I spent my undergraduate years basking in the incredible natural and manmade beauty of Berry College in Rome, Georgia. I will never forget the JOY of studying on the world’s largest campus, surrounded by sites so breathtaking that occasionally, even as a green freshman, I would stop in my tracks on a journey across campus and stare, openmouthed, at the afternoon light shimmering off of Swan Lake or, on a cold February morning, gaze entranced out my Dana Hall second-floor, frosted dorm window into the ordered courtyard below and smile as deer delicately ate holly leaves and startling red berries in the snow. I can still hear my young footfalls on the ancient wooden floors of Berry’s gorgeous chapel (modeled after Christ Church in Alexandria Virginia). And here’s where I ate my meals, the Ford Dining Hall:
What fond and HAPPY Berry memories I have. Oh my gosh, that place was magical!
So, of course, I never thought that another school could compare with Berry.
But for the past twenty-four years, I have taught English at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro. When I first arrived, my limited vision focused, uncomfortably, on sand, 100 degree summers and beyond-belief pesky gnats. (Why is that “g” there? Why are gnats ANYWHERE?) “Who could live in this desolate place?” I wondered. But slowly the tall pines and the amazing spring azaleas and (inexplicably) even the hot, humid summers wooed me, and I gradually fell in love. As I adored beautiful Berry as a student, I came to cherish GSU as a professor. The school and the land have been so very good to me.
I have watched GSU’s campus grow and develop into an enclave of living beauty. But far too often, in my busy business of teaching and grading and conferencing, I would forget what thrived outside my office window. So recently I decided to take a leisurely walk across my campus home. Come with me.
Let’s begin at the Akins Blvd. entrance off Veterans Parkway:
The RAC (Recreational Activity Center) where I spent many an hour trying to hold back the belly bulge.
Let’s ride over to the two eagle statues.
Now let’s climb a tree.
Look, I’m an Olympic hero.
Did you know that the “S” in GSU also stands for my last name, Saye?
When I sit down and think about it, I realize how much I have loved this school and this beautiful land.
Georgia Southern University has allowed me to enjoy a great career of helping young people progress and mature into their greater lives. I’ve been involved in a wondrous building process!
I’m so happy that both Berry and Georgia Southern are part of who I am.
Last Friday night I ventured into unfamiliar territory by attending the beautifully chic Looking Back to the Future: Ralph Rucci Evolved fashion exhibition and reception at the SCAD Museum of Art in downtown Savannah. (Not familiar with SCAD? It’s the Savannah College of Art and Design, with an incredible campus scattered all over the Historic District.) Here I am beforehand, perusing the invitation and trying to decide three things.
1. Who Ralph Rucci is. I thought at first that maybe he was related to Susan Lucci (aka Erica Kane–All My Children), before realizing I confused the “L” and “R” of the last name.
2. If “reception” might translate into “jumbo Savannah shrimp and mojitos.”
3. If (since this was a fashion event) I had anything cool to wear that wouldn’t make my butt look big. (Could I wear skinny jeans at my age?)
A bit of research revealed that Rucci is a well known American fashion designer, with a line called Chado Ralph Lucci (“chado” coming from Japanese tea ceremonies which pay close attention to detail and expertise). His work “always embodies the same formula: the collections present the most beautiful rainwear, outerwear, furs, leathers, embroidery and rich hand techniques, dance dresses, and drop-dead evening gowns.”
Not 100% sure why, I decided to go.
I’m so glad I did.
Because now I’m famous. (More about that later.)
I arrived about 6:30 p.m. at the amazingly beautiful museum, which was created within a crumbling National Historic Landmark railroad warehouse, part of the large Central of Georgia Railroad Depot complex.
Here I am with docent extraordinaire Brianne Shew (a SCAD Fashion Design student) who introduced me to the exhibition and explained that “couture” is high-quality, custom made clothing, usually with 80% or more of the piece hand sewn. (And I finally learned how to pronounce the word: “koo-toor”: http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=couture.)
And here I am with one of the mannequins (right before I got a mean look/”no, no” headshake from another docent for getting too close to the mannequin/womannequin).
While browsing through the exhibit, I met a guy with the coolest pants. Upon introducing myself and my blog, I discovered that Mangue Banzima had recently moved with his family from New York and now owns Qui? Inc., an image consulting firm. Mangue is married to the lovely Isolde Brielmaier, art historian and chief curator of exhibitions of the SCAD museums. He writes a fascinating fashion blog: http://www.quistyle.com/blog (where you can see many photos from the Ralph Rucci exhibit). As a matter of fact, at his blog, Mangue welcomes your own fashion photo submissions.
