Joy – Page 35 – NealEnJoy

Have You Counted Your Holiday Blessings? (Part One)

Posted on December 21, 2014November 6, 2021 by Neal Saye

Have you done so this holiday? Blessings come in SO many forms and dressings. I urge you to take a sheet of paper and number your joys. Here is a sampling of mine:

1. I had to miss my seven year-old grandson Daniel’s first piano recital earlier this week. (I was SO frustrated.) Tonight at my family’s early Christmas dinner, I walked in the door and daughter Amy had arranged for Daniel to dress back up in his Calvin Klein suit and play Jingle Bells (as he did at the recital). It melted my heart.

(Okay, I’m not sure about the sunglasses either.)

(Absolute grandfather joy.)

Here’s Daniel at the actual recital:

2. The ability to smell Christmas.

3. Enjoying the power of silly.

4. Hosting a Holiday and Hot Toddy Chili Party Saturday night.

What fun!

Good buddies Ellie, Jamie and Brennan.

I read “A Cup of Christmas Tea” to the twenty-something guests–and asked them to think about a person important in their upbringing to toast at the end of the story. I urge you to do the same. Who encouraged you along your way?

“Let’s raise a cup of Christmas cheer, to family and loved ones far and near.”

So take a few moments, and with Bing, count your blessings:

5. Tree shadows on a wall during a walk the other night.

What are a few of your Holiday Blessings? Come on, share a few.

College Teaching

The Smile — and Happiness Shared

Posted on November 11, 2014November 6, 2021 by Neal Saye

The students in my English 123 (Freshman Composition) classes at SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) are doing what I call Visual Essays in this, their next-to-the-last week of Fall Quarter 2014. We read two books this term, Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist and Tal Ben-Shahar’s Happier, both relating to our course theme of “Happiness and the Exploration of Joy.” The Visual Essay project invites the students to MAKE, rather than write, their papers. Traditional essay requirements are still required: a focus and thesis, structure, detail and support, etc. But this essay morphs into a drawing or painting, a sculpture, a collage, a video, a food, etc. Basically this project is a visual representation of one topic narrowed into a clear thesis/perspective/idea. The challenge: how to “show” their thesis.

Debora Jacob (from Brazil) went to Forsyth Park here in Savannah last Saturday. Here’s her Visual Essay titled “Happiness Shared” on the topic of the smile and its significance.

Thanks for the encouragement, Debora.

Let’s all SMILE more often.

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers (10/31/14)

Posted on October 31, 2014November 6, 2021 by Neal Saye

It’s All Hallow’s Eve! (Wasn’t it just July 4th last week?) And I am spookily happy. Seriously. Here’s why.

1. Yesterday going to my grandtwins’ nursery school and carving a Jack O’ Lantern. Here it is:

Okay, that’s a lie. I took that pic near my place in historic district Savannah. Here’s the one I did:

Sorry but that’s a lie as well. (Is that a bat?) Here’s mine:

For more decades than I care to mention, my Jack O’Lanterns have looked EXACTLY the same. But what fun with Matthew and Madison and their little classmates.

2. Speaking of pumpkins, here’s my dinner Wednesday night–Butternut Squash Soup in Pumpkin Bowls.

Oh. My. Goodness. Gourmet heaven.

3. The Savannah Film Festival this week, hosted by my SCAD–Savannah College of Art and Design.

Such fun.

What incredible films I saw, including a fascinating documentary about Summerville, GA artist Americana Howard Finster and a mesmerizing selection of short films from Ireland.

4. Singing with James Brown in Augusts, GA.

We’re belting out “Papa’s Got a Brand new Bag,” followed by “Make it Funky.”

5. The joy of holidays.

Happy, Happy Halloween to you all!

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers — 9/19/14

Posted on September 19, 2014November 6, 2021 by Neal Saye

You know, if you really think about it, we have So Much to be thankful for. (Btw, even though I’m an English prof, I’ve decided it’s okay to end a sentence with a preposition.)

Here’s my short list this week:

1. Hosting a small gathering to celebrate my parents’ 70th (yes, 70th!) wedding anniversary.

Harold Hulon (Tub) Saye and Geneva Mae Reavis were married on September 12, 1944.

Cousin Jennie (below) helped me host the party at my parents’ little house (which, by the way, my father built himself).

2. Sleep.

(Grandson Gabriel)

3. Celebrating International Talk Like a Pirate Day today, Sept. 19.

4. Starting a new term at SCAD this week with fifty wonderful students from all over the world.

5. Hearing this quote today at SCAD’s fall quarter Faculty Conference: “Don’t just Talk about it–Be about it.”

Be Happy This Last Weekend of Summer 2014!

