Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Morning Talks

Tags

Coffee, Conversation, Fun, Interesting, Mom, Talking

Each morning, my Mom comes down stairs with our puppy, we have a morning conversation over coffee. There will be a time when she will not be here, and I want to enjoy every moment we have together. So today, I’m grateful for Mom and our talks. It’s nice to chat about anything that comes up like we do. We talk about people, the news, and family. Mom also likes to talk out loud about what she has to do in the yard, the garden, or wherever. It’s a nice time and one that I enjoy every day.

As I grow older, I realize how important the “little” moments are. You never know when a loved one’s time will come, so enjoy the time you have with them. I don’t want to be one of those people who wish they had more time.

So today, I’m grateful for Mom and our morning talks. Have a great Thursday, folks!

Until next time.

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – My Wife Graduated!!

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Grateful, Love, Masters Degree, Proud, Sociology, Thankful, Thursday, Wife

Today, I’m grateful again, for my wife. Yesterday, she graduated from Grand Canyon University with a Masters degree in Sociology. I am so proud of her. After two years of hard work, working a full-time job, and dealing with all of life’s surprises (Can you say menopause?), she got through it. I cried yesterday, when she walked the stage. I am just so damned proud of her.

So today, I’ll be short. Here’s to my wife. She has conquered every challenge life has thrown at her and she is still as genuine and generous as they come. I love you, dear.

Have a great Thursday, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Tech Gear

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Apple Arcade, Fun, Grateful, Gratitude, iPad, iPhone, Relaxation

Today, I’m thankful for some of my tech gear. I just started playing Call of Duty Mobile. It is the same as Call of Duty for the Xbox console, but this version can be played on the iPad. I am also grateful for my Nimbus+ game controller, which I use to play Call of Duty on my iPad. It is just like a controller for a console, but connects via bluetooth to the iPad or even the iPhone. I became interested in this because playing with my fingers just wasn’t working out. The controller brings a whole new feel to the game and mimics play on my Xbox. I have a lot of fun playing this game, because it is so much like the Xbox version, but with its own story line, weapons, and challenges.

Another nice thing about the Nimbus+ is that it is also compatible with a lot of the games in the Apple Arcade. These are terrific games that are free of commercials and are not pay to win, like so many iPad/iPhone games. They are like the traditional video games you may play on consoles or other devices.

I hope all of you have a terrific Thursday!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Fall

Tags

Blankets, Books, Chili, cool, Fall, Leaves, pumpkin, Reading, Soup, Stew, Sweaters, Thanksgiving

Today, I am grateful for the fall. It is the season of colored leaves, pumpkin flavored everything, Thanksgiving, my birthday, and cooling temperatures. It is the time mother nature prepares for winter.

I love the fall, because one of my favorite seasons is fast approaching–winter. I love the winter, the snow, the warm indoors, a warm cup of coffee that steams up the window. I love sweaters, blankets, and looking at the pristine snow after it falls.

The older I get, the faster the time goes. Days whip by, months roll along, and before you know it, it’s a new year.

Another thing I am grateful for in the fall are the stews, soups, and chili that fill the menu at my home during the fall and winter months. I love a good stew, soup, or chili. I also love the bread that you dunk in it. Ahh…

I also enjoy the reading I get done in the last few months of the year. I get the bulk of my reading done in the fall and winter months. There’s nothing better than a great book and a warm cup of coffee, while I listen to calming music on my iPhone.

Well, that’s it for today, folks.

Have a great Thursday!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Gas-powered Generators.

Tags

Grateful, heat, iPad, iPhone, Laptop, permanent generator, Thankful

Today, I’m grateful for gas-powered generators. You see, Michigan is one of those states whose power grid is not that robust, particularly when we get hit with storms that are accompanied by high winds. High winds knock over trees. The trees take out the power lines. Downed power lines eliminate power. Currently my street and the streets on either side of us are out of power. Luckily, a few years back, my Mom and Dad ran into this same issue. My Dad ran around trying to find a gas-powered generator to get the power back on, but to no avail. Everyone had the same idea and there were no generators left in Southeast Michigan. After this experience Mom and Dad vowed to never again be without power and purchased a permanent generator which runs off of gas. We now never run out of power to our refrigerator and other key items in the house.

