Meri's Musings

Time Machines

2012-01-26T07:18:00.000-08:00

We allhave our time machines.

Some take us back: they’re called memories.

Some takeus forward; they’re called dreams.

- JeremyIrons

Prayers for Rebecca

2012-01-25T13:10:00.000-08:00

Today there will be no Share the Joy.

It will have to wait until there’s news of Rebecca.

She’s undergoing painful surgery today

I’m asking you to light a candle

Send healing thoughts to the All There Is

Ask the Virgin

to intercede if you're so inclined

Or maybe Rebecca's virgin. . . .

And infuse Rebecca’s body and spirit with

Light and Joy.

Share the Joy: Bizarro Snowmen

2012-01-18T17:09:00.000-08:00

It snowed last night and into respectable hours of the morning.

The swaths of pristine white gave me JOY.

But what amused me was how bizarre 20-somethings get

When they’re building a snowman.

I think it's time to get pathologist Megan Hunt,

the Body of Proof character from the coroner's office

to do a sno-topsy.

What gives you joy?

1. do a post that tells and shows us

what gives you joy.

2. Capture the URL of the specific post and paste it

into the Mr. Linky box along with your name.

3. Then click the NEXT box (or the link)

to choose an image from the post to hook to Mr. Linky's list

so that people are enticed to visit your blog.

If you just can't get it to work, send me the info

and I'll try to link it for you.

4. Visit other players -- as many as possible --

and let their joy infect you.

Leave them a comment, because everyone enJOYS

getting positive feedback.

Let's start an epidemic of joy!

Snow Day Misery

2012-01-17T23:55:00.000-08:00

Here's my post to FinallyMe.com today:

It's a snowday here. Schools are closed and roads are treacherous. The kind of day youstay inside and eat oatmeal or mashed potatoes, at least if you're me. The kind of day that I go through my email inbox to sort out what's akeeper and what can go, all because I know I have a couple of tasks to work onand my brain is a little sluggish from the cold.

One of the emails was of the "here are your online datingmatches -- aren't you excited?" variety. Clicked on it to find threeso-called specimens. . . uh, make that candidates. So I read the first profile.

Now my general position at this point is that I enjoy my owncompany and have great girlfriends, so a man is optional. On the otherhand, I maintain the belief that it never hurts to look because you might findsomeone special whose company you enjoy even more than your own.

Not today. Today, looking mangled my sensibilities.

Here's the profile (with a couple of details altered for privacy,though I don't know why I should care):

I m 56 in body and 19 in desires. I have been married 2 tlmes.Once 4 32 years with 2 daughters. She passed away then, i met and married thewrong women 8 months ago. We serated because i was not getting enough someother thing that i will tell in private, but not here. The person i wantto meet must be super affectionnut (in private) . I have been married to once aweek ladyies, But, never again. I require severral times a day without stringsattached. My social life is quite and in small groups that I love to be with.Only positive people. I do not want to be around negitive people. I want afriend with benifits that we both want. I do not want a one way friendship.Dont contact me if you want to change me. Only women who likes giving andrecieving most types of play are willing to try it need aply for my body. Wemust both like exploring each other. My most passionate thing is governmentsthat do not solve the homless problem.

He lists his politics as conservative. I notice he says hemarried the wrong "women" 8 months ago, which makes me wonder aboutthe small groups he loves to be with.

I have no interest in this one (gosh, gee whiz -- are you thinkingI'm too picky?) and, as a result, I'm willing to share the riches. Please contact me ifyou're a several times a day without strings attached lady. (Is that anon-sequiter?) I'll put you in touch.

Any takers out there?

Share the Joy: Little Bits

2012-01-11T16:16:00.000-08:00

Today the JOYcomes from

Knowing theproject that I’ve been

Working likecrazy on is almost ready to launch

so I can finally catch up on other things

I've been neglecting. . . .

The blue skies(even if it IS cold)

Starting back upin the Memoir class, pt.2

And knowing thatI’ve already been critiqued

on my 3000 wordpiece

(it helps tovolunteer for the first week slots)

What spells JOY for you?

1. do apost that tells and shows us

whatgives you joy.

2.Capture the URL of the specific post and paste it

into theMr. Linky box along with your name.

