V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N in the summertime! Tomorrow I leave for vacation; 3 days of quiet, peaceful bliss. I’m uninstalling Instagram, muting Reddit, Gmail, Yahoo and Writing.com – no social media while I am away. It’ll be a time to focus on myself and hopefully see a friend or two.
Since our daily Zoom mindfulness meetings scaled back to once per week, on a Monday, Avi and Joel started a Torah and Bible Study Zoom group on Wednesday. I’m so grateful they did because it’s growing my faith. I asked Avi and Joel to pray for safe travels for me and they did. They also wished me a great vacation. We prayed for others. COVID-19 has been a difficult road for all of us, but there have been some beautiful moments to come out of such darkness.
While I was on my walk yesterday, I ran into my aunt’s old neighbour. Before he retired, he was a photographer for the Inquirer, and in 2014 and 2015, he let me borrow some of his equipment and some books. I’d say I haven’t seen him since 2018 and it was so nice to see him. He asked me if I had been photographing lately, I told him it has been hard with the quarantine, but I was heading to Belmar, Spring Lake and Asbury Park on Friday. He smiled, said they were great picture locations and he hopes I can get some of the sunrise and sunset. It was so nice running into him, he was walking one of his greyhounds.
This morning when I woke up, I watched the sunrise and it took my breath away. I was so grateful for the simple beauty. I turned on Bob Ross and he was painting a sunrise, which also took my breath away. I probably won’t get sunrise on the beach, but I hope to get sunset.
I reached out to my photography group from work – it has been a few months – but I asked for some help with my GoPro. I’ve pulled out my GoPro and the last time I used it was last summer, when I still had my old phone. I’m trying to sync my GoPro with my new phone, but I forgot the WiFi password I had to set up. I Googled it, but it doesn’t seem to work. Unfortunately, no one owns one, they weren’t sure, but sent some directions that I’ll try later. I had a nice back and forth with both Linda and Suzanne, it felt great to be chatting, and I was thankful they took the time to respond, even if they could only send a link. They both said, “be safe and don’t forget the sun screen!” Typical moms, but I appreciate them.
Deborah Lew Harder also played my request for Schubert’s The Trout yesterday and wished me luck with the packing, plus a nice vacation. I love At Your Request on both the classical and jazz portions and I love how the DJs make it feel like they are talking to you. I’m going to put together a classical playlist for the beach. Let me share it with you:
I’m really excited for my trip. Dad will drop me off at the train at 6 AM and I will leave Philadelphia at 7:15 AM. I’m thankful for dad, just as I’m thankful for my family and friends. I’ll be back Monday afternoon; I took Tuesday off from work and I will return to blogging on Tuesday.
What are you thankful for today?
The Happiness Box Project 
Hi, Jessica Marie!
I hope you get exactly what you are hoping for – 3 days of quiet, peaceful bliss – over at the shore. Good for you, deciding to unplug from social media – no distractions. You will be glad you did. I want you to focus on those simple pleasures you mentioned, the sunrises and sunsets, the joys of sand and water, and experience a trip to the beach the way I did back in the low tech 1950s and 60s before everybody chained themselves to their electronic devices. I’m happy to know you are growing your faith via that Torah and Bible Study Zoom group. It’s cool that you ran into your aunt’s old neighbor the newspaper photog and that he remembered you and talked shop with you. Bless him for having a greyhound, probably a rescue dog. It’s also nice that you reconnected with members of your photography group, Linda and Suzanne. I know how you love it when the classical radio DJs play your requests. I never heard of taking a classical playlist to the beach but… why not? I enjoyed hearing Schubert’s “The Trout” and the other selections you posted. Classical music cleanses the palate, and that’s just as good for you as withdrawing from social media for a while.
I wish you nice weather, safe travels and a wonderful time over at the Jersey shore, dear friend JM!
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