Documenting the Oral Traditions

THE CREATIVE FIGHT

Author: Sdowns April 8, 2026

It takes a strong will and a bold heart to battle through the minutes, hours, and days it takes to create art. Maybe this is why A.I. is so fascinating to some new and upcoming creators. The pace of the work is slow and can be intense. It is definitely time-consuming. Becoming the organized mind, desk, and space. The inspiration, motivation, and dedication to finish what you started, or even to continue a project, and so the fight begins—the creative fight.

Miguel de Cervantes once said that “too much sanity may be madness and the maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be.”

Enter the creator. The Artist who holds the mirror up to a reality we all agree to and try, then, to create some fantasy or drama, some reflection of happiness, warmth, depth, a thought in a moment that brings back an experience you may actually have forgotten about. But it’s all fiction. We can walk into that world knowing it is fiction, and how wonderful it is when the magic happens, and that creation becomes a part of your soul, a feeling you’ve been missing. A connection you’ve been longing for, but never knew you needed at the time. All of a sudden, a few problems you were facing are answered in a small way that leads you down a road of forgiveness or joy, laughter or tears.

The creative fight is not just for the creator, but also for the watcher, the reader, the consumer. I’ve only read one book by Jack London, and that was “Call of the Wild”, which was required reading in 12th-grade literature class. A beautiful story of loss, growth, and adapting to a life not chosen. The genius of this work is that the main character, a dog, learns how to accept his fate and turn it around, and becomes the victor in the end.

“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” ~ Jack London

IN LIKE A LION

Author: Sdowns April 1, 2026

What happened to the March blogs? How about life and the real marches that went on? How about the news that made my brain mush and my motivation to write languish? MY state of emotions around the war, the S.A.V.E act, all the insider trading that went on, and trying to take care of and keep up with my own trading portfolios. And then there were all the side hustles. We are already 90 days into 2026, and March has been quite the Lion.

I'm not trying to justify why there were no blogs in March, but there will always be moments when stepping back into yourself and re-align, re-adjust, and re-group, so that when you do step back out to express, it doesn't feel so strained or forced.

March was that month for me. It was reflective and pensive. As a writer, I still wrote every day, but it was for me and my own sanity. It was all about looking inward and internalizing what was going on outwardly. Even Planet Earth was experiencing its own ups and downs. I was truly engaged in the roar.

It was no April Fool's joke that there were no March updates; I was not torn about by the King of the jungle, but I am now feeling the soft warm wool of the Lamb and summer is just around the corner. My favorite time of the year!

THE SECOND MONTH ENDS WITH A...BANG!

Author: Sdowns February 28, 2026

Literally! I had a whole other piece for the last day of February, until I woke up this morning to what, once again, feels like another “forever war”. I posted a question to myself: “Why is he doing this? What is his motivation? And how dare he speak of a Regime’s power killing their citizens in the streets…he intends to protect them from?

Meanwhile, in our very country, he is allowing the same act to take place. We the people protesting the gruelling acts of unlawfully detaining and killing… murdering…in cold blood the citizens of the United States of America. I answered, “What a Hypocrite!”

At or around 2 a.m., under the cover of darkness, while Congress is out of session and once again on a weekend, this man is in cahoots with Israel to strike Iran. There was nothing strategic about this: It was a planned act of aggression, not approved by Congress, and the phrase goes “It’s better to ask for forgiveness than for permission”. Nothing is forgiving about these strikes. I understand Iran is not a friend or ally of our United Nations. I realize that the people of Iran have been dealing with a murderous regime since 1979, but did we really want to go there?

Of course, 47 did want that, because now everyone is calling this Operation Epstein Files! The biggest distraction he could come up with…we were getting too close to the truth, and DJT had to act fast. Now, I wonder what his maga base thinks of their fearless, insecure, and hypocritical leader. From the Venezuelians who were picked off the streets of Florida by ICE, the very same who voted for him, to the vile acts of abuse through his immigration tactics, to his lies about being a peace-time president, and to his campaign promises of stopping all wars…where do they stand …now?

He campaigned on the promise to be a transparent president and for months declared that he would release the Epstein Files, and yet, he has done everything in his power for that to not happen. There will probably always be a maga somewhere, but they will go underground because of the humiliation of being suckered, hoodwinked, lied to, and called stupid and illiterate. They will go underground because 47 is about to find out that the majority of his base are now “WOKE”. The fraction has developed a new group called America First, even that group is now seeing who is really first, and it “ain’t” US.

I ❤️ YOU!

Author: Sdowns February 1, 2026

Of all the months we are facing this year, enter "The Month of Love " in emoji style, no doubt. I'm early with this post of love, because here again, we honor ONE day to tell someone we love them with a box of chocolates and a bushel of flowers.

Let's do something different this year. Tell the one you love the most, "I Love You", every day. I don't care who it is: Your wife, your husband, your partner, your best friend, your Mom, your Dad...your pet! Surprise them and say it every day, all the way up to the day we celebrate February 14, then... don't buy them chocolate and flowers, take a load off.

Ask them what you can do, what task you can pick up to make their life a little less burdensome. Take out the trash, warm up the car, do the dishes after dinner...just one task and do it for the rest of the year. Now, that's love, and they will love you for it.

We all love chocolate, although some of us shouldn't eat it, can't eat it, or we're allergic to it. Eat something healthy on that day, like a fruit salad, maybe. Drink to cheers with a smoothie, and seriously, one red rose will mean more than a bushel.

Don't you dare go out there and buy a card from the grocery store, because two years from now, it will probably be a struggle for them to keep that store-bought card, either tucking it away somewhere or it will get thrown away eventually. Let your heart write those words of love and intention. You don't have to be a poet, a writer, or a letterman. What you write from the heart will be treasured and read more often than the store-bought V-card!

Have some fun this February 14th and get creative with your heart on your shoulders and show them how much you really care...oh, and BTW...

I "heart" you.

THE PRICE OF LIFE

Author: Sdowns January 15, 2026

This January entry is not about statistics or percentages or even numbers. It’s about how we all feel. What’s its worth, and do we feel worthy enough, or even free enough, to express these feelings anymore? I believe we are all sitting at the Apex of our lives, paying for something in advance that we are hoping will still be there in the future. For instance, Medicare, Social Security, pensions, retirement, and especially our freedoms to be human beings. To be able to create with dignity, integrity, and incorporate some sort of moral message.

It’s nice to make it all fiction and fun and scary; tearful and heartfelt and even meaningless, but when creative content or any type of news or commentary goes awry and becomes mean, filthy, hateful, harmful, and disgusting, it poses a deeper and more concerning question…

“How much do you value the price of your life?”

The actual price of a life in 2026 seems to mean very little under the 47th administration. We know 47 has one foot on the planet and the other…well, is not likely to be in this world! I mean that literally. That 47's life is measured in gold, oil, and world dominance, which can not be extracted on the aetheral plane, meaning you can’t take it with you…meaning you come in naked and hope to leave out, at least, with a soul that garnered some sort of good energy. I can not say that this is something 47 will be taking.

“How would you measure the meaning of your legacy?”

Legal would say, "a legacy is the amount of money or property left to someone in a will," but on the otherside, it can also mean leaving behind a lasting impact: a Van Gogh painting, a Shakespearean play, Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, to be exact! We are told there are billions of human beings on this planet. We all can’t be that number one, but we can all be someone. The friends, family, and community that surround your every day life can be where your legacy begins and ends. This is where people remember your kindness, your grace, and your smiles; your personality, your gift of giving and understanding.

I’ll end with this. It’s an old saying, I’m sure, and I’ve heard my dad say this years ago, even before Linda Ellis wrote her very touching piece of poetry called “The Dash”. It basically says, it’s not when you were born or when you die, but it is the dash in between that matters... if you’re proud of the life you are living.

THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!

Author: Sdowns December 15, 2025

...and yet, we've come to the end of this year with a lot of anxiety, anguish, violence, and unnecessary wars; the rising cost of living, unemployment, and the unbelievable abuse of criminal power. It would be lovely if I could make this blog light and airy, and full of grace, but if you've been awake at any point throughout this year (2025), you have felt it for yourself; something does not connect.

Around this time of year, many people feel lonely, have lost loved ones, have become depressed, or have been dealing with depression. This can't be solved in one month or on one Christmas Day. What we feel coming up to Christmas or any other holiday at this time is stress and guilt. I am not saying this is true for everyone, because it is not. What I express here is that the older you get, the more obligated you may feel to join in all the consumerism.

The perfect Christmas meal, the gifts you can't really afford to put on your credit card, the parties you have been invited to, where a smiling and cheerful disposition is in order -you just get overwhelmed. Do we put up the Christmas lights, do we buy a tree, do we light the Menorah, do we fast? All these traditions are just that...traditions. And since honesty is the best policy, they are ALL pagan traditions, handed down to us and wrapped neatly in religion.

I don't want to be a Debbie Downer or a Negative Nancy; I just want to point out the fact that the human condition weighs more on the three hundred and sixty-four other days of the year, where sharing, connecting, and helping plays a bigger and more significant role. Christmas Day is one single day; it passes like any other (within 24 hours).

Okay, so let's have that day, that bright, colored, lit-up house with the Christmas tree and all the gifts, but let's also feel that and share that same feeling with others throughout the year and with a spiritual kindness that says, "I understand, and I'm listening...how can I help?"

February Blogs ~ 2025

A Mosaic of Excellence

The History of Black History Month

Author: Sdowns February 3, 2025

I don't think there was a D.E.I. or Affirmative Action when W.E.B. Dubois, the first Black American to receive a Ph.D from Harvard University in the study of History (1895) and Carter G. Woodson the second Black American to receive his Ph.D from Harvard in the study of History (1912). I won't twist words here or mince the truth, because there was an "alternate admissions system" put in place at Harvard University. It was only through taking an exam and having a high level of education in order to become a student. So, excellence in study and hard work was the standard. I thought I would add that first so we are all on the same page.

ENTER BLACK HISTORY MONTH

If there was ever a time to speak up and speak out about the history of being Black in America, it is now. Our civil rights (and it is looking like all civil rights ) are being white washed by the stroke of a pen and we must be vigilant in educating ourselves more and sharing our knowledge with others.

Before there were books, there was a circle and there sat our ancestors, our elders, our parents and grandparents who would love telling their stories of how it began. How they made it through the hard times to get us through the next decade and beyond. The keepers of the flame. The courage to stand up and stand out...even at the cost of death. If we allow ourselves to forget...

~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I first started thinking about the February issue of this website/blog, the "curiosity cat" showed up. Why hadn't I asked this question of myself before? I remember Black History Week, then it became Black History Month, but I never questioned ... why February?

I'm sure the historians of Black literature and Black History know the answer to this:

Carter G. Woodson, a graduate of the University of Chicago, the son of slaves was self-taught and determined to live as a free American, knew that education was his key to freedom. He established the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) in 1915, started writing his Journal of Negro History in 1916, and when he was unable to get his work published by the white press, he decided to form his own publishing company, Associated Publishers in 1922.

That is quite a timeline of achievement. Let me be clear:

1903 - A Bachelor's of Literature (BLitt) Degree from Berea College in Kentucky.

1908 - A second Bachelor's and a Master's in European History from University of Chicago.

1912 - A Ph.D from Harvard University in History

Woodson's educational resume alone would blow most folks out of the water. After all that education, came his work ethic: Establishing ASNLH in 1915, The Journal of Negro History in 1916, and his publishing company in 1922!

It was in 1915 when Woodson traveled to Chicago to attend the 50th anniversity of emancipation and no matter how great the deed, he did not stand on the ground that Lincoln freed the slaves, but that the Union Army with the inclusion of hundreds of thousands of black soldiers and sailors had contributed to the win. Woodson wanted that to be the focus in the telling of Black history.

This brings me full circle to Why February? I know...sometimes i go 'round the Mulberry bush to get to the otherside. In 1924, with the help of his fraternity brothers (Omega Psi Phi) the creation of Negro History and Literature was establish and then renamed "Negro Achievement Week".

The week was within the birthdays of both Lincoln and Douglass, February 12th and February 14th, respectively. Frederick Douglass was a slave when he was born so that date is a free for all guess.

To update the changes through time, the ASNLH is now the Association for the Study of African American Life and History or ASALH. We now have Black History Month, which Gerald Ford made official in 1976. So, for 49 years it has been officially Black History Month. In conclusion, I think we can do even better. Instead of past and present Presidents who have spoken of this month interchangeably as African American History Month, how about we go with "Black American History Month"? Reflecting our progress and achievements since emancipation but never forgetting our ancestors who built America through slavery, sweat, blood, tears, and sacrifice.

HERE'S TO A MONTH OF LEARNING ABOUT OUR GREATNESS IN AMERICA

References: History.com, Encyclopedia.com, Harvard.edu, NAACP.org, ASALH.org, Carter G. Woodson (NAACP), Zinn Education Project, National Park Service, Carter G Woodson Timeline, The Harvard Gazette

Social Media, the Creative, and 2025...How Did We Get Here?

Author: Sdowns January 19, 2025

I did it once in 2015. Can I do it again? And holy smokes, that was 10 years ago. I am referring to a Facebook profile I deleted 10 years ago—actually, I deleted two Facebook profiles—mine and my Mother’s. It was instinctual. I felt like this platform was getting way too toxic, not excluding the fact that I read somewhere how Facebook was a CIA spy on human behavior and also tracking whatever activities I decided to post about my life. The latter of the two could just be conspiratorial thinking, but the fact is later down the road it all came out to be true.

Not to date myself, but I have no choice. I started my social ramblings on My Space. Raise your hand if you started there…don’t be shy, I can’t see you. Yep, I loved the My Space format, immensely. I could post a piece of art, play my favorite songs, and genuinely connect with other artists and friends. It was a fun and engaging platform. In 2007, I opened a Twitter account. Only so many words were allowed and it was a quick way to get a bit of information on some news, an update on friend connections, and other such things. There was no “War of the Words”, there was no hate speech or racist backlashing. It was real commentary, as I remember it.

I am an investor and stock market trader. I used to have Twitter in my portfolio. In 2013 or 2014, the actual year escapes me, but Twitter was already in the market. My partner and I who did the whole Real estate thing since 2001, were sitting at the bar having a meet-up in the new Busboy and Poets when I showed her my next investment in Twitter. At the time Twitter was around $14 dollars a share. As I broke it down to her, a gentleman was sitting one barstool over and he was obviously listening. A break in our conversation was him leaning in and excusing himself for eavesdropping.

“So, you really think Twitter is going places?” He asked. He then asked for my number and I gave him my email. We stayed in contact and three years later, he thanked me for sitting in that seat next to him, overhearing the conversation, and told me how he maxed his return on investment.

Today, I no longer have a Twitter account. I saw it coming. I cashed out at the top and the big news came that Elon Musk was going to be buying Twitter, taking it private, and changing the name. It was a game I was not interested in playing. Xtwitter went private and has become the shame of social media. It took almost two years before I signed onto Threads and here we are again.

In the middle of the great 2020 debacle, I was considering opening up another Facebook page, but didn’t actually want to…I needed to so I could start using that platform as a means of business exposure. I had to create a profile in order to create a business profile or create a Facebook group or even do any advertising.

