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Category Archives: TAKE JOY!
Graduation Day: A Son Finds His Road in Life
My best Mother’s Day gift this year was the realization, once again, of the joy of watching my children find their passion. This is what we did yesterday: Bryan, my oldest son, received his Bachelor’s in English – a long first step on his way to becoming a university professor. It’s been hard to watch sometimes – after exploring Chemistry Ed, English Ed, English Lit, Accounting, Poly Sci and who knows what else, I sometimes despaired that I would ever hear the passion in his voice that he needs to have for his life’s vocation. And he despaired of taking so long and still not knowing what he wanted to do. Through these years, though, he found he does want to teach, just not high school. And he’s discovered that he’s definitely not into 19th Century Literature enough to do a doctorate in either American or British Lit. On the … Continue reading
Posted in Goals, Home & Family, TAKE JOY!
Tagged Beowulf, Bryan Jensen, career choices, college, Dante, English degree, English literature, IUPUI, Jennifer Jensen, Life goals, parenting, Shakespeare
4 Comments
Smile While You “Shut Up and Dance!”
I was working on a different blog post, but this video has taken over my mind – and my smile. If you need a bit of happy time today, this is for you! (And as a bonus, how many of the movies can you name?) Doesn’t that make you just start dancing in your seat? While your toes are still tapping, I’ve got to get back to writing now. So far, though, I see these movies in the video (in no particular order): Beetlejuice Get Smart Risky Business Flashdance (the newer version) Beauty and the Beast Happy Feet Mean Girls Mary Poppins Mamma Mia! Grease Saturday Night Fever Dirty Dancing Big Frozen The Sound of Music The Mask The Blues Brothers Enchanted West Side Story Puss n Boots There are a few more I know and can’t remember the names of, and even more that I haven’t seen. Can you … Continue reading
Posted in Misc, Music, TAKE JOY!, YouTube
Tagged happy music, Jennifer Jensen, Music, Shut Up and Dance, Take Joy, Walk the Moon
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My Solar-Powered Self
The power of thunderstorms fascinates me. Tree branches whip in the wind, rain pelts against the roof, hail clatters on the deck and the skylights. Thunder rolls and cracks, and I count seconds until the flash of white. When the lightning and thunder come on top of each other, I startle, shudder and look on in amazement, safe in my house. No matter what I’m supposed to be doing (including sleeping at night) I find myself drawn to the window to witness the spectacle. On the other hand, when cottony fog muffles the outside world, cocooning me in my solitary day, I’m grateful that the only commute I have is the three paces to my computer. And when a soft, gentle rain waters the grass and flowers, I feel like taking a book out to the outdoor table set. These gray days make me glad to stay home and curl … Continue reading
Posted in Misc, TAKE JOY!
Tagged creative writing, fog, Jennifer Jensen, sunny days, sunshine, thunderstorms, WRITING, writing life
2 Comments
The Beauty of a Woman: Bring on Those Wrinkles!
I see my mother when I look in the mirror. The line of my jaw, the way my eyelids crease, the bump on the bridge of my nose. But I especially see her when I’m tired – when my skin is sagging and flat and my brow is wrinkled. I think, ohhh, I look old. And yet when I get to see my mother in person (about twice a year since we’re 2,000 miles apart), I see beauty. Yes, at 79 years and 10 months old, she definitely has wrinkles. And age spots. And she’s not very tall anymore. But she is strong and intelligent and her eyes can sparkle with fun. All my growing up, Mom worked: at an office job, at home, with the horses and other livestock. I’d try to bury myself in a book after my chores were done and she’d call me out to help … Continue reading
Posted in Deep Thoughts, Home & Family, TAKE JOY!
Tagged #BOAW2015, Aging, Beauty, Beauty of a Woman, BOAW, Jennifer Jensen, Mothers, Wrinkles
18 Comments
I Need Some Whitespace in My Life
Too much to do, too little time, too many deadlines, self-imposed or otherwise. When things are so jammed up, it doesn’t take much to send you over the edge. My mother thinks I don’t know this, but I do – it’s just that it’s hard to keep it from happening. I’ll blog more about this later for Take Joy, but for now, here’s a piece I loved from Randy Ingermanson’s newsletter – “stolen” with permission. Whitespace in Your Life Picture this scenario: You go to the refrigerator to get a jug of milk. Should be simple, right? What could go wrong? The refrigerator is packed. The milk is right there in front on the top shelf, wedged in between a pint of cottage cheese and some bottles of apple juice. You’re holding a glass in one hand and you reach up with the other to grab the milk. It’s wedged … Continue reading
Posted in Healthy Living, TAKE JOY!, Writer's Life
Tagged busy, Jennifer Jensen, Randy Ingermanson, schedule, Take Joy, whitespace
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