Meaningless Associations?

It's only "meaningless" if it deviates from a prescribed politcal agenda?  Independent thought seems to be highly underrated these days ... "sheeple of the country unite!"

Humpty Dumpty Sat on a Wall ....

Hard for me to get really worked up about politics these days? Kind of feel like an avid sports fan who went to a big game for my favorite sports team, standing in the bleachers and screaming at the top of my lungs --though, in truth, I seldom scream. Well my “team lost” and now, in the aftermath of the big game, I’m left extremely hoarse --and perhaps slightly disillusioned, for a number of reasons.  Guess, I mostly feel like just being quiet, curtailing my political efforts to observing for a time.

Image Source

Kind of feel like Humpty Dumpty had a great fall and I’m not altogether certain that “all of the King’s men” can “put Humpty Dumpty back together again.” Think I’m just hoping --and praying daily-- that a fierce storm doesn’t come along and completely blow Humpty Dumpty away? Maybe the next set of men … women … will be able to put Humpty Dumpty back together again, if they can find all of the pieces once again? They may have to fabricate some new pieces when this dust settles … I will say this, however:  It’s still about the economy stupid! And the solution is to open the doors, starting with approval of the Keystone Pipeline (and then moving onto enacting meaningful legislation/incentives that would encourage U.S. companies to bring jobs back into the USA).  In order to get our sputtering economy going once again, we need put people back to work, in real jobs --jobs that will stand the test of time without additional government funding.  More people working will immediately translate into an increased revenue coming into the federal government so that our elected officials can then begin to address other concerns ... And voila: things magically begin to fall into line.  Then again, maybe 4+ years of a lousy economy has conditoned people to think that we "need" BIG Government and that it has all of the answers?

Acceptance and Peace ....

Think I had it wrong the other day (black-white-fading-shades-of-grey) ... I had black and white right, but not the grey:

"Been thinking a bit more about black, white and shades of grey. The latter --black, white and grey, in art as well as life-- seems to be in the forefront of my thoughts and dreams these days. Having really bad headaches lately, thus I am taking some opiate derivative for pain as a prescription medication --apparently opiates don't have the adverse side effect of thinning the blood? So maybe my thoughts and pondering are a bit swayed by the medication? But sitting here tonight, it occurs to me that perhaps 'black' is denial or outright despair while 'white' is hope and infinite possibility (light, in it's purest form) ... the shades of grey are just the difference in between. "

Grey isn't limbo or confusion --the in-between-- I think rather that grey is acceptance and maybe, at long last, peace.

"Night train arrives in a blanket of twilight fog"

@Copyrighted photograph, Jan. 2013.  All Rights Reserved:  Isabelle Black Smith.

The Death, it finally came ...

“A Winter’s Death”


The death it finally came
This cold and foggy,
Lonely winter day.
Somber silence, enveloped
Completely … repletely,
Filling up the empty wanting
To unexpectedly console.
Imbibing sullen respect
From Winter’s icy libation,
The death it came in absence
Of the ceremonial pomp
Afforded the turgid seasons.
In the absence of all emotion
It simply was …
For it had been too long coming.


@Copyrighted Poem, January 2013.
All Rights Reserved: Isabelle Black Smith

Relativity ...

I'm convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt now:  time, as we perceive it, is the illusion.

Water Reflection ....

Pink roses, reflected in water ... This one reminds me of an impressionist painting.  Had fun creating this one during a lull in conversation.  Sometimes the universe offers up more meaningful conversation, I think.  My ignorance in dealing with people amuses me?

"Water Reflection"

@Copyrighted Photograph, 2013.  All Rights Reserved: Isabelle Black Smith.

[Note:  You may download this image ONLY for ***non-profit*** personal use as a screen-saver or device backdrop image.  Enjoy! =) ]


Heading off to ponder Einstein's theory of relativity now.  Think I have a better chance of understanding the latter (relativity) over the former topic (understanding people ... the living, anyway).


~M

Abandoned Russian Fort ....

I’ve had excruciating headaches these last several weeks. Finally had a catscan performed and found the root of the problem, so I’m on the mend now. I have hope that the headaches will recede all-together in the near future. At one point the pain was so bad, and the pain medication just wasn’t helping much … and sleep with a monster headache is just about impossible, unless it is a powerful drug-induced sleep. I was taking some opium derivative for pain at the time and it made me sleepy most of the time when the pain was not too intense, but when the pain hit maximum overload all bets were OFF!! My significant other is not a night owl. He starts to shut down around 9 p.m. each night and he literally shuts down. He just can’t stay up, so I became used to being up alone … sometimes afraid, sometimes in pain a long time ago.

"Abandoned Russian Fort"

@Copyrighted Photograph, 2012.  All Rights Reserved:  Isabelle Black Smith.

