Hard to accept that our “U” month is gone and a new year is starting. But before we welcome “V” and 2019, we still have some Unposted activities to share.

An UNFINISHED Life

Laura: Starring Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman and Jennifer Lopez, this film is highly predictable and clichéd. It deals with domestic violence, bitterness, lives put on hold and the healing of old wounds, both those you can and can’t see. That said, it was still enjoyable to watch. I really believe timing is so important to how we experience books and films and our reactions to them are mildly influenced by our mood and expectations. In the case of An Unfinished Life, I was ready to just enjoy others working through their problems while I got to sit back and enjoy beautiful Wyoming ranch scenery. Now if only I had been sipping bourbon…

THE LEARNING CENTER

Barbara: Ululations: I know the word “ululate” and have heard it before in songs and movies taking place in the Middle East and Africa and have always been intrigued with it. When the theme from the movie Black Panther was popular on radio, I tried to do the ululations along with the woman in the track but I’m sure it didn’t sound right. So how do they do it? Are you born with the ability if you come from that part of the world, similar to being able to roll your Rs? I pulled up a YouTube video that shows how to ululate but I think I drove all the cats and dogs in my neighborhood into hiding. I’ve decided to leave it to the experts.

        MORE AND LESS:  “U” ZONE

Laura: More URGENCY. I read an article about a woman who was impressed that her recently deceased aunt had everything organized and in place. Since her aunt’s death was sudden and unexpected, her niece was amazed that things were in order and not helter skelter as in her own life. She decided to be more in the now – to start saying “yes” to that inner voice that asks if you should do it now or put it off for later…to put more urgency into her day-to-day life. This resonated with me because of my procrastination tendencies. I have worked on that this past year and continue to fight the urge to delay. However, I now have a different perspective. Instead of putting things off, I will do them “now” – because now is the time I have. I may not have time later so why not just DO IT. I’m talking about little things as well as big things…like walking by a small piece of paper that slipped under the coffee table and picking it up as soon as I see it instead of thinking I’ll take care of it when I come back into the room. Urgency is my new mantra for both the small and big matters in my world.

Less UGLINESS. I toyed with this one but I feel it strongly. Please let there be less ugliness in the world. By that I am referring to our behaviors, our words, our attitudes and our actions. Not the physical aspects of things. However, please keep those ugly Christmas sweater contests going!

Barbara: More UPBEAT. I’ve always thought of myself as more of a “glass half full” type person and I still am, but as we get older I have noticed a tendency to become a bit more curmudgeonly. Something that wouldn’t have bothered me years ago now gets me a bit riled up. Now that could be due to having previously chosen to overlook something so as not to rock the boat and maybe it’s a good thing that I now don’t feel I have to tread as lightly. But I definitely don’t want to be that person who always complains or is grouchy; you know – that person you don’t want to spend time with! So I’m filling my cup back up to 2/3s full just to have a little leeway.

Less UNDERGARMENTS. No, I don’t mean underwear. What I’m referring to is all those awful contraptions that women feel they need to wear to suck this or that in. Either I force myself to eat right and lose those extra pounds or I take the hit and embarrass myself in that dress that hugs my tummy. (Now I just have to stay out of the Spanx store.)