I found this on the Facebook page "The Write Practice," and it motivated me to work on some projects I have been procrastinating on for a while:

"The secret to being a writer is that you have to write. It's not enough to think about writing or to study literature or plan a future life as an author. You really have to lock yourself away, alone, and get to work."

- Augusten Burroughs

When I think, my thoughts are a certain color.

Do you know what color they are?

They aren't a color you can behold with your human eyes.

They are a color you can only feel with your soul.

Everyone knows that color.

Even you.

It's that color you see when you feel conflicted.

When you feel love and confusion and joy and sadness all at once.

When you are happy and excited with so much to say but no words come out.

It's the color of those words that don't come out; the words that swirl around in your head behind that smile on your face.

That color you sink into, curling up into a fetal position when no one is looking.

That color of your favorite song on repeat flooding your ears and brain, drowning out everything.

It's that same color that bathes you as you dance with ribbons and butterflies swirling all around you.

That color of the truth deep in your heart.

That color beckoning you to look up and keep going.

That color telling you to let all of your feelings burst out instead of hiding them.

That color of the emotional explosion of happiness, pain, anger, joy, sadness, love, thankfulness, forgiveness, salvation, and acceptance spilling out in a long, loud yell mixed with laughter and tears.

That color of freedom.

That color.

For tonight’s means of procrastinating while I should be grading, I am going to type a list of books and/or short stories with a brief explanation of why I love them. I am permitting myself exactly 15 minutes to complete this exercise, and the list will be biased toward things I’ve read recently, I’m sure - I’m just typing what pops in my head for 15 minutes. K. Here goes.

Mrs. Dalloway, by Virginia Woolf - my fav. There’s sentimental value because going to see The Hours was my first date with my wife, and a copy of this novel her first gift to me, but it’s also amazing. No one narrates the small moments like Woolf.

The Mayor of Casterbridge, by Thomas Hardy - This was my gateway to Hardy, whose sense of scale and capturing a bygone world enthralled me. Thus, it was a comfort book for me at the start of the pandemic, despite the fact that it ends sadly. You know, like every other Hardy novel.

Macbeth, by William Shakespeare - If I need to pick one book for a desert island, is it cheating to say The Complete Works of Shakespeare? This one’s my fav. Dark, brutal, and gorgeous, and somehow the same dude who wrote the world’s most favorite lovestruck teens also wrote the “Tomorrow and tomorrow” speech.

“Old Man at the Bridge” and “Hills Like White Elephants,” by Ernest Hemingway - I know: “white dude recommends Hemingway” is a punchline. But seriously... these are great, less tainted by Hemingway’s chauvinism than other works (and I do think the chauvinism is a problem that often hinders his work), and I do think anyone with aspirations of writing prose owes it to themselves to spend some time contemplating Hemingway’s style. It’s not the alpha and omega some make it out to be - I like Woolf more, and she’s his antithesis! - but Hemingway’s minimalism is instructive.

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen - Hilarious. Hilarious. Hilarious. If you’re new to Austen, try using the BBC miniseries with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth as a companion, and pick up What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew as a reference tool (for this and any other 19th century British text).

The Remains of the Day, by Kazuo Ishiguro - because not all unreliable narrators are in batshit crazy Poe stories. Just reread this. A restrained butler reckons with his life. Heartbreaking.

Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates - “white liberal recommends BtWaM” is also a punchline, but there’s a reason he won a MacArthur grant after this one. Really, I’d read anything by Coates - brilliant stylist. The Beautiful Struggle, about his Baltimore childhood, is also great, and while you might disagree with his conclusions, everyone should read his modern classic of longform journalism from The Atlantic, “The Case for Reparations,” which sure as heck helped me to better grasp A Raisin in the Sun.

One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - so, so good. ’Nuff said.

Wolf Hall, by Hillary Mantel - and the whole trilogy, but especially this and Bringing Up the Bodies. Stunning historical fiction of Thomas Cromwell, who rose to be Henry VIII’s key advisor. Ack, I’m running out of time...

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald - my pick for “The Great American Novel.” Lyrical and gorgeous. (For the curious, Huckleberry Finn doesn’t stick the landing, and Moby Dick sucks.)

Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad - Chinua Achebe is right about it, and you need to read his famous critical essay, too. But still an incredible, complex text.

and now, with time elapsed, I glance at my bookshelves and select with a glance -

The Oresteia, by Aeschylus - Greek tragedy is fascinating, and this trilogy is as early as we still have. Aeschylus, in particular, reads as much as ritual as theatre; you can hear it in the chorus so clearly you’d be forgiven for turning around to see if there was a nearby goat sacrifice.

crap! I forgot things!