Well one night, late at night/early morning, about a two weeks before Christmas the pain was so bad … I just didn’t know what to do? I had thoughts about seriously hurting myself just to make the pain stop. For some reason music seems to soothe me when I am hurting, so I went on-line and started listening to songs on Spotify that felt like “home” to me … mostly 70’s era and Jimi Hendrix and I noticed as I listened that the green dot of dear friend --also on-line-- appeared. I couldn’t text or chat with my friend because my head just hurt too bad to think, but I could close my eyes, sinking back into a comfy chair with my feet up and listen to my music … and somehow, every time I opened my eyes the green dot of my friend was still there, right there with me. It was almost like having my friend right there with me, holding my hand, in my time of need … so that I was not alone after all. Anyhow, just thought I’d leave this here to let them know how much their presence that night meant to me.  Hard to say something like this in person and not have someone think you are nuts?  Maybe this was just the universe reaching out to comfort me .... payback for all of my many hours spent in prayer on behalf of others?


Peace & Much Love,

~M

Another Year has been unleashed??

Seems another year has been unleashed and begun its inevitable unfolding.  Another year ... New beginnings, ripe with hope and infinite possibilites?  My sense is that this will be the year for faith and the unexpected ... thus, I'm still lounging awhile longer in 2012:  It's December 33rd, 2012 for me ; )  I've found a way to circumvent time ... But for those of you who have moved on, my wish for you is that you truly open your hearts and minds, slow the pace and focus on letting those present in your lives know how much they mean to you.  I think all to often we forget that none of us are promised a tomorrow.  May Peace & Love fill your lives and illuminate your minds.  God Bless and Happy New Year ... 2013:  Buckle up and enjoy the ride ...

God our Creator's, Peace, Love & Light to you!

The acronym INRI (Iēsus Nazarēnus, Rēx Iūdaeōrum) represents the Latin inscription, which in English reads as "Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews" … I believe He is The Prince of Peace, the Bringer of Light who offered us the gift of rebirth and hope for our future by the ultimate sacrifice: His very life.
 
I find myself reflecting on what we as a people on this rapidly spinning Blue Planet have done with His gift (today and) tonight, Christmas Eve. I wonder: What will we do, each one … ourselves, in the year ahead, when we receive a welcomed renewal of His Light –burning brightly within each one of us-- this very night?

Regardless of what you BELIEVE: May God, Our Creator’s, Peace, Love and Light creep into your hearts, light your minds, strengthen your Faith and Understanding patience with others who may not be as far along as you are on the path of Spiritual Evolution (... For we are each on our own personal journey).  May our combined lights, thus renewed, spread forth to renew others and light anew the face of this weary land. I rejoice for this notion and for the gift of Jesus, ever-present in my life. Merry Christmas to one and ALL!


~Isabelle Black Smith




[Image Source: John Singleton Copley, “The Nativity” Painting]

Unseen Gifts: Opening Doors

Sometimes trust hurts … Personally, it scares the hell out of me.  But there comes a point where you have to open up, on some level, and begin the process of truly letting others in … sharing what’s going on in the inside of you. Often they, the others, won’t even know --hence they can’t truly appreciate the gift you’re giving them --the effort that you’re going through in order to keep the doors open, but that doesn’t really matter: you know and you keep on trying and that’s enough for now.

What is Prayer?

Always amazes me how many of my adult acquaintances are uncomfortable with the notion of prayer.  I'm not sure if this due to pre-conceived notions that prayer is a religious thing, and maybe they are just too busy to still the noise in their own lives?  Maybe it's a control thing?  They don't feel comfortable opening themselves up to a higher power?  Maybe they simply don't believe or don't want to believe that there is real power in prayer? I'm not entirely certain, but I just find the latter excuses and reasoning baffling because prayer is such an integral part of my way of life and who I am ... Seems I've always had an ongoing dialogue with a higher power, nature and the collective consciousness from my very first memories. 

Image Source (Unknown)

For me, prayer is a spiritual thing not a religious thing.  Prayer, to me, is simply tapping into the collective consciousness --and for me God, our Creator, is at the center of this consciousness-- with a concerted interest in furthering a greater good. It's really not that complicated. Still the noise, open your heart and mind and begin a conversation.  I think that you would truly be surprised at how easily the words and thoughts begin to flow ... Give it a try.  In times like these, what have you got to lose?



Peace & Much Love,

~Isabelle Black Smith




P.S.  I am praying intently for the families of Newtown, Connecticut.  May God, our Creator, Bless them --each one-- as they lay their loved ones to rest and strive to return to some form of 'normal' in their lives.  I was literally disconnected from this earthly world last Thursday and Friday.  It wasn't until Monday and Tuesday of this week that I became fully aware of this tragedy and began to process it in my own heart and mind.  I wrote a poem in the aftermath of the Aurora Movie Theater tragedy that speaks of the resillience of the human spirit and the seeds of hope.  I think this poem provides words of peace, comfort and hope in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook School shooting as well.  Just now recovery from surgery myself, so I have been out of touch and sorts ... thus, I will just provide a link back to this poem instead of making a separate post:  http://whatplanetareyoulivingon.blogspot.com/2012/07/another-unnecessary-act-of-violence.html

A Message from Space ...

Praying, reflecting, searching for signs of hope tonight and I happened to stumble across this ....



