The Happy Collective represents an empowerment of the individual to broadcast and receive information and culture. We present an opportunity for you to become part of something larger and uniquely human. No longer counter-­culture, no longer fringe, no longer the Other, we stand together to unveil our own significance and our own artistic interpretations of our reality. Together, we can transcend the illusionary boundaries which disempower us and peel back the imaginary layers of separation that keep us from actualizing as a brilliant, radiant collective.

ADACK

WHAT IS THE HAPPYCOLLECTIVE?

THEME: APRIL IS A TIME FOR CHANGE, REBIRTH, AND APRIL 20TH.

A R T , L O V E , C O N S C I O U S N E S S , A N D G R I L L E D C H E E S E

F O U R T H E d i t i o n A P R I L 2 0 1 1

1

“Puff Puff” by Jeremiah Bullfrog

LET’S BE CHILDREN AGAINONE LOVELooking out the window of my library I see a couple dozen

children, all with the biggest smiles on their faces, entertaining

themselves with the simplest things. Things not brought down by

human-­created drama, nor by the failures of government and

society, nor even by a fellow child's misconception of them.

Brought down only by a lack of continued fun.

At what point did we stop becoming children? Does the idea of

responsibility come with this disclosure of sadness?

Hell no! There is no reason we cannot act like these children

every day of our lives. We can seek fun in the littlest things again

and base our responsibilities on the desire to discover and

explore, and with this new, profound excitement we become

children again. continued on the next page

SOCIALIZATION:REVEREND GODLESSScreaming, crying, light!Slow, painful, dull requiemOrgasmic outro

InvoluntaryEv'ry movement a death throe Stop staring at me

Unconscious livingInsomnia kills the soulReality blurs

Quick decimationAll that we build will fade soonDelusions of hope

Ten hearts sacrificedOne mind plunged in the abyssStill nothing to say.

LET’S BE CHILDRENAGAIN (from p. 1)ONE LOVESo whether you need to play the

piano, drink a 12 pack, have

intellectual conversations, be

around your friends, go

shopping, jump off a roof, write a

letter, it does not matter as long

as you are not harming others,

and you can get as happy and

high as a kid on Christmas.

Please do not let the

human-­created stresses of you

daily lives get you down because

in the end, we are all the same

people trying our best to be

happy in this world.

Five Haiku

2

Go forth and practice whatyou love most in this life, my friends.Live unabashedly and fear nothing,for the universe takes care of thosewho take care of the universe.

-­ADACK

“Twisted Sun” by Sunny Side Up

KEEPING A TABKING CRACK

I remember when my dayricochetedfrom perfect to epic.How quick my nervous system wasto succumb to new hormonesas my toes tightened roundalgae, sand, and stones.I sensed one other prescence tumbling,detached, charmed, euphoric mumbling.He had a ballwhile all I needed was clappingand snapping to appease my inner tulipin that dry-­swallowed utopia on the beach. I remember when shadows couldn't last,when brightness conquered all contrast,and we tingled.As friends and lovers, we mingled.The air was kinder as it dried our eyesand swept us through a salt-­and-­peppered enterpriseI remember when nothing hurt;; I loved the hatedand I LOVED the lovedand I loved that for tips from one dayI could swallow this dayall over again.

SYNCHRONICITYPsychological Progress Through Unlocking The Doors Of Perception

FLYNNIUS

Renowned myth busting site, Snopes.com, reports that during the

filming of The Wizard of Oz, the movie’s wardrobe department

unknowingly purchased a coat for character Professor Marvel from a

second-­hand store. This coat was later verified to have originally been

owned by L. Frank Baum, the author of the novel on which the film was

based. Whether or not you’re the type of person who syncs this film up

with Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon for kicks, you have to admit

such events seem too unlikely for coincidence… or are they?

Swiss psychologist Carl Jung suggests that such coincidences result

from his concept of synchronicity. Synchronicity is the idea that the

conceptual relationships of minds are intricately structured in their

own logical way. This gives rise to relationships that are not causal in

nature but manifest themselves as occurrences that are meaningfully

related nonetheless. To explain, Jung’s theory dictates that humanity

has a collective unconscious;; the manifestation of experiences that are

coincidental in terms of causality suggest a non-­coincidental order in

terms of meaning or mental relationships that encompass this

collective unconscious.

