Following Joy

The world is exploding with interesting art, music, food, destinations, shopping, etc. all of which are products and ideas of awakened joy and inspiration in one person or a group of people. Today I'm celebrating the joy that others bring to my life through their creative talents and ideas. Just a random sample, there are so many more! I always wish I was more creative but even if I never am, I celebrate the power of creativity whether I'm the creator or just the one that gets to enjoy it!  Appreciation and gratitude are part of my joy practice, staying in the moment and recognizing all the things that bring me joy so I can continue to go there!










Robert Redford's Sundance Catalog. The only thing I've ever bought there is a few rings, I've lost all except my current wedding band...I love their silver jewelry (I lost the first wedding ring...can you see a pattern?  I won't spend much on a ring since I'm so likely to lose it).  I just love to look...love, love, love the styles, but the prices are nutty.




IKEA, a fun and inexpensive place...fun date night out too, love their Swedish Meatball dinner!



World Market:  More my price range, I buy most of my jewelry and some of my clothes here...also love their art, one of my favorite artists sold a few of his graphics here and they are all on my walls. Rodney White.



Another fun artist I love Kelly Rae Roberts, someday I'd love to take her mixed media class and paint my own inspirations.  My sister has given me a couple of her pieces and I found a couple in Julian (see below).

Glen Ivy Hot Springs, what a cool place to spend the day pampering yourself!  I have good memories here spending time with my sister and cousin, I look forward to going back!

And yet a new artist I just found: Kelsey Montague and The What Lifts you Campaign...incredible street art of angel wings!





Trader Joe's...it's groceries, but it's small, healthy and interesting!






Oceanside Harbor, my current home...love living here!













The Sylvia Beach Hotel an amazing experience if you are a book lover, in Newport OR...I only went once but I often think of going back.










Little free libraries, I LOVE seeing these around, I'm going to make one for my own home someday!

Shakespeare and Company in Paris, yep that's me...we went at least three of the days we were there and bought books...just because I couldn't resist being in that space!


















Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, wonderful ocean hiking, I grew up on this trail...it was my oldest brother's favorite 'secret' surf spot and he was the one that let me in on the secret, it will always hold a special place in my heart.  Recently we spread his ashes at Bathtub Rock were he surfed.  This was originally called Fat Man's Misery, we used to hike it as children and you had to squeeze between the sandy cliffs.  Since it has been made into a reserve there are now regular trails, stairs and lookouts. Incredible place!
















Crepes, it's pretty much all I ate in Paris.











Brother Benno's  A food kitchen I serve in at times with Girlfriends Care group (not much time lately)  I love their programs and there's nothing that makes me more grateful for all I have than spending a morning serving the most needy.  I started working there after I divorced and moved across the state to start a new life...my son thought we should be on the other side of the food line (receiving) but I was in the most depressed point in my life and being able to serve those who were at least (and many much more) emotionally, mentally and physically as challenged as I felt helped me to keep my attitude in check and push through to create a new life for myself.  I was also grateful to know that I had somewhere to go if we needed to eat.


Travelocity...always planing and dreaming of my next adventure.  Greece?  Alaskan cruise? Amsterdam?  Someday!







Amazon...for almost anything I buy because I hate shopping but most especially BOOKS, used, kindle, new...whatever! I love books!  Love their movies too!








Fun cowboy boots, I have a plain gray pair, red ones I wore with my wedding dress and cute embroidered ones, can you ever have too many cowboy boots?  My dad used to always wear them, so maybe that's why I love them?  When I was 16 I went to my first concert, Tom Petty...I loved him...and he wore cowboy boots...I got a maroon pair after that and I've been wearing them ever since...I think it's time for another pair...

Netflix...love movies, in the theater or at home.

Catalina Island, our honeymoon and where we've traveled for a weekend on our anniversary almost each year we've been married now.  Specifically I have a thing for the Zane Grey Pueblo where we honeymooned, it's under renovation now and is closed.  It was the home of Zane Grey, the author and was kept pretty much the same as when he lived there, no phones/TV's, very old school.  I loved it!





Paint Nite  I'm not that creative and don't have much time to pursue it...Paint Nite works perfect for me.  My hubby loves to paint but has no time, so we go together, I follow the artist and he does his own thing, perfect night out tapping into our creativity!



Upstart Crow Bookstore in Seaport Village, fun place to just wander around in.


