Inspiration

Artist Date – Part 2

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Admittedly, I had to go to this location for an appointment, but moseying around town and taking some pictures, which I love to do, was my Artist Date.

This is the very charming little hamlet of Frenchtown, the river town just south of the one I live in.

There are several such river towns dotting the Eastern side of the Delaware River – we are the two northernmost.

Frenchtown abounds with small, unique shops, and plenty of good places to eat, get coffee, ice cream, pastry, and much more.

I obsessed a little over these two dogs, and took quite a few photos of them. But, hey, it was my Artist Date, and my chance to do what I love.

The Artist Date

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It’s the weekend. I have chores to do and a few other things to catch up on, but what about tomorrow?

Maybe I’ll take myself on an Artist Date, I thought.

What is an Artist Date? It’s one of two basic artists’ practices proposed by Julia Cameron to inspire creativity. The other is The Morning Pages. She introduced these in her 2002 book, The Artist’s Way. (She also has many, many more ways to get your inspiration moving.)

The Morning Pages is a daily writing exercise, three pages of stream of consciousness writing done in the morning to kick off your day with inspiration.

But the Artist Date – that asks a little more of us. Ms. Cameron asks that we take ourselves somewhere each week – by ourselves – for a block of time to “nurture our inner artist.” The cool thing about the Artist Date is that it can be anywhere – take a few photos by the river; people-watch in town; go to a museum, gallery, library, some special shop; take pictures, sketch, read, or just watch. But go by yourself.

As we are creatures who seem to be always facing schedules and tasks, taking that time for ourselves, and BEING by ourselves, may be a bigger ask for some than you think. Or maybe not. You just may love it.

Pictured above was an Artist Date I took in Clinton some time ago. I realized that I have a perfect opportunity to take myself on a date this coming Tuesday, and so I shall. Stay tuned.

Learn more about Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way and get ready to be inspired!

The Song that Makes You Cry – #2

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Do you have a song that moves you with only the voice or the instruments themselves? Forget the lyrics and any emotional attachment for the moment … just what you hear from a voice or instrument(s).

The vocal in this song, Epiphany, sung by Jin of BTS, is so hauntingly beautiful, that just the beginning notes set off a quickening in me and an anticipationm of tears.

The lyrics (English translation in CC), are also beautiful – a song about the importance of coming to love oneself in order to be truly able to love another. But Jin’s vocals/tone are what move me, all on their own.

Do you have a song that moves you like this?

BTS is a South Korean “boy” band of seven young men with phenomenal musical talent and a devoted global following. Their music is generally defined as K-pop, but also includes pop, hip hop, rap, and R&B.

Photo thanks: vahapdmr/Pexels @nextgrafik

Poetry – Day 30

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Today is the last day of National Poetry Month. We leave quietly with a poem by Mary Oliver.

Photo: Leeloo The First/Pexels

Today

Today I’m flying low and I’m
not saying a word
I’m letting all the voodoos of ambition sleep.

The world goes on as it must,
the bees in the garden rumbling a little,
the fish leaping, the gnats getting eaten.
And so forth.

But I’m taking the day off.
Quiet as a feather.
I hardly move though really I’m traveling
a terrific distance.

Stillness. One of the doors
into the temple.

Mary Oliver, 2012

Searching for Books

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Are you a reader? Me, too. Sometimes it’s challenging to find the time to read, or sometimes to find the right book for the space we’re in. That can be a tough one.

But then, during all the deliberation of what I want to read at the moment, comes my county’s huge annual book sale. Last year, they had 60,000 books available, in every genre you can imagine.

The only way to do this is to come with a list and try to stick to it, because inevitably there will also be a book by an author you love that you hadn’t thought of; a copy in brand new condition to replace your old, beat-up paperback; or maybe you’ll just want to take a peek at the art section. Or maybe at the cookbooks. Wait – now they have jigsaw puzzles? (Yes, they do.)

The Hunterdon County Library Annual Book Sale is a dangerous place to go. Especially when you can come out with 15 books for $30 or $15, depending if you go Saturday or Sunday.

Last year’s very small haul ($4.50) – I went with a really tight rein on myself, as I’ve been trying to push books out of the house, not bring more in! Two of these were replacement copies – one for one of my top seven favorite books (The Art of Racing in the Rain). I read the rest, and am in the ongoing process with two, which are non-fiction.

What else is nice? Being in such wonderful company, where every person you meet is an avid reader, and where, depending which section you’re in, you can get solid recommendations and insights.

Making my list now ….