Online Shopping at Debb’s Mall

Hi!

My business, http://www.sunshinesonlinemall.com, has added a new feature to its original line.  Now, in addition to helping you order anything under the sun from wherever you are, my mall offers an Amazon link.  I used this the other day to order my 2014 Writer’s Guide.  So easy!  So fun!  🙂

As I’ve been recovering from the flu (and what-not) lately, I was browsing through all the different shops (some major retailers like Macy’s and Walmart) and specialty stores.  I was amazed to find that at every shop that I hadn’t browsed in before, they offered between 10% and 30% off for new customers.

Last year I ordered flowers for my mother-in-love from a florist in my online shopping mall.  She told me that what she received was far better than the orders we had placed long distance for her from a local florist.  I am very pleased…and pleased to know that most, if not all, shops offer the opportunity to use the currency you use in your country.  How do I know this?  I was browsing in the perfume stores, trying to find a perfume that I had loved in my teens.  I found it but said to myself, why is it in pounds?  Ah-hah, I said, I have the British flag icon at the top.  Once I changed that to U.S. dollars, everything made sense!  🙂

Last but not least – a portion of the proceeds from my site will be directed to various charities.  🙂

See you at my mall!  🙂

Debb

A Word From the Magazine

Stanton Sunshine Magazine

 

I’m feeling better now and getting excited about February’s issue.  But I need you…I’m throwing out an “SOS” here:  looking for photos, artwork, stories, poems, or recipes.  In fact, Claire (the Ask Claire lady) is wondering why her mailbox hasn’t seen much action…do you have a general question she could answer for you?  🙂

I’m sure you’ve heard me say this before, but it’s worth repeating:  don’t be shy.  Do not be so critical of your work or talent that you keep it to yourself.  I’ve been told that it’s worth it to publish a post, even if it would help just one person who needs to see or feel the message you are conveying.  Just think… if the reaching just one person happens from a lot of contributors, the more people we can reach…and love…and help…and bring sunshine to.

SEE http://www.stantonsunshine/submissionguidelines for ideas.  And, my email box is always glad to fill up.  (www.stantonsunshine@gmail.com.) 🙂

In the community spirit,

Debb

Editor

“Saving Mr. Banks” movie

Yesterday I was given a real treasure.  I finally felt better after battling a virus January 1-10th.  My friend Pat and I saw the movie “Saving Mr. Banks”, and I must give my five-star recommendation!

This movie explores the story of how Mr. Walt Disney, after 20 years of discussions with Mrs. P.L. Travers (author of the Mary Poppins books), finally talks her into letting her Mary Poppins character   come alive in a movie, a movie that became a favorite of children and adults alike.  “Saving Mr. Banks”  was a very warm and touching movie, as it explained P.L.Travers’ life as a little girl and the events that shaped her psyche and her ability to write.  The audience also got to know a little more about Walt Disney — his loving and compassionate nature that never gave up on people. 

In my humble opinion, a new year of quality, high value movies has begun with this wonderful movie.  Please go see it!  🙂

Stanton Sunshine

Howdy!  There are many things I could write about Stanton Sunshine – why I’m launching it on January 4th; what it is; my Stanton Sunshine page on Facebook; and what you can look forward to.  I will discuss the last three options today.

Stanton Sunshine is an online magazine that posts new material monthly, focusing on a positive, joy-filled lifestyle with the help of an online community (you).  I will be publishing art from both children and adults, writing pieces from both children and adults, and many other features.

Thanks to those of you who have already “liked” the Stanton Sunshine Facebook page.  I would love to have all of you get over to that page:  http://www.facebook.com/thankfulgirl (Debb Stanton) and click on http://www.facebook.com/stantonsunshine.   Perhaps you could click on “Share” and help me get the word out.  🙂

So what can you look forward to?  A family-friendly community of friends who build each other up, a place of encouragement and caring, and sometimes even a place of laughter.  If you are interested in sharing your writing (or artwork or photography) in a medium other than your own blog, we at Stanton Sunshine think this magazine is your ticket!  Stay tuned to The Sunshine Factor and Stanton Sunshine page for updates later on.  (If you are a person who likes visuals, I have a countdown going on in the right sidebar relating to the launch date, January 4.)

Keep on soaking up that sunshine!  🙂

 

Debb

 

The Conclusion of the series, “The Adventures of Debb’s Blog…”

Ahhh.  The Great Launch.  It’s coming soon on January 4th!   I’m still keeping The Sunshine Factor blog, but it will published within an online magazine, called Stanton Sunshine.  This is where my writing trail has brought me, and it feels like a very nice place!

How will this be different than a blog, you might be asking.  This one will be a community effort of like-minded individuals willing to share their particular kind of sunshine to make up one big place where everyone can participate.   But why participate?  To give and receive emotional support in a world that seems to be getting darker by the day.   You can be published here if you want to be! You can submit artwork, or that of your children or grandchildren.  Like a great recipe?  Please share with the author of the magazine, me, and I will look into getting it out to the community.  Prefer to just read and enjoy?  That’s great, too, but hopefully we can each get the word out to our friends about Stanton Sunshine.

I’ve always believed that to be a museum curator would be an awesome job.  I could decide what would be displayed and what wouldn’t.  I could gather friends together for a good time while enjoying art (and in this case — art AND literature). I would be hot on the trail, and new finds would pepper my museum.  So actually, I can be a curator after all – just in magazine format.  And in a community format, where all people are loved and welcome and can find a positive spin on their lives.

Together we can be strong — that is my motto.  This is how we will begin the new year.  (Start now by signing up for my new Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/stantonsunshine.  I will keep you abreast of the latest developments and trailmarkers on this Facebook page as well as on this blog.)

More soon!

The Adventure of Debb’s Blog and Her New Trail: Part Two

nature often inspired Debb to write

Want to know how Debb decided what posts would be in her blog?  She explains it below.

I promised God that I would post something every day, since He had inspired me to write a blog.  Amazingly, I was able to accomplish this.  (I try not to make promises lightly, since I am a woman of my word; but this promise to God – well, I thought that maybe I was promising in the heat of excitement and realization, and maybe I wouldn’t carry it out.)

