

There’s nothing like a walk along the river on a hazy day in NYC. Despite the fog…it was actually very warm, with folks in short sleeves/shorts and it was a balmy day. During Covid I have been exploring photography and spending time outside in the evenings. Let’s see where this project takes me…Won’t you join me by following my photography? Please like, comment, share, etc!
A journey through the outdoors…in the midst of a bustling city. Follow my blog to see images you don’t normally see.
Ha ha! Windbag! What a great word for today! We have lots…of examples of windbags over here, without mentioning names, lol. Blowing lots of hot air; just full of it; flying high on hot air, itself. In fact, hot air is the only thing keeping it afloat, like a kite. The kite won’t work without all of the air buoying it from underneath. Without the air, the kite can’t fly, but take the air out from under its wings and the kite stays grounded…food for thought?
Luscious is the perfect word for my walk in the park in NYC yesterday! As luck would have it, I shared these photos with my family yesterday, and the response was “how lush.” I read that text this morning before I even knew that today’s word is luscious. What serendipity! I hope you enjoy the photos, and please share your photos and thoughts below in the comments! I’m very curious to see!
Pronounce. Pronounce…Pronounce? What do I do with pronounce? The obvious comes to mind, but I’m not sure I feel like writing the obvious today. Given what is going on in my life with volunteering, I find myself talking to many different people in NYC on the phone, and I sometimes get caught off-guard when I think that I’m being very clear, but I get a swift reminder that maybe I am not, and how important communication is. That’s the obvious. Now for the not so obvious thing to write about.
Color.
Words.
Music.
Sound.
Tone.
What do all of these words have in common?
They all are a part of,
How I define pronunciation.
How does the voice sound?
What color would you associate the tone with?
Music.
Speaking and singing both contain music.
How you pronounce something,
Has a certain music to it.
A certain tone.
Can you hear exactly how the word is pronounced?
Can you hear every part of the word?
Every syllable?
How does it sound when each syllable is combined?
Can you feel the warmth in someone’s voice?
Or is it gravelly?
How do those two,
Effect the sound.
Exactly.
It’s all…
Pronunciation.
Photo: Sarah Pflug/burst.shopify.com
Times are strange, aren’t they? How are you all keeping it together? I’ve been trying to find a new normal with purpose and structure. It’s not easy. Composure is hard to keep. Composure is…changing. Everything is changing. Or so it seems. So how are people keeping their…composure? The word is a hard one to write about today, it seems. In a time when everything seems to be up in the air how do we keep it all together? Does keeping it together even look the same anymore? Or are there such changes in our outside world that we must change on the inside drastically? It seems to me that that’s the case. And it’s not necessarily a bad thing. New opportunities might come of this tragedy.
While trying to cope with all of the extra time on my hands, stuck inside, with life topsy turvy, I was having a tough time. My boyfriend made a suggestion: why not volunteer? I had no idea that anyone could really volunteer virtually. I mean, I’d never heard of that. I took his advice, and two weeks later I find myself feeling more cohesive…more composed, happier, stronger. That is not to say that I was unhappy before, or weak, but I have a newfound sense of purpose during this time, as I generally volunteer a couple of hours almost every day. You see, before this happened I was looking to find a remote job (I’m still looking), and I thought the only thing I’d be good at is customer service. Through my volunteering these past couple of weeks I’ve realized that my customer service skills can be put to good use to actually help people and my horizons have been broadened. The work I’ve been doing is providing assistance to those in need by calling to check on constituents and connect them with mutual aid resources. I love it. I get to help people, and that warms my heart to the nth degree. It makes me so happy. It has also been socially helpful during social distancing. I get to chat with volunteers every day and we even have a social hour once a week on zoom! I’m connecting with people I never would have met otherwise. It’s all beneficial. I hadn’t thought of this before, but I’m sure there’s a way to use my customer service skills to work remotely while providing assistance and understanding to those in need. I truly hope so.
