Bikram Is Badass

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My cure all.  Never have I participated in a studio environment that was more satisfying  and giving. This practice is life altering and sustaining. It is a bolster to find who you are and how you want to be. And always it has more to give if you are willing to let it.

Badass.

Wood and Silver

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Renewal goes down a lot nicer with a bit of wood and silver. Smiling at a wonderful present (pun intended) and beautiful future. Make every step a good one, show up to every day, savor every moment.

On The Verge of Tears

Well, I guess this could be about things that you can use to kill a vampire, but it’s not.

My fifth wedding anniversary was last weekend, and though we haven’t officially celebrated back at Valley Green yet, we did exchange presents on Sunday when she got home.  We picked gifts for each other that are considered “traditional,” though one of us went old school, and the other more modern.

Interestingly, we did both go with a hand made gift.  We both found artisans on Etsy that craft their work by hand, from scratch, to make the things we will have for the rest of our lives (hopefully).

Like the friend that got me into them herself, I like to give away Field Notes to people as gifts.  And, lucky for me, the recent Shelterwood edition was conveniently made out of real wood.  She’s been using a few of mine…

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Renewal

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re·new·al noun \ri-ˈnü-əl, -ˈnyü-\
: the act of extending the period of time when something is effective or valid : the act of renewing something
: the state of being made new, fresh, or strong again : the state of being renewed

Over a month ago I got some bad news, at the time it seemed staggering, to me. Resolutely, I cut my hair and and did my best to shove it to the back of my consciousness. The limited people who knew about my situation told me it would be fine, I did my best to agree. Ultimately, it was fine. However, the past 9 months have been additionally taxing, I would’t exactly call the last month a pinnacle, nor would I say it has been a time of clean resolution. Maybe it has to do with fresh flowers and warm breezes, the promise of brighter times. Renewal isn’t an easy process, so why would letting go be any different?  Don’t expect positive change to happen on it’s own. Things will move along, over time. Always, there will be a “next”.

 

Over Time

“If you have a good spine, the gods will chase you. Nobody has psychological or emotional problems, everyone has a bad spine.”Bikram Choudhury

 

First Republic, Fresh Start

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Last night Sin and I attended the cocktail reception to launch a marvelous new bank. It is evenings like this one that reminds me that potential is boundless, professionally and otherwise.  The hand I have been dealt is a mighty one, it is up to me to play it right.  Additionally, I am reminded of what a precious (I do not use this word lightly) friendship we share. Together, we will go a long way.

Gratitude.

Homework for a Child

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"Under the Leadership of the Great Stalin - Forward to Communism"

“Under the Leadership of the Great Stalin – Forward to Communism”


When I was a little girl I thought I would grow up to be a painter, a world explorer (pirate) or perhaps an astronaut. The first option was not monetarily feasible, in fact my education towards it resulted in loans we are still paying off. As it turns out, piracy is frowned upon and as for the outer space bit, I am not scientifically adept, in fact looking at and crunching numbers for me is like asking a monkey to type Hemingway, so who knows, that might still be possible.

I did end up going to school for painting and drawing, a very useful degree I assure you. Not that I am sour about it, I enjoyed it immensely, but being paid a salary for sitting in a studio exploring my own mind with my hands just wasn’t in the cards. So, my husband encouraged me to go to graduate school for art education, which I also enjoyed immensely. Unfortunately for me, by the time I had my masters it was 2009, America was deep into the recession, and NJ was dropping it’s art programs like someone had just informed them that art was bad for molding the human mind and instead they should put their remaining budget into preparing students for standardized testing. And so, for the next several years I cleaned asses and always had a cold. That’s right, I taught preschool. I had a love hate for the job. Never, will I forget the children that touched my heart and created so many special memories and wonderful inspiring moments. Largely, it came down to the administration, where my career there ended in a dramatic series of events, but that is a blog for another day. During my time at the daycare, I befriended a woman who would become an irreplaceable figurehead, friend, and change my life forever. After my dramatic exit of said daycare, I landed like a cat, nanny gigs for several people, doing odd job’s, and painting the interior of a woman’s home. About a month into this my life changing friend, let’s call her Sin, contacted me about a part time marketing/office management position at a local Commercial Real Estate Company that she used to work for. Long story short (again this journey is a blog for another time) it is now 3 years later, I have elbowed my way into hire pay and more hours, obtained and hung my Real Estate Salesperson License, done several deals, and established more of a white collar career that was beyond any of my childhood dreams; because what little girl dreams of being in commercial real estate?

Now we roll back a couple of weeks ago. Once in a while, I get request from my boss, or his family, to do things that are not exactly “business”. Nothing sinister. Pick up paper towels, order/return sneakers, place march madness bracket bets. Those sorts of things. This time, it was for his daughter’s world civ class. While she could have done it herself with good old paper, paint and rubber cement, daddy’s little girl had something extra up her sleeve, a twenty-something woman with a degree in art and a company copy of photoshop.

Compelling Propaganda?

Compelling Propaganda?

Cutting it Off

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Hair is a strong symbol for countless people, male, female, transgender, across time and culture. “So it goes.”  For some, it is their crowning glory. For some, one of the few things in life you truly have control of. Not true, general control, DNA be damned.  Fine. How do you choose to face to the world. Health, life, money, friends, love can be stripped from you at any moment. Then again, so can your hair.

In my case, it was timing. A number of things had been coming to a head for me (pun intended). If I don’t start living today, when will I?

Although the day was filled with bright sunshine, my world was winter. 

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The Buddha taught a way to break the cycle, and that’s through awareness, through seeing the cycle rather than being attached to it. When you let go of the cycle, then you are no longer harmed by it.