SHEsaysWITHaSMILE.blogspot.com

and yet, of my own accord, i did text a rave review to an extra special, delightfully surprising: McDonalds! -mrs sandra mickanen sharing

such a lovely cadence..

a verbal compliment, a generous tip, that came from the customers heart..

used to be

used to be that total amount due:  was in fact, the total amount due;  -no more.  now it's only a prelude to requests for more money

and, like many things..   i didn't realize just how beautiful, just what a wonderful experience it was being a customer back in the day

until they took that natural flow away.. 

if only one or two places where you shop, do business..  if only one or two did this:  questionnaires, surveys, donation, round up requests..  review us online..    review us online..    QR code, review us online.. 

maybe not so bad; but this takes place at every single register everywhere; all the time. 

i've gotten pretty efficient  -skip.  no.   no.  no.  no. no.   tap.   no.   no.  confirm. 

and i've been able to escape on a number of occasions before my hot coffee got cold

but..  exactly because i have such a disdain for repeated requests for reviews

well, it surprises no one more than me, that i..   (me!)  mrs sandra mickanen,  i 

VOLUNTEERED.    I VOLUNTARILY, PROACTIVELY, of my own accord..

went out of my way, in fact, to find and then write down the telephone number..

went out of my way to text a long compliment..

i was just so INSPIRED!    i was so pleasantly SURPRISED & INSPIRED

  -a catalytic combination for the writer in me, apparently

****

let me see if i still have the text, i'll screen shot and post it here.  be write back

****

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 4:35 PM 0 comments

Gotta get to San Jose for Halloween -mrs sandra mickanen sharing

   
link to 2012 archives:

****

my waking imaginings this very morning:  i have a youtube channel; it is primarily about San Jose, and my experiences living here  -9 years now, i believe

and there are more serious posts; that cover more serious, consequential ground, like how it is a GIANT MISTAKE to close Great America and a GIANT MISTAKE to close/relocate the San Jose Flea Market..

but the post; the one i would create this week if i already had my youtube channel up and running;

the goal of it:   getting WAY MORE PEOPLE in San Jose/Santa Clara County involved in celebrating Halloween..

like, you will be the exception, in 2027, 2028 and moving forward if you don't decorate/participate in Halloween vs. what we see here write now in 2026; 

where your house is the great exception, if you do decorate & participate.

i would bring my cameraman   -cameraperson, up and down blocks and blocks of my neighborhood; we are not far from Piedmont High School..

try and find a house with Halloween decorations..             -you can't.

it is heartbreaking.   what the heck has happen to the Halloween Spirit in San Jose?!?   

Let me please remind:   Halloween is FUN!    it is FUN for kids,  -and anything fun for kids, is fun for the parents..  potentially fun for everyone;  we all need more FUN; more play; more creativity

k, 

what i've learned since living here, is that it has more to do with the demographics,  -the variety of cultures, than it does, an entire population just abandoning a Halloween Spirit that once was..

a large percentage of the people living in San Jose today -October 2026

they come from far away lands, where they never celebrated or recognized Halloween in the first place.  They've had no exposure; no trick or treating in their youth..

it stands out to me now, how..  enlightening, educational it was for me, only a couple halloween's ago, to learn our neighbor friend, had no idea who this was:

it is a great way, to experience, by way of actual participation, in one of the USA's admittedly over-commercialized, under appreciated opportunities for JOY   -playful, light-hearted, creative, silly, scary..

Halloween,  -and I am a native Californian, born & raised:   Halloween is one of the great, fun, memories from our childhood:  my older brother, me, my younger sister..

It culminates Oct 31st with kids getting dressed in cute or scary or just creative costumes, and going door to door, (usually after dinner);  knock, knock..     a cool parent, or older teen, answers the door  -often also dressed in some type of costume, kids say, "trick or treat"    -k, there is also a version

trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat...

