SHEsaysWITHaSMILE.blogspot.com

The heart seen by (keeshie!)

...at home, at work, in the car...   she is surrounded by love..  4 heart seens over the weekend... 

posted by SHE @ 10:25 PM 0 comments

The Heart Seen.. by (keeshie!)

posted by SHE @ 10:17 PM 0 comments

Happiness is... for (me!) sandra, tvgp

i am so grateful to everyone behind the seens at my church for participating in this prayer partner campaign..

-for the wonderful luncheon...    where they revealed which adult was paired with which youth..

i love connecting one on one like this..   and Jesus!  i looked around and could easily, easily see your divine hand in the pairings..

i am a big fan and admire-er of your creative choreography as you know..

and big "THANK YOU!" for pairing me with such a beautiful, radiant, kind and talented eighth grader..   SHE is just..    well, you shine write through her..

and i assured her,  i am already like a praying machine! morning, noon and night, 7 days a week, 365 days a year!   and it is my great honor to include her...      -what a love.. 

and! to know that she is praying for me also...   "Yes. Please. and Thank you!".     -amen.

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the heart seen... by (keeshie!) .. in the mayonnaise...

posted by SHE @ 9:53 PM 0 comments

what dreams remain... for (me!) sandra, tvgp

.. my residence upstairs/my art studio store downstairs..  my commute to and from work: one or two flights of stairs..

***

after my son graduates high school...  window of concentrated devotion to helping victims of human trafficking

***

one day...  to thoroughly enjoy any and every grandchild I am blessed to have... to be a rockin' grandma..    and i don't mean in a chair.

***
IJN,   amen!

posted by SHE @ 9:24 AM 0 comments

The Heart Seen... on (my mom!)

-and she says she has no idea where the bruise came from...

posted by SHE @ 7:22 AM 0 comments

The Heart Seen.. at pastas... by (keeshie!)

-she told me she had just glanced over and admired a couple in their 50's or so... how the man had touched her face with tenderness and affection..  and she said to herself, 'now, that's what love looks like..'.  -and she was thinking about love, and simultaneously sweeping bread crumbs off her table..  and there was this one crumb that wouldn't just wipe away.. and she tried again a couple more times to sweep it away, and slightly frustrated she looked at it..  and the heart was seen!   'that's why it won't go away!'.   -and it changed her whole mood...   

posted by SHE @ 7:53 AM 0 comments

The heart seen... On the thanksgiving yam.. by (me!) sandra, tvgp

posted by SHE @ 7:46 AM 0 comments

Theres too little, because youre too late.. by (me!) sandra, tvgp

it is difficult for me to make the distinction sometimes between which men are flirty in general, with everyone, which men are just talkative, and which men are directly flirting specifically with (me!).

so, i found it helpful when he said to me, "i am flirting with you, you know..  ".   -but then the question surfaced in me..  -and with how many other women are you flirting?

-which, I have learned over time, and more error than trial, is not a question you should ever bother to actually ask out loud. 

but he had brought me fresh baked pumpkin bread..    -which I originally contributed to general kindness...

and about a week or so later, -dark chocolate covered espresso beans..   

but gift giving and flirting are both..  what?  in the very nature of the personality sometimes; and sometimes...

well, on the next visit in the store he said, ".. so when are you going to give me something? i brought you pumpkin bread and ..."

and i said, "oh. i did not realize there were strings attached"

which brings me to yet another difficult distinction to make..  when is a gift a gift? vs. when it comes with an invisible string vs. when..

and then, after i saw the confusion in his eyes i said.." oh! you would like for me to reciprocate your generosity... "

and he said, "yeah..  

***

Ive been out of the dating loop too long and have forgotten all the rules.   in my almost 10 years post divorce; two temporary relationships of any significance.    and I can tell you now,

with a certainty only 20/20 hind-hearing yields; the very sentence within longer conversations that lit the flashing neon exit sign i ignored in both temporary relationships.   -yes,

a girl walks in a bar...   and there are two doors near the back.  one reads: exit.   -the other: enter at your own risk & peril.

-the girl ends up the punchline.    -because she walked into the bar..

get it?   -anyway..

i have a new strategy..  its called slowing down and paying more attention.   and so when the conversation continued, he graduated from flirting, to directly asking me out.   and i have just enough politician in me, that i successfully dodged the question by changing the subject..  

and we talked some more.   -and as we talked some more, two very important topics came up.   he mentioned being divorced and..

/only people who know me well will appreciate this:

and missing having someone provide a warm home cooked meal.

***

EXIT! EXIT! EXIT!

