A Moment's Reflection to Help Me with My Manifesto...

So as much as I would like the words to just flow through me and on to paper, I am at an impasse.  I'm not sure if its because I'm not ready to adhere to a set of rules that I want to live by the rest of my life, or I just don't have the creativity to come up with something profound and thought provoking... awe inspiring, that I HAVE to live my life that way.  I think, as I learned at The Grove today, that I have to make myself vulnerable. Vulnerable to who? Myself? Probably...So I think to truly write a manifesto to the depth that I want to write it, I think I need to break down the parts of my life that have been the most difficult and trying or fulling and happy, and draw from those moments and figure out how I got there or how to not go back. 

A particular time I can reflect on my life was not only happy but trying, when I graduated from college.  How did I do it, with everything that I had going against me, how did I manage to graduate from college?  When I decided to go back to school in 1998, I was 27, with a 5yr old. I needed 88 credits and 9 years had already passed from when I left high school...the dreariness had set in...it would take forever.  But something hit me when I went back...probably seeing all of the 18 year old's with thoughts of careers and their future in their heads...and I was already in my future...with a 5yr old.  There are some fortunate and unfortunate circumstances that I was in during the time I took to graduate...one thing, I was on welfare...poor, poor, poor. I had section 8, food stamps and almost free child care. But had I not been on section 8 with only having to pay $60 a month for rent, I wouldn't have been able to go back to school full time. Had I not received food stamps and almost free child care, I wouldn't have been able to take all the classes I did at one time.  I lived on $190 a month and financial aide for 2 years...(I cant even imagine now). So some of my unfortunate circumstances allowed me to make fortunate decisions. I pride myself on the fact that I finished 88 credits, graduated with a 3.0, volunteered at a domestic violence shelter, while single handedly raising a 5yr old by myself...in 2 years.  Originally I wanted to graduate before I was 30, and then with the new millennium coming upon us,  I wanted to be apart of the first graduating class of 2000.  I lived and breathed school, taking 16-21 credits at a time, one semester going to ASU and Rio Salado at the same time because ASU wouldn't approve my taking more than 20 credits one semester. I finished my Bachelors degree in Justice Studies with a minor in Family Studies (when I was 29!)! Graduating was euphoric...I did it!

Reminiscing about those tough 2 years has definitely provided me more inspiration for writing...as I'm coming up on 40 years of life and how I want to live my life for the next 40...those 2 particular years will definitely provide me with the additional insight and motivation to finish my manifesto by February 11, 2011. 

Looking for Help in Writing My Personal Manifesto

I am beginning to write my personal Manifesto. I am hoping to have a true draft of it before the end of the year or at the very latest end of January, with a final draft by February 10th. Writing this manifesto is something that I want to live by, and adhere to, not only do I want it to be serious, but lighthearted at times. I thought about how I can make this more unique, so I’m going to add a special component to it.  My manifesto will have 40 points mostly in part due to my celebration of my wonderful 40th birthday next year! I would also like my manifesto to have within one of 40 points, 40 subparts. Those 40 subparts will be a task that I will complete in the 39 proceeding days to the 40th one, which will commence on March 22. So my personal 40 day journey should start on February 11 and end the day I hit the big 40...which by the way is the new 20!  I have so many ideas, and thoughts that I want to incorporate into this manifesto, but I would really like some feedback from you, my fellow relatives, friends, yes, you the reader, for some suggestions for my 40 subparts.  Don’t be shy...let me know, I’d love to hear from you!

Fable of the Porcupine

 It was the coldest winter ever. -  Many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realizing the situation, decided to group together.  This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions even though they gave off heat to each other. After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth. Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. This way they learned to live with the little wounds that were caused by the close relationship with their companion, but the most important part of it, was the heat that came from the others. This way they were able to survive.

 Moral of the story: The best relationship is not the one that brings together perfect people, but the best is when each individual learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire the other person's good qualities.

My Favorite Photo of My Son

This picture was taken of Jaysen as he was sitting of the very edge of a cliff at the Pebble Beach Golf course's 18th hole. I love the color of the ocean, but more so Jaysen's fearless perch and his looking out there seeing who knows what.

My Love of Fonts

I dont know if this goes along with my mother's talents, as she used to be a graphic designer many years ago. I remember the sheets and sheets of rub on fonts that she had...and these days, well, all you do is change the font on your computer. So the other day I was writing and decided Im going on a "font hunt" because Im just bored with Times New Roman and Courier New...so I found these great ones, and I want to share...because Im a sharer...LOL

 Vilvaldi--how can you not love this font...its soooo beautiful! Especially if you have Vs, Fs, Es Bs,S,s W, X, and Z in your name!!

 Fiolex Girls-perfect for girls and you would want to have lots 

        of iiiiiiis in everything you write, like it, is, if, in, LOL...   

      Curlz MT-another perfect font for us gurlz!

                  Jokerman-playful              Matisse-artful

 Orlando-doesnt this make you want to 

go to ft. lauderdale?

QuigleyWiggly--Im feeling Australia and Koala Bears here

Neurochrome- fast cars 

& motorcycles...

There are thousands and I mean THOUSANDS of fonts...I found one site that had 10,001 free fonts...FREE...but ya know...I grew bored of looking at all the fonts - Tall Pall

But if Im feeling playful or artful or if my story feels extra girlie or Loving... if I want to emphasis Travel or unique places, I will add the extra touch of a specializing the fonts for theatrical purposes!

I WANT This Rug!!

In almost every room of my house I see my mother's creativity...by her hand, or by the inspiration Ive gotten from seeing her own home...or maybe it is deeply running through my veins, and its my own creativity! I think all three apply!  It was funny because about a year ago, she had walked into my apartment and was in awe of how I had my apartment decorated. I took that as a compliment! Now, I dont now about you, but my mother has this innate ability to turn a shack into a home that could appear in a Phoenix Home and Garden spread...which of course that magazine is the very reason Im writing this blog today.  The November issue has a simple photo of an entry way  as seen here...and I saw the rug that I have been searching for and I was like, I WANT THAT RUG!!! Well guess what...thats not a rug you can buy at Target...oh no, its an antique rug...doesnt even list a place to buy one similar to it, or how much it costs...just "antique rug." Grrrr...Im thinking how great that very rug would look in my small little entry way on my wood floors with my touches of Auburn, Sienna and Burgundy that are incorporated in the pillows, wine canisters, blankets and mirrors. That rug would go perfectly...sniff sniff... But now I find myself thumbing through PHG and saying I want that, I want this...and I have a Target income, not a PHG income...what to do, what to do.  So I want to find some quaint little antique shops, peruse the shops in Scottsdale and Cave Creek to find a rug like this one...but I think Im going to be out of luck...but what I love most is how I feel connected to the talents of my mom when I see something unique and know that we would love the same thing!