| When Life Stinks, Find Your Joy! |
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| Issue No. 1 |
September 5, 2008 |
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| Contact |
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Kelly Epperson
PO Box 2324
Loves Park, IL 61131
kel_epperson@yahoo.com
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| Dear Kelly, Summer was nutsy for me! Same for you too, I imagine. Fall is a good time to launch new projects, so here we go, our own little joy network.
The point of this newsletter? To make you smile. Quotes, stories, pictures; stuff I want to share that doesn’t make it into my weekly column. After my first joy workshops, I sent a few simple e-newsletters, and thankyou-thankyou, you asked for more.  With the new format, I’m calling this Issue #1. We’ll see what evolves — and I love the cool things that you share with me, so bring it on.
Working from home is a JOY, but sometimes I need to chat. This is my watercooler break. Thanks for taking a moment with me. 
Words to ponder:
There is someone out there who needs you; live your life so that person can find you. ~Balinese Dancer
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| Joy Droppings |
 *Almost 10,000 miles in 6 months! I have not tired of people’s questions and double-takes. This car makes people SMILE! Just by driving around, we’re spreading the happy. How cool is that! (I sometimes feel like I should throw candy.) [Thanks to my photog friend Chris Anderson for taking the pics.]
*I’m working with the mayor of Loves Park to do a literal “joy dropping” from the water tower with the big heart. I’ll keep you posted. :-)
*There is a slight chance that a mass email like this will help wean me from my email addiction. But I doubt it. (FYI, I actually gave up Coca-Cola for 3 months, but I fell off the wagon. Can’t kick the Trident White either.)
*The Man of the Place is out of town again – I think it’s time for another tattoo. (Kidding!)
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I am never lonely when I write. ~~Danielle Steele
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| Joy = Workshops (”fun”shops) |
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Tuesday, Sept 9 9:30 am RVC Center for Learning in Retirement
Off the Tourist Path in France ($10; To register, call CLR 815-921-3931)
Monday, Sept 22 6:30 pm Rock Valley College
When Life Stinks, Find Your Joy! ($27; Call RVC to register 815-921-3900)
Tuesday, Sept 30 6:30 pm Rock Valley College
The Lost Art of Love Letters ($27; Call RVC to register 815-921-3900)
Tuesday, Oct 7 6:30 pm Rock Valley College
France for Vacation,or a Year, or Just Daydreaming ($27; Call RVC to register 815-921-3900)
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Come on, get happy.
~Keith Partridge
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| Joy = Speaking Gigs |
Still getting the invites and still loving it. For someone who was petrified to speak in front of a group, this is a surprise for me — and a joy. I do all kinds of programs for all kinds of groups. ( Vegetarians in Motion has me for their 20th Anniversary Celebration — and they know I’m a carnivore.) For calendar or info, see www.whenlifestinks.com.
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“Anything I’ve ever done that ultimately was worthwhile… initially scared me to death.”
- Camellia M. Johnson
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| Joy = More Shameless Self-Promotion (Not Really) |
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This Saturday, 10 – 2, stop by the Open House at Womanspace (3333 Maria Linden Drive, Rockford). Lots of cool artists and other cool stuff (me with my podunk little book, photo greeting cards, and if I get my butt in gear, picture frames (with words of course). Smart car will have the primo front door parking spot again. And I’m bringing Little Schoolboys (the cookies).
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| Joy = Travel |
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For those interested in the Ireland trip, PJ and I have had crazy, hectic summers so we will get back in planning mode soon. Just know that it is on for June 2009 after school gets out. If anyone is up for the Bachelor Festival, you need to get over there now – it goes for the month of September!
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| Sprinkles of Joy |
When Life Stinks, It’s Time to Wash the Gym Clothes is available at Borders, Barnes & Noble, and www.whenlifestinks.com. The first day at B&N I was on the shelf next to Nora Ephron!! Then they moved me from ”Humor” to “Illinois;”now I’m next to a lovely book on fishing in Illinois rivers. Sigh.
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”There are people who put their dreams in a little box and say, ‘Yes, I’ve got dreams, of course, I’ve got dreams.’ Then they put the box away and bring it out once in a while to look in it, and yep, they’re still there. These are great dreams, but they never even get out of the box. It takes an uncommon amount of guts to put your dreams on the line, to hold them up, and say, ‘How good or how bad am I?’ That’s where courage comes in.”
- Erma Bombeck
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| Joy = Books & Movies |
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Flick Pick This Week = Definitely, Maybe
Book Pick This Week = Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
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| Joy = You |
| In the first workshop, I asked attendees to write down three things they love about themselves. Your turn. Ready, set, go. (If we had to write 3 things we don’t like about ourselves, we could do that so much easier. What’s up with that!) Every day think of a new thing that you love about yourself and let your list grow to 30 things. How about 300?
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Jazz man Charlie Parker once said, “I realized by using the high notes of the chords as a melodic line, and by the right harmonic progression, I could play what I heard inside me. That’s when I was born.” He found his joy. What’s playing inside of you?
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Happy Birthday to Max, Carol, Krista, Michelle. (And last week, Tammi and Melinda). AND it was a joyous occasion when my firstborn son (yes, my pride and joy) turned 16 last week. He even wore the Super Sweet 16 pink tiara his mommy got him. (Sherri, email me the pic and I’ll include it next time.)
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This joy issue = my learning curve. (I am severely tech challenged). Next issue we’ll go for the funny.
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A jingle I wish I’d written: “…beefaroo, beefaroo, it’s the only place for you to get the best beef sandwich in the land…”
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During the year in France, we got used to the all the cheek-cheek kissing. That’s when I started signing off my emails with a bisou bisou (or xx). It doesn’t matter if you’re a boy or a girl, here’s my kiss-kiss cheek-cheek to you. Talk to you in a week.
joyfully,
xx kelly
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| …tune playing at the moment: Before I knew that I was blessed, when I was just like the rest of the people who never let dreams in their mind…….(yes, it’s the Barry). |
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