Intend Simplify Balance

Keep up the good work I say and let yourself Intend what you want. Believe that what you want is happening. If your vision includes your town, your country, the earth, the universe, go ahead. It is the most important work/play you can do.

Second to that is simplification. I am reading the Laws of Simplification, Design, Technology, Business, Life, by John Maeda, the new president of my alma mater, Rhode Island School of Design. He is an artist, designer and was head of the MIT Media Lab. He speaks to the issues facing us as a country and as a planet...... reduce, organize, time, learn, differences, context, emotion, trust, failure, the One, (subtracting the obvious and adding the meaningful).

I particularly like the wave illustration on page 46. He notes that complexity and simplicity are rhythmic, balanced, not steadily gaining or loosing.

The wave demonstrates that as we simplify our lives, our rampant consumerism can become controlled. We can balance our lives so that we honor that which is important to life.... air, water, earth, health, children, beauty, honor, integrity, authenticity, connection, love, serenity, friendship, and we will not miss the stuff that we let slip away..... Start with, "I intend to.....love myself more." good place to start... Bardet

For Elliot

Some people are just in your mind.

Accepting Love

Here I am now, living in Kingston, New York. Just a few miles away the Catskill mountains lounge serenely waiting for snow to nuzzle them. And in another direction, the Shawangunk mountains are, in their purity, holding the energy of the original lay of the land when natives were here. I have fully given over to making and creating and quiet contemplation. In the past few weeks I put away many pears from my tree, some in jars for jam, gorgeous red peppers, and have mucho chicken stock frozen, waiting for cold winter evenings to warm up the insides.

All in all the fall has been a beauty so far and more to come. The dancing here is outrageously good with local venues attracting a night crowd of experienced dancers who are dedicated to twirling and stepping to the rhythms of zydeco, my favorite, waltz, contra, salsa, west and east coast swing, country and western, English country, squares and of course I am still doing African here with Pam and Mimo and several drummers.

And what's all this about accepting love? It came to me today that so many of us are surrounded by it and don't even know it and don't let it in even when it comes and hits us upside the head. Well, not literally, but the feeling of love is always in the air and I just think that if one is interested it is good to start by opening up and feeling it inside and all around and hold onto that feeling and it will permeate and become value added -- a treasure that we have been wanting for a long time. A longing that consumerism has not been able to satisfy. So I for one am going to open up and accept that feeling of love and see what happens, become permeable. It might be the only true antidote for fear. It's gonna be good.

These photos are from this summer at the Ashokan Reservoir which is surrounded by the Catskills and of Doug and his beautiful sculptural property in Vermont with dear Pixley.