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My thoughts about things. |
| A place to put my thoughts about various stuff. |
| Recently, I have been reminded of how difficult it can be to strive for excellence in fields where your success is based in objectivity. 2+2=4 The War of 1812 occurred in the year 1812. The basketball goes through the hoop. The runner crosses the finish line. There are so many things in life that can be definitively called a success. It doesn't mean doing those things are easy, but it does tend to be easier to define success for them. The creative arts are not always as easily defined. Though there can be definitive categories applied to them, the judgement still comes from a place inside us that is entirely personal and therefore automatically biased. Is it a beautiful watercolor or a smudgy mismatch of random paint splatters? Did the dancer's moves touch a place inside your soul or were they just getting from one place to another on stage? Were those instruments creating a symphony that incited your emotions, or did it take all you had to suffer through the cacophony of sound? Did the book capture your attention and transport you to a time and place, or did you want to put it down two paragraphs in? For those of us that continue to share pieces of our hearts and souls with an outside audience, I applaud our efforts and admire our resolve. Remember that if you love what you are creating, then there are those out there who will also love it. And for those that don't, it's ok. Others' opinions of you and/or your work do not define you or your work. The work defines itself, as does the time and effort you put in to making it happen. Absorb the constructive criticism that is offered, let the pointless naysayers pass you by, and keep on creating! We believe in you. You believe in you. Happy writing, everyone! (And/or any other creative activity that you enjoy!) |
Here we are again at presidential election day!  There can be so much emotion that goes into these elections. For some, it can be hard not to let their feelings guide their behaviors and actions because the issues at hand touch on topics that are felt at a personal level. However, I firmly believe that - in the vast majority of situations - we control our emotions, our emotions do not control us. Certainly, there can be circumstances that warrant being overwhelmed, but in most cases, it is a choice of how to behave. In politics, sadly we have more individuals setting a bad example of behavior than good. The best advice that can be given, I believe, is to research the candidates from a reliable source. Examine their record of previous voting (if one exists), then consider all of that alongside your own beliefs. What matches? What doesn't? In the end, we just have to make the best informed decision that we can. Some have said that there is little point to voting for various reasons. I understand their ambivalence. For me, the act of voting is an important personal choice and represents more than just handing in a completed ballot. Not everyone in this world gets the opportunity to participate in a such a system. Many in the past gave their lives for our freedom to vote and many put their lives on the line today to make sure we still can. Taking the responsibility in hand to inform yourself of the issues and candidates and then following through by casting your ballot (regardless of what choices you make) illustrates that you care about your country and what happens to all of us here. This morning going to vote was a nice experience. It was a long wait, which I was thankful for - it means so many of us came out to vote! Though it made my back ache and my feet sore, it was still a pleasant morning spent chatting with family and community members. All of us eager to make our contribution. It was so good to see older folks out and about right alongside younger ones voting for the first time!  I voted! I hope many of you out there did, too!  |
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