Life Is Beautiful (a poem)

Posted by Jannie on 5 March 2010

photo by: Jannie — May, 2006 (for those of you new here, mine’s the middle kid.)

Do you have fleas you can’t get rid of?
Nothing but bread crusts twice daily?
A board bed? One thin blanket?

Neither do I!! So let’s dance.
And write letters. And sing songs.
And fling our love to the stars!

(The alternate last line is, of course,
And fling our “bras” to the stars!)

Friday Flash 55 For The G-Man!

The Blog Party (a poem)

Posted by Jannie on 2 March 2010

photo credit: midcoast- images

One by one the guests
stagger from the stars
into my comment box,

some bundled up in
garlands of little birds
laughing and dancing,

some robed in oceans
of late summer sunset.
Others in sepia scenes.

Some wear hats made
of rainbows, and socks
knit from lilies and lace.

Some smell like lilacs.
Some smell like lemons.
Some smell like the light
of the newlywed moon.

Two or three smell like
full length leather coats
not worn since 1975.

Some carry trays packed
with pies and maps and
freshly baked dreams.

Some carry only a rose.

Some flounce in early
with explosions of lupines
dripping from their hair,

to sway by the fire, then
float through the crowd and
slip out my music-room door.

Some limp in after midnight
soaked in beer, to swirl into
my heart and my soul and my
coffee mornings forever.

Others drift away in the fog.

But whoever the sweeties
– from whatever planet,
the more the merrier here!

– The End  

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

(If you liked this poem, why not hug somebody today?)

And friends, all these new poets linked below are hereby blessed with the “Jannie Funster Lucky Lupine Poetry Award” … Whoo-hoo!!!

I hope the honorees will leave a new poem on their blogs, linking Lupine Loving Jannie in the post, then pass the “Lucky Lupine” award on to as many poets in the universe as they can find!!

And the awards go to…

Jingle!

The Doubtful Poet

William’s Poetry Blog

Art Is My Religion

You Are Never Alone

Way Station One

Jaymie Thorne

Chocolate High

The Book Of  Noha

Beyond The Blog

Fiveloaf

imaGINAtions voice

Poems For All Occasions

the wisdom of gavroche

Moon’s melancholic mumblings

(I may be adding more poets to this list over the next few days (edit: decades) as I discover them!)

xoxoxoxoxo

Recover Your Blog BEFORE It’s Hacked — With John Hoff’s Wordpress Defender

Posted by Jannie on 1 March 2010

Imagine if you woke up tomorrow and your blog was gone. Totally gone. Forever.

How much would you pay to recover your site? $500.00?  $1000.00?  Thousands?   A LOT more thousands?

I’d probably pay at least several hundred bucks to get all my precious bra-flinging tales and your wonderful comments  back.  And all the contact information contained within my blog — lost? Devastation.

Hey, don’t believe a malicious hacker would ever try to get into your blog? Think again. A site attacker does his evil deeds…

• Because he can.
• Because it’s there.
• Because it’s thrilling.
• Because it’s a challenge.
• Because he thinks it’s fun.
• Because he can brag about it.
• Because he’s training for bigger attacks.
• Because he doesn’t like you or what you stand for.

But blog invasion can be prevented in the first place!

Today one of our own, and a really good guy — John Hoff — is launching his “Wordpress Defender” Blog Security E-Book with its companion 1.5 hours of video on how to implement many of the security features.  There’s even a bonus — an affiliate program through E-Junkie to earn “Wordpress Defender” owners a 40% commission. Cool, eh?!

John learned the hard way from his wife’s site vanishing that he never ever wanted himself or another person to go through the agony and the fury of a hacked site.  So he poured his heart and soul into writing this 150 page book and producing the videos.

How would you feel if you could be 100% confident that no spammer or hacker could attack your blog – EVER? John Hoff’s “Wordpress Defender” blog security package will put your mind at ease.

“Wordpress Defender” gives you 30 security strategies you can implement today to fight back, defend and protect your blog from malicious hackers out to destroy what you worked so hard to build.

Some of you may already know John through his WP blog, or from his WP Blog Host site.  Follow him on Twitter here.  John is a good guy.  You can’t go wrong with his program.

What you’ll glean is GOLD. And easy to use. And at $39.00 it’s a gift.

Most of us put off blog security.  I know I did.  Don’t YOU put it off, PLEASE!!

Any questions you may have — I’m sure John will be happy to speak to directly in the comments.

………………………………………………………………………………..

Other respected bloggers who recommend  Wordpress Defender Blog Security E-Book …

Barbara Swafford of Blogging Without A Blog

Davina Haisell — Life Coach, Shades Of Crimson Blog

Hunter Nuttall — Personal Development For Polymaths

Betsy Wuebker — Passing Thru Blog

Gratitude

Posted by Jannie on 2 February 2010

Kelly & Alyssa — Chester, Nova Scotia, 2008

Gratitude –  this month’s R.A.O.K.A. theme.  Where do I even begin?!?!  I have nothing but GREAT things in my life.

