Last December I found a really adorable notebook on etsy that I couldn't resist. I don't remember if I already had the idea for keeping track, on a monthly basis, of happenings in my life and bought the notebook for that purpose of if I decided to use it for that task after I already had it. In any case I got the handy notebook, setup a calendar reminder for the last day of each month to record the important things that had happened in that month. I kept the notebook close and most months added to it as the days went along. Little notes of little things that happened here and there and then a big brainstorm at the end of the month in an attempt to remember anything I'd forgotten to record during the month.
It's been a really enjoyable and significant activity and I plan to do it again in 2009. It's interesting to look back and see what things I thought to write down.
Since this activity it has been so enjoyable and meaningful I want to share some of what I've recorded with you, my friends. Note that some of the items are silly, some are terrible, some are joyous and some are almost unintelligible. I think that's ok.
January
- Consuming Louisville's traffic grow significantly
- Had initial meeting with Unnamed Large Organization about a potential sm campaign
- Made Possibilty City photograph
- Attended Louisville Geek Dinner
- Sent out three ambitious pitches that bombed with loud thuds
- Interviewed Jim Clayton about bourbon. Really interesting guy
- Grace had pancreatitis and was hospitalized for five days
- Began the Imagine Louisville project
- Booked wedding photography gig
- We got 12 inches of snow
- Started working as a contractor for a web startup
- Paid off my car
- Said car proceeded to leave me stranded in the middle of nowhere one week after being paid off
- Spent time with Daddy driving around shooting the country side
- Turned down an opportunity to join the board of a local arts organization. My reasons were just.
- Contacted my rabbi to have a conversation about conversion
- Met with my rabbi and discussed my reasons for conversion, etc.
- Started getting rather active with Social Media Club Louisville
- Bought plane tickets for Seattle trip
- Read three books recommended by my rabbi and wasn't scared off
- B moved to her new office
- Was contacted by Company X to provide all the art work for their remodeled offices
- Bought new office furniture
- Started attending shabbat services
- Bought a 40D
- Sent specific proposal to Company X about providing photographs
- Got really frustrated with one of my work projects and disengaged from it
- Had an awesome time in Seattle with Jason, Melissa, Cecily & George.
- Firmly decided not to buy an iPhone
- Bought an iPhone (I was weak)
- Was a volunteer baker for Just Creations
- Turned 32, received a wealth of gifts and felt really guilty about it. Next year I'm thinking of asking for only a couple small items that I really want supplemented with charitable contributions for those who feel gifts must be given
- Had really lovely birthday dinner with my family
- Grace was diagnosed with liver problems
- Attended Tisha B'av services
- Went to a very grown up cocktail party at The Willow.
- Attended to my aunt and uncle while he was dying
- Did the best I could to take care of my aunt after my uncle died
- Felt very, very homesick for the farm
- Drove my aunt in the lead car in the funeral procession for my uncle. It was a very surreal experience
- Shot a wedding
- Was asked to apply to be on the board of a second non-profit
- Facilitated Social Media Breakfast for SMC
- Suffered through 8 days without power after Ike rolled through town
- Experienced my first Rosh Hashana
- Had dinner at rabbi's house
- Went back and forth to the farm a great deal
- Consuming Louisville received second place in the LEO Reader's Choice awards
- Experienced my first Yom Kippur including completing the entire fast
- Appeared on WFPL's State of Affairs
- Attended Ghost Bike Memorial Service for cyclist killed on Bardstown Road
- Organized "Let Them Tweet Cake!"
- Grace was finally diagnosed with Cushing's Disease
- Became vice president of Social Media Club Louisville
- Became really disheartened about money and level of professional success
- Spent thanksgiving with my aunt
- Baked a great deal
- Started studying Hebrew
- Had first brush with direct antisemitism
- Started falling into a really deep depression
- Got mega Company to agree to sponsor Social Media Club
- Had a great shoot with Joy Perrine for her holiday cocktails at Jack's Lounge
- Attended Latke Fest at D's house. It was awesome
- Baked even more than in November
- Continued struggling with depression
- Was approached about starting a consulting firm with 3 colleagues
- Delivered all of the framed prints for Company X
- Had five good meetings for potential large projects for 2009
- Was gifted the most gorgeous mezuzah case
- Bought gigantor tv & blu-ray player
- Asked rabbi for a suggestion of a nursing home resident that I might be able to visit and practice Hebrew with.
- Celebrated my first Hanukkah
We threw a holiday party this weekend (which included a couple pity invitations which I'm still confused about) and it was good. Good food, good drinks, interesting conversations. Everyone seemed to have a really good time. Even the woman who rolled down the stairs (true story!).