And again, here we are today. Mark Zuckerburg, who owns Facebook, who owns Instagram, who owns Threads; who, in fact, started Threads due to the putrid state of affairs over at X, supposedly built this platform to combat the racism, hate speech, and the ugliness, has now conceded to the no-nonsense rhetoric that spoiled Xtwitter. Instead of fact-checking, he is now leveraging what he is calling “community notes”.

Do I even dare mention TikTok? Yes, I was there. I downloaded the app and quickly deleted it. Not because the “Chinese were gathering data” (hell, Facebook was/is doing it), but because I saw how easily it was to get sucked into hours of mindless scrolling! It scared the shit out of me. When I went there, I literally woke up hours later. One dance video after the other and on and on and on. Scroll after scroll after scroll until my brain was burning and my eyes were watering and if I started my scroll at 5 pm, it was 9 pm when I realized how long I was sucked into that virtual media. I shook my brain once, twice, opened my breath, and deleted that app immediately. It is a drug and a potent one.

So, how did we ever get here? From My Space to Facebook, to Twitter, to Instagram, to Snapchat, to What’s App, to X, to TikTok, to Threads, and now…Bluesky? Let's not forget YouTube has now become an even more streamlined alternative media hub, tracking what you watch and feeding you more through its algorithm.

Are we being brainwashed, controlled, dumbed down, or just complacent to whatever feeds the goose, feeds the gander? Are we now the Automatons and the A.I. Bots the new humans? I shutter...to think...

Two Funerals... One Great Man

Author: Sdowns January 09, 2025

The Honorable President James Earl "Jimmy" Carter. His passing was extraordinary. His life was extra-extraordinary. A true leader of a great nation. A man of integrity, dignity and real faith now lies at the National Cathedral for his second funeral. First in Georgia, then in state at the Capitol and now the National Cathedral for the final good-bye. And I am in tears as I write this and watch this service.

Yes, I was young during his Presidency, but my Father was not and I remember those Sunday mornings when my Dad would have the news on while frying bacon and flipping pancakes. There was a TV in the kitchen for that very purpose: to watch shows like Meet the Press. I was not required to read the newspaper, but I did, mostly to emulate my dad, who did so...he read the Metro, front page, editorial, and World news. I read the Style section, Parade, and the Comics.

I grew up around the news and Politics. I grew up in the Capitol of the United States of America and if it means anything at all, I was impressed with a man who faced a lot of adversity on the home stage and yet worked tirelessly to unite the world globally and keep our nations from warring with one another. Yes, there was inflation and gas shortages and rumbles of unrest, but he, Jimmy Carter, inherited a Presidency where we were not only coming from the many "mini" wars that lasted way too long, but somehow we were able to avoid a World War lll.

My love and respect; my condolences and heartfelt prayers go out to the family of a man whose life was predicated, dedicated, and now celebrated for restoring some sense of peace on earth.

To President Jimmy Carter: I wish you peace in your transition to a place you deserve to be...One with God, One with Love, and One with the Love of your life, your wife, Rosalynn Carter.

Farewell and Godspeed.

"We've become not a melting pot, but a beautiful mosaic.

Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings,

different hopes, different dreams."

~Jimmy Carter

Do You Believe in Magic?

Author: Sdowns January 02, 2025

I do. For me, magic is a dream come true. It's a pure blessing—a miracle. When circumstances in my life transform how I think, live, believe, and pursue my dreams; when any little thing materializes, I am in awe of that moment. I breathe into it and walk on air, feet planted firmly on the ground.

Magic is a song that reminds me of a happy memory. Magic is a photograph that helps me remember the people and places that made me laugh and I'm back there in that moment. Magic is an unexpected card or letter from a friend or relative you weren't expecting to show up in your mailbox. There's magic everywhere and in every minute of the day, as long as we stay connected and present.

We can be in the past and we can be in the future, but the most enchanting part of it all is that we are in the here and now living out all three...and that is magical.

December Blogs

Ego Tripping

Author: Sdowns December 16, 2024

December 9th…I lost one of my heroes.

It was a Monday. I was working in my studio preparing to take one of my breaks, turned on the news, and… “Nikki Giovanni has died at the age of 81.”

What?!!!!!

I was heading out of the studio to take my stretch break and grab another cup of coffee when I almost slipped, turning back around to see if what I heard was real or fake news. It was real, and it was shocking. I do understand why some people keep their illnesses private because they are still processing, just like this post has taken a minute for me to write…and I’m still processing it a week later.

My mom and dad had a great collection of albums. No kidding. From Ray Charles’ country album, to Limbo Rock, to Sam Cooke, Nat King Cole, Aretha, Oscar Peterson and one of my favorites Otis Redding, “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay”. It was a treasure trove of LP’s. I spent hours going through and playing those old records. This is when I came across Nikki Giovanni's “Ego Tripping”. I was in awe of her poetry, so much so that she became my study for some years.

In 1988, I wrote a piece for her called “Thank You, Nikki”. I sent it to her along with a letter and actually received not just a letter back from her, but an invitation to meet with her at Virginia Tech! Whenever she was in town to promote her new works, I was there. Does anyone remember Border’s Books? While all my friends were hanging out at the local bars, I was hanging out at the local bookstores. Borders, Barnes and Noble, and Politics and Prose were my favorites.

Every time Nikki G. was in town, I tried to make all of her live readings for any new book she was promoting. Of course, I bought the books and stood in line and I didn’t just get her autograph, she took the time to listen and respond. Those folks behind me were patient because they knew Ms. Giovanni was classy, helpful, a true listener, and above all else a giver.

This, I will miss the most. This is what breaks my heart, what is breaking my heart right now. The last autographed book was Acolytes*. It’s pretty beat up. I’ll leave you with a Haiku from the book and Legend herself:

The words dance

In a poet’s heart

Making her

Sing.

Acolyte - one who attends or assists a leader: a follower

If you would like to hear her euphony, "Ego Tripping" check out this YouTube Video: Ego Tripping

Also, take a trip over to Poets Alley. I have included another poem by Nikki G. from her book, Acolytes.

Ground Control to Major Tom: "We have Visual"

Author: Sdowns December 2, 2024

We've landed! Last month of the year, 2024. Are we happy with our achievements this year? Did we meet or exceed our goals? Are we excited going into 2025? Do you use the month of December to reflect and prepare for another year of crafting your future or creating your new and improved reality?

There's a portal, I see, between now and December 23rd where we can use this time to really look forward and plan. What usually happens is some, not all, of us will make New Year's resolutions the night before midnight, but they are just resolutions, a quick thought: Get in shape, hit the gym three times a week, quit drinking for a month, find a better job, etc.

Of course, we can do better. We have time. Get to your local drugstore and pick up a little journal and write out those resolutions now, as many as you can think of, and then pick three that have bugged you all this year, that you said you would do and under the title write the steps that it will take you to achieve them and a goal date or at least a benchmark date. It's amazing. When you write something down in a physical little book that you can set aside on your nightstand, to be able to pick up and review; it keeps the thoughts flowing and the desire growing. It will get cemented in your brain. You'll wake up every morning thinking about it.

Oh, and by the way...what can actually happen is you find out there's more to the challenge you've given yourself. Write it, add to the plan, restructure, rebuild, and grow. Here's what I changed over the years...

Way back in 1999, I decided to change my words. Instead of a "Resolution," I now call it a "Declaration". The difference is astonishing: where a resolution is only a desire or an intent to take action; a declaration is a firm belief, a commitment to take action and change. Be assertive. Start now and prepare to declare your 2025.

