Happiness is...a stroll amongst the cherry blossoms.

Sometimes I forget that I live here.  Well, the past few weeks I haven't really 'lived' anywhere but my couch, which totally doesn't count.  But I finally had a couple of nights of semi-restorative sleep and fell prey to the enticements of a friend to go out after work and enjoy the cherry blossoms. And as I wandered through the hordes of people (tourist season is already upon us), past the monuments of stone and water I was struck again by the beauty of this amazing city that I sometimes take for granted. It's only a 15 minute or so car ride from my house across the river to the heart of it all, depending on traffic, but too often that river can feel as vast as an entire continent instead of just a short bridge span long. I definitely don't venture over it often enough.

This year marks the centennial of the gift of the 3,000 cherry trees from Japan that line the tidal basin around the Jefferson Memorial. Each year there are countless predictions of peak bloom time around which a month-long festival is planned.  There are parades and dances, concerts and special restaurant menus, races and tons and tons of people.  It's quite the extravaganza.

In past years I've been able to see the blossoms at sunrise and in the height of the day's sun, but this year we hit it just prior to sunset and it was spectacular. The opening ceremony and official kick-off of everything isn't until Sunday but because of our unseasonably warm winter the peak bloom time has already begun. The air was heady with the scent of the millions of blooms and warm enough that I didn't even need a jacket until well after the sun had set. The sun was dipping low in the sky as we set out throwing a golden glow over everything it touched (though it did make picture taking a little difficult!) And then the night came on slow and dark but sprinkled with the lights reflecting off the white stone of all the monuments and memorials. (I love DC at night!)

At the far end of the basin is the newest addition to the memorials, one for Martin Luther King, Jr. It's had its share of controversy in its short existence which I can understand, but it's also quite striking and impressive standing 30 feet high or so. (And seeing it made one more thing I can cross off my DC bucket list!)

(BTW-If you've never been to the nation's capitol I would heartily encourage you to do so, and to visit during spring when she's dressed in her finest and bursting all over with loveliness.)

It had all the makings of a practically perfect evening and went a long way to restoring some energy and some much needed faith in the world and my place in it. Now if I can just figure out how to slow down time enough to get done all of the things I've neglected the last little while and still find time to stop and smell the roses cherry blossoms occasionally...any ideas?

Happiness is...a good night's sleep.

Several things have worked together to lead me to this post this week.

In my overtired and overemotional state that seems to be my norm of late I was missing my grandpa something fierce the other day and wishing I could just spend some time with him. I longed to go back in time to when my cousins and I would gather in his living room listening to and discussing music and his memories. I also recently read a book about a girl who is obsessed with music and could quote songs and bands and lines of lyrics and dates and albums like nobodies business. (I took notes the entire time of bands and songs I needed to familiarize myself with.) And then this past Sunday afternoon I was able to spend some time with a friend after church trading ipods and discussing various bands, types of music, favorite pieces, and listening to snippets of songs from high school and childhood, bits of Bach and Beethoven and everything in between.

And I realized that while music plays a huge part in my life (I have a constant soundtrack going practically 24/7) it's almost always in the background, as a filler or being interrupted. Rarely do I take the time to focus on just listening to a piece. Even when I'm at a concert part of my attention is spent watching the performers or taking in the audience (or jumping around screaming and singing along if it's appropriate to do so) or being otherwise engaged and not fully concentrating on just hearing and experiencing the music itself.

And then I was reminded of a time back in college when I was forced to use music to fall asleep in order to drown out the squeaky couch downstairs and/or the slightly off-color long distance phone calls in the next room. As I've been having some trouble sleeping lately I thought maybe I'd try a little experiment. Last night I made myself a cup of hot vanilla chamomile tea, put on my fuzziest socks, turned out all the lights and snuggled under the covers before pushing play on my stereo. And then I closed my eyes and just listened. I soaked up the soulful sounds, breathed in the beats and relaxed to the rhythms, until I finally fell asleep, carried to dreamland on the dulcet tones of Mr. Davis' horn. It was the best sleep I've had in weeks (though that really isn't saying much and the sleeping pill probably played a part as well.)

