Desert Messenger is now Online!

Hi, everyone,

I hope you’re enjoying the cooler temperatures in Quartzsite this past week. It’s been absolutely fantabulous!

Today’s Desert Messenger is now online! To read the online edition, just click the photo below or CLICK HERE: https://online.fliphtml5.com/avuen/kxki/index.html#p=1

Or you can download the PDF file below and save to your device to read at your convenience.

World Art Day, a celebration to promote the development, diffusion and enjoyment of art, was proclaimed at the 40^th session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 2019.

Art nurtures creativity, innovation and cultural diversity for all peoples across the globe and plays an important role in sharing knowledge and encouraging curiosity and dialogue. These are qualities that art has always had, and will always have if we continue to support environments where artists and artistic freedom are promoted and protected. In this way, furthering the development of art also furthers our means to achieve a free and peaceful world.

Yes, it’s always a great time to celebrate and enjoy some great art. But I gotta tell you the past few days have been a very creative time for artists online after the president posted the “Jesus” image. The videos and memes that content creators are coming up with are just so wild. But even funnier are the comments.

I’m not a Christian, so I didn’t get offended as many folks were. But I sure felt the “shift in the universe” with that post. I saw a comment today from a Christian woman who helped put things into perspective for me. She was so upset with the president’s meme she was feeling down and depressed. She commented that seeing the funny and ridiculous memes all over the internet made her laugh again and gave her hope. So there’s that!

According to Drexel study found that 75% of participants had lower cortisol levels after 45 minutes of creating art, regardless of their artistic experience.

According to Sage Neuroscience Center, Viewing art, such as in museums or online, has been shown to improve mood and reduce stress. Or go check out this new project:

The Town of Quartzsite has officially approved a community-driven mural project in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. Community members are invited to join the painting sessions held every Friday and Saturday at 8:00 a.m. behind the Community Center Annex. This collaborative effort will bring together local youth, members of the Quartzsite Art Guild, and VFW Auxiliary (VFWA) volunteers to create a meaningful and lasting tribute to the nation’s milestone birthday.

“The America 250 Youth Mural Project” reflects Quartzsite’s commitment to celebrating national heritage while fostering local engagement and artistic expression,” said Marcy Urban, VFWA President. All youth ages 6 and up are welcome to participate when accompanied by an adult. No prior art experience is necessary.

According to the MAYO CLINIC:

A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn’t just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. Laughter can:

• Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.

• Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and it can increase and then decrease your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.

• Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.

Laughter isn’t just a quick pick-me-up, though. It’s also good for you over the long term. Laughter may:

• Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. By contrast, positive thoughts can actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.

• Relieve pain. Laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers.

• Increase personal satisfaction. Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations. It also helps you connect with other people.

• Improve your mood. Many people experience depression, sometimes due to chronic illnesses. Laughter can help lessen your stress, depression and anxiety and may make you feel happier. It can also improve your self-esteem.

Go ahead and give it a try. Turn the corners of your mouth up into a smile and then give a laugh, even if it feels a little forced. Once you’ve had your chuckle, take stock of how you’re feeling. Are your muscles a little less tense? Do you feel more relaxed or buoyant? That’s the natural wonder of laughing at work.

With all the chaos in the world, we’ve gotta remember to focus on keeping ourselves healthy. Whether it’s enjoying art, music, nature, meditation, dancing, singing karaoke, attending bingo with friends, finding yard sales or thrift store treasures, laughing about silly memes, please remember you are not alone!

I hope you have a fantastic day! ~Rain