Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
It’s time for the 25th TToT
Please join our hosts so
And just for you, a freebie, too:
How easy is this going to be! damn…here I was all worried and shit about holding up on my end (being the sole host from the fine state of Y Chrome). While I know I have the 9 hostinae ‘totally having my back’, a 25th weekaversary only happens once every ( 25….24 (cause you can’t count it twice!) er 100 and … ) not that often. It is a special occasion further complicated by the fact that the female hosts are mostly women and you know they get about anniversaries and such… Man! if I wasn’t around here to forget to link back to home base (Post #1) or misspell some of the words and forget someone’s name (Post 1..), or screw around with the Rules (Secret Rule 1.3 ‘one item counts as itself for itself…’) well, I don’t know what they would do! But I am grateful.
And so on this, the first 1/2 of the 25th Post of the Ten Things of Thankful (aka TToT), I get to wander around the metaphorical living room, generally getting in the way and asking if Jak or Rich have shown up yet and occasionally sneaking up stairs for a break. I will simply say that I am grateful to Lizzi for having the idea for this bloghop and the strength of Will to make it what it has become despite how much it flew in the face of conventional wisdom on how to have a bloghop. (…and to my co-hosts who will from weekend to weekend, whisper ‘the smaller fork for the salad! the smaller fork!’ I am also very grateful.
However Rules is Rules. And (Secret Rule 1.3 notwithstanding) I will comply.
Hey! Remember back in the day, when TV series had, like one season and then all repeats for a while and then a new season? And, after becoming successful, they would, at the end of the season, do a ‘flashback episode’? It was always an obvious setup, the regular characters would be like, stuck in an elevator or lose the Power during Christmas or, (I remember they did this in ‘Frasier’) there would be an emergency and everyone would wait around waiting for whoever to get out of surgery and someone would say, ‘Yeah remember the time….’ and they would insert a clip from a previous episode.
I am grateful for…. hey, remember the time?………………………
(June 8 2013)
Ten Things of Thankful
One day when life was particularly tough, I remembered a trick I’d employed when life had been tough before:Find ten things, right now, to be thankful for about today.And I began to write them on Considerings, partly to share what was good in my life, and partly so I could hold myself accountable for doing them.A week’s self-challenge of ten things behest a ten-day challenge, then a two-week challenge, and by that time I’d realised how much change I’d made in myself.By actively choosing to seek the Good things – by hunting them down and dragging them out (kicking and screaming, sometimes) I was making a change in my own attitude.Not only that, but people seemed interested in how I was doing this. Inspired to try taking charge in their own lives and actively seeking the Good.So very tentatively, I began a blog hop, with some very supportive, wonderful co-hosts, and Ten Things of Thankful was born.Why Ten Things? That’s a lot! Ten because it’s meant to be a challenge. When Ten Things are easy and life’s going well, that’s great and it’s wonderful to share, but when life’s going really badly, it’s dragging you down and the thought of even finding three Things is a massive undertaking, that’s when the exercise comes into it’s own. Those things are there. Truly. Even if it’s only that you’re still breathing. Still able to type.This is when the choice you’re making to actively engage in seeking the Good is absolutely vital.Doing it in a manner whereby others can read, understand and support you is just an added bonus.When is it? It lasts all weekend (each weekend) and there are no rules other than that your post include Ten Things you’re Thankful for about the week you’ve had (or about something coming up in the next week) and our banner.Are there rules? If you follow my co-hosts and I, we’ll be thankful.If you join in the conversations on the pages of those who’ve linked in, we’ll be full of joy, because we *love* conversations (the luxury of the longer blog hop).and so it started.
10 Things of Thankful, Week 2
1. I am thankful for kind blog friends. Besides the fact you make me laugh, support me in the good and the bad, and simply just brighten my day, not one of you called me out on my incorrect spelling of “inaugural” (I spelled it something like inogarulle, but it seems spellcheck doesn’t work in the title) in last week’s thankful post. (Don’t bother going back to look. I already changed it.) Are you all just that nice, or do you not know how to spell it, either?
