{"id":103448,"date":"2022-01-01T08:56:37","date_gmt":"2022-01-01T13:56:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.enchantedhome.com\/blog\/?p=103448"},"modified":"2022-01-02T10:03:48","modified_gmt":"2022-01-02T15:03:48","slug":"happy-new-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.enchantedhome.com\/blog\/2022\/01\/01\/happy-new-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Happy New Year!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hello and happy new year to my treasured and cherished readers, customers and friends. I have waited a long<\/em> time to say goodbye to 2021 and hellooooo 2022! While I recognize nothing will change right away,\u00a0 to me, just knowing it’s a clean slate, a brand new, year gives me hope for things to normalize slowly or at least move in the right direction.<\/p>\n

I always like to share my end of the year thoughts that I have pondered over the last year. It’s quite a random list but it’s from my heart. Not everyone will agree with everything, and that is OK. These are just my own personal reflections on this past year and on our world.<\/p>\n

I wish each of you a wonderful start to this new year. May it be filled with good health (most important of all), love, laughter and peace (we all need more peace in our lives:)<\/p>\n

Hope you don’t think I am being a Debby downer with this post, just feel that we need to take a few steps back, pause, reflect now<\/em> on what is going on in our society. This might feel like a rant fest and I am sorry but sometime you just need to vent a little:) I realized a lot of this centers around technology, what can I say…..I have a love\/hate relationship with it, not unlike many I am sure!<\/p>\n

The one constant however has been my amazing group of family and friends……forever grateful to each of you for enriching my life and making me feel so loved. Onward we go.<\/p>\n

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It is my non professional opinion, we need to press a giant proverbial pause button, our world is moving too fast and unfortunately it\u2019s moving too fast in the wrong direction. It scares me to see the warp speed at which things are moving and so much is getting left in dust and compromised, like civility, kindness, our youth trapped in a tech bubble, I could go on……. <\/span><\/p>\n

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People don\u2019t know how to talk<\/em> to each other anymore because they\u2019re so accustomed to communicating on their devices and that sadly includes kids as young as two and three years old, I witness it all the time. I go to restaurants and literally everyone at the table is on the phones, why are they even out to dinner? <\/span><\/p>\n

Our government would do the world a big favor if phones were at least banned from restaurants (barring extreme emergencies) at the federal level. It would make people look<\/em> at each other and talk<\/em> and have real live<\/em> interactions, you know the way things used to be:)<\/p>\n

Any restaurant who adopts this policy has a fan in me for life, good food or not (good food, big bonus)!<\/p>\n

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I think the use of cell phones to capture every single moment in life has gotten carried away. It’s so invasive and kind of unnerving. I was in the market the other day and two people were arguing loudly over if there was one line feeding into\u00a0 all the cashiers or each cashier had their own line.<\/p>\n

The argument was getting a bit out of hand and I swear,\u00a0 I watched as 2 people (a man about 45 and a woman in her 50’s)\u00a0 whip out their phones like little pros and started video taping them, probably hoping if something happened, their video would go viral. It was so gross to see them pounce like that. I want no part of this “trend” , can it go away?<\/p>\n

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Nothing<\/em> in the world, no advancements in technology will ever be able to replace the inflection of the human voice, seeing<\/em> a smile, watching someone laugh, watching the joy in their eyes, these emotions do not translate to technology and sadly an entire generation is losing the human touch and missing out on this:(
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If you go onto an airline,\u00a0 take a flight and then decide to become unruly,\u00a0 I think you should serve jail time. No exceptions. Yes, I am a toughie but also believe in civility which we are losing fast. Why are we not setting a precedent.\u00a0 To hold a captive audience like that in flight, one should be criminally charged immediately, and if a precedent was set from the get go I have a feeling it would be pretty much eradicated<\/span><\/p>\n

