Coming of Age

The process is beautiful. Nothing good and beautiful happens in an instance. We are happy to watch the flower unfold. So too, we are in process, enjoy the unveiling and adventure of it all!

Sorry to have been absent for so long. I have been in process! :) I have found a great avenue of expression and interaction on Tsu. It's a wonderful community and I find there an inspiring interchange among original content creators - writers, photographers, artists, and gardeners to name a few.  There are other area of interest on Tsu,  as well, but that's what I gravitate towards. (The above is an example of one of my post on Tsu.) I don't know if that kind of connection with others sounds appealing to anyone. If it does, you need an invitation to join. Here is my invitation code for you to use.

https://www.tsu.co/TimeForCoffee 

I will continue to post here periodically, although I hope to see you there, too!

A Blast of the Past

I recently went to a concert. Honestly, I don't remember the last time I went to one, so therefore, I've come to the conclusion it's been a loooong time.

We saw Stevie Nicks, and what a treat!

I never saw Fleetwood Mac or Stevie Nicks (solo) in concert before, even though there was a time when I played the Rumors album to death. So many of the songs she sang were very familiar and took me back to days long past. Those days seem like yesterday, but times have changed. My pre-concert ritual was quite different this go round. Brian and I went out to dinner, enjoyed a lighter meal and one glass of wine. Suffice to say, in earlier days, the preparation for concert enjoyment included altered states. I must note, I don't think I had more fun at any other concert regardless of the manner in which I got ready.

The demographic of the concert goers was also different than I remember but then...I am too! I realize the demographic all depends on the performer, his or her genre and age. Time has steadily marched on from when I used to attend concerts even though part of me is in denial of that fact. But some things haven't changed. I still saw someone being forcibly carried out by security, a woman dancing up front (in red) seeking attention and the beer was flowing. One particular modification I noticed evoked laughter. I remember during classic, softer, ballad type songs the Bic lighters would come out and the arena literally lit up. Well, at this concert, I saw one Bic lighter on display but others just activated their cell phones and held them up. :-) Quite a sight! I did laugh and saw a new way in which technology has made it's mark on us all.

Our time spent listening to Stevie struck me in another way, as well. What talent! Some people might not approve of her background or choices. Of course a lot of people would not condone mine either. Does any of that really matter? Stevie's talent is a gift and should be honored as such. I realize we all have our individual taste in music, art, cuisine, entertainment activities, etc. nevertheless, an appreciation for special talent seems compelling. Let's face it, some people are extremely gifted. No matter the area of life, I'm not one of those people! I'm OK with that and marvel at others who are! I am of the mind, however, to downplay, shun, or even attack someone's ability because of political affiliation, spirituality, or questionable personal choices partially robs us of joy and beauty.

I'm not saying we all have to agree! It's a foregone conclusion that we won't. I just think appreciation and honor should be given when due. An untainted perspective regarding giftings is a challenge, one I'll always be working on. But I don't want to miss inspiring creativity.


Photo from Wikipedia.org (Stevie Nicks)

Home and Garden Tour

A realtor in conjunction with the Merida English Language Library (at least that's where we met) does a tour of three renovated homes once a week, during the tourist season. I realize it's an opportunity to try and sell houses but I still wanted to go inside some of these homes! So Brian and I along with 50 to 60 others (tourists!! ;-o ) heard a bit of Merida's history, and then, did a brief walking tour. I know the houses chosen can change but I was hoping to walk the interior of La Calle Escondida - the house which sucked me into Merida's real estate, Spanish colonial architecture, and was a big part of The Process. That was the first house!

Much of this house in not colonial at all, in contrast, parts are whimsical, others thoroughly modern. I'd seen the video, perused the pictures and imagined what the spaces must be like in actuality. The photographer definitely shot the home with a wider wide-angle lens then I have. The spaces seemed even grander and larger in the photos. However, I would never say the rooms were cramped!

1st Courtyard Looking towards the Street

The idea of The Hidden Street or in other words - La Calle Escondida, is a fun one. You first walk into an entry room and then immediately into a courtyard. It is this part which is the "hidden street." The architect used the sides of the courtyard to mimic a Merida street. On one side, the side shown here to the left, are bedrooms, upper and lower. However, they look like actual building facades with balconies. The other side, below, is the wall dividing the homes which he has superimposed different types of facades, some with deterioration and all.

1st Courtyard Looking towards the House and the Rest of the Property

Following are some interior shots. The second courtyard with the pool and outdoor living spaces is probably my favorite area. Although, the master suite isn't bad either!

