The Gypsy on Adventure

Some times life baffles me...

I have to really scratch my  head some times...BOTH of my children had no rememberance that they are part Mexican! I am astounded...to have it come up twice in 6 months blows my mind.

“When we connect to what’s alive in another person, the feeling is mutual. And we both get a lift.”

—  Oprah Winfrey

Setting new goals and getting back

I can't believe this much time has gone by. It was a struggle last year...and this year I have been setting some positive goals for myself like making the time to seek out art friends and just be inspired and together for art. When this time of year comes up, I am conflicted, and this year I decided to get really clear on what it is I want.  And I know I want more art in my life!

• So I am doing some problem solving this time...
• Listing out my UFO's
• Deciding what to keep
• Repurpose or get rid of it!
• Work on something every day! No exceptions!
• Set random challenges for myself, ie setting a 30 day limit for a project using only one theme! Like Birds. Do birds for 30 days. That kind of thing to focus and make my mind problem solve.
• Set limits with myself like using only certain things on a project and see how they go together. For growth!
• I need to give myself new problems to work on rather than sulking in my real life problems.

And the challenge is actually to keep some of my studio space cleaned up. Like the surface of my work areas so I can leave a project out and have room to work! So I have started with my rolling wood surface desk that I can pull out and work on the art and then roll it back away when done, if that is at least open to work on I will work more!

Along with this concept is the other...to place ALL of my UFOs in one area! So I can grab one and just start working on it in order to make progress, if they are hidden away I tend to forget them and never finish them! AND I have a list written on my pink board in order to stay on track with some deadlines! I have two things I am giving myself a deadline for that takes me through the end of March. So getting focused is a must for me or I just don't seem to get things done.

This last year I have been so sad that it is time to really focus and get some of my art out...and not just in my head...I am such a social person that I seem to do a lot better when I surround myself with art friends...so I have to start doing that a bit more as well...

Moving through the loss...

I just finished watching Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium again, best part for me tonight was, Mr. Edward Magorium: [to Molly, about dying] "When King Lear dies in Act V, do you know what Shakespeare has written? He's written "He dies." That's all, nothing more. No fanfare, no metaphor, no brilliant final words. The culmination of the most influential work of dramatic literature is "He dies." It takes Shakespeare, a genius, to come up with "He dies." And yet every time I read those two words, I find myself overwhelmed with dysphoria. And I know it's only natural to be sad, but not because of the words "He dies." but because of the life we saw prior to the words."  

"I've lived all five of my acts, Mahoney, and I am not asking you to be happy that I must go. I'm only asking that you turn the page, continue reading... and let the next story begin. And if anyone asks what became of me, you relate my life in all its wonder, and end it with a simple and modest "He died."

The movie reminds us about life being magical and that we all have to leave... Coming up on Lucy's 1 years gone anniversary...I am not happy she left...but I honor her life and all that she shared with me and shall simply say, "She died."

This is the scarf I started and have ripped out a dozen times...I started it on the day she died, and I haven't been able to finish it yet...it is wonky and horrible...but I am determined to finish it and wear it! I am almost done now...hoping tonight!  She died on January 18, 2009 and I am determined to have it finished by that date this year! Maybe as a symbol of my ever healing heart from missing my best art friend ever! She was a muse, a soul mate, a dear dear friend...I loved her soul...I loved her well.

Today I had to have some comfort food, so I made Lucy's Mexican Chicken and Rice, beans and blue cheese stuffed olives...coming up on her death anniversary really has me thinking of her a lot...

I am SO happy!

FINALLY my grandmother got her present!!!! I guess WGB misunderstood me when I said ship it OVER NIGHT...it went ground! I took photos of myself EVERY DAY for a year! Ending on her birthday last year December 31st...she turned 91!!!!  I bought a 4 gig thumb drive and an 8" digital photo frame and sent it to her...along with the 365 day project I included the art I made, old photos, those of my kids and grandson, and friends! Whew!

My dad took a photo of her watching it while she was talking to me on the phone!!! I can't wait to get that photo! That will be the perfect ending of the project!

She said to me "I don't know how you are as old as you are, since I am ONLY 31 and whispered plus 60!!!!! She is so darn clever! Love her sense of humor! The photo below was taken last year for her 90th birthday!

I feel the earth move under my feet...

We have been having a lot of construction at my work lately, and I felt this HUGE bang that struck the building, and I turned and said was that an earthquake when another one hit! Yup! That's an earthquake! 4.2 near me. I was SO grateful that I had cleaned up the house and all the excess clutter was packed up and out...

We lost nothing in the quake and the animals were ok...whew! Lets hope it relieved some pressure on the plates!