BAD! Kitty Art studio ~ Portland Oregon ~ Artist Blog ~Quote for the day
BAD! Kitty art StudioQuote for the Day!
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"I chanced on a wonderful book by Marius von Senden, called Space and Sight. . . . For the newly sighted, vision is pure sensation unencumbered by meaning: "The girl went through the experience that we all go through and forget, the moment we are born. She saw, but it did not mean anything but a lot of different kinds of brightness." . . . In general the newly sighted see the world as a dazzle of color-patches. They are pleased by the sensation of color, and learn quickly to name the colors, but the rest of seeing is tormentingly difficult. . . . The mental effort involved . . . Proves overwhelming for many patients. It oppresses them to realize, if they ever do at all, the tremendous size of the world, which they had previously conceived of as something touchingly manageable. . . . A disheartening number of them refuse to use their new vision, continuing to go over objects with their tongues, and lapsing into apathy and despair. . . . On the other hand, many newly sighted people speak well of the world, and teach us how dull is our own vision."
Annie Dillard
US author, poet, Pulitzer prize for nonfiction 1975
"I chanced on a wonderful book by Marius von Senden, called Space and Sight. . . . For the newly sighted, vision is pure sensation unencumbered by meaning: "The girl went through the experience that we all go through and forget, the moment we are born. She saw, but it did not mean anything but a lot of different kinds of brightness." . . . In general the newly sighted see the world as a dazzle of color-patches. They are pleased by the sensation of color, and learn quickly to name the colors, but the rest of seeing is tormentingly difficult. . . . The mental effort involved . . . Proves overwhelming for many patients. It oppresses them to realize, if they ever do at all, the tremendous size of the world, which they had previously conceived of as something touchingly manageable. . . . A disheartening number of them refuse to use their new vision, continuing to go over objects with their tongues, and lapsing into apathy and despair. . . . On the other hand, many newly sighted people speak well of the world, and teach us how dull is our own vision."
Annie Dillard
US author, poet, Pulitzer prize for nonfiction 1975
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I've been out of commission for the last week...Due to my favorite toy in the world, my much loved 7 year old computer...Died. I had patched it, loved it, and used it to death...And she finally said Enough! with your OCD need for web mastering, art uploading and writing your book...I'm sick of it!
Suddenly I was cut off from the world.
I don't have a huge social life.
I found out that my lovely friend, had indeed crossed over to digitized heaven...and I was forced to figure out what to do about it. No way to connect with my "outside" world, and no way to communicate my "inner" world to the outer world...and no money to buy an new, shiny best friend/workhorse.
So...we looked into the different ways that we could acquire a new computer. We went into the large corporate run box stores...We were offered credit...We were offered many, many shiny, expensive things to choose from.
We both felt it was wrong as a family choice to take on another high interest loan, just to get back up and running.
A drain on the family monthly resources...and just going into those large box stores make my stomach hurt.
We decided to go over to a small, locally owned and operated business to check them out...Before we made up our minds about signing on the dotted line.
We only had a few hundred dollars saved up...Even after Chritmas, we still had this tiny little bit of money...I wasn't sure it was the right choice to spend it all now...Or take the interest free, no financing for 12 months option...And hold onto our little nest egg...That had taken 6 months of painstaking Saving to create...A family of 5 is hard to support on one income of less than 52,000 a year...Especially in Portland Oregon...The cost of living here is really high, if your not in a certain "bracket". We live on the fringe of that bracket...
So, back to the dilemma at hand...What to do?
We walked in Budget Computers in Beaverton...A small little place...And it took us about 5 minutes to meet the owner, talk for a few moments about what my situation was, what I needed and explain that I had an extremely limited budget.
We decided to purchase a wonderfully, hand built computer, that works great, was inside my ability to pay cash for it, and it has a warranty! We did not go out and contribute to the corporate stores, we spent our money locally, with a small company that really was interested in what I needed, not what they could shove me into, and they employee local people...That's micro-economics at it's best...
And that's what we are dedicated to doing
with our power, in this reality.
Use it to support the local community that we live in.
I felt great, (well anxious, but great) about spending the whole of my nest egg...But at the same time it's just money...I'll make more of it.
I also won't pay three times what I purchased the computer for in the end, and I have a real person I can call and talk to, and get help from that lives right here in my town...Not a call center in India...Nothing against India mind you...But I really wish outsourcing of American jobs would be considered a hate crime against Americans of all types.
Ok...Back to my point.
I did get a great computer, for a price I could pay
...Not really afford, because it ate up our savings, but we kept people employed, got a better than off the shelf box computer, and did not make another debit for the family to have to absorb.
I am so grateful for having the ability to communicate and work on my book, my art, my life coaching business...And basically that I am lucky enough to be able to afford a life that gives me what I need.
I am feeling the pressure of needing to remake that money, and have a savings account for our little pack of humans to make it in case of an emergency.
So I will work hard, with good intention...Making money isn't evil...It's how you use it in your life that is either good or bad.
capitalism isn't going away...But living within it's confines in a way that makes be feel good about myself...That's the hard part. It's just money, I will make more...The universe always provides for my NEEDS...Wants are my resposiblity. I want to give my kids every chance in the world to succeed...But that doesn't mean they need lots of "stuff", or even the chance at a "higher" education to make them great human beings...They need love, respect, and time....Those things don't ever go on sale.
The need to gain, or acquire things, is so unimportant to me, but keeping the lights on, and the bellies of my babies full...That's very important to me.
We all must work for what we really want...From the richest to the poorest human being on the planet. If you want the real thing...A real chance at being more than merely biologically alive...Well then that takes work, effort and risk.
This little band of humans...We are living on the edge of disaster...Skating on the edge of the razor sharp
edge of "normal" society...
and knowing that we will always be ready
for the unexpected...
because we are
always waiting for it to happen.
Looking ahead...Looking back to remember lessons learned...I see that it's just money...It's just work...Rewarded.
I am worth the reward...Because I give everything I have to
being the best I have to offer in every single...
peel the skin back from you face,
mindbending,
suck-fest,
moment.
Integrity.
What it means to me...
I have a set of inner bylaws...
they are my road map to finding
the way
to being
authentic,
to setting goals and achieving them,
to being the best Human I can be,
so that I can be the Mother I can be,
so that I can help to raise the best
ENGAGED humans I can,
and therefore add
to the world
instead of taking
more than I need.
Intention...
just fucking do it...
you know what it means...
yep.
Work.
Dedication.
Hope Eternal.
and then just
when you think
you have arrived...
you find, you have just
opened the door to
another new dawn.
"Never knowing when the next day may break, I open every door."
~ Emily Dickinson
I Begin again.
***
With you in
the effort today
to be more
and the realization
that we already are.
Heather
Buy Art!
and because I am excited my personal advisor finally made her way to the web...Please consider visiting and supporting a great intuitive guide...
Sybil Ann at
I traded some of my limited skills at web page building, to help her get it up...And well we are both happy with her new presence in the big wide world. I hope it takes off for her...If you want to become successful, help others to become successful. It is fun, and energizes to help create a change in someone's world.
That's why I encourage you to use your power (aka money) to support living artist, and small business people in your area...Or ones that resonate with you. It's not just smart for your wallet...It's good for your heart.
Have a great day!
And if you already know all the answers to your burning questions in your life...Then consider buying some of MY art.
That would be great!
Yep, that's Heather asking for the sale...Asking for what she wants, and having no fear to do so...or guilt!
Yea! For me.
Heather
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