I've studied buddhism for many, many years. Perhaps someday I will write about how my first sips of this lovely way of living was spoon fed to me but today I want to talk about circles.
Please forgive my paraphrasing of this buddhist concept. I remember distinctly the day I read it while on the el in a book that was given to me (sadly the name of the book escapes me) it changed my life and that very day, I left to book on the train.
The story goes that our souls travel in circles until we reach enlightenment. Anybody who was significant to you in a past life will also be important to you in this life and you will always meet them again in all of our future lives. No relationship is a mistake, not even the person you brush on the street. (The Universe doesn't make mistakes.) These people may not always show up in the same incarnations (mother, sister, lover, friend, child) but they will ALWAYS be there. We need these people to keep working out our karmic bullshit with each other. It is also exactly why some people just immediately touch us, hit us right at our soul. Why those people feel like they are instantly on the inside.
It's because we've been traveling a long way together.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Pop Music
Oh how I love pop music. I mean, of course, I love pop music. Popular music is popular for a reason right? I've long held the slight (read: very) annoying stance that if a lot of people like something, I no longer like it. (read: I adored OKGO until they made it big). This is a shame and comes from this need I have to be "different". (I told you it was really annoying.)
So, I've loved this pop music thing. I've hit the classics - Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince, etc and then I moved on to what people are listening to lately and then there is LADY GAGA. Holy Mother of Christ, I love Lady Gaga. In fact, just in case you missed this phenomenon (because listen, I certainly did) I've posted 3 links to her youtube videos to catch you up. Watch all 3 and put a napkin under your chin to catch the drool.
So, I've loved this pop music thing. I've hit the classics - Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince, etc and then I moved on to what people are listening to lately and then there is LADY GAGA. Holy Mother of Christ, I love Lady Gaga. In fact, just in case you missed this phenomenon (because listen, I certainly did) I've posted 3 links to her youtube videos to catch you up. Watch all 3 and put a napkin under your chin to catch the drool.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Max is 3!
Dear Max,
I'm writing this letter to you on the blog I've created because this project has become a big part of our lives. Sometimes I'm not sure if you really know what's going on....Do you notice that you wear yellow or green or orange or blue everyday for awhile? How about the music? How do you REALLY feel about classical music? One of the greatest beauties of who you are is your amazing ability to simply take life in stride. You don't know what we are doing or where we are going but you are almost always o.k. with it. In fact, every day at some point you say to me, "I'm okay, mama". Yes, you are baby.
Although, you are not a baby anymore. You love dinosaurs, robots, cars, books, trains and soup. You are a big guy now who knows all of his colors and his shapes. You are a guy who can count to 13. You are a guy who knows how to unlock doors and put in a dvd to watch. In fact, today to celebrate your birthday we took you to your very first movie. Learning how to sit still is definitely something a baby can't do! This year it's been amazing to watch how quickly you learn. How suddenly you put things together. We are constantly surprised by the things you can say and do. I have a feeling that we will always be pleasantly surprised by you.
You see, you are a bright light. A little piece of joy and every good thing I ever put into this world. No family is ever perfect and we are not either but we do have a lot of love and a lot of people in our lives to love. We are very lucky to have you and each other. Since the moment you were born, I can barely look at you without my heart exploding into a million pieces. It is also you who always puts me back together again.
All my love, baby beluga.....
-Mama
I'm writing this letter to you on the blog I've created because this project has become a big part of our lives. Sometimes I'm not sure if you really know what's going on....Do you notice that you wear yellow or green or orange or blue everyday for awhile? How about the music? How do you REALLY feel about classical music? One of the greatest beauties of who you are is your amazing ability to simply take life in stride. You don't know what we are doing or where we are going but you are almost always o.k. with it. In fact, every day at some point you say to me, "I'm okay, mama". Yes, you are baby.
Although, you are not a baby anymore. You love dinosaurs, robots, cars, books, trains and soup. You are a big guy now who knows all of his colors and his shapes. You are a guy who can count to 13. You are a guy who knows how to unlock doors and put in a dvd to watch. In fact, today to celebrate your birthday we took you to your very first movie. Learning how to sit still is definitely something a baby can't do! This year it's been amazing to watch how quickly you learn. How suddenly you put things together. We are constantly surprised by the things you can say and do. I have a feeling that we will always be pleasantly surprised by you.
You see, you are a bright light. A little piece of joy and every good thing I ever put into this world. No family is ever perfect and we are not either but we do have a lot of love and a lot of people in our lives to love. We are very lucky to have you and each other. Since the moment you were born, I can barely look at you without my heart exploding into a million pieces. It is also you who always puts me back together again.
All my love, baby beluga.....
-Mama
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
March Madness
March is:
Number: 6
Letters: LM
Shape: Circle
Color: Blue
Music: Polka/Pop
Medium: Musical Instruments (Also carrying over paper)
Destination: Nature Museum
New Habit: No Eating Out/Take Out/Ordering In
I decided that I wouldn't torture myself or those around me by listening to Polka music for an entire month. I'm crazy but not that crazy. I also decided that I know very little about current popular music and could benefit from a month of listening to what everyone else is listening to. I think this is a wise decision all the way around.