-optional

but then, whoever answered the door,  -oohs and ahhs a little over the cute/scary kid costumes..   because it really is great fun to see what the kids come up with

often, dressing up like the popular characters/celebrities of that year

and then..     kids open up their   -when we were young, we used pillow cases to hold all the candy..

our own kids used actual halloween candy bags, with handles and everything..

and then the adult of the house, grabs some candy and puts it in your bag!

house after house,    trick or treat...     and  "candy!"

then..   after a few blocks of that..       you return home, you dump out ALL your candy, and spread it on the floor..   your parents go through it..    they pretend to be checking only for safety reasons..

making sure none of the packaging is torn or compromised in any way..     tossing out anything suspicious..

and slyly taking a few pieces of whatever their favorite candy is..

and then, depending on the parents, and the  -rules..    and all the vastly exaggerated sugar concerns  'cavity preventing - balanced diet' codes that are enforced..

then you get to enjoy your candy  -pick out your own favorites!   trade with siblings or friends, 

two m&m's packs for your snickers..

or, i'll tell you a funny true story:  my younger sister and i..      we loved candy more than our older brother..

over several days, we would have eaten all our halloween candy;   it would seem as if, 

as if, 

we'd need to wait all the way until the next year's halloween before we could get a new supply.

not so.

because our older brother..     he saved his candy.    

he saved his candy, knowing we'd soon be out of ours.. and then, 

like the savvy young entrepreneur he was..    

he would charge us a quarter per candy..

sure laugh it about now..    

it was great fun!     kids need fun!   all kids, from everywhere around the world  -they need fun!

and Halloween Fun, and Halloween spirit..  it starts way before Halloween night itself..

there is the deciding what or who you want to be..   which costume?    sometimes you can buy an expensive mask,  -sometimes DIY  -do it yourself costumes,   -sometimes very involved; theatrical..

lots of the younger kids, like to wear their costumes in advance  -just for fun,   -dress up, imagination..

when my kids were young, their elementary school, had the most wonderful, entertaining, charming Halloween parades..     by grade, i believe it was..     all the kids would kind of walk, march, around the perimeter of the recess playground, with all the parents/teachers watching, cheering them on, ooohing and ahhing and taking lots of pictures..

i could go on and on, 

my goal..    don't let the Halloween Spirit slip away...

we believe it has slipped away not because people don't appreciate it; but rather because people have not had exposure to it; they don't understand it really..

add on,  -a year doesn't go by that there isn't some news story about dangerous criminals ruining or threatening to ruin Halloween for kids, parents, families  

the reality is, you do have to exercise basic safety practices

kids going door to door,  -with a parent(s); or older sibling..   with adults; not solo.

kids wearing some type of  -visible-  something, as a part of, or in addition to their costume,  -because you trick or treat in the evening, after dinner, it's october and gets dark early.  you want people to be able to see you, especially when crossing streets..

and, no one ever eats any candy without it first being thoroughly inspected and approved by parents/adults.

the rewards and fun and joy,   -the memories; make it very much worth the efforts.

so, 

when my husband and i drove around san jose just this past week, running errands, and we looked, 

block after block

looking on the left side of the street, and the write side of the street..

and we went BLOCKS without seeing even ONE HOUSE with a hint of Halloween Decoration.

it broke our hearts.

we know the joy!   we know the joy from being kids ourselves and getting to trick or treat; we know the joy from watching our own (now grown kids) get to trick or treat when they were young;

and we know the joy from watching our grandkids..

[ here is where i insert a picture of one of the neighborhoods we saw recently.. with ZERO halloween decorations ]

and here is where i insert a picture of what we expect to see next year..

house after house with   -something..   

some kind, simple or elaborate, halloween theme decor..      let the joy of the kids inspire you!

and then, 

a picture of a boring, uninvolved, indifferent..   same ole, same ole house..

contrasted with a picture of a house with a lot of halloween spirit!

and then pictures of halloween night, where you see,  lots of kids in costume..   with trick or treat bags..

and the decorated houses welcome these costumed cutie pies..

and new generations get to accumulate these wonderful memories too..

****

and instead of writing/blogging/posting..   i share this on a youtube channel,  -talk.

and of course, 

it is translated into chinese, vietnamese, spanish, tagalog

****

hallelujah, happy halloween & amen

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 8:05 AM 0 comments

Berryessa Blue Zone Driveway HAPPY birthday HAPPY halloween HAPPY HOUR Oct 2026 #vellumdays

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 4:10 PM 0 comments

Pirate Skeleton Bliss Oct 2026 Yard Art by (sexy! & topps!) robert & sandra mickanen #bliss & POM

   -the pix people are taking and sharing with us is  -too much fun!! we LOVE them..   and, we have received some chatgpt enhanced versions also..    will post soon.   -in one word; amazing. 

