Running on Empty

It's official! I have taken on more than I can chew. Though some are involved in doing less like Magpie Girl, I am finding that I am drowning in all the things that need to get done. And there isn't anything I can take off my plate.

Meanwhile, laundry is piling up. I can only do rudimentary cleaning. My garden needs more work, my eaves trough is falling. I need help, and I have no money left over to hire people to help me.

The papers that need to be marked are stacked higher than the CN Tower. I have exams to vet. I have Professional Workshops to prepare. I have taken on two more books to write. There are two amazing online projects I have committed myself to. There are other workshops I want to take. I am taking Allison's Hooping Classes. I want to participate in Jamie Ridler's Time to Dream in Toronto. There are retirements, and functions, and awesome fun activities happening that require time and money.

The spirit is willing, but my body and finances are buckling.

When I have some time, I find myself so drained that I can barely lift myself up to do the things I love.

Such as blogging. Visiting my favorite blog friends. And there are a lot of you! What I'm trying to say is thank you for all your support and encouragement, well-wishes and advice. I might not have the time to leave comments like I used to, but I am thinking of you, and when I get a stolen moment or two I visit you. I am sorry I can't get to you as often as I did.

But somehow, some time, this madness will end.

Hope you are all fantastic!

Ready for Take-off

I love Wednesdays. Why?
Because today our weaver of magic Jamie Ridler hosts Wishcasting!
Today, Jamie asks,

"What frivolous treat do you wish for?"

This time I didn't have to think at all.

I wish to take a holiday!

The last time I went on "vacation" was two years ago when I went to Perry Sound for my friend's wedding.

The last time I was on a plane was to go to Philly almost 10 years ago.

Really.

That won't do!

It's very hard making ends meet being single with a home on a fixed income. The bills keep piling up and the house always needs something done. A vacation has become the "frivolous" expense that has fallen by the wayside.

But really, a vacation shouldn't be a frivolous expense! People need to step away from their daily routines, their "real" lives, and explore other places, new experiences, exciting adventures. And not just in their heads. Travel rejuvenates. Travel expands. Travel enriches.

So today, this is what I wish for!

My dream destinations? I made a mosaic!




1. Barcelona (III) Ramblas, 2. Di Gran Carriera, 3. A strange day in dublin, 4. Light at the End of the Pier - Hanalei, Kauai, 5. Miyajima Torii Worldheritage, 6. * Sunset and Architecture, 7. dockscape #5, 8. It sounds sooo good ...., 9. Oldest temple of Vientiane, 10. Wien, 11. Masai Mara Sunrise, 12. Happy end, finalement.


My realistic destination?



A week in Halifax.

:)

What's your wish?

Baby Boy

This weekend, a new little person came into the world.
My friend gave birth to an absolutely gorgeous little baby boy, Tristan.
He is perfect. :) I will have pictures at some point, but suffice it to say, he stole my heart the moment I got him in my arms.

And it's Monday, so it's time for a little dance. This video and song are very silly, but infectious.

Dancing yet? :)

I have very little time this morning because I will be running a week-long Photoshop unit; and I will be doing it at a school that is stingy with equipment.

Here is what's on the menu this week:

A Postcard.

An Ad.

A Book Jacket.

I made these three samples last night and will be showing students a step by step on how to recreate them, then give them a chance to make their own. This will be a fun week for all of us.

I have so much to do this week and my grading is piling up. Since all three classes are working on their final projects (only 3 weeks of classes left! YAY!), I hope to get some time during the day to put a dent on my marking load before I get more to grade.

Most employees work from sun to sun, but a teacher's work is never done! And I'm considering summer school... Does anyone have a straight jacket? :)

Life is...

(click to enlarge)

Life is...
a mystery
with clues along the way
some red herrings
and exciting revelations

Life is...
a journey
with stops along the way
some delays
and thrilling adventures

Life is...
a symphony
with overtures along the way
some miscues
and inspiring crescendos

Life is...
a masterpiece
with endless vistas along the way
some blotches
and wondrous expression

Life is...
a gift
with tassels and sparkles and bows
some wrapping to unfold
and fascinating surprises

Want to play along?
What is life to you?

:)

Soul Paint

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Is it Wednesday already?

You know what that means?

It's Wishcasting Wednesday hosted by our charming, innovative, inspiring
Wishtress Jamie Ridler!

Jamie asks:
"What is your highest self wishing for?
What is rumbling in your soul?"

