(Here’s to Tess Marshall for opening my world to LOVE! this month. Tess, you are amazing and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I appreciate you!)

How sweet that our RAOKA (random acts of kick arse) posting for August landed on September 1st. September also happens to be my birth month (Sept 8th is the big day). Woot! My good buddy Tess emailed me out of the blue in late July to ask me if she could celebrate my birthday with me by doing something extra special. It is my big FOUR OH after all.

Tess sent me this link to a post which features Robyn celebrating her 38th birthday by doing 38 things for others. I LOVE! the idea, too! So, I joined Tess to celebrate by performing forty random acts of kick arse love for others (wander over to Tess’ blog to check out her forty things, too!).

Kazaw! Shazam! What a LOVE! trip it’s been!

You are invited to my virtual raoka-love-forty-things birthday party, with a challenge!

My gift to you:

At noon your time today, give yourself a big hug from me—I’m so grateful for your wonderful presence in my life!

Your gift to me:

Perform a random act of love today and come back here to tell me about it in the comments. It can be anything from the smallest smile to changing someone’s life. I can’t wait to hear what you did! Happy Birthday LOVE! to me.

In the mean time, here’s how I spent the month of raoka-birthday LOVE!

READY????

ONE: Purchased a book of stamps and taped them to a local mailbox with a note saying, “Please take: use to send your love to friends or family.”

TWO: I brought breakfast to my elderly neighbor and made sure she knew she can ask me if she needs anything. A few days later she knocked on my door to express the gratitude in my actions. I felt love and think she did, too.

THREE: When I’m out on a walk, I often see a young girl hanging out in front of a particular store front. I’ve always wondered about her (why is she there?). I stopped one morning to say hello and speak with her, she seemed lonely. Her name’s Fiona and her mom works in the store. She is ten years old and on summer break. She seemed really glad to meet someone so we chatted and laughed for about twenty minutes. Now when I see her, I take the time to stop and say hello and it warms my heart to hear her say, “Hi Lori! How are you today?!” I think she needed a friend (and so did I).

FOUR: Tell my mail carrier thank you by putting a love note and Starbucks gift card in my mailbox.

FIVE: While I am not super active on Twitter, I’m there briefly a couple times a day. I’ve warmed up to Twitter and have met a lot of good friends there. I aimed to base 90% of my Tweets around #love. Here are four examples:

SIX: I saw a police officer walking to his car. I stopped him to tell him thank you for his service to our community. He smiled, shook my hand, and asked my name. He was incredibly gracious and I could tell he really appreciated hearing thank you for a rather thankless job. (This made my heart smile.)

SEVEN: While I understand the purpose for spiders as a natural part of the environmental milieu, they still creep me out. I rescued a spider one afternoon by scooting her on a piece of paper and taking her outside. Eep! I think this was the hardest LOVE! act I carried out all month (pun intended). Remember my last attempt to rescue an arachnid? Yipe!

EIGHT: Spelled LOVE! using quarters on one of my favorite sculptures in the park, then walked away with a huge smile on my face. (The next morning, they were gone.)

NINE: I wrote a letter to a long-time friend from high school just to say hello and that I was thinking about her. Then, I wrote one to her parents, too. I spent a lot of time at their home as a kid and want them to know I love them.

TEN: When I’m able to swim, I LOVE! it. As I enter the pool area, I’m required to check in at the front desk and there is always this groovy chicka there—she’s very pleasant. I introduced myself (instead of whisking by) and told her how much I appreciated her working there so that I can swim. Her name is Hilary. I then told her I know another woman named Hilary who is the kindest, sweetest person ever. She smiled and now I’m delighted to know her a little better.

ELEVEN: I am loving the organic produce brought to a local drop-off station by a committed, caring, loving community group. I’ve become much more healthy and I own them deep gratitude and love. I wrote a testimonial for their website and furnished them with a few photos I often shoot—the produce is too beautiful not to keep a record! Here’s to you, the garden of eden!

TWELVE: I live in a complex of units with a fountain at the center in a common area. I noticed the fountain basin and water was getting really dirty so I decided to chip in and clean it myself. I love water, and now the sparkling fountain is much prettier! As the residents walked by, they all had huge smiles and many expressed their gratitude. Check. Mate.

THIRTEEN: While walking up a rather steep hill, I saw a cyclist climbing the hill. I gave him a lot of encouragement and he had a huge smile on his face because of it. Woot!

FOURTEEN: I noticed a a couple moving into our complex this month and happened to be walking by, so I introduced myself and welcomed them. I also told them to knock on my door if they ever needed anything. It was great to get to know them a little better—great people!

FIFTEEN: I mailed a hand-written letter to my aunt, with whom I haven’t communicated in many years. I love her very much and wanted to make sure she knew how much she means to me had how positively she’s impacted my life. I love her and she means the world to me.

SIXTEEN: While I was out on a walk, I saw a construction worker taking a break. So I stopped and told him hello and to have a nice day. He returned the sentiments and we both turned away smiling.

SEVENTEEN: While picking up coffee one morning at a local coffee shop, I decided to pay for the person behind me in line. I paid the cashier and then gave her a $10 bill and asked her to use it for the next person and give him any of the remaining change. She seemed confused and didn’t speak English well. She said, “You want change for the bill?” I said, no, I want you to use this for the next person. She said, “What? I don’t understand.” I said, I want to do something nice for a random stranger. Can you give him this? She nodded, seeming confused, but I think everything turned out as I had planned. It was kind of funny, actually. I didn’t stay to see what happened.

