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Once upon a time, there lived a little girl. More than anything in the whole wide world, this little girl wanted to be loved. She searched many, many foreign places for love. She kissed many toads for love. She loved and she loved and she loved. The more she loved, the harder it became. Her tiny little heart was fading. Layers and layers of molten skin were binding her. Finally, the little girl exploded. She began lashing out at everything and everyone in sight. Bolts of lightning were striking all she touched and did not touch. She began to spin out of control. As she spun, rings and rings were spinning off of her painting the earth. Many colors began flying throughout the air. Suddenly, she was naked. She looked into the water and there, she found her love. Now, to find the prince…

Friday, March 26, 2010

Choices

From: Dan

2005



"In the theater of life we have our choice of roles to play. Some choose a role that they are well suited for and they play it well, for that reason, or sometimes just because they are able to play most any role well. an all round capable actor. Others are drawn to a particular role, and some insist upon choosing the same role every time. If the play that the director is presenting doesn't have a role of the sort that they prefer, they prefer not to play at all. For some of those more selective sorts of actors, that's not a problem, they have other things to do besides theater anyway, so they do something else and wait for a suitable role to be available. But some actors believe that the mask they wear in the theater is actually their face. If no role for them is cast that day they run out and play scenes from a play that features their mask in the street. "Hey, Hey! Stop your car! Watch this play! You are in the play too. Say your lines back to me!" At times folks are amused by the theater being played at an off stage location. But just as often they are annoyed by being presented with a play at a time and place which they were not given a choice about. Their contribution to the theater (choosing to witness) was ignored, and it feels irritating to be used and interrupted just because someone else can't get their mask off, or take a break from acting.

I have a tendency toward being one of those obsessive type of actors. I really love playing "the artist" and most everyone agrees that I do a pretty good job of it. I signed up for the lifetime, 24 hr-a-day version of the play...and since I live in the theater, most of the time it works out ok. Occasionally I notice that I am overplaying the role and that it isn't necessary for my character to be onstage all the time. I love the role, but I know that the mask is not my face.

Even tho I've made my choice, and I'm happy with it, every day the directgor lays out all the available masks in front of me and gives me my choice. I really appreciate that. I've noticed that some roles are not offered to me at all....and it makes sense. Some guys, for instance, are masters at playing women....I saw the Japanese maser, Tamasaburo, play a woman's role in the Kabuki theater in Tokyo. My Japanese friend leaned over and whispered to me, "they say he is more woman than woman is." I couldn't do that well....I don't have the right kind of nose or hands for it, and besides, tho I can appreciate the mastery, the role doesn't appeal to me. No I like ""artist."
Why do you want to choose "victim" all the time? Your emails sound as though you have no choice at all in life. As far as I'm concerned, Bob has nothing at all to do with what I write to you. I simply don't understand why you seem to like playing the victim 24/7. Drama can be fun....but a high histrionic level is a bit overwhelming on a daily basis. No there's nothing I can do to make people want to hear "the truth."

Spreading Love


To endure this love

the magic from above

tingles in my toes

all the way through my nose


To endure this beauty

eyes seeing

body feeling

moves through and about


To endure this magic

my heart sings

through birds wings

closing my eyes

seeing

the magic of life

expressing

undressing my mind

holding dear

all which is near

the blades of the grass

without glass

lasts

the divine

dancing

every time

round and round we go

to and fro

Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Man With the Secrets


Death all around

standing its ground

the man with the secrets

surrounds


Living a lie

living a truth

which mishes and meshes

to make it unruth


Hail falling down

storms darkening from above

yet

death

is the one

who

suffers from


They say to live is to die

They say death is a rebirth

what in the hell are they trying to say?


Consciousness

awareness

totally understood

a flower is born

it blooms

it dies

the petals fall upon the earth

only to return

to mother's worth


The man with the secrets

is only a man

one amongst many

who won't stand take a stand


Beauty is found

by the grave the next day

the truth was a lie

so they say


The man with the secrets

is only a man

let the truth sing outloud

and perhaps to stay


Life is how you see it

or perceive it

but it is this way


The man with the secrets

lets the dead die

and

finds

a

better

way

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Story


Date: 2/25/2005

From: Dan



"I did focus on this to bring it to your attention...not because I thought you didn't understand it, but because it is unusual...at least to my experience, and I wanted to be as clear about why I think its important as I can, for my sake as much as yours. I hesitated to use the term "inner voice"...because these things can have such different meanings to different people, but I think you know what I mean...and I do think that there is a reason what we are sharing is taking place in the realm of the word. (and that the music and images are helping clarity to come about.)

