Often, when you live with another person, it can be difficult to find your own time and space. Tonight, I get both, and I am soaking up every moment of them. That means I'm staying up probably a little too late...and watching a guilty pleasure movie (A League of Their Own, to be specific). But tired is creeping up, and I'd still like to read before bed, so cross your fingers that I can stay awake just a little bit longer.
Oh, and thanks to all 1,000 plus of you that have read my blog. :) You are wonderful. I promise I'll come up with some more worthwhile posts soon.
Ciao for now,
Jen
Friday, June 24, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Just a Quick, Lighthearted Gush
Since that last post was a bit more in depth and serious, I have to balance it also by saying that I am REALLY happy with Tav in our new place. It FINALLY feels like I have my own home...after years and years and years. Coming home is a genuinely heartwarming feeling and I am incredibly grateful. I just have to put that out there, because I really want to thank the universe. :) This feeling is LONG overdue and I totally appreciate it for all that it is.
Karma and the Backlash Catalyst
April; source of new beginnings, and the first full month of Spring.
This April has been action packed. Bursting at the seams with both positive and negative, the month has seen a handful of changes for both me and mine. When I take pause to examine it all, I am very grateful to be able to say that for my part, the changes have been positive, long over-due, and very much welcome. Unfortunately, that has not been the case for some of my dearest friends.
In the moments where we are still, as often must happen in the midst of our greatest conflicts, it becomes apparent sometimes that the patterns which govern our lives react to us as much as we react to them. Karma is a fairly widely recognized and accepted concept these days, and the more I spend time here on Earth, the more convinced I am that it plays a large role in our existence. More than that, I sincerely believe that Karma, or whatever force it may be, is not only a general part of our existence, but a huge contributing factor in our growth and eventual self actualization. Certainly, it is not Karma's presence alone which allows for expansion, but instead what we make of the circumstances it lends us.
To illustrate a bit further what I mean, I'll mention quickly a scene from the movie Evan Almighty, which coincidentally I watched/listened to on cable this weekend as background noise while putting away my dvds and living room furniture (in our brand new living room, which we absolutely love!). At the moment in point, God, played by the one and only Morgan Freeman, sits down with Evan's wife, whom is distraught because it seems her husband has gone crazy and her family is falling apart. Of course, God is dressed as a waiter in a diner, but his scripted, yet charming wisdom shines through as he tells her to "imagine what God might do if someone were to pray for strength, compassion, or patience. Wouldn't he most likely give that person the opportunity to be strong, compassionate, or patient?" This is all rather paraphrased, but the point remains. Whatever your religious beliefs or dogmatic pull, its an undeniable truth that most often, life actually does attempt to give you EXACTLY what you ask for in your deepest of hearts. It is through the experiences, turmoils and joys in each day that you are presented with the opportunities to learn your heart and how to proceed in its best interest.
Again, this past month I have witnessed one of my dear friends go through many personal hells, and as I have tried to be a good shoulder for her to lean on and base for her support, I have spent a lot of time pondering just what makes the universe center such a large chunk of wrath, so to speak, on one person. I think, that what I've come to, is simply, the need for change.
In her case, this change is a long time coming, thus, it is much MUCH more extreme. The change is not just in one aspect of her life, but many. And not just in the realm of physical or material changes, but emotional, and even so deep as to shake her personal core. And while it is extremely difficult to go through these changes, and none of us enjoy being in the midst of them, I think it is not only a huge tribute to those of us who make it through with strength and integrity, but also a huge part of growing closer to ourselves and our ideal futures (the futures we often don't even realize that we hold in mind for ourselves). This is why, I think, chaos does not always end well. Why sometimes terrible changes tend to spiral out of control. Some of this seems to rest in what our souls/subconscious's want...or have been repeating over and over, like broken records. If we can just break the pattern of sour thought, then maybe, just maybe, we can find the fresh start on the other side of backlash.
Karma really is just a catalyst for what we will make next.
This April has been action packed. Bursting at the seams with both positive and negative, the month has seen a handful of changes for both me and mine. When I take pause to examine it all, I am very grateful to be able to say that for my part, the changes have been positive, long over-due, and very much welcome. Unfortunately, that has not been the case for some of my dearest friends.
