Live the JOY: 1%!

Live the Joy
JOY ~ Journey of You November 12, 2010

Quick Links

www.kellyepperson.com

JOY Letter Archives

Past joy droppings feed the soul.

Wanna go to

ITALY WITH ME MAY 2011?

I think you will LOVE IT!

BENIGN!

My sons always score in the top percentile! ;-D

My update earlier this week stated: "There is 1% chance that it's benign. :) "

My meaning with the smiley face was that even with just a 1% chance, we were okay, come what may. Tyler was totally ready to face chemo. His attitude and sense of humor have been a marvel. I am not exaggerating.

When the doctor told us today the mass was benign, we were stunned. Relieved, stunned, thankful. Stunned. He had told us after surgery that it was 99% likely that radiation or chemo was in the cards. I was not expecting to hear the word benign today. He said it, and then showed me the word on the clipboard. I saw it in black and white. Benign.

Tyler immediately posted to his FB that benign is his new favorite word.

My thanks to you all for your messages and love vibe and caring. The world is not a sucky place. It is full of wonderful people and love love love.

We have learned and grown and have new empathy and compassion. I know many people do not get to hear the word benign.

I do not understand how the world works; I'm just glad you are part of mine.

Thank you.

Words to Ponder:

Hugs

Love

Thankful

Acceptance

Laughter

Holy crap....

I thought we had another week of voting.

My peeps and I read the Good Mood Blogger contest rules and it sure seems to say voting goes through November 18. The Top 20 vote-getters would then be required to make a video and do another round of votes. For this final round, the judges would determine the best applicant, not the # of votes. I had a shot.

BUT Voting ended Nov 10. We were just starting to rally. You all encouraged me to go for it so I begged, and you begged your pals, and things were starting to pop. If we had until Nov 18, I think we would have made Top 20. THANK YOU! It was fun; I learned a lot; I know good will come of this little endeavor. I was #29 or 30. Out of 750, I am okay with that. And now you don't have to do another round of voting. :)

THANKS times a gazillion!
This past week was a great experiment in maintaining a good mood despite worrisome external cicumstances>>> eating, sleeping, laughing, finding something to be thankful for, not letting the bad thoughts stick to the velcro in my mind, having a quick cry in the shower, playing music that lifts me, I could go and on. These little tips that we talk about worked.

We have laughed every day. My son gets the credit for his example of how to roll with life.

Today after learning his tumor was benign, he said he was still going to try to wear sweat pants to school the rest of the year. I had a friend making him a "cancer card" - like a get out of jail free card. Guess we won't be needing it!

JOY DROPPINGS

What brings me JOY lately....

* Doctors

* Happiness Club

* Good Mood Blog contest

* Cinnamon swirl coffee cake

* TyTy's bright yellowgold Goodwill sweatpants
* The First Shower post-surgery
* My Soul speakers (still) (loving that car)
* my mood ring
* Wearing flip flops in November
* chicken pot pie (THANK YOU Anessa)
* doing dishes
* sleep

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT ME:

The JOY Journal holds your daily joy droppings, quotes that speak to you, books you want to read, movies you want see, songs that grab you, things you want to do, AND "Things I Like About Me."

The more you do it, the easier it gets. The more you like you, the happier you are. Try it. All of life is an experiment. Many did not believe me on this one until they started in. Now they believe!
;)

What I like about me...

* I trust people
* People trust me
* I'm an old dog learning new tricks

You can find everything on eBay.

I was alerted that my first book (When Life Stinks, It's Time to Wash the Gym Clothes) is for sale on eBay. This is an odd moment of life for me. Not good, not bad. Just weird.

We just did a print run of that book with a new cover, so the one on eBay is a collector's item now I guess. If anyone knows who the seller is, ask them if it's a signed copy.

NEXT YEAR'S Halloween Costume:

Reader Nancy Mudloff suggested I cover myself in almonds and go as Almond Joy.

Love it!

Reader Lois Swagerty liked the white trash idea and bagged herself appropriately. Thanks for getting trashy!

Been watching a lot of TV this week with Tyler. We saw a few minutes of Let's Make a Deal with Wayne Brady. One guy taped the newspaper front page to his shirt and had the word "Yesterday's" over it. His girlfriend had folded the sports page into a fan. Yesterday's News and the Sports Fan won a few hundred bucks playing some roll the dice game.

I didn't get to see what was behind Door #2. (Do they still do that?)

