Addictions

 

 

Addictions, everybody's got 'em,

From the top, to the very bottom of the list.

~Carman

My father once noted that I needed Slim Fast for my brain - I think it was in reference to my pig-headed teenaged behavior, but I'm willing to bet a dime to your dollar that I need it for my current brand of brain cells. You see, I have this incredible collection of ideas that float and whir and eventually spit out through attached appendages, trying to locate the best way to create the devised concoction. Well, it's supposed to work that way.

I admit it: I, copper cat, am addicted to collecting ideas. It's got to be better than collecting dust.

This month's collection to my barnacle-encrusted head includes what I want to do with the sewing machine I recently purchased. Yes - I took a step into the fiber-and-fabric mechanics' world. Yes, I want to do all that crazy-quilting, parts-piecing, make-it-yourself altered clothing and oh yeah, the occasional boring hemming of pants. I've got notions and preconceived notions. Pattern ideas are flowing through at the same rate they let water through the White River Dam on a daily basis...Hey, come back here! I needed that one! All right, somebody get me some waders and a fishing net.

Wait now, there's more (you, with bated breath, get a mint, please!): while one hand is fingering the shiny, sixty-whatever-stitches (yeah, yeah, but it was what I afforded myself), slick latest baby that can sew its own quilt, the other is already at the keyboard, racing through blogs, chats, webpages, and "we're not a brick-and-mortar" store for the next blessed idea. I'm already signed up for an online class to make A Horse of a Different Color brand of journals. Yahoo! (the expression) and Yahoo! the groups I keep joining - they've got nothing on me. Now if I could just settle down long enough to produce. That reminds me, I do have a flower and veggie garden, but heck, it's getting the rain and sunshine, so if I remember to pull myself away, I'll go check on them. Hey, did you see the guy who makes art from fruits and vegetables? Maybe I could do that, too.

Oh yeah, if you, like my father, do decide to buy some Slim Fast for my gray matter, please make it Chocolate Royale.

 

Posted 25 June 2008 08:53 PM by copper cat | 3 comment(s)
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A Year's Worth of Memories

 

The colors are brighter here! Photo copyright J.M.Rogers

 

The open, airy, bright space; the tinkling of ice in prettily designed tea glasses, the clean smell of newness and Asian-themed food wafting through, the gentle laughter in a breezy restaurant - that one with the high ceilings and friendly waitstaff. The feeling of calmness yet excitement as you sit down in a semi-private booth with a menu full of possibilities...

It was just yesterday that I met my new friend JacqueRose. We decided since we live in the same region of the country to meet for a long, luxurious lunch. She: orange chicken. Me: Szechuan. We: shared a round multi-layered white and dark chocolate cheesecake (alas; they were no longer carrying the Godiva double chocolate!). This day was made for us, this time was ours alone. Our differences only served to strengthen our connection and our similarities overwhelmed us. The air seemed electric. Was it really that the colors were brighter or was it our heightened awareness? We hugged each other in gentle embraces with promises to do this again. And again. 

It was just yesterday that my new, vibrant, interesting friend JacqueRose and I met. What a wonderful meeting, for we were both hungry in spirit, mind, and body, leaving with all three filled. These are not just my summer memories, these memories will serve me no matter the season or the year. I breathed a prayer of thanks to God in humility; I asked and received, and I know in Whom I put my trust.

Remember, the greatest gift is not found in a store nor under a tree, but in the hearts of true friends. -- Cindy Lew

  

Posted 17 June 2008 01:42 PM by copper cat | 8 comment(s)
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On Inspiration

Two of my favorite sources of inspiration: lilacs and butterflies. Photo copyright J.M. Rogers.

 

Inspiration is a warm flush, a first blush. It's the skip of the heart, a flash in the mind, and a light in the eyes. It can be found in the ferocity of a tornado or the calm lap lap lap of waves gently coaxing a sandy beach. It is often found in weddings and at births, but can be found with a bit of help in death and loss. It can be a gentle nudge like a crocus blooming through a snowdrift or tall grasses waving in the breeze, or it can be powerful like bolts of lightning in an arid high desert. Inspiration can happen when we least expect it and are not actively searching for it; it can enlighten during a long draught and endless days of dreariness. Its perk is like the finest espresso and may last only a moment, but write indelibly on the heart for a lifetime.

