Fresh

I have been absent. My absence was supposed to be due to a much-needed vacation. That was the original plan. But life has a way of making it's own plans and we have no choice but to follow. The day before I was to leave on my planned, plotted, course-laid-in journey, my back decided to spaz out in a big way ( a recurring problem). Bottom line: I had to stay home while others in the family went on vacation anyway. Well, I didn't want everyone to miss out while I stayed home. How very noble of me. Truth is, I felt as if I had been forcibly imprisoned. So I did what all good prisoners do. I fought valiantly against my bonds and, after accepting the utter futility of my circumstances, I finally resigned myself to it and made the best of an unpleasant situation. Tears and frustration only accomplish so much, after all. It was time to turn things around.

I decided to use my time to make gobs of jewelry and beads. I could only work in short, frequent bursts. But I got a lot done and feel rather satisfied in the end. I closed my online stores in order to take my trip. Since I did not go, I revamped my stores and will soon be opening them once again, stocked with some fresh goodies. I'll give notice of the re-opening. Please come for a visit!

(Beads pictured in this post will soon be available for purchase.)

"Life isn't fair. It's just fairer than death, that's all."- 'The Princess Bride'

"Reality continues to ruin my life."- Calvin and Hobbes

Hiatus

A vacation is one of the most anticipated periods in our daily lives, a reprieve from the norm. Hard to come by, a challenge to prepare for, and, sadly, often a disappointment. We are familiar with the expression, "Be careful what you wish for- you just might get it.". Frequently, the vacation we pin so many hopes and dreams to fails to deliver the refreshment we crave. Why? Perhaps we build it up so much in our imaginations that the reality cannot possibly hope to match our imaginings. We endeavor to make it too perfect, too planned-out, too full of activity. The best vacations may be those that simply 'happen'. Of course, for there to be any measure of success, a little forethought is wise and necessary: where to go ( "Find what brings you joy and go there."-Jan Phillips), where to sleep, what to eat and how to travel there? These are all questions that need definite answers to make your journey enjoyable. But as for filling every single moment with nonstop activity- why do that to yourself? The point of a vacation is to escape from our hectic daily lives, to NOT do our MUST-do. Leave a little breathing room in your get-away to revel in a sunset, be awestruck by a starry sky, get caught in a rainshower, hold a loved one's hand. See the sights, hear the sounds, smell the scents all around you. Get familiar with the unfamiliar. Zone out. Give your mind a chance to untangle itself from the clamor of daily demands. By doing so, you refresh your ability to generate new ideas, to spark your creativity, or even refresh a tired idea.

"One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." -Henry Miller

"Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind" - Seneca