I wasn't sure if this would work, but I entered into it hopefully...and it does seem to be working.



Maybe it would help for me to tell a little story about something that happened last spring...just as I was starting the ballad work. It would be too complicated to explain why I happened to be over in the mountains of eastern KY....way up a remote holler at the edge of night, near a waterfall, but there I was.

And I was very glad to be there...I seldom have time alone out in the woods, so I was relishing the moment. I was actually "on assignment"...I took a freelance job writing a tour guide to the national scenic byways of E. KY...and the design studio that I was working for had equiped me with a digital camera so that I could catch some images, which might be of use in the book, or would give clues as to where we needed to send a professional photographer to. I don't own a still camera (I do work with video at times.)....maybe in part because I have several freinds who are professional photographers....or maybe because its a medium that I like what others do, but have no interest in doing myself. If it comes to making a still image, I'd rather paint it. Anyways, it was very unusual for me to have a camera with me.

And I knew that it was a "smart camera"....all you had to do was point the thing and it would focus, adjust for the light, etc....so you WOULD have a photo of whatever you clicked.

There was a point when I realized this...and immediately thought of bigfoot (that's a whole nother story set out in the Pacific NW.) and of how some people are always trying to catch a picture of something no one has every captured...like a ghost, or the loch ness monster, or bigfoot, etc etc. At that moment the thought came into my head, very clearly,,,what I would call the "inner voice"....its a type of knowing that guides me in making art....usually its something pretty mundane to most people...like "put the line THERE." or "use the dark red now." etc....this time it came in the form of a question and a proposed agreement or promise, which was, "If you were to see something truly amazing while you are wearing that camera around your neck, would you have enough restraint to not attempt to take a photo of it, whatever it might be....because....unless you now agree NOT to attempt to photograph any such amazing thing, it is a CERTAINTY that you will not see it....whatever it might be. Do you agree?" And I did agree. And I did see something incredible....which I cannot talk about.

I know that's sort of a maddening story....but the point is that there are some interchanges that require certain parameters to exisit in. Maybe its just a willingness to practice self-discipline that matters...I don't know. There are some things that we just have to accept.

As to the fear factor, you have to decide that for yourself. Even tho you've told me something about how you got to here, I don't know your vulnerabilities, and that is probably very important to this process. That's why I'm adamant about keeping this on the straight and narrow, at least until I understand something of what's happening. I've missed some great opportunities through haste before....to the point where you'd think no more opportunities would appear to someone so thick-headed (dumb, in a word.)....but I'm still, as of today, lucky...(blessed!)"

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Stranger With A Name


Earlier this week, I had planned on taking a day off and spending some time with my daughter, Beth. The night before, she had 6 teens over - 4 males and 2 females. Only 1 female was staying all night. Only 1 male was a stranger with a name. He had came with one of the other males. They shot pool, conversed, listened to music. I went to bed around 10:00 p.m. 2 males left around 11. 1 female left before midnight. The other 2 males left around 1:30 a.m.




When I got up the next morning, my cell phone was missing. I went to Beth's room and asked her if she knew where it was. She said, "no", and went back to sleep. 2 hours later, her and her friend got up. Beth's cell phone and IPOD were also missing. I called the police. Beth told me one of the males wanted "more" than she was willing to give. She also told me they had spoke about stealing and how she had told him that she thought it was wrong to steal from people you know. (Immediately in my mind, I wondered if she thought it was ok to steal from a stranger. I didn't ask.) I asked her if the male brought up the conversation of stealing. She said, "no, I did". Anyway, she fell asleep listening to her IPOD. 2 males and 1 female were still in the house. A little after Beth fell asleep, the 2 males left. The other male - his friend - tried to get ahold of him to tell him if he returned the items we would drop the charges. He has not been able to reach him. So for now, it's in the hands of the detective.


After talking to the police, we went about our day. It turned out to be a really, really good day. Towards the end of the day, I talked to my son in Colorado. He had spent part of his day in the emergency room - once again. He was found on the mountain unconscious and bloody. He had crashed on his snowboard. Thank goodness he is coming home for the summer.


