Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Still Shaky

I'm still a bit shaky from yesterday. The glass globe surrounding the light bulb in the light/fan exploded sending glass shards everywhere except where I was sitting. By the laws of physics that glass should have hit me. Those shards were large enough that some of them could have seriously hurt or even killed me considering the force of the explosion.

I have always felt the presence of my Dad with me. I am sure that yesterday thanks to his intervention and the care of my Guardian angel and God that I was spared. It isn't the first time that something like this has happened. A couple of years ago I was sitting at a turn light with cars in front of me and heavy traffic on the side of me, no where to go in other words. I saw in my rear view mirror a car suddenly swerve towards the turn lane as if the driver realized he was going to miss the turn. He suddenly went up on the divider next to me. The car was literally an inch away from mine.

If ever anyone is tempted to doubt the existence of God and his love for us then incidents like this affirm his presence and his love for us. There was a circle free of glass around my chair even though it hit every where else. God loves me and I thank him for that love and saving my life yesterday.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Daddy. You would have been 88 today. We really miss you. I'm doing my best to take care of mother but you know how stubborn she is. At least we are on our way to getting her to retire. I think in a couple of months she will hang it up for good and just stay home with Pixie.

If you were here I'm sure we would be discussing last night's Heroes. That was some episode wasn't it and next week oh boy. That should be a doozy. Well maybe you would have been watching 24 with Mike and we would catch the rerun together of Heroes on Friday. You would like both of those shows I'm sure.

I finished this picture last night. I would have loved to show you how to do computer art. You really would have had fun with it. I know I'm having the time of my life being able to create.

We finally got Mike his Army retirement. I know you would have had it straightened up with a couple of phone calls but I finally got the right people at last. He may even get all that back pay they owe him.

Thanks for watching over us. I know you promised to do so in a dream I had. Man that light globe exploding this morning sure scared me. I don't think it was a coincident that the glass went everywhere except where I was. Physics said it should have hit over where I was sitting. I know you made sure it didn't.

Any way happy birthday and know we still love you and miss you lots.

The picture is called Midnight Reflections and the image came to me in a dream. It was such a powerful image that I had to turn it into a picture.

Monday, January 29, 2007

Food for Thought

"Fearlessness is the first requirement of spirituality. Cowards can never be moral." Mahatma Gandhi

"If distressing emotions such as anger were in the very nature of the mind, then from its inception the mind would always have to be angry. Obviously, this is not so. Only under certain circumstances do we become angry." Dahlai Lama

A couple of really good quotes to start the week off. We have all heard of "the angry young man" who flails at everything and is always angry. It is a nice stereotype but there are times when even the angriest of people do need to calm down. It is impossible to be in the state of anger and sleep for instance. The mind has to be tranquil and calm in order for sleep to come.

I especially like the Gandhi quote. Cowardice comes in so many forms. One of the worst type of cowardice is seen on the web in newsgroups. We have all seen the anonymous troll who attacks people because they are too cowardly to use their real name. Or we see someone who will stoop to the level of attacking a person's god children because he objects to another person's religious beliefs. How cowardly can you get to attack innocent children? I use my real name when I post and I don't say anything I wouldn't say to a person's face. I say what I mean and I mean what I say.

Cowardice can also be seen by silence. If you see a situation that is not right but you are afraid to open your mouth and say something then you are a coward. You can not see injustice being done and keep silent. If you truly believe in God, however you see him/her then you need to speak up when you see something that is wrong being done. I won't say that there won't be consequences from speaking up but for the sake of your own well being you must do what is right.

So here is to courage. May you find the courage within yourself to be able to have the fearlessness to speak up when you see something that is wrong. In my story Phoenix Rising one of my most powerful characters, Queen Niri, said this about courage:

"I once asked my father what was wisdom and courage and how do you find them," Queen Niri said. "He told me 'wisdom is understanding real fear. Stupidity is ignoring real fear. Courage is overcoming real fear. Cowardice is giving in to imaginary fear. You will find courage when you allow something to be more important then yourself.' I have never forgotten that."

The picture is called The Queen.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Finally

Finally it's done!! Whoo-hoo!! After hours of sitting at the computer and uploading one little piece at a time my web site is finally updated. Yes!

I really have to update that site as I go along. This bit of doing it every six months is too much. I probably will have to make a New Year's Resolution as much as I hate those things to update the site as I go along.

Any way there is six months of new art in all but two galleries as well as a new poem. You can find it at: http://members.aol.com/michelewln/

The picture is called Cosmic Celebration because I am celebrating finally getting the thing done!

Friday, January 26, 2007

Learning Tree

"Knowledge is the best kind of wealth." Dalai Lama

It must be a geek thing because I loved school. Even as an adult with a B.A. I would take night school classes in subjects that interested me. One of my favorite magazines is National Geographic. They have so many fascinating stories now not just on travels to distant lands. They have had articles on how the brain works, earthquakes, and this month on the heart. They are doing stories that make you think.

