Noury's Creative World…

I was watching a show about these two designers…their works of art have been shown in  very famous museums in the United States and around the world.

In the conversation they were asked to define art per se.  She said, spirit, and he said vision.  But one phrase stood out more than anything else during the interview.  He said, and she agreed that without discipline, they would both be nowhere.  Sometimes he is assigned by a major store to produce illustrations to go along with some of the clothing designed by his wife and other designers.  He stated that he just sits with nothing in mind, and starts doodling and eventually something starts to happen and before he knows it, voila! there is the foundation of the piece he keeps on working on until it is finished.

I thought about this and agreed with them.  Without discipline there won’t be any food prepared, any children taken care of, any careers finished, or even a thought taken to its final stages.  If I wouldn’t have sat at the keyboard, you would not have the opportunity to read this posting.  Even to be a good person, you must have discipline.

If we really analyze this phenomenon…nothing would ever get accomplished if someone does not commit to the discipline needed to take any task to its finished version.

Everything, and I mean everything major that was ever accomplished is due to the people involved having the discipline to start and take it to the finished level.

I know it is not easy, but in the time it takes to think about something, I should really start with the motions of doing it.  It would snowball just like everything else in life.

So…it was today…10 October, 2011…a day to make a decision about being disciplined enough to take it to the end.

Your Happy Contessa

“Life is half spent before we know what it is.”  George Herbert, Welsh born, English poet.  3 April, 1593 – 1 March, 1633.

Are you out there a bit like me?  I always have this need to be doing something, otherwise, if I rest for long, I feel guilty.  Where the heck did that come from?

My father was as easy-going as a turtle in a hurry and my mother, ah!  that’s where it comes from.  Somehow now she has had to slow down a bit.  Approaching 86, but she is always knitting, cooking, fixing things, throwing away things, mopping the floor, she is blessed with tiles throughout the whole apartment, and always something cooking in the pot.

It is sometimes difficult to be like this.  I feel restless and is like living with Contessa A and Contessa B who is always watching over me and making me feel guilty if I slack a little.  My own worst enemy is moi!  I have read books, listened to tapes, watched shows, but it is getting worse as I become more mature and interesting.  This need to be always on the go, and doing whatever.

I feel that walking inside the condo while I watch tv will help me with my circulation.  Maybe am I afraid to get sick and die?  That’s a possibility.  I have noticed that I am very much interested in taking care of my body and my mind.  But, on the other hand, I could convert into invisible energy right now, and I am just fine with it.  This is a conundrum.  Should I try to look further into it, or just go with the flow.

I just thought about it, this blog started with the pursuing need to do something with my time.  Learning technology and putting out there my philosophy.  Now, it is very difficult to disengage from this daily task.

Today is Sunday…I will go with the flow for today.  Need a break from being too efficient.

So…it was today…9 October, 2011…another day of pondering why things are the way they are.

Your Happy Contessa

“I always do what I need to do when I need to do it.”  A sentence I borrowed from a book called “What to say when you talk to Yourself.”  It has been ingrained in my mind for almost thirty years.  It means to me, “just move and do something.”  No wonder!

What kind of writer am I?

I asked myself that question while reading a book about Rachel Carson, known as the patron saint of the environmental movement.  She wrote about our connection to nature.  So, I thought…what in the world do I write about all the time.

Then I said to myself…no cat or dog to even consult with…let me continue with my little story before I get sidetracked as usual…so I said…maybe I am an observant writer.  I write about everything and anything I observe.  I am always observing and arriving at conclusions in my mind.  Now, more recently I am starting to question my conclusions due to another book I am reading titled “Loving What Is” by Byron Katie.  Progress and evolvement in this synthesized bundle of energy.  I need to evolve, so when I convert to invisible energy, the transfer will be easier.

You see, I told you, going on a tangent again.  So I am going to try something new here, I am going to invite you to read my first little poem.

I cannot come up with anything decent.  This was a harder task than I envisioned.  Cannot figure out also how to do single space when I press Enter.  Conspiracy of the universe not to allow me to try to be a poet.  Pondering…still pondering.  Nada.

Even the little thing about roses are red…violets…you know the rest…now I will not underestimate anyone who is trying to come up with a single sentence of material.  It is as if all my artsy neurons have taken a dive into some cave pursuing another writer with more talent.  Good luck!  Leave me with my mediocre output, I don’t think I am ready for the big lights and big paychecks.  Not on this lifetime, at least.  And definitely, not writing for a living.  My hats off to all of you writers out there.

So…it was today…5 October, 2011…a day of finding out that poetry is not an easy thing to do or create.

Take some time during this lovely weekend and write a little poem to yourself, your spouse or your cat or dog.  I will applaud you from here.  I will be back next Monday.

