'Tis the Season

I arrived in Houston (my coming of age city) for the annual fabulous TCSA conference. Big Al retrieved me from my hotel. We met A.J. and Tre for a lovely late meal. After dinner, the n i g h t c a p consisted of me and Big Al wandering River Oaks viewing holiday decoration d e c a d a n c e.

It occurred to me at some point - between identifying a new fad of lighted moss strands swinging free vine (new to me hence the lack of giant trees in my neck of West Texas sans woods), and searching out Aurora Greenway's / Shirley MacLaine's, Terms of E n d e a r m e n t house with its current situation of winter squash still donning the porch - that this was familiar. H a u n t i n g these same streets with the Big Al of another era. The me of another era.

The e r a when Houston housed two dailies and Eddie Taubensee caught for the A s t r o s and I caught Etta James live at Fitzgerald's.

The era of my Rap-A- Lot Records. "My Mind is Playin Tricks on Me" 
doot do do do doo doot doot... My mind was. My vision blurred with tears.

I took Interview l i b e r t y to silence radio p e r s o n a l i t y Delilah and asked, "Would they be proud of us?"

"Who?"

"The us of before?"

Quizzically, "I think so. It could have gone many ways."

I knew what he meant. I toyed with the knob for a while and wondered.

I didn't have a hands down unequivocal answer like d a y o n e keynote, Dr. Adolph Brown, seemed to have - from bad boy to good man, or Drake, Started from the Bottom, now we're Here. More like started here an' am still here kind of rise to fabulous marginal.

Or was it?

What would future you tell current you? In an Interstellar way without components of time lapsed travel snaked with s i n g u l a r i t y.

Then theme o' the month happened. {Insert Music}
You know when a theme hits. Like when you get a new (to you) Mercedes C230. Thanks, Farmer Guy.
The universe starts doing the most!
All of the sudden, every third car you see is a C230. In every other parking space adjacent to your now not so unique whip parks a similar variation. If I pay extra close attention by next week there will be a total of 230 of this same car within a thirty mile radius of my job.
There you have it. Theme o' the month! {Insert Music}

This month's apparent recurring theme o' the month:

What would this you say to that you, and what would that you say to this you, and even better what will the next you say to you you? Endless c o n t i n u u m.

I think Baxter of Hoop Path hoped they would all say, "Thank you!"

Days later confined to my sick bed, Farmer Guy raced into the boudoir to flip on an OWN's, A Primetime Soul - to Soul Event. Oprah created a montage asking guests several questions, o n e of which, "What would you tell your younger self?"

Theme.

I opened the blogs from Positively P o s i t i v e, and there it was again, What I know at 40 That I'd tell myself at 20.

Theme.

To stop the processing of mortality at every turn, I decided to answer the q u e s t i o n. What advice would evoke a life in which me questioning me would end an answering of - this is me, in whom I am well pleased?

That night I slept, and dreamt an actual Bible verse speaking to me from a playing card: I Corinthians 3:9.

Okay, we ARE going there.

1 Corinthians 3:9New International Version (NIV)9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
1 Corinthians 3:9GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)9 We are God’s coworkers. You are God’s field.You are God’s building.1 Corinthiens 3:9La Bible du Semeur (BDS)9 Car nous travaillons ensemble au service de Dieu, et vous, vous êtes le champ qu'il cultive. Ou encore: vous êtes l'édifice qu'il construit.1 Corintios 3:9La Biblia de las Américas (LBLA)9 Porque nosotros somos colaboradores de Dios, y vosotros sois labranza de Dios, edificio de Dios.1 Wakorintho 3:9Neno: Bibilia Takatifu (SNT)9 Sisi ni wafanyakazi pamoja na Mungu; ninyi ni shamba la Mungu; ninyi ni jengo la Mungu.

Well, I guessed, I would definitely need her to embody that, but what does God do? How can I be Higher Power's co-worker if I don't know what My Boo does ("God is My Boo" #iyanlavanzant).

Then all it once - g i v e. God gives! What I would want to tell the many me(s) is to give.

Give. Give Love. Give Thanks. forGive. Give touches. Give gifts. Give time. Give service. Give w o r d s. forGive. Give it your All. Give. Give. Give. Give. Give. Give. Give to yourself. forGive yourself. Give. Give. And then give some more.  

