[logo designed by Melissa at Operation Nice]
Sami from Life, Laughs, and Lemmings gathered a few of us bloggers to join her on a path to try to do something positive we normally wouldn’t do, by focusing each month on a monthly theme.
November’s theme was BEAUTY.
I’m happy to report that having beauty on my mind, I think, made me more perceptive of the beauty that lies around me, and even inspired me!
I received a random surprise in the mail from former colleagues of mine. If you’re a regular reader of my blog here at JBN, you’ll know I have had some setbacks dealing with Ms. MS; I had to leave my job as a scientist and trainer in biotech because of my uninvited guest.
I also had to give up one of my favorite activities of all time, teaching spinning (i.e., indoor cycling). Well, my good friends at the gym sent me a care package full of goodies! One of these included warm, cozy socks to keep my tooties warm as the temperature beings to drop. This really touched my heart—BEAUTY!
Aren’t these tootsies full of BEAUTY??
My new BEAUTIFUL socks!
Secondly, I’ve always wanted to do more to help and encourage people who make BEAUTY—artists.
So, I was inspired to open a non-profit art shop! Why not? I decided to hand-pick artists I’ve come across in my life to host their art or crafts at my online shop. Any proceeds that I make over my costs I’m using to support both artists (via a donation or scholarship) as well as to purchase materials for local schools. I love this idea and have been wanting to do this for quite some time.
Art is such an important endeavor, whether writing, painting, crafts, sculpture, or you name it. There is a healing component to art, too. Plus, I believe artistic abilities are a innate to everyone. We all have some degree of natural ability to draw, write, sing, and/or act, and to be creative! Please let me know if you’d like to help or to be featured at my JBN SHOP (see the new button my sidebar to visit he JBN SHOP). Make beauty! Heal and thrive; try your hand at something new!
A few items currently at the Jane Be Nimble SHOP. Click to visit the store!
What are your thoughts about BEAUTY and related creative endeavors? Do you find healing in creativity and making BEAUTY?
Add your RAOKA post to the group by visiting Sami’s blog. She has installed a simple linking program in her post that will display your post, too, just by typing in your post’s web address!
Next month’s theme: WACKY (them chosen by our wacky friend, Lance).
Take some time to visit other RAOKA posts today, too:
Sami at Life, Laughs & Lemmings
Lance at Jungle of Life
Dani at Positively Present
Brandi at Joy Rebel
Melissa at Operation Nice
RAOKA supporters to check out:
Keith at Think for Money
Gayze at Gazehound’s Animal Communication
[...] Random book of Kick Arse: Beauty | Jane Be Nimble [...]
Lori,
I LOVE the socks!! And guess what?? I also received a pair of socks this month – funky striped socks (not with individual toes, though…)! They ARE beautiful!
And what a wonderful thing you are doing with the JBN Online shop! And the beauty there is so much YOU, Lori. Watching you bringing good into the world is so beauty-filled, and shines of your spirit!
You exemplify beauty with your amazing caring and compassion…something I’ve felt firsthand, and know is you, at our core.
.-= Lance´s last blog ..Cheetos, Llamas, and Wine…Oh My! =-.
Yeah, Lance, are those socks wacky! Wait, wait, maybe I have a photo that works both for BEAUTY month and WACKY month! Yay!
Thanks, Lance, thanks for your kinds words. Of course I feel goofy using my site to “sell” as I never intended to use my blog for gain. But, hey, it’s to help others so I thought, why not?
You’re a wonderful person, Lance, I’m sooo happy to have met you!
Lori, without a doubt those socks should make a come-back for the wacky month!
.-= Sami – Life, Laughs & Lemmings´s last blog ..Random Acts of Kick Arse – Beauty =-.
You are a beauty, Lori. Beautiful inside and out. Just by being you, you bring beauty to the whole world.
.-= Jay Schryer´s last blog ..Grandpa Comes Home =-.
Awww…thanks, Jay. I feel that the more I try to pay attention to beauty, the more it comes back to me. It’s really quite amazing.
Even here, lookie here, you are telling me I’m a beauty! How cool is that? Er, maybe you’re just referring to my tootsies??
lol, I think you meant toesies. I’m not sure what your tootsies are, but I’m pretty sure I haven’t seen them!
In either case, I meant the sum of all your parts, toesies, tootsies, and everything else!
.-= Jay Schryer´s last blog ..Grandpa Comes Home =-.
