Last winter, my sister Caroline's watercoloring inspired me to ask my mom to bring over a few brushes and some paints. The next day, mom showed up with all the supplies and a few good pointers. I spent the next couple months throwing paint on paper in a freestyle and playful way. Every once in a while, I'd get lucky with the results, but mostly I was enjoying the process. Then, in hopes of improving, I purchased an online watercoloring course and $300 worth of supplies. Not long after that purchase, I stopped watercoloring.
Recently, I brought out the supplies and once again I'm enjoying my own experimental approach to painting. I make cards and send them to people on their birthdays. Last Friday, I tried a new technique. Using random colors, I just kept adding random details. When I was finally done, I didn't like the results. The piece was too busy and didn't feel unified. The next morning, I saw the same piece lying upside down on the table. I was so surprised to discover that I liked it alot. From this new "upside down" perspective, it all made sense. Everything fell into place. It was a green dragon! What a delightful surprise. (See both perspectives of the piece in the post)
One of my wow moments: I was living in Kent at the time having one of my many parties. Several attendents and unit leaders from the MDA camp were there. Jerry and I were having a lovely conversation when he suddenly bent over and gave me the softest, most gentle and loving kiss. Even though we hardly knew each other, I felt instinctively, at that moment, that we were destined to be together. And here we are... About to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary! Wow!
In the 90's there was no where more wild to party than Manumission in Ibiza. Meaning "release from slavery", the guest policy was do whatever you like. The live sex shows, strippers, artists, drag queens and rock star DJs, made for a hedonistic party that went on for days.
I didn't feel cool enough, fashionable enough or beautiful enough, to step foot in Manumission. So it was sheer coincidence I stumbled upon their pre-party at a beach bar that evening.
The space was loud with dance music as Manumission strippers, fire breathers, contortionists and acrobats, danced and seduced the youthful crowd with their wares.
Squeezing into the front to see what was going on. I had only a moment to drink in the surreal atmosphere, before a half naked dwarf surprised me by backflipping off a table, and landing on my head.
Collapsed to the floor, and amongst generous apologies from Johnny the dwarf, two VIP passes were put in my hand, and my place at club Manumission that evening was secured.
High on Ecstasy, in love with the night and everybody in it. I boarded their bus to the club, and for that moment in time, I belonged.
For the last 15 years, I have volunteered in a free hot meals program. Guests come regularly and then disappear, only to return again months or years later. Why? Who knows? But they are always welcomed with the joy of knowing that at this moment they are safe, warm, dry and well fed.
One of these gentlemen, whom I have known for perhaps 12 years or more always teases me and I return the sarcasm with a big hug added.
On February 13, 2025, after preparing lunch and dinner, in he comes. I greet him with my usual, "Here comes trouble." His retort was "You little stinker, I have something for you." He gave me 2 beautiful pictures that he made from found objects and flowers that he dried and added glitter. They were accompanied with a poem of appreciation and sarcasm.
For a long time, I have noticed that some adjectives were different from the noun that they were supposedly derived from, such as gubernatorial--governor, liverpudlian--Liverpool, and others that I can't recall now. I knew neapolitan as an ice cream flavor, and learned many years later that it referred to Naples (Italy.) Eventually, I learned that gubernatorial was based on the Latin word gubenator rather than the English word governor. Wondered if Liverpool was originally called "Liverpuddle." But I never thought anything about the origin of neapolitan...until one night I dreamed that neapolitan came from Neo-polis, a Greek word meaning "new town". Since Naples was in Italy, not in Greece, it must have been a Greek colony on the coast, of which there were many all over the Mediterranean. I don't usually remember dreams, but I remembered that one. Next morning, I looked it up in the dictionary, and there it was.
I left a comment on your "In the eye of the storm" podcast which you probably haven't read, because I posted it so late.
Late to the party, but here goes. Most of my life's "wow" moments have been via music. In the mid 1970s I was performing Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are" with a traveling group that represented our college. Our guest was an amazing musician and music therapist named Ken Medema, who has been a huge inspiration to me throughout my life. But as a college kid I was just trying to keep my head above water, playing and singing and holding the band together. Ken is an off the charts improvisor, and mostly has plied his trade in churches. One of his well known songs at the time was based on "Come now, let us reason together" based on Isaiah 1:18. As I was singing some lines like "I said I'd love you and that's forever" and "I'll love you just the way you are", a melody started filtering through. Ken was singing his song as the perfect counterpoint, as if that was the way it had been intended from the start.
My "faith" has always been anchored in reason rather than the supernatural or subjective. Reflecting back on this wow moment, reason and creativity were hard at work in me, a work that still continues daily. Hal, your journey has become a key part of that work at this juncture in my life. Amazing gratitude for your work.
Last winter, my sister Caroline's watercoloring inspired me to ask my mom to bring over a few brushes and some paints. The next day, mom showed up with all the supplies and a few good pointers. I spent the next couple months throwing paint on paper in a freestyle and playful way. Every once in a while, I'd get lucky with the results, but mostly I was enjoying the process. Then, in hopes of improving, I purchased an online watercoloring course and $300 worth of supplies. Not long after that purchase, I stopped watercoloring.