New apparent recurring theme o' the month.

At every turn, people are giving me wonderful g i f t s & p r e s e n t s.  A new romance by Melissa Foster, Game of Love. Purple sweet potato pies, notes by posts, facials from Darla @The Domain Origins, organic cookies from Emily @The Domain Whole Foods, Mama - in - Love gift package to The s p a @ Canyon Oaks.

Theme?

Or is that the holidays? 'Tis the s e a s o n!!!

Heri za Kwanzaa!


l o v e

w o w!

w o w!

w o w!

playing with w o r d s

I have found (and research confirms) that exposure to positive words can help in building esteem. By manipulating positive words in the top three learning styles (tactile, auditory and visual) at least one of the exercises will speak to you.


Here are a few exercises that I recently did it the Museum of the Southwest.
http://www.mywesttexas.com/life/article_e89a1abf-b8fb-5db9-908c-ee079e6bc41a.html

“Be the word, you wish to see in the world!”

Exercise 1 / Visual
You are…
Materials needed: Something to write on, and something to write with.

Sit around a table with family, friends or familial f o l k s. Each person writes their name at top of paper. Pass the card to the left. Participants write two positive words that describe the person who’s name is at the top.
When each person receives their own card back, the exercise is complete. 

We have been known to carry our cards around with us, or keep them in sight as reminders.

Exercise 2 / Tactile
I want to be…
Materials needed: Scissors, Glue Sticks, Recycled magazines and newspapers, paper.
Collage
Think about words that can build identity. s t r o n g, s a f e, b e a u t i f u l, s m a r t...

A word can be specific for you or chosen at random from a word bank. You do have a word bank, by now? Strong, pretty, smart, loving, kind…

Thumb through the pages of magazines to find pictures that show that word as a visual representation. Cut images, arrange, and paste into a collage.

Also called “Be the word, you wish to see in the world!”

Exercise 3 / Auditory
Share Words
Find literature that expresses positive thought and high self esteem ideology. At least weekly share and read positivity text, and say loving words often. Need somewhere to start? Try pictureless ebooks, A is for Angel and A is for Apple.

http://www.amazon.com/Angel-ebook/dp/B003C1Q4ZE

l o v e

What are we doing????

People always ask, "What exactly is this w o r d thing?"

Here's the short answer (I think), "I want a word, any word, your word to make you feel fabulous!" I have seen it happen over and over again, and I want to share with e v e r y o n e. That's all for n o w.

l o v e

Be the word you wish to see in this world!

What's your word?

a m a z i n g

casual r e l i e f

We took a road-trip at the beginning of this month to Marfa, one of our favorite small Texas towns. I settled in for my riding read, The Casual Vacancy, then hot off press by J.K. I read the engaging first chapter plus some as we climbed the altitude into Balmorhea, another tiny Texas town. 

An excruciating pain flooded my forehead. The reading stopped. Not because the book's editors left a random 'towards' on page nine and not on page 14 (which could have prompted the head pain), but because if one believed in the power of words like I really do- a headache was not such a casual occurrence. Hope that does not qualify as a spoiler.

We stopped the car road side for a resting spell quasi altitude adjustment spell. The kids shot panoramic photos via the hot off press iPhone 5. I popped ibuprofen.

We continued to Marfa. In Marfa we made our usual stops (lunch, the rock shop, an ice cream parlor, a couple of galleries), or they did. I stayed near the car moaning and such. Intermittently between moans I meditated, did a few handstands and back bends in the town square trying to break the tension. Apparently, inverted positions drain sinus pressure. All of these actions made me able to tolerate my favorite Marfan spot, the Marfa Book Company. I would have endured the agony anyway. I love independent book nooks.

While in the store I learned that Me'shell Ndegeocello performed the night before our arrival. This information incited the nausea and the headache heightened. Mostly because I was determined to hum "Let me run my fingers through your dreadlocks" as loudly as I could stand. 

On comfy bookstore couches we chatted about human trafficking with two attorneys from El Paso. I purchased a poet's collection.

"Can we go home now?" I whispered.

