I’d kind of like to do this all in an aside; a great big stage whisper into your ear, with the knowledge that I can be overheard and a slight twinkle in my eye that I know it, you know it, and everyone else listening in knows it, but that we all ALSO know that what I’m saying isn’t really meant to be overheard, and are all complicit in maintaining the facade that I *really* just whispered in your ear and no-one else is any the wiser.
Even though we all absolutely are.
Anyway, imagine me whispering.
Something about an intrigue makes it all the more exciting, don’t you think?
If we’re careful and figure out a way, we can make magic, and I’ve encountered it in abundance this week, in tiny, veryverysmall spaces (ok, and a couple of larger ones) and it’s given me a set of new perspectives to try out and focus on.
There was the magic of receiving a most beautiful glitterbomb full of gorgeous presents from my darling friend Kristi, who is one of my longest-standing and most loved friends here in the World Between the Wires. She’s been there for me through some AWFUL times, and there in some of my best ever times, and she’s there in my in-between times, and I’m so, SO grateful for her thoughtfulness, humour, and care. Her gift made me smile, then laugh out loud, for the first time in what felt like a LONG time, and I think that was the beginning of the undoing of the darkness.
A constant magic (couple of magics (can you even HAVE a couple of magics?)) I’m thankful for is (/are) my family, who provide solace and comfort and inspiration and such HOPE, as well as the more material aspects of looking-after and making-better and sharing a gazillion moments of shining loveliness, connectedness and deep,deep love.
I saw a flower. Unremarkable, really, except it was one of a few spots of pink in a sea of dew-dropped green. It was something lovely to look at and focus on during the sunny morning of a clinic on the third day of headachey lacklustreness, and I was thankful. I crouched down and took a (not brilliant) pic of it, but just knowing that I HAD found something beautiful and worthwhile sharing a pic of, was a LOVELY #RainbowMoment for me, and made me think I must be making some kind of comeback.
I had ideas for writing. Didn’t actually write, but the thoughts were there, so I know I’ve not lost it *entirely*. I probably won’t try to stage-whisper any future posts (and I imagine if I really was, for real, your ear would be all tickly by now from hearing so much) BUT it’s fun to consider What Next.
I’ve been VERY thankful for the Facebook Memories thing, because a YEAR AGO, I was in Murica, meeting my people and falling utterly in love with the country and my friends. I’ve LOVED seeing the photos again and it’s been a time of beautiful, bittersweet nostalgia and MISSING THEM SO SO MUCH ❤ (and I heard back some heartening news from the college director, who is still ALL FOR me coming over to study and wants to find ways forward on the visa front – SO reassuring to know he hasn’t given up on me in spite of all the tanglyawful red tape).
I sent glitterbombs and THEY ARRIVED and made people (like my Abbie) happy, which made me VERY happy. So there was HUGE happiness in that. I have two more glitterbombs to pack and send imminently. That makes me happy too. And I’ve arranged an INCREDIBLY twinklysparkly surprise, which might be quite the best thing ever. So there’s that. And it’s all because Love, which is even, even better.
Mary, Chris and I have an ongoing love affair. Two love affairs in fact – one with each other (we’re QUITE the winsome threesome), and one with CAKE, which we all love and wish there could be more of (without the impact of, yaknow, the after-effects of actually EATING it). Anyway. My constant bane is that sad, lip-trembling upset of knowledge that Good Vegan Cake is hard to come by and usually aspensive and far away. I discovered a local Vegan Bakery, which looks AWESOME…but aspensive. HOWEVER Mum, wonder that she is, has found a VERY local cafe which sells vegan chocolate cake. So we’re going to try it out this weekend. YAY!
My very most wonderful friend Mr B, made a FILM about bikers who protect children who are witnesses in abuse trials. These bikers do HUGE good work, and Mr B’s film is getting AWESOME FEEDBACK and is starting to get him noticed in the world of movie-making, which is amazing, incredible, and I’m SO proud of him for a) highlighting such an amazing bunch of people, and b) putting it together and making the film HAPPEN. He’s had this dream for a long time, and I’m so happy that things are finally starting to shape up for him. I’m so glad to be able to watch as his hard work comes into fruition.
