Coming in From There

People who have yet to experience creativity or creativity on a high level might still understand this. When the creative vibe enters a person's heart or mind or spirit or all three or any combo, that's when it starts. For me, personally, it's warmth.

Starting small, little stirrings.

It pesters me, begging to be heard. If I try to ignore it, it might soften yet it's still there. 

The feeling of need to acknowledge, listen, act on, record then expound on. Lest something precious goes away because it was ignored, I have to always stop whatever I'm doing. 

If I'm asleep, it wakes me up. 

If I'm driving my car, I pull over to the side of the road. 

Sometimes it comes to me when I'm talking on the phone, the need to capture the creative idea will strike.

Why?

Absent of any valid answer, maybe the idea is floating around, searching for a receptive person to welcome it. Michael Jackson was a super receptive one to these creative ideas. He said it so well when he told people how his music came to him. He did write a lot of his music; he also used creativity to transform the music of others. One of his most iconic songs, Man in the Mirror, was written by Siedah Garrett. Michael transformed it into the one that is well known.

Throughout life, creativity forms have been a constant in my heart & mind. It started with writing poetry as soon as I could write at the age of 3 years. My maternal grandfather bought a notebook for me to write my poetry in. It was part of how he discovered the abuse I was suffering from in my parents' home. It explained some things he had wondered about. When he read my poetry, it revealed a lot to him.

Along with the suspected abuse, he saw into my creative thinking. The ideas about life, drawing, interpretations of things I did as well as my take on what people had said to me.

People were amazed that I had taught myself to tie my own shoelaces before I was even 3 years of age. My thinking went way beyond tying shoelaces. My grandfather encouraged me when no one else did. Cue in the song by Keali'i Reichel. It yeets me in time.

I am still here because you were there. 

You were there when no one was.

You Were There

As time went on, I would play in the tall grasses behind my parents' home, set on 7 acres? Maybe 10? Unsure about it. It was vast, to me. Pulling the tall grasses & little flowers, I wove them into crowns for my head, clothing & decorations for my dolls. Wove them into small purses, bracelets. The only one who admired then encouraged me was - yep - grandfather. 

He passed when I was 17, I still miss him with every breath I take.

Such a great man, at family gatherings he is still spoken of with admiration, longing, deep love & respect.

As time went on, my creativity was expressed in poetry and sketching.

When I was AD USAF, based at Edwards AFB, CA, I met a woman who introduced me to cross stitch. The only needlework I had seen before that was crochet, knitting, chunky crewel, macrame'. My Aunt Elaine was avid in needlepoint. One of her works of art is even featured in a museum.

I did try to do needlepoint at her encouragement. The materials felt clunky & scratchy in my hands.

It was a slight no - no for officers & enlisted people to fraternize. The woman who introduced me to cross stitch was the wife of a USAF Colonel. She was a bit of a rebel; told me we had to be somewhat discreet. Beelzebubs work for an officer's wife & an enlisted woman to learn to do needlework together! Oh no!

That was just the beginning.

To say that cross stitch was mesmerizing to me would be like saying the statue of liberty was just a statue. Along with creations in the ceramic shop at Edwards AFB, my creative outlet was also cross stitch. There were 3 women who worked in the ceramics shop on Edwards AFB. They were so nasty & mean to me as well as a few others. There was no smoking allowed in the shop. It didn't stop them from chain smoking while disallowing others to smoke. Also, I started dating a guy who didn't understand why I loved doing ceramics. He decided to give it a try. I was working on one very detailed piece one day. He was supposed to be at work. He unexpectedly got the day off, appeared at my barracks room door to visit. He kept walking over to see my progress. Repeatedly, I asked him to stay away from it. 

DON'T TOUCH!

Of course he didn't respect my warning.

The piece was in the greenware stage, very fragile. He teased me by reaching out with his index finger to just touch it.

It crumbled into a heap in front of me. Several weeks of work, gone.

He was shocked, I was LIVID! 

Ordered him to leave, he complied.

Unfortunately, I eventually married him, should have known better.

His sabotages of me, were a constant throughout our long marriage.

After too many sabotages, cheating, several forms of damaging abuse, I left him then financed the divorce. 

Some of the best money I have ever spent.

