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Showing posts with label empowerment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label empowerment. Show all posts
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Saturday, December 5, 2015
Moon Reimagined ~2016
Motivation alone is not enough. If you have an idiot and you motivate him, now you have a motivated idiot. -- George C. Fraser
Times they be a'changin....
"When the past call, don't answer. Let it go to voice mail. It has nothing new to offer.
Dear Past: Thank you for the lessons.
Dear Future: I'm ready".~ George Fraser
Nou bite men noupa tonbe (We have stumbled, but we will not fall)"~ Haitian proverb
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Get Another Dream if You Must: Just Don't Stop Dreaming!
I just discovered this blog from Tyler Perry in 2008. It bore repeating and very timely for me.
I admire and respect people so much that have a dream and go for it. Don’t ever lose that GO FOR IT attitude because you will see your dreams come true as long as you don’t operate in fear. After you’ve done all to stand, stand some more. So what happens when you had this big dream and it seems to be falling apart? You seem to be losing it…what do you do? I look to this story of Joseph, and you really should read this bible story. It’s fascinating. It is so parallel to what is going on right now in this country. But this is what happened. When his dream seemed to be falling apart he did something awesome. The bible says Joseph dreamed another dream, and that is what I wanted to talk to you about today.
Dream another dream.
If one thing fails, try something else. Learn from your mistakes and try it again. So what if it got hard for a season, it will only be that way for a season. I cannot even begin to tell you all the times I failed, but every failure in your life will bring your dream closer to you. I know that sounds crazy but it’s so true. It’s okay to fail, now get up and keep dreaming. Don’t stop dreaming because you may have lost something. When I was doing plays for the first time, my dream was that 1,200 people would come and sell the place out. Only 30 people came. It crushed me. But I didn’t stop. I kept dreaming. I believed and dreamed all the way down to living in my car. But I kept dreaming, and when I was at my lowest I would talk to God. Sometimes all I could get out of my mouth was "Jesus help me," but that was a prayer I prayed a lot. And you know what else I did? I got out and encouraged myself. When I was homeless and sleeping in my car I would hustle up enough gas money and drive down to the nicest neighborhood in Atlanta where there were beautiful homes and I would dream and say "one day." On Sundays, I would go to open houses. I would go to the dealerships and test drive whatever kind of car I thought I wanted. Now I know these are material things but you would be surprised as to what it would do to help you see that all things in your dreams are possible. It’s hard to see a dream come to pass, but if you believe, it has no choice. Everywhere you look you see all of this talk about the economy and gloom and doom. Turn that mess off. Stop letting that get into your spirit. Tune it out, watch things that will encourage you. Listen to things that will uplift you. Now this part is to a certain group of people, not to everyone.
This is for the people who have been feeling like they are being led by God to do something in these economic times that most people will think is crazy. The ones who may not have a dime but are feeling like something great is about to break free in their lives. You are so right if this is what you’re feeling. I have a suggestion if you’ll take my humble advice.
HAVE NO FEAR!
ONLY BELIEVE!
Give thanks for where you are. I know that may be hard to do, but there is a liberty in being thankful. And lastly, give, give, give. The reason I’ve fed thousands of families, paid rent and taxes for the elderly, dug wells in Africa and helped establish churches and built homes for poor families is because I know the power of giving. You reap what you sew. If you want favor from God, sew it into someone else.
God bless you and know that this too shall pass, and you will be so much better when it does. Tyler Perry
I’ve been reading a lot of messages on the message board about how the
opening of the studio affected you. Some of them brought tears to my eyes,
and what has stayed on my mind is that so many of us have stopped
dreaming. Listen to me, having no vision is death to your spirit. Why stop
dreaming, because one of them didn’t come true when you thought it
should? Why stop now? You’ve come so far. Listen to me, when I started
building this studio I wasn’t thinking about being the first black person
to do it. I wasn’t thinking about how many acres it is. I wasn’t thinking
about what it would feel like to own it. I was just following a dream. I
am no different from you. If you can make your mind line up with your
spirit man, and your dreams, then your dreams will become your reality. It
has to. It has no choice.
Now hear me here for a moment, if you will. I know that a lot of different
kinds of people from a lot of different backgrounds and faiths read this
email, but I want to share something with you, if you’ll indulge me for a
second. One of my favorite stories in the bible is of Joseph. Joseph had a
dream and his brothers wanted to kill him for dreaming. Sometimes when you
dream you will go through all kinds of hell to see it come to pass. I used
to tell people that I thought I could do plays and movies, and when I
would tell them they would get mad at me, talk about me and eventually try
to discourage me.
When I started to do plays in the beginning things started to fall apart
and these same people would laugh and say things like see, "I knew you
couldn’t do it." Where am I going with all of this you ask? Well right
now
in these times in our country there are lots of you who are wondering how
you’re going to pay the mortgage or the rent, or feed your families. And
there are lots of you who have lost your houses and jobs and the very same
people that brought over the house warming gifts are laughing at you
now. I have been there. I UNDERSTAND THE HURT, but I’m here to tell you
don’t let it get you down. You know what you say to
them? "SSSOOOOO!!!"
I admire and respect people so much that have a dream and go for it. Don’t ever lose that GO FOR IT attitude because you will see your dreams come true as long as you don’t operate in fear. After you’ve done all to stand, stand some more. So what happens when you had this big dream and it seems to be falling apart? You seem to be losing it…what do you do? I look to this story of Joseph, and you really should read this bible story. It’s fascinating. It is so parallel to what is going on right now in this country. But this is what happened. When his dream seemed to be falling apart he did something awesome. The bible says Joseph dreamed another dream, and that is what I wanted to talk to you about today.
Dream another dream.