2. I am thankful for my perfectionist husband, who read the blog and alerted me to the misspelling. If only he could have read it before Tuesday.
3. I am thankful for my Betty Crocker cookbook. That woman never lets me down. I bought a big box of blueberries, which only two people in my house will eat. However, in a Blueberry Streusel Muffin, all of the kids will devour them.
4. I am thankful for my umbrella. Sunshine triggers Lupus flares. An umbrella allows me to do a lot of the things I want to do, and some of the things I have to do
(yeah, we liked her from the first time we met her… and her Posts were always to well layed-out. but you know what is cool… that everyone feels free to use anything they want to use…like videos and such, like the first time that Joy used a video in here Post…which were always so simply and directly written and then like…bam! lol )
Ten Things of Thankful: week 24-25/2013
This is for those of you who did not read my post from yesterday: My week has been beyond busy with dozens of appointments and things on my to do list. Therefore, I want to apologise that I have not gotten back to everyone on the last Thankful blog post yet. I hope I will be able to do so at some point this weekend.Here is this week’s Ten Things of Thankful list:1) Strawberries. I love them and I enjoy the sweetness of our local fruits. Sadly, the local strawberry season will soon be over.2) Fountains where hot feet can be cooled in.
3) “Sweet Disposition” by The Temper Trap. I love how this song starts off rather restraint and then ends in a powerful crescendo. It gives me major chills every time I hear it.4) That this crazily busy week is almost over now. I really hope next week will be a bit better!
5) The air condition we bought for Sunny’s room. It is the only AC in our home. This week was hot
Please know that while on vacation, I’ll be mostly off-line, but promise to catch up on your Thankfuls, and everything else, when we return.
I’m thankful for…
- The bliss of ocean waves, sun and sandcastles.
- Birthday cake, candles and the brownies that my friend Sara made and shipped to Tucker just in time for us to bring them with us to the beach.
- Tucker taking a long nap so that he’s able to enjoy fireworks.
- Fireworks.
Watching the Bayou Wox (say it out loud – you’ll probably get it faster than I did, first thinking it was “balloon box”).
- The fact that after just one day in the sun and sand, I do not feel anxious. I am Truly Relaxed right now. I don’t know when I was last able to say those words. I do know that it was too long ago and I have resolved to make this state be a reality more often. I consider it a gift for my little boy.
- The special excitement that children have. Tucker’s utter glee over us showing up at school yesterday with pizza and cupcakes. I’m thankful for the other kids in his classes and for Tucker’s teacher, who let us stay and observe how circle-time works, even though it was disruptive and Tucker was more interested in the fact that Robert and I were there than in learning. That he showed off for us.
- Extended services. Tucker will continue to receive (part-time, but we’ll take it) incredible support with his same teachers at school this summer.
- So many of you sending love and Happy Birthday wishes to our little firecracker.
Hats and sunglasses. Adorableness.
- Today, I am beyond thankful that I have been blessed with the gift of witnessing my little boy navigate the paths of his life while he continues to improve mine.
yeah… this is not your aver-ige blog hop! between being a genuine two days active…allowing…no, encourage interrupting Comment threads…we have such a diverse range of views… and contexts and photos and such and …and!! what other bloghops have Two Kristi(s)? huh? how many?!? no, I didn’t think so…. Kristi from the land-of-mountains-that-they-say-are-as-cool-as-oceans always brings a sense of family to the hop, as simple as anticipated house guests to upcoming weddings and such… very cool
Friday, July 19, 2013
Ten Things of Thankful: Week 7
It’s week 7 of the Ten Things of Thankful, but week one of me being a co-host. To say I’m excited is putting it mildly. I’m so honored to be part of this hop, which not only gives me a chance to reflect on the positive things of the past week, but also gives me a chance to read your list. You will participate, right? If you don’t have a blog, feel free to leave your list in a comment.So many good things this week:1. I’m thankful for a surprise visit from my youngest son. Not only did he bring smiles and laughter, he voluntarily did my dishes one morning while I was running an errand.