November Blogs

2024

My recent Editor-in-Chief and now Accountability partner, Ivy Divey!

Are You Ready?

Author: Sdowns November 21, 2024

It's real, and really it is happening. Just like everything else in this reality, we must look inside. We must calmly allow ourselves to excel which means we must change. Our outlook must be positive...that despite all, we will persevere. We will overcome and this too shall pass. The meaning of all this is everything I have been blogging about all year. The underlying message is: Be kind to yourself. Take care of your health, nourish the brain, and find a method that helps you grow spiritually. It begins with a thought.

So, I learned something almost 63 days ago that there was an exercise I decided to try and commit to; it is called, "63 Days to Transformation". Of course, I discovered this through reading books about health, change, and how the body can naturally heal itself. How taking care of the inside, the outside will follow (reminds me of a song I used to sing all the time, 'Free your mind and your a$$ will follow!'). You know that old sage, what you put in comes out the other end... you put bad thoughts and negativity in on a daily basis, well, guess what? That's what you're going to deal with in your outside reality. Put in positivity and healthy snacks like nuts and fruit, good proteins, and probiotics, and you're setting yourself up to have quite an awesome and productive day.

I'm not saying that along the way you might experience a negative turn of events, but you have the choice to shut that down immediately just by changing those thoughts in your head or saying goodbye to someone who is in that space speaking negativity; allowing them the time to change while you continue keeping a positive outlook on your day.

Here is what happened to me. I started the 63-day transformation exercise, alone, without an accountability partner. Just a commitment to follow the steps every day. It was hard. I was able to see myself from above. What I was doing. How the old habits I intended to change or replace with the good ones just stuck to me like peanut butter. I found that amazing. No matter how much I thought about that moment and being in it, I resisted change. I was dealing with bad habits that were so ingrained into a routine that was not healthy, that I struggled hard, mentally and physically, to push myself. This was not Elementary school. I had no teachers, and no parents telling me I had to do it. It was my responsibility to do it.

Alright. No more beating around the bush. Here's the list:

Write your first journal of the day ( this was easy for me. always have, always will)
Journal 3 Gratitudes (Being thankful and grateful for what's in your life and what is coming)
Meditate for 10 minutes every day (doesn't matter when or where, but you kind of want it to be at the same time. I found that the best time for me was in the morning right after journaling the stuff in my head)
Read 10 pages a day (that one was easy for me and a no-brainer)
Exercise for 1 hour a day (are you kidding me?! I fell off that wagon consistently)
15 minutes a day on Social Media (again, easy, because I find those social sites very toxic, but something I should do more of to promote my creative work)
Last but not least: Sleep by 10 pm and up by 5 am

It's a big commitment! It was for me, anyway. I was able to see where my lack and laziness were holding me back or having a laissez-faire attitude, as in, "I'll do the exercises tomorrow, I really don't feel like that today". As you probably know by now, I failed at this. Around day 42, I dropped all the pretenses and had my days of reflection. Told myself I was terrible at that but then remembered something: Free will is just meant to be a choice. So, I can choose to be this or commit to change and be that.

"If at first, you don't succeed..." I have made the commitment again. And if you have made it this far in the blog I started all over from the beginning yesterday. Also, through the grace of the infinite designer of the Universe, found a website that might interest you. It's called "Days From Today" or better yet, here is the link:

https://www.thecalculatorsite.com/time/days-from.php

I wish you the best of luck if you do use this method and decide that you feel a change in habits will boost your immune, add energy to your days, and give you a positive, productive outlook on life. I'll leave you with this:

"It's supposed to be hard. If it were easy everyone would do it!"

~ Tom Hanks in "A League of Their Own"

Every. Little. Thing!

Author: Sdowns November 13, 2024

The grappling. The procrastination. The battle of the two brains. As creative entrepreneurs, we are always trying to work the problem. The left brain is trying to tell us it’s time to pay the bills, organize the file cabinet, clean up the computer’s desktop, back up your hard drive, update firmware or software, and especially remembering to cancel that software that you decided to try out…

EVERY LITTLE THING

The anxiety. The butterflies in the pit of our stomachs. The idea that we haven’t produced enough or produced the perfect piece. The battle of the two brains. As creative entrepreneurs, we are always trying to work the problem. The right brain just wants to create and create and create. Get the wood, the nails, the hammer; build the canvas in which to paint. Journal, meditate, exercise, practice, read, research, write, market; record the next video, edit, polish, repeat…

EVERY LITTLE THING!

It’s a lot, no doubt and the easiest thing is to submit to the will of the battle because now exhaustion has set in. The battle is not won, it is stalled. In The Art of War by Sun Tzu, he famously says,

“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”

As an entrepreneur or creative, we must adopt some sort of philosophical thinking. I think, why… is because it is a journey and never a destination. If you find yourself arriving at a destination (or an end), there must be another beginning or you’re basically D.O.A. Life is living. It is an exercise to get up every day and pursue reality, whether we like what we create or not; engagement is key. To get up and do nothing, think nothing, and be no one going nowhere is a prescription for a dull mind, addictive behavior, or depression.

I’m no doctor or psychologist, but someone who has been down this path. It’s easier to let go than to hold on, but holding on means every little thing is important. In The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield, he replaces procrastination with the word, “resistance”. Clearly resistance is invisible.

“Resistance cannot be seen, touched, heard, or smelled. But it can be felt. We experience it as an energy field radiating from work-in-potential. It’s a repelling force. It’s negative. Its aim is to shove us away, distract us, prevent us from doing our work.”

Two books, if you have the strength or resolve, should be read together, at the same time. I do this often. Two books that speak to the same problem but can help you define and help you work the problem in different ways. It has the ability to connect both hemispheres of the brain: one being analytical and the other creative.

If you’re an entrepreneur engaged in the business of commerce or professional services, you have probably read Sun Tzu’s, “The Art of War”. If you’re a writer or creative, you’ve probably already read Steven Pressfield’s, “The War of Art”. If you haven't read either book, you are in for a treat, only if you read them both at the same time! Strengthening your character, your “moral compass” and creating a philosophy while building the reality you want to live in…I salute your journey and hope your destination is infinite.

It's All About the Food!

Author: Sdowns November 1, 2024

...or lack thereof. I wouldn't recommend fasting around this time of year, but it can be done in intervals. There is a lot of festive feasting that happens between October through December. It all starts with dessert. We're not going to fool ourselves by saying that we bought all that candy for the trick-or-treaters. There's usually a lot left over for our own personal sweet tooth. Let's just say, it's dessert before the meal that way we don't eat so much.

Candy for Halloween, that will hype you up and ruin your teeth, and then there is a period before the preparation of Thanksgiving dinner. Be warned that you will be eating Turkey a hundred different ways and wondering why you're so sleepy for the next two weeks (we know it's the tryptophan, or vitamin B3 that helps you to relax). There is another period of time before a huge Christmas dinner is prepared.

It's hard to advise anyone to eat slow and eat less, especially if your plate looks like the pictures included here. I know mine did all the time. I would make it a habit to starve myself until turkey time; my plate would be piled with food. My mother would look over and say, "Your eyes are bigger than your stomach." I would let her know that I saved my appetite for this very moment.

My eyes were too big. My stomach was in hurt mode and dessert was off the menu. You see, saving for the moment meant my stomach shrunk, I ate too fast and I piled on too much food, that's my conclusion anyway!

And now, since traditions have broken and I've grown beyond that process of thought, I pretty much eat whatever I want, but the point of that day is to give thanks for all the blessings in your life...not to just stuff your face.