***

and also, -during a longer conversation, he asked about my parents..  and when the topic of my dad came up, with great love and candor I said..  "My dad is a great dad! but a yucky husband.. I couldn't be married to someone like him for 5 minutes.."

and went on to explain this is true because my dad has a womanizers personality.   and his initial response was,  ".. yeah, but is he faithful?".  

***
EXIT! EXIT! EXIT!

***

because write away this indicates he falls in the category of men who believe you can look, check out, comment, and sexually objectify women at your will,  and its all okay as long as you don't act on it..

which is apparently the camp my dad went to..

and some women learn to tolerate...  as we can see by the fact my dad is married..   and some women will not.

like (Me!).   -I have a zero tolerance policy.   and if that equates to remaining single.   single I will happily remain!

and, but then as the conversation continued he said, " do I have a womanizers personality?"

and I said, "I do not know you well enough..."

and we talked a little more, and he said, "I'm gonna keep on coming back and one day you're going to go out with me."

and I just smiled and said goodbye.    And as the day went on, I thought..   it is probably not a good sign if you have to ask whether or not you have a womanizer's personality.

***

but, turns out my mom had just made some of her amazingly moist and delicious pumpkin-date bread, and so, I cut it in two and

I did originally plan to save half for my future non-date to 'reciprocate his generosity'

..but ...   as I mentioned,    -it was so moist and delicious...!

***

so, see...   i spared you the expensive steak dinner

and more importantly, I spared you one of my warm home cooked meals, because I don't even make those...

no..

if you are looking for a domestic,  -carry on..

if you are looking for a...   pet! yes..   a pet.   -that's more (me!)

do you have a pet?  -that you love and adore and walk and feed and talk to all sweet and that you snuggle..   and who does not contribute to the household income, or do chores.. or cook or clean..

but a pet who you take to the doctors if ill ....

and who you bring gifts and toys to...   even though they do not contribute to the income.. 

a pet who sometimes makes a big mess, and you just shake your head and clean it up...   and think maybe you are to blame for being away too long..

that's (me!).      pick a door:    EXIT.     ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK & PERIL.

***

isn't real life so romantic...

posted by SHE @ 8:11 AM 0 comments

mixed media in progress.. by (me!) sandra, tvgp

posted by SHE @ 8:36 AM 0 comments

Side notes/book of revelation. viewed by (me!) sandra, tvgp

i have already mentioned how differently it all reads when you project today's colloquial/branded definition of the word 'cloud' onto the word cloud in the book of revelation..

it also reads quite differently when you project today's highly ubiquitous security and phone cameras everywhere

-everywhere!

onto the 'eyes' everywhere... 

and i do not recommend that you factor in what is taking place in the middle east, unless you want to also be prepared for

creating or updating your wills, and..   perhaps a belated and long overdue just in case prayer to the God you suddenly might think maybe is real...

-keep your sense of humor ..

it will come in handy on judgement day.    -when God gets the last laugh..    ha!ha! and amen!

posted by SHE @ 8:30 AM 0 comments

The sickened wealthy atheist guy. as assessed by (me!) sandra, tvgp

yes i have met him. i have met more than one. i cannot share what i know; only what i believe:

i believe in God. and i believe that God would open the narrow door to an honest atheist way before he'd even hear the knock of a pedophile dressed as a priest.

my greatest concern for the atheist, is that they do not regard their life as a gift, and therefore  -gratitude for their existence lands where?   without a God, they are unable to view themselves as a masterpiece made with and for love.   -without a God, -they credit the existence and nature of love itself..  as what?  a spontaneous and random result of....   i would need one to explain their view..

and no fault of their own, -it is cultural; not spiritual, -but what happens, when there is no connection to God, no connection to the spiritual, only the cultural and carnal..    and where the individual is attaching their personal/individual value as a human being exclusively to what they do and how much they make..

well,  -watch what happens in the event those those two false value indicators are removed..

and, sadly, because those false indicators are regarded so highly, any human being the wealthy atheist comes in contact with, who does not possess wealth or status, are then regarded how..

also, it deeply effects intimate relationships:  because they exclusively see their own value as a human being attached to great wealth..   they are unable, -literally unable to believe or process the idea that someone can or will love them..  ;just because.   all thoughts seem to be, -i am desired because i have money..  or, more accurately, i am not desired at all; only my money...
and here is another sad truth

other people do only value money, and their value system makes wealth a magnet..

and so, the wealthy atheist can have their false, but deeply held convictions confirmed pretty regularly..

everything becomes..  this is only happening because i have money.. and there seems to be an underlying resentment and suspicion attached to every relationship.

i think every wealthy atheist hits a wall at some point:  where they are able to have any material object, and any variety of opportunities..   but just as there is an underlying resentment; there is an underlying emptiness..

all of this vs.:

the wealthy true Christian.   and sad, that I must qualify Christian with the word truth so frequently, but there are an awful lot of non Christians in christian clothing..