EIGHTEEN: I am in constant awe and feel deep loving gratitude for those who serve others. I took a moment to send love to our President, Barack Obama (via a contact form @ whitehouse.gov). This must be one of the most stressful, thankless jobs out there, and I appreciate his service to our country. Love to you, Mr. President.

NINETEEN: I stopped by the ocean life guard tower to ask one of the lifeguards what I can do for them. I said I appreciate their service to others and wanted to thank them somehow. He directed me to the head lifeguard and he said while they couldn’t accept money, they always love food! So, I walked to my favorite taco shop (vegetarian! yummy!) and got them some bean burritos. When I walked back, I think they were really surprised and couldn’t believe it. One lifeguard actually said this, “You’d be surprised, a lot of people never say thank you. We make 30–40 rescues a day, and of course they’re often stunned, but they often just run away embarrassed.” His eyes were misty. “Thank you so much, ma’am, this really means a lot to us. We really appreciate it!” They then introduced themselves, asked my name, and all gave me a huge salty hug. I think this had to be one of my favorite days this month. I had no idea they rarely hear a, “thank you.”

TWENTY: While I was at the taco shop, I told the cashier what I was up to, and she was excited about the idea and introduced herself. I asked her (Natalie) if she wanted to sign a note with me for the lifeguards. So, she did! (The lifeguards liked that, too.) I then asked if there was anything I could do for her as one of my forty things. She said she didn’t want anything, but if I could she’d love it if I tried to avoid using plastic bags and switch to canvas or at least paper, since the paper can be recycled. I LOVE! this girl!

TWENTY-ONE: I made a point to use zero plastic bags this month. I rarely ever use them, but occasionally I use one at the store if I forget my canvas bag at home. Not this month. If I forgot my bag, I had to walk back home to get canvas. I did it for Natalie and I think it definitely got me into the habit of never using plastic. How awesome is that? Big LOVE!

TWENTY-TWO: I went to a local veterans’ memorial site to pay my respects and send my love to the fallen and their loved ones. I had never been here specifically to take time to read the inscriptions and be with those who have gone before me. I was deeply moved. I spoke to a man who was mounting more “new” plaques on the wall and we had a very special moment. Two strangers, to people’s hearts sending love far and wide. I shed many tears this day, but they were tears of love and gratitude. Here are just a few photos from that day.

Soul sister and code breaker Julia Keelin, WWII {LOVE YOU!}

Soul Brother Virgil Hoffman, Vietnam, {LOVE YOU!}

Soul sister Tanya Blane, SW Asia, {LOVE YOU!}

Tracy Greenamyer, Gulf War, can't stop thinking about her. {LOVE YOU!}

TWENTY-THREE: When I’m out for walks, I usually walk by this one hotel with a doorman out front. I’ve lived here for over five years and I think I’ve always seen this particular doorman occasionally all these years. I decided it was time we met. I walked up to him early this month, introduced myself, asked his name and told him his smiles and candor have always brightened my days. His name is Benny. Then, I said, The next time I walk by, I’m going to say, “Hi Benny! How’s your day?” And, I’m going to be sincerely asking. I want to know. He smiled a mile wide. Sure enough, a few days later, I walked by and said, Hi Benny! How’s your day? And he said, “Hi Lori, it’s great! Keep smiling!” Holy Smiling Doorman Friend, Batgirl, this is fun!

TWENTY-FOUR: People were sitting around a table outside the grocery store with people taking donations for the local music society. When I had purchased my groceries, I also picked up five SuperLotto tickets for the California Lottery. When I exited the store, I gave the five tickets to one of the people behind the table and said that I wanted to give them the five lottery tickets as my donation and if they win they can certainly keep the money for the music society. I have no idea if they actually won, but it was a fun time for all of us.

TWENTY-FIVE: I love my local art museum across the street. I bought two tickets to the museum and approached two people outside who looked enamored by the museum, offered them the tickets, and briefly explained my love-birthday-forty-things mission. They turned out to be architects and college buddies (one local, one from Boston) who hadn’t seen each other in decades. We ended up talking for quite awhile, hugged goodbye, and the local guy gave me his business card and told me if I ever needed anything, to please contact him. Awesome day!

(I electronically smudged the information for his privacy.)

TWENTY-SIX: My neighbor gave me a key to her home to water and watch over her plants on her balcony while she was away on vacay. My hubs helped me make sure all was going okay and also to clean the area prior to her return (thanks sweetheart! I love you!). I also left a little giftie surprise for her. (She’s delightful and I love giving her LOVE!)

TWENTY-SEVEN: I sent a couple of little surprises to a few of my friends in Australia. Just ‘cuz. Because I love them. Plus, how cool is it that I can physically send something half-way across the world for the cost of a couple cups of coffee? Amazing…

TWENTY-EIGHT: I focused on picking up rubbish on the beach instead of looking for more additions to my shell/sea glass/random treasures/sand dollar collection. While I usually try to spot and throw away things during my walks, this time I made it my focus. I love the beach and loved making her more beautiful.

TWENTY-NINE: On days I go for walks, I almost always, purposefully, walk by a certain lovely home with gorgeous roses. I often pause to take in their wonderful aroma—amazing! I once told “The Rose Lady” hello while she was pruning and she struck me as a very kind soul. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a note thanking her for her gorgeous flowers and stuck it on the landing by her door. (The next day, the note was gone. )

THIRTY: I bought a gift card at the grocery store, turned around after paying for my goods, and gave it to the woman behind me. She was, maybe, in her 70s and I thought she was going to start crying. She said it was one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for her and thanked me profusely. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her—I find it disturbing that this beautiful woman, in all these years, hasn’t experienced more kind acts shown to her than a goofy gift card. Really? (Please do something for someone today!)

