Because I can't help myself, here's the inspiration for today:

It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come.

~The Dalai Lama

When I think of all the people in the history of the world I think I'd like to meet and talk to, the current Dalai Lama is at the top of the list.  He seems to be a strong, yet gentle man.  I don't know what he's like in private, but in public, he is calm and peaceful and seems at home wherever he goes.  I envy that.  It's a quality I try to emulate but don't achieve very often.  The world seems to be able to get under my skin too easily.  As I sit through endless meetings today, I will be trying very hard to generate a good attitude. 

Pk and I took tomorrow off.  It'll give us a day to go and finish our joint shopping and get our tree.  I have shopping to do over the weekend but not too much.  Em is coming down to shop with Pk on Sunday.  I asked him why the girls never offer to shop with me for him.  He said "they know I'm incompetent".  I wonder what they think he did before they were born........At least this year he's not shopping on the 24th which was his habit until a few years ago.

I'm feeling some holiday excitement.  The weather is cold and the air is so clear.  The only disturbing thing about this is that there are stars out when I leave for work and stars out when I get home. I watch the sun go down as I pull onto my street.  I've seen some beautiful sunrises and sunsets but not much sun lately except out my office window.

My little bit of holiday knitting is moving along.  I really like the pattern I chose.  It's the Wishbone pattern from the IK knitted accessories book.  I know.  The magazine was expensive and had a ton of repeat patterns but since I am not a long time knitter, I don't have the issues with those patterns in them.  There are a lot that I really like and I don't regret buying it.

And check out the new issue of Knitty.  I found the sweater for Pk's alpaca.  The Mr. Darcy sweater.  I think the alpaca will let it drape just the way he wants it to but I'll be sure to swatch in the pattern to make sure.  He saw it and said 'that's it' so there you have it.  In my mind, Pk is my Mr. Darcy .  Which reminds me of an exchange I was part of on Tuesday.  One person said that he was "trying" to get along with his wife.  The other said, "I think after a few years, other people start looking more interesting than your spouse".  They agreed to this and I HAD to speak up.  I said, "I don't agree.  My husband is still the most interesting person I know and the first one I think of when I hear something interesting to share".  They looked at me like I was some naive bumpkin and someday I'd learn.  I reminded them I've been married for 28 years and if I was going to lose interest, it would have happened by now.  I don't think I convinced them.

Ok.  Time to go and generate that good attitude and check some phone messages and emails and start the paperwork that makes up a good portion of my day.  Have a good one!