I do not need to write it all out, just reverse wat you read above: the true Christian is grateful to God for their life, their existence, the ability to experience love...  -aims to walk in love.  values others human beings without needing to know their education, address or net worth..   is able to experience authentic intimate relationships.. etc.

-be in this world; but not of it.   it is as if the bible ... the messages and passages and narrative, all speak to the idea, or fact.. that we are visitors.  the spiritual visiting the cultural/carnal..  

there is such an easily identifiable distinction between the two for me...   this world/this culture values this (name them.. money, appearance, brand names, popularity)

and true Christians value this:  Jesus as Lord and Savior, son of God; the loving guidance of the holy spirit; fruits of the spirit; a walk in love; prayer, service..

***

and so, i want to close with this:  i have come to know God and Jesus as being the most loving, the most healing..

and when i also learned recently of a young adult rejected by his parents for becoming Christian...

?!?!?!

-because for me, that is the exact same thing as a parent looking into their child's eyes and saying, "I do not want you to experience love or healing"

I have no place inside me that can understand rejecting a person who seeks love and healing; that mystifies me...

In Jesus patient name,  amen.

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LIVE! write now! (John brazell!) @ ricks picks..

posted by SHE @ 5:29 PM 0 comments

"Salute!" -new kids on the hops, by altamont beer works..

Yes!

posted by SHE @ 5:27 PM 0 comments

"Holiday cheers!" from (ricks picks!) & (altamont beer works!)

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The heart seen! by (me!) N' (keeshie!) at stoneridge mall

now.. true story, that the shopping adventure i most recently blogged about, where my sister and I laughed so hard we cried.. /and she peed..

well, when we first got there.. the parking lot was packed! lots of people have started their Christmas shopping and lots of stores have started their big sales..

but one of my daughters magical gifts is close parking spots..  I was testing whether the magic would still apply, if she wasn't actually with us..  I said, "let's summon taryns name...and see what happens..".  -and before I even finished, a car pulled out and we got a super close spot...

But! got even better because when we got out...  heart seen! Write there on the parking line of the spot we pulled in...

" thank you mom, thank you taryn, thank you Jesus!" Xoxo

posted by SHE @ 9:41 AM 0 comments

dear (susanelse.com!) from (me!) sandra, tvgp

it turns out the Harrington gallery is walking distance from where i work.  

but let's say it wasn't..    let's say i lived in San Francisco..  

keeping in mind here, I do not like to drive.. especially at night.. or in the rain..  

but let's say I did for some variety of crazy reasons, that I did drive for miles and miles, at night, in the rain

to arrive at the Harrington gallery.    -no matter the time, the challenge,

/save that the challenge involves running out of gas and being stranded or.. a carjacking..

well then..

once I laid my eyes upon your skeleton sculptures I would say to myself what my heart knew immediately:

-seeing you made this worth it....  

***

and now, I love the fine art quilt exhibit in general..  everything!  Fabric lovers, and paper lovers are one in the same...  we light up for the same reasons, just at different materials..   color, design, texture...

you can easily imagine any designer scrapbook page as a quilt; and vice versa..

anyway..   I'm filled up and overflowing...    how magnificent!

posted by SHE @ 8:58 AM 0 comments

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The heart seen! by (me!) sandra, tvgp

-just outside the firehouse art center

posted by SHE @ 8:46 AM 0 comments

dont see that very often... realizes (me!) sandra, tvgp

posted by SHE @ 9:28 AM 0 comments

Brain spill, aisle 7... By (me!) Sandra, tvgp

-clean up crew please..  what happen was.. too much..  and it was on the edge of the shelf, and then..  when i reached for just one thing.. 

avalanche.     -natural disaster of the mind.  

***

its when..  its when there's more things to write about than time to write them..   and not enough time to more write; than to process..

so unless i point a few bullets..  messy is everywhere. 

know what i mean?

***

#  i once read..  and I don't know when or where, I only remember what:  -that when scientists studied on the molecular level, human tears, it turned out there is a distinct, measurable, quantifiably provable difference in the chemical make-up of sad tears vs. happy tears..  vs. hayfever tears.. and I've always wondered

but never researched, -whether that is true.  and!  

-i forgot whatelse..     which is why we have to clean up this spill..

now:  I wish, -but it is already too late.. that I would have thought to capture all my tears in test tubes this past..  one or two or 5 weeks, because..