Recently, I brought out the supplies and once again I'm enjoying my own experimental approach to painting. I make cards and send them to people on their birthdays. Last Friday, I tried a new technique. Using random colors, I just kept adding random details. When I was finally done, I didn't like the results. The piece was too busy and didn't feel unified. The next morning, I saw the same piece lying upside down on the table. I was so surprised to discover that I liked it alot. From this new "upside down" perspective, it all made sense. Everything fell into place. It was a green dragon! What a delightful surprise. (See both perspectives of the piece in the post)
Joan Baez paints upside down!!!
One of my wow moments: I was living in Kent at the time having one of my many parties. Several attendents and unit leaders from the MDA camp were there. Jerry and I were having a lovely conversation when he suddenly bent over and gave me the softest, most gentle and loving kiss. Even though we hardly knew each other, I felt instinctively, at that moment, that we were destined to be together. And here we are... About to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary! Wow!
Wow!! Sue. So wonderful. Thank you for sharing that. ❤️
In the 90's there was no where more wild to party than Manumission in Ibiza. Meaning "release from slavery", the guest policy was do whatever you like. The live sex shows, strippers, artists, drag queens and rock star DJs, made for a hedonistic party that went on for days.
I didn't feel cool enough, fashionable enough or beautiful enough, to step foot in Manumission. So it was sheer coincidence I stumbled upon their pre-party at a beach bar that evening.
The space was loud with dance music as Manumission strippers, fire breathers, contortionists and acrobats, danced and seduced the youthful crowd with their wares.
Squeezing into the front to see what was going on. I had only a moment to drink in the surreal atmosphere, before a half naked dwarf surprised me by backflipping off a table, and landing on my head.
Collapsed to the floor, and amongst generous apologies from Johnny the dwarf, two VIP passes were put in my hand, and my place at club Manumission that evening was secured.
High on Ecstasy, in love with the night and everybody in it. I boarded their bus to the club, and for that moment in time, I belonged.
Wow. Thank you so much for sharing this Emma. A different lifetime. ❤️ See you Saturday!
For the last 15 years, I have volunteered in a free hot meals program. Guests come regularly and then disappear, only to return again months or years later. Why? Who knows? But they are always welcomed with the joy of knowing that at this moment they are safe, warm, dry and well fed.
One of these gentlemen, whom I have known for perhaps 12 years or more always teases me and I return the sarcasm with a big hug added.
On February 13, 2025, after preparing lunch and dinner, in he comes. I greet him with my usual, "Here comes trouble." His retort was "You little stinker, I have something for you." He gave me 2 beautiful pictures that he made from found objects and flowers that he dried and added glitter. They were accompanied with a poem of appreciation and sarcasm.
A perfect moment. Never to be forgotten.
Love it!
For a long time, I have noticed that some adjectives were different from the noun that they were supposedly derived from, such as gubernatorial--governor, liverpudlian--Liverpool, and others that I can't recall now. I knew neapolitan as an ice cream flavor, and learned many years later that it referred to Naples (Italy.) Eventually, I learned that gubernatorial was based on the Latin word gubenator rather than the English word governor. Wondered if Liverpool was originally called "Liverpuddle." But I never thought anything about the origin of neapolitan...until one night I dreamed that neapolitan came from Neo-polis, a Greek word meaning "new town". Since Naples was in Italy, not in Greece, it must have been a Greek colony on the coast, of which there were many all over the Mediterranean. I don't usually remember dreams, but I remembered that one. Next morning, I looked it up in the dictionary, and there it was.
I left a comment on your "In the eye of the storm" podcast which you probably haven't read, because I posted it so late.
Wow. You’re a smart dreamer. Thank you got sharing Howard. Fascinating
My mother
Told this story
Whenever she had the chance
She would laugh
In the telling
No longer
In the Emergency Shelters
Four Families
Living per Barracks
But now our own
Cold water flat
Mom’s washing dishes
In the warm spring light
I have my new six guns
At my hips
I raise a silver pistol
And aim carefully
Bang!
Mom groans
Hand over her breast
and slumps to the floor
I am amazed astounded
Demolished
I abandon the small
Apartment rush down
The stairs
And out onto
The streets
I knew
David would come back
For lunch
She said
Laughing
In the telling
Late to the party, but here goes. Most of my life's "wow" moments have been via music. In the mid 1970s I was performing Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are" with a traveling group that represented our college. Our guest was an amazing musician and music therapist named Ken Medema, who has been a huge inspiration to me throughout my life. But as a college kid I was just trying to keep my head above water, playing and singing and holding the band together. Ken is an off the charts improvisor, and mostly has plied his trade in churches. One of his well known songs at the time was based on "Come now, let us reason together" based on Isaiah 1:18. As I was singing some lines like "I said I'd love you and that's forever" and "I'll love you just the way you are", a melody started filtering through. Ken was singing his song as the perfect counterpoint, as if that was the way it had been intended from the start.
My "faith" has always been anchored in reason rather than the supernatural or subjective. Reflecting back on this wow moment, reason and creativity were hard at work in me, a work that still continues daily. Hal, your journey has become a key part of that work at this juncture in my life. Amazing gratitude for your work.