Mary and the Wonderettes.

So I decided to quit Portfolio Penter and start a band.
Mary and the Wonderettes.
We are only going to sing songs about design and typography in the blue-grass style....and maybe a few Rod Stewart Covers.
Anywho, I got this e-mail today that I am very excited about...I think it really affirms the potential we have as a band and I thought I'd share it with my loyal readers. I'll have pictures to add soon...so stay tuned...Who knew fame was going to come so fast.

...(here's the letter)
To whom it may concern:
Yeehahh miss Dora!!!! I was calling to tell you our recruits happened to catch one of your acts and would like you to come in for an audition at our studios.
We appreciate your excitement for the audience and your voice is one of a kind. We especially can see you singing and dancing for one of our upcoming television series or even doing some broadway. We have several openings and we think you could fill everyone of them.

we would love you to ride on over to our wonder studios.... you know what, bring your crew and maybe we could film your video for the country western crowd or possibly even a VH1 saturday evening special.

we see rainbows of opportunity with you dora and we can't wait to hear your voice.

Please wear your ass-less chaps to the audition. Very important for the theatre and the male dominated industry.

enjoy your weekend and I hope you continue to keep that raspy smokers rod stewart voice you got there.


sincerely,
agent starr (with two r's).

Forks and other dinnerware.

It is interesting to me the challenges that we face as human beings to discover our authentic selves. By this I mean, that truest core essence of who we are. Do I believe that most of us have any idea who we really are? Actually, no, I do not. I believe that most of us are trying our hardest to find happiness by living within the "options" that we believe we have to choose from. Those options are provided to us courtesy of friends, family, mentors, bosses, society, culture. Rarely, do these options provide us with the real answers. The truth, the reality of who we are lies deep within US. That means, we cannot look outside of ourselves to find the answers...to find our truth. As Hank says, "the answer to the question always lies within the question." We are our own archeologists. It is our mission to unearth the core of who we are and then we can embark on our true path in life. Then we start making the life choices that reflect this core. It has been my observation this past week that some people who, perhaps, have our best interest at heart, may put their agenda for us ahead of any agenda we may have for our own life. All of this is fine except that when the agendas do not match up and NO conversation has taken place about the mission and direction of the journey at hand, tension builds. All I ask is for dialogue. Communication. Ultimately, I get to decide. I get to make the choice to go down this road or that road. It is about staying true to my life, my path, MY choices...which, by the way, I own COMPLETELY. My choices, my behavior, my success, my failure, I own. And that is a beautiful thing...and I thank and love those willing to be a part of this amazing journey.

Amelia Earhart.

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward."
-Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart fucking rocks. Talk about fearless...that was one fearless woman. A definite risk taker. I aspire to be so brave. I aspire to be so wise. I've always been one to take the risks, but it has occurred to me recently that simply jumping is not enough. That, sometimes, real bravery lies in the ability to sit still...to be PRESENT in the moment that we are living. That rushing the process, the procedure is missing out on the experience that truly is life. Life is that process. Life is what we do, bravely, every single day...when we are living from a place of mindfulness. I've always wanted to be ahead of myself until I realized that, no matter what, the finish line is still the same no matter how much I try to draw it closer or push it away. The only thing we are assured of in this lifetime is the moment that we have RIGHT NOW and that the past cannot be changed. The future remains unknown and a mystery...which is why the present is so important. That is so hard to remember sometimes...and yet, it is so simple. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens while we are busy making other plans..." So much wisdom from those who left this earth so, seemingly, prematurely.

VoRticIsM

So I am in Design History with the Almighty Hankster this quarter...again...and, I must say, I am excited. Even though I truly want to kill myself when my alarm goes off at 4:30am, I know I have signed up for something that is going to change my life. So far, PC has pushed me further than I imagined it would...in every way. My design periods: pop art and vorticism. At first I was bitter because I really wanted Polish Poster and Post Modern, but, LORD knows, that would be TOO easy. Turns out, this period known as vorticism really fits me...here's a synopsis of what the term means " The term represented the contradiction of a swirling, headyprogress and a still reflective centre which was a characterisation of the group's collective psyche." Well, that's me. So off we go!

Fun Facts to Know and Love.

TAG, you're it...if you read this, you must cut and paste it with YOUR answers into your blog.
This includes you, Audrey, who has the LAMEST blog entry on her site right now.

