the police department who probably was hired for her race and sex rather than her experience policing a large city. Word is .........she didn't do a very good job where she came from, but DAMN she looks fine. :::rolling my eyes::: I wish her well in solving the violence problem, the sexual misconduct in the department and dealing with the asshole that leads the FOP. But, I have my doubts.
Oh, and on a lighter note --------------The Eagles lost. So yeah ...........not sure things are looking up in the part of the world I live in. But elsewhere ..........maybe so. I sure HOPE so.
Posted by: Dee | 01/06/2020 at 10:49 AM
I'll listen along with you! That sounds like fun!! Ha.
Posted by: Vicki | 01/06/2020 at 11:58 AM
Shirty and surly for surely last Friday. :-) Reading Dave Barry's take on 2019 (Google Boston Globe Magazine Dave Barry) brought a great deal of laughter to me this weekend so I seem to have shaken the shirty and surly for now! Thanks for the listening info too...I was just thinking I needed an avenue for new music! xo
Posted by: Patty | 01/06/2020 at 01:02 PM
Kym
Thanks for the uplifting list of Good Things. I need it today!
Im interesting in sharing literacy with Zach in regards to China over the last 20 years.
Posted by: kathy b | 01/06/2020 at 04:57 PM
What a fun list, Kym! especially loved those words. Marc and Sara both pointed me to that NYT article and it did help reframe things. a little. AND I now have a premium Spotify account. so far I'm mostly listening to Sara's playlists and the Little Women soundtrack, which is all new to me!
Posted by: Mary | 01/06/2020 at 05:25 PM
So enjoyed this post and especially the comments... a gold mine here! Off to check out the NYT list!
Cheers~
Posted by: Honore´ | 01/07/2020 at 11:31 AM
I've been listening to Brittany Howard quite a bit (love this album!) and the Highwomen, too. NPR is a great place to find new music but I hear most new music on my local community station (I heard both Brittany, the Highwomen, plus many other great bands first on KRCL). Thank you for the cranky list and the OPED from NYT is a great link, too. We should not loose sight of the good as we will wallow in (self) pity if we do.
Posted by: Margene | 01/07/2020 at 11:36 AM
Oh the cranky list, it brought a smile to my face. Some days are just cranky. I love the blue and white mug though. I am happy to get back to the normal routine. Here's to 2020!
Posted by: Jane | 01/07/2020 at 09:26 PM