I don’t really like the end of year celebrations (at all?) but I take advantage of them, and I like doing it, to question the spice of my life via a calendar that is meant to be fun and reflective. So here is my Advent calendar for the end of 2021.
01. A quote that carries me▲
I choose a quote by a great American psychologist of the 20th century, Carl Rogers, of which I read a major work, entitled Le développement de la personne in the French version. On becoming a person in the original version.
The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I change.
Carl Rogers
02. An image that makes me dream▲
For the image that makes me dream, I think of a state of mind between humans: gratitude. She is inspiring 🙂
03. The last musical crush▲
It’s a medley from a fictional universe that I’m a fan of: Star Trek.
04. A super cute image▲
I choose a picture with a hedgehog.
Photo by Edwin Kats: 500px.com/edwinkats
http://www.edwinkatsphotography.com/
facebook.com/486222561522942/posts/1600451460100041/
05. A song that gets you going▲
I choose a French song by Zaz entitled On ira. We will go in English.
06. Something that comforts when things are bad▲
The chocolate 🙂
Source: https://observatoireprevention.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/iStock-513943016-1080×675.jpg
07. A little free happiness▲
Look at the sky and the stars.
08. A beautiful love song▲
A little Italian to brighten the day 
Rather a song about the happiness of loving life 
Felicita by Al Bano & Romina Power.
09. The last cinematic crush▲
It goes back a bit: the end of the Star Wars saga (2019).
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (IX)
Here is the trailer for the film:
10. A must-see video▲
Listen to how Carl Rogers defines empathy, an essential communication tool in interpersonal relationships.
11. A recipe to try urgently▲
I share a recipe called The zucchini casserole 
.
12. A personality to discover▲
I choose a scientific researcher in my field of training, automation, and with one thing in common: she graduated from a master’s degree in Toulouse
Françoise Lamnabhi-Lagarrigue
Emeritus research director at the CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research), Françoise Lamnabhi-Lagarrigue received the 2019 Irène Joliot-Curie prize for female scientist of the year for her work in the field of automation.
(Read the article in French in the CNRS journal : https://lejournal.cnrs.fr/articles/francoise-lamnabhi-lagarrigue-reine-de-lautomatique)
13. A place to discover▲
How to tour France in less than an afternoon? By visiting the France miniature park in Élancourt.
France miniature
14. An absolutely hilarious sketch▲
Talking for nothing by Raymond Devos.
15. The last literary crush▲
Françoise Héritier
Le Sel de la vie
The Salt of Life (a literal translation)
See the work on the publishing house’s website (in French) ↗
16. My favorite joke▲
Read the article on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_did_the_chicken_cross_the_road%3F
17. An initiative to discover▲
The ALDERAN association of which I have been a member for six years, a popular university of philosophy.
Its mission is to ensure the promotion, dissemination and knowledge of modern humanist philosophy, and more generally, of culture, arts and sciences. Its objectives are to promote and democratize philosophy, to contribute to the emancipation of individuals and to human progress in all its forms. Through its values, its desire to be open and to allow all to access philosophy, it is linked to popular education movements.
Source: https://www.alderan-philo.org/association/
18. Something that restores faith in humanity▲
When things are not going well at all, when I wonder how human beings came to fight each other, with two World Wars in the last century and millions of deaths as a result, and to put the biodiversity of our planet in serious danger, I remember this story circulating on the web of which I am not sure of the veracity:
Years ago, a student asked anthropologist Margaret Mead what she thought was the first sign of civilization in a culture. The student expected Mead to talk about fishing hooks, earthenware pots, or stone mills. But that was not the case.
Mead said the first sign of civilization in an ancient culture was a broken and then healed femur. She explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run away from danger, go to the river to drink or look for food. It is nothing more than flesh for predatory beasts. No animal survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal. A broken femur that is healed is proof that someone took the time to be with the one who fell, bandaged their injury, took them to a safe place, and helped them recover.
Mead said that helping someone else in difficulty is where civilization begins.
Source: http://institutions.ville-geneve.ch/fr/bm/interroge/questions-recentes/questions/detail/quelle-est-lorigine-de-laffirmation-selon-laquelle-le-premier-signe-de-civilisation-serait-un-fem/
19. An idea to brighten the daily lives of others▲
Write a message, personal attention on a light box (lightbox) 
20. Common sense advice that does good▲
If things are not going well, walk or read, that is to say, move with either your feet or your head 
21. An exploding expression or play on words▲
Electricity will be so cheap that only the rich will still light by candle.
Thomas Edison
Funny because it’s not so sure anymore…
22. A blog to discover▲
To follow scientific news: https://www.cafe-sciences.org/
23. A fun and easy to set up game▲
A childhood game that I played regularly with my sister: categories (word game).
Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categories_(word_game)
24. A funny, moving and/or meaningful anecdote▲
When I happen to experience a situation that I find improbable, I like to use the expression taken from an advertisement: “And the groundhog puts the chocolate in the aluminum foil…”.
25. A wish for all other humans▲
I wish you all a sweet, tender and warm Christmas Eve 
There you have it: this calendar ends on Christmas Day 2021. Merry Christmas everyone!