Tiny snow flakes falling,
maybe it's an illusion.
Robins hop about shivering,
spring flower buds wear white crowns.
Nothing lasts forever, thank heavens!
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
I have an Idea...
I saw an article recently that was describing a recent poll that found only about 40% of Americans live in the area that they really want to live in. ONLY 40% of people live where they want to! This I find appalling. And considering I'm one of the 60% who do not live where they want to, it's even worse.
I won't go through the whole long story , suffice to say I moved to a place that does not suite me so well, thinking it would be a short stay. I'm still thinking it will be a short stay, but in the meantime, it's a challenge. It turns out, I'm not alone. 60% of people, either by choice or unfortunate incident- or sheer luck of the birth, are sweltering in the Florida heat when they would be happier in the cool rocky mountains, are shoveling snow when they would rather be sweeping sand, are crowded by trees when they would rather be in the wide open desert, or maybe they are choked by the activity in a large city, when they would be happier in a small town, or they are dying of boredom in a small town when they would flourish in the big city.
No wonder then, that we have so much crime, so much violence, so much escapist activity going on here. No wonder there are so many people finding relief through drugs, alcohol, tobacco and TV.
I have an idea, I think it might help. Right now the government wants to throw some money at all our problems. Right now a lot of people are out of work. I think they should give relocation relief money to anyone who applies.
Let each person decide where they want to live based on their own criteria for what makes them happy, rather then where they can get a job, or where their family settled 3 generations ago, or where they went to college and never had the means to move away from. Let each person decide where they want to live, and help them move there before we start throwing money at work programs. Once everyone shuffles around to their ideal location, the face of the country is going to look much different. Some places may gain a lot of population, some may loose. Once we see the results of this stirring of the melting pot, we can decide where to use the relief money to create more jobs, based on the new demographics.
I suggest this because if we just start creating jobs with out asking people where they want to live, we are going to end up with a lot of people moving to get employment, and possibly a lot of people moving to places they would not be happy. Ultimately, that is going to add to our demise as a nation. I just think we should do it the other way around, let people decide where they want to live, then make work for them. The happiness this creates could reverberate through generations.
I wonder, if we all lived in the area we think we would be most comfortable in, what would our culture look like. Would some of our problems go away? Would we be less inclined to indulge in unhappy behavior like addictions? I think so. Now, don't get me wrong, some people will just take their problems along with them, and some people will never be happy, no matter where they are. I do think though, that waking up, looking out the window and seeing landscape you love, or a town that fits you goes a long way in making a person feel good about themselves, and their life. And I do think, as a nation, and for the mental health and happiness of individuals, that is just what we need right now. A lot of people waking up feeling good about themselves, going about their new jobs in a environment that makes them feel buoyant every time they look out the window or step out the door.
I won't go through the whole long story , suffice to say I moved to a place that does not suite me so well, thinking it would be a short stay. I'm still thinking it will be a short stay, but in the meantime, it's a challenge. It turns out, I'm not alone. 60% of people, either by choice or unfortunate incident- or sheer luck of the birth, are sweltering in the Florida heat when they would be happier in the cool rocky mountains, are shoveling snow when they would rather be sweeping sand, are crowded by trees when they would rather be in the wide open desert, or maybe they are choked by the activity in a large city, when they would be happier in a small town, or they are dying of boredom in a small town when they would flourish in the big city.
No wonder then, that we have so much crime, so much violence, so much escapist activity going on here. No wonder there are so many people finding relief through drugs, alcohol, tobacco and TV.
I have an idea, I think it might help. Right now the government wants to throw some money at all our problems. Right now a lot of people are out of work. I think they should give relocation relief money to anyone who applies.
Let each person decide where they want to live based on their own criteria for what makes them happy, rather then where they can get a job, or where their family settled 3 generations ago, or where they went to college and never had the means to move away from. Let each person decide where they want to live, and help them move there before we start throwing money at work programs. Once everyone shuffles around to their ideal location, the face of the country is going to look much different. Some places may gain a lot of population, some may loose. Once we see the results of this stirring of the melting pot, we can decide where to use the relief money to create more jobs, based on the new demographics.
I suggest this because if we just start creating jobs with out asking people where they want to live, we are going to end up with a lot of people moving to get employment, and possibly a lot of people moving to places they would not be happy. Ultimately, that is going to add to our demise as a nation. I just think we should do it the other way around, let people decide where they want to live, then make work for them. The happiness this creates could reverberate through generations.