Today I thought I would combine two blog endeavors, so I let the questions stew while I was putting together the above composition for June Saville's Painting with No Mess or Expense project!

I didn't use MS Paint because it would not let me work with gradients. I kind of cheated and used PS; however, I only used shapes to put it together. I let my soul speak in primitive but fun ways!

And this is what it had to say:

I wish for my life to be enveloped by sunshine, happy nature, and gentle breezes.
I wish to take the time to listen to the birds in the trees,
and let my footsteps wander where they want to go.
I wish to hold his hand and smile while we walk aimlessly with purpose through a life filled with inspiration, creativity and abundance.

I am typing this while feeling the aftereffects of gardening. My back is very sore today. So much so that I have taken the day off. But I won't let a little pain get me down. I soar in my soul's rumblings of joy.

Joy.

JOY!

Thank you so much to each and every one of you for coming to my little blog and leaving your words of wisdom, encouragement, support and friendship. Whether you comment or not, I feel your lovely energy, and it fills me with happiness. Blessed be! :)

♥

I Like that Victoria

YES! Day off! Woooo!! And it's Music Monday!

Let's start this day on the right footing! With this video of a BBC Radio1 Live Lounge cover of Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow" by Asher Roth. These guys are fun and talented "chaps". Crank it and get ready to shake your booty shaker.




Got your groove on? Yeah baby!

There is nothing like a day off to energize the spirit and restore the mind. I feel like a new person today. I took this weekend at my own pace, and it has brought sharply into focus how much I love my own pace. Stress? What stress? :)

I did kind of get lost, and and uncharacteristically forgot an important social engagement; but my friends, being the amazing people that they are, forgave my situational senility.

I was sorry to miss that special birthday event, but I purposely avoided others.

This weekend, I did a lot of soul-searching. I have reached a point in my life, where I won't do anything I can, not to be alone. In fact, I prefer being alone if the alternative means compromising myself.

I had the opportunity to see that in events that transpired over the weekend. Here is what I learned in avoiding those situations:

1. I don't want to constantly put myself in situations that make me feel awkward, uncomfortable, or an odd numbered wheel.

A friend and her husband invited some mutual friends to dinner. The only requirement for that invitation is that they be part of a couple. That's cool. I get the whole strength in numbers, let's pair up and get together thing. It's all good.

The problem with that scenario was, that I didn't know this was happening, until I met up with them to go to a movie later. I got to a packed theater, to find the couples all had settled down in pods of two leaving me to find a seat by myself. In other words, I went to the movies by myself.

Which is cool. I like going to the movies alone. But not when I am supposed to be going with friends. After the movie, (Star Trek - a second time for me, and I loved it AGAIN!), we convened in the lobby to discuss. As I stood there, amidst the couples grafted to each other, I started to feel like a ghost limb. So when I was asked to go to theirs for dessert, I politely declined.

Instead, I drove home with the music cranked up, and watched Benjamin Button. I was happy to be in my own company. I made pop corn and had some Fresca, and happily watched yet another awesome movie. I didn't once feel like a lesser person because there wasn't a man sitting next to me on the sofa.

2. I don't want to be pressured into impromptu therapy sessions disguised as socializing.

You think you are going over there for dinner, drinks, games or a movie but really what you're doing is consenting to dissection. What awaits is painful hours of being subjected to denigrating comments, and non-stop drivel.

If someone is in pain and needs a shoulder, I'm there. If they are overwhelmed and need help, I will volunteer. If they are lonely and feeling lost, I will take some goodies and visit them. If I know that's what I'm doing, I will do so voluntarily.

But what I won't do is get ambushed by soul suckers with their need to constantly analyze and be analyzed in a vortex trying to ingest me. No thanks. I would rather be alone than in their company. It's not they are evil; it's that they have confused friendship with patient-doctor sessions which I don't do.

3. I will no longer allow myself to be taken down by people who constantly break dates without calling or even acknowledging that they have done so.

I had made plans with a friend on Friday, and she not only did not show up, she didn't call. I called her to see if she was okay, on both her phones, and there was no answer, and she did not return my call. I would have worried except, when I was checking my email, I saw her little "friend" icon light up on my Yahoo email page. That and the fact that she has done this many times before. She makes plans and then doesn't follow through, and when I call, she doesn't pick up her phone. I've seen her ignore calls.

But I wasn't angry like I used to get. I shrugged off her self-absorption and went to visit another friend for tea and Ghost Whisperer.