In the moments where we are still, as often must happen in the midst of our greatest conflicts, it becomes apparent sometimes that the patterns which govern our lives react to us as much as we react to them. Karma is a fairly widely recognized and accepted concept these days, and the more I spend time here on Earth, the more convinced I am that it plays a large role in our existence. More than that, I sincerely believe that Karma, or whatever force it may be, is not only a general part of our existence, but a huge contributing factor in our growth and eventual self actualization. Certainly, it is not Karma's presence alone which allows for expansion, but instead what we make of the circumstances it lends us.
To illustrate a bit further what I mean, I'll mention quickly a scene from the movie Evan Almighty, which coincidentally I watched/listened to on cable this weekend as background noise while putting away my dvds and living room furniture (in our brand new living room, which we absolutely love!). At the moment in point, God, played by the one and only Morgan Freeman, sits down with Evan's wife, whom is distraught because it seems her husband has gone crazy and her family is falling apart. Of course, God is dressed as a waiter in a diner, but his scripted, yet charming wisdom shines through as he tells her to "imagine what God might do if someone were to pray for strength, compassion, or patience. Wouldn't he most likely give that person the opportunity to be strong, compassionate, or patient?" This is all rather paraphrased, but the point remains. Whatever your religious beliefs or dogmatic pull, its an undeniable truth that most often, life actually does attempt to give you EXACTLY what you ask for in your deepest of hearts. It is through the experiences, turmoils and joys in each day that you are presented with the opportunities to learn your heart and how to proceed in its best interest.
Again, this past month I have witnessed one of my dear friends go through many personal hells, and as I have tried to be a good shoulder for her to lean on and base for her support, I have spent a lot of time pondering just what makes the universe center such a large chunk of wrath, so to speak, on one person. I think, that what I've come to, is simply, the need for change.
In her case, this change is a long time coming, thus, it is much MUCH more extreme. The change is not just in one aspect of her life, but many. And not just in the realm of physical or material changes, but emotional, and even so deep as to shake her personal core. And while it is extremely difficult to go through these changes, and none of us enjoy being in the midst of them, I think it is not only a huge tribute to those of us who make it through with strength and integrity, but also a huge part of growing closer to ourselves and our ideal futures (the futures we often don't even realize that we hold in mind for ourselves). This is why, I think, chaos does not always end well. Why sometimes terrible changes tend to spiral out of control. Some of this seems to rest in what our souls/subconscious's want...or have been repeating over and over, like broken records. If we can just break the pattern of sour thought, then maybe, just maybe, we can find the fresh start on the other side of backlash.
Karma really is just a catalyst for what we will make next.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Transitions
Tonight, while I compile lists of data for my current job (soon to be my old job) in preparation for the transition from old to new, I rest my feet on my favorite piece of furniture. This small seat is the perfect height for a foot rest, and in fact, many would probably suggest that it is in fact more of an ottoman-like structure. The truth though, is that this compact, four legged mini-stool, outfitted with rather ornate, geometric carvings, is a prayer stool (or meditation stool, as that is what I've most commonly used it for, as have my predecessors since its arrival in the U.S.) from Africa.
Now, I wish I could tell you exactly where it originated, or even delve a bit more into its cultural significance, but I can't. All that I know of the stool is that it was picked up in Africa on a trip taken by a dear spiritual friend of my family (probably received as a gift while he was there), and in turn, somewhere over the course of my knowing him, he passed it rather graciously on to me. It has been with me ever since (probably a good ten + years now and counting), and has been the ground to my soul on many occasions.
The curve of this particular piece of furniture is glorious. Its hand carved and crafted, and I'm sure, having just the slightest experience in woodworking, that although it is simple, its the type of object that many a woodworker could admire. As you sit in it, you first realize that yes, this is wood, and unforgiving, but soon accept how wonderful that is. It forces you to sit erect, spine aligned, while at the same time, allowing you enough support and comfort to relax and focus on quieting your mind. More importantly, when placed beneath a desk as I have it, the stool makes for the most exquisite foot massage tool.
Sadly, (no, joyfully, really) I digress. My point here is not entirely related to the comforts of this little seat, passed from person to person and country to country, but instead, the journey that it has made and how symbolic it has become for me in terms of transition.
My stool, made of dark wood, standing only a few inches off the ground, has seen far more than I have thus far in life. It was made with great love, as many endeavors are, and when it came time to transition, it did so gratefully and unassumingly, ready to meet its new fate and keepers without fear or hesitation. And while I realize that hesitation is not always a negative thing (sometimes we are best to pause for reflection before conquering the new aspects of our lives), in almost every respect I aim to move forward with the same poise as this sturdy, lovable little stool. Hopefully that will be possible (I certainly don't see why not, because I've put in my fair share of work, and am happy to say I've tried my very best to be honorable to every party involved, including myself) and years from now I will be able to look back and say that I learned best how to transition from a stool.
