What a journey I've been on this week, a trip all the way back to 1701. As hard as I try to stay off the computer, I am compelled to read my email daily. The thing is, I sometimes get caught up in the unsolicited emails, like the one from www.Ancestry.com They offered me a two week 'free' browse around, I could look up all my peeps in that amount of time, right?
Nope. I am still looking for people on my mother's side, as I think I have exhausted my father's side, for now anyway!
When I sit on my bed, and spread out all these names and dates and places I am just blown away by how many people I am related to. It's mind boggling! I might be related to half my readers, if I only knew who Hoosier mommy and daddy!
My dad told me tonight that he heard Obama was related to Rush Limbaugh! Of course that isn't true, is it?!
A story posted in the website, "How Thomas and Mary Deaton Arrived in the Colonies" was my 'piece de resistance'. It's a short story of how my 7th great grandfather, along with 22 other persons, immigrated from England in 1701. (That is 309 years ago, for those of you who don't do the math.)
It isn't known why Thomas decided to leave England for America, but maybe he came for the land that was being granted here. Thomas's voyage was paid by an investor, one who was allotted 1081 acres by the Crown in Essex County. Thomas entered the New World when he was about 22 years old.
This story will definitely help me with good dreams tonight. I can dream about the adventurous spirit my 7th great grandfather must have had, to pack up, leave his wife, Mary, and sail to America. It isn't clear when she was able to join him, but she did eventually, and their 11 children are proof.
I can imaginate about James 'the pioneer' Deaton or Captain William 'the Tory' Deaton, tromping about the wilds of Virginia, in search of lions, and tigers and bears, Oh my! Seriously though, I lived in Virginia for a few years when I was first married to my current hubby, and I loved, loved, loved going to Williamsburg. I could imagine myself living there, and eating at the Kings Arms Tavern was most delightful. I only wished my kids would have loved the peanut soup as much as I did.
Little did I know that when I lived in Virginia, I was walking on hallowed ground, reliving some kind of DNA. That's muscle memory and then some! Just talking and writing about Williamsburg and the Deatons, and that peanut soup, I can't wait to go to sleep now and dream of the past!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Bridge over troubled water
I haven't had time to blog in awhile. You'd think that staying home and cleaning house would keep me out of trouble, a broom in one hand and a mop in the other. But, oh no! I can get in trouble just taking a little break, sitting here at my computer.
I was sent an email yesterday, a political one at that. It really made me upset and I forwarded it to almost everyone on my mailing list. It wasn't too long after I posted it that this email 'conflict' started.
The first reply stated 'baloney' that the info in the email was false, 'look it up on snopes' was the suggestion and she immediately followed it up with another email, saying she was 'sorry for being so blunt because she gets urban myths from relatives and one friend who is eaten up with right-wing politics, and she thinks he thinks he can brainwash her if he sends enough inflammatory rhetoric, so she has lost her patience with the false forwards'. I really didn't feel like this reply was aggressive or disrespectful, it was honest and assertive.
So, I did go to snopes, www.snopes.com/politics/medical/28thamendment.asp and I was glad I did. I found out most of the original email I had sent was false. I immediately sent out an apology for forwarding a mostly false email. (I am going back to snopes and check out the origins of their documentation, just to make sure snopes is on the level, jeesh.)
I thought that would take care of things. But, oh no! The second reply came on the heels of the 'sorry for being so blunt'. This second reply, came from my friend who just happens to be eaten up with right-wing politics. (I love him, he and his wife are friends for over 20 years, so I've just deleted most of the emails anyway, which he doesn't usually send, but his wife does.) Anyway, he says his piece, implying snopes isn't good enough, original documentation is...but the part that gets me upset is his thinking he was respectful in his reply. Just because he didn't use the F-word? or is sarcasm considered okey dokey in the un-politically correct spouting of ones opinion. I didn't like the tone whatever you want to call it, and feel embarrassed that he used it with my friend, and replied to everyone.
