I got this feeling.....

It's the singer Justin Timberlake's birthday today and to celebrate it I thought I'd share the song that he sings that make me feel happiest, it's called "Can't Stop the Feeling." Every time I listen to it I feel deep down happy! I hope it has the same effect on others. To everyone who reads this I wish you a very happy Thursday and an even happier Friday to come.

When you're happy, the season doesn't matter

"People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy." Anton Chekov

It's really cold and stormy where I am so this quote seemed appropriate. I like the fact that when people are happy they're just focused on that happiness and all the things that are helping them feel happy. Happiness is the best distraction! I hope that you surround yourself with the things that help you feel happiest! 

What not to wear

"Never wear anything that panics the cat"-P.J."- O'Rourke

Let this stand as a public service announcement because obviously cats have a unique fashion sense and I have yet to meet a person that likes an angry cat!

Never wear anything that panics the cat. P. J. O'Rourke
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/p_j_orourke_104047

Never wear anything that panics the cat. P. J. O'Rourke
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/p_j_orourke_104047

Dancing work out

Because it's been really cold outside where I am, I've taken to dancing in my apartment because it's warmer and I love dancing. I think when something feels fun it makes challenges seem more "doable".  Plus, there's something very freeing about dancing and not really caring how I look when I'm dancing. One song that I particularly like dancing to is the song "Happy by Pharrell Williams because well, it's happy! So, my hope for all who read this is that you can (when you feel like it) dance like no one is watching!

A secret of life

"One of the secrets of life is that all that is really worth the doing is what we do for others."-Lewis Carroll

I do often find that I feel happiest when I'm doing things to help other people. For me, there's just something really nice about seeing people happy and knowing that I played a part in helping them feel good. So in the spirit of helping people smile, I enclose a funny video in the hope that it will help brighten someone's day.

Learning through music

Yesterday I went with my father to a community sing-a-long to the Hamilton musical in Melrose. What I liked best about it was that it mainly involved a lot of young kids singing songs from the musical Hamilton which is about the life of Alexander Hamilton. I had originally thought the performance was going to be mainly adults singing along but it seemed really cool to me that these kids were so excited about the musical and history by extension. I like the fact that music can be educational and that it can get people interested in learning new things. It kind of makes me wish more things were set to music just because it's fun. Anyway, wherever you are reading this I hope there is a lot of music in your life and that you learn a lot from it!

A nice dinner with my father

My father has come to visit me and per tradition he took me out to a nice restaurant called Turner's Seafood Grill in Melrose, MA for dinner. We both had a lovely dinner. It was especially nice because the waitress was really kind and friendly and chatted with us for a while while she took our orders and then brought us our food. That dinner made me think of how there's nothing like a good meal, good meals are best shared and good food (at least to me) makes people friendlier somehow. Plus, this meal was extra nice because I got to share it with my dad. Wherever you are reading this I hope that you have the opportunity to eat a meal that makes you feel happy and that you eat it with people that help you feel happiest!

Figurines!

My father has come to visit and has brought me some figurines! Specifically, they're figurines of children all dressed up in old fashioned clothing.  I like them because I grew up seeing them in my house and there's something really cheerful about them. It's funny how objects that can't move and are just there to be looked at still make me feel good inside. They are treasured by my family and I treasure my family.  So all in all, the figurines show me that happiness can be found in the smallest things.

Memorable chocolate

"Chocolate is the first luxury. It has so many things wrapped up in it: deliciousness in the moment, childhood memories, and that grin-inducing feeling of getting a reward for being good."- Mariska Hargitay
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/mariska_hargitay_574458

When I think of chocolate it does feel rather like a reward to me. I remember once when I was much younger, my sister, my brother and I would set up a lemonade stand outside our house.  My mum would help us make the lemonade and we'd sit outside on a plastic children's picnic table with lots of plastic cups and a big jug of lemonade an an easel displaying that we were selling it for 25 cents a cup. It has to be said that the road where my childhood home sits on  doesn't usually have a lot of traffic as it is  very rural road surrounded by farms, one of which is ours. However, quite a few people do bike down the road and it was our hope they'd stop and want lemonade. One day, I'll never forget, I was sitting out there with my siblings and a woman in a car stopped at our stand. She said that she stopped because she read somewhere that kids would be psychologically damaged if you didn't stop at their lemonade stands. (I remember thinking "psychologically damaged" was the longest phrase I'd ever heard at the time, but I digress.)  I remember that the woman said she didn't have any money but she did have a chocolate bar which she gave us to share. For whatever reason it didn't occur to us that you shouldn't take candy from strangers but it turned out to be fine as it really was just chocolate. So in that instance chocolate was a lovely reward and currency!

