Janet's Smiles

Today’s prompt is submitted by Debbie to Linda and it is “Dazzle.”  First of all, I’m dazzled by the fact that it is already the 27th of January.  Slow down will you? 

Of course my mind always turns to crafts first for ideas and the word Dazzle makes me think of a type of sticker that I use when I am making cards and things.  It just so happens that I finished a card that uses them last night.

The dazzles come on a sheet and this particular style comes in at least three finishes.  Each page can make three cards, one heart shaped, one oval and one square. 

                     

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Our word for #JusJoJan is “Busy,” thanks Saumya.  Our prompt for #SLS is “Duets“, thanks, Jim.

Kenny G. did a Duet album and there are some really good songs on it.  One of my favorites is this one:

Earth, Wind and Fire
“The Way You Move”
(with Kenny G)

It was originally sung by the group OutKast and while I am not a fan of Hip-Hop generally (or any songs that have a lot of vulgar language), this is one of the songs that I would allow my son to listen to in the car. 

This is the kind of song I like to put on when I am busy cleaning house.  Makes it a much more enjoyable task.  I am going to be busy in the studio today, getting some more Valentines day items ready.  Hopefully I’ll be busy with work next week! 

Hope you all are busy enjoying your Sunday music fest. 

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Linda has given us the prompt of Last Call for today’s #JusJoJan and #SoCS combo.  I had a call this morning from the Social Security Department.  Since I am going to be on Medicare starting in March, this might have been a legitimate call but of course it wasn’t as the recorded message went on to say that there had been “illegal activity” with my Social Security number and it was going to be suspended.  Of course I hung up.

We have also gotten calls from “Apple” telling us that there is a problem with our “Cloud” account and from “Windows” telling us that our computer has a virus.  Really?  Wonder if we should get a flu shot? 

All of this reminds me of Lily Tomlin’s Ernestine character and I have to share:

Do you remember Ernestine?  I had to stop listening or I’d have been sitting in front of the computer all day.  Happy Saturday all. 

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Wendy has given Linda the prompt of “Change” for today’s jot.  Thanks Wendy!

Thought I’d show you how I changed a plain chipboard word into a cute mini-album just right for Valentine’s Day!

This is what it looked like in the beginning.

Then I added some red spots for pictures.  Now I think the word is clearly visible.  You can’t tell from this picture but there are beads and a heart charm hanging from one of the rings with the ribbon.

Do you like the change?  I’m pretty happy with it.  It will be for sale on my Etsy shop soon!

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Thank you, Linda, for using my word DRIVE for today’s jot.  Now if I can only think of something to write about – LOL.  As you may know if you are a regular reader, each year I pick a word of the year to help guide me.  This year I picked Drive so throughout the year I’ll be gathering bits and pieces of things to remind me that I need to be more driven in my actions. 

Last year my word was dance and I am not sure that it served me well.  I think it was too loose and frivolous.  I mean, I had it in mind to dance my way through the year, making everything easy and relaxed but my life turned anything but easy and relaxing.  I realized I needed a more action driven word for this year if I want to get things in my life back on track.

One of the ways I use to keep the word in my mind is by putting a quote in this locket that I wear.  I am still searching for the perfect one, although “No one can drive us crazy unless we give them the keys” is a possibility. 

Another way is to post pictures of things that will remind me of the word around my house and the studio. 

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Today is Wednesday and #JusJoJan combines with One-Liner Wednesday. 

In honor of Monday’s holiday and because I need to keep reminding myself of this:

“You do not have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”  Martin Luther King

I sometimes overthink things and feel like I need to have all the answers/information before I start and that is not necessarily true.  Given that I trust the Universe to help me reach my goals it should be easy to remember but it’s not.  Is that you too or are you able to just start climbing those steps?

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My husband says I have no sense of humor.  I say my sense of humor is just different than his.  He reads the comics in the paper every day.  I rarely read one unless he brings it to me.  I don’t like Jim Carey’s humor.  I don’t like Will Ferrell.  Dumb and Dumber – No thanks.  Ace Ventura – pass. 

Airplane?  Absolutely.  Police Squad?  For sure.  Grace and Frankie?  You bet.  Maybe I just like intelligent humor, not stupid humor.  I laugh every time I hear “Who’s on First.”

I guess maybe I’m just a little more reserved than he is?  How about you?  Do you have the same sense of humor as your significant other?  Does it make a difference? 

Thanks to Sadje for the prompt of “humor” today and Linda for letting us all play along.

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Okay, our task for today is to link the #JusJoJan prompt from Jim of Gobbledegook and his #SLS challenge of songs by Tom, Dick or Harry.  Can she do it folks? 

My song is “It Had To Be You” as sung by Harry Connick Jr. for the movie “When Harry Met Sally.”  I haven’t seen the movie in a long time and I think I’d like to see it again.   