If one thing fails, try something else. Learn from your mistakes and try it again. So what if it got hard for a season, it will only be that way for a season. I cannot even begin to tell you all the times I failed, but every failure in your life will bring your dream closer to you. I know that sounds crazy but it’s so true. It’s okay to fail, now get up and keep dreaming. Don’t stop dreaming because you may have lost something. When I was doing plays for the first time, my dream was that 1,200 people would come and sell the place out. Only 30 people came. It crushed me. But I didn’t stop. I kept dreaming. I believed and dreamed all the way down to living in my car. But I kept dreaming, and when I was at my lowest I would talk to God. Sometimes all I could get out of my mouth was "Jesus help me," but that was a prayer I prayed a lot. And you know what else I did? I got out and encouraged myself. When I was homeless and sleeping in my car I would hustle up enough gas money and drive down to the nicest neighborhood in Atlanta where there were beautiful homes and I would dream and say "one day." On Sundays, I would go to open houses. I would go to the dealerships and test drive whatever kind of car I thought I wanted. Now I know these are material things but you would be surprised as to what it would do to help you see that all things in your dreams are possible. It’s hard to see a dream come to pass, but if you believe, it has no choice. Everywhere you look you see all of this talk about the economy and gloom and doom. Turn that mess off. Stop letting that get into your spirit. Tune it out, watch things that will encourage you. Listen to things that will uplift you. Now this part is to a certain group of people, not to everyone.
This is for the people who have been feeling like they are being led by God to do something in these economic times that most people will think is crazy. The ones who may not have a dime but are feeling like something great is about to break free in their lives. You are so right if this is what you’re feeling. I have a suggestion if you’ll take my humble advice.
HAVE NO FEAR!
ONLY BELIEVE!
Give thanks for where you are. I know that may be hard to do, but there is a liberty in being thankful. And lastly, give, give, give. The reason I’ve fed thousands of families, paid rent and taxes for the elderly, dug wells in Africa and helped establish churches and built homes for poor families is because I know the power of giving. You reap what you sew. If you want favor from God, sew it into someone else.
God bless you and know that this too shall pass, and you will be so much better when it does. Tyler Perry
Art by Jenn Brigham
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Opening of the Standing in the Shadows (no more) exhibition at Ashe Cultural Art Center March 6,2015
Well we are coming around the closing our our workshops at Ashe Cultural Art Center. Shadows no More last day will be January 27th,2015. I'll then have the fun and the honor to document the quilts and prepare to mount the show on March 3nd.
 |
| The Ashe Quilt~ Karel Sloane Boekbinder,artist |
The opening reception is on Friday March 6th.
Addendum: I am delighted to say that our Standing in the Shadows workshops have now become part of Ashe's family!
We have now become "Lydia's Purple Cloth Comunity Group". You are invited to participate in the classes held every Tues from 6-8pm at Ashe.
Addendum: I am delighted to say that our Standing in the Shadows workshops have now become part of Ashe's family!
We have now become "Lydia's Purple Cloth Comunity Group". You are invited to participate in the classes held every Tues from 6-8pm at Ashe.
Part of the vision for Standing in the Shadows (no more) was the foundation for not only these women but others to examine in a creative way a desire not to be swallowed up by shadows, either ones of their own makings but also dynamics others try to force them into. Quilting, a millineum old tradition dating back to ancient Africa & China is being used as that jump off point. For many, this was a safe, soothing yet forceful way to articulate sometime what could barely be thought of let along being spoken of.
Shadows don't always have to be somethng formidable... sometime it is a quiet yearning, a secret desire to do things a bit differently, to try or embrace smething new or see yourself in a different light.
Now we will have as a sister companion exhibition opening a few days later at Galerie 1501 located at 1501 Canal Street the "Lydia's 1st Purple Moon: You are Ish-Shah" (Hebrew for woman) exhibition that will run from March 10th-May 10th. You wil see many more pieces of these talented women, other women artists and their allies there in support to the "Standing in the Shadows No More"
Now we will have as a sister companion exhibition opening a few days later at Galerie 1501 located at 1501 Canal Street the "Lydia's 1st Purple Moon: You are Ish-Shah" (Hebrew for woman) exhibition that will run from March 10th-May 10th. You wil see many more pieces of these talented women, other women artists and their allies there in support to the "Standing in the Shadows No More"
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Seasoned en Vieux exhibition: Heart & Soul... It is Time...
This is a exceptional imagery is created by Michele Lambert. The 60x36 powerful, poignant & pregnant with all the raw emotions of the still, most cataclysmic diaster in U.S history was captured in this piece.
With August 2015 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina right around the corner, it is the expressed desire of the artist to have either a corporation, a art buyer/benefactor or an fiscal angel to purchase the piece but keeping it in a public domain for viewing.
It is not about the money, although as a working artist, she is no different then others needing to provide for herself. But Michele has been very generous in donating numerous prints for fundraisers with the money going to charities.
The original work in the Seasoned en Vieux exhibition running from December 16th- January 12th, 2015 as well as all the prints will go to the purchaser as it is time...
The artist hopes that whomever that patron/benefactor will sell the prints with the monies donated to the charity of their choice.
Michele Lambert feels it is time...If not sold by the August 2015 anniversary, the piece will be destroyed.
We cannot let that happen.
I alwaysbelieve it is to the artist to define what, when, why and how theydo what they do with their art. I do believe this piece speaks volumes of that time in 2005, that some pretend to forget, or water down (no pun intended) or dismiss. But for those who experienced it, it is seared.
Below you will see parts of the art, but I am telling you, the pictures does not do the art justice.
You must come to Galerie 1501 at 1501 Canal Street, New Orleans, La to see. Operating hours MWF 12p-3p or call for appt.
The Galerie 1501 is taking no commission on this piece.
This is the heart & soul of the matter.
With August 2015 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina right around the corner, it is the expressed desire of the artist to have either a corporation, a art buyer/benefactor or an fiscal angel to purchase the piece but keeping it in a public domain for viewing.
It is not about the money, although as a working artist, she is no different then others needing to provide for herself. But Michele has been very generous in donating numerous prints for fundraisers with the money going to charities.
The original work in the Seasoned en Vieux exhibition running from December 16th- January 12th, 2015 as well as all the prints will go to the purchaser as it is time...
The artist hopes that whomever that patron/benefactor will sell the prints with the monies donated to the charity of their choice.
Michele Lambert feels it is time...If not sold by the August 2015 anniversary, the piece will be destroyed.
We cannot let that happen.