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Amazed that we are still grappling for cures for Alzheimer\u2019s and addiction both at the highest levels ever, both which have taken a choke hold of our country and haven\u2019t let go.\u00a0 Crazy that we have robotic surgery, we can send people for day trips to outer space, have cancer detecting pens, our smart phones practically run our homes, machine learning AI to predict our life span, we have robots managing millions of Amazon orders in a dark warehouse, and so much more. Why and how are we not moving closer to cures for these horrific illnesses that are increasing exponentially on a yearly basis and just decimating so many families.
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One look at the reality shows that pervade every network on TV,\u00a0 to me is exhibit A of the disintegration of the great America as we knew it. To see so much garbage being glorified really makes me sad for future generations, clearly the networks are producing these shows left and right because this is what people want to see but really, what does this say about our culture? Tragically, not much. Mortified by what is out there.
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This statement might be controversial as I recognize many will not agree,\u00a0 particularly millennials however I personally think that the rapid development of technology and social media has irreversibly damaged every generation going forward. There is something so unnatural to see young girls and\u00a0 boys (as young as 2 and 3) being glued to a device incessantly. Then for the teens and young adults, who are in a constant state of having to holding themselves to an impossible standard by what they see online. <\/span><\/p>\n

We all know that not all that glitters is gold but the depression rates,\u00a0 the unprecedented rates of our kids and young adults on meds, the suicidal rates among young people are all at an all-time high. Then there is the disinformation which can be catastrophic and very consequential. \u00a0 There\u2019s so much chatter but really has anything been done? I\u2019ll answer that NO. The lobbyists,\u00a0 the insatiable greed of corporate America at any cost, the big tech names have the power and though they may throw a crumb to us about holding “these ridiculous hearings” because they are suddenly going to take this seriously, nothing has yet to happen. From my perch , it appears to be lip service merely lip service to the growing chorus of concern. I have yet to see any real progressive change in a positive way. So far, PEOPLE OVER PROFIT still remains supreme. and the fate of our youth rests with the powers that be.
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This is one time where I feel the federal government needs to have a stronger hand as the consequences are changing\/damaging an entire generation irrevocably.<\/p>\n

These are life altering and sometimes life ending decisions that affect both young and old alike. Social media has the privilege of very loose liability consequences so it remains a powerful de facto public forum to quench the thirst of our entire world.<\/p>\n

This will never look normal to me.<\/p>\n

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You know what else I\u2019m really tired of? Having to use three remotes to watch a TV!! I miss the simple days when I could get a remote it would say on off volume up and down and channel change. Now I need three different channels to control all the endless number of functions on a TV often times when I can\u2019t get it to work I give up I don\u2019t even turn it on….infuriating! I want things simple! <\/span><\/p>\n

Just why?<\/p>\n

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The old adage “less is more” applies to so many things but you know what I\u2019m else I\u2019m tired of- a myriad of choices for such simple<\/em> things. If you walk into a pharmacy to buy Advil or any other medication,\u00a0 there\u2019s 14 different versions of Advil,\u00a0 ditto for every other medication it literally can take me 10 minutes to figure out which one I need,\u00a0 why can\u2019t I just walk in and buy one bottle of Advil.Easy peasy.
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This makes me dizzy just looking at it…..<\/p>\n

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The one thing I wish that we could get rid of forever is needing user names and passwords I know I cannot be alone when every time I am prompted to include a username and password my heart starts racing and I\u2019m practically hyperventilating because I just know that I don\u2019t remember what they are! Every time I change it, I tell myself “oh that\u2019s a good one” and I\u2019ll make sure to remember it,\u00a0 does that ever happen? No,\u00a0 because I have a list a mile long of “those good ones” argh! <\/span><\/p>\n

Me on an hourly basis…..<\/p>\n

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The other day I received two absolutely beautiful thank you cards in the mail, both on really fine stationary and so beautifully written. It reinforced what I\u2019ve always thought and knew,\u00a0 that there is nothing that can replace the art of a hand written note.<\/p>\n

