I have a long-standing joke/challenge with my close friends - give me any topic, and within 2 sentences, I can shift the subject over to smut. I decided to use this talent in a slightly different way, and make a journal that shifts any subject over into a positive, appreciative essay. It's so easy to write about (and report) bad news; everybody can find something to complain about. It's harder to think of positive things, so 1) a positive journal is a good writing exercise, and 2) a positive journal forces you to find the good in all things, which is a healthy outlook. I plan to have two sorts of entries in this journal: Mindfulness essays and Ponderings.

Mindfulness is the state of simply "being," in the moment, without thinking. Being mindful allows you to appreciate what is going on around you, without experiencing the negative thoughts that so often spoil our enjoyment of life. There are many exercises and meditations to help you learn how to be mindful, and once you learn, you never forget. The key point of each exercise is to stop thinking about everything. If you are aware of your thoughts, then you are not practicing mindfulness. It's sometimes difficult to silence your thoughts, especially when you are new to meditation. You spend a lot of time your first few attempts saying "Stop," to your thoughts and re-focusing. Then, it becomes second nature, and you begin to become mindful without having to do the meditation exercise. This is the point where mindfulness becomes a healthy way of life.

The state of mindfulness is one step on the Buddhist Eightfold Path to enlightenment. The steps, in order, are Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration - the word "right" refers to the concept of perfection or completeness rather than the concept of right vs. wrong. These steps are also sometimes grouped into the categories of Wisdom, Ethical Conduct, and Concentration. Mindfulness is simply one part of a healthy life.

Ponderings will be shorter essays on things that make me think, or things that I have learned to help me think in more healthy ways.

Here are the lyrics to some of my favourite U2 songs ...

( Songs Here! )

Here are some quotations which sum up my feelings for books and reading!

( Reading Here! )

Here are some quotations that I find particularly helpful when I am having trouble with my mindset:

( Quotes Here! )

And perhaps my favourite quotation:

"Life is not a journey to the grave with intentions of arriving safely in a pretty, well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, screaming ... WOW! What a ride!”

Changing a chore into  mindfulness exercise helps you to shift from feeling obligated to feeling grateful. Often, just changing the way you look at things can help you to have a more positive mindset.

Before you start, get all of your equipment ready. Take a moment to notice and appreciate each item. What does your bucket or tub look like? Is it old, beat-up, and full of memories? Is it colorful and bright? What about the sponge or washing cloths? What textures do they make against your hands? Are they colorful? Do you use a certain type of cleaning product? What does it feel like and smell like? Do you like to play the radio or a CD or iPod while you work? What sort of music do you like?

Look at your car - we'll use the car for an exercise of its own later on. Look at the dirt and dust on the car, and picture how satisfying it will be to clean all that off. If you'd like to take this exercise a step further, you can imagine that the dirt on your car is your own negative attitude or the bad habit you're trying to kick. As you wash the car, clean your own life and start over with a fresh, shiny one. Rinse the car, and watch as part of the dirt comes off without you even having to scrub - you can change your mental outlook in the same way, just by turning on your mental hose and thinking positive thoughts instead of negative ones.

Now, fill your bucket with nice hot water and cleaner. Are there lots of suds? How does the water feel when you dip the sponge or cloth into it? Take a moment to appreciate the hot, soapy water. Squeeze the cloth a few times and let the soap suds run between your fingers. Blow some of the bubbles off and watch them float away. Experience the soapy wash water.

Run the soapy cloth (or sponge) along the car, focusing on the feelings you experience. How does the smooth paint of the car feel under your hand? Is it warm from the sun or cool from the shade? How does the appearance change as it gets wet? Does the soap leave a rainbow film over the car?

Watch as the grime and dirt scrub away under your hand. Appreciate the clean surface you are leaving behind. Pay attention to all the little areas of the car - the rims around the lights, the edges of the doors, that hollow spot under the handles - and feel the satisfaction of hunting out dirt and getting rid of it. If you like to scrub your hubcaps with a brush, put some elbow grease into it and feel the satisfaction of really getting that grime off your car.

Rinse the soap away, and appreciate the cleanliness of your car. Notice the shine and shimmer of the wet paint. Smell the fresh, soapy scent as you rinse the car. If you like to wax your car after washing it, notice how the wax smells and looks. Appreciate the difference in how the car looks before and after you wax it.