“The Dead,” by James Joyce - requires some notes on Irish history, but my God... the last paragraph...

The Power and the Glory, by Graham Greene - As a (mostly) recovered Catholic, I had to include either this or Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited to deal with the religion that shaped and scarred me, and I’m choosing Greene on a whim.

Alright, bolding the titles and authors for readability, then posting sans edits. Send complaints to the comment section :)

If you do plan on reading the (now-lengthy) comment section, can I suggest doing so on the beta site? Having some of the comments nested makes it MUCH easier to read: https://beta.theprose.com/post/429324

tw; mentions of

“okay, friend - are you searching, for purpose? write yourself something, yeah, it might be worthless; paint yourself something, yeah, it might be wordless - pointless curses, nonsense verses. you’ll see purpose start to surface; no one else is dealing with your demons, meaning maybe defeating them could be the beginning of your meaning, friend.”

kitchen sink, twenty one pilots

(though the song and the lyrics seem a bit)

(trapped,)

(when confined to simple punctuation.)

(i’m sorry.)

i will tell you what i do,

on these days,

when i am feeling...

i’ve yet to have given it a name.

but when i am feeling like this.

perhaps you can draw from these things,

take a few,

alter them to yourself,

and they might help

i have this verse, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, memorized. this is the n/a/s/b version, roughly:

“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.” [NASB, 1995]

when i am on the ‘brink’ of things, i whisper this to myself (i find, most often, i cannot yell; see: another untitled poem [oh my gosh, i really should title these more; ugh], this one about not being able to be loud... i’ll provide a link in the comments). it can be other verses, and said louder, but please be wary that you are interpretting it correctly (see: Jeremiah 29:11, etc) and that the Word has not been tampered with (see: somewhat-recent zondervan issues, fox [the television industry] issues, etc).

when i am on the ‘brink’ of things, i also tend to draw butterflies over the places in which i feel i should be hurting, or on the places in which i feel most... wary? of. i’ll provide a link in the comments to the official site, but the general idea is as follows: draw a butterfly over the place in which you feel like cutting/injecting/etc, and if you end up harming yourself there or somewhere else, the butterfly dies. the idea is the accomplishment of keeping a butterfly alive, rather than killing it.

i also send an email or message to a close friend of mine (who i have explained my situation and the butterfly project to, as well as the reasonings for these messages), promising not to hurt myself for [insert number, i generally go for more than 8] hours. when the hours are up, i am to message him, telling him of my situation - whether i failed, suceeded, or need more time. i send this friend in particular these promises because i feel that most all of my friends or family would react with sadness or grief; this friend, i feel, would react with anger. when i feel this way, sadness is like slow lava, breaking me away. i am all ready disappointed, grieved, and sad; i do not need others’ - this would only fuel my feelings and reasonings for hurting myself in the first place. my friend’s anger is more like gunshots, or... getting an eye poked out. *insert some dry laughter and a wry smile* the thing, however, with these promises, is that my friend does not have to answer. in this way, if he is busy, needs to do something else (as in, save someone out of a burning building) the idea is that i will still be there. i will be there when the hours are up. it is a promise (and one i am not fond of breaking) and one i keep. the promise stands, whether he is actively telling me he is keeping me accountable or not. just to make that clear.

there is an extensive list of things to do instead of self harm (i call it s/h, or sh) and sometimes i go through these. there are many things to make to help you stay accountable and to help you when you are in need. some examples (i do) are:

- reading (something safe, generally)

- watching tv, movies, yt videos, etc (preferably safe)

- draw

- write

- bakebakebake

- listen to some twenty one pilots (as in: guns for hands; kitchen sink; a car, a torch, a death; lovely; jumpsuit; my blood; morph; leave the city; holding on to you; car radio; slowtown; forest; trees; screen; truce; friend, please; johnny boy; taxi cab; before you start your day; goner; ride; stressed out; pet cheetah; bandito; neon gravestones; the hype; etc... a lot of these make me cry when i feel like s/h/ing, so beware)

- read the Word

- pray

- bullllllleeeeeet journalllllllll

- message friends, call, zoom, facetime, email, etc

- look at pictures of giraffes

- look at gifs and videos of ty and josh doing weird/dumb/cute stuff that makes me smile bc they look like they are having fun (they saved my life, btw)