    /also, not a part of this scavenger hunt designed for kids, neighbors; but for my own personal treat; our yard art does include the fruits of the spirit; they are there for the people naturally inclined to notice such a thing.  and as my "thank you!" prayer. 

will return to share process pix/stories/details

but!  highest compliments to my husband who really outdid himself, shape shifting the previous, flat, yard art installation, and   -making it ship shape!

ship shape.  rearrangement & stacking of bricks & materials from previous yard art by robert

a few people asked him if he used grout, glue..  adhesive.. 

answer:  no.  he has this special gifting which allowed him to stack and arrange the bricks & granite panels by size and weight, create the shape, perpetually checking for stability, and making adjustments accordingly..    fine tuning until..    

i am a fan & admirer of my husbands work.    /she says with a big smile..

this is only our 2nd up-write (erect; vertical vs. horizontal) yard art; and our 45th installation i believe

re-using, re-arranging, re-primering; re-purposing; re-painting the bricks & yard art materials.

this yard art was directly inspired by displays of skeleton pirates we saw last year at MB2 in santa clarita california; and a portion of the painting was directly inspired by being in attendance at Pageant of the Masters G.O.A.T.  Sept 2026, and falling quite in love with van gogh's art that was featured..

honestly, it inspired in me, the desire to do van gogh deep dives..    the Greatest Of All Time artists were featured..   our exposure to great art was vast at this performance, but..

while it was all interesting, inspiring, educational, entertaining..

for my personal taste..  [however mysteriously that evolves];   everything paled in comparison to van gogh..    being able to see how much he enjoyed the process;   -process so visible..   striking, mesmerizing, magnetizing, hypnotizing..   you just do not paint like that unless you love the process itself; not just the result.     i more officially join the incalculable # of people, artists and art appreciators who are van gogh fans..      prior to this pageant of the masters, 2026, i would regard myself an appreciator;  -aware of..  novice to advance knowledge of the most famous works; vague idea of biography  -mostly from mass media re-tells; focusing on the ear of course..

but..   it is his actual paintings.   -i know i'll be getting some more books soon; about..   but, my interest is greater for his process/painting/art;  -craft; than his biography; although both always matter, don't they.

i wrote to POM to learn it;  -and it is 'the sower.'    there are many different versions of the sower by vincent van gogh if you look online; not one definitive painting of it; however, 

the version of the sower, and how they presented it during pageant of the masters:  i may have cried.  

ok, 

i did cry during pageant of the masters.  specifically..  it was when i allowed myself to look up at the night sky during the performance; glance at the man i love, my husband, sitting write next to me..  take in the crowd, the incredible live orchestra, the natural beauty all around  -and the human created beauty on stage; the master level creativity involved in honoring so many master level artists; our seats were the best seats we've ever had..   the climate, a dream.  add on, prior to the performance we took in a live concert..   a beatles copy band; hard days night; and they did the beatles justice.. and the audience LOVED..  everyone responding..    and before that:  just before that..  a phenomenal famous magician..   johnny ace palmer (?)   -i'm close..    and speaking of close..  

he performed the most remarkable, optical-illusion-ie, magic show AT OUR TABLE!!  

write before our very eyes..    how? does? he? do? that?    -turn a small red yarn ball into a 

    -potatoe?   and then toss the potatoe in the air and it..    evaporates in thin air...

his magic is a WOW

and so, it was accumulating; and i shed a few gratitude, overwhelm tears.. whispered a thank you to Jesus..

is this our life today?      -i do pause often to take it all in; recognize it..   express gratitude as it transitions into memory

how many times have i,  have we, attended Pageant of the Masters?  

if it was available in the fall, we would go every year, but it only goes june through beginning of september  -so, we try to make it every few years..

this was the Greatest Of All Time to be in the audience:   Fri Sept 4th; the grand finale for the 2026 season, with celebrity guests, live concert, festival of the arts,  -and, most importantly, 

and as the brochure promised; and why we even purchased the loge center tickets in the first place:

(robert's Christmas present to me..  us)

it was all because i read this:  8:30pm  Final Performance of The Greatest of All Time.  Conclude the evening with a one-of-a-kind Pageant of the Masters performance created especially for our season finale.  And this time, the living pictures won't stay quite so still.

