Writings by Diane

For the past couple of months, I have noticed in my shopping excursions, there are a plethora of adult coloring books.  Whether I was in pursuit of groceries, crafts or browsing, these paperback books filled with intricate black and white drawings are flooding the shelves everywhere I shopped.  One day, my curiosity was saturated, and I picked up a volume entitled Mindfulness. In my Graduate classes, this topic has been very prevalent and it’s been in the forefront of my mind.  I flipped through the pages and saw this book have elaborate drawings waiting for colored pencils to bring to life. I also noticed that there were quotes from a variety of luminaries such as Carl Jung and Socrates. Since I am a huge fan of sage and concise quotes, I immediately bought it. As I opened the book and absorbed the words, I found that this activity could easily lend itself to a relaxation experience. I am always looking for opportunities for self-care, so I decided to be very conscious of th

A couple of months ago, my bonus son asked us when the mail usually arrived. My husband told him it usually comes in the early afternoon.  I found this inquiry different, since he had never shown interest in the mail delivery schedule.  He then informed he had ordered a Loot Crate. Each day, he waited patiently for the mail. When a box wasn’t delivered, he looked dejected.  I had no idea what a Loot Crate was-- it sounded like something Long John Silver from Treasure Island would speak about in low tones and a pirate accent.  Finally, his "loot" arrived and it contained a T-Shirt, figurine, and other fun items with a theme. I asked my bonus son what exactly is a Loot Crate and he directed me to their website . As I navigated through the site, I began to understand its appeal. Each month, they have a different theme, such as horror for October. When a person orders a box, they are in for a surprise when it arrives.  It’s been something I know I have nagged my kids about

I woke up one morning with the tune “Misty” in my head. I was humming it as I fed my pets. The cats looked at me blankly as I crooned “I’m as helpless as a kitten up a tree.” After my concert to bored animals, I decided to look up on YouTube the professional singers of this song. I was aware of only two singers that performed “Misty”:  Johnny Mathis and Ray Stevens . I found it fascinating how Johnny Mathis could sing each high falsetto note meticulously. Though I enjoyed listening to him singing this song, it was not my favorite version of this tune. Ray Stevens’ bluegrass interpretation held that honor. I wasn’t quite sure why it was my favorite.  I did enjoy the uniqueness of the sound of his voice-- it has a yodeling quality to it. Or maybe it was the lighthearted and bouncy melody that the banjo and fiddle bring. As I scrolled through YouTube, I was very surprised to see that there were many other artists that performed this particular song.  I clicked on the video of Ella F