It’s odd that the word composure brought up an idea that has absolutely nothing to do with the word, but for some reason when I think of the word composure the word “grounded” pops into my brain. To me, to have composure means a person is grounded in their body and their soul. That is exactly what volunteering has helped me with. If you’re curious about virtual volunteering during this time, let me know in the comments! You don’t have to live in New York or even the USA to be involved in the virtual organizations here. I hope to see you on the volunteer lists and that you are all happy and healthy. Have a great day!
Cover Photo courtesy of Nicole De Khors on Burst free images.
Footer photo courtesy of Shopify Partners on Burst free images.
Yesterday, while walking to do an errand, stuck in my own head, thinking about trying to keep distance from people who did not seem to be thinking about social distancing, I randomly looked up to the sky. It was a beautiful, bright blue day, and, very uncommonly, I could see the moon crisp and clear. It made me stop and think about my previous post. I had written about looking up to the sky, centering oneself, and being grateful for the frontline workers. Sometimes I forget my own advice, as I’m sure we all do. Yesterday, I stopped and took a breath. The sight of the moon looking down over the world reminded me that there is something so much bigger out there than all of us. There are larger forces at work than mankind. It was very comforting thinking about how all of us are simply small creatures allowed to live on this beautiful planet that has, miraculously, supported us for so long. It reminded me that the world provides us with what we need if we stop and listen. I couldn’t let myself forget that moment, so here is the photo that I took.
Although I know that today’s word is twinkle, this memory of the moon popped up in my mind as I started deliberating what to write about. I generally go with whatever the first thing is the springs to life, as I enjoy writing stream-of-conscious style posts. Also, the cosmos is just such a fascinating, beautiful, unifying place. I wonder what it’s like to look back at the earth from the International Space Station and see the world for what it really is. What a life-changing experience. What a point of view.
What a perfect word for this time we are in! One would think that the word coyote wouldn’t normally bring up something so readily for me, but today there are a couple of reasons that word resonates.
As many of you know, in NYC we don’t get much in the way of wildlife (unless you count the pigeons and rats…ugh), or, if we do get any animals their presence is overwhelmed by horns honking, sirens, people, etc. Well, mother nature is certainly making a big comeback around here. The flowers are beautiful. The grass is green. There are birds…chirping. In Colorado, where I’m from, that is not so strange, but in NYC this is very odd. It’s beautiful. It’s also eerie. Were I in Colorado, or somewhere that is not a hotbed of Covid-19, the sound of birds would be welcoming and beautiful. It is even now, but it’s also a stark reminder of why we are able to hear them now. Nonetheless, they are beautiful.
The second reason that this word rings a bell today is because howling at 8 has become somewhat of a popular event in the US recently. An entire community has been created. People are sharing their stories and the reason they howl. It’s cathartic for many! Side note: on a recent facetime with my family my sister told me about this howl at 8 thing they’ve been doing that my nephew loves and was very surprised when I told her I know one of the people who started it. The facebook group was started by a buddy that I knew/know from college, and it has just exploded. In case you haven’t heard about it abroad, you can join the facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/howlat8/) and howl in your own time zone at 8pm. There are over half a million followers, and it is a wonderful activity in such a difficult time.
So, everyone, if you hear random howls at 8pm, don’t be alarmed. It’s just solidarity in action. I hope you are all well during this time.
What an interesting word for today! Swiss. Ha ha, the first thing that comes to mind is swiss cheese, which brings me to something I’ve been looking at buying recently. In this quarantine I find myself wanting comfort foods more and more. Soooo…pancakes. Grilled cheese sandwiches. Cereal. Yummy! We all need a little comfort and nostalgia right now. Some people do it by baking bread. Apparently I do it by making the aforementioned foods. Sooooo…enter the Nostalgia grilled cheese toaster. I know, this has got to be one of the least profound posts I may have written, but I had to be honest about what this specific word brought up right away. I get no kickbacks or funds for this, but just in case you’re interested, here’s the link to the one on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Nostalgia-TCS2-Easy-Clean-Adjustable-Toasting/dp/B0744M3SB4. I hope, during this extremely difficult time, that everyone finds some form of comfort and something to feel grateful for. Happy Sunday, you all out there. Try to have a happy Sunday.