quiet

“Distraction is the only thing that consoles us for our miseries,” the French philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote in the 17th century, “and yet it is itself the greatest of our miseries.” He also famously remarked that all of man’s problems come from his inability to sit quietly in a room alone. I am working out a whole new set of journaling ideas for 2012. Come back soon and we can start the new year.

and the holidays are upon us

I have not been journaling much; I've been busy making soap, fixing our travel plans, and finishing up a large painting. (and having one sick child at home.) I am hoping in the new year to be back here more, so do return then and let's see what 2012 brings.

"This is not the inert silence of a stone, but creative silence. We have to find it for ourselves. We decrease activity until silence becomes creative, and we sit in creative silence and close the gates of perception for insight into the content of life." --Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

and from the world of commerce:

Here is my table at the JUC art/craft show - soaps, cards, and mixed media collage. I only hope I make enough to cover the money I will spend on all the fabulous things my fellow artists and artisans are selling - total local shopping for me!

"Making your mark on the world is hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it. But it's not. It takes patience, it takes commitment, and it comes with plenty of failure along the way. The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won't. It's whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere." --Barack Obama