Thursday, October 25, 2012

How Can You Compare The Beauty Of A Tree


Quite shocking.  I walked into my apartment when I got home from work to discover the huge red maple tree in front of my picture window GONE.  It had been chopped down and only a stump remains.  Fifteen years ago when I moved in I had a full view of Mt. Hood.  If you have ever seen Mt. Hood the beauty and splendor of the mountain is like no other and from my apartment window some times it would loom so large it felt as though I could reach out and touch it.  The owner of the apartment at the time kept the trees well manicured and trimmed each year.  When he sold the apartments ten years ago the new owners let the trees go wild.

 My view of Mt. Hood slowly disappeared over the years.  Except in Winter when some trees lose their leaves I get a glimpse.  About a year ago I told the owners I wanted the tree in front of my window PRUNED if possible because it had grown to cover my deck as well.  They told me they would look into it. All last winter and through the spring and summer  I thought they had forgotten all about it.  I had an affinity for the tree so I told myself that I had made my wishes known and to leave it be.   Whoa!!!  Can you imagine?   I had no idea they were going to completely chop it down.   I feel the loss of my friend the red maple that gave me the gift of pure beauty  peace, and joy that only a tree can give.
 I do not have a before picture with the tree in front of my window but this is my view with it chopped down today.   Mt Hood is directly behind the trees on the right.

I am sitting here typing now adjusting to my friend being gone.  Watching it slowly get dark and actually liking the view now.  It is quite active and yet because I sit up high off the street I feel it is my little window to the outside world.  When the tree was here I felt protected yet closed in.  Now I feel open and I like it.  Woody Allen said the reason he likes living in New York...  " I never go out.....I just like to know everything is right there should I ever want to."    For me I am such a hermit that I like to see activity and life going on outside around me, the traffic,  the runners, walkers, people going to and from work  and know they are there even if I do not go out to join them.
The view from my window tonight



















Friday, October 19, 2012

How Does Marketing Affect You

Did you see the movie "The Candidate" with Robert Redford?.  It is a must see.  I have seen most all of his movies.  For me he is the greatest actor for his "subtleties".   I adore a glance, an expression. a silence, that speaks volumes.  I think Redford is a master at that.  So much harder to deliver than dialogue because it has to be honest and come from deep within you to be believable. 
Let's talk about believable.  Are you going to watch the third Presidential debate?  It is all about the marketing.  First look at the tie.  Red is more powerful than blue I have heard and a brown suit is never a good idea.  The smiles, the laugh, the inflection of indignation all have to be choreographed to come across as natural when in fact is anything but.  Obama realized that in his first debate when he came out as himself only to realize when one is oneself the television cameras project it as being half asleep.  Is this because we are conditioned by watching  UNREALITY shows that give us constants fighting , bickering, actual physical fighting sometimes?   Our dramas, sitcoms  news,  have to entertain us and of course our Presidential debates.

Today it is all about the Marketing.  If you do not know how to be an Oprah, Kris Jenner or a Martha Stewart type then forget about what it is you want to do.  The show the Shark Tank is a lesson in Marketing 101 without having to sign up for a class.  Look at Barbara Corcoran.
Just last night she called herself a "marketing genius".  She was dressed exactly like this picture and spoke those words and she IS the real deal.  She seems to have the number one skill in America,  The President of the United States is elected by who has the most money to hire the best PR/Marketing available.

Tory Burch a well known fashion designer never went to design school.  Her degrees and career experience is in PR and Marketing and marrying a billionaire.  I am not a fan of her fashion but on a news interview she said $425 for a dress is reasonable.  Well not in my world.  But I did splurge big time on a new bag today.  I saw it 3 weeks ago prominently displayed/marketed on a table at Nordstrom.  It caught my eye then and again the following week and again today.  But this was more subtle.  It was not a good deal.  It also was not someone giving me any of the marketing last chance, coupons, points, etc. It was just a simple transaction of an item catching my eye,  picking it up, holding it, looking in different mirrors over and over again then leaving it alone.  A week later after looking at many alternatives this bag was calling my name.
When you are purchasing items for yourself are you aware of the marketing behind it or do you turn a deaf ear and just go for what you want?  It seems now one has to join or become a member to get a discount or credits.  I like to think I have free will to shop at a store because I want to not because I have a reward card. 



Friday, October 12, 2012

How Do I?

If only I had a computer guru around the house.  Saying "if only" is supposed to be counter-productive so I will move on.