I would love to donate my tears to science.   -they all fell for different reasons..  and now nor can I remember exact anything but..

*  i cried in awe, when i watched the genius tap dancer on Stephen Colbert.   -trust me, I have never before cried at any tap dance... I've been entertained; I've been delighted; I've been inspired.. etc, etc.   -but when I watched her...  I was moved; -to tears.   Not sad tears.. -I wonder the chemical make up of those..

Vs

when my sister and I went shopping together.. "Thank you mom!". and we shared a dressing room..  and when I was trying on a big, fluffy winter sweater..  the two strap loops that help keep it on a hanger.. well BOTH of them got caught on BOTH sides of the sunglasses I had proped up on my head..  the result is that the sweater got stuck only half way on.. and both of my arms were stuck suspended in the air like a bird in flight..  and my stomach was all bare hanging out...    and my sister just went into one... I mean she laughed so hard she was doubled over and peed her pants..  and her laughing so hard, made me laugh really hard..  but then when I finally got unstuck and untangled, there is still a new strap in some sweaters across the back...  or the front? no one even knows what the hell you are supposed to do with that one..  but it got caught across my face and couldn't get past my nose..

well, my sister was already in the middle of a laughing fit.. and so when she saw this...   -she literally fell to the dressing room floor...

it was just one fiasco after another for me in the dressing room.. and I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard.. 

I would have loved to have captured a few of those laugh-so-hard-i-cried tears in a test tube..   -just to see if its true, you know..  a different chemical make up..

because then.. i was talking to my coworker artist friend, julie, at work.. they way only coworker, slash, moms, slash friends do.. and the conversation led me to talk about my pregnancy when i was 15..    and even though its been 35! years..  i couldn't really talk about it without crying... but that singular life experience itself resulted in its own variety of lots of tears at different times for different reasons.. there were fear/overwhelm tears; there were sad tears; there were tears of love and joy; tears from physical pain; tears in prayers..  goodbye tears when i became suicidal... and tears of i don't even know what, when I miscarried...  but when I was talking to julie.. the tears were in gratitude and overwhelm.. because it swooped up like a memory tidal wave..  all that has happened, that would not have happened, -had I taken my own, and my unborn baby's life...   all i could muster to say was..  God sure has been faithful...  and that realization makes me cry too..

oh! if we could catch just one of each tear type in a test tube...

and then i already do have a long list of people and circumstances I pray for and about every morning, throughout the day, and at night..  and add on..  the terror attacks in Paris, which unfold many more issues, and..  a 17 year old was just struck by a car and killed not too far from where i work..    and see, -there is more still, but..

but.. I've done a lot of crying ...   and I'd like to end, with just how awe struck I am by human tears...  -that we cry.

that computers, and robots, and rocks, and machines, and cell phones, and iphones, and..  i wonder how many living species on earth shed tears?  and under what spectrum of circumstances?

when we are told, 'you are a masterpiece'.  -I get it..  we laugh, we cry, we bleed, we think, we evolve, we love, we make mistakes, we grow..      and the key ingredient for the making of any masterpiece:  love.  

In Jesus faithful name,   -amen.

posted by SHE @ 8:08 AM 2 comments

created with love. -for paris.. from (me!) sandra, tvgp

posted by SHE @ 5:19 PM 0 comments

Thunder Woman -wire sculpture by (julie koopmann!)

..and an art & music pairing by (me!):    -because the perfect musical complement to this sculpture has already been written:

take me as i am by (mary j blige!)

posted by SHE @ 7:40 AM 0 comments

Instant mood elevator from the archives. -for (me!) writeousmom

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The Heart Seen.. by (me!) sandra, tvgp

posted by SHE @ 8:41 AM 0 comments

Skinny dipping. by (me!) sandra, tvgp

this truth has been arrived at; and said in many different ways, using a different selection and arrangement of words, -by who knows how many people.     -in my words, it is this:

In the ocean of life, everyone is simultaneously swimming in blessings and drowning in burdens.  the quality of your day to day life depends on where you let your mind go skinny dipping.

posted by SHE @ 7:58 AM 0 comments

Get the chief pandora editor on the phone for (me!) Please...

"hey.. thanks for taking my call..  love pandora! big fan, big fan..   /commercial free..  awesome!

the reason for my call today..  well, i selected r&b love songs..

and for like, 3 songs in a row, which it turns out, was all I could tolerate..  I did not hear ONE love song..

not one!  I heard a 'how I'd like to bang you song..  and bang your neighbor..