THIRTY-ONE: I called both my mom and mother-in-law one day, with the sole purpose of telling them I love them. I am a lucky woman to have them in my life.

THIRTY-TWO: I don’t fuss over my hair much, but when I get a trim, I look forward to spending time with my favorite lock-cutter. Tony is awesome, has brought me much joy and healing energy this year, and I love him. I brought pastries one morning, on a pretty plate I had painted, to his shop for him and his clients. (I kind of feel bad about this one, actually. I don’t eat pastries and I found out neither does Tony [good for him and our healthy habits]. We agreed he’d display them because they are so pretty, but not eat them. Yay!)

THIRTY-THREE: While standing in line with some produce, I saw a woman behind me who looked agitated, angry, and upset for being stuck in line. I looked her in the eye and asked if she’d like to take my place in line—I was next to be helped. Her expression softened and gratefully accepted my offer. (This happened on several occasions, and I think I’ll do this a lot more in the future, too. Five extra minutes in line is not a big deal to me.) Life is good.

THIRTY-FOUR: I told a dear friend, who I love very much, how much I appreciate her. (See the top of this post…)

THIRTY-FIVE: I’m pretty sure the readers of this blog know by now I have MS. I emailed my neurologist to express my gratitude for her time, wisdom, and attention. I think it’s amazing she interacts with me via email when I need her input, and I appreciate her candor. She’s really great and I’m happy to know her.

THIRTY-SIX: I mailed a hand-written, heart-felt letter of encouragement to my three twenty-something step daughters. I love them very much. I want nothing more than for their lives to be filled with love.

THIRTY-SEVEN: During my check up at the hospital this month, I was not feeling so great. I had to give blood for analysis and was none too happy about it. Since the hospital where I’m treated only treats veterans, my phlebotomist asked me about my military service. She was funny, kind, and we ended up laughing a lot. I thanked her warmly for her service to others working at the hospital and she was immensely grateful. By the time my blood draw was over (including placing an IV port), we were both laughing so hard and hugged each other goodbye. Now, that’s my kind of day! LOVE! it!

THIRTY-EIGHT: I spent the month helping Lauren Lankford drop love bombs on unsuspecting recipients. I love what Lauren is doing: once a week she rallies hundreds of people to meet at a site/blog to encourage someone having a rough go of it with a comment. (To get involved, join the team or follow @dropalovebomb on Twitter.) P.S. My love bombing is not stopping!

THIRTY-NINE: I love libraries. I checked out four children’s books, including a personal favorite (and sometimes my nickname!) The Lorax, by T.S. Geisel, and inserted a crisp, new one dollar bill along with a note encouraging the finder of the bill, then returned the books to the library drop box. The notes were all different, but here’s text from one, “This is only the beginning of the treasures you’ll find in books. Keep reading! Love You, ~xo”

FORTY: A BIG HUG TO YOU AT NOON TODAY, FOR AS LONG AS YOU WANT, FOR YOUR PRESENCE IN MY LIFE! THANK YOU! (In the photo below, I’m hugging my favorite tree, it’s getting a hug today, too!)

Hugs to you! (See, I told you I am a tree hugger!)

Head to the comments and please describe any love mission you’ve performed (big or small) this month for RAOKA: LOVE!, or to help me celebrate my birthday! You are awesome!

Stay tuned for next month’s theme: Grace (chosen by M at The Exception).
♦ July’s theme post: Trust
♦ June’s theme post: Wisdom
♦ May’s theme post: Serenity
♦ April’s theme post: Family
♦ March’s theme post: Laughter
♦ February’s theme post: Passion
♦ January’s theme post: Gratitude
♦ December’s theme post: Wacky!
♦ November’s theme post: Beauty
♦ October’s theme post: Kindness

The RAOKA mission seeks to remind us that Random Acts of Kick Arse happen all around us—and also to spread the spirit. Each month, us RAOKA team mateys vote on a new theme based on your submissions.

On the first Wednesday of each month (US time zone) we invite everyone to post about what we’ve observed, passed along, or created. During the first ten days of the month, contact me with your theme ideas for the next month.

I’m at the helm of the RAOKA Crusade with my team mateys Lance, Gayze, and Zeenat. Check out their LOVE posts along with other crusader posts linked at the bottom of this post.

Be Involved in RAOKA!

If you’d like to become a Random Acts of Kick Arse Crusader—here’s your chance:

1. Propose a theme by contacting me the first ten days of the month or simply follow along with our monthly themes and spread the Random Acts of Kick Arse!
2. Write a post about what you have been up to and publish it on the first Wednesday of each month if you are in the US (for other parts of the world, check out your corresponding day here). If you would like a reminder emailed to you each month or would like more information, please contact me. If you don’t have a blog, you’re welcome to play along in the comments.
3. When you see my RAOKA post published, add your details in the form below including the URL address of your own RAOKA post and the title of your blog in the “Link Title” field. This will then automatically create a link to your post for others to see what kind of arse kicking you’ve been up to. See the following link as an example (link 1).

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I write every day. I have stories to tell.

Sometimes I craft just a few pages in the morning (a la Julia Cameron’s morning pages). Sometimes I write much more: short stories, blog posts (obviously), or poetry. And, like many authors, the goofy shit I’ve done in my life—adventures, wrong turns, and walls climbed—inform much of my writing.

Every now and then I correspond with readers of my blog, friends, or even relatives who say they can’t imagine writing anything interesting about their lives. “I’m just a normal bloke, I’ve done nothing interesting.”