Mindfulness helps you to turn a chore into an exercise in positive thinking. You can do this with any chore that you dislike, or with anything at all in your life.

Never given much thought to wood, have you? It's just there ... that stuff that the house is made of, the frame of the backyard deck, the hard stuff under your butt as you sit in your chair.

Let's take a moment or two to be mindful of wood. After all, a tree gave its life so you could have that wood!

Find some wood somewhere - a desk, a scrap of lumber, even a doorframe will work. Look at the wood. Notice how the grain runs along lines, all headed in more or less the same direction. Each line is a little bit different from the others, each a bit wider or narrower than the next one. Some of the lines wobble about, and some are more straight. Does your wood have any knots? This is where a branch was when the wood was a tree. Notice how the grain swirls around in concentric ovals in a knot. Look at how the ovals converge into a center point.  You can almost see the branch sticking out.

Now run your hands along the wood. Has it been sanded smooth and painted, or is it rough and splintery? Is the wood smoother in one direction than in the other? Can you feel worn areas where the softer wood has weathered away with use, and ridges where the harder wood is left? Is the wood lighter than you thought it would be, or is it heavier?

Smell the wood. Is it freshly-cut, so that you smell the sap and sawdust? Can you smell paint or preservatives? If you can do so without ruining any furniture, poke a small hole or cut a tiny bit off - does the wood smell any different inside than it does outside?

Tap your fingernails lightly against the wood. Does wood make a different sound than other materials? Try tapping it with different objects to see what sounds you can hear. Can you tell the difference between thick and thin wood by the sound? Can you tell if there is something behind the wood, like a wall stud or floor joist? Find different woods in your house and see if each one sounds different.

Being mindful includes noticing and observing the everyday objects around us. Noticing things can help you to have a grateful, positive outlook on your life.

I have been going through a rough patch this year ... will post details at some point.  Just realized how LONG it has been since I have been online.  I have been journalling ... just not online <g>

I am going to try to stick my ramblings into the horribly empty calendar in approximately the order in which they came to me ... this should keep my occupied for awhile!

I have had my "new" house for a year now, and am still in love with it.  It is in an older suburb where most homes were built in the 1970's; there are lots of mature trees and more of a neighborhood feeling than you find in those subdivisions where they just bulldoze everything flat and all the houses look alike.

I enjoy looking at huge homes, especially if they are overly pretentious or have oddball architecture, but really, I can't imagine wanting to live in one.  Perhaps if your entire family lived with you, it could be fun. Or if you have a lot of sleepover guests.  Otherwise, why have an acre of rooms that you hardly ever use? You'd either have to close them off, or stress out trying to go into every room on a regular basis just so you'd feel you were getting the use out of what you paid for.  Maybe it's my Scot's ancestry talking ...

I like having just enough room for my things.  I like cozy places with comfy furniture. I like feeling as though I am not wasting space by having a lot of empty rooms that I never use. I like my quirky little staircase and the open floorplan on the first floor. I like being able to heat and cool the entire house without breaking my bank account.

This is my first New Year's Eve off in years - I enjoy the sorts of holidays where you stay up late and make noise (usually with fireworks thrown in), so I'm glad to be off.

Of course, you should make a new beginning every day, but a new year is a special chance to start over. You can't pretend the last one never happened, or you won't learn anything, but you can gently shut the door on everything that went wrong and open a new door for new thoughts and behaviours.

If you have a fireplace, this works especially well as a physical activity instead of just a mental one. And really, you can do this any day that you want to, as I mentioned!

As the old year dies, write down everything that you did not like - all your faults, the negative parts of your thinking and personality, the mistakes you made, the cruel or thoughtless things you said, anything that you regret.  As the clock ticks down - or the ball begins to drop if you have the tv on - slip each piece of paper into your fire, one at a time. Watch each piece burn completely.  As each burns, imagine that you have destroyed that negativity in yourself. Imagine the way that you will handle that side of yourself instead, how you will deal with similar situations, how you will behave.  As the old you burns, image the new you into existence.

Once it is officially the new year, have a glass of champagne and toast the year and yourself.

Happy 2009!

