It seemed everyone was in a rush this past week. There were lots of client conversations – I don’t like to call these meetings because they are opportunities to share ideas and brainstorm our next steps. Both of my coworkers headed out of town – one for a long weekend in Chicago and one for an extended vacation in Europe. There was a lot to get done in preparation for the weekend!
Midweek, my husband and I enjoyed dinner at Josefina with my co-teacher and his fiancé to celebrate our retirement from teaching at Metro State. I bookmarked an hour-long yoga session for Saturday, which was relaxing and restorative, especially after a session I did earlier in the week that kicked my butt (actually, my hamstrings). The weekend menu is treating us well, including a tomato and feta salad with fresh basil and a succulent ribeye from the Osseo Meats. Oh, and I finished reading The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews and just started The Room on Rue Amelie by Kristin Harmel.
I hope you’ve had a great week and are enjoying the weekend. Here’s a recap of posts and links – enjoy!
Monday: 2-Minute Happiness Boosters: Bite-sized Activities for Joy and Well-being
Find inspiration from this ever-growing list of two-minute actions you can take to enrich your life, and be sure to check out the newly launched thought-starter page on the Two Minutes Du Jour website. This is a work in progress. The aim is to list a panoply of ideas—all just two minutes long. Help build the list by sharing suggestions.
Tuesday: Is There a Teenager in Your Life? A Must-have Resource for Parents
Have I got some resources for you? Your Teen for Parents is a comprehensive digital platform that shies away from nothing. Back in 2015, I wrote an article for them about drug and alcohol use and was thrilled to see it’s still on the site.
Drug and Alcohol Use Among Teens – A Parent’s Guide – YourTeenMag.com
Wednesday: Daily Decisions Pave the Way to Destiny
“Life is about choices. How many people are trapped in their everyday habits?” Albert Einstein and James Clear offer similar perspectives on choices, habits and routines.
Habits and Rituals – A Day in the Life of Albert Einstein – A Brilliant Mind, writing and productivity boost for scientists.
3-2-1 Newsletter – a weekly newsletter on Thursdays – Each message includes 3 short ideas from James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, 2 quotes from others, and 1 question for you to ponder.
Thursday: The Legacy of Goodnight Moon: Margaret Wise Brown’s Radical Spirit
Whether we realize it at the time, our life leaves a legacy, one word, one action, one image at a time. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is one of my favorite books for new parents. Its words do more than lull children to sleep. Her iconic books ooze with joy in observing the beauty of life. She transformed children’s literature by challenging us to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. What’s even more fascinating is learning about the author’s life – and how very different it was from our perceptions of a quiet old lady whispering “hush” in the great green room.
The Radical Woman Behind “Goodnight Moon” – New Yorker Magazine
Goodnight Moon has Comforted Kids at Bedtime for 75 Years — NPR
In the Great Green Room by Amy Gary – a biography of Margaret Wise Brown.
The Upstairs House by Julia Fine – a fictional account of new motherhood and postpartum depression that pays homage to Margaret Wise Brown.
Friday: The Glory of Summer Fridays
Summer Fridays have many benefits, including finding a path forward—it’s part of how I found mine during a particularly stressful time. I hope you’ll dedicate time this summer to being a human being, not a human doing.
Eight Steps to Happiness, Walking the Buddha’s Path and Mindfulness in Plain English, both by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana. – Wisdom Publications is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting writers and teachers worldwide, promoting critical scholarship, preserving literary culture, and helping people find wisdom and compassion.
Embracing the Joy of Summer Fridays – Nearity, an audio tech and video conferencing company, blogged about the origins and benefits of Summer Fridays, which New York ad agencies pioneered in the 1960s.
Saturday: Summer Sips: A Tale of Two Tails (Mocktails and Cocktails)
Crowd-pleasing libations make for a festive holiday weekend, and batch-prepping mocktail and cocktail versions ensure an option for all to enjoy. My go-to recipes are Rosemary Palomas and Trader Vic’s Original Mai Tai. À votre santé!
Rosemary Paloma – The Cocktail Snob
Trader Vic’s Original Mai Tai – HGTV
Explore, Discover and Grow in the Week Ahead:
Thank you for reading Two Minutes Du Jour this week. May the stories and links lead you to a discovery that will enrich your life. Here’s to a week filled with new knowledge and inspiration!
Rose
Note: The website has a cumulative list of links. Would you like to share a two-minute discovery along with two links? Send me a brief note, and I’ll add it to the consideration list for future posts.
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