One thing that disturbs me is the state of education in this country. We are falling behind many other counties in the world in terms of education and college graduates especially in the sciences. We need to refocus our energies on education and getting the best education we can for our children.

Learning something new is one of the joys of my life. When I was a child I discovered science fiction and that got me into astronomy because I wanted to see how the universe works. In my art work I do a lot of pictures based in outer space because it fascinates me so much. I especially like ringed planets as you can tell from their many appearances in my art work because they are so beautiful.

Another field I am interested in is health and diet. I am living in a state where the plus sizes are prominently displayed and you have to hunt to find petites. Double and triple X are considered standard sizes out here. That is really sad because obesity is a serious health issue. It can lead to all sorts of illnesses including diabetes. I altered my cooking style based on what I have discovered about healthy eating.

I am appalled by the number of functionally illiterate people that I have come across in my job. No one should go through our school system and still not know how to read. By the time they become adults they are afraid to admit that they can't read and fake their way through life because they are ashamed to get help.

Reading is one of my pleasures in life. I love to read. In addition to science fiction and fantasy I love mysteries. Based on my track record of figuring out "who done it" I probably won't be giving up my day job to be a detective. The fact that I am hardly ever right in figuring out the villain doesn't spoil my pleasure in reading mysteries. One of my favorite mystery writers in Tony Hillerman and I have learned a great deal about the Native American culture from his books. I lived in New Mexico as a child and have fond memories of the state. I read his books almost as much for learning about the Navaho culture as I do for the mysteries.

The picture is called Guardian of Knowledge.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Others and Truth

"Who is more important, you or others? The conclusion is clear; even if minor suffering happens to all other, its range is infinite, wheras when something happens to me, it is limited to just one person. When we look at others in this way, oneself is not so important." Dalai Lama

One of the signs of maturity is going from me oriented to you oriented. A baby knows of no one other then themselves and what their needs and wants are. When a child starts maturing s/he starts to recognize that their are other beings who have wants and needs also and everything isn't all about themselves any more.

I come from a culture where I was taught that we are on this earth to help others and that is how I have always lived my life. It doesn't mean that I neglect my own needs it just means that I also think about the needs of others. I have to take care of myself if I am to be of any use to any one else. My main concern these days is my aged mother. Her health is poor and since the loss of her husband, my Dad, she has come to rely on me to help her through difficulties. She has done so much for me over the years that I am happy to be able to help her any way I can. She needs me and I will be here for her as long as she is alive.

One of my deep dissatisfaction with politics these days is the viscous smear campaigns that go on all the time. I was a champion debater in high school and I know how a topic should be debated so that all sides are presented in order that an informed opinion is arrived at. You need facts and most of all you need verifiable facts and the truth.

The recent smear campaign against Senator Barak Obama as perpetrated by an ultra conservative magazine and the biased Fox News is the sort of dirty politics that I abhor. Senator Obama makes no secret of the fact that he is a Christian and a member of a Christian Church in Illinois. Recently the shrill right has jumped on the fact that the Senator's middle name is Hussein and that he attended a school in Indonesia that they mistakenly called a school on Muslim radical teachings. It would have taken very little research to find out that his father was named Barak Hussein Obama, Sr. He was named after his father how hard is that to figure out. One phone call to the school was all it took to debunk the Muslin radical teachings. It is a lie plain and simple. Fox News, fair and balanced, in a pig's eye!

I was living in Illinois during the campaign for the senate and the thing I remember most was that during the Democratic primary there were no negative ads for the Democratic candidates. During the Senate race itself Senator Obama maintained that practice. He debated the issues not personalities.

Is it too much to ask the press that they check the facts before running with a story? Are we forever going to be subjected to the hatred for all things Muslim? Is no one going to check and find out that the majority of Muslims do NOT believe in the radical jihad and that they denounce the terrorism being perpetrated by the few that do?

If we are truly to care for our fellow human beings then we need to get past the prejudice and stop spreading lies. The American people deserve the truth in our political campaigns. We are intelligent enough to debate the facts and make up our minds. A little respect is in order.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Passings

"It is almost as if human affection is the very basis of our existence. Our life cannot start without affection, and our sustenance, proper growth, and so on all depend on it." Dalai Lama

I just heard from an old friend who had been out of touch for a while. I learned her mother passed away from cancer a couple of weeks ago. It is so hard to know what to say in a situation like that other then let them know you care and that they are in your prayers.

I was thinking about my late father when I wrote the following poem.

 

 

 

 

 

A New Star in the Sky

 

I miss you more then I can say.

Why did God take you away?

There’s so much I want to tell you.

I’ve more love I need to give you.

