Author: Mr. Sunshine

Well, hi there folks!

A very happy Monday to you all!

Welcome to post number 209! That is the OFFICIAL number!

Woo!

I am currently writing these words for you as I sit against the pillows on top of my bed with Frozen II playing in the background.

I am NOT thinking about the alarm that will go off at 6:40am telling me that it is Monday once again.

Well, let’s get on with it…shall we?

Grab your favorite side kick beverage, get cozy, and read on!

Just last week, I was talking about being misaligned.

And ended the post with the following two sentences:

Don’t let a misalignment consume you. Take what comes at you and turn it into something that will align with you, your energy, your beliefs, and allow you to be your best self.

And that is exactly what I write to you in words this week.

Everything this week aligned.

Perfectly.

And if there were any moments of negative anything, I bundled them up and turned them into something that aligned with my energy, my beliefs, and my best self.

And that is what I call an uplifting renewal.

It was beautiful.

Here are just a few places where I experienced joy, love, and energy that contributed to my uplifting renewal.

1. Personal bests during my lift workouts in the gym along with continued strength.
2. Pizza and conversation with my parents on Tuesday night. (Missed my nieces and brother and sister-in-law due to sickness).
3. Kicking off an exciting 2023 season at EPAC as bartender and house manager with partner in crime, Jamie.
4. Cuddling in my bed with the weighted blanket, candle burning, and I Love Lucy episodes playing in the background.
5. Seeing some of my favorite customers from the day of McElroy’s during my Saturday shift at the apothecary and catching up in conversation that was full of life.
6. Laughs and smiles from the kids during the children’s message at the Sunday morning service.
7. Giving a hug to someone at church who just lost a loved one.
8. A video call with my fitness coach, Ryan where he pulled a card during our call because it felt called to do so. That card happen to symbolize the mantra of “Be fearless and bold.”
9. Playing Katy Perry’s Firework on the piano and belting the lyrics with my voice in the sanctuary on Sunday afternoon while no one else was around.
10. Being asked to return to John Beck Elementary school to present for their Fine Arts Day in April.

From misalignment to uplifting renewal.

What a difference the week has made.

Blessings and positive energy to all of you this week on your journey through life.

May you find love, kindness, and joy in the simple moments of life this week.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Happy Monday, folks!

And happy March!

This is the official first blog post of the third month of 2023!

WOO!

Also, before I move on, don’t forget to turn your clocks forward by one hour this weekend on Saturday!

That means…Daylight Savings Time is upon us…

Along with Palm Sunday, Easter, and maybe possibly a snowstorm that dumps some of the white stuff we haven’t seen much of here in Pennsylvania?

We can only hope.

Anyhoo, let’s get down to business, shall we?

Do you have your cozy blanket?

Do you have your favorite beverage by your side?

Have you done something kind for someone else today?

Have you given yourself some self-love?

I hope you answered ‘YES!’ to at least one of the above!

Here we go!

Have you ever felt misaligned with your life or your energy?

Well, this week, I was definitely misaligned.

And just for the record (and a little side note of a tangent), I have started to become slightly obsessed with watching reels on Instagram of chiropractors and the cracking noise of bones, the spine, and other parts of the body.

It is actually soothing to me.

Don’t judge me.

You should try it.

But…I digress.

The bones of my body and spine were not what made me misaligned this past week.

Have you ever really stopped to think how something negative around you can just throw you off your game and create such an energy of non-positivity?

It is toxic.

Well, last Sunday I experienced one of those moments and it just seemed to engulf my entire being and set such a gloomy tone for the week ahead.

I got derailed from the track and didn’t seem to find my way back to get on it again.

And this wasn’t something that I really thought about deeply until Wednesday after having my weekly check-in call with my fitness trainer, Ryan.

At the end of our call, he mentioned that things just didn’t seem aligned for me.

And he was 150% right.

I sat on my bed for about 30 minutes after the call thinking about the energy that had been emoting from me.

I let the negative moment at the beginning of the week seep into my life in a way that consumed me and caused me to miss joy in the things around me that I normally notice.

My work week interactions seemed less rejuvenating, my sleep cycle wasn’t the greatest, and the stressors of life seemed to be greater than normal causing more panic and fear.

