Peace (Taylor Swift)

[see first Feel Good Friday note below for attribution]

To quote the beginning of the song Satisfied in Hamilton:  "rewind... rewind... rewind".  I know today is Saturday but, for all practical purposes, this is my Feel Good Friday post... because I was with my grandbaby all day and most of the evening yesterday and didn't have the opportunity to post.

Wow, did I need that day with my sweet Colin, just the two of us, to re-bond.  Most of our time together is with Sarah as well, always lovely, but he obviously defers to her, so this one-on-one time was much appreciated and cherished.  Dance, Lala! Come, Lala! (upon handing me my shoes so we could go to the park), Can I please have a cookie, Lala? Tickle back, Lala! His wish is my command... 💞  He looked up at me, at least 10 times, to say, "Hi, Lala!" and "I love you, Lala!". We hugged and snuggled and talked.  He understands the concept of *both*, which I think is pretty amazing for not-yet-three.  

Colin is obsessed with the zoo and has an assortment of of molded plastic animals,  so we played with them most of the day, him doling out to me which *one* I could be... sometimes the zebra, sometimes the cheetah, sometimes the giraffe (but never the lion; he *always* gets to be the lion(s)... 😄 )

As is tradition, our Word(s) of the Day:  Adventure (because we visited a new-to-us park, with lots of trees, some winding paths, and a giant playground, some of which is too advanced for him, but gives him something to grow into)... and Asparagus (because there were lots of chopped-up raw pieces in the salad I brought for lunch, which I shared with Colin, who pronounced them yuck!).

A heart- and spirit-refilling day that was important for us both.  See what I did there?... 👵👶

After he went to bed (since I don't get Disney+ at home), I finished watching the Taylor Swift documentary that we started New Year's Eve.  Well-done (and now I want to view it all over again).

As promised, five items below of beauty, interest, and humor to brighten your day/weekend/week.  Enjoy! 

~ Dad Creates Honest Comics About The World And Kindness:  For years, Christopher Grady has been drawing his experiences as a dad-of-two and sharing them through a project called Lunarbaboon. He started this endeavor to combat anxiety and depression, focusing on life-affirming aspects of everyday life. So it doesn't matter if a particular strip revolves around a not-so-pesky spider or teaching your son to respect women, Grady tries his best to infuse it with love and empathy. And it works.

~ Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen team up for new Renegades: Born in the USA podcast:  Former President Barack Obama and legendary singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen are known for their power on the mic. And today, the two have released their very own podcast: Renegades: Born in the USA. The eight-episode series (of which the first two episodes are out now) features the duo in dialogue about everything from their similar childhoods as "outsiders" to being role models to how to approach the divided state of America today.

~ Michelle Obama Befriends Foodie Puppets in ‘Waffles + Mochi’ Trailer:  The former First Lady stars as a supermarket owner who hires Waffles and Mochi, two puppets who dream of being chefs. Obama helps the duo embark on a global adventure, using a flying shopping cart as their guide. They visit restaurants, kitchens, and farms around the world — riding in gondolas in Italy and llamas in Peru, out March 16 on Netflix.

~ The Soothing, Digital Rooms of YouTube:  Welcome to the world of so-called ambience videos, a genre of YouTube video that pairs relaxing soundscapes with animated scenery in order to make viewers feel immersed in specific spaces, like a jazz bar in Paris or a swamp populated with trilling wildlife.

~ Yaupon Brothers American Tea Co.:  Rediscover... The Tea from Here.  American Roots, A Different Leaf, A Better Tea. (thanks to my dear friend LO for the variety pack that arrived on my doorstep yesterday... 💖)

NR:  No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood (Part One had me befuddled, Part Two completely engaged as well as ugly-crying.  Her memoir Priestdaddy is next in my queue.)

SONG:  Peace by Taylor Swift

BOOK:  365 Days of Peace: Benedictions to End Your Day in Gentleness and Hope by Jessica Kantrowitz

POEM:  Acceptance Speech for Winning the Nobel Peace Prize by Peter Davis

First off, most importantly, I’d like to thank war

for making peace so valuable. We should be willing to thank

the bad for making the good possible. I say, “I would never

know the moon without night.”

However, we all know the black tar of violence

sticks to the machines and they don’t work right.

We’ve all seen an arrow through a bloody heart.

We all know whose heart it is.

I’d like to praise doctors and nurses for caring for wounds.