I alwaysbelieve it is to the artist to define what, when, why and how theydo what they do with their art. I do believe this piece speaks volumes of that time in 2005, that some pretend to forget, or water down (no pun intended) or dismiss. But for those who experienced it, it is seared.
Below you will see parts of the art, but I am telling you, the pictures does not do the art justice.
You must come to Galerie 1501 at 1501 Canal Street, New Orleans, La to see. Operating hours MWF 12p-3p or call for appt.
The Galerie 1501 is taking no commission on this piece.
This is the heart & soul of the matter.
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
So she Stayed...
I wrote this in part after reading a mighty good man's words celebrating his wive's devotion to care for him as he mightily endures a long, chronic, debilitating illness. His hearfelt, deep and abiding love for her was/is palpable.
She Stayed..
By Jacquelyn Hughes Mooney©14
She stayed...
She could've walked away like so many others
But she stayed.
She saw, was drawn to this man
In all his humanity
And decided to stay.
What can one say to this?
That may it be?
If that time would come...
Let it be
That I would walk the River Jordan
To do what needs to be done.
May I imitate the exemplarary
The extraordinary
Of the one that stayed...
And stayed...
And stayed...
And stayed some more.
And in that process
Paid whatever price was necessary
for that man in all his humanity.
Who could have that kind ofheart?
Or the patience...
Or the resiliences
Or that kind of love?
a fierce, mighty, mighty love
Amazing superlative love
These can be the ones
Or are the ones...
Who are the sum of it all...
As it should be
could be
Or ought to be...
Tht most of us fall mighty might short of...
while we roam vainly in the world
Of me,myself & I...
Her staying, may all the others who stayed be more and more...
Until that number is infinite
Until there is no more need
Like the one who stayed.
AllrightsreservedJHM©7-19-14
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Distractions-Nat'l Poetry Month
Distractions
By Jacquelyn Hughes Mooney ©12
There are too many things that can serve as a distraction
That can lead to a disaster.
Some can be innocent but still master...
Some are mundane others are downright insane.
If one is not mindful
Some of these things can suck you in, suck you dry
Taking out all the joy that makes you fly.
And the process making it the main thing…
Instead of the lame thing…
That unearned focus can drain your bounty, even your fame.
Distractions by its very name
As in a lil bit of this
And a lot of that
Can force all your hopes smack down in the drain…
Where all that you are to become actually ends up as sewage
(And there will be no one to blame)
Inflamed…
Needlessly hopelessly “I’ve been framed”!
You’re allowing distractions to be the bane of your existence…
No matter how minor or mundane
Can misappropriate center stage & became…
A colossal error of which you can reframe…
Leaving behind that dinner party where nobody came.
Distractions is the twisting of the neck not unlike a crane
Looking downright foolish
And la deed a lame
A waste of precious time & possibly your name
Now wouldn’t that be insane.
All rights reservedJHM3-31-12©revised 4-20-13
The quote below does not mean anyone should walk around paranoid, hyper-vigilant, wary, over suspicious. We havemore then enough of that in the world today. This quote from this very smart young man is, however, spot on.
Pay attention to this young man, Trent Shelton, you're going to hear many great things from him!
http://youtu.be/iUYVVIC0wFs
(no More) Standing in the Shadows-poem
Trent Shelton
http://youtu.be/nTUjuSNKO_Y
Standing in the Shadows
By Jacquelyn Hughes Mooney©13
There will be no standing in the shadows…
I/my/we…
Will not/won’t not/have not be not
Now matter how tempting, how enticing it may appear in the shade
Casted by somebody else’s shadow.
The flood lights will shine brilliantly
‘Cause this chicka chickiedee bebe said to me.
“This is your awakening…
Smooth your way out of the way of your self”
Or as Trent would say “Stitch your wings back on & fly”!
So your prodigious fabulousness will fire up to the never…
Ever…
Whatever…
(I’ll still be loving you) *
Pulsate, shimmer & shine…
Simmering in a refined
Going to the next line
Of His Grace in a powerful race.
So the chickie, chickie bebe said.
I’ll not stand in the shadows of others’ incomplete dreams
Or incoherent screams
That masquerade as laughter but really is a scheme…
They’ve done all they could to hold you in the shadows of what they’ve deemed
Your place, not your grace.
This moon will prance & romance among the stars, gas & dust …
In a distinguish assembly of love supreme…
Winking & nodding as she stands proudly on a cloud
Orchestrating what it can be
Of what it will be.
She said” I don’t want to be shaded by someone else’s’ shadow
Of incomplete dreams or fearful schemes”
She/They/We know that while it appears ferocious
And the world is atrocious
Or pain’s shadow blinds so one may think they cannot breathe.
You can.
“Breathe now child, Breathe
So the chicka chickie bebe said.
Look in right direction for His protection
An invitation that does not require an RSVP.
There will be no standing n the shadows undercover in someone else’s fear
And unnatural clauses that will make you pause…
From making a way even out of no way…
To His Way, to the truth & the light
So the Chicka, chickie bebe said.
(I’ll be loving you always)*
All rights reservedJHM4-20-13 © revised
http://youtu.be/nTUjuSNKO_Y
Standing in the Shadows
By Jacquelyn Hughes Mooney©13
There will be no standing in the shadows…
I/my/we…
Will not/won’t not/have not be not
Now matter how tempting, how enticing it may appear in the shade
Casted by somebody else’s shadow.
The flood lights will shine brilliantly
‘Cause this chicka chickiedee bebe said to me.
“This is your awakening…
Smooth your way out of the way of your self”
Or as Trent would say “Stitch your wings back on & fly”!
So your prodigious fabulousness will fire up to the never…
Ever…
Whatever…
(I’ll still be loving you) *
Pulsate, shimmer & shine…
Simmering in a refined
Going to the next line
Of His Grace in a powerful race.
So the chickie, chickie bebe said.
I’ll not stand in the shadows of others’ incomplete dreams
Or incoherent screams
That masquerade as laughter but really is a scheme…
They’ve done all they could to hold you in the shadows of what they’ve deemed
Your place, not your grace.
This moon will prance & romance among the stars, gas & dust …
In a distinguish assembly of love supreme…
Winking & nodding as she stands proudly on a cloud
Orchestrating what it can be
Of what it will be.