1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:30AM
2. Diamonds or pearls? diamonds
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Brokeback Mountain
4. What is your favorite TV show? Law and Order SVU
5. What do you usually have for breakfast? lots of coffee and PB (PeterPan+vitamins/minerals)& J(Apricot) on Extra High Fiber Bread
6. What is your favorite cuisine? Asian
7. What is your middle name? Caldwell
8. What food do you dislike? brussell sprouts
9. What is your favorite CD at the moment? KT Tunstall
11. Favorite sandwich? Smoked Turkey and swiss on Rye
12. What characteristic do you despise? judgmental-ness
13. Favorite item of clothing? white pants and jackets
14 If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would it be? Bali
15. What color is your bathroom? Hideous seafoam green and yellow (NOT my choosing)
16. Favorite brand of clothing? Laundry by Shelli Segal
18. What was your most memorable birthday? 12
19. Favorite sport to watch? tennis, ice skating, equestrian
20. When is your birthday? September 5th (virgo)
21. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night
22. What is your shoe size? 9
23. Pets? 2 cats (sprout and oliver) 2 dogs (fox and red)
24. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us? I'm pregnant! (just kidding)
25. What did you want to be when you were little? a vet, a psychologist.
26. How are you today? tired and allergy-ridden
27. What is your favorite candy/chocolate? anything peanut butter and chocolate
28. What is your favorite flower? tulips
29. What is a date on the calendar you are looking forward to? Saturday...no reason, though.
30. Do you enjoy your job? yes, finally!
31. Coke or Pepsi? coke
32. Where were you born? Baton Rouge, LA
33. What is your favorite chip flavor? Doritos...I know, they are gross...but good
34. What fabric detergent do you use? Gain
35. Favorite Color? orange

Coop Doggy Dog.

Although many of you know about Fox and Red, my two adorable dogs that I am madly in love, it is essential that my loyal blogging fans learn about Cooper. Cooper was my very first dog...not a family dog, but the dog that I adopted from the pound when I was a sophomore in college. Cooper and I met at the East Baton Rouge Parish Pound on a cold, grey winter day...he had the sweetest, most loving face and I instantly knew I was intended to have him. His tea-colored eyes had me in an instant. I had Cooper from that moment until he died in 2004...for those of you who do not fancy yourselves "animal people," you are truly missing out on one of the most beautiful things in the world. Cooper was my constant companion. Cooper saw me through my first significant relationships...he stood by me and loved me, put his sweet head on my lap when I needed him. He had an uncanny understanding and sensitivity to human emotion. His sense of when people needed love was so touching and unexpected from this clumsy, beautiful creature. I realized the other day that my move to Atlanta, this current chapter of my life is the first chapter that has begun without him. I don't think you ever stop missing those creatures that are truly an example of what love is about...those creatures that teach you how to love, how to sit still, how to simply be in the presence of another. Cooper did that for me. Cooper taught me that loving is simply BEING in the grace of oneself. Cooper taught me that loving another is simply BEING in the grace of who they are as well. That love is simple...that love is essential.

Oh, Cinderella!

The other night I was drifting off to sleepy's house and was startled by the sound of a small cavalry trotting down my street. Clomp, clomp, clomp, clompity, clomp. One thing that is important to know about "my street" is that, for some reason, it is a haven for prostitution. And these are not just any prostitutes...these are transsexual/transvestite prostitutes. These are 6'5 biologically male black men twirling down my street in full drag: lucite pumps, blonde wigs, and body-hugging spandex mini-dresses. I feel like a little butch man compared to these divas...well, my neighbor and I were walking our dogs the other day and, alas, we found the above "shoe" in our alleyway. Hmmmm... Of course, we had to bust out the latex gloves and snag that treasure...I mean, look at that thing...it takes great skill and coordination to be able to sashay in those death traps. I can only imagine how that ONE shoe landed in our alleyway...just ONE shoe. All I know is that I feel pity for the poor soul that that chunk of lucite was hummed at.

Home Sweet Home.

The other night I was walking my dogs and I looked up and saw the Atlanta skyline and thought, FINALLY, I feel like I am home. When I was in college, I would drive through Atlanta on my way to North Carolina and each time I would drive through this city, I would feel this incredible sense of homesickness. I am from Louisiana...born and raised...but Atlanta always felt like home to me once I became acquainted with her. I can't explain it...and I don't really care to at this point in my life. I was just struck by how sometimes, unexplainably, people places or things can feel so much a part of us before we even consciously know it. We go through life just passing time...mostly unconscious of the reasons we choose or do not choose things....we try to seek out happiness, avoid pain, doing whatever it takes to accomplish this...but I believe there is purpose guiding us if we start to tune into our selves. I believe that everything has purpose in driving us to create our most truest self. Bad choices are good lessons, good choices are affirmations...everything circles back around to re-acquainting us with who we are meant to be. I have been so inclined to derail myself, to deny myself, to contort myself, to take myself down paths that are not really mine...I'm just glad that I finally woken up to the reality and truth of who I really am. Without apology. These are a few pieces of art I've done that are about this journey to self-actualization and self-acceptance.