For my internet friends - thanks for the "nudges" and concern! I am fine, but dealing with my mom's health issues these past few months. Her surgery went well, but her doctor is on the other side of the state - a five hour drive each way! - and my sister never seems to have the free time to drive Mom to her check-up appointments (I will stay positive about this, I will stay positive!). She has been having a lot of trouble with her ostomy bags coming lose and leaking, and I think we have seen every ostomy nurse at the hospital by now. It seems as if we have solved that problem, thankfully, and I should have my life (mostly) back.

I am slowly back-dating the stuff I have been scribbling longhand into my journals whilst waiting in various hospital and doctor's waiting areas, and will spend the holidays getting the journal back into shape. I am also adding a new category - "A Few Of My Favourite Things" which will be various writings that I enjoy (song lyrics, upbeat sayings, that sort of thing).

Thanks again for all the mental support!

I know, I know - you can't stand snakes. Fear is a good mindfulness exercise, too, but we'll cover that one later. For now, locate a harmless snake - this means a nonvenomous one that isn't too agressive. Rat snakes and corn snakes are ideal (and prettier than many other snakes). If you live in an area where there aren't many wild snakes, see if the local pet store will let you "borrow" a snake for a few minutes of study.

Look at the snake. Observe how the scales glisten and shine - almost as if they were wet. Look at the color variations on the snake's body. Even a solid-color animal will have variations in hue, and will be lighter colored underneath. If your snake is multi-colored, observe how the patterns meet and blend. Are there sharp dividing lines, or do the colors shade gradually into one another? Look at the size of the color patterns on different parts of the snake. Notice how each pattern is made of smaller colored scales, like a mosaic.

Notice the shape of the snake's scales. Observe how they are larger in some areas and smaller in others. See how tiny they become around the snake's face and the end of the tail.  Look at the snake's head. What shape is it? Does the color pattern continue onto the head, or is there a different pattern. Snakes have no eyelids, so they cannot blink. What color are the snake's eyes?  Are the pupils round or oval? Notice the mouth and nostrils. See how the scales lap over the edges of the mouth almost like a row of teeth. If the snake opens it's mouth, look at the teeth, too. Are there lots of tiny sharp ones, or only a few? Watch the snake's tongue dart in and out as it "tastes" the air for odors. Snakes don't use their noses to smell as we do, but pull scent chemicals into special areas in the roof of their mouth. Notice anything missing? That's right, snakes do not have ears! They respond to vibration in the air and ground instead of to sound.

Observe the snake's tail. Notice how you can tell where the larger body ends and the thinner tail begins. Compare the length of the tail to the length of the body. Is the tip of the tail pointed or rounded? Is the snake long and thin or shorter and fatter?

Now touch the snake. If you are afraid to hold the snake, you can have someone else hold it and just touch it with your fingers. (Note: you should never drape a large snake like a python or boa around your neck. Their instinct is to squeeze until they can no longer feel a pulse, and if placed around your neck, might cut off the blood to your brain without any intention of eating you afterwards!) Feel how smooth and dry the snake's scales are. Run you finger gently along the scales in a head-to-tail direction, then in the opposite direction. Feel the difference in smoothness between the two directions. The scales are designed to allow the snake both to flow smoothly along the ground, and also to grip the ground with the edges of the scales to help it move. 

Feel the strength of the snake's muscles. If you are holding the snake, notice how it grips your hand and squeezes to hold on. Notice how solid it's body feels.  If someone else is holding the snake, gently run your finger underneath part of the snake and pull up enough to feel the snake's muscles against your finger.

Note: if at any time during this activity, your snake begins to act frightened or aggressive, please return it whence it came. With a nonvenomous snake, even if you should get bitten, a quick wash with soap would be all you need to treat it, as their mouths are not full of infectious bacteria like a mammal's mouths. However, there is no need to traumatize the snake.

Observe your snake's mood. Is it curiously investigating you and scenting the air around it? Does it seem sluggish and sleepy? Are the movements quick or slow? Is it trying to crawl away, or does it seem content to be held?

Take a moment to appreciate the snake. They are perfectly designed predators who rid the environment of vermin. They have no legs, yet some snakes can "outrun" a human! They have no ears, yet they can track and locate prey. They have no eyelids, yet they have very good eyesight. They can sense heat and infrared radiation. They can "taste" odors in the air. They can unhinge their lower jaw to swallow animals larger than their head. They shed their skin all at once as they grow larger instead of shedding a little at a time as we do. They are unable to regulate their internal temperatures, and have to sit in the sun to warm up or crawl into the shade to cool off.