So, yes. We are “roughing” it, but not as bad as some are, who do not have a permanent generator attached to their gas lines, and are indeed suffering, when the power goes out, not to mention the potential loss of food in the fridge. So today, I am grateful for the permanent generator we have, that allows me access to the Internet, my phone and iPad, and this laptop, which I am using to post today.

I hope DTE gets the power back on quickly for folks who do not have one of these. It sucks to live by candle light, particularly if you are like me, and enjoy the access to the web and other devices I use each day.

This reminds me of a quote (I don’t know who created it). It’s about being mindful of the blessings in your life, even when things aren’t perfect. It also stresses the importance of taking nothing for granted. Be grateful for all the things you have. You never know when those things will change or go away forever.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Gratitude Journaling

Tags

Content, Grateful, Gratitude, Gratitude Journaling, Happy, journaling, Thankful

As each of you know, I write about something each Thursday I am grateful for. This is an easy exercise, because I write down all the things I’m grateful for in my Gratitude Journal each day. It is a terrific exercise, because it focuses me on the good in life, rather than the bad. A quick flip of the switch and I am in a better mood for the whole day. The real trick, however, is capturing what I am grateful for during the day and writing these down before bed.

It is nice waking up and thinking about the things I’m grateful for, and I sleep so much better, when I realize how blessed my life has been. If you have never tried gratitude journaling, give it a whirl. I developed the habit using The 5-Minute Journal. After using it for a bit, I decided to add this to my Onenote app. I use Onenote for all of my journals. It’s nice to have everything in one place, and have access to it everywhere, since Onenote is a cloud-based app.

Give this a whirl. Start small. Maybe you only write down one thing you are grateful for starting out. I stick with three. Sometimes I have more, though. It’s your journal. Make it what you wish.

I hope all of you have a terrific Thursday, and have something to be grateful for when you go to bed. I always do. You just have to look around a little bit.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Journaling

Tags

Diary, Dream Journals, Free-form Writing Journals, Gratitude Journals, journal, journaling, Writing

Today I am grateful for my journaling habit. From time-to-time I will revisit my journal and read through my entries in a month or a quarter. If I have time I revisit an entire year of journal entries. What wonderful stories, experiences, and learning!

Many of the things I record in my journal are my thoughts about various topics. Sometimes I rant to get something off my chest; other times I simply record my feelings about an event, the family, or my relationship with my wife. These are deeply personal and hold special meaning for me.

This blog is also a snapshot of my inner being, exposed for the world to see.

My journaling time is a time for deep reflection. Why do I feel the way I do? Why do certain things piss me off and other things make me laugh? How does my attitude alter over time? How have I evolved?

A journal is a great way to have deep, intimate conversations with yourself. It is a way of overcoming fears, challenges, and recording memorable events in your life–events that may fade with time, if you do not record what is happening.

I journal for all types of reasons, but the habit started simply by reading an article on line that explained the benefits of journaling. I didn’t save the link, so I cannot offer you that, but if you do a Google Search (or your preferred search engine) using keywords like: journaling, diary, benefits of, you’ll find an article that may lay it out for you better than I could.

Personally, I have gained many benefits from journaling and take about 20-30 minutes each day to record my thoughts first thing in the morning. If you read my recent post about items that you do automatically to kick off your day–this is mine. The very first thing I do to kick off my day is hit my journal and begin writing.

I use Microsoft OneNote. You could use this, MS Word, Google Docs, or EverNote. You get the idea. You may have found another technology that works that is not mentioned here. The point is to use something that has the ability to keep all your journal items in one place and is accessible by all of your devices for easy access. This is particularly important when you are on a trip and do not bring your laptop, but have access to a tablet or phone. This was the case when we flew out for my niece’s wedding. I did my journal entries on my iPad, instead of my laptop during this period.