Inspiration is not selective; it does not differentiate between the good and the bad, rich or poor, blind or sight-seeing. It can burst the floodgates of imagination wide open, pacify angry emotions, or light a raging fire in the deepest parts of a dark, wettened soul. It is the intangible made real, like a story printed in a book; or, it can be the story that stokes the unknowable thoughts of a child into action. It is a seed, waiting for good earth to be implanted into, and can wait years before it shows growth.

In the person needing a reason to go on, inspiration gives hope; in the needy, it gives help; in the downtrodden, it provides compassion. Inspiration is found in love. Thankfully, it is exactly what each of us needs, what makes each day different and the craziness of it all a cohesive unit.

 

Posted 13 May 2008 03:03 PM by copper cat | 9 comment(s)
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The Power of A Friend

 

Art by Tara Artsed from the Creative Sparks gallery:

http://artellacafe.com/photos/creative_sparks/picture11424.aspx

 

It was an accident I ended up here

I was looking to be nowhere

And nowhere I wanted to be found

A chameleon answered me

And fired sparks of "maybe"

Perhaps I do want to be here

 

Fiery eyes directed to my soul

Haunting, inviting, simple, piercing

A hope that would not let me go

Beacon to a wayward cat

See the healing work flood in

I am anew! Shall we begin again?

 

 

 

Posted 16 April 2008 02:26 PM by copper cat | 10 comment(s)
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'Twas the Night Before Any Day

In honor of Poetry Month, I am posting a poem here that I wrote in 2005 in the "Night Before Christmas" theme.

 

'Twas the night before Christmas

And my heart felt like lead

If it was possible

I'd think I was dead.

 

'Twas the night before Christmas,

And Jesus Christ said,

"Let you heart be not troubled;

Let it not be filled with dread."

~John 14:1~

 

"But," I said aloud,

As I scuffed my shoes' toes

"'Buts' not allowed! God shouted,

"Do you discern which way the wind blows?"

~Job 38-41~

 

"Good grief," my thoughts raced,

"There's trouble; despair!"

And God simply whispered,

"I know each of your head's hair."

~Psalm 139~

 

"I need some help!" I cried,

Falling desperate, to my knees.

"Do not worry. See the lilies?

Solomon's splendor was not like these."

~Matthew 6:25-34~

 

Even David wrote

In his poetic diary:

"He who dwells in God's shelter

Rests in the shadow of the Almighty."

~Psalm 91:1~

 

Where is God's shelter? I wondered

Shelter is my need!

Jesus pointed to Paul's letters.

"Read them and take heed."

~Philippians 4:6,7~

 

So finally I looked up

And offered my empty hands.

Eyes opened, I replied, "Thank You,

I will follow Your commands."

 

'Twas the night before CHRISTmas

And God's hope draweth near.

"Fear not!" is His answer,

Our hope, and our cheer.

 

Posted 02 April 2008 01:09 PM by copper cat | 2 comment(s)
I Don't Know My Own Creativity

Me and Creativity, we need to get in touch again. Not for the intensely good times we have in my art room, or any room for that matter, but for a little tete-a-tete. Oh, it's not like he's busy in a dashing suit and Kenneth Cole black wingtips, sipping a coffee requiring at least ten words to order from a local Starbucks and chatting up old buddies. He doesn't have two tickets to the Broadway musical Hairspray, however much I might like him to have. He is, however, holding my hands and gently pointing out that Yes, you are an artist, but that I don't need validation to prove it. Reaffirmation, though, is such an addicting thing, just not always loving.

I recently participated in a contest and swap for a company called Artchix Studio (artchixstudio.com), where I submitted six 3" x 3" pieces of artwork with the caveat being they had to include an Artchix faux post image. They called them Itty Bitties. What I recently found out is that the black and white image with silver trim (dare I say, the easiest piece I did?)  was chosen as one of the top entries, and is on a limited run for sale. My own photo of the six entries is included here (zine participants, peek at your own risk):

http://artellacafe.com/photos/copper_cat_gallery/picture11332.aspx

No monies received, and a brief name recognition if you scan the "About the Artist" pages. But boy oh boy, it's there: The Chixies Delight Collage Sheet Collection. Whew! I think I can breathe and do a little dance now! Cool

Now, as to my friend, Creativity, he always shows up for our meetings, even if I don't. Turns out he wears the most comfortable loafers a guy could possibly wear, with a pair of workboots raring to go. Or, he'll even opt for barefoot through the grass to take photos. Point is, I didn't consciously recognize that; didn't outright think we had the where-with-all as a team to accomplish Itty Bitties, inchies, or even zines after almost two decades of nada mucho. I just didn't know my own Creativity until recently.

