Hello readers.
Happy Saturday.
The prompt for “Stream of Consciousness Saturday” is YAWN.
Glad to be joining in with Stream of Conscious Saturday (#SoCS). I start this post with thoughts of the Doobsters, Joey, and Dan.

On my mind right now?
1) JOURNEY COVER BAND
Need to post soon about the Journey cover band, Frontiers, we saw play last night at the Tin Pan.
I did not YAWN at all.
Nope.
Sometimes we see cover bands and it is yawn and leave early. But NOT this time.
The singer, Elaine Tuttle, is a trained opera performer and vocal coach. Her singing, and the band’s playing, reminded me again about how live music is good for the human soul.
During the concert, I was also reminded about the episodic memories that emerge while hearing music we grew up with. Journey was never a top band for me, but their music was part of my culture. Dawn came to mind. So did Lori S. from freshman year in high school. So did Steve from ’87. Then, my old high school friend, Kim H., texted me during the concert. We usually check in ONLY on birthday’s and so it was a surprise. We shared a few texts during the concert and it was like she was with me. (That reminded me of a time when Sherri Matthews and I were emailing in real-time during a piano recital a few years ago – the digital world has perks.)
Getting back to the Journey cover band, there is a personal “redemption story” with this concert experience and so I will share that when I make the post.
2) Tiramisu Cake Post Coming Soon
We had a tiramisu cake on V-day and this needs a post of its own (because priorhouse blog has a cake category). In the meantime, here are the Valentine’s Day flowers:

3) Lady by the River BOOK POSTS coming soon.
I plan to post about Lady by the River book over the next few weeks. This is a book I put together with eight other authors and I really look forward to a series of posts sharing about the book. The posts are meant to market this enriching self-help book, but the posts should also offer some inspiration for those do not get the book.
4) Cubano and Beer Post in the works
I have a post coming up about beer and a Cubano sandwich (for Sorryless and Dale) and to share about how blogging connects to real life.
5) Balance & Tidying Up:
The guest room make-over is almost done. Thanks to Joey, I will be adding a small batch of books for guests to peruse just in case. I am still glad to have parted ways with 21 bags of books. And thanks to comment sharing with author Joy Pixley (here) I realized so much more about book organization and storage.
The Konmari method (here) is a topic that came up at least four times this week. Winter 2019 will always be associated with this trendy chatter about how we need to “tidy our spaces” so “more joy” can unfold.
My thoughts on tidying up?
“Defining tidy will vary for each person. Too much tidying up can lead to minimalism that feels sterile and not alive; Too little tidying up can lead to feeling smothered and weighed down.”
That reminds me of VJ’s challenge this week, which is the word balance.
My thoughts on balance?
“Sometimes life needs lots of imbalance to have a natural balance.”
Mr. Money Mustache (here) recently shared thoughts on this – and how sometimes a busy season reaches a point of not knowing if it is stimulating and life-giving or becoming too much and might be time to pause:
Do you agree?
How do you define balance?
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6) Favorite Photo of the Week:
Lisa at Northwest Frame of Mind (here) and Amy Maranto (here) are sharing their favorite photos of the week in a weekly wrap-up post (great idea). With that in mind, I decided to share my favorite photo of the week:
Here is the original:

Here is my edited version:

Which one do you like better? A or B?
Or do you think a “C” is needed? ha.
How was your week?
__
Care to join in with Linda’s challenge? #SoCS is here
word count for this post – 762 (there is not a word limit for this challenge, but my goal is to keep my SoCS wc under 1000)
A third one using selective colour red 😀
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now that would be awesome, BB. I will give it a try
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Great
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This is the best i can do right now (limited options but think it is close to your idea)

