In the tiny corners
Sometimes the news is good — let’s celebrate!
I photographed this window display in the tiny corner of Mt. Airy, North Carolina, May 2015.
“What God does in the tiny corners of our day-to-day lives is stunning and gorgeous and headline-making, but we have a bad habit of saving the headlines for the grotesque and scary.” ― Shauna Niequist
Today, let’s shine the light on the headline-making happenings in the tiny corners. I’ll start with a few of my own, and then you can send me some from your own tiny corners of the world.
SNAPDRAGON JEFF PRONOUNCED DEAD COMES BACK TO LIFE AND BLOOMS
BIRDS PROVIDE BETTER-THAN-USUAL BACKGROUND MUSIC FOR WRITING
MORNING GOES SMOOTHLY; DAY STARTS WITHOUT ANYTHING BIG GOING WRONG
WEATHER STILL COOL ENOUGH TO ENJOY BEING OUTSIDE UNTIL AT LEAST 10:00 AM
TEA AND NECTARINES TASTING BETTER ALL THE TIME
OK, your turn. Send me some headlines. Let’s use the tabloid approach to spin these beautiful, overlooked happenings into a din of celebration. NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED – BAD CREDIT OK – LIMITED TIME — ACT NOW!
- Posted in: Uncategorized
- Tagged: attitude, awareness, celebration, good news, gratitude, headlines, humor, joy, news, noticing, small blessings, spin, thankfulness
Defeat Despair 
71 YEAR OLD AWOKE AT 5:00AM,THANKED THE LORD FOR ANOTHER GLORIOUS DAY.
Patricia, I saw this note in the wee hours of the morning (not long after you posted it) when I had gotten up feeling sorry for myself because we didn’t get much sleep last night (malfunctioning smoke alarm, among other things). When I read your words, I was instantly inspired! Thanks so much for your wonderful attitude, and for being here with us.
Julia, it’s such a relief to see happy headlines and good news. I love your headlines!
Here’s another news flash:
Ann had a good night’s sleep and woke up refreshed!😀😀
Ann, I’m glad SOMEONE woke up refreshed today! Maybe tomorrow will be our day for that. Meanwhile,
BLOGGER GETS UP GROUCHY, ACHIEVES ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT WITH HELP FROM ONLINE FRIENDS 😀 ❤
LIKE DESERVES LIKE, FRIENDS SAY
How true! Sometimes that tends to work to my disadvantage, though. 😀
Good Monday morning, Julia. What a fun approach to start our week! 📰 Bill and I occasionally laugh about his “Headline statement” that goes back to 1968, our engagement. I lived in a rural area (between Winston Salem and Lexington) that makes Mt. Airy look huge. He kidded about front page headline in The Dispatch ….LOCAL GIRL MAKES GOOD.
And we laugh, 47 years later. I love your headlines! 📰 Sheila
Tell Bill I was thinking HE was the one who made good! Hee-hee, only partly kidding. Your town sounds similar to Jeff’s hometown. As far as I know, they still don’t have any red lights. But a few years back, his brother-in-law remarked “We just got a left turn lane, and once that happens, it’s all downhill.” 47 years! Congratulations, you are 11 years ahead of us!
In Midway the reply would be, “What’s a red light?” Haha! Was that left turn comment a “Larryism”? 😘 take this day at a snail’s pace and look forward to a better night ahead. 🌅
That particular gem was said by the other brother-in-law, Mike…but it’s the kind of thing Larry might have said, and probably did at one time or another.
LOL, your first headline cracked me up. What a fun post!
HEADLINE:
BOOMDEE WAS NOT ABDUCTED BY ALIENS, SHE’S JUST REALLY SLOW
That should be the headline of my long awaiting post
OVERFILLED LAUNDRY HAMPER TIPS OVER, BUT NO ONE IS INJURED
It got out of control last week, which was unusual but not dire. Sometimes you just have to say ‘mañana’ HA
LEMON PIE CURES WHAT AILS YOU
After a particular crazy day last week, Jim and I drove out for a coffee and desert. We both felt better 😀
xoxoxox K
I love these! I was hoping you had hopped off the mother ship before it took off. The laundry thing reminded me of something one of Jeff’s dental school classmates told him. He said they had a mark on their wall about 5 feet up, and when the laundry reached that line, they did the washing. 😀 They lived in the same
slumsapartment complex we did, so we used the same laundromat. Jeff gets really antsy if the laundry basket gets full, so he started just doing it himself rather than waiting on me to get around to it. That was fine with me. 🙂 Lemon pie and coffee sounds like just the ticket — I’m glad you took a sanity break!We are having rain….off and on today…..haven’t had any in a while. Tom and I picked enough cherries to make another cherry pie……made cherry pie. Enjoyed our new great room. Will eat some cherry pie shortly! Cherries
are good for joint pain….which we both have. Love you blog posts. It has taken me this long to learn how to comment on your blogs!