                 


To view the original HD-version visit:  Giacomo Sardelli


"An extraordinary timelapse video created with pictures from the International Space Station shows Earth as it has never been seen before. The video, called Further Up Yonder, was made by Italian film student Giacomo Sardelli using Nasa stills. Sardelli calls the film a message from the ISS to all humankind"  ~The Guardian UK

          

Black, White, fading shades of Grey ....

Had the strangest dream the other night … I was in a black and white, with shades of grey, 2-D world. Almost like I was a charcoal pencil sketch. The scenery was that of a post-Autumn landscape, with barren tree branches and fallen leaves blowing wildly about.

"Boreas", By John William Waterhouse

(converted to black and white)

In this dream, I was walking along a deserted street just before sunset, I think, when a fierce wind began to blow. The wind was icy cold, making it hard to breath when you faced into it so I turned my back away from the wind and wrapped my arms around me in an effort to stay warm. Then almost out of no where I felt a warm inner glow light inside me and I was able to stand up straight once again and unwrap my arms. Suddenly, the wind no longer felt icy and I was able to turn into the wind. I found myself smiling, with such a sense of inner peace as I faced the wind head-on, radiating with an inner glow. And as the wind blew, my physical body began to disolve and break into tiny little pieces that scattered in many different directions with the various gusts of wind, entering into dimensions beyond the 2-D world in which my physical body had been confined, constrained … little lanterns of light born upon the winter winds.

Think this is what the dance with Death will be like for me, maybe?



12/7/2012 ...Early, early morning hours ... Been thinking a bit more about black, white and shades of grey.  The latter --black, white and grey, in art as well as life-- seems to be in the forefront of my thoughts and dreams these days.  Having really bad headaches lately, thus I am taking some opiate derivative for pain as a prescription medication --apparently opiates don't have the adverse side effect of thinning the blood?  So maybe my thoughts and pondering are a bit swayed by the medication?  But sitting here tonight, it occurs to me that perhaps 'black' is denial or outright despair while 'white' is hope and infinite possibility (light, in it's purest form) ... the shades of grey are just the difference in between.  Sound plausible?

Undermining our National Security?

Some thoughts from a middle class citizen's perspective as our nation teeters on the brink of its "fiscal cliff" ....

Would I like to receive my “2K” tax break this tax year? Of course. My family would put this additional ‘income’ to good use. Do I think that the net combined effect of this middle class tax-break will have a significant positive impact on the economy? No I do not believe that this middle class tax- break will have a significant impact on the economy. I believe that the impact on the economy will be marginal at best. What we need in order to get our economy moving once again is long term job creation (i.e., create an environment favorable to bringing jobs from overseas back to the United States and heavily penalize goods & services brought back into the U.S. by companies choosing to have their products and services 'made' by foreign workers).

Do I think that raising taxes on those individuals making over $250,000 a year will be a major source of revenue generation. No I do not think that raising taxes on those individuals making over $250,000 a year will be a major source of revenue generation. That being said, if we are looking to slash benefits for programs like Medicare and Medicaid --in a effort to reign-in and reduce deficit spending-- then is asking the top income earners to pay a bit more that outrageous? I don’t think so. And as for the Republican argument that “raising taxes on individuals making over $250,000 a year will hurt small businesses who are job creators, employing approximately 25% of the American workforce”: then why not just enable a tax-provision whereby those who file taxes as a legitimate small business owner will continue to pay the lower tax rate as they have done in previous years. Why is it so difficult to make the latter distinction? But if Republicans give on the raising taxes for individuals making over $250,000 --with the business caveat—I don’t think that Democrats should be able to slide addressing concrete spending cuts to entitlement programs in order to address deficit spending over into next year. There has to be a give and take --on both sides of the aisle-- right now.

I think that we have become such a sharply divided nation, in terms of politics, these past few years –and after this recent Presidential election most especially—that our elected representatives have come to approach the problems facing our nation from an “all or NOTHING!” or “winner take all” perspective, totally overlooking the possibility of a middle=ground for viable solutions to move forward.

So in light of the above: Am I willing to forgo my middle class tax-break? Absolutely!! … I will gladly forgo my tax-break if the elected representatives of “we the people” will stop playing political volleyball with our country’s future and national security, by finally getting their butts to the negotiating table, rolling up their sleeves, sitting down and doing what it takes to stop sequestration cuts from going into effect. Enough with the party politics already?! With a 49 -51 split on the Presidential vote neither side has sweeping mandate to do ANYTHING. The sequestration cuts –which will go into effect after the first of the new year-- will greatly undermine our National Security, in my humble opinion, at a time when we can ill-afford to have our military undermined in such an egregious fashion. It’s been four years since Congress has been able to pass an actual budget: I think it’s about dang time they got down to business!! If they can’t: maybe “we the people” should recall* them ALL?



[* That is to say vote them out of office when they are up for re-election.  Technically there exists no formal provision in the Constitution for recalling elected officials by the people they represent ... a senator or congressman can only suffer expulsion via the elected body in which they serve (i.e., via Congressional vote or Senate vote).]

Wondering ....

If the world went mad would we be too busy with trivialities or complacency to even notice??  Would we notice the early warning signs?