Living in the season
December 14, 2009 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Visual Meditation of the Week
No matter how much we would like to deny it our biology is based on living with the seasons. Just like we need sleep in a 24 hour cycle we need a period of slowing down in the 12 month one. Are you trying to live like it’s summer in the middle of winter?
Winter in Washington, Juliet Chase, all rights reserved
The power of gravity
November 30, 2009 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Visual Meditation of the Week
Most self-improvement and spiritual language speaks in terms of ‘up’ as the positive direction we should be seeking and yet have you noticed that water always seeks lower ground? Going with the flow may just mean letting gravity take over once in awhile…
Mt. Rainier National Park, Juliet Chase, all rights reserved
Approaching deadlines
November 6, 2009 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Juliet's Journal
There’s a big gap between where I want to be in two weeks for that first craft show and where I am right now – which has had me in a bit of dither all week. Of course, that means that solder is refusing to melt and silver is not which leads to having to start those pieces all over again! But… I got a reminder yesterday just to breathe deep and keep going. It was pouring rain off and on all day and when I happened to glance outside from the workroom windows I spotted something bright orange (at the right) so I ran out during a brief rain break and brought it in to the kitchen. I think it’s the seedpod to a bearded iris but I’m not entirely sure. It was definitely a reminder to slow down a little and a very cheerful surprise.
The critical things are getting done – I’m now set up to accept credit cards at the shows. I don’t know why that seems like a big deal to me but it does – maybe it feels like the difference between a hobby and a business. Let’s hope I get a lot of practice using it!
I’ve also found a part-time online job that should help fill a few financial holes while everything else gets established. It’s pretty much high-school pay but the advantage is that it’s completely flexible in terms of schedule so I can fit it in without shifting my priorities. It would be nice if everything in life could fit together without these kinds of band-aids but it never seems to work out that way.
Even with impending deadlines for jewelry I’m taking today off to get my office and computer organized- too much clutter makes me nervous when I don’t know what’s in the piles (or in box) so some concentrated effort should leave me in a creative mood for the weekend. I’m hoping to be feeling ‘in the flow’ then.
Entertainment isn’t necessarily evil
September 8, 2009 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Tidbits
I try not to overload but some purely entertaining TV or a good chick-lit novel is something I consider essential to my well being and personal development. If you defer all gratification, you’ll lose momentum! Now that the Fall TV season is about to start I’m noticing my viewing habits have changed in the last year. I’ve cleaned house on my entertainment schedule and I think I’ll be reading and doing more instead. I thought it would be fun to share what I’ll be watching this Fall:
What’s in:
- Lie to me – love those moments when they show real-life images of people demonstrating facial cues
- Bones – a little gruesome but I identify with the hyper-academic who’s utterly clueless about relationships
- Royal Pains – I confess to having a fondness for foreign men who know more than they say so I watch this one for the character Boris- I’m hoping they don’t write him off…
- Sporadic viewing of Project Runway – not worth staying up for but sometimes I catch the reruns while doing laundry
What’s out:
- Mad Men – it’s down to where everyone is unhappy and no hope in sight. Life neither was nor is ever quite that bad
- Biggest Loser – I’m bored with the campy product placement and really irritated with the phrase ‘if I were thin, I’d have a boyfriend’
- So You Think You Can Dance – they’ve gotten too good, there’s less drama now
On the fence:
- Glee – could go either way, we’ll just have to see
- Drop Dead Diva – cute so far but could get old fast
- Cash & Treasures – if they move back into the realm of the possible I’ll be an avid fan but I’m unlikely to go emerald hunting on Colombia
- Real Housewives Atlanta – I don’t know why I started watching and why it was this one but there it is – I may break the habit shortly…
Organizing and more organizing
August 21, 2009 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Juliet's Journal
I don’t think I’ve done anything this week that doesn’t fall into the category of organizing – I’ve arranged a wake, cleaned out my father’s office which had as much stuff packed into it as the rest of the house combined, and made all the telephone calls required to inform companies and the government that he had died. If nothing else, the constant repetition of the information makes it seem like it’s been more than a week.