At which point my grandchildren will most assuredly look at me like I've gone batty and run off to play in the snow or tattle on me to my future grown up children.
Cheers to the prospect of that!
Friday, February 4, 2011
A crab, a wedding cake, and cable tv...
A little random, and some of you won't much care, but in my most recent internet wanderings, I came across Fol Chen. This fun band from Los Angeles has a unique, catchy sound, and consistently strange, yet entertaining music videos. Definitely an A for creativity, and I'm happy to see that they're getting recognition - their music has been featured on Weeds and CSI: New York. But, don't let me or those silly shows speak for them...they can sing for themselves!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
"Winter strikes quick in these parts..."
Hello, February!
And to celebrate the season, the Midwest is donning its best white attire and heading out with every intention of dancing the night away to a deep, bone chilling wind track (because everyone knows that the best entrance comes complete with an audio cue). With any luck, she'll be the bell of the ball and woo someone charming, and warm, like New Zealand or Easter Island.
Personally, I am celebrating the season by nearing the end of my current read, Jeff Smith's graphic novel, Bone. This classic tale of adventure is a first time thrill for me, and I am amazed at how quickly I've been able to digest 300 page chunks of the whopping 1332 page, multi-book, complete volume. This should not come as too much of a surprise, I suppose, considering the primarily visual nature of the book, but its still a testament to Smith's storytelling prowess, nonetheless.
The end is now in sight, with only 263 pages to go, and as I find myself setting down the epic more frequently to prolong the inevitable, I can't help but be reminded of a page in the very first chapter of book one, Out from Boneville. It actually came to me today, at work, amidst all of the talk of impending snow-doom and the prediction of accumulations up to 3 inches per hour.
The moment (and really, that's ALL that it is in the story), takes place at the end of the first chapter, as our hero, Fone Bone, meets some unexpected acquaintances in the unfamiliar territory of The Valley. At this point in the story, the season is fall, and Fone is warned by a rather comically large (or is he?) bug that "winter strikes quick in these parts..." so he had better hit the road quick, or he will be stuck in the area...which certainly wouldn't be good. Not long after this conversation (probably about 20 minutes, story-time), Fone can be seen walking hurriedly through the woods in search of water and an escape route, mumbling about the onslaught of winter and snow, when the following scene takes place.
I think most of Northeastern Illinois was envisioning this sort of epic downfall at about 3pm today, and its probably a pretty good thing that we were disappointed. But good things (or at least cold things) come to those who wait, because now, at the ripe 'ole hour of 10pm, we have full on white-out conditions, and I am happy to report that I cannot fully see the liquor store that makes up the back wall to my back yard, not more than 50 feet away from my kitchen windows. Thank you, winter. Thank you, and goodnight.
And to celebrate the season, the Midwest is donning its best white attire and heading out with every intention of dancing the night away to a deep, bone chilling wind track (because everyone knows that the best entrance comes complete with an audio cue). With any luck, she'll be the bell of the ball and woo someone charming, and warm, like New Zealand or Easter Island.
Personally, I am celebrating the season by nearing the end of my current read, Jeff Smith's graphic novel, Bone. This classic tale of adventure is a first time thrill for me, and I am amazed at how quickly I've been able to digest 300 page chunks of the whopping 1332 page, multi-book, complete volume. This should not come as too much of a surprise, I suppose, considering the primarily visual nature of the book, but its still a testament to Smith's storytelling prowess, nonetheless.
The end is now in sight, with only 263 pages to go, and as I find myself setting down the epic more frequently to prolong the inevitable, I can't help but be reminded of a page in the very first chapter of book one, Out from Boneville. It actually came to me today, at work, amidst all of the talk of impending snow-doom and the prediction of accumulations up to 3 inches per hour.
The moment (and really, that's ALL that it is in the story), takes place at the end of the first chapter, as our hero, Fone Bone, meets some unexpected acquaintances in the unfamiliar territory of The Valley. At this point in the story, the season is fall, and Fone is warned by a rather comically large (or is he?) bug that "winter strikes quick in these parts..." so he had better hit the road quick, or he will be stuck in the area...which certainly wouldn't be good. Not long after this conversation (probably about 20 minutes, story-time), Fone can be seen walking hurriedly through the woods in search of water and an escape route, mumbling about the onslaught of winter and snow, when the following scene takes place.
 |
| Bone by Jeff Smith - p. 38 of Out from Boneville |
What was that other thing I was gonna say? I swear it was relevant...
