Joy in helping

“I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy. I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy.” – Kahlil Gibran

 I find a lot of joy in helping people. Seeing people happy (or having the idea of people being happy) and having the hope that perhaps something I did played a part in bringing about that happiness is really a lovely feeling. In many ways, by helping people I find I gain things in return. Helping someone with a task has also helped me learn new skills or to examine other points of view on an issue that I hadn't considered before. I figure the more we help each other, the better off and possibly happier we all can be. If you find there is something you can do to help someone else, I hope that you choose to do that thing as doing  things to help someone could turn out to be some of the best things you can do.

Rockstar or diva?

“There’s no half-singing in the shower, you’re either a rock star or an opera diva.”– Josh Groban

In a way I think it's funny that sometimes I find I feel brave enough to sing in the shower without feeling self conscious, when all the while I'm singing when I'm completely naked. I guess it comes down to the fact that I like having music wherever I am.  Music helps me feel brave. To everyone who reads this,  even if you never sing in the shower, although (it is fun to do so, if only to annoy the neighbors!)  I hope that there is a lot of music in your life and that helps you feel brave and/or generally good inside and out.

A joke for dogs

As I felt like having a laugh today (and because I like dogs) I share this joke here just for the sake of adding a little nonsense to the day. I send everyone best wishes now and always for this Monday.

An Alsatian went to a telegram office and wrote: “Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof.” The clerk examined the paper and told the dog: “There are only nine words here. You could send another ‘Woof’ for the same price.” “But,” the dog replied, “that would make no sense at all.”

Source of joke: https://www.laughteronlineuniversity.com/funniest-joke-in-the-world/

Best diet

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie."- Jim Davis There, now you've all been instructed on the benefits of extremely healthy vegetable-based breads, let the dieting begin!

Happy Sunday everyone!

A fun afternoon on the Common

This afternoon I had a lovely time visiting with friends on Boston Common. It was really fun to meet up with them because I hadn’t seen them in a while and it was nice to just sit and talk and enjoy the sunshine. As we talked and laughed together I thought about how good it felt just to be with friends and enjoy their company. It makes me hope that whatever you’re reading this, you have people in your life that you enjoy spending time with and who help you to feel happiest. I send best wishes to everyone now and always.

Love is everything

"Ultimately love is everything." -M. Scott Peck

I believe love is really at the root of everything and that it's a force that keeps going no matter what.  It's one of the best gifts to give.  Plus, it just feels good to love people and as I want that good feeling to spread, I send much love to everyone now and always.

Penguins protect their own

I saw this video of a group of penguins protecting each other against a much larger animal. I like watching it because it shows how by working together, even animals can outwit the  mightiest of foes and protect each other.  Plus penguins always seem sweet to me.  I wish everyone a pleasant Thursday and a happy Friday to come.

Fight for happiness

“Happiness is like those palaces in fairy tales whose gates are guarded by dragons: we must fight in order to conquer it.”  -Alexandre Dumas

If people must fight, I think happiness is one of the best things to fight for. In a way I think it’s rather good that people struggle to find happiness. If real happiness were really easy to find, perhaps people wouldn’t appreciate it as much. Anyway, to all who read this, even though it can be a struggle, I hope you can find many reasons in your life to feel happy!

A fun dog

I love music and dogs and this video combined the two. I just thought it was pretty funny.  I send everyone best wishes now and always.

Random thoughts for the heck of it

I'm in a random silly mood so here's some random thoughts for today.

