Manifest destiny (or "Dare to Dream")

This post was inspired by my daughter's bestie's mom. After thirteen years of living in NYC as a single mom, working exceptionally hard to raise her two daughters, and constantly lamenting the unaffordability of it all, she has decided to move to another state. Far away. And she has already BOUGHT a house there. She is scared to go, but confided to me, that once she dared to put actions with her dreams, things started to fall into place. When she told her employer that she was planning to move, her employer said that they would hate to see her go... so... would she consider staying on at her same (NYC) salary as a telecommuter? Wow... What do you think she said???? Yes, of course! She showed me pictures of her new home, and I was over-the-top happy for her and her daughters. Amazing.

So, that inspired me. I dream of better things, too. I have started to imagine the next phase of my life, and asked my kids to do the same. Where do you envision living? What would it look like? What would you typical day be like? If you really allow yourself that, it can actually be freeing.

I am adjusting the course of my business these days. I have found that I have to be very careful about what type of clients I take on, and how I can satisfy their needs and mine in each project. I am also aligning business goals and personal goals, and it really feels "right".

Catenary

Funny how inspiration can hit you like a thunderbolt, eh? Today, I was struck by so many wonderful, artistic, inspiring ideas, that my head hardly has room for them all. The morning began with these wonderful net "lawn fairies" someone had photographed on Facebook, and a tidbit about Issey Miyake designing Steve Job's iconic black turtlenecks, and a creative stencil idea from Alabama Chanin. While surfing the web, I became frustrated at not understanding a series of monotonous, seemingly useless artwork by a quilt artist I admire. I HATE when that happens. Someone takes so much time to explain his/her aesthetic, I try to wrap my brain around it... and come up...empty.

This all took place within the first hour or so of my waking up this morning.

Fast forward to this afternoon/evening, while my pea soup was simmering gently on the stove, and I was in a very peaceful state of mind....

Magically wound into my day, was a memory of a Jasper Johns show I saw with my daughter, who was then 7 years old. The show was called "Gray". I thought it truly inspiring, and felt a small wave of pride that I only get when I really feel that I understand something that appears to be truly high-concept, artistically. People were wandering through the show, some stifling giggles, some gesturing and excitedly chattering, some very quietly standing and staring at a sea of gray... I explained to my daughter that all of the reactions she was seeing were valid, and that we were witnessing the power of great art. The people who think the show is ridiculous? They're right. The people who think the show is brilliant? They are right. The people who are working to understand it, and those who "get it"? Also right. The ability to generate that variety of response and fascination from an intelligent audience? Genius.

So, my internet trail led me to a Charlie Rose discussion of the show. Into my life walked the word "Catenary", and the biggest blast of ideas for clothing (That I'm already creating!) that I've had in a long time. The word alone doesn't do much, but the experience of the word, its definition, and its use in Johns' artwork is what gave me the inspiration. I must work on the ideas in my head. Starting now.

Gratitude and resilience

When I stop and take a moment to pray these days, I can really only think of two thoughts to express. "Thank you" and "Thy will be done". After all, what more is there to say, really? I've been out of the loop for a while, working on a 24h schedule because my mother has been ill most of the summer, and is now recuperating, but needing quite a bit of help in her daily life, so it has been a struggle to stop and get quiet enough to write a post. Today has been surprisingly productive. Now, before I begin a nice pot of yellow split pea soup, I am stopping to post a bit of bloggish comfort.

I just had a big project go south in a miserable way, and it felt awful. But I consistently remind myself that:

Talent is limitless
Energy and time are not
Opportunities to monetize that talent, energy and time is finite

If I am only willing to work on things that are guaranteed a perfect outcome, I am in the wrong business. I have to accept that there are successes and failures.

Resilience is the key.