You & Improved

Sometimes you just need to be a houseplant. This statement was shared by Shannon, a friend who had finally emerged from a hard season filled with challenging health issues. They often left her feeling depleted, without the energy to do much of anything. And so she gave herself permission to to be a houseplant. I laughed at the metaphor, calling to mind the times I've sunk deep into the couch and slipped into a vegetative stage. But she went on to note that although houseplants are stationary and require help from others to stay alive, they aren't doing nothing. They are very much …

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Imagine a young child proudly showing you a drawing she made. Using a handful of stubby crayons, you can make out what appear to be some trees, although they look more like wobbly circles sitting on top of crooked brown rectangles. There are some figures in the scene, too, but it's hard to tell exactly who they are supposed to be. Now imagine yourself rolling your eyes as you criticize the drawing, pointing out the clichéd subject matter, the sloppy scribbles, and the unrealistic use of color. You matter-of-factly declare that it's just terrible—probably the worst drawing you've ever …

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It was a typical Saturday evening drive. Except for the show the sun was putting on, turning the distant hills pink and purple. Oh, and the massive two thousand pound bison sauntering past my driver-side window. We were in Lamar Valley, the so-called Serengeti of North America, marveling at herds of bison and delighting in the pronghorns pinging across the landscape. One of the highlights of our recent trip to the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks was observing the diverse wildlife that freely roam the parks. Talk about a Wonderhunt! No bears were spotted, but we did see …

[Read more...] about Yellowstone Success Formula: How to Dominate Your Day and Life

I used to think art was art, and even though everyone had a different style, artists were all on the same team. It took art school to re-educate me. I discovered there were two main groups. One was the fine artists. The other group consisted of illustrators and graphic designers, of which I was a part. We were seen as second-class citizens, sellouts willing to take money to create whatever someone else wanted us to make. Many of the fine artists saw themselves as more artistically pure because they were creating art for art's sake, achieving self-fulfillment, and bringing about social …

[Read more...] about What You and Norman Rockwell Have in Common