And at one point Mangue took my picture and included it in his blog: http://www.quistyle.com/blog/page/5 (scroll down). WHY on earth didn’t I dress up more?! Still, since I’m now famous, from now on please treat me with the respect I deserve.
While at the museum I stuck my head in a couple of the other exhibits. Here I am sitting in the dark watching a video of frozen shoes sinking into a hole.
And, then, at another exhibit, trying to take a stand and march to my own beat:
But failing and succumbing to the crowd:
Oh well. Come on, join us.
I really had a wonderful time at the SCADMoA and the Rucci show. When you can, go!
Leaving, I said goodbye to yet another friendly and helpful Scadite, student Cory Elder, a SCAD painting major.
Moral of story: go where you haven’t gone before, try something new or challenging. Stretch. Who knows, you might become famous too.
P.S. If you have any suggestions for MY new fashion line, let me know ASAP. Thank you.
“Mama.” Perhaps no other word in our langauge evokes such tender and loving feelings.
My mom turned 85 on May 2. Here she is with my dad (88). They have been married for 65 years!
Geneva Mae Reavis Saye and Harold Hulon Saye Sr.
If I had to answer the question, “Neal, what’s the greatest lesson your mother has taught you in life?” I would have NO problem at all answering. I learned the lesson so, so early: the power and authority of humor and laughter. Some of my greatest memories growing up consist of roaring with giggles and laughter at some of the silliest things. My mother is a master at seeing the lightness in situations. The Christmas when I was about six, I asked for a real juke box, and FOUND IT it my parents’ bedroom closet on Christmas Eve. Mama thought it was hilarious when I started yelling in confusion, “WHY is my juke box in your closet??!!” She said, through fits of unrestrained laughs, “Santa wanted your dad and me to try it out first.” (That Christmas began my distrust of Santa.) Or the time when I asked for (and finally got) a rocking chair for my sixteenth birthday (don’t judge me), and she (like you probably) laughed and said, “WHO wants a rocking chair on their birthday?!” I still get teased about that very practical and emotionally calming gift.
Or her ongoing confusion with the words “veterinarian” and “vegetarian.”
Or the Christmas when I was about eight and had this obsession with making sure the ornaments were placed perfectly (in my opinion) on the live tree branches. I had gone to bed, but thought that maybe I should check the tree one more time for spatial accuracy of the bulbs and tinsel. A big round glass ornament on a limb just out of my reach needed attention. Reaching up, I grabbed the branch, too hard I suppose, and pulled the ENTIRE tree on top of me, electric lights and all. Screaming in holiday terror, I flailed at the evergreen monster till my mom and dad ran into the living room. I distinctly remember my dear mother hooting with laughter and saying to my dad (far too loudly), “Just look what Neal’s done now!”
Or her ongoing advice throughout the decades: “It’s really not that important, Neal. You’ll laugh about it soon.” And I usually did. (Except for early Christmas memories.)
What an incredible privilege and joy to have a mother who taught me when I was younger and who continues to teach me to this day that happiness is a choice. That laughter is an answer, a solution, medicine. That humor is a gift to get and to give.
My advice on this glorious Mother’s Day: Don’t wait till your mom and dad walk out of your lives forever to tell them, show them, how very much they mean to you and how much you love them.
HAPPY, HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY 2012!
I dedicate this beautiful version of the song “Mama” by Il Divo to my mom and to yours. And remember to tell her now!
Since after 14 hours I finally won Staring Contest #1 a while back, I decided to challenge a master, former GSU legendary head football coach Erk Russel in Staring Contest #2.
Oh I forgot to tell you, before the struggle of the two titans began, I invoked the time-honored tradition of rubbing the coach’s head to ensure victory.
(Hours, days pass.)
Yes!! Triumphant once again! So why is his name still up there?
I love students. They’re so “learny” and all. Well today I gave my first of three finals of the week here at Georgia Southern. My Everyday Creative Writing class is such a wonderfully cool and fun group of students. (Although I could easily say the same about each of my classes this semester.)
Here they are at the beginning of class today, writing the reflection portion of the portfolio:
Such hard workers.
