Some Inspirations

"Speaking 1,000 Languages" painting by Suspect Shoppe

http://suspectshoppe.etsy.com

Lawn Ornament Print Set by Multiple Personality

http://multiplepersonality.etsy.com

Partridge in a Pear Tree earrings by Leaves of Grass

http://leavesofgrass.etsy.com

"Street Map" - the new EP by my absolute favorite band The Innocence Mission with some sweet artwork by Karen Peris! It comes out on Dec. 3rd. Can't wait. www.theinnocencemission.com

So, things have been going well. I just wanted to blog something since it's been a while. These are some of the things that have been inspiring me lately. I am working on a lot of new artwork but none of it is ready to photograph yet! Maybe I will be able to show off some stuff on here this weekend. 

I am thoroughly not ready for the holidays at all. Every year the holidays are more and more unwelcome to me. I just get tired of all the materialism that shrouds Christmas, and I hate that for most people that is all they think about when they hear the word "Christmas". Ian wants to volunteer for Meals on Wheels this year. I think it will be neat, but hard. We want to play music for the shut ins when we deliver the meals. Whenever we have played at Hospice it was always nice to see how happy the music made the patients, but it's hard not to get emotional when you realize how much time they really have left and what their life must be like now. 

Anyway, I am trying to cook more now and I've been utilizing allrecipes.com a lot. I'm sure I will find something new to whip up for Thanksgiving next week! 

From Reagan to Obama, a brief Political History

This is an amazing blog written by one of my absolute favorite authors, Don Miller. He is the author of the famed book Blue Like Jazz and several other good reads. He talks of the ultra conservative environment of his childhood, and how he came to realize that he was taught to live in fear by the very people who claimed to live by the Bible, where Jesus teaches us that we are to be guided by faith, not fear.

I really enjoyed this article, and I hope that if you were disappointed about yesterdays outcome, you will read this and maybe start to have a little hope in a man that stands for inspiration and change. 

Link: www.donmilleris.com (second article from the top)

Anyway, I'm excited. YAY! 

Autumnal Rambles

Fall always reminds me of school. Reading, studying, learning, taking walks with 90 pound book bags around campus and drinking cheap powdered vanilla cappuccino. Every fall since I have been out of school I've done the same thing - read. I remember last year I discovered Good Reads and started a bookshelf so I would start reading again. It was lovely while it lasted, but then work and other responsibilities set in and I stopped making time for my books. Winter weather and the holidays came and my books started getting lonely without me, and I think by the spring they completely forgot that we were once friends. This year I am trying to make it stick. I have a built up urge to read more than ever before. When I am reading I feel productive, and even though I'm not getting anything done in the physical sense, words inspire me. When I read I feel like I can let everything else in my life go and just be in the moment. I think it actually helps me loosen up my mind - so therefore reading must be a step in my creative process. 

Anyway, I'm reading a lot of books right now. Thats how I like it. I always read more than one book at a time - I think I just get ADD about it. I've renewed my library card and made a little more use of it than usual. I also feel like a good citizen when I go to the library. I shouldn't, since all I am doing is taking advantage of the public gift, and not doing anything to help the library or make it better. That's why I always return my books late because I know they need the money. Sort of. 

In other news, I've been cooking slightly healthier recently. I'm trying to eat a half of a grapefruit everyday for breakfast and eat some kind of raw vegetable for lunch. I only ate out twice last week, and I rode my bike once so one of the eat-out-meals doesn't really count. Today I will probably make an acorn squash! 

I think I will start a new big painting today and see what happens. I will be off Monday and most of Tuesday for the school holiday, so I need to start getting productive now and take advantage of this extra hour of sleep that I got last night.

I hope all of you know who you are going to vote for by now. If you don't, you disappoint me.