For you brightened up my day

With the love you sent my way.

 

Who will share my dreams now?

No one’s there to teach me how

To make each day a joy to live,

To show me how myself to give.

Who will be my teacher now?

So I can be the best I know how?

 

Once I heard a little child say,

“My Grandpa he has gone away.

But God saw his shining soul

And knew that we still need him so.

He took that light like it was clay

And formed a star to light our way.”

 

When I look at the star filled sky

I feel a peace and by and by,

I know that you look down on me.

As that peace embraces me

I know your love will never die
As long as stars shine in the sky.

The picture is called Guardian of Dreams.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Nice To Know

I received an email today from one of the nurses at my old job. She was saying how much they all miss me and wish I was still their customer service rep because I was the best. It really made me feel good that even after two years I am remembered fondly.

I have always been amused by the bumper sticker He who dies with the most toys wins. Nothing could be further from the truth. I think how you will be remembered is the most important thing. So a person dies a multi millionaire is that what people are going to remember about them? I don't think so. People will remember if they used that wealth to help others less fortunate then themselves or if they used their wealth solely for personal gratification. What you do is more important then what you have.

One of the things I really learned to dislike about my ex was his constant need to have what was new even if we couldn't afford it or needed it. He was constantly buying things and putting them on my credit cards because he had no credit. I ended up stuck with the bills and filed bankruptcy because of him. He ended up with all of the "stuff" because there was little that I really wanted. I came out of the marriage with essentially the same things I went into it with. For me things have a meaning if they are associated with someone I cared about. Some of my favorite clothes were given to me by friends at a time when the company changed their dress code and I was in the middle of paying off a bankruptcy lawyer. They knew I didn't have the money to buy a new wardrobe so they went through theirs and gave me huge sacks full of really nice clothes. They cared about me and that made the clothes all the more special.

What it all comes down to is giving. You will be remembered for what you gave of yourself and your time as well as your money. I want to be remembered as someone who cared about others and did what I could to help those less fortunate then myself. I want to be remembered for my heart not my bank book.

Monday, January 22, 2007

Dance

Dance as if no one were watching.
Sing as if no one were listening.
Live every day as if it's your last.
                             Irish Proverb

I once asked Andrew Greeley what do you call someone who is half Irish and the rest a mixture of English, Scottish, Cherokee, and Amish. His answer was "Irish." I am a mixture of all of the above but the part of me that resonates the strongest is the Irish and that is what I refer to myself as. I am an Irish-American Catholic if you want to narrow it down further.

To be Irish Catholic is to have grown up knowing prejudice and hatred. I remember the absolute furor when John Kennedy ran for President because he was Irish Catholic. It was amazing that he managed to overcome the prejudice that was thrown up against him and win. It wasn't too far in the past that his relatives were seeing signs that said "No dogs or Irishmen allowed."

The history of Ireland is a history of pain and violence. It is only in the last couple of years with the Northern Ireland Good Friday Peace Accord that there has been anything resembling peace in that country. Still there is the perception that Irish are nothing but drunkards and terrorists.

To me being Irish means I am a part of an complex and beautiful people and heritage. The Irish are poets, and writers, and singers, and dancers, and artists. There is a melancholy that is part of the Irish soul that allows a person to create the most beautiful and sometimes sad pieces of work. The Irish are a people who have overcome obstacles that would seem to be unsurmountable yet they as a nation are now known as the Celtic Tiger. To be Irish is to know how to survive and triumph.

So today take the Irish proverb to heart and sing and dance and live. The picture is called May You Dance.

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Plans

"To know the road ahead, ask those coming back." Chinese Proverb

Once I get the shopping out of the way I plan to get my web site updated as it has been several months since I have done that. I want it updated before I send out the pictures that I want to send so that people and companies will know that I'm available to do free lance art work. I have some recent work that I want them to be able to see.

I was noticing in the news that the United States no longer has the monopoly on stories about racism or other ism attacks. A reality show in Great Britain has come under attack for racist remarks and of course the person responsible had to say she wasn't a racist. There is a lot of denial that goes on with prejudice people. They make these bigoted remarks and immediately deny they are a bigot. Then why are you making the bigoted remarks? Get a grip if you make bigoted remarks you are a bigot. People are never going to get over their bigotry if they don't acknowledge it in the first place. Some people act like denial is a river in Egypt a bad joke and not reality.

The picture is called The Road Less Taken and one of my personal favorites.

Friday, January 19, 2007

The Fall

We had a person in a position of authority where I worked who made the lives of everyone miserable. He was arrogant, rude and sexist. He treated people with contempt. He was never wrong, it was always someone else's fault. The Board of Directors finally wised up and fired him.

