It's Friday

You simply must do a little jig when Friday comes! I am.

Enjoy Life!

A favorite place to be

Do you have a favorite place to be? I do. I long for my special places where I can relax and just be me. I love to watch my favorite shows, read my inspiring magazines, and eat whatever my sweet tooth desires.

Unfortunately, life does not give everyone the opportunity to enjoy our favorite places all of the time. For some, they clearly get to enjoy whatever they want whenever they want but that is simply not true for all. The good news is that when you are given the opportunity to enjoy your favorite space and do the things you most love to do, be grateful for it and feel really blessed.

Enjoy Life!

There is always... HOPE

Today I listened to life monologues from over ninety people. It was truly an emotional day. With each story I could feel the joy or the gut wrenching pain they were living or are living through.

The words suddenly became pieces in songs in my head. The sad ones made me weep. The joyous ones made me laugh with tears rolling down my face.

Their songs were special and as the last monologue was completed I heard the words, "There was hope. There is always... hope"

Enjoy Life!

Me and Ms. PJ Gibson

When I was in graduate school I met the most amazing playwright. She was a great inspiration. It was wonderful to meet Ms. Gibson because my mentor, Dr. Jones, assigned so many projects that revolved around her work.

It was wonderful to finally meet the genius behind the work. I remember having lunch and going shopping with Ms. Gibson. She gave me wonderful suggestions on my writing and my writing process that I use even today.

If you are ever in New York and have the opportunity to see one of her plays, take it from me, GO SEE IT!

Want to know more about Ms. PJ Gibson? See below.

Enjoy Life!

P.J. GIBSON holds a M.F.A in Theatre Arts from Brandeis University and a B.A. in Drama, Religion and English from Keuka College. To date she has written over thirty plays, Long Time Since Yesterday has alone had upwards of sixty productions, her other works have been presented throughout the United States, Europe and Africa. A published writer, Ms. Gibson also has numerous poems and short stories to her credit. She has been the recipient of many honors including the Audelco VIV Pioneer Award, the National Black Theatre Festival's August Wilson Playwright Award; the Bushfire Theatre of Performing Arts Seventh Annual "Walk of Fame" where her signature and hand print is imprinted in their Sidewalk of Fame, a Shubert Fellowship, a playwriting grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, two prestigious Audelco Awards, two PSC-CUNY Research Award grants and six playwriting commissions. She was the Celebrated Playwright at The Ensemble Studio Theatre's Going To The River 2003 festival, and will receive the honor of being included in the Hatch-Billiops Collection Inc. Artist and Influence program in the spring of 2004. Ms. Gibson's plays and poetry performances have been presented throughout the United States, Europe and Africa. In addition to her writing Ms. Gibson is an Associate Professor of English at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. She has been an Artist In Residence at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She holds a Proclamation from the city of Trenton, New Jersey and a Key To The City from Indianapolis, Indiana.

State Fair

I'm going to the State Fair today. I've never been to a state fair before. Can you imagine? To be honest, I have seen pictures and I'm not thrilled about the animals. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the animals, it's the smell I could do without. They don't looked thrilled to be there either.

Anyway, I have also seen pictures of the food. That is what I am looking forward to. I must say the chocolate fried bacon sounds interesting but more than likely I won't try that. Maybe I'm too conservative. I'll stick with the funnel cake.

I have noticed that the older I get I pay more attention to detail then I have before. I use to eat hot dogs from street vendors in New York. You couldn't pay me any amount of money to eat them today. From the time the vendor puts his hands in the pot and pulls out the hot dog with his fingers, to the grease covered case he pulls the buns out, is a stomach churning event and all of that is before I put it in my mouth. That NASTY I can't look past.

I have a feeling the state fair might be the same. My friends tell me to pray over it and hope for the best. There is a flaw in that but if I stop to figure it out I won't go to the fair. So I won't put too fine a point on it, move on and....

Enjoy Life!