When she did call two days later, I was in the shower. She left a message wanting to know if I wanted to hang out. No mention of Friday. It was as if she hadn't stood me up. I haven't returned her call. What's to talk about? I have been through this cycle before.

So I came to this freeing and final conclusion:

I have better things to do with my time. Like meet with friends who know how to value me as I value them. Who are there for me, as I am there for them. Who like me for who I am, as I like them for who they are.

And those are the people I want to spend time with. Otherwise, I am perfectly happy in my own company.

This engendered the following painting I made in PS, entitled, Venus Rising.

(click to enlarge)

I'm still dancing. I'm happy. It's Victoria Day. I have some gardening to do with an awesome friend. Life is good! :)

Quiet

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This morning, as I listen to the rain hitting my rooftop, I let myself wander through the soft spaces in my life. I sip my coffee, and let the taste linger. As the day stretches before me, left purposefully blank, without appointments or commitments, I let time breathe - gently and unhurried.

I woke up early this morning, knowing this day would have a different pace. It would build into a different snapshot of my life. Away from the madness of it all. I glory in the feeling that I can do as I please. Paint. Doodle. Write. Jump back under the covers and read my book. Away from "must" and "should". Away from "what if" and "could". Open to possibilities. Fluid in freedom.

My days are usually marked by sharp edges, and discordant sounds. I feel the intentions and the needs of others poking me in the ribs, the mind, the heart. Demanding attention. Demanding satisfaction. Demanding. My days are filled with noise and talking, talking, talking. Talking at me.

Some people have the overwhelming need to spill out everything from their mouths. Their every communication is a need for therapy.

Today, I hang my "Off Duty" sign. And, in silence, I let my fingers and hands do my talking.

I painted the above in PS as a gentle reminder to let the softness in me have its time. The colors are not as saturated as my usual style. The composition is not as busy. A woman walking barefoot in the gentle field as she spreads flower petals from her hands. I entitled it "sow" as a tribute to the adage.

Today I wish to reap gentleness, an unhurried sampling of life. Reveling in the moments that reveal their true self. I wish to savor these quiet moments, and let them blow in the gentle breeze, marking my footsteps.

Not marking time. But making it. :)

Blessed be :)

Jamie Ridler asks...

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The ever-amazing and inspiring Jamie Ridler has come up with some interesting questions for me to answer. Read her enlightening interview here! If you would like to be interviewed by me, I would love to design some questions for you! Here are the rules:

• leave me a comment with your email address saying: “interview me”
• I will e-mail you five questions of my choice
• you can then answer the questions on your blog {with a link back to my blog}
• you should also post these rules, along with an offer to interview anyone else who emails you, wanting to be interviewed
• anyone who asks to be interviewed should be sent 5 questions to answer on their blog
• it would be nice if the questions were individualized for each blogger

1. What were you like in public school?

I liked to write poetry and draw. Shocker there. :) LOL! My favorite time was recess and I was one of the last kids to straggle back inside. One time, we even got into HUGE trouble for lingering outside after the bell. I got the ruler to the hand quite a few times as I recall. :)

We loved to play make believe, and the unusual thing was that both girls and boys played. Our favorite scenario was "Superheroes" and I was almost always Wonder Woman, or Cat Woman. I had a crush on my teacher in grade 4. Oh my! I started early. :)

At home, my favorite pass time was reading and playing with my Mechano set. I'm afraid I mutilated all my Barbies. I cut their hair and dyed it pink and purple with my water colors. I was a young "punk"!

2. What song are you currently most likely to get caught singing along to?

That's a hard one. I love music. All kinds of music. I used to be an online DJ for three years so my collection is significant. I do find myself singing "Like a Virgin" on odd occasions from time to time, or "Skinny Marinky Dink". Yeah, I know. Weird :) A certain friend got me hooked on "Mother Lover" with Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg...*cough* Thanks Danette! :)

3. What's something you would do-over if you had a chance?

I would seriously not listen to my dad and go to Concordia and study Broadcast Media instead of going to McGill to study Literature and Psychology. My life would have taken a totally different direction.

4. On New Year's Eve 2010 what will you be celebrating?

Of course Jamie would include a wish-fulfillment question! That's why I love her :) I will be celebrating my new lucrative novel deal and my new relationship with a fabulous man. If you build it, they will come! :)

5. What's something you wish people knew about you?

Another difficult one. It's not like I am exactly mysterious. I am pretty transparent in my emotions and opinions. I wish people knew that despite my forcefulness, I am a softy at heart and would put my own needs aside for that of others. In fact, that is something I am trying to curb, as it hasn't been a very healthy practice for me. :)

Phew! That's it! Thanks Jamie! :) This was fun!

