5 January Joys

I'll be honest. This puppet video could be 1 through 5 of my list because I like it that much. I especially enjoy that it's from text I had written and long-forgotten on my Facebook page, a page that was in retirement for the last few years and only recently got resurrected. Now, it lives on my Ko-Fi page.

(Related joy: I got my first monthly donor on Ko-Fi and felt very emotional about it. Two years ago, I started making myself make plans months in advance even though I still couldn't really see through tomorrow. Over time, I started to be able to see a day ahead, then a few days, and now a week or so at a time even. But somewhere out there, there's a person who sees next month, and in their sight, I'm still here, and I'm still writing, and I'm still writing something that reaches them. That's something pretty phenomenal, isn't? Phenomenal, and humbling.)

2

A dear friend brought me an oxalis iron cross plant. I murdered the first one she brought me, so this was an act of faith. Such beauty! The friend, the plant, the faith.

3

I have to give love to technology because it's stepped up this month in amazing ways. The virtual reality meditations have been a saving grace. I finally found an address book website that is simple enough, but can handle international addresses properly. The habit/calendar apps I use to maintain my pixelated planning are amazing resources.

Oh, and the link up ability for Pepper Day is really exciting to me because I think it might just blossom that monthly event into a truly noisy little community. (There is a piece of a Rumi poem that sums up my goal with Pepper Day : "There is a community of the spirit. Join it, and feel the delight of walking in the noisy street and being the noise.")

4

I was invited to join a board, and I did. LevelGround.co has some amazing work recently and I'm very excited to be a part of whatever comes next. So far: a writing workshop is in the early baking stages. My first introduction to this organization was a meeting where they were discussing requirements of the board, what to keep and what to lose. I remember that there had been a note about being an active voter, and without me saying a word, they addressed the gatekeeping nature of that. (In my state, those on parole still can't vote. Some people are on parole for decades.) It was a touching thing to see, good change in motion. The swift power to make something better being used to, in fact, make something better. I'm hoping I can contribute to that energy.

5

I had a fanciful idea to take a picture of the front of every postcard or card I receive this year, and post it to my Instagram Stories so I can have a sort of year-end album or these things. There's only 3 cards or so in there so far but it's already so delightful to me. I love us, and it's nice to have something like a picture album that holds us all together.

If you want to send a card, the same 'ol address is still good.

Ra Avis

2201 N. Lakewood Blvd

#D1887

Long Beach, CA 90814

Mentioned links:

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rarasaur/

My Ko-Fi for donations of all sizes: https://ko-fi.com/rarasaur

My dear friend's Etsy : https://www.etsy.com/shop/MourningwoodInk

Pepper Day: https://cheerpeppers.wordpress.com/every-22nd/

LevelGround : http://levelground.co/

Instagram Stories Card Book : https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17878649903077665/