Jung goes on to theorize how very powerful synchronistic experiences

result in a new more advanced stage in a person’s psychological or

spiritual development. Further experiences of synchronized events

provide confirmation of the new relationship between the individual

and the wider collective reality. In this new reality all events, both

internal and external, may have personal significance to the individual

either psychologically or spiritually. continued on the next page

“Mescalinesque” by Adack

3

THE REALIZED ONESMATA

To witness a lion roarIsn't really all what it sounds likeFor he creates a crystal path in the night sky lightsWith a complexion beyond comparison,From the eastern boundaryTo the western perimeter -­The majesty lets his halo of rays whither.Filled with splendor, The brims of his shoulders extending to the tips of his fingersLet out a sigh not a minute too soonFor there are not many other miraclesWhere the blessed one willingly reaches to the sun and the moon.To witness a lion roarIs a presence that cannot be a mistakeFrom the moments of one's birth to the seconds of one's death,Listen, it is time to awake.

SYNCHRONICITY (from page 3)Psychological Progress Through Unlocking The Doors Of Perception

FLYNNIUS

My most recent personal research addressed how experiences that alter consciousness, such as intense

introspection, meditation, or the use of psychedelics, heighten one’s ability to perceive this synchronicity. In

a preliminary study, Eighteen of twenty people surveyed reported noticing events of a synchronistc nature

more when participating in counsciousness-­altering activities. In addition many reported an increased

ability to perceive these synchronistic events long after the initial action of altering their consciousness. Such

research suggests that there could be a correlation between synchronicity and altering one’s consciousness,

and encourages further study on the topic.

This hypothesis seems to be supported by the relationship between Jung’s theory of synchronicity and the

theories of writer, Aldous Huxley. Huxley suggests that humanity’s ability to perceive and relate to our world

is limited by a series of conceptual doors. These doors can be opened both in the long and short term by

altering one’s consciousness. In doing so, one who opens these doors becomes transformed for the better.

Coming full circle, the theories presented by Jung and Huxley validate each other in the sense that in opening

our doors of perception, we enhance our ability to experience synchronistic events, which in turn allows us

to reach more advanced stages of psychological/ spiritual development. Understanding this idea helps us

better execute it, and I personally feel that in doing so for ourselves, we are able to better our society as a

whole.

“Synergy” by Pandacat

-­SUNNY SIDE UP

I'm not afraid of dying. I realized long agothat it makes little sense to fear something

that happens to everyone. -­DISCOMBOBULATED

4

Remember to exhale.

A THOUSAND SUNS (ALBUM REVIEW)DARIUS RAIDER

It seems like everyone has an opinion on Linkin Park. Some hate them. Others loved them until they finished high school. Some are still fans. Either way, with their debut album Hybrid Theory being one of the most successful albums of the decade, and all subsequent albums selling millions, it is no surprise that people recognize the name when they hear it.

Linkin Park recently released their fourth studio album: A Thousand Suns, the band’s first concept album. The name is borrowed from a phase from the Bagavad Ghita, and listeners will find a lot of other references to ancient spiritual practices in this album. The theme of A Thousand Suns is one of rebirth and transcendence. It is far different from what Linkin Park has produced before, and yet it retains the distinct sound that one can only attribute to Linkin Park. The album kicks off with an introductory piece called “The Requiem”, which incorporates phrases from songs to come later in the album, overlaid onto an instrumental track that can only be described as ‘alien’. The track leaves the listener feeling as though they’ve been abducted by a UFO, foreshadowing the album’s psychedelic journey.

The songs on this album are both slow and fast, heavy and light. Slower ballads like “Burning in the Skies,” “Robot Boy” and “Iridescent” are melodic and beautiful. The lyrics are both sad and liberating as the band once again expresses emotions that are impossible to convey through words.

Some of the heavier songs on the album like “When They Come for Me” and “Wretches and Kings” show how the band is branching out into different styles. “When They Come for Me” utilizes a Bhangra dance beat with a very interesting Indian vocal style, and “Wrestches and Kings” incorporates a political speech by Mario Scavio as well as dubstep instrumentals.

The lead single of the album, “The Catalyst,” brings the thematic message of the album to the forefront: the world and where it’s headed, humanity and what we’re doing on this planet, the nature of our ego and the concept of letting go. Other themes include death, the afterlife, compassion and love. continued on the next page.