And here they are, soon after I began a little lecture comparing taking a final exam to running the race of life (Lesson 42 of my Listen to Neal and Learn series):
And, look, here they are when I stood in front of the room and asked them the first fifty-point exam question: “Who is the best professor in the universe?”
They REALLY are a SMART group of students! I’m just so very proud of them.
And, look again, here they are when they received the second fifty-point question: “Who is wearing the coolest shirt in the room?”
I have to say that some of their facial expressions got on my nerves a bit. Like THEY had on hip shirts!
One of the most incredible benefits of being a professor is that students teach the prof SO much about life: about being excited and interested and vibrant. About believing that all things are possible. (I forget that from time to time.) About taking risks. About taking naps. About being happy. About enjoying NOW. About enjoying hot, fresh french fries from McDonald’s. About living life with fervor.
Simply put, my students lift me, they raise me up.
(Can you tell I’m sort of horizontal there?)
I dedicate this song to all my WONDERFUL students who daily lift me up. Thank you. You add much joy to my life.
Did last weekend’s Earth Day register in your world? After talking to a number of folks so far this week, I saw that many were not aware of the special day which is dedicated to raising awareness of our most precious natural resource. So I decided to repost my Earth Day post (silliness and all).
Since everyday should be Earth Day, here’s hoping you have a great EARTH WEDNESDAY with me!
One of the most FUN aspects of living in the beautiful city of Savannah GA is enJoying the wide variety of festivals and events celebrated in the city (Savannah Music festival, Jewish Food Festival, Asian Festival, that big green one in mid-March, etc.). Well yesterday heralded another great celebration–Earth Day 2012–held in Savannah’s living room, Forsyth Park.
Let’s be honest–so often we take this amazing planet for granted, like air, and forget that our Earth is alive–and continually giving us life. Indeed, our JOY as humans is inseparable from the health of our planet. I love the Native American proverb, “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”
I hope you have been taking the time this week to reflect on the beauty and generosity of our planet–and to consider ways to make her healthier and happier.
Last Saturday morning, I arrived at Savannah’s Forsyth Park about eleven, and the place was already packed with Earth Day-ers. For some reason (which I should probably discuss with my therapist) I headed straight for the little alligator and the big owl.
Confession: I stopped at the next tent initially because I saw a book being prominently featured, Holy Sh**: Managing Manure to Save Mankind by Gene Logsdon. (Should I start using it as a text in my comp classes?) I met a very cool guy named Andy Schwartz, founder and compost chief of Grow.Eat.Repeat., a Savannah-based sustainability organization.
Check out his fascinating and encouraging website at www.grow-eat-repeat.com. Andy also has a blog, so we’re blog brothers!
Next I ran into my buddy, the always hip, happy and upbeat Ellie Covington. (I want Ellie to help me buy some hats.)
Still sort of meandering aimlessly around the park (a major life strategy of mine), I saw these girls wearing tutus and fresh from their 5K run. Sometimes I don’t ask questions–I just try to go with the flow. (I noticed their breast cancer awareness ribbons, and then it hit me that they had participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. I plan to run in it next year … or maybe walk.)
(I think they thought I was famous. I might have told them I was.)
Walking around a corner I literally bumped into Mrs. Helen Cobham who asked if I wanted to play a game and win some vegetable or flower seeds. (Actually I misunderstood and thought she said vegetables or flowers, not just seeds. And I don’t have a yard. But wanting to be nice on Earth Day and all, I thought, why not?) In the game I had to name at least two of earth’s cycles in order to win a prize.
Okay, now listen, let me tangent talk a bit and explain an issue I’ve had all my life. If someone asks me a question out of the blue, I go blank, like Lady Gaga at a beef gorging festival, or answer quickly and foolishly before thinking. For example, in the 8th grade by a MIRACLE OF GOD, I made it to the one-word final of the class spelling bee. I was given the word, “Georgia.” I knew I had won as I immediately jumped up and down and blurted out “J.E.O.R.G.I.A.”! Face beet red. But really, J and G are sort of alike.
Earth’s cycles? Hmmm. All I could think of was the word “motorcycle” at first and then the “cycle of life” and finally the “cycle of seasons,” which I knew HAD to be the right answer, so I yelled, “THE SEASONS!!,” like Oprah shrieking for her audience members to feel under their seats for a new Ipad. Helen looked at me with pity, and at the same time a man nudged me and pointed at the game poster board (I got the impression he thought HE was about to win a truckload of vegetables and wanted the competition gone). Looking at the board, I saw that the cycles (nitrogen, carbon, oxygen, etc.) were actually written in various sentences there. End result:
(Which, when all is said and done, makes me feel a little better about the spelling bee.)