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Nailed it Yvette
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Thanks BB – that was kind of you – and I can imagine the little pops of red in a real
Color select (and thx again for the suggestion )
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B
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thanks – me too
🙂
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This was entertaining, thanks
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Thanks for reading, Kelly
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Your description of the Journey cover band concert made me (1) remember how much I love seeing live music, (2) want to go get out my Journey albums from high school, and (3) yawn. Because auto-yawn effect, and also, I probably would have been yawning, because I’m an early bird and boy, these shows start so late! (Insert obligatory “kids these days” grumble.., haha!)
Wow, you got rid of 21 bags of books? I am impressed! I hear you about the balance thing, though. There’s definitely a line where you’re purging too much and end up with cold minimalism. Luckily I am in zero danger of doing that, given that my natural tendencies are all in the “warm and cozy stuff I love all around me” direction.
Did you mean to link to my Major Societies page instead of the book organizing post? Here’s the link to the post on book chaos: https://talesofeneana.wordpress.com/2019/02/15/me-versus-bookshelf-chaos.
And I like the second photo better, because the person pops out more in it.
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Yes – I linked the wrong one – thanks for catching that – I will fix it – I had to many links for this post that was supposed to stream – but it was where my head was at today and so I went with it (and I think that is the aim and Linda would approve) but maybe next Saturday I will go linkless – ?
glad you like B –
Also – had to smile with the “in zero danger” and so keep doing what you do….
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Oh and the concert was over by 10- so that was a treat – we were home by 11 and that included spending time talking to the band – they were so personable
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How fun! I love talking to the band afterward. And being home by 11, lol….
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I like your edited version of the photo. I think it brings out more detail. Thanks for the shoutout, and I have to say – Who doesn’t love a blog that has a cake category?
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Thanks for the support of the cake category – hahah
And maybe not good to eat every day – but Dan – the tiramisu was night delicious this last week
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Mmmmm
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Wow, lots going on in your stream of consciousness – didn’t find one yawn in there. Interesting take on balance – that it stems from imbalance – I suppose we could say necessity is the mother of invention.
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Yes – well Said VJ
And thanks for letting me squeeze that connection to your challenge in with this post (hope it was okay as I know some challenge hosts prefer to have separate posts for their entries – so please let me know what you prefer for the future – do you mind the layers or would you prefer a separate post?
And laughing at the way you wove in the no yawn here 😉
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I am happy to have you joining in – no strict rules.
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I like photo B. I feel like it’s crisp and puts the emphasis on the architecture and structure of composition.
I’m glad you kept some tbr in the guest room 🙂 Some of us really like that 🙂
I would like some tiramisu, please. The kind grandma usta make, in a big deep casserole, with a nice strong cuppa coffee, thanks.
My week was good. I have to say, it seemed unduly long, but really, for a work week, good. My sixth project came to fruition and money was earned. On a Thursday, of course 😉
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Oh nice about the project – yeah–/
and sending a piece of tiramisu (virtually) but it is a modern rendition of this Italian cake – still good tho and will have strong coffee for ya and a linen napkin perhaps ) ☕️😊
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I like both of your photos- it works well in black and white
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Thanks Lisa
😊☀️
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I like the b&w version for its emphasis on detail. We’ve watched Marie Kondo’s show on Netflix and I’ve read her book as well. I did a bit of tidying and decluttering after that, but haven’t even finished. I have an entire basement needing to be gone through. Sigh. The most difficult things for me to get rid of are books. They seem to stick to my fingers. What I really need is a room for a library so I can get at all of them. 🙂 It always amuses me to see photos of house/rooms in magazines, where there’s nothing out of place and virtually nothing major in the room…or a mink coat thrown artfully across the bed. 🙂
janet
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Laughing at the mink coat on the bed – and those rooms that are staged (or maybe some folks do live like that)
And sighing with you about the basement – for me the big sigh is the attic – with some bins with children school work stuff (their journals – 3-ring binders of worksheets – essays – etc) and then about two dozen scrapbooks donyou remember when Precious Memories parties were all the rage (like in 2001)
Oh and the way you said books stick to your fingers was funny – and I know many folks can relate!
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We had both a basement and an attic in our Cleveland house so just imagine how tough that was!!
