Journaling Through The Years Episode 35: Amore, Amore, Amore! #foreignf...

Oh my god, its final here...the episode where I meet....him! My Italian boyfriend. I also discuss a lot of other wonderful things, wonder why the hell I went to a courthouse in Florence, detail the crazy, wild experience I had in Paris, France, & ponder the nature of the evolution of relationships & how I have this propensity to flee when the going gets tough or boring, instead of having the guts to stick with it & have the difficult conversations in order to grow & be better for myself & in the relationship. Listen to 9021OMG here: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-9021omg-72174382/ In Your Own BackYard Series: Klamath Junction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iSKcD7IaCw Cemetery Sisters (the story of The Hill Family, Mother & Sisters, founding family of Klamath Junction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqJYe5a8a8k&t=1s Donate to help DJ Michael Thrive: https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-michael-and-meme-thrive Listen to his music & connect with Michael at: https://fanlink.to/mikeandmeme https://www.facebook.com/DJMichaeljhearne

Be Positive?

 

No sugar coating it, the world is one messed up place right now.  Climate change, droughts and the west coast now has five seasons (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer, Fire), a global pandemic continuing to spread, divisions world-wide on that as well as other political and social issues like never before (or at least as visibly seen), sister against sister, brother against brother, friends turned into enemies, our country on the brink of starting world war three with Russia....maybe....

So, can one truly 'be positive'?  How am I truly positive in the wake of all this? Am I blind or ignorant? Not in the least, but I choose to not allow myself to dwell in a state of helplessness and hopelessness.  I choose to do what I can each day to better myself and what is before me.  That is all I can do.  

This scene from Night Court has been my personal motto: Dan comforts Harry  Specifically, Dan's line: "We can only do what the law allows us to do, that's it" inspires me, motivates me, gets me every time.  And, yes, Night Court is my Numero Uno fandom from my wee childhood days playing pretend Night Court in my basement, so, yes, life lessons galore pour over me with that show, but I think the lesson can apply to all of us.  

"We can only do what the law allows us to do, that's it," says Dan. And, I take it to mean, there is only one of each of us and before us only what we CAN do, nothing more, that's it.  Focus on today, take care of you, of what's around you, seek the beauty in what's in front, seek to discover love within, and let that drive you to love without.  I say with Dan Fielding, 'That's it, it's that simple. Truly it is.'

For myself, I rise each morning to morning yoga and mindfulness meditation, I seek healthy and nourishing food, I exercise daily, I read and take in healthy content, I seek to truly see those around me that I love and who love me back, whose influence is receiving and freely giving without conditions.  From that, the ability to make a change extends outward naturally, weekly I drive down to my local recycling center to unload as much as I can to reduce waste and my footprint upon Mother Earth, I place old food and bird seed out for the animals as well as dishes of water when needed, I cultivate a garden and plant trees, (no longer do I purchase a cut Christmas tree but now do only living each year), I make birthday and holiday cards for all my family and beloved friends, I create film and media projects that uplift and inspire those I love as well as myself, and currently I am running a fundraiser for my dear friend, Michael: Help Michael & MeMe Thrive

It truly is that simple.  Focus on yourself first and then freely the answers to make a difference for the better will come.  Breathe in, breathe out.  Just be and the light of living in the positive, despite the circumstances of hardship whatever they be, will arrive.

The Rainbow Connection

Why are there so many

Songs about rainbows

And what's on the other side

Rainbow's are visions

But only illusions

And rainbows have nothing to hide

So we've been told and some Choose to believe it

But I know they're wrong wait and see

Someday we'll find it

The Rainbow Connection

The lovers, the dreamers and me

Journaling Through The Years, Episode 34: Kosovo & Monica

Happy Valentine's Day! Ah, the day of amore! And, I'm still in Firenze, Italia. I start out by a description of my spring break to Switzerland to see my friends, as well as share about my trip to Strasburg, France, and finish up by reflecting on my experience being ever so close to the skirmish/war in Kosovo in 1999. President Clinton's Address to the Nation on Kosovo (1999) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLzPVYTf2oc My Love Journey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byp0lTRUtdk&t=406s The True Story of Valentine's Day: https://artistthriving.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-true-story-of-valentines-day.html

How We Thrive, Episode Four: Madeline DeCourcey #actor #writer #director...

In this episode, I chat with my good friend, Madeline, about how she came to her love of theatre & all that it goes into being a professional working actor, writer, director, and producer. She shares tips about how to begin & continue on the artist's path. Madeline DeCourcey is an actress, director, coach, writer and artist. Her latest project was associate directing for Wanderlust Theatre Company’s Dracula. She studied improv comedy in Los Angeles at the Upright Citizens Brigade and sketch comedy with The Nerdist School; she holds a BFA in Theatre Arts from Illinois Wesleyan University. Her next projects include teaching improv comedy at, as well as debuting on stage in Clue, The Musical at, The Ghostlight Playhouse in Medford. Madeline can also be seen in Cafe-Girl's season two, Nate & Laura & How They Met as well as briefly in as a frozen soldier in "Fair Is Foul, Foul Is Fair". In her spare time she makes art and streams video games on YouTube. Her four cat children would appreciate if you go now and subscribe to her two channels: https://youtube.com/c/GoodatGame www.youtube.com/c/MadfishMagpie

The True Story of Valentine's Day

 

Well, today is the day, February 14th, 2022, the day of the candied hearts, red roses, and all things romantic.  However, does it have to only relate to that of romantic love, but can it be a day reflective on the supreme meaning and power of that four letter L word?

With that said, I would like to share a bit of the history surrounding this day and how it came to be how it is known today.