Peh!

I beg to differ. There can’t be anything further from the truth.

When I hear this I die a little on the inside.

Maybe it’s my love of the art of memoir and deep love of storytellilng that has helped me understand this, but everyone has loads and loads of stories to tell. I promise. Trust me.

Case in point, when I write my Front Porch posts, I have always approached the guest (not the other way around) and I know intuitively he or she has a story to tell. We all do. I ask a few questions, we start talking, and I have yet to have a guest on my Porch who wasn’t absolutely interesting, engaging, and chock full of amazing stories.

I also believe telling our stories can be healing. When I wrote this post I felt incredibly alive and full of life. The act of writing incited these feelings.

I want to give you a challenge today, because I know you have it in you.

If you’re into it and want to give yourself a dose of love and healing, leave me a comment where you describe a time in your life in the context of one of these questions in fifty words or less (ten words are fine!), but stretch yourself and see yourself as the interesting, awesome, and lively person you really are.

1. Describe a time you were in severe physical pain, but you also happen to be a demigod. And the pain is only transient.  (Example: My gut felt like it was punched by Muhammad Ali, but, below the pain rose a great life force. Immediately the glowing energy ate away the pain and I rose like a Phoenix.)
2. Describe a very sensual moment and only use oblique references such foods or colors to detail your feelings. (Example: The berry sweetness kept me close. The touch was like the feeling of suede on a warm summer day. I could not contain myself.) [Feel free to leave an anonymous comment if you want. Express yourself—expression holds healing power.]
3. Describe something you still can’t believe you did to this day. (Example: I was fiery angry and needed an outlet, so I bought a tube of toothpaste and squeezed the entire tube into the trash can. [Yes, this really happened.] )

You have stories. You are awesome. I want to hear you roar.

[Photo by kevindooley via Creative Commons license]

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One question in particular made me quite contemplative.

I’m paraphrasing here, but he asked what song I would want played at my funeral. Having thought I might bite the big one on more than one occasion in my life, seriously, I had actually thought about this question before. I’ve never feared death and hope when that day comes knocking, you’ll remember this song and hum the tune (or sing at the top of your lungs) to celebrate life and my next fantastic journey.

In case you’re not familiar with the song I named for Tony (one of them, anyway), I thought I’d post the lyrics along side a You Tube video for weekend chillaxing.

The first time I really listened to the lyrics, I swear the Earth stopped spinning, for just a microsecond.

This sums it up, baby cakes. Thank you everyone for your time, thoughtful comments, and attention while I basked in Trottersville this week. And, thank you Mr. Single, for just being you. Have a magnificent weekend!

Watch the video via You Tube (click here if you’re viewing via RSS). The video is 5 min. 46 sec. in length and is supposedly the first network appearance of the Indigo Girls back in 1989. Their performance revs up right at the beginning. I love their conviction.

“Closer To Fine”

Songwriters: Keith Hunter & Emily Ann Saliers

I’m trying to tell you something about my life
Maybe give me insight between black and white
The best thing you’ve ever done for me
Is to help me take my life less seriously, it’s only life after all
Well darkness has a hunger that’s insatiable
And lightness has a call that’s hard to hear
I wrap my fear around me like a blanket
I sailed my ship of safety till I sank it, I’m crawling on your shore.

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountain
There’s more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in crooked line
The less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine.

I went to see the doctor of philosophy
With a poster of Rasputin and a beard down to his knee
He never did marry or see a B-grade movie
He graded my performance, he said he could see through me
I spent four years prostrate to the higher mind, got my paper
And I was free.

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountain
There’s more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in crooked line
The less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine.

I stopped by the bar at 3 a.m.
To seek solace in a bottle or possibly a friend
I woke up with a headache like my head against a board
Twice as cloudy as I’d been the night before
I went in seeking clarity.

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountain
There’s more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in crooked line
The less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine.

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountain
There’s more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in crooked line
The less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine.

We go to the bible, we go through the workout
We read up on revival and we stand up for the lookout
There’s more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in a crooked line
The less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine
The closer I am to fine
The closer I am to fine

Have a beautiful weekend, everyone! Keep spreading the love! ~xo

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Hey lovlies! I hope your weekend was mah’velous!

I wished I would’ve had my camera with me this weekend, I live in a beautiful area by the coast and there were weddings galore! I must have seen ten blushing brides being photographed in one afternoon.

Something about seeing Frisbees tossed between youngsters, families picnicking, and weddings occurring reminds me that life is a powerful force. It reminds me that even though bad things happen (oil spills, economic troubles, employment challenges, illness, etc.) this grande life will cut through the chaos and persevere.

Hope wins again.

And, hey, I’m chillaxing with Tony and Cassy over at their pad today.

I’ve had the pleasure to get to know the fab duo better recently and I must say, they’re yet another example of the goodness and life force in this world!

Stop by and say hello to Tony and me, and find out what I’m talking about when I say that Ms. MS is beating on her tom toms again.

Love ya’ll!
[Photo courtesy mikebaird via Creative Commons license]

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Jannie loves this bench...spring to summer!

If you follow this blog, you know I host the Front Porch, a JBN series about everyday stories—just stories friends exchange on front porches, back yards, or in break rooms in snippets during our days. Today I’m excited to share laughter with my blogger buddy Jannie Funster.

When Jannie was born the mold was broken. She’s an original in every way! She takes photos framed by doughnut holes while flowing with musical whimsy. Be sure to check out her blog for laughter and fun.

