Category: Art Journey

It has, as the old saying goes, been a bit of a day!

We’ll skip the early morning tree surgery next door and move on to the the fact that I had a massage appointment today. First time in 3 or 4 years! Part of the healing formerly scared muscles plan in Sunday’s not-quite-as-bizarre post.

This adventure occurred at home as I haven’t been driving much lately. (The whole brake thing feels really tricky!)

Fortunately, my new buddy, Jessica, had a Newfie when she was a kid and was thrilled to meet the official greeters. They, of course, were thrilled to meet her.

We did the brief history of all the scars, the allergies, and the positioning challenges with Phoebe sulking outside the door because there wasn’t room for her and the massage table.

Then, complete with aromatherapy, bird music, and some insights about Intentional Creativity®, I was reminded why massage can be a very good thing.

THEN, for reasons completely unknown, we wound up locked in the room where we’d been working.

Yep, locked in!

I didn’t even know there was a lock on the door.

Texting Bill brought no immediate rescue attempt from the basement and Jessica had more appointments scheduled.

Fortunately, there’s a drawer in that room with an odd collection of household tools that don’t have another place to live.

Hammer and screw driver in hand, I managed to get the hinge pin out of the top of the door. Bill arrived about then and somehow forced it open.

And, yes, I’ve already notified Greg, the fix-it-wizard, that his list just got a bit longer.

Here’s the thing, though, amidst all the weirdness.

While we were working, Jessica asked me about my girls and I told her that since the first moment I found out that the first granddaughter was on the way, my life has been changed.

Changed as in, I have two granddaughters growing up in this world and it could use a bit of work.

These days, more than a bit.

So, I had a chat with my Grammy-Sister-Art-Buddy, Hobby Parent, and, as part of our plans for Saturday’s workshop, we’re going to squeeze in a bit more really useful information and reduce the price.

You see, Saturday is the first anniversary of Congressman John Lewis’ passing, after serving 34 years in the US House of Representatives (D, GA-05). Lots of concerned Grandmothers, Elders, and other wise people are planning events across the US to encourage some Good Trouble, Lewis style.

And our workshop, Healing the World… starting with the Ones You Love is Good Trouble with paint!

Our kids… especially the teens and young adults, are facing unprecedented challenges and way too many of them are not making it. We can help. So, among lots of other cool things, we’ll be learning the three most crucial I am… statements we can help our kids learn. And we want you to be able to join us.

That’s the reason the new price, which is even lower than the early bird price was, is $134 for one or $234 for two.

Here’s the challenge!!!

I don’t know how to make the price change in the checkout process. I’ve emailed Veronica, the tech-wizard, and she’ll fix it as soon as she finds out I’m messing with the world again.

For now, CLICK HERE to read all the good stuff about when and why and what you’ll need. Share this with a friend. Maybe wait until Thursday morning to sign up. I promise we’ll make the money thing work!

Comment on the post or email me at suesvoice@gmail.com if you need help.

Our kids are counting on all of us. And Good Trouble is a good way to be!

ps… That’s Phoebe, up there, right under my feet, helping with the webinar last week. (Complete with toe licking!) She likes to help. And she’ll be sad if you’re not there! (Yes, I’m that committed!)

I have a rather bizarre story for you, today. One many of my medical and therapeutic – type buddies might actually declare, “not the way we’ve always done it”!

Frankly, I do too.

A year ago I finished my Motherboard certification which translates into Certified Intentional Creativity® Coach.

This was a journey which involved a whole bunch of a thing called MetaCognitive Drawing, as I learned it from Shiloh Sophia McCloud and a talented team of folks open to new things.

The operating definition is something pretty close to thinking about something while moving a pen and watching the pen move.

The process allows one to notice things which are “beyond” our day-to-day patterns of thinking.

There’s more, but first, a pause for a bit of history.

If you’ve been reading along for a while you will no doubt have noticed that I have rather more frequent than optimal challenges with joints and muscles and pain.

I won’t bore you with the details except to say be kind to your knees! I will say that I’ve spent a bunch of time, energy, and money trying to get things to hurt less.

Things have been different, lately. (Which is great if you’re into optimism… and not so good if nothing much is helping.)

Then, while working on some workshops about helping the teens and young adults we love, especially in this pandemic-impacted moment, I had a new thought!

I did such a good job of sheltering at home – read that isolating – that, in addition to not catching Covid, I lost a good bit of muscle strength. (Not that I had a whole lot to spare in the beginning…)

That new thought led – as new thoughts often do – to a few more new thoughts with a batch of questions tagging along.

I wrote out, like a story, what I was experiencing. I looked a bunch of things up online. (Really!) I called my doc and made an appointment.

He listened. And didn’t laugh… even when I explained that I had come to the conclusion that my muscles were afraid.

We checked some wild card things out and adjusted a few other things and made a plan, last Monday.

I called a dear friend and got a referral for a massage therapist.

Somewhere along the line, I mentioned to a Grammy buddy and Motherboard grad from this year, what I had realized about my muscles being scared. We did a short review of all the surgeries and falls, etc., etc. Then she offered to wander with me if I wanted to do a bit of MetaCognitive Drawing to see what else I might learn.

I did!

You kind of had to be there but here’s the punch line. After drawing a me out of a bunch of spirals, I was feeling way more hopeful. Then, I knew. I need to be as patient and hopeful and compassionate with my muscles as I was with Luther when he came to us so abused and terrified and then lost his vision. I needed to see me with my heart, just the way he sees the world.

Time out for tissues. For me.

And an update.

