End Slavery, Dance and Revolution

Well today is human trafficking awareness day. A shame that there is such a thing needed and yet there is. Joyce Meyer Ministries has outreach programs called "Hand of Hope" who are trying to help those suffering. Hand of Hope posted on facebook: "Today is Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Choose to make a difference in the world, stand up for justice and fight to end slavery!.." Check out a link to this site: http://www.joycemeyer.org/articles/hoharchive.aspx?tag=Human_Trafficking

On another note my daughter went back to Ballet Hispanico this morning and although she still needs to adjust to these classes it seems she is doing better than when we initially tried and she wasn't quite ready yet. I am hoping it goes well. She appears to be enjoying it. My sister was kind enough to send me this picture of her in class while I am at work.

I started the day thinking about things I am not happy about and need to change and not sure if I have the where with all and ended up thinking perhaps what I need more than anything is an attitude or perspective adjustment. I saw an advertisment on TV for "The Revolution" last night  where they have a team of folks help you be the best person you can be and live a more rewarding life. I felt like boy that's what I need is a revolution. My husband laughed as he thought of revolutionaries but I explained this is not a joke and I am sure he could use a revolution too!

Today I ate a whole box of Fiber bars and I am afraid am going to pay the price now. My lean cuisine salmon and rice didn't taste right so I threw it out and ended up eating french fries... needless to say it's probably going to be a bumpy night LOL

Conundrums

Here it is Tuesday, January 10, 2012, how the heck did that happen?!

I was trying to compose this post on my blackberry on my way into work and late as usual, without much success may I add. Typing on this blackberry is whack and I'm considering getting an  iPad or galaxy tab or something so I can do this on the go. I actually feel like my commute is really the only time purely for me. So my husband and I were looking at the Galaxy tab vs. the iPad. I can not really justify this expense though as we are struggling to make ends meet and I am not sure how I am putting my daughter through school and keep hoping for some miracle. I have back slided with my eating and exercise and therefore am up 2 pounds again :(. I ate my breakfast and somehow I am still yearning to eat more, ugh. Listening to Louis Armstrong. My boss called me questioning me about why an exhibit was not installed last night at the job when it actually was. My boss was out sick yesterday and I am sure has other things on her mind, however it kind of make you want to be like WTH?!  But I need to work on not taking everything personally....so breathe Lynne. I sometimes find it more difficult than others to "let go" in general but also when it comes to leaving my daughter. This morning she was just so darn cute even though she had me up at 1:30am this morning! Anyway today is Save The Eagles Day. So I wanted to share a link: http://www.eagles.org/.

I forgot to mention a few things I wanted to share. I was watching The Africa Channel on TV last night and there was a program about a film, the show aired originally in May of 2011 so I guess this is outdated but the film looked intense and noteworthy of checking out it was: "The First Grader". it is a story that although heart wrenching needs to be told. Check out the trailer: http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/movies/thefirstgrader/first-grader-trailer.html 


My co worker and I were speaking yesterday about prejudice and it still existing and she was telling me about college fraternities having what they called brown paper bag tests and if your skin was darker than a paper bag you were not admitted. It is a disgrace what the small minded people do to their fellow man.  In addition a cab driver I had coming into work yesterday who is from West Africa told me that the large companies are causing a lot of injustices to the people along with the government. Surprisingly he told me that the chocolate companies are so corrupt as they are the large companies in power and with money.I found an article from the BBC to share on this subject: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15681986. Of course being a spoiled native New Yorker my first thought was wow does that mean I have to give up my addiction to chocolate? You wouldn't think you were contributing to such an injustice when buying a chocolate bar! Actually not buying chocolate doesn't help the situation as this is that areas main resource and means of income.

Child workers - including those working with pesticides - often have no protective equipment

I found this article also http://allafrica.com/stories/201009170951.html which points out that Hershey chocolate company seems to be one of the worst offenders. Some of the other chocolate companies have taken measures to try improve the situation it appears where as Hershey which is one of the biggest companies has only made 1 chocolate bar which is certified as fare trade and haven't taken other measures to help ratify the situation. These children are used like slaves and in human trafficking. This makes me think about these kids here in our city streets selling chocolate bars to raise money and it probably unknowingly perpetuates this awful cycle!

OK so here it goes another Monday. I am tired. I didn't do great eating wise or exercise wise this weekend but here's to trying to get back on track. Anyway just wanted to share some things that caught my attention and were of interest and hope you enjoy them as well...

