Old Baggage

I'm trying very hard not to drag my old fears and insecurities into the new year.

I'm not sure where you drop old baggage off.

Perhaps we need an old baggage drop-off place.

an hour and a half later...


What an "ah-ha" moment that was for me!

It's a work in progress, but let's see where it goes, shall we?


Old Baggage Drop-off

Bah Humblog

Not feeling very bloggy the last few days.

Can't seem to capture those elusive things called thoughts.

Instead, I am sharing a few Christmas Carvings the hubs has for sale.

He's pretty clever, that man of mine!

Miscellany

Due to ongoing exhaustion

and inability to focus

I have chosen to dedicate today's post

to the word

 random.

In honor of today's word

I now throw 

randomness

(is that a word?)

your way.

enjoy!

1. 

My son's creativity.

2. 

Follow this link for a chance at an awesome give-a-way!

3.  

Follow this link to take an amazing test capable of determining your favorite movie.

4. 

Hug quotes

A hug is a handshake from the heart.

~Author Unknown

You can't give a hug without getting a hug.

~Author Unknown


A hug delights and warms and charms,
that must be why God gave us arms.
~Author Unknown

 Millions and millions of years would still not give me half enough time

to describe that tiny instant of all eternity

when you put your arms around me

and I put my arms around you.  ~Jacques Prévert

5.  

Amazing (angelic) talent

6.

A note of appreciation:

Thank you

for taking the time to visit my humble little blog.

I truly appreciate all the love,

support, comments,

and visits

I receive here in this space.

Love to you and yours.

(((hugs)))

 Happy Monday!!!!

Uninspired

Been feeling so uninspired lately.

So much crazy going on in the world around me,

both near and far.

All of my energy goes toward remaining positive.

Not allowing any left over for creative.

My mind has been blank

and my feelings close to the same.

Perhaps I am shutting down and reserving.

Perhaps I am lying in wait of something big.

I did manage to eek out an encaustic piece.

I still have zero confidence in myself

and know my attitude keeps me from growing or succeeding.

Instead I am surviving.

I am quite sick of that existence.

I don't want to simply survive any longer. 

I WANT TO LIVE!!!!!!

What the hell is missing?

What stops me?

I have a fun weekend planned and will keep these questions in the back of my mind.

Perhaps if they stew there long enough, they will manifest into an answer.

I apologize for this random vomit of thought.

Haven't been posting much due to the thoughts and feelings I have been experiencing lately.

Guess I'm just being real today.

I am going to end this post with some very inspirational quotes in hopes that they reach someone else who needs to read them as badly as I do.

Happy Weekend To You.

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me."  ~Erma Bombeck

The purpose of life is a life of purpose.  ~Robert Byrne

If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.  ~Vincent Van Gogh

I wish I was a glow worm,
A glow worm's never glum.
'Cos how can you be grumpy
When the sun shines out your bum!
~Author Unknown   

Random

It's been random here lately. Random events going on, random thoughts running through my head, random people in and out, random schedule of blog posting.

More Random...

1. Oh my darling clementine.... I thought you were lost and gone forever...

then I found you at the bottom of the fruit bowl.

Yuck!!!! But kinda cool!

2.  I promised my teenager that if the Packers made it to the superbowl, I would build a snack stadium. At the time I didn't know what a snack stadium was, just that my husband and eldest were in love with them. After the Packers won the playoffs, I did my research, produced a stadium and literally ATE MY WORDS!!!! Yum!

3.  Mini-snowstorm out of nowhere. Was not predicted but gave us another five inches worth of shoveling to do. Oh my achy breaky back!

4. Random thoughts keep running through my mind such as... "I really need to make more money. Perhaps I could sell my soul to the devil... except I'm pretty sure the cat already stole it when I had a stare down with him last week."

5.  I've been receiving phone calls I don't normally receive and not receiving phone calls I normally would. Could it be the moon?

6. My dreams are trying to tell me something lately but they forgot to add the interpreter!

7.  You really must check out a very generous and special opportunity to win the gorgeous print pictured below. Head over to the artist's blog HERE to find out how to enter the drawing.

A Shout Out

It appears the majority of people drawn to blogging are women.

Perhaps that has to do with our gift of gab?

I am taken by so many of my fellow women bloggers.

Their beautiful words, amazing artistic talent, depth of sharing.

Big smoochy wet kisses to all the bloggy ladies out there! 

But what about the men?

Today
 I want to raise awareness of

and give a shout out to

 a few of my favorite male bloggers out there.

Woot Woot!!!!

 

~~~~~~

John with The Healing Seed

He is insightful and generous in word and spirit.

He shares stories, wisdom and wonderful art.

A true feel good space in cyber world.

He is a beautiful blogger and brilliant friend.

~~~~~~

Jerry with Shadowhouse Creations

He is a self-taught extremely talented photoshop guru.

He shares tutorials, textures, photos.

His work is amazing and generosity never ending.

If you are even remotely interested in photoshop textures, it is a MUST visit.

~~~~~~

Dan with Single Dad Laughing

He touches on important and heartfelt subjects such as self-esteem and homelesness.

He also has a knack for embracing the lighter side of life

and an insatiable appetite for M&M's.