EXPANDCONSCIOUS DUST

E X P A N D

E V E R Y

T H I N G

I S O N T R A C K ;;

M A T T E R N E V E R D I E S .

C H A N G E

I N T O A N O T H E R

T H I N G .

C O N T I N U E ,

R E P E A T ,

R E T R A C T .

A RIDDLE OF SIGHTKEF

The most important thing about this

is the mystery.

How it kisses cool calm,

Perpetuating heat and wonder.

How it drifts, so intangible,

Spinning over placid delicacy.

Hinting at the green life

Exploding in depths forever

unknown.

“Music Has An Effect on Me”

by Stephen Martin

5

WINDING DOWNTNEZ

get them on in the skywhen your flying highway above the cloudsthere were crowdsin a sea of greento match the scenefloating down the streetsintoxication meets and greetsas it all comes winding downdown the blocks without socksas the clocks go tick tack toetime swallowed, but who's to knownow you lay the cards on the tablereading a fableas the yellow brick roadis hopped by the toadbuds be sproutinganimals be shoutingfurther down the roadyou begin to unloadthe green to implodein the chesta lung testof how many smokes in a rowso many tokes that you glowwith a shine so brightyou see white lightturning around to walk back down the roadbefore things corrodeleft to spiral down, down, downfor many a frownupon the face of tears that spilledinto the hearts that never filledhope is here, it is but rowingwhen you don't know where your are truly goingany path will get you therechoose the best it's only fairform the road that fights to unitestring together the world to fly as a kite

“Sleep” by Whipped Cream

6

A THOUSAND SUNS(from p. 5)DARIUS RAIDERThe first time I listened to A Thousand Suns, I knew that what I was

hearing was different from what the band had created before. There was

little to no guitar, and the band’s trademark screaming was replaced by

melodic singing.There were a lot of personal changes going on in my life

and it felt as though the album addressed the issues that clouded my mind.

I found myself questioning what the purpose of life was: “why am I here

and what am I doing with myself?” I wondered what my role was in

relation to the rest of humanity, and to be concise, I was very confused. It

was comforting to hear this album and to know that the band I listened to

religiously as a young adult had matured with me, and created music that

was still very applicable to my life.

Just as they revolutionized nu-­metal with Hybrid Theory, Linkin Park has

pushed their artistic expression even further by experimenting with new

sounds on A Thousand Suns. The combination of contemporary genres

blends into a style that is hard to define, but easy to love. A Thousand Suns

has a strong message and it’s delivered in a way only Linkin Park can pull

off. Give it a listen!

7“Postal” by PandaCat

UPCOMING SHOWS IN THE BOSTON AREATHE MIDDLE EASTCAMBRIDGE THE ROYALE

TREMONT STREET

THE PARADISECOMMONWEALTH

THE HOUSE OF BLUESFENWAY

LUPO’S HEARTBREAK HOTELPROVIDENCE

LOWELL SUMMER MUSIC SERIESBOARDING HOUSE PARK, LOWELL

TD GARDENNORTH STATION

THE PALLADIUMWORCESTER

COMCAST CENTERGREAT WOODS, MANSFIELD

THE PAVILLIONNORTHERN AVE

THE METPAWTUCKET

THE WANGTHEATER DISTRICT

GOT A SHOW PEOPLEOUGHTA KNOW ABOUT?

POST IT TOSUBMIT@HAPPYCOLLECTIVE.COM

4/13 Hellfire Machina4/15 Dopapod4/20 Future Rock4/25 Wolfgang Gartner w/ Hot pink Delorean -­ SOLD OUT4/28 Beats Antique (without Eskmo?) 5/4 12th Planet w/ Terravita5/11 Aesop Rock and Kimya Dawson5/13 Walter Sickert and the Army Of Broken Toys w/ Mighty Tiny (CD Release)6/1 BORGORE w/ Terravita6/29 SKISM w/ Terravita

4/14 Steve Aoki -­ SOLD OUT4/21 Above and Beyond4/25 Trentemoller4/29 Yelle w/ French Horn Rebellion5/02 A-­Trak w/ Kid Sister and Gaslamp Killer5/05 SHPONGLE -­ SOLD OUT5/25 Armin van Buuren -­ SOLD OUT6/09 Yeasayer