Nature and Art

A friend from college, Mike Dubish, posted a link on facebook to this article about grains of sand which caught my interest. It just made me think are we all like grains of sand? Seen one way to the naked eye or passerby, perhaps often overlooked but when looked at more closely or magnified "delicate, colourful structures each as unique as a snow flake"? Check out the link, these grains of sand are from all around the world and beautiful. http://www.blogger.com/goog_2068711109



Some other things on my mind are some of my favorite flowers and/or plants which some people may not find pretty but I find extremely beautiful. Protea are some of my favorite blooms and can be seen at the following links: http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/king_protea.htm, or  http://californiaprotea.org/. Protea are native to South Africa and Australia.

In addition I love pitcher plants and have a drawing I did of some a while back (see to the left)

I found an interesting article about some research being done on these pitcher plants: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090804081545.htm

In addition there are the heliconia, which I also did a drawing of (see to the right)

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliconia 

Then to get back to the exotic or carnivorous plants, is the raflessia which gives off the scent of rotting flesh to attract it's prey. It looks like something from a sci-fi movie. Check it out (below left).

This picture of the rafflesia plant was taken from an Interesting site: http://www.familyadventuretravelworks.com/borneo%E2%80%99s-giant-plant-%E2%80%93-the-rafflesia

Mike Dubisch and his wife Carolyn attended School of Visual Arts when I went and are currently working on a comic which has been "nominated for "Best Comic" at ThisIsHorror.com- Suitable for all ages, full color graphic novel- fully funded project your purchase is guaranteed to go through. You can support them by donating at:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/837620246/the-people-that-melt-in-the-rain-graphic-novel

(above image a pencil drawing page from The People That Melt in the Rain by Dubisch)

Okay so it's 3:33am...and I've been up for an hour already. Thinking about all kinds of stuff, like...the phoenix, upheaval, guns, knives, archery, martial arts, education, art, hackers, motherhood, resilience, goals and baby steps to name a few.

The Phoenix
The idea or anaolgy repeats itself of myself being burried, oppressed by life's daily chores and responsibility and motherhood and being a wife and have lost some of the parts of me that were fun or interesting. However I don't believe they are truly lost but rather just buried, repressed. The phoenix is a dramatic symbol but one I think many women can look to as a rising up from whatever may be holding us back. I also like the idea of the archealogical dig foor uncovering and discovering those lost aspects of "self".

Guns, Knives, Archery and Martial Arts
When I was young my father belonged to agun club, owned a few guns and also did realistic illustrative paintings and carvings of guns. He would get gun Magazines as well and collected knives. I was a bit of a tom boy and shared some of these interests with him. I took archery once in camp (Although I wasn't very
good). I also have  shot 22s + an M16. My father also taught me to whittle wood as he used to do so and did carpentry work when I was young so I've always loved working with wood.I never took martial arts but wanted to and was tHinking I'd like to teach my my daughter these things and more. but also want to make sure what age may be appropriatte to start and in what doses. I would like my daughter to be A strong well rounded woman who knows how to take care of herself and never feels she has to rely on a man to take care of her. I was tinking back to how I'd like my daughter to be like Lara Croft.

Education
I have been toying with the the idea of trying to further my education and possibly go for a masters degreee considering early childhood education with a specialty in the arts. Thinking about my daughter's education and how I can't afford to send her to any of the schools I'd like to. Trying to figure out where I will end up sending her. Have been researching schools and going to open houses for her but still feel lost & clueless. Currently I have her in a gym combo class for scoialization and exercise. I am going to try to start her back at ballet lessons at Ballet Hispanico. We attempted this before but she wasn't ready and was to clingy and disruptive in class. The end of this month she will be starting gentle seperation classes, to prepare her for school.

Exercise & Lifestyle Changes
Since I have been up since 2:30am, I decided around 5:30 to do something productive and did my Zumba total body stretch and then the Zumba mix DVD. It was a lot of fun, I really enjoyed it. They used a variety of instructors in this DVD from different parts of the world in different cultural garb and it made me so happy!

