VISIONS OF JOY

Friday, November 30, 2012

Tree Time

Tree I decorated in lobby.

ITS TREE TIME

by Joy Krauthammer

Left doc's office couple days ago for ultrasounds to make sure I'm 'healthy', and in the large central main lobby of the medical building was this big TREE.

So,

I asked the team of male holiday wreath decorators high on the upper level if I could put A Christmas decoration on the bare tree. Kinda like TuB'Shvat and sap flowing. Celebrate the barren tree and its potential.

On the floor In the long cardboard, filled holiday ornament box, I chose a large subdued gold matte colored ball, and then after moving that one ball around several times walking 360* around the tree until I could find just the right spot to hang it from it's string, I asked for another decoration. Wish granted. OK, cool-- I got daring and I chose one gold with red large ball with a metal hook. Ah, a choice of hanging device! Where to balance that second big but shorter one? After hanging # 2, I switched them so they had freedom to breathe from other branches poking them and inhibiting them. Good feng shui. There was still more tree with only two big balls on it. I acquiesed, dipped down into the low box, and added a small matte red ball. One decorator man nearby went into the box and handed me a smaller shiny red ornament since I'd been avoiding plain shiny red ones. (Felt Christmasy.) I added another small red one roped in gold looking like a fun percussion shaker. When I felt I was through with my artful hanging collage, the men thanked me "for helping". They could have charged me for helping! Their loss.

Enjoy my little art work with five balls balanced very nicely on the tree. (If it were Easter, they'd be eggs.) If they were bells I would ring them. Do you think they look like funny figs from my favorite mama fig tree? No they are not pomegranates, nor are they passion fruits hanging from my vine. (Shh, when I pick the grapefruit and oranges off my garden trees, I do it so that the citrus left hanging form artful balanced designs as if a decorated tree.)

I hadn't decorated a tree in over half a century since when my childhood friend, Theresa Lenihan McMillan, obm, let me help her, and we hid the "ugly old" decorations from her grandmother in the back of the tree, including the decapitated angel. For assisting, Terry had a stocking for me hanging on her fireplace.

Bo'e Santa.

Chanukah is next week, yay. You should see how I decorate with Chanukah gelt.

PS
I left chocolate Chanukah gelt coins everywhere during my holiday. (Even in my local bank.)

I found the same tree in the medical lobby the next week, but not as I had proudly decorated it. My carefully selected and arranged balls were moved! I should have stayed to supervise!

Fully decorated tree sans ornament 'cluster'
© Joy Krauthammer

PPS
Because of my recent holiday expertise, I was invited to decorate friend Edith's great fresh green tree.
You can see which sparkly joyous ornament I contributed to the cause.

PPPS
I also enjoy purple holiday trees. See photo below. That was the day I sung during the Holiday concert at the Music Center. (That's another story.)

Joy enjoys Purple holiday tree
LA Music Center
© Aviva Bell

JOY on Edith's tree

"Rudolph, with your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"

Santa Claus rides the skies of Beverly Hills, Wilshire Blvd., LA

Driving home from LACMA, I saw this happy overhead holiday site through the car window.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Bird of Paradise Sukkah

Giant Bird of Paradise fronds and flower

Sukkah for Sukkot

"One who has not seen the rejoicing of Sukkot, has never seen true rejoicing." -Talmud

You shall live in huts seven days; all citizens of Israel shall live in huts, in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in huts when I brought them out of the Land of Egypt, I am HaShem your G*d. -Leviticus 23:42-3

Bird of Paradise Sukkah has been gifted to friends of my daughter. Aviva has known Lisa since their early grades and now Lisa has a husband and two young daughters. A sukkah (temporary small spiritual living hut) would be good for the young family, and they never had one, so this is their first!