Back into the car we go. Extended day trip cut short.

If I could just make it to Balmorhea. I convinced myself the pressure would subside. Twisty turny descending pain.

"I thought you wanted to stop in Alpine," Farmer Guy said.

"I want to go home."

"Are you sure?"

Are you like kidding me. Uh, my brain is about to implode inside of my skull. And I just read that first chapter. I'm quite sure that I want to go home, and not become a next casual vacancy.

Okay, what's my word... peace? health?

relief. How do you spell relief?

Just when I thought he would ask about Alpine again.

"Do you wanna stop at the church?"

Without hesitation, "Yes."

In the middle of nowhere stands a magical mission. He had never seen it. The kids and I have played at Mission Mary before. Maybe I could pray for relief in Calera, Texas.

When we neared a cluster of cars lined the highway near the church.

Odd to me- because I believed the magical mystical place to be my own.

"Should we stop?" He asked.

"It's open to the public." Code for it's my mission. Of course, we should stop.

The kids dozed in the back seat.

Blocking the entry, an African man rocked a too antsy baby girl. There was plenty of silence on the outside to hear the happenings on the inside.

My head went all Nicki Minaj in reverse. You know- RAWR, GERRRR, GRUMBLE, GROWL  to fairies, unicorns, rainbows and Bahbies.

Is this real?

Maybe, I've taken too many ibuprofen. A couple when the pain started... two outside of the bookstore... I think they were 200 mgs.

Maybe this is the white light.

Is this heaven? 

Is this the relief of my focus.

"Bill, constant."

"Donna, faith."

"Micah, joyful."

I peered around the baby holding gent to see the couple walking the aisle.  A positive word wedding! Shut-up!

The bride and groom gave positive words and a flower to each of their guests.

"Farmer Guy, am I dreaming? Did we just crash a positive word fete?"

I listened with salty misty relief coating my eyes.

It's happening. It's really happening! A good word revolution!

Give Words.

love

la- la- la- la- la

We love the thought of you lifting up in luscious laughing lightning lessons. How do we know this happens? We let life lead our longing to learn more about the lure of lucratively leafing through letters. Less is so much more. Little letters lead to large lexicons of love. And that’s how we roll.

t h r e e times p i n k

It's all pink again!

Last October, I don't remember.  

This year, each ribbon follows me and leaves pink traces behind my eyelids.  This year- the year of biopsies, the year of lumpectomy, the year my mother had a mastectomy.  
 
Adrea is in the habit of sending by post (that in itself is fabulous).  Sometimes the treats from my partner breathe through their packaging, forcing my children to rattle the contents.  That time they were pictureless word cards.  Each card presented one of the words we claim on post sized cards, business sized cards, or itty bitty cards.  They were gorgeous.  I traveled with them half across the state to share with my mother during the post chemo / pre-surgery / pre-radiation hospital moments. 
 
Mom twisted them around and palmed them.  I saw fear vanishing from her.  When the anesthesiologist entered, he began to share the process.  First, we will do this, then that, the important thing is to clear your mind.  
 
"We have words for that, Mom, from the 'nothing' series."
 
The doctor was intrigued.  I shared p i c t u r e l e s s with him- Clear Clouds, Memory Music, Invisible Icicles.  He deemed them appropriate and darling.  He modified my mother's instructions to a p i c t u r e l e s s place.  
 
In a childlike voice my mother asked for surgical tape.  When he returned she began praying and taping positive word cards on her body.  Then, my fear vanished.  This is l i f e and life is b e a u t i f u l.  
 
Each hospital employee, visitor, and friend that witnessed that moment became instantly radiant.  The words connected us, protected us, and let us breathe through those moments one moment at a time.