After the photo AND the munch...

Everyone knows Jannie writes songs (and sings!) for beer and doughnuts, so as I pour Jannie a tall, frosty cool one (with perfect foam), please put up your feet and join us on the Front Porch.

Jannie and "The Pea"

Jannie, I’m excited to have you here with me. Knowing you, I’m sure you’ve seen times that were so funny and, well, just plain goofy!
Can you tell me about an incident that sticks out in your mind?

Yes! I wore my motorcycle boots and lucky powder-blue prom gown to compete in the lawn mowing race of 1982. Traditional garb was jeans and sneakers. But I won!!

That’s winning in style, girl! I’m loving it! You’re such a sweetheart, too, and I know you have soft spots, too.

Care to share a sweet spot, a time you’ll never forget?

Sure, the first time I held my husband’s hand, it fit like a glove, and we’ve never looked back. That was on July 30th, 1990. So glad he took a chance on me!

I’m sure he feels the same way, about you taking a chance on him, too. I bet you two are fun! Want to come over for dinner some time? In fact, maybe I’ll have a party and have you break out your bongo drums. Hey, can you tell our lovely readers about the bongo solo you once told me about—you know the one? (It’s a hoot!)

Oh yes! During my bongo solo in the middle of a particularly rousing rendition of one of my earlier tunes — “Groove Shock Monkey Love,” people were so moved they started a conga line through the house, out the front yard, around the block and down to the convenience store. By the time we returned we’d added 20 neighbors to our celebration. Good times!

You are a riot, Jannie. I miss living in the Midwest. I remember the craziest things happening, seemingly all the time! I remember lots of animal-related mayhem, too. Everything from raccoons, coyotes, deer, and snakes would seems to show up at the craziest times. Especially our farm kittens, they were fat with mice and seemed to lead a life all their own, what? Who? Me? Just let me sleep in the sun, ma’am. Know what I mean—jelly bean? What about you, have any stories up your sleeve about animals?

Yes, I can relate! When I was about 10 the cat had had kittens up in the attic and stored them between the bedroom walls, 8′ down. (Took me 2 days of walking in and out of my parents’ and my adjacent bedrooms to figure out where the mewling was coming from.) Mom’s rescue plan was to remove the power nozzle from the old Electrolux vacuum, add on an extension and lower the hose shebang down to suck up those little kitties one at a time by the top of their cute little heads,with me shining the flashlight down. Jane-be-Lori-be-nimble-and-quick… you haven’t lived until you’ve seen a seen a wee kitten’s head sucked onto a vacuum cleaner hose, with their sweet little ears sticking out on either side. Fun fun times I’ve had! Fun good times!

Well, there you have it folks, your parting shot mental image of Jannie at Lori’s Front Porch is irreplaceable, me thinks. Thanks to Jannie for humoring my questions and emails, to all my past guests (sweet souls), and for all your participation in my posts and comments.

Step on up to the Front Porch and join us in the comments!

What’s the kookiest thing you’ve ever seen or done? Do you have a story to share about a surprise animal incident?

C’mon, show us you’re human!

[Photos courtesy Jannie Funster. I created the top image by overlaying Jannie's pre- and post-summer bench photos [the images on the left and right] to make the central image. Thanks, Jannie, for letting my goof around with your photography! ]

___________________________________________________________

Previous (random) Front Porch Posts:
Front Porch: The Series
Front Porch: Not A Typical Day In The Park (With Tim Piotrowski)
Front Porch: George and the Power of the Human Spirit (With George Angus)
Front Porch: Of Bands, Explosions, and Cattle Auctions—Laughter (With Jay Schryer)
Front Porch: Brave, Bold Tess (With Tess Marshall)
Front Porch: Only in Lance World (with Lance Ekum)
Front Porch: My Sensory Deprivation Experiment
Front Porch: Dreams, Laughter, and Comic Inspiration(with Tony and Cassy Single)

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Happy day everyone. Tomorrow Jannie Funster will be here on the Front Porch if you’d like to say hello. In the mean time, I thought I’d share this ditty with you.

I happened upon a comment yesterday and the last line stuck in my mind like glue. I can’t stop thinking about it so I thought I share it here.

“Thank you for this post. Blogging is certainly a team sport.”

This comment was made by Jered over at Virgin Blogger Notes (thanks for that, man).

This line stuck because I realized something about myself, why sometimes blogging is a bit of a struggle for me: I tend to relate blogging to running a marathon (a steady pace wins the race) or a cycling event (tune the body, mind, and machine and the three will get you to the finish line). But, those are individual sports—I need to remember the team. We need each other to grow, we need the huddle.

Okay, I need to back up.

I noticed Jered’s comment at my first visit to Virgin Blogger Notes because my blogger buddy Tess from The Bold Life had a guest post over there. It’s always great to meet new friends to I hopped over there to say hello. It’s one of the best posts I’ve read about blogging and social media, so I highly suggest you get your eyes over there soon.

Having thought about the huddle and team sport approach, I want to share with you three bloggers I recently met and very much enjoy. I hope you’ll head over there to say hello, introduce yourselves, and similar to what Tony has once said, tell them Dr. L sent you.

(Yes, I AM a doctor but not the kind that treats people. That said, I might be able to clone you if you need an extra pair of hands at home or work.)

Ready, set, go! Three blogs to fuel your day…

Happiness Hunters is authored by Petteri who happens to live in Finland (cool!). One of the things that draws me to his site is photography. WOW! Beautiful! He writes about a cornucopia of topics and his writing will compel you to want more. When I go to his site I feel like I’m opening a box of chocolate truffles and regardless of the flavor, it will be a tasty treat! Currently he’s chronicling his recent travels in Europe, including photos that will make your heart melt.