September ~ October Blogs

2024

AI Genrated Art by Eric M Brooks

Musician, Writer, Puppeteer and AI Gen Artist. Please check out his work, follow his Fan Page and join his Private group on Facebook by clicking on the links below;

Simivis Creatives on Instagram; Simivis Creatives on Facebook; Simivis Creatives Facebook Group

A lot of cool images, Music and musings going on over there! It's fun to see it all come together through Visual Art and Music.

The Hunter's Moon

Author: Sdowns September 29, 2024

It's hunting season! The crops are all harvested, the Deer are all fattened from summer grazing and it's easier to see the prey.

But all this talk about the Moon makes you wonder if I'm transfixed. There is something special about a full moon and it's not just because my birthday is in July, which makes me a Moon child, but let's be honest...we have two calendars in this Universe. We relegate towards one and sometimes think about the other. Most of us are "day creatures" and some us are "night crawlers". We live by the Sun and sleep by the silvery moon.

The 2024 Hunter's Moon occurs on October 17th around 7:30 PM Eastern time; it will be another SuperMoon. The Hunter's Moon was coined by Native American's but is also known as "Blood Moon" and depending on your geographical area, there are other names for Octobers' full moon. For more information on this creepy and bewitching month, check out the reference link below.

***Reference: Time and Date Hunter's Moon

The Lunar Eclipse

Author: Sdowns September 17, 2024

It's always amazing to me to see the full moon, but when you have an event where not only do you get the Full Moon, but an Eclipse too; something super special is bound to happen. As long as we are human (and NOT neurolinked), we can connect our positivity to the Universe.

On the NASA website the Eclipse doesn't actually happen on September 17th, but on the 18th. The Full Moon will live in our sky for three days. The September Super Moon will be so close to the Earth, you'll almost believe you can reach out and touch it.

There is a full Moon for every month of the year and each one has a name. Most of the names come from Native American tribes and some from Celtic or European. Whereas we now call this phase The Harvest Moon, the Old Farmer's Almanac used the Native American reference: The Corn Moon.

"The Great Spirit is in all things. He is in the air we breathe. The Great Spirit is our Father, but the Earth is our Mother. She nourishes us.....That which we put into the ground she returns to us."

- Big Thunder

Lunar Eclipses, however, only happen four, five or maybe six times a year. It has to do with the tilt. So, the way it works is the Earh casts its' shadow on the surface of the Moon and that bright white Moon we love, dims to a pinkish or reddish or orange-ish hue.

If I had gotten this piece out sooner, you would have known ( or maybe you already knew) that the Harvest Moon first appeared on the 16th of this month, but still you're just in time for peaking on September 17th. Don't go to bed too early. Peaking time (Verified by NASA is around 10:44pm), but if I were you I'd have my camera and cocoa outside and ready to go around 8:30pm, chilling with a friend or in silent awe of how this Universe is made for us and how we are made for the Universe. We are one in our unique individual energies. Let this moment unite us as one Spirit gazing at the heavenly bodies.

TECH ( Lost Art! The July ~ August Blogs disappeared during the last update and will be added back in next update... ) UPDATE

LOGBOOK VS. NOTEBOOK

Author: Sdowns May 29, 2024

Not dismissing the habit of journaling every day, but creating and using a logbook is invaluable to running a successful game plan. A logbook reads where you started from, any hiccups or achievements in the middle, and where you plan your end destination for the day.

A logbook could also be a confirmation table of ideas, productivity, projects executed, and follow-ups at the beginning and end of your day. I use all three, which might be overkill, but it keeps me connected to the work and focused on reaching benchmark goals. I journal my thoughts in the morning to get it all out of my head, and will sometimes start my logs before bed to keep the next day's ideas in my head to sleep on them. Last, I use a very small confirmation journal to confirm what got accomplished at the end of day.

Journal.

Log.

Confirm.

It's pure magic. When you get the flow going, it's gets ingrained in your business ritual. There is no this versus that. It is this and that. Eventually, all the other successful habits of the entrepreneur, or creative will emerge in between, like your trips to the gym, exercise routines, travels, adventures; study and reading; teaching and consulting.

A logbook is not a list of tasks, but a log of your adventure across the sea of time. Research old logbooks of airplane pilots and sea captains and see how they have recorded their travels and you'll know if that is something you will want to add to your skillset, toolbox, or foundation.

THE MUNDANE

Author: Sdowns May 20, 2024

Boredom. Lack of adventure. An empty chair in an empty room on a gloomy day and no wind. You're alone. No place to go...

The Mundane. Lacking interest or excitement; dull (ref. Webster's Dict.).

Boredom and restlessness could actually lead you to that mundane place where you want to be alone in your thoughts because you are bored and unmotivated. No color. No people. No activity around you and all of a sudden you become very aware of your own existence.

In fact, why not? You are the only one around...so the only...observed is the observer. I know that's a little mind-blowing and kind of confusing, just don't go to that place where you start freaking yourself out. Try not to send thoughts of yourself out into the cosmic verse that you get lost and can't connect with where you are when you're in that moment.

It's mundane, not maniacal. When these situations pop up and listlessness and melancholy seem to control how you're feeling, it might mean that there is something you want to say to yourself. As you look out the window and wonder where you could be, who you could hang out with, and what could change this mood, inject a bit of laughter into the room. Have a conversation with yourself, out loud. Hear what your thoughts are saying to you in the quiet of your mind. It's pure gold.

I surprise myself sometimes when I get this way that by starting a conversation with myself, some silly thought pops into my head and I've got to tell it to the room, to myself out loud! Warning...if you're in public and you're feeling this way, you might want to pull out your cell phone and pretend you're talking to a friend so that people won't think you've fallen off the ledge.

Last thought: The mundane is not so bad when you need that break today.

Author: Sdowns May 17, 2024

Like a simulation, but it's your reality. Sounds foo-fu, I know. Although science, metaphysics, visualization, and meditation say this is how it's done to manifest what you want...and by the way, "Who will build it so the people will come, Ray?"

If you build it, the people will come!

Thoughts are things is an ancient concept and everyone agrees. Someone thought about electricity and it became a thing we all agree upon. A chair was a thought that became a thing and we all agree it is a chair. It is a thing that we believe in and sit in and that thing will support us.

So, thoughts are things built into our reality. How will you build your world, every day? As CEO of your "thought palace", what tools, plans, and materials will you need and use? What skills or blueprints will you bring to the meetings of your mind?

Still sounds a little like foo-fu, but it works. Anything you practice consistently over time is a thought you are bringing into your material world. It is what you are building for your future and our reality.

We may not ALL agree on everything you build, but what you build is yours, it is you. If they like it, they will come.

Journaling Our Way to Inner Peace

Author: Sdowns May 8, 2024

It's a real thing, you know. Every day, whether you pick the morning, Noon or late into the night. It just feels right to let your thoughts out on paper... or in my case, an app called "Reflections".

Some say journaling twice a day is good for the soul. You journal in the morning to set the tone for the day and at night before sleeping to either reflect on your day or write your desires for how you want your tomorrow to look like when you wake. Either way and however many journal entries you write it calms the mind and blocks out the noise in your head. If you don't believe any of this, there is one thing for sure:

The noise in your head is getting even louder, because the unnecessary noise in the world is becoming overwhelming.

Back in the day, we called it "A Diary". My diary had a lock and a key. It was fun to write down my secret thoughts and dreams. As we get older and the world gets busier, we forget about that special place where we can hide and write our thoughts out on paper.

Journaling is calming and also connecting your outer world to your inner world. It helps you to let go of thoughts that can sometimes sabotage your day. It gives you the freedom to say what you want about anything and...anyone. Even if it's just a paragraph or two, get it out of your head, and make it solid. If you are feeling negative, write something positive, but go ahead and write down that negative thought. If you're angry or depressed, say it out loud on paper!