Turning away from doing ceramics to focus on something less fragile, I began doing more needlework. Deeper into techniques, more challenging designs. Poetry, needlework & French hand sewing became the constants. Like so many people who develop a love for needlework, I gave a lot of it away as gifts. As I look back, it wasn't as high in quality as the needlework I do in present day. It seemed to be, it just wasn't as I realize, now.

Learning to stitch on fine linen elevated the finished items in quality. Also, learning different finishing techniques improved the functionality of it. With so many free patterns available in so many places, if I had known about them, I would have bought far fewer patterns. 

Coulda Woulda Shoulda

This is a design by Emie Bishop of Cross n Patch designs. It's just one in a series of a dozen or more annual ornaments. They start with the year 1992. This is the annual 2000 ornament from the "Christmas in my Heart" series. Have stitched the ornaments up to the year 2010.

Steady, steady, wins the race. 

This is a design by Nora Corbett of Mirabilia Designs. Its title is "Deepest Love". Stitched on 32 Belfast Aqua Dreams fabric. Gifted to my eldest for her 18th birthday.

This is the annual Free Christmas angel for the year 2000. The designer is Marilyn Leavitt Imblum of TIAG designs. I converted the colors to red & green with a little red shoe. Stitched on 32 Belfast Cream.

Same design, same designer. In the original colors. Stitched on 32 Raw linen. Gifted to a beloved friend. Framed in a 99 cent frame from Walmart, spray painted in eggshell enamel paint.

This is a random design found on the internet, unsure who the designer is. Stitched on 32 Belfast in Antique White.

In present day, it's rare that I give my finished needlework items as gifts. Most people, even people who know how much time it takes, don't appreciate it very much.

There are exactly 3 people in my life, now, whom I might gift my needlework to.

If you, dear reader, have read my prior blog entries, you may have seen that I still write. I also still write poetry. Maybe it will inspire you to delve into your own creativity in whatever form works for you. 

 

The Times Are Changing

It seems to be a shame that us humans have just one life, finite in nature. The lessons we learn too late or sometimes not at all. As cliche as this may seem, people are still mostly complex. An amalgamation of gender, wonder, unique physiologies, life experiences, hormonal episodes. So much more.

Body

Spirit

Life Roles

Do overs? What are those? Rare, at best.

Right now, there's a feeling in the air. A positive zephyr of times changing. Hopefully the changes are good. I will believe they are. Still, taking my time, weighing the probability of outcomes.

The excitement started last Friday when I submitted a photo & application to renew my passport. It made my upcoming trip to Denmark feel more real.

Oh, I have lived in Europe. Speaking the languages of the different countries, helped. Speaking to the people who lived in the regions in their national language opened opportunities for me.

The first time I experienced gelato was at the start of my first trip to Paris, France. A vendor with a gelato stand was surprised when I spoke in the beautiful French language to him. He gave me two scoops for the price of one. Walking around under the Tour d'Eiffel savoring cranberry gelato. That was just the start. Soaking up the culture of Paris was mesmerizing.

Germany was equally wondrous, just, in different ways. The grounds then the tour of The Heidelberg Castle was a new world. The feeling of centuries of history was all around me.

The culture of Belgium seemed to be similar to France, slight elements of Germany. The language of Belgium is French, a different dialect of French. It's akin to the language spoken in Australia is English, a different sort of English. Similar to the way most people in the USA speak, just, different enough that it would take a bit of getting used to. The German people say that people in or from the USA speak Amerikanische. To them, English is spoken with an English or GB accent.

Though I traveled to other countries within Europe, I believe I had a rich or even more rich experience because I was fluent in the languages as I traveled. A gift for speaking multiple languages is a gift I was born with; I had to apply myself to learn them. The knowledge just came to me easier than I believe it does to most people.

As I prep for the upcoming trip, there is a bit of a hiccup.

Separation anxiety is rough. 

I will board my puppy, PJ. It will be odd to be without him. He & I are together nearly 24/7. There will, no doubt, be separation anxiety for me. Maybe he will miss me, too?

The place where he will be boarded is nice. There is ample room for him to move around, interact, play.

I hope he misses me far less than I miss him.

Because I love him, his happiness is so important to me.