3. Thenclick the NEXT box (or the link)

tochoose an image from the post to hook to Mr. Linky's list

so thatpeople are enticed to visit your blog.

If youjust can't get it to work, send me the info

and I'lltry to link it for you.

4. Visitother players -- as many as possible --

and lettheir joy infect you.

Leavethem a comment, because everyone enJOYS

gettingpositive feedback.

Let'sstart an epidemic of joy!

Shine

2012-01-06T06:27:00.000-08:00

Hubble Telescope Image

Listen to me:
The secret is to shine your own light
and follow your own path.
Don't worry about the darkness.
Only in darkness do the stars shine brightly.

Essence

2012-01-05T08:14:00.000-08:00

Thousandsof candles can be lighted from a single candle,

and the life of the candle willnot be shortened.

Happiness never decreases by being shared.

Buddha

My word for this year is ESSENCE.

The heart of who I am.

I am living from that place

and it’s there that you will know me.

May the blessings of peace be yours

as you go through your day.

Share the Joy

2012-01-04T16:31:00.000-08:00

What gives me JOY?

Men who bring flowers (especially scented ones),

help me on with my coat, hold chairs and open doors.

Men who love movies where no one dies or blows anything up.

Men who make me laugh and make me remember

that I can still bring the sexy.

My children who are all wonderful human beings

Knowing that I had the capacity to love one man

with my whole heart for half my life

( that would be Brendan and Gavin's dad)

and another for half my life before that. . .

(Lise's dad).

Brightly colored walls give me joy

and so does travel to places near and far. . . .

I must be easy to please.

What spells JOY for you?

1. do apost that tells and shows us

whatgives you joy.

2.Capture the URL of the specific post and paste it

into theMr. Linky box along with your name.

3. Thenclick the NEXT box (or the link)

tochoose an image from the post to hook to Mr. Linky's list

so thatpeople are enticed to visit your blog.

If youjust can't get it to work, send me the info

and I'lltry to link it for you.

4. Visitother players -- as many as possible --

and lettheir joy infect you.

Leavethem a comment, because everyone enJOYS

gettingpositive feedback.

Let'sstart an epidemic of joy!

Waste My Heart on Fear No More

2012-01-04T08:29:00.000-08:00

May Ihave the courage today
To live the life thatI would love,
To postpone my dreamno longer
But do at last what Icame here for
And waste my heart onfear no more.

~John O'Donohue ~

Share the Joy: Basics

2011-12-28T16:24:00.000-08:00

Things thatgive me JOY

Imagining a world

where everyone has fresh clean water

enough food to eat

Someone to love and laugh with

Sunshine as well as clouds (and enough rain for renewal)

A place to admire the grandeur of nature

and perhaps feel a little small. . . .

Somewhere they can feel like a star

and experience a few miracles along the way.

What spells JOY foryou?

1. do apost that tells and shows us

whatgives you joy.

2.Capture the URL of the specific post and paste it

into theMr. Linky box along with your name.

3. Thenclick the NEXT box (or the link)

tochoose an image from the post to hook to Mr. Linky's list

so thatpeople are enticed to visit your blog.

If youjust can't get it to work, send me the info

and I'lltry to link it for you.

4. Visitother players -- as many as possible --

and lettheir joy infect you.

Leavethem a comment, because everyone enJOYS

gettingpositive feedback.

Let'sstart an epidemic of joy!

Meri Christmas

2011-12-25T07:53:00.000-08:00

May your days be filled with love,

Your heart with peace,

May you sow seeds of joy,

And may you always have a

“Meri” Christmas.

Share the Joy: Zoo Lights

2011-12-20T17:10:00.000-08:00

I got a jolt of JOY

from going to ZOO LIGHTS

with Gavin, Brendan,Katie and of course

the half-pint Logan.

Uncle Gavin took stroller duty

so Brendan and Katie could take photos.

(Danielle had to work, so she was left out.)

Logan had a ride on a camel with Mom

a ride on a snarling tiger with great big teeth

(Dad was by his side, device in hand)

and a ride on a prancing horse

He also did more than his share of mugging for the camera.

He loves being the center of attention.