Aviva, her dad Marcel, z'l, and I always built a sukkah since she was five years old, thirty years ago. At that time we bought many long beams of wood and followed instructions to create a sukkah. (It can be made of other materials.) We decorated it with mostly fake fruits (not to waste food) and seasonal dried corn, Aviva's art, holiday cards, tapestries (my sixties hippie bedspreads) to cover the blue tarps, posters of sukkot themes, rugs, and hung a lamp inside and added tables and chairs. For meals in the sukkah (and to shake the lulav and etrog), we invited ushpizin/guests*. When Marcel became paralyzed and Aviva no longer lived at home, he could no longer erect the annual sukkah. For Marcel during Sukkot, I lovingly created a temporary cozy hut, with rugs and seating (although maybe not halachically accurate). We then celebrated in the homey, intimate sukkah.

Following Yom Kippur, I just gave away our family sukkah to Lisa and her family. I am thrilled that I did a double mitzvah in preparing for that gift. Driving on the street, I saw an elderly man who had pruned 20 very long healthy green and shiny fronds from his giant Bird of Paradise bush and they were sitting on his lawn. The eight foot beautiful fronds/leaves are as long as the inside of my SUV. I asked if I could have them and the man answered "yes". He was probably happy that he didn't have to bend down and pick up all the leaves and try to stuff them into his garden garbage pail. I drove the fronds (and additional greenery) a few miles over to the owners of the new Sukkah. The fresh green leaves would now become the schach/roof for the sukkah. The schach must be from detached plants, trees and may be dried. (I used to use my flowering oleanders and palm fronds.)
(Fronds now sell for $3.50 each plus $15 delivery in LA, and I recall when they were half that price, and free before that from the City of LA.)

Sukkot is in 24 hours and I hope the young family invites me over to see how in their grassy garden, they have erected their new Sukkah-- one filled with many sweet family holiday memories with guests. It is a coincidence that the shul teacher of the little girls, is the widow of the man, Steve, z'l, who used to help my husband build our sukkah.
love, Joy

Krauthammer Sukkah and guests

*Guests are both mystical, biblical, and real.

Learn more about Sukkot and building a Sukkah:

http://www.chabad.org/holidays/JewishNewYear/template_cdo/aid/4784/jewish/What-is-Sukkot.htm

http://www.chabad.org/holidays/JewishNewYear/template_cdo/aid/420823/jewish/How-to-Build-a-Sukkah.htm

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Thank You

Thank You

Image sent from Apple after I answered their One to One questionnaire.

Hebrew is now included in their Thank You.

I feel good because I wrote to Apple after never seeing Hebrew

in their multi-cultural images,

and strongly requested that Hebrew be included,

and a few weeks later this Hebrew 'Thank You' appeared.

Thank you, Apple, Todah.

BlesSings,

Joy

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Upgrade from Snow Leopard to Mountain Lion

Each week I shlep into the Apple store

my big heavy iMac, smaller MacBook Pro and little iPod

(which will no longer 'sync'!)

as well as my sweater, notebook, pen, portable hard drive, flash drives, current projects (CDs), water and snacks to sustain me

to meet the ~~lion~~ Apple trainers!

I bought the smaller Apple computer so I would only shlep that one, but now I shlep BOTH!

Upgrade from Snow Leopard to Mountain Lion

- Joy Krauthammer

Yes, there's a learning curve (as my daughter warned me at original Apple purchase time), and I already met that when I bought my first iMac 23 months ago. Much is different now due to the upgrade on my computer, but I had to make the change. Several weeks ago, Mobile Me with its iCloud ended for everyone leaving me unsync'ed for over a month. (I would calendar items on iMac but when I looked at MacBook Pro, no calendar events were listed, etc. Photos added and edited on Apple laptop while on holiday, never made it automatically to the iMac where I do most of my creative work.)

'Single users' wouldn't know the feeling of being out of sync, but with 3 devices, 'no more sync'ing' caused problems for me. Feeling like an Olympics diver (in London this week), I took the plunge, paid for the upgrade from Snow Leopard to Mountain Lion, and hit the button "upgrade." Simple. No gold medals. Just lots of new questions and new ways of doing.

When 23 months ago I told my daughter that I wanted for the first time to purchase a Mac, she said to me, "Mom, don't do it; it's a learning curve!"