My Favorite

I LOVE candy bars! I saw this candy bar and just had to have it. From Ecuador? Well, I don't know how true that is but I did like the design of the wrapper. Almost too good to eat.

I did say almost so, I'll go and eat my candy bar now. Take care and...

Enjoy Life!

Oh my pretty bangles

I love bracelets! I found these in the online game of Second Life and really enjoy them. I wish I had some like it in real life.

In real life, I love the sound bangle bracelets make when you move your arm. Clang-clang. I have one and it is really pretty but without two they don't make the clang-clang sound.

Anyway, just wanted to show you my lovely SL bracelets. Slow day today and not much to report.

I did go to a wonderful talent show tonight. I am of the opinion that TALENT is relative. I had really stopped going to talent shows. If the truth be known, I don't know how to act at those things. Some of those poor young people up there looked terrified. They looked like someone forced them to be there.

Tonight, there was one little girl dressed like Uncle Sam, complete with a flag. OMG!!! The poor child. I cried through the whole song. God Bless America, yeah, but I was really wanted God to bless her heart. She didn't look like she wanted to do it and it didn't look like she wanted to be there. She got through it and at the end she and I were happy.

Is it right for parents to make kids try things they really don't want to do? Well, obviously I don't approve. I believe if someone shows a genuine interest in something, yes, by all means go for it.

When my daughter wanted to juggle for the talent show, I wasn't overjoyed but I did find myself at Barnes and Noble buying the complete set of how to juggle. Yes, she lost interest after about three days but at least she tried something new and she knows she is supported in whatever she wants to do.

Encourage and support our young ones. Making them do things you always wanted to do and things they are not interested in doing just does not sound like fun to me. They too should,

Enjoy Life!

A Flea Market Find

I found a lovely Doris Day album at a flea market called, Bright and Shiny. It was a fabulous find. I love to listen to this album. It has such happy songs. You can't help but smile and sing along.

Gosh, I miss the days of old but I am glad to find a few of them at the flea market.

Enjoy Life!

Who's a Lounge Lizard

Back in the day.....

Yeah you guessed it. I was a true lounge lizard. A group of friends and I would make the rounds to the various lounges in the area where other friends were performing. It was a fun time with great food, incredible jokes, and delightful music. I have yet to work with a more talented group of musicians.

Like clockwork each of us would be called up to sing a song. I don't know why "Rockin' Robin" was favorite of mine. I was also known to sing, "The Birth of the Blues".

Imagine my surprise when today I was stopped by a complete stranger who cautiously approached me and asked did I use to sing in a specific lounge. I couldn't believe someone was around who remembered those days. I did confess to being that singer and they were very pleased.

The compliments were lovely to hear but I think what I appreciated most was remembering a lovely time in my life.

I hope to always remember how blessed I have been with the rich experiences I have lived through.

Enjoy Life!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Raven Hollow/136/175/33/?title=Raven Hollow

Raven Hollow

I went to Raven Hollow today and took some pictures. It was scary to be sure. Julia is a fabulous designer and artist. Please go by and you too will be thrilled. Each time I go I find something else new.
This time I found the bats! They were just hanging around. Then there was the bear! It was a cute bear and it was animated. Julia does very well with animating her animals. This bear has his arm around a basket of berries. Truly a must see.

Enjoy Life!

The Way I See It

"It's always darkest before the dawn". That phrase seems to fit me so well today. Yesterday I was low but today is a great deal brighter. This tends to happen to many of us. I actually choose to be positive and not let negative thoughts take over. It just seems to work for me.

Today I enjoyed a lovely church service with people who touched my heart. This was Homecoming Sunday. I thought that was odd at first because I didn't understand. I'm still not sure I fully comprehend what it really means but here is what I got from it.

This Sunday was a wonderful opportunity to come back home to the church especially for those who have been away for a long time. It was also an opportunity to ponder why your church is home and what makes it a home. Lastly, it was a time to take note that this place we live in is not a permanent home. As depressing as that may sound, it is indeed the truth.