I remembered a few years back when my son left for NC for a visit. We had argued (don't recall what about now) before he left. My daughter left the same day for Chicago for a middle school trip. That same day, I had accidently left my cell phone at work for the weekend. When I got home, my land phone wasn't working either. That weekend, my son got hit in the face with a golf club. He ended up in the emergency room. He called and called and called me. No answer. Poor guy - he thought I was still angry with him. My daughter was suppose to call me when she got back from Chicago so I could come pick her up. It turned out - my land phone was working right before she got to the school. This time, when my son was in the emergency room - he did not try calling me. When he got out, then he called and I got that call.







.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Spelunking

Acrylic on Canvas 18" x 24"
My daughter Beth had originally planned to spend spring break in Destin, FL. Those plans fell through. Instead, she found herself in a little town called Shelbyville - spelunking. She told me it greater than Destin could ever be. Her and friends slept inside the cave. She said the caves went on for 6 hours. I told her I wanted to go but she said, "no, they are hidden caves - they belong to the hillbillies - undiscovered". The energy she brought home with her was amazing.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

News


I watched the news last night...among other things, but, what really got to me was the news about an evangical preacher...Scott Lively...went to Africa to preach against gays. Now, it seems the government there wants to make it a law against gays. Yes, hang, hang gays. Oh my god. It is so unreal. No wonder I rather live in the unreal world which, of course, to me, is the real world. It makes me want to just throw up my arms and say, "fuck it". Ok, preachers are telling people how to feel, and who to feel it with. Again, thank goodness, Dan rescued me from all that whig wosh. Be and let be.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

"Love

She planted the corn
It came from within
Drippings on the earth
Fields of love
Take the magic
And give the gift
Rise above
On bended knee
A prayer of gratitude
For all to see





is essential but so is freedom"...my favorite quote from Dan. I keep thinking that all these men who proclaim their love for me....that perhaps I could keep one of them...yet, as fate has it...am only in their lives for a reason...that reason being...sending them on their way with a touch of truth. "Love is essential but so is freedom". Doesn't hurt like it use to. Yet, the love which lives inside of me is a greater love than I have ever known. Realizing how much "time" it took to find it was a "bigger" love. I take myself back to that point in my life, remembering how empty I felt at that time. Time. It isn't empty at all anymore. It is amazing. I am doing what I am bornt to do. Loving. Not for myself, yet for others to find themselves. How much joy can that bring me? Loving another so they can love themselves. Yes, I was blessed, if that is the right word, with being loved by another just for pure love itself. Life itself is hard. (yea, another word that meant so much to me in my search for passion.) Sometimes loving yourself can be hard. But by accepting your imperfect self as being perfect...then it makes life a little easier. And yes, I do enjoy making others' lives easier. I do enjoy making a difference in someone else's life. That is what I do. Gratitude, humility, love. At the same time, I enjoy being human. Finding that "true love". In that search for "true love", recognizing what true love is. And that is in "being human". And yes, I am only human.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

The Boar Hunter: Kamapua'a Cyber Art


Once upon a time, that hand wounded my heart. Inside that hand held all my secrets. But not. The secrets were in my heart. It was a heart full of love but full of pain. How can one love and yet hurt so badly at the same time? If one looks closely inside the hand, the secrets are exposed. Love is not to be given away sparingly. It is not always one's job to heal everyone. This woman has learned through that "healing hand" the meaning of love. There is a rainbow, along with the humid heat, and most deliciously - after discovery of the golden nugget - a moonbow and that is where the sacred waters shall flow - patiently waiting for nature to shape form as the wind blows through the trees - forever strong and courageous bending to a higher power...becoming one with one...

Hunting

"Beginnings - Natural Light"
Acrylic on Canvas 16" x 20"


Recently met a "hunter". He only kills what he eats. Another friend asked me "what attracts him to killing". My reply was, "family tradition - how he was raised". This subject took me back to 2006 and Dan.

From: dan
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2006

"Hiding is deliberate concealment engaged in to gain an advantage, such as protection from a harmful or unwelcome attention, or a destructive force. Hiding is also an aspect of stealth, one of the skills of a successful hunter, again, it is a maneuver of concealment aimed at gaining an advantage, and it may be enhanced by the use of a deception or camoflage. This is ancient and it precedes human knowledge by aeons. Like any activity it can be utilized to preserve life, or destroy it. In the case of hunting, the activity that precedes eating, it both preserves and destroys in one act. (it is a common lie that plants or animals willingly give up their lives to become our food.) The Yorubans call this Ogun. Or in the ballads, John Henry.

