Aack! South for the promise I made to myself in my last post.... To reconnect with my blog. Oh well,at least it's still 2014 and it hasn't been a full year since last time I ventured into the blogosphere.
When I stumbled on this blog again just now, I noticed my last entry was of a thrift shop painting I meddled with.... Guess what: I did it again at Halloween! For the record take a look at this fun silliness:
Perhaps it is a little macabre, or as my mother said "Gross", but whatever, I only made a creepy picture a little creepier.
My third thrift shop redo wasn't quite as successful, but whatever.... Point is I had fun playing around with my paints again. Here's the before and after:
Wow!! after watching this, I am so totally in the mood to go thrift shopping.... not that I'm brave enough to pull off some of these ensembles. Still, there is nothing I like better than treasure hunting at "Chez VV", Goodwill and "Sally Ann". Lucky it's garage sale season!!!
1] All human beings are different. And should do everything possible to continue to be so.
2] Each human being has been granted two courses of action: that of deed and that of contemplation. Both lead to the same place.
3] Each human being has been granted two qualities: power and gift. Power drives a person to meet his/her destiny, his gift obliges that person to share with others which is good in him/her. A human being must know when to use power, and when to use compassion.
4] Each human being has been granted a virtue: the capacity to choose. For he/she who does not use this virtue, it becomes a curse – and others will always choose for him/her.
5] Each human being has the right to two blessings, which are: the blessing to do right, and the blessing to err. In the latter case, there is always a path of learning leading to the right way.
6] Each human being has his own sexual profile, and should exercise it without guilt – provided he does not oblige others to exercise it with him/her.
7] Each human being has his own Personal Legend to be fulfilled, and this is the reason he is in the world. The Personal Legend is manifest in his enthusiasm for what she/he does.
Single paragraph – the Personal Legend may be abandoned for a certain time, provided one does not forget it and returns as soon as possible.
8] Each man has a feminine side, and each woman has a masculine side. It is necessary to use discipline with intuition, and to use intuition objectively.
9] Each human being must know two languages: the language of society and the language of the omens. The first serves for communication with others. The second serves to interpret messages from God.
10] Each human being has the right to seek out joy, joy being understood as something which makes one content – not necessarily that which makes others content.
11] Each human being must keep alight within him the sacred flame of madness. And must behave like a normal person.
12] The only faults considered grave are the following: not respecting the rights of one’s neighbor, letting oneself be paralyzed by fear, feeling guilty, thinking one does not deserve the good and bad which occurs in life, and being a coward.
Paragraph 1 – we shall love our adversaries, but not make alliances with them. They are placed in our way to test our sword, and deserve the respect of our fight.
Paragraph 2 – we shall choose our adversaries, not the other way around.
12A] We hereby declare the end to the wall dividing the sacred from the profane: from now on, all is sacred.
14] Everything which is done in the present, affects the future by consequence, and the past by redemption.
I Love Kate Bush - I have been a fan of hers, ever since the first time I listened to "The Ninth Wave" (side 2 of her Hounds of Love Album), back in the mid 1980s.
I find her music to be timeless. It is everything from inspirational to disturbing, humourous to haunting. The Stories she tells through her music are almost always breathtakingly creative.
Kate Bush's voice and the imagery in her lyrics embody an ethereal beauty and magic that always stays with me long after I turn off my stereo.
Her music makes up a big chunk of my all-time most played playlist, and will definitely be playing in the soundtrack of my dream studio.
The following videos show just a sample of her genius.
The Haunting Beauty:
The Fun Cover Songs:
The Wondrous ...
... and the Frighteningly Moralistic Storytelling:
Blissful Pleasure:
and Sheer Horror:
If you have never done so, take some time to really experience Kate Bush's music. Allow yourself to drift away to surprising and mysterious places.
My husband Ken is an Outdoorsman with a capital O. Years ago, when we first moved in together, I made a deal with him that I would not "feminize" our home with lots of flowers and pink stuff, in exchange for him not putting up hunting trophies in our living room. Now, being as I've never been a particularly girly girl when it comes to interior design preferences, I probably got the better end of that arrangement - today our home decor has a cozy rustic feel inspired by log-cabiny antiques and found objects from nature.