"honey..   know how you always wish the people camouflauged in the paintings would be revealed more often throughout the show..

read this!

and "thank you my sexy!"   because look what you got me for Christmas!   -for us..

it can be for Christmas, and my birthday and valentines..

and "thank you!"  pageant of the masters for living up to & delivering on all the hype/promises in your brochure

 ****

million "thank you!" prayers..  

p.s.   they had real live goats being walked around the grounds at the festival of arts..  and a costumed mascot goat.. 

which, of course, reminded me..   of our most recent, most remarkable: 4th of july 

let's call it.. 2026, the 250th of USA..   the year of the goat

# pageant of the masters 2026  G.O.A.T.

# van gogh

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 1:02 PM 0 comments

says a lot about who you are -mrs sandra mickanen sharing -the worlds i see, by dr fei-fei li

and now, if you'd like a short-cut kind of way to learn more about a person;

ask them who they most admire..

if you could walk in the same steps as...

if you could sit in the same seat as...

if you could look out the same window as...

if you could perform (or just step on) the same stage as...

****

and i'll tell you this, i could ask that question (those questions) of just about anyone and everyone i've ever known   -and i can safely say, 

none of them would answer as fei-fei..

she was so excited about being in the same seat as;

one of the people she most admired in the world...    wanted to learn more about; and from:

and in contrast to today's pop culture favorites; entertainers, professional athletes..  social media influencers..

it was just fun for me to read how awe-struck fei-fei was is for this historical figure:

she loved loves physics; science..

and as a result of not being a social butterfly; a result of not being invited, or just not wanting to attend all the popular college campus goings on..

she poured herself even deeper into what she did love.

the results speak for themselves at this point..    but, next road trip, i'll pick it back up..

****

fun for me to then look up, out of curiosity:  who were the most famous, influential people who attended the colleges i attended:    chabot jr college/hayward, california, USA & California State University Hayward, now Cal State East Bay..  

and fun for me to always consider, my ongoing fascination, which does not get discussed enough:

the remarkable, amazing, MYSTERIOUS! distribution of God-given gifts, talents, passions within all of humanity; across all of time..

and the more you do study it; regard it; ponder it; investigate it..

the sillier it seems for anyone to take credit or blame for their strengths & weaknesses..

i believe each person's responsibility is to discover what theirs is..    it is clearly a discovery.

and then to develop...   and, bonus..   there can be new ones to discover as you age... 

and every. single. person. has a unique combination; with overlap of course, with distinctions to be sure..

but no two human beings exactly the same.

selah! hallelujah & amen...  

repeat; i am especially a fan of fei-fei's goal and stance:   for AI to empower human-beings; not replace them. 

"thank you!"

is their a human gifts/talents/passions distribution theory, i love to wonder; and what organization is keeping track and stats

perhaps i will ask chatgpt     - a very, VERY recent app upload 

just getting my feet wet; as the saying goes    -much of the population (including our family, friend group) is already actively using.. 

the most beautiful graph in the world

potentially

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 10:06 AM 0 comments

speaking of -re-re-re-re remembering 'cuz it's a fun one -sandra mickanen sharing

  -when the subject of san francisco came up;

my experience of being stuck & squished on the golden gate bridge on its 50th anniversary, 

and then the polar opposite experience of being in a parade, with plenty of room to move around

-curious, 

is the balloon platoon still in parades around the globe?

in any case..       -speaking of

selah! hallelujah! and amen

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 8:39 AM 0 comments

The 10 Commandments for SI by (me!) mrs sandra mickanen

but that doesnt mean their "I's" will no long-ger be said

crying's not for me

no

i'm never gonna stop the "I's" by complaining

because i'm free... 

nothing's worrying me...  

and it won't be long 'til someone calls and asks to meet (me!)..

****

CH!

was trying to remember recently, on my own; without actually researching

how many songs i've enjoyed playfully changing the lyrics to; like the one above

and perfectly apropos here to share

very recently

my waking thought..

was my imposed/changed lyrics to barry manilow's famous song

" i write the blogs that make the whole world think..

i write the blogs of love and special things..

i write the blogs that make you laugh and cry..

i write the blogs, i write the blogs.."