When I return, I'm considering a personal or possibly professional trip to NYC. Maybe a combo of both. To see the Statue of Liberty, stroll through the Guggenheim Museum. Maybe even take a Sex and The City tour. See the places where one of my favorite series was shot. Maybe even take a walk across The Brooklyn Bridge. 

So touristy!

I know. 

Although going in depth into areas where I visit all over the world, the truth remains that I'm still a bit of a tourist.

The natural world is filled with aspects that affect the human experience, whether we believe it or not. Aspects such as weather, barometric pressure, the movement of the planets. The tidal ebb & flow at the influence of the moon. The time of the year in which a person is born. All of these have an effect on the human condition.

Having a Doberman is life changing for me. Admittedly, I gained weight during fauxvid shut down. Body weight that feels twice as heavy as it actually is. 

UGH.

Since adopting PJ at 10 weeks of age, half of what I gained is gone.

Yay.

Go, mmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeee!

Dobermans don't like or want lots of activity, they NEED it to be happy, healthy, stimulated. 2 hours minimum per day can keep your shoes, sofa, any wood furniture, safer. 

PJ gets a lot of exercise, so do I!

Go chicken fat, go.

Something else that I noticed is changing is verbiage online as well as offline. Holding off on these words to preserve my blog, here are their subs.

Unalived

He/She/They unalived themselves.

Actor which is the male version of the profession has become the dominant term for the profession for male and female.

Gender is becoming less facile to determine in people.

The term noob or noobie has become offensive.

Narcissist has become a catch all term.

Social Media is becoming less vicious.

Scammers in real life as well as online are being exposed while people are becoming more savvy.

Romance Scammers aka Love Rats are having less success.

Scammers are losing their edge, trying different avenues of deception. They will eventually die out, it's already in the works.

Scammers are merely criminal scumbags with keyboards.

Thieves who do cyber dumpster diving.

The last discrimination, ageism, is slowly getting the blowback needed to change mindsets against others whether older or younger.

For Age

On the homefront I have decided to not watch any movies or spinoff series written by Taylor Sheridan. The guy seems to hate women so much that they get brutalized & pregnant & the guys get lives full of adventures of their choosing. Quite bleak for female characters.

This last series, 1923, was the worst. If it were a theme park ride it would be a quad triple corkscrew roller coaster.

Geez Louise!

The ending of season 2 was an ultimate tearjerker for me. I have enough to cry about in real life, can do without another reason.

On a positive note, my puppy, PJ, can mostly be trusted to be alone in the house, no longer sleeping in his crate. He's had a few whoopsies that resulted in the near death of 2 of my favorite needlework patterns. As much as I hate having him sleep in his crate, drawing the line seemed warranted. Do the crime, do the time.

Realizing he IS still a puppy, still learning, also because I love him so much. A lot of his behavior or misbehaving is dependent on me. 

Maybe I'm still a bit of a puppy, too.

Knowing that if I feed him ANYTHING after 4 pm will result in waking up to a smelly mess is crucial. I want to share watermelon with him, he loves it so much. When I realized how much he likes watermelon, I started buying only seedless ones. The seeds could cause a fatal blockage in his "innerds". The farmers markets in my area are really good. PJ gets so excited when he sees a watermelon.

I love sharing watermelon with him. 

Just have to remember to share before 4 pm.

