TUAR Links: A Toast for Tolkien and More New Year's Post Links

First, yesterday was JRR Tolkien's birthday.

  More Tolkien illustrations here. 

Here are some Lord of the Rings Quotes to Live By

You can drink a belated birthday toast in honour of Professor Tolkien

++++++++++++++

More words for 2014 at 4Real Forum.

Still trying to decide on my word, but I think I am getting close!  

+++++++++++++++++

Brain Pickings:   How Long It Takes to Form a New Habit

Longer than you would think!  I want to read a book about habits, maybe the one reviewed here!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Leonie writes about Filling that Page

She quotes Sr Carmela of the Holy Spirit

“I think of this new year as a white page given to me by Your Father on which He will write, day by day, whatever His Divine good pleasure has planned. I shall now write at the top of the page with complete confidence Dominie, fac de me sic it vis, Lord, do with me what you will, and at the bottom I already write my Amen to all the proposals of your Divine will.” 

That's how I feel about new years and new days, too -- that they are blank pages to fill.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Faith writes about Housekeeping in 2014

....some mom said that she simplified housekeeping by having a ten day plan. She divided up her house into 10 zones and 5 days a week she worked through it. So I came up with my own version. I've also included the daily stuff too.

I used to write a lot about housekeeping (and health/fitness) at House and Hold.   Maybe I will see if I can dust off some of those old routines.   I think they helped.  

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Angela at Three Plus Two writes Food and Fitness Goals for 2014

Food and fitness are two other areas besides housekeeping where I need to start paying attention again.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Dawn at By Sun and Candelight writes a New Year's Eve Note

She reflects on how her family's life has changed in the last year.  This is a good idea.  Maybe I will try that.  

++++++++++++++++++++++

Susan at Tending the Burrow talks about why she is blogging.  

Not exactly on the topic of New Year's goals and new starts, but close enough because it is in early January and it is something I have been thinking about too, why I (we) blog and WHAT I should blog.    Chari has no problem with WHAT to blog -- her challenge is finding enough time in the day to get to what she wants to do.   I have more time, but my level of focus is inconsistent.   I think when I have a filter for all the incoming thoughts in a day, I do better.  

++++++++++++++++++

This is weirdly interesting:

Celebrities Edited into Classic Portraits

HT:  Sarah at Knitting the Wind.   Many of the men look just fine in Renaissance garb.   Some of the women look pretty good, but others just don't fit.    Something about female celebrity publicity stills just make the women look way too hungry, predatory, even literally starving/emaciated to fit in a classic portrait.    Sarah wrote some commentary on some of the pictures, very interesting.