I heard a 'how exciting it is to cheat on you..' song..

and I heard a 'why did you leave me when Im so good at sex' song..

but not one actual love song.   -and I thought you should know about this..    I am a concerned about music citizen..

Pandoras definition of love and the definition are: south and north..

What a love song is..   a love song, a true love song, -that's like "always and forever..  each moment with yooouuuuu". -like that..

and, " all of me..  loves all of you..  ". by john legend..  true love song..

and..  " im thinking out loud...". Ed sheeran..   you know that one?   True love song..

I think the world has room for all types of music..  and every genre does have an audience..  I just want to suggest that you maybe label them more accurately, that's all..

lust songs
break-up songs
soft porn songs
-revenge songs
jealousy songs
hate songs
sad songs
just dreamin' & don't I wish, songs..

and almost/maybe songs

and TRUE LOVE songs.. 

I am happy to listen and help properly categorize for you...

and if you want to offer a mix..  that's fine..  but please say so

just don't have it so that I select love and listen to lust.  

"thank you!".  amen.

posted by SHE @ 10:58 AM 0 comments

MY imaginary TED TALK. by (me!) sandra, tvgp

draft 1:  i begin by asking the audience a question:   at age 23,  if you were to assign a number to your individual self-esteem, 10 being highest, 1 being lowest, what would that number be?

***
because i am here today to discuss just that: self esteem.

-my own self esteem, at that age /and many others, can be seen in this mini-video:

-and here, the video shows me now, walking along the beach, approaching a rock in the sand.  the viewing audience is set up to believe I am going to pick up a rather large, solid rock to describe the size of my self esteem..

but instead I pick up a grain of sand.

and then I explain, that of course, I am exaggerating quite a bit.  -standing next to the rock.. holding the grain of sand..

and go on to explain.. this grain of sand..   this grain of sand is far too huge to represent what my self esteem was...

and then next..  we watch as the grain of sand is further obliterated into smaller and smaller pieces..in a huge explosion..

and then we look through a microscope and I explain..  even that is too big!

and we divide, and cut and magnify...   and reach a point where, really..  you just can't see anything.

"That's about how much self esteem I had.."

K. now..   what did you learn while you were in school?   -because what I needed to learn vs. What I did learn are two very different things..

what I needed to learn was not in this book (any given text book shown here), or this book... (any given text book).  -or this book..

etc. until I've shown at least 8 different text books..and sufficiently made my point..

"What I needed to learn!   -was in this book!".   -and here I hold up the bible.

posted by SHE @ 10:34 AM 0 comments

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Veterans Day 2015.. "Thank you!" from (me!) sandra, tvgp

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Reebok power lift experience cont.

-and in fact, my seat, second row back/on the end, placed me not just write next to Bryce's uncle ... but surrounded by his aunt, sibling, cousins, parents... the Hansen's, Castro's and hastings..  !

and an awesome Christian family they turn out to be!   -plus, highly attractive..  I mean,  you cant help but notice..

anyway, the story is much longer, as all human stories are, but..

Bryce Hansen  -who "thank you!" -served as a marine, -has only one leg.  21 years old, and lost his leg at age 19.  -not in war combat as we all first imagine and project; but on the front lines of life itself, which many people fail to recognize is its own battlefield.

the way his uncle shared it, he was hit by a car..  a yong woman who failed to stop when she should have..   and, sounded like the accident itself didn't claim his leg, but a misdiagnosis on the part of the doctors.  "Had they transfered him to balboa in San Diego, like they should have, he would still have both legs.."

-the whole thing just breaks my heart..  as it would anyone, -write. But I sure am impressed with where Bryce arrived spiritually on the multiple mistakes of others which cost him his leg:

"Life isn't over. It just got harder.".   -and there he was: in his very first able-bodied competition...  lifting like the rest of them... testing the limits.. exceeding expectations, inspiring the masses..

I feel very blessed i got to cross paths with this family..  and see Bryce..  

and equally blessed to see Chris Lampson, and meet his family for the first time..

Chris.. if I can briefly reintroduce.. Is the one, who,  -25-ish years ago, used to live in the same apartment complex in San leandro, as me and my sister..   Argyle apartments..

and who we have not seen since really...   he moved away/we moved away... and it was not until earlier this year that I received an email asking,  'do you remember me..?'.    -and learned he is living in our same town! with a son attending the same school as...

and so we've all reconnected..   and, I realize..  in the human constellations: I would not be at this Reebok power lifting event, without having been neighbors with Chris 25-ish years ago...  and other sequence of events..

anyway.. he did awesome!  -strong in squats, which I missed, and  "lift was good" for the bench I got to see..

and two out of three for the dead lifts!   Plus..  come on..  The tuxedo shirt..   How extra handsome..  You can't help but notice...

and not only is he strong, and attractive and kind and all that, but

please check my blog for the best red velvet cake ever! -from scratch people!   -he is a master in the kitchen also..