Here Today Gone Tomorrow

Like magnolias and lilacs in Texas

They don't stay around very long

Their essence is easily recalled

When you hear a certain song

These are such rare ones to find

Or maybe they were looking for you

Drawn into their life like a beacon

For a week a month or a year or two

Such an impression is rarely made

So deeply it touches you to make it last

Like molten lava poured into your soul

An ache when they dissolve into the past

Forward we go to embrace what is yet to be

Striving to build our own happy lives

Keep going to keep going each day

Doing good in the world of deep dives

Never kick yourself for who you once were

Revel in whom you are and what lies in store

Gift the same to others to be free from the past

Knowing they also don't live there anymore

Today I'm missing so many someone's so much

Bringing up tears from my heart and my eyes

Steady steady girl you know you've got this

Whether you think not or you realize

There's still more to do in my little life

Still shooting for the stars and the moon

Like lilacs in Texas in the spring

Like Michael Jackson gone too soon

Happy Birthday

Happy angel birthday if you truly have passed

The memories made with your loved ones will

Be the kind that will last

A spot in lives in hearts that only you can fill

All day today I thought of you in a loving way

Thought I smelled your scent wafting on the breeze

Such long such wide so cruelly stolen from the day

While it's your essence that your loved one needs

Deeds of cruelty deeds of mercy to try to be kind

I know you weren't perfect though to me you are

It's how I preserve the times we had in a heart so blind

How you made me feel sitting next to you in your car

Left hand on the steering wheel the other holding my hand

So many smiles with music with laughing about that

Which only the two of us could secretly understand

Two hearts in synch filling one seat where we sat

You told me that I had changed torment into a heavenly life

Made you feel what you thought you could never feel

Even asked me so sweetly if I would become your wife

A moment that felt so genuinely heart stopping surreal

Now I will wish a Happy Birthday to you wherever you are

Gazing up at our star with a glowing beautiful moon

Believing you are up there still there as my shining star

Saying goodbye holds heartbreak so I say I'll see you soon

Thank you for helping me when I needed your help the most

 

A Few Months

It's been some time since the news was told to me. Although I have cried, regretted, kicked myself, part of me still doesn't believe.

I love him, still.

That is the part that lives for certain.

When something catches my attention, I still pause. A slight gasp. Often, I have to find a place to hide, hating to cry in public. The tears happen, unable to stop them. I cry for Steve. For what we could have had. For what we should have had. 

A few months, or years or however long. It's still there.

Tonight, I play his music, I gaze at his photos, I talk to him out loud, I tell my puppy about him. Letting the tears for him course down my face for him. For the loss I feel. For the torment he felt. 

For him.

For me.

For us.

For what might have been.

It's an indulgence, I admit, giving in to the passion, the sorrow, the loss, the love. The everything that was him. 

He may feel or have felt the same. Does it really matter? To my broken heart, it does.

It matters when I hear a song

That he used to sing along

It matters when tears wet my face

Missing someone I can't replace

It matters when I envision his grimace

Memories that time cannot erase

It matters when he is in my dreams

How very real it always seems

It matters when I awaken from sleep

Having relived a connection so deep

It matters when I think of the pain

Of his loved ones who still remain

It matters oh yes it matters in my heart & mind

You will be remembered my love though I am left behind

Someone?

 

Someone you love is someone who

Once was very dear to you

Touched your heart your soul your mind

Helped you to be the one to find

Someone you love is someone who

Was twice the longing to be so true

Unlocked the places of your very soul

That put you on your path to be whole

Someone you love is someone who

Many times showed how much you grew

From not knowing all you could be

Escaping abuse to becoming free

Someone you love is someone who

May or may not still love you

Even when they know it from the start

Cease to claim that piece of your heart

PJ & The Next Phase

For several years, I have been wishing for, sometimes talking about "my dream".

What is my dream? 

It's simple, really, it's also complex in some ways.

Remaining single allows me to choose my own destiny, mostly. My own life path, working toward what will give me the most happiness. I already have the first part.

My dream dog, PJ. Shortened version of Poseiden Jack.

It takes time to make personal dreams into reality. The whole dream life is:

A Doberman Puppy. ✔ 

A custom dream house (process started!)

A horse of my own.

My plan is to move further south, to live near the ocean, going to the beach when the weather allows. An architect is drawing up the plans & calculating the cost of my dream home.

4 Master Bedrooms, a great room, a small sitting room, spacious kitchen, a dining room that can seat up to 12 people.

It takes time, diligence, patience. Having lots of patience is my forte'.

Being a passionate needleworker has built the quality of patience for me.

Some people will say that it takes a lot of patience to do the detailed, heirloom quality needlework that I do. While it may be a person that had patience to start with, that does this. My experience was more like, I wasn't a patient person. 

Needlework built my patience.

This is the most recent project I finished.

The title is Gift of Peace from Lavender & Lace Designs. The designer is Marilyn Leavitt Imblum (RIP August 2012).

I stitched it on antique white 32 Belfast linen. I made a few changes to suit my taste. The shiny coin is a US quarter to show scale. The little white bird he is holding is a dove, symbol of peace.

Isn't he lovely!

Looking back at the designs I used to work from, many that required more skill were intimidating to me. Now, they are easy, diving in is fun, exciting. Time consuming, yes. I love it!