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Good choice of rendering of the picture in B&W. That reduces many distractions..
Having balance in life is very difficult thing IMO. It is not science. I guess you just needs to be mindful and pull yourself back when you go too far in one direction…
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I like that – the pulling back! And it seems impossible to have perfect balance all of the time. And wouldn’t life be dull without the crazy busy times and the days to recoop?
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The Journey cover band looks awesome. Love the Monday Lisa look. 😅 You got me at Tiramisu, and the flowers are gorgeous. Lucky girl. 😘
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Hi S- well I would much rather have been at the key lime eatery (where you indulged at) and I will have a video to share about the Journey cover band – just a collage kind of video of their songs- and thanks for the feedback on the picture of the week 😉
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There’s nothing to yawn about this post since there are so many topics to entice me not to mention that Tiramisu was written that kick my sweet tooth a notch. Tidy? A little messiness is good for the soul. Like photo B.
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Ahhh – let’s quote perpetua :
A little messiness is good for the soul
Amen to that!
Oh and looks like B is the readers fav today – 😉
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I agree that it’s only by acknowledging, and then doing something about imbalances, that one can get balanced. Sadly, this month I’ve been aware of imbalances in my life, but reluctant to do anything about them. Perhaps watching a few episodes of Netflix’s show on Marie Kondo would give me the push I need to get balanced. Maybe…
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I agree with how you worded it – but I also think a balanaced life has seasons of imbalance…. times we do a project – take a trip and upset the routine – or get a little off schedule just because /… maybe it makes life come alive – ? And could too much balance be boring? Too safe? Not enough risks – hmmmm just something to ponder for sure.
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Prior,
I LOVE Monday Lisa!
And here’s to that Cubano story!
Balance to me is ALL about peaceful mind. It’s integral to my ability to achieve ANY kind of balance.
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Ahhh – I think you defined balance well – it is in the mind and outlook eh?
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Outlook is what it’s all about. Some people see a dead end, while others see a primo parking space, 🙂
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I like the way your mind works, Y! From music to flowers, with some sandwiches, beer and cake for good measure. 🤗 I look forward to reading more about them along with your post about Lady by the River. As for tidying up I think our balance here is in the fact that I lean towards minimalism while John and Ryan feel best surrounded by all their things. Somehow we find the right middle and perhaps save each other from our best/worst impulses. 😉 Photo B is my favorite and thanks so much for the mention! Now I’m off to write my next weekly wrap up!
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Thanks for the nice reply – and I like how you noted the guys feel cozy with their things – it is sometimes part of what makes us “us”
Hmmmm
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Don’t stop believing…you can declutter, or repurpose, or rebalance, and you’ll still be forever right or forever wrong. Isn’t life one long journey song?
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Oh sherry – I mean Oh Shelley – that was a great use of journey song – and they ended with don’t stop believing – and those journey songs do fit into life themes – well said
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LOL! If only for a moment, I try not to fight it, when the line fits anyway…! 😉
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I like Monday Lisa 🙂
Also, I really like your photo. I’d do a different maybe. I saw the red idea in a comment above, I thought that. I also thought about making the tones in the black and white more stark.
Thanks for the mention 🙂
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Amy – I would love to see what you would have done with the photo – wish I had more time –
And I don’t right now – but I like the bones of that photo – the lines in the street seem to cup the woman and her leg was raised as she turned – and the streets were so empty for 3 pm – hmmmm
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Yes, I agree, there are a lot of elements there that just “work”. The nice thing about digital is that you have a copy and you can always circle back to it when you have more time.
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Great post. Yes balance is key and we define it as getting out and seeing the incredible sights then settling back and reflecting. Like pic “b”.
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Yes – that exact formula of do and then don’t do
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I’ve done the book cleanse a few times so I know how hard it is, but there’s a point when you have so many that it’s pointless!
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Nicely worded – the point tonwhere it is pointless –
And some books are harder than others
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B, of course 🙂
Monochrome reduces distractions and draws our attention to the main subject…
Thanks for sharing and good to see this challenge, Yvette 🙂
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Thanks so much S- but I still think the B option did not work or deliver what I was hoping for – hm
But no biggie – just a street shit – ha…
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