Interior Sunken Living Room

Pool Coutyard & Master Suite Balcony 

Looking across to Master Suite
from Rooftop Area 

Outdoor Living Area below Master Suite

Last but Not Least - the Master Suite

OK, this is probably enough for one post. Trust me, I have more pictures, but I'm sparing you the full rendition. I'll show you more of the other houses at another time, and maybe some pics of where we are staying. Can you tell I used to be an architect?! Enjoying the architectural/cultural differences.

Carnaval de Merida and Around Town

We are here in Merida for Carnaval or as it is called in New Orleans - Mardi Gras! We didn't come particularly for this celebration but our winter getaway to revive Brian happens to coincide. I can't say that we've gone to all of the parades, since there are six in all! Nor did I take any pictures - just wanted to enjoy the time. However, one of my fellow bloggers did take pictures so I refer you to him. The Children's Parade you can find here. I understand it is often thought of as the best. Kids are always cute and they are certainly done up. One of the other evening parades can be found here. We don't even consider going to any of the daytime parades as it is WAY too hot!! I don't know how the people in the parade do it - survive even.

Brian and I did do some wondering of the town with cameras in hand. We ended up in one of the neighborhood parks called Santiago. Naturally ice cream was in order! Here are some images from the park and along the way.

WOMEN ON THEIR WAY - Local Nation

An opportunity appeared in my email inbox. The subject line for the email read: Share your travel knowledge and enter for a chance to win! I often delete mail like that but I do have some travel knowledge and I was curious - win what? Well it wasn't thousands of dollars - bummer! As I understand it at the moment, I win the points/funds to take two trips to the Sponsor's properties and then I write for their travel blog about my experience. Not a bad deal and I get to say I'm a winner!! :-) Part of the entry is to write a 350 word "essay" (I hardly call a few paragraphs an essay but...) about travel and why I should get this privilege. Below is what I submitted.

"Traveling gives me such an appreciation of so many different things - old and new. Meeting people from other areas or countries, new sights and sounds, the food and photo opportunities are just some of what I love in the adventure of traveling, Sure, an adventure can get a bit messy, like an off-road excursion. Or, an adventure can produce conflicting reactions, for example, when scaling the heights of a mountain and you are awe-struck and unnerved at the same time. This is all metaphorically speaking since I do neither four wheeling nor climbing!
Nonetheless, the travel adventures of trying new foods, activities, customs and taking in the sites stretches me and usually enlarges my world. Life is too short to live in a small place! It's good to get away from the regular routine no matter what kind of routine it is. There is something about unfamiliarity to stimulate creativity, or open up new thought patterns or finally just relax! It's easier to see life in a slightly (or vastly) different way when out of our element.
Whether it's enjoying the shopping and energy of a big city or village life which is designed to slow you down; whether you drink in the sites from a cafe and people watch or plan your day filled with art, history and a 5 star restaurant, it's all about the experience. Travel is about allowing yourself the freedom to let go, be curious, find new passions, be surprised and reflect.
I've had the privilege of traveling to China, and many places throughout the Americas, as well as, living for over 10 years in Europe. My background is in architecture and I love photography. Photos can capture street scenes, people going about their daily lives, imposing and magnificent structures, calm and inviting beaches, any variety of landscape. They are wonderful memories and a glimpse into another world. I also enjoy sharing the world as it expands before me though word pictures because I want others to get a taste of my experience and be encouraged to go find their own travel adventure!"

What do you think? You can actually vote for me if you'd like. The voting period is in March - below is the link! :-)
Women on Their Way

Mornings Don't Always Come Easily!

I love being creative and the results of that creativity, whether it's mine or someone else's; however, like most people, I am not creative in all realms. I function best in the artsy arena but not the crafty one, for example. I also like words and perhaps craft a bit with them although the art of poetry is not my forte. I saw the following poem on another blog I follow, and although you'll never see any poetry from me, this captured the essence of many a morning for me. So I thought I'd include it for your reading enjoyment.  

I slept late.
I am a slug.
But now there's coffee in my mug.

I want to go back to bed.
The sleep won't leave my head.
But there is much to do today.
So I will drink coffee instead.

I was warm & cozy, all tucked up in my bed.
We should stay here all day long my body told my head.
But I refused to listen even though it begged and pled.
I arose, went downstairs and made coffee instead.


It's really perfect and makes me smile! Perhaps some of you can relate, too. The blog post I got this from originally you can find here. 