A place that looks "lived in"

I've always liked places that look "lived in". Basically, they're places that have personality and things in it that in some way describe the sort of person that lives there and belongs there.  Maybe such places are a little cluttered but at the same time, at least to me, the clutter makes those places seem warmer  and nicer to me.  I resolved a long time ago that wherever I lived, it would be in a place that always felt "lived in," where people would always be able to tell someone was there. Wherever you call home, I hope that there are many things in it that help you feel that you belong there.

Love is a force

"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend." -Martin Luther King Jr.

I know that I go on about love quite a bit but it's because I feel like people don't talk about it enough. The way I see it, love is a topic you can never really exhaust. Plus there are examples in literature (think Romeo and Juliet) and in life. I read just the other day about 2 soldiers that had been enemies in World War II and they are now friends years later. (You can read more about them here: http://tinyurl.com/y76shevq). The story reminds me of something someone once said to me about how anger and hatred seem to come from pain and people feel pain because things they care about have been harmed in some way.  So in this way, love is even at the root of pain and consequently anger and hatred by extension.  To me love is at the root of all things. In that spirit, I send much love to everyone.

A beacon for sunlight

"I don't think there's anything on this planet that more trumpets life that the sunflower. For me that's because of the reason behind its name. Not because it looks like the sun but because it follows the sun. During the course of the day, the head tracks the journey of the sun across the sky. A satellite dish for sunshine. Wherever light is, no matter how weak, these flowers will find it. And that's such an admirable thing. And such a lesson in life." -John Clarke from the movie Calendar Girls

Fun fact: Apparently, according to this article (http://tinyurl.com/yalwnrlr), sunflowers follow the sun to help them grow and attract insects so they can be pollinated. That aside, I always quite liked sunflowers because they always seem so cheerful and they never cease to cheer me up if ever I feel less than upbeat. Whatever makes you feel happiest I hope that today brings you lots of opportunities to experience it!

A band of brothers

I saw this news story from a while ago about a group of boys that went out of their way to help a boy named James who was being bullied at school because he has a disability (You can watch a clip about the boys below). The boys made a point of spending time with James and even got him a PlayStation and video games. I liked the story because it shows how good people can be to each other despite any differences that exist between them.  I figure the kinder we are to each other the better the world is made by each act of kindness. In that spirit I send much love to everyone.

Give with joy

"There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward." -Khalil Gibran

I find a lot of joy in giving. There's something nice about seeing people happy and knowing that I did something to contribute to that happiness. So in that spirit, I send love to everyone as I figure it's the best gift I can give.  Happy Friday everyone :)

Courage and hope

"You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world's problems at once but don't ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own." Michelle Obama
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/michelle_obama_415504

It's the former First Lady Michelle Obama's birthday and to celebrate it I thought I'd share some words of wisdom from her. I hope that wherever you are reading that you have courage that is contagious!

A happy life

"A happy life is one spent learning, earning, and yearning."-Lilian Gish

I really like this quote because I believe that there's always more to learn, I enjoy earning people's trust and friendship and I yearn always to learn more and love more. To me those things are the best things in life and with all those things as part of my life, I am happy. Wherever you are reading this, I wish you much happiness now and always.

Always be kind

"Wherever there is a human being there is an opportunity for kindness." -Lucius Annaeus Seneca

One thing I love most about people is that everyone has the capacity to be kind. For example, today I read about a high school baseball team that started doing a random act of kindness challenge which they called a RAKE challenge (Random Acts of Kindness and Empowerment challenge).  Apparently various youth sports teams are doing this challenge throughout New Mexico which I thought was pretty cool.  Anyway, the team featured in this article (http://tinyurl.com/ya3sqq6u) helped out cafeteria workers in their school by preparing meals and delivered doughnuts to the staff at the school's front office. What I like about the story and the acts of kindness that these students performed, is the idea that each act builds upon each other act and can together make a big difference in people's lives.  This idea makes me believe that, despite all the bad things that might exist in our world, the fact that people can be kind and do kind things for others gives me hope for the future. Wherever you are reading this, I wish you a very happy Tuesday!

Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness. Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lucius_annaeus_seneca_106288

Funny video for a Monday

I saw this video and I thought it was pretty funny and fitting for a Monday. I hope that wherever you are reading this, that you had a very happy Monday and that you have an even happier Tuesday to come!

A Fun Concert

I've always felt happy when I'm singing and today the acapella group the Harborlight Show Chorus that I'm part of had its first concert and it was really fun. The theme of the concert was called "In One Lifetime" and it included songs that spoke to different aspects of life such as being a parent, having great days, living life to the fullest. One of my favorite songs that we sang is called "In My Life" by the Beatles as (at least it seems to me that) it's all about loving people unconditionally. Although I don't have a recording of my group singing the song,  below is a recording of a group that sings a similar version of the song that we sang. I just think it's really pretty. Anyway, I wish everyone a very happy Sunday!

