Category Archives: Uncategorized

05/18/13

Inspiring Art

These works inspire me

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because nature is inspiring to me and I feel I could walk right into that stream.

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because it’s a bit mysterious. It appears that to be simply a dancer putting on her ballet slippers, but my mind wonders what her face looks like and it gets me thinking. Beautiful dancer or monster?

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because my daughter puts details in her drawings that I would never think to put in and she adds a depth that draws me in.

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because I never realized how detailed the Statue of David is until I saw this photo. The details captivate my mind and inspire me to pay attention.

This post is part of WANA Friday (even though it’s Saturday) and here are the links to some inspiring people sharing what art inspires them.  Visit them and get inspired!

Rabia Gale ~ Writers at Play

Siri Paulson ~ Everyday Enchantments

Ellen Gregory ~ To Beyond and Back

Liv Rancourt ~ Let’s Have a Devil of a Good Time

Linda Adams ~ Soldier, Story Teller

Margaret Miller ~ Marmalade and Roses

Tami Clayton ~ Taking Tea in the Kasbah

What inspires you?

05/7/13

How Candy Crush is Like Writing

I am Candy Crush. I will steal your time and I do not produce real candy.

I am Candy Crush. Beware. I will steal your time and I do not produce real candy.

Candy Crush is an evil addictive little game available conveniently or inconveniently on facebook and iphone.

i anything, I believe.

The goals vary by level, but the majority of levels have a limited amount of moves you can make.

So, you’re playing one of those levels – you know, the kind level that you play 100 times and you think you’re never going to solve it ~ when the board tempts you off track by making moves available in other parts of the board.

Oooo, I can make 4 in a row over there!

You follow those sweet candy crumbs and make that special striped candy, but that move takes you away from the jelly you are supposed to be getting rid of and the chocolate is taking over the entire board, erasing everything in its path.

What you need to do is keep your focus on the goal.  If you strategize and keep the end of the game in mind, remembering that you have a limited amount of moves, you may just move past that level and not make the fat candy lady cry in the end.

Sorry. I tried, Lady!

Sorry. I tried, Lady!

Or whatever she is.

What does this have to do with writing?

In writing and in Candy Crush:

  • You must keep your ending in mind.  The ending may change (in writing), but you must have a general idea and your moves (scenes) have to take you there.
  • You only have a limited amount of moves.
  • Each move must have a purpose and take you closer to your goal.  The end.
  • It’s okay to follow the distractions for a bit, but not too long ~ get back on the path that leads to your goal.
  • If the first strategy to reach your goal doesn’t work, try something else.

It’s true, Candy Crush does take me away from writing ~ which is bad ~ but since I found some parallels to writing, my addiction is totally justified.  Right? Right?!

Are you addicted to any Facebook games? What are they? Do you play Candy Crush?

05/1/13

Plastics, Erasing History & A Letter

I was browsing on Bing the other day where I ran across an article about Lindsay Lohan and how she got some ‘work done’ to her face.

She is 26.

I followed the rabbit hole to find many more stars young and old who have had work done ~ complete with before and after shots.  The before looked like someone you could have gone to school with or someone who was a nice friend of your moms.  The after? Unnatural and, in some cases, deformed.

The land of the plastics and injectables.

That is what Hollywood and New York have become.

No longer is it acceptable to age.

No longer is it okay to look like yourself.  One must retain optimal beauty at all times.

Forget the message that they are sending to those who look like average humans.  My problem is ~ what are they saying to their ancestors and what are they saying to their children?

Dear Stars young and old,

You may have your great great great great grandmother’s nose. Chances are that you don’t know much or anything about her. At the very least, she is one of the reasons that you are here on this earth today. One of the reasons for your very existence.  At most, she was a remarkable woman who accomplished many great things in her lifetime whether loudly or quietly.  Either way, there is little record of her.  There may be traces of her in your upbringing or your traditions that have been carried from generation to generation, but they don’t bear her name ~ they just are.

So, anyway, you happen to have her nose and you think that your nose is ugly, it’s

  • Too wide
  • Too narrow
  • Too pointy
  • Too flat
  • Too too too

True ~ it may be wide or flat or have a bump, but it is also a piece of your heritage.  A piece of history!  A piece of your grandmother appearing right there on your face.

When you alter it, you are erasing a part of her ~ giving her the ultimate finger through time.

You may say it makes you feel good and besides, your grandmother is long dead and she would want you to be happy anyway.

Okay.  Maybe.  But…

What does this say to your children or your children’s children who happen to be lucky enough to wear your schnoz?

That they are ugly.  They must be ugly because you thought your nose ~ now their nose ~ was so atrocious that you hired a surgeon to cut into your face.

How sad and afraid you must be to let your true beauty shine.

Don’t be afraid.

Just stop.  You need to take a stand and say enough ~ this is who I am and I am proud of it.

You are human and you are beautiful.

Sincerely,

An average looking human

How do you feel about plastic surgery? Have you ever considered it? How do you feel about stars who feel it is necessary?

 

04/14/13

Sundays In the 70s

Sundays in the 70s ~ most stores were closed.
Sundays in the 70s ~ there was little or nothing to watch on TV.

Sundays in the 70s were all about family.
For my family, Sundays in the 70s started with church.

My mom would get me up early and dress me in fancy clothes with tights and black or white patent leather shoes, depending on the time of year and the fancy well-dressed four of us would head out to church.

After the morning in church of singing and listening, we would drive over to visit both sets of  grandparents and have a big meal. Neither grandparent’s house was set up to be very kid friendly, maybe a hand full of toys, so after some snuggles and answering questions about school and the like, the visit couldn’t be over soon enough for me.

Shame.

If I had only known how valuable and full of great stories and information grandparents were, I would have been engaged more and soaked up every second.

Ahh, hindsight, you are so wise.

But alas, I was a kid and the once cool shiny shoes on my feet were now starting to pinch and I just wanted to get home so I could run around in my bare feet. Once all the visiting was done, it was homeward bound and, aside from being able to kick off my shoes and run around barefoot in the white clover that covered our lawn, I remembered how boring Sunday afternoons could be.

All of my friends were busy with their families, most stores were closed and there was nothing good on tv, so outside I went to do penny drops off of my yellow metal swing set, ride my bike, play with my dogs or try to twirl around while hanging from my mom’s clothes dryer.

outdoor clothes dryer

Hey, I know it is meant for clothes, not people ~ my mom made that painfully clear ~ but I had to try. Right?

What were your Sundays like as a kid? Have you ever done a penny drop? Did you try to swing from the clothes dryer in the yard?