Stepping Outside of the Box

OK, if you like coffee, you might want to go get a cup because this could be a long one!
A few communiqués from a friend have got me thinking. She had been catching up on my blog and so touched on a few subjects. She and I have talked about in the past how we often feel different, like we don't always "fit." Those feelings have certainly been around the last couple of weeks, in particular. They come and go in intensity, but they have been a part of my life for a long time. Perhaps there is a new book for me to read which she mentions:  

“Women Who Run With the Wolves”, by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés. 

My friend also writes - "In the book she's talking about our (women's) need to find our "wild" self. Wild meaning natural, as God created us to be with all the innate intuition and other spiritual gifts He intended us to have, but that our culture, etc. (especially in America, Western society) has put down. ... Beyond being Christian and "not of this world", much of what she writes gives me a better understanding of why I've always felt like I don't really "fit" often even with committed Christians whom I admire. I think I've always been a "wild" woman."

I like that about her, my friend, and I can relate! There is nothing wrong with the status quo. I enjoy many things in life from the creative side to the mundane (as I know I have talked about - see my labels "creativity"). But there are these "niggles" and a sense of adventure that keep rising to the surface. These thoughts that make me think, "I must be crazy!" and that buck the status quo. So much of the structure we live in seems artificial and forced. Am I an anarchist? NO. Boundaries are good and important in many areas and ways. However, I do think there is greater freedom than our structures allow.

Choosing to step out of some of those structures, does require some extra effort for community living which I do feel is quite important. But I want community which has no agenda, isn't forced or timed, and is truly enjoyed by everyone. Unfortunately, I feel that is very difficult to find within many structures we have set up in our culture. There is nothing wrong with the structures necessarily and if people find them satisfying - great!! For me, I'm left wanting. I'm not sure what the answer is, and I certainly would rather be part of a solution than just point out problems. Though it seems, there are only a few of us who don't really "fit." Perhaps that's the adventurous and/or creative side of me and I'm OK with that!

The image shown here is the completed puzzle of the "nine dots." The challenge is to connect the dots, yes, all of them, with only four straight lines. The catch is you can't lift your pencil from the puzzle. It's impossible to do without going beyond the confines of the "box."

My friend was also hopeful that she was not one of the "snooty" missionaries that I talked about in my post entitled OK, Let's Talk about It... I was surprised to see the word snooty and thought - did I really write that?! Sure enough!! Perhaps that was a bit brash and snooty of me! Sorry. As I think about it, it is possible to chalk up some of those past impressions to youthful over exuberance?! She gives her thoughts: "I, too, have had my struggles over folks' expectations but I'm still glad for the opportunities God provided for me to show His love and encourage a few people along the way. For the most part, the missionaries with whom I've worked have lived very graciously in the culture to which the Lord sent them. However, when I was in Greece working in Albania I had a couple of single, female missionaries impress me negatively... so much so that I told my mission director that I didn't want to continue on the mission field if that was how I would end up." Expectations are tough especially if we don't even know that we have them. I hope I continue to grow in grace.


Image by Dave Kawalec

Already March!

Well, February has come and gone. I thought, periodically, about writing but never actually did it! Now it's March 2nd and I've gone international! I'm sitting on the balcony of my boutique hotel in Mexico. :) (Well, it's not MY boutique hotel but you know what I mean!) Brian and I are taking some time away to relax, and get warm to the bone. Today while having my morning coffee in a wonderful shaded courtyard we had geckos and an iguana to watch and entertain us. The iguana was a surprise and I think he was surprised as well. He quickly climbed a tree to survey the scene from a safer distance. Yesterday we went snorkeling and saw lots of fish and one sea turtle!! That was one of the things on my bucket list so it was very cool! There are even pictures to prove it.
It's good to get away from the regular routine no matter what kind of routine it is. There is something about unfamiliarity to stimulate creativity. It's easier to see things in a slightly (or vastly) different way. I'm excited for the photo ideas that are coming and hopefully will produce something tangible and fruitful! Well I'm about to run out of battery so for now...

Back in Town - Moving Forward

Just got back from my mom's 90th birthday celebration! What a celebration it was, probably over 100 people!! A lot of people I haven't seen perhaps since high school years. (Of course I've hardly changed! :o ) I'm so glad so many people came since she's touched so many lives, and she could be blessed in return with that expression of love.
Now, I'm glad to be back home in the sunshine and recoup a bit more from that cold. I still feel a bit gunky with a cough now and then. (TMI?) At any rate, since I'm feeling better and the festivities are over, I'm researching in earnest the new possibilities. One of these is stock photography. Right there you know it's not a get rich quick scheme! But if I could, in the end, make a little money from something I enjoy and want to spend more time at anyway; then why not?!
I love the beginning of something with all it's possibilities! There haven't been any disappointments, setbacks or obstacles; it all lies before me wrapped up with great anticipation. This is when it's easy and full of promise. Although I feel this way now, I want to have the perseverance to continue when the rejections come! I know they'll come; that's part of the learning process. Sometimes it's just easier said than done. Nevertheless, I'm stating now that I want to press through! Hopefully my first acceptance won't take too long but first the research!