Not revealing, is a decision to retain rather than disclose information. Such a decision may have a number of motivations, or may be the result of no motivation at all. Humans are under no reasonable compulsion to reveal "everything they know," and most people are incapable of revealing much in a meaningful way. Someone once told me, "you don't have to tell everything you know." They had asked me why there was an echo on the phone when you talked to someone in China, and I explained to them the speed of sound waves and how bats use that principle to orient themselves and locate their prey. Too much information.

In the tea ceremony one refrains from revealing as an act of humility, in the hopes that it will be perceived as a gift to the person one is serving, to give them a quiet space for their sense of peacefulness to develop in, understanding that there can be charm in half light, that the magical world of imagination is nourished not only by what can be seen, but especially by what is not seen. It is a gift of space, and time. This happens when a person has the inner discipline to take care of their own needs well enough that they have energy to spare, and to share, with another. One does not draw attention to oneself in the tea ceremony.

Wisdom is not just having information, or revealing it, but practicing discernment in its use. Knowing when revealing is welcome or useful, and when it is not.

Igor Stravinsky, my favorite composer, set these words to music late in life:

"For what a man sees, why does he yet hope for it?"'

The substance of things hoped for;

the evidence of things not seen; is faith."

And our Lord is a consuming fire.""

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Stories...

Again, the man from GA. I told him I hoped he finds what he's looking for...

From: %%%%

Date:
Tuesday March 02, 2010 at 7:05 pm
Subject:
Re: Re: hey
hello am very glad to see you reply and would let you no today that we do something in the name of something which is love....i hope you understand me....i wil pretty tell you more about me.....I am a good matured man, with the sense of humor and ability to understand and except other
people thoughts even if they are different to mine. I can be a good husband and a caring and loving Father. I value family and relationships between the members of the family.I like traveling, love nature and animals. I like to spend my time in the open air, being with my friends and I enjoy minutes of happiness and joy. When relationship is building on Love, respect, faithful, understanding,friendship, and we can discuss anything and share a lot! I am a romantic,sensitive man with a sense of humor and kind,loving,devoted heart and soul..I amiable to love and surround the loved ones with my love and support.I like to make people happy and to be happy with them.I am not afraid of giving and always appreciate what people give to me.I can keep and value the harmony of the relationship and friendship with anybody. I am a good friend to my friends and a good person to talk to.You will never get bored with me because I am fun to be with.I do not drink and do not smoke. I want to have a strong, My future partner must be a serious , clever and responsible woman who is able to love, respect and appreciate man as a personality, who is able for sincere , loving and tender feelings, who is able for honesty and devotion towards beloved man. I am looking for a woman who is able and who wants to build and keep the harmony , happiness of the relationship with a beloved man. I am looking for a woman who really wants to have a strong relationship withal man - Her husband. The woman must have stable , good financial position to take necessary care about his future life. I don't want a simple Wife but I want a Wife in shape of my best friend who will share all her problems and we both sit and solve it who will make me happy and i will give her all my loves& respect which she want from me. I really enjoy a good conversationalist, and I love weekend get always,I'm understanding not judgmental,compassionate,romantic, I am happy with myself for who I am ,as I hope you are with yours, just be you, and together we can enjoy one another. I got your words and it really impressed me so much, well, I just wanted to let you know the kind of person I am, I am a manthat is in need of real and perfect love, I need a woman that can take methrough Having someone that loves you and supports you in your life through good andbad times and wont give up on you is what I am looking for. Honesty and trustare what makes a relationship work. I prefer to watch a movie or attend thecontract meeting rather than read a novel. Hobbies and Interests Astrology,Computers, Cooking,
Family, Home Improvement, News/Politics, Poetry, Shopping,Traveling... I'm looking for a woman who Is warm, loving, attractive,easy going,supportive, someone that can reach out to you, and you reach out , giving that "genital hug", that "tender kiss", and a "warm smile", and just saying to one another "hey baby how was you ! as you already know as you can see what I wrote, I am a romantic and perfectionist as well. Please Remember, I need real love...i don't play games and i ain't ready to be played,IF You are interested in me ...let me know pleas I like for my mate to have some the same interest I have,I would like for her to be warm as well, I will set no limits on one, for that is to me something two should talk about, of there likes and dislikes, I always feel that
two should come together as one on anything In life that you want to do, or even talk about,communicating is a good thing between two. I will know her when I meet her, for when I look into her eyes, as I become intoxicated with her soul, is warmth, and the touch of her hand's, yes I seek that "phenomenal woman", who wants a good man to love her,and is able to love me back, a woman who knows how to treat a man with respect, as i would treat her with the same.