- talk to somebody

- cry cry cry

and then, when others are not available, or i do not feel like bothering them (though they say i do not, i still feel like i do) i call or text the helpline. i look at photos of things people have said to me or about me, check out a handful of links meant to help me feel better (gifs of ty and josh smiling, laughing; ahhh lovely drawings; yt videos i liked; etc) and i write poetry about it. i watch tøp concert videos. i watch episodes of my favorite tv show. i look at pictures of my friends, smiling or doing cool things (like telling me to drink water - thanks, c :) ). and... i think. i think a lot. a lot of it is bad. but i talk to the voices telling me that i’m so absolutely terrible or that i’m being obnoxiously alive or that my grandpa would be ashamed of me or that i’m going to lose my friends if i keep saying dumb dumb dumb things like i do (things like telling them that the sky looks really nice, that bubbles are pretty stinking cool, etc). i talk to those voices. and i say no. ”not today.” (not today, tøp) i say that i’m not going to hurt myself, not tonight, and not today, because i am a temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells within me, and i am His daughter. i am His child.

and then i write a list (each and every time) and i say this person cares. i say this person, this person i made smile. i made this person laugh. i made this person’s day. i made this person feel better. i do helpful things, and, while you may tell me that ”anyone else can do it and do it better,”, i know mom likes it when i bake, and i know my friends value what i do, and i know that THIS PERSON AND THIS PERSON AND THIS PERSON do not want me to take my life into my hands and destroy it, not like you do. and it is hard. it is very, very hard. after many years of abuse, i thought it was selfish to think anyone loved me. i thought it selfish to acknowledge that i do good in someone’s life. i thought it selfish. i hated myself. i hated myself for feeling good when someone said ‘i love you, too!’. i hated myself for saying anything of the sort, even thinking anyone, anyone at all, loved me. and then i had two years away from abusers to get closer to God, to become closer to who He was, and to come to understand that He does love me. i had a year and a half (and counting, still) of some of the greatest friendships i could ever ask for, with people who were honest with me in their care, and who told me that no, they did not think i was a monster.

and now i’ve moved back to a place where the abuse went on for so many years (still trying to figure out exactly how many - my entire life, or only a handful of years?) and i’m feeling this way today. and a few days ago. and a year ago. and two years ago. (and many days between) and i think i will, for quite some time. it is going to take time.

but i thought i would share some of these things that i do. i hope that they help, if you take any of them. alter them, if you would like.

and, if you ever need anyone to promise, you are always free to pm/dm me, or, if you’d rather do it over a different platform, you can ask me for my email, discord username, or ask if i have an account somewhere else (please pm/dm me when or if you ask!! thanks:D).

again, links discussed above will be provided below in the comments:)

Happiness isn't a hobby, it's a lifestyle. Hey everyone! It's Tohru with another episode of happiness. Mollo25 and I decided to start this series because everything seemed sad for everyone, and we wanted to make everyone feel happy.

Starting with- Dogs! After the devastation of Hurricane Laura, more than a dozen dogs were left homeless. These dogs boarded a plane and flew to Pittsburgh, where they were given a new life.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hurricane-laura-rescue-no-dog-left-behind-flies-to-the-gulf-coast-to-save-homeless-pets-301136805.html

Moving on to New Zealand. The Prime Minister has pledged to have 100% renewable energy by 2030. New Zealand already produces 84% of its electricity using renewable sources.

https://www.axios.com/new-zealand-renewable-energy-2030-36493cd8-ff1a-4577-9b51-f2ca43d945a8.html

For this next one, I don't want to spoil anything, so just give it a read.

https://aleteia.org/2020/09/16/dolly-partons-decision-to-change-the-future-of-thousands-of-children/

Hmm. It seems one of my sources ran out. Guess it's time for videos!

A tennis player sprained her ankle and was forced to retire. Here is her opponent consoling her.

https://www.reddit.com/r/HumansBeingBros/comments/iv9za5/tennis_player_azarenka_consoling_her_opponent/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

A man rescues a lion tamarin pup and returns it to its mother

https://www.reddit.com/r/HumansBeingBros/comments/iw2ti6/a_man_rescues_a_lion_tamarin_pup_and_returns_it/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

And that's it, folks! Tune in next week for more happiness. I've decided next week will be my last dose of happiness. I might hand it over to Mollo25 if he can do it. I still have the surprise for anyone still sticking with me. Till then, stay happy, healthy, and safe.

