Artist Dates

Thanks to a chance encounter with a book, The Right To Write, written by Julia Cameron I can publicly admit that I’m a writer. According to Julia “we should write because it is human nature to write.”

While reading The Right To Write, I learned about Morning Pages, Weekly Walks and Artist Dates. Morning Pages and Weekly Walks have become part of my daily life. The last tool I have adopted is the artist date. Julia says the artist date is to nurture the creativity that is within each of us. I am getting into the habit of taking a weekly solo expedition to do something that is just plain fun.

Last week I went to a furniture store to look for ideas. I will be moving within the next couple of months and will need to outfit an apartment. I was looking for ideas. Yesterday it was a visit to Troutdale, Oregon, and a visit to the many shops in the downtown area, including the gift shops and the antique shops.

Now it’s becoming fun to plan my future dates. Sometimes it’ a visit to a museum, sometimes a special store. On other dates I have gone to parks. One of my favorites is a visit to Oneonta Gorge and Falls in the Columbia River Gorge. The best time to visit is a summer weekday at around noon. Getting to the falls requires wading up Oneonta Creek. I enjoy looking at the awesome power of mother nature.

Try having an artist date. If you don’t think of yourself as an artist, call it something else, just get out and experience new things. Explore your community.
It’s Friday and I’m off to the Portland Garden Show.

Just A Random Thought

I’m bothered by all the senators and congressmen who say they support our troops, yet they deny funding to the programs that support these very troops.

The Veterans Administration is under funded and the very veterans they claim to support are being turned away everyday.

The Labor Department, with a major veterans training program, is left to languish on a continuing resolution. Funding for state level training programs have been cut to 40%.

The states have been stripped of vital equipment with no replacement in sight. They have important missions at home that are being compromised.

If Congress really supports our young men and women, then lets fund the Veterans Administration to 100% of their needs. Not a single veterans should be denied benefits.

The Labor Department needs a budget and the Veterans' Employment & Training Service (VETS) should be funded at 100% of their needs. Not a single veteran should be turned away because of a lack of funding.

The state National Guard units need all their equipment replaced in a timely manner.

Finally we need to show our active duty men and women that we really support them. We can not afford to pay them what they are worth, but we could make a step forward by eliminating all income taxes (federal, state and local) on our men and women in uniform. Several states have found they can live with taxing retired military pay, why not extent the exceptions to everyone?

With fully funded training programs our veterans will more than make up the lost tax revenues. At worst, the Air Force might have to give up one bomber or the Navy a couple of ships.

It’s time to write letters to the editor’s, your senators and representatives. You may not support the war, but show the troops that you support them.

Living Treasures

While surfing the net I came across a reference to the living treasures program in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Check out their website at http://livingtreasures.kxx.com/

According to their website Living Treasures is

“…a simple concept of honoring those in communities, schools, or the workplace who make a difference. Honoring those who serve as models and mentors--those who provide quiet inspiration with their hope, heart and wisdom. "Living Treasures" are the folk heroes who live among us. This special distinction is a community's gift to a beloved elder and a gentle reminder that we all need more Thank you's!”

I have always been bothered that we wait until someone is gone before saying thank you. The people of Santa Fe have found a way to say Thank You while our heros are still with us. They offer a free workbook designed to help other communities create a Living Treasures program. Every community should be honoring their local hero’s. How about starting a committe in your community? I will let you know how I'm with introducing Living Treasures in Sandy, Oregon.