I'm still learning on both my Macs, and taking on the challenges. :) I'm amazed when I see real smiling senior citizens sitting on the Apple stools, creating away.

I love my Apple store trainers, and always feel that I'm in the TV CHEERS bar because I sit on a stool and everyone knows my name and greets me! Now I'm a Mountain Lion customer. Hear me roar.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Joy teaches at AJU

Joy teaches at
American Jewish University
and invites YOU to register. :)

AJU WINTER 2012
Sundays, March 11 & March 18, 2012

Miriyahm HaNeviah

Do you share Miriyahm's Joyous Attributes and Song?

Sunday, March 11, 10am - 12:30pm

course # 12WD7JJK

http://wcce.ajula.edu/Content/CourseUnit.asp?CID=279&u=9152&t=0

Class registrations close Monday prior to each Sunday class.

Kabbalistically Count the Sephirat HaOmer

Joyously Prepare for 49 Days

Sunday, March 18, 10am - 12:30pm

course # 12WD7J81

http://wcce.ajula.edu/Content/CourseUnit.asp?CID=279&u=9153&t=0

For more info:

http://miriamhaneviah.blogspot.com/

http://count-the-omer.blogspot.com/

http://sephirathaomer.blogspot.com/

~ ~ ~

AJU FALL 2011

I'm always happy to offer these workshops at other venues.

Simchat Chochmah ~ Joy of Wisdom

Illuminating the Joy of G*d's Holiest #7

For more info:

http://simchatchochmah.blogspot.com/

http://holiestnumber7.blogspot.com/

~ ~ ~

Hamsa Copper Pendant

Joy Loves Being Jewish

Hamsa, metal etching on copper pendant

with design and textures by Joy 2012

taught by Ruth Shapiro with pre-cut hamsa

& Ruth curled wires

I loved making the Hamsa pendant after I was initially frustrated working with difficult tools.

Process then became meditative working with the acid.

When I was young, I loved doing copper hammering and then cloisonne' on copper.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Bead Necklace

First bead necklace I have ever made was at Lev Eisha's retreat, Dancing With My Soul.

Jeweler Suzanne Gallant added clasp for me.

I enjoyed choosing the happy beads.

Even when half fell off when I dropped it before adding clasp, it was fun to add the many beads all over again. The pattern changed.

Fun to add a heart bead, and a couple music cymbal-shaped beads.

Feels joyous and colorful to me.

Jan. 25, 2015

Friday, January 20, 2012

Front Porch Welcome Mat

New Front Porch Welcome Mat

- Joy Krauthammer

Purple is my color so this new front porch mat is good. A sunburst or flower; it blends with my fuscia bougainvillea-colored ramp (which I commissioned, painted and installed 8 years ago when my husband, obm, became paralyzed). The pink color matches the fallen flower petals. I shlep my percussion instruments in rolling cases, so I keep the ramp which meets the front door and my needs. I gave another way to an appreciative needy neighbor.

I purchased the mat this week when finally, the many plumbers and plasterers left my premises, after a nasty water pipe burst in my home. I needed a pick-me-up after pools of water were picked up.

I purchased a new mat also for kitchen sink area, after plumbers and plasterers opened up walls in kitchen. It was a mess. They opened up walls in both bathrooms, so I bought new mats for those rooms also, knowing I needed something to cheer me up from the mess and stress.

Joy Krauthammer ©

Jan. 24, 2012

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Chanukah 2011

Chanukiahs 2011
Wedding gift to me (Kotel menorah), and menorah
found on Georgia antiques road trip, same year, 1974.
© Joy Krauthammer

Aviva & Brett and Joy
Chanukah 2011
© Brandon S.

Northridge Chabad Chanukah
Zelzah @ Chatsworth

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Snowy Chanukah MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH

MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH
Snowy Chanukah
Pluralistic Princess is in the Field
Art card by Joy Krauthammer ©

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

CERT

My CERT Certificate of Completion
Community Emergency Response Team

It is a vision of joy that I feel, proud that today I have completed the 7 week course (17.5 hours) in Community Emergency Response Team training and received the CERT Certificate of Completion from The City of Los Angeles.