PJs bedtime is 2030 hrs.

Yep, just like a child, he has a bedtime routine. I cuddle him, read to him, give him a small snack. Then, put his blanky & pacifier in his crate. He makes a nest with his blanky, starts suckling it. Soon, he's snoring, making puppy like suckling noises. 

So precious.

Did I mention that I love this dog so much!

He is similar to having a child in so many ways. Relishing each life stage, he goes through as it goes faster than a human baby. Today had its ups & downs. 

Usually, I rise from my bed, get dressed, take vitamins, make PJs food. I get him from his crate, take him out to go potty, come in, he eats his breakfast while I check emails.

After that, he has finished his food, we go to the dog park. I don't want a yard full of doggie-doo, going to the dog park, I pick up after him. It's the law!

Well, today had a few "surprises".

PJ tried to tell me, I was less tuned in than I ought to have been. He was very quiet in the back seat. Usually, he is excited & squealing on the way to the dog park.

Then, I smelled it and it wasn't a dog fart.

Mmm Hmm.

Thankfully it was solid. First time for everything. It could have been much worse than it was. This, I fully realize.

Dog poo in the car!

I love my dog.

I love my dog.

He knew he was guilty, I knew I was just as guilty as I cleaned up the small mess in the back seat. I wasn't taking his cue as I ought to have. Wet wipes to the rescue.

Once I took care of things, PJ was happily running the length of the dog park. Front gate to back fence over then over again.

He is just so beautiful. I would say poetry in motion, he is more like a wild stallion running like the wind.

It was someone else who noticed.

Usually, I walk the whole time PJ & I are at the park. 10 - 20 laps.

I was at the back of the park when I saw someone come to the front gate then enter the park. PJ was there in a flash!

It was a guy who had been admiring PJ for awhile. Getting to the front, he told me how beautiful PJ is & who had trained him then where he could get a Doberman as beautiful as PJ.

At that moment, I was so proud. 

All the dog poo in the car that I had cleaned up ceased to matter.

I put PJ through some of his commands. The guy was so impressed.

Then, I let him know that I had put a lot of work into him. That I began training PJ when he was 10 weeks of age, that he was presently 14 months of age. That I had taken 2 weeks off of work, froze my gym membership for 3 months. Just so PJ & I could adjust to each other then I could start training him. I slept by his crate with a pillow & blanket. He cried less in his crate though he still cried. After 2 months he actually loved his crate, went in voluntarily, no commands or coaxing needed.

It took time, effort, patience, cleaning up messes. 

PJ IS a great dog, he became a well-trained dog because I trained him, myself.

Telling the guy who the breeder was that I bought PJ from, that it was a process, that it would take a bit of time. He seemed to be the patient type of person. Maybe, in time, I will see him at the dog park where our dobies can play together.

Help The World

 

If you buy drinks in multiples, held together by thin plastic. Have you given much thought to it? Sure, it's a nifty invention for people. It's so much more.

So many useful things can be made from upcycling these. By fastening several of these together, a volleyball net can be made, a replacement for a basketball net. A small net to hang in the corner of a child's room or a playroom to store toys that are not being played with.

So many uses!

If none of these or any other uses apply or appeal to you, here is something to think about. When you dispose of the plastic item, it will most likely end up in a landfill or dump. Wild animals go into these areas looking for food. Those plastic rings can be deadly. Before disposing of them, to be kind to wildlife, cut the rings so they can't be wrapped around a wild bird or animal, choking the creature or hobbling them or worse.

It only takes a minute or so to snip the plastic rings, save an animal.

The animal kingdom is so diverse. Everyone knows that in 4 season climates, birds will gather in autumn to fly south for the winter. Many animals also hibernate during winter. While it's a kind action to take, to put food out for birds. Putting the food out too early can hinder the instinct to fly south.

Animals are tender creatures. Wild animals as well as domestic. They are all at the mercy of human beings. When we think of them, their welfare, their lives, their food sources. 

It's best to be thoughtful. Best to be kind.

Hot Aussie Theory

I know which show I'm going to on my next trip to Vegas.

This is a combo post of history & my own personal theory. Two in one, how about that.