Random thoughts about things that puzzle me:

• Peas-It's their consistency I can't stand, they're consistently vile.
• People who decide to hate other people-I can't see the point of being pissed off all the time at random people for a stupid reason. It must be so exhausting.
• Why do people call nice/fun videos viral? Every time I read that some video has "gone viral" it makes me think of 103 degree fevers which is not something I'd like to associate with a nice video of a happy puppy. If I could get people to say such videos have gone minion instead of viral I'd be so happy although it would probably only make sense to me and no one else.
• Elevators without buttons inside them. I guess I'm really old fashioned but every time I go into one of the newer elevators with no buttons on the inside of them I get a this moment of panic that the elevator is broken but when it does manage to take me to the floor I want, I feel a strange combination of confusion and relief.
• Why is it people don't tell their loved ones on a regular basis that they love them? I feel like the nicest thing to tell someone is that you love them and it feels pretty good to say it. To that end, I send much love to everyone now and always.

A tribute to Robin Williams

The actor Robin Williams was born today in 1951 and I always rather like his movies. One of the movies he in that he starred in that I particularly like is called Patch Adams and it's about a doctor who finds creative ways to treat patients through helping them to laugh and feel more joy. Patch Adams is a real person and runs the Gsundheit Institute which you can read about here (https://www.patchadams.org/).  Anyway, in the movie, there's a scene where Robin Williams as Patch Adams visits a children's ward at a hospital where he's learning to be a doctor. He's shown making the kids laugh and it's really a nice scene that you can watch below. It made me think of all the doctors that found ways to help me feel better about being in the hospital when I was very young. I hope that doctors everywhere whose patients are children go out of their way to help kids laugh, if only because laughter is the best medicine!

Man it's a hot one

It's the guitarist Carlos Santana's birthday today and one popular song that he played guitar to accompany the singer Rob Thomas, is called Smooth. There song starts out talking about how it's really hot out and it seemed appropriate for today since it's one of the hottest days on record in Boston. Plus, listening to the song makes me feel like dancing which always helps me feel good. Wherever you are reading this I hope you're staying smooth and cool.

Smiling is infectious

I found this poem and really liked it as it reminds me to smile more and worry less. I post it here along with my best wishes to everyone.

Smile: A poem by Spike Milligan

Smiling is infectious,
you catch it like the flu,
When someone smiled at me today,
I started smiling too.

I passed around the corner
and someone saw my grin.
When he smiled I realized
I'd passed it on to him.

I thought about that smile,
then I realized its worth.
A single smile, just like mine
could travel round the earth.

So, if you feel a smile begin,
don't leave it undetected.
Let's start an epidemic quick,
and get the world infected!

 Poem source: https://www.miketurnerphotos.co.uk/smile-a-poem-by-spike-milligan/

Where there is love

Just a thought for today:

“Where there is love, nothing is too much trouble and there is always time.”Abdu'l-Baha

I send everyone best wishes now and always. 

Just a sweet video for today

Since I feel like each day could use a little sweetness, here is a video that is sweet and made me feel good inside. I send everyone best wishes now and always.

Some food for thought

Just for the heck of it, here’s some food for thought for today.

some food for thought: “Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.” – Dale Carnegie

(Quote source: https://www.keepinspiring.me/funny-quotes/)

I wish everyone a many days with less worry and many reasons to feel happy!

To be a spoke

"It's so nice to be a spoke on a wheel, one that helps it turn, not the one that hinders."-Gertrude Bell

I like this quote because I like the idea that everyone has the capacity to help big things happen. I like the idea of being part of a wheel that helps people go farther and that we can't do things without others. The way I see it, all we have in life is each other and as long as we're willing and able to work together so many great things can happen. If you are working to do something good, I hope people are working with you to help make that good thing even better.  I send you best wishes now and always.

Once you've seen.....

I thought this joke was funny and so I thought I'd share it here 


A woman has twins, and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt and is named 'Amal.' The other goes to a family in Spain, they name him Juan'. Years later; Juan sends a picture of himself to his mum. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wished she also had a picture of Amal. Her husband responds, ''But they are twins. If you've seen Juan, you've seen Amal.''   (This joke came from: http://www.jokeindex.com/joke.asp?Joke=1182)

Happy Saturday everyone!