You could not live without the happiness. Where did that bring you? Back to me. Hey everyone, it's Tohru! I would like to apologize for my absence last week. We were on a road trip, and then the car broke down and blah blah blah. Anyway, I'm sorry, and I would like to thank Mollo25 for covering for me last week. This is a weekly series started by Mollo25 and me. We decided to cheer everyone here up!

This is a big one: Elliot Preddie, a boy with sickle cell disease, was cured after getting a stem cell transplant. This disease is genetic and causes blockages that don't allow blood to reach the entire body. Elliot had to give up sports due to his illness, but no longer!

https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/health/indianapolis-boy-cured-of-sickle-cell-disease-after-stem-cell-transplant/531-2dbfe316-afd9-4ba5-a404-380687a15db0

COVID-19. The reason we all are at home right now. With the virus spread being reduced in most places, cases of corona and deaths caused by it, Canada reports no new deaths for the first time since March. "I am reminded of the ways Canadians have pulled together to reduce the spread of COVID-19," Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, said Thursday in a statement. "We have been physically apart from each other in order to plank the curve, but we have found new ways to be together, and connected, while at a distance." 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/canada-zero-coronavirus-covid-deaths-first-time/

Wisconsoners, now is your time to smile. A farmer just outside Kenosha made a sunflower field for the sole purpose of making people smile. For 25$ for a carload of people, you can enjoy the flowery fields for as long as you want, and you're even encouraged to take pictures! Guests are even allowed to take a dozen flowers home, if they wish!

https://patch.com/wisconsin/mountpleasant/wisconsin-farmer-plants-2-million-sunflowers-make-people-smile

More health news: A vaccine has proven effective against the most severe type of pneumonia in children. Since I'm no expert on this, I'll just leave the article here for you guys.

https://www.mcri.edu.au/news/vaccine-proves-effective-against-most-severe-type-pneumonia-0

Hurricane Laura. It did damage. A lot of it. But, humanity had a hero. The hero was a Mcdonald's owner who prepared food for those in need.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/09/11/us/hurricane-laura-lake-charles-mcdonalds-meals-trnd/index.html

And that's all, folks! Boy, does it feel good to be back. I would like to thank everyone supporting in making this. Special thanks to Mollo25. I've decided that I'll take a break at either episode 12 or 13. I'll think of something in the free time. But know this, I have surprise for everyone at the last episode. Please look forward to it. Until then, stay safe, stay happy, stay healthy!

What did you say? I'm sorry, I couldn't quite catch that. You said you wanted Good news? Well, here it is. Hey everyone, I'm Tohru! This week's episode will be slightly different. I won't give that much of a description of the news. I'm kinda sick and the doctor told me to relax, so I came here.

For those new to this, this series was started by Mollo25 and me to lift everyone’s spirits during these times.

First off, we'll talk about science. Medical Research study finds honeybee venom rapidly kills aggressive breast cancer cells: Venom from honeybees has been found to rapidly kill aggressive and hard-to-treat breast cancer cells, according to potentially groundbreaking new research

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-01/new-aus-research-finds-honey-bee-venom-kills-breast-cancer-cells/12618064

3-Year-Old Clinging to Unicorn Float Is Rescued From Sea in Greece.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/28/world/europe/greece-girl-unicorn-rescue.html

Beachgoers form a human chain to rescue man in the sea by Durdle Door

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/aug/23/beachgoers-form-human-chain-to-rescue-man-in-sea-by-durdle-door

U.S. Marshals Find DOZENS of Missing Children in Georgia

https://breaking911.com/breaking-u-s-marshals-find-dozens-of-missing-children-in-georgia/

A family which hand-reared an orphan baby hare is continuing to receive visits from the animal weeks after she was released back into the wild

https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/national/18686127.orphaned-hare-returns-visit-family-saved-reared/

Ecuadorian spouses break record as the world's oldest married couple. Do check out the article, it's pretty wholesome.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/ecuadorian-spouses-break-record-world-s-oldest-married-couple-n1238789

Before ending this, I am sorry for the lack of actual description. I'm hoping it gets better by next week and no unnecessary complications pop up. I know a lot of us have a bunch of free time now, so why don't we put it to use? I recommend those who are doing nothing at home now use Duolingo. It's free, and it has a lot of languages available for you to learn. I'm currently learning Russian. I recommend everyone to try it out.

No, I'm not being held hostage by the bird.

That’s all, folks. Tune in next Thursday for some more Weekly Dose Of Happiness. Till then, stay happy, stay healthy, and stay safe!

The top 55 Broadway songs.

Many are from the musicals we remember,

or have run for an incredible amount of time on Broadway.