This man was especially contemptuous of my female boss, a woman who has been there for 25 years and knows how things should be run. He kept trying to undermine her authority and micro manage her division without knowing what he was doing. I had to deal with him occasionally and he always made me feel uncomfortable because he would leer at my breasts. I dress modestly but I'm stacked like Dolly Parton. I don't like being leered at.

What arrogant people don't seem to realize is that there will be a fall. You can not treat people with contempt. What goes around comes around. My ex found that out when both of his wives left him. He lost the respect of his only child. He can not keep a job. Once you start on the road of arrogance you are going to find that others will attack you. It may be done as an anonymous troll, it may be done as a whispering campaign against you, it may be done in many ways.

It takes wisdom to stop and look and see how people perceive you and modify your behavior if you see that you are being treated with no respect. Everyone has the right to be treated with respect however if you yourself fail to treat others with respect then you have no right to complain if you are targeted. Egos need to be kept in check. Humility is a virtue that needs to be nurtured. If you are good at what you do let others sing your praises. If people don't like you then you need to take a good look at yourself and see why. It is folly to assume that it is only because they are jealous of your superior abilities. A superior attitude is often used to hide an inferior heart.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Dreams

I was talking to a friend yesterday and we got on the subject of following your dreams. She is going to challenge herself and go for something she has always wanted rather then face the possibility that in 20 years she will have regrets that she just played her life conservative and didn't take the risk involved with pursuing her dream. I think that is wonderful.

A life with no dreams or aspirations is a life that is wasted as far as I am concerned. It is so easy to stay in the comfort zone and not take any risks. Nothing ventured nothing gained however. Life itself is a risk. We have no guarantee how long we have on this planet and we should make the most of the time that we have.

This is the year of my dreams and I am starting to get art work out to various places that use graphic artists to illustrate stories they are working on. I want to be a professional artist and I am going to pursue that dream this year. What is your dream?

The picture is called Door To Your Dreams and was by far the favorite picture on my 2007 calendar.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Slight Delay

"The best laid plans of mice and men...." I always wondered why they didn't finish the sentence. I guess it would be what the plans were. The best laid plans of mice and men to sleep through the night were shattered by two cats. That is true in my case. Around 2 AM Merlin decides he has had enough of following his little sister all through the house and he wants part of "his" bed. I'll tell you 15 1/2 pounds thudding by your ear is enough to wake the heaviest sleeper. He likes to cuddle close and use the "timber" method of lying down. He stands next to me and flops over sideways and slides down my body. Sigh he is so weird sometimes. Little Pixie bounds in around 2:30 AM just as I start to doze off and wants to know if I want to play ball with her. Errr not really. She eventually goes off to explore some more but not until she drops the ball into my slipper. Sigh why don't I get normal cats.

My good intentions of getting the Con Guide up and running soon have reached a little delay. My brother Eric just sent me the new Bryce 6 and DAZ with extras and two new figures to work with, Michael and Victoria.  Well I have to try it out don't I? Gee I'm a Geek you can't give me a new computer toy and not expect me to play for a while and see what it can do. Mom just sighed and gave a little giggle when she was asking what I was doing and I told her that I had a new toy. Now be fair just because I'm an adult it doesn't mean I have to grow up.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Coming Soon

I use to run a science fiction convention in the 80s and 90s. Last night I dreamed that I was giving someone advice on how to do a convention. It was a very good period in my life and it isn't any surprise that it is a theme that manifests itself into my dreams now and then. Upon awakening I thought about it some and decided that maybe it was time to write down advice to new comers on exactly what to expect and how to organize and run a successful convention. I made a start this morning and have the overview done. I'll post The Ultimate Con Guide on my web site when finished. I want to do some web research and make sure I have some good links for people to use. I'm a bit surprised that I hadn't thought of doing something like this before. I am usually very good at passing on knowledge that can help others. I do a lot of that at work. I think the idea had been percolating in my mind and the dream was the nudge I needed to make it happen.

We have a new computer system at work and it has been a nightmare. It is inadequate and all of us had minimal training. We are constantly trying to find where information is in the new system and how to do our jobs. It is frustrating because there are so many fixes that need to be programmed in before the system will work. One of my coworkers is very reluctant to pass on things she has discovered. She doesn't like to share.

What is it about some people that sharing is so difficult? As a child it was drummed into me that I was supposed to share and I usually did although to be honest sometimes very reluctantly if it was one of my favorite toys. For some people though the whole concept of sharing is difficult. I think with some people they are afraid that if they share people will come to depend on them and they don't want anyone depending on them. They fear their independence. Some people just aren't inclined to help others. They are lacking in compassion.

I think some people refuse to share because they are very materialistic. What is mine is mine and hands off is their attitude. Money may not buy happiness but they aren't going to take any chances. In the end though it won't matter how rich you are. God isn't going to look at your bank account, s/he is going to look at your life account. How did you spend your life? Did you help others? Did youshow compassion and caring for those who were not as well off as you? What type of person were you? Cold hard cash will not buy your way into Heaven although it could pave your way into Hell if you aren't careful.

