Donald Trump Is Just Made of Worm Shit Like All the Rest of Us

Anthony Atamanuil and James Abomian

 Until now I've refrained and yes avoided getting into the Donald Trump 'discussion' and brew-ha-ha. Because I find it all very surreal, and I'm sure like most people, was hoping and waiting for him to go away. But he just doesn't. The media is inundated with his obnoxiousness blow hard presence, and I am Trump tired!

Call it my coping mechanism, how I face the horrible, almost unbelievable fact that this man is running for president and that people are actually supporting him.  But I don't want to discuss all that, and so my other coping strategy is to use humour to divert my attention from this actual diabolical Donald and all it's seriousness, and just keep it light, funny and even a bit fluffy, kinda like The Donald's hair. I think that's a lot healthier, and well satire is a great way to diffuse all the Donald goings on, and keep the nausea at bay.

These two comedians, Anthony Atamanuik and Jame Abomian are exactly what the doctor ordered this morning while I was gulping copious cups of coffee, listening to the radio, contemplating my life and the serious state the world.

 I don't put my faith in politics or politicians, never have, never will. Three things that I take seriously is making sure I have a sense of humor, try to practice humility and a have love of humanity.

If Donald Trump was worth his salt, he'd know he's just made of worm shit like all the rest of us.

Donald Trump might think he deserves to be awarded for being in the lead.
This is the only award I'd be willing to give. My apologies to any of you sensitive types. I couldn't help myself, the Donald made me do it.

What's Your Purpose Over and Above Your Art?

Obama Visits Landscapers - Ramiro Gomez 2012

I first heard about Ramiro Gomez today on CBC this morning. He greatly impressed as a person who has found his purpose over and above his art. Something that is reflected in the subject matter of his work. Being only 29 years of age, and seeing a young artist who is so connected to himself and his identity makes me feel happy, hopeful and inspired.

The art establishment and the art world definitely needs more artists like Ramiro Gomez.
He is both humble, honest, with a deep social conscience, and his art work has great integrity.

Hope In Action

It the midst of so many problems throughout the world, plus natural disasters, like the wild fire in Fort McMurray, Alberta and in other parts of Canada, the knowing or perhaps not knowing, what to contributes to these events, may seem irrelevant to some.

First and foremost compassion is needed, putting aside all the political discourse and agendas, that will only antagonize an already disparate situation. After this, at some point, as human beings we do need and want to know why things happen. We try to either make sense of what has happened, needing to find some kind of meaning within these events.

It is essential that if we can know the antecedents or causes, then hopefully we can either find solutions or take preventative measures for a better future ahead, in being prepared so we can adapt. That said, hope alone is not enough. There must be hope in action.

Life can change and does change in the millisecond. Places and things can be replaced, but people can't. And what's most important in life, is our relationship with others and how we love our fellow human beings.

Educating ourselves, is key to change, so we can prepare ourselves as much as possible for dramatic change that we need to adapt to. Much of life is beyond our control and we can quickly drive ourselves crazy worrying about the people, places and things that we can't control. Learning to wear the world as a loose garment and to let go, is a very important life lesson, which I know is easier said than done.

Lately I found I kept coming back to a Ideas program I heard with journalist, social-scientist, and human rights activist Kevin Bales who wrote Blood and Earth. Frankly it shocked me, and would have left me feeling pretty hopeless if I hadn't heard his hopeful message of hope in action.

Mothers

My Mother - Sarah Helen Milner Meyers

Lots of holidays and occasions we celebrate we don't know their origins, and some mean more to us than others. Mother's Day is one of those particular celebrations that has significant meaning to many.

Many people are very grateful for having a mother, some I know unfortunately have not had a positive relationship with their mothers, and that's a sad thing. I am always so grateful that I found both my friend and mentor in my mother, and as the years go by, I become even more grateful and miss her deeply.

Mother's Day has become commercialized in many ways much like all the other holidays but when it does come around most of us do think about our mothers whether they are still living or have left this mortal coil. I am no different and it is the same for me, I am thinking about my mother today.

Today I also think of motherless children, and childless mothers who can find comfort in knowing there is a Great Mother like Demeter in search of her child Persephone, who always loves unconditionally, who watches over us, and is closer to us than our own heart, and we can aspire to be like her.

We all have memories of our mothers, and I hope your memories, are all good ones.

The Great Mother - Catherine Meyers - Egg Tempera on Porcelain Tile 2015

Here Come The Judge!

Sammy Davis Jr.

I think it's so important for artists to have a good sense of humour, because we can tend to take ourselves far too serious, especially when it comes to competion and being judged. Creatives are sensitive, possessing  delicate and sometimes fragile egos.

I've never been comfortable with competition of any kind, and I don't take it too seriously. I suppose some might say, well if you don't take competition seriously, maybe it's because you fear rejection. That may be true, but is any one fond rejection? I don't think so.

Especially artists competing creatively is frankly high up on the ick factor for me, and I think it always will be.
I realize there are some folks that thrive on this kind of stuff, and well I say each to his/her own, live and let live. I just know it's not for me. I also know there probably isn't anything I can do or say that will change the competitive art establishment. But that won't stop me from voicing my opinion about it.

For instance, there is nothing terribly wrong about entering, say exhibits where juries decide whether or not to accept your art work as part of an exhibition. I think it is good exposure and gives you an opportunity to network with others involved with art.  But it ends there for me, full stop.

I've always had disdain for the idea of artists competing. I've come to the conclusion I don't need that stamp of approval, asking someone's permission and even paying others for me to enter an art competition. It's bull crap in my opinion. And now I'll tell you how I really feel.