Snakes are just amazing!

Here are some upbeat songs I like to listen to:

( Lyrics Here )

I am a pseudo-numismatist. I don't collect coins with any kind of serious intent, nor do I purchase special coins. However, I am fascinated by coins - the idea of money, the weight and appearance of the coins, the different elaborate designs - SHINY!  I like "real" coins though, not the ones you see on TV that have never been circulated. I like coins that have been to foreign lands and passed through the hands of people I will never get to meet.  The coins I collect are worn and often dirty. They have been used to purchase necessities and dreams, and have travelled around the world or sat for decades inside a jelly jar.  None of my coins has ever been inside a display case or been sold as part of a set.

Dig around and find a coin.  It can be part of the change from your pocket, or the souvenir foreign money you saved from your vacation.  Feel the weight of the coin in your hand.  Touch the surface of the coin and feel the smooth metal, the ridges and detailing, and the design on the faces.  Feel the coolness or heat of the coin (depending on where it has been kept) and see how long it takes for the temperature to equalize with your hand's temperature.

Take a deep breath and smell the coin. Different metals have different odors - do you notice the different scents of different coins?  For obvious reasons, you don't want to try tasting a coin, but sometimes you can get a faint taste when you really pay attention to an aroma.  Copper, especially, is a metal that gives you a sharp tang in the back of your throat when you inhale it. 

Gently move the coin against a solid object like a tabletop or counter.  Drop the coin onto the surface and listen to the sound as it strikes.  Scrape the coin across the surface and spin it on edge.  Pay attention to the different tones as the coin makes contact with different materials in different ways.  Strike the coin against other coins, and rub them together.  How does this sound differ from the coin striking a nonmetallic surface?

This is a reading/book meme that can be found here

**still working on this entry - be patient**

( Meme Here )

Leaves are just amazing.  Every plant has a different type of leaf - and even the different leaves on the same plant are slightly different.  I love Fall, because it seems as if each leaf turns a different colour.  I also like to photograph leaves against the sky, or another background, as abstract pattern studies.  I like the fact that a plant's branching pattern keeps repeating almost infinitely into the branching veins of the leaves.

Pick up a random leaf - do be sure that it is not a poison ivy leaf! - and look at it.  Notice the colour and shape.  Observe any variations in colour.  Are there patterns on your leaf? Look closely, and see how the veins continue to branch until you can no longer see them.

Smell your leaf - again, be careful if you have allergies! - and notice its aroma.  If you have a fresh leaf, you will notice a sharper odor than if you have an older leaf.  Is the scent stronger in different parts of the leaf?

Feel the texture of the leaf.  Trace the outline with a finger, and gently bend the leaf to experience its resiliance.  Feel the raised veins and stiff support system of the leaf.  Is your leaf smooth or rough?  Does it have protective hairs or thorns? 

The fact that a leaf can take light and change it into energy is always fascinating to me.  If we could figure out a way to do that as cheaply as a plant does, think how much better our lives as humans would be for the planet - no more pollution!  I am always amazed by the seemingly ordinary leaf!

When I was in college, in Charleston, SC, one of my professors told a great story.  His daughter had been born and raised on the coast, and was excited about their first trip inland to the mountains, when she was in elementary school.  As they got closer to their destination, the child suddenly yelled, "Daddy, what's that?" and pointed to the roadside.  The professor didn't see anything, but told her to keep her eyes open and let him know the next time she saw whatever it was.  Soon, she let out another yell, and her father pulled the car off the road so that they could all go see this unusual thing that had excited the child so much.  My science teacher looked at the strange object, then looked down at his daughter.  "Honey," he said gently, "it's a rock."

Rocks are amazing.  Every rock is part of the history of the planet.  When you hold a rock in your hand, you are touching the bones of the earth.  You can look at a rock and tell how it was made, whether it was formed inside a volcano, deep underground, or at the bottom of a sea or lake.  You can date rocks, and tell how old they are.  Rocks just look cool sitting on your bookshelf, too.

Find a rock.  Any rock.  You might have rocks lying around in your yard or neighborhood, or you might be like my professor's daughter and live in a place where there aren't any rocks. In that case, you might have to find a gem store and buy a rock if you really want to try this exercise - you can buy a rock for under a dollar.  Technically, sand is the same as rock, but mindfulness with sand is a later essay. Get a nice rock that will fit in your hand unless you want to do this exercise outside sitting on the rock.  Remember to breathe mindfully.

