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Friday, March 27, 2009

~"The Story of Two Wolves"~

A Grandfather from the Cherokee Nation was talking with his grandson.

"A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.
"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves."

"One wolf is evil and ugly: He is anger, envy, war, greed, self-pity, sorrow, regret, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, selfishness and arrogance."
"The other wolf is beautiful and good: He is friendly, joyful, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, justice, fairness, empathy, generosity, true, compassion, gratitude, and deep VISION."
"This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other human as well."

The grandson paused in deep reflection because of what his grandfather had just said.
Then he finally asked: "Grandfather, which wolf will win?"

The elder Cherokee replied, "The wolf that you feed."

Thursday, March 26, 2009

*Oh My! How Time Flies!!!*

~This Winter sure has gone by fast! I have been so busy and lame-brained that I didn't even realise how close to Summer we actually are!! (YAYY!!)

~So, anyways...Here is an update! Humm...Let's see........

*On March 4th Mikko celebrated his FIRST BIRTHDAY ("Bird-Day"??)!! He has grown up soo fast in the last year and is starting to finally settle down some and become 'civil'!
His vocabulary is really expanding too and he seems to enjoy imitating as many words and sounds I make as he possibly can! (He also has a few things he says that sound so much like Denny you would swear he was standing right there talking!)
Misty was home the other day and amazed to hear him yell out "Spikey!! Shut the F%#K up!!", Hehe!! I guess I need to start watching my 'sailors mouth' more!!

*Misty is currently HOME on Spring Break but headed back to Columbus this Sunday (March 29th) and will be starting her new Spring Quarter classes on Monday.
She will be taking the "GRE Test" on April 4th which, hopefully, will increase her potential of getting into Ohio State's Graduate Program! (*Fingers/toes crossed!*)

*Denny is dividing his time up between working, tinkering around the house and helping with his Mom. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in December '08, has quickly declined in health and mental capability and is living with his sister, Peggy, for now.
Something cute that she did and I wanted to make sure I made note of was when Denny took her back to "visit" her house one day! She didn't want anything in particular but just enjoyed walking around and looking at her stuff. She went over to a large picture of Dean that hung on the wall, touched her hand to it and said "See? I told you I'd be back!".
That brought tears to my eyes when Denny told me!

*I have been making jewelry and stuff all Winter to sell, so hopefully I can find either a craft show, a retail store that takes consignments or set up at our local Farmer's Market SOON! I have put too much time, effort and money into making things to just leave them sit in a box somewhere so hopefully I will find something suitable and sell most of it! (*If not, guess what everyone will be getting for Birthdays and Christmas this year??? *wink*)

*I also have developed an 'addiction' to making and swapping/trading something called "Artist Trading Cards"....

~"ARTIST TRADING CARDS are miniature works of art created on 2 ½ X 3 ½ inch card stock.
They are originals, small editions and, most importantly, self-produced... anybody can produce them.
The idea is that you trade them with other people who produce cards, either at TRADING SESSIONS or wherever you meet another ATC trader in person.
It is important that you meet other people in person to trade - i.e. it is ok to trade by mail or to participate in editions but the main purpose of this performance is the trading session and the personal meeting.
It's not about money: participants in trading sessions and editions should not be charged any money: the point of the project is the exchange of cards as well as personal experience and enjoying the creativity of making ART."~

*So far I have participated in about 17-swaps and done a few 1 on 1 trades with people! Here a few examples of my work....

"TEA TIME!"
"SEAGULL"
"Socialite"
*From the "Birds-It's a Layered Thing" Swap*

"1950's Retro" ATC Swap
*From the "1950's Retro" Swap*

"EasterTime" ATC Swap
"EasterTime" ATC Swap
*From the "EasterTime" Swap*

"Food and Drink" ATC Swap
"Food and Drink" ATC Swap
*From the "Food and Drink" Swap*

"Little Girls" ATC Swap
"Little Girls" ATC Swap
*From the "What Are Little Girls Made Of?" Swap*

"House Shaped" ATC Swap
"House Shaped ATC" I painted
*From the "House Shaped ATC" Swap*

From the "Be Sweet" Swap
*From the "Be Sweet!" Swap*

"Silhouette" Swap
"Silhouette" Swap
*From the "Silhouette!" Swap*

"Chinese New Year" Swap
"Chinese New Year" Swap
*From the "Chinese New Year" ("Year of the Rabbit") Swap*

"ZETTI!" Swap
"ZETTI!" Swap
"ZETTI!" Swap
"ZETTI!" Swap
*From the "ZETTI!" Swap which was my favorite!! The last card is titled "EAT SOMETHING!!!"...Hahaha!!!*

~WHEW! So that is my little update! I will try to post new pictures of the ATC's I make as time permits!
The swaps I am currently working on are: "All Bottled UP!" (a photo of a bottle with something inside it that 'shouldn't be there'), "Mixed Media", and one called "Triptych/Diptych" in which you shape the card like a little shrine! *I am having alot of fun with that one!*

Sunday, March 01, 2009

~Paul Harvey~ (1918-2009)

~This is something I've had saved on my "favorites" for years but still enjoy going back to read now and then....

"We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse.

For my grandchildren, I'd like better. I'd really like for them to know about hand-me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meatloaf sandwiches. I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.

I hope you learn to make your bed and mow the lawn and wash the car. And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him.

I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your 'driver' to drop you two blocks away so you won't be embarrassed to be seen riding with someone as un-cool as your Mom.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.

I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books. When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what Ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it. And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your Mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through a neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you -- tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness.

To me, it's the only way to appreciate life."
~By: Paul Harvey~