Goals
Ok so I have some possible mini goals that I would like to work on (please don't judge me LOL):

1. Take an accessory design class
2. Take a basic sewing class
3. Learn to drive & get license
4. Lose weight
5. Exercise
6. Eat Healthier
7. Be a good role model to my daughter
8. Clean House
9. Clean Office
10. Start creating designs again
11. Start doing art work again
12. Get more organized
13. Save money
14. Figure out plan for putting my daughter through school
15. Improve my relationship with my husband
16. Get my husband's photos into an art gallery

http://dailyworth.com/posts/1045-The-Secret-to-Success

A New Day....
So today is National Bird Day and being that I love birds of prey I figured I would start off showing a drawing I did of an owl.

I have found owls beautiful and intriguing since I was a little girl. I would actually like to do some sort of art series on birds of prey but just never got around to it. My husband also has some beautiful pictures of birds of prey on his photography web site.Yahyia's photography. My father also used to make owl rock sculptures and mixed media paintings when I was a child. I found this really cool site for those of you who are interested in owls as well: http://nyfalls.com/wildlife/Wildlife-birds-owls.html. There are is also a place to visit if you feel so inclined: http://theraptortrust.org/. Another place I loved and have unfortunately found has closed is: http://www.fieldtrip.com/ny/47586957.htm.. Also  a possible note of interest is: http://wildbirdfund.com/wildlife-rehabilitation-center/ a bird rehabilitation center scheduled to open on the upper westside however this has been pending for quite some time. In addition there is an annual birds of prey show that takes place in Central Park on the upper east side of the park which is a great experience an informative. Also on a different subject for those of you interested in exotics there is a reptile show this weekend: http://www.reptileexpo.com/nyfirst.htm

Weight Loss / Lifestyle Adjustments
Okay so the weight has not been flying off of me but I am trying to persevere in some of the lifestyle changes I am trying to make, eating better and exercising all the same. This brings to mind a recent post I came across on facebook that I would like to share from PBS: http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/blogs/make-your-new-years-resolutions-reality and another resource about resilence: http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience.aspx from this last site I would like to share their list of 10 ways to increase your resilience, please see them below:

10 Ways to build resilience

1. Make connections. Good relationships with close family members, friends, or others are important. Accepting help and support from those who care about you and will listen to you strengthens resilience. Some people find that being active in civic groups, faith-based organizations, or other local groups provides social support and can help with reclaiming hope. Assisting others in their time of need also can benefit the helper.
2.  Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems. You can't change the fact that highly stressful events happen, but you can change how you interpret and respond to these events. Try looking beyond the present to how future circumstances may be a little better. Note any subtle ways in which you might already feel somewhat better as you deal with difficult situations.
    
3. Accept that change is a part of living. Certain goals may no longer be attainable as a result of adverse situations. Accepting circumstances that cannot be changed can help you focus on circumstances that you can alter.
    
4. Move toward your goals. Develop some realistic goals. Do something regularly -- even if it seems like a small accomplishment -- that enables you to move toward your goals. Instead of focusing on tasks that seem unachievable, ask yourself, "What's one thing I know I can accomplish today that helps me move in the direction I want to go?"
    
5. Take decisive actions. Act on adverse situations as much as you can. Take decisive actions, rather than detaching completely from problems and stresses and wishing they would just go away.
    
6. Look for opportunities for self-discovery. People often learn something about themselves and may find that they have grown in some respect as a result of their struggle with loss. Many people who have experienced tragedies and hardship have reported better relationships, greater sense of strength even while feeling vulnerable, increased sense of self-worth, a more developed spirituality, and heightened appreciation for life.
    
7. Nurture a positive view of yourself. Developing confidence in your ability to solve problems and trusting your instincts helps build resilience.
    
8. Keep things in perspective. Even when facing very painful events, try to consider the stressful situation in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. Avoid blowing the event out of proportion.
    
9. Maintain a hopeful outlook. An optimistic outlook enables you to expect that good things will happen in your life. Try visualizing what you want, rather than worrying about what you fear.
    
10. Take care of yourself. Pay attention to your own needs and feelings. Engage in activities that you enjoy and find relaxing. Exercise regularly. Taking care of yourself helps to keep your mind and body primed to deal with situations that require resilience.

Additional ways of strengthening resilience may be helpful. For example, some people write about their deepest thoughts and feelings related to trauma or other stressful events in their life. Meditation and spiritual practices help some people build connections and restore hope.

The key is to identify ways that are likely to work well for you as part of your own personal strategy for fostering resilience.