I'll leave you with a thought. If you do journal electronically, at the end of the month print it out and review what your mind has been up to; furrow your brow at your own discretion. Laugh at your anger, but for all intents and purposes, do review no matter whether it's in your favorite notebook to go or a printout of the month.

"Just Do It... And Do It... And Do It... And Do It!"

~Art Williams

APRIL BLOGS 2024

Author: Sdowns April 22, 2024

Politics & Prose...

It is a bookstore here in Washington, DC. Before they expanded to two more locations, the Chevy Chase store was my go-to hangout for meeting Writers and ultimately buying and getting their latest book signed. It has certainly served a purpose for artistic expression where a celebrity, Artist, Writer, or Creative has a political view or an activist stance on the nature and or the condition of our well-being.

I don't want to make this post a long and drawn-out piece, but there is something to be said about the courage and tenacity of established artists and, as well, growing artists to make a statement about the world in which we live.

It can be dangerous to your career. It can end a career. It can stop a dedicated fan or many fans from following you or buying your work. So, I tip my Beret to the ones who can and do have the mettle to openly express their views.

It is interesting how the very issues we are facing today have already been addressed by our creative geniuses of the past and those still living with the work they have produced in the past. It is prophetic. It is revealing and it is bold. We should be able to agree to disagree. We should be able to debate and have civil conversations without killing or threatening to kill; without debasing and name-calling and especially without shouting from the rooftops spewing lies until you try to convince someone that your lie is the truth.

Look, I understand we ALL have our own opinions about certain political narratives, but we know deep down inside what a lie is and what is the truth. Some lies can be debunked with facts and some truths can be proven with fiction. Weird statement, but the reason I bring that into the fair is because as artists, we can write a piece of fiction that tells a very real and very hard truth.

Enter the Artists...

Margaret Atwood's "A Handmaid's Tale". It is fiction. It is relevant. It is the topic of the day, however this piece was written in 1985. Enter George Orwell who wrote Animal Farm and especially the famed, "1984" he published in 1949! Fiction or Prophecy? "To Live in the Borderlands" is a beautiful piece of poetry by one of my favorite poets, Gloria Anzaldua. It very much speaks about the mixed cultures and heritage of every human being on this planet. That there is no one who is of "pure" race. We are all mixed, but the distinction we want to place on each other comes out of the mouths of ignorance. Placing racist slurs and demoralizing a person's self-worth.

Enter the biographer and poet, Maya Angelou, in "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", to Paul Lawrence Dunbar's "Sympathy". The Civil Rights activists, Langston Hughes (Poet/Playwright), James Baldwin (Writer), and Amiri Baraka (Poet, Writer, and Teacher)... to some of these artists, I agree to disagree, but we can surely debate the issues. Jorge Luis Borges, whose name is sprawled out in huge letters upon entering my local library wrote actively against fascism and Nazi Germany.

There are countless voices, heard and unheard; known and unknown, but this you can believe: "Beneath the rule of men entirely great, the pen is mightier than the sword!", written by Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839, who ironically happened to be a politician and a playwright. So, I'll leave you with some words by Amiri Baraka, an artist-activist, who at times I agree to disagree with...but for these words, I do agree:

"The Artist's role is to raise the consciousness of the people.

To make them understand life, the world, and themselves more completely.

That's how I see it. Otherwise, I don't know why we do it."

~Amiri Baraka

LOST IN SPACE

Author: Sdowns April 18, 2024

Have you ever looked for your perfect space? Standing in the middle of your living room floor, thinking about where you will get the most inspiration to do your best work? Where shall I set up my office? A Closet? A corner in my bedroom? How about I dedicate my bedroom as my office space and just sleep on a futon? Lost in space. It has nothing to do with Will Robinson or Dr. Smith.

Entrepreneurs, Work from Homers, and even Telecommuters battle with this. There's always the coffee shop. Yes, but which one? How long can I sit before the server asks if I want another refill and I'm so caffeinated, my eyes are blurring over.

There is a trick to this. Wherever you are, close your eyes and imagine your perfect space. Visualize it. Breathe into it. Be with it for the next 5, 10, 15, or 20 minutes so you get a real picture of that perfect space! Now, open your eyes and look about you...it's not what you just visualized, but, guess what you have? Space! Be grateful. Grab a chair, pull up to a table or desk, or curl your legs under you as you find that comfy spot, and do your work today.

And, by the way, when you do take that break for a quick coffee, a Server is not staring you down because you're taking up a table they could turn over for a bigger tip!

Is It a Habit or a Routine?

Author: Sdowns April 9, 2024

By now, we probably know a habit is something we do unconsciously. It is ingrained in our body makeup. It doesn't matter whether it is a good or bad habit. A habit becomes a routine when it is done every day and most times at the same time every day.

It's funny how easy it is to break a routine and how hard it is to break a habit! The bad habits being the hardest to break...like smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, binging on Netflix or YouTube videos, or nowadays, scrolling Instagram til your eyes bulge or Tik Tok until your eyes pop out! I thank the heavens I'm not a social media scroller or troller, but those are just the bad habits that become a bad routine.

Yes, it is a fact: Habits become routines.

I've been reading a book by James Clear called "Atomic Habits". I just finished Chapter 9. It's not a book you want to rush through. It is a book you want to reflect on after you have read a chapter, taking apostils in the margins and then there is a period of review or what is called objective observance.

Anyway, the idea is to start small and build. This could be said about anything you want to add, change, or discard from or to your life. Chapter 9 states clearly that 'the culture we live in determines which behaviors are attractive to us'. We are undoubtedly influenced by our family, friends, the environment, and social media. Naturally, we want to fit in, but is it good for us? Is it a habit or a routine we really want to live with for days, weeks, or even years?

As creatives, we can be easily swayed by our peers, our family...our fears. Making excuses for not doing our work can become a habit, but one small act, one small change in our beliefs, and one minute of meditation a day over time can change you and change how you feel about yourself.

I'm going to do something right now. As the Queen of my Universe, I'm going to dub April as, "Self-observance month". April is Spring forward. Let the showers bring flowers and who knows, we'll look up and into the mirror that reflects back at us and say, "Wow, I've changed!"

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

~John F Kennedy, 35th President of the United States of America

MARCH BLOGS 2024

~The Last March Blog~

3.30.2024

Mother's & Artists

~ a personal story ~

Author: Sdowns March 15, 2024

I woke up this morning thinking I could find an artistic way to write about the Ides of March. I did a little research on the subject and there is nothing creative or even having a semblance of a moral theme behind it. I'm not even sure why that day means so much to me, outside of the fact that it is the day my mother was born and that was my second download...It's Mom's birthday!

Today, my Mom would be 95 years young and that brought back a load of memories; of how she supported my artistic nature and creative endeavors.

My mother, Ruby LaVerne, was a special human. She was talented. She was an Artist. Her genre was Dancer. My understanding of the stories I was told is that in High school, Mom won an award for her talent as a dancer and had the choice of going to Hollywood or 'take the money and run'! Growing up in the 40's, she opted for the money. Times were not easy back then, especially for black families and doubly for the fact that her mother was raising two kids and the "sometimes absent" father.

Mom was so good at her craft of Dance, that the famous Katherine Dunham was impressed enough to want Mom to tour with her group. The story goes that because Mom was not of legal age, Dunham knocked on my Grandmother's door, sat in their living and tried to convince her that her daughter had great talent and would she allow her to travel with her troop. Several teacups later, the answer was a respectful, no.