I will be in bed by 2am.
In the strange way that things happen, after what should not have been an emotionally taxing evening turned into just that, I found an apartment that I am going to allow myself to dream about living in.
The funny part about that statement, is that I am not even remotely (on a conscious level) actively looking to move.
I have moved many times in the past few years, I'm rather tired of hauling my junk about, and coincidentally, I have a rather nice home right now. Along those same lines, one of my current goals is to save up a rather large sum of money this year in order to invest in building a "small house" on wheels so that I can avoid this whole rent scenario altogether and EVENTUALLY travel about the country in my own property. But, as fate would have it, I stumbled upon a rental property, in *gasp* an apartment complex, no less, that managed to pull at my heart strings. I was exploring the area where my new job will be via the streets of the internet (YES! I landed a new job...an ART job! 2D Artist, baby!) when it occurred to me that I could...move closer? And there it was. Staring at me. Perfect leasing terms, good price, good rating, beautiful amenities (including a GREAT gym), and a balcony looking out on a lake.
Sounds too good to be true?
Well, it probably is...in the respect that its apartment style living. I now have a yard and two stories and a basement...goodbye to all of that (theoretically). And it would involve moving, which, I must reiterate, I am not thrilled at the thought of.
But, for some reason, my heart is happy simply to imagine the possibility.
So that is what I will do.
It'll be like a bath...for my mental state.
1:59am.
And that's a wrap!
P.s. The snow tomorrow had better be the bomb-diggety and beautiful beyond belief, or I'm have words with SOMEONE important.
In the strange way that things happen, after what should not have been an emotionally taxing evening turned into just that, I found an apartment that I am going to allow myself to dream about living in.
The funny part about that statement, is that I am not even remotely (on a conscious level) actively looking to move.
I have moved many times in the past few years, I'm rather tired of hauling my junk about, and coincidentally, I have a rather nice home right now. Along those same lines, one of my current goals is to save up a rather large sum of money this year in order to invest in building a "small house" on wheels so that I can avoid this whole rent scenario altogether and EVENTUALLY travel about the country in my own property. But, as fate would have it, I stumbled upon a rental property, in *gasp* an apartment complex, no less, that managed to pull at my heart strings. I was exploring the area where my new job will be via the streets of the internet (YES! I landed a new job...an ART job! 2D Artist, baby!) when it occurred to me that I could...move closer? And there it was. Staring at me. Perfect leasing terms, good price, good rating, beautiful amenities (including a GREAT gym), and a balcony looking out on a lake.
Sounds too good to be true?
Well, it probably is...in the respect that its apartment style living. I now have a yard and two stories and a basement...goodbye to all of that (theoretically). And it would involve moving, which, I must reiterate, I am not thrilled at the thought of.
But, for some reason, my heart is happy simply to imagine the possibility.
So that is what I will do.
It'll be like a bath...for my mental state.
1:59am.
And that's a wrap!
P.s. The snow tomorrow had better be the bomb-diggety and beautiful beyond belief, or I'm have words with SOMEONE important.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Marketing, the Great Adventure!
Today, my topic of discussion and thought has been marketing. Yes, marketing; the constant battle between promoting one's business/endeavor in an interesting and engaging manner and NOT annoying the crap out of those people who are already interested and engaged in the success or failure of one's business/endeavor. On its own, marketing is tricky, and in today's digital and viral age, it can be a downright difficult tightrope to walk. For although balance is obviously the key, balance can be a pretty complicated thing to judge, especially when one is using something as fickle as a Facebook page as a guideline.
But I digress, because as much as I have concerns about the consistent stream of marketing related posts that flow over my small section of the Facebook community, I am certainly not the only entrepreneur to attempt to flood the social media network with hints of my existence, nor, I would like to think, am I the most obnoxious. So, what I'm really thinking about today, is not the quantity of my marketing posts, but their content.