The picture is of "Paddy" the baby unicorn who was first drawn as the logo for my convention.

Monday, January 15, 2007

The Bridge

"I hope that you at this moment will think of yourself as a human being rather than as an American, Asian, European, African, or member of any particular country. These loyalties are secondary. If you and I find common ground as human beings, we will communicate on a basic level." Dalai Lama

I have always felt that there is one race, the human race, and that is all that really counts. Whatever our differences we are still the same under the skin. We still have the same basic needs for food, water, clothing and shelter if we are to physically survive. We need to be able to communicate with our fellow beings to survive socially.

That is why bigotry in any form bothers me so much. Once we start down that road of hatred towards any being based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, politics, mental or physical abilities we diminish them and ourselves in God's eyes. He made each of us in his image which means that every being is part of him. You can't be prejudice against another being for whatever reason you hold in your heart and not be prejudiced against God. That is why religious intolerance is one of the most abhorrent bigotries of all because it goes against God himself by trying to diminish one of his creatures.

It is not possible to be a Pollyanna in this world. We are human and we have our likes and dislikes. Their are going to be people you just can't stand. Their are going to be people that you love more then others or at least love in a different way. My brother was commenting to my Mom that he thought I loved Pixie more then Merlin. It may seem a silly example to talk about two cats but there is a lesson here. I love both of the cats of course. Merlin is 8 years old and I've had him since he was four weeks old. He is a moody cat and alternates between wanting to be held and trying to bite you if you touch him. I treat him according to what mood he is in. He sets the tone of our relationship. I still love him as much as always. Pixie is a bundle of baby pick me up and cuddle me. She has the brighter kitten personality where she still craves a mommy's attention. I am more openly affectionate with her because that is what she desires. I don't love her more then Merlin but I do treat them according to their own wishes and desires.

I come from a large familywith four brothers. My relationship with each of my brothers is different because they are four very different individuals. Our history of a relationship is different in each case. I love them all but we all interact on different levels.

Their are people I don't prefer to interact with because I just don't like them. I am careful to make sure that I don't let that dislike turn into hatred because once you allow that emotion into your soul you are letting in Satan. It is possible to condemn the actions of people without damning the person. It is hard to remember sometimes that we are all God's creatures and even the ones who turn to evil are still His creatures.

Today is Martin Luther king Day. I grew up in the era that saw his assassination along with that of John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Robert Kennedy. I grew up in the era of civil rights. I grew up in the era of the Vietnam War protests. My little brother gave me Senator Barak Obama's The Audacity of Hope in a package addressed to "you left wing hippy you". I am impressed with the Senator's ability to be able to differentiate between not liking the politics of his opponents and still getting across the fact that however much you disagree politically we are still one people. I was in Illinois when he ran for the Senate and I was impressed with the fact that he never had one negative campaign ad. His ads were all about what he wanted to do and accomplish not personal attacks on his opponent. That is what politics should be about. It should be the debate of ideas and programs and not the tearing down of people who don't agree with you. Debate the ideas not the man.

Whatever our differences we are still human beings and that should be the bridge that unites us. The bridge needs to be anchored firmly on both sides if it is to stand.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Greed

In 1977 a very talented actor by the name of Cliff Robertson discovered that his name had been forged on a $10,000.00 check and it had been carried out by Columbia Studio head David Begelman. In his search for justice Mr. Robertson found himself blacklisted and unable to work by the Hollywood elite for having had the audacity to challenge them. In the last few months another extremely talented man by the name of Peter Jackson is finding that Hollywood still has no morals.

Bob Shayne from New Line Cinema recently made a very public personal attack on Mr. Jackson and made sure that he knew that directing The Hobbit wasn't going to happen in he had anything to do about it. This is the man who made 2.9 BILLION dollars for the company with his Lord of the Rings films. Mr. Jackson has been trying for a couple of years to get New Line to fulfill their contractual obligation to him. A partial audit of the books for the first film turned up financial irregularities and Mr. Jackson is asking that all three films be audited in the name of fairness to make sure that all the money due to him was paid. New Line Cinema refuses.

With their refusal to allow a fair audit of the books New Line Cinema is looking more and more like they have something major to hide. More then one journalist who covers entertainment is asking if New Line cooked the books in a major manner. If they had nothing to hide then surely they would open the books and explain the irregularities that came out with the little partial audit. Do they owe not only Peter more money but a lot of other people? Has Hollywood learned nothing since 1977. Evidently not.

I have observed that their are certain people in the entertainment business that have allowed the shallow adulation and power that comes from their profession to go straight to their over inflated egos. They throw morality out the window. They set themselves above the rest of us mere humans. It is a funny thing though real life has a way of redressing the balance. Their are people who are not afraid to speak out and aren't afraid of the consequences because in the end morality will triumph. The egotists will find that they don't have the support they think they do. The opposition will become increasing vocal and confrontational. They won't go away.