So far, I have successfully avoided having to display any real animal heads in my living room; however after coming across the wonderful and whimsical work of artist Rachel Denny, (thanks to a recent posting that showed up in my Facebook newsfeed) I think I could be swayed to a compromise.....
so what if this music dates me a bit, I'm almost 40 and entitled to be nostalgic. To me the messages in this song are both timely and timeless. I do believe in Karma - what you give is what you get returned.
Affirmation - by Savage Garden:
I believe the sun should never set upon an argument
I believe we place our happiness in other people's hands
I believe that junk food tastes so good because it's bad for you
I believe your parents did the best job they knew how to do
I believe that beauty magazines promote low self esteem
I believe I'm loved when I'm completely by myself alone
(chorus) I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye
I believe you can't control or choose your sexuality
I believe that trust is more important than monogamy
I believe your most attractive features are your heart and soul
I believe that family is worth more than money or gold
I believe the struggle for financial freedom is unfair
I believe the only ones who disagree are millionaires
Chorus
I believe forgiveness is the key to your unhappiness
I believe that wedded bliss negates the need to be undressed
I believe that God does not endorse TV evangelists
I believe in love surviving death into eternity
Chorus....
The world would be a much gentler place if we could all live by the affirmations listed in this song would.
What do you believe?
As technology continues to evolve, I worry about the future of printed books for a lot of reasons. I can't imagine anything I could love more than curling up with a good book - from the tactile experience of holding a heavy novel on my lap, to the scratchy sound of turning pages to the smell of old paper. I am generally disturbed at the thought of destroying books. HOWEVER, artist Brian Dettmer is creating what I see as a wonderful tribute to the printed word.
I first read about Brian's work in an article on the NPR website. Of course I already know that books contain beautiful treasures, but to see them uncovered like this is exquisite!
In an age when so many old books lie moldering, out of date and forgotten in basements, on the shelves of dusty used book stores or discarded into landfill sites, I consider this art to be inspired recycling.
Last year, while celebrating my 39th birthday, I had an epiphany - unlike many women my age, I actually enjoy getting older. Here's why:
I know myself better now than I ever have, and - I like who I have become. I have come to realize it's so important to feel comfortable in our own skins because if we don't love and value ourselves - how can we truly love and share ourselves with others?
I have learned not to worry so much about what others think about me and my lifestyle. I try living my life being the best person/mother/wife and citizen I can be, and don't feel compelled to make compromises because they might make my life easier, or simply to "keep up with the Joneses".
I am learning not to regret decisions I made in my past... not that I have any skeletons to hide, nor do I have any big secrets... but when I look back over my first 40 revolutions around the sun, even though some choices were difficult, and others might not have been particularly advisable at the time I made them, everything I did has brought me here in the good place I am in my life today.
I am learning to live in the moment, not worrying about future possibilities that are beyond my control. I am trying to trust that the universe is unfolding as it should, and to enjoy this life's journey for what it is - a big adventure.
I love my community, I love my family and I love my friends. Even though many of them live so far away from me, thanks to modern technology (especially Facebook), I don't feel as out of the loop with them as I might otherwise ... as hokey as it may sound, I really do feel that my life is full of blessings, and I am Thankful.
SO - over the next 14 days, as I countdown to my big 4-0, I intend to begin celebrating the milestone by treating myself to something special each day - something totally self-indulgent, that makes me feel good .... and I'll write about each of them here. Some of these self-indulgences might seem silly to you, but whatever, I'm going to enjoy them anyways.
I love reading.
I love reading books.
I'm not convinced I'm an e-reader type, and not in any kind of hurry to find out, because I'm so in love with the whole experience of reading books - from the smell of the paper and ink, to feeling the weight of a good read balanced in my hands, to the luxury of being able to read anywhere I want - from the bath to the beach.
Usually I gravitate towards fiction and novels; however, this month I am reading Three Cups of Tea. It's the incredible story of Greg Mortenson's life project to build schools for the children (both boys and girls) in remote rural Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The story is absolutely inspiring - especially considering how Greg's vision started out from literally nothing. It is written in such a way that one feels immersed in events, as they unfold - from the sheer exhaustion of trying (and failing) to climb K2, to being inspired by the breathtaking beauty of the Himalayas, to the desperate need to follow through on a promise and vision made to people on the other side of the world - without the resources to do so, to experiencing the drive along treacherous mountain roads, to the frustrations of working in another culture and language, to the sadness of losing a beloved family member, to falling in love with a soul mate, to being kidnapped and held for 8 days on the other side of the world - on the eve of becoming a first time father ...
