Positive Aspects – Page 9

Five Friday Happy Bringers — 4/26/13

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Neal Saye

Friday, Friday, Friday. Do you connect it with happiness? Here are five reasons I do.

1. Aspiring to being an optimist (even though I was SO SO ready to start a Depression Blog the other day when I tore a fingernail. Sad but true. I’m fine with optimism and happiness and contentment as long as I don’t feel any actual pain. But let me hurt, and for some immature, sick reason, I spiral down. TMI?)

2. Faith.

3. Oatmeal with real butter.

4. Susan Boyle singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

Yes, I’m a Boyle fan.

5. Playing ball with Gabriel:

And you have a ball this weekend!

D-Man, Superheroes and Snakehandling: Party Weekend–Party Two

Posted on April 23, 2013November 6, 2021 by Neal Saye

As I mentioned in the previous post, this past weekend brought two terrific parties, a street celebration Saturday night and then on Sunday afternoon the Sixth Birthday Celebration for my Grandson Daniel.

Before I escort you to Weekend Party Two, let me just explain that Daniel is one very COOL little boy. And here are Eight Sunglasses-Prominent Pics of D-man to prove it:

(With kindergarten teacher Ms. Lancaster)

(With little brother Gabriel)

Okay, maybe the twin girls froze him up a bit and reduced his coolness by a tad.

But NOT on his birthday. Here he sits, with his green faux hawk (aka fohawk) before his backyard party begins, “patiently” waiting for the Spiderman inflatable to blow up.

Almost there.

“I love it!”

Here’s Batman perched in the trees:

I have NEVER seen a balloon so huge. And the Spiderman pinata, ready to be lowered:

Soon the backyard fills with school and neighborhood friends.

A great hit at the party–the appearance of the folks and animals from Critters-to-Go. The kids (and adults) are fascinated.

“Okay, kids, now let’s all play with snakes!” (Neal’s first thought: “Is everyone here INSANE? What happened to the PRETEND superheroes theme?) Then out of the corner of my eye, I see courageous Batman hiding out in the trees away from all this.

Initially, Daniel’s not so sure. See? He’s a smart boy.

That soon changes.

“Here, Abu, you hold him too.”

My drug-induced-looking smile is for the camera. I’m really thinking: “Is there ANY possible way to spank this child with over fifty people watching?”

Then Daniel becomes an experienced snakehandler.

Next, the spiders, of course.

Her t-shirt says it all.

(Note to self: talk to therapist about memory erasure treatment.)

Younger daughter Emily with grandtwins Madison and Matthew:

“Look up, Em.”

Older daughter Amy (Daniel’s mom) holding Matthew:

Matthew: “I know who my mama is.”

Nana and Madison step up:

D’s little brother Gabriel:

Amy and hubby Orte:

Oh, the gifts!

After the party, Daniel and I play with the giant picture of him that I had attached to a backyard tree. See it way in the back there?

An Afternoon of Joy.

In Our Own Backyard

Touring Savannah’s City Hall, Y’all

Posted on April 17, 2013November 6, 2021 by Neal Saye

Every First Tuesday Savannah’s City Hall opens its doors for free tours. I know, I know, touring City Hall doesn’t sound like the most exciting entertainment venue around. But hold on just a second, compadre. After a hefty helping of Gabriella’s Zesty Chicken (on mashed potatoes) at Zunzi’s, I wobbled down Bull Street, remembering just in time to look up before I reached the river, and saw this …

… Savannah’s incredibly beautiful City Hall.

Completed in 1905 …

… City Hall features two figures who adorn the front, just below the clock and gold dome. And those two pretty ladies represent Commerce and Art. If you know anything about Savannah, you will find those figures so, so timely. Because what was true in 1905 is certainly true today: Savannah is both a big business city (Savannah Port and Gulfstream, for example) as well as a cultured, artistic town (SCAD, Savannah Music Festival, festivals galore).

Come along.

The original clockwork is now in the lobby:

I really loved the wood floor.

Looking up to the interior stain glass dome:

Some important Savannahian. (I want a bust made of me. Where can you go to get that done? Hobby Lobby? Michael’s?)

The plaque below looked historically official, so I stood there trying to read it to make people think I’m smart and all, but then I started daydreaming about the Vanilla Taffy down at River Street Sweets, so I took a picture of the plaque (which sorta still made me look smart because why else would you take a picture?).

Here I am with the really interesting tour guide (and SCAD grad), Luciana Spracher. She knew her stuff!

Did you know Savannah has a flag?

View from a back window of city hall:

Very cool open style elevator cage:

Something important looking:

I pretended to know the mayor. But you can only stand in front of her office for so long before people start to wonder what you’re doing.

TANGENT: A couple of months ago, I attended an event at the Savannah Civic Center with our mayor, Edna Jackson.

