Happy Wednesday!

I hope everyone who reads this had a very happy Wednesday and I also hope that your Thursday is even happier!  I send much love and best wishes to all!

Some amusing advice

"Never put a sock in a toaster."Eddie Izzard
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/e/eddieizzar128987.html


When I was younger there used to be these books that were pretty funny  "survival guides" for odd/dangerous (and usually funny) situations and this quote reminded me of those books. They always used to make me laugh. All this got me thinking about the following warnings that I've written below in the hope that they will prevent people from being in mortal (or mortifiable) peril!

• Never try to slide down a laundry chute  ( trust me, the likelihood you'll get stuck is very high!)
• Avoid trying to go down an upward moving escalator, it's not as fun as it first appears to be!
• Avoid running after busses that are pulling away from bus stops- unless you know the driver is one of those nice bus drivers that makes a point of stopping for those sprinting after them!
• If you're getting a haircut avoid saying "surprise me" when they ask you what you want done to your hair- unless you're very sure you want to be surprised and you really trust the person cutting your hair.
• Never try to climb a ladder when the ladder is the wrong way up!

Have I personally tried to do any of these things? That's for me to know and you to ponder if you feel like it!

Memorial day

It's Memorial Day in the US and as it's a day to honor and celebrate soldiers that have died, I want to write about my grandfather. He fought in World War II with the RAF in Canada. He was actually from the US but apparently he wasn't able to get into the US Air Force for reasons I can't remember. Anyway,  He survived being shot down twice over the Atlantic and went on to run a successful insurance agency and help raise 8 children. He died an old man  and I'm glad that I was able to know him. He never spoke of the war but he always seemed very brave to me and that is what I'll always remember about him. I send best wishes to all veterans and am thinking of those that are gone.
I wish you all the very best.

Funky Town

Blues guitarist and singer/song writer T-Bone Walker was born today in 1910 and he composed this song called "Funky Town." I like it because listening to it reminds me of my dad and how he likes jazz music and I like listening to it with him.  Plus, I live in a funky kind of town! So for all these reasons, this song makes me feel happy!

How Can I Keep from Singing

I love singing and whenever I hear this lovely song called "How Can I Keep From Singing." I know it's a more serious song but it  somehow makes me feel good when I hear it, especially because there are times when I really just can't keep from singing!

An awesome app!

I saw this clip of a boy named Alex on the Ellen show who created an app to help people with disabilities find services and employment opportunities and navigate public spaces. I thought it was really cool. The app is currently a free prototype and it is called Ability app. What makes things even better is that Ellen decided to support app and helped Alex raise the money he needed and provided support to make the app the best it can be! For more information, watch the video below.

Things I appreciate more now as a (er sort of) adult

I was thinking about things I feel like I appreciate more now as an adult, here are a few:

• Cartoons! -I think that's really why I love Minions so much.
• Being able to run around. I kind of miss having recess but then again, I'm glad I can still run around outside.
• Sleeping!-No, I wasn't an insomniac as a child but I was always pretty active as a kid and I never lied nap times. Although I don't make the time for naps as an adult either, I do find I appreciate sleep more.
• Eating dinner with my family. Although I eat with friends now that I live away from my family, there's something special about eating dinner with them when I go and visit them. 
• Time! When I was a kid, as much as I valued time, I feel like it takes on new meaning as an adult.

So as you can see, the kid that I was, is still a part of me and that's what I'll always appreciate!

I just can't help myself

I was so happy when I saw this trailer for the new Despicable Me movie that's coming out soon. Minions always make me laugh and it makes me hope that everyone has something that brings them a lot of laughter and that allows the little kid inside all of us to come out and play for a bit. So, for your viewing pleasure, here are the Minions!

Hooray for glasses!

Today in 1785 Benjamin announced his invention of bifocals.  This got me thinking of how  although I don't wear bifocals, I'm jolly glad glasses were invented. They've made all the difference to so many people's lives, including mine.  Glasses have allowed me to do things I love most: read, write, do research, and best of all travel (even if I lack a sense of direction!) I'm glad there are things in the world that give people the ability to do what they need to do in life. So I say thanks to Ben Franklin and everyone else who had a part in making glasses so great!