So, close your eyes and take a few minutes to just relax and listen, absorb the music and then tell me which pieces or artists I should include on a nighttime playlist. (Seriously, I want suggestions. My very sleep depends on it!)

Happiness is...a bit of spring.

There's a movie quote from An Affair to Remember that's been running through my mind a lot lately:
"Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories. We've already missed the spring."

Never fear, I have many warm memories, but I do feel as if I'm missing the spring.

The air has warmed considerably, the cherry blossoms are doing their thing and I'm stuck inside with just the barest glimpse of it all through my car window on the ride to and from work (though thanks to daylight savings time I do get a little better glimpse now than I did last week.)

Spring is my favorite time of year (when it isn't fall) and I usually try to spend as much time as possible wandering through gardens and parks beneath blossom- and bud-laden branches meticulously looking for hints of bright green and specks of color as one would look for Waldo.

This afternoon I forced myself to take a short walk after work and it had the effect of being both equally exhausting and refreshing.

The sun soaked into my winter bleached skin and warmed my sockless feet. The slight breeze played with the loose strands of my hair and the birds and blooms fought for my limited attention. It was heaven. (But I may have to call in sick tomorrow to make up for it!)

So, your task today is to stop what you're doing, go outside and enjoy just a moment or two of the weather around you, take in the changing seasons and the re-birth of the world and maybe find yourself feeling a bit re-born as well.

Happiness is...a good book.

I apologize for the sporadic posting of late. It seems most days I have the energy levels of a tranquilized sloth and my brain is a pile of goo. But on those rare moments that I do seem to have most of my wits about me (ie I'm not vegging out in front of the tv) I have been doing a bit of reading. So here are some mini-reviews of a few of my favorites from the past couple of weeks.

 

Icefall
Author: Mathew J Kirby
Pages: 325
Age Range: 10+
Published: 2011
Genre: Historical Fiction
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: *****
Rating: PG

Princess Solveig and her siblings have been taken to a hidden fortress at the top of a fjord to wait out the winter while her father battles the neighboring king. When their livestock begins to die and their guards poisoned it's clear a traitor is in their midst. And it's up to Solveig to uncover the truth. As she studies to become a skald (storyteller) the Norse myths and stories she tells lead her to understand who she is and give her strength to stand up and be brave when her older sister and brother fail to do so. Full of adventure, mystery, rich culture and self-discovery, this is a beautifully written little story. I loved it!

 

Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade
Author and Illustrator: Melissa Sweet
Pages: 32
Age Range: 5+
Published: 2011
Genre: Biography
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: ****
Rating: G

Tony Sarg loved tinkering with and creating things. After leaving his home in London for New York City he finds a job creating puppets and animatronics for the window displays at Macy's but he wants to do more. When Macy's decides to sponsor a holiday parade Sarg is enlisted to bring his creations to life on a grand scale, eventually creating the large character balloons we know and love today. This is a great 'unsung hero' sort of biography of the creative genius who has had a lasting effect on kids today (one of his protegees worked on the puppets for The Lonely Goatherd scene in The Sound of Music and then acted as teacher for Jim Henson!) The story is smoothly told and the illustrations are perfect, using a mixture of mediums including sketches from Sarg's idea books and clips from the newspaper showing the original puppets.

 

Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom
Author and Illustrator: Shane Evans
Pages: 32
Age Range: 4+
Published: 2010
Genre: Historical Fiction
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: ****
Rating: PG

A minimalist approach to the Underground railroad. The text is sparse, each page containing just a short sentence, sometime as few as 2 words and the illustrations are a perfect match. Each dark page focuses on the crudely angular faces of the slaves as they escape through the darkness. You see their fear and hope and anxiety as they crouch beneath bushes and run from the slave catchers. And finally the last spread has them all reaching freedom, their faces exultant, the sun high above illuminating everything around them. It's simple yet powerful, basic enough for the youngest of readers but with plenty of opportunity for discussion and elaboration with older readers.
For a great lesson on the evolution of civil rights, pair this with Evans' We March, published this year which uses the same approach to telling the story of the march on Washington.