Okay, okay, maybe I wasn’t exactly with the mayor, but you can’t tell that from the above photo with her and Savannah State’s President, Dr. Cheryl Davenport Dozier.

*******

Luciana led us into the Savannah City Council chambers. For some reason I just got so excited.

Here I am sitting at the mayor’s desk. (Does she know people do this?)

What a fun (and educational) tour! Thanks, Luciana.

I Love Savannah!

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers (4/12/13)

Posted on April 12, 2013April 12, 2013 by Neal Saye

Friday, Friday, thank you for heralding happiness this week.

1. Driving back up on Wednesday to Statesboro and Georgia Southern University for the annual Retirees Recognition Ceremony. Retirees who have given ten years or more service to GSU have their names on plaques that are put on the wall at the Builders of the University Terrace.

And here I am with fellow retirees and good buddies Linda Arthur and Phyllis Dallas:

And who said there’s no such thing as a free lunch?

(Okay, maybe I put in a few years for that lunch. But the ham was good.) What a beautiful day!

2. Aspiring (great emphasis on “aspiring”) to live the rest of my life by this quote from the novel I’m currently ready–The Light Between Oceans: “It isn’t safe to put off what matters.”

3. Walking down stairs …

… without falling.

4. The incomparable aroma of onions sauteing in olive oil.

5. Attending SCAD’s 15th annual International Festival in Savannah’s beautiful Forsyth Park.

With a couple of former students, Alejandro …

… and Cash

Have a world of fun this weekend!

Where Happiness Finds You

Neal’s Neverending New York PhotoNotes Post

Posted on March 28, 2013April 27, 2022 by Neal Saye

[Warning: If you’re going to read this one, you might want to go get a snack. And maybe a cushion. Wear loose-fitting clothes, comfortable shoes.]

I traveled with daughter Amy, son-in-law Orte and grandsons Daniel and Gabriel to Manhattan last Thursday, returning yesterday. This trip has become our annual spring rite of passage. Except spring didn’t cooperate this year–cold! Brrr! Even a little snow. But what a Grand Time as our Vagabond Shoes left Savannah and headed to the Big Apple.

Easy, FUN flight, even with five- and three-year-olds. No, BECAUSE of five- and three-year-olds.

Cool suite on Park Avenue:

And of course, the first thing the boys want to do upon our arrival in New York? Watch Gravity Falls on TV.

(Okay, maybe it was pretty interesting, all about Dipper’s sister Mabel having a crazy-about-boys summer–at one point she sees a young fella holding a turtle, runs up to him and exclaims, “You like turtles?! I LIKE TURTLES! What’s happening here?!” as she moves her hands back and forth between her and the boy. Finally Mabel sorta falls for a trenchcoated pyramid of Gnomes who want to marry her and make her their Gnome Queen. I had no idea Gnomes could be so pushy.)

Gabriel looking out on the NY skyline from our 27th floor:

The Children’s Museum of Manhattan (on the Upper West Side):

A walk in Central Park, playing with dirty snow. (But we’re from the south–we’ll take what we can get.)

Delicious Waldorf Salad lunch for me–at the Waldorf:

Touring = Tiring:

Dinner at Victor’s, our favorite Cuban restaurant in Manhattan:

Neat day, after Gabriel’s “breakfast” …

… we taxied to another great museum: the Children’s Museum of the Arts in SoHo. What an interactive place!

My work:

(Now do you see why I teach part-time at an art school?! I call it Morning Glory and Green-Haired Cory. Bids start in the upper thousands. Thank you.)

Daniel’s Dragon:

(Those aren’t my blue fingernails.)

First of two Broadway plays: Newsies. Just incredible energy! Google it.

And here’s a pic of the stage/curtain thingy, right before I got yelled at for taking pictures inside the theatre. (I’m sure they didn’t realize they were talking to a world-famous blogger and all.)

I’m thinking about becoming a Broadway star. All that’s holding me back is that you have to sing and dance and memorize lines and get up in front of people and not stutter because you’re so nervous. AND not fall off the stage when you have to walk close to the edge. That part TERRIFIES me. But still.

The most incredible coincidence happened next. Walking back to our hotel to join the fam, I saw Andaz. No not a person, a very cool hotel. We have an Andaz on Ellis Square in Savannah where they give you the MOST delicious Candied Bacon I’ve ever tasted. (Okay, it’s the only candied bacon I’ve ever tasted but SO good.) Of course I had to shashay in to compare Andazes’ (plural possessive?). This sign greeted me when I walked into the lobby:

Hooting Hyenas! SCAD is where I teach as an adjunct. So I hopped on the elevator to the second floor! Wouldn’t you? Why? Well, duh, a reception, and receptions mean one thing … free food. The first person I saw was Joseph; he’s in a writer’s group I sometimes attend:

(I’m not sure why I look so huge and bloated in that picture.)