Ha…nice socks! Thanks for sharing your observations about beauty this month…I think you touched on something that’s important, the awareness of beauty. Its all around us if we just open ourselves up to it. Thank you for introducing us to your new shop…which is also an extension of art and beauty.
.-= Tim´s last blog ..Character =-.
Hey Tim, thanks mucho for enjoying my tootsies! Believe me, they’re much more appealing with my new foot adornments.
Well, thanks for being such a cool guy, Tim. And, thanks for not minding me showing you my shop. I really did decide it’s time to get off my buttkiss and do something for artists. I know my life is enriched by art! It is time for me to do more to help other artists; I’m sure of it!
Cheers!
Those socks are INSANE!
This is going to sound strange but I never really thought about “beauty” until I watched “American Beauty”. I knew what I found aesthetically pleasing, but it wasn’t until I saw that movie that I really got how much beauty lays in perspective.
The scene with a dancing plastic bag, something I would consider trash, held remarkable beauty for me.
So I find beauty in your support of local artists. And I especially find beauty in your choice to face MS and the loss of the life as you knew it with courage and the decision to make a difference here.
{hug}
YOU are beautiful.
.-= Hayden Tompkins´s last blog ..The Hour of Magic =-.
Hey Hayden,
You are so right on! I vividly remember the floating bag, too. That scene really affected me as well. In fact, most times I see a bag flying across the highway or sidewalk, I remember that movie and actually take a moment to appreciate it – until I can grab it and de-litter if I can. Until then, it’s beautiful!
Thanks so much for your beautiful comment. I won’t lie – many days are just well, so disappointing. But I decided to make the most of what I can still do and I’m staying positive as possible.
I’m sure I’m still grieving about loosing all that I have lost, but life goes on, and there’s not point sniveling, right?
Thanks for being a beacon of light in my otherwise sometimes-dusky world. I appreciate you, Hayden!
~xo to you
Beauty is a tough thing for me to talk about without thinking about the ugliness that its pursuit brings on some of us. Too many of us resort to greed, and self destruction in pursuit of it. Beauty in art, nature or innovation is worth pursuing. But no form of beauty should spring from hurting ourselves and others.
Thanks for another good post Lori. It’s a thing a of beauty.
.-= Casey (North and Clark)´s last blog ..Music is Not An Object =-.
Great point, Casey – thanks for bring that up. And you know, you saying what you said made me realize that anything I’ve done in my life, worth doing, has either been to help someone else or to better humankind in one way or another. The times I’ve done things purely for money or selfish reasons have always gone badly somehow.
Wow, that’s deep, but true!
I’m glad you liked this post and that my tootsies didn’t scare you away!
Great to see you, Casey, as always.
Chicka, the socks rock but the shop is something else! Who would have thought that a month of beauty would result in you helping artists. Now THAT’S what I call beauty in action.
You’re an inspiration girl, in more ways then one. xxx
.-= Sami – Life, Laughs & Lemmings´s last blog ..Random Acts of Kick Arse – Beauty =-.
Thanks for your inspiration, Sami.
You really inspire me, girl. Your compassionate nature comes through your posts, correspondence, and acts toward others. You’re just a well of goodness, Sami!
Thank you for making my world brighter! I can’t wait to meet you someday! (Love all the eye candy over at your site today, too!)
[...] from Jane Be Nimble Dani from Positively Present Melissa from Operation NICE Brandi from Joy Rebel Lance from The [...]
Lori,
Awesome awesome awesome!! Those socks are so awesomely beautiful! I am itching to get myself a pair of those..and see my hubhy’s reaction when i wear them…I know his expression will be priceless
But your JBN Shop for artists…now thats Beauty in action! How much fun is it that we RAOKA crusaders are having such a blast of creativity and emotion all at the same time.
All thanks to Samis genius brain:)
Keep shining sweetie
Lots of love,
Zeenat.
.-= Zeenat{Positive Provocations}´s last blog ..RAOKA:Beauty-The Beautiful Smile Experiment =-.
Hi Zeenat,
You know what BEAUTY is??? Seeing you HERE! Thanks for visiting, Zeenat!
Yeah, I saw those socks and just cracked up! I love them, love them, love them! Go get yourself a pair, girl!
Thanks for being a beacon of light, Zeenat.
~xo
Hi Lori!
I am thrilled those socks are making a come back! I had several pairs in the 70′s and it was all the rage to wear them with open-toed platform shoes. Wait long, live long enough, you see everything coming back! haha!