Manic Monday

Health
Okay so New Years Eve wasn't great for me food wise or exercise wise. On the other hand my husband, daughter and I had a ball making music with drums, a lute + tambourine. Hopefully we scared away all evil spirits for 2012! ;). I was told by a friend about a free web site where you can keep your food journals, weigh in, join forums and challenges. It's . I think this site is really helpful. I also joined one of the challenges to try to encourage myself to work harder at lifestyle changes of eating healthier and exercising. I came across this interesting blog on overeating that I'd like to share: http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/blogs/overeating-understanding-and-taking-back-control

Toddler Literature
My daughter, who is 2 1/2 yrs old, loves watching the NickJr show on TV called Wonder Pets. She also loves her Eric Carle books: "Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?", "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?", and "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". These books are published by Henry Holt who published another book my daughter loves called "The Babies on the Bus" which is a kin to the song "The wheels on the bus". Anyway I just like sharing things that seem to be a hit with my daughter as I figure other moms may find it helpful.

Visual Arts
So in a earlier blog I mentioned my husband's photography. I am trying to encourage him to submit some of his most recent work to see if he can get his work shown in a gallery. I'm excited because I believe he has the talent + potential. I also never pursued trying to show my own work and am a frustrated visual artist so I guess I'd be living vicariously through his experience. I haven't been doing any art for quite some time and miss it. So I suppose that might be a future goal down the line to get back to having some kind of creative outlet again. Perhaps getting back to illustrating and doggy fashion & product design. Here are some of my earlier attempts of doggy fashion design:



Nature / Animals
I came across an interesting post on a blog I follow called "Geeks are Sexy", about 11 new species that were discovered, so I have included a link to the original source: http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/2184-species-discovered-2011.html Also my husband and I finally had a long overdue "date" to spend some time as a couple and went to see the "Journey to the Stars" and the Hayden Planetarium at The American Museum of Natural History http://www.amnh.org/. We both enjoyed it immensly with exception of being next to a crying baby through most of the show.

The picture shown to the left - Cnemaspis psychedelica. Credit: © L. Lee Grismer.

20 Things I am Grateful For and More

Happy New Year!

I recently read a post from Joyce Meyer Ministries on facebook saying before asking God for something think of 20 things you are grateful for...I have decided this would be a good way to start my blog and the new year.

20 Things I am Grateful For:

1. My daughter
2. My husband (although this can very from moment to moment LOL)
3. My family
4. My health
5. My job
6. God
7. Nature
8. Art
9. Friends
10. Learning New Things
11. My dog
12. Joyce Meyer Ministries
13. Dr. Wayne Dyer
14. Music
15. Second, third and fourth chances
16. Zumba
17. Swimming
18. Hugs
19. Love
20. Laughter

Dr. Wayne Dyer wrote: "Forget about those New Year's resolutions in which you decide on the first day of January how you will be conducting your life for the next twelve months. Instead, set up day-to-day goals for yourself, and then resolve to begin living with present moment awareness for the rest of your life. When you get good at living your present moments one day at a time you'll see yourself changing..."

My friend Lisa just started a blog yesterday. Check out her blog at: www.lisal2012.blogspot.com. In addition she makes some great cake pops - check them out at: www.goodiebites.com I was inspired by her. I attempted to start a blog 2 years ago but my husband told me I had to write about something people were interested in and that I knew enough about. I agreed he was right and didn't pursue it any further. However I often have given into the defeatest attitude and have found this way of living has not served me well thus far. So after my friend Lisa started her blog yesterday I decided why can't I write a blog as well? and that I no longer want to give up before I even really give it a shot.

I have a number of talented and creative friends who's work I would like to share as well as things that come up just in living life and being a mom.

I have recently been looking for educational materials for my daughter and found a series of DVDs by First Impressions and small fry for children ages 1-5 years. Subjects include, letters, numbers, shapes, sounds, and animals. What I like about these DVDs are the educational activties and that there are multiple choice questions where your child can select an answer and it's interactive. "Baby's first impressions and small fry have received over 30 awards from national organizations that recognize the very best in children's education and entertainment. Some of these include: USA Today, Coalition for Quality Children's Media - Approved By Kids First!, Child Magazine - best video of the year, Parenting magazine voted #1, and more."

I have a friend who has been making some wonderful designs. Check her designs out facebook - Nelesc Designs. I admire her work as being a designer is something else I started to pursue and gave up on. I was working on designing dog clothing and accessories and furniture and kind of let it go by the way side.

Also I'd like to share my husband's photography web site: www.yahyiaphotography.com I am very proud of his work and eagerly await him sharing some of his most recent work from his trip to Yemen.