Crafty Chloe
Author: Kelly DiPucchio
Illustrator: Heather Ross
Pages: 32
Age Range: 4+
Published: 2012
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: ****
Rating: G

Chloe is crafty. She loves to make things and she's very good at it. But when she's invited to a birthday party she struggles to find the perfect gift, especially when she runs into one of the popular girls who brags about the doll she's just bought. But Chloe sticks with her talents and creates something wonderful. When the party day arrives and the mean girl's gift is ruined Chloe has a chance to return the rudeness but instead steps in to help save the doll and the day. Another cute story about being yourself and taking the high road of kindness.

Everneath
Author: Brodi Ashton
Pages: 370
Age Range: 13+
Published: 2012
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: ****
Rating: PG -13

Nikki makes a fateful decision to return from the underworld after having spent six months there with Cole, the immortal who is hoping to rule as its king. Back with her family, and her boyfriend Jack, Nikki is trying to forget what happened and find a way to remain in the human world, knowing full well that it's only a matter of time before the power of the immortals and the everneath force her to return. Based loosely on the Persephone myth, this was a surprisingly fun paranormal romance with well-developed characters and the bonus of being set in Park City, Utah (it's always fun when you recognize places in the story!)
 

Extra Yarn
Author: Mac Barnett
Illustrator: Jon Klassen
Pages: 32
Age Range: 3+
Published: 2011
Genre: Fiction/Fantasy
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: ****
Rating: G

A young girl in a drab, frozen village finds a box full of colorful yarn and proceeds to make sweaters for all of her friends, the woodland creatures, and even the barns and buildings! Word spreads and soon people are traveling to see this miraculous girl and all she's done. When a greedy archduke arrives on the scene he offers to buy the box and when the girl refuses to sell it he sneaks in the middle of the night and steals it. But when he gets home he finds the box empty and angrily throws it out to sea...I'll let you read it to find out what happens next! Creativity, ingenuity and the power of one person to change the world are all celebrated in this softly illustrated, quirky masterpiece. Love it!

 

One Cool Friend
Author: Tony Buzzeo
Illustrator: David Small
Pages: 32
Age Range: 4+
Published: 2012
Genre: Fiction
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: ****
Rating: PG

Elliot, a most-proper child who dresses in suits and ties, takes a shine to the penguins when his father takes him on a trip to the aquarium. While his father is buried in a newspaper, Elliot asks if he can bring a penguin home. The dad, assuming a stuffed toy is the topic of conversation, agrees and hilarity ensues as Elliot and the penguin have adventures together under the not-so-observant nose of dear old dad. A twist at the end of the story makes it all the better! The illustrations are smart black-and-white affairs and kids will relate to the half-permissions and misunderstandings of a parent who isn't giving 100 percent of their attention to the child. And, it has penguins! :)

 

Otto the Book Bear
Author and Illustrator: Katie Cleminson
Pages: 32
Age Range: 3+
Published: 2012
Genre: Fantasy
Cover Score: ***
Overall Score: ****
Rating: G

Otto is a character in a book who loves it when his story is read! But when his owners move away and his book is forgotten he ventures out in search of a new home. The tiny bear is practically invisible on the busy city streets but finds his way unscathed to a building full of books and other characters just like him. The illustrations are darling and the story, simple, but one that will have kids peeking into the pages of books to see if the characters are living different lives when their books aren't being read. A literary precursor of sorts to tales like The Velveteen Rabbit and Toy Story.



 

Baby Bear Sees Blue
Author and Illustrator: Ashley Wolff
Pages: 32
Age Range: 2+
Published: 2012
Genre: Fiction
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: ****
Rating: G

When baby bear awakes from his winter's sleep to find a world full of colors just outside his cave. He wanders about asking mama bear all about the things he sees. There are green leaves and the blue sky and even a rainbow! After the busy day the two bears curl up in their cave just as the black darkness settles in. This is a simple concept and one that has been done a million times before (and will be done at least a million times after!) but this version is standout. The relationship between parent and child, the inquisitive nature of children everywhere, and the beauties of nature are all deftly addressed. And the richly colored woodcut illustrations are gorgeous. Perfect for those little ones who are ready for a bit of story with their basic concepts.