Posted 22 March 2008 03:38 AM by copper cat | 7 comment(s)
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The Blues and You: Interview with Dr. Eric Maisel

Dr. Eric Maisel, Ph.D., stopped here for day two of his virtual book tour this week in Artella. His paperback release of The Van Gogh Blues: The Creative Person’s Path through Depression (2002) has sparked both interest and controversy. Prior to this book tour, I had only recently heard of Dr. Maisel, with this book being my first reading of his work. Having dealt with serious depression and mixed bipolar disorder, I have a continuing interest in publications to complement my own therapies, as well as being a resource for others dealing with similar pesteriferousnesses.

Copper Cat: What mindset would you encourage readers of Van Gogh Blues to have, if they have not read your book or previously heard of your work until now? 
 
Eric: I would want them to begin thinking of making a paradigm shift from the
idea that there is meaning to be found somewhere, in a book, a workshop, in
Tibet, in a group, in a practice, in a community, and so on, to the idea
that there is only meaning to make: that meaning is much more like a choice
than a lost object. The central idea of the Van Gogh Blues is that creative
people experience repeated and persistent meaning crises and that the
complete solution is to reinvest meaning in an ongoing activity (like your
current novel) or to make a new meaning investment elsewhere. Unless you
step up to the plate as a maker of meaning, you will sit around waiting for
meaning to return: and while you are sitting you will be depressed.

Copper Cat: It is true that when there is a difficulty such as depression, we often look for answers that cannot be found in the tangible. Something that is inherently emphasized in Van Gogh Blues is that we must choose to make a commitment to ourselves to continuously make or "force" meaning into our lives. This most often begins with an honest discourse with ourselves, going beyond the temporary 'fix'.
  
How does an artist begin a conversation with themselves to discover
meaning in their life?
 
Eric: By sitting still long enough to get down on a piece of paper their cherished
values (those values that are actually important to them), by nominating
themselves as the hero of their own story (because it is going to take
courage bordering on heroism to make necessary meaning), and by deciding how

they want to represent themselves in the world and what actions will make
them feel proud. The hardest part is actually stopping and doing the work of
thinking through what meaning you intend to make, both in the next hour and
over the next decade. It is much less about discovery and much more about
deciding: you decide what will make you proud and then you do it.

Copper Cat: Not only then, do we nominate ourselves, but we act on that decision positively whether or not we "feel" up to it.

An interesting thread found throughout his works is the distinction Dr. Maisel makes between the way American and European societies function and how they relate to creative people. For this interview, I aimed to obtain a better understanding of whether or not an American artist can effect change in a "corporate" America into one that is more relaxed, or European in approach.
 
Do you think it is possible for artists who've imbued meaning into their
work [as alluded to in Van Gogh Blues] to change the way American society works and thinks, as opposed to a
European society? 
 
Eric: Yes, no, and maybe. How can we gauge the value and impact of Bob Dylan's
songs on American society? How much or how little did James Baldwin's novel
Giovanni's Room help free gays from the closet? I think it is fair to say
that when an artist intends his work to be social or political-when he
embarks on what I've dubbed engaged creativity-then he is likely to have
more of an impact than if he paints flowers, however meaningful flower
paintings are to him. So, can our efforts make a difference, even in
bottom-line-driven, mass-media-dominated America? I actually think that they
can.  

Copper Cat: I think this can be reassuring for some of our readers in the sense that while we retain America's individuality and sovereignty, we can have a positive effect even when we feel bombarded by commercialism.

Like many of my readers, I am interested in the author not only behind the book but beyond it. It seemed that when reading Van Gogh Blues, there was quite a disaffection when "God" or religion was mentioned. [Please note: I mistakenly confused the author's interest in producing a workbook companion for VGB with a book currently in process.] 
 
You've mentioned possibly producing a workbook for Van Gogh Blues
entitled The Atheist's Way. It seems that this would automatically limit the
audience to atheists, secular humanists, and agnostics. How would you say
this benefits artists whom you might refer to as religionists?

Eric: The Atheist's Way is not a workbook companion to the Van Gogh Blues. It
is a book (coming out February 2009 from New World Library) that presents a
comprehensive picture of how to live well without gods and how to avoid
supernatural enthusiasms and errors. It might benefit an artist who is a
believer by convincing him to abandon god-talk, which betrays our common
humanity, and leave his church and live superstition-free and courageously
as an atheist. I hope to help believers free themselves of god-talk, a kind
of talk that endangers civilization.