WAY more than this thrill, is what you are doing for the arts! WOW! Magnificent! Beautiful people do beautiful things – that’s YOU!
.-= suzen´s last blog ..Millie Wisdom – Fa-la-la Let’s Shop! =-.
Hi Suzen,
Yeah, I know what you mean. I went to high school in the 80s, and my step-daughter sent me a photo of herself with black/sequin leg warmers on! Too funny, I wish I had kept all of mine – like you said, if you wait long enough, it comes back in style. I can remember wearing my mom’s can cans as a kid, too.
Thanks for stopping by – I’m really excited to start the JBN SHOP, too. It has been fun thus far, just knowing I will be able to help an artist do what they do best.
Take care!!
Hehe. Those socks are a hoot. Contemplating how they’d look with a kilt…
Sometimes when I write something, I think, “That’s beautiful” so yes I do think that creating can move things into the realm of beauty.
George
.-= George Angus´s last blog ..Flash Fiction Chapter – Orb =-.
Hi George,
I’d PAY to see that – you in a kilt with those BEAUTIFUL stripey toe socks! Too funny, George, too funny!!!!!!! ha ha ha
I completely agree with you, George. I need to figure out a way to cross-purpose my JBN SHOP to include writers, too.
Sometimes I write something and think, “Geez, did I really write that?? It’s beautiful.” And, having read your writing at your blog, George, I really do think your writing is absolutely beautiful. I deeply enjoyed your last story over at Tumblemoose! Add to it! I want to see what happens next!
Hi! I’m totally up for this monthly fest.
Wacky — looking forward to that!
My thoughts about beauty?? Yesterday on the running trail I couldn’t help but take at least 30 pictures with my iPhone — that sanctuary by the river is so amazingly, amazingly beautiful! I think that I shall never see a blog as lovely as a tree — no offense to you or any of us bloggers, of course.
Ole!
.-= Jannie Funster´s last blog ..Getting To Know Him… Getting To Know All About A Wonderful Blogger. =-.
Hi Jannie!
Hey, I just read your interview with Lance earlier today – that was great!
That’s so funny about taking so many photos with your phone. I do the same thing and, sometimes, the photos actually turn out pretty good! Of course, I get lots of goofy looks in the process. And yeah, you just can’t replace nature with a pixelated screen, I hear you there!
Thanks for visiting and taking the time to leave a comment. Have a great day!
Hi Lori,
Oooooh The socks are indeed beautiful. And so are you.
I just left Lance’s blog and am still contemplating how much beauty we’re surrounded by on a daily basis. I just need to remember to slow down long enough to enjoy it.
.-= Barbara Swafford´s last blog ..Save Time – Copy & Paste A Post =-.
Hi Barbara!
It’s always such a cool thing to see you here. I just love your blog and the comments you leave at other sites. I have to admit, though, I’m usually just a silent stalker at your blog. I suppose that’s a compliment – you cover your topics so well I often don’t feel I have anything to add. Thank you for your blog!
Thanks for your kind message here, too – it’s been quite an adjustment from working a million hours every week, teaching three nights a week, and just going 100 miles an hour to a full hockey stop. But the socks really brightened my day!
You’re right. We really are surrounded by beauty, and like Hayden says, even a floating plastic grocery bag can display beauty.
Enjoy the remainder of the week and weekend!
[...] Lori from Jane Be Nimble [...]
[...] Lori from Jane Be Nimble [...]
[...] (as chosen by Lori). If you would like to join this movement please contact Lori@Jane Be Nimble on her blog for further details. Other awesome RAOKA Crusaders: Sami@Life, Laughs and Lemmings; [...]
[...] ♦ Or, visit November’s theme post: Beauty. [...]
[...] is “Family” (as chosen by Gayze). If you would like to join this movement please contact Lori@Jane Be Nimble on her blog for further details. Other awesome RAOKA Crusaders: Sami@Life, Laughs and Lemmings; [...]
[...] theme post: Gratitude ♦ December’s theme post: Wacky! ♦ November’s theme post: Beauty ♦ October’s theme post: Kindness ♦ Introductory theme post: [...]
[...] on her blog for further details. Other awesome RAOKA Crusaders:Sami@Life, Laughs and Lemmings; Lori@Jane Be Nimble; Dani@Positively Present; Lance@The Jungle of Life; Melissa@Operation NICE ; Brandi@Joy Rebel; ; [...]
[...] theme post: Gratitude ♦ December’s theme post: Wacky! ♦ November’s theme post: Beauty ♦ October’s theme post: [...]