She said” I don’t want to be shaded by someone else’s’ shadow
Of incomplete dreams or fearful schemes”
She/They/We know that while it appears ferocious
And the world is atrocious
Or pain’s shadow blinds so one may think they cannot breathe.
You can.
“Breathe now child, Breathe
So the chicka chickie bebe said.
Look in right direction for His protection
An invitation that does not require an RSVP.
There will be no standing n the shadows undercover in someone else’s fear
And unnatural clauses that will make you pause…
From making a way even out of no way…
To His Way, to the truth & the light
So the Chicka, chickie bebe said.
(I’ll be loving you always)*
All rights reservedJHM4-20-13 © revised
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Accoutrements
'No woman is defeated until defeat is admitted as a reality"~Unknown
Thos period has been by far the 2nd most horrible time in my life. The only thing that makes this pale in comparison was the deaths of my sons 3 decades ago.
I'm exhausted,wornout & not to be trifled with.
I'm angry.There's no getting around THAT fact & no there are no platitude or philosophical words can alrthis ectraordinararily challenging time.
It does not help me that far too many people paddling their rapidly sinking ships that brings no comfort,but acually antagonize the stress
But I'm not ready yet to call it quits.
I've been silent since Oct because I had nothing to say. At least anything printable. I need to catch a break... a big break.
How ironic that my 1st foray in writing again is a poem about defeat.
UNDEFEATED
By Jacquelyn Hughes Mooney ©12
I opened my mouth today
And no sound came out...
I guess I'm not ready to concede defeat today.
Whatever way the gale force blew me
Hither & dither...
I'm not ready to concede defeat today.
If a bruised reed can stand tall
Or by being woven into a lovely...
Or be reformed into a princely persona
Then one can/we can/oh yes we can...
We must stand still...
Stand tall...
Stand strong...
Stand erect.
Correct...
Must step having lept into God only know nowhere I know not of.
I opened my mouth today & no sound came out.
I'm not ready to concede defeat...
No matter what you think/feel/believe.
Blow that wind!
Scream all you want...
Hurl those arrows!
Rock the boat
Or shake a tail feather if that floats your boat...
Just stay away from me
As I am not in the mood to be trifled with...
For right now, in this pres
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Turn the Beat Around
It was an interesting morning following a most interesting weekend.
Miranda Wu,photographer, Hong Kong
For a moment it threatened to become a foul day behind one small sentence a nasty little comment from someone whom I've never met, will probably never meet about something they were misinformed about.
Actually there were two but the 1st one wasn't directed at me but to someone who had been widowed recently on top of a tumultuous year filled with illness, unexpected deaths from 2 close family members one being her husband, a serous car accident, loss of income & loss of her home.
The ne'er-de-wells attentions were not pure morals of the highest order. They were just being nosey and wanted to see how far she had "fallen" so they could in a pitiful way feel better. It didn't serve a purpose, their actions, for them other then a momentary feeling of smugness that was fleeting & not substantial as they have to do this often to feed the beast, the one of their own inadequacy.
They keep feeding the beast who is now grotesquely obese but malnourished so nothing ever comes out of this.
Then within an hour I had received an "accidental"email where the person was making a snide comment about me to someone else & then sent it to me apparently in a BCC,I could not tell you it was accidental or purposeful as it does not change the content.
First thing is, folks who do things like this, if you're going to do something like that, be sure to check before you hit enter otherwise it could backfire on you.
What purpose was it to serve? How does it enhance you? Was a good purpose served?
In rapid succession I was puzzled, hurt, then angry and was building up a head of steam until that lightening bolt moment when I thought: Turn the Beat Around!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuHepuVSheA
I responded back to said person acknowledging that perhaps the email was sent in error and as a professional i could not imagine anyone deliberately sending such a thing but agreed with them that in part some of what they said was true: it was indeed "too bad" but it was too bad for them not for me.
I have no desire & wouldn't do business it anyone who could be that shabby & tacky nor was I in the business to beg them to do me a a favor. In fact, I thought utilizing me would have been a good thing, not a bad one. If the BCC was sent to me in "error" which I construe as an accident on purpose, the contents remained the same.
I could have wasted far more valuable time & energy on someone anyone would did not deem me worthy enough trying to explain away why they were wrong or I could turn the beat around that just because they felt that way it had any merit of truth to it.
Not everything or everybody will jibe. The world does not ordain that.
The world today, however, seems to thrive on if you let it infect you, of becoming increasingly mean spirited, heartless, deriving pleasure from what appears to be another's way that may be different from theirs.
Once upon a time popular consensus would be that such behavior is morally wrong. Now you get a book deal, a TV show or an unearned "status" raking in tens of thousands of dollars from what is by any standard cruel or selfish behavior.
And we're told to suck it up... to enjoy, emulate and adding insult to injury pay for it!
In my case, though, this had nothing to do with me suffering this was about a mutually beneficial event for the parties involved. And someone decided to be mean and not even adult enough to talk to you but as cowards can do, go around it but doing it anyway.
In the scheme of things this is a minor thing & will long be forgotten. It is just for today it mattered but more from the standpoint of learning to turn something around. Someones opinion is not necessarily an indictment, simply their opinion and the sun did not let up for one more of its brightness because of it.
Artists go through this all the time, it comes unfortunately with the territory. I've said this many times if YOU do not see your work or you as the best thing since the invention of Kool-aid, why or how would you expect anyone to believe in your worth or in what you present.
There will always be someone around who wants to ride on the beat-down train, but you do not have to be a paid passenger!
It was good for me how rapidly I went from being hurt to oh well it is your loss. To date the person neither has responded by email or phone and doubt seriously if I will be as the song goes "You lose a good thing"...©11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x4AZHDT-4A
Miranda Wu, watercolorist, Hong Kong
For a moment it threatened to become a foul day behind one small sentence a nasty little comment from someone whom I've never met, will probably never meet about something they were misinformed about.
Actually there were two but the 1st one wasn't directed at me but to someone who had been widowed recently on top of a tumultuous year filled with illness, unexpected deaths from 2 close family members one being her husband, a serous car accident, loss of income & loss of her home.