On the flip side, never having done any of these things before I’ve learned a lot about just diving in and figuring it out as you go and what a lot I’ve learned! Aside from one or two local opportunists, everyone has been very helpful which is also a good reminder as to the true nature of the majority of humanity. It’s also possible to let laughter (the real kind) process grief and keep everything in perspective.
I’m hoping this week to fit in a little more organizing of my own work although that may be wishful thinking. Sometimes you do just have to go with the flow and let things take their course.
Doing by not doing
August 18, 2009 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Pursuit of Happiness
Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised that dealing with my father’s death has been a lesson in zen, although he was the least zen-inspired person you could hope to find. He was against any formal services so instead we had an open house; simply opening the door to those who could come.
Yes, I did make about five phone calls to key people to ask them to spread the word and I did clear off the table tops (so there was room for drinks), brought up homemade wine from the basement, and vacuumed, but that was it. Simply because I knew I wasn’t capable of more and because I had no idea how to go about this kind of event.
Even though I’ve heard the phrase ‘doing by not doing’ and been open to the experience, I’ve never really had a personal example to point to , an a-ha moment until this one; by not doing more, more was received. Tables were laden with unsolicited food just right for the event and the rooms were full of people that had come from as far as two states away to pay their respects. The flowers that were delivered were just enough to decorate for the party but not make it seem like a funeral home. People arrived early and stayed late and helped out where help was needed while good stories were told. There were no speeches or preaching which was what my father hated the most.
I and others could have planned and slaved for three weeks and not created anything more appropriate. It was an event run on intuition and I can only hope that the valuable lesson will carry forward to other things.
Writing and pondering
July 24, 2009 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Juliet's Journal
My almost family crisis de-escalated early this week, which is great news but still takes a few days to switch back to life as normal. It’s hard to switch gears, particularly when you don’t quite trust the situation yet. I’ve continued to try and get as much writing done as possible, partly because once I’m in the groove it’s good to stay there but also to have some extra available just in case. Even though it’s more work, I’m glad I decided to do more than one blog. It gives me a chance to explore different types of writing, from the personal like this to more research-based posts; it’s amazing what you find when you have a quest and a time line. This week I learned a lot about the legal battles in Florida over rights to sunken treasure and how much the web is like the game of telephone – people post their interpretations of laws and before you know it they’re claiming that something is illegal that actually isn’t or vice versa. No different than talking to your neighbor, but curious to observe.
I’ve also been thinking about my No Excuses project. I’m committed to the what, but haven’t yet figured out the how. Something tells me that if I just tell myself to not make excuses I’ll find a way to excuse that before the year is out, so I need to come up with a little more structure, either working specific ones each week or specific goals, or some combination. Although I’m learning to trust my intuition more, sometimes my interpration of it is way off. Sunday I picked up my photography from the hospital exhibit and never met anyone from it or had anything develop from it which is what I felt would happen three months ago. So either it’s a latent development that hasn’t occurred yet, I got it completely wrong, or that experience will impact my decision on something farther down the road. I think sometimes the significance of something doesn’t become clear until years later, so I’m sticking to following intuition as much as possible.
This and that
June 19, 2009 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Juliet's Journal
I don’t think I can claim any great accomplishments this week; mostly I let myself follow my intuition and not push too hard. I worked on getting the kitty’s new diet and prescriptions established, got some photographs edited, got some volunteer work done ready for court next Monday and just let myself be. Sometimes not going full speed ahead is the best thing although I’m never 100% convinced of that. I am trying to get more exercise in although it’s an uphill battle – just about everything else seems more important in the moment. Next week I should have enough jewelry done to set up an Etsy site and also have another art site ready. I’ve been trying to study up on marketing and selling; two areas I struggle with so that I can begin to improve my overall results. I firmly believe that everything can be learned; some things just come more quickly!
Go with the flow
March 9, 2009 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Visual Meditation of the Week
There is something incredibly captivating about watching a hawk ride the wind. It’s hard to look away while it’s still in sight. Part of the magic is because birds of prey are so efficient in expending energy, there is no wasted effort and they take advantage of what the moment offers.
Take a few minutes to put yourself in the hawk’s place. Do you allow the wind to help you or insist on fighting it? Do you trust yourself enough to stop doing things just for the sake of doing something?
New Mexico, Juliet Chase, all rights reserved