I am so grateful for my Awesome Wordpress Consultant friend, Kim Woodbridge, who made my blog vision of Big Photos come to life, yay!! Thank you so so much, Kim!  People — if you want someone you can absolutely trust 100% to help develop your Wordpress blog, Kim is it!! She’s been tweaking my blog for over a year now. And it’s no wonder she’s now got close to 5000 Twitter followers — she adds value to lives!!

Summer Cousins On A Beach At Sunset,2008

Speaking of photos, I am grateful that when my laptop’s power recently died, I didn’t lose any files on my hard drive!! Whoo-super-hoo!! I have experienced the heart-break of lost digital photos before, but not this time.

So so grateful, People.

(All pictures in this post are ones I thought were gone forever.)

Austin & Alyssa, (niece and nephew)2008

Yes, I know in the grand scheme, losing one’s digital photos is pretty far down on the list, but still — I’m so happily grateful I recovered them.  And all the new songs I’ve been writing!!

First Time Roller Skating — age 5

And lastly but very very far from leastly, I am grateful for bloggers like Happy Lotus Nadia, whose following comment to someone recently helped cement my decision to stop blogging on a set schedule.

“So often people fence themselves in by rules that they created and then forget that the boundaries can be broken at any time.”  Nadia — Happy Lotus

It’s only been 3 weeks, but I already feel so stifled by my self-imposed MWF blogging schedule, an experiment to see how it might affect my Google Analytics stats. But what do I care about stats if I feel hemmed-in while blogging?!  Where’s the spontaneity, joy and fun in that?!??  Duh, Jannie.  As of today I’m back to posting when I’m ready to, (whoo-hoo) and stats will take care of themselves.

And if I ever get to the point where I occasionally close comments because I’ve got a lot going on in life, I guess I’ll just have to take my blogging lumps. 

ALRIGHT!!!

Oh, wait — another wonderful Gratitude Thing today!!  Jeanne’s in town!!!  Jeanne, who’s been rambling this great country in a 30′ motor home for the last 4 months — is finally swinging our way. I’ll be meeting her in a few hours and we’ll hang out hopefully a lot until she has to leave Monday.  How great is that!?!  I’m even going to wash my hair after I post this and don a pair of matched socks in Jeanne’s honor!!

As to R.O.A.K.A, I am not quite sure who is still in, but check here with Sami for the gratitude posts.

And of course, I am wondering, what are you grateful for today?

xoxoxoxoxoxxoxo

(And I Thought “Leaven” Was Just A Bread-Baking Thing!!)

Posted by Jannie on 25 January 2010

An awesome awesome poet — I mean the kind of poet whose words routinely butterfly bludgeon my heart, has bestowed The Scary Clown Award upon me!!

Whoo-hoo!!

hoo-woo!!

Whoo-hoo!!

hoo-woo!!

Whoo-hoo!!

my jannie so kikking bucktotts.

Whoo-hoo!!

hoo-woo!!

Whoo-hoo!!

hoo-woo!!

(I do kick a little butt on occasion, don’t I?)

yes, yoo does my jannie.  hoo-woo!!

Whoo-hoo!!

hoo-woo!!

Whoo-hoo!!

hoo-woo!!

Whoo-hoo!!

hoo-woo!!

Okay enough of the crazy crap!

hoo-woo!!

hoo-woo!!

hoo-woo??

ENOUGH!!

hoo…

woo

wate, wot meens krap??

Ahem.

ahim.

Sigh.

giggel

Anyhoo…

Thank you Shay Fireblossom for the Scary Clown Award! I apologize for the delay. (I was scared of the word scary, but I think I’m alright now.)

THE SCARY CLOWN AWARD!!  “Given to blogs which display a great sense of humor, and just the right leaven of attitude.”

hoo-woo!!

hoo-woo!!

hoo-woo!!

Blue Bunnyyyyyy!!!!

hoooo…

sorree, my jannie. I iz carried away. i taeks my pills now.

Good idea, BB!

Continuing right along… as per the no-rule rules of this award, I’m passing The Scary Clown on to bloggers whose posts consistently chuck chuckles at the world, from light-hearted to downright hootfest-y moments.

And the awards go to…

1.  The Zen Of Motherhood. Anyone who knows Mama Z, is well aware that she is, among other amazing things, one funny funny blogging entity.  Move over Dooce — Mama Z is in the house.

2.  Paradise Valley 2 Hell’s Mountain And Over The Edge!  Talking here about Paige (Of A Book,) one of my all-time heroes, who is funny even when she probably doesn’t particularly feel like being so.  She’s just that way!