Mostly, I’ll let theimages speak for themselves.

and then there's my favorite just because it's a light play shot

So what gave you JOY thisweek?

Fill us up to the brim.

1. do apost that tells and shows us

whatgives you joy.

2.Capture the URL of the specific post and paste it

into theMr. Linky box along with your name.

3. Thenclick the NEXT box (or the link)

tochoose an image from the post to hook to Mr. Linky's list

so thatpeople are enticed to visit your blog.

If youjust can't get it to work, send me the info

and I'lltry to link it for you.

4. Visitother players -- as many as possible --

and lettheir joy infect you.

Leavethem a comment, because everyone enJOYS

gettingpositive feedback.

Let'sstart an epidemic of joy!

A Gift from FinallyMe.com

2011-12-17T12:30:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone –

It’s the gift-giving season so I thought I’d pass along

A wonderful gift from FinallyMe.com.

If you go HERE, you can download mp3 files

of Christmas music by Danielle Egnew

and be inspired and uplifted

as you go through The Holly-Daze.

Share the Joy: Memories

2011-12-14T17:08:00.000-08:00

I’veexperienced much joy honoring the Virgin

With many ofyou over the first 12 days of December

In goingthrough my photo collection and being flooded bunches of great memories

So what gaveyou JOY this week?

Pour some inour cups!

1. do apost that tells and shows us

whatgives you joy.

2.Capture the URL of the specific post and paste it

into theMr. Linky box along with your name.

3. Thenclick the NEXT box (or the link)

tochoose an image from the post to hook to Mr. Linky's list

so thatpeople are enticed to visit your blog.

If youjust can't get it to work, send me the info

and I'lltry to link it for you.

4. Visitother players -- as many as possible --

and lettheir joy infect you.

Leavethem a comment, because everyone enJOYS

gettingpositive feedback.

Let'sstart an epidemic of joy!

Closing Doors

2011-12-12T08:05:00.000-08:00

I read a passage in a book not long ago

that said one of most painful kinds of marriage

is one in which your partner refuses

to fully commit his (or her) heart.

I can vouch for that.

For love to grow and flourish,

the author said,

the exit door has to close.

People can't grow within a relationship

if one partner is clinging to the thought

that somewhere out there,

there might be someone better.

If that partner secretly searches

for a better deal, all the while taking refuge

in the comfort of the marriage, the relationship can't

-- and probably shouldn't -- endure.

It takes a grown up to make

a commitment to fidelity,

to making one's Beloved "the love of a lifetime,"

to the notion that closing the door

to other potential partners opens up a big space

in the soul for a whole-hearted connection.

Let's hear it for fully latched doors

and the grownups who close them.

Let's hear it for love protected by lovers with integrity.

Blossom

2011-12-11T08:28:00.000-08:00

I don’thave a goal, because existence has no goal.

It simplyis, flowering, blossoming, dancing –

But don’task why.

Just anoverflow of energy

For noreason at all.

I am withexistence.

-BaghwanShree Rajneesh (1931 – 1990)

A Touch of Calypso Red

2011-12-10T09:11:00.001-08:00

Today, Ithought that I’d give you

a little peek at my poetry volume.

Here’s thepoem that gave it its name.

Calypso Red

She silently sashays

from the rumpled bed,

little rivers running

sticky down her legs.

Her feet caress the carpet,

pianissimo, the sound of

rain so shy it's not yet

saying hello to the roof.

She holds her breath

a moment, just to listen

to him breathe. And

just because she can,

she inhales his scent,

that tangy musk she'd

pick out even if

the laundry cart

were filled with T-shirts

from a dozen differentmen.

She marvels at how quickly

he succumbed to sleep

when she's electrified.

She shuts the bathroom door

Just so, easing it

against the frame

with infinite care,

holding the knob

in her hand and

rotating it ever so gently

until she feels the tongue

slip into waiting lips

and linger there.

From the well of silence,

she pulls up a bucket

of light, so she can

admire her glossy toenails,

the ones he lacquered in

calypso red while

humming Unchained Melody

because he'd forgotten

some of the words.

She recalls his lips,

plumped by tiny bites

of concentration,

his eyes lowered like

a sultry sun caressing

the horizon as he

brushed thin lines

of polished poetry

along each perfect nail.