----------------------- hceragioli wrote
Sorry, I am not a god fearing woman - why fear something who loves you.



I get tickled at alot of the email I receive so I decided to post a few. The first one here is from NY, NY but he is currently working in Nigeria....He continues to send me poems...





"From: %%%%

Date:
Wednesday September 02, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Subject:
hello deary
The thought of you makes me smile the thought of holding you makes me weak I try so hard to understand theses feelings I'm having for the sweetest woman
I don't really know you, but I'm willing to take a chance just to hold you and kiss you and maybe one day call you my woman.i browsed through your profile and my heart told me you are the woman of my life.my name is %%%%% ,am searching for the right woman on here.a caring,honest and lovinging woman.i will like you to add me or give me your yahoo addy so we can know each other better.........................If I could have just one wish,
I would wish to wake up everyday
to the sound of your breath on my neck,
the warmth of your lips on my cheek,
the touch of your fingers on my skin,
and the feel of your heart beating with mine...
Knowing that I could never find that feeling
with anyone other than you.
................................here is my addy......%%%%%.....hope to hear from you soon
lots of hugs,
&&&& cares,smiles."



And then we have the god fearing man from GA:





"From: %%%%
Date:
Tuesday March 02, 2010 at 9:53 am
Subject:
hey
Hello am &&&&, am divorced, from Ga in usa, am 40years of age and work as a professional contractor and a car dealer,I am an easy going clean person,honest and truthful and god fearing person,i need someone with true love and care,honest,and God fearing woman that will love me for me and be with me forever and clean my tears with her true love,honest and While going through the sites today, I came around your profile which I personally find interesting and charming so i decided to drop you few lines just to say hi,I am looking for a long term relationship in a woman of your kind who understands the need to love and be loved. I have taken time to see the age difference between us but this isnt within my choice of age range and I have no problems with that. love dose not ask why but never explain( whao) i love that,, I sincerely find you attracting for what I have read so far in your profile and I will like to know and hear more from you. Included here with this mail is my email address through which you can reach me, &&&& i will waiting to read from you."



And I responded with, "Sorry, I am not a god fearing woman"; and then received the following email from Ghana (I get quite a few from different boys in Ghana):





"From: %%%%

Date:
Tuesday March 02, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Subject:
mom
How are you doing today and how is home and work. i hope all is good and great with you and the family and i hope all relatives and friends are also well. i am very glad to came across your page and it really sound cool for me to drop you this mail to tell you little about myself.
Well My name is %%% I am a Hard working Student in the junior high school and On the Bases of personality,i have a Good and Strong sense of Honor GOD Fearing Person , Friendly, hate lairs, Good Humanity ,Loving ,kind , Honest , Truthful , Respectful and friendly open mind person have much Rectitude Much Faithfulness ,Sincerity,much fidelity and many more. i want a good friend with the same Attitude i am having .
Actually I am a person who find it his deep pleasure wanting to have a good Friend Globally As you know Friendship Plays a good Important and Vital Role in knowing. What i mean is that We can Learn Much about Each others Country and much things in Genera. i hope you are a good person with high dignity and so i promise to Spend Good time with you. I Want us to Build a Strong and good Everlasting Friendship.
Am really very Interested with much test to make you as my Dearest friend. I want to make a good and Everlasting Friendship with you and to lean much from you Or share much with you and to tell you much Interesting things i know and maybe more then i know. Thank you for giving this mail the maximum time it should deserve and for the glory Concentration. It is therefore about time for me to stop here. i will be very glad and even more than grateful and feel so Impressed if you can take me as your Friend . I will really appreciate that even more than my family will do. I promise to tell you much about me after i got your Reply soon. bye for now and take a good care of your self and the family stay blessed.
Your Newly Friend..%%%%"





Stories...we all share them. Some are just picky with whom they share them with.

Story