The wonderful Arty Em and I will be redoing the radio interview on blogtalk radio because the first one crashed and burned due to technical difficulties. If you are available this Monday at 9:30 am Eastern time, swing on by. You can check out the details here.

I am looking forward to interviewing those of you who wish it! :)

Connect the Dots

"Be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes"

Jamie Ridler, our Leader in Dreams, Our Guide to Wishes, our own Fairy Godmother of Possibilities asks us this week,

Who do you wish to connect to?

I made this digital collage to encapsulate all the elements that I wish to connect to in this life. The central image is a woman leaping in dance, as I want to dance through the adventures of life.

I wish to connect to the life I am meant to live, not a life I am settling for.

I wish to connect with all the possibilities in this world; travel every nook and cranny; explore my imagination; and share it with the world.

I wish to connect with like-minded individuals in work, in play, in love, in creativity, in community, in life.

Heart, Mind, Soul.

Who do you wish to connect to? Join us in Starshyne Wishcasting. :)

Small Talk = Ego + Fear

Often the word "authenticity" is bantered about like a flower petal in a the wind. Being authentic is hard work. Being authentic means being in the moment and experiencing the event of life as a whole being, not fragments of one.

This is true in everyday communications, and is the major reason I don't like "small talk". Small talk is intrusive and is meant to desperately avoid the silences we seek to avoid. Fill the air with babble to avoid what's going on in our heads. Silence is golden, and I will take it over any meaningless discussion any day.

A case in point. You're walking along at your place of business. A random person you hardly ever talk to is passing by:

"Good morning!" pipes said random person.

"Morning" you reply.

"How are you?" random person adds.

Now you might ask. "What's wrong with that Genie? Did someone piss in your cornflakes? The person just wants to know how you are!"

The problem is, that this question has been asked as the person now is several feet away from you in the opposite direction, back to back. Does this person really want to know how I am?

Here's another scenario:

"How was your Mother's Day?" Random cheery colleague asks you as you are desperately trying to prepare and print out documents for your first class.

You ponder for a split second. Being authentic is hard work. You answer, "Tough since I lost my mom last year."

Silence. "Oh." Pause.

Said random person is heard behind you asking the next person, "How was your Mother's Day?"

If at once you don't succeed, try and try again.

You might say I'm being difficult and a hard ass. You might say I am not playing nicely with my fellow creatures. You might say I am a roaring be-otch.

I am just being authentic.

The fact remains, if I don't care how someone's weekend was, or how they are, or why their face seems to be screwed up like a bolt in the wall, I won't ask. But when I have the time to look someone in the eye, and ask him/her, I will sit and listen to the reply. No matter what it is. I won't ask just to ask. I will accept what I hear with respect and honor the moment. Honor the person.

Sometimes, "How was your weekend?" can be a loaded question. And it's an invitation to communication, not an invitation to be asked how your weekend was, so you can inundate the person with the amazingness of your life. You are asking about them, not you. That, to me is living an authentic life. Plain and simple.

So when I ask how you are, I will listen. :)

Music Monday

If this doesn't get you outta your seat, nothing will! :)

Love this song and look at those guys flip! I wish I could do that. I will settle for doing

joy flips.

Jump for joy today. It's the perfect antidote to Monday Blahs for those of us starting the work week. If you're not starting the work week, then a joy flip is in order that you're not. HaH! :)

It has been tradition for me to wake up on Mondays with trepidation and wish I could stay home. Since I myself went to school.
So, Music Mondays have become my new tradition. It sets a better tone for the week.

I have a date with myself to go to a matinee after school. I will be getting some pop corn and Fresca and watching Star Trek. I'm excited!
Movie Mondays.
Yeah!
Another great tradition.
Music and movies. What better?

And this one is for Danette. You called it girl! LOL!
Note: This video is highly politically incorrect.

Happy Monday! :)

My Mommy

Today is Mother's Day. It's a day for celebrating the wonderful women who gave birth to us, nurtured us, loved us, scolded us, worried about us, and sometimes frustrated us, but no matter what, are part of us.