I got inspired by a kind-of-asideways comment from another blogger, that a way to make change happen is through BOOKS, which, duh, but also BIG DUH, because when I thought about the amorphous and delightful concept that is ‘writing a book’, I always considered fiction or creative non-fiction, as the way forward. Bitter experience tells me I have little-to-no stickability with an idea, that my ideas don’t marry up or follow through, and that at the first sign of criticism I pack the whole thing in and give up entirely. I think I’m not the kind of writer who creates a world you can immerse yourself in, and I wonder if that’s because (for better or for worse) I’m so thoroughly immersed in sharing the world inside my head. One of the things the world inside my head likes to do is to try to encourage people to DO things which embetter their world, or other people’s, somehow. So perhaps THAT is the way forward. Maybe. Not sure how it would look, or what I’d write that’s different from any of the other bazillion books out there already, BUT it’s a germ of an idea, and one I rather like. I’d like it if I wrote something that made a difference.
I like being able to make a difference. It might just be my ‘thing’ 🙂 I kind of like that idea. Embettering, however it happens to make it work at the time. That would be good.
ANYWAY…I’ve whispered in your ear for long enough! What has your week held that’s worth talking about? Tell me 🙂
*explodes into a puff of of sparkly confetti, and mysteriously disappears, leaving only a grin*
Your hosts
Pingback: Ten Things of Thankful-Some kind of wonderful – House of A Writer
I think the only magic I’ve had this week is that I can fall asleep with one wave of a magic wand, which is NOT like me.
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*HUGS* 😦
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Butter and cinnamon should occur naturally in nature, if you ask me. I’ll drop that in Mother Nature’s ear. I’m not sure of it, but pretty certain, that a glitter bomb from you is even better than getting called down to play on Price is Right.
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Heheh I’d like to think so but I’m not sure. There are no millions in my glitterbombs, only love and fun 🙂
Butter and cinnamon occurring naturally would be PERFECT cos then even vegans could enjoy it! 😀
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… even the vegans.
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Pingback: Ten Things of Thankful-Some kind of wonderful | Jsack's Mom's Blog
HEY! Readers and Commentationers of this here bloghop here! the Wakefield Doctrine is making a one time offer! Join us on next week’s TToT and the Doctrine will give you a free thankful!
No, seriously, I know how difficult it can sometimes be coming up with a full Ten Grat Items.
That being said, participating in a gratitude hop like this is scientifically proven to make a difference, a positive difference!
So, come next Thursday and you’re typing up a TToT post and coming up short…. stop by the Doctrine, we’ll totally hook you up!*
*some restrictions may apply, no more than two…ok, three items per blogger.**
** but you have to let me use made up words and/or concepts for the third Grat Item
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NEOLOGISMS FOR THE WIN!
Total grat items 😀
And…THURSDAY!? Who writes these on a THURSDAY!! Are *any* of us so organised?
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I’d love to know what’s involved in your glitter bombs!
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Ahhh now they vary depending on the recipient, and some don’t even contain glitter! There’s always some kind of letter or card from me, hand-written. Then there’s often an assortment of gifts chosen specially for that person, for specific reasons. There might on occasion be something art-ish that I’ve made. There are usually some shells from my beach. AND THEN GLITTER! And I package it all up in an envelope or box, and send it out across the ocean with my love 🙂
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Ooh, the shells! I was not aware these glitter bomb packages contained shells from your side of the pond/ocean Atlantic! Sweet!
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They do indeed! I feel I should send you some soon – I’m fascinated by the differences in the shells where my different people live – they’re so alien to me, and mine seem so commonplace but I guess are utterly alien to others. It’s amazing!
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I just love shells. I love to think about where they’ve been and how they ended up where they are found. Each one is like a snowflake or human being. Each one is unique and has its own set of tactile differences.
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Well…PM me your address, or email me, and next time I go to the beach I’ll get a selection just for you 🙂 🙂
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Sounds cool¡
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They’re pretty fun! And your upsidown exclamation point is VERY cool!
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Embettering. That is a wonderful word. Empowering and bettering mixed together. I love it.
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I think it’s one of my favourite neologisms and I don’t know anyone else who uses it but I kind of hope it catches on 🙂
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This made me so happy from the flower to the do to Jed support of the college’s director to the cake (I so AM a sweets person) and most of all your tone. I caught myself nodding and smiling as I was reading this. *whispers back* things are going to work out!
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Ohhhh I SO hope you’re right! I want that so very much, and in the meantime I’m doing my very best to appreciate the time I have NOW, and to not squander the opportunities for happiness and enjoyment where I am.
