Look at this little one. It looks like it's having a smug little chuckle over there. I love it.

Netflix

I was recently told that an hour of watching Netflix causes about as much pollution as driving a car ten miles. I tried looking it up, but I can't find where to get that information, but I did find quite a few articles that data servers are quite the energy hogs. So I'm thinking of maybe just not watching Netflix anymore, save myself some money each month, and be just a bit more environmentally friendly. When I first thought about doing it, I was thinking "Oh, I dunno. I really like television." The more I think about it though, the less of a sacrifice it seems. After all, I gave up Hulu after Disney bought Fox and don't miss it anywhere near as much as I thought I would. Additionally, there's tons of films and TV shows over the years I've never gotten around to seeing, despite people raving about them, and I never really felt like I'm missing out. Plus, let's be honest, a lot of these services are just full of lame filler anyway, which just lead to a lame way to fill in the day.

Blessed Chalk

I recently hung out with a friend of mine and due to a scheduling issue, I ended up sitting and chatting with their lovely mother for about an hour and a half while they took care of a few things. I adore this woman and I'm told she's similarly fond of me. We chatted about a few things, from gardening to the aches and pains of aging to family. She's a pretty devout Catholic and so inevitably, our discussion drifted towards faith and religion. We talked quite a bit about courage and forgiveness and the ills of gossip. Before I left, she gave me some blessed chalk and instructions on how to bless my house for The Epiphany. All she asked was, that if I didn't bless my house, is to at least respect that the chalk is blessed and respectfully bury it in good soil instead of throwing it away.

I didn't bless my house, cause I'm not Catholic and it's not my house and I'm the only person under this roof who is religious. I still have the chalk though, and I am gonna respect her request about burying it. I'm thinking of instead of burying it whole though, of maybe breaking it into smaller pieces or grinding it up and putting it in the pots where I'm trying to grow my trees. Do I honestly think the chalk will help the seeds grow, either through science or prayer? No. But I feel like the chalk was a heartfelt and meaningful gift and I think burying it in something that I feel is meaningful to me is a significant act.

Pets and Aging

My dog is getting old guys. When it was younger, I wanted it to be young forever. Honestly though, this dog is wearing each day and each grey hair it gains with a very real dignity. I can only hope to age half as gracefully.

Here's hoping everyone's new year is going great so far. :)