Today, I am filled with thoughts of my mommy.
Isabelle.
I painted this portrait of her. It was the year she got married. I don't do her beauty justice, but I painted it with love.

This post is quite difficult for me, as this is the second year I spend without my mommy.
And I miss her.
But I honor her, and wish her well.
I hope she is happy.
I hope to see her again one day, and touch her hand and tell her how much I love her.

Her smile was a little impish and sometimes a little sad.
But she always smiled for me.
She was a gentle soul whose anger I never saw.
Ever.
Her sweet nature was a quiet one.
She did not impose her presence, yet her presence was luminous with charm.

The memories that come to me today are bittersweet.

The way she rubbed my back when I was a child, as I lay my head on her lap and fell into peaceful sleep.

The way she always had a warm meal for me, when I skipped home from school to spend
an hour with her.

I see her lovely face as it used to bend over a piece of gorgeous embroidery she made,
or knitting yet another scarf for her forgetful daughter.

I remember her lips on my forehead as I slept.
Her hands as they tucked me in.
It felt like angels visiting me.

I remember sitting beside her at the movies, and listening to her laugh.
Her laughter bubbled from the warmth inside her.

I remember how her eyes lit up whenever I brought her flowers or her favorite licorice treats that she kept beside her and snacked on while watching movies with my father.

I remember how she walked with purpose and grace.
Her feet barely touching the ground.
Barely leaving a footprint.
Barely making a sound.

My Mommy was nothing like me.
She was gentle where I am forceful.
She was quiet while I am outspoken.
She was a domestic diva, while I am a domestic wreck.

Yet my mommy is here.
In my heart.
Forever.

Thank you Mommy for loving me, and being the best mother a girl and woman could have.

I love you. SO very much. Until we meet again.

Happy Mother's Day to all you beautiful moms who fill the world with love, caring and support. Happy Mother's Day to all of you who nurture others and make their stay on this planet just a little less lonely. :)

Blessed be :)

Luminous Flowering

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As the moon fills and graces the sky with her loving glow, our magical guide of inspiration, Jamie Ridler, is hosting once again the Full Moon Dreamboard! This month is the Full Flowering Moon, and Jamie asks,

"What seeds will you plant this month?
What do you want to bloom with this flower moon?"

I painted my dreamboard in Photoshop, letting my wish find expression. The moon is a flower that blooms in the sky and showers the world with its light petals. The couple walks arm in arm in the vast field of moonlit flowers.

This month, I ask the moon to merge my path with that of the other. To stand in a field, in peace, in unity, in silence, and feel the light bathe us in her glow. I wish to gaze at the moon with love in our hearts, and the quiet that comes from knowing the path we walk on is no longer a solitary one.

I wish to strengthen my bonds with those of like spirit, like mind, like heart, as we come together to make the world a more loving place, a giving place, a creative place, a green place.

I wish to heal all little rifts, and stupid misunderstandings that separate us.

I wish to spread the joy that is being, and see smiles dissolve the worries and petty grievances that weigh people down.

I wish to sow the seeds of love that will fill this earth with fields of luminous flowers.

I wish for every heart that has felt pain to heal.
For every child to find laughter.
For every lonely one to feel the touch of a loving hand.
For the land to prosper in health, in prosperity, in enlightenment.

This is my wish.

You Are Fabulous!

I painted the above in PS using some fractals I made. It encapsulates how I was feeling yesterday. Some realizations were brought sharply into focus yesterday, about myself and others, that disheartened me. It was a feeling that made me want to cry, and stayed with me most of the day. Yet, externally, my day was peaceful. It was a lovely sunny day, and a few of us went for a mini adventure at lunch to get us out of the building and into the beauty.

It was a day of yin and yang. I absorbed it. Didn't judge it. Tried not to judge myself too harshly, and decided to let the feelings come out in painting. Sometimes a few misplaced words or phrases can crush someone. The intention is not that, but it might not change the outcome. I wanted to turn that feeling around, and so I made this:

You Are Fabulous Award

Yesterday, I posted about the awards given to me by some amazing women I was lucky enough to meet in the blogosphere. Today, I was going to post who I was passing those awards to.

Then, I started thinking. I want to create an award of my own. One that expresses how much I appreciate and respect each and every one of the amazing people I have met through blogging.

With this award, I honor the fabulous in each and every one of you. So feel free to take this award, and post it.

Write about what makes you fabulous, without reserve or humility. Take a moment to celebrate YOU.