 

Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Author: Laini Taylor
Pages: 418
Age Range: 13+
Published: 2011
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: *****
Rating: PG-13


Karou lives a strange life shuttling back and forth between her art classes in Prague and the world of the chimera, the only family she has ever known. Brimstone, a devil, has taught and protected her and given her all she needs, all but the answers to who she really is. One night the portals all across the city go up in flames and she is left in the mortal world with no way back and no answers. Soon a seraph, the chimeras enemy, makes himself known to her and the two find themselves strangely drawn to each other despite their deep-seated animosity. It seems Akiva just might hold the key to her past...and her future. Beautifully written and intriguing with fleshed out and curious characters this is an exceptional addition to the glut of paranormal romance on the market.


A little lacking in the novel department which shows you how my attention span has been working (not so well). I have several grownup books in the works but none of them are really doing it for me right now so it's really slow going. Any recommendations? What have you read lately that has captured your attention and kept you thinking about it long after you've closed the covers?

Happiness is...a fond childhood memory.

I have lost two cherished icons in the space of a week.

Last Friday the world lost the last half of the husband-wife team that created the much-loved Berenstain Bears books. Jan passed away after having suffered a stroke at the age of 88. (Her husband Stan passed away in 2005.) I don't know of anyone who hasn't grown up reading their books, whether as a parent to their child or as a child themselves. Probably best known for their tales with a moral, they've dealt with everything from sibling rivalry to too much junk food, stranger danger and even religion. Their books have taken a bit of turn towards the schmalz as of late, but their early stuff is priceless, with their beginning readers the best of the best.

Many a night I would beg for another reading of The Spooky Old Tree (still one of my favorite reads!), inducing the juiciest of chills followed up by a nice, warm happy ending, perfect for even the youngest of readers. *Warning* It's a gateway book for harder stuff. I blame it entirely for my late elementary school fascination with the likes of Agatha Christie and Edgar Allan Poe!

And I probably could still recite to you the entire text of Inside, Outside, Upside-Down and The B Book...they're very Seuss-esque, which is appropriate as he helped get them started in the publishing world.

The world is a much sadder and duller place for their loss.

Go here, to see a complete listing of their books, to play some fun games, and more.

And here to read a great memorial from the Huffington Post.

And then today I was hit with the news that Davy Jones had died after suffering a heart attack. For those of you not familiar with the great silliness that is The Monkees, go here and fix that, right now.  Or take a gander at these clips.

(Davy's signature song)

(The opening and closing credits of their TV show)

The Monkees was a musical group created to ride on the wave of the Beatles popularity. They were commissioned to star in the offbeat and sometimes ridiculous tv series where they often bumblingly solved mysteries ala Scooby Doo while meeting pretty girls and occasionally breaking into song. Their songs were released on records and they even went on tour. They were goofy and quirky and really not all that talented, but they were charming and so completely likeable that they were a huge success for several years.

As all the best things do, they came back into fashion many years later. In the 80s MTV and a few other stations began showing the reruns and a whole new generation fell in love. My mom happened to have nearly all of their records and so I inherited them along with a mad passionate crush on the token Brit (they had to have a cute guy with an accent if they were going to feed off the Beatles frenzy), Mr. Davy Jones.

Oh, he was so cute! He was my first celeb crush and I was devestated when my mom finally pointed out that he was older in real life than she was (reality can be tough on a 4th grader) but I've never lost my soft spot for him, nor my love for the Monkees in general. (I can still do a few of the interpretive dances my cousin and I worked up to some of their songs when the occasion calls for it ...the 'occasion' being any time one of the songs come on my ipod during shuffle mode!)

RIP my friends, you carry a bit of my childhood with you to your graves. Guard it well.


*Disclaimer--
I'm beginning to feel as if I ought to change the 'happiness' tag on my blog. Sorry about all the downer posts lately. I'll try to do better, I promise!

Happiness is...having a place to whine. *update*

Okay, so I’ve had a few conversations, a good cry while watching PS I Love You, a long day off of work with some much needed naps, an excursion away from my couch which made me feel almost human again, and yes, some ice cream. And while I’m still exhausted and frustrated here are some truths I’ve uncovered and rediscovered.

