Category Archives: friendship

Joy Jam

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What were the 3-5 things that gave you joy this week?

1. Spring weather. Spring Break is next week at CSU and I have the fever because the weather has been so nice! The birds are everywhere, making all kinds of noise, and things are starting to green up. This is what the sky over my backyard looks like right now, (I just want to sit under it and stare):

2. Time spent with friends. I have some gems, seriously. This week it was coffee and life strategizing in the sun with one, an accidental lunch with another, and lunch and a movie with a friend who lives in Nashville, so I don’t get to see her as much as I’d like.

3. Superior ranking on my yearly evaluation. This isn’t about pride, ego, or needing external validation (much), but having my good work rewarded, (we are getting raises for the first time in a few years, and the higher your ranking, the more of a raise). It’s also a confirmation that I am doing what I “should,” and that it’s valued.

4. Fruit Salad. Luscious and juicy and sweet: yum.

5. Communally taught yoga class. The person who was supposed to teach this morning overslept and didn’t show up, so we led ourselves. One person started, and then we all jumped in at various times, adding a pose or series. It was awesome.

Bonus Joy: Blackout poetry on old business cards. These are one of the things I didn’t burn in a cleansing ceremony after leaving my old job (which technically is the same position I have now, just a slight shift in responsibilities–I’m now simply an Editor, and not for Writing@CSU), and I’ve always thought I would eventually do some sort of art project with them. This morning, I had two ideas, one being blackout poetry to cover over the old print. Here’s my first one (with an original card slid behind for comparison, to show you a bit of what is getting covered over):

Stay,
bringing attention

With time to consider,
recall vividly

We are all seeking the good life
Each of us calls it by some different name

Friend, call it
Know
Find out

Happy, happy Friday to you, dear reader!

Joy Jam

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What were the 3-5 things that gave you joy this week?

1. Well-Fed Woman Retreatshop afterglow: I’ve been basking in this all week. Remembering and daydreaming about it, running into and hanging out with women who were there, hearing their good feedback and receiving their generous appreciation, seeing the glow in them, and thinking about how loved and lucky I am. Hopefully this weekend I’ll finally find time to tell you more about last weekend, because I have so much I want to share.

2. Sitting in the backyard in the sun with the dogs: Yes, it’s muddy back there today because all the snow melted, and Sam and Dexter were putting their dirty, slimy toys on me (neither one really wanted me to actively play or even touch them or the toy, just wanted to be partly in my lap while they played), begging for attention, and not letting me write or relax much, and it was only 45 degrees, but it felt good and made me long for the seasons when we can sit out there for hours at a time. In the same way I choose to go barefoot whenever I can, I’d prefer to be outside.

This is how Sam feels about having to come back inside so I could write this post:

You've got to be kidding me, Mom.

3. Cleaning my house: Okay, I know that probably sounds strange, maybe even a little crazy to some of you, but it happens so rarely anymore that it was a joyful thing. The only year since Eric and I’ve been married when I didn’t work and/or wasn’t in school, the first year we were back in Colorado (he got the job here after I’d already been accepted into two graduate programs in Oregon, and it was too late to apply at CSU, so I took a year off), I would clean the bathroom, dust, and water the plants once a week, every week. I cooked and worked out every day. My house was clean, and I was well rested and fit. Sometimes, I really miss that.

4. Preparing a WILD writing session: My writing group is coming over today. I’m hosting, which means opening my home, providing food and drink, and planning the writing we’ll do for the three hours we spend together. I’ve had bad experiences with writing groups in the past (too much building up and tearing down of egos), but I love, love, love this group of women.

5. My home: As I cleaned it this morning, I was reminded how much I love this place. It’s small and needs lots of work still, but that only makes me love it even more.