2. I’m thankful for cooler temperatures. I’ve even had to turn off the swamp cooler some mornings–the heater kicking on told me the house was cold enough!
3. I’m thankful that my grapes are producing abundantly. The fruits are small, but are sweet and plentiful.
4. I’m thankful for (relatively) inexpensive airfare, which allows me to book a flight to see my parents. I’m the only one heading up; John et al will hold down the fort. I’m going to help Mom and Dad as they move Grandma into their home. I’m looking forward to seeing them all.
5. I’m thankful for my Dad, who introduced me to great folk music. Dad, I couldn’t find a video of John McCutcheon singing this song, but maybe you can hum along as you read the lyrics “It’s your birthday, we wish you many more. Health and wealth and friends by the score. Cut the cake and let’s eat some more. Happy birthday to you!”
6. I’m thankful for patient and friendly blog friends. I love reading comments and e-mails from long-time followers, as well as new friends. Two of the other Ten Things of Thankful co-hosts, In the Coop and Considerer, have been particularly helpful. In the Coop helped answer questions on how to set up afacebook page for my blog . Considerer has been very welcoming, encouraging her readers to stop by my blog and say hello. If you are popping over from her link, hello!
7. I’m thankful that my children have good friends. Youngest son came home last weekend not only to see the family, but also to see his friend who left on his church 2-year mission this week. Oldest daughter had a friend (former roommate) arrive here this week, too, for a several-days visit. My kids seem to choose very nice people as friends, and I’m thankful for that.
what?! it’s 9:30?? damn lets see if this will post to the hop… be sure to join us tomorrow!
Your hosts
A Fly on our (Chicken Coop) Wall, Considerings, Finding Ninee, Getting Literal, Home On Deranged, I can say mama, I Want Backsies, Rewritten, Thankful Me, The Wakefield Doctrine
About clarkscottroger
What a sweet way to do this post! (I apologize if “sweet” is too girly of a word.) I love the idea of a flashback post, though. Can’t wait to read installment 2.
Kristi
lol… well, seeing as this is the Anniversary and all… guess it’s alright.
Very nice trip down memory lane, Clark…I had forgotten most of it, so thanks for jogging the memory.
I know you know this but I have to say it again…you are so clever. I wish I could come up with something better than a standard list. The only spark at creativity I had was to post as though I were the dog. And I don’t know if it is “creative” or “dementive” that I can channel the dog so easily…
Kristen
…there’s a difference? ( “…I don’t know if it is “creative” or “dementive” “) lol thank you though, sometimes when I read my TToT posts I’m not so sure myself!
I totally admire the ‘from the dog’s perspective’ that’s creativity in that it requires a shift in perspective, which is a lot more rarer than most creative people who simply re-arrange the parts in a clever fashion.
Loved how you looked back on this Clark and seriously clever way to celebrate the 25th week. Hope you are having a great Saturday now and enjoy the rest of your weekend, too!! :)
Janine
I am totally grateful for your being with us on all of these 25 weekends and someday I hope to understand how the hell you manage it! (I am trying to catch up on Comments and it’s already 7 pm Saturday night lol)
*claps hands, slowly, from a balcony, in the dark* Now this…this was GENIUS :D
BUT
‘the females being mostly women’…is there something you know that we don’t? Is one of us secretly a man?
Lizzi
ayiiee!! I had not thought of that!
How many times do I have to say….”I will out myself, thanks very much” ?
*rolls eyes*
Spasms???
Lizzie is totally fun and I’m thankful to her, too, for doing this here blog hop. :)
The “reminiscing” element to this post has be going “awww.”
Tee hee.
Cyndi
(…filmed before a live virtual audience!)
This is probably my favorite post of yours, Clark! I was laughing at the sitcom reference. That is exactly what they did/do in looking back episodes. A perfect intro to your look back.