In September I noticed that my early morning walks often yielded an idea for a post (or many posts).  I drafted the post or posts in my head while walking and enjoying nature.  (Oftentimes, the posts did talk about the nature I’d seen.)  I’d come home from work and rush to the computer so I could capture my thoughts.

The more I wrote, the more lively my imagination became.  I no longer cared what my audience would think.  Whatever grabbed my attention is what would show up in my blog.  I laughed at myself within posts (for instance, when I had bragged to my boss I was a good cook, and when he came to dinner, the dinner bombed – haha) and put myself out there as someone who makes mistakes – plenty of them at times!

Next up:  what forms of writing did Debb employ?  See you next week!

Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose – a Piano? Part II

English: Range of a piano (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I haven’t really mentioned whatever became of the piano my parents gave me and that ended up with me in Minnesota…

I gave it to a family at church. Their two little girls played their violins along with mom and dad who played the piano. The only cost to the family was paying the piano mover man.

I am glad that my piano was loved and reused and recycled. I bet it still sounds lovely with violins and other instruments. 🙂

Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose – a Piano?

When I was a little girl, the big house (that we later made our home for 30+ years) had a surprise for us in the basement.  The former owners had left their old upright piano.    I was delighted, because whenever we would visit friends and relatives with a piano, I’d immediately sit down and try to make a pretty melody.   I wasn’t one of those kids that banged mercilessly on the keys (that came later when I started lessons as a teenager – ha!).  It didn’t matter to me that most of the keys had their ivory tops off.  The wooden keys with a little bit of dried glue from the old ivory still begged to be played.

And played, I did.  However, by the time I started piano lessons, the basement was fixed up into an apartment that college kids (or student teachers)rented from us.  The renters were not real amiable about letting some kid practice on the piano that was in their dwelling place.  At the time, since I was a pretty good player, I couldn’t understand why my music would bother them, especially since it was after school and no one was taking a nap.  Now, however, I know.   When I am writing, reading or studying nowadays, I turn off all music in the house.   The music itself may be soothing or jiving, but it’s hard for me to concentrate when music is playing.   I either want to sing along if there’s lyrics, or dance, or both!  Even the Irish musician and singer, Enya (who I just adore!) has to be shunned when I am in concentrate mode!

Back to the piano ~~ I taught myself how to play it by using the fingering given in the piano books that were also left with the piano.  Fortunately for me, the songs were written in the C scale, so I was playing what I was supposed to be playing.   Then, a couple of months after I started lessons at 13, my parents presented me with a brand new piano – – in our living room.   The only problem was, now that I wasn’t bugging the renters downstairs by playing all the time, I was bugging my family.  I was on the piano for two or more hours a day – – this was not a case of a parent forcing their child to practice.  No — I had to be pulled off the piano bench!  It didn’t take me long to figure out that if I practiced right after school every day, my music would not conflict with the 6:00 news on TV or sitcoms later in the evening.

I mentioned the three R’s in the title of this post:  recycle, reuse, repurpose.  Was the old piano recycled, way before it was in style to R-R-R?

1.  It was definitely recycled, because the owners didn’t throw it out.  (And they probably didn’t want to hire a piano mover, either, so that’s why it stayed right there!)

2.   The piano was definitely reused.  I even used the old piano books over and over and over again.

3.  The piano was not repurposed.   The renters did not use it as a hamper for their dirty clothes; its purpose — to provide music and enjoyment — still existed.

I wonder if the people who ended up buying our house all those years later left the piano in the basement, just like we had — or did they actually get rid of it?  It’s wonderful food for thought in thinking about my dear old, inanimate companion.

Related articles

• Students learn to repurpose, reuse, recycle (wlwt.com)
• What NOT to Recycle (auntiekate.wordpress.com)
• Chopin and Piano (msjaimesmusicstudio.com)
• Public Piano Project Coming To City Streets (boston.cbslocal.com)
• The redemption of the Piano (heroeensilencio.wordpress.com)
• Piano Donation! (ichsap.wordpress.com)

Stories

I am a music lover who particularly enjoys songs that tell a story. (I’m not surprised, since I like stories so much.) The more you listen to a story song, the more details you pick up. Stories can bring on many different emotions and can teach you something, if you’re paying attention.

I think human beings are a form of storytelling. Sometimes there’s plenty of action or suspense or mystery going on in their lives, questions to be answered, character descriptions…

What story are you telling by the way you live your life? Do people see the real you, or are you an actor portraying yourself?

Let’s carry this one step further. If you were a story or a book, what type would you be? Adventure, comedy, poetry? Sunshine Factor wants to know. Please let me hear from you soon. Thanks!

00000——–> the zeros are a gift to you from my cat Rachael.

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Commonality

The farmer in the dell

The choir director in the choir loft

My cats in their sleepy nap places

The writer in her favorite writing spots

The housewife in the house

The flowers in the garden

The bus driver in his bus

The baby in its bassinet

The page in the chapter in the book:

What have all these things and people in common?

They are right where they are supposed to be

Not second-guessing

but accepting

and growing and thriving

They are doing what they are called to do

and even if they can’t think about it

(i.e. flowers)

they are all the richer

for being in their right place at their right time

Isn’t it nice to know we each have a purpose

even if we haven’t spotted it yet?

Never fear, friend so dear

You are purposeful too

and I am very glad our paths crossed!

—DJLS

 

 

Death of a Dream, Birth of Forever

When 15
I had dreams of becoming a concert pianist

All factors
seemed to point in that direction

till one day
it dawned on me

I was told
“Get off that piano! You’ve been on it way too long today”

This happened every day
until finally I saw the light

I would never get to Juilliard
much less Carnegie Hall

Though I didn’t know it at the time
that was the death of my dream

Meanwhile I continued working with words
(had loved them since a child)

Occasional poems would be written
and I was told to journal every day

The journal was opened in spurts
but never for more than a week at a time

I just couldn’t connect

Then divorce happened
and I went to writing school

Cancer then showed up
but I flung defeat in its face

With the help of many
I overcame my malady

My optimism never left
and it pointed me in a new direction

I finished writing school

I started dating my ex-husband
the past was exonerated

and a new dream began
Hope encouraged me to start a blog

My sweetheart was back in my life
and my words began to find a home

on the computer screen
and in my imagination

No longer
did I have to try to force myself to write every day

Now you wouldn’t be able
to tear me away from it

Sometimes I write more than once a day
I have found my true calling
(I believe)

Now I am living a new dream
still love music of all types

but my dream is that of forever

Now married to my former husband
who encourages my writing and loves it

I have come full circle
and forever is already here

Related articles

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July Fourth

English: Flag of the United States of America — version with reduced SVG code (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Happy Birthday to my country! The world and also my country have changed a lot in the past 20 years, and usually not for the better. But still, I sing the song “America” and still believe the words. (By the way, I’m referring to “America” as the patriotic song. But I also like the Neil Diamond song “America”.)