This award carries no rules other than that. Give it to one person. Give it to many people. Give it to everyone. Just keep it for yourself. It's all good! :)

I will be posting this award intermittently and giving it to various bloggers over the course of the year. Hopefully, that way, it will make its way to every fabulous you at some point.

Today, I give this award to four bloggers. Women whom you might or might not know, but who are fabulous in their own way.

• I give this award to Judi whose amazing humor and wisdom, graciousness and honesty strike a happy chord in my heart every time I read her blogs. Every time I read a post or a comment from this lovely woman, I smile. Her search for meaning and knowledge, her zest for life, her cargo pants are just a few things that make Judi fabulous.

• I give this award to Texty Ladies whose relatively new blog for writers gives amazing prompts and contains fascinating articles. They are inspiring and fabulous! Check out their blog and delve into the fun of writing! :)

• I give this award to Michelle whose new blog Raggedy Ruckus features her charming doll creations. Each one is splendid its own way, and makes me want to buy her out. She is Serena's daughter, proving that talent indeed is hereditary! :)
  

• Last but not least, I give this award to Original Bliss whose artwork and empowering intuition make me want to jump out of my seat and yell, "Yeah!" She has a way with images and a way with words like no other. Her raw honesty is absolutely exhilarating! She often shares videos of her wunderkinds whose talents are absolutely stunning!

I wish I could take the time to give awards to everyone on my blog roll today, but time does not allow. Know that a "You are Fabulous" award is coming to you in the near or relatively near future! You probably don't realize the miraculous restorative power your beings, your images and your words have, but I am here to remind you of it.

You all complete me.

Blessed be :)

Awards and Wishes

I thought it would be fun to show you one of the pieces I made back when I was in the graphic contest circuit. I had stumbled upon the world of 2D chat where I did extensive research on the chatting world, and myself became embroiled in high drama. People wore avatars of celebrities, manipulated and adorned graphically. That was my initiation into the world of graphic arts. From there, I became involved in the contest circuit, live (time limit) or posted on websites. I learned a lot, and became addicted to it. I no longer chat, but digital collage/painting has stayed as one of my passions. :)

My blog was most honored recently with two awards by three fantastic women.

Linda from Vulture Peak Muse gave me the Honest Scrap Award. Before I go on to reveal the 10 (!) honest things about myself, it behooves me to tell you some honest things about the amazing woman who bestowed me this award.

Linda is an artist with a very deep sensibility. Her watercolors evoke emotion and response and make you want to reach through the screen, through the canvas, to dive into them in total ecstasy. Her blog is buoyed by an unrelenting honesty, an authentic sincerity, that touches her readers to the very marrow of their being. Her photography is effusive with color and composition. I love to gaze at her photos of her grounds and the wonderful creatures that occupy them, not to mention the treasures from days-gone-by that fill her landscape. Her home is captivating, as well it should be. It houses one of the most unique and genuinely artistic talents of our time.


The rules of this award are:

1.You must brag about the award.
2.You must include the name of the blogger who bestowed the award on you and link back to the blogger.
3.You must choose a minimum of seven (7) blogs that you find brilliant in content or design. 4.Show their names and links and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with Honest Weblog.
5.List at least ten (10) honest things about yourself.
Then pass it on with the instructions!

In a moment or two....

Before I talk about myself, honestly (for a change LOL!), I want to acknowledge the other two inspiring women who have awarded my blog with the Kreativ Blog Award!

Tabitha from Knitting Journeyman Redux which is one of her six blogs (I don't know how she does it!) is a relatively new blog acquaintance of mine. Her frank posts and her dedication to discovering self and the world around her is vastly evident. She plunges into every inquiry with a fiery honesty that is truly amazing to read!

Sema from AffirmArt is a very talented artist and textile designer whose mandalas are absolutely stunning. Her joy in living and search for spirituality are very evident on her blog that pops with color and grace. As I read through her posts, I often find myself nodding and smiling in glee.




This award requires that I write about 7 things that bring me joy, and pass it along to 7 bloggers.

How long is this post going to be? :) How about I split the difference?