3.  Ma Vie Folle.  Sheila, this wise-cracker never fails to amuse, and it comes real nattcheril-like to this dear kooky friend of mine, dubbed by her own town mayor as “Snarky.”

4.  Interstitial Life.  K  has a way of writing things that never fail to amuse. It that on purpose, K, or just something you have no control over? (P.S.  Her second child, Audrey Ann, is almost 5 weeks old!)

5.  It’s All About Joy “Mean”  Megan Joygirl Bond!!   (”Mean” because she often typos out the “g” in her first name.)  I LOVE this super awesome fantastically authentic and funny woman!!

6.  Deeper Issues.   Dot has been through a lot of upheaval since I’ve “met” her but she still bats at life with her witty dukes up.  She CRACKS me up consistently.  And is one of the most honest bloggers I know.

7. Shades of Crimson.  Davina!   Not just beautiful creative writing in all her posts, but always with undercurrents of rib-tickling bedazzlement and hints of fairy mischief.

8. Mom’s Cookie Jar (Not in any way to be confused with my typo of Mom’s “Cokie” Jar.)  Funny snippets, musings and observations on life and love with two little boys. It’s been such a joy getting to know Cookie.

9. Yaya Stuff.   Funny.  Sweet.  Wacky.  Dear.  In every shade of orange imaginable!  And friends, after multiple miscarriages, and the recent heartbreaking newborn adoption that fell through at the last minute,  it sure looks like Yaya and her husband will be adopting 4-year Alex very soon!!!  So please, please keep your fingers crossed and your hearts and prayers open for this sweet, funny lady.

10. Feel Free To Laugh.  (And I always do!!)  Lane Savant.  Strange as all get out, but just my total cup of wacky tea!!  And a talented music composer too.

11. Momisodes. Always some twist of ticklement in her wonderfully well-written wanderings and whimsy.  Momisodes — who is expecting baby number two, very very soon!

12. Windows 2 The Soul.  I’ve got Blue Bunny. Tammy’s got Psycho Bunny. (Psycho bunny — qu-est que c’est?)  Off-the-wall and much loved is my sweet funny Tammy.

13.  There is NO thirteen!!

14.  Chronic Healing.  Another blogger who gets to the heart and soul of my funny bone.   She who found Blue Bunny’s brother!!  And even when her chronic pain and health concerns get her down, dear Jeanne gets to bouncing right back and making my day, over and over again!

15. Happymaking!! This blog more than lives up to its name!  Heather Kephart — a naturally nutty gal I’d like to have holding my hand and encouraging me onwards in any dark alley at night — not that I plan to be in a dark alley at night — but you just never know. Heather would be the one to keep my spirits up.

15.  Passing Thru.  Betsy Wuebker –  blogging on travel, inspiration, house, home, cooking and you-name-it!  Wonderful stuff, her writing woven with the kind of unpredictably fun Betsy Wordage that is very infectious indeed.

16. Dream A Happy Life. Jeanne’s a gal of frolicking escapades in more ways than one. And she’s going to arrive here in Austin this Thursday! And stay for 10 days.  I love her attitude –  “You bring the donuts, I’ll get the beer!” And always so fun to read her comments here.

17.  A Little Bit About A Lot Of Things Natalia Burleson, more than a mix of moxie and mirth, more than a myth of magical mystery — this maven of merriment is real as rain.  Whether she intends to amuse or not, I always find myself smiling at her posts.

18. CSquaredPlus3 A real treat of a blogger if ever there were one.  Chris tackles any topic always from the lighter side, with beautiful writing and an honest pure heart.  She’ll take you on a good-humored ride wherever she goes.

19. A Sharing Connection Sara Healey. Dancing atop life’s tables, this lady brings out the fun in all of us with her an ever-present eye twinkle and a giggling heart — just the right mix of sweet and off-beat to keep me coming back for more.

20. Rainy Day Adrenalynn.  Who the heck IS this wild and wacky Norwegian woman who’s always clowning and laughing through the mundane and sharing in her most off-the-all way?  I’m not exactly sure how I found her — but she’s more than a blast to read.

21. Life Laughs And Lemmings Sami.  She dances, you know!  With unabashed flashdance abandon on her blog.  She kicks senseless random arse with grace and aplomb.  She is a rich riot of guts and glory. She will make you laugh.

22.  The Levity Project.  Katie West.  Last on this list but FAR far from least!  Public car dancer extraordinaire.  Wearer of umbrella hat.  Initiator of a laughter project that is indeed sweeping this nation.  Katie is sooooooo IT, people for all the fun you’ll ever want or need!!!

So there they are!!

hoo-woo!!

The Scary Clown Award.  Recipients may choose to pass it along on their own blogs.   Or they may not. But one thing is for sure — they will keep me smiling and lifted in spirits, and hopefully for many, many years to come.