Want to save the currency to travel to Europe? Just visit Petter’s recent posts.

Here’s a quote from Petteri to savor:

“It doesn’t matter where you are at the moment. What matters is where you are going and that you have the will to grow mentally, evolve, and adapt to whatever life brings on your way. Your life is going to be full of positivity and great things if you so choose.”

Thanks for your effort at Happiness Hunters, Petteri!

Joshua Noerr has a way with words, and I like to drink them like a fine wine. He’s spent a great deal of his life involved in combat sports and knows how to translate that energy to his posts. I see him as a wonderful story teller who uses his own experiences to learn and help others grow.

Even though I don’t consider myself in the personal development genre, here’s a favorite quote of mine from his site that showcases his generous spirit:

“Personal development is a little selfish, and that’s ok. Do it for you, there is nothing wrong with that. If you notice [...] issues starting to pop up, recognize them for what they are, and keep moving. If you need help with anything, reach out to someone. If you can’t think of anyone right away, hit your old buddy Josh up. I don’t have all the answers, and I never will, but sometimes it just helps to get it off your chest.”

Thank you Joshua! Keep up the great work.

Today would be a great day to pop over to tell the blog’s author, Meredith, hello as she posted about her one-year blog anniversary yesterday (Aug 11). Like I’ve said in her comment section one day, “Oh la la, where have you been all my life?!” Her photography and writer voice make me melt like butter in a hot pan. Can you hear the sizzle?

Here’s an example:

“It is my experience that there are always more opportunities for photos than we can possibly use. I find myself in exactly this posture with regard to my story ideas. If I were to live for 500 years, I’d never get to all the good ones in my notebooks. That’s just the way it is. The world is bursting with creative energy. That’s no reason to get in a hurry, to become anxious and afraid to miss something great.”

Thanks for sharing your art and your self with us, Meredith!

Have a great day everyone.

Pop over to the comment box to say howdy (or just leave me a smiley face ) and then head over to these Virgin, Bold, Happy, Mindful, and Enchanted pieces of heaven.

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Greetings.

A big summer day is brewing—the sun is high in the sky. I love summer. My hubs often says I’m solar powered.

While grabbing some rays, I recently photographed this grapefruit-sized flower high up on a trellis. I love its “Jurassic” nature. Apologies, I have no idea of the name of this flower (if you know, please enlighten me). Every time I see it I think of dinosaurs. In person, it looks prehistoric to me.

And, it’s gorgeous!

I think it’s a miracle.

For today, I’ll keep this post short and sweet so you can get about the business of enjoying your day.

If you care to share, what have you seen lately that is a bit odd or unique but seems beautiful to you?

(Another example: I’m fascinated with bags floating in the wind, like Windy.)

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July Theme: Trust (chosen by Gayze)

• Driving or walking in a busy area
• A visit to the dentist (sharp tools!)
• Buying an item online (sharing credit card numbers)
• Banking
• Living on a fault line (earthquakes!)

All of these things I do without much thought. But, wow, think about the trust I implicitly give to others to do them. Think about this and all the things you do that could actually be quite dangerous, but you do them all the time. Now think about sharing our thoughts and ourselves with others: that takes trust.

Big time.

We can make ourselves vulnerable or subject to ridicule.

We can risk loosing the respect of others. (Will she/he treat me gently even though I’ve shared x, y, or z with her/him?)

By allowing ourselves a splash of vulnerability, trust can be built and I believe this can open doors for us.

I went outside of my comfort zone in July and relied on trust to carry me. I’ve listed five examples for your perusal below.

ONE: I sent an online buddy a photo of me raising a cuppa joe, pretending we were having coffee together on the Front Porch. And, believe me, this was hard for me. I had just rolled out of bed and hadn’t even combed my hair (eep!)! I trusted this person to not look too hard at my imperfections and simply smile because I said hello, which was the result. (Shaka that!) Now, I’m trusting you, lovely reader, that you’ll not send this photo to the LA Times.

Good Morning!

TWO: I decided to trust a community-supported produce association by signing up for their weekly organic produce drop this summer. The food tastes great, it’s uber good for me, and it cuts down on distance the produce is shipped—ultimately conserving fuel. How do I know it’s really organic and locally grown? I don’t. I’m trusting them. And, it feels good.

Organic, Locally Grown, and Beautiful. I trust them.

THREE: I trusted all of you not to give me a hard time when I posted a comic I drew. Now, that was scary! By doing so, I feel even more creative now. Thanks for the love!

Funny or not, I trusted you.

FOUR: I trusted that I would not feel weird or awkward when I introduced myself to an Aussie artist/blogger I respect and asked him if he would join me for a conversation here. I discovered that not only is he an amazingly creative person, but he and his wife are really cool people, too. Trust wins again!

Tony and Cassy (click to visit their blog)

FIVE: My good friend and blogger buddy trusted me by giving me all usernames and passwords to her blog and Google accounts so I could help her troubleshoot a problem she was having with Feedburner. Wow, now that’s trust! (Yes, I’m a closet tech geek.) And, woot (!), after a bit of troubleshooting, Feedburner is no longer giving her the middle finger. See what trust can do for you?

Pesky!

These are five trust experiments and luckily they all worked out for the better. I admit that by giving others our trust we can get hurt (I have one failed marriage under my belt to prove it), but I’m more willing these days to trust others and give them the benefit of the doubt. What about you?