Birthday Love

HAPPYHAPPYJOYJOY BIRTHDAY WISHES TO:

SUSAN HASSE

TANNER WENGER

JERRY HACKER

TESS IANDOLA

KAREN KING

DEB DIETZ

BEN WILLINGHAM

CONNIE KUNTZ

AND to

ALL who are celebrating this week!

(Send in your birthday. Each month a name is drawn for a JOY prize delivered via snail mail.)

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Sage Advice

"Learn to limit yourself; to content yourself with some definite work; dare to be what you are and learn to resign with a good grace all that you are not; and to believe in your own individuality."
Henri-Frederic Amiel (1821-1881);
philosopher, poet, critic

Kelly's newspaper column -

Balls of steel

Kelly's blog for healthyrockford.com -

Grateful!

Lyrics to love

Sweet Serendipity

never heard of Lee DeWyze until today; guess he won American Idol. Maybe I really do live in a bubble....

You Tube junkie

Tyler: I'm only half joking when I say I was a little worried that I'd come out of surgery with a high voice.

Walk Like a Man

WORD NERD

frabjous \FRAB-juhs\, adjective:

Wonderful, elegant, superb, or delicious.

He bombarded her with imported candy and American beauties, and cluttered up the spring with a series of whist parties, which butted into the social calendar something frabjous.
-- George Fitch, At good old Siwash

If there's a more frabjous pairing of writer and director than Lewis Carroll and Tim Burton, I can't imagine it.
-- Mike Scott, "'Alice in Wonderland' movie review: Callooh! Callay! Tim Burton creates a frabjous delight," The Times-Picayune, March 2010

Frabjous is one of many words coined by Lewis Caroll in Through the Looking-Glass.

dictionary.com

The Joy Luncheon at Brigg's Mansion will be frabjous. Get your tickets online today.

all a girl needs....

all any of us really needs:

HAPPINESS CLUB, LOVES PARK, IL

First Thursday every month

December 2

6:30 - 8:00 pm

North Suburban Library, 6340 N. Second St., Loves Park

ALL are welcome. Free. Fun. Informative and uplifting! December meeting will be worth 90 minutes of your time. If not, your money back. :)

Living with loss? Join the virtual community to share the journey this holiday season at www.tomzuba.com.

Give Laughter a try too!The Benefits of laughing are MANY. (even "fake" laughter.)

Laughter Club, Roni Golan, FREE, at his In Balance Hypnotherapy office, Saturdays, 10 am, 2222 E. State. St. Rockford, 815-979-1944.

Quote Junkie

"I find that when we really love and accept and approve of ourselves exactly as we are, then everything in life works."

~Louise Hay

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GraphicGuy Joel is GENIUS

For those who love to travel, love new people, new places, food, fun, joy....

ITALY!

May 4-11, 2011

Lago Maggiore

This trip is one of a kind.

(As are you.)

If you put your deposit before December 31, you save $200! (That will buy us a lot of really great wine in Italy.)

Call me a romantic. Call me a snob. Call me crazy. The wine there really is terrific and not pricey. The food. The bread. The views. The architecture. The history. The natural beauty. The men. :) Men in Europe appreciate women of all ages. They are respectful and flattering. I smile just thinking about it. (Pinky promise: What happens in Italy stays in Italy. I will not blog about anyone but me. Unless you give me permission. ;-)

Did you check out Hotel Cannero? Gorgeous! Did I tell you that the travel agent Holly and her husband Luigi are coming with us. Luigi is from Lago Maggiore so we will get to see and do like no other trip could ever offer!

I am so excited.

Come to the informational meetings just to see the photos, have a glass of cheer, and meet me and Deb McKew from Words in Play. Deb from New Hampshire is coming to Illinois to play with me for a few days in December!

Wednesday, December 1

7:30 pm

1541 E. Fabyan Pkway, Suite 101

Prairie Clinic meeting room (a friend is giving us this space-thank you!)

Geneva, IL

(across from Country House restaurant)

Thursday, December 2

5:30 pm

North Suburban Library

6340 N. Second St.

Loves Park IL

Friday, Dec 3 - George Clooney's place, Italy (I'm working on it-I'll let you know! ;-D ha!

SIGN UP NOW TO SAVE $200!

Give yourself a gift. You will have the joy of anticipation; the joy of being there; the joy of the memories. That, my dears, has no pricetag.

I have never regretted one penny that I have spent on travel. Every trip for me has been a learning adventure, growth opportunity, and opened my head and heart. And just plain fun.

Details Click Here!

This trip is for ALL, not just those interested in writing. I sigh looking at this picture...

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