 

We still have lots of starving people in this “rich” land.
I want them fed – and now.
I don’t care what race or religion they’re from – I care.
We need freedom from hangups and hate and evil intent.

“Brother can you spare a dime?” was once said.

I would like to amend that now.

Brother, can you lend us some compassion

to lessen the blows?

Sister, can you share your “fun money”

with those who don’t have money, period?

Little girl, can you share your toys

with the kids across the street?

Little boy, can you be a friend to others

and not a bully who makes them feel bad?

Dear God in Heaven,

Please help us to spread your love:

We pray for freedom from hate.

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“Paperback Writer”

Now I have that sung by the Beatles running through my head since I wrote the post Early Bird Writer.   So if you want, sure, go ahead – you can sing the title of my other post to the tune of this one!  🙂

I hope y’all have a good weekend.  Please don’t text and/or drink and drive!

Yodel-lay-he-hoo Debb!

 

Claire’s Hyperactive Right Turn Signal

Some of you already know that Claire is my white car.

Lately it’s like she is playing a song at different tempos.  And the turn signals always did sound just like a metronome, so let’s take this musical connotation a bit farther.

Her left turn signal is medium to slow; in musical terms she is mezzo o largo.

Her right turn signal is twice as fast, as if it’s panicking.  Then she is presto!!!

I ‘ve heard there used to be a TV show called My Mother The Car.  I wonder how her turn signals were?!   🙂

Debb…Now

English: The original Piggly Wiggly Store, Memphis, Tennessee. The first self service grocery store, opened 1916. Français : Le premier supermarché Piggly Wiggly ouvert en 1916 à Memphis, Tennessee (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My immune system is very low, probably because of late-onset cancer survivor side effects.  That’s what would explain my many bouts with illness this past winter; usually years go by without my getting even a cold.

I figure there are ways I can enhance my immune system, which coincides with the change to my eating patterns that I have already been working on.    I will list the various aspects of what my life is like now – not that it’s earth-shattering news, but it will serve as a reminder to me.  Somehow, if it’s out there for you all to see, it makes it more real.

• The juice of one lemon in hot water, drunk when I get up in the morning, before eating or drinking anything else.  It is said to help with digestion and rebalancing your insides, and I’m sure the Vitamin C won’t hurt either.  If it’s a typical lemon from the grocery store, I get the juice from only  half of it and save the rest for the next morning.  However, lately in the story I have found Tropicana sells bags of small lemons, so I have one of those per day.
• Speaking of lemon juice, I am willfully surrendering lemonade, one of my favorite drinks.  Forget the added sugar — I will be satisfied with water.
• My dietician is delighted that I am digging (loving) vegetables and fruits – the more variety and colors on one plate, the better.  They are helping me to feel better and not so tired.  Long Live Vitamins!  🙂
• Speaking of vitamins, I want to get into a regular routine again for taking them.   It’s amazing how little time this takes, but I sometimes don’t take vitamins or other supplements simply because I want to get going and out of the house for work.
• My daily walk of 30 minutes.  I want to do this in the morning before my shower, then any dancing around the house or walking at work I do will be a bonus.
• For sure, taking a little time each day for spiritual reflection will be a good practice.  (So would listening to soft music when I come home from work each day be helpful, but one thing at a time.  🙂 )

Do you know of any other healthy practices that would help me?

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My Morning Constitutional

English: An illustration of a European Robins by Henrik Grönvold (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My walk today was wonderful –

English: Mated pair of Pileated Woodpeckers. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

not because I got a lot of thinking and planning done

but because I felt like I was on a science class trip.

 

I saw and heard the great Canadian geese

come back for the season and trumpet

The lone male mallard

was just standing in the middle of the street, waiting

I even saw two loons (the bird type!)

hover over one of the small ponds around here

(Apparently they live down here in the Twin Cities now

Mourning Dove (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

instead of just up north around the lakes)

 

The rest of the birds

mourning dove (who didn’t mourn today)

chickadees

robins

and the rest of the regular variety

performed their own impromptu concert

They didn’t remember

that this neighborhood is known to be a quiet one

I guess I’d rather have bird songs break the quiet

and woodpeckers drilling on trees

than cars driving, music blaring

and people yakking

 

The ones from the amphibian world

the frogs that are always mating or dating

were still asleep – imagine that

 

And the weeping willow:

she was not weeping today

she is still trying to find the spring

 

As for my friends

I wish they were right here

but I will settle for them being in my heart

where I have a nice, comfy place for them

which I guard intensely

 

Dear friends,

As you greet the new day

remember I love  you

you’re never farther

than a thought away

NaPoWriMo #21

Inside of a Grand Piano (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Oops!  It looks like I did not post a NaPoWriMo for the 21st.  Here it is…

THE GLISSANDO MOMENT

I took a long, beautiful walk this morning

enjoying the spring sights, smells, and sounds

when I was particularly entranced by a grand piano

that was next to someone’s window

 

I’ve walked past that house hundreds of times

but today for some reason was different

I think I was remembering my piano-playing days

not to mention, when I saw the piano today

the word “glissando” immediately came to mind

 

The flourish of my right arm

and the graceful twist of my right wrist

used to help my fingers travel up the keyboard

and let loose some beautiful sounds

 

Oh Debbie, remember loving the piano?