Hey, I'm upset often about things going on in my country. Things are a mess as far as I'm concerned, and it's hard to discern what is really true, what is propaganda and what is rhetoric. Sometimes I really don't give a damn, we're a country full of angry people, and only God knows how it's all going to turn out. Where is the National Anger Management when ya need it? Even the religious are often found trying to shove it down everyones throat. Don't get me wrong, I'm a born-again Christian, it's the shoving it, shouting it, and demanding that other folks should just do what they say. Grrrrrrr
Now, it would be nice if that were the last email, but oh no! there is one more that comes in defense of the bluntness reply. Yep, and this last one, hopefully it's the last, was right on the money, as far as him 'trying to save everyone by forcing your interpretation of the nations problems on fellow citizens'. But it was the last line, the PS, that sent me over the edge. By quoting John Wayne, my friend called my other friend stupid. Yeppers, 'life is hard, it's harder if you're stupid. This is intended to be blunt'.
All this verbal sparring, calling one out by name, I know better than you attitude, name calling, it's reminiscent of elementary school, sent directly to my inbox...and God only knows what Aunt Audrey is going to say about it. I'm glad it's stopped, and I WILL NOT be forwarding any more emails, I promise!
That's my bridge over troubled waters.
I was sent an email yesterday, a political one at that. It really made me upset and I forwarded it to almost everyone on my mailing list. It wasn't too long after I posted it that this email 'conflict' started.
The first reply stated 'baloney' that the info in the email was false, 'look it up on snopes' was the suggestion and she immediately followed it up with another email, saying she was 'sorry for being so blunt because she gets urban myths from relatives and one friend who is eaten up with right-wing politics, and she thinks he thinks he can brainwash her if he sends enough inflammatory rhetoric, so she has lost her patience with the false forwards'. I really didn't feel like this reply was aggressive or disrespectful, it was honest and assertive.
So, I did go to snopes, www.snopes.com/politics/medical/28thamendment.asp and I was glad I did. I found out most of the original email I had sent was false. I immediately sent out an apology for forwarding a mostly false email. (I am going back to snopes and check out the origins of their documentation, just to make sure snopes is on the level, jeesh.)
I thought that would take care of things. But, oh no! The second reply came on the heels of the 'sorry for being so blunt'. This second reply, came from my friend who just happens to be eaten up with right-wing politics. (I love him, he and his wife are friends for over 20 years, so I've just deleted most of the emails anyway, which he doesn't usually send, but his wife does.) Anyway, he says his piece, implying snopes isn't good enough, original documentation is...but the part that gets me upset is his thinking he was respectful in his reply. Just because he didn't use the F-word? or is sarcasm considered okey dokey in the un-politically correct spouting of ones opinion. I didn't like the tone whatever you want to call it, and feel embarrassed that he used it with my friend, and replied to everyone.
Hey, I'm upset often about things going on in my country. Things are a mess as far as I'm concerned, and it's hard to discern what is really true, what is propaganda and what is rhetoric. Sometimes I really don't give a damn, we're a country full of angry people, and only God knows how it's all going to turn out. Where is the National Anger Management when ya need it? Even the religious are often found trying to shove it down everyones throat. Don't get me wrong, I'm a born-again Christian, it's the shoving it, shouting it, and demanding that other folks should just do what they say. Grrrrrrr
Now, it would be nice if that were the last email, but oh no! there is one more that comes in defense of the bluntness reply. Yep, and this last one, hopefully it's the last, was right on the money, as far as him 'trying to save everyone by forcing your interpretation of the nations problems on fellow citizens'. But it was the last line, the PS, that sent me over the edge. By quoting John Wayne, my friend called my other friend stupid. Yeppers, 'life is hard, it's harder if you're stupid. This is intended to be blunt'.
All this verbal sparring, calling one out by name, I know better than you attitude, name calling, it's reminiscent of elementary school, sent directly to my inbox...and God only knows what Aunt Audrey is going to say about it. I'm glad it's stopped, and I WILL NOT be forwarding any more emails, I promise!
That's my bridge over troubled waters.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Virtual awareness
Last Tuesday I was taking a virtual tour of the Internet, and then it happened, I got a virus. Not me, but my computer.
It started with reading an article about 'virtual validation' a geosocial networking application on iPhone called Foursquare. It was interesting to find out that people can become virtual mayors if they tag a place where they have been or have dined and they earn badges. Collect enough badges and you can become a virtual mayor. In my day, Foursquare was a game played with a ball.
