‘Live from New York, It’s Saturday Night!’… and I’m at home, not in NYC!

Good evening lasses and gents!

It’s a lovely 25 and above degree day. It’s toasty and warm as I lay out on the back deck enjoying the all-consuming sunshine. I never can seem to get enough of it, although my blindingly, pasty and awash-with-freckles skin display no evidence of my love of the sun, ignoring the rare, red-hot burning of my skin by the sun.

Enjoying the sun, will however be my only activity for the rest of the day. It’s just the way days are going this summer. I’m in so much pain. From my head to my toes. From the muscles of my neck down to the joints in my ankles. From my finger tips to the bottom of my toes. Sometimes it stabs. Sometimes it feels like I need to shake it off me. Other times I can’t move at all. All my energy goes into ignoring the pain. By watching tv, listening to music, reading, talking, anything. The catch 22 of the whole situation is that I get tired at the drop of a hat. I get exhausted so easily and for doing nothing at all. Showers require a long recovery time and sometimes a stool. Stairs require multiple rests and gasps for air. My lungs at times feel like I can’t get enough air. I am nauseous in the morning. I have headaches so often. I always feel like I have the flu.

So tonight I had dinner with my parents and the big activity of the day will be a shower. I am preparing myself for the huge toll it will take on me. A shower.

After that, tv. Talking just wears me out, at this time of day. I am so loopy from the exhaustion I can’t carry a civilized conversation. So instead I will laugh. I escape to the wonderful town of Pawnee to enjoy the adventures of Tom, Leslie, Ann, Ron, April, Andy and so many more. I’m excited to watch it with my dad – it’s something we can do together, which doesn’t immediately require a long deep Sleeping Beauty slumber.

The best parts of my days include giggling. It makes everything seem better.

So away I go to shower and become a Pawnee-an.

Its time for SATURDAY NIGHT!

(A fun song for Saturdays)

‘A rose by any other name would smell as sweet’…

Question: what’s in a name?

Well first of all, what’s a blog without a first post? So this is mine.

Back to the original question at hand. Does the name of a blog have to have deep personal significance or can it be funny or just plain whimsical. I really don’t know, because the name of my blog is neither. Joyful Noises means nothing. I mean of course it means something. I guess that I do want to always be joyful in every situation – good thing joy doesn’t mean being happy. What a relief when I learned that.

To get serious here, I’ve learned that life isn’t all daisies, roses and sunshine. And when you fall unceremoniously to the ground without warning or a soft cushion to land on, the only way to life live – avoiding a horrible pit of despair, tears and loneliness – is to be joyful.

Taking this perspective to heart, now, I’ve learnt to be joyful when I’m sobbing my heart out, when I have no words to express my emotions – only silence -, when I’m crying out in glee and when I’m so monotoned and exhausted from pretending to be ok. And that’s the great thing about being joyful – you don’t have to pretend anymore. Everyone has gone through the ups and downs and motions of life – so why not be honest!

There will definitely be some joyful noises from moments of bonding and of realization that we’re not completely foreign and alone to what we’e going through! So make some joyful noises. Look at every situation with an attitude of gratitude and trust. Gratitude for the ways things are because this is the way they’re supposed to be to make us who we’re supposed to be. And trust that there is a plan through all of the mess and confusion that is daily living on earth.

JOYFUL NOISES!

Yes. That was me screaming. YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT? And screaming again.

Also the blog name is just fun to say. Wasn’t it used in some song a long time ago?

Maybe it’s both and not neither of the two above options.

Who cares? It’s going to be a fun-blog ride anyways! If such things even exist… if not they do now.

BECAUSE I SAID SO.

So just be joyful already, gosh. And make some noise.

Thanks for reading. Come back soon now, ya hear? YA HEAR?