My mom B is having a procedure done tomorrow.
It is not supposed to be life threatening, but you
just never know. Please send happy thoughts her
way, it could not hurt :-). Thanks. Love you mom.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Hey
My dog Zeus. Is this not a wonderful shot? I am just peaking
in to say hi and give you this little gift of love. XOXO
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Holiday Craft
Max helping me make Christmas cards :-).
A closer look at the cards.
Ornaments in the raw clay stage.
Ornaments in the raw clay stage.
This is how I have been spending the last couple of days.
Having so much fun and I find it very relaxing. I also finally
got my Esty shop up, but have many more items to add
before I am ready to have my grand opening, I am
very close and you all will be the first I tell.
Let me know what you think so far...
I will leave you with this quote by Willem de Kooning that says it all for me:
I can't help it.
I stayed in this world of childish wonder,
I think that a lot of creative people never grow up.
I am certain a real man would not paint any pictures!
Or wonder about the universe
Or believe in dreams.
Or think that trees sometimes look at him.
Have a wonderful Sunday!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Time!?
I thought it was time to post a photo of a couple of my boys.
This is Spike and Max.
Today, was one of those days. I had so much I wanted to do
and I did none of it except this post. At least I did one thing
today :-). The more I complained to myself about it, the faster
time went. I can't tell you what happened (nothing happened:-).
I think I just puttered around too much. Finally I let
go and made it okay :-). There is always tomorrow, right?
We all seem to have so much to do and run around frantic
to get it all done. Today, midway I stopped and realized I
was not in the moment. I was not in flow. That was almost
enough to set me right again, except I went back into frantic
rather fast and lost it again. Oh, well, time, can't live with it,
can't live without it :-). I hope you all had a grand day!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
What's up...
I've been busy and unable to post much of read many
blogs the last few days. Working a bit and also making
art which I will show you soon. My Esty shop is coming
soon, it has taken me a while to get it together, but I am
almost there. I have been having a blast making holiday
ornaments to sell on Esty. I have plans to sell
cards as well. When I look at my future I see so much fun
ahead making things and falling in love everyday with clay
and paint :-).
On the family front, please continue to send good thoughts
out for my cousin R. Also my mom could use some too as
she is having some health issues of her own.
Not much for you today. I promise a real post soon.
XOXO
blogs the last few days. Working a bit and also making
art which I will show you soon. My Esty shop is coming
soon, it has taken me a while to get it together, but I am
almost there. I have been having a blast making holiday
ornaments to sell on Esty. I have plans to sell
cards as well. When I look at my future I see so much fun
ahead making things and falling in love everyday with clay
and paint :-).
On the family front, please continue to send good thoughts
out for my cousin R. Also my mom could use some too as
she is having some health issues of her own.
Not much for you today. I promise a real post soon.
XOXO
Friday, October 3, 2008
Beauty
After yesterday's post I needed to balance things out.
When I hear stories like Vestine's it always challenges
my world view. I thought of nothing else after reading
about her. After much thought I came back around full
circle and said yes, I still believe that most people are
good and kind. Yes, I believe that there is much beauty
and love to be found. I still believe in magic :-). I cannot
let the horror in the world be all I see. I also thought
a lot about the men who did those awful things to Vestine.
What horrors and insanity brought them to be as they are?
I myself have not lived a perfect charmed life. I have seen
my own horrors and those in my family have seen worse than
me and none of us can compare what we went through with what
Vestine has lived. My point is, is that many of us have had trauma
in our lives, but somehow we keep going, we keep smiling.
It must be grace. Grace keeps us alive. Beauty, love, kindness.
Peace and love be with you today and all days.
Photo by Geraint Smith
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Horror
I copied this from Yoli, who copied it from Maryam and I must tell you this story is horrific.
When I even think about complaining about my life, I will think about this poor woman and the others like her. This story has affected me like no other. I, like Yoli and Maryam can not look away...