This Geosocial networking is social networking in which geographic services and capabilities such as geocoding & geotagging are used to enable additional social dynamics. source:Wikipedia
Wow, I got really excited about this and sought out more virtual information. I learned about virtual schools, kids don't have to attend a 'real' school, they receive their grades through this alternative education system.
I even found out about a virtual hallucination machine, in which folks can see what it might feel like having a hallucination.
What started out as a virtual field trip, ended up with a malicious virus on my computer. A screen popped up with Security Tool as the name, and for $79.99, I could protect my computer from all kinds of stuff.
But, I already have McAfee, so when I clicked to decline, it wouldn't let me out. I was thinking, 'this is extortion' and continued doing all sorts of things to get rid of this blue screen. I couldn't go anywhere or do anything with my computer. Pushing ctrl+alt+delete didn't work, and I couldn't even shut down! I virtually had to unplug from the wall.
To make a long story short, with the help of virus removal medication, I got under the hood of my computer and was able to finally delete this maliciousness from my system. And I'm very proud of doing it all by myself! I would like to get ahold of the thug who designed and propagated this prank!
Some might say 'That's what you get from gallivanting around' but I say 'Naw, I'm just more aware now, virtually!'
It started with reading an article about 'virtual validation' a geosocial networking application on iPhone called Foursquare. It was interesting to find out that people can become virtual mayors if they tag a place where they have been or have dined and they earn badges. Collect enough badges and you can become a virtual mayor. In my day, Foursquare was a game played with a ball.
This Geosocial networking is social networking in which geographic services and capabilities such as geocoding & geotagging are used to enable additional social dynamics. source:Wikipedia
Wow, I got really excited about this and sought out more virtual information. I learned about virtual schools, kids don't have to attend a 'real' school, they receive their grades through this alternative education system.
I even found out about a virtual hallucination machine, in which folks can see what it might feel like having a hallucination.
What started out as a virtual field trip, ended up with a malicious virus on my computer. A screen popped up with Security Tool as the name, and for $79.99, I could protect my computer from all kinds of stuff.
But, I already have McAfee, so when I clicked to decline, it wouldn't let me out. I was thinking, 'this is extortion' and continued doing all sorts of things to get rid of this blue screen. I couldn't go anywhere or do anything with my computer. Pushing ctrl+alt+delete didn't work, and I couldn't even shut down! I virtually had to unplug from the wall.
To make a long story short, with the help of virus removal medication, I got under the hood of my computer and was able to finally delete this maliciousness from my system. And I'm very proud of doing it all by myself! I would like to get ahold of the thug who designed and propagated this prank!
Some might say 'That's what you get from gallivanting around' but I say 'Naw, I'm just more aware now, virtually!'
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Something new everyday
I wake up every morning, have a cup of coffee and sit down at my computer. I don't get the newspaper anymore, for reasons I won't get into today, so, I have to keep up with current events in some way and that's where the Internet comes in.
I prefer the Internet over television, except for the Weather. The Weather Channel gives me a tiny dose of drama, especially during hurricane season and that's how I like my drama, these days, in small little doses.
When did the Weather channel get started anyway? Does anybody know? One day there was a channel devoted just to the weather, and you didn't have to wait for the 6 o'clock news to hear a hurricane was coming. Remembering stuff like this makes me feel old sometimes! I mean when I was growing up we only had cartoons on TV on Saturday mornings. Nowadays, there are so many cartoon channels it isn't even funny.
Anyhow, after reading the news I'll go to Facebook and see if anything cool is happening there. Today, I watched a couple of music videos that people had posted. I really liked this one song called: In the city by a group called Chromatics, and the video for another song, Hands in the dark, was interesting and had vignettes of people and their drama.
Another music video was called: Got your back by T.I. Feat.Keri Hilson. This songs lyrics said something about gotta keep my swag up. I know I worry about my swag saggin, but I wasn't sure what else swag meant, so I pulled out my Brand new Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. I had to get a new dictionary because my old one was so old, it didn't even have 'Internet' listed in it. That's pretty old, wouldn't you say?
See if you can tell which one of the following is a definition of swag.
1. Something as a decoration that is hanging in a curve between two points, a festoon. Rehang those curtains so the swag don't sag so much.