It is a dirty business.

I prefer to not have wounds, and yet I know this award

is like a metal-plated wound on my heart.

… The sacrifice of waterfalls, the terrific flight of a seagull,

the hanging of vines and leaves from trees, the insects,

the crayfish and miniscule snails, the small canyons

and the man-made tunnels under roads …

I cannot swallow these things out of my chest.

I cannot digest butterflies or sharp knives.

There is no part of me that smells a soup from our

broth of intolerance and one-sidedness.

Thank you for giving me something

to remember the sadness of my life by. My life is a religion

of sadness and I only wish that others would join me

and reach out because they are sad too.

I would love to wake up one morning and find hands,

some up to the elbow, coming out of my lawn.

[Peter Davis: “I’m a guy who lives with my wife and son in Muncie, Indiana. I have doubts about myself as a poet and teacher. I do the best I can. That’s why I write poems: because I try. I mean, essentially, I’m hopeful. It’s not very cynical and heartless at its core. It’s not very punk.”]

QUOTE:  “I don't write because I think I have something to say. I write because if I don't, everything feels even worse.” ~ Lily King, Writers & Lovers

If Tomorrow Never Comes (Todd Snider)

It has been an insanely long time since I last posted (almost a month?!? - yikes!).  Reasons, but really no good reasons.  I have three blog posts in draft form that I've been working on, and then something (whether meaningful or meaningless) comes along and I allow myself to get sidetracked.  Hey, I can do it tomorrow... or the next day... or the day after that.  I'm still walking, still doing yoga, still reading like a motherf*cker, in the condo pool (heated) a few times a week to stretch, still eating nutritiously, my vision has come back 100% after last month's health scare, my husband is loving, we've had both vaccines (blog post on that coming soon), my kids are well, my grandson is perfect, I do the NYT Mini-Crossword and Spelling Bee every morning to start my day, I switched from Brown Sadness Water to caffeinated coffee, and I am watching the news again because I *trust* this administration to tell the truth.  Considering the circumstances, life is pretty d*mn good... 💗

On the flip side, I am well aware of the extreme weather conditions in Texas, the fact that we will soon be hitting 500,000 (half a million) COVID deaths, children across the nation are still doing online learning, today’s Republican Party is less concerned with national public opinion than it used to be, etc.  However, since January 21, it feels like a kinder, gentler, more equitable nation with swift as well as measured responses to ongoing problems or, as MSNBC correspondent Brian Williams accurately described this evening:  "back to a standard, traditionally-operating White House with rigor and expertise and order and schedules and process."

Our country feels safe(r) again.

I haven't offered up a Feel Good Friday post in a while.  Attempting to resurrect this tradition:  five items below of beauty, interest, and humor to brighten your day/weekend/week.  Enjoy! 

Promotions for Female Generals Were Delayed Over Fears of Trump’s Reaction:  Under a Biden administration, the nominations are expected to go from the Pentagon to the White House within weeks and then to the Senate for approval.

Alex Trebek’s Wardrobe Is Donated to Formerly Incarcerated Men:  The gift, which will also benefit formerly homeless men, was in keeping with an appeal that the host of “Jeopardy!” had made when he asked viewers to “build a gentler, kinder society.”

Why 'A Case Of You' Is The Best Love Song Of All Time:  Sometimes a once-beloved work feels like a relic, like a junior high yearbook autographed with the names of people I no longer remember. Other times, I find myself understanding and appreciating it in new ways.

Feed families, spread kindness, strengthen communities:  When you become a part of Lasagna Love, you’re joining a movement full of people who want to weave kindness back into the fabric of our everyday lives. (thanks to MicheleW for the heads-up!)

Gwyneth Paltrow Is Selling Vibrators:  The Goop founder also talks about sexual wellness and how she contracted Covid-19 a year ago, probably in Paris.

NR:  Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy (exquisite... 💞)

SONG:  If Tomorrow Never Comes by Todd Snider ("if worms had daggers,

birds wouldn't f*ck with them"... 😄 )

BOOK:  The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley

POEM:  Wild Thing by Judith Viorst

I went for a walk in the sun without wearing my sunscreen.

I went out of town without making a reservation.

I placed my mouth directly upon a public drinking fountain, and took a sip.

I didn't bother flossing my teeth before bedtime.

I pumped my own gasoline at a self-service station.

I ate the deviled egg instead of the cauliflower with low-fat yogurt dip.