Morning happiness!

I saw this video of a very happy baby and it made me smile. I hope that wherever you are reading this that you have many reasons to feel happy and I wish you an even happier tomorrow.

Don't let things knock you down

I heard this song today called "Can't Knock Me Down" by Anna Mae and I really liked it because listening to it made me feel stronger.  So my message for today is that things don't have to get you down unless you let them. I hope that wherever you are reading this that you find strength in yourself and never give up.

As it's a New Year

If I could give anyone a piece of advice for the new year it would be to take every opportunity to tell people you love them. I feel like people don’t always feel loved and I also feel that all we have in life is each other. So I figure that if more love is spread, we’re all better off. To that end, I send love to everyone.

May you find the thing that makes you feel most free

"I wish that every human life might be pure transparent freedom."- Simone de Beauvoir
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/simone_de_beauvoir_145806

I like this quote because it makes me think of how good it feels to do things that make me feel free. I  find that I feel freest when I write because it's something I know that I can do well and it helps me to feel calm. Wherever you are reading this I hope that you find the thing that makes you feel really free and do it regularly!

I wish that every human life might be pure transparent freedom. Simone de Beauvoir
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/simone_de_beauvoir_145806

I wish that every human life might be pure transparent freedom. Simone de Beauvoir
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/simone_de_beauvoir_145806

I wish that every human life might be pure transparent freedom. Simone de Beauvoir
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/simone_de_beauvoir_145806

I wish that every human life might be pure transparent freedom. Simone de Beauvoir
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/simone_de_beauvoir_145806

There is always something to succeed at

However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. Stephen Hawking
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/stephen_hawking_627103

"However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at."- Stephen Hawking
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/stephen_hawking_627103

The nice thing about success is that it is achievable.  I believe everyone is good at something and it's just a matter of finding the thing that you're good at and pursuing it. I hope that wherever you're reading this, whatever goals you set in life, I wish you every success.

There's always more to visit!

"No matter how far a person can go the horizon is still way beyond you."-Zora Neale

I always like to travel (even if it causes me to get lost) and so I like this quote because I always find that there's always more to see.  I feel like that's the fun of traveling. Even if it's just stepping out my front door,  I feel like there are there's always something new that I notice that I hadn't seen before and that makes me happy. Wherever you are reading this I hope you always find something new in each day's horizon and that each day brings you many reasons to feel happy.

A unique judo class

It is the actor and comedian Rowan Atkinson's birthday and because I think he's really funny I thought I'd share a clip from one of his TV shows that made me laugh. It certainly is very instructive about how to get through a judo class!

The art of being happy

"The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things." - Henry Ward Beecher

I always like the idea of finding happinesss in the most common things. Today for example, I was somehow happy that I had the opportunity to bake cookies because I like baking things and giving them to other people. This particular batch of cookies that I baked today will be going to the rehearsal of the acapella group I'm part of called Harborlight Show Chorus as we're having a concert next week which I'm really looking forward to. If you're in the Melrose Massachusetts area and would like to hear some lovely music the concert is next Sunday (1/13) at 4 PM at Melrose Highlands Congregational Church (355 Franklin St. Melrose, MA 02176). Hope to see you there!

Interpretations of TGIF!

Here are some ways to interpret TGIF!

THANK GOD IM FEMALE
No that’s not it
THANK GOD IM FUNNY
well. yeah…but no….
THANK GOD ITS FRIDAY
yep that’s it 🙂
TGIF!!!

Source:https://www.google.com/amp/s/thejokecafe.com/jokes/friday-jokes-quotes-status/amp/

A funny "Hymn"

I'm part of a church choir and today our choir director introduced us to a song called "The Bells of Hell Go Ding a Ling a Ling a Ling.  Although it's from a rather serious movie about World War I called "Oh What a Lovely War" I still think the song is funny. Now we just have to find the best church service to sing it in! (PS: The fact that the clip below makes this "hymn" sound like a drinking song to me makes it seem even funnier!)

A silly story

I always liked bedtime stories as a child and so because it’s night time where I am now, I thought I’d share a silly story with all of you!

I want to tell you a story
About a snail who jumped in a hole and caught it’s tail?
Shall I begin it?
That’s all that’s in it!


Happy Wednesday everyone!

A wish for a new year

As it is a new year I thought I'd share a song with you all. I am still developing my singing skills in terms of musical expression but I still think this song is pretty and it is sent to all who read this from my heart. I want to wish everyone a very Happy New Year!