The Catholic Church recognize three different martyred saints from their historical records with the name Valentine or Valentinus.  The first tells the story of a young priest who lived during the time of Emperor Claudius II, most famous for outlawing marriage in favor of needing young men for military purposes, and this priest Valentine secretly wed for young lovers, as he saw this decree as unjust and unfair. When Claudius discovered this, Valentine was beheaded.  However, some believe that Bishop St. Valentine of Terni was the one that gave Valentine's Day its name and origin.

Next, many believe that Valentine was a priest that aided in helping prisoners escape from Roman prisoners.  Legend tells that when he was imprisoned he sent a note to a young girl he had fallen in love with, possibly the jailer's daughter, and signed it "From Your Valentine", thus the origin of the Valentine's card.

But, moving away from Christianity, we find ourselves in the Pagan origin of the day, that of "Lupercalia", celebrated on the 15th of February.  Indeed, some believe that Valentine's Day was an attempt by the Catholic Church to christianize this Pagan holiday.  Lupercalia is celebrated as a fertility festival in dedication to Faunus, the god of agriculture, and to the founders of Roman, Romulus and Remus.  As the festival commenced, members of the festival, an order of the Roman priests, would gather at sacred cave meant to be where Romulus and Remus had been cared for by the she-wolf or lupa.  The priests would then sacrifice a goat for fertility and a dog for purification.  Once done, they would strip the goat's hide, dip it into blood, then take to the streets slapping crops and women with the bloodied hide.  Women were not fearful or angry by this but believed that this would help them become more fertile the rest of the year.  At the close of the festival, the women would place their names in a great urn, drawn out by eligible bachelors leading to partnership and marriage.  So, if a priest hits you with a bloodied goat hide, ladies, love and babies are on their way!

For more information on Lupercalia, click here: https://journeyingtothegoddess.wordpress.com/tag/lupercalia/

Journaling Through The Years, Episode 33: Unconventional Me & A Tour Th...

This week I share more of my time studying in Italy, ponder how my relationship addict self as well as my "propensity for polyamory" was present even then. I reflect upon how I gravitate towards the unconventional and how that actually is beneficial for myself and others, ie I stand up for what is right when others are afraid to....(here's to the crazy ones...)...& show how that has made a difference in a profound way, that I never realized, until now.

My Love Journey #relationshipaddiction #polyamory

In honor of the V-Day weekend, I share my journey coming to love myself and love others, having healthy and intentional relationships, both with romantic partners and others.

Outta The Box

 

Get Outta The Box

All of this successes I have had in my journey as a thriving artist has become reality when I allow myself to think out of the box of normalcy.

So, recently I was talking to a two good friends of mine who are local actors(and so much more) , about their desire to be the working actors they were trained to be, and again, what they believe their calling in life is and has been since they were old enough to toddle about.

I truly love and respect them as well understand the frustration that they have, as I can surely relate, yet due to the tumult of these last few years, my perspective on the matter of pursuing our dreams has shifted.

To be a thriving artist means not that we have our name on the Hollywood walk of fame, a novel on the New York Times bestseller list, art in the highest of galleries, these are all worthy goals and amazing at that, but to thrive is to be and to be is to thrive.  A thriving artist is a way of life, our art can be found in every ounce of our lives, even in the minute and mundane.  

To thrive is to be and to be is to thrive

Throughout these past few years of craziness, I have had the luxury to step back from the rat race to truly prioritize and meditate on my dreams and my values.  From this time of repose, I have developed the ability to hold space in my heart for gratitude and thus realize the gifts of life afforded to me, whether it be minute or major.  

Currently, I consider myself a working actor, model, and artist, yet it may not appear as society dictates.  At present, I am not working as a paid actor in a theatrical or film production, but I am getting paid for what I love to do.  As a gig-worker, I have worked since 2013 as a fine art model for the local university and community college at a rate well above the minimum wage, added to that my paid modeling career has expanded outward to other galleries and photographers throughout my county and state in a fluid fashion unforced in anyway.  In addition, I have worked since 2015 for the local nursing college as a simulated patient, where given a 'script' I improvise the character for the betterment of the students' skills.  Not only am I helping them become the best nurses they can ever be, but I am getting paid to perform and am deepening my abilities as an actor as well, for well above, minimum wage.  

I say this, with no desire to appear as if I am bragging or better than another, but to emphasize that when one allows themselve to open beyond the narrow reach, opportunities become available in ways unseen before but wider and more powerful than once imagined.  Connections are made and as one continues forward, these opportunities keep expanding continuing with each next step taken.

This morning, I talked with an a dear old college chum who is struggling to find his identity within himself and not based on what he does.  In this capitalist society of which is deemed as acceptable, all too often the question after we greet another is "what do you do?" as in the identity of oneself is made by their occupation not on who they are inside.  With my actor friends as in so many, is the struggle not merely to succeed at your calling but are we finding ourselves locked in our identity formed as 'what we do' and not 'who we are'.  The cure, then, is to sit with oneself, in so doing, discover who we truly are without the exterior busyness and applause, and thus to truly thrive within.

All of this successes I have had in my journey as a thriving artist has become reality when  I allow myself to think out of the box of normalcy.

My good friend, Kurk Kasparian, shares:

"If you want something you don't normally have, then you have to do something you don't normally do."

Am I Wrong

Am I wrong for thinking out the box from where I stay?

Am I wrong for saying that I'll choose another way?

I ain't trying to do what everybody else doing

Just cause everybody doing what they all do

If one thing I know, how far would I grow?

I'm walking down this road of mine, this road that I call home