There are all kinds of journals you can keep. Gratitude journals, dream journals, diaries, writing journals, cooking journals, reference diaries, you name it. The key is to create a journal that you will stick with. For me, it is a combination of dream, gratitude, affirmation, and free-form writing that build my journal entries.

Well, that’s it for today, folks. If you do not journal currently, you may want to give it a try. It has worked wonders in my life, and it will for you too.

Have a great Thursday!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Scribd

Tags

Books, creativity, Fiction, habits, Learning, Reading, Scribd, Thankful Thursday

I enjoy reading. It is one of my hobbies. My favorite fiction genres are science fiction and fantasy. My non-fiction genres are history, military history, political history, and anything else that teaches me something. Books are a terrific getaway, particularly during the winter months and hot, muggy, summers of Michigan, when going outside is a no-go.

I am grateful to my parents who got me reading at an early age. That habit never left me and it came in real handy during college. Now, I read to keep my mind active and continue to learn new things.

Reading is creative, particularly when you are reading fiction, because you have to create the scenes in your mind. When I am reading a gifted author, the scenes are easy to create. For some self-published authors, it is a little more difficult, because they lack the craft of the greats. I read them anyway. I figured if someone takes the time to write a book, why not give them some of my time. I have come across some great books in the self-publishing space.

So today, I am grateful for Scribd. I am not an affiliate, but have been a Scribd subscriber for a few years. It has a great selection of books, magazines, audio books, and a whole lot more. You won’t find recently released works, as the authors need to make their money, but after a book has been in circulation for a bit, Scribd will get the title.

If you read voraciously like I do, you may want to check them out. Here is the link: https://www.scribd.com/home

It runs me 9.00 USD a month, but is really worth it, particularly if you find a great book that is still selling on Amazon. The savings are tremendous, particularly when you add the magazines you have access to, and the comics.

Well, that’s it for now. Have a terrific Thursday!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – My Readers

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Blogging, followers, Individual, Interesting, passion, Readers, stories, Unique, Variety

When I write these postings, I rarely know what I am going to be thankful for. It just comes as I begin rambling on and on about this or that. Today, I am thankful for my reading audience. I have already achieved my follower goal for the year, but many are still coming. What a wonderful blessing.

When I first began blogging a few years back, I was very apprehensive about what I was writing. I worried about what people would think. Over time, I realized that each blog is individual. We write about what we care about. Some care about writing, some crafting, and some just put out the news in a particular area. When I realized that we are all just posting things that we are passionate about, I loosened up.

So today, I am grateful for my readers. Some of you are authors, some of you are crafters, others are retired. All are enjoying life as it comes and sharing their stories. And boy, are some of these stories terrific. Some stories are also sad, but informative. They share what a person is going through with the hope they might help someone else deal with the same issue in an easier way. All of these stories forms the fabric of the blogosphere. What a magnificent quilt it is!

Have a great day, folks. Thanks for following Daily Ramblings. I truly enjoy your comments and look forward to more people joining the conversation in the future.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Variety

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Appreciative, Four Seasons, Grateful, Gratitude, Rain, Snow, Thankful, Thunderstorms, Variety, weather

You know, when I was living in California and Arizona I loved the weather. It was pretty consistent–warm and sunny. Now that I am back in Michigan, I realized how nice it is to have some variety in the weather. I love the four seasons. I love the rain. I love the thunder storms. I love the snow. I love the fall.

In Michigan, we experience what has been appropriately labeled the “lake effect”. The Great Lakes play havoc on the weather here, ensuring that meteorologists everywhere are wrong. We will get a storm warning and nothing happens. We get a clear skies prediction and the clouds roll in. We get rain when the skies have been blue all morning. This variety is refreshing. I like not knowing what the weather will do.

For those of you living in tropical climates or in states like Arizona and California, I get it. Living with year-round blue skies is a great thing, but for me, now that I am back in Michigan, the variety is so much nicer. Here’s to variety.

Have a great Thursday, folks!

Until next time…

Dave