While I was researching this song, I found another clip of his where he sang a song he wrote for his wife.  How romantic.  I think I’d have been a sobbing mess though.  She handles it really well.   

And then I found that he sang the song, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” which is the biggest bunch of gobbledegook I’ve ever heard. 

All this before 9 AM, plus I walked the dog.  And you thought I couldn’t do it!  Happiest of Sundays to you. 

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We have an unusual task today from Lovely Linda:  The prompt is “Movie Title” and we are to take the title of the last movie we saw and use it in the post.  Not the plot of the story, just the title. 

It has been really cold here lately and I have been staying inside rather than going to the studio at night, even though I got a cool new heater for Christmas.  It takes a while to warm the space up and then it’s late so after dinner I’ve been watching some movies with the hubs.  Last night it was “Triple Frontier” via Netflix. 

I am so ready for baseball it’s not funny.  I know our team (the SF Giants) has just gone into a new frontier with being the first team in MLB to hire a female assistant coach, Alyssa Nakken.  While she probably won’t be in uniform on the field (they are limited to 7 coaches) her role, as I understand it, will be more of a “make the clubhouse a happy place” kind of thing.  That, at least, is my interpretation of her position. 

Gabe Kapler (our new manager) said part of her role is to help “build a winning culture in the clubhouse” and to “focus on fostering a clubhouse culture that promotes high performance through…a deep sense of collaboration and team.”  We have been on a several year losing streak after winning three World Series rings in five years and there are a lot of other big changes this year (manager Bruce Bochy retired and we lost our Madison Bumgarner – I may have to root for the Arizona Diamondbacks once in a while).   I was reading some of the info on her and she was just awarded the 2019 “Sprinkles of Love” award for her ethics, professionalism and humanitarianism.  Anyone who gets “sprinkles” is worth a try in my book.

“Friends” night.  Giants players and their wives recreated the opening from the “Friends” show.  It was really cute.

However, the cynic in me has some reservations about this.  There have been a few instances recently in the Giants organization that have been questionable.  Mr. Kapler was involved in a controversial incident when he was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization regarding coverup of an assault allegation.  Larry Baer (CEO) was suspended and had to undergo some counseling regarding an altercation between he and his wife.  I wonder if this might be a way the Giants are trying to get people to focus on the new rather than the old. 

From the last game managed by Bruce Bochy

We had a feeling this would be Madison’s last at bat as a Giant.

On the other hand, the Giants charted a new frontier in 1994 by being the first professional sports franchise to play an AIDS/HIV awareness game and, while not as socially noteworthy, were the first team to have three brothers play together in the outfield (Felipe, Matty and Jesus Alou in 1963) so maybe it’s just the Giants being innovative.  I think if Ms. Nakken can inspire the guys to get a few more triples, it will be worth it.  Let’s go Giants!   

My favorite, Brandon Crawford

Me with the trophies.  I am actually not standing between them, this is a reflection off the glass.  Pretty cool huh?

And that’s your #SoCS and #JusJoJan for today.  Are you ready for baseball? 

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Our prompt today from Dan to Linda to us is “Experience.”   I’ve been trying to get more experiences in our lives, especially since the kids are grown. 

Experiencing concerts has become a passion.  Of course I like to get as up close and personal as I can but even being in the back and seeing the cellphone lights around the stadium is magical.

I’ve been trying to experience more sunsets at the beach lately.  I live so close it seems a shame to miss them and they are free!

                                                              Getting our picture on the jumbo screen at AT&T Park was a pretty neat experience too!

Valentine’s Day is coming and I think a great experience you can give to yourself and your significant other is a Date Night Scavenger Hunt.  It doesn’t matter if you have been together a short time and are just learning about each other or if you have been together forever as we have, the scavenger hunt can be such fun.  Even though we had been to Reno many times before, we found some new and very interesting spots while on the hunt for clues to the next stop. 

I particularly liked this experience because while you are using your phone to get the clues and answer the questions, it is pretty much self-guided and you can take your time to enjoy the scenery.  We found some spots that were not part of the hunt that we would not necessarily have seen if we weren’t strolling through the city.  We got some really great pictures too.

It is also reasonably priced.  I think they are having a sale now and with the Date Night Scavenger Hunt you can add an option for a proposal!  How cool would that be? 

I do need to disclose that I am an affiliate for Let’s Roam and may get some compensation if you use my link, but I was writing about the great experience we had even before I was an affiliate.  They also have regular hunts if you want to do it with friends or family.  They have Ghost Tours, Bar Hopping Tours, Bachelorette Party Tours and Birthday Party Tours as well.  Definitely worth it to check out the site and see if a city near you is included, or to add to a vacation you have planned somewhere else.

Also, special offer for anyone who does use my link and decides to go on a Let’s Roam Scavenger Hunt, I’ll be happy to make a mini-album of your adventure at a discounted price!

Have you been enjoying the Just Jot January experience so far? 

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