I feel more responsible toward community in a very practical crucial manner, in case of emergency preparedness, which includes natural disasters, accidents and terrorism.

Watching the weekly videos of destruction, and people maimed or dead from catastrophies, etc. was not easy. (I don't watch TV because of the violence.) Saving the worst for last, today's show was on Weapons of Mass Destruction, HAZMAT (Hazardous Material) Teams, chemical terrorism, and decontamination. I've learned to put out small fires, do light search and rescue, in multi-casualty incidents, do Triage--evaluate and label who is dead or alive, try to keep people alive in disaster medical operations, and splint body limbs, until professional 'responders' may be available. I learned team organization and disaster psychology. (As a former medical social worker, I never learned any of this.) As a former victim of the '94 Northridge Earthquake, I recognize how important this training is.)

I learned that in these major disasters that are happening all over the country, world, and local area, streets will not be accessible to trained personnel. Numbers of those in need will be too great to handle for city police, fire and and medical. Citizens must be well-trained for a work force. It is very sobering to know that I have graduated as a simple civilian volunteer and may have to lead a team of others in caring for the wounded, and saving lives. Graduation gift from GHNNC was a backpack filled with CERT helmet, vest and other necessary supplies. I've been buying and adding supplies.

My teacher, Firefighter Kevin Mason, was fantastic and the funniest person I've ever heard (which made learning tough stuff a lot easier). He called his humor, "gallows humor." Thank you, Kevin and GH Neighborhood Council, Public Safety coordinator Bill Hopkins. cert@ghnnc.org Thirty-five CERT volunteers graduated.

Please call your local council people to encourage them to offer CERT and join the team.

Additional sessions are offered.

Contact CERT: www.CERT-LA.COM LAFDCERT@LACITY.ORG

- Joy Krauthammer

PS
On a lighter note, while waiting for the photo that was taken on graduation day, here is me:

( :)

sideways
in my new
green firelady CERT helmet-hard hat

(doesn't come in purple)

smiling --before I have seen blood and gore, broken bones, accident, disaster, emergency, catastrophe and chemical warfare and fire and terrorism... (May it never happen!!)

(Do I sound like Arlo Guthrie's 27 minute song, Alice's Restaurant? "You can get everything you want, at ___")

Official CERT graduation portrait

Joy Krauthammer and firefighter Kevin Mason

CPR

CERT event story:

http://joys-joyousjoy.blogspot.com/2012/06/birthday-joy.html

Still Training

From FACEBOOK 6.27.2015 :

CERT Refresher

Joy in Green Vest, Helmut, googles, mask and with gloves and Gatorade.

End of a long hard, smoky CERT day.

6.27.2015

LAFD VALLEY CERT REFRESHER:
Incident Command System
Fire Suppression
Medical Operations (triage, Treatment, Transport)
Search and Rescue

Since LAFD VALLEY CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) RETRAINING day, I have greater appreciation for our Fire Fighters. OY, how do they do it? Exhausting, and Search & Rescue was scary going into a smoky building (with helmet, mask, goggles and gloves) where I could NOT see the ‘victims'. Even the flashlight wasn’t strong enough to immediately see the victims 'dead or alive'. Fire extinguisher for Fire Suppression was heavy but finally I did a good job putting out fires. Hope YOU all know HOW to use those red house extinguishers.

(Forty years ago, called 911, and with adrenaline running, I used heavy huge hose equipment to put out a couch fire in an ap’t below mine.) 

During Incident Command System actions, it was challenging in Medical Operations with Triage. Glad I didn’t have to treat people. As scribe, just kept track of 'non-critical' injuries in my division. The Medical Transport helicopter blew up a lot of dusty dirt in our LA drought and went right through my face gear into eyes. Now OK. I need to get better at all of this Disaster business with Fire Department.

In a large-scale disaster, government resources may be overwhelmed and unable to immediately assist citizens in their community. Emergency response personnel may be delayed for hours, even days. Preparing the community is vital in preparedness and resiliency.