The ne'er-de-wells attentions were not pure morals of the highest order. They were just being nosey and wanted to see how far she had "fallen" so they could in a pitiful way feel better. It didn't serve a purpose, their actions, for them other then a momentary feeling of smugness that was fleeting & not substantial as they have to do this often to feed the beast, the one of their own inadequacy.
They keep feeding the beast who is now grotesquely obese but malnourished so nothing ever comes out of this.
Then within an hour I had received an "accidental"email where the person was making a snide comment about me to someone else & then sent it to me apparently in a BCC,I could not tell you it was accidental or purposeful as it does not change the content.
First thing is, folks who do things like this, if you're going to do something like that, be sure to check before you hit enter otherwise it could backfire on you.
What purpose was it to serve? How does it enhance you? Was a good purpose served?
In rapid succession I was puzzled, hurt, then angry and was building up a head of steam until that lightening bolt moment when I thought: Turn the Beat Around!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuHepuVSheA
I responded back to said person acknowledging that perhaps the email was sent in error and as a professional i could not imagine anyone deliberately sending such a thing but agreed with them that in part some of what they said was true: it was indeed "too bad" but it was too bad for them not for me.
I have no desire & wouldn't do business it anyone who could be that shabby & tacky nor was I in the business to beg them to do me a a favor. In fact, I thought utilizing me would have been a good thing, not a bad one. If the BCC was sent to me in "error" which I construe as an accident on purpose, the contents remained the same.
I could have wasted far more valuable time & energy on someone anyone would did not deem me worthy enough trying to explain away why they were wrong or I could turn the beat around that just because they felt that way it had any merit of truth to it.
Not everything or everybody will jibe. The world does not ordain that.
The world today, however, seems to thrive on if you let it infect you, of becoming increasingly mean spirited, heartless, deriving pleasure from what appears to be another's way that may be different from theirs.
Once upon a time popular consensus would be that such behavior is morally wrong. Now you get a book deal, a TV show or an unearned "status" raking in tens of thousands of dollars from what is by any standard cruel or selfish behavior.
And we're told to suck it up... to enjoy, emulate and adding insult to injury pay for it!
In my case, though, this had nothing to do with me suffering this was about a mutually beneficial event for the parties involved. And someone decided to be mean and not even adult enough to talk to you but as cowards can do, go around it but doing it anyway.
In the scheme of things this is a minor thing & will long be forgotten. It is just for today it mattered but more from the standpoint of learning to turn something around. Someones opinion is not necessarily an indictment, simply their opinion and the sun did not let up for one more of its brightness because of it.
Artists go through this all the time, it comes unfortunately with the territory. I've said this many times if YOU do not see your work or you as the best thing since the invention of Kool-aid, why or how would you expect anyone to believe in your worth or in what you present.
There will always be someone around who wants to ride on the beat-down train, but you do not have to be a paid passenger!
It was good for me how rapidly I went from being hurt to oh well it is your loss. To date the person neither has responded by email or phone and doubt seriously if I will be as the song goes "You lose a good thing"...©11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x4AZHDT-4A
Monday, May 23, 2011
If it Ain't Happening (to me).. Is it Happening...Lessons learned from idiocy
If it’s not happening to me, is it happening?
Thirsty people seek water,; hungry people seek food; cold people seek heat; neglected people see acceptance (approval)~Phil McGraw
Warning, this is a long blog:.
Like many others, I woke up this morning to still yet another storm devasting and destroying the many good people of Joplin, Missouri. It took me more then a minute to realize what was going on Good Morning America because as I saw the first images, I thought they were talking about Mississippi! Much to my horror I come to find out this just happened yesterday evening at dinnertime!
Like many I sat there with my jaw dropped opening and heart was wrenching with the early reports. Rapid thoughts going through my head one of which was how easily one’s life can change on a dime to what can be done to help aid the suffering that is just beginning to seeing for myself the irony of while this was going on Sunday evening there I was thinking about something that in comparison to this was quite trivial.
I am sure many others were having similar thoughts with some making needed changes in their lives while most will beyond the initial shock will sooner or later go back to their lives; sort of the “if its not happening to me, it really isn’t happening”. I don’t necessarily mean in a callous way although for some it will be but perhaps (and I am only speculating here), it is a flawed human reaction to distance oneself from these sorts of things out of fear or self preservation...
Sometimes it is simple too much, hurts too much, that the proverbial rug can indeed be pulled from underneath you in the blink of an idea with you not knowing what to do so one can contrive ways to deflect to distance oneself.
Well there I was ruminating over the selfishness & irresponsibility of some people I barely know over their behavior toward me & how their “If it isn’t happening to me” actions brought some real, tangible hurt to me. Not anything that will long term cause permanent damage, but nonetheless the betrayal did sting & in some cases hurt. I was trying to figure out in my mind how to deal with it if there was any dealing at all to do or how I could do a better job of not listening to the stuff. Understand, I can see an elephant coming toward but, I cannot see it when it arrives like a gnat or even a butterfly until slap!
Now again, I know this is very trivial in comparison to what happen last night.
I am getting there.
Right now I am telling a story…
Ok, so where was I… Oh yes… I ended up reading three stories last night one story will be quite familiar to some, the others maybe not so much. I was sitting there Sunday evening meditating on this when I recalled the story of Job and his issue with as he was going to his very challenging trials that he had so called “comforters”, self-righteous tormentors who had to add insult to injury adding to his burden as he was engaged in a trial not of his on doing. My reflections came to a conclusion of wanting more to emulate Job maintain integrity despite it all. Flawed yes, but maintaining.
The next was on Elijah, the prophet who in his despair, feeling he was lost, alone, in fear & tired while being persecuted by Queen Jezebel who made it clear as soon as she caught up with him, that he would be a dead man. She had already killed thousands of believers but made it really clear, she had something special in line for him once he was captured. But at his worst, an angel was dispensed to minister to him not once but twice to help restore him not only physically but more so spiritually to do what needed to be done. And Elijah was not a young man when this persecution was happening. Yet Elijah was listened to as he poured out his distress, was sustained and went on to do miraculous things.