Thank you, Dr. Maisel, for this enlightening interview. More information may be found at: http://www.ericmaisel.com/ 

Please welcome him as he visits HarQn2's blog on March 5th.

Posted 02 March 2008 08:59 AM by copper cat | 7 comment(s)
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Gala of the Year

AE:     I'm Art El La, and I am reporting LIVE from The Café in Artellaland! With me is the lead writer for There's Always Hope, Copper Cat. Ms. Cat, I must say, you are just purring with excitement!

CC:     Yes I am, Art, because we are here watching the very talented and lovely artists, writers, photographers and poets as they attend Artellaland's "This Magic Moment" gala, going on as we speak! 

AE:     And you look, well, me-ow! How appropriate to wear your own fur tonight for this fete. Wwwwrrrroooooowww!

CC:     Careful, Art, or you’ll get a right hooked claw. *smiles* [Teeth chattering with excitement…] Look! Our host for the event, Marney Makridakis is practically floating on the red carpet now! Marney is wearing a gown of her own creation; look at those vibrant hues and fluid shapes! Her husband, Tony, is with her; if you watch him closely, he is so checking her out.

AE:     He is beaming with pride, Ms. Cat!

CC:     As he should be. Right behind them is the incredible Billizetti!  Best known for his Zetti art and digital creations, he arrives in the subdued grungewear spring limo-zine.

AE:     As I understand it, the spring zines are coming out in March. Aren’t you also a zine participant this season?

CC:     I am indeed, Art, and for those of you just checking in, this is Artella’s second zine swap. Look for posted photos coming soon in participant’s galleries, including my own, Copper Cat Gallery. This swap has increasingly become popular with Artella artists, and it is likely to reoccur, which is great news for all interested!

AE:     Indeed, Copper Cat! Wait, who is the woman behind the…I can’t tell. She blends in so well!

CC:     Why Art, that is our cheerleader extraordinaire, Chameleon! Ironically, she doesn’t like to draw attention to herself, but she is so very chic in every facet of Artella, that it is difficult not to notice talent such as hers. Aunt Bobby is there beside her, waving energetically at the gathering crowd. Aunt Bobby, can you comment for us?

AB:     I've been working with Artella almost since its inception. What a great ride it has been!

CC:     I’ll bet it has, Aunt Bobby, and thank you! KateSinging has arrived, and it is no missing her with her golden voice, a source of pleasure to those in earshot. I understand she is a wonderful storyteller, too!

AE:     How true, Copper Cat! Hey, isn’t that Bo?

 CC:     Bo, it is! Not to be missed in the poetry department, her silver tongue glides through the English language! Bo is accompanied by Goya, who breaks the language barrier to write glorious English and Spanish poetry of her own!

AE:    Ms. Cat, I can hear the awards even from our venue. […and the Oscar goes to….]

CC:    We aren’t missing a thing, though! Perfect timing as HarQn2 arrives – she has won several awards of her own at Artella. She loves her creativi-tea, and who can blame her? By her is the Glitter Girl herself, Julie B.! For those of you just browsing in, Julie is an excellent photographer, branching out in the bird categories.

AE:     How sly you are, Ms. Cat! That’s about all the time we have for this blog feed, please join us next time as we interview Dr. Eric Maisel. Thank you for watching this spot!

Posted 26 February 2008 06:14 PM by copper cat | 14 comment(s)
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This Magic Moment

In a past post I've written about difficulties with what I call, "The Onslaught of Thought," a terrifying real swirl of every recallable experience of mine, whether good, bad, or indifferent. They come as pieces of a puzzle: in colors, words, sounds; in pictures, actions, feelings - and often in combinations indescribable.

Most of us, though, even in the midst of our worst days, have had at least one perfect time, just one instance of being so involved with the moment that it rapidly disappears, but leaves an indelible mark on the soul. I read many posts already yearning for spring. We, too, love to be that flower or grass blade that wriggles itself free from the dormant earth and blooms, even tentatively, on a warmer, sunlit day.

What if that moment, though, doesn't arrive? Be honest with yourself. What would you say you didn't accomplish that you wanted to? Is it the all-consuming art piece or book, or would you identify something simpler, such as saying, "I love you" to a friend or relative?