  A great small music venue!  My favorite show so far:

Mason Jennings












Writer's Digest...one of the few magazines I read...my own little dream world.






I'm not great at it but it's so calming to my restless mind, can't imagine my life without it anymore.




Sprinkles Cupcakes...coconut is the best!



  Massage Envy...yes, I get a massage every month!


Julian...cute little mountain town not too far from San Diego, relaxing drive and fun place to spend a day.











Facebook, lol, I have to include it since I spend a lot of time there!  I don't watch TV or listen much to the radio, it is my news source as well as a social network.  I love my group pages and I love picking what news or other pages I want to see..I filter my life to be exactly what I want to see, people, places, things  I love it!

And of course...there's my addiction...

 

Awaken Joy with Einstein

Today I'm learning a little more about Einstein...who'd of thought he would come up as I research the subject of joy! 

Kids get excited over their own creations naturally, every drawing, coloring book picture, Lego creation, or sand castle is reason to shout for joy.  Joy in creativity is as natural as breathing to a child.  As we age we become less confident, even fearful of expressing ourselves.

Did you know that as a college professor, Albert Einstein believed it was his job to awaken joy in his students?  He sought to bring to life older learners! Joy and art or not the usual things we associate with this amazing scientist."The greatest scientists are artists as well," said Albert Einstein. He believed intuition, reason, imagination and logic all connect, and that we need creativity, art and music in our lives to help us understand the world...and he was a scientist.  Ya gotta love Einstein! 

I love the encouragement to assert my own creativity as an adult, despite my fear of not being 'good enough'.  I'm reading Elizabeth Gilbert's, new book BIG MAGIC: Creative Living Beyond Fear and she states what I've come to agree with despite my meager talents:

• "A creative life is an amplified life. It’s a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more interesting life."

In my older years, I try to bring creativity to my life, for no other reason than, as Einstein stated, to awaken joy and because I like it! I write in my blog, some poetry and enjoy paint nights that take my mind off my complicated life.  We are currently renovating a home...wow, does that take some creative instinct as we design the layout as well as the interior, fun and challenging!

Here is my office full of my own paintings, reminding me every day that there is so much more to life than my job.  I think I'll take Eintstein's advice and pursue it even more passionately to awaken my joy more fully!

For a little inspiration listen to Elizabeth Gilbert and Rob Bell on RobCast, A Good Morning with Elizabeth Gilbert

Joy in my Body

Like most women, I have struggled with accepting my body the way it is.  I don't look like a barbie doll, the role model I grew up with in a society obsessed with perfection.  However, I love the body acceptance projects that are finding their way into mainstream society and am working to accept and love my own body exactly like it is. When we feel like we are ENOUGH exactly like we are, will we be at peace and feel JOY in our own skin. I'm working on that!

When I turned 50 a couple years ago, I kept a blog and posted on a new experience I pursued each week of that year.  One of the 'new' things I did was buy a complete corset outfit with stockings and heels...the whole shebang (I'm pretty tight with money so that was a big splurge for me).  I even let my hubby take a photo...new territory for this conservative girl. I must admit it was lots of fun and I felt sexy at fifty.  I wasn't comfortable  publishing the photo though, even though he really wanted it framed in our room.  I just left it as a photo in his email for the last couple of years.  However, with  my new Joy project this year, I decided to bring him a little more joy and actually print the photo for his Valentine gift...only I did something that was a little more me and created a pop art of my sexy photo shoot!  Hah! Pure Joy, loving the body I'm in!


Below are just a few of the projects and people I love that are changing the way we look at women's bodies, size, shape and age:

Calendar Girls, the movie, if you haven't seen it, you must!








Mormon Women Bare:  I'm not sure I could do this but I'm totally impressed with those who have, and Mormon women, who'd of thought?

Seeing Me Project, celebrating mature women.
















MIGHTY DOLLS, The NEW barbie dolls...empowering dolls based on real life female role models.

Pro Infirmis «Because who is perfect?» Disability acceptance project.

NYC Girl's Project The first city in the nation to tackle the issue of girls’ self-esteem and body image.




Body Writing Retreat:  I would LOVE to do this!  Kind of expensive...maybe I could do it myself?  Women paint themselves and create their own body art!  Possible Paint Nite?  I'd definitely need some wine!

Dana Falsetti, Yogi...challenging the view of a fitness instructor.