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers — 9/11/14

Posted on September 12, 2014November 6, 2021 by Neal Saye

Summer is slipping away. Can you believe that Sept 22 is the First Day of Fall?! Would someone please tell Savannah’s daily temperatures that bit of info?

1. Even though it caused a catch in my throat, seeing the pics my daughter Emily sent of the grandtwins yesterday morning — September 11.

2. Actually borrowing an egg from my next door neighbor. (Is it okay to still do that?)

(Of course she put the egg in a cute tiny bowl she found in Italy.)

I paid Vivian back with some Werther’s Originals–Chewy Caramels in the same bowl. (Is that normal?)

3. This green lion who (which?) lives nearby in Savannah’s historic district.

4. Taking four-year-old grandson Gabriel to his first-ever tennis lesson.

Looking back at me, “Abu,” to make sure I’m watching.

5. And speaking of Gabriel, when I picked him and brother Daniel (7) up from school yesterday, G told us that he made a BIG picture of Batman in pre-K art class. When we got to his house, of course we hung it in the dining room.

After a few minutes, big brother Daniel, after pointing out that Gabriel had spelled Batman with an M (Matman), said to me, “Matman sure looks like a monkey to me.”

Gabriel screamed, “IT’S BATMAN!”

Happy Friday Folks!

Encouragement

A Few Things

Posted on September 2, 2014November 6, 2021 by Neal Saye

A Few Things I’m Thankful For this warm Tuesday evening in Savannah:

** Learning to make Watermelon Gazpacho soup. So good!

It took me FOREVER to dice the watermelon, cucumber, bell pepper, shallots, etc, but SO WORTH IT. Yum.

I may just become a Food Network star.

** Cannons

** Peel and eat shrimp

** Cool backgrounds for pictures

(Inside Fort Sumter in Charleston yesterday.)

** Spoiling the grandtwins with chocolate cupcakes.

** Selfies with my parents (90 and 87) and brother Danny.

** Figs

** Root Vegetable Roasts!

** Speaking of vegetables, Vegetable-laden Bloody Mary’s

So healthy!

** Being able to bend my body

** Fifty Shades

** Clouds

Happiest of Nights to you all!

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers — 8/15/14

Posted on August 15, 2014November 6, 2021 by Neal Saye

I love these lazy, hazy crazy days of summer! Here’s Nat King Cole singing about them. Listen as you read the Happy Bringers:

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=lazy+crazy+hazy+days+of+summer&qpvt=lazy+crazy+hazy+days+of+summer&FORM=VDRE#view=detail&mid=A45A00CE404625AAB6CBA45A00CE404625AAB6CB

1. Friendly dogs coming up to me as I sit and read in Washington Square — “my square” here in Savannah’s historic district.

2. Going to the Meet Your Classmates and Teachers Social at Grandson Gabriel’s Pre-K class at Savannah Country Day.

(My grandies call me Abu. Read why here.)

3. Making up a cool recipe the other night — Sautéed Collards with Red Beets and Onions.

4. The (frequent) sight and sound and smell of late afternoon heavy rain in Savannah.

(Outside my living room window.)

5. The sheer joy of being enthusiastic.

Here a wonderful article about that very subject:

Enthusiasm is the Key to Happiness

Have a gloriously enthusiastic weekend ahead!

Humor, The Joy and Wisdom of Children

Magic Dream Spray

Posted on August 11, 2014December 1, 2021 by Neal Saye

Do other folks out there do what my family does? All get iPhones and set up a little Family Group Messaging System? Well, my two daughters Amy and Emily, along with Donna (even though divorced now, we remain the best-est of friends) have done just that. And it’s such an incredibly efficient strategy for staying in touch, bothering each other constantly and having SO MUCH FUN!

The other night, daughter Amy (and mother of grandsons Daniel, 7 and Gabriel, 4) sent us this text.

I LOVE faith-stretching strategies such as that! My response:

A bit more of Amy’s explanation:

Me:

End of discussion until a couple of days later when we received this text from Amy as she, Orte and the boys were driving down to Florida for the weekend:

Family … magical.

Maybe that’s what family is … Magic Dream Spray.

The Joy and Wisdom of Children

GRANDstanding

Posted on April 8, 2014November 6, 2021 by Neal Saye

Okay, okay, I admit it. After getting over the terror of my slightly (?) insane old-age-related fear of becoming a grandfather, I have come to LOVE this joyful status in life. And if you’ve read my blog much at all, you’ve seen the grandies: brothers Daniel and Gabriel, and grandtwins Matthew and Madison.

Simply put, they offer me such tremendous happiness, especially since they live right here in my Savannah.

For example, yesterday afternoon, as I twinsat (is that a word?), Matthew wanted a back massage. How do they learn that at 20 months? So he climbed up on the couch.

And directed me with his little hand, as he watched The Disney Channel.