Misalignment.

Negative energy.

This week, I refuse to let them overtake the joy that I find in my daily life.

Don’t let a misalignment consume you.

Take what comes at you and turn it into something that will align with you, your energy, your beliefs, and allow you to be your best self.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Happy last Monday of February, everyone!

And, even at the end of this second month of 2023, I’m still waiting for that one Winter blizzard that dumps the snow and causes everything to be shut down for a week.

It could still happen right?

Maybe Mother Nature is planning a white Easter?

I’m dreaming of a white Easter…

Eh.

The lyrics don’t really work.

Oh well.

I tried.

Let’s get down to business.

A warm bed.

A comfortable couch with blankets.

An empty gym.

A quiet church sanctuary.

What do they all have in common?

All are places that I got to experience in my life this past week.

And all are places that allowed me to relish in different levels of respite and rejuvenation.

Each day in life we are forced to make choices about direction.

When we reach the four way stop at the intersection, do we go straight, left, or right?

When the traffic light turns yellow, do we hit the gas pedal to speed forward or slam on the brake to make the sudden stop?

When we walk out the front door, do we sneak across the street without using the crosswalk or allow the sidewalk to guide us to our destination?

It seems that now–more than ever–we are pushed and pulled in multiple directions constantly. It is a 24/7 balancing act more complicated than figuring out the answer to why money doesn’t grow on trees.

Where are you?

With the constant pushing and pulling, I often find myself relishing in the moments of time alone in spaces that help me come back down to Earth to find solitude and solace.

The warm bed that allows me to wrap myself in warmth from the cold moments of the surrounding world.

The comfortable couch with blankets that allows me to squeeze tighter when the realities of life make me scared.

The empty gym that forces me to let go of the negative shit I have no control over and forces me to focus on the strength building my body and muscles need to keep out the toxic crap.

The quiet church sanctuary that brings feelings of peace while the silence within the four walls gives me time to connect with my spiritual soul.

Where are you?

In times when the chaos is constant, I find it even more important to escape to places where peace, solace, and comfort can be felt in every bone of our body.

Where are you?

Before I leave you for the week, here are a few places where I got to experience joy this week:

1. The “smile” rock that was hid by the children of the learning center throughout the office.
2. The selfie that I got to take with Rowan and Andrew holding said rock above.
3. Dinner and game night with Devin, Jed, and Porky.
4. Time with Abby to catch-up on life happenings while also enjoying games of Rummy, 101 Dalmatians, and The Little Mermaid.
5. My older brother coming to my rescue to help my car battery become energized again.
6. Dinner at DJ’s 50’s diner with Marissa.
7. My weekly video check-in call with Ryan.
8. The coffee chat video with my Platinum colleagues.
9. Playing Simon Says during the children’s message at church.
10. Receiving Aruba aloe from my neighbors Darren and Courtney.

That’s all I’ve got this week for you to read.

I wish each of you love, joy, and kindness this week!

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Happy Monday, folks!

It is officially February 20th, which means there are only 8 more days in the second month of 2023!

That means March (and hopefully Spring) are right around the corner.

Anyhoo, I’m wasting no time getting to this week’s post.

Just.

Be.

Kind.

Like, SERIOUSLY.

It’s going to be my new life theme.

Print it on ALL the merchandise.

I don’t know if it is only me; however, it has felt like there has been news about some type of shooting every single day.

Just me?

There is a lot of shit in the world happening. (Pardon my non-Mr. Sunshine language).

And with people like me who try their best to be positive and spread love and light and soak up all the moments of joy that are experienced (or can be experienced daily), it can be daunting and draining when the negative curveballs of our world get thrown in our faces.

Betty White is seriously looking down on our society with a huge frown because we only seem to be getting more polarized, more mean, and filled with more hatred.

It’s sad.

And I say again…

Just.

Be.

Kind.

Like, SERIOUSLY.

In an attempt to try and keep some light shining in my soul this week and as this Monday kicks off a new week, I felt it necessary to share with you places that I found joy in this past week.

