My Trip - Sacramento

Sacramento Capitol dome

When my little brother, Mama and I went through Sacramento on the way to UC Davis for a Public Speaking Contest, we made a quick detour to see the State Capitol. The architecture was breathtaking. It reminded me of how great artists were once revered, encouraged and most importantly funded, to do what they did best: create.

Mama at Capitol staircase.

In a time of cheap labor and fast deadlines, nothing great will ever be built again, unless someone begins to take an example from the Medici family and start funding the Leonardo of today. Otherwise, there will be nothing left of us but the rubble of quickly put together plans of today, which won’t be worth remembering tomorrow. We are in the dark ages and if you don’t think so: look at the Sacramento State Capitol and name one thing that has been created in this century that can even remotely measure up. Even the stair rails are pieces of art!

Wooden bear head staircase decoration

45 ~ Shinedown

 Hey, I'm back!
  I have decided to start off with a video about depression (no nothing is wrong, it's just the way I roll.) I really enjoy the symbolism in "45" by Shinedown. Everyone has felt those moments where your life has gone in directions that you never planned they would, and no matter what you do it goes from bad to worse. The key to making it through those times is not to give up, I know, easier said than done. It's good to listen to songs like this during those times, it lets you know you're not alone in feeling this way. You're not the only one "staring down the barrel of a 45".

Shinedown

 Here's the link to the video, enjoy:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L9xMkiPJeU

Disney Therapy

Me at the White Rabbit's House
Disneyland Resort-California

If you’re feeling really up tight, you just need a Disney break. If you live near a Disneyland resort, I strongly recommend getting an annual pass. If you don’t live near a resort, then don’t be bashful and dig up some old Disney videos and watch them. Smile, laugh, and just have fun with wonderful Disney.

  I’m going to be going away, without any access to a computer, so I’ll be back by Sunday, I think, but I may not be in the mood to post. See you by next Monday for sure! Lots of love.

Inspiration (Story)

The artist stared at the blank canvas as she had been for the past hour. Occasionally she would pick up one of her brushes, and then would debate what paint jar to dip it into. Then deciding she didn’t wasn’t the brush she had first chosen, she fumbled in her helter skelter pile of brushes before choosing one more to her liking. Picking up a jar of the lightest grey with determination, she dipped in only the very tip of her brush. Then gazing at the canvas again, decided to apply a little more paint to the brush. After all of this fuss, she returned to her prior employment of staring at the canvas with not so much of a whisper of an idea of who or what image to begin to create on the empty canvas.
So many possibilities, the canvas was the empty universe, and she was god, she could do anything, create anything she wished. She had the instruments, the power, and yet she could not bring herself to think of anything worth taking the time to create. To have all the power and being unable to come up with a subject was quite the conundrum. It would have been comical, if it weren’t so frustration.
What she needed was the first building block to begin laying the foundation of creativity and that was inspiration. Inspiration could come in so many forms, she knew this, and yet she came up with nothing. The numerous subjects for the painting, and the endless ways of getting an idea for the painting are so plentiful, that it seemed impossible that there should be a lack of an idea. Yet, here she was with nothing.
An empty canvas, making her the artist: a failure.

A Collection of Death Stories

I think I’m finally ready to write then send out some query letters for “A Slice of Life Death”. I’m usually nervous at this point in the process, but after receiving so many “no” and non-replies from other agencies on my other books that were, in my opinion, so much better than this book, that I can’t even work up the energy to get nervous. I’ve decided it’s just not worth it. That’s not to say, I’m not going to give writing my query my best shot or anything like that. I’m just not nervous anymore; I’m not giving up either, so that’s got to be a good thing, right?
If anybody knows any name for agent or publishing houses that publish collections of short stories, let me know with a comment on my blog and that’d be great! Thanks!