Not for the first time,

and not for the last,

she feelssupple fingers

of pleasuredancing

sambas on herspine.

Now, for some serious EYE CANDY
go visit Cottage and Broome.

Oh my gosh!

Share the Joy: Late Again!

2011-12-08T12:51:00.001-08:00

I’m the woman whose sign you see in gift shops all over the place.

THE HURRIED-ER I GO, THE BEHIND-ER I GET.

So I apologize for my tardiness in posting Share the Joy.

I’ve been almost too busy to notice this week, but here’s a littlejoy.

After my massage this morning

my left knee stopped being cranky and reduced

my "you're only as old as you feel" age to

I'm having dinner with Adrienne tonight and a guy (Yes, I said a GUY)

who wants to write for FinallyMe.com.

and speaking of which

I've designed a new logo for the site

and I think it has more pizzazz.

What else?

Oh you know,

the usual.

What filled your cup of JOY this week?

To play along and shareYOUR joy

1. do apost that tells and shows us

whatgives you joy.

2.Capture the URL of the specific post and paste it

into theMr. Linky box along with your name.

3. Thenclick the NEXT box (or the link)

tochoose an image from the post to hook to Mr. Linky's list

so thatpeople are enticed to visit your blog.

If youjust can't get it to work, send me the info

and I'lltry to link it for you.

4. Visitother players -- as many as possible --

and lettheir joy infect you.

Leavethem a comment, because everyone enJOYS

gettingpositive feedback.

Let'sstart an epidemic of joy!

Celebrating the Virgin - Day 5

2011-12-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

One of these must be the Queen of Heaven

Celebrate the Virgin in her many forms and guises

By joining with Rebecca and her tribe.

Over

2011-12-01T07:04:00.000-08:00

In a workshop Iattended recently, each participant

was asked to select abit of metal from a bowl,

bits with wordsembossed on them,

to choose byheart,

to choose withoutlooking,

and then to tell astory from your own life

that sprang from theword.

My word was

Itold of relationships being over

beforeI was willing to release them;
of marriages torn asunder;

ofthree infant sons, born years apart,

eachpremature, whose lives were over

withindays or weeks of their births

because.. . . well, just because.

Itold of wanting to hold on to what was gone,
of raging against reality.

Ofcoming altogether-too-slowly to Ashe-E-Tah,

surrender,acceptance of what is.

Times of having to learn the meaning of
kindness from the inside out
and applying it most gently to myself.

Icould have told of times when I declared things

overbefore their time, times when I was too young

tohave lived the cycles

inwhich love and desire ebbs and flows,

inwhich embers suddenly pop and spark

andjust the smallest bit of tinder brings forth new flame.

Tooyoung to realize that if you abandon

arelationship that hasn’t fulfilled its reason for being,

hasn’ttaught you the lessons,

thenyou’re bound to get smacked upside the head

somewheredown the line.

Too young to understand

that when that inevitable smackmade contact,

it was going to pack a potentpunch.

Itold of learning that when things are over,

thereare no shortcuts,

nogetting around the pain of loss,

thesense of failure,

theyip of unfairness.

Theonly way to get over “over” is to sit with it,

tolisten to your inner wisdom and let it guide you through,

throughto the lesson.

Itold of finding in “overness”

anew space where possibility dwells,

evenif it is merely a seed lying dormant

inthe dark waiting for the ground to soften

andgrow moist, waiting for me

torisk being vulnerable again,

waitingfor hope to triumph over sadness.

Whatstory do you hold of OVER?

Share the Joy: Little Things

2011-11-30T17:01:00.000-08:00

It was JOYFUL to spend a day with Wise Women.

To work some more on my book-in-progress.

(ok - maybe with slightly different tools)

To take camera in hand and snap away,
seeing the future in a crystal globe

finding unexpected joy in street art

Looking through the lens of the past to see Venice

through first-time eyes, holding the hands of the one I loved.

What gave you JOY this week?

To play along and share YOUR joy

1. do a post that tells and shows us

what gives you joy.

2. Capture the URL of the specific post and paste it

into the Mr. Linky box along with your name.

3. Then click the NEXT box (or the link)

to choose an image from the post to hook to Mr. Linky's list

so that people are enticed to visit your blog.