1. Valentine’s Day (my least favorite holiday) consisted of balloons and chocolates gifted to us by a wonderful coworker, Sarah.
2. Multiple moments of wonderful conversation with in-person coworkers and virtually with both my Platinum colleagues and boss.
3. The thankfulness and gratitude from a little girl (Sofia) who was so excited when I gave her my Valentine’s Day balloon.
4. The fact that a transgender individual and their friend joined our faith community worship service on Sunday and felt comfortable to share in conversation with other members during social time after worship.
5. The beauty of multiple individuals from all different levels of faith coming together at The Franklin House to share in our Beer and Bible discussion. Intrigued? Want to join? Ask me about the March date to save on your calendar!
6. A FaceTime with my wonderful friend and Tampa colleague, Harrison. His wit, wisdom, and love is always good for my soul.
7. Messages of encouragement and positivity from my life coach, Daniel.
8. Seeing multiple familiar faces at the apothecary during my work hours.
9. Enjoying cheese pizza and watching The Chase with Marissa on a chill Friday evening.
10. Starting my new workout plan with The Fitness Alchemist, Ryan Chalfant and having such a positive driving force and beautiful video chat with him talking about goals, motivation, and just all-around support and love.
11. Receiving a Valentine gnome card from my niece Mackenzie complete with text that said, “I love playing hide and seek with you!”
12. My former Alma Mater raising over 15 million dollars for pediatric cancer.

Stop the hatred.

Stop the negative.

Stop the polarization.

Think of Betty White.

Spread the joy.

Spread the love.

And…

Just.

Be.

Kind.

Like, SERIOUSLY.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Happy Monday after the Super Bowl!

I might be in the minority, but the Super Bowl for me is all about the food, the commercials, and the halftime show.

As far as football goes, I just know that there are a lot of individuals in tight pants running around the field trying to catch a ball, several yellow flags that are thrown what feels like every two seconds, lots of yelling, and a time clock that seems to take FOREVER to tick down to 0.

I’ll be curious to see social media’s take on all the commercials.

I have to say as I sit watching the game at my parents’ house writing these words, I’ve seen a Dunkin’ Donuts commercial with Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez that was enjoyable, an avocado commercial with Anna Faris that made me giggle, a Bradley Cooper T-Mobile commercial with his mom that made me smile big, and the E*Trade babies that are always entertaining and creative.

Speaking of entertainment, I got to travel back to my college stomping grounds of State College as an alumni with Marissa to experience Carrie Underwood this past weekend.

I’ve seen her multiple times in concert and I swear she just gets better and better.

And that also goes for her legs.

#carrielegs

But, aside from her legs and just being a beautiful soul overall, the one thing that I appreciate about her performance is that she is rooted in her faith and is not afraid to sing about it.

She struck all the right notes throughout the two-hour performance and her powerhouse vocals during renditions of “Jesus Take the Wheel,” “How Great Thou Art,” and “Something in the Water. They were gorgeous and filled with emotion.

It was hard not to feel things in my soul during those songs as she belted out the lyrics to a packed house at The Bryce Jordan Center.

Wow.

And while these video links are not the actual performance from this past weekend, they are performances from her Las Vegas residency displaying the beauty and grace of these three songs I mentioned above.

(They also showcase her incredible legs).

Hopefully, you will take some time (if you didn’t already watch these) to listen and enjoy and maybe even add the songs to that playlist you throw on when you are looking for some good vibes and need lifting up in your life.

The rest of the State College experience was delightful complete with wine tasting at Mount Nittany Winery, delicious food at BRGR (highly recommend if you are in the downtown State College area) and The Corner Room (a staple classic), and a stop at the creamery for tasty dairy treats!

So, what else can I talk about this week?

In case you didn’t notice, the title of this week’s post was “just a hodge podge.”

The word is defined as “a confused mixture.”

There are weeks where I know exactly what I’m going to write in these posts and other weeks where I just don’t know what to say.

So, here I am, blessing you with a hodge podge of words.

On Saturday night, I went to the Yorktowne Hotel with some special people. It was a lot of fun…lots of humans…a bit overwhelming at times to be honest, but fun.

On Thursday night, during our stay at the Ramada in State College, Marissa and I were awakened by the alarm clock playing static at midnight.

It startled both of us and it was kind of like living inside a horror movie plot.

