I saw this sign at the East Jesus Artist Colony near Slab City just beyond Salvation Mountain near the Salton Sea. It feels so odd just writing all that because even when you are there, these places just don’t seem real. Its as if the end times came and this is what was left. Mad Max maybe, although I never saw the movie. It feels so post-apocalyptic, with people living in make-shift shelters, tents, very old, dilapidated RVs and vehicles and condemned structures strewn across the desolate country side. Yet there is life here.
This sign speaks to a spark that still lives, even here, at the end of the world (so it seems). And its hopeful, gentle words of inspiration speak to the heart and to the soul. The mind shall follow I would hope. Not sure I will go back soon, but I will not soon forget my little day trip to another world beyond my understanding. It is foreign to me, yet somehow familiar. ***** Street Feather Project is an organization that puts positive, artful messages up all over the world, planting seeds of love and goodness along the way. Their credo is "Because we still believe we can change the world with our creativity. Art for all."
1 Comment
Funny thing, the New Year isn't waiting for me to get myself in gear. It is already the 8th, a full week gone in 52. Once a week is a worthy goal, I suppose. I had hoped for more, but I can settle for that. The bottom line, I guess, would be to answer the question: if not now, when? I remember when I was in typing class in high school, (typing is learning by rote the keyboard of a typewriter and striking the keys without having to look striving for accuracy and speed. You may need to do a google search if you aren't familiar with what a typewriter is!), so, as I was saying, when I was in typing class, one of the drills we typed went: Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country. I remember typing it, sometimes when I didn't have anything else to type but wanted to practice. Another drill was the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. The latter was good because the sentence used every letter in the alphabet. I find myself wondering now if it would have been funnier to have a quick brown dog jump over a lazy fox? In any case, this came to mind mainly because of the "Now is the time" reference. And if not now, when? Can't repeat that enough. Now is the time, the only time, we have. We can learn from the past and plan for the future, but we can only live in the present. Really. So I am saying now, do it now. Sit down with your favorite writing medium and write. Doesn't matter what, just write. Eventually something will come of it. If photography is your thing, take pictures! In this day of digital image catchers as close at hand as our phone, there is no excuse. All mistakes and duplicates can easily be deleted. But you may just create a gem. Love to cook? Cook! Again, many mistakes can be eaten, leaving no evidence. Others are just comfy and cozy and feed the soul as well as nourishing the body. I think you are probably getting my point. I really hope I am getting my point. Living in the want to just doesn't cut it. Do and you will be what you seek to be, a writer, a photographer, a cook or a myriad of other things your heart may desire. Let your mantra be Do be do be do.... Enough said. Now do it! 1/1/2018 0 Comments January 1st, 2018It's 8:30-ish PM on this first day of the New Year. I had many intentions for the first day of the New Year. I was going to write letters, do a blog, hike up Rubidoux, so on and so forth. Well, while I didn't do that, I did get some other things like take down most of the outside holiday lights, dis-assemble the Christmas tree and go for a long walk with Miguelito. Then I realized I had wanted to blog and to work my pictures, etc. First chance and it didn't go according to intention. Well, not exactly.
I am writing this little blog about January first. It is the first chance of 365 in the New Year we call 2018. And that says it right there: we call it 2018. It is our call. It is really rather arbitrary. Time is what we make of it. And if we don't make time for it, well, that's on us. And so the big thing here is, what is it??? Maybe that is what this year should be all about. I'm very good at putting "shoulds" upon myself. Why not one that is to my benefit, my betterment, my self-actualization. It is a chance everyday to be who we are and do what we want to do. So maybe some days are meant for putting away the trappings of the holiday now over. It may not be exactly wrong to not get it right, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. |
Rob McMurray,
|