That’s OUR President!

I have never in my life bothered to watch a single snippet of an inauguration ceremony for a president, much less spend my entire day with a friend and a box of Kleenex doing so, but that is what I did yesterday.

Today I am adding www.whitehouse.gov to my links on the right, because this government OF the people, BY the people and FOR the people is already worth reading about.

It was a slightly sobering thought to realize that for the first time in my life, with this the 11th President under whom I have lived, I am older, by 2 years than the President of the United States. Yes, he’s one of our youngest presidents in history, but still.

I don’t know what this is all going to look like and I think a post I saw after the election by Garrison Keillor expressed it extremely well. He said:

“”A toast to the Obamas as they enjoy a brief, golden moment before beginning the grueling business of disappointing their followers, astonishing their enemies and doing what is right for our country.”

I’m still looking for my part to do. I am thinking that it is mainly in writing this blog, teaching IAM Meditation and The Work of Byron Katie and being available to people who believe themselves to be suffering and showing them a different way if they want one.

Peace of mind is ever-present. All we have to do is turn our attention in that direction.

Love, Ann

Artisan Scholar Comment to Priest Scholar and Priest Scholar Reply

Had this exchange today with a very dear Geek friend who wrote a computer script for me to streamline what would have been a very tedious manual process. 

I feel it sums up something that happens often between Artisans and Priests or, in other terms, Geeks and hmm . . . Therapist/Preachers:

I sent:

“That was kinda the whole point of the script/macro:  I don’t want to look at what it’s telling me, I just want to click “Next.”

Thus spake the Artisan Geek, with good humor:

*snark on*
I know.  Pushing one extra click in the process is so much work.
*snark off*

Thus replied the Priest/Therapist, in kind:

*preach on*
Now, now.  I know that for some reason you at least disdain and sometimes despise those of us who don’t just thrive and jump for joy on the intricacies of “how things work” but simply want to follow instructions so that we can shine in our own forte (whatever that may be – other than the art and science of “how things work”), but that is one of those Glorious Differences Between People of which you are so fond.
*preach off*

Love, Ann

The “Artisan” Experience at Home

“Artisan,” as used in this post, and most of this site, means one of the seven “Creative Energies” outlined by Larry Byram at www.higheralignment.com and in the “Compatibility Factors” in the Pages of this Blog.

You know, I’m all for Artisans and the Artisan Experience, and usually it is just the antithesis of what I most crave in my socializing. I go looking for conversation with like-minded others in groups of 5 to 13 or so. Classrooms and discussion groups are actually my favorite venues for socializing.

My home, however, is Artisan Heaven.

Drew is my roommate again, which is fabulous. And for a few weeks, Cricket has been staying with us and is likely to be here a few more.

They are both Artisan Scholars.

So, what do we do with our time together?

Well, mostly, we don’t.

Drew works nights. Cricket isn’t working right now. I usually work 8-5 M-F. Drew and Cricket are more Night Owls, and I’m a Morning Person. Drew and Cricket somewhat live as thought “plan” were a 4-letter word. Hmm, guess it is. Me? I like to plan ahead mostly. I generally tell others what I’m doing and invite them to join me. Err, they don’t.

Drew watches recorded Dish Network TV. Cricket rents lots of movies. I don’t watch TV and it’s unusual for me to sit through very many movies in a year.

So, tonight is truly unsual. We are all doing the same thing – separately.

Drew is over there in the “Dark Room” * in front of his 50″ HD TV watching recorded err. . . . something like CSI – with his wireless headset.  Cricket is next to me on the couch in the “Green Room” ** watching a futuristic sci-fi that looks a bit too violent for me on his laptop with a headset.

Me? Well, in solidarity I am going to listen to iTunes while I type up this blog, then I’m going to play a movie of my own on my laptop.

Hmm. What to watch?

Love, Ann

“But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked.

“Oh, you can’t help that,” said the Cat: “We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”

“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice.

“You must be,” said the Cat, “otherwise you wouldn’t have come here.”

Alice didn’t think that proved it at all.”

                                                     – Lewis Carroll

 * “Dark Room” is our name for the portion of the living room with the black leather couch & loveseat and no windows.

** “Green Room” is our name for the portion of the living room with the dark green hide-a-bed sofa and dark green velvet loveseat.