I wonder, if we all lived in the area we think we would be most comfortable in, what would our culture look like. Would some of our problems go away? Would we be less inclined to indulge in unhappy behavior like addictions? I think so. Now, don't get me wrong, some people will just take their problems along with them, and some people will never be happy, no matter where they are. I do think though, that waking up, looking out the window and seeing landscape you love, or a town that fits you goes a long way in making a person feel good about themselves, and their life. And I do think, as a nation, and for the mental health and happiness of individuals, that is just what we need right now. A lot of people waking up feeling good about themselves, going about their new jobs in a environment that makes them feel buoyant every time they look out the window or step out the door.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Labels
This week I am dedicating my blog time to getting all these posts labeled so that you can search for amusing, enlightening reading material by subject. At a few over a hundred posts, this might take me some time. Meanwhile, have you noticed? How light it is outside in the evening? How long the days are becoming? Is the dark winter of '08-'09 finally over? Let's hope so.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Woo Hoo!
We had one extra minute of daylight today!
Woo Hoo- we are on the flip side baby, spinning back to the sun and longer days! Woo Hoo! Sunlight rules!
Woo Hoo- we are on the flip side baby, spinning back to the sun and longer days! Woo Hoo! Sunlight rules!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Is It October Already?
Yes, I think it is. I can look out the window and see the leaves falling, the sky a cool blue and the sun light filtering in at a different angle than it did a month ago. I am turning on exterior lights at the office, as the night comes earlier, sometimes before I am done with work. The stores are full of Halloween treats and my porch is filling up with wood pellets for the stove. It must be fall.
It seems like just a week ago it was August.
The fall always makes me feel a little sad, because I hate to see the summer go. I don't enjoy winter much and I miss the daylight. I'm thankful we are already half way to the suns turning back point, the winter solstice, which happens right around the 20th of December. From that day on, the sun comes and stays a bit longer each day. I'm definitely a sun worshiper, and if there is such a thing as past lives, I'm sure I was involved in some sun worshiping society.
Researchers will tell you it's just science, biochemistry really, that the sun being absorbed through our skin causes a cascade of chemical reactions which make us feel good, sleep well, and be happy. I can see their point, I'm sure biochemistry is involved. I think though, it's more than that. I think we may be a species that seeks the light, in what ever form we find it. I think maybe when we see the sun in the sky, it reminds us, at some deep level that the light is within us, shines on us, makes us warm. Sunlight, to me, just seems cheery, it brightens the day and the corners of one's mind. It reveals clearly what lies about us. Because of it, we can see.
Because I'm admitting to myself fall is here, I'm accepting it, what choice do I have? The world keeps spinning- right? So I'm looking forward to putting up my Christmas lights. A primitive ritual to help ward off the long dark nights of winter. I love to see houses all lit up, entire neighborhoods a twinkle, as we hold off the darkness for another winter, and create a reminder that the sun will return. Somehow, it makes the winter seem warmer.
It seems like just a week ago it was August.
The fall always makes me feel a little sad, because I hate to see the summer go. I don't enjoy winter much and I miss the daylight. I'm thankful we are already half way to the suns turning back point, the winter solstice, which happens right around the 20th of December. From that day on, the sun comes and stays a bit longer each day. I'm definitely a sun worshiper, and if there is such a thing as past lives, I'm sure I was involved in some sun worshiping society.
Researchers will tell you it's just science, biochemistry really, that the sun being absorbed through our skin causes a cascade of chemical reactions which make us feel good, sleep well, and be happy. I can see their point, I'm sure biochemistry is involved. I think though, it's more than that. I think we may be a species that seeks the light, in what ever form we find it. I think maybe when we see the sun in the sky, it reminds us, at some deep level that the light is within us, shines on us, makes us warm. Sunlight, to me, just seems cheery, it brightens the day and the corners of one's mind. It reveals clearly what lies about us. Because of it, we can see.
Because I'm admitting to myself fall is here, I'm accepting it, what choice do I have? The world keeps spinning- right? So I'm looking forward to putting up my Christmas lights. A primitive ritual to help ward off the long dark nights of winter. I love to see houses all lit up, entire neighborhoods a twinkle, as we hold off the darkness for another winter, and create a reminder that the sun will return. Somehow, it makes the winter seem warmer.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Summer
Gulls swirl high then hang in the air,suspended for a moment on the air currents.
Wind streaming inland cools,
basking adventurers on beach towels and blankets,
becoming one with the sun and the sand.
Waves crashing at the rocks of a huge inland ocean
lull the lizard-like people out of their daily thoughts and into a rhythmic vacation trance state.
All is forgotten.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