Peter Jackson has the full support of those of us who are his fans. New Line CInema will find that the fans are not going to support their movies the way we did with Lord of the Rings because of their treatment of PJ. Trust me we are going to hit them where it really hurts, their pocketbooks.

 

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Wealth

"We can think of the soul not as an entity but as a principle." D.T. Suzuki

"If you follow any religious practice, your mind becomes more compassionate and calm, more peaceful and your mental function becomes more effective." Dalai Lama

It is no secret that I love science fiction and fantasy and I am a strong believer in people having dreams to follow. I was thinking the other day about wealth. What would happen if suddenly you woke up and found yourself a billionaire. My dreams are practical enough to take in inflation. What would you do with that money?

The first thing I would do is have my mother write a letter resigning completely from her job. No more working. I would make sure her account had enough money to pay for any and all medicine that she would need for the rest of her life. I would take her to the top specialists in the world to see what the best course of action would be for her poor heart. I would see if a hip replacement would help alleviate the pain she is always in. I would have her house inspected from top to bottom and any and all repairs made for her including adding one of those mechanical seats that would allow her to ride up the stairs. I would also do the same for her only remaining sister so that she too can spend her remaining days without any financial worries.

I would establish a trust fund for my niece and her children so that all of them can get the best education the can get. I would fund whatever project my niece takes on for her doctoral thesis. I would make sure that my god children are taken care of for life.

I would get a publicist to promote my baby brother's NASCAR book and the new one he is writing on the Christian music world. I want the world to know what an exceptional writer he is.

I would make sure all of my brothers are taken care of and not have to have financial worries.

For myself I would get a new computer that would allow me to continue doing my art and writing. I might even consider self publishing my own books.

The most important thing I would do however is see what I can do to make a difference in the lives of people, to make this world a better place. Bono in an interview with Charlie Rose talked about his charity work and attributed his zeal to "good old Catholic guilt." Being a Catholic myself I understood exactly what he was talking about. We are taught that Christ died for our sins and that we here on earth to help others. It is the core of my beliefs.

My dream is to establish The Angel's Wings Foundation to help families with critically ill children. The name was inspired by the movie It's A Wonderful Life where every time you hear a bell an angel has earned his wings. You earn them by doing good deeds and helping others. I envision a foundation where it isn't only monetary giving but a giving of self also. I want people to help on a real level. They can help make meals for others, watch the other children, give the parents a chance to have an evening out once in a while, drive family members where they need to go, or just give an sympathetic ear. I want a place where families dealing with the illness of a loved one can find love, help and sympathy.

That is what I would do with my billions. What about you?

The picture is called Treasure and I really don't think it would be a good idea to try and get you billions from the dragon.

Tuesday, January 9, 2007

Tilting at Windmills

I majored in theatre at college and one of my favorite type of theatre is the musical. Some extraordinary songs have come out of musicals. One of my favorite songs is The Impossible Dream from Man of La Mancha. Don Quixote was thought to be quite mad and his niece and everyone else wanted to “cure” him of his madness. Underneath that apparent madness though was a serious question of truth and dignity. While he may have been tilting at windmills thinking they were monsters he did so because a man should act in honorable ways. He was caught up in the belief of chivalry and that you should treat your fellow human being with respect.

 

Another play I am fond of is Twelve Angry Men and it takes place in a hot stuffy courthouse jury room. At the beginning of the play all but one person is convinced from the start that the young man is guilty of murder but one juror does not feel that the case has been proved. As tempers and the temperature rises slowly the others start to examine their feelings and prejudices and look towards reality rather then emotions to see if the boy is guilty or not. They start to look for truth in the case and themselves.

 

What both plays have in common is a hero who stands apart from others because he is not afraid to take on what he feels is injustice. They both in their own ways show courage and the courage of their convictions. Sometimes in life that is a difficult thing to do because we are afraid of the consequences of our standing up for what we believe in especially in the face of opposition from those who are perceived as more powerful then ourselves.

 

Twice this year I have had to go against powerful businesses because they tried to rip off my mother. JC Penney had refused to honor a free shipping promise they made when they sent an item my mother paid for. Sprint refused to honor a free upgrade and 10% discount promise made to mother for renewing her contract. In both cases they found that they were going to have to deal with a very angry daughter. Both companies backed down when they realized that I would take action against them if they did not live up to their promises. A weapon we as consumers have is taking our business elsewhere. No one rips off my mom. It would have been easier to take the position that they were big companies and that the little person can’t fight bureaucracy. They were in the wrong however and big business or not they were going to treat my mom in an honorable manner.