(Stay tuned for the upcoming Kreativ Blogger Award.)

hoo-woo!!

And a bit unrelated, but a very important new feature here (as Blue Bunny and I do endeavor to address your every blogging concern)  please feel free to avail yourself  of the Jannie Funster Complaint Department.   Your input is always more than welcome there!

hoo-woo!!

Oodles of toodles!

hoo-woo!!

xoxo

hoo-woo!!

Kelp Bikinis & Squirrels With Waivers?!?

Posted by Jannie on 15 December 2009

If you want the scoop on that squirrel, you’ll have to scoot over to Jan Lundy’s excellent Awake Is Good blog.  I’m hanging out in the trees there today.

Over there I’ll also tell you what happened in our dining room about a half hour after I took this picture of Kelly when she was 6 months old.

Hope to see you soon over at Jan’s excellent oasis of calm, clarity and compassion!  Oh — and there is a giveaway over there, whoo-hoo.

xo

“Inner Productivity” by Christopher R. Edgar — A Gem Of An Excellent Book

Posted by Jannie on 8 December 2009

Friend, are you easily distracted at work, where your boss and co-workers are total jerks and the wallpaper is ugly as sin?

Do you complain about your work most of the time?

Do find yourself saying “I have no motivation?”

Do you often fall asleep at work and wake up a computer built into your right big toe and orange peels on your hair?  (Oh wait — that one’s probably just my work place!  Sorry.)

Do you threaten or shame yourself for not attaining what you’d like?

Do you tell yourself you’re trapped in your current job and feel guilty for desiring the job you’d really like?

Does contemplating a career change make you feel you’re going to jump off a cliff?

Do you feel the uncontrollable urge for “karrits” every two minutes to keep moving forward?  (Oh wait — that’s probably just this guy!  )  (Yes, a guy!  We have ascertained Blue Bunny is indeed a he of the male persuasion.  hoo-woo.)

But back to the book review!

Are you miserable in your job because you figure “That’s just how it’s gotta be?”

Have you acquired higher credentials but still feel unfulfilled?

Or on the flip side, maybe you are afraid of being perceived as “too happy” at work, so you wear a facade which creates a split between your “work you” and your “real you”?

Friend, if you answered “Yes!” to even one of the above, or if you can state other reasons you’re not happy in your work — this gem of an excellent book is for YOU.

Even if you’re not considering a career transition, but just want to find more satisfaction in what you do, Inner Productivity is still for you!

Inner Productivity is not about organizing our desks, color-coding our post-it notes, or turning off our e-mail to be more productive.

It’s about reorganizing our hearts and minds!

About becoming aware of our perception of things.

About noticing our patterns of thinking and feeling that tend come up when our less-than-desirable work habits surface.

About trusting our innate wisdom.

Seriously?

Seriously!

Could our work enjoyment or lack thereof really be that closely tied to how our bodies feel?

Could fully experiencing our emotions without fighting or fleeing from them actually help  us?

Can we actually feel the inspiration and joy of work in our bodies?

Yes, I tell you!  Yes, yes, yes!

In Inner Productivity Chris guides us to become aware of and pinpoint tensions in our bodies we probably didn’t even realize we had.  Then with concrete exercises — relatively easy exercises — turning  negatives into happy results.

We all want to have an overall vision for the work we do, feel significant in our jobs and enjoy the process as much or more than the product of our work.  Well,  Chris Edgar of Purpose Power Coaching (that’s his blog link,) guides us concisely from his heart how to do this,  in a most pleasant and well-organized read.

And Guess what I found out about ME through this book??

I am NOT lazy — as drummed into me in childhood.

I will NOT die from stage fright, or any other kind of fright.  All fears can be boiled down to one basic fear, and Chris teaches practical ways to release that fear on a cellular level.

I CAN prevent the migraines I realize I bring on by worrying about work stuff, by tuning into the sensations in my body .  [As Chris mentions in his comment below, with focussed breathing]

(Insert Handel’s Aleleuia Chorus here, loudly — with extra cowbell.)

Oh, and I especially love the section in Inner Productivity that encourages us to embrace those “blank moments,” a.k.a writer’s block, which Chris shows are actually the moments that spur us on to our best creativity.  What writer can’t fall in love with that idea?

But Friend, don’t take my word alone on Chris’ gem of an excellent book — there are tons more positive Inner Productivity reviews from well known guys and gals who write about work productivity and such.

“Chris Edgar is an author, speaker and personal coach who focuses on helping people follow their true callings in their careers, and find more enjoyment and efficiency in what they do.” (I stole that wonderful sentence from Bold BloggerTess.)

So go, Grasshopper — go joyously forward with the great inner creation that is YOU.