Ideas aren't real until they're lived. ~Jim Rosemary

Above: Vintage Bingo card collage. Laminated.

2005

Hello and good morning!

Here are my quote(s) for today:

A WARRIOR WITHOUT TERRITORY

Student: The idea of a warrior is usually associated with territory or responding to a sense of danger. If we give up all territory, what is the motivation for having the spirit of a warrior?

Chogyam Trungpa: A warrior is not like a samurai who is looking for a job. You are not trying to be hired by anybody, not even by yourself. The idea of a warrior is based on a sense of fundamental fearlessness. There is no reason why you should be a coward. It's as simple as that. You are not being a warrior because a state of war exists in your country. We are not trying to win against the ego hood people. We are not trying to fight with them. You are being a warrior because you ARE a warrior. If someone asks you, "Are you twenty-one years old?" you say, "Yes, I am." They don't ask you WHY you are twenty-one years old or how you have done this. You would have no answer for that. You are just twenty-one. Warriorship is a basic sense of unshakeability. It's a sense of immovability and self-existing dignity rather than that you are trying to fight with something else.

~From "Meditation: The Way of the Buddha," Talk Four, Naropa Institute, Boulder, Colorado, July 1 1974. Edited from an unpublished transcript

***

I am Willing

I am willing to change what doesn't work for me in my life.

I am willing to listen with an open heart, without judging.

I am willing to plant seeds that take a long time, if ever, to grow.

I am willing to feel and let go.

I am willing to make mistakes and learn from them.

I am willing to live in the present.

I am willing to forgive and forget in my heart.

I am willing to love as much as my endless spirit will allow.

I am willing to be seen in all my radiance.

I am willing to be fearless.

I am willing to be powerful.

I am willing to be peaceful.

I am willing to stand tall. and walk gracefully.

I am willing to sing with my stunning, full voice.

I am willing to allow.

I am willing to let go.

I am willing to change.

I am willing to see and be seen.

I am willing to hear and be heard.

I am willing to feel and be felt.

I am willing to heal and be healed.

I am willing to love and be loved.

I am willing to change what doesn't work for me in my life.

I am willing to listen with an open heart, without judging.

I am willing to plant seeds that take a long time, if ever, to grow.

I am willing to feel and let go.

I am willing to make mistakes and learn from them.

I am willing to live in the present.

I am willing to forgive and forget in my heart.

I am willing to love as much as my endless spirit will allow.

I am willing to be seen in all my radiance.

I am willing to allow.

I am willing to let go..

I am willing to be fully human.

~Margaret Mikus

***

Today I am back to the cooking. Yesterday I made chicken soup with barley and rosemary, and three bean with chicken burritos (and rice).

Today I am planning a huge old fashion country meatloaf, mashed potatoes with turnips, hummus, a couple dozen cookies and chicken pot pies.

With that I am also going to be trying (in the next day or two) to come up with some breakfast recipes too. I already have homemade pancakes in the freezer, but I want to try some new things...like sausage or bacon biscuits...and breakfast burritos. I'm also thinking of writing a cook it and freeze it cook book with all these tested recipes..."how to feed a family of five for 400.00 a month".

What do you think of that?

I hope to return to the easel tomorrow and have about two weeks free of the kitchen...except for salads and stuff.

OK now art news:

It's been suggested to me by a couple (more than a couple over the years) of well respected gallery owners that I need to focus on a subject matter and paint at least 20-30 paintings. OMG! Really?!

I understand why I need to do this... but I am so hard headed...I hate being told what to do.

So, I am going to freaking get over it...bite the bullet and do it.

I am going to start with my trees. 20 trees. Oh, lord.

Then...abstract landscapes...20 more of those. Heaven help me.

Then figurative...20 of those too. Stop the madness.

I had to pick three...so I can paint them all at the same time...60 works in all.

What the holy hell am I thinking?

I am thinking it's been long enough fighting the system.

I have spent 7 years doing my own thing. It worked really well the first 6...but the last year has been in the crapper as far as selling and placing my work. So...maybe I'll just do this 60 works and restart my art career again.

The Mother of re-invention?...poverty!

Well my sweet dumplings...(I am making those too...chicken and dumplings)

I must away to the kitchen...to slave over a hot stove...

ands set myself free!

Love to all,

Heather

www.badkittyartstudio.com