7 Honest Things About Me That I Enjoy:

1. I am a master procrastinator. I do pretty much everything the last minute. In university, I wrote my essays hours before they were due, and got A's for my "trouble". The one time I preplanned an essay weeks in advance, I got a B. Kill that noise! :) I do this because I enjoy the danger of the deadline looming over my head. :)

2. I love games. Video games, board games, card games, online games, crosswords, Sudoku etc. The only thing I hate is mind games. If I have to, I can play mind games right back, and win. :)

3. I am not very domestic. I will clean and do chores because it's necessary, but Snow White I ain't. I don't sing a happy song when I am cleaning out the toilet bowl. I don't frolic through my garden as I wrestle with the weeds. But I do love the smell of a clean house and the view of a tended garden. I would have been happy to have a maid and a gardener. :)

3. I don't like to be told to do things. In fact, even if I have a propensity to do them, I won't if someone demands I do so. Especially if they do it rudely. You can call me stubborn. Others have. I have tried to change that about me, but in the long run, I like that I can't be bullied. :)

4. I have come to know car noises. I know when the tires are deflated, when the muffler is loose, when the alternator is about to kerplunk, when the brakes need pads. I can't fix any of those things, nor do I want to, but I am proud that I can go to a mechanic and say, "I think it's the..." and be right! :)

5. I like to play music very loudly in my car, unless there is another car next to me with loud music I like. You won't be surprised to know I bop around and sing in my car. Nothing like it! :)

6. I prefer an authentic melt-down to a fake euphoria. I do not respond well to fakers, and I tend to call them out. Drama Queens get no attention from me. I like people who are honest in their intention and emotions.

7. I root for the underdog. Always. No one puts baby in the corner around me. The horse with the most odds against her is the horse I pick. The team with the least chances is the team I want to win. I appreciate determination and I love to reward it.

I will be doing a separate post passing on these awards. This is long enough, and I believe those blogs need the honor of a separate post!

Today is Wednesday, and since our magical Wishtress Jamie Ridler is on much deserved vacation this month, she has graciously given me permission to step in and host the prompt for this week:

What do you wish to find on your doorstep?

Visit Jamie on her blog for a week of amazing guest bloggers on Balance! :)

Music Makes the World

(click to enlarge images)

These are my entries for Mother Henna's Artist Collaboration: Hero and Shadow. I decided on an urban setting for both these panels, drawing the light and dark aspects for each respectively.

There seems to not be enough hours in the day for me. This weekend was very busy, and I found myself not knowing which activity to choose. I double-booked myself, and that hardly ever happens.

The theme of this weekend was music. It started on Friday with Jamie's Virtual Dance party which I took to class with me. There is nothing more hilarious than asking a bunch of awkward and self-conscious teens to dance in class. Some of them did with gusto, others stood about, not knowing what to do with the situation. One kid tried to video tape me and I put a nix to that quickly. I do not want to see myself on You Tube. LOL! They all had smiles on their faces after the dance sessions, some no doubt inspired by the thought, "Ms. C has lost it!" haha

I took the dancing to the streets so to speak on Saturday, as I found myself dancing through the grocery store aisles. I couldn't help it! The music was fantastic! I got some smiles and some odd stares, but did I care? No?

I went to a friend's on Saturday night because she was feeling down, and we wound up dancing in her living room. There is nothing like shaking your booty to forget a broken heart.

My heart filled with emotion on Sunday night, when I went to a friend's recital. She played like an angel. Her performance brought tears to my eyes and goosebumps all over. My soul danced.

Happiness is such a nebulous thing. Yet, so easy to attain. A little Kool and the Gang, some James Brown, a tossing of Prince, and a coating of Liszt. Mhm. Music makes the world go round. :)

The incredibly talented Arty Em will be interviewing me tonight at 7 pm Eastern here on blogtalk radio. If you have some time. Swing by. I might be dancing. :)

Just Dance!

Most of you have seen this T-Mobile video, but it's the perfect video for today's celebrations!

Jamie Ridler's 4th Annual Shyne Like a Virtual Star Dance Party is here!

And I'm dancing baby! Dancing like there is no tomorrow. I put my favorite tunes on this morning and danced for 15 minutes! In my pajamas and without a care in the world. 5:30 am? So? I am wired and ready to greet the whole world.

I'm getting all my classes to dance for 5 minutes today! (Total 15)

To This!



There is nothing like music and dancing to fill me with joy. No matter how sad, or depressed, or tired or defeated I feel, my feet move, my hips sway, and my booty shakes. Before I know it there is a huge smile on my face.

Dance with us? Come on! You know you wanna! You really wanna! :)

Oh! And the wonderful Arty EM will be interviewing me on Monday on Blogtalk Radio! I will be posting the time here and on Twitter. Whoop! :)

I see you dancing :)