2. A suspended cluster of evergreen branches. A Christmas swag smells so good.
3. Goods acquired by unlawful means. The hag hid her swag in her cauldron.
4. A depression in the earth. Look out for that swag, you might take a trip next fall.
5. A pack of personal belongings. Her swag was so immense she really needed a suitcase.
6. To sway, lurch, sag or droop. This right here is my pretty boy swag.
Did you guess which one? Do you give up?! They are all definitions of swag! That's what I learned today. How about you? Anything new?
I prefer the Internet over television, except for the Weather. The Weather Channel gives me a tiny dose of drama, especially during hurricane season and that's how I like my drama, these days, in small little doses.
When did the Weather channel get started anyway? Does anybody know? One day there was a channel devoted just to the weather, and you didn't have to wait for the 6 o'clock news to hear a hurricane was coming. Remembering stuff like this makes me feel old sometimes! I mean when I was growing up we only had cartoons on TV on Saturday mornings. Nowadays, there are so many cartoon channels it isn't even funny.
Anyhow, after reading the news I'll go to Facebook and see if anything cool is happening there. Today, I watched a couple of music videos that people had posted. I really liked this one song called: In the city by a group called Chromatics, and the video for another song, Hands in the dark, was interesting and had vignettes of people and their drama.
Another music video was called: Got your back by T.I. Feat.Keri Hilson. This songs lyrics said something about gotta keep my swag up. I know I worry about my swag saggin, but I wasn't sure what else swag meant, so I pulled out my Brand new Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. I had to get a new dictionary because my old one was so old, it didn't even have 'Internet' listed in it. That's pretty old, wouldn't you say?
See if you can tell which one of the following is a definition of swag.
1. Something as a decoration that is hanging in a curve between two points, a festoon. Rehang those curtains so the swag don't sag so much.
2. A suspended cluster of evergreen branches. A Christmas swag smells so good.
3. Goods acquired by unlawful means. The hag hid her swag in her cauldron.
4. A depression in the earth. Look out for that swag, you might take a trip next fall.
5. A pack of personal belongings. Her swag was so immense she really needed a suitcase.
6. To sway, lurch, sag or droop. This right here is my pretty boy swag.
Did you guess which one? Do you give up?! They are all definitions of swag! That's what I learned today. How about you? Anything new?
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Hoosier daddy?
What a beautiful day it was, the air, finally, was cooler and less humid, it made for a perfect walk around Melbourne's Fall Fest. There are some talented people making and selling cool stuff, and it was a joy to walk with my best man and see all the arts. The artist is not a special kind of man, but every man is a special kind of artist. Ananda Coomaraswamy
We had to stop by the SLOW gallery, on Municipal, and see if any of my jewelry has sold. It hasn't, but it was fun to chat with Chris Maslow, and look at Frits Van Eeden's work displayed there. When I initially took my hand painted jewelry in there, I was a little nervous, ask Katren, she'll tell you, because it's always a risk to be rejected, and told "Sorry." And, I felt like I talked too loud, I hardly even looked around, I was so relieved he accepted my work, that I practically ran out of there! So today was a do-over, and it was a pleasant one at that.
We walked up one side of the street and then down the other. When we were heading back, we noticed a window with art inside that looked very similar to what we had seen in the SLOW gallery. Lo and behold, it was Frits's studio! I'd never met him before, but it didn't take long to realize the guy with a paint brush in his hand was the Artist. What a pleasant fellow, we chatted a bit about his work and I left his gallery with a smile on my face. I just visited his website while writing this blog and found he is an Internationally known artist! See some of his vibrantly painted work at fritsvaneeden.com
I started writing my blog this morning about how cool it is to see art on the internet. Since I'm always in Blogger, I usually start with my friend, Carmen's blog, she is part of the Daily painters group, and paints beautiful little pieces. CarmenBeecher.blogspot.com and from her favorites I then go to Karin Jurick's blog, Karin has been painting 100 faces from mug shots. She calls it BUST-ED, and even though they are small paintings, they really capture the core of the person. See these at KarinJurick.blogspot.com
Just the other day I watched David Kassan doing a live finger-painting demo with an Apple ipad. That was really impressive, and also time saving because they were able to reduce a 3 hour painting session to about 7 minutes. I loved watching that video as I didn't even know there was such a thing, an ipad, get out! Talk about saving money on paints and art supplies. If you'd like to see it you can go to intherealartworld.blogspot.com
So blogging and gadding about in the blogosphere is indeed enlightening and free, I told my mom the other day, "Ma, I've been blogging almost every day." and she says, "What kind of shoes do you wear for that?" but I daresay that it can't take the place of standing in front of a real work of art.
