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Today I got to see the most amazing house... and I am totally in love with it. It definitely needs some work... but I can completely see myself living happily there for years and years to come.
Problem is... our house is not ready to put on the market... and so-- we would have to fix it quick... and then it would have to sell quickly... and it's December. Yah.
Of course... conversely... maybe it's just a great thing to know what you want...

And so... in the meantime... I am re-starting the process of cleaning out our current house. Re-working some of the stuff we have... but also... listing lots of stuff we really don't need.

...And lighting candles in the hopes that the perfect house will find us... exactly when we can get it.

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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(photo by Elaine A. Russell)

I often have very vivid dreams. As a kid/ teen/ young adult... I often had premonitions that came to me in my dreams. This came to an abrupt end; when a close friend passed away in a horrible fire...

just as I had dreamed only a few hours previously.

And so... as a result... I tend to have these very vivid dreams...

but they fade from memory almost as soon as I wake up. Gone. Lost.

Last night I actually remembered part of a dream... probably only because I was relaying it to my daughter as soon as I got up. It revolved around talking to this guy about art. I was in this pagoda type building... in a park... talking to someone casually about art and having this as my "calling." For some reason... I had 3 dogs with me *2 of which are dogs that I had in the past who have since passed on*... and my little Sabrina. All of the sudden, there was some chaos in the park. A "gang" of people had come to the area; sporting a cheetah on a leash. They were scooping up several roaming pets and dragging them off to a nearby house... drugging them... and letting them back loose as "sport" for their cheetah to chase and kill. I immediately began frantically searching for my dogs... focusing mainly (ironically?)... on Sabrina... the one pet who is in actuality... still alive. Finding her in the clutches of one of the people trying to drug her ... I smashed into the house... fearlessly punching 2 guys in the face, not even frazzled by the snarling cheetah... and rescuing my puppy.

I woke up in a cold sweat.

Relaying the dream... my daughter remarked that I seemed focused on the scary aspects of the dream... the cheetah... the fear of losing my dog, etc. She instead, seemed interested in the symbolic interpretation of me talking about art as my "calling"... and "punching" any nay-sayers who may be dissuading me...facing imminent failure... or harm... to rescue myself and those I love... for a lifestyle I wanted. I never saw that coming. But I think she is right.

Sometimes, as with the dream... it is all a matter of perspective. So...

Change your view... realize your potential... spread your wings... and FLY...

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---------> photo by Elaine A. Russell


I am trying to think positive. Some days are harder than others to do this. Part of the problem is that the swamp cooler has been busted for a couple of weeks... and I don't tolerate the heat very well. Part of the problem is that my studio space is a mess... and I don't feel especially motivated to clean it up in the heat. Part of the problem is that I feel like a failure... because I had to cancel my participation in so many shows this year because of my parent's being sick... and the unpredictability of traveling back and forth to PA.
I need to focus on what I can do...

I have been fortunate this year to have been published several times in the Alibi newspaper... and even got a cover shot in April. Then... I was blessed to have been included in the 365 book *see link to the side*... and this past week I found out that one of my photos is going to be included in the August issue of "Artful Blogging" magazine. I am really grateful, and completely excited about this...

Things never pan out exactly like we think they are. I thought this year was going to be all about local shows, and instead, it seems to be more about publication. So... I am trying very hard to stay positive and go with the flow.

In what ways did something go awry... that turned out to be the best thing for you?