Today marks the end of Blueverve Studio's first Monthly Gift Certificate Giveaway promotion. Though it was fairly small, with only 5 entries, I think it was successful, and definitely a step in the right direction. The giveaway itself featured a Gift Certificate redeemable exclusively at Blueverve Studio (http://www.etsy.com/shop/blueverve3) in the amount of $25. The winner already knew what he was interested in purchasing, so I'm guessing he'll be a happy camper, and it has been a good way to involve followers of the Facebook page (Blueverve Studio on Facebook) and hopefully draw new fans to the page and to Blueverve Studio. I've also had an opportunity too come up with plans for the next Gift Certificate Giveaway, which will feature a bit more incentive for people to enter and to promote Blueverve Studio to their friends on Facebook. The biggest part of all of this seems to be searching out the best ways to make social media work for me, instead of making me bear the burden of over-posting in an attempt to promote the studio.
Another cool happening on the marketing front today is that I now have a tab on the Blueverve Studio Facebook page to let people ad their email to my mailing list. Not rocket science, but still fun. :) If you're interested, check it out here.
The battle continues, and I'm happy to be a part of it. Next is adding more and better items to the studio for sale. I'd like to create some custom calendars (better than the existing ones up there), and soon post my wood and oil paintings. Right now I am debating the merits of posting these large panels with or without a frame. I would like to include a frame for the sake of having a 100% complete painting, ready to hang once it arrives after purchase, but I am also wary of this, as it will up the final price both in terms of labor and shipping, and it will limit how well the final piece might match a buyers personal decor. I'd love feedback if anyone has any thoughts in this area!
As always, thanks for listening!
Jen
But I digress, because as much as I have concerns about the consistent stream of marketing related posts that flow over my small section of the Facebook community, I am certainly not the only entrepreneur to attempt to flood the social media network with hints of my existence, nor, I would like to think, am I the most obnoxious. So, what I'm really thinking about today, is not the quantity of my marketing posts, but their content.
Today marks the end of Blueverve Studio's first Monthly Gift Certificate Giveaway promotion. Though it was fairly small, with only 5 entries, I think it was successful, and definitely a step in the right direction. The giveaway itself featured a Gift Certificate redeemable exclusively at Blueverve Studio (http://www.etsy.com/shop/blueverve3) in the amount of $25. The winner already knew what he was interested in purchasing, so I'm guessing he'll be a happy camper, and it has been a good way to involve followers of the Facebook page (Blueverve Studio on Facebook) and hopefully draw new fans to the page and to Blueverve Studio. I've also had an opportunity too come up with plans for the next Gift Certificate Giveaway, which will feature a bit more incentive for people to enter and to promote Blueverve Studio to their friends on Facebook. The biggest part of all of this seems to be searching out the best ways to make social media work for me, instead of making me bear the burden of over-posting in an attempt to promote the studio.
Another cool happening on the marketing front today is that I now have a tab on the Blueverve Studio Facebook page to let people ad their email to my mailing list. Not rocket science, but still fun. :) If you're interested, check it out here.
The battle continues, and I'm happy to be a part of it. Next is adding more and better items to the studio for sale. I'd like to create some custom calendars (better than the existing ones up there), and soon post my wood and oil paintings. Right now I am debating the merits of posting these large panels with or without a frame. I would like to include a frame for the sake of having a 100% complete painting, ready to hang once it arrives after purchase, but I am also wary of this, as it will up the final price both in terms of labor and shipping, and it will limit how well the final piece might match a buyers personal decor. I'd love feedback if anyone has any thoughts in this area!
As always, thanks for listening!
Jen
Monday, January 10, 2011
Yumm!
This is one of those somewhat insignificant posts in the GRAND scheme of blogging, but you know what? Its gotta stand.
Tavi is quite the chef! He made us very tasty stir fry tonight and I am grateful, because its the best meal I've had all week.
So, Tavi, thank you! :)
That is all...goodnight!
Tavi is quite the chef! He made us very tasty stir fry tonight and I am grateful, because its the best meal I've had all week.
So, Tavi, thank you! :)
That is all...goodnight!
The big T
Trust.
In most stories, trust is traditionally referred to as the cornerstone of any truly viable, loving relationship. The only place where futures lie (no puns here right now, sorry) is a place decorated with mutual understanding and heartfelt trust.
But trust...that magical word, with so much weight...what does it REALLY mean anyway?
TRUST.
Offten ephemeral. Rarely given. Usually taken.
Trust.
In most stories, trust is traditionally referred to as the cornerstone of any truly viable, loving relationship. The only place where futures lie (no puns here right now, sorry) is a place decorated with mutual understanding and heartfelt trust.
But trust...that magical word, with so much weight...what does it REALLY mean anyway?
TRUST.
Offten ephemeral. Rarely given. Usually taken.
Trust.
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