Why did I ever stop blogging?

Kristen, KY girl at heart, Rockford IL settler at present. These are my thoughts, stories, ramblings although they may come few and far between. Catch my tweets @KReeves33

[maddyandmeagainst3]

Recently finished "From Cradle To Stage" by Dave Grohl's Mom, Virginia Hanlon Grohl. While you can tell Virginia's background is in Education (kind of reads like an easy to read textbook), it was a nice little compilation of rockstars (Geddy Lee from Rush, Haim, Zac Brown, Pharrell, etc), their beginnings and their mommas. #kduckoriginal #bookreview #fromcradletostage #VirginiaGrohl #foofighters

[maddyandmeagainst3]

Book Review | “Option B - Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, And Finding Joy” by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant

As the book cover states, “Option B illuminates how to help others in crisis, develop compassion for ourselves, raise strong children, and create resilient families, communities, and workplaces” [even after devastating events].

I am a big Sheryl Sandberg fan ever since “Lean In” and I thought this was a beneficial read for those who have experienced loss (which is all of us at some point in our lives.) Sandberg provides a personal narrative about losing her Husband and Adam Grant provides the psychological insights needed to assist in experiencing joy after a loss.

Some key takeaways:

●"It occurred to me that dealing with grief was like building physical stamina: the more you exercise, the faster your heart rate recovers after it is elevated. And sometimes during especially vigorous physical activity, you discover strength you didn’t know you had.“

● "As people mature, they focus on a smaller set of meaningful relationships, and the quality of friendships becomes a more important factor in happiness than the quantity.”

● “Self-compassion comes from recognizing that our imperfections are part of being human. Those who can tap into it recover from hardship faster.”

● “Compassion at work shouldn’t be a luxury; it’s important to develop policies that give people the time off and support they need so we don’t have to rely on the kindness of our bosses.”

● Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said that life can only be understood backward but must be lived forward.

● Suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning. - Viktor Frankl

● “When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” - Helen Keller

● “Joy is the ultimate act of defiance.” - Bono

● “When we look for joy, we often focus on the big moments…but happiness is the frequency of positive experiences, not thr intensity.”

● “How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.” - Anne Dillard

● “Just as labeling negative emotions can helps is process them, labeling positive emotions works too. Writing about joyful experiences for just 3 days can improve people’s moods…”

●"Believing in new possibilities helps people fight back against the idea of permanence and propels them to seek out new options; they find the will and the way to move forward.“

● ” ‘Moral elevation’ describes the feeling of being uplifted by an act of uncommon goodness.“

[maddyandmeagainst3]

Book Review | "My Southern Journey - True Stories From The Heart Of The South" by Rick Bragg Just finished reading "My Southern Journey" and I love, love, loved it. Made me so homesick at times! The Chicago Tribune raved (and I whole-heartedly agree), "Bragg captured the rhythms of small-town life with grace and pathos." Here are a few of my favorite takeaways: ● "They say a kitchen is the heart of a house, but I believe the porch is its soul. From the very steps, you knew if you were welcome or not, knew everything you needed to know about the people inside." ● " I guess I could try to explain, to tell them that for us memory is not an inventory, not a catalog of events, but a time machine. It lets dust off the dull treadmill of grown-up responsibilities to a time of adventure and wonder. The past is not dead, and so the dead are never really gone. We resurrect them, daily, for one more story, one more buck dance or ball game, or one more cast into the cool water." ● " To pick one day on this water, one above all the rest, is like trying to hold on to the white sand with your scrunched-up toes as the receding waves pull it from beneath your feet. The gulf occupies a shining place in our memories, of rushing, crashing blues and greens against a shore so white it hurts our eyes, the flashes of silver through shallows clear as branchwater, of pink babies screaming with laughter as they outrun an inch deep wave on to safe, dry sand, as if winning that race was the most important thing in their lives, till the next one. And when they are old it will still be that way, because waves are always waiting, one more summer, to race again." Overall a definite recommendation if you're interested in the culture and nuances of the South. Or if you're a southern transplant into northerner territory and want to keep your roots still intact. :)

[maddyandmeagainst3]

My jam today: Burn the Honeysuckle by The Gourds

[maddyandmeagainst3]

My two valentines! Tripp and Dad in Dad's work truck. #trippduckmann #valentines2017

[maddyandmeagainst3]

Diego Garcia | She Dances

[maddyandmeagainst3]

Just because March flowers are my favorite and we're getting light snow right now. Motivation for spring!

[maddyandmeagainst3]

Al Escobar - Tighten Up

[avoidantdreamer-deactivated2018]

[nobrashfestivity]

Georgia O’Keeffe, Starlight Night, 1917, Watercolor on paper

[marcomorbello-deactivated201706]

[wordsnquotes]

Sometimes, I’m the mess. Sometimes, I’m the broom. On the hardest days, I have to be both.

Rudy Francisco (via wordsnquotes)

[dialnfornoir]

Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)

[maddyandmeagainst3]

Bible Time

Lessons from Luke: -The words we leave behind will be a lasting picture of who we are. -Even the most successful person needs the personal care of others. -Excellence is shown by how we work when no one is noticing. #Acts

[egzpl-deactivated20160802]

Licia Ronzulli, member of the European Parliament, has been taking her daughter Vittoria to the Parliament sessions for two years now.

[ceevee5]

Every time this is on my dash, it’s an automatic reblog.

[maddyandmeagainst3]

Santa selfie swag #trippispissed #whywedidntseesantalastyear #trippduckmann

[maddyandmeagainst3]

Things never look as good as when your Nues has them but I am honored she gave the snow village to me to display in our home! #couldntfitallthebuildings #probablytoomanytrees #shouldhaveputsomrfakesnowon #nuesismygrandmaduh