Good advice for a Friday

Some advice for today: "If at first you don't succeed, order a pizza"-Anonymous. Ok I guess it is borrowed advice but it still seems like good advice to me. Anyway, I wish everyone a very happy Friday and an even happier Saturday to come!

A fun night at the Stoneham Theatre

I just got back from watching a free concert by the Greater Boston Stage Company at the Stoneham Theater in Stoneham, MA. The Greater Boston Stage Company is a community theater that's locally run.  This evening they put on a lovely performance of various Broadway songs performed by three people. My favorite song they performed was called The Alto's Lament and it's a really funny song about how this alto singer wanted to sing the melody  in performances and how she wanted to be a star. Overall, it was fun to watch them and hear people singing along with them. It was especially nice as I went to see the performance with friends. Everything really is better with music and friends. For more information about the Greater Boston Stage Company visit this link: https://www.greaterbostonstage.org/.

Home is where I'm happiest

"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I can find happiness in many places but most especially in places where I call home. Although I feel most at home when I'm with my family,  I've found that I've been able to feel peaceful in every place I've lived so far. Since that feeling of contentment is such a nice feeling I've worked to ensure that people who are around me feel some sense of peace or comfort. I may not always be successful in that goal but it's something I'm always working on and there's always room for improvement. In the spirit (and hope) of helping someone feel good, to all who read this I send you best wishes now and always.

He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/johann_wolfgang_von_goeth_101508

Looking at the moon

"You cannot look up at the night sky on the Planet Earth and not wonder what it's like to be up there amongst the stars. And I always look up at the moon and see it as the single most romantic place within the cosmos."-Tom Hanks
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/tom_hanks_466534


I've just come back from a trip to my parent's farm in Michigan. I like going back there because I get to see my family.  The nice thing about growing up on a farm is that because it's farther away from lots of buildings the sky looks clearer at night and consequently it makes the stars and moon look brighter  (at least I like to think so).  So this quote resonated with me as there's something romantic about being home because it's the place where I always know that there is love. I wish everyone the happiest of Tuesdays and an even happier Wednesday to come.

Getting lost in the funniest way

I tend to be very directionally challenged. I get lost so easily that I have to factor in at least 10 minutes of "getting lost time"into my estimation of how long it'll take me to get where I need to go. So when I saw the video below it really resonated with me because I like Mr. Bean have great difficulty with little things like maps (thank goodness for GPS!) Anyway, I thought the clip below was pretty funny.  The video reminds me that if one must get lost, it's nice to be able to laugh about it!

Some words to live by

“Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching.”-Satchel Paige

I like this quote because because I think dancing, love and working at what you enjoy doing are some of the best things. On a basic level I figure as long as people can love and be loved in return and can spread that love, there is hope. Anyway, I send best wishes and love to everyone.

New math

I always rather disliked math but it does have its uses and it is worth learning. To that end, I thought this song was instructive!  I also thought it was appropriate for today since Saturdays are days for amusement!

Love deeply and be loved

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”- Lao Tzu 

I’m a firm believer in the idea that the more love you have, the more you can give, so I encourage people to love more and spread love to others. In that spirit, I send love to everyone and wish everyone a very happy Friday.

Happy 4th of July

I wish all those in the US wh celebrate it, a very happy 4th of July from me and my Minions.

A healthy attitude

“A healthy attitude is contagious but don't wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier.” Tom Stoppard

If I were to have some things that are contagious (and that I could control) I’d like every good thought, every smile and every laugh I have, to be contagious. As things stand now, I hope at some point in life, everyone has cause to be contagiously happy.

Freebies

I felt like today is a good day to share a joke and I like the joke below and I hope others feel the same way about it. Happy Tuesday everyone!

I went to the bee keepers to buy some bees.

All the bees had price tags on them except one.

It was a freebie.

Joke from: http://laffgaff.com/funny-joke-of-the-day/

My parents anniversary

I want to take this opportunity to celebrate my parents’ 41st wedding anniversary! They really are the best and they show me each day that as long as there is love, anything is possible.