JoyKodani

So... it's been a while! A lot has happened over the last 5-8 years: Blissfully remarried and retired, with a new life, new name, new (or at least, refreshed) perspectives. I even finally got my turn to go to college, graduating with an AA in Organization Communications (and a 3.9gpa) at the ripe old age of 54. I haven't had as much time for art (although the drawing class I took in college was a real butt-kicker), and have been working on improving my photography skills. But I'm trying to make more time for creativity between travel, crabbing, remodeling and household projects, and am looking forward to enjoying an open art forum and communicating with other creatives. Facebook as gotten waaaaaay too political, so I'm looking forward to languishing in your creative vibes.

I'd like to take credit for this cute little guy, but I was too lazy to work up any gnu art myself, and found him online. He was actually created by Nicholas Rougier for the GNU Project, and I'm using him with permission of the Gnu Public License, at this http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html Thanks to ~levhita (https://www.deviantart.com/levhita) for bringing this little guy to my attention. And I'd also like to point out a few other gnotable gnus I found while searching for gnu inspiration on DA: :thumb65838970: :thumb65838892:  by :iconssava: :thumb63924248: by :iconartemisio: :thumb38995407: by :iconMattiasA: :thumb76886409: by :iconthe-horse: :thumb10248498: by :

Growing up blessed with the name Joy, I always dreaded hearing the song "Joy to the World" at Christmas. I especially cringed a lot when the Three Dog Night song "Joy to the World" became a big hit back in the 70s (yes, I'm really that old...). It has taken me a long time to accept the word joy into my own vocabulary — I finally noticed that people only take note of my use of the word if I wince as I say it. I still get occasional grins from friends and family when the either song comes up at church or on the radio, but I've finally learned to accept, and even enjoy my name: Sometimes at church I'll give in to the humor and sing "Me to t