shifting sands

Someone asked me to change the name of my business.  I want to change the name of my business.  Have done for ages.  And I can't find the perfet name for it.  I don't have a perfect name for it.  I loved Uncommon Sense.  Which is indeed Genius but also taken.  Of course.  I liked Be Uncommon.  ish.  But not massively.  I can't think of a term or a name or something that encompasses everything I do.  Words, as everyone knows, change every year.  This year is my year of Delight.  Mainly because its a delightful word.  Next year it will probably be something different.  I love the word Magic. And I really like Practical Magic.  But I don't know how that would work in some settings and also I think there is a film of the same name.  I have no idea what that film might be. 

Kick Ass Creative Power Lady is exhausting! ha ha

Who knew.  Hmm.  Perhaps this needs some modification.  It appears I can be Kick Ass Inspirational Creative Power Lady for only short periods of time.  Then I crash and turn into - errr. almost the opposite.  As in lazy pathetic unimaginative weak  - lady (I can't turn into a man) I guess KAICPL needs to be there as an inspiration but hard to maintain on a day to day basis. 

Perhaps I need a different person. 

Authentic Magic Lady?  Which can go a bit either way because she is authentic and not some creation of an ideal?  WHo is real but also a bit Kick Ass and POwerful when she needs to be.  I mean sometimes you have to heed the duvet day - for balance.

Maybe Kick Ass Creative Power Lady can come out when needed.

Am attempting a long term planning for meals.  This has become tricky due to Bub now being a vegetarian.  We can't eat pasta or veggy sausages for every meal. 

Am off to hunt down some ideas of stuff to eat.

Identity Work (Kick Ass Inspirational Creative Power Lady)

So yesterday I was talking to my friend about value.  And doing the important work first.   This particular important work is to spend time being creative, playing, figuring stuff out, experimenting and making.  Not earning money or keeping house, or even looking after the children. All of which are important things of course.  And key to this discussion was the idea of "value".  So I know  I am shown how valuable I am when I get paid, for example.  Its a tangible thing.  But creative work - this got described like its a treat.  Something that perhaps you ought to pay money for.... And to prioritise it....??  That is like prioritising spending money when you need to be earning it.... My friend was saying that in the past she would actually feel guilty for spending time doing the creative work.  Because it doesn't put food on the table or take care of the family.  And scheduling it was an after thought, or - if I have room after I have done all the other important things then I may treat myself to a bit of creative work time.

And we were talking about how - what if you did prioritise it? What if, like  - when you are trying to save money or put it aside, you 'paid yourself first' and then worked out how to spend the rest of your time.  So on the weekly schedule the creative work comes first.  Then if there is time left for tidying or some such at the end of the week....

And I mentioned all this in a discussion group I am part of, and was given the idea that this is all about IDENTITY  -  specifically written as  -
 
Identity.
Devotion.
Investment.
Motivation (thank you Fabeku).

And to prioritise creativity, rather than procrastinate on it, to value that - is about identity work.

Which also got me thinking.  When I woke up this morning I was buzzing with these ideas...  Value and creative work and identity.

Andrea Sher and she recently wrote about identity.  She wanted to be "a sexy grounded power fairy'.  Almost as a joke, but then... and wrote about how it actually is inspiring her, and guiding her.  And she has started running because this fits with this identity.  Maybe the grounded power part?? Anyways.  I LOVE this idea.  In fact I want to copy it completely.  And be a sexy  grounded  power fairy as well.  (and maybe I will just do that!) but  - well that is hers - .  And so I thought  - what would my identity be? you know the one that I would like and that would inspire me....  And so far I have come up with "Kick Ass,  Creative, Inspirational, Power lady - someone who DOES"  (I still like grounded power fairy  - but hey!) And it really works.  I felt really excited and inspired and motivated by it.  I thought, OK what would a kick ass inspirational creative power lady do when she wakes up????  Yes!!   - she would do her yoga practice!! (so I DID) and she would plan her day. (so I DID)  And she would not waste her time (too much) dilly dallying watching facebook videos (so I stopped!) and she would clear out the clutter and get on with stuff...   YES SHE WOULD.   etc etc.  It really feels like a marvellous touch stone for action, inspiration and power groundedness

I feel totally energised and excited by my day.  I reckon there is something in this Identity work....

