Wednesday Hodgepodge - Perceptions and Priorities

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A hodgepodge is a jumble or assortment of things that might not appear to belong together. Joyce at From This Side of the Pond hosts a weekly link-up called Wednesday Hodgepodge that is a little collection of questions for bloggers to answer just for fun and to get to know each other. I always look forward to chatting with friends over coffee, so pour a cup of your favorite and let's visit for a few minutes!

Here are this week's questions - and my answers - for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge.

1.  What do you think has remained the same about you your whole life? How has your perception of yourself changed over time?

 

As long as I can remember, I have loved books and have played piano, so I guess those things have remained the same. I learned to read before I started school and I was pretty young when I started reading under the covers with a flashlight when I was supposed to be sleeping. I thought I was getting away with it, but now I suspect my parents knew exactly what I was up to! I also started taking piano lessons when I was very little so that's always been part of my life. My perception of myself . . . I think I'm more confident now overall, even though I must admit my self-confidence really suffered over the past couple years. As I've grown older, I've learned what I'm good at and what I'm not good at and need to work on, and I don't kid myself that I'm a better person than I really am. 

 

2. What was the first thing you learned how to cook? Do you prefer to cook or bake?

 

I don't remember! I helped my mom, my grandma, and my aunts in the kitchen from when I was young and that would have been baking more than anything. Cookies, biscuits, bread. I don't even remember what we did in Home Ec when I was in middle school. I learned how to follow recipes, but there were some basic things that were holes in my kitchen skills even when I was in my late teens. For instance, I really didn't know how to scramble eggs until I was about twenty! I definitely prefer to bake and enjoy baking bread and desserts more than cooking meals. 

3. What are some of your current priorities in this season of life? Elaborate.

 One priority that has been a constant for many years is spending time with family, but the way I accomplish that has changed. Now I have to prioritize weekend plans with our son and family because we seldom have time to get together on weeknights. And we prioritize seeing our Maryland kids on long weekends and vacations, so the entire approach to vacation time has changed. Other priorities are staying healthy, physically and mentally, and planning for retirement because it's coming soon!

4. How much time to you spend on your hair each day or, put another way, what's your hair care routine? Do you get it cut regularly or just whenever the mood strikes? Do you go to the same stylist every time? Do you tell your stylist everything? Another other beauty treatments you indulge in throughout the year?

 My haircare routine on weekday mornings is a couple minutes at most. I run a brush through my hair and decide if it will be a hairband day or not. Most days are right now! I do take longer when I'm getting ready to "go out" though. I tend to shower and wash my hair in the evening, and blow dry it then so I don't have to take styling time in the morning. These days I'm getting it cut about every five or six weeks, and I do go to the same stylist every time. I'm getting to know her better and we talk more every visit. I haven't got any other beauty treatments in my regular routine that I can think of. 

right after my last cut

 

5.  What is the most awe-inspiring place you've visited?

 

There have been many! The first one that comes to mind is Niagara Falls, maybe because I've been there often and it never fails to take my breath away. And maybe because my daughter was just there on the weekend with her boyfriend and it was his first time seeing it, so we talked about it when they were here. My other choice is the Rocky Mountains―the Canadian Rockies around Banff and Lake Louise, and the whole Glacier National Park area.  

 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

 

My random thoughts this week are a little collection of quotes inspired by a couple of the questions and will shared in the Wednesday Quotes link-up hosted by Marsha at Always Write.

The consistent finding of psychological research is that we are fairly accurate in our perceptions of others. It's our self-perceptions that are distorted because we look at ourselves in a rose-colored mirror. ~Jonathan Haidt

Our self-perception determines our behavior. If we think we’re small, limited, inadequate creatures, then we tend to behave that way, and the energy we radiate reflects those thoughts no matter what we do. If we think we’re magnificent creatures with an infinite abundance of love and power to give, then we tend to behave that way. Once again, the energy around us reflects our state of awareness. ~Marianne Williamson

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.  ~Romans 12:2-3

Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work. ~H. L. Hunt

The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities. ~Stephen Covey

Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. ~Dallin H. Oaks

 

But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ~Matthew 6:33

Wednesday Quotes 2024 is hosted by Marsha at Always Write. See what we're inspired by this week: WQ#175: All Activities That Inspire Aren't Fun 

 

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What are your priorities these days? And what are the most awe-inspiring places you've been? Leave a comment and let me know!

I'm sharing in this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond.

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