Feel like commenting about Trust? Please do! What did you do this month that required a leap in trust on your part? What was the result?

Stay tuned for next month’s theme: Love (chosen by me).

♦ June’s theme post: Wisdom
♦ May’s theme post: Serenity
♦ April’s theme post: Family
♦ March’s theme post: Laughter
♦ February’s theme post: Passion
♦ January’s theme post: Gratitude
♦ December’s theme post: Wacky!
♦ November’s theme post: Beauty
♦ October’s theme post: Kindness

The RAOKA mission seeks to remind us that Random Acts of Kick Arse happen all around us—and also to spread the spirit. Each month, one of us RAOKA groupies picks a new theme to focus our attention toward positivity and goodness in this world.

On the first Wednesday of each month (US time zone) we invite everyone to post about what we’ve observed, passed along, or created.

I’m at the helm of the RAOKA Crusade with my team mateys Lance, Gayze, and Zeenat. Check out their Trust posts along with other crusader posts linked at the bottom of this post.

Be Involved in RAOKA!

If you’d like to become a Random Acts of Kick Arse Crusader—here’s your chance:

1. Follow along with our monthly themes and spread the Random Acts of Kick Arse!
2. Write a post about what you have been up to and publish it on the first Wednesday of each month if you are in the US (for other parts of the world, check out your corresponding day here). If you would like a reminder emailed to you each month or would like more information, please contact me. If you don’t have a blog, you’re welcome to play along in the comments.
3. When you see my RAOKA post published, add your details in the form below including the URL address of your own RAOKA post and the title of your blog in the “Link Title” field. This will then automatically create a link to your post for others to see what kind of arse kicking you’ve been up to. See the following link as an example (link 1).

[RAOKA logo designed by Melissa at Operation Nice, image of Tony and Cassy courtesy Tony Single via Creative Commons license.]
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Meet Place, By Tony Single (click to visit website)

If you follow this blog, you know I host the Front Porch series about everyday stories—stories friends exchange on front porches, back yards, or in break rooms in snippets throughout our days. Here’s another installment, perfect for summer fun!

I have ants-in-my-pants excitement to have a special guest with me today. He’s Tony Single—an artist, comic genius, poet, blogger, writer, (I could go on and on). When I go to his blog, Trottersville, I love that I never know what I’ll find. His writer voice and personality are as warm as a june bug on a summer day.

To add even more warmth to the mix, the co-creator of Trottersville is Tony’s mate Cassy. She’s as sweet as pie and I’d love to have them both over for dinner.

Cool, crazy Cassy

Those two have so much fun, in fact, here’s a sneak peek from Tony:

Talented Tony

“Whenever Cassy and I are doing any chores around the house, we like to make up crazy weirdo songs on the fly. I’ll sing one line and Cass will sing the next, making sure that the last word always rhymes. We’ll just take it as far as we can for as long as we can, or until Cassy dissolves into fits of laughter. And then I’ll just keep doing it some more, all by myself, until Cassy’s stomach hurts. I’m evil that way!”

“But, Cass does something that always confuses me. Sometimes I laugh to myself like a crazy man about it… you know, when I’m alone and no one’s watching. Whenever there’s a mouthful of soft drink left in a bottle, instead of finishing it Cass will open a fresh bottle. I swear, she’d probably just keep on accumulating the unfinished bottles of drink until there was enough to build a house out of them! Strange girl that one. That’s why I love her.”

Without further ado, I’m pouring Tony a nice cool ginger beer while he stretches out in our woodland tent. Cassy is by my side with a bottle, too, I can already see her laughing at the whole arrangement. These two are a hoot!

Tony! I’m psyched to hang out with you. Your attitude, generosity and warmth are contagious. Thanks for being here.

First things first, it’s been a long time since I’ve been in a tent. But, I have such great memories of sleeping in the outdoors. I’d always have the wildest dreams. Also, I find that when I’m working on a project, it continues though my sleep.

What about you? Do you tend to sleep well, and what types of dreams amalgamate in you mind at night?

I tend to sleep very well, but on the rare occasion that I don’t it’s because I’ve either had a bad dream or I’m feeling sick. Fortunately, I don’t get ill too super often, but I do tend to remember all of my nightmares. I’ve dreamt about being at ground zero when an atomic bomb goes off. I’ve dreamt about being bashed by home invaders or torn to shreds by all the neighborhood dogs. I’ve even dreamt about being naked in public when every friend I’ve ever had seems to choose THAT very moment to walk on by. Good grief! I wish I could remember a lovely dream for a change!

Ha ha! I have those all the time! It’s so embarrassing, all those people walking by and me realizing that I forgot to get dressed that morning. Eee gads. Please drop me a line when you do have a good dream. Maybe you could practice by meditating before sleeping. It works for me. Think about what makes you happy, where you’d like to be or what you’d like to experience, and drift off to never land.

In fact, when do you feel the most happy, Tony?

I feel most happy when I’m creating something and it seems to be coming together in a satisfactory way. Whether it’s a comic strip, an illustration or a poem is immaterial to me just so long as I’m accurately conveying whatever thoughts and emotions I may be going through at the time. Only then do I feel that I have been truly productive.

I’m also most happy when I’m eating something that my darling Cassy has made. She makes the best minced beef wellington! Oh, and although you can’t eat them, she makes the best hugs by holding her arms out just so! She also makes the best totally unscripted and off the wall remarks I’ve ever heard. Oh, oh, oh, and she makes little crinkles around her eyes and mouth when she giggles. Hmmm… I’ll stop there before your readers start to vomit from diabetic shock!