You could display a wide range of emotions

right then and there on one instrument

It was fun to play classical music and even ragtime

popular songs too and soul-comforting stuff

until of course you were forced to stop playing

 

I wish I had never stop stopped

It’s beyond me now

but I still to this day

wonder if my talent is still around

The Myth of Delicate – Part One

English: Surf at Clipperton Island in the Pacific Ocean (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

She was a lady of the ocean, the girl that the song phrases “Brandy, you’re a fine girl” and “green-eyed lady, ocean lady” were written about.  Yes – she did work as a cocktail waitress at a seaside bar, and she had beautiful green eyes like that of the sea she loved.  Her long hair of copper hue made her look like a princess.

This girl was named Delicate at birth, and indeed she lived up to her name.  Her limbs were long, and she had a charming delicacy about her.   She loved the ocean and birds and animals, often wishing she had a horse that she could ride up and down the coast.   Delicate rented a room above her grandmother’s duplex, so her waitress salary was adequate.  She spent her spare time at the ocean’s edge, frolicking in the surf or painting an oil picture of her favorite subject.

Delicate had many friends and was loved by all, young and old and anywhere in between.  This is why a well-known fact was a mystery.

Delicate had only two great loves in her whole life.

Her first love was actually just a school-girl crush, and he wasn’t actually hers.  She was a pretty although timid girl, so did not make moves on anyone.

Her second and last love was what all love stories are written about.   They had the love of the century, and of course Delicate thought it would last forever, till the day he came to her and announced to her his intention of leaving.

He, the seaman, who had treated her so well and gave her a silver locket bearing his name, had resolved that he was ultimately more in love with the sea than with her.

Delicate understood this because she loved the ocean with the same passion and fervor too.   But she didn’t understand why he couldn’t love both of them.  How could the ocean, this fluid, wonderful friend of theirs, be her enemy and competitor?

Delicate was in an awful state of mind.   She stopped eating and sleeping, lost her dreams and her passion of music and artwork.  To be sure, she stopped swimming in the surf.  She even said goodbye to her dolphin friends and to her grandmother.

Delicate unceremoniously quit her job at the bar and ran away to the forest, to where the sunlight only partially came beaming down on her.  This was a pretty dark place, matching her mood exactly.  She lived there for days with the beasts and birds of the forest and ate berries for sustenance.

Weaker and weaker this girl got, and she yearned for the ocean.  The sound and sight of it had always calmed her down before…but this time, when in the forest she could hardly hear the ocean anymore, it provided no help.

Delicate decided that even though she was mad at the ocean for taking her love away, she needed to go to it.  To lay at surfside and let the water wash over her and tickle her feet.  To splash its water and maybe even frolic in it once again.

By this time, Delicate was fading fast.  She was so weak, it took her a week to crawl back to the water.  When the ocean saw her, it rejoiced.  It celebrated with exploding waves that imparted happiness to Delicate.  She got in the water, and then something incredible happened.

See you on Saturday with the conclusion of this tale

Cherish

There were songs with this title, sung by Kool and the Gang and The Association.  Much as I love their versions, I am not talking about music here.

I’m talking about the privilege to cherish people, love, freedom, and our dreams.

Cherishing someone or something adds a wonderful quality to our life.  It fills in the bare spaces and somehow makes the unknown less scary.  It adds value to our days and peace to our nights.

What and who are

Publicity photo of the music group The Association. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

you cherishing today?

Do the Debbie

English: Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls, made by McKee Foods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor in Singin’ in the Rain trailer Français : Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds et Donald O’Connor dans le film-annonce de Chantons sous la pluie (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Is there a way, perhaps,

to share my joy?

That begets silliness,

that brings on contentment?

 

I will try to help people out

make them laugh over the smallest things

reconnect with their inner child

do things that are harmless but fun.

 

The Debbie (A) is a dance where you only use your arms

which makes Debbie (B) the dance for your lower half.

Debbie (C) is dancing in the car only

where your shoulders move, your lips sing and your non-driving foot taps out a rhythm.

 

Oh boy, can’t we just say

she’s referring to Debbie Reynolds or Little Debbie treats?

No indeed

for that would be too logical.

 

We mustn’t forget Debbie (D) and (E)

this will give you a more complete picture

Debbie (D) is the smile she uses at all times so her face won’t frown and fall off

Debbie (E) is the “EEEeeekkkkk!” when she is so happy, she can think of nothing to do but shriek in a good way.

 

For why did you endure reading this poem?

So you can laugh and then

figure out what YOU do that sets you apart from the others

We’ve gotta enjoy this life while we can

 

A Wonderful Friendship

English: The Queen of Hearts, from a 1901 edition of Mother Goose, New York: McClure, Phillips, 1901. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My best friend (second to my husband) is moving out of state.

This news was announced to me lately

and it didn’t make it into the “good news” column.

 

This news jumped between my earlier abandonment issues,

loss, and sadness.

Hope kept trying to pop up amongst the ashes,

but this girl didn’t want to listen.

 

This will be something new that I have to recover from.

The questions pound in my head:

Who will get me like she does?

Who will understand my jokes?

Who will take time out of her busy schedule

to see movies with her favorite movie pal?

Who will provide such awesome wisdom that

I was getting used to receiving from her?

 

The answers will show up later

I don’t need to know them now

I just need to keep using email and phone calls

to stay in touch,

but Skype – no thanks.

 

She and I will survive

in this land of new challenges and dreams and blessings

But thank God,

She is alive

and I never have to forget her.

 

2012 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 2,100 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 4 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

I want to thank you readers for all your comments, especially my good buddies who “chatted” back and forth with me frequently.   🙂  I’ve only been on WordPress since middle of August of this year, but it’s been a very good time.  WordPress is one of the factors of 2012 being my best year ever!  🙂  Looking forward to more fun in the new year,  I remain your friend and cohort,

Debb

 

How to take full advantage of Sunshine Factor

Whoah, now that’s different! Encouraging someone to take advantage of another? Well, in this case, it’s about using this blog to your best advantage.

Those of you who read Sunshine Factor in Reader on WordPress, or read me on your email notifications, don’t get to see that there are several tabs for this blog.

I have recently added a new page (tab) to Sunshine that you can click on to read about to follow my recovery walk (recovery as in recovering from (getting over) unhealthy lifestyle habits or old tapes that play in my head, and also recovery from cancer and leading a healthier life).