I have a question I hope someone could answer regarding leaving comments on my blog.  When I leave comments on most blogs it leaves my photo ID and blog name that when clicked on connects directly to my own blog.  When someone leaves a comment on MY blog it only leaves a standard icon and a name but when the name is clicked on it does not connect to anything.

My question:  Is that because I have DISQUS on my blog?  When I went to Disqus.com to ask how to delete my account they have this message on their website..."NOTE:  Deletions are temporarily disabled.  Sorry."

Any feedback or direction to where I could go for help regarding this matter would be wonderful. 

Thursday, October 11, 2012

One Artists Evolution With A Crochet Hook

After work today I took a beautiful Fall late afternoon walk along the river.  The sun was shining through a soft 4PM haze with  all the rich colors of orange, amber, gold, and dark wines surrounding me with a feeling of health and well being  that only my nature walk can give me.  Then home to watch the VP Presidential debate and I notice I am getting anxious, I cannot sit still, I wonder why I subject myself to this media?   Within the hour I realize all my life energy has drained away.

  I flipped the channel and came upon Oregon Artbeat on OPB.  Like magic I was smiling and then even spellbound.    The artist that made me come back to a feeling of pure JOY with her story is Jo Hamilton.  I Googled her and if you want a real treat please do it too.

Here is how I remember the story.  She started to crochet at age six with her Grandmother teaching
 her how to make a Granny Square.  Jo says, "If you can make a Granny Square you can crochet just about anything".  I am sure that does not apply to me but who cares.  This is about Jo,  She is AMAZING!!!  She was working in a restaurant here in Portland, Oregon and decided to crochet a scene of this whole entire city with bridges and rivers and all.  Yes she did.  Her co-workers teased her about all her crocheting and she told them she could crochet "them".   And so she did.  She started crocheting portraits of her co-workers.   This to me is soooo heartwarming.  Taking a simple craft that your Grandmother teaches you and turn it into a life long artistic endeavor that you love and who knows where it will continue to evolve???

My mother tried to teach me to crochet but it did not hold my interest.  If you like to or even if you do not I would encourage you to Google Jo Hamilton crochet artist and it will lead you to a website that allows you to see many more of her real life portraits that she creates beginning with the eyes. 
Google image Jo Hamilton Design Boom web site

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Beware What You Are Ready To Pay

How much are you willing to pay for  Chanel  eyeglasses?  More than for Coach right?  What if you knew they were both made by the  exact same company?  The only difference is for the Chanel eye wear they manufacture the Chanel logo on them and for some others put the Coach logo on them.  But they are all manufactured by the same company.
Google image Chanel sunglasses
Google image for Coach sunglassesAdd caption
I just watched a segment on the magazine show called 60 Minutes and a company called Luxottica is manufacturing all the major eye glasses.  Lucky I do not care a thing about logos.  The story said who cares if all American brands are designed by Italians?   It is all the same.  If we are willing to pay $200.00 for a $30.00 item then that is what we will pay.  Oh and Luxottica also owns an insurance company that will insure your eye problems and sell you the exams you need plus the lenses.  Oh please help me.  This is going on more than we know.

Let's talk about shoes.  It is all just an illusion of choice.  The same company is manufacturing our shoes.  What if you prefer Chanel shoes?
Google image Chanel shoes
Or maybe you have a special affinity towards Coach?
Google image Coach shoes
The same manufacturer will be producing the shoes and they will be worth what people are ready to pay for them.  Think about it.  When people say you are only paying for the label we all now know it is true.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

When In Doubt, Dance

Once again I am what is called eligible for unemployment.  One week ago we completed our research projects and now I am in a waiting period for more work.  When this happens I have learned over the years to relax and enjoy the ride instead of panic as before.  So last Friday I went shopping, on the weekend I went to ballet classes and starting this week I just did the yoga thing and took one day at a time to live in the moment.  If I did not have the EXTREME BALLET (for me) class at Bodyvox to look forward to each evening I may be climbing the walls with needing more action.  These advanced classes are the most challenging activity I have ever done.
Google Photo of Bodyvox the ballet studio

Never thinking of myself as a Type A Personality  by today day four of not having to set my alarm and get up to go to work I start making my own work plans.  I thought it was going to be another very windy Fall day so I made a commitment to clean my apartment thoroughly.  That means being on my hands and knees a lot.  I threw open the doors and windows because it turned out to be a fabulous sunshiny day with little wind, I put on the CD by Renee Olstead  at full volume and danced as I cleaned.....yes just like in some old fashioned musicals.

My life feels like a musical now that I think about it.   Mostly fluff with very little dialogue and little storyline.