 

One of the most difficult things to do sometimes is take a stand. It can be a very uncomfortable position to be in. If you see someone acting in a manner that is not honorable and shows a total lack of respect towards another human being because of prejudice the easier path is to say nothing. You know that you aren’t going to be able to remove the prejudice from another being. Only you yourself can change your understanding of how your life should be lived according to the principles that we should use to guide our lives. If however you choose to remain silent aren’t you violating your own principles? I believe as our forefathers put in writing that “all men are created equal and are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights and among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” I also believe Christ when he says to “love thy neighbor as thyself.”

 

One of the songs from Les Miserables is At the End of the Day. A question I always ask myself when faced with a situation is “at the end of the day how will I feel about myself if I do or do not take a certain action?” Sometimes I feel like I am tilting at windmills but at  the end of the day I can truly say that I feel I did what I felt was right and honorable. You have to be at peace with yourself and your ideals. After all someone has to keep those pesky windmills in line.

 

The picture is the latest in the Guardian series and is called Guardian of Courage.

Sunday, January 7, 2007

Well I'll Try

"Anger deceives us. Try and distance yourself from anger." Dalai Lama

Sprint Customer Service (boy is that an oxymoron) probably won't believe I read that quote before I sent them the blistering email but I did. Maybe they should be glad that I did read it or their little server would be up in flames. My mother has been a customer since 1993 and recently upgraded her service. She was supposed to get a 10% discount on her bill, was promised that she wouldn't be charged for upgrading because she was such a valuable customer, etc. Yeah right. It is no surprise that Sprint is dead last in customer service satisfaction in a recent Consumers Report's survey. Not only did Mom NOT get her discount, she was charged $36.00 to "upgrade" her service (translation Sprint didn't have to do a darn thing because she was already established) but they had the audacity to charge her 15 cents for a text message they sent so we could keep track of her account on line. Not smart. You don't treat my mother that way. Those charges better be reversed and her discount applied pronto or government and consumer advocates are going to be bombarded with complaints from me.

What makes me so ticked off about this is the taking advantage of a customer by a corporation that cares only about profit rather then customer satisfaction. It is a stupid way to do business. I have been in customer service for many years and the first rule is the customer is always right. Rule two is if the customer is wrong see rule number one and do what you can to calm them down. Without customers you have no business.

So I guess if I ever meet the Dalai Lama I'll have to apologize for not following his advice which is of course good advice. Maybe by then Sprint will come to their senses and I won't be so cotton picking ticked off. Try to rip off my mother. The nerve of them.

The picture is called Shelter From The Storm because I am definitely in a stormy mood.

Friday, January 5, 2007

Life

"I believe that the purpose of life is to be happy." Dalai Lama

One of my favorite characters from The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams is Marvin, the manic depressive robot. "Life, don't tell me about life," he would whine. He was so hysterically depressed about everything he was funny. "I'm not getting you down am I?" he would ask hopefully. It was such an over the top portrayal of those doom and gloomers we encounter in real life.

I am generally an upbeat person but I do occasionally have bouts of depression and when I do I know the medicine to take until my normal mood pattern reasserts itself. There is nothing wrong with taking antidepressants or seeking professional help if you need it. What is wrong is to ignore the problem and live your life in misery.

Granted there is a lot in life that is unpleasant and I am hardly a Pollyanna who refuses to see the bad in the world. There is a lot that we need to do to make our lives and the lives of others better. That is what we are here for after all to use what talents God gave us to make this world a better place.

I have little real patience with people who are always in a bad mood and can not laugh or enjoy the good things in life. My workplace is really tense at times as there is a lot of the usual politics you find in corporate life but you do hear a lot of laughter. We do know how to crack each other up. The coffee jokes going around now are really funny.

One of my favorite shows of all time was MASH. You would think that a show based on a hospital unit in the middle of war would have to be grime but it was one of the funniest shows ever made. It also had moments of heartbreak and sadness but the main thing it showed was the resilience of the human spirit. It showed that in spite of the horrors we have to face we have the ability to rise above them and still enjoy the fact that we are alive and can find the joy in our being.

There are times when I want to grab hold of a constant nay sayer and shake them. Wake up and embrace life I want to tell them. There is beauty in this world around us. Everything isn't all doom and gloom. Find something positive to talk about once in a while. That is especially true of the news reporting. One of the reasons I get Women's World every week is that they always have stories of people who have over come problems. Stories of people who have helped their fellow man out. They are a welcome relief from the constant barrage of news stories about the problems in the world. I want to see both sides of life. I'm doing my part to help those I can with problems but I want to see the happiness also.

Embrace life it is worth the living.

The picture is called I Spy and is taken from the children's game I spy with my little eye. I spy with my little eye the reason why the dog is never going to win the game of hide and seek with the cat.