Friends, I invite you to train and join volunteer CERT. Surely assists in preparing us in personal and civic duty for responsibility in disaster. I’ve had training but don’t know of any other neighbors who have. As lead person in my Neighborhood Watch, I send out invites… Sure would like a local partner.

For further information, you may contact the CERT Unit at (213) 893-9840.  

http://www.cert-la.com

(Official green is clothing code, NO purple.)

June 27, 2015

ORIGINAL POST: http://visions-of-joy.blogspot.com/2011/11/cert.html

==

Community Emergency Response Team with LA Fire Department. Yup, that's me the volunteer in the green vest and helmet. When I wear the thick mask and it is difficult to breathe, to survive I visualize I am snorkeling. Heavy are gloves, helmet, goggles, flashlight and backpack... Missing the heavy steel-toed boots.
Lorraine was my buddy, and I was in team with Battalion coordinator Linda, and Amy.

Several years ago my very dear older friend Lilian,z"l, (since about 1960 until she died last year) who was active until 90 years in civic duties, told me how important/necessary it was to be involved in "civic" duties. I listened. I do this service in her memory. Always also communicating with Councilman's office. NOT easy being a 'voice of consciousness' in political world. Yup, making a difference in my secular community. Deal with safety, drug cars on my street (and police), paved streets, neighbor brawls, dead trees, etc. etc. Never thought I'd have a pal in the police, surely not after the 60's. That's all a lot easier than this disaster CERT stuff.

I like drumming and photography and studying Torah much better!!! :)

Yup, making a difference in my secular community. Deal with safety, drug cars on my street (and police), paved streets, neighbor brawls, dead trees, etc. etc. Never thought I'd have a pal in the police, surely not after the 60's. That's all a lot easier than this disaster CERT stuff.

I proof, edit the police mail Tips before forwarding looking good to dozens on my Neighborhood Watch list. I like drumming and photography and studying Torah much better!!! :)

In addition, a specific reason I chose to be a CERT volunteer, is because I was in real great shock (PTSD) following the '94 LOCAL disaster and I needed to be better able to deal with a future one. So I've grabbed my fear and face it with hopefully being better able to help others.

Took this CPR class for CERT.
The dozens of times my husband, z"l, taught this course to medical personnel, I never showed up, and then threw out his CPR books. I actually first first took this training around 1975, about 4 decades ago.)

LAFD VALLEY CERT REFRESHER:
Incident Command System
Fire Suppression
Medical Operations (Triage, Treatment, Transport)
Search and Rescue

Photo Gallery

Taking shots only after long hard day of work is done.

Medical Transport Helicopter takes off. 

Medical Transport Helicopter takes off. 

© Joy Krauthammer 

Medical Stretchers

© Joy Krauthammer 

Wounds for Triage

© Joy Krauthammer 

Saturday, November 12, 2011

PORTAL 11.11.11.

MEDICINE WHEEL MANDALA

by Ron Wescott

11.11.11 SUM rehearsal at Onion

Happy day of Oneness 11.11.11 lingers in my soul.

OPENING THE 11/11/11 PORTAL

- Joy Krauthammer

I feel truly blessed to give service as sound healer. In awareness with kavanah / spiritual intention, just aside the very inside center of the entire ‘Onion’’s chapel room-sized mandala, prepared for 11-11-11, I sat with my heart chakra crystal singing bowl. Hundreds of people in an interfaith service meditated, walking through the crystal mandalas-- a labyrinth. Sometimes I stood, playing for individuals that I knew would love and appreciate the intimate healing sounds of the singing bowl.

Kabbalah Bach joined me. I had only asked for a moment of time to play, to ring in the 11.11.11 portal of peace, preceding the beautiful OHM chant following candles lighting, with Spiritual Unity Movement’s (SUM)* meditation. I had requested to play only one circle of sound. One circle of sound with my wand caressing the crystal would have sufficed. Patrick Harbula, SUM’s president, asked Ron Wescottt, ** the creator of the Medicine Wheel Mandala, and he thought that in addition to “accompanying the Ohm”, we could play during the entire few hours-long mandala meditation.