Your Happy Contessa

“To write for thee is a pleasure indeed.”  Moi

Sometimes you feel that some people are larger than life…of course, no one is…but this morning I just found out that Steve Jobs has passed away, and it felt as if he was.

I never met the man, don’t even have one of his products, but somehow tears just keep flowing, I really cannot explain why.

I have never in the history of my humble blog have changed course in what is published, but this morning I felt compelled to do so.

Mr. Jobs, a toast to you and the great legacy you have left behind.

Your Happy Contessa

“It is not what you do, but how you do it.”

I always have a choice…do I approach anything in my life, even if it is a pain in le derriere,  with grace or just be a nasty, disgusting being.

After 62+ years, I think the choice is obvious.  It is 100% better for me to go with the Pollyanna approach.  Stick it to others and let them be miserable.  I am a citizen of  Wonder and Happyland.  It makes me feel better and my stomach appreciates the fact that I am not putting unnecessary stress in my muscles.  My head also.  Let them think you are in happyland while they are in miseryland.  It works for me.

Nothing has happened to trigger this posting, I was just thinking while staring at the screen, what should I write about today.

So my friends, as the old saying goes, honey is sweeter than vinegar.  Do not waste your good vibes and energy trying to be obnoxious or like the pink stuff that makes you want to throw up.   The only one getting the halo all red and black is you.  Keep it blue and pretty…trust me, it is worth it.

The old lady that moved to Florida and finally found the hole through which my friends from a distance, the froggies, were coming in, has written.  Don’t play the role of an idiot, it is not becoming and it makes you ugly and give you unnecessary wrinkles and bags under your eyes.

One more observation…have you noticed how the people who are in a bad mood or always carry on like a grouch seem to feel more important, just because their misery makes them feel they are above we the commons,  who always carry on with a smile or just shrug off the crapola of life.  Interesting dear Watson…interesting.

So…it was today…4 October, 2011…a day to choose to be in a good mood and have good karma.

Your Happy Contessa

“Be happy…or be miserable…Duh!…”  Contessa’s arsenal of good humor.

It is that time of the year whereby in Florida we can leave the doors and windows open without feeling that we are in a sauna.  I took the opportunity to spray for bugs also, so the fumes could escape to the outdoors.

I locked my screen doors, because the fear of having unwanted and unsolicited visitors is always with me.  I need to find that whistle.  At least I can blow it really hard and hopefully the people with their hearing aids in place will be able to hear me.  I am such a mean person.  Maybe one of these days, I will have to get one of those and remember to turn them on, so I can hear the conversation.  Oh my…so much to look forward to, that is, if I am lucky enough to make it to that stage.

Then as I am getting ready to type this posting, I hear some noise as if someone is trying to open my screen door.  I rapidly went to the door to check it out.  There she was, Miss Nonagenarian trying to open the door to bring me some fresh basil.  How sweet and kind of her!  She grows basil outside of her door and it really looks healthy and smells so fresh.  I already had some with my salad.  Random kindness.  I am so blessed.

Beautiful weather, Duke won their football game yesterday, I feel great maybe because I am breathing fresh polluted air and life is good, very good.

So…it was today..2 October, 2011…a day of being grateful to be among the existent ones.

Your Happy Contessa

“Better to believe too much than nothing at all.”  From my little book of Old Chinese Proverbs.

I had decided that Saturday I was going to my local Farmers’ Market because I wanted my veggies to be from somewhere close to my location.

It took me around 15 minutes to find a parking spot, and then fight the “in” crowd that takes this opportunity to be seen buying the cool veggies and show the rest of us that they are cool by just being there.  I know because, I have played the same little game before.  Ron used to call them “pretty people” because you will see everyone looking just right for this fine enterprise everyone goes to on Saturday mornings.

Fine and dandy.  Finally I get to the stall where they had the red bell peppers and the sweet potatoes.  I see the sign “$1 each” and I thought, wow, that’s a bargain compared to the ones from Mexico I have been buying at the big W store.  Then my peripheral vision caught the smaller print under the price, — “From Canada.”

I had a moment to think what was I going to do.  I thought, well, Canada is cold and nice so how much manure these veggies could have been exposed to.  For that price and the way they looked, at the market, I just put two in a bag and proceeded to get my sweet potatoes.  All of them looked like constipated potatoes.  How does a constipated potato look like?  Like the ones I just bought this morning.  You can tell the poor things struggled to make it out of the ground.  Exactly!  Hope they taste better than they look.

Then went to my regular supermarket, because I thought, ok, we are an international village, so I got some asparagus from Peru, some lettuce from California, plantains from Guatemala,  and some mushrooms from “product of USA.”  Go figure!

So…my local farmers’ market has gone international.  What happened to John and Jane the farmers?  I need to start a search, because somehow I thought I was doing my body good by trying to buy local, but local means that any product that goes through Customs qualifies as “local.”

