{"id":27092,"date":"2021-01-16T17:01:40","date_gmt":"2021-01-16T22:01:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=27092"},"modified":"2021-01-16T17:20:18","modified_gmt":"2021-01-16T22:20:18","slug":"5-friday-faves-beyond-the-guitar-doing-what-he-does-from-cynicism-to-delight-the-glad-game-a-great-life-a-covid-death-and-lifes-comforting-rhythms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=27092","title":{"rendered":"5 Friday Faves – “Beyond the Guitar” Doing What He Does, From Cynicism to Delight, the Glad Game, a Great Life & a COVID Death, and Life’s Comforting Rhythms"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Happy Weekend! Staying on the positive in my finds this week.<\/p>\n

1) Beyond the Guitar Doing What He Does –<\/strong>Classical guitarist Nathan Mills<\/a>, on the platform Beyond the Guitar<\/em>, arranges and performs themes from movies, TV shows, and video games. The last couple of weeks he has showcased two arrangements of his that display his genre at its best.
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YouTube Video – The Mandalorian\/Force Mashup<\/em> – Classical Guitar Cover<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Photo Credit: Beyond the Guitar, YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n

YouTube Video – Spider-man: Miles Morales (PS5) Main theme on Guitar<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Photo Credit: Beyond the Guitar, YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n

Nathan teaches privately and via his Arrangers Academy<\/a> (membership opens twice a year). His music (videos<\/a>, sheet music<\/a>, and MP3s) are why we are patrons<\/a>. Well, and because we love the guy playing the guitar. Beautiful, nostalgic themes. Heart-soothing on every level and on any day.<\/p>\n

2) From Cynicism to Delight <\/strong>– With that noise of social media and biased news media, we struggle to know what to believe about what’s going on around us. The tendency is to gradually go cynical, thinking ill of others, moving toward mistrust. Our thinking becomes negative, and we become suspicious of motives, questioning authority, and even disbelieving people trying to do right by others.<\/p>\n

Negativity can become a habit…a negative habit.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is no way to live. Cynicism dulls our thinking and darkens our heart.<\/p>\n

How do we upend cynicism? Writer Jennie Allen<\/a> talks on a podcast about how we can move away from cynicism and toward delight. Now, that is a surprising and almost old-fashioned idea. Delight is defined<\/a> as “a high degree of gratification or pleasure; joy; giving keen enjoyment”. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Jennie Allen Podcast – Cynicism vs. Delight<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

What do you take delight in? It requires a measure of savoring, pausing to take note, considering a different possibility. We rush around in life, or at least in our thoughts – flipping channels, scrolling endlessly, moving from class to class or meeting to meeting with little notice to what’s going on around us (or in our own heads). What if? What if? We stopped, or slowed down, our minds and just took note.<\/p>\n

Allen talks about the importance of what we put into our minds. Do we even think about it? 20 minutes on social media (depending on those we friend\/follow) could begin a stubborn funk in our thinking. What about the people in our lives? She doesn’t encourage cutting people off, but guarding our conversations against the negative<\/strong> –\u00a0 gossiping, complaining, criticizing, thinking ill.<\/p>\n

In the space we intentionally gain from the guarding above, we can begin practicing delight.<\/strong> At how well things are going instead of how badly, for instance. How beautiful the weather is, thoughtful your neighbor, generous your colleague, wise your mom or dad…This isn’t putting our heads in the sand; it is just considering life from a different angle…just as true\/real as the negative, cynical take.<\/p>\n

Allen encourages taking note of art as a fast track to delight. Whether it is music, or poetry, or painting. The world is full of beauty. We forget that sometimes in our “screened-in” lives. Many of us live in a place of four seasons. There’s always something to marvel at in nature. For many years, we lived in a part of the world with only two seasons. In each was still a myriad of beautiful discoveries. I have always enjoyed watching people, taking in all that’s there for the observer, without intruding. Then, of course, there is the wonder of God. How he continues to infuse our lives with good and possibility.<\/p>\n

“The opposite of being cynical is being life-giving, and some might call you naive for it, but for the most part, people just need that in their lives. Most people will want to go to coffee with you because they need someone to speak life into them and actually believe it.”<\/em> – Jennie Allen<\/a><\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Empowered Living, Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

3) The Glad Game <\/strong>– There is so much we can learn from sweet Pollyanna and young Anne of Green Gables. Either through the book<\/a> about Pollyanna or the movie<\/a>. Or Anne: the books<\/a> or the movies<\/a>\/TV series<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Both these girls were orphans, and both had figured out a way to thrive in their circumstances. Very different ways, but fascinating.<\/p>\n

Ten Things Anne of Green Gables Taught Me<\/em> – Samantha Ellis<\/a><\/p>\n

Anne of Green Gables vs. Pollyanna – (In the Battle for My Mind)<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

I was reminded (see Friday Fave #2 above) of Pollyanna’s Glad Game<\/a>. She was determined to find something good in every situation… something to be glad about.<\/p>\n

YouTube Video – Pollyanna and the Glad Game<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

YouTube Video – You Surely Will<\/em> (Pollyann’s conversation with the minister)<\/a><\/p>\n

“When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will.”<\/em> – Abraham Lincoln<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Photo Credit: Pinterest, Abraham Lincoln<\/a><\/p>\n

If Your Behavior Is Contagious, What Will People Catch?<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n