CJ Madigan, fellow Artellaland member, writes in her book Behind the Studio Door about the differences between artists and non-artists - those, though, who want to be artists, writers, or even dancers. She concludes that the singular characteristic defining the two groups is that the artists have chosen now to write, to paint, to dance; purposely fitting it into their lives. Now is the magic moment. I think if we are honest with ourselves and what we absolutely want from our lives, we'll have to agree that being in this very minute is the best one in which to be completely, fully ourselves and purposely push the distractions away. Only then can we say we've led the authentic life.

Thank you for allowing me to be in my moment here with you.

Posted 19 February 2008 01:30 PM by copper cat | 10 comment(s)
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To Love, Love First Thyself

Recent discussions on depression and creativity sparked a memory of a book I'd recently read entitled, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Not one to pay attention to popular media, and frustrated that playing couch spud was all I could manage, I crammed the remote button down until it practically held itself. Titles sped by, once, twice...and hey, the third time was a lady, one by the name of Oprah. I spot checked the show, where a beaming blonde nodded nostalgically to a misty-eyed Oprah, who was citing a passage from her book. I wouldn't have given it a second thought until I heard:

I'm here. I love you. I don't care if you need to stay up crying all night long, I will stay with you...There's nothing you can ever do to lose my love...(p. 54)

While Ms. Gilbert explains that it was this inner voice she heard that stilled her crying, and that she could not pinpoint its origin, I began to ponder a different thread. What if it was not considered so selfish to really love ourselves? Biblical scripture speaks of "loving thy neighbor as thyself," and, after all, don't we care for ourselves through food, rest, and appearance? Even as I thought this, my mind flooded with all the ways I had not cared for myself - denying myself food or, just as bad, stuffing myself mercilessly with it; caffeinating my body while an overrun nervous system begged me to sleep; allowing a harmful depression to make me think I did not matter, so therefore, why try? I readily admit I am my own worst critic, one that never ceases to analyze, criticize, and abuse. When do I say, "No more"? January 1st of every year? How about my birthday, or next Tuesday, or after I've shaved my legs and walked the next mile? No, it has to be now. If I don't, who else might I be hurting? It may be someone I will never know about, just as Ms. Gilbert does not know about me, and yet, she offered herself after she learned to love herself, and gave me the gift of hope.

My turn.

Posted 05 February 2008 05:11 PM by copper cat | 9 comment(s)
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The Onslaught of Thought

Sounds during slumber pull me slowly through a foggy dream, lifting me away from the safety net that keeps me from insanity. Eyelids flicker, feeling arises. Now what is this? Ahhh...the experience of painless existence; cushiony clouds absorbing daylight agonies. Then, the pain. It stabs in every nerve like an ice pick; veins and arteries signal an internal gasoline fire that does not exist, yet spikes my consciousness as very real. Please, no. I beg my mind to be still, but then it begins...the onslaught of thought. They spiral from everywhere, like swarms of Mexican bats entering their cavern in the morning, leather wings beating the air tirelessly. Colors, words, feelings, freeform shapes and photos from the past, and the eternal criticism and analysis of it all running like a CNN broadcast.

That was just the first sixty seconds. I'm in hell. What do I make of this?

Dr. Eric Maisel, whom I will interview here March 4th, writes about managing the barrage of thoughts that especially plague creative minds. Since our minds can completely run amuck without prompting, we must insert something that causes it to come to attention. He recommends use of the phrase, "I am completely stopping", with the mindset that we will indeed stop and follow our creativity wherever that leads us, purposefully positing that we will not listen to the judge in our heads. So tomorrow when I awake, I am completely stopping. The physical pain may not agree, but as long as my brain still holds 51% of my body's business, I can choose to lead myself into a better day.

Posted 31 January 2008 03:31 PM by copper cat | 2 comment(s)
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Art Creates Depression Creates Art

It's a chicken vs. egg conundrum...

Not having a supportive launchpad for creativity growing up is like a missing hinge on a gymnast's springboard: it will get you nowhere except down, very fast. Having experienced both, I can tell you that floor mats are not as soft as they look, and depression can actually be a good thing. Family expectations can be a tragic damper to a budding creator, causing many to give their art up altogether in lieu of a more "hard science" kind of field. Fortunately, creativity is never lost entirely, as the coupon for creating can be redeemed anytime.

While writing this post, I realized this was a very personal story, and one I'm not yet ready to tell, mainly because I cannot find the words. The deep dark hole of depression runs deep within, and scars of experience abound. They are not easily left behind, but perhaps they should not be. Only under great pressure does coal become diamond; only with intense heat does sand become glass.

I am willing to use my journey as a springboard. Are you willing, too?