This lists the play first, then the song, then of course, the link.

These plays and songs are not in chronological order by year.

Now, you can spice up your writing with whimsical music

that has charmed, dazed, and amazed audiences around the world.

(The song Some Other Time, from On The Town and

Lost in the Stars, from said same, there was

no clear sounding video hence my choice)

Enjoy!

***************

The Phantom Of The Opera – https://youtu.be/77umP7IRxD4

The Book of Mormon – https://youtu.be/GVJgmp2Tc2s

Kinky Boots - https://youtu.be/-EoXr07bmAs

Gypsy - Rose’s Turn – https://youtu.be/Totzt9duNNE

The Lion King - https://youtu.be/ewOAsUWQJvo

Showboat – Ol’ Man River – https://youtu.be/pSzYRo9j7YM

The Producers – Springtime For Hitler - https://youtu.be/wvM_JpqViBA

Sunday In The Park – Finishing the Hat – https://youtu.be/ducG55pfCMQ

Dream Girls – And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going – https://youtu.be/QsiSRSgqE4E

South Pacific – Some Enchanted Evening – https://youtu.be/rGyfw3yiMT4

Cabaret – Cabaret – https://youtu.be/moOamKxW844

Hamilton – Satisfied – https://youtu.be/b5VqyCQV1Tg

Moulin Rouge – Elephant Song Medley - https://youtu.be/VxLaO8Xzjsk

Follies – Losing My Mind – https://youtu.be/oUGZg4eOdvI

The Music Man – Ya Got Trouble – https://youtu.be/LI_Oe-jtgdI

On The Town – Some Other Time – https://youtu.be/A9bLMqztl0Y

Sweeny Todd – A Little Priest – https://youtu.be/ryF2rt0hQiM

Cats – Memory – https://youtu.be/8gd_ohoPzYc

Annie Get Your Gun – Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better – https://youtu.be/_UB1YAsPD6U

Carousel – You’ll Never Walk Alone - https://youtu.be/B7YhWIzd-gc - starts at 3:43

Les Misérables – One Day More - https://youtu.be/Sv-BxH3SVS8

Sweet Charity – Big Spender - https://youtu.be/1XTdZX6r4u8

Funny Girl – Don’t Rain On My Parade – https://youtu.be/-Yfh_CpA9Sk

Hair – Aquarius – https://youtu.be/Cb8luHdpR84

Chicago – All That Jazz – https://youtu.be/vVyhM8gHXS8

Porgy and Bess – Summertime - https://youtu.be/O7-Qa92Rzbk

Fiddler On The Roof – If I Were A Rich Man – https://youtu.be/k_XeHLrkwTY

A Little Night Music – Send In The Clowns – https://youtu.be/cNwnrA8EshM

Caroline Or Change – Lot’s Wife – https://youtu.be/Dx3KhKfA3kw

West Side Story – Tonight – https://youtu.be/m7xTvb-FAhQ

Guys And Dolls – Adelaide’s Lament – https://youtu.be/RX-eFkGdJNM

Girl Crazy – I Got Rhythm – https://youtu.be/NQ2z-C8HdiA

Wicked – Defying Gravity – https://youtu.be/O5V9KwppMfs

Candide – Glitter And Be Gay – https://youtu.be/EdC652e9dpE

Fun Home – Ring Of Keys – https://youtu.be/pMAuesRJm1E

Pal Joey – Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered – https://youtu.be/GIpQggP0WvI (Jo Ann Greer sing)

Lady In The Dark – My Ship – https://youtu.be/ojT4LfRVYr0 - https://youtu.be/8osQIUdl9Sc - (1941)

A Chorus Line – At The Ballet – https://youtu.be/gTZpXCcFq20

Rent – Seasons Of Love – https://youtu.be/UvyHuse6buY

Man Of La Mancha – The Impossible Dream – https://youtu.be/zbgTUwUP-ew

Lost In The Stars – Lost In The Stars – https://youtu.be/GqPqux11QSE

Company – Another Hundred People – https://youtu.be/Mum-304-5PM

Little Shop Of Horrors – Suddenly Seymour – https://youtu.be/oXfaCWl79xU

The King And I – Something Wonderful – https://youtu.be/Gdyk1q2Szfc

La Cage Aux Folles – I Am What I Am – https://youtu.be/Kih_pV6ohPQ

Evita – Don’t Cry For Me Argentina – https://youtu.be/Y4yA-QaUk-c

Annie – Maybe – https://youtu.be/NkbXYYgcsKM

Hello Dolly – Hello Dolly – https://youtu.be/jDUw96eOfh0

Oklahoma – Oklahoma – https://youtu.be/ZbrnXl2gO_k

Mame – We All Need A Little Christmas – https://youtu.be/-UL9rVtRvRI

Anything Goes – Anything Goes – https://youtu.be/IlCZutwVlzQ

Avenue Q – Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist – https://youtu.be/RovF1zsDoeM