Creepy.

Also, on Thursday night, I was awakened by a terrifying dream involving huge spiders. I was discarding an empty bottle of orange juice and missed the recycling bin. So, I went to grab it and was startled by a biting sensation on my toe. It was a giant spider, so I immediately jumped to kill it. I woke up in a cold sweat, breathing heavy.

Terrifying.

Marissa and I learned at the Bryce Jordan Center Friday night heading into the concert that her purse was too big for the security regulations.

Crazy.

I bought a pair of maroon All Star Converse Chucks.

Fun.

The mole I had removed two weeks ago came back benign.

Praise the Lord!

Today marks the first day that I’m starting with a new fitness trainer and curated workout plan. His name is Ryan Chalfant and he is known as The Fitness Alchemist.

I’m super excited to get back to regular workouts and holding myself accountable to take action on loving my body and feeling good.

Well, folks.

I’m out.

Thanks for joining me this week for my hodge podge of a post.

Cheers to your week ahead in hopes that it involves love and kindness in multiple forms.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Monday greetings to all of you!

We are officially into February and the second month of 2023!

The month that includes my FAVORITE holiday of all time.

In case you didn’t know that holiday is Valentine’s Day and that was 150% sarcasm.

This past week, I traveled to Florida with colleagues’ from Webstaurantstore to the NAFEM show in Orlando.

It was a wonderful trip that included a lot of learning about different new products from manufacturers while also making connections and networking.

It made for some great moments in my career along with energizing conversations with my colleagues.

It also meant anxiety about flying and nights of minimal sleep.

Mr. Sunshine hit crash mode with the exhaustion.

The Sunday afternoon nap that I took before writing these words for you was much-needed and felt glorious.

Anyhoo, I won’t keep you long this week.

We will keep with the short and sweet…sweet and short theme.

Here are just a few places where I experienced kindness in the past week.

1. On Monday, I had an appointment with a dermatologist about some moles on my body. I was incredibly anxious for multiple reasons, but the entire staff that I met (Dermatology Partners on New Holland Avenue) were wonderful. The front desk individual, Emily was so kind and considerate and helped me make sure I was all taken care of with insurance. My card wasn’t showing active and she was so thorough in doing research and making sure everything was fine. Abby, the nurse who prepped me for the doctor, was so considerate of how anxious I was and complimented me on my fun socks and was calming in her demeanor. And Dr. Fuq was fun, informative, and kind beyond words with making sure I was OK every step of the way. For how heavy I was breathing sitting in the waiting room, I left feeling relaxed and less anxious. And that was a big part because of the kindness that I was shown by individuals I had never met before. (Side note: a mole was removed from my body that is going to get a biopsy done, so results should be available within the next week or so. Good vibes and thoughts are welcome).
2. My coworker, Jess provided me with an adorable care bag (complete with a sweet note) on Tuesday morning to help with my anxious feelings about flying. It was such a sweet gesture, and I was happy to enjoy some of the calming tea that was included on my shuttle ride to the Philadelphia airport.
3. The flight attendant crews from American Airlines. It is amazing what a simple smile along with an encouraging and friendly tone can do to someone, especially when that person (me) does not enjoy flying.
4. Meeting a customer at the apothecary on Saturday named Lauren Tait who is working on a theater project at Mickey’s Black Box Theater in Lititz. I talked to one of her friends the other week about being involved in theater myself, so it seemed like fate that she happened to be in the apothecary buying band-aids and got to meet me at the register in-person while talking about her vision and creation.
5. The woman at EPAC that came up to me and said that I swing my hips so well that she was jealous of me and gave me a huge hug and provided some love and laughs to the evening.
6. My colleague from the apothecary, Maria hearing about my fear of flying and letting me borrow her acupuncture bracelet to use on the flights to assist with my calming me down.

Well, there you have it.

I got to experience kindness in several different places from multiple people that past week that helped me recharge my power supply after some days that were draining.

I hope you can be recharged with moments of kindness this week that you provide to others around you.

In return, I also hope you get the opportunity to receive some moments of kindness too.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Hi folks!

Happy almost last day of the month!

Raise your hand if you can’t believe it is the end of January already?!

Yes.

