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I am not very happy with all the people that have been complaining about the lack of snow. I think the "Snow Gods" heard them and opened up the skies for them as it has been snowing non-stop the past three days. This picture was taken of our veranda from the inside - where it's safe and warm. As you can see, the snow has almost reached the top and that means we are up for some work later today!

Despite having spent many hours waiting in the airports in New Orleans and New York, we had a great trip to the US. We first spent a couple of days in New York where we had a long walk in Central Park and in and around Times Square and saw the broadway show Wicked. See HERE for photos, video and music.

We then traveled to New Orleans where the big highlight was going to a New Orleans Saints game. The Superdome was packed and the crowd noise was louder than I have ever experienced. It was great fun having my sister, Sharon  ("Sha"), and her son, Will, with us.

We drove to Winnfield for a short stay - way too short - with my mom. The house was full of family  and friends on the 1st of January where we had the traditional blackeyed peas and cabbage for good fortune in the new year. We also had my mom's great cornbread. Yummy! It was great seeing my other two sisters, Karen and Donna, and my Aunt B.

We also spent some time in Baton Rouge with Sha and Will, where the primary focus was "retail therapy". Compared to Norway, everything is inexpensive in the US. Sha and I also got some time to gab. 

Traveling to the US in December/January is risky business, so I hope our next trip to the US will be in the spring or summer.

I posted this blog about New Year's resolutions back in 2008, but I found out a little more on Wikipedia that I thought I would share with you.

The nature of New Year's resolutions has changed during the last decades, with many resolutions being more superficial and appearance-oriented than in previous times. At the end of the 19th century, a typical teenage girl's New Year's resolution was focused on good works: she resolved to become less self-centered, more helpful, a more diligent worker, and to improve her internal character. Body image, health, diet, and desired possessions were rarely mentioned. At the end of the 20th century, the typical teenage girl's resolution is focused on good looks: she wants to improve her body, hairstyle, makeup, and clothing. 

Brumberg, Joan Jacobs (1998). The body project: an intimate history of American girls. New York: Vintage Books. pp. xx–xxi. ISBN 0-679-73529-1.

Early 20th-century New Year's resolution postcards ~ from Wikimedia Commons

I found the resolutions below for 2013 at FastCompany. They are pretty catchy.

1. GRAB THE YEAR BY THE EARS.
   Look back at 2012 and celebrate your successes and identify your failures. Map what you learned from both and think about what you want to change in the year ahead. Define what success looks like for 2013, setting audacious and achievable goals. Envision what you want the year to look like, literally. Write a list by month, write a year-end letter to yourself, or build a dream board, but don't go into 2013 without knowing what you want success to look like. Map out how you'll get there and what resources you'll need.
2. VALUES ARE VALUABLES.
   Revisit your values and what's important to you on a personal level. These foundational principles should guide decisions around how you live and work. List the principles that are central to who you are and guide how you think and behave. Put your values to work daily throughout the year ahead. If it feels like we're walking away from the founding values this country was successfully built on do what Gandhi advised and, "be the change you want to see in the world." Decide what you really care about and the role you can play in helping make a positive change in the world.
3. GRATITUDE IS THE ATTITUDE.
   It's a universal truth that grateful people are happy people. Start every day with gratitude and thanks for the chance to live your life in a country that promotes freedom and the opportunity to be your best. Say thank you often and mean it.
4. TRASH THE SMALL STUFF.
   Like most people, you probably waste too much time on the small, insignificant, time-sucking, going-nowhere stuff. Make a list of the things you do that waste time every day and list what you're going to do to change your behavior.
5. DON'T MAKE MONEY YOUR GOD
   The sage father of my first girlfriend gave me some very simple advice that is as relevant today as it was then. He said, "Never make money your god." I've been asked many times this year whether the purpose for a company is to make a profit, and my answer has been the same every time, "Making a profit is the by-product of a clearly defined purpose." As individuals we know money creates choices but it doesn't answer our need for purpose. Make sure money is not the reason or rationale behind what you do.

Continue reading at FastCompany for the remaining 5 resolutions.

I know I am revealing my age, but do you remember the Bill Cosby Show with the segments "Kids Say the Darnedest Things"? Well, I do and a lot of them can be found on YouTube. I ran across the following video today and want to share it with you.