Poetry Castle Gift Shop is a place where you can order a story or poem to be written for a special person or occasion in your life, the author being myself.

All of the tabs are for different purposes, and when you feel like reading something specific, or follow what I am doing in my recovery, they’re there at your disposal.

How to see all the tabs?

Sunshine Factor’s web address is https://sunshinefactor.wordpress.com.  Put Sunshine Factor on your desktop as a shortcut, that way you can just click on that and there I am.  (On a PC, once you’re on the site, right click and create shortcut.  Are there any Mac users that could tell us how to put a shortcut on your desktop?)

From reading Sunshine Factor, you might have guessed that I like to use metaphors – words that say something is like something else – so here’s another way I can describe my blog:  Sunshine Factor is like a home in a neighborhood, and in this home I talk (post) every day about something of interest.   The other tabs on Sunshine are like my favorite neighbors in the neighborhood that I like to visit and chat with.

When I post something in one of the tabs, I will not notify you.    I will continue to post on the home page daily, and the tabs are for you to open at will.

Please help me get the word out about the improved Sunshine Factor – and if you’re another blogger, could you be so kind as to reblog this and tell your friends who might benefit from this site?  Thanks ever so much!

Daily Prompt: Oasis

Singer, instrumentalist, and composer Enya. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

From December 4th Daily Prompt: Oasis

A sanctuary is a place you can escape to, to catch your breath and remember who you are. Write about the place you go to when everything is a bit too much.

I go to my living room.  Amidst all the water and sea pictures that calm me (as I do love the water very much), I can be still and just BE.   I can lie on the couch and see the sky and birds and trees beyond the window.   Here is where I relax for a half hour when I get home from work, listening to Enya or classical music – a great time to close my eyes and get back in touch with my feelings, breathe deeply, and just appreciate.  If being a cancer survivor taught me anything, it is about the importance of being and being thankful and appreciating life.

Now that it’s Christmas time I turn on the Christmas tree and turn off the other lights; I stare at the different ornaments and think about their collective histories.

My living room echoes the joy that is sometimes there.  My husband and I  gather there to talk over the day or to pray together.  When occasionally I actually have time to read a book, I go to my haven and am surrounded by my cats, purring their acceptance and approval.

Christmas Tree (1) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Five Special Men 12/12/12

Cecily Lydia Fearnley (nee Sandercock) on her wedding day, 1953 (Photo credit: State Library of Queensland, Australia)

Hello!

Today is my wedding day – the wedding will take place at 12:00 noon Central Standard Time.

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize five special men in my life and what they have contributed to my life or are contributing  to it this very day.

I’d like you to meet:

* Ken Barr.  Ken is an author friend of mine who can be found at http://theroadcrew.wordpress.com, and he is also my mentor.  On top of that, besides being an awesome poet, he gave me permission to use one of his poems in my wedding.  Unfortunately, the pastor’s wife (and her husband agreed) that they needed to be my words and from my heart.  So, Ken, I will continue to thoroughly enjoy the poems you publish in your books and on your blog.   I also cherish your friendship.  Thanks for everything!

* Jim Laux.  I’ve known Jim for many years, and he has been a mentor of sorts as well, and my “muse”.   I call him my frother, because he is a good friend that is just like a brother, since I always wanted a brother and never got one… Jim’s favorite number is 12, and he has waited for 12/12/12 to come for a long time now, way before Dave and I chose it as our wedding date.  This one’s for you, Jim!  🙂  And thanks for taking a vacation day from work in order to come to the wedding.

* Richard H.  Loesel.   He is my dear father who died in 1991.  I am definitely “Richard’s girl” because my looks are just like his, AND so is my humor!  Now this man was a STORYTELLER.   Every time we heard a familiar story (yet again!) from him, just a tiny part would be changed.  We never knew what was coming next in the story, and it kept us interested!  🙂  My dream life (strange dreams, in color, that play like movies in my head) also mimics his.  He always loved Dave, and I think he would be glad to know that we are reconciled and heading to the altar again.  Dad:   I miss you so much and am sorry that you can’t be at this wedding.  But your spirit lives on, and we will always remember what you said at our first wedding:  “Keep Jesus First, and you will go far.”   I have found that to be good advice.  Love you, Dad!

* Tom Lucas.  Tom is another author friend of mine who has encouraged me in this wonderful world of writing and was my first follower on my first blog, Sunshine Factor.  You can find him at http://readtomlucas.com, and his book is launching on 12/12/12 too!   In fact, if you live in the Orlando, FL area, I believe that is when his book signing will be – so look it up.  🙂  Keep on rocking, Tom!  🙂

* David Stanton.   He is “the man of the day”, my groom and best friend.   I have known him since 1985 and have had the privilege of watching this man grow and change and become just an awesome, wonderful man.  The fact that I can marry him again today is one of the hugest blessings of my whole life.  I love you, Honey!

Now I’d like to hear about the special men in your life – please comment.

Song Titles in a Story

Guess what, folks?  I have written the story below and want to play a game with it…I’d like you to count how many times a song title or words to a song appear within the story.  (Some of the titles, of course, are underlined, but believe me – there are many more!)  Submit your guess to me, and I will let you know the answers the week of December 17th.  The winner will receive a prize from yours truly.  Do not worry, no booby prizes will be given, because those are something I don’t have anymore!  LOL

 

MOLLY AND CLAIRE

The Night Chicago Died (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Molly was a sensitive girl.  She mourned over the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.   She said, “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue“.   Later on Molly learned how to dance at a disco and a man said, “Good Golly, Miss Molly!” about her dancing skills.   Then, The Night Chicago Died, disco died too, and Molly set about reminiscing for the good ol’ days.  “Those were the days, my friend, we thought they’d never end” was her greeting whenever she saw her former classmates.  “To Everything, Turn, Turn, Turn, There is a Season, Turn, Turn, Turn”, was their reply.Molly confided in her friend, Sweet Caroline, about mourning the loss of disco and how songs nowadays were so negative.  (She was thinking of “Short People” because she herself was not on the tall side.)  “Well,” Sweet Caroline remarked, “Back home, I’m known as The Kentucky Woman, and I guess they think I’m pretty special. . . Maybe I’ll fix you up with my brother.  He will notice your good qualities.”Molly agreed to a blind date unless Sweet Caroline’s brother was Bad, Bad Leroy Brown.  Nope, his name was Sam.   Sam was the Guitar Man for the group Strangers in the Night.    Sam also played the drums and bongos and even knew Soolaimon, the person that the song was written about.