***

selah! hallelujah! & amen
 

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 7:45 AM 0 comments

Definitely in the favorite CH's file! Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil.. sandra mickanen remembering/sharing

but this was gifted to me yesterday, and it's quick, and i love the memory

my CH to Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil.    How often I've said, I don't need fiction, 

life itself is so generous to me as a writer.  This is certainly another true life example of that:

From August 2012, 

and I will enjoy re-reading myself..

want to (re)see clint eastwood's movie too;    -loved the book.

all "Thank You!" prayers..      hallelujah & amen

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 9:30 AM 0 comments

The Worlds I See curiosity, exploration and discovery at the dawn of AI by Dr. Fei-Fei Li -sandra mickanen reading/sharing

i purchased a used edition, unusual for me, but, how fun and interesting to see what the previous reader underlined..

i am going gangbusters with the highlighter on a few pages

simultaneous to reading this as a memoir, and as an education; much as a layperson student reader can grasp

because this is 2026, and there is all this talk about AI; humanoid dominance

stir in my great interest in humanoids

and how they offer the perfect juxtaposition for becoming more aware and more in awe of the masterpiece that human beings are..

i have to pause to say..   maybe even the word; the vocabulary 'humanoid' should be laid to rest.

there is very little 'human'  and mostly noid when you look closer

and that is what i'm simultaneously doing:  looking closer

at the distinction between humanoids and human beings

very small example of what seems like an infinite amount of distinctions to be made:

unique individual(s) born vs mass manufactured; or small boutique batches..

no actual 'family' relationships:  grandparents; parents; siblings; children, nieces/nephews, cousins..

and all that those relationships include;  friends; framily..  etc.

  -happiness is unique to human beings;

as is, being 'spurred by ideology'   * daily struggles to survive * contentment so pure  *  i could 'feel it myself'

intellectual journey is unique to human beings, as is to 'relish' anything; as is getting to experience 'joy in the process'

as is 'worrying about my mother'    -as is a 'grating' day; or fog of exhaustion..   (few examples from pg 54 and pg 55)

i wont do it; i've only selected a couple pages to make the larger point and distinction

but if you were to highlight every word/phrase/sentence paragraph in this book (or any memoir) unique to being a human-being

i think you would also agree, even using the word human in humanoid; no longer fits.

it is a new entity on the earth and requires its own; not inaccurately borrowed/pre-used vocabulary

perhaps in the interim we should stick with robot.    -human shaped robots.. 

***

with my 'mrs mickanen adopts humanoids' panels..      maybe i will even change that name...

but, the goal of it, is the same as my additional goal in reading Fei-Fei's memoir

to increase our awareness of; and awe of;  the masterpiece each human being really is!!

nothing will ever compare.

****

in addition to AI/human shaped robots serving so well; so perfectly as a juxtaposition and revealing the master piece that human beings are, 

the other thing that is really surfacing repeatedly about human beings

is human beings as consumers..

requiring food, for example, which a human shaped robot will never require..

and then factor in farms/farmers..  every single thing on a grocery store shelf..

requiring clothing..    every single thing on hangers inside any given retail clothing store..

it is becoming more and more pronounced for me; 

everything a human shaped robot will never need or require

; this infinite list

vs.  what they do require to exist; to serve..  to operate

   -just how much being a human being includes need..   which results in massive and ongoing production of food, clothing, shelter, education, entertainment, transportation   -and then, infinite luxuries for those who thrive and not just survive

****

another thing coming up..   all the things (including this blog) which have been intentionally, and/or unintentionally designed to get us human-beings embedded in the digital vs real and natural world.

i could write much more extensively on this, but give one example

how handwriting has been  (usurped?) by email, texting, word processing of one kind or another

   -the more we engage in the digital world; the easier for data collection..

***

skip here to,  it will become a conscious choice for each individual, family:

spending time in the digital vs natural world; with some giving dominance to digital; some to the natural; and many hybrids..   where dominance fluctuates throughout life

speaking of; i am inspired to spend the day outdoors; and end my digital activities now

 -more later

hallelujah and amen

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 7:03 AM 0 comments

i repeat; if i could cash in on two miracles.. by sandra mickanen

2.  save great america

and in both cases; not just save them..   but invest in, improve, make them even more attractive, even more successful; even more protected; even more iconic..

safe, outdoor, family friendly fun..   great experiences; wonderful memories..

in Jesus name, 

selah! & amen.

***

i do back my prayers, hopes, wishes with action...

my faith; is not without works.

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 12:07 PM 0 comments