Blogging for blogs

For the past couple of days, I have been googling for blogs that mention The Artist's Way and then, contacting the owners of the blogs if I find some inspiration in what I've read. I've already contacted two amazing women that have been kind enough to share their interesting lives with the world and as a result, have caused me to look within at some of my own personal interests and desires.

One of the women was kind enough to create a blog entry in response to my question of "how she found her path". Here is her url if you are interested in hearing her story:

http://www.juliehimel.com/blog

The other individual sent me a nice little message, thanking me for reaching out to connect with her. Her gratitude brightened my day (and I felt a bit like I had just received an answer to fanmail). Stacie's blog can be found at:

http://stacied.typepad.com/schmoopy/

I absolutely love the advent of blogs... (I guess, it's the voyeur in me - I hope that's not creepy to admit). At any given moment, you can enter another person's world and read about their joys and sorrows; what they're eating or wearing; what they love or loathe; where they work and where they play; how their little part of the world looks; their favorite recipes; what they look like; what their cats are up to (please note: I will instantly click off any blog that has pictures of cats on them or photos featuring their canine companions dressed up in Hallowe'en outfits or any outfits, for that matter!) and just about anything under the sun!

For me, the blogs offer a source of inspiration... to see what others have created or what they're currently working on; words of wisdom (or to heed by); finding creative ways that I would have never thought of on my own and just connecting with others who are passionate about their craft/life but still vulnerable enough in their everyday lives that they are still human.

Caveat emptor: It's addictive, as much as it is inspirational. Make sure you leave a little block of time to indulge... It can be as intoxicating as reading a good book - hard to put down (but not as easy to carry to the bathroom).

The Artist's Way

I am absolutely in love with Julia Cameron's book, The Artist's Way, and wanted to spread the word about this amazing book.

With the basic principle that creative expression is the natural direction of life, Julia Cameron and Mark Bryan lead you through a comprehensive twelve-week program to recover your creativity from a variety of blocks, including limiting beliefs, fear, self-sabotage, jealousy, guilt, addictions, and other inhibiting forces, replacing them with artistic confidence and productivity.
This book links creativity to spirituality by showing how to connect with the creative energies of the universe, and has, in the four years since its publication, spawned a remarkable number of support groups for artists dedicated to practicing the exercises it contains.

I love the way "Chris" described it in the Amazon.com reader's comments, "I read and began working my way through this book a few years ago. Before I go on, let me first say I am somewhat of a skeptic. I think we all are to some degree though or we wouldn't need things like brand names to reassure us in our everyday lives.

It was no coincidence that my creativity began to transform like a tidal wave at the time I was working through this book. In fact, I had been supressing it so much through daily distractions that it was too much for me to handle at the time. My creativity has since reached a nice medium and I finally feel ready to bring this book back into the process.

I decided to read the other reviews for fun. I am not at all suprised that their is a lot of cynicism. Everything has an equal opposite, that is a fundamental law of nature. People are entitled to their opinions and there is no specific thing in this world that appeals to everyone.

I just find it ironic that one of the biggest stabs at this book is "well I shouldn't have to do exercises to be creative, I should be spending my time being creative instead." That point has some validity to it, but if that was the case than why did they turn to a book about creativity in the first place. Even the greatest artists cannot be inspired all the time and lose their path through life from time to time. On top of that, if you compare the art and architecture of the Roman times and music of the past to today, you can see a pattern of things becoming more and more formulated. We need inspiration at this point in evolution.

This book will bring out your inner self if used properly and if you are cynical and negative, you will probably return here to make a point of it. If you are open and creative you may very well begin to channel that energy the way you need to. "

Sweet

Mmm... I am in love with Ginger Chews! They are sweet, have bite and are oh so, delicious! They are my latest obsession of the "sweet"!

Established in 1984 and still a family-owned-and-operated business, the Ginger People have factories in both California and Australia. They are proud to be the only Australian company which specializes in sugar preserved ginger and crafts with a product line of unparalleled quality.

Please visit their website at http://www.gingerpeople.com/index.html for more information.

This is what Dolly from Tucson had to say - "Dear Ginger People: I first found your ginger chews at a store in Tucson. They do not always have them and I was disappointed. Then, I was visiting my old neighborhood in San Francisco and found them at a local market. I went crazy to see them there and bought all they had available. Back in Tucson, I found them again. It was only then that I noticed you had a website where I could order and I also found to my delight that you have other similar products. I just love anything ginger, and have also grown ginger in a pot and like it in tea. Thank you for a great product and keep it coming."

And thank YOU, Dolly, for such positive feedback. (Yeehaw)

In celebration of Spring... and Ryan Gosling

Seems like the last time I posted, it was Winter and now... glorious Springtime! (Yay!) It hit 19 degrees today in Toronto! How sweet is that?! My only fear is the return of the dreaded raccoons but that, my friends, is another blog... Today, I've decided to celebrate one of my latest obsessions... Ryan Gosling! (Gosh, it almost feels illegal to say that!) If you haven't already seen the movie, Half Nelson, I highly recommend it.

Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) is an eighth-grade history teacher in an inner-city school deep in the heart of Brooklyn. He eschews the provided curriculum in favor of off-the-cuff, but deeply heartfelt lectures about the importance of understanding history, rather than just memorizing it. He speaks primarily of dialectics, the tensions between two opposing forces. He is torn between his desire to change the world and his increasingly desperate realization that he can't, at least not in the grand, awe-inspiring ways that he envisioned as an eager, idealistic college student. He started using drugs as a way to escape the pain of life, and it has turned into a crutch that bears increasingly heavy loads of psychological weight. (Written by alfiehitchie)


Broken Social Scene - "Stars & Sons"
Video by StellasAntics