Wednesday, January 3, 2007

Musings From the Coffee Cup

"If you do not have the capacity to love yourself, then there is simply no basis on which to build a sense of caring towards others." Dalai Lama

I'm sure you have heard the biblical corollary to this "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

That loving thyself does seem to come in some very strange forms sometimes. For some it is an almost worship of the self. The feeling that you are better then anyone else and can say and do as you want because "you're the man." You are it, number one, the all important one. Without you there is just no reason for this world to continue to exist. The ego that goes super nova.

Sometimes we seem to have a healthy respect for ourselves at least on the surface. We try and behave in socially accepted ways. We try and help our fellow man according to our abilities. That is surface though what do you see underneath? Sometimes you see a self destructive behavior that makes a lie out of the surface respect. Sometimes we fill our bodies with cigarette smoke, the wrong kind of food putting on massive amounts of weight. We drink much too much or pop pills to wake us up and pills to make us sleep. Sometimes we ingest substances that aren't legal but make us "feel good."

New year's resolutions are our attempt to try and tell ourselves that we aren't the person we really want to be. We do recognize that we have short comings that need to be worked on in order for us to truly be a better human being. The resolutions that are most likely to be kept are the ones that are more concrete. Rather then say I'm going to lose all this excess weight it would make more sense to say I'm making an appointment for this date with my doctor to discuss weight loss options and find the healthiest and best way to lose the weight you want. Instead of saying I'm going to keep in touch with my family and friends more often how about I'm calling Mom on Monday, emailing Aunt Susan on Tuesday, making a weekly date with my significant other for Friday night, etc.

Once we really take a healthy look at who we are and discover what our strengths are and what are weaknesses are we can then play to our strengths and work on our weaknesses. That is what real self love is taking care of this shell that houses out heart, mind and soul. When you can the real you then you can start accepting others. Once you get past the I - I - I then you can go to the you - you - you and truly benefit mankind.

One of the major differences between egotists and caring human beings is empathy. I know people who scoff at the saying "Oh God don't let me criticize my brother until I have walked a mile in his shoes." They find it trite and twee. They are the ones who are devoid of empathy and are so wrapped up in themselves that they can not imagine the hurt other people can feel. You have to really be able to see another person and feel their pain before you can help them in any meaningful way. Empathy is one of the things that should separate man from the animal world. Unfortunately I think that the animals show more empathy then we humans do much of the time.

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

A New Year

A New Year

 

What do I hope?

What do I dream?

What is there inside me

That makes me believe

That love is there?

 

What do I reach for?

What do I long for?

What do I hold in my heart

That makes me believe

The world is beautiful?

 

Where am I going?

Where will I come to?

Where does this path I trod

That goes on and on

Reveal at the end?

 

It is a new year.

A happy new year.

That’s what they tell me

As I watch the bubbles

Pop and fade away.

 

At the end of this new year

What will I find there?

Will this be the year

That I take my dreams

And soar away?

 

This is my first picture done in 2007 and is called appropriately enough Happy New Year.

Monday, January 1, 2007

Happy Geek Year

I just finished watching the Rose Parade. Last year our cable company managed to go out right before the parade but this time things went great. I discovered HGTV did the whole parade without commercials so I got to see all of it. George Lucas was the Grand Marshall and it is about time that one of our favorite Super Geeks was honored. He had a couple of cool floats made by Lucas Films and storm troopers and everything our little geek hearts could want. ;-)

I know New Years is suppose to be the time of year that we make resolutions that we hardly ever keep. I realize that I rarely stop and work on firm resolutions that I have made at the beginning of the year so why bother making them. This year I decided that I am going to take a look at my dreams. My biggest dream is to be able to do something with my art and writing so this year instead of making resolutions I am dedicating the year towards fulfilling my dreams. I already have the first picture ready to send to try and get my foot in the door as a "space" artist. I am starting the year out working on my dreams.

I have also thought about this blog and where I want to go with it. I have come to the conclusion, nowhere. This blog is where I want it to be. It is a personal place where I can ramble on about things that affect my life, or what I believe in, or just post new art. I have no illusions that I am changing the world with what I post here. I do know that their are people who read it every day and presumably they find it of interest or they wouldn't keep coming back. So I am happy with leaving this blog the way it is. Some people whine that blogs shouldn't be personal or have politics or religion in them but hey if it offends you the exit arrow is right above you. Use it and find a blog about something that interests you. Remember the old song "It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To?" Well it's my blog and I'll blog how I want to. ;-)

The new year is starting well. Pixie is in a hot pink collar that I got her for Christmas and I just found what I did with it. I really do need to clean off that couch in my room. I put her jingle bell on the new collar because you really do need some warning as to where the little monkey is.

I am starting the new year with a new picture. It is called "The Sea of Dreams" and it is dedicated to dreamers everywhere. May all your dreams come true this new year.