Feel the texture of the rock.  Is your rock rough or smooth? Can you feel the grains that make up the rock? Run your hands over the rock and experience the feeling of rock-ness.  Notice the weight of your rock. Is it heavier or lighter than it looks as if it should be?  Pass the rock from hand to hand.  Feel where the rock has been weathered or eroded by the elements.

Observe the rock's colour.  Is it all one colour, or are there different shades and grains of colour within the basic hue?  Notice any patterns or layers in your rock. Look closely to see the minerals that make up the rock, then pull back to see the overall patterning.  Is the surface dull or shiny, or a little of both?  Turn the rock back and forth to see if there are any sparkly bits. 

Smell your rock.  Notice the earthy aroma.  Do the different parts of your rock smell different?  I don't reccommend tasting rocks, because many poisonous chemicals come from rocks and minerals.

Appreciate that your rock is part of all the rocks on Earth.  Once you have become mindful of rock, then you can look up your rock and see what kind of rock it is, how it was formed, and where it is from.

There's nothing that puts you into your place in the universe quite like starwatching. I have always been interested in space, and not just as a background for my science fiction meanderings. I can't remember when I first realized that the lights in the sky were other suns.  My dad taught us as many of the constellations as he knew, and I read reference books to learn more. The thought that  there are so many other star systems out there, so many other galaxies ... just amazing.

Find a place where you can sit (or lie down) and watch the stars. I hope that you are lucky enough to live close to an area where there is still real darkness, but in our modern world, true dark is getting pretty rare.  Find the darkest spot you can, however, and get comfortable.  Bring a chair or blanket to sit or lie on.  Lean back and look up into the sky.  If the moon is out, try to look at a different spot so that the reflected light doesn't block your vision of the stars.  At first, it will seem as if there are only a few bright stars, but continue to watch mindfully.

Notice the colour of the night sky.  Is it black, or a deep blue?  Can you see any clouds?  Try to look directly up at the sky, and not down towards the horizon where there is probably going to be light pollution from a city.  Don't strain to see, but relax your eyes and just allow them to see whatever is there.  Notice the stars that are visible immediately. Are they close together or far apart? Where do they seem to be in relation to other objects around you? Remember to breathe in and out mindfully as you watch. If any thoughts interrupt, banish them and refocus on the stars. You are just watching now, only observing.

After you have sat still for several minutes, you will notice that your eyes are adjusting to the darkness.  It will seem to be more light around where you are sitting.  The stars that you have been watching will seem brighter, and you will begin to notice more stars.  Pay attention to the depth of the sky at this point.  Breathe mindfully, and just watch the stars.  See how some seem to be closer, while others seem much farther away.  Ideally, you should reach the point where you feel as if you are falling into an endless field of tiny lights. 

Once you have truly experienced the sky, you can stay out as long as you want, wondering about other planets and other galaxies!

My mum is in her 80s, and recently had surgery.  She has someone she lives with, but I drive over at least every other week, on my off days, and visit or drive her where she needs to go.  It takes a lot out of you, caring for another adult.  She's pretty set in her ways, as most elderly get, and everything has to be done "the right way." This includes driving - she has particular routes she likes me to take when driving her to the doctor or pharmacy, and gets pretty irritated if I deviate. Then there are the errands - she seems to wait until you get settled in a chair with a cup of coffee before she asks you to drive down and pick up something at the grocery, or run upstairs and bring her something, or go make her a sandwich.  I know she really has become that forgetful, but it's easy to become frustrated when dealing with an elderly relative, especially one who requires any sort of special care, like a wheelchair or incontinence issues. It can get overwhelming sometimes.

I try to keep in mind the original meaning of the word "duty." It's not a very popular term nowadays. Modern society has become a "me first" culture where we are encouraged to ignore the needs of others and do whatever pleases us. But families used to feel an obligation to care for the elderly. Not many years ago, actually, children had a duty to take in and take care of their parents, and any other elderly relatives who had no one else to care for them. "Family" typically included an elderly parent, aunt, uncle, or cousin in addition to the parents-children we now define as a family.

