Image by Patou Ricard from Pixabay I’ve been hemming and hawing for weeks (or months), the pendulum swaying […]
journaling
Would you believe that tomorrow marks the beginning of WEEK TWELVE of my New Lifestyle, New Me project? […]
Is anyone else asking this question lately? The featured image here is pretty significant, as it struck me […]
This image depicts a good chunk of my life: One Wild Ride. Full of ups and downs, spins […]
What is this “uneasiness” I’ve been feeling lately? What am I doing differently at the moment, since the […]
Dear Diary, I was going to write about my New Lifestyle, New Me project, but I think the […]
I watched little leaves, Drifting in the wind.Spinning, twirling, floating.Landing ever so softly,On the ground beneath my feet. On […]
Journaling through Quarantine An idea on which direction to go with The Quarantine Project finally came to me. […]
Resurrecting Gratitude When the (unofficial) quarantine began, I was on a mission. Two if you count the New […]
Dear Diary, It’s the 6th of April, the month that I vowed NOT to step on the scale. […]
This morning I read a ‘daily email’ on the subject of Eternity. One of the definitions is: A […]
I’m back for another “Daily Gratitude!” Before I start, I have to say that my inner rebel is […]
And more thoughts! This morning I woke up tired of thinking. That doesn’t happen very often. In the […]
If our pain doesn’t destroy us, it might just transform us into truly human beings at last. – […]
Before I dig into any New Lifestyle, New Me updates, I thought I’d share some thoughts I’ve had […]
Gives you Lemons. Life has definitely thrown a curve ball. A part of me wonders if it’s the […]
Stars and blossoming fruit trees: Utter permanence and extreme fragility give an equal sense of eternity. —Simone Weil […]
Our life is frittered away by detail. An honest man has hardly need to count more than his […]
I wanted to stay up and do something before bed. I am NOT adjusting to the time change […]
Step to my Lou Today is the first day of my week two addition: The 10,000 Steps a […]
The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and […]
The shy and the extroverted have this in common—that they both fancy they are the center of attention. […]
I’m at the end of Day 3 and I’ve had an enlightening afternoon. I thought I’d write down […]
It’s Day TWO and my motivation level is starting to skyrocket. I’m learning exciting things about my body […]
Let the fire inside you burn.
I’m having a fun time with this new series. The possibilities are endless, and I think of new things every day. I’ve recycled some older pieces for today’s Everything Red. The red abstract is from many moons ago, and the shadowy aesthete is my youngest son—posing in a photo I took over a decade ago, at an art museum.
The authentic self is the soul made visible…
The worst cliques are those which consist of one man.
George Bernard Shaw
What a wonderful day it is!
First things first. I got my hands on some new filters for Photoshop (thanks to a fellow blogger). Now that my options have increased… so have my ideas. This is going to be a great week!
Tiny blossoms are springing forth on the flowering plum tree.
If I were a flying insect…
…this might be my view as I make my way through the wheat grass.
Something is Stirring
I thought I would use this particular Garden Art piece to do a little journaling and (publicly) admit something. I’ve been wanting to share this for awhile now, but I didn’t want it to be another one of “those things” that I bring up and start… and then never finish.
I’ve had some cool insights and exciting ideas while thinking about the Alphabet Game, and I must say that the letter “P” has been one of the most enlightening thus far.
BUT… I have to back up and talk about the “M” word first… Memories. I realize now that some things really ARE worth forgetting—mainly things that I learned (or absorbed into my unconscious) when I was younger.
One of my best friends from high school remembers everything. Whenever we talk, she reminisces about our old shenanigans as if they happened yesterday. Things that we did decades ago; things I’ve long since forgotten.
Last year, I (briefly) dated a man who reminded me of her. Our conversations were like time travel; we’d always end up in the 70’s or 80’s! Sometimes I wondered why the two of them weren’t dating. They both had this weird connection to the past—as if that past still existed.
Knowledge rests not upon truth alone, but upon error also.
Carl Jung
—A personal journey through the “K” word.
I think the old bumper car is kicking into overdrive. My journey through education is making more and more sense, as the fragments of information—that I’ve learned in various classes—are beginning to connect. The ‘bigger picture’ is coming into focus, and I could not be more excited!
“Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.”
Guillaume Apollinaire
I’m on the letter “C” today and this quote is perfect. I’m starting with a word that I’m not necessarily a fan of, but I won’t make a habit of that.
Contradiction: a combination of statements, ideas, or features of a situation that are opposed to one another.