Well, poor Molly had some turbulence in her relationship with Sam.  She told him, “You’ve lost that loving feeling.”  He had said, “I think I love you” to Claire, the tiny dancer.  Oops, he said it to the wrong person!  He was blinded by the light and couldn’t tell that it wasn’t Molly right in front of him.  In turn, when Claire found out about Molly’s existence, she let loose of her dreams with Sam.  She went after the lonesome loser but she still felt guilty about Sam.  Pretty soon she was sighing, “Torn Between Two Lovers, Feeling Like a Fool”.  She ran away, then, to be sitting on the dock of the bay.  You Are So Beautiful, she said quietly to the waves that lapped at her feet hanging over the edge of the dock.

Claire then got her kicks on Route 66 when she hitched a ride to Arizona with The Easy Rider and went to live with the Cherokee People.   She got to be friends with Half-Breed and no longer cared that people had always called her Georgy Girl.    “Oh, what a night” she recalled when she thought about Sam and how he always said “Another Saturday night, and I Ain’t Got No Honey”, even though she was there for him.  But yes, they did have some wonderful times together.  Then after an especially active night, he left for good in the morning, and she said “Just Call Me Angel of the Morning“.  Well, maybe she was being paid back for ruining things for Molly, was her way of reconciling the situation in her mind.  She also went out into the field with some needlepoint project to take her mind off things.  Ouch!  She got poked with the needle and there she had it – crimson and clover.  But, she thought of the good days out west when she rode a horse with no name.  The persuasion she could sense coming from the horse was crystal clear and made her feel blue.   She had never experienced crystal blue persuasion before.

Claire had anticipation bubbling up inside – she would start a new life.  This living in Arizona wasn’t what she had had in mind.  But where could she go?  Indiana wants me, but I can’t go back there, she reasoned. Well, I can always go farther west, Claire decided.

Claire let the horse with no name go free, and she hitchhiked to a small town where she went to a car rental agency.  She rented a little deuce coupe and drove on Ventura Highway for quite a ways before stopping at an old broken down hotel for the night.  In the hotel’s bar she met a man by the name of Pinball Wizard.  She was good at pinball, too, but she decided she didn’t want to have to convince anyone.  Let someone else be the wizard here.

Sunrise.  Claire started to get some radar love vibes.  Were they coming from Sam?  Or someone she hadn’t met yet?  She didn’t know why, but she knew she needed to keep moving on.  Back on Ventura Highway, she then saw it.  Saw what?  The Hotel California.  Good, there’s a vacancy here, it looks roomy enough.  Maybe I can stay awhile.  In fact, I hope I can always live here.

Claire was so happy to be here that she literally danced her way to the entrance and waltzed up to the front desk.  The look the clerk gave her turned her cold and like she wanted to die.

The clerk was Molly.  Payback time!

OK, hurry now, if there is a tie, I will choose the player who turned in their guess first.  Have fun!  Debb

What I Am Thankful For

Friends (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: Diamond Engagement Ring with side stones – In Platinum – 1791 Diamonds (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: pink ribbon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Calling all minstrels, songwriters and music lovers!!!

Photo credit: epSos.de

Hi, it’s me again!

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

Dear Friends, Followers, and Visitors of

sunshinefactor.wordpress.com

and

cancerchatroom.wordpress.com:

I’ve decided to put all my writing about cancer exclusively on cancerchatroom.wordpress.com – unless there is some exquisite writing that poem lovers on Sunshine Factor would enjoy.

Effective immediately, you can search for key words over at Cancer Chat Room for all things pertaining to cancer.  I have had requests for very specific cancer poems (geared toward a certain family member or patient in various stages of recovery), so I want Cancer Chat Room to be your “go-to place” for all things related to that.

Meanwhile, I hope my friends and followers from either WordPress blog will mosey on over to visit its sister blog.  (It wouldn’t be harmful to me if you were a follower on both sites – grin).

Requests or questions for either blog can be sent to the same email address:

stantonsunshineproductions

(Note in subject line which blog you want something posted in.)  Please don’t be afraid you’ll “bother” me, I hope you will ply me with many, many suggestions or questions or comments – I don’t bite anymore, haha.

Thank you again for letting me enter into your personal world, and I am as always very fortunate to have such a great group of friends here on WordPress.

Sincerely,

Debb

 

A Breast Cancer Patient’s Prayer

English: The Auntie Jane Breast Cancer Wreath (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A Breast Cancer Patient’s Prayer

—-  by Debbie Loesel Stanton

 

Oh dear God,

I haven’t talked to you in awhile,

but even if I had,

I would still feel like

I had been washed in a turbo washer

and hung out to dry, miles above the earth;

so totally alone,

even though I know you are actually with me

and I have my family and friends and care team pulling for me.

I hate it when people say

“It’s God’s will”, because I know

that you do not want people to hurt and get sick;

that’s just the way things go in this world.

God, my cancer isn’t your fault,

but can you please help me anyway?

I have many, many people and things to live for.

Can you make sure I can stick around here for awhile?

I want to make a bargain with you,

but that’s silly, because what do I have to offer you?

My faith and trust are on a downward slope right now,

they are threatening to disappear

like a rock on a slippery, icy mountain slope.

And, I also feel like I’m drowning;

please don’t let the waters of fear or illness

overtake me.

It’s been real hard to pray this, Lord,

because my thoughts wander all over the place;

my head is spinning and my nerves are as tight as violin or guitar strings.

I’m ready to explode into a great big puddle.

Please, please take your little girl’s hand

and lead her away from the shadow of death.

They say you’re walking with me through this valley,

but I don’t feel you, God!!  Please help!

Maybe someday when my thoughts aren’t so muddled

you can tell me why this is happening to me.

For now, I imagine me climbing up into your lap and being rocked to sleep

I know you care for me, it’s just very hard to believe that right now.