A med shift Mark and I hatched up is helping. My new massage buddy is coming to the house on Wednesday. (She’s an artist, too, and loves Newfies!) And, she’d heard of Intentional Creativity®

It turns out that, before Covid, she had plans to go help an old friend of hers with an IC retreat in Mexico.

My response was an immediate, “Emily Grieves”! And I was right. Emily is an amazingly talented IC sister.

Que the chorus of, It’s a small world, after all!

I can’t wait to see what happens when I explain to my new buddy that my muscles have been scared and my goal is to help them be less scared…

For this moment, back to workshop planning… you’re invited!

And let me know if you’d like to talk about drawing yourself a miracle…

ps… That’s Luther in the glimpse of my 2nd Legend painting, above.

pps… Many, many thanks to Gail Simon Darlington, Red Thread and Motherboard sister, extraordinaire!

Well, the good news is that Luther survived the warm-up fireworks last night without the need for CBD oil! For a guy with his history of abuse and trauma, that’s right up there in the land of miracles.

If you’re new around here, WELCOME! And Luther is the guy on the left, sporting the collar that reads blind dog. His sidekick, Phoebe, is – blessedly – the prize winner for chilled out Newfie.

Chilled out is exactly what we need around here, today.

Folk music marathon on YouTube. (Well, when I’m pushing the buttons!)

A huge meatloaf production project for dinner with lots of leftovers for the freezer. (Our version of fast food.)

Bunches of videos and worksheets in prep for a meeting to start bringing my Grandmother Quiz to life. Stay tuned!

Probably some more consultation with a new – and extremely talented – artist, face to face with her first commission and a really big canvas.

A couple of loads of laundry.

All of which is to say that we’re not likely to win the award for observing 4th of July traditions. And there’s part of me that is missing the fried chicken and potato salad that were dependable parts of this day when I was a kid.

Fortunately our friend, Josh, who owns The Corner Pub, is planning to observe National Fried Chicken Day which is, apparently, a thing that happens on July 6th. We’re planning to help!

For today, though, a question. It’s not an easy question. It is one that helps me focus, especially in times like this. You already know what it is.

I have a new answer this year.

Healing.

Yep, healing.

Wherever and however we can.

And right now, in a world of many things I can’t much change, my plan is (Wait for it!) ART.

Well, not exactly art, but INTENTIONAL CREATIVITY®. The process of using our whole beings to envision that which we need or were born to express or to teach.

And, very soon now, you’ll have a chance to join in for one, or two, or all three of the experiences my IC Sister, Hobby Parent, and I are busy creating. In fact, you can click HERE to find everything you need to know for a free webinar designed to deal with HOW that healing happens!

For this moment, our prayers for you are peace, freedom, dignity, and whatever else you need to do what you believe. Blessings, Sue, Phoebe, and Luther

ps… If you know any cool folks who relate to the Grandmother Archetypes, Hobby and I would be thrilled if you’d share this with them. They’re invited, too!

What was your first job?

Mine, other than babysitting, was working for the vet, which I adored, but it was only a summer gig. Then, being a camp counselor. (Also seriously seasonal.)

The summer before my senior year in high school, I became a part-time cashier at the local Publix store. This was back in the dark ages when cash registers still had mechanical buttons and math was required to make change. (Really!)

I used to entertain myself by seeing how fast I could ring up 8 packs of sodas and the bottle deposit.

The absolute worst part was inventory. And, yes, I mean with pencils and clipboards.

Bars of soap and jars of baby food were the worst possible assignments.

Soap made me sneeze the whole time and trying to re-stack all the little glass jars inevitably led to a mess on the floor. Somehow it always seemed to be strained peas or chicken mush. Aaaaaackkk!

You are, I imagine, wondering what triggered this stroll down memory lane.

Well, I’m shop-keeping again!

This time, art, which is way better than soap or baby food!

It’s going to take me a while to get used to the new system, though.

I tried. Bill tried. We made some progress. Veronica helped!

There are, however, a few things still to work out!

There’s a hint of a coming special collection of art by Gloria Venuh, MATS, who was my Intentional Creativity Intern this past year and is about 97 kinds of seriously talented! (Not to mention about to start her PhD in theology and art!) There are, indeed, more to come.

They should be there later this week!

And, I’ll be adding more and more items soon. Including more coffee mugs! (Very cool!)

There’s is a pretty, purple poster edition of the Grandmothers’ Manifesta, just in case you know someone who needs a gift or some moral support.

But, having resolved my meltdown over wanting it the way I want it, and convinced my inner critic to take a brief vacation, we’re open. I’m so hoping you’ll visit!

Also, if you missed Wednesday’s blog with the invitation to get a free, printable pdf of the Manifesta, just click here!

Here’s the thing… I really believe that this is part of my way of making things better for my girls and for all our littles! And that reminds me of a quote, sometimes attributed to Michaelangelo:

Art will save the world.

I hope so. At the very least, I think it makes us more fully human and that’s not a bad day’s work!

Thus, a new class, coming soon.

For this moment, feet up and prayer scarves. This one is dark blues and greens.

Whether you’re new here, or have been part of the family for a while, thank you! It takes a village to spread the word. And the images!

ps… Rule one of blog posts like this is to give people only one link to click. It’s a challenge but I’ve been working on it. However, today is an exception and, since you’re a bright and capable being, I’m going to trust that you’ll figure out what works for you and not give up.

pps… If you know where the studio elves are hiding, Phoebe and Luther would be grateful if you’d send them, please. It’s a bit hard for them to help paint, just now!