Brilliant idea for the 25th week. I’m so glad you answered Lizzi’s call for co-hosts all those weeks ago.
Christine
That makes me feel good. I am too (and I know that you had ‘the talk’ with Lizzi back in the beginning …lol)
*baffled* Which ‘The Talk’ is this? Because in England that’s a highly specific talk which occurs usually between parentals and their ‘blossoming’ offspring somewhere before the onset of puberty.
And in spite of my recent clumsy attempts to get a naked picture from Christine* I can quite assure you that at no point has she had this version of ‘The Talk’ with me…
*Yes, I’m quite aware of how badly that comes across, and no we may not discuss it further.
Lizzi
thank you! (finally I realized I got the reference! lol you do not want to know how many times I have to go back through all…yes, all the Posts I have Commented on to pick up the thread of Comments here…to make it worse, often threads that I would originally instigate. forgetful? I prefer the term non-enduring consistency of thought, thank you) (don’t tell anyone!)
the Talk… I was alluding to the talk that I was imagining that Christine would have wanted to have with you when I first showed up at Considerer…. (I know I’ve told this story before…) but I spotted you at FTSF one Friday followed you back to your blog and (naturally) recognized a clark. Started following your blog (quietly, of course) and finally reached that really odd/cool level of self-confidence and started writing Comments on your Posts. (To an outside observer, “…and totally out of the blue this guy is writing Comments like he knows Lizzi for years” lol which is the way clarks can be with people they decide they like… well before actually introducing ourselves, of course).
…in any event, 3 or 4 Comments and I get a Comment at the Doctrine…from Christine! and I’m like, ‘sounds familiar where do I know this person from’ and I read her Comment and knew… a scott who is friends with Considerer… checking me out to make sure I wasn’t a creep or whatever it is you call the un-desirables… so I felt totally at home with your blog and everyone associated with it pretty much right away. Is that a Doctrine or what!
(so with a little literary/comico license you can go from a protective friend to Mother having ‘the Talk’ right? lol hey, I don’t say I think these things out!)
I was just curious who you were! Your comments you left confused the hell out of me.
OK, and you showed up out of nowhere acting like you knew her forever. I didn’t know her well at the time. Perhaps I was wondering if you were going to be my competition for Lizzi’s attention. :)
Well, I’m a scott, that’s for damn sure.
Christine
the fault is mine… well, I can blame it on my clarklike worldview…introverts (yeah, right) that we are… I suspect it is tied to my secondary scottian aspect. But the thing is, for me most of my social ineptitude arises from believing I don’t know the person and if I don’t know them, then they not be the kind of person that would tolerate me…so I don’t take chances (with people I don’t believe I know.)
The operative phrase is ‘believe I know’ for a clark, when in doubt, hide… but Lizzi was different, I ‘recognized her’ (as a clark) and you also… (I recognized as a scott)… and (this is the trick) I believed I knew the kind of people you were…that combined with the blogs you both wrote… I was sure… so I didn’t feel I needed to hide, cause I don’t hide from the people I like
pretty simple, isn’t it?
Bwahahaha I love how Christine implies that your comments no longer confuse the hell out of [her] people! :p
Jak
yeah, lol I for one likes my scotts, but ya gotta keep ’em occupied…otherwise next thing you know you’re buying all new living room furniture.
nice work with ‘the cake’ and such …maybe it’s not as lasting a spray paint and an overpass, but still get a kick out of watching a pro work…
Fabulous point, Jak. I am still thoroughly confused on a regular basis. :)
Ohhhhh THAT ‘the talk’. It was the capitalisation which threw me. It all makes sense now :D
For a relative newbie to TToT, this was a great post to read. Thanks!
Sarah
Thank you! this is a fun place to (virtually) hangout on the weekends, glad you are with us!