If you just can't get it to work, send me the info

and I'll try to link it for you.

4. Visit other players -- as many as possible --

and let their joy infect you.

Leave them a comment, because everyone enJOYS

getting positive feedback.

Let's start an epidemic of joy!

Retreat

2011-11-29T09:15:00.001-08:00

Yesterday morning the sky looked like this

an auspicious beginning to a day devoted

to a Wise Woman retreat.

Here are some memories of the day.

So how did you invest your day?

Share the Joy: Giving Thanks

2011-11-23T17:02:00.000-08:00

This week, I’mgiving THANKS for these things

that filled mewith JOY.

Being remindedof the Day of the Dead trip

with Rebecca,Deb, Stephanie and Dawn (and assorted others)

because of theMexican Folk Art Exhibit

at Tacoma ArtMuseum.

Anticipatingseeing the new George Clooney movie.
Not much can top spending the afternoon with George
and his molten chocolate eyes!

Knowing that I’ll get topeek in on all of you and

SHARE THE JOY that’s comeflooding into your lives this week.

What’s been filling yourcup of JOY?

To play along and shareYOUR joy

1. do apost that tells and shows us

whatgives you joy.

2.Capture the URL of the specific post and paste it

into theMr. Linky box along with your name.

3. Thenclick the NEXT box (or the link)

tochoose an image from the post to hook to Mr. Linky's list

so thatpeople are enticed to visit your blog.

If youjust can't get it to work, send me the info

and I'lltry to link it for you.

4. Visitother players -- as many as possible --

and lettheir joy infect you.

Leavethem a comment, because everyone enJOYS

gettingpositive feedback.

Let'sstart an epidemic of joy!

MeriMagic

2011-11-17T11:50:00.001-08:00

With Thanksgiving coming up in a big, fat hurry

and Black Friday with its crazy “get up early” sales

following right on its heels,

I humbly offer a gentler way to choose

a gift that might speak to the heart.

My photography sales site,

is now open for business.

MeriMagic

You can choose the size, the finish, and whether

you’d prefer paper or canvas. Some size choices

may require cropping at checkout, but you even get

to make your own cropping choices.

Each image is sent to BayPhoto, a highly regarded

Professional photo lab, for printing. Then it’spackaged

and shipped directly to you.

I’d be honored if you’d take a look.

If something touches you, all the better!

Share the Joy: Small Packages

2011-11-16T17:00:00.000-08:00

What gave me JOY this week?

The arrival of baby Brooklyn

(apple of my dear friend Gail's eye)

who was (as promised) a girl, so all those fancy littleoutfits

her mommy got at the baby shower will work justfine.

Autumn leaves that aren’t ready to let go.

Mist over the pond in the early morning.

The thoughtful beauty of Noelle’s posts.

Seeing Deb (and Matt) get dolled up at a MaryKay party.

Thinking about Rebecca’s grace and courage.

Knowing that I’ll get to peek in on all of youand

SHARE THE JOY that’s come flooding into yourlives this week.

What’s been filling yourcup of JOY?

To play along and shareYOUR joy

1. do apost that tells and shows us

whatgives you joy.

2.Capture the URL of the specific post and paste it

into theMr. Linky box along with your name.

3. Thenclick the NEXT box (or the link)

tochoose an image from the post to hook to Mr. Linky's list

so thatpeople are enticed to visit your blog.

If youjust can't get it to work, send me the info

and I'lltry to link it for you.

4. Visitother players -- as many as possible --

and lettheir joy infect you.

Leavethem a comment, because everyone enJOYS

gettingpositive feedback.

Let'sstart an epidemic of joy!

Blessings for Joe Spado

2011-11-16T09:36:00.001-08:00

Dear Joe:

May the arms of the earth wrap around you

and shelter you from harm.

May love ooze up from the cracks

And moisten your broken places.

May the passage of time heal your wounds.

And in the words of John O’Donohue,

May you be blessed in the holy names of those

Who, without you knowing it,

Help to carry and lighten your pain.

My thoughts are with you, friend. Heal well!

Meri

(I'm linking this with Rebecca's Circle of Love for Spadoman)

Sunshine Girl

2011-11-15T09:31:00.001-08:00

It always amazes me how impacted I am by the weather.