Feeling beautiful

Today I heard this song called "Make out Wit Chu" by Queen Of The Stone Age and I started dancing to it in my pajamas, without shame mind you. For whatever reason, I really feel beautiful when I'm dancing. It makes me hope that everyone has a song that makes them feel beautiful inside and out because to me everyone is beautiful!

Joyful Joyful

I love gospel music and so when I saw the clip below I had to share it. Since today is Sunday, it seemed particularly appropriate. It just made me feel really happy and I hope that wherever you are reading this, that you have reason to feel joyful!

An awesome day!

I had an awesome day! First, went to Walk for Epilepsy in the morning where I got to see my friends and meet really awesome people and volunteer while listening to awesome music from a great DJ that they had. Plus, they had a lovely lunch prepared and it was nice to sit and eat with people I care about very much. Then in the afternoon I got to watch my dear friend Sofia graduate from her course to be certified to be a Spanish language interpreter! I'm very proud of my friend for workings hard. I'm so pleased that that work has paid off! I'm also very proud of the Epilepsy Foundation of New England! I think we raised a lot of money to fund programs that help people with disabilities live more full and active lives. On the whole, it really was a wonderful day!

Walk for Epilepsy Tomorrow! (5/20)

The Boston Walk for Epilepsy is tomorrow and I'm so pleased to say that a record breaking number of people have signed up to participate in this year's event! Walk-ins are welcome $20 registration so if you live close to Dorchester Massachusetts and don't have plans tomorrow (Saturday, 5/20) come on down to Pope John Paul II Park in Dorchester, MA. (The full address is: 150 Hallet St., Dorchester, MA. Use the Hallet st. entrance.) The Walk for Epilepsy is always a lot of fun with live music, crafts, great food and fun people! Plus it raises money for the Epilepsy Foundation New England which does so much for people with epilepsy throughout Massachusetts.  For more information on the Epilepsy Foundation New England, go to this website: https://www.epilepsynewengland.org.  Even if you can't come, it's always nice to know people are with us in spirit!

Spreading the happiness!

The other day I was on a bus and I was listening to a song that made me feel really happy and all of a sudden I got to wishing that the good feeling I had just then could be felt by others sitting near me. I wish happiness was viral like that. I think it would be wicked fun to just be able to help random people feel really good and happy in the space of a minute or less simply by feeling happy near them. I just like that thought. Anyway, I keep this blog in the hope that people can feel the happiness and love in me!

A song for travelers

It's the singer Enya's birthday and she recorded this lovely song called "Pilgrim" and to me, it's like a prayer for anyone traveling. If you have to go anywhere, whether it's a short distance or far, I hope that your journey is fun and that you always find your way back home. I wish you the very best now and always.

Funny quote for the day

"Yield to temptation. It may not pass your way again."- Robert A. Heinlein
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/r/robertahe137032.html

So I say, seize the day and if something takes your fancy (as long as it does no harm to others), go for it!

Something funny for a Monday!

This clip really made me laugh today. I realize it's silly but sometimes a little silliness is called for! (Especially on Mondays!)

My lovely Mum!

I really do have a lovely Mum. She's always ready to do something fun and to try new things. This year she even agreed to participate in the Dance4Joy2017 Challenge that I started to help raise money for mental health research and treatment. Another thing I love about my Mum is that she's always been involved in growing things. She and my Dad raised my siblings and me on a farm so we all rather like doing things like pick fruit and plant flowers. I know my Mum is always there and she's helped me and my siblings grow as people and she continues to stay calm and collected no matter what comes. For all these reasons and many others, I love my Mum very much!

Sir Duke

It's the singer Stevie Wonder's birthday and I love the song he sings called Sir Duke, just because it makes me feel so happy and like I want to dance all over. I hope it has the same effect on others! Happy Saturday everyone!