This is beyond awesome. Thanks so much for including me in your list and for the fabulousness of you and the Doctrine and Clarkness and all that wonderful stuff. So I’m curious whether you read Jak’s comment over at Lizzi’s place. Seems he has you doing some naked cake thing wearing a hat. Maybe wearing a hat isn’t exactly the right way to say it…but with a hat anyway.
There’s a name for fellas who ‘wear’ hats in that way. They’re rarely welcomed at blog hops as noble as this (except maybe over at Beth’s…or yours, on a particularly *that* kind of day…)
Lizzi
(they say that listening to classical music (Mozart and Bach) and doing puzzles is a way to fend off aging of the brain and early-onset Alzheimer’s lets add keeping track of Comment threads in a multi-blog bloghop like the TToT lol
*grins* Keep it up then, bach*
*secret Welsh joke…
Kristi
lol… damn! and lol (reference damn) and yes, I agree with what you’re thinking.
See? I’m right then. Enough said. ;)
Kristi
(lol) yeah!! what she said….
What? Naked cake thing in a hat? *waves* Over here!!!
Chez moi. And Just NO!
Wow Clark, this is completely and utterly awesome! You put so much effort and did a lot of research for your blog post! I am completely in love with it! So well done!
Joy
is fun… and this is such an supportive environment glad to have you and the others as co-hosts
Well as one who started only a few weeks back this was a fabulous visit to the past. Very creative and supportive in a thanky-thankful sort o way! I have to thank you for allowing me to hang out so much here this week as well… just got home from Boston (Im sure you now know what that means) and The Doctrine Site was a lifesaver this week! As Kristin says it kept me from becoming too “dementive.” Many thanks! Loved this post!
zoe
our pleasure…
great job! brilliant concept! Thoroughly enjoyed it, especially since I wasn’t around and therefore not privy to those first posts. And what rules? The only rule in TToT is that there are no rules! Or is that Fight Club? I always get those confused…..
Beth
…the second Rule of TToT is lol (actually there are Secret Rules to TToT, but Lizzi keeps the Secret Book of Secret Rules locked up, protected by de-hatted Westminster Guards)
*grins*
What a fabulous way to do the 25th TToT, Clark. Great fun!
Cool memories, Clark! Happy hoppiversary to you and see you on the Brunch!
This was a great post my friend! You did well to channel your nostalgic senses, and you can pretend you didn’t think about tearing up at the remembrances! .> mind you.
Moving on…
I laughed thinking about you checking back and forth to see if Rich or I had posted yet. Had to be driving you mad when I was absent for weeks on end! It’s been rough, but you keep on trucking along, and you even work on weekends, so kudos to that :-)
Love the blurb about Lizzi and Christine. Lizzi always makes comment she thought she was Christine’s hired hand (perhaps spawned from that lofty dream of mowing the lawn), but it’s been apparent from the get-go who the protector/enforcer is. Best watch out. Good thing Lizzi was already married, or the men in her life (though, it seems they still do…) would have to go through her first! Mess with the Pig Wrangler and you get… the… brand? Or does she own a whip? She should totally own a whip… Maybe she owns a whip? >.> Oh COW.
Where was I?
Oh right…
The Cryton Chronicles & Dreams in the Shade of Ink
When you talk about TV, you’re speaking my language! Totally remember those flashback episodes.
Jennifer
I actually used to enjoy them…
I promised and I arrived … late, of course, but I arrived!!!! Now lets see if you come back and read this comment. Not that it will be much of a comment, I’m afraid. I seem to be caught in a time warp that has carried be from Oz to Kansas and back again, into a sequel of Pulp Fiction time traveling. Perhaps my #11 for thankful would be to have survived and been able to worm my way back home again. Nice, but different, concept, my friend. Enjoyed!
Rich
(don’t tell anyone) but I totally lose track of Comments sometimes)! and they’re my favorite part of the bloghop, especially the TToT which is as close to being in a house party (for the weekend…leave directly for work on Monday) that I know of! But I will continue on continuing on as the old saying goes (they do still say that, right?)
as always, good to see ya