Jill, sounds like things are delightful at your place — I’ll have an imaginary piece of pie in your new room. I’ve been eating lots of fresh cherries just for fun, but if they’re good for joint pain, so much the better; I’ve been introduced to that particular ailment in the past 5 years, though it’s better now that it was before I started taking glucosamine and chondroitin (not sure I’m spelling those right). I’m so happy you like the blog! I never really know who is reading, so it’s always nice to hear from readers. I don’t know why WordPress makes it so hard for non-Wordpress members to comment. Several people have told me they tried repeatedly and gave up in frustration. Maybe that’s WP’s way of trying to get people to sign on, kind of like Facebook. It’s possible to have a WP account without a blog, but they don’t advertise that very well. Thanks for sticking with it until you got through!
Love the laundry hamper debacle! Ha!
😀 Well at least it would’ve made sorting easier!
I love this idea!! I rarely watch the news or read it. I figure someone will tell me if there is something I need to know. I like the idea of a good news program and only watch light and fluffy. I was in the garden last night and this morning and saw Ladybugs!! I was able to get myself out of bed this morning and work in the garden till the sun became too intense but “The Sun Came Up” It’s so easy to get caught up in what isn’t working and forget to notice what is. Good for you for shaking us up.
Marlene, when Jeff was diagnosed, once I got over the initial shock, I sort of went into lifeboat mode, and jettisoned anything that tended to make me upset, sad, angry or just zombied-out. I quit watching TV nearly 30 years ago, so that wasn’t an issue. But I was an online news junkie and sometimes I miss it. However, the cold turkey avoidance of it was the smart thing to do, I believe. In the past two and a half years, I’ve learned that we can survive quite well without knowing about much of what passes for news in our 24/7 hyper-alarmed multi-channel ratings sweepstakes. The world is full of really beautiful and wonderful things, and I’ve decided I don’t want anyone in my head that I wouldn’t want in my home. I still occasionally see a headline I can’t resist reading about, but for the most part, I am much happier with ladybugs and sunshine and problems that are discussed only in terms of constructive ideas, solutions and hope. I can’t handle much hand-wringing right now. I’m happy you appreciate the celebrations in the tiny corners!
Thanks Julia. I get made fun of because I always tape the news in the morning and if I turn it on, it’s in fast forward with the sound off. I look for good news and things I can learn that are going on in my city. It keeps me somewhat informed, without being saturated. I do not turn on the sound. I’ve found that I want only Hallmark movies or Americas funniest videos with a sprinkling of HGTV. I’m too busy to watch much. I want happy and light for healing. The more I laugh, the more likely I will heal. You are wise to stay in that happy space. I’m a strong proponent of the Pollyanna syndrome. I’ve seen people get through some really hard things that way. Ignore reality is my motto. It will smack you soon enough. I’ll keep looking for good news headlines from now on.
Marlene, that’s funny – Jeff watches TV with the sound off most of the time, too. I used to think it was because he has a hearing impairment and we’ve always used closed captioning (when I was in library school I read that it’s good to do that for kids, to improve their reading skills, and we just got used to it and never turned it off). I agree with you that laughter is very beneficial for healing and overall health. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that it might help more than many of the expensive pharmaceuticals on the market. Have you read the classic Anatomy of an Illness by Norman Cousins? I read it years ago and it really made an impression on me. Cousins did much to increase the appreciation and respect for laughter as a healing mechanism. Yes, reality has a way of intruding even when we try to dodge it. Besides, to a large extent, we create our own reality by what we focus on and hold in our hearts. I really believe that. Thanks for being here!
I haven’t read the book but now that you mention it, I will. Heard about his philosophy and think it’s spot on. I want to read funny books as well and search them out. You know, the kind that leave you rolling on the floor with tears running down your cheeks funny? As for reality. I agree with you and then some. We create it by what we focus on. Once in awhile, I need a head thump to wake me up. Thanks.
Marlene, you’re welcome! Everyone’s idea of humor is different, but when I need a good laugh, I can always depend on Dave Barry. I think some of his earlier books are as good or better than the later ones. If you like old movies, one of my favorites is “What’s Up, Doc?” with Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal. That was Madeline Kahn’s feature film debut, and she almost stole the show from her co-stars, though each of them were hilarious as well.
I remember that movie and haven’t seen it in awhile. I’ll check out Dave Barry though, Thanks. Another friend has recommended two falling down funny books so I shall be busy for awhile. 🙂 There is nothing better than to laugh so hard you can barely breathe. Hugs.
