Life’s Little Indulgences

Saania's diary - reflections, learnings, sparkles

On my visit to Denmark and other Scandinavian countries like Finland and Norway, I wondered how these countries have been at the top of the happiness index charts for five consecutive years. Upon chatting with some Finnish, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish people, and doing a bit of a research, I found several reasons for why this was so. I happened to stumble across an interesting Danish concept of Hygges (pronounced hyoo-ga). It loosely translates to “Cosyness of the soul”, or a feeling of wellness and contentment attained from life’s little indulgences – things like leaving our evenings free to relax, having a family dinner, or staying indoors with a hot cup of cocoa.

Walking down the streets of Copenhagen, I saw every little café with blankets on the tables and fireplaces on the sides to keep us warm – a cosy city indeed! My family and I spend every weekend…

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COVID-19 cases surge at malls as holiday shoppers pour in – Los Angeles Times

(Public insanity is opening up close quarters shopping over and over again – and expecting healthy results)

Paola Hernández watched as shoppers at the Citadel Outlets bumped shoulders and ignored signs directing foot traffic under bow-adorned palm trees. Two girls stood a few feet behind her licking ice cream cones, even though eating has been banned in malls.

Hernandez, 57, and her daughter went to the outdoor mall in Commerce on Monday when they weren’t able to find the holiday presents they wanted to buy online, she said. But even sitting on a bench outside had started to feel unsafe when, despite a sign stating it seated only two, a third person sat down next to her.

“I do feel scared. … A lot of us don’t follow the rules. That’s the problem,” said Hernandez, who lives in El Monte. “The virus is in the air.”

Source: COVID-19 cases surge at malls as holiday shoppers pour in – Los Angeles Times

“A Million Aunties”: My Review of a Novel by Alecia McKenzie

Petchary's Blog

An “Auntie” occupies a unique space in Jamaican society. I have a few “nieces” and “nephews” myself, although they are not related to me in any way. I love them all.

In general, Jamaican Aunties are middle-aged or older women. They usually embody certain qualities (at least, in the eyes of the young people who adopt them – and that’s another thing about aunties – they are often so designated by their young friends). Suddenly, you are an Auntie. The ideal Auntie is dependable, reliable, helpful and empowering. She may offer good advice from time to time. She can fix things. She is (one hopes) non-judgmental – not as quick to condemn or criticize as an actual family member might be. She may be eccentric at times; any younger person who takes her on will have to get used to her ways. She is not a substitute for a parent…

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Open Thread | Say It With Me- It Was DELIBERATE MALICE | 3CHICSPOLITICO

“I believe to the bottom of my soul that 90% of the people who have died in this pandemic did so needlessly. They didn’t have to die. IF we had an Administration that was interested in saving as many lives as possible, as they have had in so much of the rest of the world, instead of not caring how many people were infected and died, which is what WE HAVE…..the numbers would be far lower.

The Hunger Games with regards to PPE in Spring 2020 – deliberate.
The present stories about the ‘ mishandling’ of vaccine distribution. I appreciate the General stepping up and taking responsibility, but, I don’t believe him. It was a deliberate plan to use the vaccine in Winter 2021 to punish the Blue States the same way that PPE was used in Spring 2020. We have more cases of COVID-19 than anywhere else in the WORLD, and it’s not in the forefront of this government to nail down as many doses as possible? How can that make any kind of sense? Except, for it being DELIBERATE. ”

Source: Open Thread | Say It With Me- It Was DELIBERATE MALICE | 3CHICSPOLITICO

Una fábula con un mensaje – “La Magia de la Amazonia Las aventuras de Namowë, un niño Yanomami” — Barbara Crane Navarro

ilustración de “La Magia de la Amazonia- Las aventuras de Namowë, un niño Yanomami” “La Magia de la Amazonia” nos lleva a un mundo que podría parecer fantástico, donde humanos, animales y plantas hablan entre sí, bromean y conspiran entre sí. Lo obvio es que los humanos no están por encima de otras criaturas. Todos […]

Una fábula con un mensaje – “La Magia de la Amazonia Las aventuras de Namowë, un niño Yanomami” — Barbara Crane Navarro

Russia’s space chief is hopping mad over most recent US restrictions | Ars Technica (when amateur ideologues make policy, they screw up)

company develops and manufactures the Soyuz rockets that have carried Russian and US astronauts to the International Space Station for the last decade after the US space shuttle retired.

The inclusion of the Soyuz manufacturer drew a swift rebuke from Dmitry Rogozin, the leader of Russia’s space corporation, Roscosmos, on Tuesday. In his heated statement, Rogozin said the restrictions were “illegal,” and he characterized them as “stupid.”

“This Samara enterprise manufactures the legendary Soyuz-2 launch vehicles, with the help of which the Soyuz MS spacecraft has been taking American astronauts to the ISS for 10 years already,” he said. “Now, it turns out that our American colleagues have their ‘trampoline working’ again, and the first thing they did is spit into the Samara well. Isn’t it too early, colleagues, in case your ‘trampoline’ breaks again suddenly and you will have to satisfy your passion for space from our well again?”

Source: Russia’s space chief is hopping mad over most recent US restrictions | Ars Technica

Opinion | Emel Mathlouthi: 10 years after the Tunisian Revolution and Arab Spring, we’re still fighting – The Washington Post

Ten years on, I am neither naive nor nostalgic. What I do know is that democracy is still worth singing for, loudly. And that although the fight may seem vain at times, ultimately there is only one path that leads to freedom: people’s voices and their power to break the chains of servitude. Source: Opinion | Emel Mathlouthi: 10 years after the Tunisian Revolution and Arab Spring, we’re still fighting – The Washington Post