In order to reach as many people as possible I am copying Maryam's ( My Marrakesh ) post to my blog. Please, read and if you find it in your heart to help, please do:
She has a small, neat head, her features delicately sketched, her teeth very white. Her grey suit is too large for her narrow frame but her cream shoes are polished and she moves with a certain elegance on ankles impossibly slim.Her name is Vestine. She's 42 and she survived the Rwandan genocide.Vestine was rounded up one night and held captive in a stadium with others. Left without food, on the fifth day, she began to eat grass, one green blade after another. It was that day, too, that a soldier marched her to the sordid bathroom and ordered her to take off all her clothes. Her hands twisting in her lap, she says,"He told me he wanted to see if Tutsi women were made differently than Hutu women. Then...then he raped me." The next day it was a different soldier, this one trying to force his penis into her mouth. When she protested, he clubbed her on the head. With her fingers lightly tapping her face, Vestine describes how the blood streamed into her eyes and down her nose, as she did what he required.Vestine's story continues, relentless. After they had had their fill of her, you see, the soldiers would force her down on her hands and knees, straddle her back, and ride her around the stadium like a donket, beating the soles of her feet with a stick urging her to go faster and faster.When she was finally brought back to her home, Vestine found her husband and two brothers on the floor, hacked to death by machete. By day, she was raped over and over by a soldier who held her captive. By night, the dogs would come and feast on the rotting bodies of the people she loved most.After weeks, Vestine was ordered to the local Hutu commander's house. Vestine fought back, perhaps her fatal mistake. Her voice faltering, she looks down at her lap and whispers,"The commander took a knife and then he mutilated my genitals, cutting off ....cutting off everything I had left there. Then....then, he made me swallow what he had taken from me."Vestine survived the genocide, rescued by a Hutu neighbor who hid her. Two of her three children also survived, the third was killed by a grenade when he tried to flee into the mountains.It was only seven years later that Vestine -- broken and sick -- found out that she had been infected by HIV/AIDs.Vestine, and thousands like her, are now being helped by AVEGA, a Rwandan NGO dedicated to widows of the genocide. Their funds are small but their hearts are big.Could you, would you find room in your heart to help, too? In a different dark life, in a different dark space, it could have been you, in Vestine's place. It could have been me in Vestine's place.Is fifty dollars too much? Or perhaps 25 dollars if times are tough? Might someone also help me by taking donations via their Paypal account? (I don't have one and can't get one in Morocco.) Any mentions on blogs would be incredibly appreciated, too. Leave a comment or email me at maryam at mtds.com if you would like to help. I promise you -- with a certainty that is desperately sad -- that this will be the most meaningful money you spend all month.My week has been filled with horror -- I can't look away. Please, please, don't you look away, too.
When I even think about complaining about my life, I will think about this poor woman and the others like her. This story has affected me like no other. I, like Yoli and Maryam can not look away...
In order to reach as many people as possible I am copying Maryam's ( My Marrakesh ) post to my blog. Please, read and if you find it in your heart to help, please do:
She has a small, neat head, her features delicately sketched, her teeth very white. Her grey suit is too large for her narrow frame but her cream shoes are polished and she moves with a certain elegance on ankles impossibly slim.Her name is Vestine. She's 42 and she survived the Rwandan genocide.Vestine was rounded up one night and held captive in a stadium with others. Left without food, on the fifth day, she began to eat grass, one green blade after another. It was that day, too, that a soldier marched her to the sordid bathroom and ordered her to take off all her clothes. Her hands twisting in her lap, she says,"He told me he wanted to see if Tutsi women were made differently than Hutu women. Then...then he raped me." The next day it was a different soldier, this one trying to force his penis into her mouth. When she protested, he clubbed her on the head. With her fingers lightly tapping her face, Vestine describes how the blood streamed into her eyes and down her nose, as she did what he required.Vestine's story continues, relentless. After they had had their fill of her, you see, the soldiers would force her down on her hands and knees, straddle her back, and ride her around the stadium like a donket, beating the soles of her feet with a stick urging her to go faster and faster.When she was finally brought back to her home, Vestine found her husband and two brothers on the floor, hacked to death by machete. By day, she was raped over and over by a soldier who held her captive. By night, the dogs would come and feast on the rotting bodies of the people she loved most.After weeks, Vestine was ordered to the local Hutu commander's house. Vestine fought back, perhaps her fatal mistake. Her voice faltering, she looks down at her lap and whispers,"The commander took a knife and then he mutilated my genitals, cutting off ....cutting off everything I had left there. Then....then, he made me swallow what he had taken from me."Vestine survived the genocide, rescued by a Hutu neighbor who hid her. Two of her three children also survived, the third was killed by a grenade when he tried to flee into the mountains.It was only seven years later that Vestine -- broken and sick -- found out that she had been infected by HIV/AIDs.Vestine, and thousands like her, are now being helped by AVEGA, a Rwandan NGO dedicated to widows of the genocide. Their funds are small but their hearts are big.Could you, would you find room in your heart to help, too? In a different dark life, in a different dark space, it could have been you, in Vestine's place. It could have been me in Vestine's place.Is fifty dollars too much? Or perhaps 25 dollars if times are tough? Might someone also help me by taking donations via their Paypal account? (I don't have one and can't get one in Morocco.) Any mentions on blogs would be incredibly appreciated, too. Leave a comment or email me at maryam at mtds.com if you would like to help. I promise you -- with a certainty that is desperately sad -- that this will be the most meaningful money you spend all month.My week has been filled with horror -- I can't look away. Please, please, don't you look away, too.
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