Last week I was given a fabulous opportunity to take Noonie to Ogunquit, Maine. She has been visiting OGT for 62 years. Noonie prides herself with telling people she was pregnant with me on the beach. Which makes me not quite 60 yet, but I’ve been to OGT for over 60 years. Go figure.
During the weeks when I teach creative writing courses, I am surrounded by 30+ students who write creative pieces for their assignments. Like a box of chocolates, “You never know what you’re gonna get.” — Forrest Gump.
What connects me to this song is the power of the words and the voices when sung in a choir. It is moving and I need to feel loving movements these days. I need for something spiritual to move my mind, body, and soul. I need to cry and yell and scream for peace. I need to be heard, to have it stop, to listen to the cries and to find solutions before the next day the sun rises.
Last week, I was walking out of my home to get into my car. A delivery man was just walking up my front door steps. He told me that he had a package for me and I needed to sign for it. I signed for it and he gave it to me. I thanked him. Just as he was about to walk down my front steps, he turned to face me and said, “You smell delicious.”
Woweeee! That caught me off guard. I thanked him and kinda blushed. He went into his truck and I got into my car. I paused before starting the ignition.
That felt AMAZING!!!
For me, the greatest year was 1985. I had just graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Education degree. I was going to be a teacher (who couldn’t spell). My hair was permed and big. The fashion was oversized everything with shoulder pads to accentuate the even bigger oversized look. Computers were an up and coming tool which people were starting to use. I loved my Apple IIC computer because it helped me spell better.
Miss Chess knew exactly what to do to break the nervous ice. She asked every student to bring something for Show & Tell the next day. The only request she had was it must include words. It could be a sign, a book, even a menu. It just needed to contain words.
As soon as the first school day ended, I ran home and zipped through my children’s book library.
Which book? Which story? Which poem? Which words? So many to choose from! Which would be the best?
On this day with a gentle breeze, I went to do some errands. I carry a knapsack and pull a light grocery cart with me. I walk and shop and store all my things in either the knapsack or pull cart. By the time I get home I’m tired from pulling and carrying the weight of all the stuff I’ve picked up. But, I think it’s a good form of exercise.
However, on this particular day, there was a lovely zephyr.
On lovely early fall afternoons, I would write on a lounge chair in my new backyard. We had a gorgeous crab apple tree which was filled with fruit and provided perfect shade. During one of those afternoons, I heard a voice come from the other side of the backyard fence.
“Buon Giorno”…
With precision and careful adjustment, Noonie was comfortably seated in the stern (the back), her favourite seat in the boat. I gleefully sat in the bow (the front). All our equipment was near the center thwart close to the yoke. It’s critical to keep the boat balanced with the weight evenly front, center and back.
Dipping our personalized paddles into the perfect lake water, we set off to a private little camping beach site to eat our picnic lunch.
Welcome to the final segment of The 2021 Spring Series – Pumping Up Positivity.
In Part Five, I introduce you to four women who will finish our positive series on a very POSITIVE NOTE!
Maureen Burnett – Curious, creative & generally happy person, Suzie Shaffer – Realtor, proud mom, aspiring writer and closet painter, Marcy Kastner – Director of Day Camps & Early Childhood, and Heidi Tucker Puritt – Marketing and amateur food guru, people pleaser hostess. Enjoy!
In Part Four I introduce to you three women who don’t know each other, but I feel they have intertwining, soulful budding new life directions, also known as Les Soul Sistas. Fatima Rizzo – Translator, aspiring writer and lover of everything ocean, Lucy Verebes Shapiro – Real Estate Professional Extraordinaire, athlete, mom, and very busy person, Lynn Cantin – Artist of incredible talent and beauty, strong, and soulful.
Welcome to The 2021 Spring Series – Pumping Up Positivity – Part Three – These Two Youts!
In Part Three I introduce: Sophy Agelopoulos, The Deli Queen, laughter is life, joking around with our customers is my favourite part of the job
& Lea Beddia, Teacher Extraordinaire, Mother, Beautiful Writer and aspiring speller with a green thumb in-training.
Welcome to The 2021 Spring Series – Pumping Up Positivity – Part Two – So Talented!
In Part Two I introduce: Meredith Fine, Talent Agent helping make dreams come true for 34 years, who’s funny, outgoing and loyal … and the keeper of many secrets & Sy Prevost, Mount Royal based POP ART painter and sculptor, also creative producer and artistic director in television, cinema and stage for the past 30 years.
Everyone is living a very different life, especially now. Everyone has a different perspective and interesting tools for living in the positive. I asked an eclectic group of people to answer a questionnaire based on their “Positive Perspectives”.
Their responses are about living through challenging times with an encouraging positive perspective.
Enjoy, Living in the Now!
Welcome to The 2021 Spring Series – Pumping Up Positivity!
This is the most encouraging series you will ever read. What’s it about? It’s about living through challenging times with an encouraging positive perspective.
Everyone is living a very different life, especially now. Everyone has a different perspective and interesting tools for living in the positive. I asked an eclectic group of people to answer a questionnaire based on their “Positive Perspectives”.
In this series, I share with you their very generous and thought provoking responses.
Part One, I introduce: Andrea Bassel, Dragon Boater & Emet Davis, Fitness Maven.
Enjoy, Living in the Now!
Many people have stated that along their career paths, others have tried to discourage them. Telling them they are not good enough, not great enough and will never make it. So many people have been wrong as success is truly within YOU. I’m glad I didn’t listen to that nasty, horrible, career destroying person. I listened to me and the encouragement from other professionals. Listen to you! You know what’s best for you! You know YOU!!!
I need to mention how good accomplishment feels. It’s sort of like a pat on the back someone gives you, but even better. This feeling comes from within yourself. You did it! It’s your rodeo! You moved the mountain! You did yourself good! Truly the only person you need to please is yourself and you did. Big bravo to you!
There seems to be a lot of trouble in the world these days. Everyday something terrible happens somewhere. Lately, there have been horrific attacks on our free society and people. How does one turn this ugly boat around? We have to dig very deep down into our souls and find something, anything which will makes us feel better. When we find this aspect of happiness, we need to harvest it, and get some good groove on.
Talk about excitement, when I heard we were doing the fitness test in gym class, I nearly lost my mind. I’m not a competitive person with anyone else except for myself. Every year I tried my best to earn the Award of Excellence. I wanted it so badly. I wanted to be the fittest I could be. Problem was I just couldn’t get through the Flexed Arm Hangs test.
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