So.  Just thought I would share!!!!  Feeling inspired.  And Creative.  And Powerful.  AND KICK ASS.  Whoop!! Now to clear out some clutter and get on with my super powerful kick ass day.

experiment day 2

Today lots of things went well.  I had a good meeting with a book keeper and I am very much looking forward to not having to do the books going forward.  I have a good handle on the back log and I managed to work my way through a fair amount.  My book keeper is looking into setting me up on xero which sounds a good idea. 

I made a very successful vegetarian shepherds pie.  My Bub - being a big 8 yr old these days  - has decided in a very Brighton way - to become a vegetarian, bless him.   And this pie - was appreciated by Bub, Hub and me!!

Also someone from A1 windows came to measure up so we can get a quote on new windows. 

I am still debating whether to do the backlog of book keeping myself or get new book keeper to do it.  its probably 16 hours of work. 

I did a pretty quick trip to the supermarket.  hate going to the supermarket.

Bub had a playdate in the morning and Hub took him to the park in the afternoon.  It was a beautiful day.  xx

an experiment

Its Lent so I decided to give something up.  I was going to do the Whole 30.  But its a bit full on and I wasn;t sure I was ready. Or prepared to give up wine.  or milk.  So I have given up grains.  Which is fairly considerable and quite enought to be getting on with. 

My other experiement it to document what is going well.

Yesterday we had a really lovely relaxed family day.  We went out of for lunch at Bub's favourite restaurant (Foodilic on North St) - they do a brunch now and I had a delicious grain free Poached eggs on top of smoked samlmon on top of avocado with salt pepper and chilli flakes.  YUM.

I had a nap in the afternoon.  Hub cleaned the guinea pigs out and then read Beast Quest books to Bub.  His new favourite.  And then we went to Planet India for a take out delicious supper.  And I successfully did not eat the rice.

Hub got me a lovely card that Bub chose which said - "you are my cup of tea" and he brought me a cuppa in bed yesterday.  Which I really love.  IN fact, one of the reasons it was worth getting married.  As you just cannot wake yourself up by bringing yourself a cup of tea.  Ah, I am so British!

I had a clash of appointments on Tuesday which I managed to spread out so that they fit and I paid my rent for Wild Art Journaling.  We postponed a big clean up until this morning.  Hmm.  I need more tea that means.  Oh and to print out some things.

Inspirational artist: Sophie Giblin

I met Sophie Giblin when I did the inaugural Secret Salad Society at the Wild School in Brighton.  I think 2013? The Wild School was an experimental learning places set up by Charles Davis, Graham Walker and Premsager Rose.  It hosted many events and workshops that were all based on needs and ran by Wild School members.  It was a summer of collaboration, random events (making musical instruments out of vegetables, wild singing, very clear ideas, humming, improvisation....and of course Secret Salad Society)  I also did the humming workshop with Sophie.

Sophie did her first Fast Art workshop at the Wild School and went on to succesfully crowd fund a few pop up Art Galleries around Brighton.  I ran an Art Journaling session at her first gallery (my first Art gathering!) and taught Yoga at her second.  She is an incredible whirlwind of energy and initiative and totally inspiring.  She is currently living and working in New Zealand.

Check out this interview about her and her work here

Yoga Rocks

Ah.  I feel SO MUCH BETTER.  Yoga class.  Really hard work one.  Really, really good.  I thought I might feel a bit weak having done nothing physical for so long. But it was if my body was crying out for it.  I loved it so much.  Like when you really really need to go dancing.  And afterwards you are hot and sweaty and a smiley mess and it feels so good.

So it was like that. My muscles are all feeling light and full of energy.  My whole mind was wired and malfunctioning and everything felt wrong.  But just needed to do that.  Yoga and art journaling are my valves.  Time spent with no brain noise.  Total immersion.  It reminded me of something a friend said to describe art. You have to lose yourself to find yourself.

So true so very very true.  I feel deeply nourished.  Thank you Yoga.  You really are my rock.