I believe in Karma......

Don't tell anyone,
not a word,
please..... but I do it for free... I just love the process, the creative freedom associated with
photographing Heather's jewelry, without the restrictions of the almighty dollar. When we charge for our work, somehow it is demeaned, depreciated, sometimes demented....
I hate haggling for my price...
I believe that as an artist, if I can manage to put some work out there for free (especially to help other struggling artists) that the universe responds in kind.
I believe that by giving my talent to another artist, I will receive, not more creative juice, but easier flow.
Perhaps it would kick start a project,
zap me out of a "blocked period",
or simply make me feel good enough about myself to loosen up and let things happen.
Besides, I just love her jewelry.
This necklace reminds me of Ralph Lauren's ads.
I can just see that beautiful dark haired girl, who never seems to age, and wears his clothes perfectly, wearing this necklace with one of his long white linen dresses.... Simple, clean design.
I wish that I had better light for this shoot, but que-sera, sera...

I love to paint...

Not paint a room,
or paint a hallway
or a house,
But paint on a flat surface that is under my control,
sort of....
I am new at this.
I was an art major in college,
for a year, just long enough to be intimidated.
Then I figured that I had no talent,
and changed my major to history,
which of course takes no creative talent,
just memory.
So, I gave up my dream very early.
I have wished for the day that I could take painting up again....
That day has arrived.
I am still such a novice that I will not show my paintings to anyone,
so putting them here is a real stretch for me.
But I feel the need to acknowledge the attempt.
I am a trial by error sort of painter.
As in life, my painting sometimes works smoothly,
and sometimes is just awful.
So I will wash out the brushes, put away the tubes of acrylic,
and prop up the canvas to dry.
And tomorrow I will try to do it again.

God Bless America.....

I voted,
I've got proof....
a sticker,
but more importantly,
I have exercised my right to my opinion in this election.
I truly want what is the best for this country.
I don't believe that anyone......... anyone, can tell me what that is..... exactly. I know that no one wants war. I don't. And I know that no one likes more taxes, I don't. And I am pretty sure that no one wants to pay more for gas, I don't .
But I am so proud to be an American.
Americans really are very different from others, maybe it is the "mixture" that we result from....
We are so idealistic, naive, perhaps dumb, but always we stick up for the underdog. It is a our Achilles heel. We are so anxious to help the one that seems to have the worst situation, that sometimes we rush in without thinking. We are basically co-dependent. We feel such a strong need to make things right, that we are like the proverbial "bull in a china shop".
When I go to Europe, I see it. Americans acting like idiots, without any knowledge of the fact. I am embarrassed for us all when I see it.
AND, we are so surprised to find that others do not like us......
We have a PR problem.
Yes, that's it..
Perhaps a small portion of our defense budget should go to PR, say 100 million. We could hire the most successful marketing firm on Wall Street. Then when we go for our holidays abroad, they would be glad to see us..........the former "ugly Americans".
My first party affiliation was "Independent". As an eighteen year old I could not stand the idea of being labeled, so I picked how I thought.
I still think that way, even though I am more practical now.
We are so blessed in this country,....
anyone who feels differently, in my opinion, hasn't traveled enough. You don't have to go to an exotic locale to see how lucky we all are.....
Just hop a plane to England, same language supposedly, and yet, they clearly see how lucky we are, they all want to come here, even when they won't admit it.
To quote an eloquent Englishman, "You know, it's gonna be alright!" (think John Lennon)
I am proud to be an American.....
call me a patriot.

What a wonderful world...

This is my friend Bill.

Bill has been gone now for slightly over a year.

On Saturday we had a celebration of his life.

His wife, Ruthanne, has been one of my favorite people in the world.

She misses him so much, that it is very hard to find the words.

However, she smiles like a sunflower.

She laughs as though he were still with us, laughing too.

(I think he is...)

As I created a video of photos that Ruthanne lent me, I know that Bill was right there with me. He nudged me in certain directions and moved me away from other ones. The result was pretty incredible.

We cried a little, and laughed a lot!

I hope that I have learned something from this experience.

I hope that I have learned that to celebrated someone's life is so much better than to mourn. I have learned that laughing heals. I have learned that a simple smile can change someone's life. So, if I have nothing better to bring to the table, I should at least smile.

Grace is an interesting thing.

Almost never anticipated, and yet, always appreciated.