Live the Joy
JOY ~ Journey of You April 30, 2010 |
|
|
|
| Quick Links |
|
Past joy droppings feed the soul.
|
|
|
| |
Mayday! Mayday!
Or is it May Day?
The latter conjures up images of flowers, dancing around the May Pole, and leaving anonymous baskets on someone's porch. The former is a distress signal, a call for help. (It's derived from a French word and has nothing to do with May.)
Life has both extremes. There are days when everything's coming up roses, and there are days when the thorns make you bleed. And there are most days that fall somewhere in the middle.
We practice our happiness strategies in order to be able to cope when we bleed. We have established happiness habits so that when a challenge comes, we can counter attack with realistic optimism. Practicing happiness allows us to experience the time with the thorns and still keep our perspective.
If the April showers do indeed bring May flowers, enjoy them, thorns and all. Maybe even a leave a bouquet on someone's porch.
Words to Ponder~
"The world's favorite season is the spring.
All things seem possible in May."
- Edwin Way Teale
|
|
|
|
|
| Lyrics to love | |
I'm every woman
It's all in me
"I'm Every Woman"
songwriters: Ashford & Simpson
|
| Poetry is good for the soul and spring fever | |
"A little Madness in the Spring
Is wholesome even for the King."
- Emily Dickinson |
| Picks this week |
Book Pick - Tuck Everlasting - Natalie Babbitt
Flick Pick - go for a walk outside instead
Your JOY assignment this week:
Are you joy journaling?? Three things every day.
|
| |
What brings me joy?
* CRAZY FUN WONDERFUL SILLY TEENAGE BOYS
* TULIPS (AND TWO LIPS) AND MAGNETIC POETRY
* FUNNY SIGNS
THE CLOSE UP:
|
| Birthday Love | |
HAPPYHAPPYJOYJOY BIRTHDAY WISHES TO:
RUTH PENTICOFF
ANGIE SCORDATO
MARY TUITE
AND to
ALL who are celebrating this week/month/year
(Send in your birthday. Each month a name is drawn for a JOY prize delivered via snail mail.)
APRIL BIRTHDAY WINNER....drum roll please....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
APRIL 30 is PIE DAY. In response to a prior "Inquiring Minds" query, reader Sharon Bleu writes: Just a "pie" note...my father did not like cake so always had pie for his birthday. He died 2 weeks before his 89th birthday, and on that date, April 30, we started celebrating "Pie Day." In his honor - across the country, our family, wherever we are, has pie.
Sharon invites us all to enjoy a piece of pie today. And to remember our loved ones with a smile. |
| Inquiring Minds |
The question was....
Disneyland in California OR Disney World in Florida?
Survey said: Florida. Way bigger; tons more to do.
INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW:
|
| Quote Junkie | |
"I think that no matter how old or infirm I may become, I will always plant a large garden in the spring. Who can resist the feelings of hope and joy that one gets from participating
in nature's rebirth?"
- Edward Giobbi |
| Sage Advice |
The world is your playground. Why aren't you playing?
--Ellie Katz
|
|
"Those who can't hear the music think the dancer quite mad."
~Anonymous
make your own music; dance your own dance |
| Speaking Gigs (living my joy!) | |
May 6 - Shelter Care Ministries Annual Luncheon Keynote Speaker
ALL ARE WELCOME! TICKETS $35 815-964-5520
support a much needed organization and hear a joyful message
May 8 - Garden Prairie UCC Mother-Daughter Tea
May 12 - OSF Nurses Week Awards Banquet
May 15 - AAUW Sorority Keynote
May 18 - Byron Women's Club Spring Luncheon
May 20 - Alpine Seniors - Living in JOY
May 21-23 Words in Play retreat, Sunapee NH
Also June & September dates - Visit www.wordsinplay.net
Save the date(s)!
JOY Dance Party! (tentative Oct 1)
Joy: A Luncheon; Briggs Mansion, Rockford, IL THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2
Creative Expression/Joy Retreat, in ITALY, May 5 -12, 2011
|
| Workshop | |
The Joy of Writing
Journaling, poetry, short stories, creative nonfiction, novels - what brings you joy? We'll get the creative juices jumping with fun exercises and discuss how to get going, keep going, and maintain the joy of writing all throughout your life. If your goal is to be published, we'll cover that too. Learn the Basic Do's and Don'ts, how to find markets for your writing, and there'll be time for lots of Q&A in this casual, interactive workshop. I find my joy through writing; let's discover yours!
Send name, address, email, and check payable to Kelly Epperson, $65, to
PO Box 2324, Loves Park, IL 61131
Evening Workshop: June 2, 6 pm - 8:30 pm
Day Workshop: June 4, 10 am - 12:30 pm
North Suburban Library Community Room, 6340 N. Second, Loves Park
YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER!
(one body so far = a private tutorial! lots of attention fersure ;) |
| HOW TO BE QUIRKY | |
When I first started ghost writing, I was hired to write a nasty gangsta rap song. What kind of rapper hires a 40-something white woman living in the Bible belt to write his raps? (And no, that song will never make it's way into the joy letter.)
|
| |
HAPPINESS CLUB, LOVES PARK, IL
NEXT MEETING:
Thursday, May 6
6:30 pm - 8:30 PM
North Suburban Library, 6340 N. Second St., Loves Park, IL
If you're happy and you know it, come on down. If you're not happy and you know it, come on down!
Questions? Drop me a line. |
| Word Nerd | |
pellucid \puh-LOO-sid\, adjective:
1. Transparent; clear; not opaque.
2. Easily understandable.
Pellucid comes from Latin pellucidus, "shining, transparent," from pellucere, "to shine through," from per-, "through" + lucere, "to shine."
dictionary.com
The concepts of humor therapy and getting your happy on are actually pellucid. If not clear to you, let me help you understand. |
|
The fire alarm sounds like WHOOP.
;-D
joyfully,
xxkelly
|
| SIGN UP FOR WEEKLY JOY AND PASS IT ON
Spread the word! Let's build an army of JOY Spreaders! | | parting shot....
Opportunity dances with those who are already on the dance floor.
~H.Jackson Brown Jr. |
|
Kelly Epperson
kel_epperson@yahoo.com
PO Box 2324 Loves Park IL 61131
Member AATH - Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor
Member AHA - American Happiness Association
Founder - Happiness Club of Loves Park, IL
Member NSNC - National Society of Newspaper Columnists |
|
| JOY |
New book, 365 Days of Joy, is in the works and coming soon. $20
(hmm, how long can I keep saying "soon"?) |
| When LIfe Stinks, It's Time to Wash the Gym Clothes (collection of newspaper columns) $10
Shirts ~C'est Bon and JOY*US $10 |
|
|