Yes, I did raise my hand just now after I wrote that statement.

Anyhoo, I’m not going to keep you long this week.

Short and sweet.

Sweet and short.

Today (Monday, January 30), I have a doctor appointment at the dermatologist for a very specific mole I discovered right after the beginning of the year.

It makes me anxious.

I have to get on a plane for a work trip to Orlando on Tuesday.

I’m anxious about getting on that plane.

All this to say that it has been hard to focus on other aspects of life because I just keep thinking about these things that are bringing me the anxious feelings.

Let me super size that meal with joy.

Here is where I found JOY this week.

1. Playing hide and seek with my niece Mackenzie. She loves it and wants to play it over and over even if I choose to hide in the same spot twice in a row.
2. A co-worker of mine from the Platinum Team who came into the office for the first time ever to work.
3. Laughs and great conversation with my co-workers who joined the cubicles this week at work.
4. Receiving a text message from a special co-worker at a satellite office that made me smile.
5. Spending time with Marissa and Missy and catching up on our lives over dinner at Bonefish Grill. Which was delish by the way…highly recommend…10/10.
6. Spending time with some beautiful souls making plans for a Summer trip to Costa Rica.
7. Spending time with Abby chatting on the couch while wrapped in blankets.
8. Being matched with someone on the Hinge dating app.
9. Seeing one of my former classmates from high school and former choreographer from my high school show choir at the pharmacy.
10. Laughs and excitement from the kids at church as we made trail mix during the children’s message.

So many moments of joy and this isn’t even all of them.

It is just something that we need more of in our lives these days.

And it is something that we need to share every chance we get.

Always super size your meal with JOY.

Spread it.

Give it.

Get it.

Enjoy it.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Well, hey there beautiful people!

I wish you another happy Monday as we continue on this journey known as 2023!

Can you believe that we are almost to the end of the first month?!

Time does indeed FLY by.

That is no joke.

Anyhoo, let’s get on with it to the meat and potatoes of this week’s post.

Yum…meat and potatoes…I LOVE potatoes, especially mashed potatoes.

Ahhh…I digress once again!

Grab your morning coffee, cozy on up, and read on!

Have you ever experienced a time in your life when something seemed to happen at just the right moment at just the right time?

Some refer to it as the stars aligning.

Some call it God’s plan.

Some call it divine intervention of the spiritual wonders of the world.

Well, I experienced those wonders of alignment this past week when I started a new part-time job at Lititz Apothecary.

Back in the day, Lititz Apothecary was known as McElroy’s Pharmacy and was under different management. I worked there throughout high school, college, and even did some fill-in hours after graduating from Penn State. I loved seeing the same customers over and over again and grow the relationship and rapport that comes so naturally with face-to-face interactions.

When I learned that my part-time job was going to be ending at the end of 2022, I started to panic. Inflation, the cost of living going up (and only up), and the bills that come with being a single adult…well, you know the rest. There are times where we all wonder how we will make it work without the stress of living paycheck to paycheck.

I emailed Lititz Apothecary on 10/31 (the day I found I was losing my part-time job) and decided to take a chance and see if there might be any opportunity for part-time work. The idea of going back to the pharmacy and being able to see some of the customers from the olden days thrilled me.

Chet, the new owner of the pharmacy, emailed me back and we set up a time to meet in person and discuss what it was that I was looking for to feel fulfilled.

Flash forward to Monday, January 16th–my very first day at Lititz Apothecary.

I had nervous butterflies in my stomach all day because it had been SO long since I had started a new job.

And that night…during my very first shift…the stars aligned and the spiritual wonders of the world came together.

A patient that I recognized from the olden days came in and we got to chatting about his wife, Penn State, and his recent diagnosis and upcoming surgery.

I rang him out and before he turned around to leave the pharmacy, he looked at me and said, “Welcome home.”

That patient might never realize how much those two simple words meant to me right then and there in that moment.

It filled my heart with a warm energy that confirmed this decision of starting this part-time job was the right move.

Later that week…on Wednesday during my second evening shift on the job, I got to see two former high school teachers that I had during my days at Warwick AND got to speak on the phone with someone I graduated with back in 2006.