The best part of the night? Raising $400 for the Kentucky Humane Society. It's our custom to choose one local charity each year to have our holiday party be an informal fundraiser for. Instead of bring hostess gifts we ask folks to consider donating to the selected charity. This year we selected the Kentucky Humane Society and our generous guests accepted our challenge and surpassed our high expectations.
This reminds me of something B and I have discussed at length recently: expectations. We're of the firm belief that if you expect good from people and let them know that you expect good they will, most of the time, deliver. People raise themselves up to what is expected of them. While it's true that you won't be disappointed if you have very low expectations you're almost denying people the pleasure and challenge of meeting higher expectations.
I'm so pleased our friends and colleagues met and surpassed our high expectations. They are good people.
The best part of the night? Raising $400 for the Kentucky Humane Society. It's our custom to choose one local charity each year to have our holiday party be an informal fundraiser for. Instead of bring hostess gifts we ask folks to consider donating to the selected charity. This year we selected the Kentucky Humane Society and our generous guests accepted our challenge and surpassed our high expectations.
This reminds me of something B and I have discussed at length recently: expectations. We're of the firm belief that if you expect good from people and let them know that you expect good they will, most of the time, deliver. People raise themselves up to what is expected of them. While it's true that you won't be disappointed if you have very low expectations you're almost denying people the pleasure and challenge of meeting higher expectations.
I'm so pleased our friends and colleagues met and surpassed our high expectations. They are good people.
I have always been befuddled when people say "I don't want your pity" or "I don't want your charity." Pity and charity have always seemed like good things to me. Having heard a friend talk with disgust about an invitation he received to a party as a "pity invite" gave me great pause. Since he was so displeased about having been invited to an event because someone "pities" him I wondered if perhaps my understanding of pity and charity have been wrong all along. I think of pity and charity as being markers of compassion and concern toward others but maybe I've been confused.
Regarding my friend and his complaint about a pity invite I confess that there were two or three people at our holiday party that were invited out of pity. That is to say I was concerned that the people might be feeling particularly lonely during the holiday season and an evening of socializing with interesting people and having good food and drink might be good for them. So I invited them to our party. It is my deep hope that someone would do the same for me. I sincerely do not understand how this could be considered a bad thing. Perhaps there is a flaw in my understanding, some failure in my brain to grasp some component here.
But what I know is this: I try hard to live a deliberate life and to each day put more good, kindness and compassion into the world and it's my deep and sincere hope that other people do the same. If someone passes on a kindness or good deed to me because they pity me (because I'm struggling, because I'm not so successful professionally, because my project flopped, etc) I hope my response is a sincere "Thank you" and deep appreciation of the pity shown to me.
It is also my deep and sincere hope that I can grow more compassionate and charitable each day. This will sound too silly for words I know but sometimes I think back about the person I used to be and I'm a little sad at the lack of compassion and concern she had for the rest of the world around her. She has grown and progressed but she still has so much work to do.
pity |ˈpitē|Um, so no, not confused on definitions. Pity and charity actually do mean what I think they mean. I am confused on why someone having compassion for you is a bad thing. Why someone acting out of this compassion is a bad thing. Why someone trying to help you is a bad thing. I really don't understand.
noun ( pl. pities)
1 the feeling of sorrow and compassion caused by the suffering and misfortunes of others : her voice was full of pity.
2 [in sing. ] a cause for regret or disappointment : what a pity we can't be friends.
charity |ˈ ch aritē|
noun ( pl. -ties)
1 the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need.
• help or money given in this way : an unemployed teacher living on charity.
2 an organization set up to provide help and raise money for those in need.
• such organizations viewed collectively as the object of fund-raising or donations : the proceeds of the sale will go to charity.
3 kindness and tolerance in judging others : she found it hard to look on her mother with much charity.
Regarding my friend and his complaint about a pity invite I confess that there were two or three people at our holiday party that were invited out of pity. That is to say I was concerned that the people might be feeling particularly lonely during the holiday season and an evening of socializing with interesting people and having good food and drink might be good for them. So I invited them to our party. It is my deep hope that someone would do the same for me. I sincerely do not understand how this could be considered a bad thing. Perhaps there is a flaw in my understanding, some failure in my brain to grasp some component here.
But what I know is this: I try hard to live a deliberate life and to each day put more good, kindness and compassion into the world and it's my deep and sincere hope that other people do the same. If someone passes on a kindness or good deed to me because they pity me (because I'm struggling, because I'm not so successful professionally, because my project flopped, etc) I hope my response is a sincere "Thank you" and deep appreciation of the pity shown to me.
It is also my deep and sincere hope that I can grow more compassionate and charitable each day. This will sound too silly for words I know but sometimes I think back about the person I used to be and I'm a little sad at the lack of compassion and concern she had for the rest of the world around her. She has grown and progressed but she still has so much work to do.
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