Damn Yankees – Whatever Lola Wants – https://youtu.be/aQv2sq6jEhU

My Fair Lady – Wouldn’t It Be Loverly – https://youtu.be/q5fW7sERw7I

The Wiz – Ease On Down The Road - https://youtu.be/0Vx91y5zFQo

***************

This now concludes the search for music to put a spark into your thoughts,

an idea to paper, so whether you are writing, about to write or have written,

music is a catalyst to engtertain our emotions,

and it is our emotions that prompt us to write,

and enteratin those who read.

As Judy Garland said before she sang ‘Lost In The Stars’,

all the lyrics written come from beautiful poems.

Oh boy, it's that time of the week again. The time for- The time for Happiness! Hey everyone, it's Tohru with the weekly dose of happiness. This series was started by Mollo25 and me to lift everyone’s spirits during these times.

Starting with Florida, a 13-year-old Florida boy made a device to save people from drowning. The boy scout made the device after learning of drownings in the Gulf of Mexico. Kaial built a prototype of a device he calls the LifeBoKx, a kit with life-saving equipment that could be installed along the beach. The "K" in the name stands for Kaial. 

https://www.insideedition.com/13-year-old-florida-boy-scout-creates-device-to-help-save-people-from-drowning-61236

Continuing with Florida, it's going to release 750 million mosquitoes genetically engineered to decimate the mosquito population.

https://www.fastcompany.com/90541839/florida-is-going-to-release-750-million-mosquitoes-genetically-engineered-to-decimate-the-mosquito-population

A study conducted in Norway shows that bird deaths are down by 70%. This decrease is because of painting wind turbines black.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/08/black-paint-on-wind-turbines-helps-prevent-bird-massacres/

After the wildfires ravaged California's forests, many feared that the oldest trees had been burnt to the ground, but they have triumphed against this ordeal.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/2-000-year-old-redwoods-survive-wildfire-california-s-oldest-n1237949

British man quit his job as a teacher to fulfill his lifelong dream of building a zoo. But there's more: the zoo has no bars.

https://www.euronews.com/living/2020/08/24/british-man-quits-job-and-sells-home-to-build-a-zoo-without-bars

This week's best news: Africa has been declared free of wild polio.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53887947

That’s all, folks. Tune in next Thursday for some more Weekly Dose Of Happiness. Till then, stay happy, stay healthy, and stay safe!

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's- it’s Tohru with another weekly dose of happiness! This series was started by Mollo25 and me to lift everyone’s spirits during these times.

In Lake Michigan, a family rescues a dog nearly four miles offshore. The family was out on a boating trip when they saw a ‘red animal in the lake’. The dog was scanned for a microchip and was reunited with its owner

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/08/10/family-rescues-dog-nearly-4-miles-offshore-lake-michigan/3336963001/

Charlie Manning, a six-year-old girl, normally spent her birthdays with her extended family in Idaho. Due to travel restrictions, she would not be able to spend it with them this year. Her aunt asked for help on social media. And she got help. 180 letters and 15 packages were sent to Charlie.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/charlie-manning-6th-birthday-1.5685969

A toddler went missing after she wandered off into the forest. She was found safe 24 hours later with the family dog.

https://people.com/pets/missing-toddler-found-safe-with-dog-after-lost-in-woods/

In Kuala Lumpur, a woman, prior to her death in 2013, bequeathed a portion of her multi-million ringgit estate to a number of orphanages as part of her last will and testament.

https://www.msn.com/en-my/news/national/mysterious-madam-w-bequeaths-millions-of-ringgit-to-orphans/ar-BB17Uxuj?li=BBr8Hnu

A species missing for fifty years was rediscovered. Tiny elephant shrews species were rediscovered after an expedition.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/aug/18/tiny-elephant-shrew-species-missing-for-50-years-rediscovered

I don’t have the article for this one, as it was hidden behind a paywall, but here it goes:

Grey reef sharks form long-term friendship, study reveals.

That’s all, folks. Tune in next Thursday for some more Weekly Dose Of Happiness. Till then, stay happy, stay healthy, and stay safe!