I know you understand…

Oh, and one more thing Lord.

Please keep these people away from me:

ones who say they know just what I’m going through,

when actually they have never had cancer.

And the ones who ask if I need anything but then don’t follow through,

also the ones who give me advice about wigs and breast reconstruction

because they have never had to consider these things.

In trying to be helpful, they say anything they can think of.

Help me to be patient with them; they know not what they do.

Help me to obey my doctor’s orders

so that this very long road will not have to be even longer.

Please help your little warrior fight this battle.

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep…

Reality Blog Award

Thank you to mypenandme at:   http://mypenandme.wordpress.com/2012/10/10/reality-blog-award/for nominating me for this blog award.  I am very moved and appreciative of receiving this award.

To my nominees:  You can decide how you would like to participate.  Please take into consideration that  there are no rules for this award, so you can follow this pattern, create another with your own questions, or simply just accept the award and nominate a few other blogs that you like.  Mypenandme passed on five questions and because I liked them all, I chose to answer all of them.

My nominees are:

http://theroadcrew.wordpress.com

http://awindowofwisdom.wordpress.com

http://readtomlucas.wordpress.com

http://johncoyote.wordpress.com

http://faithfulnibbles.wordpress.com

http://bucketlistpublications.wordpress.com

http://365days.wordpress.com

http://marylouiseecklund.wordpress.com

http://theultimatebetty.wordpress.com

Likely many of these nominees do not accept awards, but that’s okay—this award lets them know that I have enjoyed their blogs and would like to recommend them to others.

Questions and Answers:

1) If you could change something what would you change?

I would somehow do away with all selfishness and replace it with compassion.  That would go a long way toward improving our lives and this world we live in.

2) If you could repeat an age, what age would it be?

Age 10.  My fifth grade year was the best year of my life.  However, to get back to my current age I would want to just get back here and not live through all the years after age 10 again.   🙂

3) What one thing really scares you?

Standing in the lake or ocean and being in water over my head.  I know how to swim, yet I think with two near-drownings in my past, I admit I get a little anxious.  I still love being in the water, and looking at it gives me peace.

4) What one dream have you not completed yet and do you think you will be able to complete it.

To have a publisher say to me, “We would like to buy your manuscript.”  I know I will be able to complete it at least once, and hopefully many more times.

5)  If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be?

I can honestly say, I’ve finally arrived at the place where I am glad to be me and just me.

 

Song Study

Common musical notes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I did another study on a word, as I am prone to do, and this time the word is “song”.

We normally think of a song as musical notes sung with words to music.

But there can be a song (happiness) in your heart.

Her laughter was like a song.

It was the same old song and dance (predictable action).

Their joy was like a song.

He purchased them for a song (good price).

The violinist’s playing made his instrument sing a song.

Well, and if you prefer to think of regular songs – see my post “Let’s Have A Little Fun”.  I remember I had fun that day coming up with song titles from many genres.  🙂

Black and White

Dalmatian from 1915 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: Dog breed Canadian Pointer black and white Português: Raça de cão Canadian Pointer preto e branco (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dalmatian dogs.

Two At a Time Is Just Fine

English: Greensett Tarn Hmmm. Reminds me of a very well known antipodean country from here. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I was talking to some wise friends the other day, and I suddenly discovered how I could stop spinning my wheels.

How do I spin my wheels?  I get so enthusiastic about life, and I’m curious about so many things, that I seem to want to try everything new or different – all at once!  Not a very practical way to go, I admit.  It turns out that I get a few things done or tried and the rest are running around in my mind, waiting for me to get “organized” so I can do everything!

Hmmm, case in point of a perfectionistic mindset.  I have become less of a black-and-white thinker in the past couple years, but I still tread the path of striving to knock perfectionism out of my life.  I’m learning that “good is good enough” and “you are where you are, so start there.”  Superwoman I am not, and I no longer try to be.  Yet, (and this is because of my cancer experience) I am so afraid that I won’t achieve my goals and dreams before my life is over, that I want to do everything now.  (My cancer, incidentally, is 100% gone, and my life expectancy is as long as it was pre-cancer.  So, I’m guessing this is just another perfectionism thing rearing its ugly head.)

AND NOW – this is what I learned from my friends, and I am on Day One of living this way:

1. Choose the one or two most important habits or goals you want to work on.  Only one or two!  You will have time for the rest!
2. Keep on doing whatever else in your life works for you, and also concentrate on these new habits.  (Being consistent with a small amount is better than floundering at many.)
3. After three weeks (the average time it takes for a new habit to be more ingrained), choose one or two more habits while keeping on with the new habit you’ve already adopted into your life.
4. In three more weeks, choose another habit…

I’m wondering if a person keeps on adding new habits, when will they run out of time each day to incorporate all of them?  I’ll let you know when I find out, as my list of possibilities is very long!  Be sure to comment here if you can inform us on the subject.  Maybe some of the habits can be brought down a notch to “every other day” or “once a week” to make room and time for the new ones…that seems un-perfectionistic to me.  🙂

New “About Me” Page

a great variety of colors

Greetings,

I deleted the “Welcome to this Blog” and replaced it with “About Me and My Blog”.  I think this new “About” encompasses more topics and themes that I address.  I’m also trying to be more user-friendly!  🙂

Keep smiling!   🙂

Debb

About Me and My Blog

Hi, I’m Debbie Loesel Stanton.   My friends call me Debb…

I am a:  writer, small-time philosopher, small-time get out of debt and  stay that way advisor, big-time lover of  people/animals/nature/beautiful writing/beautiful poetry/beauty-period/peace/photography; a reader, cancer survivor, comforting and encouraging friend, bringer of sunshine to the soul and spirit, and appreciator of life.

I am for:  peace, love, joy, and other such blessings; fairness, equality, and respect.

I am against:  hatred, violence, abortion, abuse of people and animals, wasting the earth’s natural resources, and judging one another.

My political stance:   I believe we each need to study the arguments and vote according to what our conscience states, and not what side we think we are supposed to be on.  Suffice it to say, just make sure you get out and vote.