On the walk back to our car, my man says to me, "Knock knock". Of course I had to answer, "Who's there." He says, "Hoosier." "Hoosier who?" "Hoosier daddy!"
We had to stop by the SLOW gallery, on Municipal, and see if any of my jewelry has sold. It hasn't, but it was fun to chat with Chris Maslow, and look at Frits Van Eeden's work displayed there. When I initially took my hand painted jewelry in there, I was a little nervous, ask Katren, she'll tell you, because it's always a risk to be rejected, and told "Sorry." And, I felt like I talked too loud, I hardly even looked around, I was so relieved he accepted my work, that I practically ran out of there! So today was a do-over, and it was a pleasant one at that.
We walked up one side of the street and then down the other. When we were heading back, we noticed a window with art inside that looked very similar to what we had seen in the SLOW gallery. Lo and behold, it was Frits's studio! I'd never met him before, but it didn't take long to realize the guy with a paint brush in his hand was the Artist. What a pleasant fellow, we chatted a bit about his work and I left his gallery with a smile on my face. I just visited his website while writing this blog and found he is an Internationally known artist! See some of his vibrantly painted work at fritsvaneeden.com
I started writing my blog this morning about how cool it is to see art on the internet. Since I'm always in Blogger, I usually start with my friend, Carmen's blog, she is part of the Daily painters group, and paints beautiful little pieces. CarmenBeecher.blogspot.com and from her favorites I then go to Karin Jurick's blog, Karin has been painting 100 faces from mug shots. She calls it BUST-ED, and even though they are small paintings, they really capture the core of the person. See these at KarinJurick.blogspot.com
Just the other day I watched David Kassan doing a live finger-painting demo with an Apple ipad. That was really impressive, and also time saving because they were able to reduce a 3 hour painting session to about 7 minutes. I loved watching that video as I didn't even know there was such a thing, an ipad, get out! Talk about saving money on paints and art supplies. If you'd like to see it you can go to intherealartworld.blogspot.com
So blogging and gadding about in the blogosphere is indeed enlightening and free, I told my mom the other day, "Ma, I've been blogging almost every day." and she says, "What kind of shoes do you wear for that?" but I daresay that it can't take the place of standing in front of a real work of art.
On the walk back to our car, my man says to me, "Knock knock". Of course I had to answer, "Who's there." He says, "Hoosier." "Hoosier who?" "Hoosier daddy!"
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Mama Juana says...
My son came to visit this week, which is a happy occasion because he lives on the West Coast and even though I saw him in June, when I went to visit him and his family, that is a long time for a Mama to wait to see her son.
My son is a husband, father to an almost 2 yr. old baby girl, and a successful chef, who likes, no LOVES to travel. Where he gets his fascination with travelling must be in his paternal genes. I don't travel well, myself. I can travel to familiar destinations, like my hometown, and where my son lives with no problems. But, I have a really hard time travelling outside the US. I've been to the Bahamas, Costa Rica and Panama, that's it. and if I don't get any air-conditioning within a 24 hour period, I get pretty cranky, and if there is no toilet paper, all hell breaks loose!
But my son, well, he travels the world! He's been to Japan, Indonesia, Machu Pichu, Honduras, Nicaragua and Mexico. Before he got married he went to the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas to be exact, on his own, no missionary, no Red Cross itinerary, and worked there, helping rebuild after a hurricane. He lived happily, in a tent. I only sleep in tents if they are air-conditioned!
In one building he was helping to renovate he came upon a place where bats had lived. When I say bats, I mean a whole bunch of 'em, because they left so much doo-doo behind that he was able to scoop up a baggie full of this excrement and mail it home to me. Bat guano, by the way is a very potent, organic fertilizer, and at the time I was growing mesclun greens, and selling them as 'Mrs. Lavender's' home grown salad greens. Isn't guano a prettier name than doo-doo?