Wide-eyed Wonder

OK, seriously it's been a REALLY long time since I blogged! I checked out a new blog to me - Emma's Adventures . It's a child's blog so her mom "helps" her out a bit! Quite delightful though as we try to see life through a child's eyes. I wouldn't want to go back in time if you paid me but there is still something of that era worth holding on to. What wide-eyed wonder and enthusiasm! Total abandonment and focus on whatever they are doing.
Me - I can get so distracted. Sometimes it feels like there are a million things running through my head. Nothing much that is profound or probably of any great substance either. Nonetheless, it flits through and I'm distracted, and if anyone were to ask me what some of that stuff was... Well, at this stage of my life who can remember!!
I think guys can generally be more focused than women. As Brian puts it, it can be like ripping velcro to peel him off something he's really focused on to bring his attention to something else! However, male or female, as adults we could embrace a bit more wide-eyed wonder and enthusiasm. At least I could. There is a lot to jade us in life or even just the mundane to bury us in survival mode. Take time for a cup of coffee with a friend! (A shameless promotion of my favorite beverage!) A beautiful sunset (rarely can I enjoy a sunrise - it's before my coffee!) Or take a bit from Emma - put everything aside and do something creative. She likes to paint. And of course there is the joy of a new pair of shoes!! You get the idea! :-)

Shooting!

Tomorrow is a day begging to be shot! I'm getting back to my photography roots. It's been a long time. How did that aspect of me slip away? Actually it's not too much of a mystery but the times they are a changin'! Let's hope I walk away with one or two really good shots!

Creativity vs. The Mundane

,It sounds like a boxing match! If it were, I'd imagine creativity as that sublime movement of grace that packs power. It's almost like it happens in slow motion as people are awed by the simultaneous beauty and raw power. Even if boxing can be distasteful to you (certainly to me) the artistry of those kind of movements cannot be denied. Whereas, the mundane is the brutal, relentless pounding that beats the opponent into submission. There is no finesse, only muscle bound prowess that needs admiration.
A friend of mine told me that if creativity didn't take effort it would just be mundane. (This came up because I was complaining that creativity took so much effort!) The mundane for me are things like laundry, going over the budget, cleaning and food prep. All very important endeavors, necessary even, but not thrilling or fulfilling on a soul level. Often they are something to power through and too often they get the best of me. I'm beat afterwards. There's nothing left to give in the creative arena. However, that is not my whole life. That may be one or two days of my week - being too tired for anything else, but I state now that I want to move through to the sublime. How does that work? How often will that happen? I pray for God's agenda through my days and the courage to make the effort!

Creativity

Creativity is a process, a stress reducer, and by in large very rewarding. My question is - why does it seem to take so much effort, too much of the time, to get into the process? Sometimes, it seems like it produces more stress to get to the point of beginning to relieve it! Perhaps I'm just out of the habit? Concentrated effort isn't a bad endeavor!

Simple Life

At the moment, my life is very simple! No complaints. :) Yet there is still something I want to do; I just don't know what it is. Have you ever had that feeling of longing/ache/excitement when you hear of someone else starting up something they've always wanted to do, or following a dream? That feeling doesn't always strike me because those things can happen fairly regularly. But it happened to me listening to Ellen Degeneres when she said she had started a record label. That does not appeal to me in the least! And yet, the feeling struck me. She's already doing so many things but somehow this was different. I'm not doing so many things, nor am I a celebrity! However, my goal is not to do a lot but rather something purposeful, fun and made just for me!!
I've been a business woman (architect), a missionary (although they say once a missionary always a missionary), worked for a business and started a business. What's next? Now I'm in this semi-retired position which I love. I'm flexible, able to go on trips when money allows, meet with people and relax. Of course I thought some of this relaxing time would be spent writing, drawing and/or photographing. I'm not doing much of any of that! Hmmm. Am I lazy? i probably need more of a routine. All of those things are still very exciting to me. What's wrong? Or is anything really wrong - maybe I just need to make different choices through the day.