~~~~~~

Terence

I discovered him through is book:

Nothing Happens Until It Happens To You

Not only does he stand for and speak as a victim of job loss due to the struggling economy,

he also allows you into the thought process of the male ego.

The book is about his loss of long-term employment

and the journey he takes into the world of job seeking.

While speaking of struggles, fears, and hardship,

he is able to tell his tale in an entertaining voice

sure to keep the reader smirking.

The characters are quirky and real.

Truly entertaining.

I am unfamilar with his blog 

but discovered it highlighted in Reader's Digest.

You can find it at

Pink Slip My Ass

You Will Never Find Me List-less

Having trouble getting into the blog groove lately.

My fibro is flaring and I'm suffering something fierce!

Anyone out there with fibro?

Man, would I love to talk to you!

Anywho, Amy from Artsyville has saved the day

by giving me something to blog about today.

Lists!!!!

I'm a list-a-holic.

I have so many lists running rampant in my home

I need a list to keep track of my lists!

It's a sickness, really, but one I have found no cure for.

Truth be told? 

I enjoy them :)

The two tablets to the right

are a couple of the ongoing lists

that are milling about my desk.

Sadly, the lists are not just the pages that are showing their faces,

but many pages before are covered in list matter as well.

The Oh So Colorful list to the left

was made especially for this fine Tuesday List posting.

This would all sound more coherent if it weren't for the 

To-do list in my head

that is blocking my train of thought

as it sits untouched today

again due to the fibro.

Seriously, anyone? 

Anyone else deal with the mind-sucking,

body depleting,

pain-inducing,

frustrating condition of fibromyalsia?

Think I'll add that to one of my "to-do" lists.

+ find fibro support group and resources

(p.s. I've been a follower of Artsyville for some time

and thoroughly enjoy every minute spent there.)



UPDATE:

My 12 y/o son spotted my list for today and wanted to do the same.
How brilliantly splendid!!!
I love inspiration and it's that much more beautiful
passed on
and on
and on!

Here is B's list...

Thank you Amy, for starting Tuesday's List.
Thank you all who have visited.
Do you have a list you would like to share?

Uber Fun!

I went to Madison, WI last week.

I was blessed with a new baby nephew!

On the way to meet him at the hospital

I stopped into a coffee shop

and met Juliette Crane's art!

I have followed her blog for some time.

She makes the cutest art which you can buy here.

Or you can go to Madison, WI and see it in person at

Gallup Coffee + Bakehouse

1859 Monroe Street, Madison WI

 

 

Please pardon the pictures. The lighting was tricky.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Here's Little Darlin' enjoying a delicious brownie.

She loves to join in my adventures.

Ah yes! The brand new beautiful baby boy!

Should I or Shouldn't I?

That sums up a lot of my life. I have been know to say that I am the second worst decision maker in the world married to the worst! Between the two of us I am suprised anything ever gets accomplished! This blog is a good example. I thought about having this blog for a long time. I thought and thought and thought. A lot of what I do is cranial and lacking in action. I question everything! Suprisingly, after much thought and swallowing down the big lump of fear and doubt, I did it! I started this blog.

The idea was to have a place to jot down all the "stuff" that floats around in my head. In 3D land my experience with this is quite chaotic. I do a lot of thinking in the shower since it's the only place I am ever alone (for the most part). I write on the shower walls but it tends to wash away and once I am done showering and shut the door, my musings are literally "out of sight, out of mind". I write on scraps of paper or fill random notebooks but this ends up being a very scattered and disorganized manner of keeping track of thoughts. Thinking a blog would be a good outlet (everything is in one place and I am finally putting myself out in the world creatively) led me to question everything about it.

Oooooh, I hate criticism and tend to take it too personally so it doesn't feel safe. What if what I write something and then change my mind about it later? There are soooo many blogs out there, what if no one reads mine? What if someone does? What if no one relates? What if a lot of people relate? What if I have nothing to say? What if I come across as a whack job? Does any of it matter? Why would I want to publicize random thoughts? Wouldn't it be great if others found it a safe place to share their random thoughts with me?

The initial intention was to name the blog "Cranial Vomit" as that is what I was thinking. When you have eaten too much whether self induced or mom making you finish your plate or your caring grandmother force feeding you because your slightly overweight frame looks "too skinny" for her, eventually your stomach must relieve itself of the contents and... you vomit. Such a harsh word. I thought it was catchy, memorable, made sense to me but the response from the few people I questioned was not good. So I opted for purge. Cranial purge is the ridding of ones mind of overindulgence in thought whether self-inflicted (living in your head) or fed by others (media, friends and family, whatever).

Not sure if any of this makes sense to anyone but me. I guess that's what this blog is about! If you get it, welcome and feel free to purge along with me! Please be nice to each other (and to me). Loving vibes are the best vibes.

If you find yourself saying "WTF?" thanks for checking it out anyways. Peace and love to ya as you move on to other bigger and better blogs!