goat of the day

The twenty-first of December 2018

goats

The steady march towards winter can feel…a bit dark. Today marks the official first day of winter with the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. Where I am writing, there will be less than eight hours of sunshine today. Many cultures choose to celebrate the shortest day of the year, perhaps because starting tomorrow the days will gradually get longer and longer as the Earth’s axis rotates towards, instead of away from, the sun. In ancient times, this time of year was celebrated for the Egyptian god Osiris, Apollo and Sol Invictus, all deities with links to the sun. The Yule Log may be a delicious chocolate cake now, but thousands of years ago it was a part of the Juul festival of northern Europe and Scandinavia, where families would cut down a large tree and light it on fire for twelve days to bring good harvest and fertility for the new year in part of worship to the god Odin. In fact, some retellings of Norse mythology even have Odin delivering gifts and sweets to children during this time, centuries before Santa Claus and his reindeer. At any rate, if you are anything like me, and perhaps goats, you long for the sunshine. In that case, today is a day of hope as every day for the next six months, there will be a smidgen more sunshine to enjoy.

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Don’t worry, more sunshine is on its way!

The nineteenth of December 2018

goats

Hey did you know that there are only six more shopping days left until Christmas? Actually, that means there are only six more days left until Christmas. Don’t worry about getting it all done, focus on connecting with others and spreading positive holiday cheer. If there are some bows left untied, no one will notice or care. Sometimes it feels like the holidays are a marathon between school performances, social obligations, holiday parties and ongoing work deadlines. Just remember to take care of yourself and remember what is most important when all is said and done.

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All ready for the holiday yet? You probably are more ready than you realize. 

The eighteenth of December 2018

goats

A very dear (but sadly not so near) friend of mine photographed this goat in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. She reported that the goat was making a lot of noise as though to get her attention. The goat is tied to a twig, but clearly you can tell from the mischievous smirk on the goat’s face that she could easily escape. It’s good to have a playful attitude as well as an easy exit.

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She could easily liberate herself, if needed.

The seventeenth of December 2018

goats

Another week, another Monday, but don’t stress. You got this. Take a deep breath in and go for it.

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You did not wake up today to be mediocre.

The sixteenth of December 2018

goats

Tomorrow is Monday so let’s do this! There are only two weeks left in 2018 – did you accomplish everything you hoped, was it as magical as you dreamed? What are your aspirations, ambitions and expectations for 2019? Find a few moments in the hustle and bustle of the final holiday rush to take stock and plan ahead.

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The future is bright, perhaps 2019 will be the best year yet?

The fifteenth of December 2018

goats

Don’t let inclement weather get you down, sometimes a blustery, cold, wet day is the perfect excuse to tackle your to-do list around your home, or to just relax and catch up reading or with the latest shows and films.

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Winter weather can be challenging sometimes. 

The fourteenth of December 2018

goats

Everyone has those days where it seems that nothing goes right. The post office is arbitrarily closed, you forget your keys or your bicycle lights, it’s cold, it rains unexpectedly, someone eats the last piece of cake, the list could go on and on. Perhaps the best way to deal with these type of days is to smile and laugh through it. It’s going to be ok. Perhaps even the person who passes you by with a grumpy attitude might be experiencing one of those days too! Practicing kindness towards ourselves on our upside-down days can help us in turn pass that kindness onto others who might need it.

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Nourishing yourself helps you nourish others.

The thirteenth of December 2018

goats

Fun fact, if you save something until the last minute, it only takes a minute to do! Also fun fact, if you live in the UK and plan on sending things to the US tomorrow in hopes of them arriving before Christmas, tomorrow is the last day to do so! The holidays can get quite hectic, but don’t worry loyal goat enthusiasts, I did not forget.

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Better late than never!

The twelfth of December 2018

goats

Making mischief, embarking on adventures and general shenanigans are often more fun with a friend. Like humans, goats are social creatures and generally enjoy the company of other goats. I hope that you get to spend some time with your partner(s) in crime during the festive season, fun times are meant to be shared.

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The eleventh of December 2018

goats

Gossip is a pervasive means of communication in human societies. You might think that all gossip is bad and entails people speaking negatively about an individual or group; however, gossip can actually function in a way to the benefit of human groups. For example, gossip can help maintain equilibrium amongst egalitarian societies. Although gossip is seen as a negative and deadly action by the Talmud, gossip can provide a way for people to connect and feel closer to one another, and social scientists claim that only 3 to 4 percent of gossip is actually malicious. Gossip may have even provided an important social tool in human evolution, as a means to assess members of growing communities and maintain cohesion of social groups. Perhaps Oscar Wilde was right, when he said that the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. At any rate, if you suspect you are being gossiped about you can probably conclude that at a minimum, people find you interesting.

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Don’t worry, most gossip is not even bad!