I’m trying very hard to resist jam on toast right now. It’s going to be my ‘thing I do for my body’ this evening 🙂
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So so glad the package came and lifted you up and made you laugh. That’s big good. ❤
I'm not a sweets person but YAY for finding vegan cake and YUM. I bet my neighbor could make you one. I'll ask next time you visit. She does all this allergy-free baking. We just got an apple cake with butter cinnamon frosting from her and it's GOOD. How did I not know about Dizzi Lahling?
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Ohhh that sounds REALLY good. I love apple/cinnamon, and it’s great that I CAN have that combo dairy-free!
SO looking forward to when I can visit you next. I want to see you and Mary and Sarah and Dana and Denise and Lisa (if we can wrangle it) *sigh* I still nurture hopes that we could somehow schlep out and see Ivy…
I miss being there. I miss you all. And I’m struggling at the moment wondering whether to spend $45 on a mobile phone connection for ONE WEEK or not lol. I think I’m going to have to – I can’t imagine being IN the US and not being connected as possible!
YOU are Big Good, and thank you ❤
(and…you didn't know because WonderAunty rarely comments. It's gotten out though, before – Sarah now calls me Dizzi Lahling 😉 )
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Wait ’til you get to the US and buy a cheap “burner” that will let you add minutes. $45 for a week is highway robbery!
xx,
mgh
(Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMore dot com)
– ADD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder –
“It takes a village to educate a world!”
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My problem is, that’s the monthly minimum for getting networked – there’s no way of doing it weekly, or I most definitely would! It’s cos I need to buy a new SIM card and plan every time I visit. SO frustrating but it will be simpler once I’m THERE, yaknow?
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Maybe you could get your friend to buy the burner a week before you leave – then you text everyone you want to call in America with the new number & ask them to call and leave their name, so they will be in the new phone.
Then leave a voicemail on the OLD phone telling everyone else you’ll get back in touch in one week when you return?
Use your friend’s computer (or visit the library) for email and schedule a couple of blog posts in advance, to post while you are gone.
It might turn out to be nice to disconnect from your network so you can focus on your time with friends you rarely get to see.
xx,
mgh
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My network are pretty much mostly IN the US. I can’t wait to get connected with them. I miss them so so much. It’s really sucky being so out of kilter with their timezone.
I’ll research the burner though – it sounds like a handy bit of kit 🙂
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I hope the visa comes through SOON! xx, mgh
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Ugh me too. I’m not holding my breath though. These things seem to take an INSANE amount of time, even once all the paperwork is sent off.
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Bureaucracy! Civil servants who are exhausted and no longer see the people behind the paperwork.
xx,
mgh
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UGH! Yeah 😦
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Ooh, and butter cinnamon frosting sounds delicious.
🙂
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I thought that too…but butter… 😦
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Think I posted this comment in sort of the wrong spot. Oops.
😊
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Pingback: Ten Things of Thankful 172 (Magic) #10Thankful – ladyleemanila
That was the greatest blog exit ever!
*disappears in a poof of glitter*
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*GRINS HUGE* YAY! I’m so glad you think so! I had fun with that bit. LOVE how you commented, too.
And P.S. – glitter coming your way VERY SOON!
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Oh, I’m so glad for you that the school is willing to help you through the red tape! Fingers crossed that things work out for you!
I had a friend who used to be part of one of the biker groups that helped children in the courts. They really do help give the children confidence to testify.
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Ohhhh DID YOU!? That’s so very cool! I think those groups are such a marvellous idea, and such a godsend to those poor children, who must be in such turmoil! I’m glad they’re trustworthy guardians and take their responsibilities so seriously – they seem to make a HUGE difference and I’m thrilled that Mr B is promoting them in this way. I hope he has every success with this.
And yes…the college director really is great, and he’s battling the red tape on my behalf. He seems very determined, which is hugely encouraging.
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OH I can just FEEL the light in your heart, Lizzi!!!! It is bouncing off of you and illuminating all your words and the spirit with which you write them shines through. LOVE LOVE LOVE that.
And I do ADORE us three… the threesome… the cakeeatingallthecaketogethereatingthreesome.
And you found VEGAN CAKE!!! Let me know how it tastes!
I love you, Tigger. Oh how happy this made me to read that you are doing better than okay. And I’m SO hopeful about you getting over here. I am thrilled that this guy is going to stick it out to the end. He must see what we ALL see in you- ❤ He's got good vision.
