Random Thoughts

It is a dull, drizzly gray day out today.   I am tempted to crawl back into bed (which would be ridiculous, since I only got out of it at 2:15 pm….).   But instead I will think about YESTERDAY, a day that the sun shone and people reminded me that there is good in the world. For 4 or 5 weeks I have been writing a daily poll on a piece of bright paper and taping it to a corner across from our house.   The polls have asked “important” questions, such as, “Carrots:   Raw or Cooked?”; “Glitter:   Shiny, glorious goodness or The world’s most horrible craft supply?”; Elsa or Anna?”; and “New Olympic Event:   Eating the most marshmallows or Holding your breath the longest?”.     Normally by the next morning around 40 people have voted.   Every day I watch people come up to the corner, stop, read (and often smile) then vote as the poll instructs them to with a rock or stick.      The pile of rocks and ...

I DID IT!!!!   I tackled a BIG new project, and I succeeded!!!! This is the WINNER POSE at our house.  All big accomplishments are celebrated with a WINNER POSE! Those of you who know me know that I always have a project, okay, SEVERAL PROJECTS, happening simultaneously…  There was the huge Trader Joe’s project in 2014 – I reviewed a Trader Joe’s product every single day of the year (I still add to that blog periodically by reviewing more).*  In 2016 I started Kindness Activist – where I write about kind things people do in the hopes of inspiring more kindness…**  I often have “Project Warmth” going on our front gate – giving away warm clothing to passersby.***  And I always have a “Photo A Day” project going, though 2014 is the only one that I have taken the time to compile and complete so far.**** So, given my love of projects (and apparent OCD-like nature in terms of said projects…) it should come as no surprise to you that when I got a S...

I found the following piece saved on my computer.  I wrote it sometime after midnight September 12, 2014.  I didn’t put it on my blog – I probably felt it was “too personal” to share.  But I found it today, September 11, 2015 (one year after I wrote it) and re-read it.  And I decided to share it.  MY SEPTEMBER 11TH I have a hard time putting into words what September 11 th means to me.  I spent some time trying to figure it out, wrap my head around what it is… I think I realized that September 11 th is a holiday to me; really more of a holiday than the others.  It’s not like Christmas – with gifts and twinkling lights.  And it is not like Easter – with dying eggs.  It doesn’t have special food associated with it – no turkey or mashed potatoes.  But it is a holiday like no other for me – it is a holiday where I stop to think, to remember, to consider, to mourn, and to respect.  It is a holiday where the MEANING and the...

Last night it happened again – the stars aligned and everything was perfect.   Things that “should not” have happened, HAPPENED.   And once again, when I thought through it all step by step and giggled about the perfectness of it all, I wondered WHY and HOW do such things fall into my lap?    I discussed it with David, who came up with what feels like the right answer:   I am AVAILABLE. If you make yourself available to things around you, you get to experience them.  I don’t mean “available” as in calendar/schedule wise.  I mean available as in head-space, heart-space, and mind-space wise.  I now realize that I am a super “available” person.  I am open to what is going on around me and willing to take it in, let it happen, and experience it. That availableness is not always rosy.  I was open, willing, and available to take care of 3 parents as they died.  Being really “available” means taking in the sadness, pain, and he...

Inspiration, Beauty, and Joy On April 7, 2013 I began a project.  I don’t consider myself an artist really, yet this felt like art, performance art of a sort. The idea came to me one afternoon.  I wanted to see through other people’s eyes.  To narrow the focus, I wanted to see inspiration, beauty, and joy as other people saw it.  My method:  cameras.   I hopped on Freecycle and within a few hours I had two working digital cameras that I was not afraid to abuse.  A trip to Home Depot and we brought home long, thin wire and small metal ferrules (crimps) to secure them.  2 pieces of paper, some watercolor paints, plastic covers and voila – I was ready to go.  My system:  leave cameras out in the open with a provocation for people to use them.  Do not interact – leave the subjects on their own to explore.  Then sit back and wait.  And wait. It turns out not everyone is a person who stops (see ...