Feeling the Heat

I took this photo a decade ago because this bank's digital thermometer had some glitch and I thought it would be a surreal photo to use in my artwork. But now the surreal-ness of this photo is not far from the reality of the heat currently going on out West. My heart goes out to those of you surviving the 120+ degree insanity! Rod Serling sure was ahead of his time!

Pleading the 5th Agreement

I was waiting at the checkout line at the grocery store the other day and did what most people waiting there do...I gazed at all the headlines in the ragmags. I took two of the ragmags and to keep the guy behind me entertained while waiting, I showed him how in one ragmag, Kim Kardashian had eloped in Paris with Kanye, while in another ragmag, Kim had discovered Kanye has a gay lover in Paris, so it's over between them. The man behind me responded with, "We just don't know what to believe anymore."

In grade school writing class we were taught "Just the facts, M'am." This is outdated anymore. It's all about sensational stories... and painting pictures in peoples' minds to keep them coming back for more. Whether in the media or in marketing.

Very often I will hear stories in the news and contact people who are in the area this story is covering. Often what is told in the media's version is not a true representation for all involved.

We truly have learned to take stories in with a grain of salt.  Don Miguel Ruiz' "Four Agreements", which came out 12 years ago, has helped me get through a lot of the hurdles going on these days:

• Don't take anything personally
• Don't make assumptions
• Be impeccable with your word
• Always do your best

 Ruiz' latest book, " The Fifth Agreement, A Practical Guide to Self-Mastery" falls right into place with the trend of media painting dramatic pictures to keep us watching and buying. That fifth agreement is:

"Be skeptical, but learn to listen."

I have not yet read this book and hear that it's a review of the first 4 agreements which didn't gel with some readers.  So be skeptical, but still listen....if you're a Ruiz fan....there's a new agreement in town.

My Top 3 Fave Commercials

 Commercials are usually my cue to run to another room to clean it, before the show returns. But when any of these three particular commercials come on, I usually drop whatever I'm doing to rush back to the TV, so I don't miss a word.

This girl is going to be an activist for some important cause some day...

 Whenever my kitty trips me in the kitchen because he wants more treats, I find myself saying, "We want more! We want more!"

This girl will grow up to be a sought after film maker, but only after collecting many oscars for her film performances....

Ruh-ruh-ruh-ruh-ruh-ruh-ruh!

I wish my confidence came out of me like this....

Toxic-tainment

 There's so much of the consumer ritual cycle that's ignored or hidden from us. We never know for sure or actually witness how each thing we consume affects ourselves and the world.

 So lets cozy up with a bottle of water to watch these videos on one of our techno-gadgets, while sitting long enough to be robbing our body of exercise, so we can learn about all the unhealthy choices we are trained to make daily.

Remembering Debbie Ford

I’ve been re-living my past memories of my experiences with Debbie Ford since she recently departed this world. I am still processing all I learned and experienced from the role she had in my life. The memories keep bubbling up. I’m still in shock that she left us so soon.

As we graduated from her intense two-year coach training, she handed each of us a certificate and a stone with the word “integrity” imprinted in it. I take my integrity stone very seriously.

All of us practice the fine art of diplomacy in this “do I look fat in this dress?” world. It’s an art form to be honest without hurting another or yourself. Discernment and diplomacy are a trial and error art form that only come from experience and practice.

 Debbie taught me to be honest with myself and to myself. One of the hugest concepts she taught that stuck with me most is to pay attention to the advice we give others because it’s probably the advice we need to most hear ourselves.That even scared me from giving advice at all…and the times I found myself slipping and giving advice….she was right….every time….it was exactly what I needed to be doing as well.

It’s going to take quite a while to process Debbie’s influence on my life...and that she is no longer physically with us. She still will always exist in spirit and memories. She taught me so much…..in her courses, between the lines of things she said and did…and just by observing how she chose to be in this world.

Love and peace to you, Debbie Ford.

Evolution of the Slow Cooker

I want to publicly express my gratitude to my dear friend, Carolyn for her awesome Christmas gift! She gave me a generous gift card to the only large store in my local area...Walmart! This caused me to go down the Walmart aisles with a whole new attitude. What creative item can I find that reflects the cool, artsy being Carolyn is?


I've had a crock pot in the 80s and gave up on it, turning it into a beeswax melting device for my artwork. But I wondered if they'd evolved since the 80s since they're still on the market today. I got a Dummies book about slow cookers and researched how they've evolved.


I am LOVING slow cookers! I am on a strict diet and can't eat out around here, so to have one of these in my home allows me to do quick prep in the morning, go do all the work I have to do and by evening it's like a magic chef created a meal designed just for me!



I so highly recommend slow cookers for anyone with little time,who work hard and love to end their day with a nice, hot, gourmet meal.


Forever thank you, Carolyn! Your gift was life changing and the coolest ever!

Healthy Marketing?!!!

This book is quite a fascinating view on how marketing has shifted with the times and the old school marketing of talking at a customer is no longer the way to run a business. It's all about community, listening, sharing and supporting.
The first 3/4 of this book point out in detail the many ways we've been used to experiencing marketing and how manipulative it's been. It has actually caused this world to become ill in many ways that are pointed out. The last 1/4 of the book is Lynn Serafinn's solution to a better, more human way to market.
I found it hard to put this book down because it put in words many of the things about marketing that have made me cringe over the years. Healthy marketing! What a concept!
Whether you are a consumer, client, student, customer or business owner...this book speaks to the way marketing effects us all.