Joyful Girl
Feminine Joy
Those of you who read my column regularly know I am a rough-and-tumble type of girl. I can handle weapons and hunt and fish and trap. I have been taught proper logging techniques, carpentry skills and even some electrical work. I can help demolish an interior wall in your home to help you remodel, if I'm asked. One might think from reading such a description that I'm a tomboy. Read more.
Not Stupid Enough
I've talked here before about my technological impairment. When it comes to electronic gadgets, doodads, and hoatchipoes, I am battling a severe handicap. I am so inept that my VCR doesn't even get so far as steadily blinking 12:00--probably because I'm not brave enough to own one. Okay, so that doesn't quite illustrate my point, but you get the drift. If it is a technological thingy, I generally can't work it. Read more.
Warped by a Joyful Girl
You know, I do a lot of silly things during a day. Some may go so far as to call them stupid things. I tend to turn everything into some type of humor. I love to laugh. I love it when others laugh and I love having fun, pure, plain, willy-nilly fun. On any given day, you can find me be-bopping around, either to music or to a new song I parodied or made up. Read more.
Truth Written in the Stars
I don't know if I am any more introspective about my life than anyone else, but during these last few weeks it would seem I have been deeply engrossed in self-examination. There are a million reasons why. Surround yourself with the men of the United States Marine Corps and be the only woman; you tend to pay attention to odd things like the similarities and differences. Read more.
A Joyful IBroad
I'm technologically impaired. VCRs and DVD players kick my tush every single time I attempt to use them. Remote controls? Forget it. I'd rather walk over to the TV and turn it on with the power button. Car alarms are a nightmare for me. How many pushes of the clicker are required to set it? How many do I need to unset it? I don't know, I'll just hit the door lock and if someone steals my car--oh, well. Read more.
Kool-Aid Flowers
I don't know about the rest of you, but for me the longest months of winter are January and February. I think the reason these two months always get to me is that I am already in an early state of anticipation for spring, and I am just plain cold. The bitter winds of January always seem to bleed into February and my cold, achy, old body can't handle it well. Every year I tell myself I will move more southerly, and every year I find myself in the cold blustery months of January and February freezing my tuckus off. Read more.
Generational Gaps in Thinking
I've raved on Mosaic Minds before about my love of full-fashioned stockings and garter belts. I definitely have this "thing" that makes me to believe women should have long hair. I think that, ideally, women should be at home with their families, and I love the music of the nineteen-forties. The cars from the forties, lord have mercy, the sight of one brings me to tears. Somebody help me, I am old-fashioned. Read more.
Joy to the World
I don't know about you, but as an adult I rarely find Christmas to be a joyful time. Spending money I don't have on presents people don't want doesn't make my heart sing. Being jostled and shoved by a million other people who are just as stressed as I am doesn't make for a magical "winter wonderland" moment. Read more.
Sometimes It's the Littlest Things
So many things in life can bring us joy. It'd be insane and impossible to list all joyful things here, so I won't even bother to try. What I can say about joy is that sometimes it is the littlest things that create the biggest joys of our lives. Read more.
Giggle... Just a Little...
When I saw the theme for this issue of Mosaic Minds I was wide-eyed with ideas. The words "just a little..." conjure up copious endings for that phrase. It was as if the editors had handed me an entire cup full of pens and all the paper I could wish for. Read more.
Summer Breezes
Summer is in and of itself a time of independence. Baby critters of all sorts are learning to be independent of their parents. Trees, plants and bushes are all busy growing their roots firmly into the soil so they can live on independently in this world. And people all around the world tend to feel more independent during the summer months. For some reason, there is a feeling of freedom attached to the summer that brings out the best in everyone. Read more.
A Simple Look at What I Expect
"But it's not just any remote control, Babe, this one is a Universal Remote. It can be programmed to control any remote-controlled device in our home theatre system!" Read more.
Take My Job, Please Mr. Postman
by Jennifer Whiteford
I run a small after school program for children aged 6-12. If you asked me to be joyful about my job today, I would probably respond by pulling up the hood of my sweatshirt and diving under the couch cushions. That's because today was not a joyful day at the after school program. It was hectic and stressful and the kids were rude and loud and had been inside all day because of the rain. We were all stuck together in our cluttered activity room wearing our soggy socks and finding it hard to be nice to each other. On days like this, I like to think about entering the postal service. Read more.
Galadriel's Glass
I wish I knew when moments in my life were "Defining Moments." I guess most of the really important moments in our lives can be reflected upon only after they have occurred. We can certainly look forward to moments in the future, but we can't truly judge the importance of the choices we make until we can look back on them within the context of our entire lives. Read more.
Carbon Copy
You know, I am really glad that there aren't human clones yet.
At least I don't think there are. I know some small groups of people have claimed as much, but I think seeing is believing.
Read more.
Stirring the Stew
When I realized that it was time for me to write about Serenity for this issue, I felt completely unqualified. I kept wracking my brain for anything to write about. Nothing settled in my mind until I remembered a time when I attended a Buddhist service in which they "sat." Done in twenty-five minute increments, these sittings were flanked by five minutes of walking meditation. A single bell tone would begin and end the sitting meditation. Read more.
Fears of a Low-Tech World
Since my husband and I moved to South Georgia three months ago, I have become quite familiar with the modus operandi for hurricanes. And even though I know that hurricane season usually isn't this terrible, my limited experience with them has given rise to my most recent fear: Read more.
True Love Means Never Having To Say I'm Sorry I Ate That.
A little over a year ago I started a new "diet." I called it the "Eat What You Want" diet at first and later shortened it to "Eat Whatcha Want" so that it could have the acronym of EWW. The rules of this diet are simple, and it has really helped me get past my problems with my excess weight. The rules are as follows: When I am hungry, I eat. I do not deprive myself of anything, thereby quelling the deprivation downward spiral. Read more.
What If I Have to Grow Up One Day?
I ask myself, "What if...?" on a daily basis.
Usually the question ends up being something like, "What if I took this stapler and put stickers on it that look like eyes so that when I staple stuff it's like the stapler is biting the paper and losing metal teeth that will always regenerate?" Or, "What if I took this pair of scissors and made them talk as if they were a dangerous metal puppet?" Read more.
Look to Your Heroes for Inspiration
by Katrina Martin
I think writers sometimes forget that they occasionally have to take a break from creating in order to refuel. One of the best ways to pump up your own creativity is to do a little idol worship for a while. By that I mean pick up books or articles by your favorite authors and delve into their writing. Read more.
Working For Yourself is All About Winging It
by Katrina Martin
No matter how much planning you put into striking off on your own to pursue a creative dream, you'll always be winging it a little. Some of us follow this path with the idea that we "want to write" or "want to paint" or "want to take photographs" while others have a long laundry list of goals they expect to meet in six months. Read more.
The Creative Power of Childhood Memories
by Katrina Martin
Sometimes writer's block hits and it seems like new ideas will never find their way to your doorstep again. These moments present the perfect time to take a good look at your life, and I don't mean in that introspective "what is it all for" way. Search your childhood and teenage years for material. I've found this is my treasure trove of ideas. Read more.
Don't Wait To Follow Your Dreams
by Katrina Martin
It's funny what happens when you actively pursue your dreams: they become reality. For so long I lived my life saying to myself, "I want to write my own column, I want to write CD reviews, I want to write children's books someday." The key word was always someday. I never took any steps to make those dreams come true. The only thing I did was to talk about them. Read more.