People may know that between 1788 - 1868 Great Britain sent over 162,000 people who had committed crimes, to Australia. In 1833 alone, 7,000 people were transported on large prison ships of which only 5,000 survived. The ships were cramped, uncomfortable. 

Rats & other disease carrying pests tended to overpopulate on the long seafaring voyages.

Prisoners who were thought to be dangerous, violent, belligerent were shackled or otherwise immobilized for long stretches of time. Food was scarce, the quality of it was poor, much of it was spoiled or stale. The crew & prisoners ate it anyway. 

Many of these male criminals fit in with the extremely attractive bad boy look & personality. Way to go Great Britain. 

Unload thousands of hot looking criminals to one big continent. 

Let them seed & breed, battle it out with each other. Let them crank out insanely attractive progeny who may or may not turn to criminal behavior as they become adolescents, then, adults. Most children follow their parents' example as a way to conduct themselves. A handful will choose a different life whether for the better or the other.

Granted, many of the ones sent packing committed minor infractions, sending them away was a way to rid England of all levels of riff raff. From --->the teenager who had no food, was so hungry she or he grabbed something, ate it without paying for it.

To ---> the drunk person (male or female) who had caused a public ruckus over & over, causing malcontent amongst the other people.

Off to Aussieland with you and don't come back

As most of the non-indigenous people arrived, began to procreate. Many people, at least in attractiveness, hit the genetic jackpot so much so that the continent began to be populated with such good-looking people that the word began to spread. The tales of men going into a tavern where each serving wench was even more comely than the one before. Ladies who had been to Australia would trade titillating gossip away from where the menfolk could hear. 

Talk of very muscular men with no shirt also no fear. They were still mostly in possession of decent manners as well as a chivalrous attitude toward those of the fairer gender.

The last prison ship arrived in Australia in January 1867 in the Freemantle. 267 souls aboard. It marked the end of 80 years of shipping even the mildest of offenders to Australia still under the rule of Great Britain.

Let's attempt to flip the deporting of criminals to Australia on its butt.

There are those out there who believe that the criminals never made it to Australia. The claim is that the ships, laden with minor to serious offenders, were instructed to sail far from land. So that if the prisoners were dumped into the ocean, their chances of reaching land were most unlikely. Then, the prisoners were dumped into the ocean.

The conspiracy theory is that there were well concocted lies, forged documents by government officials. Furthermore, it's proposed that the Aussies who verify that their ancestors were shipped to Australia are well paid actors/actresses. More recently AI generated personas have been created to further attempt to support that the prisoners were deposited in Australia, not dumped into the ocean.

This is just a theory, albeit a terrible one, it has never been proved nor disproved.

Whatever the theory is, there have been a positive disproportionate number of hot hot Aussies. They were considered British subjects until 1984 after which the people of Australia were considered to be simply, Australian Citizens. Great Britain had colonized Australia in the past. Aussie government plus many citizens wanted to break free from being under British rule. It was time.

There are so many reasons as to why Australia & many people from there are so appealing. The weather tends to be very comfortable. The population of the continent as a whole is lower than other continents with the same land mass. Australians mostly enjoy a laid-back lifestyle. There are plenty of beaches along with perfect beach weather. This gives so many people who live there, a natural glow from the year round mostly sunny weather.

One aspect it seems mandatory to mention is the Australian accent or Australian English. Granted, not all people like the way it sounds. Some peeps don't like the way Aussies sound, oh, but most peeps do!

(see what I did?)

The sound is unmistakable. The terminology is also unique.

Here's an easy to remember one - Aussie! An Australian citizen.

Brolly - Umbrella\

Barbie - BBQ

Fair Dinkum - Straight Forward

Avo - Avocado

Legless - Someone who is very intoxicated

Pissed - Intoxicated or drunk

Stubby - A bottle of Beer

Clucky - Maternal

Coppers - Police Men

Drongo - A fool or someone acting like one

(Don't be a drongo, mate!)

Footy - Football

Root Rat - A nympho, especially a guy

Sheila - A woman

Up Yourself - Snobby or stuck up

Roos loose in the top paddock - Crazy or a bit wacky

Budgie Smugglers - Speedo swimsuit

Bruce - An Aussie guy

Some of these you may have heard before as so many have been adopted outside of Australia. Some of them make sense, some make no sense unless you're a bloke or a sheila.