😀 ❤
In the early 2000’s, we had a large customer in Madagascar run by the then president of the country (now in exile, under indictment, something). He was a presidential sort of dude, imperious, a little xenophobic…once, at a dinner he was telling us that Madagascar really wanted tourist dollars and he was wondering about what would get them there. After he admitted that a few had been kidnapped (making us a little nervous), he sloughed if off by telling us that usually the ransom was only a few hundred $US.
The next day my South African partner and I came up with:
MADAGASCAR, LOVELY BEACHES, AFFORDABLE RANSOM!
So far very few takers in Alabama. Marketing apparently is not our strong suit.
Jack, this is hilarious. It sounds like something Dave Barry would put on his blog. It reminds me of that movie Crazy People that came out years ago (the title is terribly politically incorrect but much of the movie had me in stitches). The man you described sounds like the dictator in one of my favorite comedies, The In-Laws (with Alan Arkin and Peter Falk). Somehow I am not surprised that you didn’t get a big response. Thanks for giving me a good laugh tonight!
DARK CHOCOLATE WITH HAZELNUTS CURE FOR MORNING SLUMP!
HOUSE TO BE VACANT (SAVE MOM) FROM 5-7 PM TODAY!
IT’S NO LONGER CONSIDERED AN OUTRAGE TO TURN PHONE ON SILENT!
CREATING MARGIN LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE!
Kathy, that sounds like my kind of cure for the morning slump, no matter when it hits! I wasn’t familiar with the term “creating margin,” but after briefly reading about it, it sounds a lot like what I call my buffer zone. We never did get around to scheduling that call, but I still want to make time to chat and catch up. Hope you and your family are well. Thanks for being here.
Thank you, Julia. I’ve enjoyed several of Richard Swenson books on margin-related topics. You can probably relate to the title of one of his books: “Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives”. Let’s schedule a call either before June 25 or after July 10.
Kathy, I’ll try to email you some dates. I’ll look up Swenson’s books. I had not heard of him.
Don’t fret over aging. With each passing day we grow in wisdom.
-Alan
Alan, my friend Ashleigh Brilliant once said “I’m afraid I’m getting older much faster than I’m getting wiser,” but even if the wisdom doesn’t keep pace with the aging, at least it is headed in the right direction! Plus, there are so many things I love about getting older. There’s a lot of superficial stuff that I just don’t bother with anymore, and there’s a great deal of freedom in that.
LOLCAL FAMILY’S SON VISITED DURING THE WEEKEND
Julia, good evening. I don’t watch much TV or the 24/7 news but my husband is a news junkie, so I hear some of it. I cook breakfast each morning and listen to NPR news on the radio. After 9am NPR plays soft music until lunch time. I usually turn the radio off after lunch.
NPR don’t sensitization their news reports. They report all I need to hear…<3
Merry, we listen to public radio also. I can’t stand the noise and seeming constant commercials on other stations. Matt has been hooked on it for years now and he loves to listen to it while working his jigsaw puzzles. WHRO (a Norfolk station which we stream everywhere we go) is mostly music, with just hourly quick updates. I’m so happy your son visited this weekend! That is definitely good news. Thanks for letting us know! 😀
What a fun post, Julia. Hurray for the snapdragon!!!
Here are a few from my day:
TICKLE ON MY ARM REALLY IS A SPIDER
SPIDER BLOWN FROM MY ARM DISAPPEARS INTO SHOWER DRAIN, NOT SEEN SINCE
MIDDLE AGED WOMAN TRANSFORMS INTO OGRE AS TEMPS NEAR 100 DEGREES
Hey, you could have pulled those headlines out of my house! Except that my spider got away since I was in the garage at the time. The ogre is alive and well here, even though it’s only in the 80’s. I”m about to invite her for tea; that usually calms her down. 🙂
HA! I had to look up the term Ogre. You neither are or ever could be: Terrifying monsters, trolls or beasts. That’s harsh, LOL. 100 degrees ! Yoy!
Hmmm, I can see you didn’t spend quite enough time at our house, hee-hee. It must not have been the full moon.
Ah yes, a soothing cup of tea. I wish you could pop over for a visit to our little tea shop. I know you would love it…and it has air conditioning, too. 😉
Sounds WONDERFUL! I am enjoying a cup of Rooibos right now. I was going to send you some of my varieties of it, but I realized none of them are individually wrapped…would it be OK to send labeled ziploc bags? 😀 Right now I am sitting in your tea shop in my imagination. OGRE DISAPPEARS, FAMILY STOCKPILES TEA FOR DEFENSE
You are so funny! OGRE DISAPPEARS.