I try to practice what I preach but will plead guilty to having thanked people for things via text which I really can\u2019t stand, receiving those thank you\u2018s prompted me to sit down and write a few of my own so if your old one it\u2019s on the way\"\ud83d\ude0a\"\"\ud83d\ude0a\" Going forward, making a much more concerted effort to write handwritten thank you’s, they are so nice to receive.<\/p>\n

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In that same vein,\u00a0 I think many of us have become very comfortable communicating particularly on topics that should only be had in a person-to-person discussion,\u00a0 via text. While I think it\u2019s fine to say you\u2019re running a few minutes late or “I\u2019m just checking in to see how you\u2019re doing”, it\u2019s a whole other animal to try and apologize for something that you\u2019ve done, or to express condolences, or to try and make a gesture that involves any real emotion. And I am guilty of this as well.<\/p>\n

While I totally get how convenient texting is,\u00a0 I just think that it should be reserved for simple casual conversation, leave the heavy stuff for face-to-face. again this is just my own opinion. I will be practicing what I preach and picking up the phone more in 2022 and giving my fingers a little break:)<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s very disheartening to me to see that civility has all but left our country, I really rarely see small acts of civility towards our fellow human beings. I remember a week or so ago I was somewhere and a man actually held the door open for me and it really caught me off guard because I hadn\u2019t seen anything like that in so long and I made a point to tell him how much I appreciated that,\u00a0 we both walked away with a big smile on our face,\u00a0 not so difficult. Then I laughed to myself thinking, some might question suspiciously why<\/em> he was holding the door….is it because I am woman, lol You can’t win!
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Probably dating myself here but something I really miss is when Sundays used to be the day off,\u00a0 kind of a sacred day where no one worked, very little was open, almost no sports activities were held on Sundays because it was loosely regarded as a family day ditto for holidays\/ <\/span><\/p>\n

Who remembers when days like Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas always and I do mean always<\/em> meant that everything was closed, now it feels like just another regular day everything is open they are holding their Thanksgiving and Christmas sales the day of, encouraging people to leave their homes and families to pursue shopping and lusting after bargains they entice you with. With our crazy frantic pace of life can we not have one day where there\u2019s no pressure to do anything! And how about the employees, don’t they deserve a day off to be with their families. Enough! <\/span><\/p>\n

I long to see this sign in more places….<\/p>\n

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I miss the days when life was simple if I needed to make an appointment to do some thing I would call up on my phone, speak to a REAL LIVE HUMAN,\u00a0 make the appointment and that was that now<\/em> they want me to be able to sign into their app for their healthcare services, I probably spent more time trying to figure out my username and password then I do filling out the actual information.<\/span><\/p>\n

So over this, give me a pen and paper!<\/p>\n

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You know what I find interesting? This is almost like a social experiment. We all have so much, everything from warp speed technology to luxury items to the access to travel, go to great restaurants, any item you want delivered to your home within hours, every modern convene ice, etc…..so you show all that on Instagram and guess what picture everyone is most drawn to and which gets the most attention? Very much including myself.<\/p>\n

The one of a little cozy cabin in the woods with snow falling. Simple, nothing luxury about it, no technology in sight. What does that say? To me, it says that we all enjoy the trappings of our lives but what we really yearn for is a slowing down, a paused sense of peace and quiet. We want to shut out the outside noise of our increasingly loud world. I find that really interest and I know I am always drawn to such images, makes me calmer just looking at it.<\/p>\n

Ahhh…my blood pressure just went down several notches<\/p>\n

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Along that line, , I am always amazed at how much simple a simple picture like beautiful farm stands or seeing the Vermont Country store on a snowy day makes me feel. I know I am not alone. Those draw me in and make me feel safe and happy. Something to be said about us that we are so drawn to those types of images despite everything we have at our fingertips.<\/p>\n

How can this picture\u00a0 not make you smile?<\/p>\n

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I love Instagram and it’s been an incredible way to connect with so many amazing people as well as grow my business,\u00a0 but I do find myself taking little self imposed breaks from scrolling aimlessly through for hours, the way I used to. It is often overwhelming and overstimulating. I recognize it is also not often authentic and all that glistens is not<\/em> gold.<\/p>\n

