Anti-Monday, It’s FRIDAY!

Corwin the COVID Antibody image 0

Hello friends!! Isn’t Friday energy wonderful!! Today I woke up in an easy-going, peaceful, calm, in the flow, everything-is-going-to-be-alright kind of a mood for no particular reason. Isn’t that wonderful when that happens? I find that this kind of personal synchronicity with Life, happens most often on Fridays, don’t you? New readers, Fridays are for favorites! I don’t delve into any life analysis/questioning/probing on Fridays. On Fridays, I list three favorite things, movies, websites, songs, products, foods, etc. and I strongly encourage you to add your favorites to my Comments section. Share the happy!! For even more favorites, please see previous Friday posts. Here are my favs for today:

Corwin the COVID Antibody – The picture above is Corwin the COVID Antibody from an Etsy store called Amy’s Organbank. I read about Amy in a news story, as she is a Broadway seamstress, who is relying more heavily than ever, on her side hustles, due to the loss of the Broadway season. She is not alone, in having to find other sources of income, particularly for those in the creative arena. Amy also makes coronavirus stuffies, which she recommends buying and then running them over with your car. I love the idea of really supporting our creatives, during all of this loss and frustration, in any way that we can. Aren’t we all clinging to the things (besides our families and our friends) that bring us joy, during this tough time? And isn’t it, so very often, the dramatic shows, and the books, and the artwork, and the songs that truly bring us joy, in our daily lives?

AP News app – Like most everyone else, I hate looking at the news these days and frankly, I don’t often know which news source to truly trust, if any of them. Back when I was a teenager taking a journalism class, from a tough talking former NYC newspaper reporter, it was all about “just the facts, ma’am”. Only the Letter to the Editor was allowed to venture into any kind of a personal opinion. Nowadays, that has changed. Dramatically. I don’t think anything I read or see in the news, is without some kind of a slant. I don’t think that the AP News is much better in this “facts only” arena, but I do think that they get the important breaking news out first, and they do have good, well-written, heartwarming pieces. I found Amy and her Corwin stuffies from an AP News story. In short, this app is worth the space on your phone, even if you are just skimming the headlines.

Resiliency Journal by Maria Gamb – My daughter and I decided to restore ourselves this week, by visiting one of our all-time happy places, Barnes and Noble. I’m a big believer in the idea that the right book will come into your hands just when you need it to, if you are open to the book “finding you.” I found this little gem (or should I say that it found me), as I was wandering around Barnes and Noble, breathing in all the wonder, calm, peace, serenity, wisdom and happiness that is just so singular to book stores and libraries. As many of you know, I keep a daily short, five minute journal that asks the same questions every day (a former Friday favorite) and this book augments that practice by just five more minutes each day, with really thought provoking, self exploration. This journal was just published in 2020, so it is inspired by weathering through all of the upheaval that we are experiencing right now, in this crazy world.

Have a great weekend, friends!!! Stay safe. Stay well. Enjoy your every living moment. Revel in the simplicity, yet also the complexity of it all, all at once.

Sing Me A Song

There are wonderful stories emerging from all of this sadness, confusion and unrest:

This article shows the story and the very moving video of the Italian Air Force, flying their fighter jets to Pavorotti’s music, just a few days ago:

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a31674551/italy-flight-demo/

This story speaks of Laura Benanti, a Broadway star, asking students to post their high school performances that now have been cancelled, so that she could be a witness and eager audience to their singing and their performances:

https://www.vulture.com/2020/03/laura-benanti-invites-students-to-sing-canceled-musicals.html

Yo-yo Ma offered an online cello performance to honor all of the brave and dedicated and exhausted, healthcare workers, out on the front lines:

https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9335921/yo-yo-ma-cello-suite-no-3-coronavirus

Notice that these three wonderful stories, all featured inspirational music. Yesterday, I sat out on our back porch with my youngest son. He introduced me to “lofi” music. I’m an instant fan. I highly recommend giving listening to “lofi” a try, as we weather out these scary times together. Let’s use my Comments section to share other uplifting stories, happening everywhere to keep the light shining on and around, our beautiful, beautiful world. Here’s a good example of lofi music:

Fortune for the Day – “You carry all the ingredients to turn your existence into joy. Mix them, Mix them!” – Hafiz