Some spend a lifetime creating beautiful and magnificent homes and for what? To live in and to leave to other family members (to fight over) but it's only for a relatively short period of time. I suppose one could say, "Well, while I'm here I am going to create the best home ever"! That indeed is a great way to look at it but at what cost to you and others?

That is just how I see it.

I try to live a life that includes giving, caring, loving, and listening to my heart.

Enjoy Life!

Engaged

Today I was very engaged in thoughts and things other than my work. This was odd for me. I suppose I needed the break. I was preoccupied with thoughts of others close to me.

I can't heal the pain others feel and that pains me. It's a flaw in my personality I can't resolve. I've been this way since a child.

I cry for others in pain and try to be there for them with hopes that in some small way it will ease the pain. Maybe that is vain on my part to think such a thing.

We all have to experience bumps life brings about, I suppose. My mentor once told me, "Trouble doesn't miss anyone". I am just naive enough to think we have friends and family to help us through the bad patches. It won't be the first time I was wrong.

Enjoy Life!

A good friend died today. A sad time in our life.

What a very strong and humble person.

A understated smile with whispers of love.

Rest in the same peace, love, and happiness you gave to all of us.

Vintage

In my recent cleaning state, I have been finding loads of things I thought was lost forever. I was very pleased to find somethings but felt sadness when I found others.

I decided to add this concept of lost and found to my short stories in The Adventures of Viv Writer.
I love that the online game of Second Life has so many vintage places to visit and shop. I hope to visit as many as I can in the coming days.

I think maybe I am stuck in the very past because I can't wait to go to the Renaissance Fair which set to start soon. Our State Fair will begin soon too. If you are someone who always says, "That's not fair". Now is the time to visit one. Believe it's the only time life gets fair.

"Life is not always fair but Life is good."

Enjoy Life!

Mail Call

I Fall To Pieces

New Shop!

I found the most charming shop today. It's called, Alchemy's Attic. Here is the address: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Alchemy Immortalis/77/62/67/?title=Alchemy Immortalis
I really loved how the place was organized. It was very relaxing and I wanted to explore the lovely treasures.

Enjoy Life!

I have been working on my first passion and that is, writing plays. I actually wrote this play in high school. Wow, that was many moons ago. Anyway, I have resurrected it and have made it publisher ready. It's available in the online game of Second Life.

Stop by if you can. The address is: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Book Island/192/88/44/?title=Book Island

Enjoy Life!

The Next Generation

This is next generation of wonderful actors. Their parents were wonderful actors and now they are too. I'll leave it to you to figure out who their parents are. From left to right pictured are:
Finty Williams, Lucy Briers. and Rachel Pickup.
What I think is wonderful is that they are starring in a play together. Go on and ACT UP!

My short stories have such simple and short titles. I Love It!

Enjoy Life!

Picture it

I love creating! I made this picture for my loft in the online game of Second Life. If you have the opportunity, visit me in Second Life, drop by and see my awesome gallery.

Enjoy Life1

Designer Duck Judi


Support Breast Cancer Awareness with our celebrity duck designed exclusively for Cancer Research UK by Dame Judi Dench. The Judi Duck has a white pearlised finish, pink painted beads around its neck and a pink heart detail on the rear!
Dimensions: 9cm high Material: plastic Photograph of Dame Judi Dench by Keith Hamshere
Cancer Research UK is the largest funder of breast cancer research in the UK. We are working to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and beat breast cancer. The profit from this purchase will be dedicated to our vital breast cancer research.
100% of the profits will go directly to Cancer Research UK’s lifesaving research
Gift wrapping service available
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http://www.giftshop.cancerresearchuk.org/products/designer-duck-judi/

Georgette Heyer

I love these books by Georgette Heyer. Maybe one day you will try these lovely historical romance novels.

Enjoy Life

Denmark

I went to Denmark in the online game of Second Life. It was very nice. I didn't understand the language so it was a bit limiting but there was so much to enjoy that the lack of language skills was not an issue.