"Thank you!" Chris.. for this very new, and very inspiring experience

I am a fan!   

***

...and the warriors won... and Ohio buckeyes won... and the Oregon ducks won...  and Chris, and Bryce, and mark, and Jesse Norris won..     

-k, but the raiders... and the dons..   -next time!

-this is my official report from my very own wide world of sports...  amen.
.

posted by SHE @ 9:23 AM 0 comments

posted by SHE @ 8:52 AM 0 comments

Reebok sponsored power lifting event.. as experienced by (me!) sandra, tvgp

i went solo, and the first area i could find to stand -since every seat was taken.. was at the very back.  disadvantage being short.. because tall people kept walking past me..  so, i watched kind of in between people and at a distance..    listened carefully to "and the lift was good" or..  "good attempt". -because my position prevented me from actually seeing.   and they announced by kilo.(foreign). and only occasionally by pounds (familiar)  so i didn't pay much attention to numbers; just ..

" 600 lbs..  are you for real?".  -i had the temporary good fortune of standing next to a gentleman who 'just flew in from missouri to see this event'

-he apparently had watched a you tube video called, bigger, stronger, faster..  that influenced his entry into the power lifting world.  his interest with a longer history, but he just got serious about 7 months ago.   -the brother of the man who created the bigger, stronger, faster video was competing at this event..  going for a new personal record, and i know him by name, because he received the most spirited cheers from the audience.. "Mark!   -go now mark!  you got this mark.."

-to witness first hand the maximum effort exerted by these humans. -it seem to me they tested the very and absolute limit of how much one can exert themselves without blood vessels literally breaking through the flesh

in any given moment I felt perhaps I just might witness that very thing:  flesh tearing like..    fabric rips.   the strain of every lift caused rainbows of exclusively red in every hue to appear on their faces: slightly flushed.. red... darker red...  almost purple

"Oh my God.. his veins are going to explode!".  -but they never did.

"... and the lift was good..."

the event lasts like all day, and i arrived after squats, during bench, and before dead lifts.  i was just in time to see our family friend do the third and last of his bench lifts.   and when the gentleman who flew in from Missouri asked me who I was there to see..  and I said, Chris Lampson..

He said, "Chris Lampson..  very Strong, I saw him do squats.. Very strong, especially for 43 years old.."

there were quite a high number of men competing, so I felt impressed he would recognize and remember Chris by name, strength and age..

i was keeping my eye out for a seat to open the whole time I was standing..  checking empty seats now and then only to find they had jackets on them: saved/reserved.   -back to the back then for me...

but blessings awaited because on my very next check for an empty seat, another kind gentleman offered the seat next to him.  -and this one free seat was in the second row back and on the end!  -jackpot!

-but not just for the highly improved visual access to the power lifters, but because the gentleman who offered the seat is.. "Uncle mike"

-that is, he is the uncle of Bryce Hansen:

posted by SHE @ 8:48 AM 0 comments

"FREE!" my favorite price..

posted by SHE @ 8:02 AM 0 comments

No weapon.. as seen, experienced and read by (me!) sandra, tvgp

BSF notes: Daniel 6:    -as i was reading, the plot..  how they plotted against daniel.. 'the only way to find basis for charges, is if it has something to do with the law of his God'

-well, before I even read any further, the scripture popped in my head..  and I said to myself:  oh.. no weapon formed against him will ever prevail.   any weapon you even try to use against him, will be used to promote him...

-and sure enough, as I read on...   this spiritual law unfolded.   ha! take that Satan...

***
I repeat the three of them with great frequency, in short cut form:

1. no weapon...
2. beauty for ashes..
3. All things..

amen! praise God! "Thank you Jesus!"

posted by SHE @ 11:30 AM 0 comments

Artist BIO in progress.. as edited by (me!) sandra, tvgp

My name is Julie Koopmann.
AKA JuJu Koop.

Welcome to MY ART world. 

After facing my own mortality in 2013 and surviving multiple heart surgeries, I decided it was time to make some changes and seek deeper meaning for my existence.

I left my managerial position, sold my expensive car, and proactively let go of a variety of things which promised, but did not deliver, true happiness.

The result of my decisions can be seen here, on my website.

The artist, long dormant in me, awoke.  And with a new creative energy and multiple sources of inspiration, I began:

Sculpting forms and figures with uninterrupted single strings of wire.  Twisting and turning until unique characters evolved, each with their own identifiable personality and style. My heroes.  Some super, some emotional, some lost.  Their wardrobes designed by creative application of dried acrylic paint. 

