Archive for December, 2009

Cultivating a spirit of thankfulness

Dec 29th

Posted by Donna Harris in @home

Once upon a time when things were rough but blogging was something I had a lot of time for, I used to blog with spurts of thankfulness. I would make out lists of things I was grateful for or about, even in the midst of a cruddy day. I would write up amusing little things to cover the day’s highlights, the little surprises and the normal things – most often with a positive spin.

I may be some kind of master of spin. I’m not sure if this is a good thing or not… but if it is the case, I like to think it can be used for good…. seeeee? SPIN! :)  Even so, one thing lacking in me lately has been a spirit of thankfulness. And what better way to get cultivating that again than to count blessings and give thanks to the Giver of those blessings.

Let’s give it a go… Great things from the last 24 hours.
> Going out to lunch with a friend I rarely spend much time talking with face-to-face.
> Knowing that I have 5 days off once I get through my current work assignment.
> Being smart enough to wear an extra layer or two today.
> Getting happy emails from good friends.
> Recalling happy memories and thoughts of good friends.
> Nice tunes to push me through the work before me…

Work… back to work… but yes, that helped. :)

,

Another take…

Dec 29th

Posted by Donna Harris in something completely different

And now for something completely different… so last time I was on about defining myself and finding something more about who I am, etc.  Instead of trying to follow up with something at least as deep, I decided to try another approach.

I decided to ask Google.  I haven’t done this for a while, so maybe I would learn new, exciting things about myself…

So… Google… searching… on:  ”Donna Harris is”

The bestest and most interesting responses? <and my comments in angle brackets!>

  1. Donna Harris is on Facebook.  <well duh…>
  2. Dr. Donna Harris isInstalled as Eighth President of Minnehaha Academy.  <i’m not, but if i were, that would be among the greatest named places ever to be the 8th president of!>
  3. Donna Harris is the chief operating officer at NSI and carries a broad array of corporate leadership expertise across small and large businesses.  <sounds… not like me…>
  4. Donna Harris is the manager of the Mirage poker room, the second largest cardroom in Las Vegas.  <haha… oh my>
  5. Donna Harris is remarkably well informed about community and economic development, particularly downtown programs such as Main Street and the intersection of economic development with heritage issues. She is generous with her knowledge, responsive to her clients, and she communicates extremely well.  <economics not so much, but the latter part would be good to be…>
  6. Donna Harris Is this you?  <hahaha sure it is…>
  7. Donna Harris is friends with <Kizzi__666>.  <i somehow doubt it…>
  8. Donna Harris is a Teaching Fellow in Development Economics, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.  <again with the economics… no… but teaching at Cambridge sounds pretty wicked awesome>
  9. Miss Donna Harris is probably the only parole officer ever mentioned in the “Thank you’s” of any rap album.  <if i were a parole officer, this might actually have been me…>
  10. Donna Harris is on TV 0 times in the next two weeks.  <this is true… i haven’t been on TV since 1995>
  11. Donna Harris is the songwriter-arranger for the group, and sings the third vocal line much of the time.  <HAHA this IS me… from the Marked By Love website>
  12. DONNA HARRIS is AWESOME!!!  <i did not plant this, i promise you.>
  13. Donna Harris is the museum manager.  <umm… no.>
  14. Donna Harris is a fictional character from the long running ITV drama The Bill.  <some days i feel like a fictional character…>
  15. Donna Harris is a reporter for The Mississippi Press.  <i am not, but i can spell Mississippi… and Mississauga>
  16. Donna Harris is a solo artist as well as a collaborator.  <ALSO me… myspace profile this time>
  17. Donna Harris is the new Director of Children’s Ministry.  <no, although there are times it may feel like it… hahahah>
  18. Donna Harris is always fun to be around.  <always is a stretch, but i’d like to think i’m pretty fun>
  19. DONNA.HARRIS is glad its the weekend!!  <YES!!  and it is for me too… it’s my Friday this Tuesday!  yay!>
  20. Donna Harris is an MSc graduate of the Economic History.  <no no no – not economics>
  21. Donna Harris is working on how to post pictures!  <i did figure this out a while back actually…>
  22. Donna Harris is a busy mom.  <not today, but one day i hope.>
  23. Donna Harris is the # 1557 ranked full name in Wyoming.  <this is the coolest Donna Harris fact ever.>
  24. DONNA HARRIS is warned to appear in this court within 30 days of the first publication of this Warning Order… <how did i miss this… was it in Wyoming?  the poker room? sheesh…>

Thus endeth the pointless post.

Donna defined?

Dec 27th

Posted by Donna Harris in thinking

Tonight I am thinking about the idea of redefining… things… self… whatever…

In thinking about redefinition I find myself needing to consider the present definitions.  Maybe that’s the problem.  What is the definition of Donna?  ’Things’ around me are being defined and redefined all the time and, except for my initial reactions to the uncomfortableness of change, this is usually good in the end.  Somehow.

But what of the Donna definition?  At the risk of being my stereotypical self and being super analytical, who the heck do I think I am?!  What defines me… or rather, what things do I allow to (erroneously) define me?  What patterns, habits, thoughts, etc. keep me from being the best Donna ever?  I won’t list these all out here (sorry) but maybe I’m not the only one needing to consider such a list these days.

Ultimately, the love of Jesus defines me.  Or at least it ought to.  And because I want for it to, wherever it doesn’t quite shine through I know those are some of the areas that need some redefining.

I’ve never been one for “breaking habits”… I have always preferred to replace bad (already ‘broken’, perhaps!) habits with new, better habits.  But I’ve never really given myself much credit for my better habits either.  Upon reflection, this may have been an oversight that has lead to the occasional breakdown of these same better habits.

Now, I tend not to do formal New Year’s resolutions anymore.  I think goals and good choices and changes can be made at any time and waiting for the new year to place them in effect is counter productive in many cases.  But it’s definitely true that the end of a calendar year often comes with times of reflection and re-assessment.  Maybe because some of us actually take the time to stop our crazy busy lives and relax or spend time with family (or both if we’re fortunate!).  It’s often a good time to “reset” and start fresh.  So I’ve set a goal or two, and am always clad with one dream or another, but I’m really stuck on this idea of the “definition”.

Yup – I can get all melancholic and wonder if anybody will take a chance on me… but perhaps herein lies a fault in the present definition?  Maybe it’s time that I take a chance on myself.  That would be an example of a redefinition if I ever saw one.  Too bad I have no idea what that would look like… but I do like the sound of it.

Defining Donna… Redefining Donna… Finding Donna?  Oh Donnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaaa????!  Where are youuuuuuuuuuuu?