The third was one I had not heard of Mephibosheth. (Please do not ask me to pronounce) He was the son of Jonathon, Kind David closes friend & was disabled. A promise made by King David to Jonathon was to take care of his children. Another man Ziba, who’s family were servants to Mephibosheth, took advantage of a circumstance to bear a falsehood about Mephibosheth which caused him to lose everything. Later when his side of the story was hear the decision came that they both would share the inheritance although Ziba lied. Mephibosheth although he suffered greatly said that Ziba could have everything as the thing that mattered to him more was the safety of King David. That had to be hard, but there was a principle that was involved. I looked at it from the standpoint that despite the fact I have had gynormous challenges & my angst this last week about those who tried to heap fiery coals on my head was more about my being through with them, not about my being hurt. There was a principle involved.
People are going to be self-seeking, self-gratifying, and pleasure-seeking with a growing urgency in not wanting to see what is going on around them. It is the culture we are living in today. People are going to do exactly what their character dictates. Just more of the “it ain’t happening to me” strategy, born of self-interested& yes, fear. It was more, for me, about moving away from the polluted “air” around these folks as I do not want to be contaminated. I did not want to inhale.
Please note I do not think most folks see themselves as being so self-absorbed or selfish. I barely know some of these folks then just in passing, we run into each other often enough to where I know their faces, but not their names for the most part. In some cases, contact may not be completely avoidable. My reflections are about what I can do to improve what I can do to be a better person & perhaps even be more merciful toward them.
Now what does this have to do with my issue with is trivial in comparison to Missouri? Well for me, it was while hurtful and real to me, my situation; there are indeed bigger fish to fry. What people do in the least is what they do in the much; I simply want to be better about rising to an occasion. It never ceases to amaze me how many people seem to take delight or some perverted sense of pleasure or amusement out of someone’s suffering & do nothing. Others who while not getting pleasure so to speak can stand idly by with the “I have to take care of my own” or “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” while standing idly by and do nothing. The “do nothing” are the operative words. However I wish their “do nothing” approach applied in keeping their opinions to themselves and not heap burdens on others as going back to the account of Job. There are many, many people suffering, to varying degrees & individually we do not get to decide who more deserves then the other. We may not individually be able to wipe out world hunger, but we can help a local person or a family even in the smallest thing, a meal or a loaf of bread.
And do it with no strings attached. Aiding someone , let say with a roll of toilet paper (yes there are some who cannot even buy that) does not secure the giver the right to lecture, pass judgment or get titillated by gossiping with someone else as to why or what that person may have (or not) done to be in that both. If you cannot or won’t help, now the times to operate the “does nothing” strategy, 1st do no harm.
A lot of people are not in the positions they are in because of bad “karma” or bad decisions or being lazy. Time & unforeseen circumstances can befall any of us at anytime. Just ask the people of Joplin, Mo who were probably having dinner, playing games, making a run to the store, arguing with a family member or wishing they had family when that massive tornado hit.
Just a couple of days ago I ran into a man at the streetcar who I had just thought in passing he was a bit eccentric. In a city full of eccentrics, you don’t pay a whole lot of attention if you live here; it is part of the territory. Well that same day I asked the bus driver about something he had spoken to her about. Well it turns out every Sat he has a clothing drive gathering clothing for the homeless at a former Walgreen store destroyed by Katrina & now is a furniture bank. He was asking her to pass the word about getting feminine toiletries for homeless women as apparently there was a place allowing these women to shower & they were trying to gather toiletries for them.
I asked her the next time she saw him to please get a contact number not knowing that the very next day I was going to run into him. 7am Sunday morning in fact! I asked him about his project & got a location which turned out to be a furniture bank that I mentioned above. I did not even know this furniture bank existed where they sell every piece of furniture for $35 no matter how fancy or humble. The purpose is for ones who cannot afford the Goodwill or Salvation Army prices but badly needed furniture could purchase; the proceeds are then used to secure even more pieces from yard sales or other events. How cool is that?
Well the furniture bank allowed this man to come in every Sat for people to make clothing only donations. He then with the help of friends goes directly to the homeless to give them fresh clothing, so they could have some dignity. One of the things he told me was contrary to what people want to believe to about the homeless, to justify the “of it ain’t happening to me” strategy, that there were plumbers, architects, college educated people out there who were licensed but could not get hired because they had no address. That was no previous history of drug/ alcohol abuse or mental illness.
The irony is I ran into the same gentleman today who was infuriated and decided to cancel out on gathering clothing for the homeless. His reasons to me was today when he went by apparently someone came needing workers. There were 45 homeless out there and only 4 accpeted the work. His attitude now is "let them fend for themselves. I won't help any more maybe they will get up and do something on their own". I understaood his anger & his passion, but he have the full story? And who was he doing it for? What was he getting out of it that now he decided that some di dnot do what he felt they should now lets cast them aside?
People never cease to amaze me.. This was lesson number four for me .If you are going to help, check out what your agenda is. Examine yourself to see what you are doing it for. If there are clauses, tell people what your clauses are. It is not fair to expect people to follow a policy or standard but not tell them what it is.
Personally, it was a reminder for me how fortunate I have been. My puzzlement is more of why they would be so fascinated with me to do these kinds of things, but I know it is not about me intellectually I know this, but sometimes one does not see the ambush coming. My prayer is that they not have to ever experience what I’ve been through, still go through that the deflection of “if it ain’t happening to me, it ain’t happening” strategy protects them from harm.
But the reality is sooner or later it will. But I am not so naïve as to think that somehow if and when it does, that all of a sudden they will have an epiphany & change their ways. It is not my job to take that responsibility on. A few will, most won’t, it is part of being flawed/imperfect.
And then Joplin, Missouri happened and all that stuff became trivial.
You cannot wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time~
Polish proverb
Thirsty people seek water,; hungry people seek food; cold people seek heat; neglected people see acceptance (approval)~Phil McGraw
Warning, this is a long blog:.
Like many others, I woke up this morning to still yet another storm devasting and destroying the many good people of Joplin, Missouri. It took me more then a minute to realize what was going on Good Morning America because as I saw the first images, I thought they were talking about Mississippi! Much to my horror I come to find out this just happened yesterday evening at dinnertime!