What my blog is for and about:  a smile for your day, loving thoughts and encouragement, sometimes whimsy,  sometimes a recipe or two, a movie review here and there, and always a love of life that I hope to pass on to others.  I’ve been writing a lot of poems since being on this blog but I also write in other forms.   I post daily because there is so much we can talk about. . . I welcome your comments.

Thank you for joining me on this adventure we call life. 

Happy Place

Nymphaeaceae (Photo credit: Sky Noir)

I’m sure you’ve heard of people going to their “happy place” in their head.  They think of their favorite place, and it transports them into temporary bliss.

You can close your eyes and go to your happy place when you’re waiting in the doctor’s office (and if you can ignore the screaming kids around you in the waiting room) and you don’t have something with you to read or write.

I now have two happy places; I will tell you how I found my second one.

I was having a facial done at the spa where I saw the lovely jewel mentioned in my post the other day.

The garment they had me put on was a baby-doll-pajama type, short towel thing. Wearing that, it’s not like I could get out of there fast if I had to.  No, I had to relax (which was the purpose of my splurge) and lie still.

For other facials and massages, I have never gotten bored.  I truly was in the moment enjoying my muscles getting loosened up.

This facial was different, however.  I didn’t feel like doing some writing in my head.  Yes, the facial was nice.  But, I couldn’t stay in the moment for some reason.

So, I decided to really pay attention to the soft music.  Pretty soon I had a whole scene going on in my mind, using every single sound I heard in the nature CD.  Welcome to my happy place:

There was a large pond at the edge of a farmyard.   I heard ducks and geese in the pond and chickens near their coop.  I heard a bumblebee land on a lily pad in the water.  I heard birds singing in the trees surrounding the pond, with the occasional sqwawk thrown in for good measure.  Ahh, it was blissful!

“Debbie!”  My facial person woke me up out of my reverie.

“What?!” I asked, surprised and alarmed.

“You’ve got to stop smiling!  The natural mud pack I put on your face is cracking.  You can’t move your face muscles!”

Haha!  So my happy place got me into trouble.  I smile often, so I never dreamt I would be told NOT to smile.  Even so, I was glad to know that my happy place had indeed come to my rescue when I was bored.   🙂

 

Label side of a Compact Disc with corrosion on the back side (Depeche Mode – Condemnation, CD Bong 23, INT 826.765, Release year 1993) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

P.S.   I made it out of the mud pack in one piece.  The cracks did not cause my skin to fall off.  Nope, it is nice and smooth.  🙂

 

 

Prose poem: Does She Have It All?

English: Willow Tree – Glebe Gardens (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I went for a walk today and did a lot of thinking.

The temperature was perfect and the sunshine gentle and blissful.

The house with the Dutch-roofed house and big willow tree made me feel like I was home.

 

I began to realize that I have it all.

Certainly not how folks usually consider something as “having it all”.

I own my home and have a wonderful mate and job,

but I don’t have riches that I don’t know what to do with or

travel plans for the next 10 years.

 

I do have what money can’t buy:

Trust, hope, love, faith, joy.

I don’t have an agenda to change my mate

and I don’t manipulate to make things happen.

 

I am very blessed, and that makes me rich.

Yes sir, I do believe I have it all.

And most likely, so do you.  🙂

 

Dutch people (Photo credit: Nikola Nikolski)

 

Let’s Have Some Fun – Part II

Liszt’s La Campanella Étude. The 35-half step skip in the left hand 7 measures into the Più mosso. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Please take this quick two-question survey for me and make a comment with your answers.   Sorry, this is a survey made by hand – I could not get polldaddy to cooperate with me… I will post the results late this week. This poll is open to everyone, and it can be used until September 14th at 11:59 p.m. CST. Thanks very much for your participation! Debb 1.  In the day after you read the September 10 post, was your thought process different in any way? a.  same as usual b.  I thought about the song(s) once or twice. c.  I got the song stuck in my head – thanks a lot! 2.  The last time you had a song stuck in your head – was it because you had heard the song or someone talk about the words, or had you read the lyrics?

Let’s Have Some Fun – Part I

The mama cat looks just like my cat Micah.
And look how cute Baby Twinkletoes is!

Today there is something unusual I would like you to do for me.  I humbly ask for your participation…

I have a hypothesis that I would like to prove/disprove.  Please follow the instructions given below the picture and check back on September 12th.  Thanks!

1.  Read the list below, quickly.  It contains the first lines of songs, lyrics of the chorus or titles of musical compositions.

2.  Now pick out the songs you recognize.  If you don’t recognize any, write down some phrases from songs you know.

3.  Narrow this down to the ones you really love.   Read those words silently to yourself.

4.  Read the whole list again, slowly.

5.  We’ll continue this conversation on September 12th.    🙂

Here’s the list:

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

My country tis of thee

I want to hold your hand

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross

You are the sunshine of my life

What a dream I had, dressed in organdy

Fur Elise

I did it my way

The lion sleeps tonight

Volare

Nights in white satin

I cannot come, I cannot come to the banquet

You’ve made me so very happy

Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl

Crimson and clover

Beth, I hear you calling

Glory to God in the highest, peace to his people on earth

Here’s the story of a man named Brady

Moonlight Sonata

Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain

Climb every mountain

____

Bringing Up Baby

Cover via Amazon

Good day!

I remarked to a friend the other day that for me, a sign of a good movie is if you can get my heart involved and make me cry.  In the past, if I needed a good cry but couldn’t get anything out, I would rent a movie that I know could make me cry.  (By the way, now that I’m writing again, and taking care of disturbing or hurtful memories, I don’t think I’ll need to rent “crying movies” – for that purpose, anyway.)

When I had cancer – now that would’ve been a good time to watch some old movies.  But I just took a lot of naps after work and forgot to watch a movie.  🙂

And now I’ll get to the main point of why I’m posting today.  If you’ve never seen the movie “Bringing up Baby” with Katharine Hepburn,  click on these links – I’d advise you see it.  This was the first movie I ever saw Ms. Hepburn in, and she made me a fan for life.   This movie is a madcap comedy that made me laugh almost immediately, through the whole show.  The chorus of the song she and Cary Grant sing often during the movie makes me smile when I think of it.  “I can’t give you anything but love, baby”…

If you laugh and smile today, know that I will be doing that right along with you.