I felt our sound spa were rain drops rising up, coming together in a pond. A sound blesSing pond.*** Sometimes I think we are a ladder to heaven when we have our bowls at different heights. Mine may be in my hand, raised, as Kabbalah’s heavier bowl sits with her. We combine heavens and earth. Kabbalah and I play with each other’s sounds, and around each other, and through each other, listening to the drops of sound as they circle, vibrate, reverberate, ring and sing, bathing all in a sound spa, as our magic wands stroke the vessels, and return again and again, and tingle, cascade and echo. Some sounds transform into crystals, and play with each other. The Onion’s wooden dome, circulated the sounds. Our intention is to be subtle as we support the meditation, and focus is strengthened.

I feel less than whole if Kabbalah is not playing for a round in our symphony. Kabbalah off to join the walkers in the crystal Medicine Wheel Mandala labyrinth for her personal meditation, and I missed her.

During the entire time we played, finest violinist Dov was playing his music as the invited guest musician for 11-11-11. Until that moment, I had not seen Dov in a couple of decades. It was another dimension to weave in and around with Dov’s ethereal original new age music which he composed for this ceremonial ritual. His playing is divine. When I walked the mandalas, I was embraced and uplifted by Dov’s music.

At the same time, Ron Wescott was offering the sensitive and thoughtful spiritual guided meditation walks for all the groups of 12, as they entered and walked through the 12 wheels of the Mandala. Ron called it a “birthing experience”. It was powerful to stand and receive his visualizaiton guidance to open personal, universal, and planetary portals.

I wish I had had my own camera while in the center of the mandala to share with you. The sight I saw was glorious. People's fingers linked in mudra positions. Arms linked via fingers joining, forming bodily V shapes all around the room, around and within the mandalas; from the floor vision, and looking out at the concentric rows and rows of supportive souls surrounding us. It appeared as a universe all joined together in Oneness. What I saw, reflected the awesome, magnificent designs in the mandalas. At rehearsal, the dozen of us had envisioned one row of supportive rows, and the next night with so many guests at the ceremony, there were a few enlarged rows encircling behind the mandala walkers.

Entering the Portal of 11.11.11 was mamash / truly an awesome gathering.

I am grateful that Patrick has the vision to bring the stars and full moon together with ONES for this spiritual gathering. Thank you, Ron, Patrick, Dov and SUM team, for the gift; for their preparation set-up, and delivering additional meditations surrounding the Walk.

I loved serving The Holy One in joy, and being supportive to the others in meditation.

I also loved being in the circle walking the mandalas, receiving the over flowing love sent out to all, by Ron, and receiving Dov's divine gentle music. I am still smiling.

Kabbalah and I play Tibetan and crystal singing bowls together wonderfully well (we feel the love spirit between us), thus I was excited to invite her into the transformed Onion setting, which for years, we know. I first played drums at a Shabbat service at the Onion in 1996. Last week, at Remo, we were a symphony for Women’s Drum Day, as we have been for a couple decades at occasional spiritual and ARTS gatherings. I am grateful for those shared moments with this wise woman.

* SUM Mission Statement: To celebrate the spiritual unity of all life and raise the consciousness of light and love through community meditation and education and to inspire and empower those who attend the World Healing Meditation Ceremonies and all of humanity with the life transforming experience of Healing, Oneness, and Unity.

We are SAVING OUR PLANET FROM THE INSIDE!*** Bracha, a blessing; Braycha, a pond (Hebrew)

** Ronald Wescott is an energy worker and and multi-dimensional teacher. His practice of Ancient Galactic Wisdom, Mayan, Lemurian, Atlantian, American, Tibetan and Hindu rites are far-reaching. Ron created "the original" Medicine Wheel Mandala in 1993 after ten years of research in geometric studies. This divine instrument was brought forth from creation to assist in the evolution of this planet Earth, and to benefit the variety of life forms including the Divine Light Being (the Hu-MAN).

*** Bracha, a blessing; Braycha, a pond (Hebrew)