Feeling on a winner’s high, I kept going, stopping in awe (really) at Elizabeth Conlon’s amazing display of herbs and vegetables growing from a tower planter device:
Here I am with two fun and friendly bread and pasta makers:
One of my favorite stops was a short visit with gentle-spirited and wonderfully encouraging (as well as talented) Matthew Cooper and his didgeridoos, the grand instruments in the pics below.
At one point I saw an empty tent booth, decided to take advantage of it, and offer a service of my own:
Oh, my service?
All I can say is I know a WHOLE lot of folks who are going to be sorry one of these days.
Seriously, I LOVED the message of the festival: let’s all take part in the loving care of our planet.
A hardworking fun group of eco-students from Savannah State:
Oh and I won the door prize!
(Helicopter rides available soon … with famous blogger.)
WHAT A HAPPY, HAPPY EARTH DAY!
P.S. If I missed any vendor that I visited with, and you would like your info added, please share it in the comment section, and I will make amends.
For those who are interested, I’m including a wonderful poem, “Planet Earth.”
Planet Earth
It has to be spread out, the skin of this planet, has to be ironed, the sea in its whiteness; and the hands keep on moving, smoothing the holy surfaces.
‘In Praise of Ironing’, PABLO NERUDA
It has to be loved the way a laundress loves her linens, the way she moves her hands caressing the fine muslins knowing their warp and woof, like a lover coaxing, or a mother praising. It has to be loved as if it were embroidered with flowers and birds and two joined hearts upon it. It has to be stretched and stroked. It has to be celebrated. O this great beloved world and all the creatures in it. It has to be spread out, the skin of this planet.
The trees must be washed, and the grasses and mosses. They have to be polished as if made of green brass. The rivers and little streams with their hidden cresses and pale-coloured pebbles and their fool’s gold must be washed and starched or shined into brightness, the sheets of lake water smoothed with the hand and the foam of the oceans pressed into neatness. It has to be ironed, the sea in its whiteness;
and pleated and goffered, the flower-blue sea the protean, wine-dark, grey, green, sea with its metres of satin and bolts of brocade. And sky – such an O! overhead – night and day must be burnished and rubbed by hands that are loving so the blue blazons forth and the stars keep on shining within and above and the hands keep on moving.
It has to be made bright, the skin of this planet till it shines in the sun like gold leaf. Archangels then will attend to its metals and polish the rods of its rain. Seraphim will stop singing hosannas to shower it with blessings and blisses and praises and, newly in love, we must draw it and paint it our pencils and brushes and loving caresses smoothing the holy surfaces.
One of the most FUN aspects of living in the beautiful city of Savannah GA is enJoying the wide variety of festivals and events celebrated in the city (Savannah Music festival, Jewish Food Festival, Asian Festival, that big green one in mid-March, etc.). Well yesterday heralded another great celebration–Earth Day 2012–held in Savannah’s living room, Forsyth Park.
Let’s be honest–so often we take this amazing planet for granted, like air, and forget that our Earth is alive–and continually giving us life. Indeed, our JOY as humans is inseparable from the health of our planet. I love the Native American proverb, “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”
I hope you take the time this week to reflect on the beauty and generosity of our planet–and to consider ways to make her healthier and happier.
Yesterday morning, I arrived at Savannah’s Forsyth Park about eleven, and the place was already packed with Earth Day-ers. For some reason (which I should probably discuss with my therapist) I headed straight for the little alligator and the big owl.
Confession: I stopped at the next tent initially because I saw a book being prominently featured, Holy Sh**: Managing Manure to Save Mankind by Gene Logsdon. (Should I start using it as a text in my comp classes?) I met a very cool guy named Andy Schwartz, founder and compost chief of Grow.Eat.Repeat., a Savannah-based sustainability organization.
Check out his fascinating and encouraging website at www.grow-eat-repeat.com. Andy also has a blog, so we’re blog brothers!
Next I ran into my buddy, the always hip, happy and upbeat Ellie Covington. (I want Ellie to help me buy some hats.)