It's all pink again!

c a n v a s {free}

The c a n v a s series offers a creative way to teach art, to do art and to play and make the words come alive. First in the imagination, next, we hope on the page, or screen, in the sand, or on the icing of a cake! These words can then expand one’s knowledge, and thus, expand the pleasure of the art in a museum, the images on TV or in the movies, or of course, in reading a book. Knowing the words of art, make art come a l i v e ! c is for canvas f r e e until monday! love

r e e v e s r e v i e w

"I have always considered positive words to be food for the soul, now even more so. In a world of fast and pre-packaged foods, wholesome, unadulterated ingredients often leave novice cooks stumped. W is for Walnut makes it unpretentious and easy. What to do with that gorgeous eggplant? Stir fry with garlic. And that scarlet winter beauty the blood orange? Bake it on fish. This gem of a book reveals that what is created in the kitchen is limited only by your imagination. There aren't 20 complex steps to follow, just a wholesome mental image to get your creative juices and tastebuds flowing. In the end you learn that when using food from the precious soil that the Earth gives us, it is nearly impossible to go wrong.

I also appreciated the comment about these books being useful for those who are deaf. As a former ESL instructor, I see much value in the pictureless book series. Imagine the fun that could be had with W is for Walnut, English Language Learners, and a bag of farmer's market bounty. Buen Provecho!" -E.M. Reeves

word p o w e r

I started teaching in Fifth Ward, Texas. My life modeled any movie that you have ever seen when the new teacher goes into a rough neighborhood to begin their public school profession-- only a 1000 times worse. I cried every day.

I cried not because my students behaved badly. I cried because I had students that didn’t have food. I had students that didn’t have shelter. I had students that couldn’t make it to school because they needed to care for their children. I had present students who had absent parents.

I cried because in my self-contained mulch-disciplined remedial classroom- I no longer believed that education was as important as my professors told me. I wasn’t prepared.

One day during those first months I saw an interview of Maya Angelou. Ms. Angelou talked about the importance of words. The words we said stuck to the walls of the rooms in which they were uttered. I remember thinking words could make almost anything better. If I can’t teach my students, I can at least share wonderful words with my students, and maybe I won’t cry. 

There were no instructions. I made words a game. When one exited our classroom- they had to say a positive word. The kids made extra rules as we went along. 

You couldn’t say the same word twice. You couldn’t repeat a word someone else had said that day. Except for me I could say what I wanted and 99% of the time- my word was fabulous. I realized that words had taken on a life of its own. 

My male students got pretty competitive. Some of my students would enter the classroom knowing what their word for the day would be. Even better-- if the word were more obscure with lots of letters. 

We were learning words, sharing words, and loving it.

I hadn’t even realized that I didn’t cry after work anymore. I did realize something more interesting-- the question. 

What’s the question?

“Ms. White, what are you on?” Different variations of that question are posed to me weekly, with my most favorite being, “Ms. White, why are you sooooooooooo happy?"

Words! I’m on words. I was on words and I didn’t even know it.

In an inner-city classroom there was the occasion of a student being arrested. I made the promise early on that I would not entertain any part of that dynamic. We could still be cool, but I would not write letters to you or on your behalf or visit you if you got yourself into a situation. Then one of my favorites did just that got himself into a situation.

Weeks went by and I still missed this student. It was odd that he had not returned, because in my experience, at that point, they always returned-- sometimes even the following day. One day his mother came to visit me. I was ready to give my speech- I will not be writing any letters, nor will I be visiting your son. I was not ready to hear what she said.

You see, this student told his mother- that while he was in solitary confinement the w o r d s saved his life. When his situation got too unbearable to think about, he would repeat the positive words from class over and over and over again. Until he felt better.

She came to my classroom to thank me.

We continued to say the exit positive words. We learned tons that year. This was quite pivotal in my career as an educator. Administrators from the school district would visit my classroom, and leave happier than when they arrived.

Ms. White why are you so happy?

Here’s the lesson. You ready? Are you listening? Words ARE things, and I have proof. 

Would you answer yes to the statement, “Every sentence has a noun?” “And what is a noun?”

Thank you. Person, place or thing. I would include an idea, But tomato, tomahto. I have a sentence. Words are fabulous.  What’s the noun in that sentence? Words. And is it a person, place, or a thing?

When I was researching for this last class, I came across a research article online by Jenna Pope. She reported that, “seventy years ago, a study was done on the value of positive words. The test subjects were a group of nuns who were entering the same convent. The nuns were all close in age, subjected to a similar environment, conditions, and diseases as they were cloistered, living together, separate from the rest of the world.