Like many I sat there with my jaw dropped opening and heart was wrenching with the early reports. Rapid thoughts going through my head one of which was how easily one’s life can change on a dime to what can be done to help aid the suffering that is just beginning to seeing for myself the irony of while this was going on Sunday evening there I was thinking about something that in comparison to this was quite trivial.
I am sure many others were having similar thoughts with some making needed changes in their lives while most will beyond the initial shock will sooner or later go back to their lives; sort of the “if its not happening to me, it really isn’t happening”. I don’t necessarily mean in a callous way although for some it will be but perhaps (and I am only speculating here), it is a flawed human reaction to distance oneself from these sorts of things out of fear or self preservation...
Sometimes it is simple too much, hurts too much, that the proverbial rug can indeed be pulled from underneath you in the blink of an idea with you not knowing what to do so one can contrive ways to deflect to distance oneself.
Well there I was ruminating over the selfishness & irresponsibility of some people I barely know over their behavior toward me & how their “If it isn’t happening to me” actions brought some real, tangible hurt to me. Not anything that will long term cause permanent damage, but nonetheless the betrayal did sting & in some cases hurt. I was trying to figure out in my mind how to deal with it if there was any dealing at all to do or how I could do a better job of not listening to the stuff. Understand, I can see an elephant coming toward but, I cannot see it when it arrives like a gnat or even a butterfly until slap!
Now again, I know this is very trivial in comparison to what happen last night.
I am getting there.
Right now I am telling a story…
Ok, so where was I… Oh yes… I ended up reading three stories last night one story will be quite familiar to some, the others maybe not so much. I was sitting there Sunday evening meditating on this when I recalled the story of Job and his issue with as he was going to his very challenging trials that he had so called “comforters”, self-righteous tormentors who had to add insult to injury adding to his burden as he was engaged in a trial not of his on doing. My reflections came to a conclusion of wanting more to emulate Job maintain integrity despite it all. Flawed yes, but maintaining.
The next was on Elijah, the prophet who in his despair, feeling he was lost, alone, in fear & tired while being persecuted by Queen Jezebel who made it clear as soon as she caught up with him, that he would be a dead man. She had already killed thousands of believers but made it really clear, she had something special in line for him once he was captured. But at his worst, an angel was dispensed to minister to him not once but twice to help restore him not only physically but more so spiritually to do what needed to be done. And Elijah was not a young man when this persecution was happening. Yet Elijah was listened to as he poured out his distress, was sustained and went on to do miraculous things.
The third was one I had not heard of Mephibosheth. (Please do not ask me to pronounce) He was the son of Jonathon, Kind David closes friend & was disabled. A promise made by King David to Jonathon was to take care of his children. Another man Ziba, who’s family were servants to Mephibosheth, took advantage of a circumstance to bear a falsehood about Mephibosheth which caused him to lose everything. Later when his side of the story was hear the decision came that they both would share the inheritance although Ziba lied. Mephibosheth although he suffered greatly said that Ziba could have everything as the thing that mattered to him more was the safety of King David. That had to be hard, but there was a principle that was involved. I looked at it from the standpoint that despite the fact I have had gynormous challenges & my angst this last week about those who tried to heap fiery coals on my head was more about my being through with them, not about my being hurt. There was a principle involved.
People are going to be self-seeking, self-gratifying, and pleasure-seeking with a growing urgency in not wanting to see what is going on around them. It is the culture we are living in today. People are going to do exactly what their character dictates. Just more of the “it ain’t happening to me” strategy, born of self-interested& yes, fear. It was more, for me, about moving away from the polluted “air” around these folks as I do not want to be contaminated. I did not want to inhale.
Please note I do not think most folks see themselves as being so self-absorbed or selfish. I barely know some of these folks then just in passing, we run into each other often enough to where I know their faces, but not their names for the most part. In some cases, contact may not be completely avoidable. My reflections are about what I can do to improve what I can do to be a better person & perhaps even be more merciful toward them.
Now what does this have to do with my issue with is trivial in comparison to Missouri? Well for me, it was while hurtful and real to me, my situation; there are indeed bigger fish to fry. What people do in the least is what they do in the much; I simply want to be better about rising to an occasion. It never ceases to amaze me how many people seem to take delight or some perverted sense of pleasure or amusement out of someone’s suffering & do nothing. Others who while not getting pleasure so to speak can stand idly by with the “I have to take care of my own” or “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” while standing idly by and do nothing. The “do nothing” are the operative words. However I wish their “do nothing” approach applied in keeping their opinions to themselves and not heap burdens on others as going back to the account of Job. There are many, many people suffering, to varying degrees & individually we do not get to decide who more deserves then the other. We may not individually be able to wipe out world hunger, but we can help a local person or a family even in the smallest thing, a meal or a loaf of bread.
And do it with no strings attached. Aiding someone , let say with a roll of toilet paper (yes there are some who cannot even buy that) does not secure the giver the right to lecture, pass judgment or get titillated by gossiping with someone else as to why or what that person may have (or not) done to be in that both. If you cannot or won’t help, now the times to operate the “does nothing” strategy, 1st do no harm.
A lot of people are not in the positions they are in because of bad “karma” or bad decisions or being lazy. Time & unforeseen circumstances can befall any of us at anytime. Just ask the people of Joplin, Mo who were probably having dinner, playing games, making a run to the store, arguing with a family member or wishing they had family when that massive tornado hit.
Just a couple of days ago I ran into a man at the streetcar who I had just thought in passing he was a bit eccentric. In a city full of eccentrics, you don’t pay a whole lot of attention if you live here; it is part of the territory. Well that same day I asked the bus driver about something he had spoken to her about. Well it turns out every Sat he has a clothing drive gathering clothing for the homeless at a former Walgreen store destroyed by Katrina & now is a furniture bank. He was asking her to pass the word about getting feminine toiletries for homeless women as apparently there was a place allowing these women to shower & they were trying to gather toiletries for them.
