Happy New Year – A Message by George Carlin
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much or too little, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.
We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete…
Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.
Remember to say, ’I love you’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
Warning – When I am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple
I read this poem many, many years ago when I was at school, and it stayed with me. I decided that when I was approaching a certain age, that I would adopt this very policy. As I am now in my forties and fifty is imminent I think it is now time to cultivate my batty and eccentric persona. I believe I now qualify to join the Red Hat Society. I have a red hat, but yet no purple. This shall of course be remedied.
When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple
with a red hat that doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
and satin candles, and say we’ve no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I am tired
and gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
and run my stick along the public railings
and make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
and pick the flowers in other people’s gardens
and learn to spit.
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
and eat three pounds of sausages at a go
or only bread and pickles for a week
and hoard pens and pencils and beer nuts and things in boxes.
But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
and pay our rent and not swear in the street
and set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.
By Jenny Joseph
Goodbye Selina Di Girolamo
Artist, mother and Goddess. You brought colour and joy to the world, and will be truly missed. May your journey onto the next be bathed in light and love.
You are going home to your home of winter,
To your ho…me of autumn, of spring, and of summer;
You are going home to the Land of the Living,
To the restful havens of the waveless Sea.
Peace of the Seven Lights be upon you, beloved,
Peace of the Seven Joys be upon you, beloved,
Peace of the Seven Loves be upon you, beloved,
On the breast of the Mother of Blessings,
In the arms of the Father of Peace.
Slán agus beannacht leat
Your Petticoat is showing….
Last night I was reading to Orla, and we got to a section where the little girl in the story put on her ‘petticoat’, and Orla asked ‘what’s a petticoat?’. I found this interesting, for when I was five years of age I would not have asked this question. My sister and I had lots of petticoats, as we mostly wore dresses and skirts at the same age, and at that time, one wore a petticoat (or ‘slip’) under ones dress, whether one was a little girl or a grown woman.
I got to thinking, when was the last time I wore a petticoat (or slip)? I do still have one (as I discovered on investigation), not a full slip, but a skirt petticoat, for wearing under a skirt…naturally. Now, I don’t wear skirts any more, but, when I still worked full time and wore a mid calf length skirt, I would wear a petticoat as it stopped the skirt catching my legs and bunching up.
But, I got to wondering, does anyone wear petticoats or slips under dresses and skirts anymore as a day to day item of clothing? I certainly don’t think little girls do, and I don’t recall seeing them in Marks and Spencer’s in the children’s section. In fact, when buying new bras recently, I didn’t notice many in the woman’s section either. Is it a piece of lingerie that has finally had it’s day, and been relegated to the same class of obsolete underwear as the chemise and bloomers (or rather ‘directoire’ knickers as my Grandmother called them)? Or is it now considered a ‘recreational’ item of clothing. I rather liked petticoats and slips, they were pretty, and allowed the dress to hang better. I looked through Etsy and Google, and there were flouncy 50′s style petticoats a plenty. So the traditional petticoat is still popular as a ‘dress up’ item of clothing it would seem.
The 52 Week Project, 2011
On Saturday (tomorrow), I am starting my 52 week project. I am going to chronicle this project here rather than my art blog as it’s going to be more personal, less about my art (though some of the images may include my art etc), and more about me and my life.
I will take pictures over the course of a week of myself (or even just one), or something that is meaningful to me, e.g a portrait shot, a setting, a still life shot, outdoors etc, but always themed, and then post to my Flickr account and the 52 Week Project Flickr Group.
I will also blog it here every Saturday. The photos may be just portraits, or myself in situations, or a featuring a concept,or an object. We shall see. It will be a process of exploration and see if I can learn anything new about myself, or…just learn something new.
I would love you people to join in with me, and if you decide to, then just leave a reply. And yes Rona, I will do a blog badge 
Lorrie Whittington
Visual Artist and Designer
Chichester, UK