I am always drawn to personal stories, people who are able to be vulnerable and honest, they are the ones who keep it real. I can only see so many frilly prairie dresses, all beige rooms, perfectly smiling families walking in a synchronized fashion on a pristine white sand isolated beach, it can be inspiring but it can also be exhausting. I like it in doses but it is most certainly not a substitute for “real life” and interacting in a more authentic way.<\/p>\n

Covid afforded me some perspective. I have realized how much I love being home, being around all my favorite things, how safe it makes me feel. How much I enjoy spending time with those I care for, my friends and family. That time is the most cherished.\u00a0 If I learned one thing in 2022, it is how lucky I am to have my circle of family and friends. Forever grateful!<\/p>\n

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And I know once again this is going to date me but I remember when I was young growing up with a very proper mother who always wore beautiful dresses and who dressed my sister and I meticulously in matching outfits with the right shoes, even an occasional matching hat.\u00a0 I remember well that\u00a0 traveling was something to dress up for,\u00a0 there were something very glamorous about it, and looking back at pictures, it is so foreign compared to how the average person approaches travel today.
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I do not need to elaborate on what many Americans dress like when they go to the airport to catch a plane, often frumpy velour tracksuit\u2018s, fleecy baggy pajama pants and furry UGG boots. That combination should be banned from all airports IMO\u2026 How far we have fallen! I totally get that people want to be comfortable and I have no problem with that because I do too but I think,\u00a0 there is a way to dress where you can still look smart,\u00a0 pulled together with compromising being comfortable!<\/span><\/p>\n

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If you are still reading this far, kudos to you for getting here and reading through while I stood on my little soapbox! I didn’t realize I had so much to say until I started typing away then the “opinions”started to flow:)<\/p>\n

Guess I really went on a tangent. It felt cathartic to release some of that energy…all things I think about a lot. Its nice to have a place to air it…..granted I don’t expect all to agree with all I said and these are my opinions and mine alone. How about you? What are some of your thoughts and reflections from this past year?<\/p>\n

You might say I am old fashioned, somewhat rigid and very opinionated and I would have to say you would be right on all three counts. But I am unapologetically honest and I accept the fact that there will be some who may not agree with some of what I\u2019ve written maybe even all of what I\u2019ve written.\u00a0 But I think in our world more than ever,\u00a0 we need to learn to agree to disagree in an amicable, respectful and civilized manner.<\/p>\n

Cannot thank you enough for following along with me, my blog and business are indeed my happy place and I am so grateful to have such an incredible, supportive, kind audience of customers, readers and followers. Not a day goes by, that I don’t think about how fortunate I am! Who would have thought, ten years ago in 2022, I am still here typing away…..hard to imagine my life without it!<\/p>\n

Would love to hear some of your<\/em> reelections from 2021 and hopes for 2022.<\/p>\n

Wishing everyone a wonderful start to 2022. May your year be filled with an abundance of love, good health, lots of adventure,\u00a0 peace and lots of laughter! Until next time…..cheers!<\/p>\n

Starting today as a special thank you, the entire shop site is 22% off in celebration of 2022! Use code cheers, click here to visit shop<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

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Hello and happy new year to my treasured and cherished readers, customers and friends. I have waited a long time to say goodbye to 2021 and hellooooo 2022! While I recognize nothing will change right away,\u00a0 to me, just knowing it’s a clean slate, a brand new, year gives me hope for things to normalize […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":103450,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.enchantedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103448"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.enchantedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.enchantedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.enchantedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.enchantedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=103448"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/wp.enchantedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103448\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":103528,"href":"https:\/\/wp.enchantedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103448\/revisions\/103528"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.enchantedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/103450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.enchantedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=103448"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.enchantedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=103448"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.enchantedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=103448"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}