I asked her the next time she saw him to please get a contact number not knowing that the very next day I was going to run into him. 7am Sunday morning in fact! I asked him about his project & got a location which turned out to be a furniture bank that I mentioned above. I did not even know this furniture bank existed where they sell every piece of furniture for $35 no matter how fancy or humble. The purpose is for ones who cannot afford the Goodwill or Salvation Army prices but badly needed furniture could purchase; the proceeds are then used to secure even more pieces from yard sales or other events. How cool is that?
Well the furniture bank allowed this man to come in every Sat for people to make clothing only donations. He then with the help of friends goes directly to the homeless to give them fresh clothing, so they could have some dignity. One of the things he told me was contrary to what people want to believe to about the homeless, to justify the “of it ain’t happening to me” strategy, that there were plumbers, architects, college educated people out there who were licensed but could not get hired because they had no address. That was no previous history of drug/ alcohol abuse or mental illness.
The irony is I ran into the same gentleman today who was infuriated and decided to cancel out on gathering clothing for the homeless. His reasons to me was today when he went by apparently someone came needing workers. There were 45 homeless out there and only 4 accpeted the work. His attitude now is "let them fend for themselves. I won't help any more maybe they will get up and do something on their own". I understaood his anger & his passion, but he have the full story? And who was he doing it for? What was he getting out of it that now he decided that some di dnot do what he felt they should now lets cast them aside?
People never cease to amaze me.. This was lesson number four for me .If you are going to help, check out what your agenda is. Examine yourself to see what you are doing it for. If there are clauses, tell people what your clauses are. It is not fair to expect people to follow a policy or standard but not tell them what it is.
Personally, it was a reminder for me how fortunate I have been. My puzzlement is more of why they would be so fascinated with me to do these kinds of things, but I know it is not about me intellectually I know this, but sometimes one does not see the ambush coming. My prayer is that they not have to ever experience what I’ve been through, still go through that the deflection of “if it ain’t happening to me, it ain’t happening” strategy protects them from harm.
But the reality is sooner or later it will. But I am not so naïve as to think that somehow if and when it does, that all of a sudden they will have an epiphany & change their ways. It is not my job to take that responsibility on. A few will, most won’t, it is part of being flawed/imperfect.
And then Joplin, Missouri happened and all that stuff became trivial.
You cannot wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time~
Polish proverb
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Go with it.. Grow with it.. Glow & BE it!
"Don't make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you. All the other tangible rewards will come as a result".~ Maya Angelou
Ordinary Day
By Jacquelyn Hughes Mooney©03
On an ordinary day, I am still extraordinary.
On an ordinary day, I can rock the world!
How magnificent it is to be alive, to breathe, to be genuinely real!
Dazzle the worlds with you smile be as brilliant as you want!
On an ordinary day, may your life be spectacular!
For it only last for a moment.
Drink plenty from Maisha Maji (life’s waters) until you are full.
And dare to dream, to be bold and to be fearless with love!
On an ordinary night that trails behind an ordinary day…
Look up and behold a shooting star, so impressive…
As it streaks across a blackened sky just being so breath taking-ingly spectacular…
That millions of stars could only stand still and applaud
You be that way…
And on any ordinary day, be as extraordinary as you dare…
(How wonderfully made you are!)
Your vision statement can be so impressive…
When you can see what can be accomplish on an ordinary day.
All rights reserved JHM 7-25-03©
So what is IT?
IT is what you are.
Not when you get there or how you will get there, simply being "it"...YOU.
You here on many of the entertainment show when they refer to the "It Girl", the WOMAN that happens to be "hot" by Hollywood standards that supposedly every woman in American & beyond wants to be or at least nearby "it" . And that changes according to whomever has the most aggressive publicist that generates enough of a buzz that people start paying attention almost like being drawn by a magnet or like a moth to a light bulb.
Once upon a time that was called charisma & you had it or you didn't. And one did not need a publicist to create it for you!
Super Moon shot at Campbell River,British Columbia 2011
Just see, that Super moon the other night did not have to do anything other then what it was suppose to do.. GLOW. And did its job so well that millions could not take their eyes off of it.
You do that...
Some people are charismatic by nature, some almost to a fault and when not used for good can cause grave harm..(Think Manson, Jim Jones,Hitler etc).
Others are personable,charismatic and likable. Think Mother Theresa, Nelson Mandela, former POTUS: John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton,the late Dr. Martin Luther King, John Lennon & Michael Jackson; the sitting POTUS Barack Obama.
We may never in our lives achieve what they have accomplished but each of us in our own way and in our own space can have IT.
"IT" can be cultivated and refined.
But one must step up, shape & cultivate and then just gather all those moths to your fire! Think you are worth it? Of course you are and I bet there is someone somewhere who thinks so too.
In fact centuries ago, someone gave up His life for you, because you are just that loved & worth it.
Like an Eagle
By Jacquelyn Hughes Mooney ©01
Just like an eagle…
He’s got His eye on me.
Peering through galaxies…
And canopies of stars, sky & moons.
To observe with great love…
And wisely discreet.
As I stumble and falter…
Sometimes rejoicing with victory sweet!
“And the angels shout in applause!”
And He will swoop down…
With breath taking speed.
Just like an eagle when her minnows.
Does not take wing.
That the Father will pull you back with accurate precision.
When you tumble…
Or fumble.
At the most inopportune time.
Just like an eagle…
Protecting her brood on hidden crags.
And pushes you out…
So you would not lag.
And with seraphs & cherubs…
Surrounding His majestic throne.
He peers intently…
Keeping watch
On you…
And you…
(And me)...
We are so free!
“And the angels shout in applause!
When a prodigal child…
Is embraced in His dazzling large arms.
Note the gray haired ones…
Stepping in dignity into cocooning, watery baptismal pool.
And a warring couple surrenders…
Basking instead in the light of His heart’s smile.
The protective stance…
For the ones weeping inside with no seepage…
Showering down up to the skies.
A woman’s loss that was like being at end’s beginning.
Allowing the wind to carry back her tears to He.
Like an eagle…
He sees.
Peering through the galaxies.
And He actively cares for thee.
Look! All around ye…
See the evidence of Him holding you up!
And up!
And up!
So you would and did…
Fly like an eagle.
All rights reserved JHM Rhapsody in Muse ©11-17-01
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