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Betty White on a Snowy Day

Betty White

I’m having a lazy Saturday. It’s cold and snowy outside, and nothing pressing needs attention on the homefront. I admit that it’s nice to slow down for a change. I don’t do it often enough. We actually had dinner plans with several couples tonight for our semi-annual, post-holiday get-together, but with COVID-19 cases rising, we all thought it would be better to reschedule.

Instead of running errands and cleaning up around the house, I grabbed a comfy blanket, a hot chocolate, and my Kindle. As luck would have it, Hot in Cleveland is now showing on Amazon Prime. I’ve been a fan of Betty White ever since The Golden Girls. I always found her to be the most caring and charming of the four women on the show – even though she played a bit of a dim-wit. After reading so many tributes and watching clips – especially on the game shows – I decided to start Hot in Cleveland. I’m also planning to watch The Mary Tyler Moore Show for the first time. I’m a little embarrassed to say that I’ve never seen it before, but I was only allowed to watch Sesame Street back then.

I read up on Betty White and her happy life and long career as the first lady of television – having a career that spanned for decades until her passing. She seemed like a smart broad with a sense of humor that would make others blush. She also had some words of wisdom that I’d like to share with you. Here are some great quotes from the great Betty White:

“Kindness and consideration of somebody besides yourself keeps you young.”

“Everyone needs a passion. That’s what keeps life interesting. If you live without passion, you go through life without leaving any footprints.”

“The older you get, the better you get. Unless you’re a banana.”

“I just make it my business to get along with people so I can have fun. It’s that simple.”

Betty White … may her memory be for a blessing.

A Memo On Winter Coats

Dearest Family,

Now that the first snow has fallen and the temperatures have dropped significantly, I want to reacquaint you with a wonderful, state-of-the-art feature that came with our house. I understand that after two seasons of warmer weather and a lovely fall, you may have forgotten its purpose and existence.

Drumroll, please…

Meet the coat closet! This special place conveniently located in our front foyer is set behind two sliding doors and well equipped with everything you need to hang up your winter jackets. Over the past year, management has taken great care to retire the hangers that no longer serve a purpose. They include but are not limited to the bent, metal ones that could poke your eye out and the cheap versions that came from the local dry cleaners. These hangers have been replaced with new and improved versions that I believe you will find to be highly qualified and to your liking.

And, if I may be so bold, consider taking an extra minute to zip up your coat after placing it on the hanger to ensure that it doesn’t wind up on the floor.

Please note that management will no longer tolerate the aforementioned coats being thrown in places such as (but again not limited to) – the seating bench in the foyer, all of the couches, the red swivel chair, or the dining room table. Winter coats left on your bedroom floors will also not be searched for or retrieved by management when you submit a request for me to find them. I have determined that this responsibility is well below my pay grade.

By performing this simple but important task, you can continue to play a crucial role in contributing to the overall beautification of our living space.

Management greatly appreciates (and wholeheartedly insists upon) your cooperation in this matter.

Thank you.

XO,

Elisa (the “management”)

 

My 22 for 2022 List

As you may know, Gretchen Rubin, the best-selling author of The Happiness Project and many other books, challenges people to create a to-do list of what they want to accomplish in the coming year. The items can be easy or ambitious. While I don’t always accomplish everything on my list, I enjoy making it and keeping it handy because I like nothing better than checking things off!

So, without further ado, here is my 22 for 2022 list.

  1. Finish the first draft of my book. This is the big goal for the year, guys!
  2. Plan a day of fun with each one of my nieces and nephews. I have five total, and I’d like to know them better. This is my favorite item on this list. I’m so excited to do this.
  3. Replace my driver’s license with a Real ID (I carried this over from last year’s list)
  4. Purchase, frame, and hang new artwork for the house. Some of the pieces I own were in my first apartment after college. Yikes!
  5. Take a family vacation to Maine to see Acadia National Park
  6. Read 35 books this year, but at least half of them must be titles I already own.
  7. Build up my personal brand on LinkedIn by posting there 2-3 times a week.
  8. Make my bed every morning and do the dishes every night.
  9. Learn Instagram. It’s time.
  10. Decorate my home office to create a haven for working, writing, and reading.
  11. Clean out and reorganize the laundry room to make it a more functional space.
  12. Visit a new indie bookstore in every town I go to and buy something to support their business.
  13. Lose 20 lbs and keep it off. (Friends, please don’t send me your suggestions for how to do this. I know you mean well, but I have a plan. Thanks!)
  14. Find ways to work smarter, not harder.
  15. Submit articles for publication to get my name out there.
  16. Be a better literary citizen and find more ways to support other writers in their work.
  17. Attend a Shabbat Service at least once a month.
  18. Reserve 22 minutes of “me time” every day to read, walk, nap, pet my dog, or do whatever.
  19. Drink more water. (I’m so bad at this)
  20. Create a system to handle all my papers – including magazines. I have so many magazines.
  21. Go on more date nights with my husband.
  22. TBD – I’m reserving this slot for a goal to be determined at a later date.

Does anyone else make a list like this? If so, please share!

XO,

Elisa

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