(Does anyone know how to Photoshop me standing about two feet behind Joseph so I don’t look so very big?)

I chatted with other SCAD folks and even a few newly accepted students and their parents. A fun NY surprise.

Next morning, Grand Central Terminal …

… and waiting for Kidding Around (a very cool toy store) to open–we did F. A. O. Schwarz the day before:

Street vendor hot dogs, of course:

Second Broadway play: Cinderella (with a new spin, including lots of humor and an evil stepsister who turns good).

Orchestra pit (we had second-row seats!):

Afterwards off to Ellen’s Stardust Diner where the wait staff … SINGS!. So cool:

Snack on the walk back to the hotel:

The Apple Store in Grand Central Terminal for a new case for my iPhone:

Last morning. Daniel and Gabriel reennacting the final scene from Gravity Falls (we watched the same episode three times over our stay) when Dipper rescues Mabel from the Gnomes, and the brother/sister engage in an “awkward sibling hug” with “pat, pat.” (Hulu it. I think the episode is called “Tourist Trap.”)

Blustery/snowy/rainy weather on the way to LaGuardia.

For some reason, less-than-ideal weather always makes me feel better when it comes at the end of a trip. (Reminder to self: therapist talking point.)

While we were waiting at the gate for our flight, a Big Red Heart sauntered up. No clue why. But D is never one to miss a photo op.

Oh, if you were that Big Red Heart, looking where he seems to be looking, you would see this:

It’s an iPad cafe–you order your food right from the iPad. (“Hip” should be my middle name.)

A wonderfully joyful New York trip.

As we waited on the runway, while an animal-like machine de-iced the wings, Daniel looked at me fiddling with my phone and yelled (loud enough for his dad and the rather stern flight attendant to hear), “Abu is not turning off his electronic device!”

Great memories to think about.

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers (3/22/13)

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Neal Saye

It’s Friday again, and I’m in New York City with daughter Amy, son-in-law Orte, and grandsons Daniel and Gabriel. That in itself is reason enough to be HAPPY. But here are FIVE more reasons:

1.. Still filled with memories of last weekend’s beautifully fun St. Patrick’s Day.

2.. Finding this cool driftwood-and-found-objects ship sculpture at Habersham Antiques and Collectibles in Savannah.

3.. Realizing that so much about being joyful in life is a result of CHOICE.

4.. Flying to New York with a five- and three-year-old.

5.. It’s freezing here in Manhattan, but here I am last week down on Amelia Island

Have a great weekend and take care of business while I’m away.

Holiday Joy, Savannah Joy

A Savannah Saint Patrick’s Day Celebration

Posted on March 17, 2013March 17, 2022 by Neal Saye

Anyone who has been to Savannah on or around March 17 knows that Saint Patrick’s Day is a pretty …

… in this city! From the Greening of the Fountain and Tara Feis onward, Savannah embraces its Irishness, shamrocks growing and showing up everywhere, an already diverse and fesitval-driven city photosynthetically converting excited energy into green Gaelic joy. And since 2013 St. Paddy Day was Sunday, Savannah opted to hold its primary celebration on Saturday with the parade (the nation’s second largest), River Street revelry and other merrymaking events.

Since Yours Truly lives DIRECTLY on the parade route along Abercorn Street, and since some green Irish blood flows through my veins (Saye =”one who lives by the sea”), I decided to host a little parade-viewing party.

Party Prep Notes: For some reason I will never fully grasp, I decided to make Cabbage and Ham in the Crock Pot (or as I call it, Beverly Hillbilly-ishly, “the Slow-Cooking Pot”).

Now cabbage sounds fine, and even a bit Irish, until you understand that my place is a little under 800 square feet, positioned at the front of a beautiful old building completed in the 1800’s. Well, the slow-cooking cabbage produced a Rather Strong Aroma (try not to imagine it), first in my apartment, then wafting across the hall to my next door neighbor and fellow party hostess Audrey’s place, then throughout the entire old building, and probably up and down the parade route and on to the South Carolina border across the river. People were so nice and pretended that the smell made the party more “Irish authentic.” But a bunch of folks had drinks in their hands, so I’m not at all certain their sensory perception was on target. AND I noticed they would get a bowlful of steaming, fragrant cabbage and then quickly run out the door to see the next band or float they “had been waiting on.”

Here’s me helping to set up the area for guests to sit and watch the parade outside my building (my windows have the St. Patty tacky shamrock cutouts and green garlands).

Before the parade started, I made a quick tour of the squares close to me. A few sights:

I met some cool green-clad new friends:

And then quickly back to my place where the crowd had grown during my foray.

