Ganesh

196:365

((( Om Shri Ganeshaya Namah )))

The blessing of being awake all night, is that I got to see the city at 3am... just driving around. I also was able to stop and take some photos... one of which became my photo for the day
(see link here ).
The city is truly beautiful at night. The lights are fantastic... the music in my car was great... and I had a wonderful time just being and enjoying the ride.
Sometimes you have to take those creative moments when you can.


*photo by Elaine A. Russell

getting it together ...

----photo of ganesha statue with digital effects by Elaine A. Russell

So -- it's been 2 months (roughly) since I left the gallery group I belonged to. On one hand, it probably doesn't seem like I've accomplished much. I'm not selling at a "brick and mortar" venue and making a steady income --- but I am also not working 40hours a month at a non-paying job.

I have opened 2 additional Etsy stores in order to organize my items to serve the customers on Etsy better ( I now have a jewelry and prayer beads shop, a store for just artwork and photography, and a store that has all my destash, vintage items, handmade scarves and baby blankets -- see new links).
I was in the Black Market Goods Grand Opening show, and have donated art pieces to charity.
I will be at the 2nd Annual Bolo Tie Show on Friday.
I am concentrating now on building up my portfolio and resume, as well as starting a website.

More importantly, I have spent more quality time with my family; and have almost finished clearing out my house and garage of extra "stuff."

I have also (finally) figured out my true artistic passions in life... and can now concentrate on being the best I can be at them. This narrowed focus is a gift... and a joy.

As a bonus: my son has graduated from (home school) High school.. and has enrolled in college.. and my daughter is able to concentrate on her artistic passions at our new studio space !

All in all -- although it's been a somewhat chaotic and confusing time, it has also been one of enlightenment and un-loadment (if that is a word).
Woot !

Calling on Ganesh

photo of Ganesh mural at Annapurna's Chai house down on Central. Photo by Elaine Russell

From Wiki ---"Ganesha (Sanskrit: गणेश; IAST: Gaṇeśa; listen (help·info)), also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh and also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most widely worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon.[5] His image is found throughout India.[6] Hindu sects worship him regardless of other affiliations.[7] Devotion to Ganesha is widely diffused and extends to Jains, Buddhists, and beyond India.[8]
Although he is known by many other attributes, Ganesha's elephant head makes him easy to identify.[9] Ganesha is widely revered as the Remover of Obstacles[10] and more generally as Lord of Beginnings and Lord of Obstacles (Vighnesha, Vighneshvara)."

I am whispering to Ganesh today... remover of obstacles. My son took some tests, and hopes to get into CNM asap. He will be 18 in a couple of weeks, so it actually complicates his entry as to whether he wants to be admitted as a High school student taking college classes; or if he wants to declare himself graduated from home-school, and enter as a Freshman. In order to do that, I have to:
  • Requested a release from Santa Fe ( he is homeschooled and needs and official paper )... called 'em
  • Declare himself graduated, and issue him his diploma.
  • Write him up a formal transcript of his schooling for the past 5 yrs.. ..doing tomorrow
  • Get his test results from the Accuplace testing to see what classes he can take... waiting results... he took the test today.
  • Take the TABE test (pre-GED )... and he did really well.
  • (optional) have him take the GED on March 23rd (next available test date)... maybe ?
  • Sign him up at Admissions, and have him take the orientation class... will do as soon as I recieve the papers from Santa Fe

In the meantime, he is surfing the catalogue to see what classes he qualifies to take based on his test results, and what classes he is interested in. The next official semester doesn't start for a couple months, but he can take classes as early as Feb 2nd for a short semester... if we can get his papers in order by then.
It's exciting, confusing, frustrating.. and lots of other adjectives I can't come up with right now.