Another thing to remember is that the elderly parent put in 18 years of self-sacrifice to raise you (longer in some cases). They put aside their own wishes to buy toys and children's clothes. They signed up for chauffeur duty and drove you to your extracurricular activities instead of going home and putting their feet up.  Instead of travelling to romantic vacation spots, they took the kids to the beach or mountains.  Keep that in mind when you start getting frustrated with the demands and chores your relative may have.  You owe them a little bit of inconvenience for all those years.

I love choosing gifts. I am one of those people who brings everyone a souvenir whenever I visit a new part of the world. I am the eccentric relative who picks the oddball - and interesting - birthday and Christmas presents. I like trying to come up with something you'd like,but would not get for yourself.  Sometimes this can be quite practical, as today - my nephew is in his 20's, and if left to himself, would wear jeans and t-shirts everywhere. His birthday gifts are almost always nice clothes. Today, I got him one button-down shirt and a casual-ish sweater-jacket (it doesn't really get cold enough down here for coats until January or February). Sometimes, I choose more exotic gifts, such as a birdhouse made out of a cocoanut shell for a birdlover, or dinner at a fancy restaurant for a couple.  I think the oddest gift to date was a tattoo.

I think that gift-giving should be an exercise in mindfulness. So often, people will just grab a gift card instead of picking something out personally (don't get me wrong - gift cards are great if you know the person wants one, or when you are "chipping in" to help the person get a larger item that's out of their price range).  Giving gifts requires a knowledge of the other person, and I think that throws a lot of people. My mom is one of those horrible gift-choosers who never seem to understand what the other person likes - I've never understood if it is from not really paying attention to anyone else, or from something else like poor memory.  Paying attention is one of the keys of mindfulness, and remember that most people are not very mindful (yet).

When you decide to give a gift, spend a little time thinking about the other person. Call up their image in your mind, and remember all of their good qualities.  Think about the times you have seen them enjoying something, or think about their hobbies.  Do they have a collection, or anything they usually buy for themselves? If the other person is a good friend, you probably know some hidden interests - things that really make them happy, but which they have not gotten or done for themselves, for whatever reason.  I know a lot of people with artistic talent, who do enjoy drawing or painting, but who set that aside and concentrate on other aspects of their lives - I often get them art supplies as a sort of "wake up" gift. Imagine this other person winning the lottery - what do you think they would do? Whatever it is, there's your hint for a good gift (except for quitting their job, because most people think they would quit their job if they won the lottery).

Now, concentrate on your gift choices. See the gifts you are pondering inside your mind. Picture the other person with this gift, and imagine their reaction.  Which of your ideas do you think would give them that little thrill of surprise and happiness that is the sign of a good gift? Do you need to surf the internet or drive out to your favorite store for more ideas? I love the immense variety offered on the internet - internet shopping with delivery is the perfect way to find a gift for someone who does not live close by.  For someone for whom you can give a gift in person, you can browse local stores in search of inspiration. I have a few quirky shops that I like to walk through every now and then, just to see what sorts of new items they have in stock. The good gift-giver is always open to serendipity.

Once you decide on a gift, check it out before buying. Either go in person, or take a closer look via the internet. Examine the item carefully, and imagine once more the person to whom you want to give this. Picture them with the item. Make sure it is something that will fit with their household, and that it is a colour that they like. Check for quality, too - buy only from reputable dealers and artists. If you can see the gift in person, pick it up or run your hands over it. Think about the other person while you examine this item. Is the item something you can see them using, instead of something to gather dust? Will it make them "squee" with delight? Is this something you want to spend money on? Does it feel good in your hands? Is the appearance pleasing, the colour enticing, and the lines artistic? Focus on this item, and let other thoughts slip away from your mind.

Once you have decided on the perfect gift, you get to wrap it.  I like wrapping almost more than the gift itself.  I spend a lot of time choosing just the perfect paper or gift bag, and matching the wrapping to the person's taste. Wrapping choices are like mini-art.  Enjoy the different colours and patterns while browsing the selections. Touch the papers and ribbons to see how they feel.  Choose a wrapping design that will make the other person happy just looking at it - think about their favorite colours, or favorite themes.  Whether you wrap the gift yourself, or have someone else wrap it for you, you should choose wrapping that fits the gift and the person to whom it will be given.

Making gift-giving into a mindfulness exercise turns it from a chore into a pleasure. Imagining the joy of the other person gives you a gift as well. Gifts are amazing things that humans have invented.