If you would like to go, here is the address: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wonderful Denmark/123/137/22/?title=Wonderful Denmark

Have a wonderful time and...

Enjoy Life

Lurpak Butter

Now this looks good and it's EASY. I like when it's easy.
This cake is very easy to make, because it doesn´t need to be baked. In Denmark, it is a popular cake for children of any age. The recipe is easy enough for most children to prepare themselves.

I have a young one who is at the age where projects must be done for school. I think I get more excited about them than she.

For this next product we (and when I say we I mean she) has to research Denmark and in addition to the list of things she has to gather together for her presentation, she also has to bring in a covered dish from Denmark. Hmmmmm.
I thought long and hard about this one. We (and when I say we I mean me) decided that Danish cookies would be a wise choice. We even went out and purchased some butter from Denmark. I wouldn't know where to start to get Danish eggs, so we will settle for the butter.

I decided to look up some information about the butter and noticed the website also had recipes. I looked through them and saw several we could do. The pictures looked great!

What was interesting to note was how simple the Danish cookie recipes were and they weren't very sweet. In American recipes especially the ones I have seen in the south, have loads of sugar.

On this dreary day

This morning is a bit dreary outside. A dreary Saturday calls for a lovely cup of tea and a good magazine to ponder.

I love a proper cup of tea. I am excited to try the new French honey I purchased recently. I shop for teas and honey on a regular basis for just this occasion.

Later, I will comb through my recipe books for the perfect Saturday Soup. I find it relaxing to make a big pot of soup. I suppose for some cooking is a chore but for me on days like today I look forward to that adventure.

Speaking of adventures, my adventures in the online game of Second Life have been delightful. With the season changing, all of my favorite artists are busy creating things I find lovely and most charming. I hope to take pictures to show you all. The above picture is of a lovely coffee set I found in Second Life. I simply love looking at it. I don't drink coffee as I prefer tea. I hope to find a lovely tea set one day.

For now I will enjoy my favorite tea and magazine. I hope your day gets off to a good start as well.

Enjoy Life!

Mad World?

Today someone sang this song during an audition. To be honest, I had never heard it before. I don't think I understand it fully but I do know I enjoy the song. The song paints different images that tie in with the title. I would guess the songwriter is a young visual artist who loves watching the world around them and who has done a fabulous job expressing the images that are concrete yet abstract. I don't know if it's a Mad World either. I don't see the world as Mad. Maybe we are just controlled chaos and some are just off a bit at times but not Mad.
In any case I do like the song and hope you will too.
Enjoy LIfe!

There is a musical I am working on (I'm always working on something). Here is part of a song I came up with in a raw state at the moment. The inspiration came from a recent conversation in the online game of Second Life. The person I was talking to was going through a difficult time.

The more I listened the clearer the picture became to me. It was a picture so many others have painted before. I felt really bad for this person but never expressed anything but compassion for the situation. What I really thought was,"What a waste". Here was this person spinning their wheels trying to be all things for someone and really didn't have a clue it was pointless.

How could you help but feel sorry for someone who simply can't see the whole picture. I have faith that one day they will see things clearly. In any case this song was born from that conversation. It's in a raw state but I wanted to share it with you.

Enjoy Life!

Falling for the Pumpkin Vine

Next to the Christmas season, The Fall season is another favorite time of year. No one does the Fall season in the online game of Second Life like Julia Hathor. You simply must go to her sim: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Raven Hollow/110/79/47/?title=Raven Hollow

Today I found one scary tree with hands and branches. The fog below just added to the mystery giving me that creepy, scary feeling.

The climbing pumpkin vine arch was lovely. I stood and just admired the great thought and creativity that went into designing such a lovely piece of work.

I continue to cheer on my dear friend who is outstanding and simply the best at creating/designing the things she does.

Julia, thanks for making Second Life a better place with your creative genius.

Enjoy Life!