4/16 Eoto4/23 Mogwai5/05 Peter Bjorn and John5/10 Sleigh Bells5/12 Odd Future6/5 Death Cab for Cutie6/09 Against Me!7/23 The Glitch Mob

4/22 Bassnectar -­ SOLD OUT4/26 Rusko w/ Doorly5/7 Guster5/9 Deftones5/11 Airborne Toxic Event5/15 Adele6/2 Paul Simon

4/15 Badfish4/19 Bassnectar4/22 Kill the Noise5/4 Dark Star Orchestra5/6 Deftones5/7 Interpol5/15 Social Distortion

7/22 moe.9/3 Matisyahu

6/24-­6/26 Dispatch

6/5 Dub Nation Mass. Volume 1 SKRILLEX

6/7 Phish7/21 Furthur with Phil Lesh and Bob Weir7/23 Unity tour 2011: 311 and Sublime with Rome

5/19 Weezer6/24 Earth, Wind, and Fire7/12 A Perfect Circle

4/18 Eoto

4/19-­20 Neil Young4/22 Cake5/20 Elvis Costello6/1 Paul Simon6/7 Eddie Vedder

Memories of a Mill

8

“Abandoned Mill” by Caitlyn Smith, November 2009

ABANDONED BY WHOM?HAUSHidden away in a valley beside an eighteenth century Maryland town, there is a land where man once lived. Stretching from the rubble remains of a Catholic school on the far hill to the houses left behind on the nearer hill, the whole region lies abandoned, save for the train tracks piercing the earth.

A paper mill stands in this valley, scarred by fire and vacant as the neighboring houses. The mill is massive, sprawling in multiple brick buildings of varying stability. A large pool lies out back, by a collapsed office building. It may have been functional once, but has degenerated into a vibrant ecosystem full of tadpoles, algae, and larvae. Thus does death give way to new life.

We drove an hour to visit the site. Parking the car far enough from the mill to appear inconspicuous, we walked back and climbed through the gap in the gate to enter the complex. The entrance to the main building led into a large empty room covered with graffiti. We were clearly not the first to visit this dilapidated wonder. Most of the graffiti was basic;; the clumsy early spraying of beginners. But no one dared spray over the beautiful murals dotting the complex.

I spotted, across some rubble, a hole in a wall leading through to another room. Excited, I forgot to look where I was placing my feet. My Chuck Taylors provided no protection from the filthy, rusty nail that pierced my left foot. Panic set in as I lifted up my foot, gingerly prying it from the board now nailed to it. I limped to a nearby tire, sat, and removed the shoe. Blood and dirt soaked the sock, and the wound beneath, though only about quarter inch deep, was packed with filth. Unbidden, “tetanus” was the first thought on my mind;; “staph infection” and “septic shock” followed. My friends anxiously stood about, waiting for my decision. It wasn’t my best. Putting the sock and shoe back on, I set myself to exploring the complex anyways;; with no health insurance, a doctor didn’t seem like an option. Plus, we’d driven an hour to get there.

So the journey continued. Climbing up partially ruined staircases to the upper levels, we found that the building went up to five stories in some parts. Most of the industrial machinery had been removed, or else scrapped, but its absence was noticeable in the gaps and reservoirs. The dark maintenance tunnels beneath the structure were cluttered with pipes. Mosses and molds decorated the walls, while creeping plants and vines set to the slow work of reclaiming the structure for nature. continued on the next page

URBANEXPLORATION

Nature wasn’t all that had reclaimed the mill;; someone had been living there. “Heroin Hobo House” was sprayed in silver letters over the entrance to a room littered with old needles. A thick layer of dust coated three sleeping bags and a few dirty clothing articles. The heroin hobos hadn’t been home in a long time, but they had left their mark.

When we reached the collapsed office building, my friend and I climbed inside. Literally, we climbed. There was no place to stand anywhere, only paths to climb through the rubble. We quickly realized our folly, and she took the next exit through the nearest window onto a grassy patch of dirt. At least, it seemed to be dirt until she sunk to her knees in it. Cracking jokes about quicksand, I set to climbing out the way I came in. Difficult, slower, but better than putting an open wound in a mud pit.

While my muddy compatriot rinsed off in a nearby stream, I watched the tadpoles swim about like sperm in the fertile, repurposed industrial pool. The complex had only been abandoned since 2003.

school. All that remained was the steel frame of a cross, enshrined on an altar, standing in a clearing on the far hill. It had been painted over quite elaborately with Satanic imagery.