Oh yeah, and something else! I love to read, I love to play video games and I love to listen to music! It seems like I’ve read everything from Darwin’s Origin of Species to anything by Philip Yancey. I’ve played my Legend of Zelda games to absolute death because their fantasy settings and engaging characters enthrall me. I’ve listened to the dark metal compositions of Virgin Black through to the alternative folk rock songs of Wovenhand, and even the likes of Johnny Cash and Natalie Merchant. My tastes roam far and wide, even to the movies I see. I like some of the big blockbusters just as much as some of the more obscure, indie films. Whatever grabs my emotions and imagination will usually keep me interested for a long, long time.

Tony, you are a nimble Renaissance man. You’re giving me lots of ideas and igniting my creativity. Who or what inspired your creative side?

I was inspired from a very early stage by the melancholy leanings of Charles M. Schulz’s famous Peanuts comic strip, and also by the lesser known Tove Jansson and her series of Moomintroll children’s books that were equal parts whimsy and strange. Certain animated television shows such as Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy, Rin Taro’s Prehistoric Boy Kum Kum, and Hayao Miyazaki’s Sherlock Hound also left a strong storytelling imprint on me. Over many years, I have borrowed artistic techniques from these artists and directors and infused them with my own sensibility to arrive at the style you see me drawing in today. These days, I’m also inspired by a lot of things such as books, music, movies, and other people. Potentially, everything that happens to me contains the seeds of inspiration.

I agree, Tony, so many things inspire me. As I age, I notice that people’s stories about their own lives inspire me the most.

That said, is there any advice you can give to aspiring artists out there (like little ‘ole me!)?

I’m in no position to be dispensing advice to anyone else for any reason whatsoever. I mean, what do I know, right? However, what I would say to you, Lori, is to draw, draw, and then draw some more. Draw until your arms almost drop off! Sure, it may have taken me a long time to get to my level of skill and ability, but I would absolutely be fooling myself if I thought I had arrived at the pinnacle of artistic perfection. Not even close. So draw, draw, and then draw draw draw some more. A lot more! Draw everything you see, and draw from the heart. You only get better (and continue to get better) if you hone your craft, and acquaint yourself with the goings on in the world as often as possible!

That’s great advice, Tony the Terrific. Keep doing, doing, doing, and at some point it will get easier. That’s so true. I’ll try to keep my arms from dropping off, though.

I admire your artistic abilities, Tony. But having gotten to know you better, I admire Tony the person as much as Tony the artist.

Can you dig deep and touch on spirituality with me? Have you ever changed your views about this topic?

Oh yes, that was many years ago when I finally decided to stop running and face my Maker instead. That was extremely difficult. Imagine your very being forcing you to go against everything you’ve ever held to be true and quantifiable, and instead nodding in affirmation to some strange divine paradox that some like to call “God”. The idea of there being one sure didn’t make sense to me, but a universe without some divine personality behind it all made a lot less sense. I had tried not to believe but just couldn’t do it. Richard Dawkins would be disappointed! And while my life has still had more than its fair share of ups and downs, it has turned out to be a decision that’s given me some much needed consistency.

I hear you there, Tony. I’m still trying to figure out where I stand on this and appreciate your perspective. I believe everyone should live what works for him or her. In some ways, I think the divine (faith, belief, whatever you want to term “it”) might be a moving target as we travel through life; I am fascinated by this topic. Thanks for being open and sharing.

Most of all, Tony and Cassy, you two are awesome and I hope I get to meet you two in person someday. Love to you both.

Step on up to the Front Porch and join us in the comments!

What tends to show up in your dreams?

Do you have hidden artistic talent?

Questions for Tony?

[Images courtesy Tony Single via Creative Commons license.]

___________________________________________________________

Previous (random) Front Porch Posts:
Front Porch: The Series
Front Porch: Not A Typical Day In The Park (With Tim Piotrowski)
Front Porch: George and the Power of the Human Spirit (With George Angus)
Front Porch: Of Bands, Explosions, and Cattle Auctions—Laughter (With Jay Schryer)
Front Porch: Brave, Bold Tess (With Tess Marshall)
Front Porch: Only in Lance World (with Lance Ekum)
Front Porch: My Sensory Deprivation Experiment (Yours Truly)

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A panther rests on her hip—strong, sentient, and confident.

She lived adventures in far away lands.

She has spilled her blood in the streets.

She has traveled at 40+ miles per hour using her own power and strength.

She is the long lost progeny of Poseidon and Athena.

She was the chieftess of a Bonobo tribe in a former life.

She has felt bones crush on impact.

She awakens the Kundalini in those around her.

She has incited laughter in children and held friends while they cried.

She has swum with turtles, sharks, and mermaids.

She has felt triumphs along with the tears of deep, black sorrow.

She savors the fruits of her labor.

She has made many mistakes.

She has been stung by exotic insects and lived to tell the tale.

She has made love and screamed and cried, sometimes all at once.

She has lived loudly.

She has exited her body and flown the stratosphere.

She sees you in her dreams.

She cherishes each connection to other human beings and demigods.

She has been taught grace and compassion through chronic disease.

She is madly in love with her life partner.

She has learned the most important thing is love.

Love.

Love.

She is the woman with the panther tattoo.

[Note: I admit I have a panther tattoo, the rest is up to you. Remember, what you see in her is also in you. ~Namaste~]

Thanks to S. Larsson, author of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, for the inspiration for this post. I can’t wait to read your trilogy and meet you in person someday.

[Photo courtesy Belindah via Creative Commons license]

Share something with me that I don’t know about you! Pretty please?

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