Still sort of meandering aimlessly around the park (a major life strategy of mine), I saw these girls wearing tutus and fresh from their 5K run. Sometimes I don’t ask questions–I just try to go with the flow. (I noticed their breast cancer awareness ribbons, and then it hit me that they had participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. I plan to run in it next year … or maybe walk.)
(I think they thought I was famous. I might have told them I was.)
Walking around a corner I literally bumped into Mrs. Helen Cobham who asked if I wanted to play a game and win some vegetable or flower seeds. (Actually I misunderstood and thought she said vegetables or flowers, not just seeds. And I don’t have a yard. But wanting to be nice on Earth Day and all, I thought, why not?) In the game I had to name at least two of earth’s cycles in order to win a prize.
Okay, now listen, let me tangent talk a bit and explain an issue I’ve had all my life. If someone asks me a question out of the blue, I go blank, like Lady Gaga at a beef gorging festival, or answer quickly and foolishly before thinking. For example, in the 8th grade by a MIRACLE OF GOD, I made it to the one-word final of the class spelling bee. I was given the word, “Georgia.” I knew I had won as I immediately jumped up and down and blurted out “J.E.O.R.G.I.A.”! Face beet red. But really, J and G are sort of alike.
Earth’s cycles? Hmmm. All I could think of was the word “motorcycle” at first and then the “cycle of life” and finally the “cycle of seasons,” which I knew HAD to be the right answer, so I yelled, “THE SEASONS!!,” like Oprah shrieking for her audience members to feel under their seats for a new Ipad. Helen looked at me with pity, and at the same time a man nudged me and pointed at the game poster board (I got the impression he thought HE was about to win a truckload of vegetables and wanted the competition gone). Looking at the board, I saw that the cycles (nitrogen, carbon, oxygen, etc.) were actually written in various sentences there. End result:
(Which, when all is said and done, makes me feel a little better about the spelling bee.)
Feeling on a winner’s high, I kept going, stopping in awe (really) at Elizabeth Conlon’s amazing display of herbs and vegetables growing from a tower planter device:
Here I am with two fun and friendly bread and pasta makers:
One of my favorite stops was a short visit with gentle-spirited and wonderfully encouraging (as well as talented) Matthew Cooper and his didgeridoos, the grand instruments in the pics below.
At one point I saw an empty tent booth, decided to take advantage of it, and offer a service of my own:
Oh, my service?
All I can say is I know a WHOLE lot of folks who are going to be sorry one of these days.
Seriously, I LOVED the message of the festival: let’s all take part in the loving care of our planet.
A hardworking fun group of eco-students from Savannah State:
Oh and I won the door prize!
(Helicopter rides available soon … with famous blogger.)
WHAT A HAPPY, HAPPY EARTH DAY!
P.S. If I missed any vendor that I visited with, and you would like your info added, please share it in the comment section, and I will make amends.
For those who are interested, I’m including a wonderful poem, “Planet Earth.”
Planet Earth
It has to be spread out, the skin of this planet, has to be ironed, the sea in its whiteness; and the hands keep on moving, smoothing the holy surfaces.
‘In Praise of Ironing’, PABLO NERUDA
It has to be loved the way a laundress loves her linens, the way she moves her hands caressing the fine muslins knowing their warp and woof, like a lover coaxing, or a mother praising. It has to be loved as if it were embroidered with flowers and birds and two joined hearts upon it. It has to be stretched and stroked. It has to be celebrated. O this great beloved world and all the creatures in it. It has to be spread out, the skin of this planet.
The trees must be washed, and the grasses and mosses. They have to be polished as if made of green brass. The rivers and little streams with their hidden cresses and pale-coloured pebbles and their fool’s gold must be washed and starched or shined into brightness, the sheets of lake water smoothed with the hand and the foam of the oceans pressed into neatness. It has to be ironed, the sea in its whiteness;
and pleated and goffered, the flower-blue sea the protean, wine-dark, grey, green, sea with its metres of satin and bolts of brocade. And sky – such an O! overhead – night and day must be burnished and rubbed by hands that are loving so the blue blazons forth and the stars keep on shining within and above and the hands keep on moving.
It has to be made bright, the skin of this planet till it shines in the sun like gold leaf. Archangels then will attend to its metals and polish the rods of its rain. Seraphim will stop singing hosannas to shower it with blessings and blisses and praises and, newly in love, we must draw it and paint it our pencils and brushes and loving caresses smoothing the holy surfaces.