So…it was today…1 October, 2011…the first day of October…temperatures only mid 80’s…another beautiful day in the neighborhood…with my peppers from Canada.

Your Happy Contessa

“If you want your dinner, don’t look where is coming from.”  Contessa’s interpretation of a Chinese Proverb from Olden Times.

I was watching a show about near-death-experiences and one of the persons that went through that experience said that when she was in this beautiful place, she felt unconditional love towards everything.  That made me think about the meaning of this blessed love.

The only example I can use is the love I have for my own daughter.  She does not have to do anything or give me anything for me to feel this kind of sentiment.  I think the love you have for your children is the only unconditional love we can feel.  No reasoning, no logic, it just is.

A spouse, a friend, brother, sister, by now you get my thinking, are loved by us, but somehow, there are some conditions always.  It is as if we are always negotiating in our minds and comparing feelings of gratitude, feelings of judgment and feelings of jealousy and feelings of unworthiness.  Those are conditions we place verbally or mentally on others to justify to us if they should be loved by us, or the other way around, if they love us as they say they do.

I may have compassion, love, admiration, and so on, but unconditional love, only for my daughter.  That’s my thinking, again.

Now, the purest unconditional love is the one that God has for all of us.  Just try to imagine that kind of pure and genuine love.  I am grateful that even in my most horrible moments when I behave as a miserable human being, God still understands, and loves me just as I am.

I felt compelled to share my feelings with you, because we need to know that we are loved always by our Creator and we always have the utmost support, we just need to ask.

So…it was today…29 September, 2011…a day of feeling unconditional love for my daughter and feeling loved unconditionally.

Have a very lovely weekend and I shall return on Monday.

Your Happy Contessa

“One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life:  That word is love.”  Sophocles, ancient Greek tragedian.  497 BC – 406 BC.

Let the season begin!  Nice cool temperatures in the evening, changing of the color of some leaves, pumpkins on sight, dreams of sipping apple cider on a nice cold evening with friends, stirring it with a piece of cinammon…which movie am I watching?

Welcome to Florida…the forever summer land.  Like most of the stuff in our lives, this season is coming into my house from inside of a box.  Deep down, there are other colors, such as green and red, but not yet.  Only the Fall colors will do.

I’ll get some real pumpkins, yes we do have those here, from China?  Nope, from somewhere in the good U.S.A.  Hurray!!!!!!!!!!!!

Apple pies, sweet potato pies,  how lovely a season…light sweaters, boots, hats, scarves…I’m dreaming of a green season, with all the heat my body can resist…dreaming and more dreaming of a greener than ever season, that’s what is in for me.

Not complaining…had a good oil change today…you know, the work horse, so I am happy.  And I am getting the spirit, even if it is coming from inside a box.  Mind over matter, my friends.

So…it was today…28 September, 2011, a day of dreaming of good times and getting ready for the better ones yet.

Your Happy Contessa

“The transcendental state of Being lies beyond all-seeing, hearing, touching, smelling and tasting–beyond all thinking and beyond all feeling.”  Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, developed the Transcendental Meditation techniques.  Born in India 12 January, 1914 – 5 February, 2008.

Well, well…I did not want to talk about this but…It is a jungle down here.  First I dealt with some unwanted visitors that will show up after I had gone to bed, and I will surprise them if I went into the kitchen for water…and oh man, there they were.

I fixed those ones all right!  Some boric acid and some alluring tablets did the trick.  No more of those.  Have found some casualties here and there, but my nights are now only interrupted by the once-an-hour-trains.

But there are other visitors that are making me a bit nervous and have me jumping at any minor noise I hear.  The froggies and lizards are invading my sunroom and are making me paranoid.  Have tried to find out where they are coming in, but no luck.  Afraid to go on the outside and get into the petite jungle in front of my sunroom, but I guess I will have to put on my boots and brave the wild environment out there and make Crocodile Dundee take a run for his money.  Oops, I mean Tarzan.

This morning there was a big Mrs. Humongous Froggie.  Could not read the newspaper outside, and breakfast did not taste the same, because I was on alert to do I don’t know what.  True, they are smaller than I am, by my mind gives them more power.

Had to share this with you all.  It is becoming an obsession of mine.  Go every two minutes to the sun room to see where in the world is that humongous Mrs. Froggie.  Finally, around 10:15 pm there was a moment of silence for the defunct.  Legs, very, very long.  Jumping no more.  Out of respect for the gone away, no picture-taking was allowed.

So…it was today…27 September, 2011, a day of fighting the jungle in the tropical zone of my apartment somewhere in Florida, the land of co-existing with all kinds of creatures.

Your Happy Contessa

“Patience is the best remedy for every trouble.”  Titus Maccius Plautus, Roman playwright of the Old Latin Period.  254 BC – 184 BC.