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Sometimes you are at the right place in the right moment.

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The last fruits of summer surrenders to fall.

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One of the great things about living on the West Coast.

Bend Oregon 10/2-10/4

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Set your life on fire.
Seek those who fan your flames.
-Rumi

So a journey happened to Bend Oregon to hear a certain legendary performer. I was 4 rows from the front. As a musician it's always the best experience in the world to hear other musicians/singers perform. This was an exceptional performance worth driving a total of 18 hours in three days. Like many others I was inspired by his performance and words. It was a gift and as such I won't identify him, but will just say thank you for it.

'Girl on Fire', Alicia Keys:

 

Fire of Hate

I wrote words today, not sure where they are going, but for the moment they are a reflection of my heart sickness on what we are becoming in this country. When we having mass shootings every day....our culture has become one of ugly words, breads and circuses and media spectator sport...

Yet I have hope:

FIRE OF HATE

Bullets piercing the world now
Seems like every day
Striking masses of innocents
They're lost in the frey
Grief seeds are flying every where
Angry gardeners using blood to make
The pain garden grow

Will the fire of hate consume us
Leaders and media fanning the flame
Can whispers of love turn to shouts
Telling us return to the land of the sane

Now crying, now praying, now singing....
For tomorrow's children
There has to be a way
Now bringing
Hope
The fire of hate extinguished
The earth becoming a garden of play


 I am a member of the organization playing for change.  They are trying to use music to bring the world together. Join them or an organization of your choice...the madness has got to stop.

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Pulling Thread

We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.

-Maya Angelou

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When I moved four months ago, I went on a purge and renewal. The biggest mistake I did make was getting rid of some of my older textile threads. I'm now pursuing an online art class in textile art in which old cloth and threads/yarn is encouraged to be used. I'm also intrigued by the work of Alabama Chanin and am really thinking about picking up some of the books and trying my hand there.

Slowing down, re-purposing and smallness seem to be on my mind. We'll see where these threads lead.

Roseanne Cash, 'A Feather's Not A Bird':

 

 

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Flowering

 

 The flower has opened, has been in the sun and is unafraid.

I'm taking more chances; I'm proud and bold.

-Paula Cole

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The work of a week...doing something bold every day that scared as I indicated Monday, certain substances out of me and it was in relationship to coaching. Tomorrow the give over will be to my textile art course and music as I have a day off.

I think Spring might have arrived a bit early and I'm blooming.

Paula Cole, 'Strong Beautiful Woman':

  

The flower has opened, has been in the sun and is unafraid. I'm taking more chances; I'm bold and proud
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/flower

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I Think...

Don't think, just do.

 -Horace 
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Think too much and you paralysis yourself. I ran across a video of a coach saying "You have to scare the s&&t out of yourself daily if you are going to change." A less intense way of saying it may be you only really change when you are more uncomfortable then comfortable. So daily I'm not spending too much time analyzing right now...I'm doing. Taking classes, getting ready to put my artistic embroidery out for critique, and creating a time line for getting out of social work. The thought frightens me, but the actions are guiding me...

Let's hope I can keep it up.

Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor, 'I Think It's Gonna Work Out Fine':

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Light In This Forest of Ideas

This life is yours. Take the power to choose what you want to do and do it well. Take the power to love what you want in life and love it honestly. Take the power to walk in the forest and be a part of nature. Take the power to control your own life. No one else can do it for you. Take the power to make your life happy. 

Susan Polis Schutz
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In the many years I have maintained this blog, I have spoken of work, creativity and travel. It seems as if the constant challenge has been to find my heart and passion.  And to find a focus. The path I've been traveling seems to bring me closer to those moments.

The changes at work recently helped really bring home a lesson that I've struggled to learn. I call it the co-dependent chameleon. That is I have spend a good deal of time becoming in a variety of situations what I thought others would want me to be and as of result of  that thinking that they would really see me as I am. It's like a light coming on in the forest. So now I'm spending time, really looking at the choices I make and are they reflecting the core of my being.

So I've signed up for a textile course to help me evolve a consistent vision of how I see myself as an artist  and even more importantly what I will put out to others in the pieces I'm creating. Also I'm beginning to gain a vision of how I want to coach and how it will help feed my passions (more classes still).

I don't expect the path through the forest to be straight, but I think as I travel it it, it will help me own my power.

Seryn, 'We Will All Be Changed':

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Rising

The greatest glory in living lies not in ever falling, but rising every time we fall.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Sometimes the lessons you try to teach others come back to challenge you to live the lesson. Earlier this week I was doing a mini workshop with my patients on creating new possibilities. One of the things I discussed is when certain things in life happen, you may not be able to change the event, but you do have the power to change your response. You have to love life's irony when the shoe is placed on the other foot.

 

Coach inspire thyself.

Peter Bradley Adams, 'Full Moon':
 

 

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Spiraling Possibilities

Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.

Carol Burnett 

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Today a bomb dropped. The manager who I've worked with (never felt so much as under) for 11 going on 12 years told me she is going to another job in our organization. I've been searching why I feel so devastated beyond our working relationship. Now I know. It's due to the fact that she gave me creative flexibility. It has allowed me to continue in a vocation I'm feeling increasingly disenchanted with.

I'm not a high energy person at this time of life. I like cozy, reflective and slow.  I like to consider the spiral of possibilities. Now how do I market that and make a living? I'm not sure of which paths will open, but the one thing that I've learned is that when a light seems to be going off in the darkness, something good ultimately comes my way.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, 'Something Good Coming':

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Time

Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.

-William Penn

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What I am finding about doing this photography exercise is looking at time differently. It is helping me realize how much of what we do with out time is what we chose. Mindful or Mindless that is the question.

 

Rolling Stones, 'Time Is On My Side':

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I awoke trying to see

a mist swirled

hiding the world from me

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Fleetwood Mac (Featuring Mike Campbell), 'Oh Well':

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Cozy Time

When I'm home I like a cozy, comfortable, calming place.

Stacy Kiebler

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Sunday, warm clothes, hot drink and favorite books/movies. What could be better.

 

 

Cozy Mornings, 'A Sunday Morning Chill Mix':

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