 

 

 

Posted 21 January 2008 07:34 PM by copper cat | 2 comment(s)
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Heroic Art

It may be natural to think of art as heroic, belonging in a place like Artella. It is understandably more natural to think of a human being as the hero. Many speak poignantly of their parents, grandparents, or even their best friend (furry or otherwise). While I understand the term "hero" to be a person, my memory doesn't sound any bells signifying, "Hey you, here's the one!" with an accompanying photo or video clip, mostly because I'm unable to decide which of the million people crossing my path should be fingered. I can, however, point to art as my hero:

When I was bored, and pencil and paper became my friend;

When I was lonely, and observing color applications gave me hope;

When I was depressed, and an artistically designed photograph gave me courage to keep going.

There's so much more I wish to say about art. I've never been without it, although it may have remained in the background. It was always there, always waiting, never rushing or critiquing or correcting. It was and is mine to embrace, and no one can take that away. For that, I nominate art as my hero.

 

Posted 14 January 2008 07:19 PM by copper cat | 8 comment(s)
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Memories, ha! I'll Show You!

I am actually amazed when I hear people tell stories based on their memories. A long-ago friend, Steve, liberally sprinkled his end of our gab sessions with animated, gloriously detailed stories of his crazy sister, his art school antics and "frantics", his travels, or the people he met. I (usually) sat enraptured, sipping hot tea as a high school student in a university area cafe, strains of an underpaid and nonplussed guitarist playing in the background. Steve's verbal paintings wowed me. He spoke brushstrokes, and I mentally formed the picture shape by shape, color by color. I loved it all; that is, until Steve came to what seemed like a skidding stop during each chat and said, "So, tell me a story."

 

"You want a wha...?" My heart sped up, caught in my throat, and burped into my cup.

You know, he'd say, tell me a story. You have stories, don't you?

Gulp. "No." (Why didn't I ever learn to prepare for this test?)

 

This notion was absurd to Steve. He suggested I make something up based on a memory. "I try not to remember," I'd say. "I don't like my memories." He'd nod thoughtfully while repeating himself. His facial expressions and gestures never matched his intonations. Soon, "tell me a story" would become a chant with the monks while looking like a mad orchestral director, complete with Steve's famous Weird Al-like 'do. If that didn't make me laugh, then he'd resort to tickling my ribs. I never got away without wheezing like I just ran a marathon.

Memories, I'll show you. I may not have much I want to remember, but Steve is a memory I never want to forget.

Posted 08 January 2008 03:25 PM by copper cat | 4 comment(s)
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Resolution Solution

Ahh, Marney. She and Artella have these ways, these sly cat ways, about getting you to actually do the necessary things that are the building blocks of being writers, photographers, and artists instead of slackers, procrastinators, and those looking to use the name artist but not shoulder any work.

This week, the topic of “My Thoughts About New Year’s Resolutions” struck me oddly (I can hear a ghost of the past saying, "Struck you with what?" Darn thing.) as I recently participated in an artist trading card lottery where the theme was also New Year Resolutions. I clipped a magazine article's title goading, "So You Say You Want A Resolution?" and pasted it on some thickly striped ribbon, trimming it as if it were a banner or revolutionary's flag, juxapositioning it with a bird, and a cracked egg with resolutions such as "Lose Weight" and "Do This" or "Please Do" wafting like rotten sulfur from its interior. The caption read:

 You Break It, You Buy It.

Only one person of a fifty or more active Yahoo!-ers wrote to say, in essence, that they "got" it. If you are also one still scratching your head, it's okay.

Basically, you pay for what you do or don't do. For example, say you do make that oft-broken resolution to lose weight. You've decided to purchase the latest weight-loss gadget you saw on late night infomercial-vision. Great! You get the gadget, use it for a few days straight. Then, maybe a couple days a week because you don't want to "overdo" it. Pretty soon that gadget becomes back room junk and your furchild is getting more use out of it as a playground. You just paid the price, and maybe a dear price, for your broken notion.

The phrase "You Break It, You Buy It" connotes care and responsibility for our actions. A date on the calendar isn't going to change a habit. Personally, I think that if a habit hasn't begun before the turn of the year, it is more doomed for failure than a shotgun wedding. Perhaps a little more planning and a little less outside influence (commercialism comes to mind) is required. Let's also not let tradition dictate what we do. If we did, there would be no room for creativity, and no room for art.

I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want that kind of world.

 

Posted 01 January 2008 08:20 PM by copper cat | 5 comment(s)
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