I enjoy hearing where my heroes land. They seem to gain power and meaning in their new environments, often exceeding what I viewed as their potential when I created them in my studio.

In addition to sculpting with wire, I also began to work with clay.

My initial contact with clay did not feel new or foreign, but rather old and familiar, like a long lost friend.  Magically, I sculpted two busts of father figures I loved who had passed away. Both are in homes now, of loved ones, who tell me they help fill a void and inspire fond memories.

I love working with clay because in its wet state it is malleable; but after the fire it is rock solid and long-living.

You will see here, I have a big heart for elephants. I recently adopted two orphaned elephants, (names/website) and they directly inspire many of my sculptures and necklace jewelry line.

Thank you for taking some time to look around MY ART world. My hope is that you will see something that appeals to you.  I believe art incapsulates time between artist and enthusiast, and it is that mysterious connection that both captivates and motivates me as an artist.

posted by SHE @ 7:23 PM 2 comments

"Look Mom..i found flat stanley!" (me!) sandra, tvgp

-does anyone remember my story, true story, about how the saints helped me find my lost library book, by sending me to see the water diviner, and then sending in a customer from turkey.. which sent me looking for a straw... 

these divine hide n seek; lost n found experiences crack me up sometimes.. 

like, just last week, my mom hands me flat Stanley in a zip lock bag and says, "don't lose him"

-and I lost him.

and then I printed out and colored a flat Stanley 2, with that number on his T-shirt.   And took flat Stanley 2 on all my errands with me..

but then I lost my kohls card..  

when I went searching for my kohls card, and prayed to the saints..

I ended up finding the original flat Stanley my mom handed me at Alameda beach..

and then!  On a subsequent re-search: I found my kohls card!

and I wish that was the end of this story, but guess what:

now I can't find flat Stanley 2.   -honest to God; what a sense of humor they have up there...

posted by SHE @ 1:55 PM 0 comments

IM STEALING HER!! (me!) sandra, tvgp

posted by SHE @ 10:58 AM 0 comments

speaking of cupcakes... for (me?!) sandra, tvgp

owner of a new cupcake shop in town, -write around the corner from ricks picks, came by with this 6 pack friendly introduction

~during my shift, thank you Jesus.

after we introduced ourselves, i told her, same thing i just blogged about only a day ago:  "i know my cupcakes; and i know my frosting"

and another thing i know:   i know my packaging.

and i must be candid here, or why else bother.  i know i can't change the world, exactly..  but if i could just change this..

obnoxiously loud and unnecessarily difficult to open plastic packaging.   -sometimes, when im not having a cupcake for breakfast, i like to sneak one around..  midnight.

but when i did..  not only did i wake up everyone in my own household, but a neighbor came knocking on my door wanting to know what i was eating, was it a cupcake, and could he have one too.

so, let's start there, with my self-imposed and completely very voluntary new-cupcake-in-town review:

all desserts, snack and/or junk food should be packaged in very quick n' easy to open and stealthily quiet wrappers.  

and may i digress here to share one of our famous family stories which my mom likes to share from back in the day, when she was still married to our dad...   -how he was supposed to be on some diet for one reason or another, and he tried to sneak a hostess twinkie..     and he hid in the bathroom, and even went as far as trying to flush the toilet, while he unwrapped the twinkie, in hopes this would drown out the sound

-but still got caught red handed.

so, let that serve as the test for all dessert packaging: if you can hear the unwrapping over the sound of a toilet flushing; start over/try again.

and, i imagine this would also dramatically increase candy sales at the movies.  who hasn't been shushed by the crowd when they accidentally open their box of m&M's during a great scene?  -and it is exactly during the great scenes when you need m&M's with your popcorn...

the less noise; the more sales.

i cannot believe no one has figured this out yet.

anyway..   back to the free
6 different varieties pack of cupcakes from our new lovely and generous  downtown neighbor:

"booo!" to the fake frosting.   the cupcakes themselves, 5 stars..

but i have a laypersons vocabulary when it comes to frosting, and in one finger swipe and lick i can determine

real frosting or fake.

now, what i mean by real is:  buttercream.  MmmMMMmmmmm.

and what i mean by fake is: anything not buttercream.  -blechk!

and ive had it explained to me two ways, this whole fake frosting epidemic

1. its healthier.   -k,  healthy cupcakes.. can't argue with the facts.  but whenever i take a bite of a so called healthy cupcake with fake frosting i just end up spitting it out, and getting a real one.. so, we have a wash on that one i guess..