Give me a string of grey rainy days and I just want

To curl up in bed with a stack of books

until the sun breaks through the clouds again.

(I've read the Stieg Larsson trilogy and Finding Nouf,

but the others await.)

This morning, I woke to find frost on the grass

and brilliant blue skies.

A lot of leaves are still holding on despite a windy night

a couple of days ago, so there’s a glut of color.

I’m bursting with energy, but it won’t last.

The weather forecasters even mentioned

the dreaded S word last night.

So Snow, if you're listening,

flurry away in the Cascades and Olympics.

but if you have to visit us in the lowlands,

could you please be polite and fall only on the grass.

Thanks!

Share the Joy (A Day Late)

2011-11-10T07:54:00.001-08:00

Somewherealong the line, I’ve misplaced a day.

I realizedlast night about 10 o’clock

that it wasWednesday (duh!)

and I’dforgotten to Share the Joy.

I’d beenloading up photos on MeriMagic.com,

feeling lotsof JOY about places I’ve been

and things I’veexperienced.

And I've felt a profound feeling of gratitude.

What’s beenfilling your cup of JOY?

To play along and shareYOUR joy

1. do apost that tells and shows us

whatgives you joy.

2.Capture the URL of the specific post and paste it

into theMr. Linky box along with your name.

3. Thenclick the NEXT box (or the link)

tochoose an image from the post to hook to Mr. Linky's list

so thatpeople are enticed to visit your blog.

If youjust can't get it to work, send me the info

and I'lltry to link it for you.

4. Visitother players -- as many as possible --

and lettheir joy infect you.

Leavethem a comment, because everyone enJOYS

gettingpositive feedback.

Let'sstart an epidemic of joy!

Anyone Interested?

2011-11-06T18:42:00.000-08:00

I’veoffered to be the hostess for

aunique Facilitator Training Workshop led

byEvolutionary Creativity expert and

authorJan Phillips. It will start on Thursday evening,

January26, run all day on Friday, and end at noon

on SaturdayJanuary 28. If you’re not from

the Puget Sound area, that would give you the balance of

Saturdayand all of Sunday to explore

theSeattle-Tacoma area.

What you can lookforward to is a joyful experience

that will deepenyour awareness, expand your imagination,

and help youclarify what you’re an expert in and

how to make abetter living doing that.

It’s a workout onevery level---

fast-paced,intense, heart-warming, brain-stretching.

Jan assumes thatyou’re ready to take your whole life

to a higher level,to acknowledge that you are an expert,

to mine and marketthis expertise, and to create

a professional lifethat fully matches and honors

the mission of yoursoul.

Is that true?

Cost is $495 perperson for the workshop

(no lodging or food included except for lunch onFriday.)

There is only roomfor six. Two attendees are confirmed; two are

still investigatingpossibilities. So there are two to four places left,

one of which couldbe waiting for you.

If it is, pleaselet me know that you want to attend

and I'll send you the flier and let you know

the next steps.

p.s. I've done a photography workshop with Jan

and writing workshops of 90 minutes each

on 4 consecutive days at the IWWG conference.

She was inspirational!

Meri's Musings

Time Machines

Prayers for Rebecca

Share the Joy: Bizarro Snowmen

Snow Day Misery

Share the Joy: Little Bits

Shine

Listen to me:The secret is to shine your own lightand follow your own path.Don't worry about the darkness.Only in darkness do the stars shine brightly.

Essence

Share the Joy

Waste My Heart on Fear No More

Share the Joy: Basics

Meri Christmas

Share the Joy: Zoo Lights

A Gift from FinallyMe.com

Share the Joy: Memories

Closing Doors

Blossom

A Touch of Calypso Red

Share the Joy: Late Again!

Celebrating the Virgin - Day 5

Over

Share the Joy: Little Things

Retreat

Share the Joy: Giving Thanks

MeriMagic

Share the Joy: Small Packages

Blessings for Joe Spado

Sunshine Girl

Share the Joy (A Day Late)

Anyone Interested?

Listen to me:
The secret is to shine your own light
and follow your own path.
Don't worry about the darkness.
Only in darkness do the stars shine brightly.