I never asked Mom if she was disappointed about that; I never knew if she felt she had a "dream deferred" and because her spirit is celebrating the life of her human here on earth today, I can't ask these questions. This I do know: There are mothers of Creative children who are 100% supportive, 100% unsupportive, or 50/50. I believe my mother was all three with me, but mostly 50/50. I have a vivid memory that at the age of 15 or 16, I ran into her bedroom. She was sitting on the side of her bed. I had just written another poem and I wanted to read it to her. She sat and listened. She loved it...and then she looked at me with a very puzzling glare as she spoke, "That was very good. You're so good at many things, but why don't you pick one and stay with that?" I asked her why. We just called it a truce, I ran back to my bedroom and sat down at my desk to write another.

It's funny that I feel my strongest gift is photography (a gift shared with me by my Dad), but I grew up enjoying writing poetry and short stories for myself and drawing and sketching birds and trees and my favorite movie star. The thing I enjoyed the most and wanted to do was Act. TO BE OR NOT TO BE... that was the question. My mother wanted the "not to be". I told her I was going to New York to be an Actress, she promptly said, "Go right ahead, but I'm not coming to pick you up from the sidewalks of New York". That was terrifying! She said it so plainly as if it could really happen...and I suppose it could but the thought of that visual kept me in DC, graduating High School and moving on to a local University.

I am not complaining. I am sharing my gratitude. My mother supported every creative whim this kid, that would be me, endeavored! From guitar lessons with Bill Harris, to karate lessons with Jhoon Rhee, to piano lessons, to dance lessons with Therrell Smith, to finally, after lots of begging, theatre lessons with The Maryland Academy of Dramatic Arts. And all this before the ripe old age of fourteen!

When I finally quit college to enroll in The National Academy of Dramatic Arts and my mother saw my talents there, she even became a supporter of my Acting, singing, and dancing career. I asked her to help me with my Tap dancing. Mom taught me how to fluidly do the single-time step perfectly on the floor in our kitchen. I went to class that next day, impressed the class and most certainly my teacher, and ended up with the leading role. Thank you, Mom, and happy heavenly birthday.

WRITING DOWN THE BONES

Author: Sdowns March 6, 2024

WE can read about writing all day long but until we "BINC-HOK", we're still just readers. Binc-Hok stands for "Butt in Chair, Hands-on Keys"! I use a computer, so you can change that acronym to whatever you want...butt in chair, pen on paper or Binc-Pop, etc. Personally, I enjoy reading a good book of fiction and on top of that I have read many books on writing and writers, probably too many, but I've read every one- front to back.

Any writer whose life you've ever studied, who is a successfully published author is most likely an avid reader. My favorite book on writing is by Natalie Goldberg, "Writing Down the Bones". My second favorite is a recent book I purchased about three or four months ago titled "The Art of War for Writers" by James Scott Bell.

Don't get too lost in the learning, get lost in the writing. I try to find and read some really good fiction in the genre in which I wish to write: John Irving, John Grisham, Michael Creighton, Virginia Woolf, Ernest Hemingway, Charlotte Perkins-Gilman, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Maya Angelou, and that's just scraping the surface. Finding a quiet spot and immersing yourself in a good book is tastier than a seven-course meal by a sous chef. The best part about being a writer is that you can write anywhere and on anything! Always carry with you a pen, a pencil, and a magic marker. The better part of writing is having a special space, a room of one's own, and a personal ritual that gets...

BINC-HOK

" "" I must create a system or be enslaved by another man's;

I will not reason and compare:

my business is to create"

~William Blake

FEBRUARY BLOGS 2024

Create Like an Amateur...Build Like a Pro

~Red Vineyard by Van Gogh

Author: Sdowns February 29, 2024

So, I recently posted a video on my YouTube channel that posits this personal theory of mine. It came to me one day and I said I would write a piece about it. That was a little less than a month ago...

What's the difference between an Amateur and a Professional aside from one not making money and one who does?

EVERYONE, I don't care who you are, has to start from somewhere. Beginnings are hard. They are supposed to be. A great example of this is learning how to ride a bike when you were a kid. Easy right? Heck no! That takes focus, concentration, balance, a passion to learn, and a willingness to fail, until... one day you start feeling like Evel Knievel. The confidence building where popping that wheelie or jumping that three-foot mound of dirt to get to the other side means nothing because you are sure to win eventually. And that was a two-wheel contraption, so four-wheels should be easier, said no one there.

EVERYONE is an amateur until they are not, but I learned something recently I never knew: what it really means, its definition in the "English" language, and its' roots in Latin and French. Its real translation means "Lover", or someone who is passionate about a thing. In Latin the root word is Amare, which means "to love"; in French, it is one who admires or is devoted to something! In the English language, we've totally taken a baseball bat to that word and we sometimes even spell it wrong. Amateur vs. Amature. Why do we self-sabotage? In the English language, it has been translated as someone who is not very good at a thing (therefore, let's just not pay them anything). What do we do as Americans? We look down the throat of an amateur and debase them, call them out as imposters, or even tell them to 'fake it til they make it'.

As an amateur, a lover who is passionate about their work does not fake failure. As an amateur, one is passionate about building that creation had a very vivid picture in their mind-imagination. I will leave you with a thought: Of course, we all want to make money from the craft we are so amateur about or so passionate about, but remember the Creatives who worked hard all of their lives and never sold a piece of art, or sang in Carnegie Hall, or premiered on Broadway, or never got to hang a picture in the Museum of Modern Art. Google them! Because in today's world, they would be the Billionaires and it is a shame we have to wait 100 years and be dead before our talent is recognised and worth more than a ha'penny.

Remember, the next time you sit down to create your passionate idea and build your imagination into this material world, you're first doing it for the love of the work you do, and yes, my creative friend, you can get paid in the end ~if money is your end goal.

*****

(the above background artwork is a piece by Van Gogh and is said to be the only piece of artwork he had ever sold in his life. History says he committed suicide four months later : referenced from The Art Newspaper)

Agoraphobia & the Creative

Author: Sdowns February 21, 2024

Most creatives spend a lot of time alone, by themselves, locked up in a room, garage, or studio. It is necessary. We're not lonely, per se, just alone...getting the work done. I can't think of a creative discipline that requires the company of many when it comes to the artist, except when it's in a class setting or a club or rehearsal.

A writer writes alone. A painter paints alone, unless all they paint are human subjects. The actor spends time in front of a mirror transforming him or herself and the dancer alone in the studio repeating that 8-beat step over and over until it hurts.

So, what does all this mean?

The creative, most times is being judged as aloof, moody, depressed, a diva, unsociable, unattainable or sometimes even vain. Sometimes it is true. It's the work. Locking oneself up for days, weeks, or maybe months to finish a project.

Again, I ask, "What does it all mean?

As creatives, we can be all of the above from time to time, but eventually, we will need people. Eventually, we will need human contact. The bars, the adventures, the interactions for stimulation. We will need the clubs and the conversations with random human beings. We need that in order to create more stuff.

When I think of artists like Hemingway who went out to his garage with a double barrel shotgun and shot himself in the head or Sylvia Plath who taped off her kitchen area so as not to harm the kid, turned on the gas from her oven, and stuck her head in it or Virginia Woolf, who put rocks in her coat pocket and walked into the river. Vincent Van Gogh who first cut off his ear and then later shot himself. Dianne Arbus who slit her waists and ate "barbies" to be doubly sure her deed was done. Unfortunately, there are many more creative artists and geniuses who have traveled this road. This is why the love and support of a community is so important.

Working alone for long periods of time can lead to depression. Depression can lead to Agoraphobia which may act as a switch or trigger that turns the imagination into downright paranoia. So, if you haven't heard from your creative friend, family member, neighbor, or co-worker, do check-in. Send them an encouraging text or email. Even better, hand write a letter, put a stamp on it and mail it.