Once, he brought home a wooden mortar and pestle, for me, which I have used many times. But I digress, he is a world traveler, and this time he purchased a Jet Blue pass and for $500US he was able to fly to the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Costa Rica, as well as Orlando and Boston, all within a month.
Like I said earlier, when he comes home to visit, especially from his travels, he always brings something. This time he brought some Mamajuana; please don't confuse this with marijuana. Mamajuana is a maceration of local Dominican herbs, rum, red wine and honey. It is said to be medicinal, and Wikipedia reports it is an aphrodisiac by those that imbibe it, mostly local Dominicans and it's drunk out of a shot glass. My husband, daughters and I were pleasantly surprised by the taste.
My son is the kind of guy that feels like a stranger is a friend he just hasn't met yet. And we were enthralled by his tales of travel throughout each country, looking for the perfect surf spot. What impressed me most though was how he started out his travels. He goes with a backpack, and one other bag, a knapsack, that he can sling over his shoulder. His backpack, when he left California was stuffed with baby toys that Anna had outgrown and old clothes of his.
While he was driving the back roads, the roads that regular tourists don't go on, he would stop and give the toys or clothes to people he met on his way.
Now that just makes me proud, and gives me a perspective of my son that maybe alot of mothers don't get, especially when our sons get older and move out on their own. We don't always get to peek behind the scene. But I did, and I just wanted to share that. Maybe it's true, "He that travels much knows much." Thomas Fuller
As for the Mama Juana, my name in Spanish is Juana! and it is also used by my husband, Michael, as one of his endearing greetings: "Hola, Juana, como esta?" Mama Juana says,"Muy bien, bonito, muy bien!"
My son is a husband, father to an almost 2 yr. old baby girl, and a successful chef, who likes, no LOVES to travel. Where he gets his fascination with travelling must be in his paternal genes. I don't travel well, myself. I can travel to familiar destinations, like my hometown, and where my son lives with no problems. But, I have a really hard time travelling outside the US. I've been to the Bahamas, Costa Rica and Panama, that's it. and if I don't get any air-conditioning within a 24 hour period, I get pretty cranky, and if there is no toilet paper, all hell breaks loose!
But my son, well, he travels the world! He's been to Japan, Indonesia, Machu Pichu, Honduras, Nicaragua and Mexico. Before he got married he went to the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas to be exact, on his own, no missionary, no Red Cross itinerary, and worked there, helping rebuild after a hurricane. He lived happily, in a tent. I only sleep in tents if they are air-conditioned!
In one building he was helping to renovate he came upon a place where bats had lived. When I say bats, I mean a whole bunch of 'em, because they left so much doo-doo behind that he was able to scoop up a baggie full of this excrement and mail it home to me. Bat guano, by the way is a very potent, organic fertilizer, and at the time I was growing mesclun greens, and selling them as 'Mrs. Lavender's' home grown salad greens. Isn't guano a prettier name than doo-doo?
Once, he brought home a wooden mortar and pestle, for me, which I have used many times. But I digress, he is a world traveler, and this time he purchased a Jet Blue pass and for $500US he was able to fly to the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Costa Rica, as well as Orlando and Boston, all within a month.
Like I said earlier, when he comes home to visit, especially from his travels, he always brings something. This time he brought some Mamajuana; please don't confuse this with marijuana. Mamajuana is a maceration of local Dominican herbs, rum, red wine and honey. It is said to be medicinal, and Wikipedia reports it is an aphrodisiac by those that imbibe it, mostly local Dominicans and it's drunk out of a shot glass. My husband, daughters and I were pleasantly surprised by the taste.
My son is the kind of guy that feels like a stranger is a friend he just hasn't met yet. And we were enthralled by his tales of travel throughout each country, looking for the perfect surf spot. What impressed me most though was how he started out his travels. He goes with a backpack, and one other bag, a knapsack, that he can sling over his shoulder. His backpack, when he left California was stuffed with baby toys that Anna had outgrown and old clothes of his.
