Author Archives: therealtamara

For an opinionated woman such as I, blogging is an excellent outlet. This is one of many fori that I use to bloviate. Enjoy! Comment on my commentary.

Seeing Red!

I would never argue against a red but I lack the subtlety of eye to recognize Viva Magenta as much different from the CNN logo or some other vibrant red.

Pantone has selected Viva Magenta as the color of the year.

Having been in a printing-adjacent biz, I value their judgment. I am also certain that they have the discernment to differentiate one red from another. It can be a close call.

One of the pleasures of working on a printing project is getting to use a Pantone color swatch book. Mine was a prized possession.

So many colors, how do I choose just one?

Laying out the colors one atop the next is a sensual pleasure I remember vividly.

My riches

For years, my attempt at keeping a plant in my home ended in brown leaves and disappointment.

I have finally found a plant that, starting as a small cutting, has done nothing but thrive. I missed my watering schedule a couple of weeks ago. It started to droop. Uh oh, that’s it, I thought, this looks familiar.

A little remedial watering and back to our schedule, a hubby who greets the perky little thing and look where we are now.

Gratitude 365

It’s become a trope that we meet difficult times with a contradicting list of thanks. Just because it feels clichéd or rote doesn’t make it bad advice.

The season of thanks giving should not be the last word on gratitude.

Finding the grateful in even the awful helps us. It’s not Pollyanna speaking when I say make it easier on yourself by looking at the plus-side.

Sometimes we have to dig deep to find anything for which to be thankful. It’s that digging deeper that helps put everything in perspective. Perspective is often what stops us from dissolving into depression.

You might find positives in inanimate objects- in nature or a favorite scarf, but you need to embrace the people who help you in the smallest of ways. Friends, neighbors, strangers can help you put a grip on that perspective.

Reaching out to express our thanks to those to whom we are grateful connects us. This closes the circle of gratitude and opens our hearts.

It’s not sappy. It’s human.

Observed today

These two illustrated vehicles both represent some good transit options. The dismantled yellow bike no doubt the better of them.

Simon is cutting hair today. Salvo’s is closed. An uneven start to finding open establishments.

I saw the first poinsettias of the season today. Wanted to shout that at the young man making the delivery but his earbudds precluded meaningful communication.

It’s warm for Thanksgiving Thursday.**

**I added the unnecessary “Thursday” in case they turn the holiday into an official long weekend. It would then come complete with its own sales day.

There are places to sit. I know I mentioned this before but Le Petit Parisien has an excellent cappuccino. You know where else the coffee’s good? My local D’Agostino. Yeah, I too was surprised.

Tis the

Wishing you the best for the holiday season.

Thanks Giving is the kick-off event.

Kick-off in more than one sense as football is such a big part of the day.

We go from here. Turkeys have been pardoned, although many more have been roasted. Pies have been baked or bought and consumed along with much more.

Sated, we are prepared to be grateful for all we have and all we share.

The day itself is a ritual of gratitude. It’s a reminder to us that we have it pretty good.

Gratitude is not a bad rite to celebrate. We could, really give it our full attention- without the distractions of turkey, pumpkin pie and football- 365 and on those leap years 366.

Worldly

Best License Plate

The World Cup has it wrong. Many of the countries competing are really not soccer people.

I know my countrymen aren’t. Is it the American pastime? Even the American pastime isn’t anymore. Baseball is great but it seems to have had its nine innings.

I am going off-topic here so back to my proposition to remedy the matchups.

If this were a Baseball World Cup, Japan and the USA might lead the matches. The World wants to participate in whatever games are afoot. We’re a playful lot.

A truly global event should give everyone an equal chance.

We could piece one together by letting the soccer-obsessed part of the earth play their soccer games. Maybe the US vs Japan in a round of baseball games would be fair. Frisbee anyone? Sailing? Golf? Fly-fishing?

The point is if a nation is dismally poor at one sport, it could partake of one where it excels.