Each nun was asked to write an essay describing her life before she entered the convent. Each positive word, such as "good," "contentment," and "happiness," was given a plus one. Each negative word, such as "sad," "unhappy," and "difficult," was given a minus one. Then the essays were tabulated and assigned a score.

The essays were then divided into four groups, based on their number of positive and negative words. The most negative essays were in the bottom group, and the most positive essays were in the top group. The essays in between were either closer to the top or bottom based on the number of their positive and negative words.

Seventy years later, the nun study was revisited. All of the nuns in the bottom three groups were dead, but EVERY SINGLE NUN in the top group was alive, in her 90's, and still going strong!

That evidence kind of disproves the childhood rhyme of, ‘Sticks and Stones my break my bones, but words will never hurt me.’ Not only can they possibly hurt you, but they might just kill you or they can help you to live a happier and longer life.  Yes, it is my belief that a word can change your life.

You can use a single word to change your day. It won’t take money, or another person. Just a word. I guarantee this.

When you want to strengthen a relationship or uplift someone that is down- give a compliment. 

When you desire to change how you’re feeling- Name that feeling, pick an opposite word and focus on it. Find things that remind you of that word.

I give you words. Use them wisely.

My words for you on this day.

Joy

Yolo

Resilience

Energy

And Fabulous.

Celebrate!

You make us h a p p y!

Helping people has been the primary intent of p i c t u r e l e s s books since Teffanie envisioned it years ago. We will donate part of our profits. We will give away books. We will give our time and energy to charities and people and organizations we believe in. We are partnering with others to create alphabets and projects that will further their causes and passions. Think about purchasing a pictureless product for you holiday shopping.  It is our hope that we help. And so we will.

we c h o o s e you

Desire. At p i c t u r e l e s s, we dive into our dreams. Could a word, just one word, change a day? Bring a little lift to the dreary? We don’t doubt that discovering delightful d words is a pretty darn quick way to fulfilling our greatest desire: bringing delectable dancing deep within our reader’s hearts and minds.

Fabulous Month o' Pink

It's all pink again!


Last October, I don't remember.  


This year, each ribbon follows me and leaves pink traces behind my eyelids.  This year- the year of biopsies, the year of lumpectomy, the year my mother had a mastectomy.  
 
Adrea is in the habit of sending by post (that in itself is fabulous).  Sometimes the treats from my partner breathe through their packaging, forcing my children to rattle the contents.  That time they were pictureless word cards.  Each card presented one of the words we claim on post sized cards, business sized cards, or itty bitty cards.  They were gorgeous.  I traveled with them half across the state to share with my mother during the post chemo / pre surgery / pre radiation hospital moments. 
 
Mom twisted them around and palmed them.  I saw fear vanishing from her.  When the anesthesiologist entered, he began to share the process.  First, we will do this, then that, the important thing is to clear your mind.  
 
"We have words for that, Mom, from the 'nothing' series."
 
The doctor was intrigued.  I shared p i c t u r e l e s s with him- Clear Clouds, Memory Music, Invisible Icicles.  He deemed them appropriate and darling.  He modified my mother's instructions to a p i c t u r e l e s s place.  
 
In a childlike voice my mother asked for surgical tape.  When he returned she began praying and taping positive word cards on her body.  Then, my fear vanished.  This is l i f e and life is b e a u t i f u l.  
 
Each hospital employee, visitor, and friend that witnessed that moment became instantly radiant.  The words connected us, protected us, and let us breathe through those moments one moment at a time.


It's all pink again!

Filling Baskets With w o r d s!

z o o m

We’re aiming for our zenith. Always. And guess what the best part is? Our zenith is always pushing us ahead so we are always moving forward. Our zenith drives our growth. We sure hope you’ll decide to come along for the zesty ride.

u l t r a v i o l e t

United under one principle: to positively play with our ABCs in as many fun ways as we can come up with! It is simple, clean and keeps us on the edge of the unknown, exactly where we want to be!

From our vantage point, one positive word can make all the difference in the world. One positive view possesses the power to transform. It is our forever hope that among the thousands of words we illuminate, one will resonate and shift the vantage point of the receiver to a view of the world that vaporizes any and all negative emotion they ever could have visualized. V a v o o M!