Sometimes a professor will say something that totally contradicts what another professor said. That’s confusing, and sometimes annoying, but that’s not why I brought it up.
Not to be confused with Heart’s song of the 70’s, Dog and Butterfly. Continuing The Alphabet Game, my […]
I thought it would be fun to do a new series while I’m on my “time out.”
I realize that sounds a bit paradoxical, but I’ve had a long weekend—with plenty of time to ponder the idea. After posting the little things, I was amazed at how it affected me. Taking the time to think about the things you love (or are grateful for) really does change how you feel.
That being said, I’m going to attempt an ongoing series about the things that I love… moving slowly (but swiftly) from A to Z, and I’m calling it The Alphabet Game. Feel free to join in anytime and add your own. Here goes the first letter:
This morning I drove into Pasadena. It wasn’t a major excursion, but it was in the opposite direction of where I normally travel and everything was unfamiliar. I wish I had taken my camera. It’s the perfect place for street photography, but it was just TOO hot! I wanted to get in—and get out.
I went there to pick up the kit for my drawing class. I’m already enjoying the course. It’s not so much that I’ve learned anything yet (it’s only been two days), or that I even see the possibility of getting really good at it. It’s the fact that I’m putting aside my fear, putting the pencil to the pad, and making an effort.
I was going to say farewell, bon voyage, hasta la vista—but I know myself better than that. It’s likely I’ll post a bit over the next week or two, while I’m getting acclimated. I need to wean myself off slowly, to avoid that weird separation anxiety. I don’t know. That sounds a little neurotic, but it’s how I’m wired. C’est la vie.
I love…
- morning coffee
- to tinker; a little bit of this and a little bit of that
- thunder and lightning, especially when I’m enjoying coffee and tinkering
- the sound of rain on a tin roof
- rainbows and butterflies
- the way my body feels after doing something strenuous (rare, but happens)
- swimming in cool waters
- when the sky explodes into colors (missing Colorado)
- road trips—I’ll get out there again, eventually
- walking on sand
- the ocean
The path is twisted,
But there’s a cross, in the light,
Guiding my footsteps.
And an update for the road—
My summer break is coming to an end. School starts Monday, and my bag is already packed. It’s been an interesting season, and I’m glad I took the time to refresh and recharge.
I think the definition of artist is a bit enigmatic. I’ve never called myself an artist. I’ve said things like “this is some art I created,” or “I love to create art,” but that’s as far as it goes. I think the first explanation that pops into my head is the fact that I don’t use pencils, pens, or even brushes (although that may change after the new semester).
Chaotic workday— a scuffle with friends,
Five o’clock traffic— the stress never ends,
Pressure to do well— fearing failure, too,
Stuck in a pattern— afraid of what’s new,
Plan for retirement— look forward to rest,
Where children once played— is now empty nest,
Dating disasters— a marriage from hell,
Lack of investments— there’s nothing to sell,
No regrets linger— My head’s not for rent,
All of these moments— are evanescent,
March forward, full steam— toward what is unseen,
Faith is eternal— I’m living the dream.
Looking at your past is not a bad thing. Not to brood over it, but to cherish fond memories; see what you’ve done right (and wrong); and to learn from your past mistakes. When you take it all in and reflect, you figure out what’s worth repeating, what you should do differently next time, and—more importantly—what you should never do again.
Something eye opening happened recently.
I had been holding off on writing a life-journal update because it seemed there was nothing exciting to share. Eventually I did—in my No News is Good News post—but by the time I sat down to write I was tired. What I failed to mention is that I had one of those aha moments just prior to writing.
The Journey Continues…
It’s been awhile since I’ve updated my journal. On the one hand, it means that nothing exciting (or newsworthy) has been going on. On the other hand—and more importantly—the old idiom rings true: No news is good news.
Today marks 1,229 days of sobriety… so that’s good news!
What screws us up most in life is the picture in our head of how it’s supposed to be.
—Author Unknown
I’ve been thinking a lot. That’s what happens when I have time on my hands (did I just say that in an earlier post?). What I’ve noticed lately is that—in certain areas—I’m a bit of a control freak. Nothing huge, mind you, just little nagging issues that bother me.
Rain taps the window, Inviting us out to play, Childlike dreams return, Cares melt away in each drop, […]
The midnight oil is burning. Scribbled words on shreds of notepaper litter the floor beneath my seat. I […]
Late last night, as I pondered what to write about in my next post, the question “what are […]
