Let the Wonders Begin!

The last month of 2010 was spent in excited anticipation of the arrival of today, January 1st, 2011. I could finally begin the Awe-Manac and delve into the creative mojo that lay inside. However, today got off to a slow start after spending New Years Eve drinking Kava with Loraine, Lita and Tammy. Loraine and I were Kava virgins and didn't know what to expect. We had a blast, great conversation, a ton of laughter but Kava and my digestive track didn't really get along too well. I wouldn't change a thing though because it was precious time spent with amazing friends. 

Lita, Laura, Tammy & Loraine

At the Kava Bar

Of course I took a camera, only to discover the battery was dead. Nice going Ms. Photographer! Luckily Lita brought her camera and I was able to use it to catch some images. She also took some pics of Loraine and I experiencing Kava for the first time:

Loraine and I toasting with Kava

Pic by Lita

So, back to the Awe-Manac. As I stated in my previous post, this is something I am doing along with Loraine, Lita and Missy. We are all using the Awe-Manac as a daily inspiration for our creative selves.

This picture was inspired by the Toast of the Day "Let the Wonders Begin":

Brewing up some Wonder for 2011

I started a new journal just for the Awe-Manac and here are a few tidbits from my entry today:

Today I get to...be creative all day! Even into the night!

Ebbing: What will you release 5% of this month? I will release my attachment to outcomes.  

This is important because I put too much on the outcome of things, whether it's stepping on the scale or looking at an image that didn't turn out the way I wanted. It's better to attach myself to the journey as opposed to the outcome.

Flowing: What will you increase 5%? I will increase my sales (from all sources). 

No brainer...after the holidays, this is a must for January. :)

Vessel of Strength: What self-talk will keep you afloat? I am an artist and I am loved.

J.D. Salinger Starter Fluid from The Catcher in the Rye: "If you really want to know about it..."

...you will have to ask someone else because I don't revisit the past.

The Night the Moon Asked for Help

The above digital art piece was inspired by B. Kliban's cartoon Two Guys Fooling Around With the Moon. Here is a little story to go along with it:

Everyone in the village thought Josephine to be crazy. For years she would tell anyone who would listen, and even those who tried not to, about the night she was cooking up a pot of Hungarian Goulash and the moon came knocking at her door.

"I'm sorry to bother you madam, but I'm in great need of some help. It seems someone in the Western Hemisphere has shot a rocket into my eye. I've tried to ignore this unfortunate issue but alas, it is causing my shine to wither into a gray of nothingness. Would you be so kind as to assist me in removing the rocket along with the grime and debris that is affecting my glow?"

Now, this may seem quite odd to the ordinary person but Josephine had always believed in the impossible. Ever since she was small child, chasing faeries around a golden sunlit wood, she had known that all things are possible. That's not to say her family felt the same way. Her husband Joseph, and their son Josiah both stood behind her, the color draining from their already paled skin, mouths opened in disbelieving gasps.

"You must lasso a rope around me as gravity does not affect me and I cannot hold myself down to earth for long. You must work quickly so that I can get back up to the star-filled sky and finish my work for the night."

A rope was found and it was agreed that Josephine would hold him in place. She was the most stout of the family, coming from exceptionally fine Bohemian stock. Joseph and Josiah gathered ladders and began the arduous task of polishing up the moon, followed by the removal of the rocket which involved a second rope, some serious tugging and a slight yelp of pain. Astonishingly, the eye, which for a moment, was a gaping black hole, began to regenerate itself. During this time, Josephine felt it was best to keep the Moon distracted from what was going on so she engaged him in some conversation.

"So, did you not see or hear the rocket coming your way?"

"Usually I'm quite adept at avoiding all kinds of space matter but at that particular moment, I was in a deep conversation with Venus, who, I'm sure you have heard, can be quite enthralling."

"Ah, yes! Venus. She does have quite a bright personality. You should pay more attention next time to what is going on around you." 

"Thank you, I will remember that."

"So, why did you pick our door to knock upon?"

"I see you in the early evening, tending to your flock, carrying your Bison horn to ward off wolves. The Bison horn is a symbol of my crescent self. To me, it was a sign that you would be the most accepting of my predicament."

"Well, I'm very grateful that you did choose us. This will be a night we will never forget."

"And I shall always shine brightly upon your house, lighting your way through dark times."

 After the removal of the rope, the Moon gave Josephine a slight smile and a wink of a newly repaired eye and slowly drifted back up to his place in the indigo sky.

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As the first day of the new year comes to a close, I realize how much inspiration I pulled from just one day of the Awe-Manac. This should be a creative fun-filled year! Here's wishing you all a Happy New Year and many creative and inspiring days ahead!

Thank you to the following DeviantArt stock providers: Eirian-stock, redheadstock, Aegean-Prince and BrokenVain-Stock