Get Your Fun On: Do Whatever Makes You Happy

Spring has always been an inspiring and uplifting season for new energy and optimism. For me, the feeling of growth and rejuvenation is a perfect opportunity to visit a new garden (or revisit an old one), read a new book, or explore a new place or city.

This short list contains some enjoyable activities my family and I have done recently or plan to do soon:

- National Museum of Women in the Arts - Washington, DC - Dedicated to showcasing the contributions of women artists, past and present. Its permanent collection consists of over 5,000 works of art from the 16th century to the present (paintings, sculptures, photography, and decorative arts). The NMWA also hosts special exhibitions that feature the work of established and emerging women artists worldwide.

Museum of Illusions—Washington, DC—This entertaining venue explores the science of perception and deception. The exhibits (primarily interactive) include optical illusions, holograms, mirror mazes, and other mind-bending installations. I didn't find it spectacular, but it was still fun and an excellent opportunity for some cool pictures.

Virginia Wine—The Story and History—The state of Virginia boasts a thriving wine industry and produces numerous high-quality wines. More than 300 wineries operate throughout the state, and each region offers something unique.

- Moulin Rouge! The Musical - On tour - Won 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. 

This should be fun for several reasons: striking performance, lavish and colorful costumes, and intricate and elaborate set design—a distinctive theatrical experience.

- Finding Me: A Memoir - by Viola Davis

Epitaph: "I think human beings must have faith or must look for faith; otherwise, our life is empty, empty. To live and not to know why the cranes fly, why children are born, why there are stars in the sky. You must know why you are alive, or everything is nonsense, just blowing in the wind."

-Anton Chekhov

Brutally honest and honestly brutal. Davis is one of my favorite actresses; she added to her greatness in this book. Her versatility, emotional depth, commitment to craft, and social relevance make her memoir raw in anger, shocking in its frankness, and often downright vulgar. Her passion poured into every page, making it wonderfully alive.

There is an option to read it for free - here.

I love the audiobook version and highly recommend it, mainly because Viola Davis herself narrates it.

A Man Called Otto—The movie is based on Fredrik Backman's # 1 New York Times bestseller, "A Man Called Ove." It's a heartening story of love, loss, and redemption. The acting is superb; Tom Hanks delivers a nuanced and powerful performance that captures the character's emotions, from anger and bitterness to warmth and vulnerability.

The book is equally fabulous. A tale that makes you appreciate life!

The fun continues.