Split Hairs

What a wonderful weekend I had. It was a creative one for me but then it always is I'm happy to report.
I found creative materials on sale this weekend. I love a good sale. When I find a good sale there is always that thought. How can they sell this for that amount? What did they originally pay for this? How can they make a profit? Maybe I have no right to ask such questions. I never seek the answers, I simply purchase the items and tell myself I should feel clever about the whole thing. So I'm enjoying my masterful purchases. Aren't I clever?

Enjoy Life!

My tears....

OMG! I can't tell you how sad I am right now. The music is so powerful and special.

Quilting

You know, I continue to appreciate people that have passed on. Something else my mentor taught me was how to make a quilt. I remember thinking what an easy process it was and the ultimate exercise in recycling. Even before my daughter was born I made a quilt for her which she loves and still has on her bed. My hope is that maybe one day she will pass it on to her child.

My mentor had the prettiest quilts I have ever seen. Many were passed on to her from her family members.

In the online game of Second Life I have seen some lovely quilts as well. The designs are simply wonderful. I think there are clubs too for quilters.

While walking through a flea market this summer I ran across someone who was selling her Grandmothers quilts.Even though I didn't know her, I spoke firmly to her and asked her not to sell such a lovely family treasure. With tears in her eyes she responded that she needed the money and had no choice. I did purchase them for more than she was asking for. I don't use them and will never sell them. They are lovely. I wish I could give them back to her and know she won't sell them again. They really do belong in her family. I will keep them safe and hope the day will come when they will be returned to her.

"Why are we here but to help others"

Enjoy Life!

Chestnuts Roasting

Is it time to throw a few logs on the fire? Well, not in real life but in the online game of Second Life it is. That is yet something else to love about Second Life.
When I am in the mood for the sights of a good "toasty" fire, complete with the crackling sounds, I can curl up with a good book, cup of tea, and enjoy the sights and sounds of a Second Life fire place blazing.
In real life I could not create a fire without burning the house down. Well, I must get back to my fireplace. My seat is awaiting me:)

Enjoy Life!

I went visiting today. I had a great time as I always do. I am always amazed at the lovely things I see in the online game of Second Life. Today I went to http://slurl.com/secondlife/Blue City/220/159/32/?title=Blue City

If you are ever in the game, go on over and visit. It is simply amazing.

Well, I'm headed over to another favorite of mine during this time of year. Many are getting their sims ready for the Fall. I am also excited because Christmas is getting closer. It's only my favorite time of year:)

Enjoy Life!

So Good To Me...

Feels so good to be me today. The more things change the more they seem the same. That's not an original statement but true for me today. I had to get new glasses. The style of them remind me of my mothers glasses from days of old.

I'm at that age, I suppose, when I need to pay more attention to my eye sight. Actually, you should pay attention to your eyesight at every age. I didn't want to go to the eye doctor because I knew my sight had changed. It wasn't the worse thing in the world. Indeed, I left the office with a new pair of glasses and I see better than ever. That feels GREAT!! I kept singing, "A Whole New World". It really is. I can see so much more now.

It's a good thing to get your eyes checked every two years. It's amazing how much your vision can change in rather a short period of time. I was also told to get my young daughters eyes checked yearly. That was done too.

It feels good to get caught up. I suppose I can check that off my list, move on to...

Enjoy Life!

I went to church today and the service was wonderful. I feel refreshed and ready to travel into the next week. As we journey to the end of the summer I am looking forward to "The Fall" of the year. Life is good.... go out and

Enjoy Life!

We are called to act with Justice.
We are called to love tenderly.

We are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God.

Go Ella!

Lovely.... isn't it?

Life.... it's lovely to have the ingredients. Now.... what do I do with them?

Sometimes, I see so much potential in people and I wonder if they know how talented they are. Then there are different times when I see people with all the bits and pieces to do great things but they are missing connections, transitions, and how to apply the main ingredient.

It's a shame really, but who said life was fair?

Enjoy Life!