How To Send Balloons Across The Atlantic
That was the challenge Liz Strauss set her readers yesterday, and I was the lucky recipient of the balloons!
The Monday creativity challenge was this: Can You Get The Balloons To Joanna Young?
Two Roberts were quick off the mark with an e-mail from Robert Hruzek and a link via Stumble Upon (after some prompting from Scott) from Robert Henru: sorry I don’t know who was first ‘cos I was doing other things while you were busy sending me balloons!
We had some more creative imaginings from Dianne who wondered if migrating birds could help (not to mention getting some benefit enjoyment from the balloons along the way) and Anna who coined a new term for her method of delivery: whale mail. (Sounds like it’d be environmentally friendly too!)
Barbara Ling (aka Owlbert) posted the link to the balloon challenge, with a cup of tea thrown in (we share virtual tea and coffee most mornings on Twitter)
Jon Swanson rounded off the balloon offerings by sending me a photo of his computer, with his screen set to work on the challenge.
But that wasn’t the end of my gifts: Lori (aka Space Age Sage) sent me not a balloon but a piece of writing inspired by the challenge (how did she know I’d love words as a gift?).
It was a piece of writing on writing from Brian Andreas (you’ll find more at StoryPeople)
I thought you’d enjoy it too:
Often, I write all day long with white ink on white paper, late into the night, until it is all I can do to feel the letters curving to earth from the tip of the pen & then, I fall asleep. Dreaming of
running, or maybe driving in a car the color of water & I wake the next day remembering nothing & I gather the stack of paper & a pen of black on the desk in front of me & the words begin to dance over the page like long legged insects across a still lake & the words in white whisper behind & underneath the new day. If there is any secret to this life I live, this is it: the sound of what cannot be seen sings within everything that can. & there is nothing more to
it than that.
~ Brian Andreas ~
My day of gifts and gratitude ended with this gorgeous photograph from Rosa Say, who had been, like me, looking for a way to say thanks for our 12 months of friendship.
I think you’ll enjoy sharing this one too.
Ka pua Joanna mae ‘ole i ka l?
Thank you everyone for helping to create a memorable Monday, full of wonderful gifts.
Photo Credits:
Ka pua Joanna mae ‘ole i ka l? by Rosa Say on flickr
Good things happen to good people Joanna
It’s the aloha (couldn’t resist). I do think your white hibiscus looks like it was meant to be here instead of on my Flickr page!
Joanna,
Sometimes we write for purposeful reasons. We offer directions and how-tos. We give instructions and make demands. Sometimes we write to find out what we’re thinking. We type until the thoughts we can get to come out of our mouths come through the keyboard instead.
Most joyous, for me, is when I write to say something to a person who is exquisitely special. Like now when I say,
Thank you, Joanna, for all that you are.
… echo of Liz’s words…
I’d like to add my “me too” to that, Joanna! And thanks to Liz for thinking up a creative way to kick off an otherwise ordinary week…
Cheers!
What a neat idea! Thanks for sharing with us, this post really made me smile this morning
Rosa, I think you mean “as well as” on your flickr page, which is choc full of goodies! Thank you again
Liz, thank you so much. I love that kind of writing too.
Robert, it was an entertaining start to a Monday morning wasn’t it? Thanks for sending me the balloons express delivery.
Hello Suburban Oblivion, and thanks for stopping by. I’m glad the post and Liz’s challenge made you smile. I’m smiling back
Joanna
Love the solutions–I couldn’t come up with one creative enough, but I hope you “heard” me thinking of you!
What fun! Creativity of spirit and creativity of words all rolled into one.
Glad you enjoyed it! I had fun putting that kettle of tea on….
Barbara
Joanna, I saw Liz’s balloon challenge and just as I was about to grab them distractions took over. I am so glad they arrived safely.
I am basking in the warmth of the Aloha spirit that is spreading through blogoland. The piece by Brian is beautiful, thank you for sharing this wonderful gift. You are such a gift to us Joanna and so deserving of warmth, love and all good things.
–Deb, loud and clear, thank you
Yvonne, I like the idea of spirit-filled words. They’d definitely help balloons get not just across the Atlantic but from Scotland to Australia and back…
Barbara, thanks again, and for our morning tea / coffee ritual
Karen, thanks for your words. The spirit of aloha is powerful indeed, as are Brian’s words. They moved me deeply. Glad you liked them too.
Joanna
loved this and how cool to see all the variety of ways to get them to you – my attempt was momentary I’m afraid – I clicked the balloons to copy and it wouldn’t paste, I tried a variety of versions of this thought and actually ended up over at flickr – I thought the heck with those baloons I’ll send you my own, it’s as far as I got before the phone calls started, what a great idea though
Hi Mother Earth
I think Liz was responsible for a lot of Monday morning distractions… though I am smiling that some of you saw work calls as a distraction from the balloon challenge, rather than the other way round!
Joanna