2. it is easier to decorate, artistically, with fake frosting than real.

-now, as an artist myself, i offer empathy here.. i understand the value of having the best creative tools and resources for creating your mini masterpieces, but!

-at the expense of taste, flavor and mouth feel?! 

i suppose there are actually people out there who prefer a healthy, pretty cupcake to a delicious one, but it is not (me!)

sweet, messy, real..  that's what i love in a cupcake.   and there were two out of the six that i went wild for..

the other four i gave to my neighbor as a way of apologizing for waking him again at midnight.

posted by SHE @ 9:55 AM 1 comments

do i have any regrets? -who, (me!) sandra, tvgp

yes.   -and they're all male.

posted by SHE @ 6:59 AM 0 comments

moments that make my toes curl. (me!) sandra, tvgp

-last year it was the uniting of my favorite band at my favorite venue.   this year: my favorite tv host on my favorite late night comedy show!

posted by SHE @ 10:48 PM 0 comments

the annual Halloween trick..

.. and this year..  it was our treat.

posted by SHE @ 10:45 PM 0 comments

a prayer for e.o. wilson -from (me!) sandra, tvgp

his wish; my prayer:   an online data base of every single living thing on the planet.

-so, for example..   i could take a picture of this spectacular green creature with which i had a very unexpected encounter,

and image recognition software alone, would recognize and identify it for me:  grass hopper or.. praying mantis?  -most importantly.. friend, enemy or neutral toward humans?

here's my guess, from childhood memories:  praying mantis.  -cuz it seems big..   but now,   I think praying mantis' are..  have smaller heads? more distinct in shape?  in proportion to their body..?

-not sure.. but in my much younger days, my brother could talk me into letting these crawl on my arm.. and we probably would name it, and try and feed it mustard grass..  dipped in sugar water..   be fascinated for a while, then let it return to the wild..

and if it didn't make it.. we might create a cross from popsicle sticks, find a place to bury it in the yard..  have a ceremony.

***
it is the praying mantis, like the black widow..?

female eats the head off the male after mating.   -which i am sometimes convinced is the only sure fire way to prevent infidelity.

"..and there were no more women after her..  she was the only one!"

***

and now, i am with a strong desire to research this further, but when i consider the shock n awe graphic images that might accompany a grasshopper vs praying mantis search on the internet..

i lose all interest.  

***

but this e.o. wilson..   ive gotta chase his wild wish with one of my ambitious prayers...

posted by SHE @ 10:42 PM 0 comments

Not another sexual fantasy.. says (me!) sandra, tvgp

yes. but it goes like this:   -after sex, i hop on my blog, and "all my creative tools have been restored!"

i can place more than 1 picture per post! and...  place them exactly where i want them in my story!

and i have font style and size selection again! and color!

and i can left, write justify again! -or center my text and pictures by the tap of my finger!

..and SHE blogged ever happily before and after sex.

posted by SHE @ 10:42 AM 0 comments

posted by SHE @ 8:47 AM 0 comments

this is no ordinary cupcake! knows (me!) sandra, tvgp

the invitation was to just stop by for a quick hello and an aesthetically attractive bright orange cocktail in an equally attractive hand painted glass. to hold it alone, made me feel special..   add on a mini personalized tour of a beautiful home, gorgeous spacious backyard connected to how many amazing trees? ...the creek...  yard art..  all the things that spark more verve..

and  please! I have seen pictures, but offer more praise and admiration here for Julie koopmann's sculptures..!  the elephants!  and the wire figures.. the pumpkin masks...  everything with meaningful stories which I know have life write inside the materials themselves..

-friends, family, neighborhood friends with long, rich, histories, sitting outside on the porch, on a Halloween night of perfect  fall/summer weather..

offering candy to the little trick-or-treaters as they arrived..

and had that been it, i would have headed home filled up

but my cup~

cake runneth over!    there is no describing..   but i know my cupcakes, and i know my frosting..   and this,

this was no ordinary cupcake!  a moist flavor/texture explosion with the perfect ratio of cup to cake to frosting flavors..

it became very difficult here to keep my manners.

"would you like one more?"

"no.... but I'll take a dozen..."

anyway.. God bless her.. Abbie..  she sent me home with 4!

so guess what I'm having for breakfast with my hot coffee...

***
public "thank you!" here to the koopmanns...and very cool neighborhood friends, for warm and welcoming hospitality.    i had a great time!

posted by SHE @ 8:33 AM 0 comments

"im giving you a very special straw...

...put it in your milk and drink through it.. and it will magically change the flavor of your milk! .... and! you will have super powers for the rest of the day!"

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