I found this pretty lady pirouetting in front of my apt, so of course I had to get my pic with her:

Here’s across-the-hall stylish neighbor Audrey:

And here’s party guest/good buddy Ellie and her brother encouraging the crowd:

I wish I was brave enough to dance in the street!

Hip green-haired son/father duo Ethan and Kevin:

And Kevin with very significant other Olivia:

Former Everyday Creative Writing Student Jaymes stopped by for a while. (He knows what’s rocking in Savannah.)

Buddies Rich and Edward (who brought party-hit basil lemonade):

Cool St. Patty Baby:

Made great new friends with some folks visiting from Maryland and staying in the vacation rentals in my building (so of course they were party guests too)–Kathy and Karen with their husbands. And don’t they look SO Saint Patricky?

Preparing to kiss the parade marching men:

(Public Service Announcement: I think I will rent out my place next year for St. Paddy Day. Is $2000 for the holiday too much? I plan to include a HUGE bowl of frozen-but-on-the-table-in-a-jiffy Authentic Irish Cabbage and Ham.)

New kayaking friend Tom with Edward, Rich and me:

Church buddy Diane with Rich, Edward, Robert, Jaymes and me:

Good friend Zach and brother Josh marching in the parade (marching, that is, before I ran out into the street and made them stop). Their Irish family has been in the parade for something like 1000 years.

What a wonderfully fun Savannah Saint Patrick’s Day Celebration!

But sitting here after the parade, I started to worry: “What if my Crock Pot Cabbage Smell keeps those hundreds of thousands of visitors from coming back to Savannah next year? Can they trace it all back to me?”

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers (3/15/13)

Posted on March 15, 2013March 15, 2013 by Neal Saye

Top of the Friday morning, to you. Here are Five Friday Bringers of Happiness:

1. This cool pic of blooming almond trees in California sent by my new buddy Don Simmons. Don is good friends with Rick and Linda, the couple who moved to Savannah from Wisconsin. One fabulous day they gave me the tour of the “Joy in their own back yard”. Here’s what Don said in his accompanying email: “Since you mentioned almonds in one of your post, as something that brings you joy–I wanted to send you one of the great views that I have here in California’s San Joaquin Valley, where most of the world’s almonds are grown–it’s time for our ‘blossom trail’ and the almonds are certainly giving us a beautiful show–as well as the Sierras!”

2. Finishing up a great Winter Quarter at SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design). My two classes:

3. Savannah azaleas (near Forsyth Park):

4. The promise of SPRINGTIME:

5. Fresh pineapple.

Have a Lucky St. Patrick’s Day Weekend!

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers (3/8/13)

Posted on March 8, 2013March 8, 2013 by Neal Saye

It’s Friday All Day Long! Here’s what I am happy about:

1. My SCAD ENGL 193 (Composition for International Students) classes and I holding an informal drop-in Visual Essay Exhibition on Wednesday. A rousing success! I was/am SO proud of my students: artists showing off their work!

Here’s the blurb about the exhibition which I printed out on little programs:

*************************************************************************************************************

VISUAL ESSAYS:

A Classroom Exhibition Habersham Hall 3/6/13 SCAD

For this project, students in Neal Saye’s ENG 193, Composition for International Students, both think “essay” and forget “essay.” They can do that—they’re smart! How is the project like an essay? Well, they compose, they have a focus and thesis, they have structure, they have support. But it does not evolve in traditional essay format. It births as a sculpture, a collage, a scrapbook, a video, a painting, a mobile, a form, a food, fashion, theatrical presentation, etc.

In The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho presents various themes about life and dream following. After reading the incredible text, students choose a theme, a symbol, a character, an idea, etc. and then create.

The visual essay project, then, is a visual representation of one topic narrowed into a clear thesis/point/perspective/idea. The students’ challenge: how to “show” their thesis.

This exhibition reveals their interpretations.

*************************************************************************************************************

And some photos from the exhibition:

And some pics of the visual essays themselves:

2. My iPhone (and sense enough to minimally operate it). Can anybody else remember when a phone was this device you used to call people … and … like, talk?

3. The expectant thought of fresh, fat, orange-red, Vine-Ripened Tomatoes this summer. I nearly cried at lunch yesterday at Panera when this pinkish thing pretending to be a tomato slice fell out of my tuna sandwich. I was so embarrassed I put a napkin over it.

4. Raw almonds

5. Our incredible sense of hearing. It’s so amazing. (Well, except when, for some reason, I came across the band Screeching Weasel’s song “Bark Like a Dog.”)

That does it. I’m going to start a band, Neal and the Bansheeing TurtlePins. I’m working on our first really big hit, “Knead Like Julia, Martha and Paula (Before the Weight Loss).”

Have a Beautiful Weekend. You HEAR me?