Meri's Musings

Ah, weddings! Such a hopeful occasion, a commitment to take the "now" of love into the future. In this particular case, the groom was the son of one of my best friends, Gail, shown above with her husband Dick. I think that's a good reason for joy. It was held in a rooftop venue in the Sodo area (for you non-Seattleites, Sodo is a term meaning south of the dome, the former Kingdome which was demolished years ago to make way for the new stadium in which the Seahawks and Sounders play football, both American-style and Euro-style. It's across the street and a bit east of Safeco Field, home of the Seattle Mariners.) That's a long way of getting around to saying that there was a spectacular view of downtown, and Puget Sound off to the west.  The building flying the flag  is the headquarters of Starbuck's. You may not get the drift of the wedding from this pic of the groom, Geoff, but it had a Lego

I love the joy of creating. The mystery of where ideas germinate. The intense focus. How things come together as if by magic. "From Where I Stand" created by MeriMagic on Polyvore.com The spiritual practice of being present and letting be what may come. I also find lots of joy in my "birthday boy," and what a fine man he has become. (His brother, too,  who's not only  a fine man,  but fine husband and father, as well.) Sorry if I embarrassed you guys by gushing over you. What gives you joy?  What thrills you? Notice it. Cultivate it. Celebrate it. Share it. 1. do a post that tells and shows what gives you joy. 2. capture the URL of the specific post and paste it into  the Mr. Linky box along with your info. 3. Visit other players and let their joy infect you. Leave them a comment because everyone  enJOYS getting positive feedback. Let's keep the epidemic of

I just love "social commentary" art. It thrills me when someone turns a pet peeve  into a piece of art that makes other people think. Jenny Fillius is a great example. Here's what she has to say about her pieces. What gives you joy, while making you think? What thrills you? Notice it. Cultivate it. Celebrate it. Share it. 1. do a post that tells and shows what gives you joy. 2. capture the URL of the specific post and paste it into  the Mr. Linky box along with your info. 3. Visit other players and let their joy infect you. Leave them a comment because everyone  enJOYS getting positive feedback. Let's keep the epidemic of JOY going!

Walking around in Seattle the other day, I discovered a new-to-me artist Laura Castellanos. If this is characteristic of her portfolio, her work is quite childlike and whimsical. She uses primary colors with panache, accents with black and white. And the circle motif keeps showing up. The overall feeling is one of whimsy and play. They're a cross between cartoon and elementary art class, with an in-your-face graphic quality. This piece made me flash on Munch's classic, "The Scream." Here's Laura, in her own words.

The stuff of memoir. . . . a slice of one person's life that speaks to the experience of others. Who has been so protected or disconnected that they've never felt disconsolate? How do you get "over it" without losing some precious part of yourself capable of Hope Trust Loving with Abandon  p.s. Today, I'm confronting disappointment. Someone put a contract on the house I fell in love with, warts and all. I was going to meet my remodeling guru there this afternoon, but my real estate agent emailed me that the house showed up as "pending" sale this morning. Rats!

I always share what's inspired feelings of joy in me. This week, it's this thought: How are you cultivating joy? Share your wins, your misty-eyed moments, your ear-to-ear grins. Where do you find JOY? What thrills you? Notice it. Cultivate it. Celebrate it. Share it. 1. do a post that tells and shows what gives you joy. 2. capture the URL of the specific post and paste it into  the Mr. Linky box along with your info. 3. Visit other players and let their joy infect you. Leave them a comment because everyone  enJOYS getting positive feedback. Let's keep the epidemic of JOY goi ng!

Making art helps.