It took me five days to get a tetanus shot, and it’s a good thing I didn’t wait longer—I hadn’t had one in 11 years. The wound itself I attacked over those five days with a pocket knife, tweezers, Q-­tips, and large band aids—plus enough rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and Neosporin to kill a man. A small purple scar remains, a fitting souvenir I’m likely to carry forever. Even I didn’t leave the mill unchanged.

Be mindful and grateful and presentin all that you do, no matter how mundanethe task. Burdens are no longer heavyonce you've redefined "up."

-­ADACK

“Falls” by Sunny Side Up

Memories of a Mill

ABANDONED BY WHOM?(from page 8)

HAUS

I’d been in buildings abandoned since the 60s, but none had been converted so quickly into green habitats. This site was remarkable, and the nail began to seem a decent price for admission;; a payment of blood for what fey powers ruled here.

We hit the houses next. These were eerie, abandoned with a lot of furniture inside. Couches, tables, chairs, posters. Someone had come along with red paint and streaked it all along the walls in one of the houses. I followed it to a bedroom, and stopped at the door.

Bible pages. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, stapled all over the bedroom wall. Red paint smeared haphazardly across them. A bare mattress lay in the center of the room, with the empty binding of a King James Bible. More pages littered the floor. The pages seemed relatively recent;; none had yellowed or aged, as other things had. Was it a paranoid schizophrenic’s defense against Christian demons? A prankster’s ruse for the superstitious?

The Christian symbolism continued as we made our way to the remains of Hell House, what the locals called the recently demolished abandoned Catholic

9

“We Are Clouds” by Sunny Side Up

10

WE, THE TRADITIONALINTELLECTUALSSARAH LINGOSee these glass catacombs builtSo that my corpse may see every otherYet touch none!All at equilibrium-­-­Metabolisms arrested by apathy-­-­We the hipsters with noHippie hippie shake,Only noiseless gnawing on thecollegiate boneSet out by our masterSo that we may adopt fasterThe Anxiety of Influence-­-­No one in the streetsNo one crying the eternal No!to injustice-­-­Mouths otherwise occupiedchuggingcrammingsuckingdraggingEnnui and paranoia smoke whichBreeds whims of solipsism-­-­Content within dry wall prison,Tucked away from the thousand-­voiced fatherSneering “Poetry is not a commodity.”Who would want it anyway? All about semester-­Recycled tenements,Our first of many graveyards.

IT'S NO WONDER DOLPHINS KILL THEMSELVESMATAWe hug each other closer since it is time to partThe time was thenThe time is nowThe time will always be

To have the otheris to have myselflike four closed walls entrapped by an infinite sea

Our boundless, drifting bodieshave had enough;;They're deteriorating, parting physically

We are allWe are equally noneWe will always beI've never moved so fastI've never breathed so slowly

11

“Nugget Under the Sea” by Mata “Let it Grow” by Mr. Cosmic Charlie

MY NUGSH A P P Y A P R I L 2 0 T H !MR. COSMIC CHARLIEMy nugs, they are so yummySo I smoke-­a-­toke 'em down,Retreat into my happy dome,And wander-­trip around.

Sometimes a great surprise, it is,What lay there to be found,But you have to listen closely-­-­Beg you, daren't make a sound.

Lest you wish to live with lights offAnd all dressed in tribulation.A slave to your sad skull-­bone-­-­Fate worse than police stations.

In the sweetness of friendship;; let there be laughter and the sharing of pleasures.For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

-­KHALIL GIBRAN

Is marijuana addictive?Yes, in the sense that most of

the really pleasant things in life are worthendlessly repeating.

-­RICHARD NEVILLE

COME UP WITH SOMETHINGWORTH SHARING?

SUBMIT@HAPPYCOLLECTIVE.COM

420 HAIKUADACK

Calm my mind and sitMe down where oak trees are kingAnd humans don't tread.

12

HEMP SEED, THESUPERFOODFILLE DU PRINTEMPS

“Trip Leaf” by Stephen Martin

DR. GREENTHUMB

With the steadily growing green initiatives and the new wave of health food trends, hemp is making a tremendous comeback. Its nutritional and medical benefits were documented in China over three thousand years ago and it has served many important and diverse roles throughout the history of humankind. According to an article written in Popular Mechanics in 1939, there were already 25,000 different uses known for the hemp plant Cannabis sativa L.