In addition to my rampant spate of tv watching I’ve spent a lot of time online sometimes reading blogs but more often on facbook or pinterest as they take less brain cells and stamina. But I realize that they’re also feeding my feelings of inadequacy as I see all of the perfect parties I’m not throwing, the delicious meals I’m not preparing (or eating), the clothes I’m not sewing , the crafts I’m not creating, the houses I’m not decorating, the adventures I’m not having, the music I’m not listening to, the marathons I’m not running, the books I’m not reading, the stories I’m not writing, the husbands I’m not wooing, the children I’m not raising…the list is endless and very discouraging and compounded by the fact that right now I’m not doing much of anything at all.

Some of these amazing bloggers are gifted writers, creators, entertainers, parents and more and I love that the internet gives us this unique forum to get glimpses into people’s lives and be enriched and encouraged by their talent and example. It gives me something to strive for, but it also gives me plenty of ammunition with which to judge myself and all of my inadequacies.

I have some wise friends who have blogged about this very thing much more eloquently than I will (and I thank them for their thoughts) and I’ve had a few gentle reminders in the form of song and scripture come to mind in the past few days. I’ve been really struggling to learn of God’s plan for me, recognizing and appreciating my own gifts and abilities and fighting with my feelings that I have to have everything perfect and right now. I know one of Satan’s greatest tools is discouragement and he’s been working overtime on me lately in this weakened state. But when this song played on my ipod this afternoon the message came through loud and clear. To everything there is a season and right now my season is one of healing.

Another great reminder came as I was flipping through my scriptures-- literally, there was no reading involved, but for some reason this verse jumped out at me:

Mosiah 4:27
And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength.

I realized that yes, I have a lot of things I need and want to be doing right now. But God is aware of my plans as well as my situation and doesn’t expect me to do more than I am able, and at this point that is very, very little. And that’s okay. And if it’s okay by God then it certainly ought to be okay by me. For now I will do what I can with what I have even if that means not much of anything at the moment. This won’t last forever and soon I’ll be able to pick up where I left off and move forward with more enthusiasm and perspective because of what I’m going through right now.

And as sort of a bookend to that thought: This scripture has been hanging on my mirror for months but it had fallen behind a photo and when I pulled it out this evening and reread it the truth of it sunk into my shallow heart.

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things though Christ which strengtheneth me.

No matter how weak I am or perceive myself to be He will bless me with the strength I need to do what is required of me at every point in my life if I will just trust Him.

Sometimes that is easier said than done though which is why He gives us friends, scriptures, music, chick flicks and ice cream to help get us over the hurdles. And scenes like these.

How can someone look at this and not know that there is a supreme being in charge of the universe and everything in it? (Including my sad little life.)

Conclusion: God is good. Amen and amen.

Happiness is...having a place to whine.

I'm feeling very frustrated.  I think this virus might kill me.

Okay, not literally but still...

I came home from my trip feeling uber motivated to make some changes.  I'd set some pretty ambitious New Year's resolutions and was all gung-ho to get busy on them just as I got sick.  The first week I felt like I had a horrible cold so it was easier to justify the laziness and there were outward symptoms to back me up.  But now it's just the exhaustion and even though I have doctor's orders to rest and even take time off of work (ha!) it mostly just looks (and feels) like I'm lazy.

I've also spent most of my life being tired so my natural instinct is to just power through it, but some days that's easier than others. Some days I just can't do it no matter how much I want to. But I've been told explicitly that if I push too hard it will take me much longer to heal and I run the risk of getting secondary infections and such.  Pretty much after a day of work I've used up any energy I had so I come home with a looming headache, loss of any mental capacity I may have had and zero energy.

So, instead of training for a 5K, taking a photography class, writing my book, studying the scriptures, updating my resume and looking for a new job, learning to make bread, practicing the piano, going to concerts and the million other things I had planned I am doing nothing more than watching A LOT of TV. No progression for me, just lots and lots of stagnation.

With that in mind, I've decided to throw a party; a pity party.  And you're all invited.  You bring the bottomless container of ice cream and I'll provide the sappy chick flicks. Deal?

(Thanks for letting me whine.  I'll try to do better next time!)