While he was driving the back roads, the roads that regular tourists don't go on, he would stop and give the toys or clothes to people he met on his way.
Now that just makes me proud, and gives me a perspective of my son that maybe alot of mothers don't get, especially when our sons get older and move out on their own. We don't always get to peek behind the scene. But I did, and I just wanted to share that. Maybe it's true, "He that travels much knows much." Thomas Fuller
As for the Mama Juana, my name in Spanish is Juana! and it is also used by my husband, Michael, as one of his endearing greetings: "Hola, Juana, como esta?" Mama Juana says,"Muy bien, bonito, muy bien!"
Friday, October 1, 2010
Aw, come on you guys...
I asked my daughter this morning, "Should I apologize to everyone, for the public retching I did the other day?" She said, "It is what it is, why do you have to feel sorry about it, or analyze it?"
So, I'm daring to stick my neck out, and say, Hey, the last 4 posts I've written were an experiment for me. I knew I was entering unchartered territory, at least writing about myself in a public forum, as well as the stream of consciousness writing that I engaged in. I didn't know how I was going to feel after posting, and I didn't know how ya'll were gonna feel about it either.
But, I risked it, and to tell the truth it was liberating. I shared my truth, as ugly as it was, and I didn't even say the F word. (Well maybe once) I was walking around with this stuff plastered behind a fake smile some of the time anyway. Next time you see me, I know I will be glowing just a little bit brighter.
Nao Bustamente, an artist who was on the Next Great Artist series, which was on TV awhile ago, she said, "I'm not responsible for your experience of my art." and that has kinda stuck with me today. "I'm not responsible for your experience of reading my blog." I mean that sincerely. Those of you who know me, know that I'm not an unkind person, and I had a dilemma about whether or not to say what I wanted, needed to say. Domestic violence and sexual abuse are not pretty topics. Period.
A good friend of mine was the only one willing to comment, "This was more than a sneak peak into you. I think I stuck my head down your throat and had a front row seat."
At first I felt ashamed, Oh my God, what have I done, I've verbally puked on all my readers. Ewwwwww But, I said to myself, No, I will not be ashamed of showing the world the damage that has been done to me, maybe sometime in the future I will be able to write about it with a little sugar on top, but I don't think so. Maybe with a little more finesse, I hope so.
Now that I have that off my chest, I want to get back to talking about what I love, and that's my art, my family and my friends. So, if you dare to still be my friend, and continue to read my blog, I can't promise I'll never upchuck again, but I'm in no hurry to do any stream of consciousness writing anytime soon!
So, I'm daring to stick my neck out, and say, Hey, the last 4 posts I've written were an experiment for me. I knew I was entering unchartered territory, at least writing about myself in a public forum, as well as the stream of consciousness writing that I engaged in. I didn't know how I was going to feel after posting, and I didn't know how ya'll were gonna feel about it either.
But, I risked it, and to tell the truth it was liberating. I shared my truth, as ugly as it was, and I didn't even say the F word. (Well maybe once) I was walking around with this stuff plastered behind a fake smile some of the time anyway. Next time you see me, I know I will be glowing just a little bit brighter.
Nao Bustamente, an artist who was on the Next Great Artist series, which was on TV awhile ago, she said, "I'm not responsible for your experience of my art." and that has kinda stuck with me today. "I'm not responsible for your experience of reading my blog." I mean that sincerely. Those of you who know me, know that I'm not an unkind person, and I had a dilemma about whether or not to say what I wanted, needed to say. Domestic violence and sexual abuse are not pretty topics. Period.
A good friend of mine was the only one willing to comment, "This was more than a sneak peak into you. I think I stuck my head down your throat and had a front row seat."
At first I felt ashamed, Oh my God, what have I done, I've verbally puked on all my readers. Ewwwwww But, I said to myself, No, I will not be ashamed of showing the world the damage that has been done to me, maybe sometime in the future I will be able to write about it with a little sugar on top, but I don't think so. Maybe with a little more finesse, I hope so.
Now that I have that off my chest, I want to get back to talking about what I love, and that's my art, my family and my friends. So, if you dare to still be my friend, and continue to read my blog, I can't promise I'll never upchuck again, but I'm in no hurry to do any stream of consciousness writing anytime soon!
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