A happy thing for a Friday from me to you

"Flowers are happy things."- P. G. Wodehouse
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes_of_the_day.html

If I could I'd send flowers (or at least something pretty) to everyone. Lovely flowers never fail to bring a smile to my face and I love to help people smile. In that spirit, here is at least a picture of some flowers, sent with much love from me to you.

May you have loads of blue skies!

The composer Irving Berlin was born today in 1888. He composed this song called "Blue Skies" and when I hear it, somehow it makes me feel good inside. I hope that there are many blue skies in your life and that you can find beauty in each day.

Be united but be different anyway

"To be one, to be united is a great thing. But to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater."-Bono
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/b/bono129880.html

As much as I love for people to be united, I hope people never lose sight of how awesome it is to be different! Even if it isn't easy to be different, ultimately, I've found being slightly odd is more fun! So I guess my point is be united in being different! 

Why Should I worry?

It's the singer Billy Joel's birthday and I found this song that he sang called "Why Should I Worry." It really touched my heart because when I think about worrying I just think about worrying I just think it stops joy from happening. So why worry when there's joy to be found!

Just because a little romance is fun...

The singer/actor Ezio Pinza was born today in 1892. He was famous for being in the play South Pacific. When I was younger my Mum and I used to listen to this CD of him singing the song "Some Enchanted Evening." We both thought it was terribly romantic. I really like the song not just because of that but because it is a song that always reminds me of my mum as a love of music (and South Pacific) is something we share. I also like the song's message which to me is that although love can happen anywhere, it's something that people should never let go of. 

Congratulations to Melrose Drama

I just came back from seeing Melrose High School students perform in the play Thoroughly Modern Millie. I enjoy watching and this one was particularly great! All the performers were incredible and it was fun to watch the story because I always liked the play Thoroughly Modern Millie. Watching the play today was also nice because it reminded me of when I was in school plays. A lot of the time I did    work behind the scenes but it was fun to be part of something that made a lot of people have a good time. I'm always glad to be part of music and happiness!

A wonderful weekend of singing and music!

I just came back from an awesome weekend with the Harborlight Show Chorus (all women barbershop acapella group)! Our chorus competed in a regional competition. We have been working for months practicing Georgia  On My Mind  and Rockabye Your Baby and sang the best we'd ever sung before!  It was super fun! We stayed at a hotel with a symphony hall next door where we sang. It really was lovely.  I want to congratulate all who competed!

Happy Friday!

I wish everyone the happiest of Fridays!

A salute to May the 4th for all Star Wars Fans

May the Fourth be with you! I and the rest of the Galactic Universe salute you!

I got the feeling

The singer James Brown was born today in 1933 and to celebrate him, I thought I'd share a song he sang called "I got the Feeling." It really does make me feel like dancing and I figure days are always made better by dancing. So when I listen to the song, I can't help but have a good feeling!

Somewhere only we know

It's the Singer Lily Allen's birthday and she sang a lovely cover of a song called "Somewhere Only We Know." Listening to it made me think about how nice it is to have somewhere to go (even if it's just in one's mind) where people feel like they belong and where they escape to in times of need. It's nice to have places to go!

One thing I'm glad I learned how to do

"Read in order to live."- Gustave Flaubert Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes_of_the_day.html

Of all the things I've learned in my life, one of the things I'm very glad I learned how to do. I'm glad I learned to read not just because it allows to avoid falling off cliffs and other dangerous things that warning signs tell you not to do. I'm glad because there are times when I feel like I'm happiest when I'm reading a good book. Throughout my life it has been really comforting to know that whenever I want to, I can go somewhere I couldn't ordinarily travel to, all I need to do is read a book. I hope that everyone has at least one book, magazine, website, or blog (even if it isn't this one)  that they really like to read and that they can escape into when they feel like it. I'm also grateful to people who take the time to read this blog, just because I like the idea that it is possible for me to provide a place for others to escape and feel happy. 

Happy reading everybody!