I believe Ann Rea who started Artists Who Thrive has the right idea. You can be part of the art establishment or the new creative class. You can choose to have an 'art career' or an art business.

A long time ago I opted out of the idea of having a art career, and opted in to having an art business. If my art sells then in my opinion this makes my work and my ability to create art work 'good enough'.

" Without stories and poems and pictures and music, children will starve." - Philip Pullman

Wise words from Philip Pullman, who received the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2005

  I have come to realize my mission and purpose as an artist is to advocate for creativity and spread the message about importance of the art and why children need regular exposure to the creative arts, just as much as any of the other basic necessities of life.

This isn't easy and seems to be a never ending goal, because unfortunately in the West creativity is not valued like it is other cultures and other parts of the world.  In Europe for instance, art is seen as vital to education, as the way to integrate academics in order to greatly improve learning, and to develop children in a holistic way.

Philip Pullman so eloquently and succinctly expressed his thoughts about why children need art when he wrote the following wise words for the tenth anniversary of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2012 .


"Children need art and stories and poems and music as much as they need love and food and fresh air and play. If you don’t give a child food, the damage quickly becomes visible. If you don’t let a child have fresh air and play, the damage is also visible, but not so quickly. If you don’t give a child love, the damage might not be seen for some years, but it’s permanent.
 
But if you don’t give a child art and stories and poems and music, the damage is not so easy to see. It’s there, though. Their bodies are healthy enough; they can run and jump and swim and eat hungrily and make lots of noise, as children have always done, but something is missing.
It’s true that some people grow up never encountering art of any kind, and are perfectly happy and live good and valuable lives, and in whose homes there are no books, and they don’t care much for pictures, and they can’t see the point of music. Well, that’s fine. I know people like that. They are good neighbours and useful citizens.
 
But other people, at some stage in their childhood or their youth, or maybe even their old age, come across something of a kind they’ve never dreamed of before. It is as alien to them as the dark side of the moon. But one day they hear a voice on the radio reading a poem, or they pass by a house with an open window where someone is playing the piano, or they see a poster of a particular painting on someone’s wall, and it strikes them a blow so hard and yet so gentle that they feel dizzy. Nothing prepared them for this. They suddenly realize that they’re filled with a hunger, though they had no idea of that just a minute ago; a hunger for something so sweet and so delicious that it almost breaks their heart. They almost cry, they feel sad and happy and alone and welcomed by this utterly new and strange experience, and they’re desperate to listen closer to the radio, they linger outside the window, they can’t take their eyes off the poster. They wanted this, they needed this as a starving person needs food, and they never knew. They had no idea.
 
That is what it’s like for a child who does need music or pictures or poetry to come across it by chance. If it weren’t for that chance, they might never have met it, and might have passed their whole lives in a state of cultural starvation without knowing it.
The effects of cultural starvation are not dramatic and swift. They’re not so easily visible.
And, as I say, some people, good people, kind friends and helpful citizens, just never experience it; they’re perfectly fulfilled without it. If all the books and all the music and all the paintings in the world were to disappear overnight, they wouldn’t feel any the worse; they wouldn’t even notice.
 
But that hunger exists in many children, and often it is never satisfied because it has never been awakened. Many children in every part of the world are starved for something that feeds and nourishes their soul in a way that nothing else ever could or ever would.
We say, correctly, that every child has a right to food and shelter, to education, to medical treatment, and so on. We must understand that every child has a right to the experience of culture. We must fully understand that without stories and poems and pictures and music, children will starve."

Physical Activity and Creativity

Wild Canada Geese in Apple River

Exercise for me all of my life has been an all or nothing deal.
It's mostly what determined my weight gain or weight loss.
What has helped me, has been finding activities I really love doing like dance, swimming, gardening and walking in the countryside, where I live along a tidal river and close to the ocean.

Learning about the physiological affects and effects of whatever it is I do, whether positive and negative, helps me to overcome some of my addictions and improve my health and well being.


This Spring I've been spending my days since April 21st walking with a neighbour every other day for an hour and a half. The challenge of chuggin' up a very steep hill is the hardest part, but once I get past that, the rest is a cake walk, without the cake. Give me pie!

Being very excited about getting out into the garden, on May 1st, I managed to  get digging, hoeing and raking for about 3 hours over two days, and got three types of peas planted. Who knew planting peas could be so demanding on the old bod'. I was walking a little funny after that. I'm good to go now, but there's still lots of gardening ahead, but easy does it.

It is my strong belief that physical exercise boosts creativity. I didn't know exactly how this works until today and it makes perfect sense.

I knew that approximately 90-95% of our oxygen is needed for our brains to function optimally. Breathing helps us to relax, which helps us to concentrate more effectively, and all our muscles work better.
But that's not what the really exciting bit is to know about. What is really affirming, is to know how exercise increases your creativity.

This is how it works. Physical activity focuses your mind on what you are experiencing in your body. That in turn allows for the subconscious to open up the imagination, and this is when ideas and problem solving happens.

When we exercise, the stress hormone, commonly known as cortisol, is flushed out of the body. Cortisol blocks the brains ability to function creatively, and to solve problems. Physical activity also causes the pituitary gland to release endorphins, which gives you that "runners high" feeling, or what I call the happy hormone.

Exercise helps to grow new nerves cells and synapses, resulting in the elevation of neurotrophins that also enables nerve ending growth, increasing oxygen in the blood which gives your brain mental energy.
Exercise changes your brain, and increases your creativity!

I find this information very affirming, inspiring and definitely motivating as an artist.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning's walk!