If you are reading this as an artist/creator and want to reach out for a chat, a sandbox, or a spit on life send me an email. I'm serious! I am an email away and I understand the road we travel. In between time: take care of yourself. Live~Laugh~Love and create to your heart's content!

Contact

Where Is My Muse?

Author: Sdowns February 3, 2024

And...so it goes, that they were nine! It is interesting in and of itself. The number of muses is nine. Anyway, the story goes: that in Greek mythology, Zeus and Mnemosyne ( the Goddess of memory) birthed these nine ethereal water nymphs and I guess you could say they each had an auric gift to give to the lessers, us human beings, when were in search of some inspiration. I'm not going to list them all here. Their names are barely pronounceable, and of course, I had to look them up just to figure out how to spell them. So, if you're a writer, a dancer, a singer, a poet, or a comedian, you might want to check out the history behind this Mystic Art...

CALLIOPE: for Epic Poetry

EUTERPE: for Song

TERPSICHORE: for Dance

THALIA: for Comedy

Those are the four fun ones, but the other five are just as fun. There's a muse for astronomy, history, tragedy, and hymns; I'll leave a link below where you can go and check out the article. It had me wondering, though, where are the muses for the photographer, the Artists, the actor?

I realized I had one that has been a part of my ComposingEye Studio since December 2018. His Name is David...David M. Angelo. When I was studying Light and couldn't afford a model to sit (especially if I was working late into the night), I needed a Muse. I went out one bright and sunny December day and He called out my name, "Suuuuuusaaaaaannnnn", in a whisper barely audible to the human ear. While in this shop of mannequins and munchkins, from upstairs to downstairs, from room to room, there he was right in front of me, sitting on a pedestal ready to be used and I took him. He was mine!

But what about the Artist, the Actor, the Filmmaker, the Writer of great fiction? My challenge to you, my creative friend, is to find your Muse and create your life every day. For now, I leave you with a picture of my muse, David.

The Link Below

Krewe of Muses: the article

"Life can only be understood looking backward,

but must be lived looking forward"

~Soren Kierkegaard

JANUARY BLOGS 2024

Be That...Wear The Hats!

Author: Sdowns January 24, 2024

What do you call a person who has many different interests and creative pursuits in life?

Unfocused. Confused. undiagnosed ADHD? Actually...there is a real word for it. And if you go by this definition of people saying, "Oh, they don't know what they want to be"... well, give yourself a giant pat on the back because there are a few real words for your condition and you should be damned proud to be one!

MULTIPOTENTIALITE...yep! That is a real thing. Look it up. So, my question to you is: Are you a writer, producer, director, graphic designer, marketer, musician, and poet all wrapped up in a box with a bow on top? Then let's pop the champagne bottle, my friend because you have gifts to give the world.

Multipotentiality, however, can be very overwhelming and very draining, but it can also be very rewarding. Still, how does this creative potentialite make money? This is where the hats come in. This is when organization, attention to detail, and discipline play some pretty major roles. The trick is, not to trick yourself.

First and foremost, you are a self-employed entrepreneur and freelance business owner! Along with your many skills, you have one business wearing many, many hats. I know it's boring to take care of the bills, the taxes, the invoices, and the fees, but these tasks are important. If you have to physically put that hat on in the morning and hit your studio door, your writing room, your dance studio, your office; do it and do it well. Build your solid business foundation while being the creative.

Before I go on and on, which I definitely could on this subject, I'll leave you with a wonderful example of a POLYMATH:

Research my favorite all-time Artist- Leonardo Da Vinci (A Renaissance man); a Multipotentialite. Da Vinci was an Artist, an Engineer, a Mathematician, a Scientist, and an Inventor! So, take that world, put it in your hat, and pop it on your head. When someone laughs about you being a 'jack-of-all-trades...master of none- go find yourself a niche'... you can snap back, laugh, and say, Thank you! I enjoy being a Multipotentialite and walk away. That'll leave 'em thinking.

REGISTRATION IS OPEN!!!

Calling All Artists

Author: Sdowns January 20, 2024

Here ya go! Got something to show, share, sing, or even dance about, ArtOmatic is your garden. For their 10th Anniversary, I participated in ArtOmatic and it was a wonderful experience.

From finding my space to building it, to promotion and marketing, and of course, spending a day to volunteer, I was able during the run of the show, to get prints sold, and acquire commissions. Don't sleep on this!

Registration is open now for their 25th Anniversary show (my how time flies!). March 8th through April 28th, located at 2100 M Street NW in Washington, DC. Click the link below to sign up right away!

ArtOmatic

A contributing Writer to the Creative Cafe. Terns told me that this started out as a short story and has blossomed into its own.

A local writer in the DMV area and a hater of all things social media, but in Terns own words, "I'll eventually have to put myself out there and promote and it seems social media channels are the only ways to get eyes on the prize!"

I am told that "Windows" has a part two. Creative Cafe would love to host your series...Write on, my friend!

~~authors' bio, editorial, and photo added by susand.

Author: P.D. Terns January 20, 2024

THE space was unknown to others, yet engulfed a chest of treasures. There were pieces of eight and of great things to come. It was changing on the inside; there was a building of the new: New thoughts, new ideas, new feelings, all while clinging to the originality. Waking up to slivers of sun through a window, not sleazing or slumbering into a new day, but opening up to all possibilities. Let them unfold, someone said, Let them free! And, as the light grows bigger, the work still goes on inside. A feeling of never getting enough done, knowing you’ve made progress by the results in stone, yet not quite connected to the thought that it is a job well done. The movement of time is slow. The hands of the hour clock sometimes get stuck and time then becomes a thought: “What time is it?”

Slowly, but determined, the day wields more great eights and staring blankly out the window, it all still looks the same. Nothing has changed on the outside, really, nothing at all. Winter is still cold and summer is still for new lovers. The leaves change color, the Sun turns into the Moon and the clouds still move across the blue-gray sky. Now, moving forward...can sometimes be missed. There’s lost time and sleep time, that ultimate escape; there’s wasted time and time spent waiting. There’s start time and times when you can’t get started; quiet time, me time, down time, short grieve time (lest you lose my time), and that ever knowing time for mending…

Looking out of the window, it all looks the same. Yet, the passing of time is happening right before our eyes, unbeknownst – only by the tree that grows bare and is born again; known only by the garden whose fruit now bares flowers.

It is known, but not by the time missed.

The house that grows up around you is the window and so as you look out, the others will look in. They will see more than you ever saw out your window. They will tell you good news and may envy you in the end, but they are still outside looking in your window.

Take this day and everyday to say, “This is no day like any other.” And mean it. The pace may not be fast enough, but it is steady. It actually holds more focus and the purpose gets stronger. The window gets bigger and than transparent and before you know it, that little picture in your mind is your life.

Ah, but there are still sweeter windows beyond….

Boost Your Creative Morning!

Author: Sdowns January 18, 2024

You can't win (well, you could!) the morning without a good laugh; or a great piece of music. Maybe an uplifting motivational video, but how I do it: I try to find something funny. Something that makes me laugh out loud. It gets the endorphins pumped and the blood moving. Then I'll do all those other S.A.V.E.R. things. You know, the steps that get you out of bed and start your morning rituals. The water, brushing your teeth, the exercise, the shower, the meditation, the reading, etc. Whatever floats your boat.

However, I've found that a good laugh at something as soon as you open your eyes works like a charm! One of my faves is the award-winning performance by Matthew McConaughey in Wolf of Wall Street. Check out the video below.

McConaughey should have won some kind of award for that performance, although he did win Best Actor in 2014 for the "Dallas Buyers Club" ... "Alright, alright, alright!" Well deserved, sir.

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