It was just more moments of stars aligning and the spiritual wonders confirming I’m meant to be on this path at Lititz Apothecary.

I hope all of you get to experience these moments in your life at some point.

Because not only are they refreshing and rejuvenating, but they are also fulfilling to the warmth that our souls need to feel.

Have a beautiful week ahead. I hope you get to experience moments of joy and warmth in the soul.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Well hello there, folks!

You will be happy to know that all of the delicious cake that was used to celebrate my 200th blog post has officially been eaten!

And boy…were they delicious cakes!

HUGE thanks to Cake N Cup Bakery and my friend Sarah Katz for creating those sweet treats to celebrate!

Also, fun random fact is that I’m currently listening to Katy Perry’s “Roar” on repeat. This actually happened to be my pump me up jam on Thursday night after a what had been a very mentally exhausting week and day.

Also, second fun random fact is that it was exactly one year ago that I was in Vegas seeing Katy’s residency at Resorts World with Devin.

Well, let’s get down to business.

My mental and emotional bandwidth are still lacking, so I promise not to keep you long.

This past weekend, I was driving around Lititz doing some leisurely exploring with no real agenda and happened to stumble across an image that I’ve never second guessed in all the times I’ve passed this particular entity before.

But, the image is something that I haven’t been able to get out of my mind.

And it is now something that I’ve really started to think about, especially as a 35-year-old with a more mature brain.

The image I’m talking about happens to be a particular building that is usually one that society would expect to be welcoming to others, but on the outside of this particular building there happen to be a multitude of red Do Not Enter signs.

While I know that these signs are used to signify the way cars are to enter the parking lot properly, in my mind, I couldn’t help but think of the following:

1. The color red (which happens to be the prominent color of the do not enter sign) is one that I usually assosciate with negative thoughts (I think of the red light, the stop sign, negative bank balances, etc).
2. The signs heavily populate the outside of the entrance that it presents an overall image (to me personally) of one that is not welcoming. I kid you not…there are at least 4 signs within inches of each other flooding the parking lot entrance.

-DO NOT ENTER if you have different beliefs than us.

-DO NOT ENTER if you are gay.

-DO NOT ENTER if you are not willing to follow exactly what we say is right and wrong.

These were just a few of the thoughts that flooded my mind as I continued driving on my way.

In a world where there is so much hate, shouldn’t we be welcoming all regardless of their ethnicity, sexuality, religion, social class, economic status, or whatever the case may be?

Just some food for thought.

What I will continue to try and say DO NOT ENTER to in these coming weeks as I work on myself in 2023 are the negative thoughts that permeate the mind with feelings of jealousy and unworthiness.

I will continue to say DO NOT ENTER to those in life who don’t matter and create a toxic energy that I’ve allowed to influence me over the years that I realize now was a waste of time and not necessary.

I will continue to say DO NOT ENTER to the negative self-talk that acts like a cancerous tumor sucking energy from all angles of life.

I will continue to say DO NOT ENTER to the fact that it is not possible or realistic for everyone in life to like me or to make every single person I meet happy.

What will you say DO NOT ENTER to in your life this 2023?

And before I bid you a beautiful week ahead, here are some songs that have been able to give me that much-needed pump me up energy to recharge my emotional bandwidth this week that I hope might just do the same for you:

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Well, hi there folks!

Happy Monday!

Happy 200th blog post!

I started this endeavor 4 years ago in 2018, so it is crazy to think that we have hit this milestone already!

I feel like I celebrated post 100 just yesterday!

Anyhoo, I won’t keep you long this week with my words.

Mainly, I just to thank each and every one of you for continuing to support me and come back week after week to read my words.

I’m appreciative of the fact that you have continued to support love, light, and kindness.

For this milestone, I had my wonderful coworker, Sarah make a blueberry jam cake (DELISH) and a local bakery, Cake N’ Cup make a delicious funfetti masterpiece to celebrate…make sure you check out my Instagram to see the photos of both sweet treats!

Thanks again for feeling passionate about what I write and being supportive of this endeavor I started a mere 4 years ago.

I’m thankful beyond belief for your love and can only hope that you will continue to share in the love, light, and kindness I have to share in the coming days, months, and years.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!