Yes, that would be lovely, Julia. Thanks for thinking of me.
Now I just have to remember to do it…I just realized I never went looking for those photos of our xeriscaping in CA yet…I crown myself the Queen of Good Intentions!
I’m famous for my good intentions. We’re in good company.
I just finished filling out the paperwork for our landscape conversion and rebate. Now I’m waiting on the design plans. Once we have those in place, I need to bid the project, then have it approved. It always takes longer then I think. I met with the designer in late April and now it’s mid-June. Baby steps.
Alys, I totally sympathize. I was just noticing our contract with the builder on our York remodeling was signed May 5, and it seems as if we haven’t gotten anywhere yet. Baby steps, so true! Things always take longer. At least that’s given me time to get used to the idea with the giant tree being removed. Almost. I dreamed about it the other night. Speaking of good intentions, I’ll try to remember to look for some photos of our CA lawn. I wish I had taken more photos of it but strangely, I don’t seem to have many. Part of the problem is that the early years there were before I had a digital camera, and my hard-copy photos are definitely harder to search through. Hope you have a great weekend!
Have a Brobdingnagian day.
For me If I am able to “live in the now”, it will be. 🙂
I learn so much from these comments! I had never heard of Brobdingnagian, so I looked it up (again I am betraying a shameful lack of familiarity with some of the classics). I’d settle for a mini-Brobdingnagian day today; I’m not sure I have the energy for the full version.
SON ALIVE AFTER MAJOR FENDER-BENDER BENDS MORE THAN FENDERS
SECOND BEDROOM APPEARS SPACIOUS WHEN CLEANED AND VACUUMED
$3 CHAIR NOW AN ATTRACTIVE OPTION FOR SITTING
FATHER’S DAY PRESENT ARRIVES AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
NO SHORTAGE OF POTATO CHIPS
SUN REPORTED TO BE SHINING ABOVE CLOUDS
SUSAN STILL GAINFULLY EMPLOYED
(This is FUN!)
(I laughed so hard at some of yours that I might get complaints from my very quiet neighbors, but I’ll bet I can turn that into a plus – NEIGHBORS NOT HARD OF HEARING!)
Susan, you had me laughing aloud with these! Maybe I should work on “enlarging” my own rooms today. Hope your son didn’t get injured in the car accident.
Good morning, Julia!
No, Wes is fine, and taking the lack of a car better than expected. He says he can ride his bike for a few weeks!
Hooray for summertime!
That bike riding will be good for him in more ways than one, I bet. I love riding bikes, but when we moved from Hawaii to San Antonio, it was too hot for biking and I got out of the habit of riding. In Hawaii I would sometimes ride my bike to the beach. Double fun!
I’m having such fun reading these headlines. It’s going to be hard to beat Madagascar😀😀😀😀
Ann, I agree. That one will crack me up for a long time. BLOGGER DECLARES “WITTY READERS DEFEAT DESPAIR DAILY!”
2015 I’m Hooked Fishing event at Hagg Lake a big success. 91 photos processed and presented to CEO of I’m Hooked, Inc. Will Warren.
Bob, I enjoyed seeing your photos of the event. I especially liked the portraits of some of the volunteers, and the pictures of the kids. I also enjoyed seeing your bird photos. I am noticing birds a lot lately. Today while we were driving near the state line I said “Wow, did you see that bird?” and Jeff said “That’s an oriole!” I realized I couldn’t remember ever seeing an oriole except on the baseball field. The orange in their wings looks really striking when they take off. Thanks for sharing your work.
This is hilarious! I love your starters as well as those from others!
POPSICLES WAITING IN THE FREEZER AT HOME GIVE INSPIRATION FOR WHOLE DAY AT WORK
TODDLER MAKES NO FUSS IN THE MORNING; MAKES MOM’S DAY
LADY FORGOT TO BRING A LUNCH, REMEMBERS STOCK OF TRAIL MIX IN DESK DRAWER, RELIEVED
Megan, all of those sound very familiar to me, even though the second one was many years ago. Here’s another one from us:
GRANDPARENTS FORGET CINEMA, BINGE-WATCH VIDEOS OF “TOTALLY AMAZING” GRANDSON NEARING TWO YEARS OF AGE
Julia, this was such a fun post that I came back to read any additional comments. (Yes, Eric! I do read the comments.) Heehee! 😉 I hope we’ll do it again. 👏🏻
BLOG COMMUNITY ABANDONS MAINSTREAM PAPERS IN FAVOR OF THEIR OWN HEADLINES 👏
“WHAT’S SO INTERESTING ABOUT TEA AND FLOWERS?” WASHPO WONDERS