Greg Mortenson is continuing to make a difference in a part of the world that lately, we most often associate with war, oppression and violence. His website is: http://www.threecupsoftea.com/.
I love reading, and my new love is this book. If you've already read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the book, and on Greg's work.
When I was a little girl, my mom had a poster that she kept on the wall in our home. I remember it being very long and very wordy, and because there were no unicorns on it (yes, I was that kind of girly girl), I never bothered to really look at it.
Just before Thanksgiving of my first year at university, my father had a very serious health scare... so scary that when I came home from school for the long-weekend, my parents called my siblings and me together for a family meeting to let us know the doctors were giving him 6 months.
I Thank God they were wrong about that, and I Thank God for modern medicine, because my father is still with us today - more than 20 years later. ANYWAYS, it was during that trip home that I happened to notice my mom's poster, and actually read it for the first time.
Perhaps it was because I was distressing myself "with dark imaginings" and had many fears "born of fatigue and (the anticipated) loneliness" of losing my beloved father; AND perhaps it was because, at the tender age of 19, and living away from home for the first time, I was always comparing myself to others, and was overwhelmed by the misguided pressure to have to know right away what I was supposed to do with the rest of my life; BUT, whether it be the context of when I read it the first time, OR whether it be the inspiring message it carries - this piece has stayed with me over the years,
The poster was a poem called Desiderata - at the time it was credited to Anonymous, but I have since learned that it was actually written by a gentleman named Max Ehrmann.
Today, I have a plaque that bears the same words as that old poster did, hanging in my bedroom. I don't pretend to read it everyday - BUT it does catch my eye from time to time, and whenever I'm feeling particularly stressed, or unsure about my future, I read it again to keep perspective on life.
SO, in honour of my younger self, who didn't trust enough that the path she was on would lead to a full and wonderful life and who constantly worried about the fact that she would choose the wrong fork in the road - I share it with you today.
As always, Dayna
Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
If only I were a little braver in my youth, a little more confident; if only I hadn't been so afraid of losing myself in my art - of expressing myself in full colour on canvas and paper; and if only I hadn't listened to all of the well-intentioned advice I received, about art not being the best "career choice" for me. Wouldn't it be interesting to see how different my life path might have been. Not that I'm sorry with the decisions I made that have brought me to where and who I am today, because I really do love my life. I am surrounded by more blessings than my younger self could never have imagined.
Today though, it's almost 17 years since I graduated from university and I feel like I've misplaced my inspiration to create art - I feel an inner-restraint on my creativity, like I've never felt before....and it makes me a little sad.
Granted being a busy wife and mother of 2 energetic children, it makes it difficult to find time to be alone and quiet with my thoughts, nevermind time to create for creativity's sake - So these days I try to look for inspiration in my kids' innocent world views; their unique senses of humour; and the way they keep making new discoveries about themselves and their surroundings - like they are waking up a little more to the world each and every day. I find myself expressing my creativity in unexpected and odd ways - playing around with recipes in the kitchen (sometimes disastrously - like my Valentines Day Red Velvet cheesecake fiasco); not following Doug's lego instructions in exactly the right order (thereby creating starships from the wrong galaxy); and refusing to colour the Disney Princess dresses in the prescribed colours - much to Evy's chagrin... oooo I've become such an artistic rebel!!!
Time moves quickly the older I get- all the more it seems since I became a mom, so I imagine one day, probably sooner than I'll be ready for, I will wake up to a quiet house again - alone with my husband, wandering through an empty nest.
When that time comes, one of my wishes will be that I find and commit to my long lost inner artist... and when I do, I hope that she and I can get to know each other again, surrounded by beauty, eclecticism and inspiration - and I would love to do this in an artist's studio like this one in New Zealand (I found it on the Glass Bottle Walls website:)
with a shady porch like this:
that overlooks a magnificent view like this:
or this:
Sigh.... one day.
Let me consider this post, my way of putting my dream out into the universe to see if the law of attraction really does work :)
Perhaps it is a little macabre, or as my mother said "Gross", but whatever, I only made a creepy picture a little creepier. 
. It's the incredible story of Greg Mortenson's life project to build schools for the children (both boys and girls) in remote rural Pakistan and Afghanistan.