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There was such light in my heart when I wrote this, Kitty, and I so enjoyed writing it – I remembered a smidgen of all the things I loved about blogging before I went off the tracks with it.
WE THREE ARE AMAZING and I so SO hope we can get together and have cake, one day. The vegan chocolate cake was ALL OUT, so we went to another cafe further away, and had some very passable OTHER vegan chocolate cake, and mum and I enjoyed ourselves immensely. It tasted like chocolate cake 😀
I do love you, Kitty, and I’m glad too that things are better. The college director is as frustrated as I am, I think, and we’re both battling against all the red tape but he seems VERY determined and I’m so thankful for his fervour. And bless your boots, my lovely. I hope one day to see as clearly as you ❤
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A constant magic (couple of magics (can you even HAVE a couple of magics?))
absolutely! the beauty of magic is that (to steal from Mr Dodgson), once you’ve managed to achieve the impossible task of accepting the availability of magic, a small constraint like, ‘you can only have one’ totally disappears! because, well….magic!
ya know?
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Now I need to know who Mr Dodgson is! But HOORAY for magics and their ability to perform the function of ‘wishing for more wishes’, by their very nature 🙂
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You certainly brought sparkly glittery goodness to my world this week, which was desperately needed!!! I cannot ever THANK YOU enough for your thoughtful and beautiful glitterbomb parcel ❤ I adore it!! I'm glad you had such a wonderful week with your very own glitterbomb to enjoy 🙂 You are very good at making a positive difference, so I'd agree that it's your *thing* and you should move forward with it however you see fit. Love you HUGE!!!
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I’m so SO glad. It made me indescribably happy to package it together and send it and imagine your reaction. I wanted to add more but in the end I just felt I should send what I had – there is more time later for more 🙂 I am so SO glad of our friendship, and I know I tell you all the time how much you mean to me but you really do mean such HUGE BIG ENORMOUS lots to me ❤ Really really.
And as to making a difference…gosh, I certainly have a passion for it, and allegedly that's half the battle with these things 🙂 I'm looking forward to seeing what comes out of this 😀 Love YOU huge ❤
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I am ENORMOUSLY grateful for our friendship, I truly don’t know what I’d do without you in my life!! All the love, my dear friend ❤
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Likewise. Truly. You’re amazing, and I completely am utterly SO thankful for you ❤
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A spot of pink in a sea of green and lots and lots of red tape.
Love the magic and the colour in this post, though that tape does sound rather frustrating for you.
So, I may have missed this over time, but do these glitter/sparkle bomb things literally contain glitter?
Nice that a surprise package from Kristi could make you smile again, after the time you’ve been having lately.
Bittersweet memories are a nice mix, aren’t they?
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Ohmigosh SO SO MUCH RED TAPE! It’s absolutely ridiculous but I’m just so glad the director is TOTALLY on side and very reassuring when he emails.
Glad you enjoyed the magic and colour! I remembered what it was like to have FUN writing one of these, and that was HUGE and lovely, and in light of how I’ve been feeling about writing lately, rather a relief!
My glitterbombs DO INDEED contain glitter. Of various types! I try to stay away from the very fine stuff because it’s just a wind-up, but I usually include some sparkly stars or hearts or somethings like that. I think they’re usually sold as ‘table confetti’ here, but it’s shiny and it totally counts as big glitter.
I SO needed that smile from Kristi, and I’m so thankful. I really did need it 🙂 And all the bittersweet memories *sigh* I do miss everyone dreadfully but I LOVE that I had those times with them. They changed my life.
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Reblogged this on cabbagesandkings524 and commented:
Listen to Lizzi whisper.
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Lizzi, what a delightful week you have had, a joy to have whispered at me. I like the exploding in the puff od sparkly confetti, leaving only a grin, rather like the Cheshire Cat. Keeping fingers crossed that the visa muddle will get sorted out.
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Hehehe I had him in mind, wily old kitty, when I wrote my ‘exeunt’. I’ve had lots and LOTS of delightful this week, and I’m excited to have just set BIG exciting plans in motion. But secret hush-hush ones for now. BUT…I just love knowing I’m doing something wonderful for someone I
love 🙂
Here’s to the visa getting untangled soon. Oyyy!
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*pretends not to be commenting*
“Beautifully written, Dizzi Lahling, and by the way, FRIST – lots of love, WonderAunty”
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