1. Rainbows. I saw this double rainbow on my way home from work from Statesboro to Savannah.
2. Elephant Ears. (There’s a long true story here involving New Orleans, Cafe Du Monde, a fortune teller and late night. But that’s for another post.)
3. Learning how to be happier. And taking voluntary steps toward that goal.
4. Chilling out at Chili’s. Last night I went to Chili’s for those spicy chicken crispers (yum).
The visit was made more fun by running into Tiffani, a Chili’s worker extraordinaire (whom I had not seen in quite a while). Tiffani ALWAYS has a smile and a laugh. She radiates happiness. Here she is (and of course I had to give her a blog card).
Go Tiffani!
5. Being able to breathe deeply and feel the essence of life flowing in and out of my body.
So far I have introduced two wonderfully effective strategies for increasing the frequency and intensity of happiness in our lives: JoyInciter #1–the Thanksgiving Book and JoyInciter #2–the Walking Into strategy. Are you practicing with either of them? The third JoyInciter–the Happiness Box– is both fun and transformationally creative. Let’s talk about it.
Recently I (along with Mr. Happy) presented a workshop for the Georgia Southern Writing Project and The Thinking and Learning Institute at City Campus in downtown Statesboro. (Gosh, that’s a mouthful.) (By the way, City Campus is a very cool entrepreneurial outreach of Georgia Southern.) This workshop, titled “Happiness in a Box,” is based on today’s third JoyInciter.
(Am I too old to wear that shirt? That VITAL question just occurred to me.)
(June Joyner, the Director of the GSU Writing Project, Mr. Happy and Yours Truly)
Before we discuss the “how” of the Happiness Box, let’s briefly examine two “why’s.” First, theoretically speaking, that which we consistently place our “gaze” upon, we will SEE in our world, in our reality. (And all our realities are in constant morph mode, depending on where and how long we place our “mindsight.”) My school, Georgia Southern, for example, is a party school for those who choose to see it in that light. However, GSU is a rigorous academic institution for eyes which view it from that perspective. I suggest to you (and what I’m about to say is the HEART of this blog) that we need to take great care about where we place our consistent, ongoing attention.
The second Happiness Box “why” is childlike and fundamental: making and maintaining this box is FUN and makes one happier, more excited, hopeful, and expectant of good.
To start, find a shoebox-sized box. You can choose to decorate it if you like, but at least write a Statement of Intention on the box somewhere. Here’s one of my Happiness Boxes:
And my Statement of Intention (written on the underside of the box cover) is simple: “The contents of this box make me happy.”
Next, go through magazines, brochures, newspapers, etc. and find pictures of that which gives you joy. Anything. I suggest that you DO NOT worry about trying to organize or structure this process–have fun with it. Look for pictures, colors, words, abstractions that “light you up” in some way. Cut them out and put them in your box. Also look for photos, little items, paint samples, memorabilia which cause your heart to sing. You have thus started the Happiness Box strategy.
Keep adding to your box, and from time to time, empty it onto your dining room table or your bed or floor. Look at all that you have accumulated. If you are like most of my students (and me), you will see categories of happiness begin to emerge: family, material desires, spirituality, food, goals, accomplishments, hobbies, memories, sports, pets, etc.
The more you add to your happiness box, the greater the sense of joy and expectation. A wonderful added benefit is that by creating the box, you begin to get CLEARER about that which you really want. It’s so much fun to look through your accumulated desires.
Here are some workshop participants working on their boxes.
And here are some Happiness Boxes from students in my English Composition II classes this semester:
(Amanda Hedrick and Mr. Happy at the workshop.)
So there it is, JoyInciter #3, The Happiness Box. I urge you to make one for yourself, and begin to get clearer about what makes you joyful and exuberant.
(P.S. In my classoes at school, there are various writing prompts and assignments connected to this project.)
![<p node="media-caption">Photos by Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News</p><p node="media-caption">&#8221;Jewel Boxes&#8221; built out of the Savannah College of Art and Design Museum of Art&#8217;s exterior help bring the gallery outside along Turner Boulevard.</p> Savannah Morning News](http://sav-cdn.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/superphoto/10632649.jpg "<p node="media-caption">Photos by Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News</p><p node="media-caption">&#8221;Jewel Boxes&#8221; built out of the Savannah College of Art and Design Museum of Art&#8217;s exterior help bring the gallery outside along Turner Boulevard.</p> Savannah Morning News")
NealEnJoy 