Also, remember how I said I was a rule breaker? Yup....I'm just gonna keep breaking them rules. Especially since the minute that paper was the medium of a month (a medium i absolutely ADORE working with) I stopped making things with paper. I also have a really good idea for a series using paper and will be carrying it along to March.
March is also the month that Max will turn 3. I have a good feeling about this month.
Number: 6
Letters: LM
Shape: Circle
Color: Blue
Music: Polka/Pop
Medium: Musical Instruments (Also carrying over paper)
Destination: Nature Museum
New Habit: No Eating Out/Take Out/Ordering In
I decided that I wouldn't torture myself or those around me by listening to Polka music for an entire month. I'm crazy but not that crazy. I also decided that I know very little about current popular music and could benefit from a month of listening to what everyone else is listening to. I think this is a wise decision all the way around.
Also, remember how I said I was a rule breaker? Yup....I'm just gonna keep breaking them rules. Especially since the minute that paper was the medium of a month (a medium i absolutely ADORE working with) I stopped making things with paper. I also have a really good idea for a series using paper and will be carrying it along to March.
March is also the month that Max will turn 3. I have a good feeling about this month.
Purple Urple
So.....let me tell you about the main thing I'm learning from this art project. The minute something becomes a rule for me is the minute I decide I don't want to do it anymore. This explains why you'll find me sneakily listening to non-jazz music or deciding it's o.k. to go to bed in an orange t-shirt and yellow pants. This is why our monthly habits have not become new habits at all. And really? This is what I'm taking away from February: I'm an incorrigible rule-breaker.
As always though, I was wearing mostly purple and I think purple is really a rather lovely color. I also listened to Jazz. Sadly, I am simply not bestirred by Jazz the way I am with some other music but my god, I LOVE Nina Simone. She hits me right in my gut every single time.
Max knows all of his shapes and colors by now so, really that whole part of the project is an afterthought. (You should hear him say "Octagon", it's adorable.) The letters are still all "B" to him but I think pretty soon he'll come around. As for the numbers, I'm pretty sure he can count up to at least 15 and he knows what the number 2 looks like. In less than a week, he will be 3 - so we will work on that number then. ;)
Finally, I went to the Art Institute twice this month. By some stroke of luck, February was the free month. I'd like to say I preplanned this but since the order was mostly drawn out of a hat that would be a lie. I meant to go once a week but February just disappeared for me. One minute it was February 2nd and the next time I blinked it was February 28th. I wasn't necessary crazy busy, I think I'm just in a gray sky daze.
So, yeah, the Art Institute. I feel like I need to preface this paragraph by saying that the Art Institute has long been one of my favorite places in the city. I've gone their all the way through my teens and my 20s. It used to be "Pay what you can" and so I'd pull out what ever crumbled bills I had on me and spend hours wandering around.
I hadn't been since they opened to new Modern Wing and I like Renzo Piano's work so I was excited to check it out. I will say that it's nice. It looks more like a gallery space and less like a museum. I will also say that the museum overall feels changed in a way that doesn't jive with me anymore and I spent much of my time mourning that change.
As for max? He was mostly uninterested in the whole thing. He did like the buddha sculptures but he did each of the children's areas too quickly to appreciate them. I think we will try again when he is a bit older.
There you have it. February is over.
As always though, I was wearing mostly purple and I think purple is really a rather lovely color. I also listened to Jazz. Sadly, I am simply not bestirred by Jazz the way I am with some other music but my god, I LOVE Nina Simone. She hits me right in my gut every single time.
Max knows all of his shapes and colors by now so, really that whole part of the project is an afterthought. (You should hear him say "Octagon", it's adorable.) The letters are still all "B" to him but I think pretty soon he'll come around. As for the numbers, I'm pretty sure he can count up to at least 15 and he knows what the number 2 looks like. In less than a week, he will be 3 - so we will work on that number then. ;)
Finally, I went to the Art Institute twice this month. By some stroke of luck, February was the free month. I'd like to say I preplanned this but since the order was mostly drawn out of a hat that would be a lie. I meant to go once a week but February just disappeared for me. One minute it was February 2nd and the next time I blinked it was February 28th. I wasn't necessary crazy busy, I think I'm just in a gray sky daze.
So, yeah, the Art Institute. I feel like I need to preface this paragraph by saying that the Art Institute has long been one of my favorite places in the city. I've gone their all the way through my teens and my 20s. It used to be "Pay what you can" and so I'd pull out what ever crumbled bills I had on me and spend hours wandering around.
I hadn't been since they opened to new Modern Wing and I like Renzo Piano's work so I was excited to check it out. I will say that it's nice. It looks more like a gallery space and less like a museum. I will also say that the museum overall feels changed in a way that doesn't jive with me anymore and I spent much of my time mourning that change.
As for max? He was mostly uninterested in the whole thing. He did like the buddha sculptures but he did each of the children's areas too quickly to appreciate them. I think we will try again when he is a bit older.
There you have it. February is over.
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