Friday, February 21, 2014

Once Upon A Time

Can you tell something’s wrong? I heard that clown school enrollment numbers dropped. What kind of society would we be without our clowns? They encourage us to embrace our inner child, free us to laugh more often, and help us to enjoy a bit of silliness. Consider today’s popular TV shows: a few comedies air, but more often we see criminality or dark fairy tale remakes. Why not focus on the lighter side of life?


                                               http://youtu.be/57h263k7T9A

 We might snicker at the idea of clown school, but it sounds like the clowns get it. They want to bring joy to children, the sick and the elderly. If clown school isn’t your thing, how else might you spread more joy?       

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Pigs in Paradise

It’s unanimous! Folks from Maine to Georgia and most Midwesterners have had enough winter weather. We’re freezing here in the States, so how come temperatures rose to almost sixty degrees at the Olympics in Sochi? Apparently Sochi temperatures can hover in the fifties during this time of year. Who knew? Based on the groundhog’s forecast, winter’s sticking around for a while. Wouldn’t a warm, sunny beach feel great about now? They say it’s better in the Bahamas. Let’s see what’s going on there.

                                                   http://youtu.be/O89DvVdthDY 

Did you know pigs could swim? I guess they jumped in the ocean to escape the Caribbean heat. If you plan a trip to the Bahamas—don’t feed the pigs unless you want a few new friends. Maybe the island’s tourism department will change their slogan to something like this: It’s better in the Bahamas when you swim with the pigs!  That probably misses the essence of the Bahamian experience. The island looks like a little piece of paradise. If it’s not the perfect place for you, where’s your paradise?         

 

Friday, February 7, 2014

An Awesome Wave

I learned something last week. I attended a school basketball game and discovered that one person can make an awesome wave. No kidding. The key lies in the arms and the hands. When you move them gracefully, in slow motion, you get the perfect effect. When three more kids joined the line, that wave celebration was as good as a crowd wave of fifty-thousand spectators in a sports arena. A good wave feels like a warm hug or a big high-five. Most people enjoy giving or getting a compliment. If you compel people to pay tribute for a great feat, will it still be heartfelt? Take a look and a listen:

                                             http://youtu.be/W9j4Gi0lbR4

The best waves aren’t experiments, but contagious celebrations honoring someone who did well. In our media-driven culture where we criticize every outfit, haircut, and relationship, let’s triple the amount of compliments we give.  Who doesn’t enjoy a little praise? In your opinion, who deserves an awesome wave?