The stigma surrounding hemp in the United States developed following its prohibition in 1937. Currently, more than thirty countries grow industrial hemp in Asia, Europe and North America, with the U.S. being the only developed nation where it is not an established crop;; Canada is quickly becoming our largest supplier.

Although THC and other cannabinoids can be found in trace amounts in food made from hemp seeds -­ just as traces of natural opiates can be found in poppy seeds -­ they are far below the psychoactive level. A study published in 2004 by the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Kuopio in Finland notes, “Subjective concerns over THC in hemp foods are not supported by scientific evidence.”

Hemp seeds can be left intact, turned into flour or oil, and are versatile enough to be used in any recipe. They are considered “complete proteins” because they contain all eight essential amino acids-­ those which the human body cannot produce and therefore need to get through food. Furthermore, the seeds contain these amino acids in proteins that are easily digested. Hemp seeds contain 25% protein, much higher than whey protein and egg whites, which both contain 13% protein, and are surpassed only by the soybeans with 32%. The seeds contain over 80% polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) which aid in reducing the risk of heart attacks, lower cholesterol levels in the blood, and clean out cellular build-­up in the arteries caused by diets high in saturated fats. continued on the next page

HEMP SEED, THE SUPERFOOD(from page 12)FILLE DU PRINTEMPSYet the most impressive quality of these little power houses is their perfect balance of essential fatty acids, omega-­6 and omega-­3, which is between 2:1 and 3:1 -­ considered to be optimal for human health. Here too is where they beat soybean oil, which has a much higher ratio of 7:1. Other nutritional benefits include magnesium, iron, zinc, phosphorous and vitamin E.

Three tablespoons of hemp hearts -­ the shelled seeds of the hemp plant :174 calories12.5 g unsaturated (healthy) fat1 g saturated fat11 g protein1 g fiber

Bon appétit!

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE 420ADACK‘Twas the night before 420, when filled with great mirth,The heads were all blazing just before Planet Earth,Their bongs were set on the mantle with care,In hopes that St. Cannabis soon would be there;;And stoners were waiting all over the planet,With visions of nuggets, they no longer could stand it,When there arose such a noise like a bull run amok,That I leapt from the couch and cried out, “What the fuck!?”

Away to the window I flew like a flash,But not before taking another hit of that hash,The moon in the sky set the city alight,Revealing the world like the sun of the night,When I saw (in each hand: a joint and the wheel),A bearded old man in a tan Oldsmobile,And I knew it was him, yes, no other could feign,As the jolly old saint of my love, Mary Jayne.Not a second after from the window I steered,St. Cannabis was gone and at my door had appeared,Dressed in worn jeans, tie-­dye T-­shirt, leather jacket,He asked “Where’s your bong at?” It was clear he would pack it;;

A monolith of a bag on his shoulder did sit,On his face was a grin like he’d just eaten shit,I looked to him then, with a questioning plead,He replied, “Yeah, it’s true;; this whole bag’s full of weed.”

Another word, to my ears, St. Pot never said,He just dug into his sack, hummed a bit of the ‘Dead,And jumped to his work and deftly packed all our bongs,Then he rolled enough joints to kill off Tommy Chong,And finally he departed, but he stopped to appoint,His lips to the task of a freshly rolled joint,And he said with red eyes, before he pulled out of sight,Happy 420 to all, but does anyone have a light?

13

Good vibes in,good vibes out.

“The Great High Hope” by Mr. Cosmic Charlie

-­ADACK

14

“Day Tripping” by Broman Chu

THANKS FOR READING!

Dear Reader,Just by picking this up and reading it, you are an awesome person. Our friend and fellow writer Sunny Side Up says it best: “The Happy Collective is not a destination where we finally meet each other, but rather it is a realization that we have been with each other all along.” Everyone who is involved in The Happy Collective finds joy not only in what we’ve created, but also in sharing it and interacting with other like-­minded individuals. Do you have something you would like to contribute? Whether it be art, poetry, an essay, comments, suggestions, hellos, or virtual hugs, email them to submit@happycollective.com along with your desired pen name.

Keep on keepin’ on,Jimmy Jazz and the rest of The Happy CollectiveP.S. -­ We will be sending good vibes your way.

Note: Some of the original work has been edited for content and grammar.