I bought, without reading Consumer Reports, a new dryer.

I left my checking account unreconciled.

I know that the consequences could be dire,

But sometimes a woman simply has to run wild.

QUOTE:  “There’s a particular feeling in your body when something goes right after a long time of things going wrong.  It feels warm and sweet and loose… For a moment all my bees have turned to honey.” ~ Lily King, Writers & Lovers

Wondering Where the Lions Are (Bruce Cockburn)

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY, week beginning August 6 by Rob Brezsny

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): At times in our lives, it's impractical to be innocent and curious and blank and receptive. So many tasks require us to be knowledgeable and self-assured and forceful and in control. But according to my astrological analysis, the coming weeks will be a time when you will benefit from the former state of mind: cultivating what Zen Buddhists call "beginner's mind." The Chinese refer to it as *ch_x_n*, or the mind of a novice. The Koreans call it the *eee mok oh?* approach, translated as "What is this?" Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield defines it as the "don't-know mind." During this upcoming phase, I invite you to enjoy the feeling of being at peace with all that's mysterious and beyond your understanding.

We're only one week into my Birth *Month*, and it's been glorious!  First of all, thanks to all who read my blog (many, many views!) this past Wednesday, and a special thanks to those who took the time to comment.  The outpouring conjured memories of Facebook love, and I am grateful for friends and family who know that we Leos need validation, not always but sometimes.  My body, mind, and spirit are in a good place, as I have made a renewed effort to take better care of all aspects of myself.  My skin is glowing (thanks, Origins!), my brain is stimulated (thanks, Broward Library!), my attitude is dialed back to lesser expectations (thanks, meditation and yoga... and maybe a glass or two of pinot grigio... 😄 )

Check out the list of presents/presence I received (so far), which reiterates that my dear ones have more than a finger on the pulse of my personality... 💖

~ dragonfly crossbody wallet and cellphone holder from Melanie
~ Michelle Obama Becoming Journal (made my first entry today!) and card from Michele
~ Nancy Pelosi Patron Saint of Shade clapback candle from Stephen and Jess
~ Zoom call Tuesday night with Nancy, Brian, RobbyG, Dave, and Russ 
~ Parlour Vegan lunch sent via UberEats from my daughter Sarah
~ phone calls from all my children
~ thoughtful texts, e-mails (from Laurie, sharong, and CT), and phone calls from friends
~ aforementioned comments on my blog
~ phone call with my sister
~ WhatsApp call with Sarah and Colin
~ Chinese food delivery
~ basket of vegan goodies (most of them homemade), card, and visit from Nancy
~ card from Roxanne
~ Zoom birthday co-celebration with Judi (whose birthday was yesterday); call with Nancy, Suzanne, SusanP, Sarah and Colin, Jennifer and Elowen, Cheryl
~ 864511320 bumper sticker (look it up!) and card from Judi
~ Family get-together yesterday at our old neighborhood park:  Lala-saurus Rex (purple!) T-shirt from Sarah and Colin; massager (for my sciatica) from Rob and Eric, And the Answer Is... (Alex Trebek memoir) from Chico, all with cards

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  I am feeling the birthday love, and continue to count myself lucky and blessed every day/minute/second.  "Some kinda ecstasy got a hold on me" indeed!

NR:  Father of the Rain by Lily King (three decades of a volatile relationship between a charismatic, alcoholic father and the daughter who loves him.  hmmm, sound familiar?!?  And, although my Dad died in 1995, today would have been his 90th birthday.  Synchronicity strikes again.)

SONG:  Wondering Where the Lions Are by Bruce Cockburn

BOOK:  The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

POEM:  Leo (July 23 - August 22) Horoscope by Genie Graveline

You're very ambitious, you love to lead
You're driven to greatness and want to succeed
You're strong and dependable, honest, too
but showing emotion is hard for you
You're usually eager to give advice
When it comes to your temper, try to think twice
You're a lover of life with a childish side
Yet a loner at times, with a need to hide
You're quite independent, and generous, too
You set your goals and you carry them through
You need reassurance from day to day
And diplomacy, sometimes, is not your forte'
Your sign is fire and your planet's the Sun
When you take control, you get the job done
If you find the right mate, you're the marrying kind
You're Leo, relax, take the time to unwind

QUOTE:  "Becoming isn't about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim.  It's forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self." ~ Michelle Obama